Chapter 10 – Flying and Falling
"I've never felt this way before
I have seen so many islands
I've never felt this way before
In this song here I describe him
The chariots rise
Up high in the sky
What grace have I
To fall so in love
What a wonderful dream
It seems to be
'Cause I love him
I took the notes of past excursions
And I read them through once more
Only to find them all diversions
From the one true love in store
The chariots rise
Up high in the sky
What grace have I
To fall so in love
What a wonderful dream
It seems to be
'Cause I love him
Though I have waited long
And they have all been wrong
Now I find in the end
With him I need not pretend
The chariots
They rise up high in the sky
What grace have I
To fall so in love
What a wonderful dream
It seems to be
'Cause I love him
'Cause I love him
-Lizzie West-
Alice and Cora exited a well-known Albany formalwear boutique, carrying the fruits of their long and grueling morning attempting to find the perfect dresses for the following weekend. Sidney would be officially retiring from the Albany County Sheriff's Department after thirty-five years of service, and his retirement celebration would be included in the annual law enforcement awards banquet, a formal dinner-and-dancing affair that would be held at one of the premier hotel ballrooms in downtown Albany.
"Thank God that's finally over! I thought we'd never find anything good!" Alice said, hanging her plastic-covered gown from the backseat hook in Cora's Tribeca. After no success at the first two stores, they had finally had good luck at this one.
Cora stowed her gown on the opposite side and got into the driver's seat. "Me too, and I hate dress shopping. I haven't had to buy a formal dress since the last time I went to the Navy Ball, and that was years ago. But I think we finally hit the jackpot, that dress you got is pretty show-stopping. You're going to have to hire a janitor to follow Uncas around with a mop and bucket for all his drool."
Alice burst out laughing. "That's a little dramatic, but I do love it. And yours, too! I can't wait to see Nathaniel's face when he gets a look at you. We should make an appointment to get our hair done and everything, just go all-out! It'll be fun!"
"Well, Ashley's actually really good at doing hair and makeup, she went to cosmetology school before she decided to become a nurse. We could ask her to come and help us get ready, if she's free."
"Oh yeah! That would be even better, I love hanging out with her! Okay, now we just need to go find shoes, and of course we can't neglect the sexy underwear factor. Crossgates Mall?"
"Good plan," Cora replied, pulling the car out of the lot to head toward the mall in Guilderland. "We just have to make sure we're home in time to start getting ready for dinner with Pop and the Greatsnakes. OH!" she exclaimed, laughing and turning up the radio when Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al" came on.
"Must be Mom saying hi to us," Alice said, grinning and singing along with Cora. She thought to herself how fun this was, to spend a day going shopping with her sister and to see her having such a good time in general. The last time they had done anything like this was when Cora had been home on leave before her first deployment, and she had taken Alice shopping for her senior prom dress, since their mother had no longer been there to do so. She had really missed this fun, carefree side of Cora, and she loved Nathaniel for helping to bring it back. The idea of getting all dressed up together and spending an evening celebrating with Cora, Uncas, and his family made her giddy with excitement, and she almost felt like a teenager all over again.
When they arrived back at Cora's house with all their purchases, Uncas was in the driveway with Nathaniel's dark green Blazer, unloading groceries he'd picked up for the family barbecue Cora was hosting for dinner that evening. After giving Alice a kiss hello, he informed Cora that Nathaniel had taken his truck and Monty to the feed store to pick up hay for the horses. Cora and Alice took their things inside and stowed them in the guest room closet, wanting to keep them a surprise for next weekend, then went to the kitchen to put groceries away and get the back deck and grill ready before Ed and the Greatsnakes arrived. Cora was out on the deck dusting off the cushions on the porch swing when Nathaniel got home, pulling the truck around to the barn. Prepping burger fixings at the kitchen counter with Uncas, Alice peered through the window, watching Cora smiling and waving at Nathaniel as he got out of the truck and headed toward her, Monty bounding out of the seat behind him with a bark. Cora stepped off the deck and met him halfway, and Alice could hear the faint sound of her laughing as Nathaniel lifted her into his arms and kissed her.
"Look at her," Alice sighed. "She's so happy with him."
"Yeah… he doesn't look too miserable himself," Uncas grinned beside her.
"I wish she'd just tell him she's in love with him and get it over with. Or that he'd tell her so she'll admit it. I mean, look at them. They're so stupid for each other It's not even funny."
Uncas shrugged. "They're on their own program, and they'll figure it out soon enough. I know you want things to happen for her, but let them do their own thing. They look just fine to me."
"You're right, as usual." Alice wrinkled her nose at him. "I guess I'm just impatient, and I want them to be as happy and in love as we are."
He set his knife down and wiped his hands on a towel, taking her in his arms. "I'm not sure that's possible, welsit awèn." He kissed her tenderly. "I'm gonna go help him unload that hay. Be right back."
Soon enough, Ed arrived, announcing he was ready for cook duty in his 'GRILL SERGEANT' t-shirt. While he and Nathaniel were making burger patties in the kitchen, Yvette and Sidney came in, bearing a tray of ribs Sidney had smoked that morning, and a caprese salad made with fresh basil and tomatoes from Yvette's vegetable garden. She hugged and kissed Alice and Cora, inquiring as to how their shopping trip had gone that morning, and they talked excitedly about the upcoming banquet while they got the table on the deck set up with all the fixings and sides for dinner.
"So, tell me about this hiking trip you two are taking in a few weeks," Ed said to Uncas later when they were all sitting together eating on the deck. "Alice said you're going up to Lake Placid?"
