In the next few days, the weather turned cooler as early autumn took hold. Will fired up the wood-burning stove to keep the cabin warm during the nights and mornings. More fish from the pond and a few grouse from nearby meadows became the main courses of dinners.

Terra's strength grew as she healed. She helped with chores around the cabin and took short walks along the stream where the water danced among the rocks, lifting her spirit. If not in proximity, Will was always close in her mind.

At Will's invitation, Terra agreed to a longer hike to a favorite overlook. He loaded a rucksack with a picnic lunch, a blanket, and a jug of water. Upon seeing Terra's attire, he ducked into the closet and came out with a sturdy pair of hiking boots and a jacket.

"I think you will do better with these."

Terra reached out but then hesitated as she realized who once owned them.

"It's okay," he said with a sincere smile. "I think Ell would be happy if you could use them."

They set off mid-morning, hiking a faint trail along the creek before veering off through pine forests and bright aspen groves. As the elevation became higher, the trees thinned and they scrambled over boulder fields and along rocky cliffs. Terra kept to the pace, and her initial concern about her physical condition faded away. Just after noon, they reached the destination on a ridgeline between two mountains, overlooking a grand valley framed with snow-capped peaks. The sides of the mountains were ablaze with golden yellow aspen leaves that cascaded from the higher elevations. Above, puffy white clouds raced across a deep blue sky.

When they topped the ridge, Terra's jaw dropped as she took in the view.

Will grinned as he made a sweeping motion with his arms. "Not bad, huh?"

"Absolutely beautiful, Will. I take back every silent curse I made when we went through the boulders."

Will spread the blanket on a carpet of low grasses dotted with brilliantly colored wildflowers. He laid out the lunch he packed, consisting of a loaf of bread, a wedge of cheddar cheese, a pair of apples, and two bottles of cider. They sat cross-legged, leg touching leg, and ate in silence before the panorama, as if afraid that words might spoil it. As Will wrapped his arm around Terra's waist, she leaned her head against his shoulder. With his touch, the deep fires that Terra held back flared, as if given new oxygen, consuming her. She shuddered.

Will turned toward her and cupped her cheek in one hand, his eyes piercing her. Lips moved closer until only a breath separated them.

"Terra, may I?" Will whispered.

No! We shouldn't do this. Her heart overruled, and she answered in an airy murmur, "Please..."

Their lips connected, throwing fuel to the flames. At first, the kiss was as gentle as a butterfly's flutter, but Terra demanded more, wrapping her arms around Will's neck and pressing him tighter. The kiss, deep and electric, lifted her far away from the concerns of the world.

Terra laid back on the blanket, pulling Will on top of her. The gentle kisses that trailed down her neck sent electric shivers racing down her spine. Lips locked again as her hands traced his body. As his hardness pressed against her, she gave in fully to the flames and rubbed herself against it.

A sudden loud clap of thunder interrupted their passion. Dark, ominous clouds approached over the peaks to the west, dragging curtains of rain under them.

Terra whimpered with disappointment as Will rolled off. He grumbled, "As much as I want to continue this, we should not be on this ridge during a storm."

After one more lingering kiss, he scurried to repack his rucksack. Hand-in-hand, they rushed off the ridge to rolling crashes of approaching thunder. As they neared the relative safety of the trees, the storm overtook them, pelting them with cold rain and swirling winds. Will pulled Terra with him beneath the shelter of a rock overhang as the rain intensified, mixed with stinging sleet. Here, huddled close together, they waited out the worst of the storm, sheltered within each other's arms. Finally, hours later, they arrived back at the cabin, chilled and soaked.

Just inside the door, Will smirked at Terra as excess water dripped from her hair, creating tiny puddles on the floor, and stated the obvious. "You're wet, Terra Lore."

With rounded lips and a husky voice, she cooed, "Yes, I am, Will Saul." A raising of eyebrows showed he understood her double meaning.

Terra collapsed into him, molding her body to his, offering lips and tongue. Between kisses, wet clothes peeled away, each by the other, until none remained above their waists. Cool skin turned hot as Will slid his hands down her bare back to trap her against himself. For her part, fingers traced the firm muscles of his arms and chest.

Terra kneeled before Will, her fingers tugging at the waistband of his hiking pants, but then stopped and looked up with eyes, silently pleading permission to continue. He answered by unfastening the clasp and pulling down the zipper. In a single fluid motion, Terra slipped down both pants and underwear. Terra sucked in a heavy breath as Will convincingly demonstrated his level of arousal.

The last shred of her hesitancy fell away. I want this.

As he stepped out of his pants, she stood and stepped back, smiling as she took in the naked man before her. She let him remove what remained of her wet clothes, trembling at his touch.

Will scanned the woman before him with warm green eyes. "You are so beautiful, Terra Lorr," he said, stealing a breath from her.

Pulling in for another kiss, she whispered in his ear what he must already know. "Please. I want you."

Will took Terra's hand and led her to the bed. They slid under the blankets and resumed the active foreplay, teasing with lips, tongues, and fingers in rising urgency. Soon the bed covers fell away, no longer needed for warmth, even in the coolness inside the cabin.

She whimpered in disappointment when Will paused, saying, "Terra, I don't have any protection."

"It's okay," she replied in a breathless voice. "I have my own."

With the last barrier now gone and desires unfettered, they melted into each other. The sex — no, lovemaking — continued unabated until they both laid tangled with each other, exhausted and fully sated. Will retrieved the blanket to cover them as Terra snuggled into his arms and basked in the afterglow.

After some time cuddling, Will slid out of the bed to start a fire in the stove, then returned to her embrace. The crackling of the fire, combined with the gentle patter of rain on the roof, created a comforting ambiance, and they napped within each other's arms well into the early evening.

Terra woke to find Will sitting on the edge of the bed and peering out a window. Sensing that something bothered him, she crawled over and embraced him from behind, letting her long hair cascade over his shoulder.

"Will, what is it?" she whispered.

He sat still for a moment before answering. "Did I take advantage of you?"

She dropped her jaw. "Take advantage of me? I assure you, I was very much a willing participant. If anything, I took advantage of you."

Will shook his head. "It's just... There is something else I need to tell you. I know I should have before..."

Terra leaned over and silenced him with a kiss. "Tell me tomorrow. Tonight, make love to me again."

A sly grin drifted across his face. "If you insist. But first, I think we need to refuel."

Will kissed her again and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner, not bothering to put on any clothes. Terra remained on the bed. While she recalled the pleasure they shared, doubts from somewhere deep crept into her mind.

What is this secret? I told him before that we should part for his own good. Is that it? Is my past too much for anything more than a fling?

She pushed these thoughts aside and joined him in the kitchen, also unclothed. By now, the crackling wood stove had warmed the cabin. Playful flirtation became part of dinner. At one point, Terra straddled Will's lap, giggling as they fed each other.

That night the storm passed, but not their passions. They made love again, this time slow and deeply intimate, contrasting to the intense lustful energy of their earlier encounter. And it left them even more satisfied. Terra fell asleep, encased in Will's arms with a soul-reaching contentment never before experienced.