Convictions: Kelly and Stephen Page 5

  “Yes” was his reply as he directed his eyes out to some distant place ahead of them on the trail.

  Not fully appreciating the depth of his emotions Kelly responded lightly “Stephen, I’ll come back Friday afternoon, as soon as I’m done at Hawley’s. Besides, I’m sure you have things to do too.”

  Even if he did tell her the truth why should she believe him? She didn’t know anything about him, had no knowledge of his past, his distaste for casual sexual affairs, or his poor track record with more serious relationships. How could she truly comprehend how much their relationship, as new as it was, has meant to him already?

  While he silently contemplated all of the responses that he could or should give her, she gave him the perfect opening for the only answered that mattered.

  With an exasperated tone Kelly asked “how long did you want me to stay?”

  He stopped walking, turned and met her gaze head on, hoping that she could see from his eyes that he was dead serious. His answer delivered in one word, was the only answer that would adequately describe the power of his emotion and the depth of his commitment to her; “forever.”

  She stood still studying him, trying to wrap her mind around this turn of events. His eyes showed no trace of humor. How was this possible?

  A moment later he broke their gaze to continue their hike. The incline again increased and Kelly was left struggling to keep up, unable to continue the discussion. Stephen remained silent.

  A half an hour later the trail finally leveled off and opened up into a meadow. There was a small pond in the middle teaming with a wide array of living creatures. Kelly stopped to take in the beauty of the scenery before her. “Oh, Stephen, this is so beautiful.” He didn’t reply. He too stood still for a moment quietly taking it all in, with appreciation, as if the first time he had visited this site.

  “Would you like to rest” he turned to ask. She nodded her head and he led her to a level mossy area near the upper end of the pond. There was a large boulder which they used as a back rest while that sat on the mossy earth.

  For a long time they both sat in silence, watching the wildlife and the ecosystem of the pond go about its business. Stephen felt no need for words. What were needed here were actions. If she were having trouble making up her mind as to where she needed to be then he would be only too happy to help her. Besides, this beautiful day, sitting here next to her in this private spot was having a predictable effect on him.

  With no advanced notice to Kelly, Stephen reached over for her, lifting her up he pulled her over on top of him. Running his fingers deep into her hair, he pulled her head down to meet his, claiming her lips. His hands then busied themselves with her shirt, unbuttoning it with amazing agility. She had had no chance to protest but probably wouldn’t have anyway.

  The degree of his arousal was drowning out all other thoughts but that of her naked and beautiful form exposed for him alone. He made quick work of her shirt and bra. His hands and lips explored her sweetness; his tongue brought her nipples to full arousal, leaving her gasping for air and moaning with expectation. Her waves of desire came with such ferocity that before long she was whispering “please, please”. He needed to fill her and she needed to feel him. Gently he rolled her over on her back, peeled off her jeans and with his face buried into the sweetness of her neck he eased himself inside. With heartbeats racing and their breaths shallow his rhythm soon brought them both to full climax.

  For a moment there was nothing but the sound of their rapid heartbeats as they both tried to catch their breath. His head was still spinning from the emotional power of his release so he remained still, nuzzled into her neck for a few moments more. He took several deep inhales of her scent before standing and pulling her to her feet. Helping her to readjust her clothing he noticed she blushed just a bit when her eyes met his.

  This was not what he wanted; he never wanted her to feel embarrassed in front of him. What they had shared was the most natural experience on earth; natural between two people who were destined to be together. It was a pleasure obtainable only by two people who were meant for each other. But just in case she still had doubts he needed to make things clear.

  “Kelly, we both know that things have progressed well past the dating stage. The moment you walked into my cabin you changed my life for the better and at this point I don’t want to go backwards. My feelings for you are too strong and there’s too much at stake.”

  He pulled her into his arms and held her as tight as he dared for several minutes kissing the top of her head and breathing in the sweet smell of her hair. The thought of her leaving him again led to a wrenching of his gut. He willed her to see how much he needed her. He willed her to hear what was in his heart.

  Kelly stood there, melted into him, contemplating his words. Could it really be true that he wanted her to move in with him so soon? While the idea of “dating”, or even driving back and forth between his place and hers every day or so seemed ludicrous to her too, moving in with a man whom she had only spent two nights with seemed equally so. But then what did it matter how things seemed. Shouldn’t it be enough that they “feel” right? It was at that moment that she made up her mind.

  Apparently she was to have no power of will when it came to Stephen, and as ridiculous as it sounded, she would move in with this man whom she barely knew. They would start a life together. Although if the truth were to be told she already felt like she had known him forever and she would have to admit that in her heart there no longer was room for any man but Stephen.

  “Ok” she blurted out. “You win. We’ll try it your way.”

  Breaking away from their embrace, he turned back towards the trail to hide the smile that broke out across his face. Slowly they made their way back down the trail towards his cabin while Kelly rambled on about what she would need to do. Stephen walked in front, leading the way, only half listening to her.

  She needed to find someone who could rent out her house, go to the post office to stop her mail delivery, and, of course, break the news to Mr. Hawley that he’d have to find someone else to cover her hours.