"Yeah, we decided to try doing another hiking challenge in the High Peaks Wilderness. We already did the Saranac Six there back in July, so this time we'll be doing the Great Range Trail. It's a total of twelve peaks in one day, and when you're done, you get a commemorative patch, and you get to ring the victory bell at the visitor center in Keene."
"Twelve peaks!" Yvette exclaimed. "That's an awful lot of hiking in one day."
"Well, we did the Twelvester Challenge at Lake George over two days, and that was around forty miles total. This one is around twenty-five miles of total distance, so it's shorter, but the trails are tougher, especially around Saddleback Mountain," Alice replied. "We're heading up early on Thursday and staying at the lodge to acclimate and get a good night's sleep before we start hiking the trail early Friday morning. And we'll take camping gear with us in case we can't do it all in one day for some reason."
"That sounds like a good, safe plan," Ed nodded. "You'll do great!"
"Make sure you sign in at all the trailheads," Sidney told Uncas. "That way you're covered and rangers will know where you are if anything happens."
"Dad, they know. They'll be fine, they've been hiking all over the place all summer. He's just overly cautious from all these years doing search and rescue," Nathaniel said to Alice.
"Well, you can't ever be too careful," Cora intoned. "But you guys are experienced enough. And there should be other hikers on the trails, so you'll have company too. I'm excited for you!"
"Are you sure you and Nathaniel don't want to come with?" Alice asked her. "You still could, you know."
"No, it'll be a nice trip for you two to take together, and besides, we'd have to get coverage for the whole flight team if we did that – Nathaniel and I will be working Thursday to Friday, and I think Brian is covering for Uncas that shift."
"Yeah, somebody's got to pick up your slack," Nathaniel teased his brother. Uncas laughed at him, catching Alice's eye and returning her loving smile. He was as excited about the upcoming trip as her, and he smiled to himself as he raised her hand to his lips. This was going to be their best hiking challenge yet.
The following Saturday, Cora sat patiently at the table in her kitchen while Ashley put the finishing touches on her hair for the law enforcement banquet. Alice was already done, sitting across from her while they all chatted. They had decided to spend the remainder of the morning after their long run and breakfast with Ed getting manicures and pedicures together before Ashley came over to do their hair and makeup. Nathaniel and Uncas would get ready at their place, and then come to pick them up for the banquet, making a formal date night of it.
"This is so much fun," Alice gushed. "It's like adult prom night!"
Cora laughed. "It kind of is. Except now we have way better dates. I can't wait to see that dress on you with your hair and makeup, you're going to look amazing." Ashley had done Alice's golden hair in a beautiful vintage style, French-braided along the right side and swept loosely back into a braided chignon at the nape of her neck, with a red rose pinned at the back and little curled wisps escaping here and there. Her eye makeup was dark and dramatic with faint gold highlight at the inner corners. The expertly smudged black liner made her hazel eyes stand out beautifully, and she wore deep cherry-red lipstick.
"Well, I hate to toot my own horn, but you're looking drop-dead friggin' gorgeous yourself," Ashley said with a satisfied smile, pinning a deep purple calla lily at the back of Cora's hair. "There, you're all done! Have a look!" Ashley handed her a mirror.
"Wow, Ashley, she looks fantastic!" Alice breathed. Cora's dark hair was done with loose French braids on both sides, pulled back into a cascade of curls gathered low at the back of her head and falling between her shoulders, with curly tendrils softly framing her face. Her eye makeup was smoky with precise black liner and slightly shimmery deep plum eyeshadow that gave her brown eyes a coppery cast, and she had opted for mauve lipstick.
"I absolutely love it! Thank you so much for coming over here to do this for us." Cora smiled at her friend. "I owe you big time, are you sure you won't let me pay you?"
"You can pay me in coffee at work. Besides, it was really fun! I haven't gotten to do anything like this in ages. You'll love that lipstick, too, it doesn't come off for anything. You can make out with your man as much as you want, and it'll still look perfect!" She laughed.
"No doubt there might be some of that going on later," Alice giggled. "And then some. I mean, we'll be dressed to the nines, and we'll have gorgeous men in tuxes who will definitely appreciate this level of sexy bombshell." She gave a sweeping gesture over herself and then Cora.
"No sense in letting those nice hotel suites we're staying in go to waste," Cora agreed with a sly grin.
Alice laughed out loud. "Whoa, listen to you! See, this is what happens now that Nathaniel has corrupted you and you're finally getting laid properly!"
Cora shrugged. "Hey, I'm just stating the facts. It's a really nice hotel."
"Mmmhmm. So, tell me… does Officer Poe still have his handcuffs?" Alice wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
Cora's cheeks colored. "I'm telling you nothing. I plead the Fifth." She turned to Ashley, who was laughing with Alice. "Speaking of the boys, what are you up to after this? Got plans with Brian tonight after he gets off work?"
"Yeah, as a matter of fact. We're going out to a late dinner with Jack and Alexandra, since he and Brian are on shift together."
Cora smiled. After hitting it off on the Fourth of July trip to Lake George, Jack had eventually convinced Alexandra to go out on a date with him, and while they were taking it very slow, things seemed to be going nicely for them.
"Come on, Cora, we better go get dressed," Alice said, looking at the kitchen clock. "They're going to be here in thirty minutes, and it'll be twenty if Nathaniel is driving, he's always early."
