Page 12 of Icy Mountain Man

But my heart thudded in my chest.

It was telling me a very different story.

“Are you okay?” Ford's voice washed over me from behind and I turned to find him descending the stairs, Smokey hot on his trail.

“Yeah, I couldn't sleep,” I answered, holding up my mug.

Ford wrapped his arms around me, and I rested my head against his chest. “Guess I didn't Tucker you out enough then.”

I laughed. “Oh you did, believe me. I just…”

“What is it? You can talk to me. About anything, Pose, I won't ever judge.”

He called me Pose just like my mama always did…

I turned to face him as tears slipped down my cheeks. He took the mug from me, set it on the nearby counter, and pulled me close once more. “How can I leave you now after everything?”

“You don't, you don't leave.”

“But Ford…”

“I know. You have your life there. I can't ask you to leave.”

“And you have your life here.”

“I'll give up everything and move to the city.”

I cocked my head to the side as lore tears filled my eyes, threatening to spill down my cheeks. “No you hate the city. I don't want you to be miserable. How is that fair?”

“I won't be miserable if I'm with you.”

“Maybe not at first but you will. And then you'll resent me. I'm not letting that happen.”

“How about we try long distance? I'm willing to try.”

Now the tears fell. Hard and fast. I buried my face in his chest and let him hold me as the sobs took over. He was so sweet, too sweet.

Ford soothed me, rubbing my back and holding me close. “Let's just enjoy the time we have together. When it comes time to leave, you go. We'll make it work. We'll figure it out. Somehow.”

I nodded as I cried and let Ford lift me into his arms and carry me back to bed. The man really did love to carry me everywhere. A girl could get used to it.

I studied his handsome face. He would leave his life here for me? Go to a place he hated for me?

Maybe I could move here. Work in the office here and promote someone back in the city, or something. It could work right?

As we made love to each other over and over again, the thoughts grew stronger, more cemented in my mind. Become a small-town girl. Raise a family with Ford. And still help out others like I loved to do.

I fell asleep in Ford's arms once again, this time dreaming of a life we could have.

The next day we spent learning about each other, making love, and stuffing our faces full of delicious food. The man could cook that was a damn fact. But as the time neared for me to leave, the dread set in.

I knew I'd be back. Both Ford and I talked, and I told him I'd move here. I just needed time to get my affairs in order. And leaving him, being apart- that was going to be the worst.

I texted Karen back and told her I wanted to talk. She offered to meet in her cabin before I left as she was arriving early to meet with someone about her faulty generator.

So when the morning arrived, I couldn't hold back the tears.

“How I'll miss someone so much that I only just met I don't understand but it's true. I miss you already.” I jumped into Ford's arms wrapping my entire body around his firm one.