Buck was finally home and my world was starting to feel right again. We didn't get out of bed the morning after his return until after breakfast; we entered the bunkhouse together to find all of the fellas save for Ike sitting around the table. Rachel was there, as was Teaspoon; they exchanged a look I couldn't decipher. The fellas for once were quiet. Teaspoon turned to Buck.
"Glad to have you back" Teaspoon said quietly in his deep, rumbly voice. "Welcome home, son." He extended a hand; Buck took it. They shook hands and Teaspoon pulled him into a hug. Buck was usually somewhat uncomfortable with such gestures, but to my surprise he didn't pull away. Rachel held out her hands and Buck briefly hugged her. She exclaimed softly over the bruising around his eye but said nothing. Buck turned to face the other fellas, but inclined his head for a moment before speaking.
"I know - you all know what happened when Camille was here. I have a pretty good idea what you must think of me, for doing what I did...and I don't think very much of myself for how I behaved. Lou and I have talked, and we're going to try to move on. But it doesn't mean we're going to forget it, either." He stuck his hands in his pockets and sighed softly. "If any of you have something to say to me, say it now...let's get it out in the open and get on with it."
I took Buck's hand as we waited for someone, anyone, to speak. Looks were exchanged and heads very slightly shook. Finally Noah stood and spoke.
"Buck...Lou...None of us knows what we would've done in the same situation. There's some judgement that's been passed, but none of us has got the right to judge you 'til we've been in your shoes." He looked from Buck to our brothers and all nodded. "Welcome home."
My eyes briefly teared over as first Noah, then all the fellas shook Buck's hand and welcomed him back. I tried to wipe my eyes inconspicuously but Rachel caught me. She sidled up to me and set her hand on my shoulder.
"There's coffee and muffins in the kitchen. I saved them for you and Buck." She smiled mischievously. "As soon as I saw his knife and boots downstairs this morning, I knew you'd be late getting up" she said, winking conspiratorially.
"Rachel!" I exclaimed in an indignant whisper; I was mortified to think Teaspoon'd heard her. Rachel chuckled.
"Oh, Lou, we were young once too. Ain't nothin new under the sun for me nor Teaspoon." She smiled ruefully. "Go get some coffee - I'll send Buck along in a moment."
I left the bunkhouse feeling relieved and just plain thankful for our brothers' and sister's large hearts. I had an idea that Buck might be feeling something the same, after having talked with him in the night. I smelled the coffee and made a beeline for the pot, pouring cups for both me and Buck. I bit into a warm dried cherry muffin and sat in a chair by the open window.
Buck joined me pesently; he drank the coffee down quickly and went right back for a second cup. At my inquiring look he said "I've missed coffee...the Kiowa don't drink it." I giggled to myself, remembering how I, too, had missed it, even during our short stay with Red Bear. I brought over the basket of muffins and he gratefully took out two and made short work of them.
"Cody better watch out today!" I laughed. "He's got competition." Buck just chuckled around his last mouthful.
"I guess I got my appetite back" he said with a grin; I nodded with him, knowing how he felt. I wanted to speak, but something held me back. Buck seemed to sense this.
"What is it, nah mahyehn?" he asked quietly. I bit my lip and hesitated before I was brave enough to speak.
"We're gonna be okay...aren't we?" I whispered. Buck stood and held my hands.
"Don't ever doubt it, Lou" he whispered, drawing me to my feet. "I love you with all my heart, and we're going to have a good life together."
I hugged him tight, burying my head in his chest. He kissed my hair, and he lifted my chin with his fingertips. Then his lips were on mine, on my neck, on my ear; I gave myself over to his devastating kisses and sighed.
At length he, too, sighed and hugged me. "There's nothing I'd like more than to take you somewhere so we could be alone...but there's something I'd like to do first."
"What's that?" I asked, my curiousity piqued. He smiled mischievously.
"There's - uh, someone I'd like you to meet." He looked at the floor and scratched his nose. "What do you say - do you want to meet them?"
"Them?" My eyebrows rose.
"Mmm-hmm...Not too far from here. C'mon, I'll help you saddle Lightning. He must miss you."
"I've missed him so much!" I was thoroughly intrigued by Buck's mysterious invitation and happy, so happy, at the thought of a good ride again on my Lightning. I ran upstairs and changed into a brown riding skirt then met Buck in the barn, where he was saddling Spirit. I had Lightning brushed down, hooves cleaned, and saddled up in no time; he whickered eagerly as I led him out of the barn and mounted up.
