SWNOVELS Take Me To The Lake: Chapter 6
the mountain to Hope’s place, my nerves kick in. It’s kind of like a date, though I don’t think going hunting is really a date. But it’s the closest thing to a date I’ve ever been on. I don’t know if she even likes me like that.
It’s so early that the sun is barely lighting up the sky. Generally, I’m a morning person, but last night I couldn’t sleep so I decided to leave early and get more time with her.
Before I even make it out of my truck, she greets me at the door in jeans and a long sleeve shirt. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail and she has zero makeup on and looks absolutely stunning. When she gets to my truck, I open her car door and help her in. When I did that the other day, she seemed stunned. No wonder if no one’s ever opened the car door for her before. Even though my brother might have been a little crazy, he believed in teaching me to grow up to be a gentleman.
Driving up the mountain, she stares out the window and takes it all in. Her scent fills my truck, and I love it. Having her so close to me, along with her scent, makes my cock hard. It’s something that I’m doing my best to hide from her. The last thing I want to do is scare her away.
‘So, what did you hunt when you went with your friend?’ I ask, mostly for a distraction.
‘Turkey. I spent Thanksgiving with them, and we hunted the turkey that we were going to have for dinner. I really enjoyed that experience.’
If she enjoyed hunting the turkey that she ate for Thanksgiving dinner, she might be more suited to this life than I first thought. No Cash, I think. Don’t go there. The chances that you’ll find someone suitable for this lifelike Axel and Phoenix did, is slim to none.
When we get to the cabin, I have most of the gear ready to go. I loaned her some camouflage, and she gets changed as I load up the horse with the gear that we’re taking with us.
‘What’s the horse for?’ she asks as she leans up to pet him and they seem to bond almost instantly. I always thought animals were good judges of character.
‘To help us carry back anything that we catch. There’s a lake up on the property and just beyond that is a place where the deer like to gather. I think we might have the best shot there.’
‘Sounds good to me. Lead the way.’
On the way to the lake, we talk about one of the books that she’s currently editing and how she got started with the job. I love to read, so I find it fascinating all the mechanics on the back end of putting a book together.
When we break away from the trees and the lake is right in front of us, she gasps.
‘This is absolutely beautiful.’
‘This is one of my favorite places on the property. I love to come here, de-stress and relax. The water is really warm because it’s fed from one of the warm springs up the mountain.’
‘Really? Can I go feel it?’
‘Yeah, go ahead.’
She heads towards the water and stops at the lake’s edge. Then she stands and looks around. It’s a gorgeous view because up one side of the lake you can see the mountain and on the other side you can see a large tree line.
As I watch her bend down to test the water, I realize I really enjoy her being here. Normally, anyone on the property makes me nervous. My brother and I never really liked visitors or other people here. Everyone on the mountain knows better than to go into someone else’s property. But as crazy as it sounds, it feels like she belongs here. Right now, I don’t quite know what to do with that.
‘Oh, it really is warm. Do you swim in it?’ she asks as she walks back towards me.
‘Yeah, especially in the summer. It’s a great way to cool off, warm enough to be comfortable but still refreshing on warm days. We continue on to the area where I know the deer gather. It’s close to the lake where they have a water source, but they feel safe enough because it’s hidden away. As we get closer, there are signs and tracks all along the way. She even picks up on quite a few of them. I have to say I’m very proud of her for whoever taught her how to knew what they were doing.
Before we get too near, I tie the horse up. Then we quietly continue on foot. As we get close, she spots the first deer and it isn’t long before they get into a perfect position for me to get a shot. Because I have many years of hunting experience, one shot is all it takes, and the deer goes down.
‘You did it!’ she jumps up and hugs me. Taking a moment, I enjoy her body pressed against mine. Finally, she steps away and clears her throat, almost like the hug affected her as much as it affected me. Maybe that’s once again just my wishful thinking.
‘That was so fast I thought we’d have to sit around and wait and that it was going to take all day.’
‘We did get lucky with the deer being here. But more often than not at this time of day I can find deer here, so I try to plan my time.’
While I start working on the deer pulling out the guts and the insides for other animals to eat and to make it lighter for the way home, she grabs the horse. After we load the deer on the horse, we’re off back to the cabin.
