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“Oh, my goodness. It’s beautiful.” Lucy gasped when they walked around a large boulder and had a perfect view of Miracle Lake. “It’s almost too pretty to be real. The different blues, the water, the sky. This is amazing.”
Thomas thought the same thing of her as he panted, winded from the steep trail they’d walked up to get here.
Describing Lucy Davidson as a force would be an understatement. She’d proven herself to have staying power at work, but for the past two hours she’d smoked him hiking all over the trails park ranger Todd Harris had suggested.
After that bit of knowledge, he wondered how her endurance would be for other things. She might kill him.
But it would be worth it.
The cold air simultaneously burned his lungs and revived him. Two years ago, before he’d been stabbed by Jade’s late husband, he could run a mile in seven minutes and scale a sand dune without breaking a sweat.
Now, his body had to work twice as hard to get the same amount done. He blamed it on the smog and toxins and constant illness exposures in the big city ER where he’d been assigned. When Jade asked him to come here, he thought the clean mountain air and a smaller unit would give him new life. Get him back to his once great shape. He could exercise in pure oxygen and get off his inhalers for good.
Every time he took them, he felt like that twelve-year-old adolescent boy who was going to get his ass kicked at school. Patting his pocket, he felt the outline of the rescue medication should he need it, but he would need to be damn near lung collapse before he’d take that in front of Lucy.
Thankfully, today’s walk had been the best workout he had in a long time.
As much as the fresh air slowly repaired him, he couldn’t help but wonder if the company had been the best medicine of all. He hadn’t felt this good in weeks. Months.
Years.
Looking at Lucy’s excited face as she watched the lake breathed hope into him, making him desire... what? Stability.
A home.
With her.
Don’t jump the gun. It’s a hike. A picnic. Nothing more.
A chattering caught his attention. She pulled her ski cap farther down her head, covering her ears. “It’s beautiful, but the sun’s going down and it’s starting to get colder.”
Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close. The ginger and lemon scent of her hair floated in the clean air and he greedily inhaled. “Better?”
“Yes.” She snuggled into him.
Standing here with her in the quiet of the afternoon only enhanced a calm he’d been searching for since he’d arrived in Marietta.
For years, he’d wandered, worked, and did nothing else. The unchallenged restlessness he’d felt in his gut for so long calmed when she stood near. Whether they were crazy at work or simply having hot chocolate, Thomas couldn’t shake the idea that Lucy held the key to his peace of mind, body, and soul.
Could it be that easy?
The deep blue of the lake contrasted with the fading blue sky in perfect balance. The light winds moved across the water, sending endless ripples.
“Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a lake monster?” Lucy giggled as she tucked her chin into the jacket collar. She reminded him of a turtle, poking her head out of her shell.
Her joke broke his introspection. “You mean like Nessie?”
“Sure. Why not? Doesn’t this place look like it could use a lake monster? It’s isolated and cold. I’d guess the locals would protect it.”
“It’s possible.” The cold whipped by them. He glanced at his watch. The sun would start to set in the next hour. “Maybe we should make some shirts. Start a rumor.”
“What do you think they’d call it?” She shivered. “It’s Miracle Lake so would we call her Messie?”
“Messie?
“You know like Ogopogo in Okanagan Lake or Chessie in Lake Champlain.”
“Or Nessie in Loch Ness.”
“Yes. Yes, exactly.”
He liked her sense of humor. “What about Miracle Lake Monster?”
She turned in his arms, facing him, a look of amused frustration on her face. “You’re no fun. Where’s your imagination?”
“Fine. I see that mountain over there. I’m glad there’s not an evil eye over a boiling lake of lava.”
“You really are wonderfully nerdish.”
Let me pull out my inhaler and you can see how nerdish I really am. He said a silent thank-you that she understood his Tolkien reference. “I’m glad you got that. I’d hate to think my imagination fell flat.”
“I’d bet your imagination would fall anything but flat.”
