CHAPTER 14 #2
The last time I had driven this exact stretch of road, the Jeep had been filled with a suffocating, unbearable silence.
Sitting in the passenger seat where Ciara now sat had been Amanda Wilde—a fragile, deeply scarred blonde patient who had sought out my practice after enduring years of horrific abuse from her ex-husband, a former military man currently serving time behind bars.
Amanda was a divorcee carrying immense trauma, and in my quiet consultation room, she had found a rare solace.
I was the one man who had actually listened to her, who had made her feel safe when her world was falling apart, and she had placed her absolute trust in me—never realizing that the therapist who made her feel so protected would ultimately become her quiet end.
I remembered how Amanda had whined about the mountain air, how her sharp, grating voice had filled the Jeep with endless demands for attention.
She had believed we were driving to my cabin for a romantic rendezvous.
She hadn't realized she was riding in a hearse.
I had neutralized Amanda right inside the cabin, methodically and silently, ensuring her chaotic presence was permanently erased before carrying her deep into the pine grove near the river to rest beneath the earth.
I glanced sideways at Ciara.
The contrast made my heart ache with a strange, overwhelming tenderness.
Amanda had been a parasite, a flaw in my structured universe.
But Ciara... Ciara was my equal. She was fire and light, resilience and warmth.
Looking at her, feeling her fingers intertwined with mine, I realized I was looking at the only person on earth who truly possessed my heart.
I was a complex, dangerous man hiding behind a polished therapist’s persona.
But for Ciara, I would tear down mountains before I ever let harm reach her.
She wasn't a flaw. She was my redemption.
"Look at those trees, Joshua!" Ciara’s excited voice shattered my internal monologue, bringing me instantly back into the vibrant, sunlit present.
We had cleared the main mountain ridge, the Jeep crawling up the steep, gravel access path that snaked through towering, ancient evergreens. The air up here was utterly transformed—crisp, thin, and rich with the sharp scent of crushed pine needles, damp soil, and wild ozone.
Ciara unbuckled her seatbelt, leaning half her upper body out of the open passenger window.
She threw her head back, closing her eyes and taking a deep, greedy breath of the mountain air.
Her long dark braids whipped wildly around her shoulders in the wind, a bright, breathtaking smile illuminating her face.
"God, it smells so clean out here!" she shouted over the rumble of the engine. "I feel like my lungs are getting a full factory reset!"
I reached over, my broad hand crossing the console, and delivered a swift, firm spank right onto her lovely, rounded backside.
PAFF!
Ciara gasped, whipping her body back inside the Jeep, her dark eyes wide with mock outrage and flashing with playful trouble. "Hey! Excuse me, Doctor! What was that for?"
"Routine physical examination," I said, keeping my eyes fixed on the trail while my lips twitched with suppressed amusement. "Checking for localized muscle tone and ensuring you don't launch yourself out of a moving vehicle."
She rubbed her backside, leaning over to plant a firm elbow into my ribs. "Wait till we reach the cabin, Doc. Don't tease me like that if you aren't ready to settle the tab!"
I let out a deep, booming laugh that echoed off the Jeep's frame. "Oh, sweetheart, I’ve got unlimited credit. I can settle whatever tab you hand me."
"We’re gonna test that theory real soon," she purred, sliding back into her leather seat with a mischievous smirk that made my blood run hot.
A moment later, the dense treeline opened up into an expansive, secluded clearing perched on a high bluff overlooking the valley.
Nestled right at the edge of the woods stood my cabin—a magnificent, two-story timber retreat constructed from hand-hewn cedar logs, complete with wrap-around stone porches, floor-to-ceiling glass, and a massive stone chimney.
And directly below the bluff, stretching out like a vast sheet of polished turquoise glass, lay the pristine lake, framed by majestic, emerald peaks.
Ciara was completely floored.
Before I could even cut the engine, she slammed her door open and stepped out onto the crushed stone driveway.
She stood frozen for a few seconds, her mouth slightly open in sheer awe, taking in the panoramic beauty of the wilderness.
Then, like a young girl swept up in pure happiness, she twirled around in a slow circle, her arms stretched wide, her joyous laughter bouncing off the canyon walls.
When Amanda Wilde had arrived here, she had complained about the lack of high-speed Wi-Fi and the rustic smell of wood. But Ciara... Ciara looked at it like she had just inherited the earth.
