Then & Now (15 page)

“Thank you.”  Taking the helmet she couldn’t hide gratitude she suddenly felt from his simple act of respect.
Though John shown her respect through small things, it was different to see it so plainly.  She hardly knew how to react to it.

“There will be some parts that will be bumpy, but we’ll get through it.  I come up here all the time.”  He assured her with a simple nod.  After placing his own helmet on his head he turned to check hers.  Once both helmets were secure he climbed on and restarted the bike. “Hold on tight.”  He called back.

Sighing she wrapped her arms around him.  She figured it was alright seeing he told her to.  Even though
holding
him was probably not what he had in mind, she kept it her little secret as she squeezed him slightly over the rockiest parts of the ride.

The quad scaled the terrain with ease, taking the bolder size rocks without difficulty.  She watched as the trees slowly opened to a wide meadow.  Green and yellow spread out before them for several yards before the trees stopped their wild run.  Vast Evergreens surround them on each side causing the clearing to be intimate, and seem almost secret to the rest of the forest.  There in the far corner was a moderately large pond that reflected the surrounding trees like a natural mirror.

As he cut off the engine she removed the bulky helmet to get a better view. “Oh, my God!  This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!”  She exclaimed.

“I come here to get away sometimes.”  He explained setting his own helmet on the handlebars.  “Early in the morn’
ye’ll watch dear, moose, and even bear come here to get a drink.”

“Bear?
  There are bear in this part of the forest?”  She asked suddenly nervous.

He smiled that wonderful smile of his as he patted her knee that still rested against him.  “They’re harmless if ye respect them and leave them alone.  It is so
peaceful here they accept you as you will them in the early morn’ when the earth is still trying to wake up.”

His words were so beautiful she had to believe him.  “How often do you come here?”

“Whenever I can.  I sometimes feel like God made this for me.”  Shaking his head he laughed at himself.  “Silly, isn’t it?”

“No, not at all.
I used to feel that way about my grandfather’s farm.  I would climb the barn at night to watch the sun set against the wheat field.  It looked like gold, rows and rows of heavenly gold.”  She told him remembering how much she loved that farm.  “He sold it a few years ago.  It broke my heart when I found out.”

“I’m sorry.”  Sounding truly remorseful for her loss, she had to look at him then.

Rewarded by deep pools of ocean blue she smiled.  “I’ve never told anyone that before.  I mean, about my grandfather’s wheat field.”

His eyebrows shot up.
“No one?”

She shook her head.

“Then, thank you for sharing it with me.  I feel honored to hold such a wonderful secret with ye.”  He said with real sincerity. “Now may I share one with you?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I’ve never shown this to anyone.”  He revealed as he swept his hand over the secret meadow.  “I only come here alone.”

Surprised by this she gave his meadow another look.  “Then why did you bring me here?”

“Because I knew ye would appreciate it.”

“I do.  Thank you.” She exhaled and then looked around the stunning space.  “I used to love being outside.  My mother told me that it was damn near impossible to get me in at night.”  Laughing she shook her head.

“Used to?  Ye don’t like being outside no’ more?”  He asked while turning more to face her.

“Well…”  She began.  Feeling foolish for something that still bothered her after all these years she took a moment to answer.  “There was this…thing that happened to me when I was younger that kind of ruined my love for the great outdoors.”

Jumping off the bike he settled himself in front of her.  “What, may I ask?”

Remembering the way John had laughed at the story making her feel dim-witted for overreacting to a silly prank, she
shook her head slightly.  “It’s stupid.”

“Obviously not.
  It has stayed with ye all these years, so it has to be somewhat serious.”  He stated mindfully.

Waving her hand in front of her she shied from him.  “It was just some childish prank my friend’s cousin pulled on us when I was eight.”

He scrunched up his brow with an unasked question.

Knowing he wanted more information she sighed.  “I went camping for the first time with my best-friend Ella and her twin sister Amy.  Her cousin told us that a man eating ape was living somewhere on the mountain that we were camping on.  Of course we didn’t believe him until his friend started in on it telling us that the ape usually didn’t come down that far and that we were safe.”  Taking a deep breath she continued waiting for Tristan to begin laughing at
any time.  “Late that night her cousin dressed in a gorilla costume started shaking our tent making monkey noises.  He shook the tent so hard that he knocked over the lantern we had and set the tent on fire.”

“My, god!
  Did ye get out alright?”

She nodded.  “Yeah, her uncle got the fire out before any of us got hurt.”

“Good.  How old was the cousin?”

“Twelve.”

“Boys will be boys, but I hope that little shit got his ass whipped.”  Tristan said with distaste.  “No wonder ye didn’t want to come here this weekend.”

“How did you know that I didn’t want to come?”  She asked intrigued.

His deep laugh lightened the mood.  “Twas written all over yer face.”

“Oh.  Well, I’m glad I did.”  Taking in a deep breath of the earthy air she realized that he hadn’t laughed at her story.  He had been concerned, and understanding to her reason. 

“I’m glad ye did too.”  The change in his eyes and the tone in his voice had the air around them shifting. 

She wanted to kiss him. 
To taste his lips and be done with the whole fantasy.  Only she knew it wouldn’t end there.  One taste would not be enough, she would want more. 

She was acting like a teenaged fool.    Rolling her eyes at her
absurd feelings she knew that she needed to bring the conversation back to the playful banter they once shared.

“I’m not worried about the bears.”  She stated with a raise of her chin.

“No?”

“Nope.
I think it’s because John’s fatter.  They’ll go after the meat before the bone any day.” She teased.

He barked out a laugh. “I’ll agree with you there.  Only ye smell as sweet as honey, and they love honey.”

“You’re so not helping.”

