by Nikki Wild
Of course, I hadn’t even thought about the landing.
It looks so easy and smooth on television, doesn’t it? It hovers neatly over a big X on the ground and gently glides back down to the Earth like a graceful crow, right?
Wrong!
If only that were the case in this situation.
Unfortunately, I had no idea about the adventure that was in store for me.
The cabin was nestled high on the edge of a cliff, a log cabin only in the sense that it was made of logs. It was not a cabin. It was a palace, cut from logs. It was lit up from the inside, a warm glow pouring from the windows like a beacon in the night. I scanned the landscape around it, but in the dark I could only see trees surrounding three sides of it and the side that we were approaching faced the edge of a very steep, very tall cliff, with only darkness plunging below it.
“Bear,” Alex yelled over his shoulder, as he approached the cabin, “do you need help with the ladder?”
“Nope, I’ve got it,” Bear replied.
“Ladder?” I asked, confusion filling my head. We’d jumped in easily without needing any ladder.
“I’ll just hover over the edge, as usual, alright?” Alex called.
“Hover?” I squeaked.
“That’s great, Alex,” Bear said, before turning to me. “Don’t worry. It’s only scary the first time.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, my hands beginning to tremble.
“You’ll see,” he said, as he unbuckled his seat belt and scooted around me. He shuffled around in the corner and pulled out a collapsible ladder and put it next to the door.
“Alex, I’m ready when you are,” he said.
“Ready for what?” I cried.
“Coming right up on it,” Alex replied. I looked out the window and saw the cabin quickly coming closer. Alex slowed the helicopter down until we were right next to the cliff, the house only yards away.
“I’ll drop the bags down first,” Bear said, pushing a button. The door opened and I gasped at the force of the air that hit me. He pulled off his ear protection, grabbed my bag and threw it out the door.
“Bear!” I cried, my mouth open in shock. His bag went next and I shook my head, straining to look down for them. I was still buckled in my seat and paralyzed with fear.
“You go first,” Bear said, before leaning down and attaching the ladder to some hooks on the edge of the bottom of the helicopter. The ladder fell, cascading down the side of the helicopter and dangling wildly in the air to the ground below.
My head began shaking, my mouth unable to form any words. This was fucking insane. Go first? Was he out of his mind? My ass was staying right here in this seat!
“Chloe,” Bear said, his voice turning stern and serious. “This only looks dangerous. It’s perfectly safe and I do it all the time.”
“You’re filthy rich, why don’t you have somewhere to park this fucking thing?” I screamed.
“Because I would have had to cut down a bunch of old-growth forest to do so and I care about the Earth more than a minor inconvenience like this.”
My mouth dropped open in disbelief. Minor inconvenience?!
“How is staying alive a minor inconvenience?” I yelled.
“I told you I’d never hurt you,” he said, reaching out a hand to me, his dark blue eyes peering into mine deeply. I tried to drink in his courage, his faith in me, his strength. I was certain I didn’t have enough on my own to get down that ladder. “You have to go. It’s the only way.”
“This is fucking nuts!” I yelled.
“I know,” he said, shrugging. “Now come on!”
“Goddammit,” I muttered, taking a deep breath and unbuckling my seat belt. I grabbed his hand with my shaking fingers and let him lead me to the edge. I looked down and took a step back. It was so far! The ladder was so loose, too—just hanging there flapping in the wind like a loose thread on the edge of a ragged coat.
“I don’t think I can do this,” I said, bile rising up in the back of my throat.
“Yes, you can,” Bear said. “As soon as you get started, the ladder will tighten up with each step you take and the ground is right there below you. It will take ten seconds tops and then your feet will be on solid ground. I’ll be right behind you, I promise.” He squeezed my hand and I tried again.
Deep breath. Step forward. Don’t look down. Try not to puke.
I shook my head and let the chant repeat over and over in my head.
Deep breath. Step forward. Don’t look down. Try not to puke.
