Cole's Redemption (Love Amongst the Pines) (15 page)

             
Holding out the thick bar, the scent of the flowers assailed him making him even more weak kneed than before. It wasn't fair. His body and his mind were betraying him!

             
"That's nice,
Natty
. Real nice," he choked out, returning his attention to the book before him.

             
"I think so, too, Cole," Natty said in a low voice. She paused only a second, and then turned to put away the rest of the laundry.

             
Cole steeled himself to not look up as she went about her business. The sound of her movements drew his attention, anyway.
             
             

Glancing up
, he noted that her hair had begun to grow out and was forming the most pleasing little curls at the nape of her neck. He couldn't help thinking how pleasant it would be to lose
himself
there; planting small kisses at the base of her neck, the curls tickling his nose as he went about his work.

             
Cole settled his resolve once more, forcing his eyes back to the text before him as she gathered her things and left the cabin. When the sound of the closing door signaled her gone, Cole took an unsteady breath. It took every bit of his strength not to go running after her.
             

He wearily dropped his head to the open book before him and began counting backwards from a hundred.

             
In the past, the ploy had worked, but each time he began his litany he found he was becoming less and less successful. This time, he barely made ninety.

             
Cole was desperately loosing the war of his emotions. Too often, he was given to imaginings of Natty standing naked in the moonlight. Or he'd see the vision of Natty waking up first thing in the morning with her hair
all wild
, and her flannel gown barely hiding her womanly attributes. The worst was his vision of Natty laying beside him running her small hands along the measure of his chest, and then leaning forward for a deep, loving kiss.

             
Such thoughts had sent him to the creek on more than one occasion. More and more, he was wading out waist deep into the chilly water, and then having to sit for hours before going inside so his under drawers would dry out.

             
Thank heavens, he'd gained limited mobility with his hands, so that he could slip his thumbs under his trousers, and he could now get the darn things off without help. The thought of Natalie even coming close enough to unfasten them made him damn near to bursting.
             

No, he'd had enough of her care in that respect. Anymore, and he'd go raving mad.

             
"Son," the Judge remarked one night as Cole passed by his camp on his way to the creek. "You look in a frightful hurry. Anything wrong?" He was poised over a pot of coffee, pouring the brackish liquid into a tin cup.

             
Cole stopped, but didn't turn around to face him. Instead, he placed his still bruised hands with splinted fingers on each hip.

"No sir. I just feel the need for a dip, is all.
"
Cole tried to settle his breathing.

             
"Oh. The two of you have been making use of that stream an awful lot lately. Practically scared all the fish away."

             
Cole could hear the teasing in the other man's voice. He let his shoulders drop. It was no good. He turned and walked over to the campfire. Setting himself down, he took the mug of coffee from Judge and held it between his injured hands like it

was
gold. After a long swallow, he closed his eyes for a moment.

             
"Want to talk about it?" Judge offered as he poured himself another cup.

             
"There's nothing to talk about. It's crazy. I can't do this."

             
"Is it so bad living with her?
Natty's
a wonderful girl. She's just been short sheeted in life, is
all.
I think she'll make a damn fine wife and mother to your children."

             
"That's the problem. There isn't going to be a marriage or children. Why can't anyone understand what's going on but me?"

             
"You know,
Remmington
, I think I got you figured out. It
ain't
dying that scares you so much as living. You won't be a husband to that girl because you're afraid of her. You're just scared to have a good life, to take each day on its own account, and let tomorrow worry about itself."

             
Cole shook his head. "Judge
,
you should have been a preacher. But you're talking to the choir here. There is nothing I want to do more than go in that shack and make Natalie my wife in the biblical sense. I can't. I'd only end up hurting her! It's too dangerous for her to fall for me."

             
Judge laughed. "Is that what's worrying you boy?" "What's so funny?" "What's so funny
is
you. You think by denying yourself that
you're going to spare her feelings? I've got some news for you, brother. That girl is already head over heels in love with you. Whether you realize it or not, she has been almost from the very first. No matter what you do, you
ain't
going to change that. In fact, I think you're doing more damage by trying to spare her feelings. It's too late for that."

             
Cole glanced behind them. In the distance, he could see the silhouette of his wife dancing as Dermott played a tune on his harmonica.

             
"That can't be possible!" He felt defeated and invigorated all at once. He looked at the cooling coffee in his hands.

             
Without saying a word, he set the cup down and stood up. With a final glance at the cabin, he turned, and ran towards the creek, throwing himself in full up. He let the water wash over him, splinted hands and all. It didn't matter. Maybe, he'd hit his head and kill himself in the process. Unfortunately, with the luck he'd been having lately, he knew that wasn't going to happen.

             
Despite all of his good intentions, Cole was falling in love with Natty Lane.

             
Natty was near to exhaustion when Judge approached the

cabin
. Dermott finished his reel and quickly stuffed the mouth organ in his shirt pocket.

