by Rita Hestand
He stared down into her eyes, "You sure are."
She blushed.
Angus and Pumpkin watched the babies and smiled.
"I'm so glad you are all here and well." Lucy told them, not letting go of Aiden as she said it.
The Fergusons got up and shook hands with Aiden. "Glad you made it back son. Hadn't been for Clovers here, Lucy would be wearing the floor out worrying over you."
"Clovers?" Angus asked.
"Our mare there," Mr. Ferguson laughed. "We'd never seen twins born, and it was exciting. Lucy was a big help, she knew exactly what to do for them."
Aiden cast her a grin.
"Let's go in and have some coffee and you can tell us all about it." Mrs. Ferguson smiled, as Aiden introduced them to Angus and Pumpkin.
After Aiden related the story of being in the stockade and Angus getting him out, Lucy looked at bit sad.
"Something bothering you?" Aiden asked her.
"I really thought they wanted to talk."
"So did I. But I think Sitting Bull has other plans for them." Aiden told them. "And that's not all, Washington is planning a war of its own. It's gonna be bloody around here for a while."
"Does this mean the Indians will be raiding again?"
"Probably."
"Wish I had that headstone though." Aiden told them.
"What headstone?" Lucy asked.
"Yours."
She looked puzzled.
"I made a grave and was gonna put that headstone on it for you."
"I don't understand exactly." Lucy stared now.
"I wanted it to look like you really died, Lucy. So, you can go on with your life without worrying about who's behind you. It would end the legend of the White Silver Fox."
"No problem there. I'm to meet Harvey in Bozeman tomorrow. He's got the stone." Angus told him.
"You arranged that?"
"Gotta do this up right. Yes."
"It so both the Indians and the army can see that the White Silver Fox died there. Now you can be whoever you want to be."
Mrs. Ferguson frowned for a moment as she poured them all a second cup of coffee. "Lucy, do you know your last name?"
"No, I think I wiped it out a long time ago in my memory. When I realized I no longer belonged to them?"
"Well dear, I think I know."
Everyone turned to her waiting for her answer.
She poured them all a cup of coffee and sat down. "That wagon train stopped here, and I remember you… I knew your face looked familiar, but I didn't know why. It was sixteen years ago. A wagon train of people stopped off here. I fed them all. Including you and your parents. You are— Lucy Gaines."
"You knew them, met them. And me too!"
"Yes child. It was your hair that made me remember you so well, that and your happy face. Your father was a blacksmith, I remember that well, as my husband needed a wheel fixed and as payment for all the food, your dad made that wheel for us. Your mother was beautiful, just like you. But she hadn't wanted to go to California. It was your dad, he was the restless one."
"I can't remember much about them anymore." Lucy had tears in her eyes now as she listened. "No one ever came for me, and in time I sort of forgot them."
"Well child, there's a reason. And I'm so glad you are here to hear it."
Lucy look shocked and pleased.
"Your mother was pregnant at the time, due any time as I recall. A few days later, when the train moved on, the wagon master came to town. And I heard him talking about the raid on the train. The raid and losing you stressed her out so bad, she lost the child and died giving birth. Your father was killed in that raid, and of course they took you. Everyone for a while, was talking about you. Only six years old and captured. It's probably best for you, as she could never deal with the death of her child, her husband and losing you too all at once. This all happened a little outside of Bozeman. The wagon master survived and told the stories to the families around thinking maybe some might know them and be kin. He felt guilty for surviving that raid. That's why he made a point of telling about every one of those people. Lucy…." She paused a moment and looked at her. "Your mother is buried in the Bozeman cemetery. Because she died in child birth everyone knew her and the wagon master saw to her grave personally. Your father suffered a different fate and I don't know if I should tell you… "
Lucy stared as tears rolled down her cheek and Aiden held her close. "I'd like to know… "
"The wagon master described most all the deaths that he had witnessed. Your father tried to save you. But they came at him from behind. Before he could get you out of that wagon, they had already begun. They butchered him to death, he was trying to climb up in the wagon when they stormed it and took you."
Lucy turned her head into Aiden's chest and cried.
"Perhaps I shouldn't have told you that, but you told me you didn't think anyone cared about you. Well darlin' they did. Your mother went into labor because they told her you'd been taken. She was weak as she saw your father killed and went into to what the doc called shock. That caused her to go into labor. The only thing she said before she died was…. Tell Lucy I love her. I'm sorry child but I thought you'd want to know."
Lucy whipped around, wiping her eyes. "No, I had to know. I've spent sixteen years wondering why no one came for me. I thought…. I thought they didn't love me! Is my father buried there?"
Mrs. Ferguson went a bit white around the mouth. "Only his bones, they put them in the grave with your mother, that's all that was left of him. I'm sorry… it is rather gruesome to talk about."
Everyone in the room hung their head except Mrs. Ferguson who came and took her into her arms. "They loved you more than you will ever know. Your mother didn't die immediately. She miscarried, and the wagon master took her into Bozeman and the doctor tried to save her, but she wasted away, she said she lost her baby, and lost her little girl, and her husband, it was too much. She felt she had nothing to live for."
Lucy cried now and everyone else seemed very quiet for a long time.
Finally, Mrs. Ferguson looked at Lucy and cried, "This burial of the White Silver Fox gives you a new life, thanks to Aiden here. Now you can go on and be proud. The mayor got a letter from your grandfather too, but he had a heart attack when he heard the news."
