Of course, everyone asked about her plans, when she was leaving, and her upcoming school year. She tried to answer, staying as non-committal as possible, but the women of Peakview County were relentless. Around noon, a couple of her former classmates from high school stopped by and wanted to hear all about life in Chicago.
“I always thought you’d end up with Luke Walker.” One of them said. “Have you seen him this summer? If it’s possible, he looks even better now than he did in high school.”
“Don’t be silly,” the other said. “They’re ancient history. She moved on years ago. Looks like he has, too. Did you see that cute brunette he left the saloon with last night?”
“Yeah, she’s from Aspen Ridge.” She turned back to Penny. “Do you have a gorgeous city guy waiting for you in Chicago?”
Penny barely heard the question. Her head spun. So that’s where he was last night. What brunette? She prayed it wasn’t too late and changed the subject abruptly.
Over the course of the morning, she received three more calls from Darrell, and eventually turned off her phone and stuck it back in the cab of her father’s truck. Finally, she left the stand all together and busied herself arranging the produce on the back of the truck. As much as she loved all of their friends and neighbors, she was about talked out. The hot Colorado sun combined with her lack of sleep the night before made her want to curl up in a ball and take a nice long nap. She seriously contemplated doing just that when she looked up at the crunch of tires and watched the familiar red pickup pull up alongside.
“Hiding out?” Luke jumped out of the cab, his smooth western drawl making her heart beat faster.
“Taking a break.”
“Get enough gossip for one day?” His bright blue eyes twinkled in amusement.
“For the year.” She laughed. “Need some veggies?”
“Yeah, I need to add something healthy to my normal diet of microwavable meals. I love my cabin, but the food sure isn’t as good as it was down at my parents.” Luke reached up to grab her hand as she brushed off her jeans and jumped down from the truck. His hand lingered a second more than necessary, his fingers caressing the palm of her hand. Shivers danced up and down her spine.
“Well then, you’ve come to the right place.” She led the way to the table and helped him fill a sack with a variety of produce.
“It’s good to see you.” Her mom walked up to give Luke a hug. “Don’t be a stranger, once Penny leaves, we’ll need some young people to stop by and keep us company.”
“I’ll do that. Especially if it happens to be dinnertime.” They all laughed.
Who was he kidding? He really hadn’t come here for vegetables, he’d come by to see Penny. Sure she was leaving next week, but between now and then he’d take any excuse to spend time with her. She looked cute today dressed in overalls and a flannel shirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was sexy without any makeup or frills. This was the way he remembered her from junior high school. Natural. When had that all changed?
Ann took his money and handed him a full bag. He didn’t have a reason to linger, so he walked back to his truck where he was greeted by a whining, wiggling Brutus. You’d think he’d been gone for days, not the few minutes he was out of the truck. Placing the bag in the back, he hugged his companion before shoving the ever-growing puppy over out of his seat, and frowned seeing the side window which was completely covered in nose prints. He’d better sign up for some obedience classes before the Brute got much bigger. He loved the dog, but some manners would be nice.
“Sit!” he said in the sternest voice he could muster, pushing the dog’s rear down on the passenger seat. He turned on the engine and reached behind him to roll down the dirty window.
“Hi there, Brutus.”
He startled at the sound of her voice, and turned to find her leaning on his window edge, her face on her elbows looking over at him with big round eyes. His face broke into a grin.
“Hi there, yourself. Did I forget something?”
“Nope. I was just wondering if we could talk?”
“Sure, go ahead. I’m not in a rush. What’s on your mind?” He reached over to turn off the engine.
“Not now. Could I stop by the cabin this evening after we finish up here? That is, if you’re going to be home.”
“Not plannin’ on going anywhere. Stop by whenever. Bring Bandit, someone needs to wear this guy out.” He ruffled the fur on the dog’s neck.
“Okay. See you then.”
