Hey guys! My internet was broken all of last week and therefore I could not use it. It at last got repaired last night, thank god, too! I was going nuts here without my precious internet. I finally typed out this chapter of my story yesterday too, and finished it today. I want to start bringing this story to an end. Possibly by chapter 15. So, I'm going to start tying all things up. I'm just not sure how exactly I want to go about the Paul/Suze thing. I have an idea to break them apart at last, but I don't totally like it. If I were to end it in that way, it'd be way too easy of an ending, and kind of stupid and cheesy and so totally not worth it. So I don't know yet. Maybe you guys could me some hints, on how you'd like Paul and Suze to break up. Because, I'm not really all too fond of my own idea.

As usual, a thanks to my fabulous readers: WHDDCOS, SweetSistaMuffin, Rae, Pixie Pam, Jesses Latina Querida, and Mrs. Nikki Slater. Ya'll totally rock. Seriously.

So, I won't bore you any longer with a long paragraph or any thing like that…….

Enjoy! Chapter 10: Perfect

-888-

Climbing as fast as my legs could carry me, I climbed the short hike to the top of the cove that had been mine for so long. Jesse's horse was there, so of course he'd be there too. Jesse… my god it seemed as if ages had passed since I last saw him earlier today. In reality, it had been a mere four hours since then. Yet, I'd missed him so much. The way I find myself missing him when I'm not actually around him.

Like I've said countless times before, Jesse makes happy in ways that I never thought imaginable. I care for him like I've never cared for anyone before. Jesse was everything that Paul wasn't. A gentleman, kind, caring, respectful, all those things and more made Jesse, well Jesse.

When I finally reached the top, I slowly trundled over towards Jesse's body lying limply against a boulder of some sort that was shading him. His hat was tipped over his face, covering those gorgeous strong features that of his face. Closing the gradual distance between the two of us, I kneeled beside him, watching his chest rise and descend with slow steady breaths. Registering the fact that I was just staring at his falling chest, I went to remove his hat. He stirred gently beneath me, his shut eyes contorting, his healthy arm coming to cover his face. He gently rolled back onto his side, never having noticed that I removed his hat.

"Jesse," I cooed obligingly. Again, he stirred gently beneath me, and when his arm lifted from his eyes, they were parted slightly, revealing two dark eyes. Recognition dawned on his features, and his lips curved into a smile.

"Querida," my heart melted upon hearing that wonderfully delicious word, "what are you doing here?" Propping himself onto one elbow, his eyes leveled with mine.

Ignoring his question, I instead asked him on of my own, "What does that mean? Keh-ree-da? You never told me."

"Ah, Susannah, that it solely for me to know, and for you to never find out. I would deeply be embarrassed if you were to find the meaning of this word, mi querida," he smirked a little, mocking me. "I wish not to dishonor you, even if it is a word of affection. That is all you need to know."

"What if I do find out? What it means, I mean. Does that make sense? Anyhow, what will you do if I ever find out what keh-ree-da means?"

"Not much. I'll just hope you are delighted with the meaning of it. That is all, Susannah. But I wish not to tell you because almost immediately upon meeting you, did I refer to you by this, and that might have been a bit forward of me, but I do not regret it. My feelings stand the same, only magnified since then."

I smiled. I couldn't help but doing so. "Really? Now, do tell, Jesse, what exactly are these feelings of yours," I asked in an almost teasing voice, covering the quaver that struggled to show through in my intonation, lacing my voice with a playful, flirtatious sultriness. If Jesse noticed my conflicting voice patters, he did not let on.

Sighing slightly, Jesse faced away from me, his eyes scanning the horizon before locking on my eyes again, "Susannah, to tell you how I feel would require explaining many emotions and would take a rather long time to explain. To put it in simple words, I like you very much, more than anyone ever before, save my family. I hope that you reciprocate these feelings, other wise I would feel foolish for having told you this. But I know you do a part of me deep inside." He took my hand and stroked it gently, lovingly, tenderly in the only way he can; his dark eyes making me melt.

"I do Jesse. I want nothing else than to have a chance to be with you. In this time, however it seems as if love can never prevail," my goodness, I just said love. Did I really say love? Is that what it was? This feeling I get every time I'm within the presence of Jesse? Love?

Could it be that I slowly let myself fall in love with a man just a few weeks ago I barely even knew. Well, I had known him as a child, but that's all I was then, a child. Now I'm a grown woman, not the little girl I had been all those years ago. But still, love? Could it really be?

Love…..

I like the way it sounds, and if this is truly love, then I can most definitely agree that I enjoy the feeling.

"Yes, it does seem to be that way, doesn't it?" He responded, untouched by my word usage, saying love. "Susannah, what if we could overcome all that. Make whatever it is that we have going on between us work. For the sake of us to being together, so that, as I believe you said, love can prevail?" With his good arm, Jesse drew me in to him; taking me into his big strong arms… well what would be his strong arms had one of them not been heavily wounded. His lips grazed my cheek, trailing slowly downwards to eventually meet my lips.

I let myself fall into his scintillating kiss, as his lips molded perfectly against mine. His hand swept behind my head, cupping the back of my head, pressed firmly against my gentle curls. My own hands went to the backside if his head, wrapping around his, neck careful to avoid putting to much pressure on his injured shoulder.

For the longest time, that's all we did. Kiss. It felt so nice. So right. So perfect. Me in his arms, being held as close to him as possible as if he never wanted to let go. The way his lips moved with mine as we kissed. Everything was pure, perfect bliss. When we at last broke apart, our breaths were deep and heavy, labored. My head lay against his chest, my arm wrapped around his chest as he held me by the waist.

