Thanks everyone for reading and responding! I'm glad that you all liked the food at the wedding: ) Well this is the final "Chapter," but not my final post to this story. I still have the Epilogue to post, and I'm going to try and get it up within the next week or two.

Chynna – Thanks for the awesome response. It always wonderful to hear from other writers on my writing, and it's great to know that you're still reading!

Chapter Sixty-five

Flurries were falling, fluffy and white, flowing lightly to the ground, covering everything in sight, trees, bushes, flowers and barns, houses, stables and the pond. The Logan Ranch was a winter wonderland, simply lovely beneath the clouds of the wondrous night, where two young lovers – newlyweds, who were happy and so in love, passionately kissed in the mist of the falling snow…

"How much further?" Marita breathed as she slowly pulled away from her husband's mouth, feverish from his touch, desperately wanting more of him.

"Not far." Sean murmured, then seized her lips again, deeply – hungrily, before he then took her hand in his and quickly led her forward, through the garden and past the stables to the special place he'd prepared for their wedding night…

"Oh my..." Marita faintly uttered when they reached their destination, shocked at the scenic sight before her - an old servant's home that hadn't been occupied for years, splendidly repaired to look like new. The home had been coated with a fresh layer of paint, and the bushes around it had been neatly trimmed, enhancing it's small porch that was beautifully lit with cranberry glass lanterns, hanging from it's roof, illuminating the railings that were adorned with pine garland and red bows. The wreath decorated door emitted sentiments of a home, while the windows sparkled on their own due to the candles that burned at their centers, culminating the yuletide glow around the house. "When did you do this?" Marita then quietly asked, still stunned, yet so touched and happy, as she turned her gaze to her husband, whose adoring eyes were already upon her, watching her, loving her so much. "I mean you've been so busy…" Marita stated softly, her words nearly inaudible as she returned her eyes to the lovely home before them.

"Yes I have." Sean whispered affectionately; then brought her hand to his lips, kissing it softly, drawing her eyes back to him. "But I made time to work on this, here and there…" He said, holding her gaze. "And with the help of Alice and a few servants." He revealed as he now fleetingly touched her hair, his heart aching at how beautiful she looked with the snow lightly falling around her. "We could've stayed at the main house." He then confessed. "But I just wanted us to have some private time, some special time, like a honeymoon, before you go back to Michigan." He then quietly expressed, his stare passionate and warm, touching Marita's soul.

"Every time I think you can't make me any happier you do something like this." Marita uttered emotionally as she held his gaze, her eyes emanating desire and love. "Something beyond my imagination, my dreams." She softly professed.

" Well 'this,' is only the beginning Mrs. Logan." Sean impassionedly avowed as he lightly touched her cheek, melting her heart. "Cause from here on out, for the rest of our lives, 'this,' better than 'this' is how it's going to be." He declared, then leaned forward and gently kissed her brow, stirring Marita to a sigh and to tenderly request he repeat his poignant words. Sean instantly complied and began to speak what he'd promised once more when Marita stopped him, faintly interjecting with a smile; then asked her husband to speak her name. Sean then slightly pulled back to gaze into her eyes; then affectionately heeded her request…

"Mrs. Logan." He whispered again, his words resonating like a melody through her soul, causing a deep smile to form on her lips, as she now thought how surreal this all seemed, like a fantasy to be finally married to Sean Logan. When he then took her mouth again, kissing her with quick passion, before suddenly lifting her from the ground, sweeping her up in his arms...

"Sean!" Marita shrieked with surprise. "What are you doing?!" She laughed, delight in her voice as he now moved them towards the house and the snow now fell heavier around them.

"What do you think?" Sean smiled with joy and love. "I'm taking you inside." He lovingly voiced; then kissed her again. "Unless you want to continue this out here." He then huskily proposed.

"I think that it's a bit cold for that." Marita responded with heat, yet still beaming with glee, before taking his lips.

"Somehow I don't think the cold will be a problem." Sean fervidly replied, then tasted her lips once more, as he now carried his bride out of the snow, up the front steps of the home and onto its small porch...