Leaning forward he brushed her lips with his.  “Don’t worry,” He whispered across her awakened mouth.  “I won’t let them get you.”

They rode for several more hours through magnificent scenery, taking each hill with vigorous authority.  Many times he had stopped to allow her control over various terrains, until she took roads that she never that thought she could.  Though the day past with friendly banter, her mind wouldn’t forget what happened in the privet meadow.  It was a simple peck nothing more.  Yet, she couldn’t help but question his advance.  More importantly she couldn’t help but crave a deeper invite.

As he steered the bike back to camp she huddled closer trying to stay out of the now cold wind.  He raced to beat the sun before nightfall.   They hadn’t brought the proper attire for the ride and more the sun set the colder it was becoming.  The thin jacket she wore did little to cut out the freezing breeze that was mostly generated by the speed over the bike.

Even as he brought the bike into the
camp Sophia couldn’t pull herself away from the little heat his body was providing.  While he shut off the engine she took a quick look around the camp and noticed that the tent had yet to be built.  On better inspection she also realized that John was nowhere in sight.  She thought he would be standing around somewhere awaiting her return with an earful.

“Where is Team Two?”  Tristan asked the group around the enormous campfire.

“Haven’t come back yet.”  One of the girls said without taking her eyes off of Sophia.

Knowing that Team Two was John’s team, she released a sigh of relief.  At least he wasn’t there when she rode up on the back of his boss’s bike, clinging to
said boss shamelessly.  Although she figured someone would tell him.

“If they’re not back by the time we’re finished eating, then I need a team to go find them.”  Tristan commanded one of the men standing by some expensive looking equipment.

“Yes, sir.”  The man nodded, then went back to his work.

Jumping off the bike Tristan turned and smiled. “Hungry?”  He asked while helping her off the bike.              

She could only nod as he led her towards the fire.  While she welcomed the warmth of the burning blaze she realized how chilly it had been the last bit of the ride, her arms were trembling as a result.  Getting as close as she dared to Sophia consumed the heat from the tall flames.

“It gets pretty cold up here at night.”  A woman she had not yet met said as she came to stand next to her.  “Did you bring warmer clothes?”

Thinking over what she brought, she nodded.  “I think so.”

“Good you’ll need them.  Hi, I’m Angela. 
Kyle’s wife.”  She clarified.     

“Hi, I’m Sophia.”  She acknowledged taking the woman’s hand in a small handshake.  She was far prettier then she expected Kyle’s wife to be.  By the fire her hair resembled a gold color and her eyes were as clear as diamonds. She looked like she belonged on a magazine cover not wandering the wilderness.

“Did you enjoy the ride?”  Angela asked while she offered her a seat next to the wonderful heat of the fire.

“Yes, very much.
  I didn’t think I would at first.”  She admitted.

The other woman nodded in agreement.  “I know what you mean.  But at least you had a good teacher.” She pointed to Tristan as he approached them with two plates of steaming food.

“I heard that!”  Her husband called from the other side of the fire.

“You have no argument, Kyle.”  Tristan teased as he handed her one of the plates.  Taking a seat next to her, he chuckled at his friend’s hushed protest.

She looked over her dish never seeing anything quite like it before.  “What is this?”  She asked trying to sound approving.

“It’s like a tinfoil dinner, only it’s made in a Dutch oven.”  Angela answered.  “It’s not bad.”

Stabbing a forkful of what looked like ground-beef and a potato, she cautiously placed the bite in her mouth.  Surprisingly, she liked it. 

“When ye are finished, you can use my trailer to freshen up.  There’s warm water and fresh towels. Ye played hard today, I’m sure ye want a nice shower to end the night.”  Tristan offered.

“Thank you.  That does sound fantastic.  I would like to go to bed smelling like a woman.”  Giving him a worried look, she teased him with a pout.  “No, wait! I don’t want to smell like a woman.  You said the bears like that.”

He laughed at her good-natured joke.  “I think
ye’ll be alright tonight.”

Tristan listened for the shower to turn on, before he went back outside.  Though he wished he hadn’t.  Images of her naked body being caressed by very lucky streams of water had him inwardly moaning.  God, what he would give to be in that shower making sure every inch of her was cleaned thoroughly.

Shutting the door to his trailer, he gave himself a moment before he turned to face his friends and employees.  The taste of her incredibly sweet lips still lingered
on his own.  He knew he crossed a major line when he leaned into her.  But he couldn’t help it.  He had to taste her.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.  It only made it worse. Now, his craving for her was unbearable.

“She seems like a real sweetheart. I can see
why you like her.” Angela’s voice came from behind him.  “But you know when I told you to move on and find a good woman? I meant one that didn’t belong to someone else.”

Turning to face his best-friend’s woman, he scratched his chin trying to play oblivious to her comment.  “I doona know what ye’re talking about.”

Folding her arms she eyed him unfooled.  “Sure you don’t.”

Shaking his head he tried to walk away from her.  Unfortunately, she was very good at calling his bluff.  “I saw the way you looked at her tonight.  I’ve never seen you look at anyone like that before. 
Never.”

He forgot how perceptive she was.  Giving her a teasing grin, he lowered his voice.  “Please, don’t bring the ‘you and
me’ conversation up again.  Ye’re married now.”

“Oh, Tristan.
  I think after what I witnessed this evening the whole ‘you and me’ conversation is long over.”  She laughed timidly.

It was nothing more than friendly banter between the two of them.  Even though he had
some small feelings for her while her and Kyle dated, he couldn’t deny how perfect she was for his best-friend.

Changing the weight from one foot to the other, Angie glanced at the trailer door as if Sophia might emerge at any second. “Tristan, she’s engaged. 
Her and John are getting married next year.”