Tc trailed Chris all the way to the lake. She was waiting for him when he got there.

The horse was tied to a dry enjoying a well-deserved drink. Chris was sitting on the grass with her skirt spread out around her. 'Beat ya.' She said as he rode up.

He dismounted and tied up his horse, retrieving the picnic basket. 'I had a disadvantage.' He said, spreading out the rug and sitting down.

Chris wiggled over and sat on the rug next to him, fishing through the picnic basket. She was starving. 'What did you bring me?'

Tc pulled out the contents of the basket. 'Let's see. We have ham, chicken, rolls, butter…' He pulled out a flask. 'And hot chocolate.'

'Yum.' Chris dived straight into the food.

Tc watched her in awe. This girl was so unconventional; digging into food like she hadn't been fed for days, riding in a knee length dress that was now filthy from dust and covered in hair…and he was still attracted to her.

'Chris, can I ask you something.'

'Yeah.' She mumbled with a mouth full of food.

'Why are you getting married?'

Chris gave him a look like he'd just grown horns. She swallowed hard. 'My dad wants me to. He set it up.'

'Oh.' Tc said. He looked away from her and she could tell that it wasn't the answer he was looking for.

'Isn't it the same reason you're getting married? Because you're expected to?' She asked waving her roll in the air.

He shook his head. 'I wanted a wife.'

'Well, you picked a really good one.' She said sarcastically. 'You should have gotten yourself one who could cook and sew. Instead you got me.'

'I wanted a wife so I could love her, not so she could wait on me hand and foot.' Tc played with a bit of fluff on the rug. 'And for the record, I decided I wanted to marry you, not my father or your father. I did.'

'Really? I thought my father met with your father who had to decide whether I was good enough or not.'

Tc shook his head. 'You're father arranged a meeting with my father and that meeting took place, but I was there the entire time. I was the one who said that I wanted to get married and I was the one who picked you to be my wife.'

'But why? You could have so many women who would fall at your feet as soon as you got home and would have dinner ready and have the house spotless. Why me?'

Tc thought hard for a minute. Why had he picked her? 'You're unique. Your father did his best to show you in your best light. I saw through it though. I didn't want the perfect woman who could cook otherwise I'd just hire a housekeeper. I wanted the perfect partner. Someone who I could talk to, someone who I could have fun with, someone that I could love.' He looked deep into her eyes. 'I love you.'

Chris smiled and leaned over to hug him. 'I love you too.' She gave him a peck on the cheek. 'And for the record, I'm not regretting my father's decision to have me marry you.'

Tc nuzzled Chris and started kissing her neck.

'Tc?'

'Mmm?'

'Why did you give me a horse?'

Tc lifted his head. 'You wouldn't have liked it if I'd given you a dress or a necklace or something like that.'

'True.' She said. Chris looked into his eyes and ran her fingers through his silky hair. 'Do you want to know why I love you?'

'I'd love to know why you love me.' He said, enjoying being stroked.

'Because you're handsome and because you're nice, and because you don't seem to mind that I'm not a prissy little lady.'

'That's one of your best features.' He said. 'I wouldn't want you to be prissy. Then you'd be like my mother and sister.' He pulled a face.

Chris laughed and kissed the look away. 'You're too attractive to pull faces like that.' She kneeled in front of him so that she could get a better angle on his mouth.

His lips parted for a breath and she seized the opportunity to delve her tongue into his mouth, tasting him and caressing him.

She pulled away and he sat back breathing heavily and staring intently into her eyes. 'Do you usually kiss like that?'

Chris shook her head, a few blonde strands falling across her face.

He reached up and swept them away. 'Chris, I want you to know that when I say 'I do' it will be forever. And when I say I love someone, I mean it to the very core of my being.'

She looked deep into his eyes. She didn't have to speak to share what she was feeling. She loved him too.

Tc pulled her to him and claimed her mouth once more, slowly scratching his nails down her back causing her to shiver.

She returned the favor by running her tongue along his bottom lip. He groaned in response.

Tc moved his hands down Chris's back and supporting her, dragged her into his lap. She settled into this new position and wrapped her legs around him.

Chris took hold of his hands and guided them up her skirt so he could undo her bloomers and she wriggled them down to her knees before working him out of his trousers.

Tc nuzzled and kissed her neck while his hands explored what else was under Chris's dress.

She unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands across his smooth chest. She put her arms around his neck and pushed herself up hard against him as he entered her.

But Tc recoiled quickly and pulled away from her.

'What?' She asked, puzzled.

He frowned and stared at her in shock. 'You're not a virgin!'

Chris glared and jumped to her feet, doing up her bloomers in the process. She headed for the horses.

Tc got up, also fixing his clothes. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

Chris untied the mare from the tree. 'I didn't think I had to tell you everything. Don't I have some free will of my own?' Chris mounted the horse.

'But this is something you should have told me.' Tc grabbed the reigns. 'Chris, I just poured my heart out to you, I told you that I loved you and you said you loved me.'

'Well, I lied.' Chris said, jerking the horse into action.

Tc let go of the reigns…and let go of Chris.

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