Chapter 40
“I can’t
tell you how unfair I think it is that on the night before our wedding, we both
have to work,” McCoy complained into the phone receiver.
“Oh, I’ll bet
you have to work,” Morgan contended teasingly. “You probably have a big, rowdy
bachelor party planned for the evening. I know where a guy’s priorities lie.”
“You know
I’m at the office,” he reminded her. “You returned my call, remember?”
“Like
that would stop you? What better place to have one?”
“Oh, sure,” he agreed with mild sarcasm. “Branch should be here any minute with the
strippers. You know what a party animal he is.” At Morgan’s giggle, he insisted, “My bachelor party days
are over, Lady. I’ll leave that rite of passage to the younger generation. But
what about you? Don’t you and your girlfriends have a big night out planned on
your last day of freedom?”
“Abbie
and Melissa did do a little arm twisting earlier to try to get me out of here
but I wasn’t interested. I don’t want all of this work hanging over my head next
week. Besides, nothing against my friends, but if I’m going to celebrate I’d
rather do it with you.”
McCoy
smiled and suggested, “Then maybe we can meet for a little while after we both
finish up to do some celebrating. I’d really like to see you tonight.”
“I’d like
to see you too, but I still have a good three hours of work left.”
He let
out a frustrated sigh. “And I have an early appointment in the morning. Like I
said, not fair. But I suppose it will be worth it to have a whole week to ourselves.
After my meeting in the morning I’ll need to go over some things with Serena
concerning the trial we start when I return, then I’m out of here. What are your plans
for the morning?”
“Much the
same as yours. I’ll come in early to tie up some loose ends and then Abbie is
going to meet me at home somewhere around
He noted
happily, “I already know what your plans are from that point on. Just think,
I’ll know what they are for every day afterwards, too. I’ll know when you wake
up in the morning and when you leave for work.” Lowering his voice he added,
“And starting tomorrow night, I’ll know when you go to bed every night because I’m
going to be right there with you.”
After a
short pause Morgan agreed quietly, “That is to be expected.”
“I’m
looking forward to tomorrow so much, I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep a wink
tonight.”
“I’m
excited too,” she admitted. “We’re down to the last few hours.”
He sighed
deeply once more. “Too bad those hours have to be filled with work. Speaking of
which… I’d better finish mine up and let you do the same. I don’t want to be
responsible for keeping you at your office too late. I’d hate to have my
bride-to-be nodding off during the ceremony.”
Morgan
laughed at the prospect and assured him, “You won’t need to worry about that. I
don’t fall asleep that easily.”
“Get some
rest anyway,” he advised. “And be careful going home tonight, Calea.”
“I will,
Jack. You have a good night too.”
“I’ll
call you in the morning,” he promised, then added with a smile, “I can’t wait
to see you tomorrow.”
***“Why my client would choose today, of all
days, to show up at my office unannounced with his overseas business partners
is beyond me,” Morgan grumbled. “And I couldn’t very well tell them to take a
hike. Mr. Takamira brings me a lot of business.”
“It isn’t
a problem,” Carmichael calmly assured her. “Jack said Judge Rivera is stuck in
a motion hearing and won’t be free for a few more minutes anyway. It will all
work out.”
“Well I’m
nervous enough as it is without being late as well. It would’ve been
so much easier to have you help me at home instead of here.”
“I told
you everything is going to work out. But if you don’t hold still, I’ll never
get this in,” Carmichael warned.
“What’s
taking you so long? It’s a clip with flowers attached. How difficult can it
be?” Morgan asked with annoyance.
“There
wouldn’t be a problem if you would stop fidgeting,” Carmichael retorted
pointedly.
Morgan
stood perfectly still for a moment, furiously chewing her lip instead.
“There!”
Carmichael finally announced as she arranged the tiny yellow flowers to cascade
down the back of Morgan’s hair. “What do you think?”
After
examining her reflection in the mirror, Morgan nodded. “It's good.
Thanks.”
“The
flowers match your dress perfectly. That shade of yellow was a good choice for
you.” Carmichael walked into one of the stalls and tore off a piece of tissue,
then folded it neatly and tucked it into her clutch. “I told myself I wasn’t
going to cry, but I’m going prepared just in case. Are you ready to go? I
should probably take the ‘out of order’ sign I made off of the door in case
someone actually needs to use this restroom.”
