by Lavada Dee
He was kidding, neither of them was dressed for anything like that, but she went along with it. “Sure, I’ll sit right behind you so you can keep me warm.”
They laughed and joked their way up the steps and into the lodge where Galynn stopped short. High ceilings made the room look huge and showed off the upper balcony. It was made of logs, with massive furniture complementing its size. “This is beautiful, Coop. Is Blackhawk Lodge like this?”
“I think it’s better, bigger, and, instead of just a mountain view, it has the lake in the forefront. It’s also a lot newer. Of course I might be a little biased. When we get back, I’ll take you over there for dinner, and we’ll go check the family suite out.” He winked at her.
After fast showers, they headed down for dinner. Again, Galynn was astonished over the rustic beauty of the lodge. The massive dining room had a fire burning in a fireplace that took up a quarter of the wall. Windows filled the other side of the room. It was too dark to see anything outside but Cooper promised they’d see it at breakfast.
Galynn at first refused a dinner drink, but after Cooper described a margarita, she decided to try one. When it came, she cautiously sipped it. “Umm, this is good. I like the salt around the edges. What did you call it?”
Cooper’s smile was golden. “A margarita, I can’t believe you’ve never had one.”
She ducked her head. He had to think she was a real dork, but she’d never gone out much with her mother, and when they did, the medications her mother took prevented her from drinking anything with liquor. She hadn’t thought much about it until now, but Mick never took her out except to his folks’. She smiled over at him. “Life was different. I know you can’t understand. How could you?”
Cooper reached over the table and took her hand. “I’m sorry. I certainly didn’t mean it as a criticism.” Changing the subject, he picked up his menu. “So, what looks good to you?”
They studied the entrées, Galynn finally selecting the petite steak and Cooper the prime rib. After the waitress left with their order, silence settled over them like a blanket. This time, it wasn’t all that comfortable. Cooper’s voice sounded low and husky as he broke it. “Really, honey, I’m sorry. I was just making conversation, which I should know better than to do.”
Galynn smiled over at him. “You have nothing to be sorry about. I didn’t take it as criticism or a put-down. It was just that hearing you say it made me think of all that I’ve missed out on, and, worse, not even realizing I’d missed anything. There are so many things I haven’t done.” She held up her hand, counting on her fingers. “Like dancing, and amusement parks or fairs, and…” She stopped and looked over at him. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I guess I have some catching up to do.”
He held her gaze with his own. His voice dropped to match hers. “It will be fun to show you all those things and more.”
Cooper opened up a new thread of conversation. “So, on the way down we talked, but mostly about me. Now it’s your turn.”
Galynn shook her head. She didn’t want Cooper to know about her life. Before Mick, there wasn’t much to say, and after Mick…there wasn’t anything she wanted to say. She loved hearing about the Blackhawk family. It felt like living vicariously in a world she’d only dreamed about.
When she didn’t answer, he made another attempt to get her talking. “Did you always want to be a teacher?” Galynn felt herself relax. She was comfortable talking about this subject.
“No, I never wanted to be a teacher.” At his puzzled look, she quickly continued. “I know this will seem strange to you. My mother always wanted to teach. She never made it to college and swore she’d do everything she could so I could go.” Her voice dropped. “And she did. In return, I went for a degree in education for her.
She looked over at Cooper. He listened to her like he really cared, like he really wanted to know her. “I’m so glad I did. From the first minute of the first day, I fell in love with teaching. So far I’ve only taught third grade, and the kids at that age are perfect.”
Cooper laughed. “Perfect? I’m not sure I can visualize a room full of what? Nine-year-olds? That’s your definition of perfect?”
She laughed back at him. “Oh, but they are. Well, maybe perfect, in their imperfect selves. They’re inquisitive, honest, funny…”
Cooper held up his hands in mock defense. “Okay, okay. I can see how your enjoyment of teaching would make your mother very happy.”
