by Morgan Black
“You don’t apologize! Of course you had to come back. Here, you need to get out of those clothes.”
I started to remove his jacket and take off his hat, and some of the color was coming back into his lips. I had only ever seen one other person be this cold before and they got hyperthermia. If that happened to Luke now in this weather, no one would be able to come save him.
He tried to remove his gloves, but his hands were shaking so badly that I had to assist him. I grabbed a blanket off the bed and wrapped it around him.
He pulled the blanket tightly around him and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs, rocking back and forth. I grabbed a teakettle and filled it up with water. I turned on the stove, hoping that some warm tea would help him regain some of his body heat. As soon as I turned on the stove the phone started to ring.
“Hold on, Luke. I’ll be right back, okay?”
He nodded slowly, still huddled in the blanket.
When I answered the phone it was the person I least expected it to be.
“Cheyenne, its Collin. I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I can’t get out there. The snow is way too thick, the snowmobile’s just sinking through it. Is there someone you can call at the ranch who can come get you?”
I didn’t get it. He wouldn’t come get me, but he wanted someone at the ranch to risk their life for me? What the hell was his problem? This was not the Collin I knew.
“No, Collin, there’s no one who can come get me. Why didn’t you call me earlier? Before the storm got so bad?”
I heard the wind howling outside and noticed that there was hardly any light coming in from the windows anymore. This wasn’t just a storm, this was a blizzard, and Luke and I were stuck here together.
“Listen, Collin, I gotta go. When you figure out what you’re doing, let me know. Until then, have a nice weekend.”
I slammed down the phone and went back to the living room to see how Luke was doing. His chin was tipped onto his chest and he looked as though he was sleeping. I knew that could be a bad sign. I couldn’t let him become unconscious.
“Luke! Hey, wake up. No sleeping right now, okay?” I shook his shoulder and he lifted his head slightly.
“Good, no more falling asleep on me,” I said as I checked on the tea on the stove. It would still be a couple of minutes before it would be hot enough to warm him up. I turned back to examine him again and I realized that his boots were soaking wet from the snow. I bent down on the floor and began untying them as his eyes fluttered open.
“What are you doing?” he asked groggily.
“Taking your boots off. Luke, you’re in trouble. We’ve got to get you warmed up.”
I removed both of his shoes just as the teakettle started to whistle. Grabbing a mug, I filled it, putting a black tea bag inside. I allowed it a moment to cool down and steep while looking over my shoulder and assessing Luke. He was my responsibility now and in this storm it was just the two of us. However, as I watched him carefully over my shoulder for a moment it crossed my mind that if I was going to be stuck here, Luke was the person I wanted to be stuck with.
Luke drank the tea slowly, regaining full consciousness as he did so. He shook his head as he watched me sitting in the chair next to him, anxiously awaiting his recovery.
“I’m not usually this dumb. This certainly isn’t my first rodeo. I don’t know what I was thinking. Thank you, for everything.”
“What are you talking about?” I squinted my eyes at him, trying to decide if he was back with me or if he was still in a daze.
He bit his lower lip before meeting my eyes, I could see something was plaguing his mind. “I got lost in woods once before. Actually, I was hiking and I wasn’t lost until a mountain lion dragged me back to her den. When I woke up I had no idea where I was.”
“You were attacked by a mountain lion? Oh my God! How did you survive?” I had read about people in the newspapers dying from lion attacks. We were encroaching on their territory and there had been a number of attacks in the past few years.
He shrugged. “I’d like to say I knew my stuff, but really it was just dumb luck. The mountain lion got scared off by something before she decided to make me dinner. I crawled out of the den and ran the best I could to safety. That’s actually how I ended up on your ranch. Fred found me, and Linda took care of me. Then they offered me a job. Getting attacked by that lion was the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” He took another slow sip of tea.
“Wow, I had no idea.”
