Page 8 of Beck & Coll

“Nah. It was built on a cliff to ensure that it didn’t take on water. If you’re the type who likes to watch rain fall, the covered front porch is a good place to watch.”

She nodded.

I checked a text message that had come through on my phone. “I gotta take care of some business. I’ll come back through here in a couple of hours to check on you.

Collins opened the door of the cottage for me with tired eyes that bugged in surprise at the state I was in.

“Oh, wow. Clearly, the storm has worsened.”

“It worsened about an hour ago, but it’s been steady since then.” I wiped my feet repeatedly on the mat at the door. “Do you mind if I check on the level of the river from the back deck?”

“Weren’t you swimming in the river? Isn’t that why you look like a drowned cat?”

I eyed her intensely before I released a very dry chuckle.

“Whatever, Collins. I was helping lead stranded hikers out of Cascada Noir. Some hikers don’t think they need to heed warnings from the National Weather Service.

A person who thinks they have more ability than they actually have can be the worst kind of adventure seeker. ”

“I’ll bet,” she agreed with a nod. “Sorry you had to risk your own life to help defiant and arrogant hikers. Come on in.”

I made my way to the back deck and stepped back out into the elements.

The river was definitely taking a beating from the pounding rain, but the levels didn’t seem to be rising in a way that concerned me.

I went to turn around and bumped directly into Collins.

I hadn’t realized that she followed me onto the deck.

Her breasts were soft and full as they smashed against me.

My hands automatically went to her back, pulling her closer, before I realized what I was doing.

My hands flew off of her back, going up in surrender. “My bad.”

She backed away slowly, looking up at me with wide-eyed innocence coupled with… awareness.

My eyes moved to her chest noticing immediately that her nipples were visibly erect. I took another step away from her, even though every thought in my brain was screaming at me to move closer. “The water levels look good. I’m not worried about the river overflowing the banks.”

“That’s um… That’s good, right?”

“It’s perfect.” I wasn’t sure if I was talking about the state of the river or her face and body.

The two of us walked into the living room area. She had blankets and pillows on the sofa, a travel cup filled with who knew what on the cocktail table along with a bowl of popcorn, and the remote.

“I see you made good on your promise to get cozy and binge watch television tonight,” I teased.

“I did.”

“What are you watching?”

She looked sheepish. “Don’t make fun of me, Beckham, but Christmas movies.”

“Christmas movies? In October?” A thought occurred to me. “Oh, you must be a romantic.”

Her face frowned up. “Nah. I mean, not really.”

“So, what’s with the Christmas movies? Aren’t they all… sappy and romantic?”

“Maybe, but I don’t watch them for that. I watch them because they’re predictable and won’t give me nightmares or scare the hell out of me while I’m out in these woods by myself.”

She had a forlorn look on her face that I didn’t like when she talked about being “out here in the woods” by herself.

I didn’t like the look. And I didn’t necessarily like that I didn’t like it.

Collins had a life in a whole other part of the country.

She wasn’t mine to care about, nor would she ever be.

Her happiness really shouldn’t have mattered to me, but for some reason, it did.

“How’s your head?”

“It’s good.”

“Your leg?”

We both looked down at her leg. It was a sexy ass leg that I couldn’t stop myself from imagining having thrown over my shoulder. Truth be told, I just wanted it in my hands… under my control.

“It seems okay. Not sure if I’ll be up for hiking again tomorrow…” She let her thoughts trail off.

I waved her words away with my hand. “We’re switching gears tomorrow. I’m not taking you back up the mountain until I know your leg is 100 percent.”

“So, what’s on the agenda for tomorrow?”

“If the storm breaks and the weather and the water are calm and cool, we’ll go fishing.”

“If it doesn’t?”

“Then we’ll sit down until the weather gets better. I’m a risk taker in life, but I’m not a risk taker with my clients. Their safety is my utmost concern.”

She nodded her understanding.

“Now, when I stopped by the lodge, I ran into my mother. She was concerned about you.”

“Why?”

“Somehow, she heard you hurt yourself on the mountain.”

“How’d she hear that?”

I lifted my arms into a shrug. “Who knows? She has eyes and ears everywhere.”

“Did you let her know that I’m okay?”

“Yeah,” I said with a nod of my head. “That didn’t stop her from sending you dinner since she knew you wouldn’t be able to get down to the lodge yourself.” I eyed her curiously. “My mom really seems to like you.”