When she
received no answer, she turned around to find Morgan still standing in front of
the mirror, studying her image intently.
“Calea?”
Carmichael queried, moving to stand closer. “Is everything all right?”
Morgan
slowly shook her head, then asked softly, “What am I doing here, Abbie?”
Carmichael smiled at the reflection from behind her. “You’re marrying
the guy you’re madly in love with. That’s what you’re doing.”
“Then why
do I have an overwhelming urge to sneak out the back right now, and run for my life?”
“It’s just
wedding day jitters. Lots of people get a case of cold feet before their
wedding. Didn’t you see ‘Runaway Bride’?” She took Morgan by the shoulders and
steered her to one of two chairs she had pulled from a near-by conference room.
“Sit down and relax a minute.” Once Morgan was seated, she sat down beside her.
“Starting a new life with someone is a big step. You’re entitled to have a few
doubts. But you and Jack aren’t a couple of lovesick teenagers. You’re old enough to know that you've found what you've been looking for, and you're
committed to each other. You’ll make it work.”
Morgan
stood back up and restlessly paced across the tile floor, her dress pumps
echoing in the small room. “It isn’t the life together part I’m worried about.”
With a deep sigh she admitted, “It’s something more immediate.”
Watching
as her friend stopped to stare out of a small window set at eye level into the
thick stone masonry of the criminal court building, Carmichael questioned, “What is it?”
Without
turning around Morgan shrugged. “I’m worried about tonight, about being with
Jack.”
Carmichael’s eyebrows shot up. “You mean, you and Jack haven’t…”
Shaking
her head Morgan replied, “We tried once. But I couldn’t go through with it.
There have been a couple of times since when I’ve felt maybe I could, but then
the red alert goes off in my head and everything shuts down.” She turned to
face Carmichael. “How do I get over that, Abbie? How do I make myself forget?
It’s like my mind and body have two different agendas. Part of me thoroughly
enjoys the physical feelings Jack stirs up in me. But part of me interprets
those feelings as a signal of danger, as a warning to run as far and as fast as
I can.”
After
regarding her quietly for a moment, Carmichael stood and made her way to where
Morgan was standing. “You can’t expect to completely forget. No matter how hard
you try to push away the past, it will always be a part of you.”
“So how
do I keep the past from intruding on my future? How do I keep it from affecting
my life together with Jack?”
“To begin
with, you have to trust your own judgment in having chosen him. Then you have
to trust him. You know he would never hurt you.”
“I know
he wouldn’t. But after a conversation he and I had last night, I realized just
how much he’s looking forward to the physical aspect of our relationship. I
laid awake almost all night, thinking about it, wondering if I could go through
with it. The last thing in the world I want to do is disappoint him. So tell me
what to do tonight,” Morgan pleaded.
Carmichael contemplated, thinking back on her first experience after her
own attack, then advised gently, “First of all, you have to stop thinking about
the big picture. Don’t think about what’s ultimately going to happen. Push
everything else out of your mind and just enjoy what’s happening at the given
moment. Each little step leads to another. Focus on what you’re feeling in
response to what’s going on. If you keep your mind on the little pleasures, the
next step will come naturally.” Carmichael reached out and touched Morgan’s arm
reassuringly. “Everything is going to be all right, Calea. Trust me.”
***Carmichael walked out into the bright
sunshine, inhaling deeply of the cool spring air, relatively free of smog for a
change. Spotting someone familiar, she made her way toward a near-by bench.
She
stopped in front of McCoy, regarding him with amusement. His arms were
stretched casually across the back of the bench and one long leg was crossed
over the other, his ankle resting on his knee.
“Well I
don’t need to ask if you’re ready!”
“Been
that way for about an hour now,” he claimed after glancing at his watch.
“No cold
feet?”
“Not even
a toe,” he declared confidently. As she sat down beside him he asked, “How
much more time does Calea need?”
“She’s
finished. She just needed a couple of minutes alone.”
McCoy
frowned slightly and brought his arms down, shifting on the bench in order to
study her carefully. “You mean, she’s dressed but isn’t coming out yet?”
“She’ll
be out shortly.”
Continuing to scrutinize her, his frown deepened. “Abbie? Is Calea
having second thoughts?”
“Oh, no,
nothing like that,” she assured him, quickly patting his leg. “She’s just a
little nervous.”
