Peak of Desire Ch. 09

After half a mile of walking, they reached a forty foot high granite formation chalked up with climbing routes which ranged from easy to difficult. They came to a stop a few inches away from the face of the rock, then Cody set his climbing equipment on the ground. He assisted Erica in securing a harness around her, then once that was done, he tied a rope to her harness and gave her a helmet.

She slipped it onto her head, then clipped it in place with the little strap beneath her chin. He clipped a chalk bag to the belt loops of his shorts, and after covering his palms in the powdery substance, he retrieved a coil of rope and a few metal clips from the ground, then stuffed them both into one of his cargo shorts pockets. Then he took off his shirt, throwing it onto the dry, cracked ground.

The sight of his bare chest quickened her pulse, and she felt a familiar heat build in her lower stomach. She wasn't sure how long her eyes were pasted to his torso, but she figured it must have been longer than she expected, because when her gaze lifted to meet his, she saw that Cody was glancing down at her with a seductive smile.

"Just give me some time to climb to the top and anchor the rope, then I'll come back down." He turned to face the rock, then placed his palms on the granite surface and lifted his legs to climb upward.

"Wait, what about your helmet?" She called out to him.

"Don't need one."

"What do you mean you don't need one?" She paused and waited for a response, but when he remained silent and continued to ascend, she once again spoke. "I have one on, so why not you?"

"I've been rock climbing for years, I know what I'm doing."

A small sigh of exasperation passed her lips, and she lightly shook her head. Watching as he continued to scale the rock, she tried her best not to say anything else, but it was very hard not to. She could only imagine how pushy he'd have become if she'd chosen to forgo the helmet, but it seemed that he expected her to accept every decision that he made, regardless if it was logical or not.

Realizing there was nothing she could do, she decided to just relax and watch him do his thing. Stressing out about something she couldn't control would do no more than provide her with unnecessary stress.

Cody propelled himself upward with spiderlike skill, moving with a grace and speed that she couldn't help admiring. His biceps rippled, calf muscles flexing as he continued toward the summit. She loved seeing him in action, and found that the sight of him was like an aphrodisiac for her.

Few things turned her on more than watching a man engage in physical activity, and even from where she stood on the ground, she could hear little grunts of exertion coming from Cody's mouth.

To say he was incredibly adept at climbing would be putting it lightly, and she was nothing short of fascinated by the strength he possessed. In what seemed like an amazingly short amount of time, he reached the top and set the anchor in place. Then he began his journey back downward.

At certain points along his climb downward, the places where he jammed his fingers and the tips of his feet into the granite surface were very far apart. This resulted in him having to rely purely on the strength of his arms, leaving his legs to dangle completely free. Whenever this happened, Erica felt her heart rate speed up, and although she knew what a skilled climber he was, she still couldn't help but worry about his safety.

He was still far enough from the ground so that if he did fall, it would undoubtedly result in serious injury, or possibly even death. She didn't like thinking such morbid thoughts, but it was difficult not to when he was scaling a forty foot rock without any type of safety equipment.

It wasn't until his feet were once again planted on ground that she felt completely at ease, and as he approached her, she noticed there was an excitement dancing in his eyes. Clearly exhilarated by the climb, he smoothed a few strands of stray hair away from his forehead, then offered her a little smile.

"Anchors in place. You ready to go up?"

She glanced briefly at the towering slab of granite, then allowed her eyes to drift back to him and offered a little nod.

"Don't worry, it looks more intimidating than it actually is."

"Easy for you to say, you're an expert climber."

"Took me years to get there, though. Just like you, I started off with the basics."

"You call this basic?" Her eyes darted to the rock that loomed above them.

A look of amusement crossed his face. "Let's get you strapped in."

Cody clipped her in to the rope that was secured to the top of the rock formation, then put on a harness of his own. He then grabbed hold of the other end of the climbing rope and threaded it into a device that was attached to his own harness.

After checking to make sure it was securely attached, he directed his gaze at her, then said, "Whenever you're ready, you can start going up."

A look of astonishment crossed her face. "You're not climbing with me?"

