by Ripley, Meg
“Did it live up to your rule?”
“It did. I learned a lot about warblers and about taking my time to really see things. Both will be important in my thesis. I’m not sure how yet, though.”
“Good.”
“Are there many other places that would be good for my research?” I asked.
“Tons.”
“Good.” I smiled and looked up at him. Was he going to try to kiss me? My heart raced at the thought. I recalled his actions at the diner, and it warmed my heart all over again. “Thank you, again, for handling Julian.”
“Anytime. I’m at your mercy, ma’am.” He dipped his head and lifted his hat to me.
“Thank you. You’ve already made this a wonderful experience. I can’t imagine what the next few months will be like.”
“Hopefully, lots of sightseeing,” he added.
“Yes.”
I swallowed hard when the silence fell between us. He leaned in slightly, but stopped himself.
“Madelyn, I want to kiss you, but I want to respect you. If you don’t want me to, I won’t.”
I gulped again. I should have said no. But I couldn’t resist. “I want you to,” I whispered.
I let my eyes close and felt his lips touch mine a moment later. When the warmth of his full lips pressed against mine, it was like an explosion went off inside me. Every cell in my body yearned for him. I leaned forward unconsciously as if the pull between us was becoming too strong to fight.
He wrapped me in his arms, and I let my hand rest on his chest. When the kiss ended, he gave me a long, slow grin.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“Such a gentleman.”
I gave him one more quick kiss before unlocking my door and going in for the night.
9
Sawyer
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Julian when he showed up at the dig site. Madelyn had arrived first, a little earlier than the day before, and I had gotten there early as well. I hadn’t been able to stay asleep once my thoughts filled with memories of her, so I got up and made good use of my time by shifting and going out for a night run. But now that he was there, I watched him.
He didn’t look at me; he hadn’t since he’d gotten out of his shiny, expensive rental. He also kept his distance from Madelyn, I noticed. Good. Maybe our little talk last night had finally gotten through to him. He was working hard and keeping to himself. What more could we possibly ask for?
But after a few hours, I wondered if his real plan was to show Madelyn up by finding something first. She worked hard, too, but he seemed to be on overdrive.
When she paused for lunch, I joined Madelyn in the trailer. I’d brought leftovers of my mother’s meatloaf and heated it. She always loved to drop off a few meals each week.
“That looks amazing,” she said, looking down at her TV dinner. “These things are nasty, but it’s hard to make lunch with only a mini-fridge.”
“I’ll bring you lunch tomorrow. My mom made lasagna last night and she’s bringing me a huge container of it.”
Her eyes widened. “I’ll never say no to that!”
And she didn’t even know what she was in for yet. Maybe if she fell for my mother’s cooking, she’d eventually fall for her and all of us in Big Bend. Unless I thought I could live in New Hampshire. Either way, it would be a huge sacrifice for one of us if we were going to continue this. But then again, she hadn’t planned to continue it, had she? Yet it seemed that whatever brought us together was keeping us close and heightening our attraction even more, if that were possible.
“You look like you’re thinking hard,” she said.
I nodded and swallowed my bite before answering. “I was thinking of this myth, actually.”
“A myth?”
“Maybe more of a proverb, but people believe it’s fact. It says that the stars will guide those who listen. Maybe if we look at the stars, they’ll show you where to dig.”
“The universe is going to help me dig?” She rolled her eyes and laughed. “That sounds like a line if I ever heard one, and I don’t believe one word of it.”
“Now, don’t—”
“But!” She held up a finger. “I do like stargazing, and if you know a good spot for that, which I’m betting you do, then I’d love to go.”
“Okay then.” I laughed and so did she. “I know the perfect place.”
* * *
I picked her up a little later that night, so it would be dark already. I drove as far as I could, then we walked the rest of the way to a small natural overlook at the edge of a cliff. I laid out the blanket I’d brought and set down the sack with the picnic I’d made.
“Now, I have to confess,” I said, pulling the items out of the bag. “I didn’t make this chicken salad.” I handed her a wrapped sandwich. “And I know it doesn’t look like much, but when you taste my mom’s cooking, it might just be enough to keep you in Big Bend. That’s what I’m hoping for, at least.”
“Well, I’m excited to try it if it comes with such high accolades.”
I watched as she unwrapped one end and took a bite. Her eyes widened and she moaned. She swallowed and looked at me, surprised.
“You weren’t kidding. What in the world does she put in this? I’ve never tasted chicken salad this good in my life.”
“I’m sure she’d show you how to make it.”
“It’s not some secret family recipe?”
“Mama doesn’t really do secret recipes. She always says that food is too important to keep it all to yourself.”
Madelyn narrowed her eyes for a moment. “Is your mom also the one who told you about the stars guiding you?”
I couldn’t help chuckling. “You found me out. My mom says many wise things.”
“She sounds like a fabulous lady. I hope I get to meet her one day.”
“I’d love that. And so would she. She was thrilled to make this picnic for us. Wait until you see the rest of it.”
