The only sound to be heard was the heavy padding of his own feet across the cold wooden hallway. He stopped short of the door, which stood slightly ajar, as it seemed to be left each night.
He peered into the room before him, already knowing what familiar sight to expect. He had done this for many nights, never brave enough to push the door or speak out. Never brave enough to take another step.
She lay on her side, a shaft of moonlight making her already pale skin seem translucent. Blankets draped around her but her back exposed from her low cut nightdress. Her firey red hair fell about her shoulders, almost threatening to melt the blue tinted skin beneath.
Forrest hadn't felt this before. Sure, there had been women, but thats all they were. Fumbles in the night and with his reputation even those were few and far between. Maggie was different, she'd gotten hold of Forrest in a way he'd never known and the fear of reaching out to her and his feelings, what ever they were, not being reciprocated was enough to make him watch from a distance each night.
He stood a few moments more, taking in the image before him. The cold winter air made his breath form into heavy cigar like puffs of smoke. He turned, and walked away.
She knew he was watching. She felt his gaze upon her skin like the heat from a flame. She waited, like everynight, for him to come in, to make her his. He never did.
Maggie was used to a different kind of man, the kind of man who would have strode into her room the first night and demanded his rights over her. Forrest was different, he was a dangerous man, yes, she had seen that with her own eyes but Maggie had never felt safer than staying here with Forrest and his brothers.
She thought maybe tonight ... maybe tonight he would come to her, but just like every night before she heard him walk away and her eyes closed slowly, sadly.
'That mans too much of a gentleman' she thought to her self. She paused for a moment, strenthening her resolve and slinked out of the blankets, onto the bare, hard floor. She stood tall and confident although she was quivering inside. She pulled at each thin strap on her shoulders and allowed her nightdress to fall to the ground.
The cold air in wooden shack was upon her immediatly, she shivered slightly but it wasn't from the cold, it was from anticipation.
Maggie walked to her door and pulled it silently open, her soft dainty feet made no sound as she tiptoed across the hall towards Forrests room.
She saw him first, he lay on his back in the bed, covers pulled tightly round his neck.
Maggie emerged from the shadows and the light fell onto her naked body, allowing Forrests eyes to follow.
"You just gonna watch me forever?" she whispered.
Maggie stepped forwards,
'Ummm, ummm, whatcha doin?' he murmered, covers still pulled tight.
She moved silently round the bed and pulled back the sheets, Forrest didn't move, she slid daintily in next to him, noting the immediate wave of warmth against her goose bumped skin.
She twisted her body sidewides and gently took Forrests hand and guided his arm under hers as she gently slid on top of his body. Their lips met immediatly, passionate yet soft exchanges as she reached up and entwined her fingers in his soft dark hair.
Tentitivly at first Forrests placed his hands upon Maggies back, the chilled tips of his fingers traced her spine and then trailed up her sides till they met her full warm breasts. She groaned at the touch, she had waited so long for this, not just this encounter, but for Forrest himself.
She sat up straight, still straddling his hips and undid each button on his shirt as Forrest looked upwards. They never broke the gaze, even as he shifted each arm from the shirt and threw it to the floor. She marveled at his broad chest and chiseled stomach, she ran her fingers upwards from his tummy button and grasped at his wide, tanned shoulders. She leaned down and rested her head on his chest to hear his heart, but only for a moment.
Maggie lifted her self onto her knees and reached down between her legs to Forrests trousers, he needed no encouragement and helped her to remove them and they fell to the ground next to his shirt.
She leaned down as Forrest lay back now, their lips just a fraction apart, she lifted her finger and traced his bottom lip, soft and full. He smiled, his crooked tooth peeking out from above his top lip and she smiled back. She kissed him ferociously and pushed down backwards onto him. She gently and playfully bit his lip as he entered her.
She writhed against him as he explored each part of her, frantically now , from her waist to her bottom and back to her breasts, his hands rough and large.
Each movement was ecstacy, Forrest held her waist and lifted her up from his hips, turning to place her gently on the bed. He knelt over her, hovering between her legs and leaned in to gently kiss her neck. Maggie held the back of his head and played with his hair as his tongue trailed down to her breasts, planting soft, sweet kisses as he went. She pulled him down and the heavy weight of him felt so right against her body, the smell of fresh sweat, apple brandy and cigar smoke radiated from him and she drank it in, eager for more. Their lips met again and he pushed inside her. Maggie instinctivly wrapped her legs round his hips and moved in time with him, her hands tracing the hollow of his back. He burried his face into her neck sighing quietly at the faint smell of honey in her hair.
Maggie moaned as Forrest moved faster, it was more urgent now, more primal. They both needed this, they needed to be together. Sensing he was close and knowing she couldn't hold out much longer Maggie arched her back squeezing her legs tighter, grinding against him, the pressure growing with every thrust and she watched as Forrest came, pushing his hips forwards and throwing his head back, exposing his strong stubbled jaw and neck with a long gutteral groan and she came herself at the sight of him.
Breathless and content they lay together, her ear against his chest once more and she listened to his racing heart beat until it slowly calmed along with his breathing.
They stayed that way, Maggie lay across him, till morning.
The morning came and the sunlight warm and bright, flowed through the window onto the couple. Maggie lay content, tracing the veins of Forrests arms with her fingers. His gun nestled inches away under the pillow.
Nothing was said. Nothing had to be said. There were no words for this.