‘Are you going to skin the deer and cut up all the meat now?’
‘Yes, I always process the animal as soon as I get it back to the cabin.’ Then I wonder if she’s asking because she doesn’t want to be there during the processing.
‘If it’ll make you uncomfortable, I can always take you home first.’
‘No way. Are you kidding? I want to help.’ She’s all giddy about the idea and I’m relieved that she wants to stay and I get some more time with her. But I’m once again reminded that it seems like she would fit in well here and no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop the wishing and hoping that maybe just maybe she might want to be here with me.
Once back to the cabin, she’s right by my side, helping with the processing of the deer. Then I show her how I carefully skin the deer and explain the different things that I use to de-fur the hide. Because Axel’s wife can use them to make one of her light pieces or Axel himself might use it as part of one of his knives, I save the antlers. I don’t like to waste anything.
When it comes to cutting the meat and packaging it for me to store, she doesn’t flip out. I swear every time I think she’s going to cringe or fuss, she remains unflappable. Right then, I think I fall for her just a bit more and there’s absolutely no stopping it.
After we put everything away, I give her a small tour of the cabin. It’s nothing fancy. Three bedrooms, my room, the room my brother used, and then one that we use as a library and office. The entire time, she walks around with a smile on her face.
‘Did you and your brother build this cabin?’
‘Mostly my brother. I was only seven. So I was able to help bring him tools and could carry some stuff. While he worked on it, we pitched the tent just over there where the driveway is now and lived in that all summer. When he had the first room up, the one that’s now our office, he put the fireplace in and we stayed in that room for the winter and just made do with what we had.’
‘Well, I love it. I think that it’s perfect for up here in the mountains. It would be nice and warm in the winter, with plenty of great spots to read and cozy up to.’
Once again, she gives another sign that she might just fit in up here. Then I send up a silent prayer that maybe it’s true and maybe she could learn to be happy on the mountain.
As we go down the mountain to her place, the whole time she’s asking questions about how I do this or do that around there. What do I do in the winter? If I want to come down the mountain in the winter, can I even get down? Talking with her is easy and I don’t mind it and before I know it we’re at her place.
Then I get out, open her door and I walk her to her door, which once again seems to surprise her. Standing there, the urge to kiss her is so strong, but I have no idea if she even wants it. But the way that she’s looking at my lips means that she wants me to kiss her. I don’t want to scare her away and I like spending time with her, but I really want to kiss her too.
Before I can even make the decision, she stuns me by making the first move. She leans in and kisses me. Her soft lips are on mine. It’s my first kiss ever and I freeze not because I don’t want it, but because I am so stunned.
She mistakes my shock for something else and stops and pulls away.
‘I’m sorry. I just…’
Before she can finish whatever she’s saying, I pull her in for another kiss. This time I move my lips with hers and fully enjoy her softness. When she leans forward and seems to melt into me, the feeling of her pressed against me and her lips on mine has me so hard. There’s no way of hiding it, but she doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, she tries to get closer, wrapping her arms around my neck, standing up on her tiptoes and pull me even closer.
Knowing that she’s feeling the same for me that I am for her gives me the confidence that I need. When I finally end the kiss, it’s just a fraction so my lips can still ghost hers as I speak.
‘Will you be at the cafe on Monday?’ I whisper against her lips.
‘Yes.’
‘Let me come into town and take you to lunch,’ I say softly against her lips. When she nods her head, that’s all I need before my lips are back on hers. While I could stand here and kiss her all day if she would let me, I want to go slow and want to do this right. Not that I have any idea what right actually is, but I can talk to Jenna and Emelie about that.
When I’m finally able to pull myself away enough to take a step back, I absolutely love the dazed look on her face and the light blush that covers her cheeks. Without a word, she turns and goes inside and I wait until I hear the door lock before going back to my truck.
Monday is only the day after tomorrow, but it seems so far away. I know for sure that Monday is a date, but today felt like one as well.
When I get home, my cock is going to need some relief after spending all day in such close proximity with the girl that it wants. But it was completely worth it knowing I have more time with her coming up. Though this severe case of blue balls is makes the waiting more difficult than I expected..