She turned and walked away from the truck, her rear looked good in those overalls. And that blonde ponytail flipping in the breeze. How he longed to pull out the rubberband and run his hands through her long locks. Time to drive away. He slowly pulled back onto the highway willing his heartrate to slow down. What did she want to talk to him about? He had no idea. It seemed like everything had been said the other night. Still…. whatever it was, he was happy to get to spend some time her. He wasn’t so sure about his willpower though. He didn’t know how many times he could be alone with her, before he gave in to his urges and made mad passionate love to her—to heck with the consequences.
***
The sale proved to be a huge success. Penny smiled and helped her parents unload the table and chairs and what little produce remained. “If that’s the last of it, I’m going to head upstairs and wash off all the dust before dinner.”
“You do that, honey. I can finish up here.” Her dad gave her a big hug. “Thanks for all of your help today. We sure are going to miss you around here.”
When she stepped back from his embrace, she thought she saw a tear in the corner of Dad’s eye. By tomorrow hopefully she could give her parents news that would bring them tears of joy.
She took her time in the shower washing away her fears with the day’s soil. She wanted to look her best tonight. Was she being silly? It was just Luke. But that was the problem. He wasn’t just Luke, he was the man she wanted a future with—the man she wanted to have children with. She searched through her dresser drawer until she found a lavender, lacy bra and matching panties—just in case…. She sprayed on some perfume and then wiggled into a clean pair of form-fitting jeans and nice lavender, western shirt with pearl snaps down the front. She turned on her rarely-used curling iron and put some long curls in her hair, and although she seldom wore makeup, she added a little mascara to her eyes. Lastly, she dug her lavender, suede boots, out of the closet and slipped them on. She hadn’t worn them since her barrel racing days. “Not bad.” She said to Bandit as she looked in the full length mirror. She wagged her tail in response.
“My, don’t you look nice.” Her mother said when she sat down at the kitchen table for dinner. “Are you going out?”
“I’m riding over to Luke’s. It’s a nice night, and Bandit needs the exercise.” She glanced over to catch her dad winking at her mom. “What?”
“Nothing dear. You’re pretty dressed up for a horseback ride.” Her mom smiled.
“Well, I don’t want to look like a farmer all the time.” She changed the subject to the day’s events. Her mom had no shortage of stories she’d heard from their neighbors, passing the rest of the meal in laughter and casual conversation.
Penny stood up from the table. “Thanks for a wonderful meal as always, Mom. I’ll be back in a while.”
“No rush. You know how early your father got me up this morning. We’ll be heading to bed soon. Enjoy your time with your nice young man.”
“Okay, Mom.” Penny laughed. She called Bandit and shut the door behind her.
Once she headed out of the corral, she took her time walking Ginger across the open meadow which connected the Walker spread to theirs. The clouds over the mountains to the west turned bright shades of pink and orange as the sun began its decent. Above the clip-clop of Ginger’s hooves, she heard the chirping of grasshoppers, scurrying to get out of their way. The long grasses, turning brown in the late summer heat, rustled against her boots. She could smell the sage brush mixed
with pine. She missed those scents in Chicago where the smell of car exhaust overwhelmed her senses. A feeling of all-consuming peace came over her—this was where she belonged. No doubt was left in her mind.
Luke was pacing, and he knew it. The more he circled his living room like a stallion in a stall next to a bunch of mares, the more excited Brutus became. “Alright, boy. Let’s go out and find a stick to throw.” He opened the door, and his puppy almost knocked him over in his excitement to get into the great outdoors. Yep, some training was definitely in order. He tried to relax. He had no idea exactly when Penny’d arrive. At this rate he’d be a nervous wreck before she got here. He had taken a long shower to wash off all of the days’ dirt and grime and put on a fresh pair of clean jeans and a nice western shirt. He even dabbed on some cologne. If this was the last time he saw her before she left, he wanted to leave a good memory in her mind. Was he too dressed up? In the end, he decided to stay barefoot, just to add a casual feel to his attire.