"Where is it that we're going?" I raised my voice above the sounds of the horses' cantering hooves.
"You'll see soon enough" Buck called out with a crooked grin. I would have gone anywhere with him right about then, but I soon knew exactly where it was that we were going as we cantered out of town. In no time at all we arrived at Emily's homestead where we were greeted by her, dressed in a man's britches and shirt, and Ike, who gave a broad smile in greeting.
"Hey" Emily said as I tied Lightning to the hitching rail, "how are you? You look like you're feeling really well again."
"I am" I said. "I am so glad Buck's home." I hugged her. "You and Ike have a lot to do with it, too - I don't think I could have gotten through all that happened without either of you."
"I'm just glad you're all right, Lou" Emily said softly. "How is Buck?"
I looked over to where Buck was asking Ike something, and Ike signing in reply. "He seems all right, I think...I hadn't realized how hard it hit him. But we're talking, and that's good."
"It is" Emily agreed. "Ah - I think he wants you for something."
I looked over and sure enough, Buck was gesturing for me to come. Curious, I joined him and Ike.
"Close your eyes, Lou." I could hear the excitement in Buck's voice and saw Ike give Emily a knowing wink. My curiousity grew by the second.
I made only a token protest, then obediently closed my eyes. Buck took one arm, Ike the other, and together they led me away. I heard Emily stifle a giggle as we rounded the corner of the house, and walked a little ways further. Just then, I heard the neighing of two horses; I didn't recognize them as I did all of our Express horses. My heartbeat quickened and I gave a small gasp.
"Open your eyes, Lou" came from Buck on my left. I did as I was told, and -
"Buck, they are beautiful!" I exclaimed, drawing my hands to my mouth. And they were: a paint stallion, brown and white with black in his mane and tail, perhaps two years old. A young red mare, more red even than Spirit, no more than four years old and gently rounded with foal. Both were tall, as tall as Sundance, and regarded us keenly, unafraid of their surroundings.
"So this is the stallion from Green River?" I asked, venturing over to the paddock fence. Both mare and stallion approached me; the stallion was first to sniff as much of me as he could, then gave a deep rumbling sound from his chest - it reminded me a little of a contented Buck. I was curious to see how he would react to me; I reached not for his head but his strongly muscled shoulder and rubbed my hand there.
He was like Buck when I rubbed his shoulders: perfectly content.
"This is the one I told you about" Buck said with satisfaction. "Red Bear told me the band of bachelor stallions had been sighted regularly near the Kiowa village; he thought that maybe they were going to try and steal some of the Kiowa's mares and make off with them. This fellow managed to capture Khoam here when she was already with foal." He rubbed the red mare's shoulder, and she rubbed her head on his shirtsleeve.
"Khoam?" I asked, letting the tall red mare sniff me.
" 'Khoam' is Kiowa for friend. She belonged to Dark Horse's husband before this fellow" he scratched the stallion's ears "lured her away."
"How is it that he let you keep her, if you recaptured her?" I asked, as Khoam nuzzled my cheek. I laughed; her whiskers tickled and I scratched her chin.
"Ah" Buck said with a smile. "Tall Tree remembers you, Heart of A Warrior, and sends you Khoam and her foal to be yours - with his blessing. He hasn't forgotten the part you played in the birth of his grandson Running Bear. It is a great honour to have a Kiowa warrior willingly give you his horse - the bond between warrior and horse is very strong."
I looked at the magnificent animal standing quiet before me; I was beyond words. Khoam no doubt had been bred to a fine Kiowa stallion, and the foal was likely to be a beautiful example of the Kiowa's best horseflesh.
"Our breeding stock is coming together for us" I said to Buck. "It's almost as though this was meant to happen."
"I believe it was" Buck said quietly. "And later on I will tell you why. "
I laughed and shook my head in wonderment. "If that don't beat all" I said softly. We watched the mare and stallion rub their chins along each other's backs like two old friends. "What shall we call him?" I asked presently. Buck thought for a moment.
"Why not call him what he is?" he asked.
"What d'you mean?" I asked, frowning.
"Hane may. He is, after all, a very handsome animal" Buck said simply.
He was named Handsome right on the spot.
Emily called us to the house then; there was a pot of tea steeping and a large plate of sandwiches ready and waiting on the table. "Lunches are pretty informal around here" she smiled, "but I still say a blessing. Lou, would you do the honours?"