"I'm the belayer, which means I'll stay on the ground and hold the rope to make sure you're safe and secure."

"What if I get stuck on a certain move and need help? Then what?"

"It's not likely to happen. I've done plenty of routes in this area, and this is one of the easiest ones. I wouldn't have picked it out if I didn't think you could manage it."

She took a glance upward at the wall of rock, remaining silent as she psyched herself up to scale it. Perhaps mistaking her stillness for apprehension, Cody offered some more words.

"Me going up there with you won't make it any easier, you know. It's your own arms and legs that'll have to do the work, not mine."

Erica nodded, then without another moment of hesitation, she began to move upward. Tackling the forty foot granite formation was definitely more challenging than climbing a wall at the gym, but just as Cody had said, it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Whenever he noticed her having difficulty, he yelled out tips from his position on the ground.

She made it nearly halfway up before making her first mistake, and as her foot slipped from one of the crevices, she fell back off the rock. Since Cody had control of her rope, her fall was considerably shortened, so she was able to quickly reposition herself and continue the climb.

After thirty five minutes of straddling cracks and clutching onto stone, she finally reached the summit. The view from the top was nothing short of spectacular, and Erica was awestruck from the bird's eye view that she was afforded from her position on top of the rock.

Beneath bright sun and boundless blue sky, weathered granite cliffs and rugged mountains of twisted rock were dotted along the desert landscape, interspersed with twisted, spiky Joshua trees. There was the screech of a hawk as it soared high in the sky above her, and she felt the gentle caress of the Mojave wind as it blew against her face.

Casting her eyes down at Cody, she saw that he was little more than a small spot on the ground. Being so high up really put things in perspective, and she couldn't help feeling a small rush of pride from having ascended such a monolith rock.

After climbing back down and once again reaching ground level, she found that her arms were burning and her leg muscles were sore, but none of that mattered, because she'd managed to accomplish quite a feat. It may not have been comparable to scaling Mt. Everest, but it was still quite an achievement.

Clearly proud of the fact that she'd successfully scaled the forty foot high rock, a pleased smile touched his lips. "Nice climbing. You did well."

He bent down to brush his lips tenderly against hers, and she looped her arms around his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss. When their mouths parted, Cody saw that Erica's lips were tugged into smile, and he offered her a questioning look.

"Are you smiling from the kiss, or the climb?"

"Both."

He gave her a look of amusement. "So how it?"

"Scary, exciting, amazing." She watched as he unclipped her from the rope that was attached to the anchor, then undid the knot on her harness. "It gave me a huge buzz. Like nothing I ever felt before."

Visibly pleased by the excitement in her voice, his lips creased into a smile. "Told you it'd give you a rush."

Once they'd both took their climbing harnesses off and the rope was released from the anchor, they gathered up their supplies and headed back to the campsite. Upon reaching the car, they placed their climbing equipment in the bed of the truck. Figuring they were going to stay and set up camp, Erica grabbed hold of her travel backpack so she could sling it over her shoulder, but her movement was halted by Cody's words.

"Keep your backpack in the truck. We won't be staying."

Disappointment etched her face. "I thought we were camping out?"

"We are, just not here."

Cody hit the keyless entry to unlock the truck doors, and once they were inside, he stuck the key in the ignition and brought the engine to life.

"So if we aren't staying here, then where are we going?" She glanced out at the clusters of rock formations, feeling sorry that they were departing such an amazing looking place.

"The only place you can go to fully appreciate the desert. Backcountry." He pressed his foot to the gas pedal and the car moved forward, heading off down the asphalt road.

* * * *

The backcountry of Joshua Tree was a remote area with visually stunning rock formations, scrub vegetation, and bizarrely shaped trees. Outside the confines of a developed campground, they were completely surrounded by wilderness.

Harsh desert land stretched as far as their eyes could see, providing a vast, open space that was devoid of anything man-made. The landscape surrounding them was visually stunning, and as they exited the car and stepped out onto sandy soil, their shoes kicked up dust.

They both made their way to the back of the truck, and after slinging their backpacks over their shoulders, they grabbed the remainder of their camping gear. Among the supplies they'd brought along were two sleeping bags, a few jugs of water, a shopping bag of snacks, and a portable fire pit.

