Chapter 14
After they’d done all they could for the sheep, Chloe looked around for a place they could set up their tents; it wouldn’t be comfortable but at least it would be relatively dry. But then she spotted an opening in the rock through the sheets of rain still coming down, not daring to hope that she’d found a cave, she made her way across the muddy ground.
To her relief, the opening did turn out to be a cave just big enough for them to take shelter in. After they’d seen to the horses, they took their gear into the cave pleased to see that someone had not only been using it as shelter, but had left them an ample supply of firewood and even a stack of supplies. Shrugging out of several layers of their wet clothes, they built a fire which soon had the little cave warm enough that they both began to stop shivering.
Silently they unpacked the gear they’d brought with them, then dug though the pile in the back of the cave. “There’s enough food here for a few days.” Chloe said, knowing that they could easily be stuck here for far longer than that. “But it’s not going to be enough.”
For the first time since he’d left the ranch, Jack understood how crazy it had been to come up here. But one look at Chloe’s face told him that he needed to be the strong one right then, she’d gotten them across the river to safety, it was up to him to keep them alive. Chloe had a panicked look on her face and he was pretty sure he knew what she was thinking about.
“This is exactly what happened to my parents.” She said, her voice catching in her throat.
Jack had her in his arms so fast she didn’t have time to let the panic get the better of her. He was wet and his clothes were cold, but he still smelled like Jack and she felt better almost immediately. After he’d held her for a long time, he tipped her head up and kissed her, knowing that she needed the reassurance that everything was over between them as much as he did.
When he felt her beginning to relax, he said, “We’re going to be okay. We’ll eat this food until the weather clears, then I’m sure I’ll be able to catch us enough food to keep us alive. They know we’re up here Chloe, they’ll come for us as soon as it’s safe. It’s going to be okay.”
“Jack, it could take a week or longer for the water to recede.” Chloe desperately wanted to believe that they’d be okay, but she was frightened, knowing all too well how easily things could go wrong.
“Trust me, between the two of us we’ll be okay. You’re a strong woman Chloe, use your knowledge and I’ll use mine.” Jack said, stroking her cheek with his thumb.
Chloe took a deep breath knowing that letting her emotions get away from her was only a waste of energy. “I’ll be okay. I’m sorry I just had a moment of panic.” She finally said, pulling away from Jack.
“Good now, let’s see about setting up camp.” Jack said, suddenly all business, reminding Chloe that they still had things to talk about.
Before long they had the cave in livable condition. Chloe had gathered all the food together along with the mess kits they’d both packed and set up a makeshift kitchen. Jack had managed to create a bed with the tarps from the supplies in the back of the cave and the sleeping bags that they’d brought. It was close enough to the fire that they’d stay warm at night, although it made Chloe suddenly nervous to see that he expected them to sleep together. They hung a rope across the opening of the cave and hung all their wet clothes up to dry, each wrapped in a blanket to stay warm, it would take hours for their clothes to dry and neither had any that were dry.
When they finally sat down to a dinner of freeze dried spaghetti and meatballs, they were both exhausted. After one final check on the animals, they climbed into the bed Jack had made and were both asleep in minutes, the events of the day leaving no energy for talk. As they fell asleep, Jack pulled Chloe into his arms and she didn’t resist, it just felt too good. Tomorrow they’d have to talk, but for tonight they both needed to sleep.
The next morning, it was still raining but it had slacked off to a gentle patter, which under different circumstances might have been romantic. After a half way decent breakfast, which included a cup of coffee, they checked on the animals and collected more firewood, which would take hours to dry out enough to burn, then they built the fire up to dry off once again.
Chloe knew that the time had come to try and fix things with Jack, but she was nervous. Jack must have sensed her mood because he pulled her down by the fire and put his arm around her. “Do you want to tell me what happened with Brandon?” He asked, making it easy for her.
“Nothing.” She said, looking into his eyes, willing him to believe her. “He showed up at Marissa’s and told her that we were friends and that I was expecting him. Jack, you must believe me. I haven’t talked to him since I left LA. He kissed me, I didn’t kiss him.”
Jack was silent for a long time, his eyes never leaving hers, then he said, “I believe you Chloe.”
Chloe was so relieved she couldn’t hold back the tears, but she still managed to say, “Jack I love you, I didn’t want to but I do.”
To her utter disbelief he started to laugh, when he’d finally gotten himself under control he said, “If I already didn’t know that, I sure would now. Only someone in love would risk their life to come after a stupid Australian like me. I’m sorry I acted like an idiot Chloe, but I was so jealous I was afraid I was going to hurt someone.”
