Thanks to those who left feedback! To everyone else, there's still time and I'd love to hear what you think!
Also FYI this is the chapter where the M rating kicks in
CJ woke to the beeping of the alarm on Donna's watch. She felt exhausted from not sleeping properly and she squeezed her eyes shut, hoping the sound would stop. She heard the rustling of Donna's sleeping bag, then the beeping stopped.
"Time to get up," Donna announced. CJ groaned.
"What time is it?"
"Seven. I'm going to make breakfast and then we can go scout the location for the press conference." CJ slowly crawled out of her sleeping bag into the chillier air of the tent.
"Weren't we going for a hike or something?"
"The guys said they wanted to talk to the rangers about security arrangements. We can go hiking later or tomorrow." Donna was rifling through the backpack she'd brought. CJ reached into her duffel bag and grabbed a towel.
"How are the showers?"
"Only a couple of them work. You might want to suggest fixing them to the President for the policy." CJ frowned and shoved the towel back into the bag.
"Maybe I'll just go swimming later."
"Make sure Toby's around so he can see you in the new swimsuit," Donna suggested, winking at her.
Donna was the only perky one at breakfast as they sat around the table drinking instant coffee and eating instant oatmeal made with water they'd boiled over the fire.
"I thought you guys were used to getting up early," she said, peeling a banana.
"It's easier if you don't have a rock sticking into your back and a sleeping tent-mate who could give Chatty Cathy a run for her money," Josh grumbled.
"Just don't let him fall asleep near a reporter," CJ said with a grin.
"You're exaggerating," Sam defended. Toby pushed aside his plastic bowl and stood up.
"You ready to get going? Sam and Josh stood up too.
"No, don't worry about it. I can do the dishes all by myself," Donna said pointedly, starting to clear things up. CJ stood and put her hands on her hips.
"I thought Donna sent out a dishwashing schedule before we left. Isn't it your turn, Josh?" she asked.
"Me?"
"Toby was on lunch and I'm with Sam on supper," CJ outlined.
"You know, you're kind of sexy when you're bossy," Josh said. CJ rolled her eyes and turned to follow Sam and Toby down the road.
"Why am I on lunch by myself?" Toby asked as they headed off. Josh saw CJ loop her arm around Toby's waist casually.
"Because we're having hot dogs and Donna thought you could handle it," she said playfully. She glanced back and quickly dropped her arm. "Donna, I'll meet you down by the Ranger Station," she called over her shoulder.
"Yup. Be right there!" Donna piled the dishes into the plastic tub they'd brought. Josh, meanwhile, stood with his hands on his hips, looking at his friends' retreating figures. "Are you coming?" Donna asked as she headed towards the wash stand by the outbuilding at the end of the road. Josh blinked.
"Yeah," he said slowly, picking up the small bottle of dish soap and dishtowel she'd left on the picnic table. "Have you noticed anything going on with Toby?" he asked when they'd got to the washing area and Donna was filling the sink with water. She feigned ignorance.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know. I was expecting him to complain a lot, but he seemed like he was – I don't know – eager to get going this morning and I didn't hear him get back to his tent until pretty late last night." Donna dumped the dishes into the soapy water. She knew CJ probably wouldn't want her repeating the things they'd talked about, but she hadn't specifically said not to tell Josh. And if he asked, she couldn't just lie. She pushed the dishtowel into his hands.
"He was on the dock with CJ," she said simply, avoiding his eyes.
"Doing what?"
"I think talking and drinking and looking at the stars," she said, leaving out the part about holding hands. Josh frowned.
"Toby," he stated, "Stargazing? What's going on, Donna?" She sighed.
"You can't say anything. I didn't promise not to tell but I think it was implied, and..."
"Ok, slow down. Tell what?"
"Toby and CJ..."
"Yes?"
"I think there's something going on, or maybe it's more that there's not, but maybe there should be..."
"You're really not helping here." Donna sighed in exasperation.
"I should get one day a week where I don't have to spell things out for you. Toby and CJ..." Suddenly it dawned on Josh what she was saying.
"You're saying he's happier because..." Donna nodded emphatically.
"And she told you she wants..." Donna nodded faster.
"But she told you nothing happened, right?" Josh said seriously.
"Yeah."
"Good." Donna furrowed her brow.
"Why good?"
"Come on," he said. "They work together. Leo would throw a fit." Donna frowned and turned back to the remaining dishes.
"You think it would affect their work?"
"It might." She didn't know how to argue back. She couldn't expect Josh to accept that Toby and CJ being togehter just felt right when she thought about it.
"Don't say anything," she pleaded. Josh frowned.
"I won't for now," he agreed.
Later in the afternoon, after lunch and a game of poker around the picnic table, Donna and CJ went to their tent to get ready to head down to the lake.
"Very classy. You're going to have to tell me where you got that," Donna observed, looking over at CJ in her new suit. Donna was wearing a blue one-piece swimsuit. CJ had put on her chocolate-brown bikini with a halter top and a high cut on the bottoms that made her legs look endless. CJ smiled as she grabbed her towel and flip flops.