Cody grabbed the cooler from the backseat of the car, then they both made their way toward an area that seemed to be perfectly set up for camping. Enclosed by a circle of tall, smooth boulders, it had a sense of coziness about it, and the height of the granite walls suggested that it would effectively shield them from the evening desert winds.

Once they reached the spot, they set down their supplies and began to set up camp. Then they took a seat on a large, flat rock and began to eat lunch, munching hungrily on tuna fish sandwiches and fruit salad. After their bellies were full, they set out on a short hike, exploring the cool, shaded areas that lay between towering canyon walls.

Their surroundings were so peaceful and quiet, that they could hear the flapping of a bird's wings as it flew overhead, and the scent of dry, baked earth filled their nostrils. Four miles and two canteens of water later, they headed back for camp and upon arriving, they both treated themselves to some leftover fruit salad.

The remaining daylight hours passed quickly, and as dusk arrived, the desert atmosphere took on a magical quality. The bright glow from the sunset cast a purplish orange hue on the boulders around their camp, and their eyes were treated to a breathtaking light show in the sky. The evening light was extraordinarily beautiful, and as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, she found herself speechless from the showcase of beauty.

Cody set up the portable fire pit so they could cook dinner, and after consuming a meal of canned soup, sausages and roasted veggies, they rolled out their sleeping bags and prepared to change into their night clothes.

After retrieving a change of clothes and some toiletry items from her backpack, Erica excused herself and headed a few yards away from the campground. She picked a spot where she was certain to be obscured, then squatted down so she could empty her bladder.

Once that was done, she freshened herself up by stripping off her clothes and giving herself a quick rubdown with baby wipes, then sprinkled a bit of talcum powder under her armpits and between her legs. It didn't compare with showering, but at least she wouldn't have to worry about smelling bad around Cody. After slipping into a fresh pair of underwear and a long t-shirt, she headed back to the campsite.

While she was gone, Cody had started a campfire on the portable fire pit, and had also zipped their sleeping bags together so that it created one large pallet for them to sleep on.

As she approached his reclining form, he offered her a come hither look, flipping the top flap of the sleeping bag over in an invitation for her to join him. Once she was lying on her side next to him, he looped an arm around her waist, drawing her close against his body.

As her panty clad crotch met with his own, she realized he was nude, and felt a pang of desire shoot through her. He brought a hand up to her face, tenderly stroking her cheek as he gazed deep into her eyes. Then he moved his hand to her hair and gently pulled it loose from the elastic band.

He tenderly ran his fingers through her hair, eyes gazing into hers with smoldering intensity. The only thing to break the silence around them was the noise of the wind whistling through the canyons, which seemed to add to the mystical tranquility of the desert atmosphere.

As Erica's palms roamed along the hard lines of his body, Cody's caressed the smooth softness of her feminine curves. His palm slid languidly along the silky skin of her thighs, then slipped beneath the hem of her long T-shirt to venture further up.

His fingers met with the warmth between her legs, and as his thumb began to caress the sensitive crease between her thighs, a breathy sound of pleasure escaped her throat.

He pressed his mouth to hers, greedily devouring the soft pads of her lips. Their tongues gently tussled, and as their passion continued to grow, their kisses became more urgent. When their mouths finally parted, they both found themselves breathless, and feeling an insatiable urge for gratification, they wasted no more time in fulfilling their desires.

She felt his hand tug at the hem of her shirt, and after lifting herself up from the reclining position, she assisted him in stripping the garment off. After throwing it uselessly aside, he hooked his fingers beneath the fabric of her panties and slowly slipped them off.

Now completely bare for his eyes, she resumed her lying down position, trembling with anticipation as he hungrily took in her soft, feminine curves. His hands coasted against her silky brown skin, causing goose bumps to rise in their wake. The way he was looking at her made her feel as if she were some kind of goddess, and the touch of his hands caused every nerve ending in her body to tingle.

There was the sensation of his calloused palms pushing her thighs apart, and as her most intimate part was exposed for his eyes, she heard him emit a throaty sound of desire.

