Breakthrough

by Kris Bryant

  “Have you eaten tonight or do you want me to fix you a salad?” I leaned over the railing so that she could hear me better. Her eyes were dark when they met mine. She was turned on. Even if she didn’t touch me the way I wanted her to, the desire was there. I headed back to the dresser and discreetly removed my bra. If she wasn’t going to cooperate with me, I wasn’t going to play fair.

  “I grabbed something on the way over. I really did just want to check on you,” she said. She averted her eyes when I climbed down the ladder and headed for her. No way was Brynn shy.

  “Brynn Coleman,” I said. She looked at me, a guilty expression on her face. I wondered what was on her mind. “Would you like my phone number?”

  She laughed and opened her contacts on her phone. “Please.” She handed it to me.

  I typed in my information and even though I was tempted to send a message to myself so that I had her number, I decided to wait. I didn’t want to seem desperate. I wanted her to make any and all moves from here on out. “Now, you can just call me if you want to check on me. Less wear and tear on the car. Less gas. I promise to always answer unless I’m in the shower, asleep, or kidnapped. Deal?”

  “Good. I guess now that things are quiet here, I should go.” She didn’t sound like she wanted to leave.

  “How’s Wally doing?” I asked when she reached out for the doorknob. I wanted her to stay for a bit longer. Wally was a viable excuse.

  “Did you stay and visit with him after I left the other day?” Brynn asked.

  “I didn’t stay long after you left. I felt out of place. It’s better with you as my tour guide. Hopefully we can reschedule if there’s more to see.” If I was going to write about the sanctuary, I’d need to get a better feel for it.

  “What’s your weekend like? I have it off and we can finish the tour without interruptions.” I liked the way she leaned against the doorframe, her lithe body relaxed, her arms crossed, and her lips full of promise.

  “I can make some time.” My schedule was clear, but I didn’t want to seem anxious. I already threw myself at her once. “I spent yesterday and most of today in Homer. It’s such a cute town.”

  “Did you go out on a fishing boat?” she asked. She took a step toward me and ran her finger on the counter. She wanted to stay, but for some reason, she was afraid to. I took a step closer to her.

  “It was kind of a disaster for me, but great for the story.”

  She grinned. “A little too much, huh? Sometimes the water can get rough.” She shrugged and leaned her elbows on the counter.

  The cool air from the open windows made me shiver. I felt my nipples harden and took a step backward. The fire only made my chill bumps worse. I didn’t look because I knew they were at attention and my blouse and thin sweater did little to hide them. Even though I was slim, I had decent size breasts. Brynn had the decency to maintain eye contact and I wondered if her peripheral vision was good. I wanted her to see me. I wanted her to notice.

  “Listen. I talked to my boss yesterday and threw out the idea of writing a feature story on the sanctuary instead of nine thousand pages on fishing. She liked the idea. It could bring more visitors or even donations. Would you and your staff be willing to work with me?” I exaggerated the page count for fun, and mentally cringed as I waited for her answer. Brynn was a private person and was staying low key for a reason. I didn’t want to expose her if her goal was to hide out in Alaska.

  Her gray eyes, full of swirling emotions, met mine. “I think that’s a great idea. I know everybody would love to talk to you. That means good press, good exposure. Grants and government funding only stretch so far.”

  “Oh, good. I’m so excited. It’s such a great place. You’ve done an excellent job there.”

  She blushed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. “We all do good work, but thank you.” It was nice to see her eyes light up and a genuine smile on her face. She was so pretty when she relaxed. I wanted her to stay.

  “Do you want to stay and have a glass of wine? I still need to thank you for coming to my rescue again.” I realized the implication of my offer when Brynn stilled her movements. “And to celebrate the article. I mean, it’s just a simple glass of wine. I can stand here, you can stand there. We’ll have a nice, safe counter between us. What do you say?” I knew the answer was no when I saw her shoulders droop ever so slightly. I sighed.

  “I need to get home. But thank you. Some other time, okay?”

  “Sure.” I nodded and walked around to open the door for her.