“Grab my hands and get on your knees, then lower your foot down to the first rung,” Bear instructed. I looked at him, sure that his face would be the last one I was ever going to see. Forget dying in a fiery crash on the side of the mountain, I was going to fall into the abyss below.
At least it’s him, I thought. If I was never going to see another human face, it might as well be one as stunning as his.
He kissed me and smiled down at me.
“Seriously, don’t worry, babe, you’ll be fine,” he said. “But you need to wear this, just in case.”
He held up a harness and a helmet and my eyes widened.
“Jesus, Bear,” I said, my first complaint. I couldn’t help it. “Do you have something against normal transportation?”
“Helicopters are fast,” he shrugged.
“Fast, right,” I murmured, as I stepped into the harness that fit around my pelvis and hooked onto the helicopter. The helmet was a little too big and when Bear tightened the chin strap, I felt like a scared little kid being pushed out of the plane by her dad.
I watched as he put his own harness on and fitted his helmet to his head before he motioned to the edge.
“It’s go time,” he said. “Alex can’t hover here forever.”
“Right,” I replied, sliding my feet to the edge and looking down again.
Deep breath. Step forward. Don’t look down. Try not to puke.
The cabin below looked so warm, so damned inviting. Unfortunately, I felt like I had to fight through a pit of snakes or something to get to it. I groaned and sank to my knees. Bear grabbed my hands and I turned around, sliding a foot out into the air. When I lowered it, I felt the rung and pressed down.
“Good girl, that’s it,” Bear murmured encouragingly. “Keep holding my hands, that’s it. Now, put your other foot down.”
My body swung loosely, the stability of the helicopter giving way. I screamed, clutching Bear’s hands until I couldn’t any longer, then putting first one foot, then the other on the rungs and then it was just me and the ladder, swinging in the air.
Deep breath. Step forward. Don’t look down. Try not to puke.
“Oh, god!” I yelled, fear ripping through me as I looked up at him.
“Don’t stop! Keep moving, Chloe!” Bear demanded from above.
My stomach flipped upside down, the feeling of being weightless and out of control only serving to freak me out even more, my hands and feet frozen on the rungs.
Move Chloe! I silently yelled in my head, forcing myself to move again, first my foot and then my hand. Slowly, I traveled down the ladder, holding on for dear life. My moment of worrying about my panties, or lack thereof, was gone. I was so sure I was going to be torn into a million pieces on my descent to death, none of that would matter.
The air whipped around me and my body swung a little, but not as much as I had imagined it would. I took a few more steps down and when I saw I was only a foot or so away from the Earth, I smiled a little and looked up at Bear. He stared down at me, his handsome face full of confidence in me.
It was just what I needed. I released my grip, falling to the ground in an unceremonious puddle of shaking limbs and trembling lips.
“Yes!” I cried, when I felt the ground below me. I opened my hand, my finger sinking into the cold snow like I’d never felt it before. I turned my head, kissing the ground.
I’d never been so thankful for gravity in my life.
I watched in awe as Bear quickly and effortlessly descended the ladder behind me, easily falling to the ground like a graceful cat, before turning to wave at Alex as he pulled the ladder up behind him.
“See you soon!” Alex cried.
“Thanks, brother! Safe journey home!”
Alex nodded, closed the door and the helicopter took off in seconds, leaving us standing alone in front of Bear’s cabin with nothing but our two bags.
“You could have warned me about that,” I said, as Bear reached down and pulled me to my feet.
“And miss the look on your face?” he teased, pulling me in for a hug. “No way!”
I let his arms wrap around me, grateful for the return of the simple stability that I took for granted. His warmth was comforting and I melted into him.
“You did good,” he said.
“Thanks,” I replied, the shaking in my voice muffled by his chest pressed against my face. I was so shaken up and yet I couldn’t deny the tiny thrill I felt knowing I’d pulled it off without killing myself.
