Reunion
Part 16
J.R. walked around the shoreline, gathering kindling and tree branches to start a fire in one of the fire pits in a picnic area surrounding Lake Whitney State Park. He didn't want his and Sue Ellen's wet clothing to damage the interior of her new car. J.R. asked Sue Ellen if she had a lighter, she shivered, and said "N-no, but there's one in the car." J.R. ran over to the car and pressed the lighter into its holder. He pulled it out and reached into his pocket, looking for a dry piece of paper. He called out to Sue Ellen, "Sugar, do you have any paper in your briefcase?" She said, "Yes, it's in the trunk." J.R. put the lighter back into its holder, and walked around the back of the car and popped open the trunk with the keypad. He hurried and opened the briefcase and pulled out a pad of legal paper. He walked back to the open door of the car, and reached for the lighter. He lit the entire pad of paper and quickly walked back to the fire pit. He didn't want to extinguish the flaming pad of paper. He placed it in the pit and threw some kindling wood on top of the burning paper. The kindling ignited almost immediately. J.R. breathed a sigh of relief. He put some of the larger broken branches on top of the paper and kindling. The branches quickly ignited and within minutes, the fire pit was full of flames. Sue Ellen smiled across the pit at J.R. She could feel the heat from the fire. J.R. gazed at her from where he stood by the fire pit. He said, "God, you are so beautiful, Sue Ellen." The flames from the fire made the flecks of green and gold in her hazel eyes appear to dance. She lifted her finger into the air and motioned for J.R. to come closer to her. He walked around the pit and stood behind her. He wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her neck. "Are you gettin' warm, Sugar?" He asked. Sue Ellen leaned her head back against his head and said, "Mmm, yes. I didn't know you could be so resourceful, J.R.?" J.R. chuckled and said, "When the need arises, I rise to the challenge." Sue Ellen laughed at his remark.
Sue Ellen turned around to face him, straightening the collar of his shirt with her hands. J.R. brushed her hair away from her face with his hands. He was dazzled by the contrasting light and dark streaks of blond in her hair. The shadows from the fire made her even more alluring to him. J.R. said in a low voice, "I need you, Sue Ellen. I want to make love to you right here." Sue Ellen looked around. Her car was the only car left in the parking lot. She looked back at J.R. The look in his eyes almost took her breath away. She managed to say, "What if a park ranger finds us?" J.R. said, "I don't give a damn." He kissed her mouth as he lowered her to the ground. His hand reached for the buttons of her blouse. He pulled the blouse away from her shoulders. Sue Ellen looked into his eyes. Was he serious? She felt somewhat uncomfortable making love in the picnic area of the park. J.R. sensed her hesitation, and said, "I'll be right back." He stood up and raced back to the trunk of her car. He had noticed a blanket in the trunk when he was getting the pad of paper. He picked up the blanket and closed the trunk. He quickly walked back to where Sue Ellen was sitting, waiting for him. J.R. unfolded the blanket, and laid it on the ground a few feet away from the fire pit. He knelt down on the blanket and patted his hand at a spot by his knees, inviting Sue Ellen to join him. She crawled onto the blanket and rolled onto her back. J.R. leaned over her and kissed her. He could feel her hands undoing the buttons of his shirt. She reached up with her hands, and brushed the hair on his chest. The glow from the fire made his silver chest hair shine. J.R. felt Sue Ellen's hands trying to undo his belt buckle. He reached down and grabbed her hand. She gave him a puzzled look. He answered her look with a quick flash of his smile. He put her hand back over her head and finished undoing his belt buckle. Sue Ellen looked at him with such an intense look, he was at a loss for words. She pulled him down on top of her. J.R. and Sue Ellen yielded to their mutual need for one another. Afterwards, J.R. wrapped the blanket around them, as Sue Ellen lay in front of him, facing the fire. J.R. kissed her neck. His hand was around her waist. Sue Ellen released a dreamy sigh, and pulled his hand up to her mouth. She kissed his palm and said, "That was incredible, J.R." J.R. kissed her cheek and said, "You took the words right out of my mouth, Sugar."
J.R. and Sue Ellen put their clothes back on and got into the car to drive back to Southfork. Sue Ellen asked, "Are you up for drivin' back home?" J.R. said, "I'm up for anything, Sue Ellen." She shook her head. She could feel her face redden at his comment. J.R. noticed her embarrassment and laughed. He put his hand on her knee, and said, "I love that I can still make you blush, Sweetheart." Sue Ellen flashed him a wide grin, and said, "I love how it feels when you make love to me, Darlin'." J.R. started the engine and drove out of the parking lot. He looked for the road sign leading to State Highway 22, and took the next exit for Hillsboro, Texas. Sue Ellen wore a radiant smile the entire drive back home. J.R. asked, "What are you thinkin' about, Sugar?" Sue Ellen said, "I was thinkin' about what we did back at the park." J.R. said, "Well, you're right about one thing." Sue Ellen asked, "What would that be?" J.R. said, "That it was incredible." Sue Ellen leaned her head against his right arm. J.R. lifted his arm and put it around her shoulder. Sue Ellen closed her eyes and listened to the sound of his breathing. J.R. smiled when he realized that she had fallen asleep against his shoulder. J.R. parked the car in the driveway at Southfork, and gently moved his arm away from her shoulders, as she stirred in the passenger seat. He softly said, "We're home, Sue Ellen." She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She said, "I'm sorry, Darlin'. I didn't mean to fall asleep." J.R. walked around the car, and opened the door for her. He asked, "Are you okay to walk, or do you need me to carry you?" Sue Ellen touched his cheek and said, "I'll walk." They walked into the house. All of the lights were out except for the hall light leading from the kitchen, to the foyer. Sue Ellen slowly climbed the stairs to go to their bedroom. J.R. steadied her. His hands were around her waist, as she climbed each stair. Once they were upstairs, J.R. continued holding her waist as she walked down the hall. J.R. reached out and opened the door to their room. Sue Ellen walked inside. J.R. said, "I know you're tired, Sugar, but I think we'll both sleep better if we shower off." Sue Ellen yawned, and muttered, "You're right. I just can't believe how sleepy I am."
