Disclaimer: They are not mine, they are NOT mine, they are SO not mine! Sigh.
Dedication: This story is dedicated to Lady T for filling in for me, for putting up with my oddities and for going above and beyond the call of duty. The girl is a saint! ; )
It did not take long to reach the edge of town and I was grateful. Sitting in the position that I was, even with my arms around him, I felt extremely uncomfortable and was in constant fear of falling.
When it was clear that no one would see us, I begged him to slow down. I slid back as far on the horse as I could, while still holding onto his coat tightly. There was barely room between us to slide my leg over the horse, but I managed to do it. As I felt more comfortable, I let go with one hand and tried to arrange my skirts around me. There was not enough fabric left to completely cover my legs and it did not go unnoticed by the man in front of me.
When I was ready he urged the horse forward so quickly that I threw my arms around him tightly to avoid flying off its back end. I could feel Thomas laughing and I smiled against the bouncing curls of his hair, the scent of the leather tie that held it invading my senses and making me dizzy with desire.
When we reached the woods, he slowed to a walk and I knew I should have done the decent thing and removed myself from him, but I stayed where I was.
We followed the path leading to my home, and more than ever before I was happy I lived out, away from town. It was another mile to my house, but I wished it were a hundred. It was fairly cool for a summer day and the sky was clear, but the leaves on the trees were turned, showing their underbellies to the clear sky as if begging for rain.
We walked slowly, neither of us speaking, and I could tell that he was enjoying the ride as much as I. He rode beautifully and his body swayed softly with every step in perfect rhythm with his horse.
I molded myself against him, my hands held his chest and stomach tightly and my legs moved gently against the backs of his muscular thighs. My body was on fire with desire everywhere it made contact with his.
At one point he sat straight up against me and stretched against my body, sighing deeply and nonchalantly dropping one hand to rest on my exposed leg.
I didn't object and he left it there, rubbing my naked skin softly as we rode on. We were feeling things we had no business feeling and neither of us cared at all. By the time we reached the house we were completely immersed in the feel of each other.
Thomas dismounted gracefully and tied the horse to the post in front of the house. He looked up into my eyes as he reached for me and I slid down into his arms, relishing every point of contact. His eyes were filled with desire, but he was a gentleman and after a few moments he sighed and reluctantly released me.
I felt incredibly alone -- at that moment -- without the feel of his body next to mine or the warmth of the horse beneath me.
X~O~X
Logan leaned over and poured another glass of Scotch. He was beginning to wonder what in the world the Professor had in mind when he made him read this book.
Not that he was complaining, the girl had him pretty turned on at this point. He was going to be enjoying several tasty new fantasies, thanks to her -- and the horse thing held definite possibilities in the future.
But that still didn't explain why this "antiquated romance novel" he was holding was so important. He frowned, took a sip of Scotch and continued.
X~O~X
"We should get these things inside and make a few preparations for you for tonight," he said softly, his voice lower than usual due to the desire he was trying to ignore. I was impressed, I was uncertain if I even HAD a voice at that point. "Do you have a safe in the house?"
I nodded and he removed the bags from the saddle. He followed me to the house and I retrieved my key from one of the bags, my hands trembling so hard that I could barely open the door.
He followed me into the den. I opened the safe and he placed all of the bags in there before shutting it and turning back to me.
"Get your things together, you will be staying in town tonight. I will not leave you here alone."
I shook my head weakly, "Can you just stay here with me?" I asked, afraid he would think I was being too bold.
"That is impossible. I have too many things to see to -- I am still working for Albert, I have a few more things to take care of for him this evening. You will stay at old Mrs. Haverford's Inn, I hear it is very comfortable."
I shook my head defiantly. "No. I will not let him frighten me out of my own home."
He shook his head, it was apparent that he had not given up. "Do you have animals that need to be fed?"
"Yes. I have chickens, and a horse of my own. I usually ride to town, but I wanted to walk today, the weather was so nice."
