Chapter 8- Later that same night

Ike laid in bed, his mind racing with thoughts of how Joes was doing. She had sounded okay when he'd nearly fallen into her bath but then Emma had said she'd needed rest and quiet and hadn't let anyone, not even Lou, go see her for the rest of the day. He had asked if he could bring up her dinner, but Emma said she was still asleep, and Ike remembered when he had gotten sick and slept through meals and his heart leapt into his throat and tried to choke him.

He rolled over for what had to be the 30th time that hour when he couldn't stand the waiting and not knowing one second longer. He sat up in his bunk and looked around. Everyone was asleep and most of them were snoring. He grabbed his boots and wore only his long johns, made like he was headed to the outhouse but instead of turning left, he turned right and sneaked into the kitchen door at the back of Emma's house.

Ike reminded himself to thank Buck in the morning for all those times he taught him how to be silent in the woods. He used everything he knew now to sneak through the kitchen, into the parlor and up the stairs. Then he froze. He'd never been up here and there were four doors at the top. He hadn't thought about that. If he opened the wrong door and went into the wrong room, this could mean a lot of trouble for him. Shutting his eyes tight he listened and heard something like deep breathing coming from the room to his left which was towards the back of the house and other sounds coming from the front room. Remembering when Sam was fixing Emma's window, Ike took a chance, headed towards the front room, and cracked the door as little as possible and peeked in.

There was almost no light for him to see by, so very quietly he tapped his chest.

"Ike?" He heard Joes whisper, "Ike is that you?"

Ike felt his heart begin to beat as he slipped into the room and locked the door behind him. *I shouldn't be here.* Ike said as he stepped over to the bed.

"Emma will kill you and me if she catches us." Joes whispered as she reached a hand out to him and brought him to sit on the bed. The shifting mattress caused her to grimace and Ike reached his hand forward to touch her ribs gently. "Emma says they're not too bad but, I need to spend a few days resting up."

Ike reached over and lowered the wick in the oil lamp as much as he could, but then struck the match and gave them some light to talk by. *I couldn't wait any longer. I had to see you, to know you were okay* As he talked, Ike leaned in closer to Joes until they were nearly nose to nose. His hands slid up to cup her face and he captured her lips with his.

As the kiss broke, Ike saw her smile and tilted his head slightly, "That has already made me feel better." she teased.

*I'm glad. * Ike said and ran his hands over her arms but saw her wince. He lifted the blanket off of her and brought her arm into his lap and pushed up the sleeve of her nightgown and saw bruises and cuts. His eyes immediately filled with pain for her.

"It looks worse than it is." Joes said. "Honestly, I've had a lot worse just growing up with Eff."

Ike turned her arm over in his hands and then leaned down and kissed a bruise near her wrist, *better? *

He watched her eyes darken and felt her breath catch as she nodded. Smiling, Ike leaned down and kissed another sore spot a few centimeters higher up her arm and looked up to see her eyes shut. He added another kiss to the line and heard her whisper his name hoarsely. He kissed the inside of her elbow and she moaned softly.

Ike's body was responding to her, and he knew he either needed to leave now or he might not be able to leave. He swallowed heavily and looked up into her face to find her watching him intently. *Joes* was all he managed before she leaned forward and took his mouth with hers and sliding her hands across his jaw and over his ears pulled him back onto her.

His tongue snaked out and ran over her lower lip and she complied with his unspoken request, allowing him to slide into her mouth and their tongues to dance with each other. He could feel her every breath on his lips but also underneath every inch of his body. He didn't know if she knew what her simple breathing was doing to him when he felt her teeth scrape over his bottom lip. His body responded instantly, and she leaned into his need.

His hands became tangled in her hair as he rolled onto the bed beside her and pulled her over with him. Ike felt her small hands slide over the fabric of his long john top and stop at the waist. He felt her hesitation and pulled back to look at her. Watching her carefully he slowly removed his top and laid it on the foot of the bed. He didn't move while she sat up and ran her fingers over his smooth chest and down to his muscles.

She leaned forward and kissed him hungrily and then moved to his neck, the hollow at the base of his throat and then she began to alternate between licks, nips and kisses following the line that ran down his chest all the way to his belly button. She looked up at him from between her lashes and Ike thought he would die right then.

He slid his hands underneath her and laid her down on the bed and lifted her nightgown off of her. The sight of her injuries hurt him and so he began to kiss each one he saw, her ribs, her side, her breast, her leg, her thigh.