He walked off the porch and found a large stick and tossed it in the direction of his dog. Brutus instantly grabbed it and ran full speed back to him. No fancy store bought toys needed for Brutus. Sticks were his favorite thing in the world. Luke felt his muscles relax as he threw the stick over and over. Brutus’s tongue hung out of his mouth, but he didn’t slow down. Not until he gave out an excited yelp and dropped the stick to run across the field to greet Bandit. The setting sun cast a bright shadow of light around Penny emerging from the trees. Almost like the glow of an angel. She was his angel. Always had been, since that day in the barn when they first became friends. He couldn’t let her go, not this time.
Walking over to Ginger, he reached up and caught her by her slim waist as she slid out of the saddle. Dang, she smelled good. He touched her hair lightly, pushing a stray strand out of her face before stepping back to regain his composure.
“Hi,” she whispered, smiling up at him.
Man, was he in trouble. Only one word out of her mouth and his body already reacted. He took a deep breath and walked over to grab the stick from Brutus. “Trying to wear out the beast.”
Penny laughed that magical, infectious laugh she had. She sat down on the steps of the porch and joined him in throwing sticks to the dogs. As the sun disappeared and darkness descended, both dogs lay down at their feet panting in happy dog bliss.
Penny was enjoying herself immensely. The urgency she felt earlier vanished on the ride over. This seemed right—and normal. She pictured herself coming home from a long day at camp and simply throwing sticks in the yard to their dogs or chasing their kids around until dark. And then tumbling into bed, happy and exhausted—but not too exhausted. She shook her head to bring herself back to the present and stop that train of thought.
“You wanted to talk. Come inside and have a beer?”
“I’d love that.” She followed Luke and the dogs onto the porch and inside.
After emptying the water bowl in fast gulps, both dogs lay down on the cool hardwood floor to recover. Luke grabbed two Coors from the fridge and handing a frosty bottle to her, settled on the couch next to her. Although a couple of feet separated them, she could feel heat radiating off his body. He clinked his bottle to hers, and took a long swig.
“So what do you want to talk about?”
No time like the present. She took a deep breath. “I had dinner last night with Ryan and Willow, and they had an interesting proposition.” She paused and watched Luke take another drink. She wanted those lips on her. “They received a grant for an assistant camp director, and they offered me the position.”
The smile that popped onto his face reminded her of the sun bursting above the horizon. It engulfed his entire face. In response, she smiled back into those sterling blue eyes.
“Did you accept?”
“Not yet. I wanted to talk to you first.”
He set his beer down on the coffee table and moved a few inches closer. “About?”
“About you and me. If there is still a you and me.”
“I wasn’t sure you wanted there to be.”
“Well, I do. Maybe I always have.” She put her bottle down beside his and slid her legs across his lap. He responded, putting his arm around her back and pulling her into him.
She gazed into his warm eyes now only a few inches from her own. “After that night with you when I first got back, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head. I don’t even know any more why I ever left. I guess I just didn’t want to be useless. Peakview seemed like a dead end. I’ll never be content to be just a housewife. Helping disadvantaged kiddos means the world to me. I didn’t think I could have both you and a fulfilling job. But now….”
“What about Darren?”
“It’s Darrell, and that relationship is over, regardless of where you and I end up.”
Luke was still smiling—a good sign. “What do you want to do? This is your decision, not mine. I don’t ever want to be that person who keeps you from your dreams.”
“Peakview is home. While I thought I was coming this summer for a short vacation, I soon realized it was more than that. It felt good—right. I love our little mountain community. And there you were on the roof. Still here and building my dream home. That was unfair you know.” She reached her arm up and tangled her fingers in the hair at the back of his neck and gently touched his lips with hers. “I can’t be here and not be with you. It would be too hard. All my memories have you in them. All my dreams. Can I have another chance? Or is it too late?”