  “And there’s Max, I forgot about Max.”

  “Max?” he said.

  “My dog, Max, what am I supposed to do with him? Originally I got him for Charlie, so that he would have a pet to play with when he visited but Max and I have become very close. I couldn’t bear to part with him.”

  He was reminded of her books. He hadn’t told her this but when she was gone for two weeks he had stopped in town to inquire about her books. Judd owned the local general store, and, being a fan of the local talent, he just happened to have four of her titles in stock. Stephen bought them all and read each one late at night when he couldn’t sleep.

  Now that she was mentioning Max, Stephen remembered that on the back cover of each of her books she had been pictured with a dog but it hadn’t occurred to him that she might still have one. She had never mentioned it before.

  Oh well, he’d never had a dog out here but really had no opinion one way or the other. If she and Max were a packaged deal then he’d take them both. He’d take her no matter what else the package might contain, even her son, because a life without her was no longer possible for him.

  Stephen forced a bit of annoyance into his voice when he said “I’ve never had a dog here before. I guess I’ll learn to deal with it in time.”

  “Thank you, Stephen. I promise he won’t be any trouble.”

  Emerging from the woods Stephen decided to issue one little stipulation of his own, partly for fun, but mostly because he wanted her back here as soon as possible. “You have two days.”

  “For what?” she asked wide eyed and confused.

  “You have two days to be back here; five o’clock Tuesday.” The twinkle in his eyes told Kelly that he was only partly serious.

  “Or what?” She teased.

  “I come to get you.” Kelly had no doubt that he would do exactly that.

  Chapter 7

  K
elly woke early as usual but Stephen was already out of bed. She dressed and made her way to the kitchen. He was busy at the stove and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the room. She chose a cup from the cupboard and filled it for herself, before topping off his mug.

  “You’re up early” she inquired.

  “I have a lot of work to catch up on today.”

  It occurred to Kelly that she had no idea what Stephen did for a living but before she could ask him he handed her a plate with steaming hot eggs and bacon. Just as they sat down to eat there was a knock at the front door. He stood and went through the hall to answer the door. Kelly heard the muffled voices of two men on friendly terms greeting each other. Two sets of footsteps came back down the hall and into the kitchen. The second man entering behind Stephen, to Kelly’s discomfort and surprised was the familiar face of Jim McAllen. Jim owned a small farm on the edge of town, not far from her house. She knew him from the hardware store, and his wife from the market.

  She was somewhat taken aback that she had been discovered here in Stephen’s kitchen so early in the morning. There was no way to explain away why she was there, and no way to make it look like it was anything else other than what it was. In a town the size of Hanlon, her secret would soon be common knowledge, a thought she had not previously entertained.

  She hadn’t yet decided, or even considered what she was going to tell people about her move to Old Henry Road. That she had so quickly moved in with a man she barely knew was not the story she would want people to spread but what else could they say? Five years of building a reputation as a recluse destroyed in a flash. Now she would be known as something else entirely.

  “Kelly, how are you” Jim said, obviously just as surprised and uncomfortable with the situation as she was.

  “Good Morning, Jim. I think we are going to have another fine day.”

  “Would you like a cup of coffee while I finish my breakfast?” Stephen offered with complete oblivion to the other’s discomfort. When Jim nodded yes Kelly got up to pour it for him.

  They made small talk for a few minutes, mostly about the weather and the prospect for a decent growing season this summer. When Jim had finished his coffee he put his cup on the counter cleared his throat awkwardly and announced “Thank you Kelly that was a good cup of coffee. Well, I guess I’ll go get that gate out of the truck.”

  “Just put it in the shop, it’s already unlocked.” Stephen mumbled between bites, “I will be right out”.

  “Nice to see you Kelly, I can let myself out.” Jim McAllen disappeared back down the hall.

  Stephen finished his breakfast and took his plate to the sink. Kelly said “I’ll take care of the dishes before I head for town. Maybe if I’m lucky I can get there before the gossip hits.” He stopped for a moment, contemplating her meaning, and then chuckled. Leaning over to plant a kiss on her cheek as his hand caressed her beautifully rounded bottom as he replied “who cares”.

  In a more serious tone he added “remember, five o’clock tomorrow or I’m coming after you. Then they’ll have more to gossip about than just who you’re having breakfast with.” As he turned for the hall he was again hiding a wide, and slightly impish grin.

  Before he got to the doorway Kelly stopped him “Stephen?” He turned to meet her now serious look, “what is it that you do?” He looked confused for a moment, cocked his head to the side a bit, and threw a glance over his shoulder towards the front door. He smirked when he grasped the meaning of her question. His reply was “welding, I’m a welder.” And with that he was gone.

  ***

  She had plenty of time to think on the drive back to town. Now at least she knew what he did for a living but not much else. To make it worse she was quite certain that he had no idea what she did; that she was a writer. At least he had never mentioned it.

  How did he think she supported herself, by working at the hardware store? And if she had to give that up that job was he not concerned about what she would do for money? It appeared that he just wasn’t the type of man to be bothered by such petty details.