Twenty-two minutes later, the doorbell rang. Ashley answered it, eager to present her efforts and see the guys' reactions before she left to get ready for her own evening plans. Nathaniel and Uncas stepped into the entryway while Ashley called out down the hallway that they had arrived. Alice came down the hall first, and Uncas stood there agog, completely stunned by the sight of her. She was complete and utter perfection to look at. The dress she had picked out was wine-red satin, hugging her figure snugly from shoulder to knee and then flaring out to a split-front mermaid-style skirt above her strappy gold satin heels. The sweetheart neckline and basic tank straps in front gave way to a dramatic scoop in the back, framed by soft drapes of fabric. Her jewelry was simple, deep red almandine garnet drop earrings and a pendant set in yellow gold, perfectly setting off her red lips and the color of her dress.
"Wow," Uncas whispered, getting ahold of himself and taking her hand. "You look incredible. I don't even have words right now, Alice."
Alice smiled coyly, taking in the equally glorious image of him. His long, glossy hair was pulled half back with a small braid at the back that held a beaded eagle feather. He wore a black tuxedo with a black cummerbund and jacket, but in place of a bowtie, wore a Nehru-collared white shirt with a wide choker woven from glass and shell wampum beads in black, white, and red.
"You look pretty damn stunning yourself," she whispered back, clasping his hand and feathering a kiss across his lips.
Nathaniel smiled briefly at Alice in greeting, but soon lost track of everything but Cora when she emerged behind her sister, a shy smile parting her lips. The only jewelry she wore was a pair of earrings, delicate silver filigree dangles with raven's wing pearl drops. Her slim figure was flattered perfectly by the subtle, classic trumpet cut of her floor-length gown, the hem falling over the toes of her simple black satin stiletto heels. The gown was deep eggplant purple with an overlay of elaborately embroidered tulle lace. The low, contoured V neckline connected to silk ribbon straps that extended down her bare back and crisscrossed over the bottom of the deep-cut V that ended at the small of her back, tied there in a silky cascading bow. The plum color was exquisite with her creamy skin, dark hair, and the coppery brown of her ebony-lined eyes. Nathaniel had never seen her so made up before, and the effect combined with her hair and the elegance of her dress was mentally annihilating. And I get to have her by my side all night, he thought, his lips curving in a crooked smile as he stared at her in wonder.
"Hey, beautiful," he murmured, his hand resting gently on her hip as he leaned in to kiss her softly and whisper in her ear. "You are an absolute vision."
"So are you. You know, in a devastatingly sexy, manly way." She laughed softly and kissed his cheek, leaning back to get another look at him. His hair was pulled back in a smooth ponytail, and his long, lean form looked heart-stopping in a modern-cut tux with black pinstriped pants and a black, peaked-lapel jacket with a charcoal-grey waistcoat and white shirt. His diagonally-striped grey silk ascot tie was held in place by a sterling silver and purple quahog shell pin in the shape of a Lenape turtle, the Greatsnake family's clan symbol. Devastatingly sexy was a gross understatement.
"You guys all look gorgeous!" Ashley exclaimed, clapping her hands together. She gathered them all in front of Cora's living room fireplace to take the obligatory photos before she doled out hugs all around and left to prepare for her evening with Brian. The two couples exited the house behind her, ready for what already promised to be a wonderful evening together.
The entire affair was indeed a great success. The upscale Albany hotel was the pinnacle of class, not overly opulent, but with a beautiful historic flair to the décor and furnishings, especially in the suites. The four of them had checked in before the event to leave their things in the rooms, impressed by the tasteful, elegant furnishings. The banquet in the large ballroom kicked off with a perfect formal dinner followed by the awards ceremony, which recognized local law enforcement from all over Albany County for accomplishments and honors earned throughout the year. Since Sidney's retirement date coincided with the timing of the annual banquet, he was publicly honored at the event for his thirty-five years of service to Albany County as a deputy, and was awarded for his work with the regional search and rescue committee over the last ten years. He cut a very sharp picture in his formal black Sheriff's Department uniform, the gold buttons polished to a high shine and his gold embroidered Lieutenant's bars glinting on the sleeves. He smiled proudly with Yvette at his side, who looked breathtaking in a simple dark green cap-sleeved gown, her long black hair pulled half up in a beaded clip. She wore a buckskin bandolier that popped against the dark green of her dress, covered in intricate, brightly colored traditional Lenape bead and quillwork that she had done herself. In lieu of dress shoes she wore moccasins heavily beaded and quilled with vibrant floral designs. The entire Greatsnake/Munro party together made quite a picture, and heads turned all evening to look appreciatively at them.
After dinner, dancing commenced, and couples filed on and off the ballroom floor between songs. Cora and Alice stood with Nathaniel and Uncas for a little while, taking photos with Sidney and Yvette and then chatting with them and Nathaniel's Albany PD Field Training Officer Ben, who had received recognition for his exemplary training of new officers. He remembered meeting Cora and Alice when Alice's Jeep had broken down a few months before, and introduced them to his wife Jennifer. After talking for a bit, Uncas felt compelled to pull Alice onto the dance floor when the DJ decided to throw back a few decades and play Chris DeBurgh's very apropos "Lady in Red". He gazed down at her in rapt adoration as they moved slowly to the music.
"I know this song is old and corny as hell, but I can't help feeling like the guy singing it tonight," he confessed with a smile and an incredulous little shake of his head. "You really are so beautiful that I hardly know what to do with myself next to you. I feel like the luckiest man on earth right now."
Alice leaned in to brush her cheek against his. "I just want to be with you – the rest of this is just smoke and mirrors. But I can definitely appreciate it." Her lips curved in a little grin, and his hand splayed warmly on her skin at the scooped back of her dress, holding her close, her soft curves pressed against him while they continued to dance into the next song.
