Chapter 3

After a brief but dreamless sleep, Sully awoke. Without opening his eyes, he knew Michaela was in his arms, her head resting on his chest. Finally, for the first time in many years, he was at peace with himself and the world. Fully sated from their lovemaking, he was aware that he did not want to let her slip away from him again. He had loved his first wife, Abigail, a lot, but Michaela, who had come to him later on, was the love of his life, it had become clear to him all those years ago. He had never stopped loving her. Michaela stirred in his arms and slowly opened her eyes, smiling up at him. He kissed her softly, a sweet kiss of shared memories of the past and happiness of the present. Many years ago they had been a lot younger and madly in love, living in the same small town on the western frontier. Yet ill fate had torn them apart. He had never forgotten her in all those years that followed, he had always been able to know how she was doing, without having a direct contact with her, but here and now, it was as if all those years had fallen away.

"Sully..." He nuzzled her neck, loving the feel of her soft skin against his lips. He knew he had to tell her that this time, he would not let her go anymore.

"Is something bothering you?" she asked.

"No, not bothering, but there is something I have to say to you."

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Yes, I have to, but I do not know if the outcome will be a pleasant one for us."

Michaela got worried. "What is it, why do you speak in riddles?" she urged him for more clarity in his words. Sully thought about how much he had changed from that young man she had known all those years ago. He remembered how he had even considered marrying her.

"Right now, I am so happy, here with you and I don't want it to end again. Michaela, will you marry me?" If she was surprised, she did not show it. She did not need long to make up her mind. Yes, she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life, letting him slip away again, was not an option. "Yes, Sully, I will be honoured to marry you. I have never stopped loving you, you have always been the one and only man that I have loved and still love." "You make me the happiest man in the world," he breathed into her ear. "And I am the happiest woman in the world," she returned, sighing happily. "We'll just have to work out how we are going to coordinate our respective activities, I might resign from the Army and look for another job somewhere," he proposed. "Let's not think about that right now," Michaela whispered, "right now, I want to make love to you again." And with those words, she slid her body over his and bent down to kiss him tenderly.

He loved kissing her, she was a good kisser, he fleetingly wondered if she had had any other men in her life after him? He himself, for one, had never sought any other woman to entertain him in this very intimate way, even though his soldiers had often teased him that he never accompanied them on their visits to the saloon, where many women offered their services to young men in need of some womanly attention. Michaela relished the feel of his strong lips moving over hers. She loved his taste, and how a single kiss could arouse her so intensely. She inhaled his scent, this dark and musky fragrance emanating from the warm skin of his neck and chest. With a fingernail, she teased one of his nipples, giggling when she heard his reaction, a sharp intake of breath when she licked and suckled first one, then the other. She moved her mouth lower, felt the tension of his stomach muscles while she kissed his smooth skin there. She sat up, to move and settle between his thighs. Between them his majestic erection pointed upwards. She touched him gently, a deep groan escaped him as she stroked his smooth, hard member. She bent down to slowly lick the side of his hard manhood. His hands were buried in her hair, pushing it aside from her face so he could watch her. She kissed and suckled every inch of him, wanting to give him all the pleasure she could. "'Chaela... please." She took her mouth off him and sat up. Keeping her eyes locked with his, she let herself go down onto him, taking him all the way inside her body. Her eyes closed at how powerful their connection was, at how completely he filled her.

He placed his hands on her hips, helping her to ease up, and slowly down again over him. He sat up from the bed and buried his face between her heaving breasts, suckling her nipples while their bodies moved together. Her inner muscles clenched around him, he almost went crazy with lust and passion. "'Chaela..." he whispered, his voice hoarse with desire, cupping her face in his hands just as she cupped his face in hers. His skin was soft and silky under her fingers, with locked eyes, they could see into the depths of their souls. "Sully... my Sully." He pushed up into her, she arched back into his arms, moaning out loud when she felt how an exquisite pleasure washed over her. He buried his face into her neck and loudly groaned out his pleasure, too. Panting, they collapsed back to the bed, remaining intimately connected. She was his, and he was hers, and that is what they would be, forever.