November

Chapter Twelve

-Oliver-

Really? A kiss on the cheek? I had spent all day trying not to stare at Cooper's ass, and this is what I ended up doing? I was almost thirty years old, but I was acting like a fifteen year old with a high school crush. If Cooper had wondered at all if I was interested, he probably didn't think so anymore.

I made it over the last few logs, internally berating myself for acting like an idiot. But as we walked up the path to the parking lot, Cooper placed his hand on my lower back and kept it there. I didn't know why, but it was nice. Maybe I hadn't blown it after all? He hadn't touched me that way before.

Some men might be put off and feel babied by Cooper's caring gestures, but I liked them. I liked his hand on my lower back, liked him helping me over the logs and calming me down when I was freaking out on Mount Storm King, liked him giving me one of his rain jackets and cooking dinner for me and buying my food at a restaurant. In my relationship with Brad, I had been the one constantly doting on him and making sure he was happy and cared for. It was nice to experience someone doing those things for me.

-

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of maple syrup and bacon. I padded out of Cooper's guest bedroom to find him in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up and scooping some bacon out of a pan.

"I should be cooking for you," I said, trying to hide a yawn.

"Nonsense. You're my guest." He placed a plate in front of me that was piled with waffles and bacon. "Besides, this gives me an excuse to cook a big breakfast. It seems too indulgent to do this for myself."

"I'll have to make another trip out here in the future so you have an excuse to cook a big meal."

Cooper's booming laugh filled the room. "That's a lot of effort for you when I could just invite family or friends over." He turned to put waffles on a plate for himself, and when he spoke, it seemed like he was trying hard to sound casual. "Would you actually consider coming back out here?"

"Definitely. I love it out here and I know there's a lot more to see. And the company isn't bad either."

When Cooper faced me, he was smiling widely. "I'd love it if you came back to visit sometime. And the next time I have to fly to California for a fishing job, I can visit you."

I returned his smile. "I'm glad I met you on the plane."

"Me too."

-

After an almost two hour drive, we were headed up into the mountains to Hurricane Ridge. The road up was curvy, winding through trees and hugging the side of the mountain.

"I'm glad it's not snowing," I said. "That would make this drive interesting."

"It's not too bad. They plow the road, and my truck can handle a decent amount of snow. I've got chains in the back if things get dicey, but if there are any storms or a high risk of avalanches, they won't open the road."

"I can't imagine trying to do this with Brad in the rental car, so I'm glad I'm with you. Thanks for driving me up here."

"How are you feeling about the elevation? I know you're not a fan of heights."

I glanced out the window. "We are really high up, but it's okay so far."

"It's good that it's a clear day. It'd suck if we couldn't see anything when we got up there."

At that moment, we rounded a curve in the road, and the view suddenly opened up to reveal snow-capped mountains. "Oh wow," I said, leaning forward to see more out the windshield. "This is incredible."