"Hmm," he whispered in her ear, "you know, there's a part of me that really wants to get out of here and do very naughty things to you in that beautiful dress."
"Well, I'll tell you a secret… I might have thought the same thing a time or two," Alice breathed, her lips brushing under his earlobe. "And you don't even know what I'm wearing underneath this dress… yet."
Uncas laughed, the deep, rich tone sending shivers down her spine. "Bring it on. There's an elevator out there with your name on it." No one seemed to notice when they quietly left the dance floor a moment later, exiting the ballroom hand in hand.
Across the room, Nathaniel tightened his hold on Cora's waist, catching her gazing at him while they danced. "You keep looking at me," he said softly, giving her that sexy, crooked half-smile that made her heart flutter.
"I can't help it," she replied. "You look damn good all dressed up like that."
"Don't let the tux fool you," he murmured, leaning in closer. "I'm wearing a sassy t-shirt underneath this getup."
"Of course you are." Cora laughed softly, her hand resting on his chest, fingers sliding under the collar of his jacket.
"Besides, I don't hold a candle to you tonight, and you know it," he said, his lips brushing her jaw, the subtle, heady scent of her perfume invading his senses.
Cora closed her eyes, a little electric tremor running through her as his fingertips traced circles on the bare skin at the small of her back while they swayed slowly to the soft, bluesy ballad.
"The world is cold tonight
But everything will be alright
She walks into the room
Stars to know her light
When she dances
I see where my only chance is
I feel my whole life start, babe
When she loves me
You know she really loves me
She takes it to the heart…"
They gradually moved off the dance floor, still swaying gently together as he led her out the ballroom's open French doors onto one of the unoccupied balconies. The August night was cool and balmy, the dark sky clear, and even in the downtown lights the stars still shone down on them, half in shadows and half illuminated by the dim ballroom lights on the other side of the doors.
"The club is closing down
But will we still hang around
To hear another tune
And feel this love we found
When she dances
I see where my only chance is
I feel my whole life start, babe
When she loves me
You know she really loves me
She takes it to the heart…"
Cora listened to the song, her eyes closed, warmth radiating between her and Nathaniel. His proximity was intoxicating, not quite touching, their bodies brushing intermittently as they danced. Everything was wonderful tonight, everyone was happy, and she felt like nothing could touch the perfection of this, right here, right now. She opened her eyes and met Nathaniel's shadowed gaze, her pulse thrumming. She could no longer hide what she felt when he looked at her like that, the storm of his emotions unconcealed, so raw and real that it took her breath away. That fragile bud in her heart was open and strong now; she knew without a doubt that she was his as much as he was hers, and all she wanted now was to give herself over to him completely, take the leap once and for all and fly into that heavenly fire.
"The night's so fine
The rose is mine
She's dancing just for me
I see with every move she makes
How good it's gonna be…"
Nathaniel could feel the rapid beating of Cora's heart as she pressed closer to him, her dark eyes gleaming in the shadowed starlight of the balcony. She was so beautiful tonight, and she was looking at him like there was nowhere else she'd rather be than here in his arms. The longing to tell her everything he felt for her was almost painful; he knew it was written all over his face and he didn't care anymore. He had once thought he knew what love was, but he'd been a fool then to think that could even compare to what he felt now. He'd known since the moment he'd touched her in that locker room that Cora would shake his world to the very foundation if he let her, and for the first time in seven years, he had been astonished to find that he wanted to let her. She lit an unquenchable fire in him, and he wanted to let it burn.
"When she dances
I see where my only chance is
I feel my whole life start, babe
When she loves me
You know she really loves me
She takes it to the heart
She takes it to the heart."
His breathing grew shallow as she pressed her face against his neck and sighed, still swaying with him to the music.
"Nathaniel…" she whispered, "I love you."
His breath caught, and he pulled back to look down at her in momentary disbelief, his mind not quite trusting that he'd heard her correctly, but hoping with every fiber of his being that he had. "Say that again," he murmured.
"I've fallen in love with you," she repeated, tears glistening in her eyes and a tiny, nervous tremor in her hushed voice. "I've been wanting to tell you, I just -"
He took her face in his hands, releasing the breath he'd been holding in a ragged sigh as he kissed her with hungry desperation, with a yearning that rose from deep within to take the words he had so longed to hear from her lips and nourish his aching soul with them.
"Cora…" he rasped, touching his forehead to hers, "I love you, too. God, I've wanted to say it so many times, but I wanted to wait for you, I was trying to be patient..." He kissed her again, still absently rocking to the music as he held her. She kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck, lost to the exhilarating high of truly loving someone for the first time in her life, and being loved in return; lost to the inebriating scent and feel of him, his hands in her hair, sliding down her bare back, over her hips, the aching, ever-present flame between them exploding to a full-blown blaze.
"Are we still dancing?" she breathed against his mouth.
"No. We're leaving."
Gripping her hand in his, he wordlessly led her back through the ballroom and toward the elevators in the hallway, waiting impatiently for one to descend to their level. The bell finally chimed, the door opening to reveal Uncas and Alice. Alice's cheeks were bright pink and her hair was not quite as sleek as it had been earlier. Uncas grinned at them as he stepped out, looking as sly as the fox he was named for. Alice exited behind him with a wickedly guilty, gratified smile on her still-perfect red lips, smoothing down the skirt of her dress and winking silently at Cora, mouthing "have fun". Cora thought fleetingly that Ashley hadn't been kidding about the lipstick's staying power, and would have laughed if it weren't for the savage, heated look in Nathaniel's eyes that made her breathless with anticipation as he pulled her into the elevator car with him. As soon as the doors shut and they were alone, he hauled her against his chest, crushing his mouth to hers, their tongues tangling wildly.
