Page 41 of Deserving Cora
“Up,” he said in response.
Again, Cora’s lips twitched. But she did as ordered and stepped onto the first step.
The staircase was narrow, and she concentrated on not tripping as she headed upward. When she reached the top, all Cora could do was gasp.
There was a rooftop deck.
From the front, the structure looked like any other cabin she’d ever seen. But this deck was…it was literally breathtaking.
It wasn’t huge, maybe ten feet by ten feet, but it had a sturdy railing all around it, and Pipe had put two Adirondack chairs in the space. There was a low table between the chairs, and a circular rug that she assumed was waterproof.
While she was checking out the space, Pipe headed to the left side of the deck and flipped a switch. Colorful fairy lights came on, illuminating the space, but with a soft light that wouldn’t ruin her night vision.
“Sit,” Pipe ordered. “I’ll be right back.”
Cora turned to ask him where he was going, but he was already stepping onto the staircase and heading back down.
Too enchanted to sit, she wandered over to the railing and looked up. There were trees all around the cabin, but the space directly over her head was completely clear. The night was crisp—and she gasped, literallygasped, at a sight she’d never seen before.
She stared at what seemed like millions of stars shining overhead.
She’d heard of light pollution, and intellectually, she knew that looking at the night sky from an apartment in the city couldn’t compare to what it might look like in the wilderness, but she’d had no idea the difference would be so profound.
The stars seemed brighter. Closer. More awe-inspiring. Cora didn’t even want to blink, afraid she’d miss something.
She must’ve been staring at the stars for longer than she thought, because she jerked in surprise when she felt a touch on her back.
“Sorry. It’s just me,” Pipe said in a low, rumbly voice, even as he took a step away from her, giving her space after scaring her.
Cora turned and smiled at him. “This is…it’s amazing, Pipe.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “The chairs are perfect for star gazing if you want to sit. I brought up some blankets since it’s a little chilly out.”
It was more than a little chilly, it was actually kind of cold, but Cora didn’t care. She nodded and headed for one of the chairs, lowering herself and leaning back. Pipe was right, it was a great star-gazing chair because when her head rested on the back, it was at the perfect angle to look upward without craning her neck.
He shook out a blanket and draped it over her before sitting in the other chair. They didn’t speak for a while, until Cora turned her head. The small lights around them let her see the man at her side.
To her surprise, instead of looking up at the sky, Pipe was staring at her.
“What?” she asked with a small frown.
“You like?” he asked.
“Duh,” Cora said. “What’s not to like?”
“Hard chair, it’s cold, it’s dark, and it’s not like the sky is as entertaining as a TV show would be.”
Cora snorted. Honest-to-God snorted. She would’ve been embarrassed at the sound, but was feeling too awed at the moment. “You know, if someone had asked me what I expected to get out of winning a dinner at that auction, I never in a million years would’ve said ending up here at The Refuge, sitting in the dark, staring at a night sky I’ve literally never seen before in my entire life, snuggled in a warm blanket, with a man who has more layers than I ever would’ve thought.”
His lips twitched, and it was only then that he turned his attention upward. “When I feel my thoughts overwhelming me, I come out here and look up at the sky. I was on a mission once. It was in the desert in Iran. We’d entered the country stealthily and were waiting for the next phase of the mission to start. It was absolutely silent, only the sound of our breathing and the occasional shifting of someone on the sand. I was focused on what was to come when I happened to look up. I literally gasped when I saw the stars. Out there, with absolutely no light pollution, I’d never seen anything so bloody beautiful in my life.
“When I got here, before our houses were built, I camped out a lot. I felt more comfortable outside, without four walls around me. I’ve gotten much better with that trapped feeling, but I knew I wanted to build a rooftop deck. Somewhere I could go to see the stars when my PTSD flared and I needed space. I’ve slept up here more times than I can count. Being able to look up and see the stars, to know the world is so much bigger than my problems are…it helps.”
Cora sighed and turned her gaze upward again. She thought about what he’d said for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, it does help.”
In the ensuing silence, she argued with herself for a few minutes…before mentally shrugging. She’d always been impulsive. Saying things she probably shouldn’t. Doing stupid crap. Why would tonight be any different?
Cora stood with the blanket still wrapped around her and took the few steps over to Pipe’s chair. She felt more than saw his gaze locked on her. Without a word, she turned sideways and sat on his lap.
