by Jolene Faye
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"I still don't like the idea of it Honeybee. I know alot happened while I was gone and you could use the help around here. But I don't know if I like the idea of him in your cabin with you and the baby." The heavy stain of concern in the old man's voice made Sybil smile as she watched him rub his fingers over his stubble covered wrinkled chin. His eyes keen as a hawk's as he watched Cole replacing some broken boards on the corral and Rose following him around like a puppy. "He's good with Rose, Jed. You will see. The way he reacts to her, it's almost as if she were his own daughter," Sybil assured the old man as she smoothed a palm over his shoulder trying to comfort his fears. "So why didn't he add a room to the barn instead of that other room to the cabin," the caution in his voice was deep as he pondered over the man's intentions. Sybil laughed and leaned over Jed's shoulder wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. "Jed, he was already staying in the cabin over a month. I thought it was nice he wanted to build Rose her own bedroom. She is growing up you know," she chuckled as the old man just sighed.
Sybil pressed her palm over her stomach smoothing the thin material of her shirt as she glanced back over her shoulder and smiled watching the pout still play over the old man's features. "Mama," the excited yell of her daughter's voice greeting her as she stepped into the barn, letting her eyes adjust to the lighting. "There's my little Texas Rose," Sybil teased as she lifted her daughter into a hug and grunted softly, "my you sure are getting big!" The child's giggle pushed heated breaths over her cheeks as Sybil narrowed her eyes and smiled once again watching Cole appear from one of the stalls. Setting the girl back to her feet, Sybil pulled at the hem of the child's dress and whispered softly, "I think Pa could use a hug." "Pa, Pa," the little girl sang as she ran out the barn heading back to Jed. Sybil laughed quietly watching the happiness of her daughter and silently thanking God for making her well again. As she turned back toward the stalls, Sybil collided into the soft but strong chest. His large hands wrapped gently around her hips, steadying her as he lowered his head and inhaled the soft scent of lavender. Gasping softly as she raised her eyes to his, Sybil smiled finding the softness of his gaze. "So," his deep voice started lowly as his hands slid over the curve of her hips and his arms wrapped around her waist. "The old man still doesn't like me," he questioned. Sybil laughed softly as her palms smoothed over the damp, sweat licked skin of his arms to the rolled sleeves of his shirt. A slow burn began in the core of her as she leaned back into the cradle of his arms around her waist. Licking softly over her lips, she shook her head from side to side as her fingers caressed small circles over the bare part of his arms. "He's just worried about his girls," she almost whispered her voice low and crackled with the intensity of the knotted heat growing inside of her. Cole stared down at her, lowering his gaze slowly over her face then down her neck to the shadow of the opened button of her shirt. Wetting his lips with a slow pass of his tongue, his eyes rested in the shadowy place, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest as he pulled her closer. Pressing the softness of his lips against her forehead, he placed small kisses along the ragged scar stopping short near the corner of her lips. "What about you? Do you like me," he whispered. The warmth of his breath tickled against the dampness of her parted lips as she softly panted through the growing tingle spreading over her body. The heat between their bodies was stifling. The dark wooded scent of his body infiltrated her senses as his slow deep breaths pressed his chest against her. Trailing her fingers over his shoulders, Sybil stared into the deep green seas of his eyes, finding the longing playing in the pools that matched the desire growing inside of her. Pressing up on her toes, snaking her arms behind his neck, Sybil pressed her parted lips to his, exhaling slowly as his tongue slipped between them.
The warm air wrapped around her as she stood on the porch and waved. "You two be careful. I'll see you tonight for supper," she called as Jed waved back over his shoulder and Rose bounced in the seat of the wagon. "Bye Mama!" Daniel had brought the message that Robert wanted to talk to Jed when he'd delivered the goods the day before and it was little surprise that Jed wanted to take Rose to town with him. He did love the little girl dearly, as any grandfather would. That's exactly what he was to Rose, her Pa. As much as he'd been a father to Sybil the last few years, he was every bit the grandfather to Rose. Watching Cole emerge from the barn with two buckets of milk brought a smile to Sybil's lips. A day alone, she thought as the warmth of the summer sun trickled over her skin. The past three weeks had been a dream. Often she'd found herself wrapped in Cole's arms enjoying the sweetness of his breath as they fell into the passion of their kisses. So many times she found herself wanting to know him more, know all of him, only to be interrupted by Jed or Rose when they had found the couple's hiding places. As he brushed past her and smiled, Sybil shivered at the seemingly electric spark that always accompanied his touch. She couldn't control herself at times and would reach out to feel him against her and feel his kisses on her lips. Wrapping her arms around her waist, Sybil hugged herself as she listened to the birds chirping in the trees and closed her eyes to the soft shuffling of his feet as he made his way into the cabin and back out to the porch. The soft pressure of his fingers slid over her hips, smoothing their way over her stomach as he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Sybil inhaled his deep wooded scent that always made her heart quicken and exhaled slowly as the softness of his lips pressed against her neck. "I have a surprise for you," he whispered against the curve of her ear. Stepping beside her leaving his arm around her waist Cole walked her toward the barn and the wagon he'd loaded waiting inside. They traveled a way down the road away from town to a small clearing near the river. After eating the picnic lunch he'd hidden in the wagon, they laid in each other's arms listening to the soft gentle flow of the water.