"When I get you upstairs, this is all coming off," he said, his hands stroking down the sides of her gown. "One piece at a time." She shivered at his arousing promise as his mouth covered hers again, and his fingertips dipped inside the V of her dress at the small of her back, caressing the sensitive skin below the strap of her backless longline bra. The elevator dinged for their floor, and they hurried down the hallway to their suite. Nathaniel hung the DO NOT DISTURB placard from the outside knob before shutting the door firmly and pulling Cora to him, backing her slowly into the room.
"Now… I believe I said something about taking all this pretty clothing off you one piece at a time," he whispered, his lips brushing down her neck to the swell of her shoulder.
"I do seem to remember you saying that," she breathed, her hands moving to unbutton his waistcoat. "What else did you have in mind?"
He untied the bow at the small of her back, releasing the straps of her dress to hang loose. "Well… telling you that I love you is one thing, but now… I think I'd like to spend some time showing you." His mouth skimmed across her collarbone.
"Mmm, I like that idea." Her lips curved in knowing anticipation as she removed the turtle pin from his ascot tie and loosened it to hang free, then released the top two buttons on his shirt. Nuzzling the hollow of his throat, she pushed his jacket off his shoulders. One piece at a time… two could play at this game. The jacket fell to the floor, and she smoothed her hands over his shirt beneath the waistcoat, feeling the hard planes of muscle and the heat of his skin through the fabric. He shrugged off the waistcoat and tossed it down with the jacket, then gently pushed her backward until her legs bumped the edge of the elegant wingback chair by the window and she sat down on it with a breathy laugh.
"What are you doing?" she whispered as he knelt in front of her and removed her shoes, his eyes now a bright, pale green with the heat of desire that burned in them.
"Taking advantage of all this fancy damn furniture," he growled. "Now come here." She leaned toward him, her lips parted in a seductive half-smile. His hands tangled into her hair, pulling the pins from the back and letting the soft curls cascade over her shoulders as he ran the tip of his tongue across her lips, making her tremble with the wanton flames that licked at her insides. She darted her own tongue forward against his, their mouths crashing together in a gratifying, ravenous kiss. Once his fingers had worked her hair free, he nudged her head back, his lips making their way down her throat and along the line of the gown's bodice, falling so low with the straps untied that it barely contained the tempting swell of her breasts. Hooking his fingers behind the fabric, he pulled downward just enough to expose the lacy, black mesh cups of her longline bustier where they met the dark purple floral satin of the body of the garment. With an appreciative sound of approval, he pulled the sheer fabric down along with the bodice to free her breasts, brushing his fingertips and then his tongue over each nipple. They reacted instantly to his touch, hardening as she cried out softly, damp heat spreading at the apex of her thighs. He leaned in against her, pressing her into the chair's back, his mouth against her ear and the starched fabric of his shirt rubbing against her naked, tingling skin, making her ache for him to do more.
"Do you know, Cora…how much I love the way you respond to me touching you like this?" he murmured silkily. "Here…" She gasped as his teeth nipped her neck. "Here…" The pad of his thumb stroked the tight bud of her nipple and she whimpered softly. "And here…" His hand stole beneath the hem of her dress, sliding up the soft skin of her thighs, his fingers slipping beneath her panties to probe the wet, slick heat between them. She moaned helplessly as he claimed her lips, thrusting his tongue against hers, his touch reducing her to a quivering mass of desire. He pushed the gown's skirt up into the seat of the chair around her, exposing her legs clad in silk thigh-high stockings, then grasped her hips and eased her toward the front edge. He leaned down, his lips feathering over her belly at the edge of the panties that matched her bustier, before he swiftly removed them and tossed them over his shoulder. Gently pushing her thighs apart, opening her to him, he lowered his head between them. His tongue traced her skin above the lacy bands of her stockings before moving slowly upward to stroke over her center.
"Nathaniel…oh, holy God…" Cora moaned and gripped the upholstery on the arms of the chair, waves of heat rippling through her with each slow, intimate caress. She felt as if she was floating, rising higher and higher on a column of flames, her body wound tight and balancing on that precarious, glorious edge just briefly before she crashed back down as her climax detonated through her. It stole the breath from her lungs, her head thrown back as she rode out the pleasure of it.
He came away to look at her, her eyes burning, her skin flushed, her breasts bared above the gown's displaced neckline rising and falling with her quickened breathing. He rose and pulled her to her feet. Still reeling, she grasped the front of his shirt for balance, pulling him down by his loosened tie to seek his lips.
"Too many clothes," Cora whispered between fervent kisses, tugging the shirt hem out of his pants and going to work on the buttons.
"Don't worry…we aren't finished yet," he said with a wicked grin, kicking off his shoes and pulling her back to him. "One piece at a time, remember…" He released the zipper at the back of her gown, pushing it off her hips onto the floor in a puddle of fabric. She got his shirt off and pulled the undershirt over his head to send it after the gown, her hands running down his torso while he reached behind her and undid the hooks on her bustier strap. She reached between them to unbutton his pants, shoving them downward along with his boxer briefs, and he deftly rid himself of them. Her mouth trailed across his chest, her fingers traveling over the taut muscles of his abdomen to wrap around the hard, smooth length of his erection, stroking and teasing before her palms flattened on his sides to smooth back upward. He made a sound deep in his throat, his hands roaming over her bare skin while he savored the thrill of her touch. He wrapped his arms around her, bringing her flush with him and lifting her feet off the floor as he moved toward the bedstead in front of them.