“I’m not good about coming up with good names for lake monsters.” Having her in his arms, his brain went straight to the gutter. “But I could come up with other suggestions of things. That could happen. In the mountains.”
“Really.” Her voice went low, sultry as she played with the drawstrings on his coat. “Anything you care to share?”
Good. Her mind is in the gutter, too. “I can think of a couple of things.”
“Really? Just a couple?” She stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
Her touch made his cock sit straight up. “Wait. Wait, a few more just came to mind.”
Brushing her lips against his, she smiled. “Glad to help stir your imagination about the outdoors.”
What was it about her that had him thinking like a horny teenager, which basically meant he wasn’t doing any thinking. “Not thinking of the outdoors. Thinking of cherry pie.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Why cherry pie?”
His hands rested on the small of her back. “I’m thinking about those few things.”
“Yes?”
“Then adding cherry pie to them.”
For a second, she stared at him with confusion.
“With whipped cream.” He licked his lips.
Her eyes went wide with understanding. “Oh, I see.”
“Because you can’t have dessert without whipped cream.”
“Yes, whipped cream does make dessert quite delicious.” Her eyes darted quickly from his face to his crotch and back. “Although, there is something to be said about tasting things without condiments. Bring out its natural goodness.”
Dirty girl. “Glad you think so.”
“How’s your lip?”
“Better.”
She ran her thumb across his chin. “It looks good.”
“Wanna test it?” he whispered, hoping she’d say yes.
“You sure? You’re not in any more pain?”
I want you so bad, I wouldn’t care if I were. “Nope.”
A hard gust of wind slammed into them, sending them stumbling sideways.
Her teeth chattered again. “Can we test it in the car?”
“Good idea. I think I left the picnic basket in the car.”
“Ready to go?” Reluctantly, he stepped away, but his rib pinched him, sending him into a coughing fit. Sharp pains shot through his chest, temporarily knocking the wind out of him. He struggled to catch his breath in the thinner air.
“You okay?” She called from the bottom of the hill and began back up again, but he held his hand up.
“I’m okay.” He wheezed as he made his way toward her. “Air’s dry. Something caught in my throat.”
Lucy met him halfway. “You sure you’re okay.”
“What are you, part mountain goat?” He meant to say it jokingly, but when she looked at him curiously, he realized his words came out harder than he intended.
Dammit. Trying to impress her and I end up with chest pain. Great job, idiot.
“Come on, Frodo.” Interlacing her fingers in his, she took his hand in hers and walked with him back to the truck.
By the time they were in the car, both of them appreciated being out of the chill of the falling temperatures.
“Picnic basket.” He panted as he tried to take long, deep breaths. “Hand warmers.”
“You okay?” She removed enough for both of them.
“Fine.” The tightness in his chest didn’t give. He coughed again and cursed when his muscles wouldn’t cooperate. I’m not taking that damned inhaler in front of her.
“Thomas, you look like you’re having trouble breathing. Anything I can do?”
“No. No.” He wheezed as his heart rate increased. The panic sat on his chest like a boulder.
She grabbed his hand and held it to her heart. “Breathe, Thomas. It’s okay. Focus on my voice.”
“Lucy.” He coughed. “I’m. Sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about. Breathe.”
As the seconds passed, the tight muscles around his chest began to loosen, but not enough to keep his concern at bay. Dread of taking that inhaler constricted his airways, making it difficult to fully exhale.
“Thomas, please take your medication.” She gripped his hand, her kind words caressed his ears. “It’s fine.”
“Dammit.” Turning his back to her, he pulled out the inhaler. After the second puff, his chest muscles relaxed and he could completely exhale. With his breathing intact, he could now better deal with the matter at hand.
His complete embarrassment. When he turned, she held up two hand warmers and popped them, laying them in his hands.
“Goodness, it got cold, fast.” She shivered as he turned on the truck, blasting the heater. “Fifty-five in the mountains is certainly different than fifty-five on the beach.”