As he
visibly relaxed he noted, “I thought it was the groom who was supposed to be
nervous at the prospect of giving up the single life.”
“That
isn’t what she’s nervous about.”
“Well it
can’t be about the ceremony. It’s just the three of us, Judge Rivera, and a
photographer who’s going to snap a few pictures. It couldn’t be any simpler.”
“She
isn’t nervous about that, either.”
“Then
what is it?”
After
contemplating a moment, debating with herself whether or not she wanted to
broach the very personal subject with him, she finally took a deep breath and
admitted slowly, “She’s nervous about tonight.”
His
eyebrows arched in surprise. “She told you that?”
“Yeah,”
she nodded, “she did.”
He turned
to lean forward and placed his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands together
in front of him. “I was afraid of that. It’s been a concern for her from the very
start.” He heaved a deep sigh and confessed, “I talked with Skoda about it a
few weeks ago. I wanted his professional input because I didn’t want to take a
chance on making a mistake in that regard. He and I both felt that waiting
until after the ceremony, when she knows without a doubt that I’m fully
committed to her, might make her feel more at ease. So I haven’t pressed the
issue. She and I haven’t even discussed it recently. I had hoped she was less
concerned by now.”
“This is
a big step. She hasn’t been faced with an intimate physical relationship since
her ex beat and raped her, Jack. That isn’t an easy thing to put behind you.
It’s going to take time for her to get used to being that close to someone
again.”
Reaching
to rub his face with his hands he observed, “I wish I could make her feel more
at ease, more secure. Better yet, I wish I could erase her entire life with
Frank Tyler from her memory.”
“You
can’t erase her past, but you can be understanding about it,” Carmichael
pointed out.
Nodding he said, “I know I have to get this
right, Abbie. What happens between us in the next few days is going to set the
stage for the rest of our lives together.” He regarded her intently again.
“Skoda may have the degree on the wall, but you have a unique perspective. Is
there anything you can tell me that might help?”
She
nodded slowly, contemplating his request. “I think I may be able to give you a
pointer or two.”
***“There you are,” Carmichael noted, meeting
Morgan as she came down the stairs near the side entrance of the court
building. “Judge Rivera sent his clerk to say he’ll be out in ten minutes. Jack
wanted me to come check on you. Are you ready to go?”
“I think
so,” Morgan nodded. Spinning around in front of Carmichael she asked, “Is my
slip showing? Or worse yet, is my dress tucked into the back of my pantyhose
and my underwear showing?”
Carmichael let out a laugh. “Nothing showing. You look gorgeous. You’re
going to knock Jack’s socks off.”
She took
a deep breath. “Then I suppose I’m ready.” Motioning to Carmichael’s dress she
commented, “You look great, too. Nice corsage.”
“Jack
gave it to me.” Bringing her hand from behind her back, she held out a half
dozen white roses, tied together simply with a cream-colored ribbon. “And he
wanted me to give these to you. I know you didn’t particularly want a bridal
bouquet but he said every bride should have flowers. This was his idea of a
compromise.”
Morgan
slowly took them from her, then deeply inhaled their fragrance. “They’re beautiful,”
she said softly.
“And
they’ll give you something to hold on to, in case your hands start shaking,”
Carmichael pointed out with a smile. As she began to lead the way to the door
she said, “Jack will be relieved to know you’re finally ready to come out. He
says he isn’t nervous but I’m not buying it.”
Morgan
placed her hand on Carmichael’s arm and stopped her. “Since I may not have the
opportunity later, before we go out there’s something I want to say, Abbie.”
When Carmichael had turned to face her curiously, Morgan continued, “I want you
to know how much I appreciate all you’ve done for me these last few weeks. The
shopping, the dress, and most of all the moral support. I don’t know what I
would’ve done without it.”
“What are
friends for?” Carmichael queried matter-of-factly.
After
focusing on the floor for a moment, Morgan looked up and added sincerely, “I
also want you to know that what you said earlier, about tonight… it helped.”
“I told
you, everything is going to be just fine,” Carmichael assured her with a
smile. “You’ll see.” Taking Morgan by the forearm she pulled her impatiently
to the door, declaring, “Come on – let’s go! I think I’m more excited about
this than you are!”
