Noah led them back to the current of the creek, paddling stronger than he had earlier.
She was still amazed by what she had seen. "Noah, what are they doing here?"
"I don't know. I know the swans from up north migrate to Lake Matamuskeet everywinter, but I guess they came here this time. I don't know why. Maybe the earlyblizzard had something to do with it. Maybe they got off track or something. They'llfind their way back, though."
"They won't stay?”
"I doubt it. They're driven by instinct, and this isn't their place. Some of the geesemay winter here, but the swans will go back to Matamuskeet.”
Noah paddled hard as dark clouds rolled directly overhead. Soon rain began to fall, alight sprinkle at first, then gradually harder. Lightning ∙.. a pause.., then thunderagain. A little louder now. Maybe six or seven miles away. More rain as Noah beganto paddle even harder, his muscles tightening with every stroke. Thicker drops now.
Falling... Falling with the wind... Falling hard and thick . . . Noah rowing . . . racing thesky.., still getting wet.., cursing to himself.., losing to Mother Nature... The downpourwas steady now, and Allie watched the rain fall diagonally from the sky, trying to defygravity as it rode on westerly winds that whistled over the trees. The sky darkened alittle more, and big heavy drops fell from the clouds. Hurricane drops.
Allie enjoyed the rain and leaned her head back for a moment to let it hit her face.
She knew the front of her dress would soak through in a couple of minutes, but she
'didn't care. She did wonder, though, if he noticed, then thought he probably did. Sheran her hands through her hair, feeling its wetness. It felt wonderful, she feltwonderful, everything felt wonderful. Even through the rain, she could hear himbreathing hard and the sound aroused her sexually in a way she hadn't felt in years.
A cloud burst directly above them, and the rain began to come down even harder.
Harder than she'd ever seen it. Allie looked upward and laughed, giving up anyattempt at keeping dry, making Noah feel better.
He hadn't known how she was feeling about it. Even though she'd made the decisionto come, he doubted that she'd expected to be caught in a storm like this.
They reached the dock a couple of minutes later, and Noah moved in close enoughfor Allie to step out.
He helped her up, then got out himself and dragged the canoe up the bank farenough not to drift away. Just in case, he tied it to the dock, knowing anotherminute in the rain wouldn't make any difference.
As he was tying the canoe, he looked up at Allie and stopped breathing for just asecond. She was incredibly beautiful as she waited, watching him, completelycomfortable in the rain. She didn't try to keep dry or hide herself, and he could seethe outline of her breasts as they pressed through the fabric of the dress that clungtightly to her body. It wasn't a cold rain, but he could see her nipples erect andprotruding, hard like little rocks. He felt his loins begin to stir and quickly turnedaway, embarrassed, muttering to himself, glad the rain muffled any sound of it.
When he finished and stood, Allie took his hand in hers, surprising him. Despite the
downpour, they didn't rush toward the house, and Noah imagined what it would belike to spend the night with her.
Allie, too, was wondering about him. She felt the warmth in his hands and wonderedwhat it would be like to have them touch her body, feeling all of her, lingering slowlyacross her skin. Just thinking about it made her take a deep breath, and she felt hernipples begin to tingle and a new warmth between her legs. She realized then thatsomething had changed since she'd come here. And although she couldn't pinpointthe exact time‐‐yesterday after dinner, or this afternoon in the canoe, or when theysaw the swans, or maybe even now as they walked holding hands‐‐she knew that shehad fallen in love with Noah Taylor Calhoun again, and that maybe, just maybe, shehad never stopped.
There was no uneasiness between them as they reached the door and both of themwent inside, pausing in the foyer, clothes dripping.
"Did you bring a change of clothes?"
She shook her head, still feeling the roll of emotions within her, wondering if itshowed on her face.
"I think I can find something here for you so you can get out of those clothes. Itmight be a little big, but it's warm." "Anything," she said.
"I'll be back in a second."
Noah slipped off his boots, then ran up the stairs, descending a minute later.
He had a pair of cotton pants and a long‐sleeved shirt under one arm and some jeanswith a blue shirt in the other.
"Here," he said, handing her the cotton pants and shirt.
"You can change in the bedroom upstairs. There's a bathroom and towel up there tooif you want to shower."
She thanked him with a smile and went up the stairs, feeling his eyes on her as shewalked. She entered the bedroom and closed the door, then set the pants and shirton his bed and peeled everything off. Naked, she went to his closet and found ahanger, put her dress, bra, and panties on it, and then went to hang it in thebathroom so it wouldn't drip on the hardwood floor. She felt a secret thrill at beingnaked in the same room he slept in.
She didn't want to shower after being in the rain. She liked the soft feeling on herskin, and it reminded her of how people used to live long ago. Naturally. Like Noah.
She slipped on his clothes before looking at herself in the mirror. The pants were big,but tucking in the shirt helped, and she rolled up the bottoms just a little so theywouldn't drag. The neck was torn a little and it nearly hung off one shoulder, but sheliked the way it looked on her anyway. She pulled the sleeves up almost to the elbows,went to the bureau, and slipped on some socks, then went to the bathroom to find ahairbrush.
She brushed her wet hair just enough to get out the snarls, letting it rest on hershoulders. Looking in the mirror, she wished she had brought a clasp or a couple ofhairpins. And a little more mascara. But what could she do? Her eyes still had a littleof what she'd put on earlier, and she touched up with a washcloth, doing the bestshe could.
When she was finished, she checked herself in the mirror, feeling pretty despiteeverything, and went back down the stairs.
Noah was in the living room squatting before a fire, doing his best to coax it to life.
He didn't see her come in, and she watched him as he worked. He had changed hisclothes as well and looked good: his shoulders broad, wet hair hanging just overhis collar, jeans tight.
He poked the fire, moving the logs, and added some more kindling. Allie leanedagainst the doorjamb, one leg crossed over the other, and continued to watch him.
In a few minutes the fire had turned to flames, even and steady. He turned to the sideto straighten the remaining unused logs and caught a glimpse of her out of the cornerof his eye. He turned back to her quickly.
Even in his clothes she looked beautiful. After a moment he turned away shyly, goingback to stacking the logs.
"I didn't hear you come in," he said, trying to sound casual.
"I know. You weren't supposed to."
