Willow Smoke (48 page)

“And that if either one
of us desires to
move
on,
we
have
the
good
graces
to
inform
the other and break it off with as much
dignity as we can muster.” He paused.

There
was
silence.

“Well,
what
do
you
say
about
that?”

“Fine
with
me.”
Daisy
shrugged.
“It’s
not
like
I
have
a
bunch
of
guys
knocking
down
my
door.
You’re
the
only
man
I’ve
ever
slept
with.”
She
grew
silent.

Nick
could
hear
gears
turning
in
Daisy’s
brain
while
she
sorted
out
the
implications
of
what
he’d
said.
“Have
there
been
other women...since
that
night
in
Shakopee?”
she
whispered.

Nick’s
response
was
quick
and
firm.
“Absolutely
not.
You
are
actually
the
first
woman I took to bed in three years. There never seemed to be
much of a point. Oh, I was fairly active for a while after
the divorce. Proving myself, I guess. But
then I sort of lost interest. Until you came along.”

“If I remember
correctly, I had to almost beg
you
to make love to me that first time.
It
was quite embarrassing at first.”
Daisy
leaned
back
and
looked
at
Nick.

He
was
afraid
he’d
lose
himself
in
those
smoky orbs.

“So
would
you
have
hit
on
me,
if
I
hadn’t come to you first?”

Glancing at the fire,
Nick shook his head. “I don’t really know. God, I wanted to. I
wanted
you
from
the
moment
I
saw
you
bent
over
working
on
Blaze.
Have
I
ever
told
you
you
have
the
cutest,
tightest
ass
I’ve
ever
seen
or
held?”

Daisy
placed
a
finger
across
her
lower
lip
and
gave
him
a
pensive
look.
“Yes,
I
believe
you
have,
several
times.
How
about
if
you’d
known
my
age?”

Nick
recoiled.
“No
way.”

“Yet
here
we
are.”

A
hint
of
triumph
colored
her
words. She
was
beginning
to
drive
him
nuts.
If
he
even
hinted
at
a
long
term
future,
she’d
withdraw.
Yet,
their
relationship
was
much
more than frantic coupling, even for her.

“Can
you
tell
me
what
kind
of
wood
we’re
burning?”
Nick
asked.

“I
think
it’s
a
combination
of
willow,
ash,
and
birch.
It’s
what
I
could
find
that
was
down.”

“You
know
I’ve
never
told
you
my
nickname
for
you
is
Willow.”

“No
you
haven’t,”
she
said,
turning
to
stare
softly
at
him.

“It’s not just your
delightful willowy frame.
It’s also
your gray eyes. They remind me
of
willow
smoke,
particularly
when
you
pout or
when
you’re
all
sultry
and
ready
to
climax.”

A
small
smile
separated
her
lips.
Her
overbite
became
a
little
more
distinctive.
And
her
eyes
were
definitely
shimmering
like
willow
smoke. “I like that,” she murmured.
“It makes me feel even more a part of
this
wilderness.
That
was
a
nice
gift,
Nick.”

“Willow
is
used
in
making
sweat
lodges
in
part
because
a
willow
branch
will
bend
and yet maintain its strength. It’s very
difficult
to
break
a
willow
branch.”

“Interesting.”

“And
a
lot
of
carvers
will
seek
out
the
diamond
willow
to
fashion
walking
sticks,
not
only
because
of
its
strength,
but
also
because
as they
carve the outer layers of
bark
away,
natural
colorful
diamond
shapes emerge
in
the
grain
of
the
wood.”

“I’d like to see that.”

“We’ll
pick
up
some
before
we
get
out of
northern
Minnesota.
The
marshes
up
here
are
overrun
with
diamond
willow.”

“Diamond
shape.”
Daisy
tilted
her
head
away
from
him
and
then
gave
him
one
of
her more provocative looks. “Isn’t
that
like
the
shape
of
a
canoe
and...”

“You
do
have
an
erotic
mind,
Willow.
And
I
like
that
a
lot.
Why
don’t
we
put
this
fire
out and turn in for the night?”

“So
you
can
explore
another
diamond
shape?”
Daisy
teased.

“Exactly.
Would
you
like
that?”

“Immensely.”

They
both
remained
silent
and
turned
their
heads,
listening.
The
low,
rolling
melodic
sounds
came
from
a
distance
across
the
water
and
then
a
response
from
nearby.
The
eerie
conversation intensified,
and
then
quieted.

“The
loons
are
even
more
mournful
tonight,”
Daisy
said
in
a
hushed
tone.
“They
must know it’s our last night here.”

“Maybe.
Soon
they’ll
be
leaving
to
head
south
for
the
winter.
Maybe
they’re
making
sure
their
mate
isn’t
left
behind.”
Nick
stood
and
began
to
put
out
the
fire
and
then
changed
his
mind.
“Would
you
like
to
sleep
out
here
tonight?
With
the
frost
we
had
a
couple
nights
ago,
the
mosquitoes
are
gone.
If
it
gets
too
cold,
we
can
always
go
into the tent.”

“Great!”
Daisy
rose
and
headed
toward
the
tent.
“I’ll
get
the
sleeping
bags.
It’ll
be
fantastic
having
the
stars
as
our
blanket.”

- o -

Had
she
ever
been
more
satisfied?
Daisy
snuggled
next
to
Nick.
His
arm
draped
across
her breasts and their hips
pressed
together
while
he
snored
softly.
Their
tender
lovemaking
still
warmed
her.
Drowsy and
sated,
she
could
not
sleep.
The
stars
seemed
so
close
she
should
be
able
to
reach
out
and
touch
them.