I do NOT own The Big Valley or any of the original Barkley characters.
Blindsided
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Audra stood near the clearing she, Brigham, Nick and Heath had camped by for the night. The moon was giving plenty of light and the stars sparkled.
"It's too late to start back to Stockton." Mrs. Miller had tried to talk some sense into her guests after the two of them had asked the Reverend to allow them to take theirs vows again. "Stay here until tomorrow morning."
Brigham and her brothers had politely turned the offer down saying the sooner they started back, the sooner they'd get there. Personally, she thought her brothers were just eager to see their mother lay into Brigham.
"Long ride ahead of us." Brigham walked up behind her and slid his arms around her waist and pulled her into him. The smell of her hair sent him reeling, and he held her tighter.
"I know," she said as she tilted her head to one side and looked up at the night sky. "I couldn't sleep though, been thinking about Mother and Jarrod. You'll be raked over the coals, you know that." She took her eyes off the night stars and looked at Brigham. She wasn't exactly surprised to see a grin upon his face.
"I expect nothin' less," Brigham answered as he turned her around and took her face in his hands. "After all, it's not like I didn't earn it. Besides, if I were in your brothers' place? I probably would have gone after the man who dared do such a thing." He would have too. He had sisters he cared about. The fact that Nick hadn't come at him swinging was amazing, though he hadn't been surprised when the man had pulled him aside privately, given him a piece of his mind, and admitted he would have done it if he hadn't already give his word not to.
"Where do you think we're goin'? Camp is that way." Audra nodded in the opposite direction as Brigham took her hand and led her through the trees. She didn't really want an answer, but she still teased him. They weren't sure how far they walked, but when the two of them stopped they were surrounded by trees and were, he guessed, a mile from her brothers. Her question was answered as Brigham ran his arms up around her waist and pulled her to him.
The days and nights of fighting himself, reminding himself she was a lady and he needed to be a gentleman all disappeared as he lowered his head and gently kissed her lips, only this time he didn't pull back. She was his and he was hers; nobody could take that away from them now, the preacher had said so. "Audra…" Brigham whispered as he traced her cheek with his mouth, "I want you; I need you."
A part of Audra was terrified, but she knew Brigham would never do anything to hurt her; he'd already proven that more than once. "I want you too, Brigham, but you're going to have to teach me," she whispered as he buried his face into her neck.
"I'd be more than happy too, princess," Brigham murmured as he lay her down. Slowly his gentle kisses grew more passionate as his hands ran over his new bride. "The right curves make a man go crazy son…" His father's words rang in his ears. Brigham may have been and seen a few things, but until that moment he'd never experienced what his father had meant. He heard a small catch in Audra's throat as she felt his hands slide under her blouse. She'd never dreamt anyone could make her feel the way he was, nor that she'd want him so badly.
Without thinking, she pulled on his shirt, which easily slid out of place. Brigham let out a low groan as she ran her hands underneath the material and up his sides. "I hurt you!" Audra quickly stopped only to find Brigham chuckling.
"No, you didn't." He quickly removed his shirt. "It would be easier though if you had no barrier." The crickets and other night sounds had been trying to distract the couple as the fire grew higher, but they were unsuccessful. Brigham and Audra's senses seemed to be blending together and fading away as he took his time to open Audra's eyes to the needs a man and a woman had, and just how consuming those needs could become.
By the time they began molding themselves into one, Audra's hands were grasping the back of Brigham's shoulders as she let out a cry of surrender; she couldn't believe how badly she needed him. The cry only poured more coals on the fire as the two rode the waves of passion that engulfed them both.
The moon smiled down upon the couple that lay upon the earth's floor. It had seen many couples come and go, but very seldom had it seen two people so made for each other. If the moon could have talked, it would have told them the years would bring them the same thing it brought other couples; good times, bad times, happiness, sadness and a dozen other things. After all that was said and done, it would tell Brigham and Audra that, if they could just hold on through the roller coaster of life, it would all be worth it.
Brigham leaned on his one arm and ran his fingers through Audra's hair. "Guess we should be getting back to camp. We don't want your brothers showing up and seeing us like this." His eyes wandered as he spoke. Audra's only reply was to roll onto her side and press her flesh against his; that only served to lengthen out their stay in the woods.
The moon laughed and continued to send down its light until they dressed, made their way back to camp and slipped into a single bedroll. "Think they were gone long enough?" Heath opened his eyes and sent Nick a lopsided grin once the two had drifted off to sleep.
"You'd best be quiet," Nick answered softly with a smile a mile wide. "If they knew we were awake waiting for their return, they'd deck us." That only got a very soft chuckle out of Heath as he fell asleep.
