The Sister Between Them

Chapter 33

Dani was sitting in front of the fire on the couch. She had a glass of wine in her hand and poured him one. A lump formed in his throat, and he wished that dream could be possible.

This was going to be a long week.

"Is everything okay with the cabin?"

"It's perfect." He said, gulping back the emotions.

He sat on the other couch and took a healthy sip of the wine she poured.

The rain started coming down hard, beating against the windows. The fire seemed to crackle louder in response.

"Wow, the weather can change fast here," she murmured. "It was like in Oaktown too."

"Should we get some candles out, in case..."

Before she could even finish her thought, the house went dark.

"We lose power?" He finished her sentence with a low laugh.

"I think the fireplace will light it up enough." He added, and she nodded.

"A cozy cabin, a fire, and wine," she mused, "what more could you ask for?"

You in my arms, he didn't say.

The fire continued to burn, illuminating the dark room in a soft glow. The rain outside showed no sign of letting up. The distance thunder was getting closer.

He stole a glance at her; the dim lighting highlighted her olive skin tone. She'd let her hair down from the messy bun she'd had in all day. It now fell over shoulders in soft natural waves. She had a serene look in her pale brown eyes as she gazed into the fire before them. Her cheeks were just slightly flushed from the warmth the fire was providing. She was absolutely beautiful. With a pained effort, he pulled his gaze away from her and looked at the crackling fire himself.

They sat quietly and comfortably, enjoying the peaceful moment inside while the storm began to rage outside.

**

Dani found herself awake before anyone else the following day. She yawned and headed into the bathroom to get ready, frowning when she realized the power was still out. She threw her clothes on in the dark, used the light on her cell phone to brush her teeth, and fixed her hair the best she could.

She made her way into the kitchen and looked out the window. The storm had let up some time, very late last night. It left a mess in its wake; the entire yard was scattered with branches.

She rummaged through the cabinets and smiled when she found a percolator. She was hoping they'd have one. She re-stoked the last night's fire and started making coffee from the stovetop.

Once she had a nice steaming cup, she stepped outside. The crisp cool morning air held a fresh scent she'd missed after being in the city all this time. She took in the views in the background and smiled softly. It was so serene and peaceful out here. She was right about this cabin; it was perfect.

"Morning." Rocco stepped outside and held up a cup of coffee. "Thanks. I'll call about the power in a while."

"Don't rush." She shrugged. "We have everything we need. They'll get to it when they get to it."

"How are we going to eat?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Easy." She gestured to the yard out in front of them. "All those branches will make great kindling for a fire. We have cast iron pans in the kitchen; that's all I need."

"Well, this is the best coffee I've ever had. How did you get so good at this stuff?" 

"We used to get our power shut off a lot."