He followed me out back and helped me see to the horse. When I opened the door to the chicken house I was distraught to see that my very favorite chicken, my best sitter was gone.
"I have been battling a very cunning fox for some time now. He kills a chicken every other day or so -- this one was my favorite," I said sadly, holding up a beautiful red feather.
Thomas looked about the coop at all the edges and found several holes large enough for a fox to enter. "I will bring supplies tomorrow and fix this for you and you really should have a dog, Elizabeth," he said looking up at me. He could barely stand in the small, dark coop and he had two feathers in his hair and I giggled as I removed them.
"I have always been afraid of dogs, ever since I was bit by one as a small child. Jonathan wanted a dog, but I convinced him not to get one." I was lost in thought for a moment, as I realized how much I regretted not letting him have a dog.
Thomas was watching my face closely as he spoke. "How long were you married before he died?" he asked quietly.
"Only ten months," I whispered.
"I'm sorry," he said softly, his eyes searching my face, one hand coming to rest softly against my cheek. I closed my eyes and moved my face against his hand, I had missed a man's touch and the events of the day had caused me to realize just how badly I had. When I opened my eyes the intensity of the look in his eyes made me catch my breath.
I leaned closer to him and he drew me into his arms and pressed his mouth to my trembling one, kissing me softly and tenderly. It was he who pulled away, only moments later.
He took my hand and led me back to the house. He locked the back door behind us and I followed him through the house to the front porch. He turned back, just before he left, "Are you absolutely certain that I cannot convince you to stay in town tonight?"
I shook my head and he frowned. "Are you always this stubborn, Elizabeth Richmond?"
"Oh, I am usually MUCH more stubborn than this!" I managed to say very seriously.
He threw back his head and laughed again and his dazzling smile sent a shudder of pleasure through my body. His beautiful white teeth flashed, and I remember noticing for the first time, the two top teeth that came down to sharp points, just a little lower than the others. Perhaps that was why his smile was so arresting -- why he was so unusual looking...
I must have been staring, because when I looked back into his eyes, he winked. "You had best stop staring at my mouth that way or I may just decide to stay," he teased.
"... and you had best take your wonderful mouth and leave or I may decide not to LET you go."
He growled softly and put a hand behind my head pulling my mouth to his roughly and kissing me harder than before. He was reluctant to let go, but he finally managed it and I stood there breathing heavily and shaking as I watched him mount his horse.
He turned toward me, smiling, and shouted, "It was very nice to meet you Elizabeth Richmond." He laughed as he raced away.
"He is coming back tomorrow," I told myself -- and I had many new things to dream about all night.
I laid in my bed remembering the feel of his back against me, his legs as they moved with the horse and his lips on mine. My body ached for him as I imagined, and I wondered about the aching. I hadn't thought of it for some time.
My time with Jonathan had been short, but I still remembered what it felt like when he came into my body, and it had never been unpleasant.
I have heard women speak of such things and I knew that there were women who found it unpleasant, but I had enjoyed it. The ache in my body had always grown stronger as he moved deep within me, but all too soon it was over, and he would fall asleep and I was left to lie there alone in misery. I never understood why, and I was much too nervous to speak of it with him. I honestly do not believe he had any idea.
As I dreamed that night, as I lay there and imagined Thomas moving over me and inside me, I dreamed that he knew how to help me. I had seen the passionate, knowledgeable look in his eyes, and it gave me hope. I believed that he would know how to soothe the incredible pain that left my body crying out desperately for something I did not understand. So I dreamed, and I dreamed about him all that night.
X~O~X
Logan growled softly, chuckled and took a sip of his drink. He wished he could have known her. He definitely would have been able to... Hmmm... how had she put it? "Soothe the incredible pain that left her body crying out desperately for something she didn't understand?"
"Oh, yeah Darlin', I'm the best there is at what I do -- and that does include everything I do."
He turned the page and was surprised to find a picture of a remarkably beautiful young woman. She wasn't a bad artist. He looked at the picture for a long time. It was nice to be able to put a face with the story.
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