“Let’s go inside,” he whispered into my hair. I nodded and he pulled away, swooped the bags up and we trudged through the snow into the cabin.
Fourteen
I’d never seen a more beautiful place.
“This place is absolutely amazing, but you’re sure we couldn’t have just driven here?” I asked. Bear sat the bags down by the door.
We walked straight into the great room, the huge vaulted ceilings accented by huge, wooden beams. A huge bear rug lay in front of a massive stone fireplace that reigned over the room, reaching all the way up to the highest point of the ceiling. A huge fire was already roaring in it. The great room opened up to the second floor, with a long cat walk lining the farthest wall, making the second floor look like an open loft. The windows were the biggest I’d ever seen and as I spun around, drinking in the room, I saw nothing but darkness and twinkling stars out of them.
“Do you always repel in like a Navy Seal?” I asked.
His laughter echoed off the walls and I delighted at the way the skin around his eyes wrinkled. Suddenly, all the tension was gone from his face. He was relaxed, happy and calm. The hardness that usually lingered behind his eyes had disappeared.
“It takes about four hours to drive here. With Alex, it takes one hour,” he shrugged. “I didn’t want to fight traffic and I don’t like wasting my time. I have to get back tomorrow night because the day after tomorrow I have an important meeting with one of my contractors. I’d rather spend that time with you, Chloe.”
He closed the distance between us, wrapping his arms around me and kissing me deeply. I was already breathless from the unexpected near-death scenario and the intensity of his kiss ripped the rest of the oxygen right from my lungs.
I damn near fainted in his arms.
“Let’s get settled,” he said, pulling away and looking down at me, his arms firmly secured around my waist. “I’ll tell Bruce we’re here.”
“Bruce?” I asked.
“Bruce takes care of this place for me. He lives here and when I come up, he cooks for me and helps me out with whatever else I need. You’ll love him.”
“That explains the fire,” I said.
“Yes,” he replied. “Don’t worry, though. You’ll hardly know he’s here.”
I nodded, my breathing starting to return to normal.
“Are we done with adventure time?” I asked. “That was very unexpected.”
He laughed again, sending tingles down my spine.
“We’ve only just begun, darling,” he said, sinking his fingers into my hair and pulling my head back. I gasped in surprise, my nipples hardening immediately as his dark blue eyes peered into mine, the flames from the fireplace reflecting in his dark orbs. “There’ll be nothing nearly as dangerous as getting off the helicopter, so don’t worry, but don’t think for a minute the adventures are over.” His eyes flashed with lust and I shuddered. “I brought you here for a reason, Beauty. You want to get to know each other? You have questions? Well, Chloe,” he whispered, his voice thick with desire. “I have needs. Hopefully, we can get them both answered while we’re here.”
I was speechless. His fingers pulling my hair felt so deliciously forbidden. It hurt, but god did I love it. I wanted him to pull harder. I wanted his hands on me. Everywhere. I wanted him to touch me firmly, deeply, everywhere he could reach. I wanted everything he had to offer. And then I wanted more. I peered into his eyes, meeting his hungry gaze with my own, a small smile on my face. His lips captured mine in a passionate, fiery kiss and I whimpered, opening my mouth, submitting to his heat, igniting it with my own.
We melted together, his hand sliding from my hair as his arms slid around me, holding me tightly as his tongue tangled with mine and everything around us disappeared. The heat from the fire was no match for the heat that flowed between us.
Heavy footsteps sounded behind us and I jumped away from Bear like I’d been shot. I’d forgotten where we were and that we weren’t alone.
Bear wasn’t fazed. He laughed at my reaction and greeted the man who rounded the corner with a huge hug.
“Bruce, it’s been too long,” he said, patting the large man on the back. He was as big as a linebacker, his wide shoulders stretching the thin fabric of his white t-shirt. He wore jeans and was barefoot. He was handsome, but nowhere near as handsome as Bear. He had long blonde hair and his tanned skin made him look like he lived in the sun. But it was his smile that was his greatest attribute. I liked him right away and his apple green eyes were kind and open.
