Chapter 2

Kevin grinned as he climbed under the covers next to Ella and noticed that she didn’t even stir. In fact, he could have swore that he heard her sigh in contentment. In a sick way, he was actually looking forward to her waking up next to him because he knew she would be pissed and for some reason, he seemed to really enjoy pushing her buttons. He drifted off to sleep rather quickly, soothed by the sounds of crickets coming in through the window.

At some point in the night, in his sleep without his knowing, Kevin had rolled over and wrapped his arms around Ella, holding her tightly to him. That was exactly how Ella found herself when she woke up early in the morning. For a few minutes before she was fully awake, she didn’t even seem to notice. All she realized was that she felt incredibly safe and calm and more well-rested than she’d felt in months. As the sleep wore off, she realized that might be partially because there was a strange man’s arms wrapped around her. Ella tensed for a moment trying to remember how she managed to pick up a guy in the middle of nowhere. Then she remembered him. Kevin. He’d had the nerve to barge in on her peace and quiet and now he’d had the nerve to crawl into bed with her!

She knew exactly what he was trying to do. It almost seemed like he got some sort of sick thrill out of irritating the hell out of her. She decided that rather than thrilling him and screaming right then and there that she’d just have to rain on his parade and pretend like she never even noticed. She slowly slipped herself free of his arms, trying desperately not to wake the sleeping beast. He stirred only a little, mumbling the name Kristin.

“Must be some other chick he enjoys pissing off.” Ella mumbled as she rummaged for her robe. Noticing the morning chill in the air, she grabbed a blanket off the small sofa and wrapped herself in it as she went to enjoy the early morning sun off the porch. She’d been coming to this cabin for years, and for years she had hoped to see a moose as that’s what everyone associates with Maine. She scanned the trees in hopes but saw nothing, as usual.

Kevin woke up a few hours later drowsy yet feeling better than he had in awhile. While he didn’t know it at the time, he woke up aware that he had held Ella all night and that somehow, it felt great. His dreams might have been filled with Kristin but his thoughts this morning were filled with Ella. He stumbled around the kitchen for awhile trying to figure out how to light the stove to make some instant coffee. He saw Ella sitting on the porch, trying to pretend not to hear he was awake.

Ella knew he was awake all right. As soon as she heard his footsteps inside, she glanced in through the window and gasped at the shirtless sight of him. The man definitely treated his body like a temple, and it was a temple she definitely wanted to worship. She shook her head to snap herself out of this craziness. She was supposed to hate him! She could not be thinking of him in a sexual way at all.

“Coffee?” Kevin startled her out of her erotic fantasy.

“Huh?” Ella started.

Kevin chuckled. “Didn’t mean to startle you. Just thought you might like some coffee. I promise I didn’t do anything bad to it…..” he grinned at her.

Damn. He put a shirt on. “Uh..sure, thanks.” Ella said, taking the steaming mug from his hand.

Kevin sat down across from her. “Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday and I’d like to start over.”

Even in a shirt he did look pretty damn sexy. Maybe some wild sex in the wilderness was just what she needed. Maybe he was a godsend!

“I guess we could try that.” She agreed.

Kevin extended his hand. “My name’s Kevin Richardson. I came out here to escape. I certainly didn’t know anyone else was going to be here, I’m sorry for the intrusion. It is a great place though, I was kind of hoping you might reconsider and let me stay a few days at least?”

Ella shook his hand. “I’m Ella Fitzgerald.”

“Ella Fitzgerald?” Kevin raised his eyebrows.

Ella smiled. “My parents were big fans of hers and since my dad’s last name just happened to be Fitzgerald, they thought it would be perfect. Personally, I’ve been dying to get married just so I can change my name.” she said. To Ella Richardson….

“And you were also here for some peace and quiet.” Kevin finished for her.

“Yeah. Look, I’m sorry I was such a bitch yesterday. I’ll admit, I don’t like you very much but I also don’t know you and you scared the shit out of me. It would only be fair to let you stay as well. There’s plenty of acres for us to have our own space!”

I don’t like you but I sure do like your body….. she thought.

