to my place, Hope is practically bouncing in her seat. We are going horseback riding today and she’s excited about it. Every time I look over at Hope, her enthusiasm is contagious and I can’t help but smile just as big as she is. There’s something about seeing this girl thrilled to be on my property and up on the mountain is such a damn turn on.
‘Did I tell you, my neighbor Cole wants to go hunting one day next week? I guess he’s been tracking a large bear that keeps jumping between his property and mine. He said that if we catch it, he’ll split it with me and that I could have the fur.’ I ask, trying to distract myself just a little.
Her eyes go wide and can only guess it’s because I mentioned going hunting for a bear. Even though bear skin is something I don’t get to work with very often, it’s something that I’m anxious to tackle. Also, I’ll be able to sell it at a high price. It would be a huge payday, not that I need it. But there’s something different about having money that I earned myself versus money that I inherited from my brother.
‘Who’s Cole?’ she asks.
That’s when I remember I haven’t told her much about him.
‘He’s my neighbor and kind of keeps to himself. A few months back, when I was checking my trap lines near the edge of my property, we ran into each other. It was before my brother got really sick. But we’ve stayed in contact, though he’s even more isolated than the rest of us. I don’t think he ever goes into town, so it doesn’t surprise me that you don’t know him. He doesn’t talk much about his reason for being up here, but I doubt any of us really volunteer that information, and I have no desire to ask. His business is his business.’
Matter of fact, he keeps to himself so much that Cole hasn’t even met the other guys. But when I told him what was going on with my brother and then, later on, he found out that my brother had passed, he has taken me under his wing.
Up here where we’re so isolated, I won’t say no to any kind of friendship. My brother may have been a loner, but at least when he was alive, I had some kind of human contact. With him gone, I don’t know how I’m going to survive the winter without seeing another person.
Letting that train of thought go, because today I need to focus on Hope. She’s here with me now. I want to make sure that she has a great time, and that she falls in love with the mountain, just like I have. Even with my brother gone, there’s nowhere else I’d rather live.
As we head up my driveway, I give her hand a squeeze. When she looks over at me, she gives me another one of her brilliant smiles. Even though I know it’s simple, yet something like holding her hand, I can’t get enough of that kind of connection. With Hope, it’s like I have to remind myself that she’s actually here.
Once at the barn, which is just beyond my workshop, Hope is right there greeting my animals. I have two horses, a section for chickens, and a milking cow in a field behind the barn. The cow provides the milk that I freeze and use as needed. Since so much of the work that needs to be done on my property, I can’t get to with a vehicle, the horses help me get a lot of that work completed.
‘They are just the most adorable animals I have ever met,’ she says after saying hello to both of them.
Almost instantly, the dark brown horse that I figured she would ride seems to bond with her. She keeps rubbing her nose against Hope and pretty much won’t leave her side.
‘That’s gypsy. You’ll be riding with her today. She’s really sweet and even though she seems like she has a lot of energy, right now she doesn’t.’ I tell her, walking up and petting Gypsy behind her ears. But the horse doesn’t even look in my direction, she’s too entranced by Hope just like I am.
‘I love her color. With her dark chocolate brown, I think you missed an opportunity by not giving her some kind of candy name.’
Shaking my head, I think sometimes she forgets it was two guys living out here. We didn’t really have a woman touch around the property. But she helps me get the horses saddled and ready to go. I love that she’s willing to jump in and help and learn what she doesn’t know. It proves to me even more that she could fit in here. Though I try not to keep focusing on that fact, but it’s one that’s a bit hard to ignore, especially with how I’m feeling about her.
But I have to be careful. Does Hope even want a life like this? I have no idea. Regardless, I think it’s too soon for me to ask. I want her to see her more and get to know her better and simply have her spend more time out here with me.
Once we start on our ride, I take the long way to the lake. I want to show her some of the different parts of the property, like the place where I shot my first bear when I was eight. When I show her one of my trap lines and also the field that has some of my favorite wildflowers, she has a smile on her face the whole time.
‘So, you know every inch of this property, right?’ she asks as we head up the trail leading to the lake.
‘I do. I grew up here.’
‘So, what is your favorite place on the entire property, like the absolute favorite place above all else?’
That’s such an easy question, I don’t even have to think about the answer.