My head tipped upwards again, and I gazed lovingly into his eyes. Slowly, I drew in closer and met his lips with a brief peck to the lips, when I broke away Jesse pulled me in closer to him again. And he kissed me again. Every second we kissed, I could feel the shivers all the way down in my toes. This tingling sensation coursing straight through my body. We broke again a lot sooner than we had through the first kiss, but we still held tightly onto one another. As if we were to let go, we would lose each other forever. I don't know, really. But that is how it felt. To me anyway. There's no knowing what he is thinking or feeling.

"Jesse," I whispered into the air, "I love you so much."

There. It had been said at last. It's ridiculous. This whole concept of me being in love so soon after having met him. But, there is no other explanation for these feelings. They are to strong, to unworthy to be anything else but love. I know it. Deep inside myself, I, Susannah Simon, have fallen in love with Hector "Jesse" de Silva. The perfect example of the perfect gentleman. That's my Jesse. I sighed. It all felt too surreal for reality. That someone else would love me, me Susannah Simon. Little ole' Susie Simon.

"And I you, Querida."

Best of all, he loved me too, his querida.

Now, ignore my overuse of the word 'perfect' but this is truly how it all feels. Perfect.

I pulled apart from the comfort of his big lean arms. My hand swept to his face, where I held his cheek. "I know," I whispered, turning to look away from him. "But Jesse… what can we do? You know I have to marry Paul… and not until yesterday you were engaged… with…" I went on slowly, not wanting to say her name. "Maria," I said at last, just barely above a whisper.

His eyes shut, and he leaned his head on the wall of stone behind him. "I know," he too whispered, "I know." His hand came over mine again, and his calloused thumb stroking my palm.

I sighed. Everything was just so complicated. Though, if life were simple, then everything would be too easy, wouldn't it? That's the balance of things, outweighing one another. Nothing can ever be dead on simple. This thing called life can is to headache inducing.

My hand, still entwined in Jesse's levitated from the ground, and suddenly a pair of soft lips kissing my hand. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling, relishing in the simplistic pleasure of it. See, now that wasn't too hard, now was it?

After a few more seconds, I finally realized that dusk was rapidly approaching, if the pink stained sky was any indication. I pulled away from Jesse, knowing, much to my chagrin that I must go home. I had told my mother I would not take long. But now, that statement had turned into a lie. I had not anticipated this delay to happen. I was so sure I would be able to find Paul right away at his home, and then he would agree to break this engagement. I must have been feeling very foolish to have believed it would have happened so.

Jesse and I stood up, Jesse helping me up, and me smoothing down my skirt as I rose. It had creased from being sat upon for so long upon the hard surface of the cliff. But I didn't care. A wrinkle or two is certainly not the worst that could have happened.

We descended together towards our horse. Of course, Jesse had to help me mount my horse, and then mounted his own. We began riding, and I was sure he was going to head home.

He accompanied me home instead. We rode in silence. It wasn't until I reached my home that I remembered he had been behind me the whole way. We went into the stable, to put my horse in her place. Once in there, I pulled Jesse in for a brief, but fiery kiss all the same. My arms instantly wrapped around his neck, and his hands situated themselves at my hips, pulling me in all the closer. When we pulled apart, we muttered our goodbyes, and at last departed.

Inside, my mother was rocking on her wooden chair. A look of worry creasing her delicate features. "Susannah." She stated, not even turning to look at me. "What has gotten into you lately, Susannah? You suddenly disappear and return past dusk followed by that… that man. What are you doing, Susannah, that requires you to so abruptly disappear?"

I stood agape. What had my mother thought of me? I know what I am doing, and certainly not doing anything which she might be assuming. "Nothing mother, he is a friend of mine," A blatant lie, for Jesse is much, much more than a friend, but that is besides the matter at hand.

"Then why do I not know him, Susannah? Why are you always sneaking around with him? Y-you haven't given yourself to him, have you?" Her eyes flashed fiercely, at last looking up at me, her voice an audible whisper.

"Mother! There is nothing happening. That, I can promise you. So please, just let it go. He is my friend. That is all you need to know." I stomped up the stairs, before she said nothing more. The nerve of my mother, to assume that I would… that I would just give myself to anyone.

I heard her cries behind me, to go back. But I would not. I simply could not face her. So I came back late in the afternoon, usually followed by Jesse. But the nerve of my mother! To believe that I would be doing something so… so unchaste. I would never!

Once in my bedroom, I huffily threw myself onto my bed, crashing against the padding beneath me. I curled up into a ball, my knees meeting my chest and I lay there. Not moving, not doing anything. Eventually, when my mental exhaustion wore me out with thoughts racing through my head, sleep took me, claiming me its prisoner. I didn't go down for dinner that night. I vaguely felt someone nudging at my shoulder to wake me, but I did not stir. I did not wake. I slept. I wasn't necessarily tired, but I needed that sleep to calm my frail nerves. At some point, I am sure my mother came in to my room. But I have no proof to support this deduction. Like I said, I slept. Long and hard.

-888-

Well, there's another chappie for ya. Hope you guys liked it. I didn't. Not that much anyway. -shrug- Whatever.

Also, that story I mentioned in my last chapter, it's a work in progress. Still working on it. I've got my first chapter completed (yay) it's really long, and I'm working on my second chapter. Depending on whether I like that second chapter, it will determine whether or not the story for sure goes up. So far, I like it. But I dunno, I can change my mind later on… so yeah…

So, now, if you'll be a sweet lil' thing, go and press the review button. Ya know, the purty purple button below? Yea, that one. Press it… and review! Thankies much:)