Chapter 72

Keara trudged up the snowy path to the cabin, Buddy running in front of her. The last glimmers of daylight shimmered on the snow as she turned and waved goodbye to Oscar. He was waiting in his vehicle, idling, wanting to make sure she got in okay. He’d once again dropped her and Buddy off.

“See you tomorrow morning, bright and early, Oscar. Thanks for the lift!”

“You are welcome, Cherie,” he called, through his rolled down window. His expression, though, morphed into one of mystery. “Don’t be so sure you’ll see me early. Life—it is full of surprises.”

“What?”

He winked, put the car in gear, and started to back up. She shrugged. The day she could figure out all his moods and pronouncements was the day she’d…

…be bored out of her skull. Oscar added a welcome lilt, along with good-natured confusion, to their days. Somehow, she was sure the boredom wouldn’t happen, for a long time. At least not until the next century.

She pulled her parka tight around her against the cold, ducked into the bright red scarf Mrs. Bloom had knitted for her. She continued on through the semi-wild front yard, dotted with pines and deciduous trees laden with snow as she made her way toward the cabin.

This was the part she loved. Coming home.

She still couldn’t believe she belonged here.

It was two weeks since the big avalanche, and miraculously, no one had been lost. Since then, Sven had been off work, recuperating. He’d been doing therapy at Stonewater Memorial Hospital a few days a week, too. Her guy was well on the way to recovery.

She looked forward to another evening together. Sven normally had a light dinner ready for them, mainly stuff he heated up from all the food she carted home from the Snowy Peaks kitchen, courtesy of Martha, Oscar, Klaire, and a new guy they’d hired, a baker. After dinner, they sat in the living room with the dogs, and talked about their day. Then, after that, finally, they…

…read. Played checkers. Discussed the finer points of snow field degradation. She winced as the lame joke passed through her mind.

Kidding, I’m kidding, she thought as she stopped at the first bird feeder, and opened the little painted door on it to check on the food. Kidding.

Not kidding. She was dying to get her hands on the man inside. Unfortunately, one of his doctors—a Doctor Clyde—had insisted there be no major exertion for a while, and he’d specified s-e-x. When Sven had told her what the professional had advised, she’d almost erupted.

What? Serious?

Thankfully though, she’d kept the very real verbal explosion inside, and pasted an understanding look on her face—likely glazed, she’d thought after—and nodded.

All she knew was, the damn Gem of the Peak was getting a thorough second reading. She was almost through it, gritting her teeth, ready for a third pass. More pages were dog-eared than actually reflected points she wanted to remember.

“I’m getting desperate,” she confided in Buddy, who’d come back to her side after chasing squirrels from the next bird feeder. Making the world safe for chickadees and woodpeckers. “One of these days soon, if we don’t get it on, I’m going to self-combust, Dog!”

At the front stoop, though, she noticed something different—tiny flashes of color at her feet.

“Huh?” She peered down, toed the smattering of stuff. Surprise streaked through her. “Rose petals? In winter?”

She hurriedly inserted her key in the door and opened it. The aroma of Italian food filled the cabin.

Lasagna?

Buddy collided gleefully with Jake, who practically jumped on him. They ran off, circling each other, playing. But at her feet was a light trail of more petals. Leading to…oh?

The bedroom.

The one she hadn’t slept in, yet. Sven’s. They’d tried it the first night but found they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. It had taken one hot, knock your socks off, melt her brains kiss and Keira had decided…

If I’m really going to do this—all the way—I have to take extreme measures. She’d left his room, whistled for Buddy, and slept with him, instead. It had definitely been a weird night.

But now the petals showed a path to that very room. Along with the wonderful scents swirling in the cabin…

She yanked off her coat, tossed it on the couch, practically ran to the door.

The bed was freshly made with clean sheets and turned down perfectly. Big pillows were plumped against the headboard. On the night table was a bottle of wine with two wine glasses. A hassock had been pulled over with yet another tray on it, replete with hors d’oeuvres.

Pears, dipped in chocolate. Little rounds of cream cheese, more. The lighting was soft, only the one light glowing on the night table.

She felt heat at her back, and suddenly found herself folded into big arms that pulled her backward against him.

Her man. Sven. Her Delta North soldier, and Ski Patrol first responder. The heat of his breath brushed the soft shell of her ear as he whispered to her. “Finally. I’ve got you in my arms, and you’re not going anywhere. Except to the moon, courtesy of…you know. But nowhere else.”