J.R. turned on the water in the shower. He didn't bother asking Sue Ellen if she wanted to shower alone. He looked at her as she sat on the chair next to her dresser. She was almost asleep, and it would be better for her if he was in the shower with her, in case she slipped and fell. He said, "Come on, Sue Ellen. It won't take very long." J.R. undressed her, and quickly removed his clothing. He washed her hair and sponged off her entire body. The steam from the shower helped. She leaned against the shower wall and watched as J.R. showered. She helped scrub his back with the back brush. He rinsed off and turned his back to her. She put her arms around him, sliding her hands under his arms. She kissed his shoulder, and leaned her head against his back. J.R. turned around to face her. Sue Ellen leaned forward and kissed him. J.R. could taste the water from the shower as their lips met. He pulled her into his arms and held her to him. He reveled in the feeling of her wet skin against his own. J.R. reached behind him and turned off the water. He opened the stall door and reached for their towels. They quickly dried off, and put the towels over a rack to dry. J.R. watched as Sue Ellen walked out of the bathroom. She walked over to her armoire, and pulled out a nightgown. J.R. said, "Sugar, you won't be needin' that." Sue Ellen turned her head to look at him and grinned. She put the gown back on the hanger and walked toward him. J.R.'s eyes took in her every step, every movement of her exquisite body. His heart was pounding in his ears, as he saw the look in her eyes. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. She reached out, and pushed him back against the bed. He fell on top of the mattress. Sue Ellen reached out her left arm and turned off the lamp on the night stand. J.R. sighed as she climbed on top of him. Her mouth fell open, as J.R. sat up and rolled her onto her back. She started to speak, but her words fell silent as he kissed her. She pulled his head closer to her to deepen his kiss. Once again, they were swept away, by their all-consuming passion.
The muffled sound of a telephone ring woke J.R. He glanced around the room, and looked at the clock. It was almost four o'clock in the morning. J.R. grumbled, "This had better be good." He reached for his cell phone, and said," Hello, this is J.R. Ewing." It was Bart, the foreman on J.R.'s off shore oil-rig. Bart said, "Mr. Ewing, we hit. Holy hell, we hit big-time. We're talkin' at least a half-million barrels by tomorrow at this time." J.R. wanted to shout 'hooray', but he didn't want to wake Sue Ellen. He said, "Damn, Bart, That's what I wanted to hear. Thanks for callin', bud. I appreciate it, and I'll talk to you soon." J.R. grinned as he hung up the phone. Sue Ellen softly asked, "Who was that, J.R.?" J.R. said, "I'm sorry 'bout that, Sugar. I didn't want to wake you. That was Bart callin' from the gulf, we hit a gusher, Sugar." Sue Ellen lifted herself up and rested her upper body on her elbows. She said, "That's fantastic, J.R. I'm so proud of you." J.R. turned over and lay by her side. He put his arm around her neck as she leaned her head against his shoulder. He said, "We're back in business, Sugar." Sue Ellen put her arm across his chest. J.R. kissed her forehead and said," I love you, Sue Ellen. I hope you know that." Sue Ellen whispered, "I love you too, J.R." J.R. closed his eyes. Sue Ellen glanced up at him and smiled. Minutes later, they were both asleep.
Sue Ellen opened her eyes as the morning light filtered through the window curtains. She tuned her head to see J.R., he was still asleep. She carefully climbed out of bed and walked around the bed to put on her robe. She walked into the bathroom and splashed cool water on her face. She patted her face dry with a towel, and looked in the mirror. She opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out a bottle of aspirin. She had a pounding headache, and aspirin always did more for her than the new pain killers that overran pharmacy shelves. She swallowed the pills and chased them down with a glass of water. She turned around, and J.R. was standing against the door frame. He looked concerned and asked, "Are you alright, Sue Ellen?" She said, "I've got a headache, but I'll be fine. It should go away in a little while." J.R. said, "Why don't you come back to bed and I'll rub your back." Sue Ellen smiled and touched his cheek. J.R. kissed at her hand and put his arm around her waist. She untied the belt on her robe. She handed J.R. her robe, and he put it over the arm of the chair. Sue Ellen climbed on top of the mattress and lay on her stomach. J.R. pulled the sheet up around her hips and started gently kneading the skin on her back. Sue Ellen moaned as his fingers worked at her knotted muscles. She could feel her tension melting away, as J.R.'s hands worked their magic. She closed her eyes as he continued to rub her back. She fell asleep, giving J.R. the opportunity to gaze at her. He was fascinated by her. He noticed things about her that he had forgotten about. J.R realized that he had fallen in love, for the last time.