I pulled out the bottle of wine and a pair of plastic goblets, then the homemade potato chips, the chip dip—also my mom’s recipe—and two pieces of cake.
“This is quite a spread,” Madelyn said. “You’ll have to thank your mom for me. Or better yet, give me her address. I can write a thank you note.”
“She’d love that. Hospitality is something my mother takes very seriously.”
“And she’s quite good at it.”
We drank the last of the bottle of wine as we polished off our cake. When I had everything put away, I laid back on the blanket so that I had full view of the night sky. Madelyn lay beside me. I could feel the heat radiating off her, and it made it hard not to turn over and kiss her.
“Do you know the constellations?” she asked.
“A few.” I pointed out the ones I could recall from high school astronomy class.
“So, what do you think the stars are guiding us to tonight?”
“I’m not sure.” I gazed up at the tiny dots of light, looking for an answer. What I saw was two shooting stars, one from the left and one from the right, coming together. They looked like they were going to collide, but they sailed by each other and faded into the night.
“What does that mean?” she asked, the awe clear in her voice.
“Doesn’t seem like a good sign.”
“Would it have been better if they crashed?”
“I just wonder how far apart they really were,” I said. “Maybe it’s saying we’re going to sail right by each other.”
“Or maybe they got so close that their tails mixed together,” she said. “That one gets some of that one’s rocks behind it. They become part of each other, even as they continue on their own paths. I think it’s beautiful.”
“I thought you didn’t believe in what the stars said.”
“Well, if they’re going to be that obvious, I have to listen, don’t I?”
But I couldn’t get past the feeling that the stars weren’t going in the same direction. They grew further apart each minut
e. Could I have been reading it wrong? Or was she?
Whatever the stars said, we were there together and had that time. I wouldn’t waste it. Especially if our paths would take us in opposite directions one day. I had to make the most of what I had available to me.
My heart raced as I turned to my side and she looked up at me. Tentatively, I leaned down to kiss her, but I quickly realized I was playing with fire. Our lips moved together and the kisses grew hungrier and hotter.
And I didn’t want it to end.
10
Madelyn
My head was swimming as desire coursed through my veins. Every brush of his lips, every caress of his tongue, made me hotter. I couldn’t deny what my insides were screaming out; I’d never been able to deny the raw attraction I felt for him. I let out a little growl and bit his earlobe gently. He groaned back and planted kisses along my neck.
Tingles danced over my skin. I wanted to keep going; I wanted to go all the way, and the thought made me both eager for him and nervous. Sleeping with him would take things to a much deeper level. There would be no going back after that. Not with the way I felt for him.
So, if I went through with it, I’d be letting my heart win. Leigh would tell me that’s exactly the way to go. My father would agree. But my mother would understand. She’d know why I was so conflicted and why I had to keep Sawyer at a distance. It would be too hard to end this when the time came.
No, I would decide with my head. It had never steered me wrong before. Whatever Leigh said, a heart was too fickle. It could change. Minds were more solid. My head knew this was a bad idea. And that’s what I had to go with. I had to stop this.
I pulled back from him, breathless. He gave me a moment, but came right back to me, running his fingers through my hair.
He’d be the perfect man, if only he lived in New Hampshire and the timing was right. Some very lucky woman would discover him and make him happy. A man that good wouldn’t be single for long. And hopefully, I’d find someone just as good back home. When the time was better.
I pulled back from him again, knowing I had to stop this fast, before I couldn’t.
“Sawyer…” I breathed.
He moaned in my ear and slid his hand under my shirt, up along my stomach to my breasts. He caressed them and teased my nipple with a brush of his fingertips. The sensation of his hands on me was too much, and I knew I couldn’t deny my body of his touch any longer. He moved his hand down between my thighs, and when he pressed his fingers against me, I cried out softly.
Unzipping my jeans, he trailed his hand under my panties, and the moment his finger slid inside me, I cried out again and shuddered, bucking against his hand as he worked me. “Oh god.”
When he reached for my breast with his free hand, I knew I needed to feel his touch on my bare skin. Yanking my shirt over my head, I watched a fire light in Sawyer’s eyes. He stared at me hungrily for a long moment, the passion raging in his gaze, before pulling off his own shirt. I took a few seconds to appreciate his muscular form glistening in the starlight, running my hands along his chest and down his stomach, then tugged at his belt bucket to loosen it.
After quickly unzipping his fly, I pushed his pants down and his erection sprang free. As I stroked him, feeling his warmth and hardness, he began to unfasten my pants. The night was warm, but a breeze ran over my skin, cooling my sweat. I looked up to the stars as Sawyer guided my legs apart and positioned himself over me.
Pressing his tip against me, he slowly entered me, then filled me completely. I let out a moan and he paused, his eyes closed. Drawing back slowly, he then pushed again, sending a wave of pleasure rushing through my core. I pulled myself closer, wrapping my legs around him and lifting my hips to reach his. Each time he thrust deeper inside me, I almost lost it, my fingernails digging into his back.
“It’s surreal,” he breathed. “Being with you like this. It’s like we were made for each other.”