“Thanks…I guess. So what are you escaping? Boy troubles? Family? Midlife crisis?”

“I’m hardly midlife!” Ella retorted. “I’m out of a job. I used to run a non-profit organization that got the ax when our funding was pulled.”

“I’m sorry. So….no boy to give you troubles then?” Kevin asked, his fingers crossed.

Ella rolled her eyes. “Do you make a habit out of climbing into bed with women you don’t know?”

“I was wondering how long it would take you to bring that up. And to answer your question, no, I don’t. What I do make a habit out of is not running from a fight. You thought you had won. I was just telling you that you hadn’t. Not yet.”

Ella snorted. “Who’s Kristin?”

“What?”

“You were mumbling her name when I got up this morning. Who is she?”

Kevin sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “She’s my wife.”

Damn

“Ex wife, that is.”

Oh good!

“So is that what you’re escaping?” Ella asked.

“Sort of. What is all boils down to is that I made a major career change for her because we were going to start a family and I agreed to make some changes so that I’d be around. I did the hardest thing to do and left what I was doing. Then all of a sudden her career takes off and she doesn’t want a family anymore and we’re drifting apart and sleeping in separate rooms. We just…stopped loving each other. My very religious family doesn’t understand because they always thought things were perfect between us. It was actually my mom’s idea for me to come here. She was tired of my brooding at home.”

“I’m sorry. If it makes you feel any better, there are still girls out there who really do want a family.”

“Like you?”

“Yeah.” Ella nodded. “Like me.”

“So why haven’t you?”

“I haven’t been able to find a guy who’s willing to stick around long enough. They’re all either put off by my drive for the program, which I guess doesn’t matter anymore, or not ready to grow up. You know, guys really are just little boys. It’s so hard to find one who’s willing to step up and be responsible these days!”

“Well the old me would have said to hold on to hope but these days I myself don’t have much hope in relationships.”

“Well, I guess that’s why we’re here, isn’t it?” Ella said. “In hopes that going back to nature will revive us.”

Kevin nodded . “This coffee sucks.”

Ella laughed. “I know. The instant stuff always does.”

“So what are your plans for the day?”

“I think I’m going to go on a hike. Then around lunch time I was going to head into town to get some food.” She said.

“Do you mind if I hike with you? I don’t know the area.”

Ella sighed. “Look Kevin. I’m not here to make friends. Don’t take it personally, I’m just here to get away. I just want some space.”

Kevin threw his hands up. “Ok, ok. Go on your hike! But if you get eaten by a bear I’m not coming to save you!”

Now there’s a fantasy I’d like to think about! she thought.

Ella felt mildly guilty for leaving Kevin behind on her hike. He was here for very similar reasons to hers. To deal with the ending of a chapter in their lives and to figure out where the next chapter starts.

She sat down on a rock overlooking the stream down below, thinking about how good he looked shirtless.

“What the hell’s wrong with me?” she mumbled. “I don’t even know him. He’s newly divorced, he probably hates me because I’m mean to him all the time. God, what I wouldn’t give to have him crawl back into bed with me….naked.”

Kevin decided to chop some more wood for the fire since he’d used up quite a bit of it last night and he was pretty sure Ella wouldn’t be able to handle the log splitter all by herself. The day had started to warm up as the sun was now above him instead of behind the trees. He’d taken off his shirt and wore only his wife-beater and shorts. He realized that this was a very good anger-releasing exercise as he used his anger to power ever swing he took with the axe.

Ella was making her way back to the cabin when she saw Kevin hard at work, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. She braced herself against a tree and spent a few minutes watching him work. He was….manly. That was the only way she could think of to describe the scene in front of her. Pure manliness. In fact, she swore she could almost smell the sweat from where she was.

She finally snapped herself out of her daze and headed back into the clearing. Kevin didn’t see her coming as he took another big swing, this time sending a piece of wood flying into the air and right into Ella’s head.

Ella let out a squeal as she was knocked over by the log.

“Jesus! Ella, are you alright?” Kevin asked, running over to help her up.

“I’m fine! You should be more careful!”