***Morgan clutched McCoy’s hand tightly as Rivera
announced, “By the authority vested in me by the state of New York, I now
pronounce you husband and wife.” He then added happily, “You may now kiss, if
you so desire.”
McCoy
couldn’t keep the smile from his face as he turned and took Morgan into his arms.
And the nervousness he saw in her eyes and tenseness he felt in her body
immediately melted when she saw his expression. Returning the smile, she
stretched up as he bent to give her a gentle kiss. When he broke it off his
smile was instantly back in place. Upon seeing it, Morgan reached impulsively
to give him a hug. He tightened his arms around her midsection, giving her a
squeeze before releasing her.
From
beside them Rivera warmly said, “Allow me to be the first to congratulate you
as a couple.” Holding out his hand, he gripped McCoy’s exuberantly, then bent
to give Morgan a quick peck on the cheek. “I wish the two of you all the
happiness in the world.”
“Thank
you,” McCoy replied, reaching for Morgan’s hand once more.
“And
thank you for officiating,” Morgan added. “You did a wonderful job. Everything
was simply perfect.”
“I’m glad
you thought so. This is certainly one of the more pleasant duties that go along
with wearing a robe. I expect you to drop in on me every once in a while to let
me know how you’re doing.”
“We
will,” McCoy promised.
Nodding
Rivera noted, “It was good to see you again, Ms. Carmichael.”
“It was
good to see you too,” she responded, coming forward from where she had been
standing to one side.
“Take
care, all of you,” Rivera advised before turning to leave.
Carmichael stepped up to hug both Morgan and McCoy in turn, declaring,
“I can’t believe the two of you finally did it! There sure were times when I had my
doubts.”
McCoy shook
his head. “You of all people should know that once I set my mind on something,
I don’t give up until I get what I want,” he reminded her, giving Morgan a wink
in the process.
Grinning
at the eye-rolling look Morgan gave him, Carmichael said, “It’s too bad you
don’t have time for a quick drink to celebrate, but I know you have to head to
the airport right away.”
“We’ll
barely have time for a few pictures,” McCoy observed, motioning to the
photographer who was unobtrusively snapping photos from behind her.
“We’ll
get together as soon as we return,” Morgan promised.
Nodding,
Carmichael agreed, “I’ll take you both out to dinner, my treat.” She reached to
hug each again. “I’m so happy for you! Have a great time, you two. And I expect
to hear from you the minute you get back.”
“You
will,” Morgan assured her. Giving her a warm smile she added, “Thank you,
Abbie, for everything.”
***“Jacob said the fuse box was just inside the
door but I don’t see it,” McCoy noted, training a flashlight on the wall in
front of him.
“Maybe he
meant that door,” Morgan suggested, pointing across the garage from where she
and McCoy were standing.
McCoy
focused the beam in the direction she indicated and nodded. “There it is.”
Walking over, he opened the box and flipped the master breaker switch. Light
immediately flooded the garage.
“That’s
better!” he declared. “If you want to wait here, I’ll pull the car inside and
we can unload our luggage from in here so we don’t freeze to death.”
Moments
later McCoy followed Morgan as she led the way into the cabin, turning on
lights as she went.
“You
weren’t kidding when you said to bring warm clothes,” she observed, burying her
hands deeper into the pockets of her coat after setting her overnight bag on
the sofa. “It isn’t much warmer in here than it is outside.”
“No one
has been here since ski season ended last month, and there have been a couple
of little snow storms since,” he explained, setting his and Morgan’s suitcases
down on the floor of the spacious living room. “I’ll go turn on the central
heat to take the chill out, then build a fire for us to sit in front of. It’ll
be toasty in no time.”
After
searching out the thermostat, McCoy returned to find Morgan peering out of the
French doors set into the exposed logs along the far wall of the living room.
The light mounted outside the door illuminated a small portion of a deck.
“It’s too
bad we arrived in the dark. I’ll bet it’s beautiful out there,” he said as he
began to place rolled-up newspaper into the fireplace.
She
flipped off the light switch beside the door and crossed the room to sit on the
stone hearth where he was working. “If it’s nice tomorrow maybe we can go
exploring a bit.”
“I
checked the weather forecast for the area before we left and the high tomorrow
is supposed to be in the upper 50’s with sunshine. It should be a good day for
a hike.” He carefully added kindling to the burning paper, coaxing the small
flames.
