Chapter 4: The meaning of a name.
After the movie Embry took her to eat at the Chinese Restaurant, they enjoyed serving themselves at the buffet and talked more as they dined. By the time they were ready to go, they were holding hands across the table.
"So, what should we do now?" Embry asked as he caressed Cortina's hand gently.
"Let's go for a hike." She stated quickly.
"What, now! It's way after dark." Embry stated.
"Yes, now!" They finished their drinks and headed to the pickup, they drove back to Cortina's house and parked behind the garage. Then they quietly scaled the tree outside Cortina's bedroom window and slipped in. "I'll be ready in a sec. Just need to change." Cortina stated and grabbed a pair of cut offs and a tank top out of her dresser.
"Hey sweets, what happened in here. Looks like a tornado set down in your closet and blew all your clothes out of it." Embry stated picking up several pieces of clothing. Cortina finished in the bathroom and stepped out smiling.
"Wasn't a tornado, it was nerves." She stated smiling.
"Nerves, you were nervous, about me?" Embry asked.
"Yeah, you know new town, new guy." Cortina explained.
"Ah honey, you shouldn't be nervous, you're so beautiful. I should have been the one worrying about you liking me." Embry stated and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her on the forehead and then their lips met, bodies touching, hands caressing and exploring. Soon there was a creek on the stairs, they stopped their making out and listened, another step creeked.
"Mom's coming up stairs. We need to go, I'll clean when I get home." Cortina stated.
"Do you have a curfew?" Embry asked looking at the alarm clock on the nightstand.
"No, I mostly come and go as I please." Cortina stated. "What about you, do you have a set schedule?" Cortina asked as she slipped back out the window and dropped to the ground. Embry followed her out shutting the window behind him. He too dropped to the ground. Then they ran hand in hand to the cover of the trees.
"No, I am free as a bird, too." Embry answered. "So where do you want to go, up the ridgeline or toward the cliffs."
"The ridgeline, I've already seen the cliffs." Cortina stated and smiled at him.
"I doubt, you'll see anything out here, it's pitch black, a cloud just crossed the moon." Embry stated watching her with his wolf eyes.
"You'd be surprised how good my eyesight is at night." Cortina stated and headed north toward the ridgeline. Embry watched her go, she never stumbled, not even once. It was alittle confusing, but maybe she did have good night vision. As he caught up with her he took her hand and they walked higher and higher. At the top of the ridgeline it leveled out into another meadow that held a sparkling lake that was fed by a high mountain waterfall. "Let's go swimming!" Cortina stated and started running to the lake. She got to the bank and stripped down to her underwear, then dove in, the cold water felt amazing against her hot skin. It was one night to the full moon and she needed the cool water to ease the heat that was building more and more with each passing minute.
Embry caught up and stripped off his clothes down to a pair of boxer briefs. Then he dove in and swam to Cortina, the cold was nothing to his wolf heat. As he got closer he took her hand and pulled her into his arms again, his lips assailed hers. He felt the heat of her body under the cold of the lake water. He kept touching her skin to his, he was amazed, she was the only one who he could ever feel their heat above his own. "Wow, you're so warm, even in the cold water."
"I have a high temperature, my body usually runs hot." Cortina stated and kissed him again. She brought her hands up and cupped the sides of his face and kissed him deeper and deeper, until he didn't think he could withstand any more. With a low growl he lifted her up and carried her out of the water, their lips still touching. He laid her in the rich meadow grass and then laid next to her kissing her even more urgently. They became caught up in each others bodies, Embry let his hands caress Cortina's thighs and up each of her hips and her stomach, then over her ribs and resting on her breasts. Cortina placed her hands on top of his and stroked his legs with her foot. Embry lowered his lips to her throat and then the cleavage of her chest, then back up to her mouth. His hands slid down her waste and lower. Then the howl of distant wolves sounded and he raised his head and mentally cussed his pack mates.
"What's the matter?" Cortina asked.
"I just remembered I have to do a bunch of stuff for my mom tomorrow. I've got to go, what time is it anyway?" Embry tried to see her watch but she moved it up quickly to check it.
"It just turned one." She stated.
"Crap! I really need to get going. By the way, what does your name mean?" Embry asked.
"My complete name?" She asked apprehensively.
"Yeah, I mean it's really long." Embry stated and waited.
"Cortina means Shade." Cortina stated.
"What about the rest?" Embry asked.
"Cortina Mortal de la Noche means Deadly Night Shade." She stated and pushed herself off the ground and began to dress.
"Does it bother you to tell people what your name means?" Embry stood and stroked Cortina's back.
"Yes it bothers me, most people get kind of freaked by it." Cortina stated.
"Well it didn't bother me. I think it's a cool name." Embry assured her. Another howl sounded. "Man I really need to get home." He began walking her back to her house and when they arrived at his truck he took her in his arms once more and they shared a deep passionate kiss. Then he got in his truck and headed back to LaPush. Cortina waved to him and then waited until he was out of sight and ran back into the night.