Kevin rolled his eyes. “You should know better than to sneak up on a guy swinging a big ax! Are you sure you’re ok?”

Ella rubbed her head. “Yeah. Just stunned me.” She was touched at Kevin’s obvious show of concern as he studied her with his brilliantly green eyes.

“I thought I’d just replenish the wood pile for you. I thought I’d have another bonfire tonight if you’d like to join me.”

“That’d be nice.” Ella smiled. “I was actually going to offer to take you with me to the grocery store to pick up some food. I only brought enough for one. I thought maybe I’d get some steaks, we can cook them over the flame tonight and break into the booze I brought with me.”

“That sounds like a damn good plan to me.” Kevin said. “Can you wait a few minutes for me to freshen up a bit? I think I’ll take a dip in the stream to cool off.”

“That’s fine.” Ella said.

“I brought swim trunks to wear so I’ll be decent if you’d like to join me.” He offered.

“Uh…no, that’s ok. I think I’ll wait a bit.”

“Well, suit yourself!” Kevin said, running inside to grab some soap and change into his bathing suit.

Ella had to fight the incredibly urge to sneak through the trees and watch him bathe but she was afraid of what she might do when she got there so she sat on the couch pretending to flip through a magazine.

“Any good sex tips in that Cosmo you’re reading there?” Kevin asked when he walked back in.

Ella blushed. “None that I’ll be using anytime soon, that’s for sure.”

Kevin laughed. “Dry spell?”

“More like the Sahara desert.”

“No kidding? I’ve been in Death Valley myself.” Kevin chuckled.

Oh my God….he’s talking about sex with me!

“Are you ready to go?” Ella asked.

“Sure am.” They climbed into Ella’s car and drove slowly down the “driveway”.

Ella laughed when they passed Kevin’s car. “Your car looks so pathetic sitting there all alone!”

“Yeah, I guess it doesn’t, doesn’t it?”

About ten minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store.

“Wal-Mart? We’re in the middle of nowhere and there’s a Wal-Mart?” Kevin asked, stunned.

“Yeah. It’s fairly new and as much as I hate to shop here, it is cheaper than the smaller stores that are further away.”

“Oh my God, what’s that smell?” Kevin asked as they walked through the parking lot.

Ella laughed. “It’s the Mead Paper Mill right next store. See the smoke stacks? Just try and hold your breath until we get inside.”

They got a shopping cart and walked through the aisles filling it up with breakfast foods, some things to make sandwiches, and some dinner ingredients.

“It’s been years since I’ve had hamburger helper!” Kevin commented. “I had no idea how many flavors they had!”

“It’s not so bad.” Ella said, loading up two boxes into the cart. “Do you want to get some soda?”

Kevin nodded. “Please tell me you’re a coke drinker.”

“I am in deed!”

“Oh thank God! I was afraid we were going to have to duke it out over Coke and Pepsi right here in the middle of the aisle!”

“Well Kevin, it looks like we’ve finally found something to agree on!” Ella said as she loaded up a case of regular and cherry coke into the cart.

When they got back to the cabin, Kevin insisted on unloading the groceries himself and helped Ella put them away.

“I think I’m going to go lay in the hammock for awhile.” Ella stated.

“There’s a hammock?!?” Kevin exclaimed.

“Yeah. We keep it under that bed you were so keen on sleeping in last night.” Ella said, turning to go retrieve the hammock.

Kevin watched from the porch as she hooked the hammock up to two trees, sprayed herself down with bug spray and lay down. He suddenly realized that he was bored. He didn’t feel like doing anymore chopping, he’d already been swimming, he didn’t feel like reading or writing anything so he decided to go for a walk in the woods, sticking to the paths.

Ella saw him leaving and smiled as she watched him swat away a bunch of bugs as he managed to walk right through a swarm of knats. She put on her sunglasses and eventually dozed off to the gently swaying of the hammock and the soft breeze blowing through the trees.

Kevin returned about an hour later and decided it would be funny to see if he could climb into the hammock next to her while she was still sleeping. Unfortunately, it had been years since he’d been in a hammock and had forgotten how difficult it could be to get in. Right as soon as he sat down on the side of it, the whole thing tipped knocking not just him, but Ella as well to the ground.