  “I have your number, Kennedy Wells. And I’m not afraid to use it. Don’t forget to make sure the fire’s out before you go to sleep.”

  She walked by me and reached out to briefly touch my arm. It was amazing that I could feel her heat from just a simple touch.

  “I’ll see you soon.” I closed the door and walked over to the fire. I poked it like I knew what I was doing, but I just wasn’t excited about it anymore. Brynn confused me. I wasn’t used to back and forth like high school. Maybe this was how the real world dated. I couldn’t remember my last date. It was way before Nikki Toles wreaked havoc on my life. I thought hard and drew a blank. I couldn’t remember anything. I realized that I hadn’t been in a real relationship since college. That was depressing. Alaska was making me do something I hadn’t done in a really long time. Reflect.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Ready to pick up where we left off?” Brynn leaned out of the truck window and I had to stop for a moment to absorb the differences in her. She looked so relaxed and happy. “It’s going to be a beautiful day.”

  Wally poked his head up from her lap and I squealed. “Wally. How are you?” I leaned into the window and scratched his little ear. I was in Brynn’s personal space and I didn’t care.

  “Good morning, Kennedy.”

  I turned to Brynn and smiled. “Good morning.” I kept eye contact with Brynn as I walked to the passenger side. Wally greeted me at the door. “Hello, my prince.” I reached in to pet his chest and he gently grabbed my hand.

  “Well, I hate to admit that I’m kind of jealous of the attention,” Brynn said.

  I stood there not knowing if I should flirt back or roll my eyes at her. I climbed into the truck and buckled in before I answered. “I don’t even know what to say to that.” Surely she remembered when I pressed my entire body against her just two nights ago. She ignored my statement.

  “So today we’re going to the north end of the sanctuary where you will see more animals. I figure we can drop Wally off first and see what’s going on with Tina. She has a few animals I think you will like to meet. That way you get a better idea of what we do.”

  “My camera’s charged and ready,” I said. Wally stood on my lap and looked out the windshield. Erin would never believe this. I snapped a selfie of us and sent it to her.

  “Let’s go.” Brynn spent the drive time telling me more about Alaska and her career. I found it interesting how easily she slipped into this ranger role. It started when her dog got hurt after a fight with a coyote only six months after she moved to Anchorage. Brynn took both her dog and the coyote to the closest vet which happened to be Tina’s private practice. Her practice was for domestic animals, but she knew enough about wild ones to treat them as well. “Honestly I only wrestled with the coyote and took him to Tina because I wanted to know if he had rabies. Besides, Blackie got ahold of him pretty good and he needed stitches, too.”

  “You had both animals in the car?” I couldn’t believe she would take such a risk.

  “Sort of. It was a highly stressful situation. Blackie was in the front seat next to me and the coyote was in the bed of my truck in a cage. Tina stitched both up and brought the coyote here. She thought he might have been a pet at one time or somewhat domesticated based on how well he took to her.”

  “How did you not get bitten? That’s crazy.”

  “I did the blanket trick. Back then, I didn’t realize everything that could’ve gone wrong. I’m better
educated at capturing animals now.” Brynn turned into the parking lot and I smiled when Wally became animated.

  “Look at this little guy. He knows his home away from home,” I said. I waited for Brynn to get out of the truck and reach for Wally before I opened the door. Knowing my luck, I would open the door and Wally would scamper off.

  I followed Brynn into the animal hospital behind the Welcoming Center after securing Wally in Brynn’s office. The hospital was at least twice the size of the center with large, spacious rooms for the vets to perform all kinds of treatments. Several rooms had doors that led to outdoor pens. I started snapping photos before I even thought about asking questions. There were several large birds, beautiful foxes, a lynx, two mountain goats, and even a small aquarium for water animals. The accommodations were chilly so I was glad Brynn handed me a jacket when we arrived. My new sweater wasn’t warm enough. Tina was working on a bird who was either dead or knocked out. I turned to Brynn. “Is Owlie still here?”

