Hidden Gifts_A Castle Mountain Lodge Romance

by Elena Aitken

  Her question caught him by surprise and he turned to see her looking at him.

  “I mean,” she continued, “you’ve been acting kind of strange all night. I was just wondering if you were okay.”

  He smiled and poked at the fire again. Apparently, his efforts at trying to create distance from Morgan hadn’t gone unnoticed. They also hadn’t done him any good at all. “I’m fine,” he said. “I was just thinking about a few things. This place makes me think is all.”

  “I could see that,” Morgan said after a minute. “It’s so beautiful out here. I had no idea.” Her voice was filled with emotion, almost as if she might cry. Bo had seen people, even grown men, reduced to tears by the raw beauty of the mountains. It wasn’t uncommon. Something about the glacier seemed to bring things out in people—things they weren’t even sure they needed to get out. “I’ve never seen so many stars,” Morgan continued. She tipped her head back just as she had earlier, only this time he was close enough to see the smooth skin of her neck as she stretched back. “The sky is so full of them that it’s almost white. It makes a person feel pretty small, like there’s so much more out there.”

  If she’d been a guest, or any other visitor to Stanley’s Cabin, Bo would have pointed out some of the more common constellations. If he’d been thinking rationally, if he’d been thinking about maintaining a professional distance, that’s exactly what he would have done. But she wasn’t any other visitor. He didn’t know quite what Morgan was to him, but there was something about her that drew him. Something, that despite his best efforts, he couldn’t shake. Maybe it was that look in her eyes when she’d thought no one was looking? That same look she had when she was sitting, watching the flames before he’d sat.

  He should leave it. He should leave her, get up and put out the fire before it was too late. Despite the mess of feelings he had, he knew he couldn’t treat her like she was any other woman because Morgan wasn’t like any other woman and he’d never felt so strongly before. Which meant there was no way he could walk away.

  ~ ~

  He watched her for a moment more as she gazed up at the stars. “Morgan,” Bo said, before his rational brain could stop him. “I’m really glad you came with us. It means a lot to me.”

  It seemed to take forever, but then she sat up, pulling her gaze away from the stars and looked directly at him. Her face was illuminated by the glow of the fire, and Bo could clearly see the uncertainty on her face. “Because of Ella, you mean?”

  “No.” His voice was rough and throaty to his own ears. “Because of me.” He closed the slight gap between them and reached out to brush back a tendril of hair that had come loose from her ponytail. His fingers traced the soft curve of her cheek as he tucked the hair behind her ear. A small puff of air escaped Morgan’s lips and she closed her eyes.

  Despite everything his brain was telling him, his heart was speaking much louder, so he slid his hand behind her head, wrapping his fingers through her hair and pulling her gently towards him. He leaned over and bridged the small gap between them. When he finally touched her lips with his own, he knew he’d never want to stop. She tasted sweet like marshmallows and something he couldn’t define. Her lips yielded to his and slowly he explored her mouth with his while his other hand came to rest on her cheek. He let his thumb gently stroke the soft skin on her face while he lost himself in her.

  Bo’s gut clenched at the sensations she produced in him. Never had he kissed a woman so softly and had it stir up so much passion. For that matter, never had he experienced such intense feelings with any woman, which was probably because what he was feeling—it wasn’t purely physical. That was the part that worried him.

  With a slight groan, Bo pulled back to give them air. It took her a second to open her eyes but when she did, the dazed, passion-clouded expression she wore almost made him take her in his arms for the second time.

  “I’m—“

  “Don’t.” She cut him off.

  Bo nodded and sat back. He let his hand trail down her shoulder as he moved, so it rested on the ground next to her. She was right.

  He picked up the poker stick and jabbed it in the coals, stirring up the flames of the fading fire. It sparked to life again, providing an instant heat. The weight of Morgan’s hand covering his startled him and he turned. She’d slid one arm from the blanket and was watching him intently. He turned his hand over so hers rested on his palm.

  “I shouldn’t,” he said with a crack in his voice.“There’s so much…”

  “Ella.”

  Bo nodded. “Yes, Ella.” He closed his fingers over hers, encasing her hand despite his uncertainty. “I don’t know what to do.” He hadn’t thought about his call to Clara Kersey in days and he still hadn’t heard from her, but being so close to Morgan stirred up a lot of unanswered questions.

  Morgan nodded. “I’m not going to pretend to know what it’s like to be surprised with a four-year-old,” she said. “I don’t know what it’s like to have a child at all.” Her voice broke, but when Bo looked, her face gave away nothing. “But she’s beautiful,” she continued, “and with time, you’ll figure each other out. It’s going to be okay, Bo.”

  Somehow when she said it, Bo believed it.

  He squeezed her hand in his and looked into her eyes. “You know what? I think you might be right.”

  “You weren’t sure?”

  Bo reached up and slipped his free hand behind her head so he could wind his fingers through her silky hair. He kissed her once on the lips before pulling back. “Up until very recently I wasn’t sure about a lot of things,” he said without releasing her.

  “And now?”