“Dammit Kevin! What the hell are you doing?” she screamed.

“Nothing…I just…thought it’d be funny to see what happened if I sat next to you….then the damn thing just tipped.” Kevin said, rubbing his head that he managed to bump on the ground.

“You think that was funny?! What is it with you? Do sleeping women turn you on, is that it? Do you have a thing for climbing in next to unsuspecting people?”

“No, Jesus El, I was just being silly. Are you one of those people who can’t take a joke?”

“Apparently not. And my name is Ella!” she said, storming away, mumbling under her breath, something about peace and quiet being a joke.

Kevin chuckled as he watched her storm away. He hadn’t meant for that to happen but he had to admit that it was pretty damn funny even if she was pissed. Kevin decided to take a nap in the hammock himself since there were still a few hours until dinner time and he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be safe to go into the cabin with Ella in there…with the knives….

He looked up into the trees as he swayed gently. It was so damn peaceful. If only the rest of his life could be the same. Maybe he could go live on his ranch in Kentucky for awhile. It would be peaceful there even if he was constantly surrounded be memories of his failed marriage. Actually, Kristin never liked that place anyway. That’s why they had to live in LA all the time. Maybe he could get a few horses and go riding in the mountains. He’d been considering returning to Backstreet for awhile now but it just didn’t feel right. He’d even been talking to the guys, who were currently working on a new album and were more than happy to scrap it and start over with him. Ultimately though, he knew that he was ready to move on, even if it wasn’t for the same reasons as it was originally. He’d had a few acting offers, he was also interested in pursuing some producing and writing. He had time to decide. He wasn’t going to make a move until he was sure it was the right thing to do.

He ended up dozing off and woke up as the sun was beginning to set. Time to get that bonfire started! Luckily he was a country boy, otherwise that might have been a difficult task for him to handle! Ella came out once the flames were going, carrying to steaks and some potatoes to bake.

“Still mad at me?” he asked.

“I’m over it. I just have to wonder what else you’re going to do to me! I’m afraid I’ll have a broken bone before we part!”

Kevin laughed. “I promise I’ll be more careful from now on!”

“Remember, I’m out of a job so I don’t have any health insurance to cover my hospital bills!” Ella said.

“I’ll make you a deal. If I land you in the hospital, I’ll pay your bills.” Kevin promised.

“I want that in writing!” Ella laughed.

Kevin unwrapped the meat and put it on the metal grate over the fire. “You got any seasonings in there?” Kevin asked.

“Yeah, let me run in and get them.” Ella said, returning moments later with a jar of steak seasoning, a bottle of rum and a few cans of coke. “Are you a rum and coke type of guy?” she asked, setting her stash down and handing Kevin the seasoning.

“Sounds pretty good to me.”

He watched as Ella mixed her drink. She must have put two shots worth of rum into her cup! At least she wasn’t one of those women who could only drink fruity things with a minimal amount of alcohol. He followed suit and mixed himself up a strong drink and sat back to enjoy it.

“There’s one benefit to sitting close to a fire in summer!” Ella said.

“What’s that?”

“It keeps the mosquitoes away.”

“That it does. I think I practically got eaten alive lying out there on that hammock.” Kevin admitted.

“That’ll teach you to go out without your bug spray!”

“Lesson learned, believe me!”

The two sat there in silence, nursing their drinks and waiting for dinner to cook.

“So, what are your plans for the future?” Kevin asked, getting up to flip the steak.

Ella laughed. “Well right now, I’m getting drunk. Tomorrow, I’ll probably be hung over. As for when I leave here, I have no idea and I’m a little scared to find out. I guess I’ll just be job hunting until I come up with something. The LA job market is so damn competitive though, maybe I’ll just move somewhere else.”

“No shit, you’re from LA?” Kevin asked, pouring himself another drink.

“Yeah, why, not blonde enough for you?”

“No, it’s just that I live there sometimes too.”

“Well, LA is a big city. A lot of people live there. So why do you only live there sometimes?”

