Sully jumped up on top of a rock that was near the creek's edge. He looked around and saw what he was looking for, two large rocks that seemed to protect a pathway. "There it is," he turned and looked back down at Michaela, who was seated in the wagon. We'll leave the wagon over there and walk the rest of the way. Michaela smiled as he stepped back onto the wagon.
It had been a beautiful day so far, they woke in the early morning hours and Michaela had opened her eyes first, still not believing that she was a married woman. He was right there, right beside her and she realized that he would always be there. His peaceful, happy appearance brought a smile to her lips and she thought about how good it felt to have him here with her. The comfort she had wished for, his love, and the anticipation she had experienced yesterday morning, staring at the empty spot that was his pillow, as she thought about their future.
He sat down beside her, smiled, softly kissed her, and picked up the reins. Leading the horses to an area with shade trees,he stopped and reaching up for her hand he let her step down the side into his waiting arms. He held her waist and kissed her again. Every kiss made her skin tingle, everything was different now. She cherished his kisses, and she would never tire of them, of the feelings they would bring. He released her, "I'm going to unhitch the horses, we'll take them to the creek, and then we'll walk down to the place I told you about. He unhitched them and tied them to a tree. Making sure the wagon was secure, he took Michaela's hand and they both led the horses down the hill to drink from the creek. After they had cooled the horses, he took them back to the shade tree and tied them to it. Smiling, his blue eyes were full of excitement, and looking at her, he said, " Come on."
He grabbed a picnic basket, the roll of towels, and a blanket and they began walking down the road. As they neared the top of the two rocks he had spotted before, he cut down the side of a boulder and around the back of it. Then, like walking under a bridge, they passed between the two rocks. Now there was a large open area that was hidden by the ridge, and there were beautiful round stone walls that looked as though they had been painted in layers with warm colors. The water from the creek formed a pool, and within the pool there were many beautiful stones. It was calm here, the water was calm and it was very peaceful.
Michaela gasped, "Sully, it's so beautiful." He smiled, "I stayed here for a while, when I came to Colorado, a friend and I were panning for gold when we found this spot." He laughed a little, we didn't find much gold, and with so many people looking I had to go to Colorado Springs to find supplies, guess I never figured I wouldn't be coming back like I had planned." He paused for a moment and Michaela gently ran her hand over his back a few times. He turned his head and looked at her, his eyes held a bit of sadness but he smiled, and said, " It all led to meeting you, and I can't be sad about that." Leaning in, he kissed her.
Pulling away, he said, "Come on, let's go over here" They made their way to the flat area that led to the pool of water. He unrolled the blanket and towels and put them on the ground. Then he took her hand and led her to the blanket, they opened the basket and ate the meal they had brought. He looked at her so lovingly, "Stay here, I've got something I have to check." She took the basket and packed away their plates and things, keeping her eyes on him. He made his way over to the large rocks along the wall and then climbed up them. Moving fluidly, she could tell he had done this very thing many times before. Reaching the top he reached into a small indention on the rock wall. Then he climbed back down to the bottom and sat down next to her.
He reached for her hand and pulled it to him. She opened her palm and he placed a small wooden songbird in her hand. It was beautiful, the details were perfectly carved and there were even tiny feathers intricately carved with beautiful detail. On its chest he had carved a small heart. She was surprised at its details, but Sully wasn't. He had spent months living here with Daniel, and they had hardly ever seen anyone else. He would sit by the fire at night and carve wooden animals, sometimes giving them to the children in the mining camps and sometimes leaving them in the mines as well. This one though, it was his heartsong, the hope that he would someday find someone to share his life with. Before he knew Michaela, before he knew Abigail, he had hoped for a soulmate, a woman with a good heart to share his life with. He had lost the only woman he had ever truly loved when his mother died and it had taken the song in his heart, those youthful childhood days had gone away from him. He had to grow up then, and in the rough business he found himself working in, there was no room for an unhardened heart, or at least the appearance of one.
But Sully's heart was kind, and he had hoped for more back then, a wife, a lover, children of his own. He was determined to provide for them and love them no matter the trials. He never dreamed that he would find it all, and lose it so suddenly. It felt more devastating than the loss of his mother, and he began to think that love would never be something he would ever truly have. He had begun to think he was better off alone. He thought his heart would never sing again after losing Abby and the baby, but Michaela had come into his life so beautifully, his heart couldn't contain her love. She had persistently been his friend, developing deeper affections from the instant attraction they had both felt as they stared into each other's eyes that fateful day. She had worked her way in, never asking, but always hoping for herself that she had a place there. That melody that had begun quite clumsily when he saw her fall and pick herself up out of the mud, was beautiful, and it only continued to grow in beauty and strength.