“Well you wouldn’t, would you? You don’t really ask many questions of the staff.” He eyed me carefully, trying to determine my reaction. “I mean … not that you should, it’s not like we’re friends or anything.”
“That’s not true, I do care about my staff. But you’re right, I’ve been raised to not ask questions. I just assumed you were hired for your skills. As all the other ranch hands are.”
He raised his chin up. “I do have skills. I’m an expert rider, your father is going to even let me train some of the yearlings this spring. I’m not totally useless.”
“I never said that you were. Someone of your stature couldn’t be useless.” I blushed as I realized what I had said. I tried to backtrack, “And the calluses on your hands, they show hard labor.”
“You’ve been looking at my hands?” He grinned slyly.
Dammit. Totally caught.
“Whatever,” I said, rising from my chair. “Clearly you’re feeling better. Maybe you should take a shower and totally warm up. The bathroom’s just through there.” I pointed at the back of the cabin.
He nodded and stood up, slowly crossing the room. I noticed as he entered the bathroom he forgot to completely close the door. But could I dare to sneak a peek? No. Even though Collin was being a complete asshole, he was still who I wanted to be with. I wouldn’t risk that for a weekend fling with one of my ranch hands. Totally not worth it.
However, as I passed by the open door to sit on the sofa it was hard not to notice Luke’s beautifully tanned back. His delicious muscles were marred by four large scars. So the mountain lion attack wasn’t just a story, it was something he carried with him. No wonder he always seemed so jumpy. He turned around and I ogled his gloriously defined pecs and biceps. I had to tear myself away before I saw anything more.
I sat on the couch and stared at the empty fireplace. When I heard the shower turn off I made myself stay put. Luke came out in jeans and a hoodie, looking much more comfortable than he had in his snow pants.
“I always carry a change of clothes with me,” he said. “Guess it’s the survival instinct.” He followed my eyes to the fireplace. “Ugh, I left you here without a fire? Jesus, I’m a terrible man servant.”
“You’re not my servant.” If you were, I’d have other things for you to do.
“Well, okay, then let’s be friends. Tell me something about you.” He knelt down in front of the fireplace and ignited a small blaze. Turning around, he sat cross-legged with his back to the fire and all of his attention on me. Suddenly I felt like I was being scrutinized, and I pulled a long strand of hair around my finger and twirled it absentmindedly.
“What do you want to know?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. What do you like to do for fun?”
That was an easy answer. “I love to ride. I’m a rancher’s daughter, there’s nothing I love to do more than take a horse out of the stables and go out into the world. It’s the only time I’m free.”
“Free? Cheyenne, you’re part of the richest family I have ever come across. You have more financial freedom than anyone I’ve ever known, how is that not free?”
I looked down at the hair around my finger. No one had ever taken an interest in me like this. Luke made me feel exposed, but in a natural sort of way. I wanted to tell him how I really felt about my life. For some reason I knew he would understand.
“Just because you have financial freedom doesn’t mean you’re free. It means you’re held to a higher standard, you don’
t get to make your own choices. My life has been planned out for me ever since I can remember. No, Luke, I’m not free. To be honest this is the freest I’ve ever been, out here with you.”
He nodded. “I guess I never really thought about it like that. I just always assumed that all you rich folk could do whatever you wanted. I’ve always had to work to stay afloat. My family didn’t really take care of me like yours does.”
“Depends on who you ask,” I countered.
We sat there in silence for a moment, perhaps in reflection of our discussion, when suddenly we were plunged into darkness. The only light remaining was that from the small fire which Luke had created.
“Luke!” I screamed. I can handle a lot, but the one thing I am afraid of is the dark. As he came over to the couch, I could already feel some of the heat leaving the room from the electricity. The wind was really blowing outside and there was a draft coming in.
He sat down on the sofa and gingerly put his arm around me. “Shhh, it’s all right. You’re fine, it’s just the power. I’m sure it will be back on soon.”