“Jealous, looked to me like you were mad.” Chloe said, confused.
“I thought I was mad too, but it turns out that I was jealous, more so than I’ve ever been in my life. I didn’t recognize what I was feeling until I got on the trail, then I just couldn’t make myself turn back, it was stupid of me. I love you Chloe, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Chloe was so happy she was speechless; she’d been waiting to hear those words for so long. She threw herself into Jack’s arms and kissed him, then got up and took his hand and led him to the back of the cave and the bed they shared. When he reached for her, she pushed his hands away and began to pull his clothes off one piece at a time, kissing and caressing his bare skin as it became exposed.
Jack was growling in his throat by the time she’d dropped to her knees in front of him, looking up at him she took his throbbing erection in her hands and stroked him until he threw his head back and moaned. Thrilled by his reaction, she took the tip of her tongue and ran it along the length of him. Jack pulled the tie from her hair and let it cascade over her shoulders, then laced his finger through it and held on to her head.
Chloe had no idea that giving Jack pleasure would give her just as much pleasure, but that familiar coil of desire was already building deep inside of her. When she took his length fully into her mouth, he said her name with such a huge sigh of pleasure that she felt the wetness blooming between her legs. Using her mouth and hands, she brought Jack just to the brink of orgasm then slowed down until he was panting with pleasure. Finally, Jack couldn’t stand it anymore and he pulled her to her feet.
“As good as that feels love, it’s your turn.” He said, removing her clothes just as she had his.
By the time Chloe was standing naked in front of him they were both panting with desire, Chloe desperate for Jack’s hands to find her most sensitive spots. When he finally laid her down on their bed, he knelt between her legs but instead of entering her, he dipped his head down and slid his tongue over her clit. After only a few more strokes of his tongue, she came in a blinding rush of pleasure so intense she could only hold onto his shoulder as her body rocked with the force of her orgasm.
Chloe was clawing at Jack’s shoulders; she wanted him inside her with a desperation she’d never felt before. “Please, Jack.” She begged. “I need you inside me.”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, he slid up her body and placed his throbbing erection just at her pulsing opening. Chloe threw her head back, her body more than ready for his penetration, but Jack wasn’t ready to enter her just yet.
“Look at me Chloe, I want to see your eyes when we become one.” Jack said, desperate to enter her, but needing to see the love in her eyes.
Chloe looked up at Jack all the love she felt for him laid bare to his gaze, when he entered her with one long slow thrust, she thought she’d burst right then but Jack held back just enough to deny her that final pleasure. His eyes never leaving hers, he filled repeatedly, taking them higher and higher until they were both just on the edge, but he still wasn’t ready to let them soar together over the precipice of satisfaction.
Pulling out of Chloe, he flipped her onto her stomach, then pulled her to her hands and knees. When he gently pushed her legs apart, grabbed her hips and entered her from behind Chloe cried out in pleasure, moaning as Jack filled her deeper than ever before. When he reached under her and found her clit with his finger, Chloe cried out again, the pleasure so intense she was beyond any rational thought.
He teased her clit with his finger, rubbing until it was swollen and her moisture was slick on them both. Chloe had never felt such pleasure before, her body alive with pure sensation, her orgasm building until it was a hard coil deep inside her. As the waves of pleasure began to spread through her body, Chloe called out Jack’s name sure that she was about to shatter into a million pieces. Panting his name over and over again, she begged him to take her over the edge, and Jack knew that he wasn’t going to last much longer.
Flipping her onto her back once again, he entered her with one hard thrust, then eyes locked on hers, he took them both over the edge. Chloe’s orgasm taking all the breath from her lungs, as her body contracted around his throbbing penis, her muscles squeezing him until with a cry of his own he emptied himself inside her. The last thing he heard as he collapsed on top of Chloe was her cries of pleasure, his orgasm so intense all conscious thought had been blocked.
They came back to their senses together, aware that it had grown cold in the cave. But Jack wasn’t willing to let go of Chloe just then, instead of getting up to feed the fire, he pulled the blankets over them and cuddled her in his arms. Warm and safe in Jack’s arms Chloe fell asleep more content than she’d ever been in her life.
When they awoke hours later, it was to find that it grown dark outside, but that the rain had stopped. Neither wanted to get out of bed, but the fire had gone out completely and the animals needed to be checked on. They dressed slowly, stopping often to touch and kiss each other, both thinking about the future. When they were finally dressed, Jack pulled Chloe into his arms and kissed her thoroughly thinking about how lucky he was to have found her.
