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He kissed my breast, his beard tickling my chest.
“You’re leaving. And, I know that if we do this, I’m never going to be able to forget you.”
I understood what he was saying and snuggled into his neck, knowing that I was already past that point. Even if we didn’t make love that night, I was never going to be able to forget about Jack Lumber. “Hold me, Jack. Keep me warm like you promised.” Turning so I could nestle into his arms, well aware of his rock-hard erection pressing against my ass, Jack wrapped his arms around me in a protective bear hug, and held me there, all night long.
TWELVE
JACK
Driftingin and out of sleep, I finally extricated my arm from underneath Henri when the woodstove needed another log. In my dreams we hadn’t stopped. I had pushed into her warmth and her nails had dug into my shoulders when we came at the same time – her lips making the most beautiful o shape as we orgasmed together.
I woke up with a raging hard on. The pattern on my boxer briefs was warped by how seriously my dick was tenting out the fabric. I think we had done the right thing, though. It had taken every ounce of will power not to slip her panties to the side, or bury my face between her legs. I think that we were both feeling the same thing. I couldn’t speak for Henri, but the desire I felt for her after such a short time kind of scared me. I had been hurt before, and if we let this thing go on between us, that hurt would pale in comparison – I could feel it in my bones.
I tucked the blankets around Henri’s body and threw on an extra quilt. She murmured and then snuggled under the blankets. I got dressed, kissed her cheek, and then headed out to do the morning chores. The sun hadn’t yet peeked over the mountain tops, so I worked in the dull gray pre-dawn light.
The lights were on at the main house and I wondered if mom and dad knew where I’d slept. I felt like an embarrassed teenager and hoped that they’d leave for work before I saw them. After I’d tended to the animals, I headed back to the cabin, hoping to slide back into bed with Henri. But when I got there, she was sitting in bed, tapping away at her laptop.
“Hi.” I stomped the snow off my boots before stepping into the cabin.
She looked up at me through thick, black framed glasses. “I thought you’d left.”
“I did leave.” I gestured to the door with my thumb. “I had to go feed the animals.”
She gave me a meek smile and took off her glasses. “That’s not what I meant. I thought that you might have regretted…staying here last night.”
“Henri.” I sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand in mine. “The only thing I regret is not having more time with you.”
“Well, it looks like you might.” She turned her cell phone to face me. An article about the road closure was on the screen. “I’m here for at least another three days. Unless I can charter a plane.”
My mind ran to Corey, the helicopter pilot. “I could probably make that happen, but not a plane, a chopper.”
She smiled. “To tell you the truth, Jack, I was hoping it would take them longer to clear the road. I feel like I’m just scratching the surface here. For the story, I mean.” She seemed flustered. “I’ve messaged my boss, and he’s okay with me staying and working from here.”
“That’s good news.” I let my hand rest on the blanket draped over her shin. “How’s the story going?”
She took a deep breath. “Honestly, Jack. It’s been a bit tougher than I’d anticipated. But I’ll get it done.” She shut the laptop. “Could you drive me into town later? I’d like to conduct some more interviews and maybe sneak onto the movie set one more time.” She flashed a devilish smile.
“Of course. How about you just take Cindy? I’ve got to meet with Freddie at the fire station today. I’m joining the volunteer fire fighters.”
Her eyes softened. “Jack. You square dance, volunteer with the fire department, help your parents. I’ve learned what you do for other people, but I have no idea what you do for yourself.” She leaned against the pillows and patted the space beside her. I crawled over top of her and leaned against the pine headboard. She snuggled into me and I wrapped my arm over her shoulder.
“I could say the same thing about you.” I chuckled. “I know that you like writing, and wearing the color black, and you’ve got a bit of an attitude, and a killer sense of humor, but that’s about it.” I deflected her question with a question of my own, leaving out the sensitive stuff, like her absentee father.
“What do you want to know?” she leaned her head against my shoulder. “I’m an open book.”
I cleared my throat and prepared myself to ask a risky question. “Do you think you could ever live…in a small town? Or, are you a city girl through and through?”
She picked at her fingernail. “I’ve been wondering the same thing.” She dropped her hands in her lap. “Jack, until I came here I would’ve said hell no. I could never leave the city. But I’m starting to see that I didn’t really understand what it meant to live in a small town. I mean, I’m seeing the positive and negative side of Chance Rapids, but being with Charlotte and all of her friends, seeing the way that they know and love your mom, I mean, the good seems to outweigh the bad. But my job is in L.A. I don’t think that there are many journalism jobs here, are there?”
I was surprised. I thought for sure she was going to say that she could never become a Rapidian. It sounded like the only thing that was holding her back was her job. “Could you do another kind of writing? Does it have to be hard-hitting journalism?” It was my conversation with my ex, all over again. Her answer had been no. She wanted and needed the excitement of traveling the world.
Henri flipped over so that she was facing me, then threw her leg over both of mine so she was straddling me. I wrapped my arms around her waist, and she draped hers around the back of my neck. “I’m halfway through my first novel. If I could write full-time, I’d give up The Platypus gig in a heartbeat.”
“The Platypus?”
She chuckled. “It’s the name of the newspaper.”
“Why don’t you?” I asked.
