An Early Spring

by Ann Lister

  “This is one of those life-defining moments for you, Nick. I'm hoping you'll do the right thing.”

  Colby turned and walked away. Tears stung at her eyes. Behind her, she heard Nick curse but she kept on walking.

  Glen called Colby early Wednesday evening with news of Sarah’s arrival at the resort.

  “Sarah is asking to meet with you, Colby,” Glen said.

  “Okay, but I’d like to do it privately, away from the gossip mongers in the lodge,” she said. “Would you mind if we met at your place?”

  “Yeah, that'd be fine,” he said. “She's already here, so come when you want.”

  “Is Nathan with her?”

  “Yes, he is.”

  “Thank you, Glen,” Colby said. “I'll be there in a few minutes.”

  Colby ended the call and inhaled slowly, trying to muster the courage she knew she’d need to see Sarah face to face and the idea she may also be meeting Nick’s son. It was almost more than she could bear.

  Thirty minutes later, Colby was knocking at Glen's front door. She nervously smoothed down her skirt and waited for him to greet her.

  “Come in,” Glen said, opening the door and stepping aside for her to enter. He pointed toward the kitchen then stepped out onto the threshold. “I'll give you ladies some privacy,” he said. “But if you need me, I'll be out back.” He gave his sister a wave and kissed Colby on the cheek, then shut the door behind him.

  Colby watched him leave the cabin, then heard movement behind her and turned around. A beautiful statuesque brunette with piercing blue eyes stood up from a chair in the kitchen. The woman stepped closer, tugging a small boy along with her.

  Colby licked her lips and swallowed hard. The woman approaching was breathtaking; with flawless skin and a near perfect smile, far more beautiful than Nick or Glen had described. Suddenly, Colby felt a sense of inadequacy.

  “You must be Colby,” the woman said, and held out her hand to shake. “I’m Sarah Brickman.”

  Colby wiped off her palm, then reached to take Sarah’s hand. “Yes, I’m Colby Hansen,” she said, then her eyes dropped to Nathan.

  The young boy was leaning against his mother’s leg, his deep brown eyes staring up at Colby, then he tipped his chin in the same fashion she had seen Nick do countless times and Colby let a small gasp escape her dry throat. The resemblance to Nick was scary. They shared the same shade of brown hair, same color eyes, some of the facial features were similar, too, but did they also share the same DNA? That was the million dollar question.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” Sarah chuckled. “I see Nathan do those mannerisms and all I can think of is Nick. I like to refer to them as Nick-isms,” she said.

  Colby dropped down to the boy’s level and touched the top of his head. “Hi, Nathan. It’s really nice to meet you,” she said, studying his face, looking for any clue to who his father might be, then stood up to face Sarah.

  Sarah pointed to the kitchen table and suggested Colby have a seat. She poured hot water into tea cups and for them and sat down.

  “I want to thank you for coming back to the resort, Sarah. I know it must have been a difficult decision for you to make,” Colby said, taking a seat in a wooden chair at the table.

  “It wasn’t that difficult a decision to make,” she said, and offered Colby a tea bag to add to her cup. “This is something I’ve been meaning to resolve for a long time, but I knew Nick would resist being tested in every way possible,” Sarah said. She handed a small toy to Nathan to play with, then added sugar to her cup. “And, from what I'm hearing, Nick is resisting.”

  “Yes, he is, but I’m hoping he’ll come to his senses, once he knows Nathan has been profiled.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Sarah said.

  Silence fell between them and Colby tried to remember the questions she had for Sarah.

  “If you don’t mind me saying so, you’re absolutely gorgeous, Colby. I can see why Nick fell so hard for you and wants to get married,” Sarah smiled.

  Colby nodded. “Thank you,” she said. “I thought the same thing when I saw you.”

  “I’m sure the picture Nick has painted of me is less than favorable and I’m not saying I don’t deserve it, but remember there are two sides to every story.”

  “Do you really think Nick is the father?” Colby asked.