  He pulled her into his arms, letting his kiss answer her question.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Watch your step here,” Bo called back to Morgan, who was doing her best to keep up to him on the trail to the falls. She had to concentrate so she didn’t trip over the exposed roots and stones, while Bo seemed to bound over the obstacles without any trouble.

  After a quick breakfast, they’d left the rest of the group at the cabin so Bo could take her to the falls as promised. The night before, at the campfire, Morgan had let herself believe that maybe she could act on her feelings for Bo. She hadn’t even thought about it when he’d kissed her. And maybe that was the point. It was easy and it felt natural. She didn’t have to overthink it.

  Morgan stopped walking and looked up. Bo was standing in the middle of the trail, watching her with a secret smile on his face. Her stomach flipped at the sight but she forced herself to focus.

  “Are you waiting for me?”

  “Of course,” he said, and extended his hand for her. She took it and in one smooth move, he pulled her up the rocky trail so they were standing close together. “I was waiting for this.” Without letting go of her hand, Bo pulled her tight with his free arm and his lips crushed hers. They were both out of breath when he finally drew back.

  Morgan’s heart was beating so hard she wasn’t sure she’d be able to make it down the rest of the trail and she had to work hard to get her breathing under control again. When they’d finally been able to let each other go the night before, put the fire out, and make their way to their separate beds, she wasn’t sure how things would be when they woke up. And around the others earlier that morning, Bo had acted the same as always.

  As if he’d read her mind, he kissed her again and said, “I’ve wanted to do that all morning.”

  Her heart did a happy dance that surprised even her. Just a few days ago she’d been dead set against starting any kind of relationship with anyone. But there was something about Bo, and standing alone with him in the middle of a mountain path felt like the most natural thing in the world at that moment.

  “We should get moving,” he said but he didn’t move. “I want you to see Forgotten Falls.”

  “Forgotten Falls? Is that what they’re really called?”

  He nodded and unwrapped his arms from her but didn’t let go of h
er hand as they started back down the trail.

  They walked quietly for a few minutes and when Bo had to let go of Morgan’s hand to navigate the trail, it immediately felt empty. He didn’t offer any more explanation, but something about the name of the falls resonated with Morgan. The tragically sad name had to have a story behind it. She was about to ask Bo about it when all of a sudden, she could hear the roar of the water.

  “Is that it?” she asked, barely containing her excitement. She’d only ever seen Niagara Falls on a family vacation as a child, but had definitely never done anything as outdoorsy as hiking into a waterfall.

  “It’s just around that bend.” Bo pointed and stepped out of the way as Morgan charged ahead. “Be careful,” he called after her, but she could hear the laughter in his voice.

  ~ ~

  Morgan stopped short and stood in wonder at the miracle of nature that stood before her. She wasn’t sure anything could be any more beautiful than Lake of the Hanging Glacier and the meadow up at the cabin, until that moment. Just as Bo’d said, the falls were right around the bend. When Morgan turned the corner, she hadn’t been prepared to see the water cascading over boulders in a frantic dance down the side of the mountain, crashing twenty feet below to a small, rocky pool. The water drained into a stream that disappeared farther into the trees as it made its way down the mountainside. Morgan walked toward the edge of the pool through a fine mist rising from the water’s surface. She clambered over the rocks before turning back to Bo.

  “Go ahead,” he called to be heard over the roar of the water. “Test the water. But don’t fall in.”

  She gave him a look and turned back. She’d never seen such clear water before. Along the edge, she could see the rocks at the bottom. She could also feel the chill and she knew even before touching it that it was going to be cold. Morgan stuck her fingers in anyway and immediately yanked them back out.

  “It’s freezing!”

  “Of course it is,” Bo answered. “That water is coming straight off the glacier. The freshest water you’ll ever drink. Better than that fancy bottled stuff, anyway.”

  She laughed and put her fingers in again, this time waving them through the water, letting her skin absorb the frigid temperature. It only took seconds before they were numb and she pulled them out.

  “Come here,” Bo said. “Let me warm you up.”

  Morgan pushed herself up from the rock and carefully made her way back to where Bo was waiting. He took her hand; the warmth of his skin instantly heated her. Bo turned her around so she could watch the water as it crashed down the falls.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said.

  Bo pulled her backward so she was leaning into his chest. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured into her hair.

  A thrill went through her at his words, but Morgan was too focused on the sight before her to dwell on it. She let herself become hypnotized by the falling water and the way it swirled in wild currents before easing out into the stream. After a few minutes, Bo led her farther away from the chilly water’s edge to a flat rock where they could sit together and still enjoy the view.

  Something dug into her leg as she sat and Morgan reached deep into the pocket of her jeans to pull out the small red stone that Astrid had given her.

  “What’s that?”

  Morgan blushed as she slipped the rock through her fingers. “It’s just a silly stone that Astrid gave me. She said it would offer me protection.”

  Bo gently took the rock from her hand. “Sunstone,” he said. “She’s right. But did she tell you what else sunstone is for?”

  Morgan lifted an eyebrow in question. “Please, enlighten me.”