“We’ll
also need to pick up some groceries. I think I’ll survey the kitchen and see
what sort of staples are on hand.”
When she
returned a few minutes later, the fire was beginning to take hold of the larger
logs McCoy had added from a stack beside the hearth and he had already taken
off his coat as the room began to warm.
“I put our suitcases upstairs in the master
bedroom,” he informed her. “It’s a loft with huge windows on each wall. The
view should be great in the morning.”
“It
sounds beautiful,” she commented as she shed her own coat and he took it from
her. “It’s a good thing we ate along the way though. There isn’t much to work
with here.”
“I didn’t
think there would be. Jacob told me we’d have to stock up. He said they don’t
keep much in the cabin unless they know they’re returning in a week or two.” He
took her by the hand and led her to the sofa. Once they were settled, with her
nestled in the crook of his arm and her legs curled under her, he sighed
contentedly. “Just think, five whole days without ringing phones or buzzing
pagers.”
“Or
demanding clients,” she added. “We’re going to be spoiled by the time we go
back to the real world.”
“I think
we could use a little spoiling of that kind at the moment. We both work too
hard.”
“Well at
least we’ll each understand about the other’s schedule since we’re so similar,”
she pointed out.
“Speak
for yourself! I expect my wife to be waiting at the door every evening with my
slippers, whatever time I happen to show up,” he insisted with mock
indignation.
“Yeah,
right!” she retorted sarcastically, pretending to be miffed at his teasing.
“You married the wrong the woman if that’s what you expect.”
“Now’s a
fine time to tell me!” he declared. “The papers have already been filed!”
Turning to brush her forehead with his lips he conceded, “I suppose some
compromises could be made.”
“I
suppose,” she agreed with a smile, tucking her head under his chin and laying
her cheek against his chest.
They
watched the fire in silence for several minutes before Morgan brought her hand
up to unsuccessfully stifle a yawn.
“It’s
been a long day,” he noted, stroking her hair absent-mindedly.
“Yes, it
has been.”
“And it’s
late,” he added, tightening his arm around her. A quick smile lit his face.
“You know, the last few months I’ve come to thoroughly dislike those words. But
now… after today… I don’t mind them at all.”
Morgan
slowly sat up and regarded him carefully. “I suppose they have taken on kind of
a new meaning.”
Placing
the palm of his hand against her cheek he nodded. “I suppose so.”
Slipping
his fingers into her hair, he turned slightly on the sofa and pulled her
closer, then kissed her languidly. Morgan slid her arms around his neck and
leaned into him.
When he
pulled back, she held her hand up to entwine her fingers with his.
“I think
I’ll go up and get ready for bed now,” she said softly.
“All
right,” he agreed, equally quietly. “I’ll stir the fire down and turn off the
lights, then be up as well.”
After
leaning forward for a briefer kiss, Morgan stood and headed up the wooden
staircase.
***He paced impatiently across the bedroom,
stuffing his hands into the pockets of his flannel pajama pants. After securing
things downstairs he had come up to find Morgan in the bathroom, the sound of
running water coming from beyond the closed door. He had retrieved his travel
bag and searched out another of the bathrooms to brush his teeth, then decided
to take a quick shower in order to freshen up. With nothing else to do but
wait, he opened the glass door in the bedroom and stepped out onto a small
deck. He inhaled deeply of the crisp air, scented with pine and wood smoke,
then shuddered in the cold. Stepping back inside, he closed the door and
rummaged through his suitcase until he found a long-sleeved flannel shirt. He
pulled it on as he retraced his steps downstairs.
When he
returned moments later, Morgan was emerging from the bathroom carrying the
neatly folded jeans and sweater she had been wearing.
McCoy
stopped in his tracks in the doorway of the bedroom and let out a low whistle.
“You look incredible,” he commented, noting with appreciation how the teal
green satin and lace gown she was wearing clung to her figure.
As she
placed her sweater in one of the dresser draws Morgan replied, “Abbie picked
this out. She and Melissa threw a lingerie party for me.”
“Does
that mean I can look forward to similar attire tomorrow night?” he asked as he
slowly entered the room.
“I think
I received enough lingerie that you won’t have to look at the same nightgown
twice for about a month,” she informed him matter-of-factly.
He stood
beside the bed, still looking her up and down. “Remind me to thank your
friends.”