  Sarah sighed thoughtfully, watching her son playing with a small toy truck on the floor. “Some days I look at Nathan and I see so much of Nick in him, but on other days I think there is no way Nick could be his father.” Sarah raised her eyes and met Colby’s stare. “You must think I’m a horrible person, for not knowing who the father of my child is.”

  “We all have reasons for doing the things we do, Sarah, and I’m not in a position to judge.”

  “I'm the one that messed up - not Nick. He was just about...perfect, right up to the end, when I told him I was leaving the resort. Even then, he handled the situation fairly well, not wanting to bring any more attention to what was happening. He internalizes a lot, which I’m sure you’ve already noticed, and that’s what he did with me. I know I hurt him deeply. I saw it in his eyes every time I looked at him, but rather than fight for me, he let me walk away and I think that hurt the most.”

  “Ego,” Colby said quietly.

  “Yes, his ego probably had a lot to do with his reaction,” Sarah said, pushing her long dark hair behind her ears. “I did love him, but it wasn’t enough - at least for me. I always felt like there was something missing.”

  Colby saw the emotion building in Sarah’s striking blue eyes.

  “Can I ask how you met Nick?” Sarah asked.

  “He rescued me from the side of a trail,” she said with a laugh. “How cliched is that?”

  “Well, I can’t think of a better looking or capable man to come to the rescue of a damsel in distress.”

  “Isn't that the truth.”

  “Glen told me Nick was in a bad accident?” Sarah asked.

  Colby nodded. “He fell off a snow shelf while doing a rescue,” she said. “He was a mess for quite a while.”

  “He's okay now, though?”

  “His recovery didn't happen as fast as he would have liked, but he's almost ready to return to work.”

  “I'm relieved to hear that,” Sarah said.

  Colby visited with Sarah for an hour, then explained she needed to get home.

  “I appreciate you agreeing to meet with me,” Sarah said. “I’m sure there’s a million other things you’d rather be doing, than visiting with Nick’s ex-fiancée.”

  “I'm glad we met,” Colby said. “And, I'm happy to have met Nathan, too.”

  “Just so you know, Nathan was profiled this morning,” Sarah said with a sigh. “I hope Nick consents. I’m anxious to see the results, as I’m sure you are, too.”

  Colby nodded and opened the door. “Thank you again for coming back.”

  “Good luck with Nick,” Sarah said, hugging Colby. “I hope you have a long and happy marriage together - and I really mean that. Nick deserves to be happy and you seem like a wonderful person. I’m glad I had a chance to spend some time with you.”

  “Likewise, Sarah,” Colby said, then bent to Nathan’s level again and gave the young boy a tight hug. “It was nice meeting you, Nathan, and I hope to see you again.”

  Colby walked back to Nick's truck, hopped up into the front seat, and turned the key in the ignition. The ride back to Nick's cabin was full of emotion for her. So many thoughts swirling around inside her head. She feared what would happen in the days to come; feared she might be forced to give Nick an ultimatum that she didn't want to do. The the situation was becoming stressful and emotionally draining.

  Colby’s thoughts then drifted to Nathan. He was a wonderful little boy and she knew she could easily love him as her own son, if that’s what a paternity test proved. It was shameful the way Nick was ignoring this situation. He had an opportunity to step up to the plate and take responsibility but inst
ead, he was choosing to turn the other cheek and Colby couldn’t understand why.

  Colby parked the truck in front of Nick's cabin and went inside. He was reclined on the couch watching a baseball game on television when she entered. As soon as he saw her, he sat up and muted the volume of the game.

  “Where've you been?” he asked.

  “I went to Glen's to meet Sarah and Nathan.”

  “I thought so,” he said. He tossed the television remote onto the coffee table. “How'd it go?”

  “You really want to know?” she asked.

  “That's why I asked.”

  Colby tossed the keys to the truck and her purse onto the kitchen table and walked back into the living room. She sat down in an overstuffed chair on the opposite side of the coffee table.

