Thank you Cowboy'sMontana and PrettyinBlack8 for the reviews.

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1860

Jasper walked slowly from the stables, kicking the dust as he went, tired from completing his chores. As he walked up the stairs he noticed his father's friend Stanley coming out the front door.

"Jasper," he nodded solemnly. "Your father isn't feeling well. You are to come home with me tonight."

Jasper knew what that meant. His father had been to town that day which meant he had been sitting in the saloon all day drinking. His father hadn't done much but drink since his brother's and mother's death during childbirth ten years earlier. No doubt Stanley had brought him home and dumped him in bed and Jasper just nodded his head. He changed course and followed Stanley to his wagon and climbed in as he stared at the house.

"Young Claire will be pleased to see you," Stanley commented as they rode away from the house, referring to his daughter who was the same age as Jasper. They had been friends since birth and had always been close but over the last few months Jasper had spent a lot of time at their place and they had got even closer.

"It will be good to see her too," Jasper nodded.

When they reached the house Stanley's wife, Vanessa, rushed out to meet them and Jasper noticed as Stanley whispered to her, no doubt filling her in on his father's sad condition.

"Jasper!" a voice squealed and Jasper turned and grinned when Claire raced towards him. Her long black hair flew behind her as she ran and her smiled cheered him immediately.

"Hi Claire," he grinned as she reached him and threw her arms around his neck.

"Jasper, why don't you help Claire finish her chores before dark," Stanley suggested behind them.

"Yes sir," Jasper nodded and Claire giggled excitedly as she took his hand and pulled him towards the stables.

As soon as they were out of her parent's sight she flung her arms around his neck and leaned up and pressed her lips to his. He kissed her back for a moment and then grabbed her hands and gently pushed her away.

"Oh Jazz," she giggled as she looked up at him coyly.

"Claire, please," Jasper murmured and pushed her back a little more as he gripped her wrists.

"It's only a few kisses," Claire smirked.

"Your father would kill me if he walked in on it," Jasper pointed out.

"He won't," Claire said surely as she stepped closer to him. "Jazz, I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," Jasper admitted and when she leaned up again he didn't push her away but lowered his lips to hers.

When they finally pulled apart Claire's cheeks were flushed and Jasper felt his own arousal spread through him. Claire grinned when she felt his hardness pressed against her stomach and stepped away from him. She gave him a cheeky smile and then skipped over to tend the horses and Jasper watched her as he struggled to control his reaction to her.

By the time she had finished he was under control and she smiled innocently at him. They had only ever shared a few kisses and Jasper knew he would never do anything more with her out of respect for her and her family. His father might be a drunk now but he had still taught Jasper that a man's job was to respect and protect women.

"Jazz, I want to go have a picnic by the creek tomorrow," Claire announced. "Can we?"

"If your parents will allow it," Jasper nodded.

"They will if I'm with you," Claire said confidently. "They trust you."

"I know," Jasper grinned.

They left the stables then and headed back to the house and joined Stanley and Vanessa for dinner. After dinner Jasper sat on the porch with Stanley and then headed inside to the guest room, which was more his room than the one at his father's house. He quickly changed and crawled into bed and his exhaustion quickly set in and he fell asleep.

The next morning he had breakfast with the family and then Claire grabbed a picnic basket from the kitchen and dragged him out the door. Jasper reached over and took the basket from her and they walked away from the house, aware that her mother would be watching them from the kitchen window. They walked into the tree cover and then Claire reached over and slid her hand into his.

"Claire, your too forward with me," Jasper chided gently but didn't drop her hand.

"Only with you," Claire sighed.

"I know," Jasper assured her.

They walked hand in hand together until they reached the edge of the creek and then Jasper set the basket down and pulled the blanket from the top. He shook it out and spread it on the ground and then he held his hand out to Claire. She took it eagerly and he helped her down to the ground and then flopped down beside her.

He moved the basket to her and she began to pull the food and drink from it as he watched her. She had obviously spent a lot of time preparing everything and he was touched by her efforts.

She handed him a plate of chicken and salad and a glass of iced tea and they sat eating as they glanced over the water. When the food was finished Claire packed everything away and Jasper lay back, leaning on his elbows as the sun beat down on them.

He shut his eyes and turned his face up to the sun, just enjoying the moment and he felt Claire move closer to him and hover over him. Her soft lips pressed against his and he kissed her back gently. As their lips parted she leaned on his chest and he smiled up at her.

She reached up and gently dragged her finger across his lips and let out a soft sigh. She moved her hand down to rub on his chest and even though his shirt was between them he could feel the softness of her fingertips on his skin. It sent shivers through his body and he instantly reacted.

"Claire," he groaned softly.

"Its okay Jazz," Claire smiled, well aware of the reaction he was having to her.

"No it isn't," Jasper said firmly and reached up and ran his hand through her hair.

"Have you decided how you are going to ask yet?" Claire murmured.

"No, I haven't," Jasper admitted.

"It will be so much easier once you do," Claire sighed.

"No it won't," Jasper argued. "Once I officially ask your father for permission to court you we won't be allowed any time alone. I like our time alone."