Once started, Galynn told him more about her mother, about how much fun she was. She told him that although they didn’t have lot of money, they were rich in other ways.
When their salads were served, Galynn stopped in midsentence. She couldn’t believe how much she’d told Cooper. “I…I’m sorry. You should have stopped me.”
“Stopped you? It wasn’t all that easy to get you to relax and share your life with me. But I’m so very glad you did. Now I can see you as a little girl. I can see you before life got really tough, and how all the good and bad has shaped you into the courageous, compassionate woman you are.”
* * * *
Dinner over, Cooper looked at his watch. It wasn’t late, but neither of them had gotten much sleep the night before. He wasn’t tired. However, he needed to think of Galynn. He took her arm as they left the dining room and walked up the grand staircase together. Her skin felt soft. His body tightened. She had to be exhausted, and he wanted everything to be perfect. He could wait. He had to wait.
When they got back to the room, Cooper went over and stood by the French doors. If it were summer, they could have taken a walk and maybe had drinks out on the balcony. He promised himself that they’d come back. He wasn’t going to think about her leaving him.
He felt her before she wrapped her arms around him. He sucked in his breath. She wasn’t making this easy. He put his hands over hers and closed his eyes. He could feel her breath when she pressed her cheek into his back and snuggled closer. The softness of her breasts made him bite back a groan.
Her voice was little more than a whisper. “What’s wrong, Cooper? Did I say too much? Have you changed your mind about us?”
In one motion, he turned and pulled her into his arms. Trembling, he rested his chin on her head. “Nothing’s wrong. In fact, it’s so damn perfect it’s unreal. You can’t know how much your trust in talking to me tonight means to me.” He swallowed the lump in his throat.
“But you don’t want me. It’s okay. After what I did last night, I understand.”
“Oh, honey, it goes a lot deeper than wanting you. But this isn’t just about making love. It’s about trust. I don’t want to take a chance that I’ll hurt you. Or that I won’t be enough or give you enough.”
“I trust you, and you’re more than enough for any woman, but I know I’m not the type of woman you’re used to being with.” Her voice caught. “Besides, you’re no doubt tired. You did all the driving, and we really didn’t get to bed very early last night.”
His voice sounded gruff even to his ears. “I like to drive, and I—am—not—tired.” He strung the words out, trying to lighten up.
He heard her muffled laugh into his shirt. Picking her up, he laughed with her until she turned her face up to his, and he saw in her eyes what he knew was in his. “Are you sure?” He could hardly get the words out.
Galynn pulled his head down to hers and told him yes without words. She applied what she’d learned from him the other night and deepened the kiss. The sound he made gave her a feeling of power. Without fear, she felt free, and with the confidence of a woman who knew she was desired, she struggled out of his arms to stand in front of him. Without breaking the kiss, she ran her hands up under his sweater and played her thumbs across his nipples.
This was too much. He wasn’t going to make it to the bed, let alone inside her, if he didn’t get control. He stepped back and tried to quiet his rapid breathing. His gaze sought hers. “Be sure. If not, you’re going to have to help me stop.”
She nodded
and again reached for him, but he stepped back so he had room to get out his clothes. The pants in particular were strangling him. “You want me to undress you?”
She didn’t break eye contact. “Do you want to?”
“I want…” He ground out the words. “I want everything. I want to be strong. I want to be gentle. I'm scared.” He closed his eyes. “I’m scared I won’t be able to give you even a little bit of what you’re bringing to me.”
Galynn held his gaze and quickly undressed. She sensed his urgency and wasn’t going to add a slow strip tease to the already unbearable emotional atmosphere of the room. She left a wisp of a bra and panties on. She’d read somewhere that they added more sexual tension than if she were naked.
With a groan, he reached for her.
* * * *
She told him she took birth control pills and that she never forgot. That was the last conscious thought he had before pure emotion took over.
She was ready for him, and he sensed she was beyond thinking as much as he was. Again, he thanked fate that he didn’t have to worry about protection. He wasn’t sure he would have been able to even find a condom in his pocket, let alone get it on.