  “She's gorgeous,” Colby said. “And Nathan is very cute. He looks like a younger version of...you.”

  “That's a coincidence and nothing more.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  Nick rubbed at his forehead. “Look, I'm happy your visit went well, but her being here doesn't change anything.”

  Colby narrowed her eyes. She stood up and walked into the kitchen. A moment later, he was in the room with her. She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water.

  “The tension between us needs to stop,” he said. “I hate going to bed and not being able to hold you; make love to you. I don't want it to be like this.”

  “You just said my visit with Sarah doesn't change anything so why would things be any different between us?”

  “Because we love each other.”

  “Then prove your love, Nick, and fix it.”

  “Damn it, I've tried...”

  “Until you agree to a paternity test, you've made no effort to fix anything,” she said, and pushed past him. “I'm going to bed.”

  Colby pretended to be sleeping, when Nick finally laid down beside her. She kept her back to him and listened to his gentle breathing as he drifted off to sleep. She barely managed a minute of sleep herself, tossing and turning for most of the night.

  By the time the first flickering of sunlight began to filter in through the room curtains, Colby had made the decision to give Nick one last chance to consent to a paternity test. If he still refused, she had decided it was probably best to return to California and try to rebuild her life - a life without Nick in it.

  She got out of bed before he woke, pulled on a pair of faded jean shorts and a tight t-shirt, then pulled her long hair into a ponytail. She went into the bathroom and washed-up, then went to the kitchen to make herself a bowl of cereal and started the coffeemaker. She was sipping her coffee outside on the porch steps when he finally appeared. He sat down in a rocking chair behind her.

  “Talk to me,” he said. “I can't take the coldness between us anymore. We need to figure out a way to work through this.”

  “I've already explained how I feel, Nick.”

  “And I have, too.”

  Colby stood up and poured the last few drops of her coffee from her mug into the dirt beside the steps. Nick watched her, his eyes slowly scanning the length of her long, tanned legs, briefly hesitating on the fullness of her breasts outlined beneath her tight shirt, then settling on her eyes. She was powerfully female and, even as mad as he was at her for forcing this paternity issue, all he could think about was loving her.

  “Nathan had a sample of his DNA taken at the medical building yesterday,” Colby said. “Your doctor said he knew people at the state lab that could do a paternity test quickly and with total confidentiality. All they need is your DNA to run the test.”

  Nick's back went straight in the chair. “I’m not doing it.”

  Colby dropped her gaze. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive,” he said.

  “Okay, then I guess that’s that,” she said, and walked into the cabin.

  Nick followed close behind, catching her wrist and stopping her in the kitchen. She set her mug into the sink and looked at him.

  “Colby…”

  “The only thing I want to hear you say right now, Nick, is that you agree to take that god-damn paternity test,” she said. “If you’re not prepared to say that, then there's nothing left to say.”

  “You're making this a black and white situation and it's not,” he said.

  “We've been discussing this for a week,” she said. “I've been very clear on how I feel and I don't believe what I'm asking is unreasonable. If you really wanted a clean start to a future with me, this should be an easy decision for you. Obviously, that's not the case because we're still arguing about it.”

  Colby started to walk past him and his hand cupped the side of her face. “I love you, Colby,” he said, trying to make eye contact with her.

  “And, I love you, too,” she said, her teary eyes lifting to his.

  He pulled her softly to him, fearing she’d push him away and was surprised when she didn’t. His hands inched down her spine and stopped on her hips. “The fact that we love each other, has to mean something,” he whispered, setting his cheek to hers and inhaling the scent of her hair.

  “It does mean something, Nick.”

  He held on to her tightly, massaging the small of her back and closed his eyes; kissing the side of her face. He felt her bend to him, her hands eased around his waist and he inched his lips closer to her mouth. He could feel her soft breath against his skin heating him and his cock stiffened between them. His lips brushed hers, her chest heaved against his, her grip tightened around him, and he kissed her. He kept their connection loose, his mouth barely making contact with her lips, his tongue reaching for hers with trepidation, until he felt her succumbing to the pleasure.