She melted into him, feeling the protective arc of his arms, and his strength. “Doc said okay?”

Sven was gruff. “Don’t give a damn what he says. I need you.”

She swiveled and faced him. Made sure her body was pressed up against his, all the way down. “I’m all for civil disobedience, but are you sure?”

His scent, that of the clean mountain area, filled her. Oh god, I can’t believe how long I’ve waited for this. For him. His hands rested on her ass, pulling her close, and his voice sounded in her ears.

“Um, let’s not wait and say we did.”

His intense gaze, along with the breathily uttered tease, reassured her. Made joy burst in her heart. She was home…at last.

* * *

He couldn’t believe she was finally in his arms. Dr. Clyde had given the go-ahead, though he’d told Sven to be careful, and back off, if it was too much.

Too much? He’d jumped in his truck. Stopped off at a florist’s shop, picked single stems of odd flowers, and created his own bouquet for her. She was a different type of woman. Brainy. A typical bouquet wouldn’t do for her. An idea had come to him, and he’d added a fall blooming heather, then finished off the arrangement with winter berries. Grabbed some home-made lasagna at a specialty shop he frequented, wine, then drove home, quivering with crazy excitement.

He’d never waited this long for a woman. The other ladies he’d hooked up with before? It seemed they’d fallen into his bed much quicker. Yet this friendship, this off, then on again play he’d enjoyed with Keara had only served to get his heart more captive.

Who’d have thought waiting would make such a difference?

His thoughts were full of her, all day long. What would she think of this? Of that? What kind of sass would she spout, or pronouncement would she utter if he told her about something? He found himself captivated with her. At times, annoyed with her. But even the annoyance felt right. Normal. Like she was his life mate, and of course, they’d be honest with each other as they bumped up against each other. It only made it better.

At night, he ached to be with her. To sleep in the same bed.

Well, she was finally here. And he had all kinds of plans as to what to do with her, with her willing body…all trained on that luscious bed.

He bent to her. Pressed his lips against hers lightly, heard her soft moan. Slid to the side of her mouth, pressed a kiss. Slid to the other side. Pressed another kiss. He wanted to kiss every inch of her skin, feel her everywhere.

He was aware of the tautness of her body, the tension. Wanting him. Them. “I got the bed done. Fresh sheets. It’s all ready…”

In answer, her mouth opened, seeking his, and he was lost in the kiss.

It was urgent, electrifying. He’d thought it would be just like this with her. The passion she’d shackled for so long, freed.

“Um, bed…,” he managed to say again, as he started to walk them, stumble them, toward the goal.

But he hadn’t counted on his woman’s resolve or that big brain of hers, this time, applied to love. Sex. The single word she uttered, so unexpectedly, thrilled him to his toes, to all his extremities, and beyond.

“Wall.”

* * *

She felt the momentary hesitation in him, then he went with it. Hot damn. She’d had so many fantasies, and they’d run the gamut. There was time for Bed later.

She’d fantasized about this stretch of the wall in his bedroom, more than once. Riding his waist, oh yeah. Having him this way had felt out of reach, due to concerns about her curviness. But damn. it was like a switch had been turned on in her.

If the hot and sweet Special Forces soldier loved her, really, what was off the plate, in her life?

She was dazzled as he spun them around abruptly, like a ride on a rollercoaster. Or like the teacups and saucers in a kiddy ride, her body flying to one edge of the teacup, all that awesome centrifugal force. She loved it. She found herself pinned to the wall, hemmed in by those muscular arms.

Then, he was devouring her with his mouth. He was practically touching her soul, he was going so deep. She moaned as he got rid of her pants, then his slipped to the floor, then his shirt was gone, too. She yanked hers off, and flung it, then he made short work of the bra, and it was gone as well. They were both naked, but they didn’t stop to discuss it. Slamming together, she clawed her fingers down his back, grabbing for purchase along his muscles. He lowered his mouth to her breasts, pulled the hard nipples into his mouth.

From there it was one surprise lift, and her legs were wrapped around him. “Sven,” she whispered, hoarse. But they fit together so well. His hard cock was dangerously close to…the spot. She swallowed, scorched with desire and impatient for the burn. The deep, deep burn that would connect them.