Without breaking contact, he walked her backward to the bed. Never had a bed been so welcome. Stretching out beside her, he palmed her through the thin wisp of fabric. She arched up into his hand, and he felt the moist heat of her arousal. He trailed his mouth down her neck to her breast. Using his tongue, he traced through the material and around the extended nipple. When he felt her tremble, he looked down in time to see the wonder on her face. He’d bet anything that this was her first orgasm, and it made him feel, well, the only words he could dredge up from a mind that wasn’t working were it made him feel.
In seconds, the remaining clothes were gone. Coop moved over her and slowly pushed into heaven. He’d always prided himself on his size, but now he had concerns. She was so tiny. What if…He’d hardly formed the thought when it turned into a moot point. She shifted, sheathing his full length. When he moved, she was with him. Opening up, she drew him deeper. He let his breath and voice mingle with hers. Just when he knew he couldn’t hang on another second, he felt the contractions and moisture of her release.
He rolled to the side, keeping her in his arms. Reaching up, he smoothed her hair away from her face and kissed her forehead. “I didn’t know it could be like this.” He smiled down at her. “You’re mine, and no matter what the future brings, you always will be.”
A tear slipped out of the corner of her eye, and he brushed it away with his fingertip. “Hey, what’s with this? Tears? ”
Galynn rose up and leaned over to kiss him gently on the lips. Their passion was spent, and in its place was a feeling of completeness and peace. “This is joy. It was so beautiful that only tears can express how I feel.”
“How we feel.”
With a sigh of contentment, Galynn snuggled up against his chest. Cooper tried to stay awake but, when he heard her even breathing, gave a sigh of contentment and gave up the day.
* * * *
Galynn slowly opened her eyes. The gray of early morning lit the room. Cooper was still asleep, and she shifted to see him better. His full lips were slightly parted. Long, dark lashes fanned his cheeks. He looked—there was no other word for it—beautiful.
The clock on the bedside table read seven o’clock. Cooper wanted to stop in Missoula on the way home to look at the property for his dad. Should she wake him up? He took the choice out of her hands when he slowly opened his eyes, seemingly as reluctant as she was to move out of this warm cocoon of intimacy.
His saucy wink had her smiling. “Did you sleep well, love?”
She answered him with a smile and quick kiss, but he was having none of that. He pulled her hard against him, deepening the kiss until she was again beyond thought. In seconds, they went from slow and lazy to touching and tasting, with an intensity that bordered on insanity. Cooper’s voice was more of a groan. “I can’t…” He lost the words and gave into pure emotion.
Galynn felt boneless. Was this how complete satisfaction felt? She didn’t need anything more, in like, maybe forever. Cooper lay beside her, and from the looks of him, he was in the same shape that she was. She traced the tips of her fingers over his full lips. “In movies and books, the hero and heroine don’t sleep the first night.” Her smiled teased her lips. “They…you know. All night.”
“Oh they do, do they? It’s too late for the night, but we could try for all day.”
She laughed and sat up. The sheet slipped down to her waist. Before she could pull it up, his mouth found her breast, gently suckling. Her hands twined into his hair, holding him against her. This time they took their time, with each of them exploring the other’s body. When he entered her, she was ready, and together they took themselves over the edge of passion.
* * * *
Cooper glanced at his watch as he pulled out of the lodge’s parking lot. It was almost noon, but he wouldn’t have given up a second of the morning for an earlier start.
They didn’t talk much on the ride back, each lost in their own thoughts and feelings. They were so perfectly tuned into each other that the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. Early into the ride, Cooper took her hand and rested it on his leg in a need to keep touching her and feeling her touching him.
Peace filled the car, and it wasn’t long before they were at the end of the lake. Galynn had been half-turned in her seat so she could sit toward Cooper. She pulled her hand back and stretched out her legs as far as she could. “It seemed like it took us less time to come back than it did going.”