"Me too," Claire smiled and rubbed her hand on his chest again. He let out an involuntary groan and she giggled at him. She leaned up and brushed her lips on his again and he kissed her back before grabbing her shoulders and gently pushing her back.

"Claire," he murmured. "We need to cool it off."

"Why?" she frowned sadly.

"Because this cannot go any further yet," Jasper sighed as he sat up.

"I don't mind if it does Jasper," Claire admitted. "I've known since we were seven that one day we'd be married. You're the only man I'm ever going to be with, does it really matter if we're married first."

"Of course it does," Jasper gasped in horror, unable to believe what she was suggesting. "I would never dishonour you. I love you too much to disgrace you that way."

"I know, I love you too," Claire sighed. "I'm just getting so impatient."

"It's only two more years until we are eighteen," Jasper smiled. "Then we can be married."

"And then…" Claire grinned at him cheekily.

"Oh, you're going to kill me," Jasper groaned and despite his best intentions he leaned forward and kissed her again.

"No way," Claire murmured against his lips. "There will be no dying. I want you old and grey beside me on the porch as we watch our grandchildren playing."

"I can't wait," Jasper laughed, and the truth was he couldn't wait to begin his life with her.

XXX

It took Jasper another four months to drum up the nerve to ask Stanley for permission to court Claire. Stanley was tempted to mess with the boy but Vanessa just gave him a stern look and he sighed and gave his permission. Truth be told, he had been expecting it for over a year and he wasn't sorry that his little girl was falling in love with Jasper Whitlock. Although he had lost his mother at a young age he was turning into a fine, decent, well mannered young man and Stanley knew his daughter could do worse.

He began to come by for an hour every night after dinner although Stanley had told him that now he was officially courting Claire he would be unable to stay the night anymore. They normally sat on the porch together talking while Vanessa discretely kept an eye on them from the parlour. Occasionally if they heard Vanessa in the kitchen Claire would risk slipping her hand into his. When he left each night Vanessa would give them privacy and Jasper would always lean down and kiss Claire's lips softly. Each of them lived for that nightly kiss and the promise behind it.

One evening he arrived right on time but Claire wasn't sitting on the porch like she usually did. He walked to the door and knocked and she pulled it open. Immediately he noticed the tear stains on her cheeks and as soon as she saw him she burst into fresh sobs.

"Claire?" he gasped and pulled her into his arms and she sobbed against his chest as she grasped his shirt in her hands. He ran his hand lightly on her hair and whispered softly to her in an effort to comfort her.

"What is wrong sweetheart?" he asked finally.

"My grandmother had a heart attack," Claire whispered, her face still buried on her chest. "She's dead Jazz."

"Oh darling," Jasper sighed and tightened his arms around her.

"My parents have gone to be with grandfather," Claire added. "Papa said I was to tell you that you couldn't stay tonight, that we couldn't be here alone but you can't leave me Jazz. I need you."

"I'm not leaving," Jasper sighed, knowing that Stanley would be angry with him but he couldn't leave the woman he loved when she was so distressed.

A cold breeze hit him from behind and he realised the door was still opened and turned and shut it and then led Claire into the parlour. They sat down on the sofa and although he knew he shouldn't he held her tightly in his arms. Her sobs quietened and eventually she turned her face up to him.

"Kiss me Jazz, please," she whispered. Jasper instantly leaned down and brushed his lips on hers and she reached up and ran her hands through his hair, pulling him tighter to her and deepening their kiss.

Claire used her body to push him back, allowing her body to follow him so she was pressed against him. She moved her hands from his hair and grabbed his hands in hers. She snaked their fingers together with one hand and the other one tugged at his hand. He felt her tongue teasing against his lips and was completely lost in the sensation when he felt her hand press his against her breast.

"Claire, no," he gasped and pulled his hand away quickly and pushed her away from him.

"Jazz," she whispered, her lips forming into a soft pout.

"We can't Claire," Jasper snapped, his voice coming out a little harsher than he intended.

"You don't want me," Claire sighed sadly.

"That isn't true," Jasper groaned. "The problem is I want you too much and I cannot allow it to happen until we are married. It would be wrong Claire."

"Why?" Claire frowned. "I love you and you love me and we know that soon we'll be married anyway."

"But I have no right to touch you that way until I am your husband," Jasper argued.

"I'm giving you permission," Claire pointed out.

"I can't," Jasper sighed. "It would be wrong Claire."

"Why do you have to be so damn old fashioned," Claire snapped, causing his eyes to go wide at her language.

"Claire, I want our wedding night to be special," Jasper told her. "I want us to wait, that isn't old fashioned. I love you too much to take something that special away from you."

"It's yours to take," Claire pouted.

"Not until I am your husband," Jasper said forcefully.

"Oh, you can be so frustrating," Claire groaned.

"But you love me," Jasper smirked.

"Yeah I do," Claire sighed and leaned over and brushed her lips on his but the kiss was more chaste than any they had shared that night. "I do love you."

"And I you," Jasper smiled.

"You should go," Claire whispered. "Father will be angry if he finds you here."

"I'll come see you tomorrow," Jasper promised.

"I'll be waiting," Claire smiled and he leaned down and kissed her lips again before slipping out of the house.