Bearclaw Valley There's nothin' sweeter than my baby

she was drowning — the water filling her lungs, suffocating her in doubts, in desire. it burned with each breath, each step a crash against the waves of emotions that pulled her beneath the surface. muffled screams, lustful whispers. she was floating at the end of it all, tethered to a string that lead her across the valley, but she couldn't see who was at the end of the rope. it was dark, vision blurred.

cole was a bottomless well, and she'd jumped in willingly.

sun rays dotted her face, a flutter of eyelashes clearing the fogged edges of her sight. and what she saw when the haze cleared left her jaw parted in awe. a scene crafted from brushstrokes of heavenly artistry. her lips parted, a single word spoken in to the sprawling sunset.

"beautiful."

she stood alongside cole, heartbeat steady, admiring all there was to bask in. she glanced toward him, toward the speckles of sunlight that kissed his face, his lips. she took a step, and then another, wading through the willow branches as she let them caress against her side in gentle strokes. she worked her way to a flower, nose dipped low to inhale it's fragrance.

she'd thought them all dead in winter but here they were, blossoming in the thick of it all.