"Too bad I'm probably only going to get to wear it for the next two days."
Donna grabbed her towel and sandals and unzipped the door of the tent.
"Well I bet it'll make Toby smile," Donna pointed out, unable to help herself. She stepped out of the tent and faced the tent door, waiting for CJ.
"You know on the first campaign I worked with Toby I had a bet with this other girl who challenged me to make Toby smile once a day for the whole campaign," CJ said as she looked around for her sunscreen.
"So did you win?" Too late Donna thought to look around to see if anyone was in ear shot. She looked behind her and saw Toby holding a garbage bag and looking embarrassed to have walked in on their conversation. Donna's eyes widened.
"I can't remember. I think after two weeks I might have given up," CJ replied, crawling out of the tent and immediately noticing Toby. There was an awkward pause as CJ stood frozen to the spot and Toby was torn between processing what he'd heard and trying not to stare at how great she looked in that bathing suit. CJ noticed him looking and felt a rush of warmth through her body.
"Hi," she managed to say finally.
"Hi," he replied. "You look...nice." He could've kicked himself for not being able to find a better word. He quickly added, "I was just seeing if you two had any garbage you wanted me to take out."
"Nope," Donna said, shaking her head a little too vigorously, still looking embarrassed. CJ shook her head and wrapped her towel around her waist.
"Ok." They all stood there for a minute more, then Toby let out a laugh that sounded relieved. "I'll go then," he said, starting to turn. But he stopped himself, and said to CJ with a smile, "You didn't give up."
"What?" CJ asked.
"On the bet on that campaign. I just thought you knew you were doing it without trying." Then he turned and headed back towards the guys' campsite. CJ stood there, feeling a mixture of surprise, nerves, and almost giddy happiness. Donna elbowed her.
"I'm ok," CJ blurted out. "Let's go."
"How was the lake?" Sam asked that night when they were sitting in the light of the campfire. CJ, Donna, and Sam were roasting marshmallows for s'mores and Toby was making notes on a draft of something Sam had written during dinner, using a battery-powered lantern to read his notes.
"Great. Everyone was over at the beach so the dock here was pretty quiet. Why didn't you guys join us?" Donna asked.
"We hiked around the lake to the top of the cliff," Sam replied, then yawned.
"You know, man stuff," Josh added. CJ rolled her eyes and speared two marshmallows onto her sharpened stick before putting it in the flames.
"Actually, I'm pretty tired," Sam observed.
"Me too," Josh said.
"But in a manly way," Donna added with a grin.
"That goes without saying," Sam agreed. Toby, not seeming to have been paying attention, suddenly said, "He's trying to make sure our grandchildren have a place to go...? You couldn't think of a better word than trying?"
"I'll look at it tomorrow," Sam agreed.
"Toby," CJ said, leaning over to where he sat next to her, and snapping her fingers to get his attention. He looked over. "Put away the statement." He obediently shut the notebook. She reached down and turned off the lantern, then pulled one of the marshmallows off the stick and held it up to his face. "Open up," she instructed and he took the marshmallow in his mouth, feeling his blood rush as his lips just barely brushed her fingers before she withdrew her hand.
Out of the corner of her eye CJ noticed Josh looking at them strangely so she stood up and held the other marshmallow out for him. He took it with his fingers and popped it in his mouth.
"Fanks," he said, mouth full. They sat and chatted for a while, eating marshmallows and drinking lukewarm beer. Toby and Sam headed off to get ready for bed first. Then CJ remembered she'd left her sunscreen down by the dock.
"I'd better go get it," she said.
"Wait until the morning," Donna suggested.
"I might forget. I'll take a flashlight." She headed down the road and found her sunscreen where she'd left it at the lake's edge. Then she took a moment and flicked off the flashlight and walked out onto the dock. The moon was partially obscured by clouds but there were still some stars visible and CJ sought out the familiar shapes they made in the sky. Alone for really the first time that day she admitted to herself that she was a bit disappointed that Toby had gone to bed so early. Their trip was more than half over and she felt an aching in her stomach thinking about going back to work on Monday and having everything be the way it had been the week before. She wanted more. She flicked the flashlight back on as if the beam of light could make the feeling go away.
When CJ got back to her tent she unzipped the door and was surprised to see Josh in her sleeping bag, fast asleep and snoring softly. Donna was lying on her back reading and she looked up from her book guiltily.
"What's going on?" CJ whispered.
"I'm sorry. He said he couldn't sleep last night with Sam's talking so I said I'd switch with him but I wanted to wait until you got back so you weren't confused." She started to get up but CJ held up a hand to stop her.
"No, that's ok. I'll switch for tonight. I think I might have earplugs." Donna rolled her eyes.
"If you have extras, I'd love a pair. I'm not sure how Sam managed to sleep the way Josh snores." CJ smiled.
