power of his release so he remained still, nuzzled into her neck for a few moments more. He took several deep inhales of her scent before standing and pulling her to her feet. Helping her to readjust her clothing he noticed she blushed just a bit when her eyes met his.
This was not what he wanted; he never wanted her to feel embarrassed in front of him. What they had shared was the most natural experience on earth; natural between two people who were destined to be together. It was a pleasure obtainable only by two people who were meant for each other. But just in case she still had doubts he needed to make things clear.
“Kelly, we both know that things have progressed well past the dating stage. The moment you walked into my cabin you changed my life for the better and at this point I don’t want to go backwards. My feelings for you are too strong and there’s too much at stake.”
He pulled her into his arms and held her as tight as he dared for several minutes kissing the top of her head and breathing in the sweet smell of her hair. The thought of her leaving him again led to a wrenching of his gut. He willed her to see how much he needed her. He willed her to hear what was in his heart.
Kelly stood there, melted into him, contemplating his words. Could it really be true that he wanted her to move in with him so soon? While the idea of “dating”, or even driving back and forth between his place and hers every day or so seemed ludicrous to her too, moving in with a man whom she had only spent two nights with seemed equally so. But then what did it matter how things seemed. Shouldn’t it be enough that they “feel” right? It was at that moment that she made up her mind.
Apparently she was to have no power of will when it came to Stephen, and as ridiculous as it sounded, she would move in with this man whom she barely knew. They would start a life together. Although if the truth were to be told she already felt like she had known him forever and she would have to admit that in her heart there no longer was room for any man but Stephen.
“Ok” she blurted out. “You win. We’ll try it your way.”
Breaking away from their embrace, he turned back towards the trail to hide the smile that broke out across his face. Slowly they made their way back down the trail towards his cabin while Kelly rambled on about what she would need to do. Stephen walked in front, leading the way, only half listening to her.
She needed to find someone who could rent out her house, go to the post office to stop her mail delivery, and, of course, break the news to Mr. Hawley that he’d have to find someone else to cover her hours.
“And there’s Max, I forgot about Max.”
“Max?” he said.
“My dog, Max, what am I supposed to do with him? Originally I got him for Charlie, so that he would have a pet to play with when he visited but Max and I have become very close. I couldn’t bear to part with him.”
He was reminded of her books. He hadn’t told her this but when she was gone for two weeks he had stopped in town to inquire about her books. Judd owned the local general store, and, being a fan of the local talent, he just happened to have four of her titles in stock. Stephen bought them all and read each one late at night when he couldn’t sleep.
Now that she was mentioning Max, Stephen remembered that on the back cover of each of her books she had been pictured with a dog but it hadn’t occurred to him that she might still have one. She had never mentioned it before.
Oh well, he’d never had a dog out here but really had no opinion one way or the other. If she and Max were a packaged deal then he’d take them both. He’d take her no matter what else the package might contain, even her son, because a life without her was no longer possible for him.
Stephen forced a bit of annoyance into his voice when he said “I’ve never had a
This was not what he wanted; he never wanted her to feel embarrassed in front of him. What they had shared was the most natural experience on earth; natural between two people who were destined to be together. It was a pleasure obtainable only by two people who were meant for each other. But just in case she still had doubts he needed to make things clear.
“Kelly, we both know that things have progressed well past the dating stage. The moment you walked into my cabin you changed my life for the better and at this point I don’t want to go backwards. My feelings for you are too strong and there’s too much at stake.”
He pulled her into his arms and held her as tight as he dared for several minutes kissing the top of her head and breathing in the sweet smell of her hair. The thought of her leaving him again led to a wrenching of his gut. He willed her to see how much he needed her. He willed her to hear what was in his heart.
Kelly stood there, melted into him, contemplating his words. Could it really be true that he wanted her to move in with him so soon? While the idea of “dating”, or even driving back and forth between his place and hers every day or so seemed ludicrous to her too, moving in with a man whom she had only spent two nights with seemed equally so. But then what did it matter how things seemed. Shouldn’t it be enough that they “feel” right? It was at that moment that she made up her mind.
Apparently she was to have no power of will when it came to Stephen, and as ridiculous as it sounded, she would move in with this man whom she barely knew. They would start a life together. Although if the truth were to be told she already felt like she had known him forever and she would have to admit that in her heart there no longer was room for any man but Stephen.
“Ok” she blurted out. “You win. We’ll try it your way.”
Breaking away from their embrace, he turned back towards the trail to hide the smile that broke out across his face. Slowly they made their way back down the trail towards his cabin while Kelly rambled on about what she would need to do. Stephen walked in front, leading the way, only half listening to her.
She needed to find someone who could rent out her house, go to the post office to stop her mail delivery, and, of course, break the news to Mr. Hawley that he’d have to find someone else to cover her hours.
“And there’s Max, I forgot about Max.”
“Max?” he said.
“My dog, Max, what am I supposed to do with him? Originally I got him for Charlie, so that he would have a pet to play with when he visited but Max and I have become very close. I couldn’t bear to part with him.”
He was reminded of her books. He hadn’t told her this but when she was gone for two weeks he had stopped in town to inquire about her books. Judd owned the local general store, and, being a fan of the local talent, he just happened to have four of her titles in stock. Stephen bought them all and read each one late at night when he couldn’t sleep.
Now that she was mentioning Max, Stephen remembered that on the back cover of each of her books she had been pictured with a dog but it hadn’t occurred to him that she might still have one. She had never mentioned it before.
Oh well, he’d never had a dog out here but really had no opinion one way or the other. If she and Max were a packaged deal then he’d take them both. He’d take her no matter what else the package might contain, even her son, because a life without her was no longer possible for him.
Stephen forced a bit of annoyance into his voice when he said “I’ve never had a
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