CHAPTER 14 #3
"It takes a moment for the body to acclimate," I instructed in my best therapeutic tone, taking another step deeper until the water rose past my waist and covered her chest.
She turned to face me in the clear water, her arms sliding over my broad shoulders, her fingers resting against the nape of my neck.
Beneath us, the water was so transparent we could see every colorful pebble on the lake floor.
The silence of the mountains enveloped us—no city sirens, no demanding patients, no violent ghosts lurking in the alleyways.
Just the two of us, suspended in paradise.
"I love you, Joshua," she whispered over my lips, her dark eyes overflowing with pure, unfiltered devotion.
A sudden, overwhelming wave of warmth flooded my chest—a feeling so clean, powerful, and profound it nearly brought me to my knees. I looked into the eyes of this incredible, fierce woman who had seen the absolute worst of the world and still possessed a heart capable of boundless love.
"I love you, Ciara," I replied softly, my voice heavy with absolute truth. "With every fiber of my being."
I leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep, slow, intoxicating kiss that tasted of cool mountain water and absolute surrender.
As our lips parted, I slid my hands beneath her thighs, lifting her effortlessly into the air.
She let out a delighted scream as I twirled her around in a wide circle, sending a huge ring of water splashing around us, her clear, melodious laughter echoing off the mountain peaks.
For the next hour, we played like teenagers on summer break. We engaged in fierce water battles where she tried—and spectacularly failed—to dunk my massive frame under, threw cool water at each other, and swam together out toward the deeper, crystal-blue core of the lake.
"Watch this, beautiful!" I called out, taking a deep breath and plunging beneath the surface.
Ciara dove right beside me. Underwater, the lake was a quiet, shimmering world.
Golden sunbeams sliced through the clear water like blades of light, illuminating schools of tiny silver fish navigating the underwater rock formations.
We swam side-by-side beneath the surface, our hands linked, watching the marine life scatter before kicking back up together, breaking through the surface with loud, exhilarated gasps of air.
"That was unreal!" Ciara cheered, wiping water from her face, her eyes sparkling like diamonds. "The water is so clear you can see clear to the bottom! Joshua, this place is magic."
"It really is," I agreed, treading water effortlessly beside her and wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her anchored. "I’ve been coming to this cabin for decades, but I’ve never seen it truly come alive until today."
Eventually, as the sun began its majestic descent behind the western ridges, painting the sky in brilliant strokes of amber, coral, and violet, we waded back toward the shallow shore.
We stepped out of the water onto the smooth, flat boulders where we had laid our oversized cotton towels.
I grabbed a plush white towel, draping it over Ciara’s shoulders, and began gently drying her back and arms. She took another towel, blotting her face and hair, before wrapping her arms around my bare waist, resting her cheek against my chest as we stood together on the sun-warmed rocks.
"You know..." Ciara murmured softly, her voice filled with a serene, meditative peace as she watched the golden light dance over the water.
"I could really get used to a life like this.
Getting away from the concrete... coming up here by the cabin to live.
It's so quiet, Joshua. No noise, no city madness, no crazy exes haunting every corner. Just peace and clean air."
She paused, looking up at me with a slightly timid, hesitant smile. "I mean... I know you have your whole therapy practice back in town. You’ve got clients, your office, your whole life established there. It would be selfish of me to expect you to give all that up for country living."
I smiled down at her, placing my hand gently against her soft cheek, my thumb stroking her jawline with absolute tenderness.
"It’s not selfish at all, Ciara," I said quietly, my tone dead serious. "In fact... I’ve been quietly preparing my retirement strategy for a while now. I’ve spent years listening to the dark, heavy baggage of the world, spending twelve hours a day in a consultation room.
I’ve been thinking about relocating up here permanently for a long time. "
Ciara’s eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Wait, really? You’d actually step away from your practice?"
"I’ve invested wisely over the years, Ciara. I don't need to work for money anymore," I said, stepping closer and looking deep into her eyes. "I was simply waiting for a catalyst. A real, meaningful reason to open the next chapter of my life. And now... I finally have her."
Ciara stared at me, her breath catching softly in her throat.
The sheer vulnerability, love, and joy shining in her dark eyes were completely unshielded.
Without speaking a word, she stood up on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck, and brought her lips to mine in a kiss of unbelievable warmth and passion.
I wrapped my broad arms around her sun-warmed body, pulling her tight against me, feeling the strong, steady rhythm of her heart beating in perfect sync with my own.
When our lips finally separated, she rested her forehead against mine, a brilliant, breathtaking smile gracing her features. "You're not just pulling my leg, are you, Doctor Willis?"
"I have never been more serious about anything in my entire life," I whispered against her lips.
Hand in hand, our fingers securely intertwined, our wet towels wrapped around our shoulders, we turned and began the slow, happy walk back up the grassy slope toward the cabin.
The mountain air was turning cool, promising a chilly night—a night we would spend wrapped in each other's arms before a roaring fireplace in our private sanctuary.
As we climbed the wooden steps to the porch, I looked down at Ciara, listening to her vibrant voice as she talked about what we should whip up for dinner.
The lingering threat of Morgan, the heavy memory of Amanda Wilde, and the shadow of my past were entirely erased.
Out here, in these woods, by this lake, we were building a future—and I would destroy anyone who dared try to break it.