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Chapter Thirteen
"My my…you two lovebirds looked like you got too much sun." The elderly innkeeper looked up from a copy of the town's newspaper. "Goodnight."
The two echoed the same sentiments back to her, as they clamored up the stairs to their room.
"Are you sure about this?" he huskily whispered into her ear.
She felt her heart skip a beat, but it was now or never. She pulled at his hands and placed them over her breasts, and felt his hands work their magic over the thin fabric. She whimpered under his touch and felt his strong arms lift her towards the bed. The old, metal frame creaked underneath their weight as they shifted. She snuck in her hands and ran them underneath his shirt. Her hands traveled onto foreign territory as they snaked their way from his abdomen up towards his chest. She tugged at his shirt and pulled it over his head.
Slowly, he undid the knot of the white ribbon on the back of her dress, and teased her bare arms in the process. She felt her hair stand on edge at his feather-light brushes. Soon enough, he worked his way on her zipper and the white silk fabric slowly slid down her body, revealing her smooth skin and matching lingerie.
The rest of their clothing was haphazardly strewn about the room. Her mind raced whether this was right at all. Can this really be happening? Can you make love to an imaginary friend? That was the million dollar question, but who knew what the answer was.
Her thoughts came back as she felt Heero tease her nipples, and slowly he took one breast at a time, stroking them in a circular motion. She mewed under his ministrations, and felt his hands wander further down to her belly. With each motion, she felt her body come to life.
She leaned closer to him and his hands wound their way to her back. His eyes found the four surgical scars peppering her left side. He thumbed over the areas and kissed them one by one. He paid close attention to the one under her breast, and began to suck underneath the swell. At that moment, she let out a small gasp as his breath danced across her skin.
She stroked through his hair and drew circles on his back, as she felt his simple caresses alternate between slow and fast. She felt like he was afraid to hurt her, and she leaned in to kiss him on his chest. His muscular arms wrapped around her and pulled her tiny form closer to his.
She felt his weight on top of her, and kissed him a couple of more times. In the dimly lit room, she can feel his Prussian eyes drinking every line and contour.
"What are you thinking about?"
"This is way better than the dream," she laughed. "And it seems like you have been practicing." She teased his collarbone with her fingertip, as she followed an imaginary line.
"Hn."
She tasted his mouth and felt another surge coming deep within. Their heated skin met in unison until she felt his weight on her again with deep pants coming from him.
"I love you, Heero," she whispered and stroked a lock of his chocolate hair.
"So do I." He kissed the top of her forehead, tasting the sweat from their endeavor.
…
The sun hung low over the eastern horizon, and Heero gazed out their large window from their bed. The small town slept under the quiet dawn. He felt Relena stir a little under the covers and saw the fabric slip from her chest, giving him an advantageous viewpoint. Her hair caught the growing rays and for a moment, everything in the world felt right. He felt his breath get caught in his throat and his heartbeat quicken. Their night together was magically and no one could take that away from them.
He watched her sleeping form a little more. The way her chest moved up and down with every breath she took to the way she held her arm over her head.
The sun climbed higher and soon enough, several roosters cackled in unison and greeted the new morning.
Relena stirred a little more and turned towards Heero.
"Is it morning already," she muttered.
"Yes," he kissed her on the top of her head.
She opened her blue eyes slowly, not really wanting to wake up from their peaceful semblance.
"And morning to you, sleeping beauty."
"Morning," she admired his chiseled chest. "What's on the agenda for today?"
"Well we can grab breakfast and head down to the farmer's market." He felt her fingertips graze his skin.
"And?"
"And what?" he looked perplexed.
In seconds, she grabbed his wrist and placed them above his head. She laid herself on top of and gently nipped his skin. "I was thinking something more like this."
She continued her teases, as he licked at her nipples. She whimpered at his touch.
With her hold loosening on his arms, he quickly flipped her on her back. "We can skip breakfast."
….
The two walked hand in hand as they looked at the various stalls ranging from sweet corn to fresh jarred honey. Other stalls displayed pottery goods and small keepsakes.
"This is truly amazing," she hugged his arm.
"I'm glad you like it."
They made their way through the rest of the market and took in the sights and sounds.
"You have to try this," Heero spotted a unique stand and disappeared into the crowd. After two minutes of waiting for him underneath the shade of a maple tree, he came back with napkin covered treats.