Much to their relief the animals were all happily grazing the in the dark of the night, obviously relieved that the rain had stopped. Chloe knew that it would still be days before they could get down the mountain, but looking at Jack in the moonlight she wasn’t all that sorry. Jack again seemed to be reading her mind because he spoke the exact words she was thinking.
“I guess it won’t be so bad stuck up here for a few days.” He said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.
He put his arm around her and pulled her close and together they watched the night sky. When they finally made it back to the cave, Jack made love to Chloe thoroughly, taking her higher than she’d ever been before and cementing their love with his words and actions. They fell asleep as the first rays of sunlight began to appear on the horizon, but neither cared about the sunshine that morning, their bodies sated with the pleasure they’d shared, they slept wrapped together.
It took over a week for the water to recede enough for help to get to them, but they didn’t mind the time together. When the food they’d brought ran out, Jack was able to provide them with enough meat that they weren’t in any danger of starving, and Chloe found a variety of edible plants to supplement their diet. The time together gave allowed them to get to know one another, and by the time they came down off the mountain it was clear to both of them that nothing was ever going to separate them again.
When the search party found them, Owen was the first to greet them, his look of apology clear when he met Chloe’s eyes. She been braced for anything but the words that came out of his mouth, “Chloe I owe you an apology, I guess Jack wasn’t the only one Isobel left her mark on. It was wrong of me to assume that you were anything more than what you appeared to be.”
Chloe studied Owen for a second, aware that all eyes were on her. “I really didn’t know that Brandon was going to show up. Owen, I love your brother, I don’t care about his money, I don’t care about some ranch in Australia, I just want to be happy with him.”
“I know that now, I guess I have a few issues that I need to work out. Marissa and I had a long talk while we were waiting for the water to recede. I’ll try to be a better friend from now on. Thank you for risking your life for my brother, it should have been me up here with him, but I was so focused on what I wanted, I lost sight of what’s important. I promise that will never happen again.” Owen’s words were obviously costing him, so Chloe decided to forgive him.
“I think I understand Owen, you were only trying to protect your brother, I promise you I’ll never do anything to hurt him the way Isobel did.” Chloe said, jumping down from her horse and waiting for Owen to approach her.
When he did, she gave him a big hug and whispered in his ear, “I think you just need a good woman in your life.”
Owen roared with laughter, “I think my brother has the only good one left all sealed up. But if you know someone, I’d be willing to meet her.”
Chloe watched him laughing understanding exactly what he felt, the relief that they’d come to an understanding was shared by them both. But the time for seriousness was over so she said, “I think we should leave the match making to Marissa.” Making everyone laugh.
Winter came to Coldwater Canyon with a vengeance, the plentiful rainfall of the summer quickly turned to snow as the weather changed, but everyone bore it with good humor. December brought record amounts of snow but the residents stayed cheerful through Christmas knowing that they’d survive it together, everyone looking out for everyone else.
The clinic had been finished for almost four months and Chloe, Jack, and Josh had moved into the cramped apartment in the back, preferring to share such a small space to the rustic cabins they’d spent the summer in. It was a small sacrifice to pay for them all to be together and Chloe and Jack hadn’t been separated since they returned from their perilous trip to the mountains the summer before.
The ranch house wouldn’t be finished until the next summer, but they were comfy and cozy in the little apartment. Josh and Chloe had bonded over the fall and he now called her mama which had been strange at first, but now she never even thought about it. Jack had proposed on a warm night in October down by the stream at Honey Hills, making love to Chloe after he’d slipped the ring on her finger.
Wrapped in a blanket against the cold, they’d laughed when a commotion in the bushes turned out to be the moose they’d seen all those months ago. “Looks like he’s headed to lower ground for the winter.” Jack said, as they watched him walk away.
“Maybe he has a sweetheart waiting for him.” Chloe had suggested.
“Then he’s a lucky man just like I am.” Jack said, kissing her tenderly. “I love you Chloe. I didn’t think it was possible to love anyone as much as I love you. Life seems so full of possibilities now, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“I love you too Jack, I think I’ve been waiting for you my entire life. Promise me we’ll be together forever, I don’t want to think about my life without you.” Chloe reached up and stroked Jack’s cheek, loving the feel of his rough skin under her hand.
“I promise you I’m never going to let you go, for as long as I live you’re going to be by my side, good times or bad we’ll face life together.” Jack said, the kiss he gave her full of all the hopes and dreams they shared.
“I can’t wait to start our life together. It’s a new beginning for all of us.”
The end.
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