"My stockings?" she half laughed and half gasped as he tumbled her onto the suite's plush four-poster bed.
"Leave them," he growled, coming up onto the bed with her. His eyes raked over every inch of her lying beneath him, the curled tresses of her hair spread out like a dark swath of silk on the decadent bedding, her body rising to his reverent touch as his hands followed his gaze. "I can't even begin to tell you how I love you, Cora," he whispered, his breath warm against her neck as he kissed her there and she drew in a shaky breath. "You are so very beautiful to me in so many ways…" He kissed her chest where her heart pounded erratically beneath her ribs. His hardness slid lightly along her center, and she arched into him with a sharp exhale. "And so impatient," he smiled and moved purposefully against her tender flesh once more.
"Now you're teasing me," she panted with a soft laugh.
"I'm loving you. And enjoying every second." He flicked his tongue over a nipple and drew it into his mouth. She moaned in pleasure, her hips bucking against him. Her fingers wove into his hair, pulling the tie from his ponytail at the back to release it, letting the length of it free to brush over her skin as he worked his way back up to capture her lips with his. She wrapped her legs around his hips, drawing the sensitive tip of him to her. Unable to hold back any longer, he thrust inside her with a low groan. Her hands cupped his jaw, her dark eyes flaming with her now unfettered adoration as she stroked his cheeks with her thumbs.
"I love you, Nathaniel." She held his gaze, their breath hitching as they moved together, gradually losing themselves to one another and slowly rising on the wild tide of pleasure and emotion that swept them into its blissful abyss. His mouth found hers again, urgent in its claim. Their movements slowed at the last as release overtook them together with an impassioned cry, absorbed by fevered kisses that gentled to soft, slow caresses as they came down into the heavy, languid afterglow.
"You are everything, do you know that?" Nathaniel murmured huskily, laying his hand against her cheek. Cora turned her face into his palm to press her lips there.
"You make me feel like it," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him and planting a gentle kiss on his lips. "But I may need more convincing later."
"We've got all night, ehòlënt," he said, smiling softly and kissing her back. "We've got every day after this, too, for as long as you'll have me. I'm not going anywhere if I can help it, I promise you that."
She laid her head on his chest and curled against him with a happy little sigh. She would never again be young or naïve enough to think that everything would be perfect all the time, no matter how magical or invincible it felt, and neither would he; they both knew better than that. But just for this moment, it was untouchable, and she felt completely safe with him. From here they could try to make every day count. They could spend as much of the time they were granted making sure each knew the other was loved, and appreciating the grace they had been given to find each other in all the convoluted mess of life.
Alice woke to the smell of rain and the still darkness just before dawn, nestled in the cocoon of Uncas' arms as he lay beside her in their bed at the lodge in Lake Placid. She cuddled closer to him, not ready to leave his warmth yet to start the long day ahead.
"Is it morning already?" Uncas' voice rumbled behind her and he wrapped his arm tighter around her as she rolled over to face him with a smile. "You're my favorite thing to wake up to," he said, leaning across to kiss her. He lifted the edge of the covers and peeked inside with a devilish grin. "Definitely my favorite thing to wake up to."
Alice laughed and wound her arms around his neck as he kissed along the top of her bare shoulder. "Don't we need to get up soon? We're going to need to make good time today to make up for the wet trails since it rained yesterday."
They had gotten here and checked in the previous day ready to start the challenge this morning, so had been dismayed when it had started to rain late in the afternoon. The wetness would slow them down in places, and that would mean a hard push today to complete all twelve peaks before sunset. They could do it, but they would have to work at as rigorous a pace as the weather would allow, and the trails would be more dangerous with the mud and slippery shale surfaces. Hopefully the sun would come out and dry it up some.
"We'll get it done, even if we have to take another unplanned day. But for now, the sun isn't even starting to come up yet..." His deep, sleepy voice and the tantalizing feel of his lips on her neck and shoulder did away with her cares about making good trail time for the moment. She pressed closer to him with a little smile, his bare skin smooth and warm against hers.
"In that case, I'll let you lead me astray for just a little while," she murmured, sliding her palms over the sleek musculature of his torso. "Because I love you."
"I love you, too, Alice. 'til the wheels come off." He smiled as their mouths melded and she snaked one leg around his hip. He couldn't wait to top that last peak, whether it was today or tomorrow, and ring that victory bell. If all went as planned, it would be a victory in far more ways than one. For now, he turned his attention to loving Alice.
Not long after sunrise, they arrived at the Roostercomb Trailhead lot where their challenge would begin. There was only one other vehicle there; weekdays were less crowded on any public trail, and the rain had likely discouraged other local hikers. After parking, they crossed the bridge over the beaver marsh to the trailhead, where they met a lone hiker who was signing in ahead of them.
"Morning!" he greeted them with a smile, slinging his backpack on over a blue windbreaker. He was lean and fit but older than Uncas and Alice, maybe forty or more, and American Indian. His black hair was cut short, and his keen dark eyes peered at them from beneath low, heavy black brows in a rugged, strong-featured face. "Nice to see some other hikers out today. I figured with the rain nobody'd be out."
"We're doing the Great Range Dozen Challenge," Alice told him. "We traveled to be here, rain or shine, so we're trying our best to finish today by sunset."