I folded my hands and bowed my head. "Dear Lord, thank you for the wealth of blessings you have given us: bringing Buck home safe; the two new members of our family outside; the friends who stand by us always; and the sorrows from which we learn wisdom. Bless this food and the hands that prepared it, in Your name. Amen."
"Amen" said Emily - and Buck, who squeezed my hand.
We had plenty to talk about over lunch; Buck and Ike worked out how they would strengthen the remaining fences that Ike hadn't gotten to, and repairing the stable to make it withstand Handsome, should he become rebellious. We agreed to let the two horses stay out at grass for the time being; it was, after all, how they had always lived, and precious hay could be saved for the depths of winter. As Emily served up a plate of cookies, I felt a smile steal over my face. When she rejoined us at the table I turned to her.
"Emily, I got a favour I need from you" I began. Buck and Ike looked at each other and shrugged, then turned to me.
"Anything, Lou, you know that" Emily said warmly. "What is it?"
"Well - ya know the twenty-fourth of October ain't that far off now" I began, and she nodded in agreement. "What I want to know is, will you stand up for me as my maid of honour?" I turned to Buck. "Are you all right with that?"
"Absolutely" Buck said with a crooked grin. "This is a good time for me to ask the same thing. Ike, will you stand up for me, as my best friend and my best man?"
Ike's face split with an enormous smile; he stood and half-hugged Buck across the table. *I will, buddy. And - * he hesitated for a split second, *I'm sorry. You know.*
Buck reached out a hand and Ike clasped it, then shook it. Emily turned to me, radiant.
"Lou, nothing in the world could keep me from standing up for you. Thank you for asking me."
"Can you come to the way station for supper tonight?" I asked eagerly. "I'm cooking up two big chickens and a chocolate cake. That is" I grinned, "if you're not afraid to do battle with Cody. Or Buck" I added, thinking of his appetite earlier.
"Cody doesn't scare me" Emily laughed. "I wouldn't be afraid to turn him over my knee if I had to!" She looked at Buck appraisingly. "I'll leave Buck up to you, Lou" she said with a saucy grin.
I caught Ike's signing out of the corner of my eye. *Don't tell Cody that - he would enjoy it far too much!* Buck roared with laughter and Emily and I giggled like little girls. Why, I could even picture her doing just such a thing, she was that direct. Buck waggled his eyebrows at me - I think he liked the idea of me taking him to task as well. I know I did.
"So you'll come, then?" I grinned wickedly.
"Unless Doc needs me for something. If I'm not there in time to help dish up, I won't be coming." Emily walked the three of us to the door and we thanked her for her hospitality.
We arrived back at the way station to find Jimmy and Noah gone - something about an emergency run to Big Sandy. This meant Buck and Ike got to do their barn and cleaning chores; I went on ahead to see about starting supper. Rachel, I saw, had killed and dressed both chickens, meaning I could put them in the oven once it was hot enough. I made an extra-large chocolate cake, everybody's favourite, and prepared roast squash and baked potatoes as well.
It was unseasonably warm for October, and the kitchen soon turned into an inferno. I rolled up my sleeves and loosened the collar of my blouse - only propriety kept me from taking the darned thing off. That and my pantaloons as well. A gentle throbbing began behind my eyes, a troublesome tightness in my shoulders. It did nothing to improve my mood when I saw that Rachel was going to be late and Emily had gotten called away on an emergency. Teaspoon's absence meant that Cody had free rein for his antics - which, for once, I didn't find amusing.
With a whole lot of difficulty, I managed to keep my mouth shut - after all, Cody was just being Cody. He always did try to get my goat. But when a huge splatter of butternut squash landed on my neck and oozed down between my breasts, my good intentions flew out the window.
"Dang it all to hell, Cody! Look what you've done!" I fumed. The silver locket that Buck had given me was buried under a great glob of orange goo, and I did the last thing everyone, myself included, expected: I burst into tears.
"Damn it, Cody! Would you grow up, for gosh sakes!" Buck hollered as I ran out the bunkhouse door. I ran straight into the privy and turned the thumb bolt behind me; sitting on the splintery wooden seat, I proceeded to cry my eyes out.
A gentle knocking came at the door. "Lou, honey? Are you all right?" It was Buck, of course.
I slowly got to my feet and dried my eyes on my sleeve, then turned the thumb bolt open; I knew that Buck wouldn't go away until I'd at least shown my face. "I'm all right, Buck. Just - pissed - is all."