The look in her eyes, the unrelenting passion for what was right, had stirred him in Loren's store, that first time when he had noticed her beautiful eyes and couldn't look away. He wanted so much to have children with her, to love her like she deserved to be loved. Michaela was a passionate woman, and he had already discovered that the source of her hesitancy lay only within the propriety that she believed in. Now that they were properly married, her only hesitancy was inexperience. His hand reached up and stroked her cheek, "My heart sings your love Michaela, free to fly as high as it will take me, gentle to sing sweetly in the morning, clear in the day, and softly at night, you'll always be my heartsong." She had that same look, the one she had given him when he had confessed that his heart belonged to her, completely enamored with how beautiful he was to her. She never dreamed that a man could be so loving, so attentive.
He was nothing like the men that had treated her with disdain for wanting to be a doctor, he was nothing like David, who had accepted her profession and her ideas, but not fully accepted her role outside of what society thought it should be. She had seen that clearly when he had returned, subtly forcing her into making decisions that only considered himself. Sully's true heart had been like a beacon when he told her he just wanted her happiness. He had left her free to decide, knowing she couldn't just throw away what she had with David but hoping that she knew how much he truly cared for her. She stared into his eyes, for all her medical knowledge, for all her ideas, she could not match his beautiful poetry, he always knew just the right thing to say. She found great comfort in his true love, and the fact that he wasn't afraid to confess it so freely to her.
She looked down at the small wooden bird in her hand and she realized that he had hoped for her love so long ago, while she was thinking of tests and exams, he was destined to think of her in the way he thought of true love. He was desperate to find what had been taken from him. He needed her as much as she needed him, and she didn't believe that Sully needed anything from anyone, but he did. The details of the small bird were evidence of his need. She couldn't stop herself from being drawn to him and she reached for the place above his heart, rubbing his chest. Caressing over his heart, she slowly leaned in and kissed him. Then she leaned against him and embraced him, placing her ear to his chest. She listened as he held her close, then pulling away she sat up and moved closer, kissing him deeply and caressing his tongue. He was happy that she had initiated such a passionate kiss on her own.
He moved to her neck and kissed down the side, stopping at her shoulder, he kissed her and then kissed her again. He whispered, softly, "There's no one around Michaela, will you take a swim with me?" She gasped and bit her bottom lip, "Are you sure?" He caressed her face, "I promise, we'll be totally alone." She smiled and kissed him. He reached for the bird in her hand and carefully placed it at the edge of the blanket. Then he took her hand and they stood. Helping each other undress, they were in the water in a few short moments. They swam and laughed and kissed. They both caressed the other and before long, they decided to leave the water for the blanket.
Drying each other with the towels they caressed each other with sweet tender expressions. Slowly easing her to the ground Sully went straight to her, kissing and caressing, he moved about her body. When he reached her center, he looked up and asked, "Do you trust me? She knew what he wanted, she had overheard the women at the saloon talk about such things when she was treating them. Biting her lower lip she softly nodded but couldn't actually vocalize her acceptance. She was anticipating his contact and held her breath. The moment his tongue touched her she was lost again, pushing the air from her lungs she moaned. Her hand quickly moved to his hair, gently grasping it, and he stroked against her with more intensity. His hand moved to her breast and he rubbed over it. Before long, she could feel the heat and she was closer and closer to coming over the edge. He pleased her very much and suddenly, she was grasping his hair and pulsing against him. Calling out, her voice echoed within the walls of their sanctuary and once she was satisfied, he quickly moved up her, kissing her breast and kissing her lips. She could taste herself, and he pushed into her with gentle restraint. She looked at him and pulled him to her, whispering against his ear, "don't hold back." She was surprised at herself, but the words left her lips with conviction. Sully didn't want to hurt her, the ground was quite firm, but he met her request with enthusiasm, satisfying both their desires. They lay in each other's arms for a time and then they stood and made their way back to the water.
It was refreshing, the cool water calming them, and it felt good against their skin. They held each other close, caressing their bodies and appreciating the new intensities they had found. Later, knowing they needed to return to the city, they gathered their clothes and dressed. Michaela went to the edge of the blanket and picked up the small wooden bird. She smiled and stepped away as Sully started rolling the blanket and towels into one roll. He picked up the basket and took their things back to the wagon. Then he hitched the horses back to the wagon. Michaela had walked around the enclosure, looking back into the beautiful place he had led her to, she treasured this day. Being thankful for their love, she walked back out to the road to find him. He helped her up into the wagon and they went back to Denver.