She squeezed his head when he kissed her thigh and he sucked a little longer and when she seemed to like that, he scraped her with his teeth and she let out a sound he had never heard before, a high-pitched gasp. Lifting his head, Ike smiled up at her, much as she had done to him.

"Please Ike" was all she could manage to whisper.

He slid his fingers forward, resting just above her sensitive nub, giving her the chance to pull away. She lifted her hips and pushed herself into his hand and Ike thought he would be undone right then. He rubbed her slowly, gently first in back-and-forth motions and then in circles. When her breathing began to become ragged, he slid one finger slowly into her and found her tight but ready for him.

Rhythmically he began to move his hand, slowly getting her ready for him. After a moment, he added a second finger and heard her gasp, and he paused his ministrations. Instead coming up to kiss her lovingly, and make sure she knew how he truly felt about her.

As the kiss broke, he leaned away and laid his thumb down on her nub and simultaneously began to rub her nub and slide two fingers in and out. She shut her eyes, and he felt her body begin to shudder and tighten around his fingers. He kissed her as she came and felt her whisper his name into his mouth.

Her body began to relax, and Ike removed his hand and looked carefully at Joes. He brushed her hair back from her face, unsure of the next move.

"Ike," she said softly as her hand reached for his side to bring him back to her. "I still need you."

He looked at her in awe as she sat up and slid her hand from his side to his strong muscled stomach. Slowly she let her fingers slide down to his waist band and she watched as his eyes widened as she gently grasped him with one hand while pushing his bottoms out of the way with the other.

*Wait* Ike stood up and pulled off his boots and long john bottoms and sat back down on the side of the bed.

He ran a hand lovingly down Joes side, gently cupping her breast and coming to rest on her backside. *This is enough. More than enough. I don't…. *

"Ike, lay down beside me."

Ike did as he was bid; the two lying on their sides looking at each other. She ran her hand down his side much as he had down to her but rather than end on his backside, she wrapped her hand around his elongated, stiffened member and began to run her hand back and forth repeating the movements he had so recently performed on her.

"I know the basic idea but not the details," Joes admitted. "You're going to have to teach me at least this first time."

Ike's eyes widened at her words, but he nodded as he leaned forward to kiss her. He didn't take long to deepen the kiss and she gladly yielded to him. He moved to her neck and nipped her lightly and she gasped, and he smiled. He gasped a moment later when she did the same to him.

He leaned more forward so that he was now over her with his weight resting on his arms. He touched her wrist gently and helped her to line his manhood up with her wetness and then as he kissed her deeply again, he pushed his way in and swallowed her gasp of shock.

He paused, letting her get used to the feeling of him inside of her while he gentled the kiss. Then slowly he began to move back and forth; he could feel her breathed words of enjoyment dancing over his cheek as he rocked inside of her. He felt her begin to tighten slightly and he pulled slightly out and then pushed back in and she gasped at the sensation. He felt her hands wrap tightly around his back as he pulled out and in again. As he pulled farther out, he felt her legs wrap around his waist holding him as hard as she could, all her muscles squeezing him to her.

Ike began to move faster, push harder and as he did, her internal muscles tightened more and more around him, begging him to give up everything he had. The tightness around him became nearly too much for him and he gave her all of him and as he did, her body shook with delight as it took in all of him.

Collapsing, Ike rolled to his side but held Joes close. *Are you ok?*

"Out of breath and a bit more sore than when you walked in the door." She admitted but then lovingly laying a hand on his cheek, "I'm also better than I've ever been."

Ike kissed her softly and held her to him. *I'm glad I came to check on you."

Joes laughed aloud and Ike shushed her but it was too late. They heard a door open.

Ike stood panicked and naked in the center of the room.

*Quick under the bed. * Joes said and Ike dropped to the floor and rolled under just as there was a knock.

His top was thrust at him, and he quickly grabbed his boots and bottoms as the door opened.

"Josephine? Are you ok? I thought I heard you." Emma said as she stuck her head in the door.

"I'm sorry, Emma. I rolled onto my side, and it made me cough and then I was just sitting here being mad at myself. I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's not a problem. As long as I'm up, I'll heat some water and we can have some tea if you'd like."

"Thank you."

Emma walked down the hall and down the stairs and Joes whispered quietly to the room. "You better get comfortable."