Buck wiped away the remaining tears with his thumbs and drew me into a hug. "No, don't pull away from me, Lou. This shirt needs washing anyway." He kissed the top of my head and rocked me gently in his arms. I could feel myself begin to calm. "Ike and Kid are seeing to Mr. Cody, don't worry. The washing up'll be done before you know it. Here, take off the locket. You're not going to clean it."
I looked up at him and he nodded; I unhooked the slender chain and handed it to him. "I'll be right back" he grinned at me. I walked over to the barn and stepped inside the cool dimness. All was quiet save for the sounds of the horses munching on their hay and the sleepy coos of the pigeons far above me in the rafters. I wandered down the main aisle until I reached Lightning's stall; he whickered companionably and nuzzled my cheek. I reached up and scratched his ears.
"I've missed you, big fella" I said quietly. He began to chew on the collar of my blouse and I just laughed; the squash stains would probably never come out anyway. I rubbed his shoulder.
"Lou? You in here?" Buck had returned.
"Right here, Buck - just talkin ta Lightnin." I heard Buck's light footsteps approaching; from the next stall Spirit heard them too and neighed eagerly. Buck smiled and scratched her ears.
"Sorry, girl, I don't plan to go out riding this late. Have to wait until tomorrow." He scratched between her eyes and she rumbled contentedly. Turning to me, he lifted me up and set me on top of Lightning's stall door. "What would you say to that, Lou?" His deep brown eyes probed mine in the low light.
"I would say - ohhh - " he nipped my neck and soothed the sting with a swipe of his warm wet tongue. "I would go anywhere with you, Buck Cross" I breathed in his ear. I eagerly wrapped my legs around his hips and my arms around his shoulders; when I had pulled him in close I twined my fingers in his long silky hair. Holding me steady, he brought his body flush with mine.
"Do ya think we should be startin somethin we might not be able to finish?" I whispered a split second before his lips claimed mine in a scorching kiss. He took his time answering, preferring to conduct a thorough investigation of my mouth with his tongue - not that I minded, of course.
"We have all the time in the world, sweetheart" he murmured, nuzzling my neck. I let my head fall back; while Buck set to work unbuttoning my befouled blouse, Lightning nuzzled my forehead.
I got a very different look at my horse from upside down and began to roar with laughter; I couldn't help it. Lightning was affectionate, as horses went, but wasn't usually this cuddly. Buck stepped back, clearly affronted.
"What the - ?" he growled. "I swear he's doing this on purpose!"
Still laughing, I hopped down off of the stall door. While Buck stared at my horse, Lightning stood proud and tall and promptly blew his nostrils hard all over Buck's shirt. Buck pointed and let loose with an oath in Kiowa, while Lightning, clearly unimpressed, turned tail and pointed his rump at Buck.
I didn't wait to see what happened next. Still giggling, I collected water buckets to fill for the night. I heard the sound of stomping and guessed that Buck had gotten as far as the ladder to the hayloft. Sure enough, when I reentered the barn, a big heap of hay lay on the barn floor and Buck was forking it into the different stalls.
At least he had forgiven Lightning enough to feed him.
And at least Lightning hadn't turned tail and passed wind right in Buck's face.
With a final sigh of laughter, I filled the last of the buckets and hung them in the stalls. Buck joined me and together we left the barn. A first-quarter moon lit the sky and the air was still unseasonably warm. We turned to each other and said "Do you want - "
I giggled; Buck laughed heartily. "I guess that means we both want to go for a walk."
"Is this a good time?" I asked practically. "Aren't you worried that Rachel will come home to a mess?"
"No, I'm not" Buck said easily. "You and I have done up the barn chores; the others can work out who does what between them. And if Rachel does come home to a mess, well - they're big boys now, aren't they?"
"True enough" I murmured. Buck put his arm about my waist and we walked along in a comfortable silence. At length, I decided to ask him a difficult question. I held my breath before taking the plunge.
"What did the man of dreams say, Buck, when you spoke with him?"
I kept my voice very quiet and even; I didn't know what my asking would stir up inside of Buck. The last thing I wanted to do was to make him feel upset all over again.
"He told me many things, Lou" Buck answered just as quietly. "He told me when and where to find the horses, and sent Gray Wolf with me to help capture them. The boy had just endured his first vision quest, and he will help the master of horses tame and train their new stock. But Eagle Who Flies Far saw other things as well; he saw me fighting with Ike, and knew I would come to him for answers. He requested that I fast and pray to the rising sun before undertaking a vision quest of my own." He fell silent, but I decided not to press him to go on.
