She nodded.
He eased into a decent cruising speed. In this section of the lake, they were safe from rock formations rising up out of the water. Because the lake was 197 square miles, they didn’t have to go far to reach an open area.
They skimmed along the surface, which was as smooth as black glass. Off in the distance, he saw bobbing lights, but he couldn’t tell if they were on the water or the shoreline. Once they’d cleared the cove and were in the main body of the lake, he cut the engine.
The immediate silence was unbroken for several long moments as they both adjusted to the sensory deprivation.
He held out his hand. “Let’s get comfy.”
She threaded her fingers through his and rose to her feet. “You didn’t bring me out here to scare the crap out of me with ghost stories?”
He chuckled. “So suspicious.” Scooting the duffel bag within in reach, he stretched out in the corner before he settled her between his legs with the top of her head nestled against his neck. “Now we can both look up at the sky.”
“I know it sounds stupid, but it’s really dark out here tonight.”
“The other side of the lake is more developed, so there’s some light pollution. The stars don’t stand out nearly as much over there.”
“Is that what that glow is on the horizon?”
Devin smiled. “No. But keep watching.”
The size of the glow increased. A few golden flares zipped across the inky sky. Then columns of rosy pink distorted the darkness.
“Devin? Is this why you brought me out here?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Is it some kind of fireworks show?”
“Nature’s fireworks. That is the aurora borealis.”
“Really? But . . . I thought you had to be in Alaska to see it.”
“Not this time of year. Tomorrow night is supposed to be the best night for viewing, but I hoped we’d get to see a little bit of it tonight.”
They watched in silence as the colors morphed from gold to pink. Every once in a while a whirling flash of purple jetted across the gold, creating a ripple effect. The movement of light was such that it appeared the sky breathed in color.
“That’s gorgeous,” she said after a particularly vivid flare-up.
“It’s something, all right.”
“I take it you’ve seen this spectacle up here before?”
“Nope. I guess March and September are the best months to witness the northern lights this far south, but I’m never around then.”
“So you must’ve always wanted to see them if you’ve kept track of the best time of year to view them.”
“I’d completely forgotten about it until I mentioned to my sister that I’d be up at the cabin for a few days and she told me to be on the lookout for it.”
Liberty turned her head and looked at him. “When did you talk to your sister?”
Devin fought the urge to squirm. “The morning I helped Bran, right before I came to the house to get cleaned up for lunch. I called her to let her know I was in the area but I was headed up to the cabin and wouldn’t have a chance to stop and see her.”
She smiled and kissed his chin. “I’m glad you called her.”
He was too. But he didn’t tell her that if she hadn’t nagged him, he wouldn’t have done it. Seeing the love and bond between Liberty and Harper had given him a pang of regret he didn’t have that kind of connection with Renee. He wasn’t sure if Renee was open to making a change to how they dealt with each other, but for the first time in a long time, he was willing to try.
“You really planned on coming to the cabin by yourself?”
“Probably sounds strange that I vacation alone.”
“It sounds lonely.”
He kissed the top of her head and whispered, “It used to be. But I almost don’t know what lonely feels like anymore.”
When she remained quiet, he wondered if she’d heard him. Then she seemed to sink more deeply into him and murmured, “Me neither.”
Mother Nature wowed them for the next hour, until even a blanket couldn’t keep the cold from seeping into their bones.
After docking the boat, they hustled to the Jeep, their mood somber, as if they’d both realized their time away from the real world would end in a few hours.
Once they were back inside the cabin, Liberty took the lead in the bedroom. Given her public role in his life, she understood and accepted Devin’s need to call the shots when her gun came off and they were alone.
So he loved these moments when she surprised him. Overwhelmed him. She undressed him slowly, taking her time to warm his chilled skin with hot kisses and the sensuous glide of her body against his. Her heated words of praise about how much she loved touching him fired him up as much as the sensation of her wet mouth sucking his cock.
She held him on the ragged edge. Dragging her hair across his sensitized skin. Playing with his ni**les. Tracing the checkered pattern of his abs with her tongue. Nipping his neck. Twisting her fingers in his hair as she kissed him with the sweetness he craved and the passion he couldn’t live without.
Devin was nearly begging by the time she slipped his aching c**k inside her slick center. And he nearly went comatose after she sent him soaring into bliss.
They remained entwined in the aftermath, stealing kisses and extending tender touches, the type of touches that always led to more. But exhaustion set in.
Liberty double-checked the alarm on her phone before she bestowed one last drugging kiss on him. “Morning is gonna come awful early.”