*WARNING! It gets a little sultry after Teresa starts remembering in her dream ok. I really don't consider it to be graphic at all, only suggestive. But I'm WARNING you still. (Big Smile) so enjoy!*
"Looks like a Hunters Moon," Randall nudged the midnight charger into an easy canter.
Teresa peered up into the darkening cobalt sky, laced with the billowing cobwebs of black clouds. The fat pinkish hued orb lulled like a glistening rose crystal sitting on a plush velvet cushion. Cloud Dancing's steady gentle voice uncurled within the womb of her mind, pulling with it a most beloved memory. The blushing moon had lulled just over the shifting trees that surrounded Dr. Quinn's homestead. Their two families gathered under the roof of the porch, after quite a bountiful dinner, enjoying the warm glow under the soft yellow light of the oil lamps. Katie and Lucy sat on either side of Cloud Dancing on the steps, with their eyes brightly fixated on every word the man uttered. Sully and Michaela had nestled as close as their birch chairs would allow, sipping at their mugs of steaming hot coffee. From within the gentle creak of the bowed slide of wood permeated the wall as Matthew rocked an infant Izzy in his arms. Teresa had sighed leaning her head back against Jake's chest, listening to the sound of harmony. It had only taken one man to weave their lives together, as he took their daughters under his wing.
"This is what we call the Full Red Moon…It is a good time for fishing. That is why some know it also as a Sturgeon Moon," his hands gestured towards the ruddy orb rising up over the trees. The girls had excitedly begun requesting a night fishing expedition, which had been dutifully declined, due to the fact that everyone had been far too full.
Now as Teresa peered up at the same pale hue, which lit their way along the tracks, she shifted against Randall's stomach. "Actually, that is a Red Moon. The Hunters Moon casts in autumn," she bit softly on her lower lip.
She felt his body straighten before a light chuckle escaped his mouth. The muscles of his arms tightened like rock around her own as he steadied the reigns of the majestic black stallion. "Is that right?" the tone of his voice was that of wonder. He never questioned her knowledge of such a fact, yet merely continued on in his friendly and accommodating manner. "We should make it to the Santa Fe station by first light…so if yah feel like dropping off, go right on ahead."
His thigh clenched under her legs, as she nodded in agreement. She never felt so awkward and yet she was blaringly aware of his essence. Although Teresa was certain she felt no attraction to this man whatsoever, she was compelled to draw comparisons between Randall and Jake. Now and then as he leaned forward to adjust the reigns, his cheek inadvertently, brush passed her own scratching her skin roughly. Even on rare occasions when Jake deigned to allow his stubble to remain, the auburn bristles gave rather pleasantly against her skin. With the tilt and sway of the horses movements their bodies where much pushed together, once again setting her mind to wander. Although she supposed they were the same height, Randall was far more angular, sinewy, and hard. It made her miss the soft round muscle of Jake's arms, and the way his body molded to hers, rather than crash like a marble statue into her. And while admitting to herself that Randall's manufactured sandalwood mix of Eau de Cologne was rather pleasant, she'd give anything to immerse herself in Jake's fresh leather, talc, cigar, and musky mélange of scents.
Even the position, of which they rode, plumed into existence another memory. One that sent a warm tingle from the depths of her heart, intoxicatingly down into the pit of her stomach. As every sensation of the memory seduced her body into tranquil abandon, she yawned under the palm of her hand. The transition was seamless as her subconscious pulled her down, riding the reality of the present, to recall the past. Leaning back, Teresa no longer felt the tough ripple of Randall's chest but the solid warmth of Jake's. She remembered this day well, as she often chose to relive it at times…
The warmth of late summer had been held at bay over the canopy of thickly bounding oak trees along the path. Their jubilant wedding night although several months passed was still as fresh in their minds, as their attraction for one another. Jake strolled the horse mischievously, as he wrapped one arm around her. His palm pressed her belly bringing her back closer to him. Bodies molded he'd taken to running his lips along the slope of the side of her neck, breathing warmly onto her blushing complexion. She could feel his chest rising and falling from behind her, as his fingers began to press down finding her bellybutton. Sliding his hand back up and around the gentle swell of her hip Jake exhaled gruffly, close to her ear.
"Jake!" she'd laughed grabbing hold of his wandering hand and planting it on the flat round horn of the saddle. "We may never get there."
"Mmmmm, the horse knows where tah go," he voice hummed low and guttural, causing her entire body to erupt in drunken tingles. Just as he was about to continue his lusciously intoxicating assault on her bare neck, the line of trees broke, bringing them into the small clearing where the burnt rubble of the old stead once stood. Jake sighed in disappointment, "Well, that coulda taken longer."
With wicked purpose, he leaned forward pressing close to her before swinging himself down from the horse. It was clear Jake couldn't be detoured from his amorous ambitions as he reached up to help her down. His pearl gray eyes blazed from under the curved brim of his hat, picking up subtle blue hues from the cobalt of his duster jacket. Lowering her lashes, she set her gaze on the fullness of the delicate curve of his mouth as he smiled down at her, showing the smallest hint of his front teeth. Teresa stifled a tremor of desire recalling the places he kissed her with that mouth of his. She'd felt her face flush as she realized he'd been thinking the exact thing about her own lips. Although every fiber of her being wanted to give in to him as he penetrated the space above her, backing her into the horse's side, Teresa placed her hand to his chest. Jake froze, his smile widening off to one side. Covering her hand with his own he growled roguishly down at her, "Only makes me want yah more."