"Excellent! I'm doing the challenge myself!"
"You're hiking all twelve peaks alone?" Uncas said, surprised. "Hey, if you don't mind the company, you're welcome to stick with us. There's safety in numbers – you can't be too careful."
"Well, I think I'll take you up on that offer. I certainly wouldn't mind having someone to talk to besides myself," the man grinned and stuck out a hand toward Uncas. "I'm Magua Renard."
"Uncas Greatsnake, and this is my girlfriend, Alice Munro." Uncas shook the offered hand, and then Magua shook Alice's hand.
"Nice to meet you both. Well, if you guys are ready, what say we get this show on the road? We'll need to keep a good pace to finish by sunset."
The party headed out after Uncas signed himself and Alice into the trailhead log. As they worked through the first couple of peaks, they chatted about themselves. Magua told them that he was Huron, and hailed from a little further north close to the Canadian border, where he worked as a buyer for a major outdoor and recreation chain store. He was a very personable, pleasant man with a dry sense of humor. He revealed that he was completing the hiking challenge in celebration of twelve years of sobriety – one peak for each year. His son had planned to come with him, but had gotten sick and was unable to, so Magua had decided to make the trip alone because it was important to him to follow through.
"I started hiking regularly the first year I got sober," he told them. "My Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor at the time was into that kind of stuff, and he was always inviting me to come out with him and his buddies, so I finally gave in. Turned out I loved it, so I just kept going, even when he moved away a few years later. Now I'm working in that industry, and I'm healthier than I've ever been, and happier, too. It's been a good twelve years, a lot better than the years before that, and my relationship with my ex-wife and my kids is a whole lot better, too."
"That's awesome, congratulations. You'll get a well-earned ring on that victory bell for sure!" Alice said with a smile.
"So, the name Renard… that's French, isn't it?" Uncas asked.
"Sure is. It means "Fox". When I played hockey in high school, the guys used to call me 'Le Renard Subtil' – The Wily Fox – because I could get past just about any player in the district, and a lot of goalies too," he chuckled.
"Hey, what do you know? My name is Mohican, but it means 'Fox', too!" Uncas laughed. "I guess we foxes are supposed to stick together."
"Damn straight," Magua replied. "Hell, two hundred and fifty years ago we might have been enemies, chasing each other through these mountains trying to kill each other, but times have sure changed, haven't they?"
"For sure. One of my best buddies, Brian, is Huron, too – a fellow flight paramedic I work with. His girlfriend Ashley is Mohawk, and we always make jokes about that tribal enemy stuff. And my adopted brother is white, so that just makes the whole mix even more fun."
Magua laughed. "No doubt! So, you're a flight paramedic, and Alice here is a dispatcher? You guys must have a lot to talk about!"
"It makes life interesting, for sure," Alice said. "Plus, my sister is a nurse on their flight team and in the ER with Brian's girlfriend, and Uncas' brother is their helicopter pilot and used to be a cop, and their dad just retired from the Sheriff's department a couple of weeks ago."
"Man, you all must have some really interesting stories to tell around the dinner table. If you don't mind me asking, what's the most hilarious thing you've ever seen on the job? I mean, we all know bad stuff happens, but there's good stuff too, right? People are crazy."
Uncas and Alice launched into a barrage of their best first responder stories, all of them talking and laughing through a brief rest stop for lunch, and then keeping the momentum going through the afternoon as they worked their way up the peak trails. It was only September, so too early for the leaves to be changing into their glorious fall colors, but even so, the still-green forest was fragrant and beautiful, and the panoramic views of the Adirondacks from the pinnacle of each mountain were breathtaking, worthy of every photo they took along the way to document their progress on the challenge. Magua was great to have along with them, and he kept their pace well without tiring, and good-naturedly volunteered to get photos of them together at each summit. Alice and Uncas were buzzing with excitement despite being tired, because it seemed they would be able to finish the challenge as planned. It started to drizzle as they were descending the Cable Route between the Gothics and Saddleback Mountain, but it wasn't a heavy enough rainfall to stop them at this point. Uncas was enormously satisfied with their progress so far. Saddleback was the ninth peak, and it was still early enough that they would have adequate daylight to make it back down to the lodge once they had finished at Mount Marcy, and that meant they'd get to ring the victory bell this evening. Everything was going perfectly, in spite of the unexpected rain.
The route to the top of Saddleback Mountain was every bit as steep and demanding as their research had promised, more so than most of the others, especially in the damp weather. The slight rainfall had stopped by the time they reached the summit, but it was muddy, and the wet rock was slick. The view from the top was amazing, however, and they took the time to enjoy it and take photos, resting and snacking before the descent into the col to make their way up Basin Mountain.
"We're still making good time," Alice said, pushing back the hood on her rain jacket. "Three more summits and we'll be done!"
"At least it stopped drizzling," Magua replied. "But the descent from here down Saddleback Cliffs will be tricky, and we need to be cautious going down."
Uncas knew he was right. "Well, no time like the present. Let's get 'er done," he said, standing up.
They secured their packs and made their way to the drop off the back side of Saddleback. This descent was one of the toughest on the Great Range Trail. The cliffs weren't incredibly high and didn't require extra equipment, but they could be harrowing to the less experienced hiker due to the wind and exposure on the climb. The three of them had enough experience to not be afraid of it, but they also knew that caution was necessary even without damp weather. They decided to go down staggered, one at a time. Uncas went down first, and Alice a little after him. They moved cautiously, Alice waiting for Uncas to get a little way down and taking a deep breath before she started to descend. Magua waited on the cliff's top edge just above her.