She
nodded and gave him a slight smile. “I’ll do that.” Chewing her lip, she busied
herself hanging her jeans and placing them in the closet.
“Come
here,” he commanded softly once she had finished.
Morgan
approached him hesitantly, still chewing her lip. When she came to a stop in
front of him he regarded her for a moment. Without even touching her, he could
practically feel the tension in her body. He brought his arm up – and held out
his green coat.
“Put this
on.”
Her
eyebrows arched in surprise.
“Come
on,” he coaxed with a smile. “I want to show you something.”
Turning
so that she could slip her arms into the sleeves she queried curiously, “Show
me what?”
Without
answering he held out a thick pair of his socks. “Put these on too.”
She sat
on the edge of the tall four-poster bed, her feet dangling, and did as he
recommended. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll
see,” he assured her. Once she had complied he took her by the hand and led
her to the glass door across the room. After first switching off the bedroom
light, he opened the door and pulled her outside. Placing his hands on her
shoulders and moving her to stand in front of him, he pointed up. “Look.”
She
tilted her head back and sucked in an awed breath. “Oh, Jack, it’s beautiful!”
Gazing up
at the stars he noted, “I don’t think it’s quite as impressive as the night
sky over Texas, but it’s a pretty close second.”
“You can see so many stars! It’s unbelievably
clear.”
He
wrapped her in his arms, hugging her to him and drawing warmth from her body.
“Too bad we can’t take this view home with us.”
With a
sigh of contentment she leaned her head back against him. “If we had this all
the time we probably wouldn’t appreciate it as much.”
“Probably
not. Sort of the way we take for granted the New York landmarks that people
travel half way around the world to see.”
“Mmm,”
she agreed softly. After a quiet pause she pulled his arms a little tighter
around her mid-section. “I know what you’re doing,” she pointed out.
Rubbing
his cheek against her hair he questioned, “What am I doing?”
“Distracting me, trying to make me feel less nervous.”
After
briefly contemplating protesting her assumption, he concluded that to do so
would be pointless and instead asked, “And how am I doing with that?”
She
patted his arm. “Pretty well, as a matter of fact.”
“You
know, we don’t have to do anything tonight. I know you worked late last night
and you have to be tired after today. I won’t mind if you want to wait until
you’re more rested,” he assured her.
Morgan
turned around in his arms to face him, studying him carefully. Stretching up
she pulled his head down and gave him a gentle kiss, then said with a smile,
“Liar.”
Returning
the smile he admitted, “Okay, so maybe I would be just a little disappointed.
But we’ve waited this long, one more night isn’t going to kill me.” Turning
more serious he smoothed her hair from her cheek. “I don’t want you to be
nervous.”
She
avoided his eyes as she wriggled her fingers free from the too-big sleeves of
his coat to pull his flannel shirt together in front over his tee shirt. “I
don’t want to be either, but I can’t help it, Jack.” With a shrug she
explained, “It’s been a long time. And I want this to be right with us. It’s
important.”
“It will
be right with us, Calea,” he promised. He put a hand under her chin and lifted
her head so that he could look into her eyes. “I won’t have it any other way.”
He leaned down to give her a long, slow kiss, pressing her close to him.
When he
broke it off, Morgan reached behind her and took his hand from where it rested
at the small of her back. “Let’s go inside.”
He
willingly followed as she led the way. Once the door was closed behind them, he
pulled her into his arms again for another lingering kiss and pushed his coat
from her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.
Morgan
slid her arms through the opening of his flannel shirt and locked them behind
his back, resting her cheek against his chest. As he ran his hands over her
bare shoulders and down the back of the satin nightgown, feeling the warmth
radiating from her skin underneath, he asked softly, “So what is your little voice
telling you now?”
Leaning
back, she looked up at him thoughtfully for a moment, then slowly shook her
head. “I don’t hear a thing.”
***McCoy
eased back into bed, careful not to wake Morgan as she lay curled up facing him
a few inches away. The skylight above the bed framed a patch of cloudless azure
blue, but his gaze was fixed firmly on the sleeping form beside him. Propping
himself up on an elbow, he reached to grasp the blanket and sheet covering her,
then slowly folded them back until her bare body was completely exposed to him.