“I agree. It always seems that way. But bet you could use a break. I know I could.” He pulled into the same little restaurant they’d stopped at going up. “How about a cup of coffee?”
When they walked in, the same waitress that had waited on them the way down greeted them. She asked them how the trip went, noting that they must have gotten out in the fresh air, as their color was so healthy. When she left to get their coffees, Galynn laughed over at Cooper. “Fresh air does this for you, too?”
“Not in this lifetime.” He laughed back.
He couldn’t keep from touching her, and reached across the table to take her hand. When the waitress came back, she smiled and said, “Let me guess. Newlyweds, right?”
Cooper’s laugh bounced around the room. “You’re almost right. I’m working on it.”
The look on the waitress’s face was one of astonishment when she spoke directly to Galynn. “Honey, you have got to be nuts. There are a million women out there that would be running for a preacher if they had a guy like this asking.” Shaking her head, she held her hands across her heart.
As soon as the waitress got out of hearing range, Galynn leaned over the table and whispered to Cooper. “A million women? You think?”
“Sure, but one million or two, I’m only interested in the one sitting across from me.” He picked up his cup and sipped at the hot coffee. “Umm, this tastes good. I guess it was time for a break.”
He again reached for her hand. “I know this isn’t the place but…” He closed his eyes and pressed a kiss into the palm of her hand. “I love you. I’ve never told this to anyone before. Hell, even if I had, it wouldn’t have been like this because I didn’t know there were feelings like this. I think I always knew something was missing in my life, but I had no idea what. I thought I was happy. I certainly wasn’t lonely. But now, without you, I know I’ll experience what loneliness is.” He stopped, trying to find words to let her know how he felt. “When we go home at night, it doesn’t matter if we walk down together, or if you’ve already left the office, the house feels warm and inviting. The other night when you got back late from the store, it felt…” He rubbed his hand down his face. His voice lowered, sounding husky. “I’m having a hard time here.” He took another drink of coffee, wishing for something stronger, and started over. “Galynn, without you the house, the office, and life is cold and empty.
I want to marry you, make a family, grow old…”
A lone tear trickled down Galynn’s cheek. “Coop…I…” She pulled his hand to her lips and kissed across his fingers. “I love you so much, but don’t you see? It’s because I love you that I have to leave. What would we have if Mick finds me? What if I’m with your mother? Have you thought how dangerous a position it puts your family in?”
She shook her head and, with a shaky laugh, kissed his fingers again before releasing his hand. Swiping away the tears, she picked up her coffee cup. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“I don’t want to talk about anything else. I want to talk about us. I don’t want to have that sick, gut feeling in my stomach every time I walk in the office or house and don’t immediately see you. I don’t want to start looking for a neatly placed note. I don’t…”
Galynn held up her hand. Her voice, barely above a whisper, made Coop lean in to hear her. “I never thought, didn’t look at it from your side. I intended to do exactly what you said. Leave a note and let you get on with your life.”
Cooper almost growled out the next words. “On with my life!” He pushed back in his seat and looked over at her. The silence that followed was so dense it felt like she could cut it with a knife.
“I won’t…Coop? I won’t leave that way. I promise I’ll tell you before I go. You won’t have to guess when or even how.”
“How about you just forget about leaving all together? There are other options. We can hire security, or go back and confront him head-on. You’re not alone anymore. I want to protect you. Now that I know you’re not married to him, it gives us more leeway. We won’t have to go through legal channels to free you of him.”
She knew her smile didn’t reach her eyes. He’d see the front she put up, but she wanted this conversation to stop. She knew what Mick was capable of and what she had to do. “Okay, but let’s not talk or think about it anymore today. I want to go back to where we were and enjoy our time out together.” She motioned out the window. “I’ve never been out of Atlanta. I’ve only come close to places like this on the Discovery Channel. Seeing it, smelling it, and experiencing the clean, crisp beauty is breathtaking.”