We walked along in silence until we came to the picnic rock. Buck sat and drew me into his arms.
"I told you that both Eagle Who Flies Far and Red Bear chastised me for my behavior" he said finally. "They reminded me that the loss of our baby was both our losses, not just mine or yours. I began to doubt my ability to even be a father to any children we may have - and finally I asked both of them: how do you know when you're ready to be a father?"
"And what was their answer?" I asked, the tiniest of smiles tugging at the corners of my mouth.
"They answered: you'll know you are ready for fatherhood when your wife is carrying your child" Buck said with a small smile. "I know that their answer means more than that, don't worry."
"Does this mean-?" I held my breath.
"It does" Buck said proudly. "We will have at least one son, and perhaps more children to come. The man of dreams told me that nothing in life happens without purpose, that the Great Spirit decides our path and guides us always. The loss of our first child may have happened whether Camille had come or not. We will never know that."
"No. We never are told what would have happened, are we?" I asked, and Buck shook his head .
"Perhaps it is better that way" he said with finality, and I couldn't help but agree with watched the stars come out and listened to the sounds of the night creatures as they prowled about in the growing dark. I knew we had to get back to the station but there was one more thing I needed to know while we were still alone.
"How do you feel about things, Buck, now that they're soon goin to be reality? I mean, gettin married. Actually running a ranch, and with you and me and Ike bein responsible for all of those animals' needs, all the time. It'll be at least a couple of years before we even make any money, too." I drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "Please - don't get me wrong, Buck - I don't doubt you or me or Ike, or Emily for that matter. It's just that - all of this seems kind of huge somehow right now. It's all a big unknown, like we're untested. And me - " I chuffed out a soft laugh. "I don't want to ever let you down. I couldn't live with myself."
"I do know what you mean, Lou. And you haven't hurt my feelings by asking me this - I ask myself these same things every day. Truth is, sometimes I am just plain scared." Buck laughed softly in my ear and I squeezed the hands he had clasped beneath my breasts. "I don't ever want to let anyone down, but most of all not you. Look at what we just came through." I nodded, understanding what he meant. The miscarriage had been a trial by fire, and we had coped the best we could. With the help of family and friends, and faith and love in each other, we had come out on the other side and now loved and cherished each other even more than before.
"Oh, I know it ain't goin to be easy." I turned and, smiling, kissed the tip of Buck's nose. "I guess what it comes down to is faith in ourselves and each other, and bein humble enough to ask people like Teaspoon fer help when we need it."
"Yeah. I never understood why the white men spoke in their religion of the sin of pride - I had a really different idea of what they meant."
"What do the Kiowa say of pride, Buck?" I asked, curious.
"Honestly? The same thing. Just in different words. At first I was too proud myself to listen to much of anything white men had to say" Buck admitted somewhat sheepishly. "I've learned a lot since I came to the Pony Express."
"Me too" I murmured. "I think I learned of trust. And faith. And love."
I shifted around and cupped Buck's face in my hands and kissed him the way I loved to be kissed. Then I stood and drew him to his feet.
"You're right - it's time we were getting back." We walked back to the station hand in hand; I listened to the rumbles of thunder off to the west.
"Storm comin up" I breathed. Buck stopped for a moment and, lifting his head, listened for a good moment. He turned to me.
"We'll get some thunder and lightning, and some rain, but it shouldn't be a violent storm." I nodded, relieved, thinking of Handsome and Khoam over at Emily's.
Rachel and Teaspoon had returned in our absence; both were pleased to find the bunkhouse and kitchen clean, swept, and neat as a pin. Buck winked at me and I giggled. "Come on inside the bunkhouse for a minute" Buck urged. I followed him inside; the fellas were playing cards at the big table, Rachel was mending clothes, and Teaspoon was finishing off his dessert.
"Mighty fine chocolate cake, Lou" he drawled. "Had to wrestle it away from Cody here."Cody mumbled softly under his breath and Teaspoon said "Well, speak up boy! What'd ya say?"
Cody decided to play nice; he cleared his throat and said "Uh, I got sump'in here fer Lou." He beckoned to me, and I walked over to where he was seated at the table. He stood and drew the locket on its chain out of his pocket. I turned and held up my hair so he could do up the clasp. "I'm sorry, Lou" he said quietly. "It won't happen again."
"Thanks, Cody" I said softly and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed and hurriedly sat down again, picking up his cards again.