His eyes eagerly traveled over every inch as he thought of the night before,
remembering her initial nervousness, the responsiveness to his every touch, her
concerns about pleasing him, and the tears she had tried to hide from him
afterwards. He was eager to begin the day and discover what new pleasures were
in store for the two of them. It wasn’t until she stirred and curved her body
into a tighter ball in order to ward off the chill in the room that he finally
pulled the blanket back up over her shoulders.
He was
content to watch her for only a few minutes more before his impatience got the
best of him and he reached out to stroke her hair. Morgan immediately took in a
deep breath and stretched languidly before slowly opening her eyes.
“Good morning,” he said cheerfully, leaning
over to kiss her cheek.
“Morning,” she responded, smiling sleepily up at him and sliding an arm
around his neck. “How are you?”
“I’m
great. And you?”
“Mmm, I
couldn’t possibly be any better,” she insisted, closing her eyes again.
Giving
her another kiss he noted, “That’s good to hear.”
“How long
have you been awake?”
“Not
long,” he replied, slipping one arm under her head and caressing her bare
backside with the other hand.
“Just a
minute,” Morgan admonished as she wriggled out of his embrace and rolled away
from him, pulling the sheet from the bed with her.
“Where
are you going?”
“To the
bathroom, if you must know,” she answered with amusement, standing up to wrap the
flannel fabric securely around her.
“You
don’t need that,” he maintained, lunging abruptly across the bed to make a grab
for the sheet.
Taking a
quick step out of his reach she said pointedly, “I’ll be the judge of that,
thank you very much.”
With a
mischievous grin he informed her, “I already saw.”
“Saw
what?” she asked, giving him a wary look as she made her way around the bed
toward the bathroom.
“Everything!” he replied suggestively.
She
stopped in her tracks. “When did you do that?”
“While
you were asleep,” he responded, still grinning. “I peeked.”
“Oh you
did?” she questioned in mock indignation.
“Yep,” he
concurred with self-satisfaction, folding his arms under his head.
She
huffed out a breath and shook her head as she continued to the bathroom. “That
hardly seems fair!”
When she
emerged a few minutes later, still clutching the sheet to her, he scooted over
to make room for her and patted the bed beside him. As she climbed back in she
asked, “So when do I get to see?”
McCoy immediately scrambled up and stood on
the bed, hands on his hips. “Here you go!” he announced, towering over her.
Morgan
dissolved into fit of laughter and he plopped back down beside her, bouncing
her in the process.
“I’m glad
to know you’re not shy,” she observed when she had sufficiently recovered.
“I hope
you’re not laughing at what you saw,” he countered, pretending to be concerned.
Shaking
her head, she trailed her fingers lightly down his belly underneath the covers.
“Oh, definitely not. What I saw was quite impressive,” she assured him.
He let
out a slight groan and bent to cover her mouth with his when her fingers
reached their destination.
***Morgan sighed with contentment and leaned her
wet head back against McCoy’s chest. “What are we going to do today?”
Sliding
his hands over her slick body beneath a myriad of bubbles he replied, “The
first order of business after we finish bathing is to go into town and have
breakfast. If I don’t eat soon, I’m going to faint from hunger.”
“Sounds
good to me. Then what?”
“We could
do some shopping or explore the town a little if you’d like. Afterwards we’ll
need to pick up some groceries for later.”
“And once
we get back?”
“Well
after we put everything away, I’ll probably make love to my wife again,” he
informed her matter-of-factly, brushing his lips against the back of her neck.
She
turned to look over her shoulder with amusement. “I didn’t know we were on a
schedule in that regard.”
Pulling
her back against him, he said, “Hey, I’m all for spontaneity, believe me. But
there’s nothing wrong with planning ahead for the more important things in
life.”
Morgan
chuckled quietly. “And what’s on the agenda for afterwards?”
“We could
pack a picnic lunch and go for a walk up one of the trails near here. Or, if
you’d prefer, we can take a drive and see some of the countryside. It’s up to
you.”
“If it’s
up to me, I’ll take the hike. It would be nice to get out and breathe some
fresh, smog-free air for a change.”
“Then a hike
it is,” he agreed. Slipping his hands under her backside to give her a lift he
added, “Come on, let’s get out and dry off. If you keep rubbing my leg like
that, you’re going to start something that will end in us missing breakfast
completely and having to go straight to lunch.”
***McCoy wrapped his arms around Morgan’s
midsection and peered over her shoulder. “What smells so delicious?”