She arched toward him, heard an explosive cry sound from him, then everything stopped. Sven pulled back, briefly. Stared into her eyes, intense. More serious than she’d ever seen him. He freed one hand, and placed it against the side of her face, gently.

“Keara. I…I…”

What was wrong? He looked worried, like he was just about to dump the world’s biggest secret on her. Every cell of her body was stretched taut, ready for him. Now, this? What was happening? After all this time? “What?”

He delivered the final truth torridly, as if he absolutely couldn’t proceed without saying the words. Without telling her, first. She waited, maddened with worry yet knowing whatever it was he had to tell her…she needed to hear it. Even though she damn well wished he’d waited to play truth city until after he’d done her. Hell.

Whatever happened after, she’d deal with it. “Sven. What?”

The words came from him with heat, yet also…with gentleness. No less fiercely, but still intense.

“Keara. I love you.”

* * *

He watched as her eyes glazed over with shock, went liquid for a brief flash, then they were back in the firestorm together. Yet, more united than before. She angled her core toward him, and he seared into her, his cock burning, laying a line of living fire down wherever it touched. Her scent was that of the mountain, and curiously, of old books. Of life and love and reverence and secrets.

Secrets he’d spend a lifetime ferreting out, and even then, there’d be more with this woman of a thousand, passionate layers.

He was back at the spot, and presssed. Groaned.

She cried out as he entered her. He’d meant to be slow, and loving, had rehearsed their first time.

He wasn’t slow. It wasn’t sweet.

It was a tsunami of pent-up desires finally exploding. Agony pulsed through him, anguish. She grabbed even harder, held on to his honed shoulders. The sensation was like a thousand mountain mornings, all opening, revealing truths. Quickly, his mind slammed back to that time, high up on Terrence point, to that shed. When he was younger, the time he’d been ill, the morning his fever had broken, and catapulted him back into life. As if he’d just passed through a rite of passage, into the next phase of his life.

This too, was an arduous coming home. Yet, a strong rite of passage, into the next phase of his life. Life with Keara. Yet, he forced himself to stop, even here. “You okay? Should I…”

“Oh, for the love of everything holy. For damn’s sake. Fuck me.”

That’s all he needed to hear. The pliant body, the curvy flesh. His. Ecstasy filled him, as he continued, thrusting into those receiving depths. Even now, she was practically crawling out of her skin to meet him. To have him. To open to him.

And when he finally came, he had the sense she was exploding too, all around him. The mountain shuddered, and a mindless—yet at the same time—completely mindful elation seized him.

He emptied into her, every bit of who he was. All of him.

When they were done, drenched in sweat and surprise and in wild awakening, he stumbled with her in his arms to the waiting bed. Finally.

Bed.

* * *

“That was…”

“I know.” He heard the words she said, but interrupted her because, really. What they’d both just gone through, together, couldn’t be quantified.

He stretched out his arm, felt her take her place on it. They both lay there, breathing heavily. She was beside him. Finally, in his bed, where she belonged.

Something though, on the other side, nudged him. Moist. He turned his head, caught sight of two dark, shiny eyes staring up at him.

Of course. Buddy, wanting to know what the hell he’d just put his mistress through.

He opted for brevity. He was too damn tired. “Dog.”

She giggled. “Interesting he’s on your side, though.”

“Well, in his eyes, I’m the perpetrator.”

She chuckled, then slapped her side of the bed. “Buddy,” she called. The bed bounced, and they were joined by sixty pounds of happy heft.

More squirming, though, and cries. They looked at each other, and both slapped their side of the bed. Jake jumped up, bumped into Buddy, then made his puppy way, right in between Sven and Keara. Walked on her rounded belly briefly to her surprised cry, but as quickly was off his makeshift bridge. He descended into the gully at their waists, and lay down, partly on Sven, and partly on Keara. They gave each other surprised looks, then burst out laughing.

“Are we weird, that we’re naked, and in bed with two animals?”

Sven chuckled. “You never heard of foursomes?”

She laughed, rolled her eyes. “Don’t even think it.” Quickly though, a tentative query filled her voice. “Are those flowers…for me?”

Just like I thought. Depths. Endless depths to plumb. First she’s all power woman, hot babe. Then, she’s like a little kid. I’ll never tire of her. Doesn’t matter what we face, in the future. I’m sticking to this woman...like glue.