"G'night," she said before ducking back out of the tent. She started walking across the road toward the canvas tent where Sam was sleeping, but on the way past Toby's tent she had another idea. She felt her heart start to hammer in her chest as she unzipped the door to his tent and crawled inside. She realized he was sleeping and hadn't heard her come in, and she almost turned tail and left. But she had already come this far.
She saw the battery-powered lantern near the door and she flicked the switch, watching the fluorescent bulbs blink on. In the washed out light she saw he was lying on one of the air mattresses with a blanket underneath and his sleeping bag over him. She slowly took off her sweater and put it on the floor behind her, now wearing just a tank top, black sweatpants, and socks.
"Toby?" she whispered. She saw him open his eyes, blinking a few times.
"CJ?" He propped himself up on his elbows.
"Shhh. Josh took my tent. He got sick of Sam's sleep talking," she whispered.
"So you're coming here? Where's your sleeping bag?" She swallowed hard and crawled up towards his face, trying to read his expression in the dim light.
"I don't think I'm going to need it." She touched his face gently and looked down at him, getting a rush of imagination, seeing the two of them kissing passionately. She was torn between excitement and fear but when he didn't push her away she shakily she leaned down and softly kissed his cheek, then his mouth in a tacit admission of need. Toby shut his eyes and opened his mouth to her, reaching a hand around to hold the back of her head and bring her closer to him, letting her explore his mouth with her tongue. With a free hand she pushed away the top part of his sleeping bag. Running her fingers down his chest she realized he wasn't wearing a shirt and she felt him shiver slightly at her touch.
They kissed for a minute or two more, CJ wasn't counting, practically hypnotised by the gentle insistence of Toby's lips, the softness of his tongue contrasting with the faint scratchiness of his beard. When she lifted her head up slowly to look at his face she was breathing heavily from the rush of reciprocity she'd felt in the kiss. Toby reached his hand up and caressed her cheek, then ran his fingers over her lips.
"CJ," Toby whispered, achingly ready and yet wholly unprepared for this, "What are you doing?" She kissed the tips of his fingers softly.
"We're trying something different. Now don't say anything." She pushed the sleeping bag back further and straddled his thighs, noticing Toby's erection pushing up the fabric of his boxer shorts. He reached up and brushed his thumb across one of her nipples, which were visibly hard through her tank top. CJ gasped as he fondled her breast, looking at her hungrily. She bent down and began kissing him, enjoying the taste of his lips, the soft skin of his neck, his ear, and his chest. She felt his warm hands running up and down her back, pushing under the fabric of her shirt. She sat back and stretched her arms out, letting him sit up and pull the shirt over her head. He looked her up and down intently, even worshipfully for a minute and CJ felt herself flushing in the heat of his gaze. Then he bent his head down and took one nipple in his mouth, causing her to let out a low moan. He used his hands and mouth to lavish attention on her breasts and she tangled her fingers in the hair at the back of his head, arching toward him.
"Oh God, Toby," she whispered. She felt an uncontrollable need growing inside her but wanted this to last forever, afraid this might only happen once. Toby's hands moved around to her back and in one motion he laid her down on her back and slowly began to pull down her sweatpants. He had agreed not to talk, so he asked permission with his eyes. She nodded.
Seeing her lying naked in front of him Toby couldn't help it. "You're beautiful," he said softly, eyes dark with lust, and CJ smiled and held out her arms for him. He leaned down to kiss her, one hand roaming down her side and over her stomach before gently working its way towards her slick core. His hand brushed her opening and he felt a rush of arousal realizing how wet she was. His fingers felt so impossibly good that she cried out, not caring if anyone else heard.
She brought one hand down into the waistband of his boxers. Toby drew a breath sharply as her fingers brushed the tip of his member. She helped him out of his shorts with one hand while the other one caressed his hardness. Their eyes met and he saw the same intensity that he felt reflected back.
"Please," she managed to gasp. Toby hesitated for a second.
"CJ, are we? Are you...?" he asked, voice almost shaky. She figured out what he was asking.
"I'm covered." Toby couldn't wait any longer; he parted her legs and pushed inside of her slowly, realizing how overwhelming the feeling of perfection was, being completely inside her. His whole body moved against her and he barely realized she was kissing him as he gave in to the rhythm. Moving faster he felt her breathing quicken and he lifted his head to look at her. CJ felt her blood swell in her temples, her breasts and her fingertips, and finally, hotly, deeper inside her, tighter, until she broke and came hard, crying out as she shuddered and clenched around him. This was too much for him and he came almost immediately after, shouting her name before collapsing on top of her.
Toby lay there for a minute, his face buried in her neck, noticing the scent of her and the feeling of her arms wrapped around him, trying to memorize it. Then he lifted his head and looked down at her face. She smiled at him apprehensively.
"What are you thinking?" he asked. She shut her eyes.
"I'm praying that you're not about to tell me that this was a mistake." She didn't see him shake his head but he answered again when he bent down and kissed each eyelid lightly before slowly pulling out of her. He lay down on his side beside her, drawing her tightly against him, and pulling the sleeping bag over top. It was only moments before they both sank into a deep sleep.