“Angel
hair pasta with Roma tomatoes, olive oil, and herbs,” she informed him. “I also
sautéed a couple of chicken breasts to add to the pasta, given your meat
addiction.”
“Mmm,
sounds great. After that long hike I’m hungry enough to eat a horse. How much
longer?”
“It will
take the chicken a few more minutes to finish cooking. If you don’t think you
can wait that long, I can make our salads now.”
“That’s
okay, I can wait,” he assured her. “In fact, I’ll volunteer to watch the
chicken and make the salads if you want to go for a quick run before dinner. I
know that’s something of a habit with you.”
“I hadn’t
planned on going running today. I run to relieve stress and I can’t say I’ve
felt much of that since I left the ringing telephones and demanding clients
behind.” With a shrug she added, “Besides, I’m conserving my energy for more
important things.”
“More important
things, huh?” he repeated with a grin, turning her around so that she was
facing him. “Now who’s planning ahead?” Taking her by the hand, eyes twinkling,
he said, “Speaking of which, come and see. I have a surprise for you.”
He led
her to the living room and came to a stop in front of the sofa. Morgan’s
eyebrows arched. “What is this?”
“Since
I’m past the point in life that I’m willing to sleep on the hard floor, and since the sofa doesn't pull out, I took the mattress from one of the downstairs bedrooms and made a bed for us
in here.” Kissing the top of her head he added, “Tonight we can make love by
firelight.”
Morgan
turned and slid her arms around him. “Well since you’ve already seen
everything there is to see, I suppose I don’t have to worry
about hiding anything.”
He held
her tightly against him, smiling suggestively. “And I can’t wait to see it all again.”
***He leaned on his elbows, placed on either side
of her head, with her body tucked beneath him. He could feel her belly press
against his with every breath she took and her skin glowed in the light of the
fire.
She
reached up to trace his mouth with her fingers and admitted softly, “I love you
so much. I feel as though, no matter what happens from this moment on, there is
a part of me that will always be content, just knowing what we've shared.”
He cupped
her face in his hands and stroked the silky skin of her cheek. “I don’t ever
want to forget the way you look, or the way I feel at this moment.”
“Jack…”
she whispered just before he silenced her with a gentle kiss.
***He
wasn’t even fully awake when he sought the warmth of her body, reaching out for
her. When his arm was fully extended and he had encountered only empty bed
though, he awoke immediately. Propping himself up on an elbow, he surveyed what
he could of the room, his view partially blocked by the sofa. As he sat up, in the soft glow emanating from the remaining embers nestled in the
fireplace, he spotted Morgan standing in front of the glass door, staring
out into the night.
“Calea?”
he called softly. “What are you doing up?”
“It’s all
right, Jack,” she assured him. “Go back to sleep.”
“Not
until you come back to bed,” he contended. “I didn’t get married to sleep
alone.”
She
turned from the window and padded across the room. He held his hand out when
she approached and took hold of hers. “Your hand is like ice,” he noted,
helping her back into bed. As soon as she sidled her body next to his, he let
out a little yelp. “Yikes! The rest of you feels like ice too!”
Morgan
snuggled up to him, drawing on his warmth, and let out a contented sigh. “You
feel nice and toasty.”
When they
were both settled, with his arm encircling her shivering shoulders, he said,
“You must’ve had a nightmare. I’m sorry I didn’t hear you. Why didn’t you wake
me?”
“I wouldn’t wake you for that.”
“But I
want you to. I want to be there for you,” he insisted.
“You are
here for me.” She shifted slightly and was quiet a moment before continuing,
“But I know it upsets you when I have a nightmare so it’s better if I deal
with it on my own.”
He
propped himself up and looked down at her. “It only upsets me because I see how
much it upsets you. I don’t like seeing you go through that kind of emotional
turmoil.” Reaching to smooth her hair he added gently, “I want to do whatever
I can to help you through it. Even if all I can do is hold you afterwards, then
that’s what I want to do – every time. You don’t have to go through these
things alone anymore, Calea. I’m here now.”
She
searched his eyes solemnly, then pulled his head down until his lips met hers,
giving him a long, thorough kiss. When she finally ended it she reached up to
place her palm against his cheek.
“Jack?”
she queried softly. “Will you make love to me?”
McCoy smiled
and shook his head as he reached for her. “What a silly question.”