As the day wore on, Stella became more comfortable with the gun in her hands. Her aim was improving, though slowly. Gavin was patient with her, and Stella thought to herself that she hadn't seen him enjoying himself this much before. Perhaps it was the surroundings, being away from the city and the life. Stella was enjoying herself, as well. Gavin was an excellent teacher. 

The first night, when the guns were safely locked away in the car, Gavin popped a bottle of moonshine he'd brought along. Stella had never had it before, and it didn't take much before she was completely loose of her inhibitions. As the evening went on, the clothes came off, and both Gavin and Stella took full advantage of the fact that no one was around to hear anything. 

The next morning went by with Gavin and Stella still asleep. It was early afternoon when they rose, and rode to a nearby small town for lunch at a road side diner. Over black coffee and a hearty breakfast, Stella told Gavin about growing up in Colorado. She regaled him with stories of spending hours at a strip joint with her mother, the few memories of her father, and life in Vegas with Uncle Joe. She explained how they had met--how Joe and her Godmother Sofia had been good friends, and that he says the first person Stella managed to find from Sofia's journals. 

That afternoon, as Gavin was showing Stella some tips on tracking in the woods, they found a small spring-fed lake. Like mischievous kids, they shed their clothes and jumped in.

Two more days came and went in a similar fashion. They continued to work on her marksmanship, even trying a few more weapons. On the morning of the fourth day, Stella woke up with the sun shining in through the window, warming her cheeks. She rolled over, but Gavin wasn't there. She sat up and looked around the cabin, then heard shuffling outside. Pulling on nothing but the loose fitting shirt she'd brought, she went to the door of the cabin and leaned against the doorframe, watching as Gavin moved a pile of wood into a stack beside the cabin wall. She smiled. 

"What are you doing up so early?" 

Gavin took a piece of wood and placed it on a tree stump. He was wearing his pants and boots, but nothing else. Lining up the stroke, he swung cleanly and split the wood. 

"Well, we're probably going to have to scram today. Don't want the owners of this place to come back and find us here. Figured I'd replenish what we used up... especially since we spent so much time in front of the fireplace last evening."

He had the rug burns to prove it, he thought with a grin.

"Anything else on your to do list today before we go? Things you want to see? Do? More practice? We'll line you up with a shooting range near your businesses, make sure you can keep improving."

"This has been the getaway I didn't know I needed. I learned lots. And not just about guns."

Stella grinned and looked around at the woods, taking it all in once more. 

"Maybe I'll buy myself a cabin in the woods some day. With a nice, big fireplace. Maybe a big bathtub..."

It was a fun thought, but would have to wait for later. As much as she loved the time spent out here,  there was business to take care of.  Before she turned to go inside and finish dressing, she walked over to Gavin - bare chested and swearing - and snaked her arms around his neck, smiling playfully. 

"Thank you for this. You're the best. At everything."

"Cabin in the woods is always a great investment."

"Thank you for this. You're the best. At everything."

Gavin rolled his eyes.

"Not true, but I'm not going to disagree with you. Give me a few minutes to finish this... maybe we'll head back to that stream one more time before we go."

As Stella went inside, Gavin scanned the horizon. She was right- this had been nice. But they couldn't stay out here forever; it was time to go back to work. With a grin, he split another piece of wood.