Kevin nodded. “I’ve also got a house in Kentucky. I think that’s where I’m going back to.”

“Wife got the LA house, huh?”

“I gave it to her. I hated living there! Too much smog.”

Ella finished off her drink and poured herself another generous serving.

“I’ve been thinking of moving to Florida. Another warm state.” Ella said.

“You don’t want to live in Florida.” Kevin said. “Too many hurricanes and boy bands.”

Ella laughed. “At least they don’t have earthquakes!”

“Where are you from originally?” Kevin asked.

“Ohio.” Ella answered. “I’m so sick of it there though, it’s so dull. I need a new place.”

“I think dinner’s ready.” Kevin announced. “And I need another drink!”

Before they were done with dinner Ella and Kevin were onto their fourth drinks and definitely feeling much lighter in spirits as they laughed through practically their entire meal.

“I mean, seriously! All I’m saying is, if you’re going to order the extra large popcorn with extra, extra butter, why bother getting a diet coke?” Ella rambled.

Kevin laughed hysterically. “Maybe they just prefer the taste of diet!”

“Bullshit! I hate diet!”

“You know what I hate?” Kevin asked.

“What? Diet Pepsi?” Ella giggled.

“Yeah, but besides that.”

“What?” Ella asked.

“Huh?” Kevin looked confused.

“Duh…you were just about to tell me what you hate.” Ella laughed.

“I was? Damn…I forgot what I was going to say! I need another drink!” Kevin said.

“Kevin, you finished the rum on your last one!”

“Well what else is in there?”

“There’s a bottle of Grey Goose. You’re welcome to bust into that. But bring out the jug of fruit punch.”

Kevin walked into the pitch dark cabin.

“Ella!” he called.

“What?” she yelled back.

“I can’t see a damn thing in here!” he yelled. “What the hell did you do with the flashlight?”

“I don’t know…I think maybe I left it in the outhouse!” Ella yelled back. “Hang on a second, I’ll come help you light the lantern.”

Ella stumbled up the steps to the cabin, nearly falling on her face.

“Where are you?” she asked.

“Over here!” he answered.

Ella carefully made her way inside. “Where?”

“Over here. Follow the sound of my voice.” Kevin said.

“Well keep talking to I can!”

“Ok. I’m over here, I’m over here, I’m over he….OWW!” Kevin hollered.

Ella ran smack into him.

“I found you!” She giggled.

“You sure did!” Kevin said, catching her to keep her from falling down.

“You know,” Ella started, “There is a definite downside to you being all hot and buff and six-packed and all that.”

“Oh, and what might that be?” Kevin asked, still holding on to Ella.

“Well, since you have no squishy to you, it hurts more to run into you!”

“So…you think I’m hot and buff, huh?”

Ella hiccupped. “Uh…yeah, I mean, you’re not bad…..”

“Hmm. I can live with not bad, although I’ve certainly heard better.” Kevin smiled.

“Kevin, you can let go of me now.” Ella said, starting to feel uncomfortable standing so close to him.

“What if I don’t want to let go?” he said, softly.

Ella’s breath quickened. “I guess that’s not the worst thing in the world.”

“What if I wanted to do more than just hold on to you?” he whispered, moving in closer.

“What did you have in mind?”

“I think I’d like to kiss you.”

“I think I might like that.” Ella answered.

With her permission, Kevin slowly lowered his head to hers and managed to find her lips even in the pitch dark cabin. His kiss started off hesitantly, as if asking for final permission. As soon as Ella felt his warm lips on hers, she couldn’t have said no even if she wanted to. She responded to his kiss, inviting him for more.

“Ella,” Kevin said, breaking the kiss a few minutes later.

“Hmm?” Ella said, catching her breath.

“I…..if we don’t stop now, I’m not sure I’ll be able to.”

“Kevin, I don’t want you to stop.” She whispered.

In his drunken state, that was all he needed to hear. He grabbed her and roughly pulled her against him as he let his passions take hold and his kissed her with an intensity that he hadn’t felt in a long time. There was no turning back now.

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