Mother was late again, and she had to endure waiting for her coming and saying prayers and then eating supper, therefore, she went later than usual to their place, the river bank, deep into the woods.

By the time she came by the side of the river, Sam had made a fire and was poking at it with a dried branch. He was shirtless and for a second or it could be a million years, she could only stand a few feet away from him and watch his toned body, moving. There was a glistening on his skin, making it look like polished leather of the best quality, smooth and shiny. She wanted so badly to touch his body, running her hands on his muscled body.

He was so breathtaking, with his height and strong body would easily dwarf her, but she did not fear, far from it, she felt safe to be in his arms as he was so gentle with her.

She could not hold back herself further so strode towards him.

"Sam!"

"Scarlett!" His smile brightened his face and everywhere.

"Sorry, Mother was late again." There was a bitterness in her voice.

Sam was familiar enough to know by now what Scarlett had meant, Lady Ellen, instead of paying more attention to her own daughters, were always doing something, always busy and yet Sam thought she could make a bit of time for her daughters. He kept his opinion to himself for Scarlett was a bit sensitive about everything that related to her mother. In her view, her mother could not do anything wrong.

"You took a dip without me." That heart ensnaring pout again was on her lips.

"Wanted to wait for you, dear, but I feared somebody would figure out something is amiss." He feared Talrleton and Fontaine boys more than anyone else for they were more busy-body than others and having the habit of going into the woods and prying into the affairs of other people.

She sighed, slouched. Then, her eyes caught the light of fire and sparkled with mischief.

"You are right, but still you could wait 'til I am here." She was playing with fire and both knew that, for when he was swimming alone he would take off his clothes and swim as bare as the day he was born.

Sensing the heated stare of Sam, those intense eyes of his, said, "I'd like to watch you when swimming," the word 'bare' left out of her words, besides she was not lying, he was a good swimmer, as if he was dancing in the water. He taught Scarlett the art of swimming, same as she taught him the art of dancing.

"Maybe another time." He came closer and sat beside her as close as he could without bumping her. Tucked a stray curl behind her ear and caressed her cheek with his calloused hand. She took his hand and looked at it, watching old and new blisters and scars, covering almost the entirety of his hand, palm and fingers. And then she kissed it softly while watching the emotions that swirled in his eyes as dark as night.

"Scarlett." His voice was hoarse and laden with emotion, and then before both could process what they were doing, they were in each other arms and kissing hungrily every inch of skin they could.

Scarlett thought, "this is what love feels like."

It had been a long time they were threading on a thin line that separated a childhood friendship from their young love, but neither of them dared to cross that line, as if fearing to lose the other by tarnishing their childhood friendship and not having the prospect of being together.

Now, they both delved into the depth of their desires and let the passion that gives them courage take hold of their mind.

"Kiss me, give me more, burn me with your fire, let me love you," Scarlett thought, wanting to cry those words out loud, until everyone in the county knew of her heart.

"I love you," but it was the sound of Sam that said those three words. "I love you with all my heart."

They separated their faces enough to look into the eye of one another.

"And I you," she whispered in return and kissed him softly on the lips.

She sprung up. "Oh! I forgot. I brought you a book." She dug through her skirt's pocket and took the book and gave it to him.

His eyes flicked on the book's title, 'Wuthering Heights'.

"Will you read it for me?" He loved to hear Scarlett's voice.

She nodded her head and took it from him, letting him put his head on her lap and she read out aloud.

"What's that?" they startled and turned to the direction of the crunching sound of dried branch and leaves, and both sat up.

"I don't know, wait here 'til I'll come back," Sam said, while standing up, he walked up to the source of sound, but he didn't get there in time because whoever was there had run away. "Shit!"

"What's happened?"

"You must get go, Scarlett, somebody has seen us." He helped her into her cape.

"But –"

"Please, Scarlett, go back home."

"But Sam, what about you?" She looked at him with wide eyes, fear was clear in her eyes.

"Don't worry about me."

"Sam," she was pleading, but not knowing for what.

"Go Scarlett, now!" And he pushed her towards the house.

She ran and tried to not look back because if she did, she couldn't leave him, not when she knew something horrible would happen.

TBC…

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