His words were comforting, but I knew they weren’t truthful. If we had lost power we weren’t getting it back on. I sat cradled in his arms, realizing in the short time that I’d known him Luke had become a huge comfort to me. As I started to fall asleep to the rhythm of his heart, I prayed that he wouldn’t unlatch his arms around my shoulders.
When I awoke the next morning, Luke had a frying pan over the fire and had managed to make some scrambled eggs and bacon. My stomach gurgled in anticipation of the great smelling food. I stood up and stretched from the couch, and Luke turned to look at me. It was then that I realized he was only in pajama bottoms. I didn’t know whether to avert my eyes or react at all, but instead I just stared at his well-formed muscles, raising my eyes slowly to meet his. When our eyes locked, Luke didn’t turn away. Instead, he stood and walked toward me. He stopped just a foot short of me and said, “Good morning. Ready for some breakfast?”
I sighed deeply. “Smells amazing. Where did you get the pajamas?”
He winked. “Another survival trick,” he laughed, “they were in my pack.”
He turned around to pick up the frying pan with an oven mitt and walked over to the kitchen table, which was set for two.
Luke picked up a bottle out of the sink. “How about some champagne to go with our meal?”
“Sounds great,” I said. He poured me a generous glass and I knew our conversation would flow easily with some alcohol pumping through my blood.
I smiled as he served me a delicious breakfast and we sat and chatted for hours by the light of the fire and a single candle that was placed on the table between us. There were moments where the magnetism could not be denied, knuckles would brush against each other reaching for the syrup, or the moment when I touched his hand when he made me laugh. My feelings couldn’t be ignored; Luke was sucking me into every piece of him, and I couldn’t get enough.
“So, tell me more about you. You couldn’t have just been out hiking in the woods all this time.”
He shook his head. “Nah. Like I said my family wasn’t really there for me so I started looking for work around the age of fourteen. I finally settled at this one old lady’s house and she helped homeschool me so I could graduate high school. She’s used to say there is nothing as important as an education.” He laughed. “If she could only see me now. I haven’t picked up a book in years. She was so good to me. And when she passed away and left me most of her fortune, I decided to go hiking for a few months. The rest is history as they say.”
“Wait, she left you her fortune?” I asked, scowling.
“Yeah, what of it?”
“Well, last night you made all these comments about my life and financial freedom … you didn’t happen to mention that you’re also financially free.”
He frowned. “No, I said she left me what was left, which wasn’t much. Enough that I could live on for a few months before I found a new job. Mostly what she left me were books. I had read so many of them over the years that I decided other people should enjoy them and donated them to the library. I certainly couldn’t take them with me while I hiked.”
“What types of books?” I asked.
“What?”
“I said what types of books? What types of books did you like to read with her?”
“Well, the last one we read was Moby Dick.”
I was impressed; finishing that book was no small feat. “You’re an interesting character, you know that?”
He laughed. “You’re fairly interesting yourself, Miss Cheyenne.”
I paused for a moment, taking another swig from my glass. “Are we going to get out of here, Luke?”
He looked at me with concern in his gray eyes. “I’m sure someone will realize soon that I didn’t come back. Fred is always on the lookout for me. He knew I should’ve been back last night. I’m sure a search party will be sent out for me. And that boyfriend of yours, didn’t he call anyone to tell them you are alone?”
“How did you know I was meeting him?” I asked, blushing.
He laughed. “Lucky guess. Plus, you didn’t pack any movies to watch with your friends.”
“Well, he’s not really my boyfriend.”
“Oh, I just assumed since you’re coming up here with him …”
“We’re not really together yet. But yes, I think he would’ve told my father that I was here by myself.”
He smiled broadly. “Well then it’s settled. I’m sure someone will be here by morning at the very latest now that the snow has stopped.”
We both looked out the window. Sure enough, the snow had subsided throughout the day and it finally stopped, but there was at least ten inches of fresh snow since yesterday. Luke was right; someone would come for us, but it wouldn’t be until morning. We had one more night together.