  She nodded and we quietly made our way over to another room where the animals had larger cages and more space to move around. “He seems to be good to go. On Monday, I’m going to release him near Mrs. Wright’s place. We aren’t quite sure where he came from since we don’t see a lot of them. That seems to be the best idea.”

  I snapped a few photos of him and other animals awaiting release. This place was amazing. It must cost a fortune to maintain. “Can I go with you when you do? I want to see him fly away.” And I wanted to spend more time with Brynn. I had about two weeks left, but I was going to be busy most of next week researching and interviewing for my article. That left my time with Brynn and any opportunity for something more than kissing limited. I was going to stretch our time as long as I could.

  “Sure. I know you have a busy schedule coming up though. There will be so much going on, you won’t know which way to turn.”

  “Is fishing that much of a draw?”

  “It’s amazing how popular it is. I’ll take you to a place where you can see the bears fishing. They are incredibly graceful and quick.” Brynn opened the door and ushered me back inside to visit with Tina. She was still working on the bird.

  “Please tell me that bird’s not dead.” Why would Brynn bring me to an animal autopsy?

  Tina was hunched over a bird under a bright lamp. A bright orange and yellow beak stood out against a white, deflated breast. His wings, so black they shone blue under the light, were carefully outstretched. “No, I’m just fixing a tear he has in his wing. Then I’ll tag him and put him in recovery. He’ll be fine in a couple of days.”

  “Phew. I was worried. He looks dead.” I moved closer and stared at his features. “What is he? He’s beautiful.”

  “Tina, this is Kennedy. She’s here from California to do a story on the sanctuary. We’re just doing a quick tour of the center.”

  “Hi, Kennedy. I’ve already heard so much about you,” she said. Her smile couldn’t have been any larger.

  I turned to Brynn. “She knows?”

  Brynn had the audacity to blush. “Well, it was a hard story not to share,” she said.

  “Yeah, Alaska hasn’t been kind to me. At least Brynn was able to come to my rescue several times. We’re bound by my many misfortunes,” I said.

  “Brynn’s a great woman to have in your court. And don’t feel bad about everything that’s happened. Trust me, worse things have happened here.” She glanced at Brynn. “Remember when that couple hit not one, but two elk?” She turned back to me. “It was the craziest thing. They hit one elk and, after determining their RV was drivable, headed back out on the road and hit another one about fifty feet away. That was also on their first day, so don’t beat yourself up so much.”

  “That makes me feel a teensy bit better. Thanks.” I was afraid to ask what happened to the elk so I didn’t. In my head, they survived. “Can I take a photo of him? He’s quite beautiful.” I snapped a few of Tina stitching him up after she agreed.

  “He’s a tufted puffin. They are actually mean as hell and not friendly,” Tina said.

  “Ready to see some of the larger animals?” Brynn asked. The excitement on her face was undeniable. She loved her job. We went back to the truck and headed onto the highway. “We’ll be able to see a lot of goats and sheep since we’re headed toward the mountains.”

  We spent the rest of the morning at the north end where I saw mountain goats and Dall sheep. Brynn explained that they set two free, but the sheep were determined to stay at the sanctuary. Every morning, the rangers would find them back near the north entrance with their entire family in tow, so they just decided to keep them even though they were more than capable of surviving anywhere. One charged me when I got too close to the cliff they were climbing. I was surprised at how sure-footed they all were, including the babies.

  “How about some lunch? I’m starving,” Brynn said.

  I nodded. “It’s amazing how hungry I always am since I got here,” I said. My clothes still fit, but I was nervous. Nobody could eat as much butter as I had and not pack on some fluff.

  “I live just over there.” Brynn pointed to a dirt road that was barely visible from the road.

  “Can I see your place?” I blurted out before I even had a chance to mind my manners.

  “Ah, sure. I can’t guarantee that it’s clean, but we can stop for a minute.” She seemed nervous. Crap. That was rude, but I didn’t know how to take it back. She turned on the road and was quiet as we drove up the narrow gravel driveway. A modest-size log and stone cabin with a wraparound porch came into view once we cleared the hill.