"Best quit while yer ahead" I whispered in his ear. "Ike's full house beats yer pair o' deuces."
"Ah, nuts!" he exclaimed, throwing down his cards in disgust. "Some days ya just cain't make a buck! Who wants ta go fer a sasparilla?"
To my surprise, the whole group headed off for the saloon. "Guess we should get cleaned up, huh?" I laughed to Buck. Rachel's eyebrows had shot up to the middle of her forehead when she first saw me and Buck; I'd forgotten all about the sorry state of our respective clothing.
"Come on" Buck chuckled. "I'll wash your back if you'll wash mine."
"You're on." I put a large kettle of water on to boil and got towels, a nightgown for myself, and clean longjohns for Buck. I filled the large tub with hot and cool water; we both climbed in and hurriedly scrubbed down, not knowing how long we'd have privacy. I hung the damp towels up to dry while Buck emptied the tub, then we climbed the stairs to the bedroom.
"Tired?" Buck asked me with a grin as I stripped off the nightgown I had put on only for the sake of propriety. His longjohns followed suit.
"Yeah...kinda. I'm sorry I got so weepy earlier. I don't know what got into me." I snuggled into Buck's arms.
"It's what my people would call the phase of the moon, Lou" Buck said, kissing my forehead.
I felt my face flare red, as did my temper, but I hurriedly shut my mouth before I blurted out something I'd regret. "Maybe I'm changing" I said instead.
"Maybe you are" Buck said, calm as always. He kissed the tip of my nose and cradled a breast in his warm hand. "Are you too tired to make love?" he breathed in my ear.
"Nope." I lay down on top of him; he didn't seem to mind in the least. I rasped my thumb over one of his tiny man's nipples, something I'd never done for fear of what he'd think. I need not have worried - he groaned and his manhood twitched. I smiled to myself, daring to move my head down and take his nipple between my lips, suckling gently and rasping with my tongue. He gasped with pleasure and closed his eyes, and I was glad to have been so bold. I kissed my way over the smooth skin of his chest, tasting the salt of his skin and breathing deep of his clean male smell.
I moved my body down farther, kissing his flat stomach, nuzzling his navel then sticking the tip of my tongue inside. He laughed when I did that.
"It really does tickle" he chuckled. I nuzzled down the line of hair to the the thick patch of dark hair surrounding his manhood. It lay flat along his belly, long and proud and thick; I smiled and reached a hand up to grasp him and slowly move my hand up and down. I moved artfully; I knew just how to please him. I loved this man, and there was nothing I wouldn't do for him. I hoped he knew that.
Whether he did or not, at that moment he decided I was going to get as good as I gave: he turned so we lay facing each other, stroked my hair away from my face, began to kiss me starting with my eyelids. His lips and tongue worked their magic down the column of my neck, along my collarbones; one hand stroked a breast, caressing the sensitive skin on the underside. I gasped with pleasure as his mouth kneaded a nipple while a skilled hand slipped between my legs, moving with just the right pressure, the right speed. The bud of my womanhood grew engorged under his touch and I arched my head back, humming with delight.
I had no qualms at all about marrying Buck - in fact, I felt that if I couldn't marry him there was no one out there to whom I would be so well-suited. I thought once again of Fort Laramie, of all he had told me of his despairing of ever finding love, and the meaning of his words hit me like a blow to the face. I slipped my hands around to his back and pulled him in to me and whispered in his ear, "I love you, now and forever. Take me, Buck, make love to me...please, love me..."
Oh, but he was a generous man...a generous lover. He was only too happy to oblige and buried himself in me to the hilt. We moved as one being, no longer separate from the other...
...moving in the power of muscle and strength and sweat...and I matched him thrust for thrust, gasp for gasp... borne away on wind and sea, fire and tide, we fell asleep in each other's arms.
I dreamt of the golden sun, its generous warmth...brilliant leaves, and the smell of warm summer and cool autumn mingled in a heady perfume of a perfect day not yet come.
A/N: We're headed for a wedding here and, as Lou would say: y'all are invited! Any ideas for a bachelor party for Buck and a bachelorette party for Lou? The ladies should definitely be allowed some wine, I think! You know by now that I welcome any and all suggestions, ideas, comments, reviews, anything and everything at all times! You are a very special group of people, so loving and supportive. I honestly believe you've helped me to heal from a long year of illness; the tide has turned in my favor. Hugs to you all! ML ((((((HUGS))))))