As he positioned himself over her body, the faintly musky scent of him filled her nostrils, resulting in a tightening in her loins. She brought a hand up to coast it along his well toned chest, admiring the way his copper colored skin reflected the glow of the campfire.

Beyond eager to have him inside her, she arched her chest and planted her palms on the small of his back, releasing a little murmur of need. Unable to hold back any longer, Cody grabbed the base of his cock and guided himself between her legs, and as she felt the sensation of his warm, hard manhood slide into her, she let loose a primal moan of gratification.

Erica felt the plump crown of his penis slide between the lips of her pussy, and as he pushed his hips forward, it entered her tight, wet entrance. He slowly thrust inside her with one fluid movement, withdrawing a gasp of pleasure from Erica's lips.

Her hands clung to his back as he burrowed even deeper, and she emitted a little cry as her narrow walls parted to accommodate him. Having sunk as deeply as he could go, Cody exhaled a breathy noise of contentment. His face contorted in the deepest of pleasure, eyebrows furrowing as he pulled halfway out, then lunged back forward.

He began a slow pumping rhythm, giving her inner muscles time to stretch around the thickness of his shaft. As he gradually increased the pace of his hips, Erica settled into a synchronized motion beneath him, meeting his deep, sensual thrusts with an increasingly urgent rocking of her hips.

His biceps flexed as he supported his weight on his arms, continuously driving in and out of her snug, wet hole. With each thrust that he gave, her moans grew louder, hips rocking in time to her lover's deep, languid thrusts.

It'd been far too long since she'd last had the pleasure of a man inside her, and as his warm, wet tongue swept across one of her puffy nipples, a breathy moan escaped her throat. He sloppily suckled and licked her pert peaks, bringing them to impossibly stiff points nearly instantaneously.

After a few minutes of lavishing them with attention, he removed his mouth from her swollen buds, leaving them thoroughly licked and glistening with saliva.

His mouth pressed to the crook of her neck, lips peppering kisses along the sensitive flesh, and as his tongue reached her mouth, he glided it across her bottom lip. Erica opened her mouth in an invitation for him to explore, and their mouths came together in an all-consuming kiss, passion steadily building as their hips bucked and bodies perspired.

Her hands moved upward to thread into Cody's long, dark hair, and as his movements grew more urgent, she broke her lips from his and let loose a carnal sound of pleasure. His powerful, masculine form rocked against hers with wanton need, and his eyes captured her own with a ravenous stare.

Filled with an insatiable hunger for him, she bucked her hips urgently against his, and as the movement of her lower body grew more fevered, Cody took notice.

"Want it harder, baby?" His voice came out raspy and thick.

She gave a nod, her mouth dropping open in a hot gasp as he hit a particularly sensitive spot deep within.

Lowering his lips to her ear, he softly spoke into it. "Then ask for it."

A slight shiver ran through her from the sensation of his breath tickling her earlobe, and she parted her lips to speak. "Fuck me harder...please."

More than happy to oblige her request, Cody's hips jerked quicker in response, grasping her waist firmly as he steadily coaxed her toward mind-numbing pleasure.

Her cries of delight seemed to spur him on, and he slipped his hands beneath her legs to assist him in plunging even deeper. The way he angled his thrusts caused his shaft to sink even further, and every stroke he made withdrew louder sounds of pleasure from her throat. Erica's breasts jiggled in response, and she tightly encircled her palms around the hard lines of his hips.

His mouth hovered a few inches above hers, and she could feel the heat of his breath against her lips. The deep pools of his eyes held her entrapped, leaving her with no choice but to dazedly stare up at him.

Erica slid her palms down his back, allowing them to journey further southward until her fingers coasted along the tight muscles of his buttocks. She flattened her palms against his backside, staring straight in his eyes as she tilted her hips and met him thrust for thrust.

The strokes he gave her were exquisitely gratifying, and just when she was certain she could take no more, he slowed the movement of his hips, then completely halted his thrusts. As he pulled out, she whimpered from the loss of contact, but the look in his eyes told her he was far from being done.