She smiled, relishing in the feeling of being in his arms, the scratch of the plaid blanket on her bare arm, the even tone of his breathing. She could get used to waking up like this. Lisa looked around the small room. This was the closest Lisa had been to camping in a long while. And she hated camping. Deeply despised it. But here with Jack, in this little cabin, she was happy. She was always happy when she was with him. Here, there, anywhere.
His lips twitched against her back, kissing a spot just between her shoulder blades. She could feel his mustache quirk. "Morning," he said, sleepily.
"Morning," she said, stretching languidly and turning around in his arms.
She looked up into the lines on his face, as his eyes opened, searching hers. She smiled at him.
"I like waking up with you," Lisa said, as she reached up and smoothed down some errant hairs from his eyebrow with her thumb.
He smiled, "I could get used to this myself."
"Bit different than that night we spent on my sofa," Lisa said, chuckling.
"If memory serves, we did eventually make it to your bedroom," Jack said.
Lisa grinned at him wickedly.
"I like having you here with me," Jack said, grasping her hand, pulling it up to his lips and kissing it.
"I know I said it last night, but I really am flattered you brought me here," Lisa said.
Jack pulled her against him and kissed her deeply. Hoping that he could make her understand how much he enjoyed having her here with him.
After they had made the bed, eaten breakfast, and taken a walk by the river, they loaded up Lisa's SUV and headed back toward Heartland.
"So," Jack said, interrupting the companionable silence in the car, "whatever this is...we'll see if we want to continue it when you get back from France?"
Lisa nodded, picked up his hand and kissed it, "That's the plan."
"Assuming you don't meet any dashing young French men," Jack said, only half jokingly. He hated it that his insecurities were peaking through.
"Jack," Lisa said, casting a glance at him, "I think if I were going to fall for a young, French man I would probably have done so long before now."
"Maybe you just haven't met the right one?" Jack said, hating how vulnerable he felt.
"And maybe I have…" she said, lifting his hand again and kissing the back of it.
Jack looked over, caught her eye, and smiled at her. What was he doing? They had just agreed to explore whatever this was and to let it be whatever it was. Why was he complicating things?
"Besides," Lisa said, "you may decide you're tired of me."
Jack scoffed, "That's not likely."
Lisa smiled at him and settled back into the seat of the car as the radio played and they drove home.
When they arrived at the ranch, Jack and Lisa sat in the driveway in her car.
"I had a really great time," Lisa started, "thank you for taking me."
"Yeah," Jack said, "nothing beats time on the river."
Lisa nodded and took his hand in hers, "And despite all your obvious faults, I wouldn't mind if you called me sometime."
Jack smiled, "When you get back from France, I just might do that."
Lisa smiled sadly at him, "I guess this is goodbye."
"Not goodbye. So long," Jack corrected, his own smile sad.
Lisa smiled at him. Her blue eyes grey with emotion.
He reached out and put his hand behind her head, leaning into her, and kissing her deeply.
Lisa kissed him back, her heart beating loudly in her chest, her breath mingled with his.
When she pulled back, her eyes searched his.
"You sure you don't want me to take you to the airport?" he asked.
She shook her head, "No, I hate sappy airport goodbyes. We'd better just say so long now."
Jack nodded, brushing a strand of hair back from her face.
"Well, then," he said, his sadness showing in the corners of his eyes.
Lisa leaned over and kissed him in a way that sent shivers down his spine and made his pulse quicken.
"I'll be seeing you," Lisa said as she pulled away.
Jack nodded and got out of the car.
"I'll call you sometime," Jack said, as he gathered his things, and Lisa came around to get into the driver's seat.
"You'd better," she said, turning to smile at him.
He chuckled, "See you soon."
With one last smile, Lisa got into her SUV and drove away.