Dakota and Sidney finally did escape. They were in two cars. Dakota leaned into her window. “Let’s go somewhere for the night,” he said. “There’s a lodge on our way—the Pinewood Lodge. Give me just a second to call them and make sure they have a room, then will you follow me there?”

“Sounds perfect,” she said.

A moment later, he put his phone back in his pocket. He smiled. “Twenty-four-hour room service,” he said.

In forty minutes they were pulling into a little hideaway in the mountains. Ten minutes later they were entering a room with a view of the Rockies and a lush valley below them. They had a small deck, a king-size bed, a spa tub and each other.

“It’s been a long, stressful week for you,” Sid said. “Good outcome, but a long one.”

“Thank God she’s okay and safe.” He laughed. “Thank God I didn’t go to jail!”

“Yeah, you’re going to want to avoid making a habit of that.”

“I know,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “How fast can you be naked?”

She laughed in spite of herself. “You’re impossibly romantic, you know that?”

He grabbed her around the waist. “I must knock you off your feet, huh?”

She ran her fingers through his short beard. “As a matter of fact...”

* * *

They enjoyed a delicious dinner of trout, rice, grilled asparagus with a cream sauce and beet salad. “It’s like eating a rainbow,” Sid said.

“We have to remember this place,” Dakota said.

After dinner they showered and got into bed. Dakota pulled her into his arms and began to slowly and thoroughly worship her body. He kissed every inch of her, from her eyelids to her toes, pausing here and there to deliver some special attention with his tongue and fingers. When he found her lips at last, she was breathless.

“You’re right about the beard,” she whispered. “There are times it really is magnificent.”

“Works for me, too,” he whispered back. “Have I mentioned how much I love your body? Your body is so good to my body.”

“Quit playing around and come inside,” she said.

“Ah, the lady is ready...”

“I’ve been ready,” she said. “I love the way you love me. I didn’t know it could be like this.”

“Say no more, sweetheart,” he said, covering her with his body and bringing it home, taking extreme pleasure in the sighs of pleasure she made. He rocked with her, and when her legs circled his waist, he rode her. He kissed her deeply as she gripped his shoulders, her nails digging into his shoulders. He loved the feel of that passion in her fingertips and then, with a small cry, she came, throbbing around him. It filled him with the urgency he loved and he joined her, letting go, pulsing until there was nothing left in him.

“Oh God,” she muttered. “I’m completely hooked on you. You do that so well.”

“I thought it was you,” he said. “Shit! That condom’s still sitting on the bedside table—”

She giggled. “We’re okay. I started the pill. I was saving it as a surprise.”

“Well, that explains why it was just slightly better this time,” he said, burrowing deeper. “We have a nice little routine.”

“There’s nothing routine about it,” she said, holding him closer.

He rolled onto his side, bringing her with him. “When I came to Colorado, I had no idea what I’d find.” He gently tucked her hair behind her ear. “I never imagined I would find you. I wasn’t looking for this, but God...I think finding you is the best thing that could have happened to me.”

“And here I thought you just wanted to get laid,” she said, humor in her voice.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m usually open to getting laid. But with you I have so much more. I think you’re my best friend.”

Her eyes widened. She looked shocked.

“Why are you surprised? I love all the time we spend together.” A low rumble of laughter tumbled out of him. “I admit, I like this part a lot. But on top of everything else, you’re a true friend. Sid, I know you want us to be cool, but you’re going to have to adjust to a reality. I’m in love with you.”

“Cody...” she said in a breath.

“Shh, you don’t have to say anything. I know you’re trying to find yourself, that you were a little lost after your divorce. That’s okay. I’ve been there. And I’ll be right here when you’re ready. I’m hoping for a good outcome.”

“Oh, Cody, I think you’re magic.”

“I’m glad you think so. I’m planning to pull something out of my sleeve that will last forever. I think we both deserve it. Now kiss me and I’ll take care of you again.”

“You are a magician...”