  “It’s been said that sunstone is supposed to promote attraction and sexual energy.” He spun the stone in his fingers and winked at her before she snatched the gemstone away.

  “Stop it,” she said. “You’re full of it.”

  “Am I?” Bo’s eyes twinkled with mischief and he reached out for her, easily pulling her close. When he slipped his arm around her, it felt like the most natural thing in the world and Morgan let herself go with the feeling. And when their lips met in a deep kiss, she silently thanked Astrid for giving her the sunstone, no matter what its actual purpose was for.

  When they pulled apart, he took her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Before we go,” Morgan said, “will you tell me why they call them Forgotten Falls?”

  Bo didn’t answer right away but turned her around so her back was once again pressed up against his chest. His hands moved slowly up and down her arms, keeping her warm against the blasting cold water only feet away. “Well, some say it’s because the glacier up above is so beautiful that these falls are often forgotten, but I’ve heard a different story.”

  “Will you tell me?”

  “It was a love story,” he said. “Are you sure you want to hear it?”

  She turned around in his arms so she could see his face. “Why do I get the feeling that it’s not a happy-ever-after love story?”

  He offered her a small smile by way of an answer.

  “As you guessed, it’s not a happy story. But legend has it that there was a young Native girl who was madly in love with a warrior. But before they could be together, the warrior had to go off on a hunt with the other men. He would be gone for months, and the girl was afraid he would forget about her and fall in love with another. The warrior promised his love that he could never forget her heart, and he would come to her at the falls on the third night of his return.”

  “Did he come back?”

  “He did,” Bo said. “As planned, the hunting party returned and the girl watched from afar during the festivities and feasts. Then, on the third night, she snuck away and waited here for him to come to her. She waited through the night and into the next day, not giving up hope on her warrior. Finally, after two days, she was worried that something might have happened to him so she made the journey down to the village.”

  Morgan lifted her head and faced Bo. “And was he okay?”

  He nodded. “She found him at the center of a wedding feast, with his new bride.”

  A chill ran through Morgan, and she reflexively snuggled closer to Bo.

  “It turns out that the girl was right,” Bo said. “Her warrior—“

  “Forgot her heart,” Morgan finished. “Forgotten Falls.”

  She turned to look at the falls again, this time picturing the young girl waiting for her love to come to her, all the while not knowing he was marrying another. Bo was right—it was a sad story. She felt Bo’s arm around her, his thumb stroking circles on her shoulder.

  “It’s a good story,” Bo said, “and the tourists like it. But I don’t like to think of it being true.”

  Morgan turned so she could see him. “Me neither,” she said. “I’d prefer to think that her warrior came home to her and they lived happily ever after.”

  Bo laughed. “Do you think it’s that easy? Living happily ever after, I mean?”

  His question stopped her because even if it wasn’t possible, at that moment with his body warming hers and the sunstone smooth in her fingers, for the first time in a long time, Morgan wasn’t thinking of the future. She was only thinking of the way it felt to be in Bo’s arms with the water crashing against the rocks. And that was all she needed.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Being with Morgan was easy. Bo’d never been so comfortable around a woman before but the last few days had been great, never mind the night before when he finally threw out all his stupid excuses and kissed her. Once he’d started, he hadn’t wanted to stop and sleeping in the bunk room with her so close, yet totally unreachable had been like some form of torture. But he was smart enough to know that trying to sneak into her bed would have been pushing things way too far, way too fast. Let alone what Ella would have thought about it.

  Ella. Just thinking about her brought a smile to his face.

  “You look happy,” Morgan said. She sat up from where she’d been loungin
g on the rock next to him. “What are you thinking about?” The stray piece of hair that never seemed to stay put slipped over her forehead and Bo reached up to tuck it away.

  “I am happy,” he said. “But I was just thinking of Ella. She really seems to like the mountains. I think being here is helping her.””

  “I don’t think it’s just the mountains that are helping.” Morgan slid forward so she was sitting directly in front of him. “Ella’s healing and there are a lot of factors involved. This is a very sensitive time in her development.”

  Bo tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. “Wow,” he said. “You seem to know a lot about it and don’t get me wrong,” he held out his hands to ward off any objection, “I know you work with kids all day, but…”

  “It’s what I did in a past life.”

  “Worked with kids?”

  “Yes, well, sort of.” She ran her hands through her hair, smoothing her ponytail before looking at him again. “I used to work with troubled children, using play therapy methods to help them through traumatic situations.”

  Bo straightened his spine and looked at her with amazement before remembering the first day at the Cub’s Club. “Wait a minute. You were going to leave,” he said. “I know most the kids up here aren’t going through any kind of trauma in their lives, but why would you take this job just to leave right away?”

  Morgan looked down at her boots before answering. “I didn’t actually want to work in my field. I was supposed to have a job planning events.”

  “What? Why?” He searched her face for a clue to what she was talking about. Morgan was without a doubt one of the most intriguing, if not confusing, women he’d ever met.

  “I don’t like to talk about it.”

  She looked so sad at that moment that Bo wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her that it didn’t matter what her reasons were. But she also looked like a woman that, despite her protests, did need to talk about it.