Alice looked down to check Uncas' position. He looked up at her and smiled. Suddenly a gust of wind hit him, and his boot slipped on the slick rock where it rested. A brief look of horrified panic crossed over his face as he realized what was happening. Alice looked on in frozen disbelief, the world seeming to go into slow motion as he lost his grip completely. It sounded like someone else screaming with her voice as he fell and struck the rock face below him, his body sliding off the rounded edge to hit the bottom of the cliff.
"UNCAAASSSSS!" Alice wailed. "Uncas! Oh my God, please, no… Uncas, can you hear me?" She looked up at Magua, frantic. "He's not conscious. We have to call for help, NOW!" She started to climb down.
"We have phones, hopefully we'll have enough service, but Alice, please come back up here, we've got to get you safe!" Magua looked at her imploringly, holding a hand out to her.
"No! I can't leave him down there alone, I have to assess his injuries and do what I can to stabilize him!" Alice tried to swallow the bitter panic that rose in her throat, her body trembling with it.
"Please, Alice, it isn't safe!" Magua reached further toward her, beckoning for her to come back up. She looked down to where Uncas lay still on the rocky ground below, then up at Magua, her eyes full of tears and doubt. She shook her head and moved downward. There was not even one moment to second guess her choice before she, too, slipped on the smooth, wet rock and went down after Uncas. Magua cried out desperately, still reaching for her, but it was futile. She was gone, too, and there was nothing he could do now except call for help.
Author's Note:
Ehòlënt: "Beloved" (Lenape)
If you were getting bored, you're not bored anymore (I hope). This chapter started out innocently enough, didn't it? A lovely fun shopping day for the sisters, some cute moments back at the farm, a nice family get-together. I do like Alice and Cora's random memories of stuff from when they were younger. It drives home how close they are, especially after they lost their mother. Clearly there was some foreshadowing as the family discussed the upcoming hiking trip, and you may or may not have caught that. Sidney's retirement celebration at the law enforcement banquet was fun to do. I wanted a couple of things from that. One, to give them all a lovely evening before I twisted the plot, and two, obviously to create a scenario for Nathaniel and Cora to finally come to the last hurdle in their relationship and admit out loud that they love each other. And really, honestly, the third thing was just that I could not resist the chance to dress them all up and make them look so gorgeous, Sidney and Yvette included. They all looked absolutely smashing in my head (and I gave Alice a braid in the right side of her hair, heehee)!
I'm sorry for being so mean to Uncas and Alice in the end, but we all know these stories must have these highly dramatic elements. I was glad to be able to play out that fall scene with a good nod to the LOTM film, but with Magua being genuinely nice and just trying to help. I gave him the last name Renard, because, as you may know, in the J.F. Cooper book Magua's nickname was Le Renard Subtil (the wily fox), and if I remember right he mentioned it once in the film too. I hope that whole Magua thing worked for you, his part was fun to devise. You'll find out exactly what happens regarding this terrible accident in the next chapter or two, of course, and I promise I'll try my best not to leave you hanging for too long with this, as much as my coursework and personal life will allow.
Interesting notes: The Saranac Six and the Lake George 12ster are both real hiking challenges in the Adirondacks. There is not an official hiking challenge for the twelve peaks on the Great Range Trail to my knowledge, I just made that up because Saddleback Mountain's short but intense back-face cliffs were exactly what I needed to set the scene for a good fall while hiking (I know, I'm such a jerk), and you all know how much I love to use real-world stuff as much as possible for authenticity. The victory bell I mentioned is actually part of the Saranac Six challenge, and the bell itself is located in downtown Lake Saranac. I liked the idea, so I borrowed it for the challenge Uncas and Alice are doing here.
The theme song for this chapter is Lizzie West's "Chariots Rise" (I prefer the version she recorded with Baba Buffalo because the lyrics in that one say, 'what grace have I to fall so in love' instead of 'what a fool am I to fall so in love'). And that song is pretty much solely Nathaniel and Cora's since they reached the whole 'I love you' point. During the shopping trip, the girls of course heard "You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon, which is their silly little thing from when they were kids and their mom loved Paul Simon (I think I mentioned that and the Betty/Al nicknames in chapter five). When the guys pick up the girls for the banquet and are stunned (as well they should be!), I hear Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' "Here Comes My Girl". At the banquet, Uncas and Alice are first dancing to "Lady in Red" by Chris DeBurgh (thanks for that fun and adorably cheesy suggestion MohawkWoman), which was too perfect for Alice's gorgeous red dress. Though I didn't mention it in the text, the song I imagined playing right after that before they sneak off (those two are naughty!) and the scene flips to Nathaniel and Cora is "Angel Eyes" by The Jeff Healey Band (yes, I'm dating myself, but I love Jeff Healey). The song Nathaniel and Cora are dancing to during their big moment is "When She Dances" by Joe Bonamassa. That is a gorgeously slow, romantic song and it makes me le sigh, so it was perfect for how that whole bit between them played out. At the end when Cora finally tells Nathaniel she loves him and they take off together, that whole scene finishes out with Martika's "Love, Thy Will be Done" (a fabulous and beautiful collaboration with Prince that again dates me but who cares). When Alice and Uncas wake up at the lodge before their hike, the song there is "Picture in a Frame" by Tom Waits (I love that song so much). And of course, the rigorous hiking of Uncas, Alice, and Magua would not be complete without Joe Bonamassa's "Mountain Climbing"!
That's about it, y'all. Stay tuned for whatever happens next, and thank you so much for reading!