Chapter 14

Brad got dressed and walked outside and headed up the road to the top of the mountain. At the top, he stood for a long time looking out over the valley below, not really seeing anything. The thoughts were racing through his head so fast that he was having trouble sorting any of them out and really analyzing his feelings.

He heard someone walking up the road and saw Amy approaching him. She walked over to him and put her arms around him and started sobbing in his chest again. Brad took her over to a large rock and they sat down with his arms around her.

"Amy I didn't reject you. I just feel that you should have someone you own age. I'm twenty-two years older than you. I couldn't stand it if you and I became lovers and later you left me for a young guy. I think that you should analyze your feelings to make sure that you don't feel you have to repay me for taking you in. You don't have to repay me, you know. You have been a lifesaver to me. I can't imagine what my life would have been if you hadn't come along. I love you and I must admit that I have looked at you in ways that I guess some people would say are wrong. You don't know how much I wanted you last night. I am so afraid that if I had made love to you, later on you would have felt that I trapped you into a relationship or that I took advantage of you. I couldn't stand that."

Amy looked at her hands, "You didn't reject me then? You were just afraid of hurting me?"

He pulled her closer, "My God, Amy. It took everything I had not to pull you into my arms and make love to you."

She kissed him gently on the lips, "I'm not very good hiding my feelings. You know that I love you and I want us to be together. I melt every time that you touch me. I know that I would never find a better man than you."

"Amy let's just give this a little thought for a while. I want you so bad that it hurts. I couldn't stand it if I ever hurt you or made you feel trapped. Give me a little time to sort out my own feelings and you make sure that you know what you're getting into."

She smiled, "I'll give you a little time, but not too much. I know what I want, I've known it for a while now. I know you still love Vera and I'm not asking you to forget her. I don't want to replace her in your heart either. There is room in that giant heart of yours to love again."

She kissed him again, "Besides, that cock looked real good this morning."

Brad held her at arms length and grinned, "Where did you learn to talk like that?"

She hid her face in his chest, slightly embarrassed. They turned and looked out over the valley. They stood for a while with her standing in front of him and with his arms around her. He lowered his head and kissed her neck. She leaned back into him and turned her head and kissed him.

"We ought to go back and see if the girls are awake," he said softly.

"Fuck 'em, I want to stay here in your arms."

Brad laughed, "Listen to the mouth on that woman."

They turned and started down the road. She took his hand and they walked hand-in-hand. They stopped twice when she turned to him, pulled him to her and kissed him. As the lodge came into view, she hugged his arm.

"You said you want a little time. Remember, I said I won't give you long."

The girls weren't up yet and Brad woke them at three o'clock for the ride back to town. They stopped for dinner and then continued home. Amy took the girls home in her car and Brad went ahead to the house. As soon as he got inside and brought the luggage in, he built a fire in the fireplace. He intended to sit in the sunroom and think about what had happened at the lodge.

Amy came in after he had poured himself a drink and was sitting in his chair. She immediately went upstairs to her room without speaking to him. He had the lights off and the firelight the room with a faint orange glow. He sat staring at the fire thinking about what had happened at the lodge. He knew that he loved her and he was ecstatic that she loved him and wanted him. The only thing that bothered him was their age difference. He was sure that they would grow apart as she grew older. He knew he could not stand to lose another love. He was not sure that she was not feeling a need to repay him for his help.