I turned off the ignition, stepped out into the crisp mountain air, and walked around to the back of the Jeep to retrieve our duffel bags.
"Well?" I asked, hoisting the heavy canvas straps over my shoulder. "Does it meet your standards, Miss Ciara?"
She turned to face me, her eyes shining with pure delight. "Shit, I think I might just stay out here forever. I love being surrounded by nature, and that lake looks amazing... I think I’m gonna take a dip lata!"
"I’m glad you love it," I said softly, walking up to her and gazing down into her radiant face. "This place has been a refuge for me for a long time. But I’ve never seen it look half as beautiful as it does right now with you standing in the middle of it."
She bit her lower lip, stepping into my space and resting her hands against my chest. "You really know how to talk to a woman, Doctor Willis."
"Only when that woman is you," I whispered, leaning down to capture her lips in a deep, welcoming kiss.
***
I unlocked the front door, pushing it wide to reveal the cabin's interior.
The air inside was cool, carrying the comforting scent of aged wood, cedar oil, and cold hearth stone.
The local caretaker, old man Johnson, had done a flawless job as always.
The key had been left in the hidden lockbox, the oak floors were immaculate, and fresh, crisp linens were neatly folded on the grand four-poster bed upstairs.
Ciara walked inside, her boots clicking softly against the floorboards. She explored the expansive great room, admiring the exposed timber trusses, the plush leather sofas, and the towering stone fireplace that anchored the home.
"This place is unreal, Joshua," she said, running her fingers along the smooth, polished surface of a wooden dining table. "It’s so grounded, so peaceful."
"It was built by my grandfather back in the sixties," I explained, dropping our duffel bags near the wooden staircase. "I upgraded the kitchen and plumbing a few years back, but I preserved the original soul of the house. It’s where I come when the weight of other people's trauma gets too heavy."
"Well, right now, the only weight I care about shedding is these clothes so I can get into that water," Ciara said, turning toward me with a teasing, sultry tilt of her head. "Where’s the master bedroom? I need to change into my suit."
"Upstairs, first door on the right," I gestured.
Ten minutes later, I was waiting for her downstairs near the rear French doors.
I had changed out of my travel clothes, wearing only a pair of black swim shorts.
Standing six-foot-eight, with my broad chest, defined abs, and powerful shoulders fully exposed, I stretched my arms, feeling the warm sunlight filtering through the massive glass panels.
The soft, rhythmic sound of bare feet on the stairs made me turn around.
Ciara was descending the wooden steps, and my breath caught firmly in my throat.
She was wearing a stunning, high-cut emerald-green two-piece swimsuit that contrasted gorgeously against her rich, chocolate skin.
Her long legs seemed endless, her waist was tight, and her dark braids swung gracefully over her shoulder.
"Well?" she asked, pausing on the second-to-last step and placing a hand on her hip, her eyes scanning my upper body with unsparing appreciation. "Are you just gonna stand there staring at me like a confused patient, Doc, or are we going swimming?"
I closed the distance between us, stepping right up to the staircase so we were eye-to-eye. I reached out, placing my broad hands on her waist, pulling her flush against my warm, bare chest.
"I could stare at you for the next fifty years and consider it time exceptionally well spent," I murmured, my baritone thick with genuine desire. "You are an absolute vision, Ciara."
She wrapped her arms around my neck, leaning in until her breath tickled my cheek. "You don't look too bad yourself, Big Guy. Look at all these abs... almost makes a girl forget how dangerous you are."
"Almost?" I teased, nipping gently at her chin.
"Key word: almost," she laughed, giving my shoulder a playful shove before slipping out of my arms. "Come on, Doctor! First one in the water has to make dinner!"
Hand in hand, our fingers tightly locked together, we stepped out the back doors, descending the grassy hill toward the private shore of the lake.
The lake shore was a masterpiece of natural design. Smooth, rounded river stones formed a clear, natural pathway leading down into the crystalline water. The afternoon sun hung high, casting shimmering ribbons of gold across the gentle surface ripples.
We stepped into the shallow water together. It was crisp, cool, and instantly refreshing—a sharp sensory contrast against our sun-warmed skin that made Ciara let out a soft, dramatic gasp.
"Ooh! Okay, that is crisp!" she laughed, shivering pleasantly and pressing her side right up against my bare arm.