“Good.” And just like that, the matter was closed.
They didn’t speak much during the several hours it took to wind their way up into the mountains. Rebecca was content riding in the comfortable cab. It was pleasantly warm, immaculately clean, and filled with Kane’s fresh, masculine scent. As the miles added up behind them, her sense of peace grew.
Chapter Ten
“It’s so beautiful,” she breathed when Kane finally stopped amidst the pines. He watched her closely as her eyes drank in the myriad shades of green, from the deep, dark hue of the forest to the neon-bright lime of the foliage. Then she inhaled deeply, the corners of her mouth curling up to show that she was pleased.
“Most people think it’s too remote,” he commented. “They don’t like being miles away from civilization for more than a few hours.”
“Not me,” she said dreamily, letting her eyes close as she took another deep breath. “This is nothing short of paradise.”
Kane’s heart expanded in his chest. He told himself it didn’t matter. Rebecca was only here for two days and then he would be taking her back to Pine Ridge. His heart, however, didn’t seem to care. Rebecca was here, it argued. For two whole days it would only be the two of them, far removed from all of the stress and hassle of family and good intentions. And so far at least, she seemed to share his appreciation for the natural beauty of the place as well as its solitude.
Together they unpacked the provisions from the back of the truck. Kane got the fires started inside, then gave Rebecca a quick tour. He could not have been more pleased with her response – her eyes lit up, and the smile never left her face, growing wider by the minute. Rebecca seemed to shed the invisible veil that kept her so shielded from the rest of the world, excitement and pleasure radiating from her.
“Well?” he asked when they returned to the kitchen and began pulling out things for a late meal. The long trip and subsequent tour in the clean mountain air had left them famished. “What do you think?”
“I thought you didn’t care what anyone thought,” she answered with a teasing smile, tossing him an apple. Her cheeks were pleasantly flushed from the cool air, her hair slightly mussed from the wind. It suited her.
“You’re not just anyone,” he responded casually, offering a rare half-smile of his own.
Her cheeks grew rosier. Was that from the warmth of the cabin or was she blushing?
“That is true,” she agreed with mock confidence. “And to answer your question, I think it’s almost perfect.”
“Almost?” he asked, arching a brow.
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Tell me, then. How would you improve upon my humble abode?”
“I’d put in a hot tub,” she said without hesitation, chopping up vegetables with consummate skill. “On the far side of the porch, just outside your bedroom, where you could take a nice long soak and look up at the stars at night, or watch the dawn breaking over the ridge first thing in the morning.”
“Would you now?” he asked, amused that she seemed to have given it so much thought.
“Absolutely. I’d go with a hardwood deck and sink in the tub to make it blend in with the natural setting. I have to imagine it would help your rehab as well.”
“I’ll take it under advisement,” he said. The truth was, he loved the idea. What he liked even better? The image of Rebecca in the hot tub with him.
––––––––
After a delicious dinner of steak and salad – Kane grilled the steaks, Rebecca made the salad – they settled comfortably into the living room area. Rebecca sat in the oversized chair near the fire. Her legs were tucked beneath her, a fleecy zippered hoodie around her shoulders.
Kane caught his breath. She looked so right there, snuggled by the flames, cheeks pink from the heat of the hearth, a big, thick book in her hands, the flames dancing in her golden eyes. He stilled, letting the image sink into him while fighting it with everything he had. She did not belong here.
Except that she did. It was so easy to picture her here with him every night. Though instead of being several feet away from him she’d be beneath him on the fur in front of the hearth, his body warming hers instead of those soft fabrics...
He blinked, forcing himself to dispel the image. Rebecca was the closest thing to purity he’d ever encountered. Her naivete, her innocence, her selfless kindness. She was light. And him, he was darkness. He could never allow himself to forget that, no matter how much he wanted her. He could protect her, ensure that she was safe and happy, but nothing more. To take her as his own would be to taint her, and no physical pleasure was worth that price.