Collins grinned big. “Your mom is everything. I wanna marry your mom.”

I laughed aloud. “Uh, you would have to fight my father to make that happen. Go ‘head and take your ‘L’ now. You ain’t getting Bradford Strong to come up off of Beverly.”

The smile she gave me was wistful. “I love the idea of that.”

I raised one eyebrow independently of the other and cocked my head to the side, so she would know that I needed her to expound on her thought.

“The idea of a husband loving a wife so… thoroughly.”

“You didn’t grow up with two parents I’m guessing.”

“No, I didn’t. I grew up with a loving mother—a single loving mother. My mother is and has always been a lover girl. She’s a huge romantic… which is probably why I don’t really fuck with romance. I’ve watched her chase the dream of being loved completely by a man and having it blow up in her face.”

Okay, now I had some insight on why she didn’t consider herself a romantic. “So, instead of jumping in headfirst like your mom may have done, you avoid romance altogether?”

“Romance. Love. Relationships.”

Even though the relationship with my ex had gone south, it hadn’t turned me off of the thought of a future relationship.

Watching my parents do life together so in love and committed to one another had me wanting the same thing one day.

Didn’t seem like I… or any dude would get that from Collins.

I stored that information in my mental rolodex.

“Aye, you hungry? I can go grab the food my mother packed up for you from my wheels and my extra clothes. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m dripping all over the floor.”

“Yeah. Grab your stuff and the food. I don’t want you getting sick.”

Once I’d changed into dry clothes, I watched as Collins celebrated with hand claps as I pulled containers of food from the insulated carrier my mother had packed.

“Food is just your thing, huh?” I teased the beautiful woman in front of me.

She chuckled lowly. “I do love food. As you can see.” She ran a hand down each side of her waist, her hands trailing her body down her hip and thighs.

I paused mid-removal. I was so tempted to say or do something to let her know how much I was feeling her, but at the last moment, I decided to keep my thoughts to myself.

“Crab cakes?” She practically squealed. “Beckham, I love your family’s lodge. You guys have the best customer-service ever!”

I laughed. “I’ll make sure to pass that along to my mama.”

I filled one of the disposable containers that my mother had included with a T-Bone steak, a baked potato, and a few spears of asparagus before heading over to the sofa.

“Now, what are we watching?” I plopped down.

She stared at me for a few seconds. “You’re really staying here to eat?”

“And watch movies. So, what’s up?” I hesitated. “Unless you feel like it’s invasive or… uncomfortable.”

“And don’t,” she assured me. “I already trusted you to take me into the national park. If you were gonna hurt me, you probably would’ve done it then and left my body for the wild animals to discover.

Also, everybody I love already knows I’m here with you.

Besides, I don’t get a creeper vibe from you, Beckham.

You’re a good guy.” She grabbed her plate and joined me on the sofa.

“I think this movie is called Mistletoe Memories .”

“Okay, cool. Glad everything my parents put in me is evident. I’m starving. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s eat.”

I awoke slowly, my eyes blinking rapidly before the furnishings of The Sunset Cliff Cottage registered.

The next thing to register was the feeling of a warm cheek pressed against my chest. I glanced down at Collins’s head resting on me.

Her formerly neat ponytail was now a mass of wayward green strands fanning out all over her head.

She was adorable as hell. I felt the urge to kiss her on her upturned mouth. I also felt the urge to take a piss, and as good as she felt nuzzled up against me, my need to piss was greater.

I shifted her slightly. “Collins,” I whispered and realized that my mouth tasted terrible.

I didn’t want to breathe that in her face, so I gently disentangled myself wordlessly. I made it to the bathroom, used the facilities, washed my hands, and walked back out to the living area. She was still asleep with her head resting against the back of the sofa.

“Collins,” I said in my normal voice.

She stirred slightly, which caused me to smile because she was so fucking pretty. Even all disheveled with bedhead, she was pretty.

“Collins.”

She stirred again but didn’t awaken.

“Damn, this girl sleeps like a rock.”

“I heard that,” came her gravelly, sleep-coated voice.

I laughed.

“Don't laugh. Talking crap about me.”

“I wasn’t talking… crap. It was an observation.”

“Whatever.” She sat up on the couch. “What time is it?”

The sun seemed to just be starting its ascent. “A little after five in the morning.”

She yawned, stretching her arms in the air. “I made it through the night.”

“You did.”