He ran a knuckle down the side of her face, soft. “Yeah. Like them?”

“Crazy pretty. Unusual arrangement. Was it recommended to you?”

“Hell, no. Did it myself.”

Pleasure speared her voice. He knew she wanted to know more, but all she said was, “Oh.”

Brainiac. She always wanted to know. Everything about everything. Yet, he’d been looking forward to this. He remembered how she’d catalogued that cute little arrangement she’d had waiting for him on the dining room table, that one crazy night, when she’d surprised him, so roundly. He was giving a bit of that back to her, now. Karma.

“Those are spring ferns, for the upcoming season you’re going to enjoy here. Your first spring, on Terrence Point. You’ll see, out there. They take over the place. Oscar makes the most delicious dishes from them. Fiddleheads. Cooked, fried, raw. He’s a savant with them.”

She nodded, smiled.

“See that there?” He pointed to the center of the arrangement, high on his tall set of drawers. “That’s a lily, for our summer. You’re going to love it, on the mountain. Stargazer.”

She sighed, nestled her head closer to his. “For all the star stuff we’re going to do?”

“With our pups. We will.” He continued. “Heather blooms in the fall. That’s for …” He waited.

“The fall.”

He heard the tentative giggle in her voice, confirmed her answer. “Yeah.”

“Let me do the next one. The winter berries…” Pleasure soaked her voice. “December. For…Christmas?”

“For that, but winter berries stretch into the next year, too. They’re around until Spring. January, February, and on. We come full circle.” He squeezed her close, and Jake yelped at the intrusion as his spot compressed quickly, then sank his head down again, as they stopped moving, and his space was back. “And here we are.”

“But there’s more. That orange, funny-looking thing?”

He chuckled, rustled her hair. “You’re so romantic.”

“Well, it is orange. And odd-looking. You want me to use twenty words when one will do?’”

“Naw.” He was smiling, thinking of all the times she did go off on the things she was interested in. He could barely get a word in edgewise, those times. “Especially, never after seven at night, Babe. Brain’s on idle, then. Never after seven.”

“Oh, you. Okay, so tell me—what’s that gorgeous, stunning orange thing.”

He scrambled on his side table, pulled out a card. “That’s Lion’s Ear and honestly? I was drawn to the color, but the name of it struck me too. They had little cards at the florists. Thought it suits you, to a tea.” He gave her a look. “My warrior woman.”

Her eyes misted a bit at that, but she stayed quiet.

“Okay, here goes. Lion’s Ear attracts bees and butterflies to a garden. That’s good. Like you. Very attractive, bring good things.”

She smiled, waited.

“On top of that, it can survive exceedingly well in a drought.” He touched his fingers to her face, lightly. “Like you did, Keara, for all those years. You’re amazing.”

The smile disappeared, and her bottom lip…wavered.

“Then, on top of it all, it’s wildly orange. In fact, the damn flower looks like it’s embraced the color, to me. So vivid. Like it wants to be in the dictionary, beside the very definition of orange, you know?”

She nodded, and the gentle smile was back. “I see what you mean.”

“So here’s what orange symbolizes, and why I picked it, stuck it in the middle. The florist didn’t think it fits, but I do.” He read off the card. “Joy, warmth, heat. Sunshine, enthusiasm, creativity. Success, encouragement, change, determination, and there’s more. Health, stimulation, happiness, fun and enjoyment. And finally—balance, sexuality, freedom, and expression. And most of all…fascination.”

“Wow. That’s a lot.” Her voice was low. Soft.

“It is. But every damn word there is how I feel about you, Babe. I had to have it in the arrangement. For our…you know.”

He stalled at that. First time? Honestly, what guy ever said that? Especially, a former Special Ops soldier? Lame, buddy. Abruptly shy, he turned away, then speared his gaze to the tray beside her. “I could eat.”

She smiled, reached over, and thank goodness, didn’t reach for the sexy, romantic pears and bits of cream cheese, but for the solid takeout hamburger he’d forgotten to eat on the way home or toss in the fridge, and had left there, accidentally. “Here.”

He unwrapped it, watched her from the corner of his eye. Saw the smile of happiness on her face. “Are you going to have anything?”

