Cooper Land and Cattle

Chapter 7 - The Lodge

The snow falling made the world silent as Maggie watched from the warm safety of the alcove window. Soon she would be snowed in but it wouldn't matter. She needed this time to be alone. Maggie had come to the cabin to think. This cabin was home to her. She could remember many summers spent wandering the back woods and many winters spent doing her school work on the old laptop hoping to get a signal enough to get her assignments to school. She had returned to the cabin to think, to heal, to stop being so stupid. She grabbed the lukewarm cup of herbal tea that she was trying to drink. Boy, why do people drink this stuff? It tastes like weeds she thought to herself.

There had to be something better in the kitchen, it hadn't been that long since she was last here. There had to be some good old fashion coffee somewhere in these cupboards. The herbal tea that Maggie had bought at the health food store was supposed to heal and relax but not if she couldn't stand to get it down. Coffee was for Maggie. It was hot, rich, and normal. Hot, rich, normal, and dependable - God, even coffee reminded her of Will. Maggie was truly losing it. She couldn't even come home to the middle of nowhere and not think about Will. How could she watch him get married - wish him the best, then keep coming back to this cabin on the outskirts of his land. Would she bring his son or daughter to the cabin to look over land that should have been theirs. Would she keep the same secret from the child that she was planning on keeping from the father? Should she just take Jack up on his deal? But what if Will ever found out. Could she leave Jack? Could she destroy her best friend? There was no winning. She couldn't think like this right now. She had to just get through this weekend, just one day at a time. Then what to do with the rest of her life. It was this that brought everything back into perspective.

As the coffee started to perk she felt better. The smell started filling the kitchen and then she saw the chocolate chip cookie mix. It called out to her. How many times had Maggie poured her heart out to her mother over a pile of chocolate chip cookies. Maggie's mother had been gone for many years but being in her house with the smell of cookies would make it better.

"This is shaping up to be a really great weekend." she said to herself as she emptied the box into a bowl a few ingredients and then presto a meal to lift any spirits. No one could be sad with a plate of chocolate chip cookies. As she got the electric mixer she thought she heard a larger engine but she ignored it knowing that it was probably the generator. Sooner or later the power was going to give in. " Thank you, Drovers" she thought to herself, it was their article that paid for the new generator. No one would ever be stupid enough to come up the canyon in this storm. As Maggie laid the first set of cookies in the oven she heard the front door open and close. Someone was stupid enough to come up the canyon but who. She grabbed the rolling pin out of it's stand and headed to the front door. As she cleared the corner of the kitchen she saw the intruder. Part of Maggie was relieved but her heart started to race as she watched Will, taking off his snow covered gear. It reminded her of the last time she watched him take clothes off. He was hanging up his coat and brushing off his pants as she got a grip and remembered he didn't want her. He had left her, without a note or an explanation. The snow piled up at the front door as he brushed it off his pants and jacket. Just as her heart started to panic, Will's eyes lifted, and he realized she was watching him.

Will didn't bother to brush anymore snow off, he simply walked over and took Maggie in his arms. Will didn't think he just acted. He wanted her back, he wanted Maggie. His Maggie, the girl that he loved all of his childhood. The woman that he wanted for the rest of his life. Will kissed her with every ounce of passion he had ever felt for her. Maggie was overwhelmed and excited. He was here, Will was with her, and it didn't matter if it was just for a minute or a lifetime, she would take it. Maggie kissed him with everything she had, she wanted him - but what the heck was buzzing.

"The cookies." she exclaimed, she tried to break the embrace but Will had not comprehended what she said.

"You smell like cookies." He said into her neck.

"Not me, they are in the oven.I have to get them out or the smoke detectors will go off." Maggie explained quite distracted.

"What kind?" he said as his arms let her free. "Chocolate Chip?" he guessed as he took the aroma in deeply.

"They are not for you." Maggie replied as she made her way back into the kitchen.

Her heart was beating out of her chest. She could not believe he was here. Will was in her cabin with a huge storm and no way out for several days. She grabbed the mitt and took the cookies out of the oven. She gave herself time to think, by taking the cookies off the sheet to cool. As she took the last remaining cookie off she felt his familiar arms wrap around her again. Will kissed her neck while stealing a hot chocolate chip cookie from the rack. He had followed her into the kitchen. There would be no time for her to think, to reason why he was here. She watched as he grabbed a second hot cookie and shoved it into his mouth while keeping her trapped at the cupboard. She turned around to see chocolate on his lips, then those lips were on her lips, and she was tasting chocolate on his tongue as he kissed her so deep she thought she could feel it in her toes. As he worked his way down her neck and reached for the buttons on her blouse, she grabbed his hands to stop him.

"Will, we have to talk." she whispered into his ear.

"I don't want to talk. I don't want to reason. I don't want to think about my friendship with Jack. I just want you and me, here and now. I want to feel the same way I did in Vegas. I want you to love me and me to love you, and I don't care about anything else. I'll wake up five days from now and worry about reality. Right now, I want to make love to someone that really loves me. Just love me, Maggs. Please God, just tell me you love me."

Maggie released his hands and lead him into the bedroom. Will wanted her to know that she was his, and he had come up this blasted canyon for one reason and one reason only, to have her. To love her, and to make her know that she was all he ever wanted. All he would ever need. He slowly undressed her and kissed every inch of her. He hesitated at her belly, he felt the hardness of the small bump below her bellybutton and he knew. He knew why she had been so angry, why she had been so hurt. Jack had told Will just enough to get him here in a storm. Now it all made sense.

Jack, his best friend had his back. Even when he didn't know it, Jack had protected Will from himself. Jack had stood for him when he didn't even know he needed protected. He kissed his future child and then went back to winning over Maggs.

Maggie froze as his hands found their way to her waistline. Will unbuttoned her jeans and slide his hands in to cup her bottom. The jeans fell as his hands explored her body. Maggie held her breath as he kneeled in front of her to remove her underwear. As soon as Will kissed her belly she knew, he'd found her secret. She closed her eyes and waited for his anger. She waited for him to leave. She opened her eyes, but Will said nothing. He pulled off his shirt and pulled her to him. He picked her up and carried her back to the bed where he laid her gently down and joined her. He covered her, protected her from the outside world and made love to her. Slowly and deliberately he worked her body to a frenzy. Her tension flew away as her body pulled him with her over the edge. They fit together like they had before, two pieces of a puzzle, where she stopped he started. The movements were like everything they ever done together it was just supposed to be that way.

Maggie pulled Will back down to her. She wanted to be attached to him in every way possible. She looked into his eyes and saw everything that he couldn't say. All the hurt, all the loneliness, it broke her heart and she knew that there was one solution. She grabbed him to her like he was the lifeline to keep her from drowning. She wrapped her legs around him and cradled the man that had been the boy that meant everything to her. She kissed Will, the man who was her best friend, her lover, and the father of her child. All the worry was over. Maggie was home and Will was with her.

Tomorrow they would formulate a plan. They would make decisions but tonight was about being together, making love, and healing. The rocking that Will created while making love to Maggie soothed her, made her feel safe, and as the climax came it was slow and meaningful. They held hands and looked into each other's eyes as they fell over the cliff.