"Sybil," he whispered as he pressed another soft kiss against her temple and pulled his arm closer, sliding her against his side. Pushing her elbow under her, Sybil rested her head in her palm and smiled down at him as his fingers traced slowly over her cheek. "Tell me about this," he pleaded softly as he turned catching the soft gaze of her eyes. Pain tightened over his chest as the sadness seemed to dim the once bright shine of her brown eyes. Swallowing back against the lump in her throat, Sybil started low telling him about her past. Cole ran his fingers through her hair as she recalled the horrible memories of her mother and father's deaths. When she told about John Henry and the night she had gotten the scar, his arms tensed around her in anger. Her voice softened as she spoke of Jed and the years she'd spent recovering under the loving watch of the old man. Sybil pressed her cheek against his chest as the tears of her past finally broke free and fell over the softness of her face. Long heartbreaking minutes passed as he held her tight, listening to the ghosts of her past haunt her in the soft sobs that soaked into his shirt. Slipping his hand under her cheek, Cole slowly caressed the curve of her chin before lifting her face. Leaning up he pressed his lips against the wetness of her tears, trailing his kisses down to her lips. Sybil shifted slowly pulling her body against his side as his breath lingered on her lips. "I would never hurt you Sybil," he whispered between the soft caress of their lips on one another. The warm thickness of his tongue caressed over the softness of hers as she sighed. The now familiar tingle began again in the pit of her stomach as his arms wrapped tightly around her and turned them on the small blanket. Wrapping the fingers of his hand under her shoulders and into the soft blond tresses of her hair, Cole's body pressed against her side with the slow burning passion of their kiss. Caught up in the heat of the kiss and the growing yearn in her stomach, Sybil gasped softly as his palm pressed fully over her breast and squeezed softly. "Cole," she whispered as their lips parted and his hand moved to the buttons of her shirt. The deep green shimmer of his eyes seemed to pulse with the same urgent passion she felt in the pit of her stomach as he looked up at her. "Yes my love," he whispered softly pressing another kiss to her lips. Sybil swallowed hard, lifting her head trying to
keep the warmth of his lips against hers as her shaky voice barely made a sound. "I-," she started then cleared her throat against the creakiness of her voice," I've never, you know. I've never bee-." The deep probe of his tongue into the recesses of her mouth cut off the words forcing a soft moan from the back of her throat as his fingers tugged against the buttons of her shirt.
Her fingers trembled over the smoothness of his bare back as he rose positioning himself over top of her. Sybil chewed on her lip as his weight pressed over her hips and his eyes returned to hers. "I would never hurt you Sybil," he repeated again as he lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers. The heated moisture between her legs let the hard silken shaft of his arousal slide over her sensitive flesh. The now demanding ache in the pit of her stomach tightened as she raised her hips slowly, pressing her heated flesh into him. Slow gentle pushes of his manhood teased between her folds as he shifted his hips and slid into the wetness just a bit. Sybil gasped and dug her fingers into the hard muscles of his shoulders feeling the pressure between her legs as he rocked slowly barely entering into her body. "Cole," she whispered against the curve of his neck, her voice pleading as he pressed his arousal deeper inside of her. Pushing her hips against the sudden fullness between her thighs, Sybil screamed out as the sharp pain and burn dug deep inside of her. Cole pressed his lips to hers, slipping his tongue into the heated softness of her mouth and slowly lowered his weight over her. Wrapping his arms around her tightly, he lay still, holding her in the passion of his kiss as her body slowly softened again in his arms. "Sybil," he whispered with worry as the tears fell from her closed eyes. Her arms wrapped around his neck again as she opened her eyes to his soft gaze and pressed her hips against his. The soft low murmur of the river seemed to set the rhythm of their lovemaking as pleasured moans and urgent groans lifted from the cozy clearing near the riverbank. "Oh Cole.. Oh.." she muttered as her thighs clamped around his waist, burying her face into the soft curve of his neck as her body shook violently against the quake of pleasure coursing through her. As his arms wrapped around her stilling the shaking, his eyes glazed feeling the pull of her release against him as he groaned. Pushing his hips fully into the gentle valley of her thighs, Cole shivered as his passion spilled into her. Rolling onto his back, he pulled her body on top of his covering them with the blanket as the soft trembles of her muscles squeezed against the final release of his love for her.
With the smile pressed permanently to her lips, she kissed softly against the soft curls of hair on his chest. The gentle caress of his finger through her hair and the steady rhythm of his heart pressing against her breast made Sybil sigh. As she slowly studied the gentle lines of his face, she wondered if her own reflected the complete happiness she saw in his eyes. Pulling herself up his chest slowly to press her lips against his, Sybil giggled softly feeling the soft urging pressing between her thighs once again. As the slow lazy smile on his lips tightened into a sexy coy smile, Cole pressed his hands against the ground and sat up before wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. Parting her lips with a soft sigh, Sybil closed her eyes against the slow entry of him sliding back into the depths of her body. "I love you Sybil Delacroix," she thought she heard the softness of his voice whisper as she opened her eyes, locking her gaze on his. Searching the depths of his dark green eyes, she bit down on her lip as she raised her hips and slowly lowered them again. "Say it again," she begged quietly as his fingers caressed over the rounded curve of her bottom. The slow smooth motion of her hips rising and falling against the fullness then loss of his thickness as she whispered a bit louder, "Say it again Cole, please, just say it again." His fingers trailed over her bottom before digging into the softness of her hips as he stopped her slow movement and forced her eyes to stay on his. As she stilled in his lap, Cole raised one hand slipping it into her hair behind her head and looked deep into her eyes. "I love you Sybil Delacroix. I'll say it over and over again if that's what you want. I love you. I love you. I love y-," his voice trailed as his lips pressed to hers pulling her deep into the slow burning passion of his kiss.