He appreciated her not asking any questions. “You need to get back right now?”
She glanced at her watch. “No, but I start at seven in the morning.”
“I have to be there at ten. I won’t keep you out much longer. Just wanted to show you something.”
The corner of her mouth curled up as she opened her purse. “What exactly were you planning on showing me?”
That got his cock to stand at attention. “It’s a surprise.”
“A surprise? I’m all ears.” She opened a small tin and popped back a mint.
They drove a short distance and came to a secluded spot and parked. Reluctantly, Thomas turned off the truck after finally warming up from the heater blasting full force.
“Todd said this is a good place to come see the moon come over the water.”
“Who’s Todd?” She unbuckled her seatbelt.
“He’s one of the park rangers. Works out at Carter’s.”
“I don’t think I’ve met him yet.”
The only sounds around them were from the car winding down.
She shuddered and held the hand warmers close. “Oh, wow. That heat is amazing.”
“I’ve got a blanket in the backseat.” He reached for it, but she rested her hand on his arm. “What?”
“Or we could curl up in the backseat with the blanket.”
She didn’t have to ask twice. Without opening his door, he crawled into the bench seat.
“Well, that’s one way to stay out of the cold.” She waited for him to spread out the blanket over his lap and folded it back for her.
She joined him, bringing the picnic basket with her before snuggling up next to him. “This is nice.”
“There’s a couple of sandwiches in there. Some water.”
Lucy opened the basket and they each helped themselves to food from Java Cafe.
For the next few moments, they watched the moon slowly rise over the water of Miracle Lake as they ate their dinners. The gentle ripples reflected off the image of the night sky.
With it still being chilly, Thomas didn’t worry about encountering any large game, especially since they were in the truck, but sitting next to Lucy had his libido simmering like a caged animal.
The ginger and lemon scent of her hair tickled his nose when she removed her ski cap.
“That was delicious.” She handed him a mint.
“You trying to tell me something?”
She turned towards him. “Just getting ready.”
“For?”
“Didn’t you want me to test something?”
It took him a second to remember what he’d asked, but as soon as he did, his body was like a match thrown into parched forest.
“What? Yes. Yes, I did.” He popped back the mint and chewed frantically.
She nuzzled his nose and leaned in to kiss him. “Please tell me if I hurt you.”
“I don’t care if you do. Just get those lips on me.”
“Yes, sir.” Pressing her mouth to his immediately made his jeans a size too small and he ached to pop the snap to give himself some relief.
Her tentative kiss only drove him increasingly mad with desire as she touched him, but still felt like she weren’t close enough. As if he’d never have his fill of her.
He ran his hand up her leg and rested it on her hip.
Her cheeks flushed she straddled his lap. “Hope this isn’t too bold.”
“I like a woman who knows what she wants.”
“You know, I’m vertically challenged. This is easier for me to get to you.”
“I’m all yours.”
She unzipped his coat, but as he tried to wrangle out from it, he couldn’t get good leverage and ended up awkwardly shifting her off his lap.
She giggled.
“Sorry. Sorry.” With the coat finally off, he tossed it in the front seat.
As the moon continued its slow climb into the night sky, Thomas became increasingly more fascinated by Marietta or, more specifically, the woman on his lap.
Shedding her coat, she let it fall to the floor, then ran her hands up his arms and rested them on his shoulders. The smell of peppermint on her breath. When she slid her tongue between his lips and swept it across the roof of his mouth, the burn of mint lingered, making his lips tingle.
“You okay?” Her lusty voice tickled his ears.
He managed a moan as she traced along his jaw and kissed the pulse point at the base of his neck. “You’ve got a talented tongue, Lucy Davidson.”
“First time I’ve heard that one.” She giggled and ran her thumb along his lower lip. “Looks pretty good.”
“You do good work.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I bet you do too, Dr. McAvoy.”
“Kiss me again, Lucy Davidson, and I’ll show you how good my work can be.”