Together they traversed the uneven dirt path coming upon the brand new foundation of the new house. Rising up like a platform the first floor had been completed, holding up the bare ribs of what would be walls, and doorways. A cobble stone fireplace sat squat to one side, and bordered wooden framing that suggested a rather spacious yet cozy front parlor. As Jake helped her up the rudimentary formed steps, and she found herself stepping into the bones of their future home, Teresa held her breath. The front parlor was nearly half the size of the mercantile, and it seemed according to the maze of framed walls, a hallway leading down to two other shared rooms. Following her gaze Jake stepped in front of her sweeping his arm as he gave her the tour, "there's gonna be a pantry through that hall and a kitchen and dinin' room!" He pulled her excitedly to a square archway to the right of where they had entered, "And that…that leads tah the bedrooms on the second floor."
"Jake!" Teresa marveled taking in the expanse of what he had been creating. "It is more magnificent than I had dreamed."
"I hope yah dreamed of walls," he laughed pulling her into is embrace.
She had wanted to smile. Had wanted to playfully swat at his arm, but the warmth of his body had engulfed her. Before she knew it, his fingers had slid up her neck and entangled themselves into her loosely pinned hair. Teresa's breath caught in her throat as he brought down wave after wave of curling black satin, until her sable tresses rested fully over her shoulders and down her back. His boots clacked against the thick floorboards as he backed her closer to the gray cobble stoned fireplace. She had neither the strength nor the desire to stop him now as he combed his long white fingers through the onyx silk curling about the small of her back.
"So beautiful," the words were spoken as dark ripples, vibrating along the deep.
She'd reached up daintily unfastening the first three buttons of his pale blue and white striped shirt. Her palm slid up under the open fabric eliciting a fond exhale from Jake as he let his head fall back. Licking her lips, she gently caressed the slight curve of his Adam's apple, feeling the tremor of his throat as her tongue tasted the mingled salty bitterness of his skin. She could taste the soap and shaving tonic fresh on her tongue as she moved on pulling him down so that there mouths could join. A gruff grunt rose up from his throat, entering her mouth with his exploring tongue. They'd remain this way for a while, amorously roaming one another's bodies, until Jake had decided enough had been enough.
Teresa waited impatiently while Jake removed his blue duster and laid it out on the rough floor. Pulling her down under him, he'd smiled wantonly at her eagerness. Teresa had bit her lip, as she helped him to mold into her, as he groaned into her ear. They rocked into one another unable to maintain any semblance of restraint until a deep roaring rush erupted between them. The world was blazing with stars, unabashed release, and plenty. As always, Jake hovered above her, cradling the back of her head in his hands, while he peppered her face with one warm kiss after another. The frantic feverish desire had momentarily receded from his now mooning eyes.
"Mrs. Slicker," his voice was a low teasing whisper.
"Mr. Slicker," she smiled running her fingers through the thick tufts of his autumn hair. Nestling back into his hands she stared dreamily at his face through a thick curtain of lashes. He'd cocked one chestnut hued brow devilishly grinning down at her. The rakish spark in his eye told her he wasn't done with her yet. In fact, they had stayed out there so long, creating the dreams of their future, a small search party had come looking for them as the twilight sky began to fade into blackness.
Nearing the end of her reminiscing, Teresa yawned, pulling herself from her own self-induced dream. Feeling a pang strike at her heart, she smiled knowing the precious soul which had come of that carefree day. How she longed to hold Lucy in her arms at this moment, to cradle Izzy close to her heart, and to feel the strong cloak of Jake's body about her.
"Looks like we beat the train," Randall's voice rose softly bringing Teresa to full awareness. The Santa Fe station loomed vacantly among the growing dawn of the surrounding desert like wilderness. "You'll be home by dinner time."
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His arms hung heavily over the curved wooden armrests of the rocking chair. Legs extended outward the toes of his boots nudged at either side of the hallways walls. After such a rude awakening, Jake could no longer stand to be in the bedroom without Teresa. As silently as he could he'd moved the rocking chair from Izzy's nursery into the hallway between Lucy's open door and Izzy's. And there he'd slept fitfully dreaming up horrifying scenarios, in which Celina seceded in black mailing him in Teresa's eyes, as she had attempted to do with Hank. He cursed Loren for bringing her here. Had anyone bothered to bring her scandalous behavior up to the man? Well no one had bother to outright tell him either, yet he berated himself for not realizing her bravado for what it truly was.
As his subconscious wove the silver threads of his mind between sleep and wake, his dreams began to bleed out into reality. Eyes flickering back and forth between the hallway and the dream of Teresa's arms, Jake lost track of his thoughts. Allowing himself to fall deeply into the suspended lapis pond of his dream world, Jake found comfort in Teresa's caressing arms. Her hands brushed lightly at first slipping in under his open shirt, finding the coolness of his bare skin. Inhaling he could practically smell the condensed scent of roses as she ran her lips along the outer edges of his ear. It was only when he reached up to touch her that he realized she was more solid than she should have been. Jake pulled back startled as her arms recoiled leaving him in the lurch.
Pushing passed his haze Jake sat up rubbing his eyes in confusion.
"Teresa?" he called sleepily down the now vacant hallway. Disappointed Jake reclined staring fixedly down the narrow hall, feeling the vise of fear clenching at his heart. It was a dream. It was only a dream…Wasn't it?