  “Brynn. Is that your house? It’s beautiful.” I slid out of the truck and looked around. A matching barn sat behind and to the right of it. “How much land do you have here?”

  “About five acres.” She shrugged. “It’s private enough, but just off of the main road.”

  “Can we go inside, or no?” I was halfway up the stairs already.

  “Sure.” She leaned past me to unlock the door. I didn’t move. I liked it when she was close to me. She smelled like cedar and sage. I leaned closer. She cleared her throat and pushed the door open. “Come on in.” Her eyes dropped down to my lips. I brushed by her, my fingers grazing her stomach on purpose, but I pretended it was an accident.

  “This place is gorgeous, Brynn. How old is it?”

  “We finished construction on it about eight months ago.”

  I could tell she was proud. “You built this yourself?”

  “I helped, but no, a friend of mine owns a construction company and gave me a really good deal.”

  I nodded and wondered what that was like. Nicety wasn’t a thing where I was from without a price. “Will you give me a tour?” I was as excited as I was the other day when the herd of bison walked by us.

  “Of course.”

  The open floor plan was a surprise. I expected a series of rooms decorated with animal heads and antique rifles. From the doorway, I could see past the kitchen with gleaming new appliances, through the dining area with a long, polished table and two benches that easily seated twelve guests, all the way to the sitting area with a couch and two overstuffed chairs. The fireplace was gorgeous and even though the décor was sparse, it was a lovely home.

  When we got to her bedroom, I gasped. It was so different. She had put up drywall over the logs and painted the room so it lost the rustic feel the rest of the house had. A giant stone fireplace opposite her four-poster bed automatically gave the bedroom a warm feeling.

  “I would never leave this room, Brynn.” A rolltop desk sat in the corner opposite a chaise lounge. A tiny bed sat on the floor beside the bed. I laughed and pointed. She walked over to see what I saw. “Do you really expect me to believe that Wally sleeps there and not curled up beside you?” I leaned over and playfully poked her side. She squealed and backed away.

  “Oh, you don’t want to do that.” She lifted my hands off her body.

  “Yes, I do,” I said, and moved closer. “Who k
new that the big, bad butch was so ticklish?” I pushed myself so that I was once again flush against her hard body.

  Her breathing changed. Her eyes darkened. For a moment, I was nervous. Maybe I pushed her too far. She didn’t move. I leaned forward and kissed her. When she released my hands, I looped them behind her neck and deepened the kiss. I felt her hands find my waist as she pushed me back against the bed. She didn’t let me fall, but held me as we both tumbled onto the bed. I moaned when I felt her body rest between my legs. I bucked against her and ran my hands down her back until I found her belt. I pulled her into me and gasped when her belt buckle hit my swollen clit through my jeans. I felt the warmth of her fingertips on my bare stomach when she slipped her hand underneath my sweater. I couldn’t stop the chills that raced across my body and I didn’t want to. I wanted to feel the power in her caress. She dug her fingers into my waist and started grinding herself into me. I was so ready to come that I growled when I felt her pull away from me. “No, Brynn. Please don’t. Don’t pull away from me.”

  “I’m sorry. I…I shouldn’t have done that,” she said and crawled off of me.

  I pushed my sweater down and covered my eyes with the crook of my arm. I was embarrassed and pissed. My body was on fire and my temper was several degrees higher than that. I heard her pace the bedroom, but I refused to look at her. What the fuck was happening here? One minute her hands were all over me, the next she couldn’t get away from me fast enough. After about thirty seconds of feeling sorry for myself, I sat up. Brynn was leaning against her chaise, her arms crossed, her eyes intently on me.

  “Why? Why do you keep pulling away from me?” I ran my hands through my hair and tried hard to act normal, but I was shaking. I didn’t want to stand just yet. I couldn’t let her see how much her rejection bothered me. Again.

  She resumed her pacing. “It’s not you. I know that sounds completely ridiculous. But I just don’t think this is a good move. I mean, you aren’t here for very long and I don’t do well at these kinds of things,” she said.