“I’ll take a bite of that burger, if you’ll share.” Her face morphed to its animated version. “Oh, hey. Ilona and Effie—they want to come and visit. Is that…”

“It’s your place now, too, Keara. We talked about this, right? The forever thing?”

Her face turned wistful. “I know you said that, but…”

“Woman, you saved my life. It’s…it’s yours.”

“Anyone would have…”

He halted her words with his finger on her lips. “It’s yours.”

“So they’re…”

“Welcome. The women who took care of you, and the one who sacrificed for Buddy? They better get their asses out here.”

“Where will they stay?”

“Well, there’s your bedroom. If they stay longer, I’ve got a bit of a building, a little shack thing, in the back of the yard. You’ll see it in the spring, though we can hike back anytime. It can be fixed up, or they can just stay in here. But listen. My buddy Mack might be coming too, the one from Jack’s Bay. We’ll have to make sure they’re not here at the same time.”

“Mack Stone? The Delta North solider?”

“Yeah. One and the same. He’s having a tough time, though he won’t tell me what’s going on. I invited him.”

She nodded. “Well, they can all come then, if you’re good with it. I can’t wait. But until they get here, I need to tell you something. I got a weird assignment from Williams, today. He told me to get it sorted, and he wasn’t any too nice about it.”

Sven got an unpleasant feeling, and foreboding welled in him. “What?”

“Well, you know the angel sculpture? Apparently, people keep mentioning it, now. They never did, before. He says it’s my fault, ‘cause of the event I set up for the naming of it—the one that didn’t happen. But I put the spotlight on it, and he’s pissed. He says I better sort out its provenance, and fast.” She flinched. “On top of all my other duties. With no real time allotted to it.”

A wellspring of anger rose in him. “Really? He’s dumping that on you?”

More to the point, he wondered deep inside…why?

“I think he wants me to pull it out of thin air.”

“He’s already given you too much to do. You’re the new Resort Coordinator. I can’t stand looking at your list of activities. I already think you’re doing too much.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll figure it out. I’ve dealt with far bigger things in recent history to let that ghoul get the best of me.” He noted how something deep in her eyes flashed, just for a second, and thought, yeah.

That’s my babe. Don’t mess with her.

Keara let her hand rest on Buddy’s rump lightly, stroked it. “You know what else is odd? I asked Christian about it. He’s our artist, right? He said he didn’t know anything, then when I pressed, he got quiet. Said maybe I should leave it alone.”

“Now, that really doesn’t make sense. That’s not like Christian, at all. What the heck is going on around here?”

“All I know is, he’s a good man. I hope…”

“Yeah?” She’d gotten very serious.

“I hope he’s okay. He said some stuff to me earlier that made me worry. He comes off like such a lady killer, but I think there’s something going on, and he’s a lot deeper than he lets on. I hope he knows he can come to us…with anything.”

“I’ll check in on him, soon. Okay, Babe?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I think he needs us, somehow. And without him…we wouldn’t have rescued you.”

He gripped her hand, squeezed it. A moment passed between, as they thought of the Delta North man who seemed to be living a dual life lately. Though…all soldiers did, at times. It came with the territory. As it did for others, too.

They’d stand stalwart beside the man he’d served with in Delta North. No question about it. No matter what.

But he wanted to get back to levity. He sniffed the air. Yeah. That lovely scent was waning.

“I set the lasagna to turn off, a while ago. I think it might need reheating. Sorry! And I wanted things so perfect tonight. For our…you know.”

Keara chuckled. “Well, things can’t be boring, right?”

Sven sighed, fell back on to the bed, and both dogs grumbled this time. “What I wouldn’t do for some boring.”

“Well, in that case, Bucko, you’re going to be disappointed. In fact, I think we need some reheating right here.” She carefully picked up Jake, laid him at the foot of the bed, then gave Buddy the eye as she got herself up and took her time straddling Sven’s waist. “See, I know we did the wall, and we did it right. But now, the bed’s complaining, and wants equal time. With all your recuperation crap, I guess I need to make the ultimate sacrifice, and be on top.” She sighed a loud, explosive sigh. “I always have to do the work around here.”

Sven grinned. Things were going just fine. “Okay. If I have to lay here and take it, I will. Woman, do your worst.”

She smiled, and he saw the promise of a thousand tomorrows in her eyes, along with unquenchable sass…and love. Real love…for him.

“Oh, trust me. I intend to.”