“You must be Chloe,” he said, pulling away from Bear’s hug and hugging me close. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“You too, Bruce,” I replied, as he released me.
“How’ve the slopes been treating you?” Bear asked.
“Killer, dude! There’s some serious pow-pow out there this year. I’ve been waking up at the crack of dawn for the last week to get a go at the freshie,” he said, his blonde waves framing his sun-drenched face.
“You always loved to shred the flake, brother,” Bear said. I looked back and forth, completely lost. Pow-pow? Freshie? Flakes? I made a mental note to ask Bear about it later.
“Excuse me,” I said. “I’d like to freshen up. Where’s the restroom?”
“Of course! I’ll get you something to drink, too, Chloe. Red wine okay?”
I caught Bear’s eye and he winked. I wasn’t about to fall into the wine trap again.
“I’d love a cup of tea, please.”
“You got it,” Bruce said. “The loo is down the hall on the right.”
“Thank you,” I replied, turning away and leaving them to their ski-bum talk. Their voices faded away as they began talking about black diamond trails or something. I knew nothing about skiing. I’d gone once with Harlan and a few friends who were experts at it and they made it seem like it was as easy as riding a bike.
No, it fucking wasn’t.
They’d persuaded me to just jump in with both skis, so to speak, and led me to the top of the intermediate slope before I’d even learned to stop or go or even stand up properly. Then, they zipped down the mountain, leaving me there to figure out how to get down all by myself—which consisted of me standing up and falling down over and over until I reached the bottom. By the time I made it down, I swore I’d never do it again.
I spent the rest of the weekend bundled up with a book by the fire in the cabin we’d rented while they skied their expert asses off. I’d been so mad at Harlan after that weekend that I didn’t speak to him for a week afterwards.
I walked down the hall, in awe of Bear’s cabin. The entire house seemed to be made of wood. Log beams, log paneled walls, and the railings on the huge stairs matched the thick logs that made up the railing that lined the cat walk up top. I felt like I was in the biggest tree house in existence. The amazing thing about it was the coziness, though. In spite of its enormous size, the crackling fire and the soft brown couches and tapest
ry rugs made it inviting and warm.
By the time I made it back to Bear and Bruce, I never wanted to leave.
Bruce handed me a huge mug of steaming tea and excused himself quickly, leaving Bear and I alone. We stood next to the huge fireplace, the warmth penetrating my skin and warming my bones.
“Feeling a little calmer now, I hope?” he asked.
“I’m fine now, yes, thank you,” I replied.
“You have to admit it was a little exciting, right?” he winked.
“If you call nearly dying exciting, sure.”
“What is life without risk, Chloe?” he asked.
I opened my mouth and promptly shut it. He had a point. I’d spent my life risking nothing, always taking the safest route when pressed. At least I had until lately. Coming to New York was the first risk I’d taken in a long time and it had already led to some of the most exciting moments of my life.
“I guess you have a point,” I admitted.
He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine quickly.
“I’m glad you’re starting to see things my way,” he replied.
“Do I have a choice?” I asked, laughing.
He grew serious at my words, taking my cup from me and setting it on a table behind him, before turning back to me and pulling me into his arms. I snaked my arms around his waist, reveling in his closeness, inhaling the musky scent of him.
“You always have a choice, Chloe. If you had insisted, I would have made Alex turn the helicopter around and we’d have gone back to the city.”
“That’s not what I meant—,”
“—that’s why I made you create a safe word. I never want you to do anything with me that you don’t want to do. In or out of bed.” His eyes squinted in concern as he peered down at me.
“I know, Bear,” I replied, “I appreciate that.”
“Good,” he said, kissing me again, “it’s important to me.”
“I understand,” I nodded. Okay, so maybe I didn’t fully understand, because I still had so many questions, but I think I was beginning to.