  When he felt her need was as intense as his, he slid his hands around the back of her neck and pulled her mouth firmly to his. This time he kissed her with fire, tasting her completely, until he heard her sigh his name. He broke the seal of their lips barely long enough to shift his hands down onto her bottom, before covering her mouth again and hungrily giving her another kiss. His hands tipped her pelvis against his and rubbed her over his cock. It had been a week without touching her and all he could think about was how good it would feel to sink inside her and drown in her liquid bliss.

  Colby shamelessly moved against him, her skin beginning to sweat from her blossoming arousal. Every thought in her head was blurring, until she finally pulled away.

  “Nick, I don’t think this is a good idea,” she said. Her voice was shaky; her face flushed red.

  She started to move away and he slid an arm around her waist from behind, pulling her backside to him; her bottom cupping the thick length of his cock. His face fell to the warm spot below her ear. His hands moved over her breasts and inched down onto her stomach.

  Colby tipped her head, giving Nick more access to kiss her neck. Her arms crossed over his, their fingers entwined. He held her for several minutes, lightly kissing her skin, dragging his tongue up to her earlobe, as they erotically swayed together.

  Nick groaned when she reached back and gripped onto his thigh. Her sudden touch triggered something carnal inside him, an urge he could no longer ignore. He pushed a hand beneath the waistband of her jean shorts. His other hand slid up her ribcage and began massaging a breast, lightly pinching a hardened nipple straining beneath her t-shirt. His fingers progressed deeper into the front of her panties and quickly found her wetness. He pushed down the length of her slit and slipped two fingers inside, coating them with her slick heat.

  Colby melted against him. She grabbed onto his other thigh and used his body to balance herself, as he brought her closer and closer to losing control. She could feel his erection rubbing against her butt, his kisses were burning the skin on her neck. She could hear his breathing becoming strained and knew they were both heading toward the point of not being able to stop.

  Physically, her body was ready for him, but on an emotional level, she knew having sex would only complicate their situation and make it mo
re difficult to say good-bye. The sexual chemistry they shared was undeniable and beyond anything she had experienced and she knew he felt the same. It was obvious every time they touched and over time it had grown in intensity, as they had become more familiar with each other and emotionally attached.

  Nick was the perfect mixture of everything she had been looking for in a man. He loved her with ease and honesty, which made it even more confusing to her: why he would refuse to take the paternity test. It made her wonder what he was afraid of, or what he was possibly trying to hide. Either way, she knew she could not force him to do the right thing and take the test. This was a choice he had to make on his own and she felt the only way he could do that was if she left him alone. Choosing to leave Nick was a decision Colby had toiled over endlessly, and now, wrapped in his arms, with him lovingly touching her with such intimacy, that decision made no sense.

  Nick continued to manipulate his fingers between Colby’s thighs, rubbing circles over her clit in a manner he knew she loved. The reaction he was getting from her was fast and feverish, which only added to his arousal. The more she gyrated her hips across his groin, the closer he was spiraling toward orgasm, with absolutely no will or desire to stop it.

  The fact they were still standing in the kitchen, locked in an extremely intimate embrace, meant nothing to either of them. It had become more about fulfilling their sexual need and extinguishing the fire burning between them then anything else.

  Nick felt her body stiffening in his embrace and rising against his body. Her hand had slipped beneath the elastic waistband of his running pants and was gripping his cock, gently stroking the flesh. She began to shift against him in ecstasy, the pleasure making her weak in the knees. He held on to her tightly, reveling in the unabashed way she surrendered to the stimulation.

  She trembled in orgasm and he was close, too. He wondered how many more twists of her hand he could handle before he released all over her fingers. He rocked with her, counting off her slow strokes. One. Two. Then felt her fingertips slide across his pulsing tip, collecting the pooling pre-come, and using it to lubricate his shaft.