             
"We
gonna
play cards tonight?"

             
"Sure we are,
Derm
. I've got a new strategy figured out so we can beat Lester this time."

             
Natty looked surprised. "You been losing a lot of money to
Biggins
, Judge?"

             
"Here and there." He stretched. "You know, I just saw your gunslinger headed towards the pond. I bet he could use some company. It's an awful pretty night for Indian summer. Just warm enough. Look at that, the sky's so clear; I'll bet the stars will be out soon, too."

             
Natty's
gaze was pinned in the direction of the stream. "Really? Well, maybe I'll just wander down there and see if he's hungry. I've got some corn pone left from dinner."

             
"Now that I think on it, he did mention being a little bit starved. You go on ahead and fix him up, Natty."

             
She quickly looked up at the Judge, a wide smile spreading across her face. "I just might do that, Judge."

             
Natty walked down the steep path to the creek bank. Just at the edge of the water, she settled down on the ground, sitting with her knees drawn up. She wore her overalls pulled up taught at her waist and her Pa's old shirt tucked in. Even though there was a slight chill,
a new
warmth grew inside of her, heating her from the inside out. Maybe if she just opened the shirt a little, she could cool off.

             
A few hours until sunset, the sky deepened in color, and the fading sunlight threw a pale cast was over the water. The little creek was inviting, deep and wide enough for a grown man to swim comfortably, as Cole was doing.

             
Fascinated, Natty watched the graceful strokes of her husband's muscles glinting against the water. He looked almost magical, gleaming in the night. In a few minutes, he'd be up to the shore.

             
When he'd nearly made her side of the creek, Natty stood up. At first, she thought he didn't see her. She watched as he
drug
himself up the gentle slope. He was breathing hard from his exercise; his movements slow and lumbering. He looked like a dark beast arising from the water.

             
"What are you doing, Natalie?" He asked between gasps.

             
"I came out for a swim," she told him calmly. "Seems like a nice night for it, stars should be out soon." As she talked, Natty unbuttoned her shirt, slow and deliberate, holding him there with her gaze like some fairytale witch casting a spell.

             
"Natty, please," he said in a low moan. "You don't know what you're doing to me!"

             
"I'm just getting ready for a swim." When she finally undid the last button, she heard a low rumble come from him. Urged on by the guttural sound, she stepped closer, pulling the garment off of her shoulders and letting it fall to the ground. For the first time in her life, she revealed her naked body to man. A distant part of her mind said she should be ashamed to flaunt herself, but she could no longer control the desire she felt for Cole. Another part of her mind answered back, after all, by law, they were man and wife.

             
"Please," he whispered. "If you don't stop this now, we can't turn back." In spite of his protests, he moved a step closer. "For God's sake, Natty. I'm not that strong!"

             
Without saying a word, Natty slipped her trousers off. It was a heady feeling, knowing that she held such power over him.

             
"I don't want to turn back, Cole. I want to love you. Please let me love you."

             
Cole moved until he stood only a few inches from touching her. His pale skin flushed, his breaths coming in short, rapid gasps.

             
"Oh, Natty, how can you possibly understand? You've never been with a man before, and you don't know how despicable we are!"
             

He reached out with bandaged hands, grasped her shoulders gently and pulled her to him. A spark of electric emotion passed between them.

             
All of
Natty's
senses came alive at once. A shot of desire flared inside her when they touched. What had begun as a passionate embrace soon exploded into an all out invasion, his body conquering hers with a deep, primal
kiss.

             
As his bruised and swollen hands slid across the bare skin of her back, a powerful shudder ran through her, coursing along her nerves, and shaking her to her very core. Crushing against him, Natty suddenly became aware of the hardness of him as it pushed against her belly. He groaned at the contact, the damp cloth of his drawers the only thing separating them. Natty felt
a warmth
that began at the juncture of her legs spread throughout her body.

             
Suddenly, Cole reached one arm down under her knees, and lifted her, cradling her against his chest. He carried her to the cabin, and with a single motion, kicked open the door.

             
In the next instant, Natty was lying on her back in the cot he'd occupied since his arrival. For a brief moment, she thought she might smother, the aroused male covering her in a blanket of flesh. Before she could think another thought, he pulled off her.

             
"Are you really sure about this?" His voice was strained and trembling. "Please, Natty you have to be sure!"

             
She reached up and pulled him down to kiss her, matching his desire with her own.

             
"I am."

             
With a loud moan, he pushed himself between her legs. She was amazed at how pliant her body had become in a space of seconds.
             
As the weight of him settled against her, a shot of desire nearly took her over the edge. Edge of what, she had no idea, but she knew something big was about to happen.

             
"Natty, listen to me. I'm going to pleasure you first. That way, it'll make it easier for both of us. Okay?"