Moments later they were inside, ardently kissing, in between romantic whisperings and blissful laughs, as Sean still carried Marita in his arms, down the narrow hallway, passed the small kitchen and sitting room, to the only bedroom in the house. Upon entering the bedroom, the lovers were again slowing an impassionate kiss, Marita giving Sean, short quick tastes of her mouth, feebly quenching their longing for more, a "more" that couldn't come soon enough. When she then reluctantly abandoned his lips and instantly noticed the room they'd just entered. Marita gasped in awe as Sean set her down on her feet, briefly kissing her hair, before he then removed his coat and blazer tossing them over a nearby chair. She was stunned and moved by the gorgeous décor of the room, which had a large, brown cherry, 4-post bed, the most exquisite she'd ever seen, positioned across the room, adorned with embroidered beige sheets. While white poinsettias, her favorite yuletide flower, beautified every corner of the room, and pine garland with ivory candles topped the dresser, and the mantle of the flaming hearth, to give the room a romantic glow. For several moments Marita stood quiet, taking in the beauty of the room, again finding it so unbelievable that she was here, that this incredibly wonderful man - Sean Logan, who was her best friend, her protector and her lover, was now her husband. She just couldn't believe it, she thought as the truth nearly overwhelmed her, flooding her heart with adoration and joy, when her husband now came up behind her, briefly slipping his arms around her waist; then hotly kissing her neck, causing her to pleasurably sigh. Sean then carefully removed her cape, gently slipping it from her shoulders, compelling her to slowly turn and face him. Marita instantly bound him with her eyes, further mesmerizing his heart with her sweet passion and amour; then she gently touched his cheek, her hand sensuously drifting to the nape of his neck, before she then faintly kissed his lips, teasing the intense yearning within him...

"I love you." She then whispered with such deep tenderness that Sean was rendered speechless, unable to utter a response due to the swell of emotions she'd ignited in his soul. "I love you." She softly uttered once more, then kissed him again, slowly, deeply, rousing Sean to a fervent groan as the cape now slipped from his hands and onto the floor. He then brought his now freed hands to his bride's face and passionately took command of the kiss, skillfully devouring her mouth, driving her to an amorous moan as they now moved across the floor, steadily turning round and round, almost dancing over it's wooden structure, when they gradually begin to disrobe, passionately undressing one another. Marita smoothly unhooked the simple buttons on his shirt, while steamily kissing and caressing his taut chest as it became exposed, spurring her husband to an ardent groan; then he seductively loosened her hair, rousing Marita to a heavenly sigh, as he heatedly cherished her exquisite neck, while removing the flowers and pins from her brilliant locks. He then turned his attention to her gown, easily shedding her of its skirt, before moving to the complicated clasps of her bodice, where he needed his wife's help to reach her alluring lingerie, a lace chemise that she wore beneath. They endlessly kissed, stroked, and nipped, with intense passion and longing, while continuously removing the remainder of their clothing, leaving them in a trailing heap on the floor behind them. When finally they came upon the bed, and Sean carefully lowered his bride to its softness, his gaze bound to hers as she came to lay beneath him. She looked so beautiful Sean sighed within, her eyes emitting such deep passion, yearning, and love, wanting and loving him just as much as he did her. For a split second, his breath fled his lungs, besieged by the incredible emotions of this moment, how unbelievable it was that after everything that had happened Marita Peters, no Marita Logan 'is finally'... "My wife." He quietly uttered aloud as he lightly brushed his hand across her brow.

"Forever." Marita then emotionally replied, seeing the awe in her husband's eyes, as she tenderly ran her hand through his hair.

"I love you Mrs. Logan." Sean then whispered with deep passion and earnest, bringing his wife to the brink of tears. "I love you." He poignantly expressed once more inciting a stray tear to flow from her eye. Sean then adoringly brushed the tear from her cheek; then took her lips, hotly exploring her mouth, electrifying every nerve in her form, touching her soul, causing Marita to respond with a rapturous moan. Then she pulled him closer, surrounding him, embracing him, heatedly caressing his back and thighs, while his hands now affectionately touched her in the most intimate places, inflaming her, inciting her to sensually move beneath him, expressing her need to feel him, to give him her all. When Sean fervidly answered her erotic call by entering her warmth, savoring the feel of her body, before he tenderly begin to move within her. Both groaned at the immense ecstasy of their union, yet were further ignited with a deeper yearning, and moved with a deeper love that was more powerful than either had felt before. It was a new oneness, forged by the sacred vows they'd made, binding them closer than close, making them stronger than strong as they endlessly loved one another, giving their whole bodies and souls, creating a future beyond the pain of the past, creating a new beginning that would lead to forever.

Stay tuned for the Epilogue...