Page 9 of The Mountain Man's Determined Bride

“Don’t you dare try to deny what you did Luke Walker.” She threw the blanket on the floor, grabbed her plate from the table and stomped into the kitchen to dump the uneaten portion of food in the trash.

“I didn’t doanythingMorgan.” Luke scrambled to get off the floor and follow her. “Who in the world would you think I could ever cheat on you with? I loved you.”

“You loved me? Well you had a funny way of showing it.” She was so furious she couldn’t stand still while the water boiled on the stovetop to wash dishes with. “I really thought we were at a point where we could move on to the next level in our relationship. I was ready for the next step. You ruined it all.” She abruptly stepped into her boots, grabbed her coat off the hook and ran out the back door, slamming it in her wake.

“Shit.”What in the sam-hell just happened?Luke grabbed his boots and coat as well and ran out after her. However, it proved to be an impossible task. It was really dark and even if it hadn’t been, the snow was still coming down so hard he couldn’t see a thing. On a mountain this high, the dang stuff never stopped once it started.

“Morgan.” He yelled at the top of his lungs but it seemed as though the sound stopped five feet in front of him like it hit a wall. She knew this mountain much better than he did. He’d never find her by wandering around and getting himself lost. Been there, done that! He couldn’t just leave her outside by herself though.

“I’ll just sit here a while and see if she comes back. She can’t stay out there forever, she’ll freeze.”

Chapter Eight

“Seriously, that man infuriates me. Somebody please tell me, why do I keep ending up outside because of him?” Morgan was so frustrated with Luke. Why in the world would he deny having an affair or a tryst or whatever it’s called, with Margie? She saw the whole thing with her own eyes from the woods edge and she wasn’t that far away from the cabin that she could have misread what they were obviously doing.

She’d found a downed log to sit on in almost the exact spot where she’d stood six years ago and watched the very scene play out. Morgan heard Luke holler her name when he’d followed her out the door. She knew he wouldn’t be able to see her just inside the tree line when he could hardly see right in front of him.

She just needed some time to herself. This snow storm needed to stop so either he would leave or she could. Rehashing old memories was nothing but hurtful. She’d lived through all that once, she sure didn’t want to do it again. However, Luke wasn’t the type to just go away without a fight. She knew that about him. If she was being truthful to herself, that’s probably one of the many things she always loved about him.

The fact that he was here was proof he hadn’t given up on them even when she did. She was the runner, not him. She’d left six years ago when the going got more than tough. Then again just a few weeks ago when she’d found out her recent ex had married the girl he dated before her and was now pregnant with his child.

I need to stop running from my problems and my heartaches. It doesn’t solve anything, that’s obvious.At leastwith him here, maybe they could hash out that painful past and shut the door forever. That’s what she wanted right? To shut the door on Luke for good?I don’t know what I want anymore. I thought I knew, until I came home. Until I saw him again. Damn it.

With the porch light shining bright at the back door, she could see only his silhouette so when he retreated, she knew she’d outlasted him for the moment. Another thing she had to admit; shewasstubborn and he knew she wouldn’t go back inside until she was ready. He knew a lot of other things about her too. Probably a lot more than she was ready or even willing to admit.

“Maybe Ishouldgo back in.” She left the fallen log and walked through the edge of trees out into the clearing and then of all things, the snow stopped, just like that. Why now? Guess tomorrow they would get to go home, problems solved or not. That’s really what she wanted. Right?

Morgan slowly turned the knob on the back door, afraid he might be sitting in the kitchen waiting for her. Relieved that the doors were new and didn’t squeak, she tip-toed inside, having slid off her boots on the back porch and carried them. His coat and boots were there as well which meant he hadn’t wandered off into the falling snow to look for her. Good thing since he probably didn’t have a radio to call for help.

She saw no sight of him so she busied herself in her kitchen, doing up the dishes from their supper and made herself a cup of warm cocoa to help her unthaw. Since her room was attached to the living room, she had no choice but to go in, facing the possibility of his scrutiny. To her relief, he’d apparentlydecided to take up in the other bedroom so chances for another confrontation were slim.

She left her bedroom door open a crack to help heat and got her clothes changed. After brushing her hair and fixing it back into a bun, she put her flannel pajamas on and crawled into bed.Please don’t let me have any more nightmares.

* * * *

Luke lay in bed wondering what else he’d done wrong. Why did she have to be so stubborn? He knew she’d come inside when she was good and ready and surely not because he was calling for her. Now that he could hear her getting settled in her bedroom, Luke decided he’d just head off to sleep instead of bugging her more. She wouldn’t want to talk tonight anyway. Maybe tomorrow there was a chance he’d wake up before her, make some breakfast and try serving it to her in bed.

Screams woke him from a fitful sleep what felt like minutes after he’d drifted off. He threw the covers aside and jumped from his bed. Standing still waiting to hear any rustling or movement. “Was that Morgan or was I dreaming?” He walked softly to the bedroom door and opened it to peek outside. Seeing no movement he tip-toed into the living room and approached her door. It was ajar but he couldn’t see inside so he opened the door wider and stepped into her bedroom.

Once his eyes had adjusted from the little amount of light seeping in the window, he could see Morgan sprawled in the middle of the bed, tossing and turning. She must be dreaming but should he wake her? He didn’t want to scare her. She’d probably slug him and not even realize it. He stepped to the bed and watched her for a minute. She was mumbling but hecouldn’t quite make it out so he placed a hand on her shoulder, hushing her like a mother would a baby.

“Shhh Morgan, it’s okay. I’m here.”

“Luke?”

“It’s me honey, are you okay?” He leaned a knee onto the bed and her hand moved to rest on his bare chest so naturally it transported him to six years ago when they were so much in love. With squinted eyes, Morgan grabbed for Luke’s arm, pulling him down onto the bed toward her.

“Morgan, I think you had a bad dream. I just came in to check on you when I heard you scream.” He tried to move her hand away but she grabbed at him again.

“Please Luke, come to bed with me.”

What?“I really don’t think you know what you’re saying. This morning you hated me. Are you sure this is what you want?” Her hand moving over his body was making him crazy. He wasn’t sure it felt right to join her after all the arguing they’d been doing but maybe she’d realized he did love her and hadn’t done anything to her back then.

He lay down and wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll lay here and hold you if that’s ok?”

She didn’t talk but her fingers continued to move slowly over his shoulders and across his back while she nuzzled into his neckline, only increasing the amount of desire he was feeling for her. “Morgan, ahh geez woman, I’m not sure about this.”

“Luke,” she said softly, shushing him with a finger over his lips. “Relax and let it happen will you? Don’t you want me?”