I crushed myself against him, hungrily pressing my mouth to his. Was he going to tell me he loved me? He couldn’t; not yet. Oh, but I wanted him to. Hell, I wanted to say it myself; to tell him exactly what it felt like when he touched me, and how impossible it was to stay away from him. I wanted to tell him that I would be his forever.
His thrusts sped up and my thoughts scattered, so I glanced up to the stars for a moment. The moon shone like a giant beacon, calling to me, telling me to trust. I closed my eyes again.
Sawyer pounded into me faster, and after working me up for so long, my body was primed and ready. Grabbing my hips, he angled himself to hit my g-spot and that’s all it took. I moaned loudly as I came, feeling wholly satisfied as the shockwaves of pleasure rocked my body. He leaned down, locking his lips with mine, and I knew he was close, too. Feeling his member throb and twitch deep inside me, I felt him pick up the pace before one last thrust sent him over the edge.
I looked up at him, backlit by the starry sky, and tears filled my eyes. “That was unbelievable.”
He wiped a tear as it fell and kissed my forehead. “You made it that way.”
We laid in the moonlight for a long while, tangled in each other. But eventually it grew late, and believe it or not, Big Bend got a little chilly at night. We dressed and climbed back into his truck to make our way back to the hotel.
He held my hand as he drove and made frequents glances my way. “You okay?” he asked, bringing my hand to his lips for a kiss.
“Yeah.”
“You sure?”
I sighed. “I’m just worried.”
“What about?”
“This is becoming something, whether we wanted it to or not.”
“Just to be clear,” he interjected. “I always wanted it to be something.”
“I know. And so did I, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m only here for a few months. I don’t want to hurt you like that.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“But I know you want it to be something more. For me, it can’t be anything more than a fling.”
He kissed my hand again. “Madelyn, I will take any time with you I have, even if it’s only for a few months. If that’s all the time there is, then I want to make the most of it. Go out with me tomorrow.”
I bit my lip and felt the ache flare in my chest. “I haven’t worked on my paper in several nights now. I really need a night in.”
“Okay, sure. But if you get bored or hungry, you call me.”
“I will.” I kissed him again before hopping out of the truck and hurrying to my hotel room. As soon as the door closed behind me, I let the tears flow.
My heart and head warred with each other. I didn’t know which would win or which should win, but both ached.
11
Madelyn
I yawned as I pulled my shirt over my head. I’d been out late with Sawyer again the night before, like I had most nights since I’d arrived in Texas. After a few weeks, it was starting to wear on me. The emotional turmoil wasn’t helping, either, and it hadn’t gotten any better as time went on.
I took the hottest shower I could and grabbed the biggest coffee cup I could fill at the hotel’s breakfast bar. I drank the bitter brew on my way to the dig, but by the time I got there, I felt no more energized. My mind was like mud.
When I pulled up to the Ranger station, I spotted Sawyer’s truck and my heart skipped. When I opened the door and saw him, the skip turned to a leap. I didn’t even think about who might have been around; I stood on my tip toes and looped my arms around his neck to kiss him.
When the kiss ended, I looked around quickly. Luckily, no one else was in the building. I needed to be more careful about that; we’d gotten pretty lax about where we displayed affection. We’d even made out in the trailer once while Julian was on the site. He had to have known what was going on between us, but he’d been quiet, and I was grateful for that. It felt like things were settling into place. That was how it would be for the next few months. And then I’d leave. Who knew what would h
appen then.
I let my arms fall back to my sides. “Hi there.”
“Morning.” He grinned and somehow, I felt wide awake.
I rode over to the site with him, which had become our daily routine. Julian was already there working away, which had also become the norm. He’d found that getting there early meant the temperatures would be cooler, allowing him to leave earlier and escape the stifling heat of the later day. I never had that luxury, since I kept showing up later and later. I needed to get back on task and refocus myself. Even if Julian had lied about having his thesis finished, he must have much more done than I did by then.
Every now and then, I stayed in and worked on my paper, but it wasn’t easy to be apart from Sawyer. Knowing that our time together would be short made me want to skip the thesis work more and more. But that wasn’t good, either. Time was running out on both.
Around mid-morning, as my thoughts were tangled in Sawyer and our night together, Julian’s voice pulled me out of my reverie. “Whoa!”
I stood up to see where he was. About fifty feet away, he was on his feet, staring down at the ground.
“What’s going on?” I called out.
He looked back at me, then motioned for me to come see. I set down my tools and hurried over.
“I found something,” he said when I was closer.
As I peered down at the area, a chunk of what looked like bone, about a foot long, could be seen.
“I’d say you did,” I agreed. My stomach tightened as I reached for my walkie. “Montgomery, come in.”
“Montgomery here,” he answered.
I could see him from where I stood, and I waved to him. He was far out of earshot, however, so the walkies were needed. “Julian found something.”
“I’m on my way.”
I watched him tuck the walkie back on his belt loop and hike toward us. When he reached us, he stood beside me to inspect the find.