"What is this?" She pointed to the fried dough.
"Just try it."
She took the napkin and carefully handled the hot morsel. The grease soaked through the brown paper and she blew on the treat to cool it down. With one bite, she took a piece of the circular dough and inside, she found an Oreo. "It's not bad."
"Told you," as he ate his second deep fried Oreo.
…
The hot summer air blew through her tresses as they explored the mini town. They had decided to take a trail down by the creek bed that eventually drained to a large pond by an abandoned farm, which was part of the haunted tour that BlueGrass provided. Their footsteps against the gravel path were the only sounds made between them as they admired the scenery. Here and there, chipmunks darted across their path and ducked back into the lush prairie brush.
They came across a giant oak. Its bark worn with time, but at a closer look, a tear bore through close to the core, and with time, it slowly healed leaving a deep pit.
"Looks like something struck it once," he ran his hand through the crevice.
They continued to walk until they stumbled upon the abandoned farm. An old lady sat in a rocking chair. "Welcome to the Curtis Farm." She fanned herself with sheets of paper. "Would you like to hear a story?"
The two nodded.
"Sarah Curtis was a mere sixteen year old in the summer of 1896. She had worked hard on the family farm and toiled in the fields from sunup to hours past sunset. One day, she took a break beneath the giant oak tree down by the road, seeking its cool shade from the summer heat. Not knowing it was already occupied. His name was John Murphy, two years her senior. It was a kind of love that blossomed with time and in secret. Sarah had an older brother that watched over her. When he noticed his sister acting strangely around the farm, he decided to spy on her and found John holding her hand on one summer afternoon. The news of their relationship fractured the families, seeing that John was destined to go to college and for a better life. "
The old lady paused in her story and watched the anxious couple momentarily, while grabbing her lemonade off the small table. "The young lovers devised a new plan. For two years, they each lit a candle in their bedrooms signaling for their meetings. The plan had worked well until the watchful brother caught on to the grand scheme of things. On one stormy night, he lit the candle in Sarah's room and watched over at the Murphy farm for the single flame to go up. Through the harsh rain drops, the light was visible. He watched John leave his family farm and rode across the gravel road on his horse. To Sarah's horror, she blew the flame out but it was too late. She saw her true love ride in the night towards their secret hideout."
Relena clutched at Heero's hand as she listened to the old lady. By now, night had descended and the creatures of the night stirred to life. Her senses heightened.
"She donned on her cape and ran out to stop him from coming, but her voice was drowned out by the wind and rain. Above her, the storm intensified with streaks of lightning and thunderous booms. It was useless. He was still riding towards her. Her heart pounded against her chest as she ran as fast as she could. And then it happened. A brilliant flash appeared just as John was passing the oak. It blinded her and knocked her to the ground. The rain pounded hard against the gravel as she got back up on her feet. The loud boom deafened her senses as she ran over to her fallen lover. There was nothing there. Not even the horse or his body. She scoured the area and there was nothing. She bent over to a set of tracks, and in an instant, a heavy limb fell on her."
The couple now held each other closer than before, as they waited for the anticipation of her story.
"The nearby families heard the commotion and ran out in the rain to see the event. Sarah's brother stood there empty with despair for he caused the demise of two young lovers. The men removed the heavy limb from the small body, but it was too late. She was lifeless and cold. No one ever found John's body that night or ever. And to this day, some say Sarah still wanders by the tree hoping to see John. Others say, they see candles lit over at the Murphy's farm and here." The old lady took another sip of her lemonade. "The end."
"How tragic," Relena sighed and wiped away a tear from her eye. "Thank you."
"Thank you for listening," she nodded. "Excuse me, I must be going now," and slowly she rose up from the rocking chair and shuffled back inside the small home.
Heero ran his hand over Relena's, as the two walked back into the town.
"Do you think they'll ever find each other?" She stared down the road.
"I hope so."
And in the distance, the Murphy farm stood empty as fireflies danced about among the broken planks. A single light shined through a shattered window up on the second floor. The pair looked back to the old lady's home and noticed a single flame dancing by the window.
Minutes before, the front porch had lights on, but now it looked abandoned with weeds growing in between the wooden planks. Even the old lady's rocking chair and table were gone.