I smiled at him. He stood to clear the dishes and I stopped him with my hand.
“No way, you cooked, I’ll clean up afterwards. Why don’t you go relax in the bedroom? Most of the heat seems to have retained back there, it’s pretty cozy.” I had gone back to use the restroom during our meal and noticed how much warmer it was back there.
“Sounds nice, I think I will, thanks.” He leaned in and gave me a sweet peck on the cheek before retiring to the bedroom.
As I washed the dishes by hand, using what was left of the hot water that Luke had made over the fire, I tried to understand my feelings. Sure, before we got here I had an innocent crush on him, but now that we were together in such close quarters I felt like there was more going on than what I wanted to admit. Again, I was spoken for and what I was feeling for Luke was just because we were in this dire situation together. Or was it? Whatever it was I needed to figure it out before someone came to rescue us, because this could be my final time alone with Luke to make my decision.
After finishing the dishes I walked slowly back to the bedroom to find Luke sprawled out on his stomach, sleeping. He looked so peaceful and calm, but the scars on his back almost ruined the situation. There was something so deep and emotional about them. Something about how newly formed they were and how they had gashed his skin.
I turned around, taking a moment to collect my thoughts, and found myself face-to-face with my suitcase. I realized that I hadn’t changed since my shower and decided since Luke was fast asleep he wouldn’t mind if I put on some fresh clothes. I allowed my liquid confidence to help me choose an outfit. As I pulled on a pair of jeans and T-shirt, I heard rustling behind me.
“You changed,” said a gruff voice.
“You were sleeping.”
“Damn shame, I would’ve appreciated the view.” It was clear he hadn’t completely sobered up yet, either. All the formalities of earlier in the weekend had disappeared.
I turned to face him, and his eyes immediately moved to my breasts where he realized I hadn’t put on a new bra. I had made my decision. My previous innocent crush for Luke had turned into a severe lust th
at I couldn’t control any longer.
“How’s the view?” I asked as I dragged my finger down the line of my T-shirt.
He stood up, slowly walking across the cool hardwood floor, and rested his hands on either side of my hips. It was the first time he had purposely touched me in a way that made my heart beat so hard I thought it would come out of my chest. He watched the rise and fall of my breasts with every breath I took.
“You’re incredible, do you know that?”
I didn’t know how to respond, but as he pulled the thin T-shirt above my head I didn’t stop him. I didn’t want to. My nipples were hard as he admired my curves. I knew what would happen next, but I didn’t know how good it would feel. He slowly dipped his head down so that his lips met my neck. He trailed light kisses down to my collarbone and a small moan escaped my lips. I willed it to stay inside of me, but I couldn’t control my feelings any longer. The heat that spread from his lips down my neck could hardly be contained. Within seconds it had spread from my chest to between my legs. He drew his forefinger from my lips, down my neck, and across my collarbone, stopping right above my chest. Slowly his finger dipped between my breasts and down to my navel where his hand greedily grabbed the front of my pants and pulled me toward him. My head snapped back before my lips locked with his. Heat radiated from our mouths, wet and juicy kisses joining together. Everything about him was so forbidden and mysterious, just the relief I needed from my perfectly mundane life. I inhaled his woodsy scent, allowing it to take me away. He was the freedom I wanted and now I would do anything to have him.
“Luke,” I said in a husky voice. “Luke, take me.”
His eyes met mine for only a moment, while a smile played on his lips.
I waited on baited breath, afraid to move. My heart was beating so fast inside my chest that I considered lunging toward him just to end my moment of discomfort. However, as he rubbed his lips together I noticed that his breath increased pace. He took his free hand and put it behind my head, weaving his fingers into my blonde locks, and pulled me toward him. Our faces collided, the air finally releasing from my lungs as our lips converged. Heat spread through my body as his hand reached inside of my jeans, becoming dangerously close to my already wet mound.