“Why would it be too late?” He brushed her lips gently back with his own.
“I came by last night to talk. Rumor has it that you were at Apple Creek Saloon with a cute little brunette.” She searched his eyes for the truth.
Luke laughed. “Are you sure you want to move back to a small town? Nothing is ever a secret here. I went there with Chip. He badgered me until I danced, a two-step, with the roommate of the girl he was trying to pick up. That’s all. I promise. Not that she wasn’t cute, but my heart belongs to you. Always has—always will.”
She started to reply but he touched her lips gently with his finger, and pulled her closer. “I love you, Penny.” His voice sounded husky as he found her mouth with his. His kiss, gentle at first, deepened with an urgency that matched her own. Encircling her other arm around his neck, she held on for her life. She didn’t ever want the kiss to end. Losing all track of time as his tongue tangled with hers, every inch of her body lit on fire with need. There was no turning back now. When he slowly pulled back, she opened her eyes to gaze into his. The corners of his luscious mouth turned up.
“Bedtime,” he breathed and picked her up in his strong arms and carried her to the bedroom, kicking the door behind them with his foot to the dismay of the two dogs. “No interruptions tonight. They’re on their own.”
Without turning on a light, Luke moved to the big four-poster bed and laid her gently down on his soft, comforter covered in images of deer and elk. A beam of light from the full moon outside shone through the window casting a soft glow around the love of his life. Good choice not to wear any shoes, less to worry about now. He reached down and slowly pulled off both of her boots and then the socks beneath them and paused to plant light kisses on her toes. He heard her breath catch. After reaching in his nightstand and pulling out one of the small foil packets, he carefully lay down beside her.
“You’re so beautiful. I want to look at you. All of you.” He kissed her as gently as he could muster in his current stage of excitement, before grabbing both sides of her blouse and ripping the snaps apart. Penny moaned and lifted slightly to allow him to slip the shirt from her arms. Throwing it on the floor, he reached back and unfastened her bra with one quick movement and threw it the way of the shirt. Before he could lie down beside her, she reached up and did the same to his shirt, sliding it off his arms and making his skin tingle with every touch of her fingers. Joining her, he felt warmth of her skin on his as they melded together on the bed.
Penny held him close, running her fingernails up and down his bare back as she felt his hardness press against her thigh. She moaned. She’d never get enough of this man. She felt her own body react, getting wetter with each touch, each kiss. He pulled his mouth from hers and made his way down her neck until he found her nipple and began to suck. At the same time his hand slid beneath the waist of her jeans and cupped her butt pulling her tightly against him. She groaned and moved her hips against him. He sucked harder now, biting at her nipple and she heard herself call out his name as she tumbled over the edge in the most intense orgasm. She lay back and put her hand on his chest to feel his heart beating as fast as hers.
“I love you, Penny.”
“I love you, too. I want you now. Inside of me.” She unzipped his jeans and pushed them down his hips. He returned the favor doing the same to hers. They both wiggled out of their pants and underwear leaving nothing separating their throbbing bodies. Slipping on the condom, he shifted and then he was inside her. They were as one at last.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
At some point in the night, they managed to crawl underneath the covers, and after several rounds of lovemaking she fell asleep cuddled at his side. He loved the way her chest moved up and down and her mouth fell open as she slept. He wanted this since his wet dreams when they were twelve. As tired as he was, he didn’t close his eyes right away, he’d watch her sleep in his arms all night if he could stay awake. When he awoke to sunlight streaming through the window, she still slept on his chest. He kissed her awake and made love to her again.
“What time is it?” She said groggily.
“Who cares? It’s Sunday—a day of rest. Maybe we should stay in bed all day.”
Penny laughed, that sweet, sparkling laugh that could turn any day into a sunny one. “Good plan, but I have important stuff to do today.”
Colorado Cabin in the Pines (Peakview series Book 3) Page 12