‘The lake. It’s no competition.’ I nod ahead of us because we’re about to break the tree line. Even though we’ve been here before, it’s still a beautiful sight to see. I’ve been here more times than I can count, and I’m still mesmerized by the beauty of it every time I break the tree line.
The minute the lake is in view, she stops her horse and sits there and stares. It’s a moment I’ve had myself many times myself. The sheer beauty of the lake with the mountain backdrop and the trees all around is a view I never get tired of seeing.
We ride until we get close to the water’s edge and then we both get down. Letting the horses drink some water before we tie them to a nearby tree where they can eat some grass while we are here.
Figuring it can’t hurt to bring some fish back if I catch anything, I brought some fishing gear. It’ll be something to do while we relax here for the day.
‘If you want to fish with me, I brought an extra pole.’
‘Definitely. But in a little bit because I want to enjoy the water first,’ she says as she takes her shoes and socks off and that quickly she’s ankle deep in the water.
‘It’s just so beautiful, it doesn’t seem like it’s real.’
‘Every time I come out here, I still feel that way. I think that’s why it’s one of my favorite spots.’
While I start fishing, she walks up and down the shoreline, picking up a few river rocks as she goes. Of all the times I’ve been here, I’ve never been this relaxed as I am with her here. Hope makes this place even more magical than I thought possible.
Eventually, she puts her shoes back on and gets the other rod, and starts fishing with me.
‘This would be the perfect place to come on a nice day, layout and read a book by the lake, taking in all the fresh air along with a little sun.’
‘Why don’t we come up here this weekend? We’ll camp, spend a night or two, and take a hike out to the waterfall on the far side of the lake. Over there you can lie out and read and do some fishing, or we can go swimming. It will be a couple of days to relax and enjoy nature,’ I suggest.
Then I hold my breath, waiting for her answer. She’d be well within her rights to say no to spending a weekend with me out in the woods. Is that something that guys and girls even do? I have no idea, but it just feels right. Actually, it feels like the perfect date to me.
‘Are you sure you have time? I would absolutely love that, but I don’t want you to get behind on anything you have to do.’
‘I’m able to take a lot more time off from winter prep because I have the animals. Plus, I wasn’t sure how long my brother would be around, so I did winter prep for two people for this coming winter. So if it’s just me, I have more than enough.’
But I want to add that if she were to join me this winter, it wouldn’t take much to build up enough of a supply for her, too. Since I don’t feel like we’re there in our relationship just yet, I don’t say anything, as I don’t want to scare her away.
‘If you’re sure…’
‘It’s a done deal. We’re going camping this weekend.’
She leans over and rewards me with a kiss. We both set our rods down, completely focused on each other. Each time she kisses me, I swear it feels better than the last time.
Just her lips on mine make my dick hard and I swear I’ve never wanted anything or anyone as much as I want her. When her hand runs up my chest, and over the back of my neck, and into my hair, I have to fight back the start of orgasm. Damn, she isn’t even touching my cock.
Trying to keep control, I think of gutting a deer and the blood. But every time I do, I remember the time Hope helped and how perfectly she fit right in, and then my thoughts are back to the perfect girl kissing me.
Finally, I have to pull away and look at our surroundings. I will always keep her safe, but it’s so easy to get lost in her. She seems to understand the need to stop Maybe she feels it too.
‘Will you show me more of the property on the way back home?’
Hearing her call the cabin home, I try not to let my heart get too involved. It’s just a figure of speech, right? Doesn’t mean anything, right?
We pack up and get the horses ready, letting them have a little more to drink before we head back to the cabin. But this time, we take the route along the river.
‘You see that path there? It’s kind of overgrown. But if you take it, it’s a long way up, but it will take you right to Axel’s house. Though I don’t suggest you take the path unless you have to because it cuts through some other people’s property and you never know how friendly they will be.’
She nods and looks at the path as we pass it.
‘You’ll have to get the details from Emelie, but the short version is Axel met her at this river. She was lost in the woods and stumbled upon Axel bathing much further up, of course. He was on his end of the property.’
‘Can you imagine Emelie with how small she is stumbling upon a naked giant in the river?’ she giggles, and the sound fills the air.
That giggle is soft and carefree and music to my ears. I wish I knew how to make her do it again and again and again.
When we are unsaddling the horses, there is a moment when I look over at her and realize with heart-pounding certainty that I need her here with me, that I want her more than my next breath.
The problem is, I don’t know if I can get her to agree to stay.
