The next morning I wake up to find Vin still in bed, lying there watching me.
"Why are you staring at me?" I ask.
"I was debating on the best way to wake you up," he said, grinning.
"Sorry, but Iām awake now. Hey, why are you still here and not out jogging? Not that Iām complaining or anything." I add, leaning over and kissing his chest.
"I decided to exchange my morning jog for a hike into the mountains later. Care to join me?"
"Hmmm. Let me think. Hike with you or stay here alone. Hike with you or stay here," I repeat again. Damn, thatās a tough one," I teased.
"Smart ass," he says.
"What time is it?" I ask.
Vin leans back and looks at the clock on the table. "Itās flashing 12:00. I guess the electricity came back on sometime during the night." He grabs his watch. "Itās 7:35. I want to get out of here by 8:00, so youād better get up and get dressed if youāre coming with me," he added while getting out of bed.
"I wonāt be long," I reply, crawling out behind him and head to the bathroom to get ready, then went back into the bedroom to get dressed.
Vin had dressed while I was in the bathroom, then went downstairs to start getting things together for our hike. I met him in the kitchen and we gathered up food to take with us for lunch because we would be out all day. Before heading out to the jeep, Vin grabbed a rifle out of the closet and searched the drawers for ammo, dropping some in his pocket.
"Just in case we come across something big and menacing." Vin adds.
"Well, youād better give it to me then. You are definitely big and menacing." I cracked.
"Smart ass."
"Yep, that just about sums it up."
We drove along the dirt roads, winding our way through the forest, finally coming to a clearing. The scenery was breathtaking. Miles and miles of nothing but mountains and forest. Modern technology has not touched this place.
Getting out of the jeep, I ask, "How much of this is yours?"
"Everything that you can see is mine. I told the realtor that I wanted lots of land so I could get away from it all, and this is what I ended up with. Itās about ten thousand acres. Iāve had offers to sell, but Iām keeping it," he says, grabbing the pack and rifle from the jeep.
"I can understand why. Itās absolutely beautiful."
"You should see it during the winter when itās covered in snow. Lots of good skiing." He turns to look at me and asks, "Do you ski?"
I started to laugh. "Vin, I live in Texas."
"So? Havenāt you ever taken a ski trip?"
"I havenāt had a real vacation in the past four years, much less a ski trip. Anyway, I donāt really care for cold weather. If it hits 60, thatās cold enough for me. Iād much rather go somewhere with sun and sand where the temperature is around 90. But as much as I hate the cold, Iāve always wanted to go to Montana."
He takes my hand and we start walking up a trail. The deeper into the woods we go, the more beautiful it is. We cross several steams on our hike, and at one of them I ask him to stop.
"Whatās wrong?"
"Nothing. I just want to sit here and enjoy it all."
Vin slides the rifle and pack off of his back, sits down on a log under a tree, and I sit in-between his legs, leaning back against him. He points out a couple of raccoons playing at the waterās edge a little ways down from where we are. "So, what do you think about the place?" Vin asks.
"I love it. I donāt think Iāve seen anything quite like it. I grew up in the country, and I miss it. But when I say country, I mean about 20 acres with cows and horses. Nothing like this."
"Iām glad youāre enjoying yourself."
It just seems right to be here with him. Sometimes we donāt have to say anything. Just knowing that we are together is enough sometimes. I think back to what he said in New Orleans about us meeting. Itās like we knew we were supposed to be there, but not sure exactly why until we met. And then we knew. I know that nothing will ever come of this, but just knowing that Iām the center of his attention for the time being is more than anyone could have ever wished for.
"Why so quiet?ā
"I was just thinking about this, about us."