Deep in the night, Dakota woke to the sensation of small, soft, urgent hands boldly caressing him. Soft, sleepy laughter rumbled out of him. “Someone woke up frisky,” he said. “And wanted me to wake up, too.”

“You were already awake,” she said, turning toward him. “At least some of you!”

“Do you need me to take care of you? Again?”

“Could you just put me back to sleep,” she said. “If it’s not too much trouble.” Then she wiggled closer and put her leg over his. He responded by turning her onto her back and taking his place between her thighs. “I thought you might do this in your sleep.”

“I can,” he said. “With you, it’s the most natural thing in the world.”

He made love to her in her favorite way. It was so amazing to him—they hadn’t been lovers for very long and yet they had such a satisfying routine. He knew exactly how to touch her, rub her, stroke her, kiss her and bring her to a shattering climax while he held her in his arms. When she was complete and her eyes gently closed, he kissed her eyelids. “Better, honey?”

“Better,” she said. Then she rolled onto her side and he curled around her.

“You’re so good for me, Sid,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “I hope I’m good for you.”

“Mmm,” she said, nestling closer.

“You’re so good for me,” he whispered. “I know you’re too good for me. I just might become a better man if I put an effort into deserving you.”

She didn’t move.

“Sid?” he asked softly. She didn’t move. He softly kissed her neck. “Good night. I love you.”

* * *

Tom Canaday had a good-size backyard, large enough for a vegetable garden, patio and a fire pit surrounded by a few chairs. His oldest son, Jackson, was twenty-one and making great progress in college, studying architecture. Jackson was going to the University of Colorado in the fall to complete his degree, and for this, he would have to live away from home. Tom was grieving; Jackson was ecstatic.

Tom was dealing with a lot more than Jackson going off to finish college, so when his son walked into the kitchen at about nine on a Saturday night, it all came to mind. “Hey, you’re home!” Tom said. “No date tonight?”

“Shelly is having girls’ night,” he said. “I just dropped her at Brooke’s, where several girls have gathered to do secret things.”

“When you’re a little older, maybe she’ll tell you what they do,” Tom suggested with a grin.

“I don’t think I want to know,” Jackson said. “I only care about secret things she feels like doing with me.”

“Feel like a beer with your old man? Out by the fire?”

“You’re not going to lecture me about sex again, are you?”

“I’ll try not to,” he said, grabbing a beer for his son. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you. About Lola.”

“Everything is all right with Lola, isn’t it?” Jackson asked.

“Yeah, Lola is great. Isn’t she great?” Tom asked as they walked outside. He stooped to light the fire. Pinecones, which were plentiful, made great starters.

Jackson laughed at him. “Yeah, she is. What’s up?”

“Well, Jackson, we’ve been talking about getting married. But between us we seem to have a lot of kids...”

“Mostly grown,” Jackson said. “We’re not going to stop you from getting married.”

“We’d like to live in the same house.”

“Dad, I’m not going to be here much longer. Nikki’s looking to move to a dorm with a couple of girls as soon as they can afford it. We can stack in here when we’re all home. Can’t we? Cole and Trace cool with that?”

“Lola’s talking to them.”

“This is easy. Double up Nikki and Brenda—it won’t be for that long. Nikki’s mostly gone all the time, anyway. I’ll share a room with Zach, as soon as I can find a footlocker with a combination lock so he doesn’t just help himself to everything... Cole and Trace should be able to share a room—isn’t Trace heading out into the world pretty soon, anyway? And Cole’s at the community college. Isn’t he looking at universities for a degree? Most of us just need a place to flop sometimes...”

“It’s nice to know you don’t have any issues with me and Lola living together. But there’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Okay.”

“About your mom,” he said. Then he ran a hand over the back of his sweaty neck and muttered, “Damn.” Tom took a breath. “Listen, this could go down hard. Your mom didn’t have what we’d call a conventional lifestyle.”

Jackson just lifted his eyebrows, beer in hand, waiting.

“It was a long time after we were divorced, of course. I don’t know why I said of course. I honestly don’t know how long. She has a job but she also has a second job. She calls herself an escort. She entertains men.”