  He certainly didn’t seem to have any doubts about their relationship and where it might be heading. Many men would steer clear of any type of commitment. The last thing they would want is to have a woman moving in and under foot so early in the relationship. But not Stephen; apparently he knew what he wanted and it was her. He wasn’t the kind of man to take no for an answer.

  That thought brought a smile to her face and warmed her through. It was a new experience for her; the knowledge that someone wanted her that badly.

  But was it just physical? Would he tire of her someday, or find somebody else like Scott had always done? Would she tire of him? Now that thought was just too humorous. She highly doubted that was possible.

  No, her main concern was not the possibility of boredom setting in; it was how little she knew about him. Was he really the man he appeared to be? Her parents had raised her with the philosophy that if something appeared too good to be true then it probably was. And that was what bothered her the most, nagging a quiet corner of her sub-conscience.

  She could think of a million reasons why it didn’t make sense for her to move in with him so quickly, but not one that would cause her to change her mind, or lesson her desire for him. Playing hard to get was not her style. Playing games of any sort was not her style. Kelly might always have been the cautious type, until now, but she had also always believed in being direct and straightforward. There was no sense in trying to pretend that she wanted to be with him any less than he wanted her there. Whatever their future might hold, they’d find out together.

  ***

  When Kelly got home she put on a fresh pot of coffee. Sipping her brew she rounded each room of her house making mental notes about what she would take and what she would store. Her first task, and most important one, would be to find a renter for her house. It would be much easier if she could find someone who would rent it furnished. It would take much more than two days if she had to also move out the furniture.

  She wouldn’t need to take much to Stephen’s. Her computer and supplies she needed to work, casual clothes, and Max’s things. She would store her good clothes and a handful of other things that she didn’t need but couldn’t part with, in the shed out back. She had been living the life of a minimalist so it wasn’t go to take her long to do what needed to be done.

  Outside she heard Max’s familiar bark. She opened up the patio door and stepped out. Max nearly knocked her over with his enthusiasm as Will came running up behind. “I’m sorry Mrs. Sherman but I couldn’t stop him once he figured out you were home.”

  “That’s fine Will. I was just coming over to get him anyway. Come on in for a minute so we can talk.”

  They went back inside where Max plopped himself on the kitchen floor with a chew toy. “Would you like a soda?” Kelly asked. Will shook his head no and said “I’m good but thank you.”

  Kelly started “Will, I know this won’t make you happy but Max and I are going to be moving in with a friend outside of town. It’s a really nice place with lots of space for him to run and explore, but its thirty minutes out so we won’t be seeing you every day.”

  Will’s face turned pensive and he slid to the floor next to Max to hug him. “I will miss him a lot but it’s not like your moving away, out of state, right?”

  “I’m sure he will miss you too but I promise to bring him in to visit with you once in a while, any time I have to come in to town for business or to shop.”

  “That would be great! Thanks Mrs. Sherman. When are you moving?”

  “We will be leaving tomorrow afternoon. I will bring him over to say goodbye before we leave.”

  “I guess I should run home now and get his food and bed. I also have some of his toys at my house. I’ll be right back.”

  Kelly felt bad but maybe it was time Will had a dog of his own. She would mention that idea to Will’s mom before she left and remind her again of how responsible he ha
d always been with Max.

  After Will returned the rest of Max’s things, Kelly put on his harness and leash and set out for the Post Office. She had a lot to do in a small amount of time and there was no sense putting it off any longer.

  At the post office Kelly was greeted warmly by Alice. She asked for whatever forms were necessary to change her address and forward her mail. While Alice went to retrieve the forms it occurred to Kelly that she didn’t know if Stephen even had mail delivery that far out of town. She didn’t recall seeing a mailbox in front of his place. Rather than explain her somewhat embarrassing predicament to Alice when she returned, Kelly requested a PO Box. It would be less convenient but, she decided getting into town once a week would be a necessary inconvenience.

  With the forms filled out and signed, and her new PO Box key in hand, Kelly turned to leave but on a whim asked “Alice, you must know everyone’s comings and goings in town. Would you by any chance know of someone who might be looking for a short term rental?”

  “Actually there was a nice older man in here yesterday inquiring about rentals. I don’t know anything about what he is looking for but he told me he’d be staying over at ‘The Snow Shoe Inn’ if I heard of anything. His name was Locke, John or Jonathan I think.”

  “Great, thanks for the info Alice. I’ll throw you a finder’s fee if it works out!” Kelly set out for The Snow Shoe Inn, like just about everything in this small town, just a short walk down the main drag.

  Kelly tied Max’s leash to a bench outside and went into the office. There was a young girl behind the counter, probably one of the Jensen’s daughters but they had so many she couldn’t keep track of their names. She might have been the third oldest, the one who had graduated from high school last year. She was a plain looking young woman with mid length straight blond hair. When she smiled she could almost pass as pretty. But Kelly was stuck by the look in her eyes; it was as if she was shut off, buried somewhere deep inside, too deep to ever be found. There was no light, no excitement for the future that a girl of that age should have.