“oh.noah,”shefinallysaidsoftly,“it’sbeautiful.”
theysatinsilenceforalongwhile,watchingthebirds.noahpointedoutagroupofchicks,recentlyhatched,followingapackofgeeseneartheshore,strugglingtokeepup.
theairwasfilledwithhonkingandchirpingasnoahmovedthecanoethroughthewater.thebirdsignoredthemforthemostpart.theonlyonesthatseemedbotheredwerethoseforcedtomovewhenthecanoeapproachedthem.alliereachedouttotouchtheclosestonesandfelttheirfeathersrufflingunderherfingers.
noahtookoutthebreadhe’dbroughtinhisbagandhandedittoallie.shescatteredit,favouringthelittleones,laughingandsmilingastheyswamincircleslookingforfood.
theystayeduntilthunderboomedinthedistance—fainthutpowerful—andbothofthemknewitwastimetoleave.
noahpaddledthecanoehacktothemaincreek.shewasstillamazedbywhatshehadseen.
“noah,whataretheydoinghere?”
“idon’tknow.iknowtheswansfromupnorthmigratetolakematamuskeeteverywinter,hutiguesstheycameherethistime.idon’tknowwhy.maybetheearlyblizzardhadsomethingtodowithit.maybetheygotofftrackorsomething.they’llfindtheirwayback,though.they’redrivenbyinstinct,andthisisn’ttheirplace.someofthegeesemaywinterhere,huttheswanswillgobacktomatamuskeet.”
noahpaddledhardasdarkcloudsrolleddirectlyoverhead.soonrainbegantofall,alightsprinkleatfirst,thengraduallyharder.lightning...apause...thenthunderagain.alittleloudernow.maybesixorsevenmilesaway.morerainasnoahbegantopaddleevenharder,hismusclestighteningwitheverystroke.
thickerdropsnow,fallinghard.noahrowing...gettingwet…cursingtohimself...losingtomothernature.
alliewatchedtherainfalldiagonallyfromtheskyasitrodeonwesterlywindsthatwhistledoverthetrees.theskydarkenedalittlemore.sheleanedherheadbackforamomenttoletithitherface.sheranherhandsthroughherhair,feelingitswetness.itfeltwonderful,shefeltwonderful.eventhroughtherainshecouldhearhimbreathinghard,andthesoundarousedhersexuallyinawayshehadn’tfeltinyears.
acloudburstdirectlyabovethemandtherainbegantocomedownharderthanshe’deverseenit.allielookedupwardsandlaughed,givingupanyattemptatkeepingdry,makingnoahfeelbetter.eventhoughshe’dmadethedecisiontocome,hedoubtedthatshe’dexpectedtobecaughtinastormlikethis.
theyreachedthedockacoupleofminuteslater,andnoahmovedincloseenoughforallietostepout.hehelpedherup,thengotouthimselfanddraggedthecanoeupthebank,tyingittothejetty.
ashewastyingthecanoe,helookedupatallieandstoppedbreathingforjustasecond.shewasincrediblybeautifulasshewaited,watchinghim.shedidn’ttrytokeepdryorhideherself,andhecouldseetheoutlineofherbreastsastheypressedthroughthefabricofthedressthatclungtightlytoherbody.hequicklyturnedaway,embarrassed.whenhefinishedandstood,allietookhishandsinhers,surprisinghim.despitethedownpour,theydidn’trushtowardsthehouse,andnoahimaginedwhatitwouldbeliketospendthenightwithher.
alliefeltthewarmthinhishandsandwonderedwhatitwouldbeliketohavethemtouchherbody,lingeringslowlyacrossherskin.justthinkingaboutitmadehertakeadeepbreath.sherealizedthenthatsomethinghadchanged.andalthoughshecouldn’tpinpointtheexacttime—yesterdayafterdinner,orthisafternooninthecanoe,orwhentheysawtheswans,ormaybeevennowastheywalkedholdinghands—sheknewthatshehadfalleninlovewithnoahtaylorcalhounagain,andthatmaybe,justmaybe,shehadneverstopped.
therewasnouneasinessbetweenthemastheyreachedthedoorandwentinside,pausinginthehall,clothesdripping.
‘ithinkicanfindsomethinghereforyousoyoucangetoutofthoseclothes.itmightbealittlebig,butit’swarm.”
“anything,”shesaid.
“i’llbebackinasecond.”
noahslippedoffhisboots,thenranupthestairs,descendingaminutelater.hehadapairofcottontrousersandalong-sleevedshinunderonearmandsomejeanswithablueshirtintheother.
“here,’hesaid,handingherthecottontrousersandshirt.“youcanchangeinthebedroomupstairs.there’sabathroomandtoweluptheretooifyouwanttoshower.”
shethankedhimwithasmileandwentupstairs,feelinghiseyesonherasshewalked.sheenteredthebedroomandclosedthedoor,thensetthetrousersandshirtonhisbedandpeeledeverythingoff.naked,shewenttohisclosetandfoundahanger,putherdress,braandpantiesonit,andthenwenttohangitinthebathroomsoitwouldn’tdriponthehardwoodfloor.shefeltasecretthrillatbeingnakedinthesameroomhesleptin.
shedidn’twanttoshowerafterbeingintherain.shelikedthesoftfeelingonherskin.sheslippedonhisclothesbeforelookingatherselfinthemirror.thetrouserswerebig,buttuckingintheshinhelped,andsherolledupthebottomsjustalittlesotheywouldn’tdrag.theneckwastornalittle,butshelikedthewayitlookedonheranyway.shepulledthesleevesupalmosttotheelbows,wenttothechestofdrawersandslippedonsomesocks,thenwenttothebathroomtofindahairbrush.
shebrushedherwethairjustenoughtogetoutthetangles,lettingitrestonhershoulders.lookinginthemirror,shewishedshehadbroughtaclasporacoupleofhairpins.andalittlemoremascara.hereyesstillhadalittleofwhatshe’dputonearlier,andshetouchedupwithaflannel,doingthebestshecould.
whenshewasfinished,shecheckedherselfinthemirror,feelingprettydespiteeverything,andwentbackdownstairs.
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