Lucy kissed her cheek and nodded. "Thank you for telling me. It means so much to me. To finally know what happened. I misjudged them so."
"They loved you child, very much." She kissed her cheek. "Be proud Lucy. You were an innocent. You didn't know. But for years people spoke of you, there in Bozeman."
Lucy went to stand by the window, unable to face everyone just yet.
"Well now, we better figure out where we can put everyone for the night."
Aiden stared at the Fergusons, "Mrs. Ferguson I've slept with Lucy many nights in the hills. I never touched her. Can you trust me one more night to do the same? I think she needs me tonight."
"I think your right son. But when will we have that wedding?" she laughed.
"As soon as we get the burial taken care of, we'll be getting married. I don't want to wait any longer."
"I'm glad to hear it son. I guess you can be trusted for one more night at least." Mrs. Ferguson smiled at him.
After they showed Angus and Pumpkin to a room of their own, Lucy showed Aiden her room.
"It's nice in here," Aiden smiled.
"You don't mind if I sleep with you one more time, do you?"
Lucy blushed, "No… I think tonight I just need you to hold me."
"I think I can manage that, sweetheart."
She went into his arms and he kissed her warm and passionately. "I'm so glad you are back. I was so worried."
"I'm glad I'm here."
"I can't believe they accused you of treason. You've done so much to try to help both sides."
"I never did get along with the Major that well," he told her.
They laid down and she went into his arms. "You are still gonna marry
me, aren't you?" he whispered.
"You still want me?" she whispered.
"More than ever… " he told her and kissed her hotly on the lips. "I'm sorry you had to hear all of that, but I'm glad you finally heard it, too."
"Me too… it's like a very sad dream."
"So, what kind of life do you want to lead, Lucy?"
"What do you mean," she looked at him now.
"White or Indian?"
She raised on an elbow and stared into his eyes, "I think I want to try the white side of me now. When I began to love the Indians, I felt guilty for loving them. But the longer time went by, the more I loved them. Then I started growing up. I saw you again, and I so wanted you to notice me. But I feared you'd probably found someone, someone white to love. The day I fell out of the tree on you. I saw you and my heart stopped in my chest. I knew I loved you Aiden. I knew it probably never would come right for us, but I loved so hard."
"You couldn't stop what happened to you, Lucy. But I felt the war going on in you that day. I wanted to stop it. I wanted to tell you then what I felt. But I had so many things to worry about then."
She smiled down into his grinning face. "I've always loved you Aiden. That's not going to change."
"I love hearing that. I always have."
"Did you mean it when you said you could be trusted for one more night?"
He stared deep into her eyes now, and a sexy smile crossed his face. "How do you feel about it?"
"My white side says be nice, but… my Indian side says I'm yours." She grinned impishly.
"Tonight, I like your Indian side best. There are ways to love a woman without compromising her virtue exactly."
She turned her head in puzzlement, "There are?"
"Want me to show you?"
"Oh Aiden," she sighed, "Yes… show me."
"Take your clothes off sweetheart. I haven't had that pleasure, and I want to enjoy looking for a few minutes first." He told her.
He locked the door, then turned his full attention on her.
She smiled. She stood up and went to stand by the window. Looking out at the moonlight she took everything off and laid her clothes down, then stood silhouetted by the moonlight there.
He gasped, she was so little, her breast were high and small, but peaked from the cool air touching them. Her waist was tiny, and her hips flared just enough to be round and firm. He stared in awe of her.
"Well?" she finally asked when he didn't move or say anything but stared intently.
He sat on the edge of the bed, took his boots off, and removed his clothes. She stared now, and gasped.
He came toward her and raised her hair to caress her neck. She leaned back and his lips went lower to the perfectly raised breasts that presented themselves to him. His mouth surrounded one lovely pink peak, his tongue swirling over her nipple, making it pebble hard. She went weak in his arms and he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her down and stared at her beautiful body.
"You've been hiding under all those clothes for a long time now."
"Do I please you?"
He reached down and kissed her with such a passion, she swooned, as his hands went over her slowly, enjoying every part of her. He moved his hands to her bottom and pulled her up solidly against his erect shaft. "Oh Aiden," she gasped when his lips went further down her neck, exploring he shoulders and moving to her breast. "I've dreamed about us being together… Is that wrong."
"I don't know… but I've dreamed about it too."
She pulled him up to stare into his warm brown eyes. "You have?" she asked innocently.
"Many times." He told her.
"Then why didn't you?"
He smiled warmly at her now, "Age, time, problems always getting in my way. God, sweetheart, do you think I could sleep with you like we have and not want you?"
"I thought it was just me wanting you."
"Hardly, I wanted you at sixteen, I loved you at ten, but that was a different kind of love. But damn, when you jumped out of that tree, I couldn't hardly walk for three days, thinking about it. Just a kiss from your sweet lips, made me ready."
"It did!" she smiled.
"Do I have your permission to love your body?"
"Make love to me Aiden. I can't stand it any longer. I've waited for you so long. I can't believe the time is finally right for us… Sometimes your words would make me want you so bad."
"Tonight I’m going to make love with your body. I won't compromise you for our wedding night, but you will remember this for the rest of your life." He smiled and made his way back to the pert little nipples that stood at his attention. "You have a beautiful body… "
"Me?" She chuckled. "I'm not full breasted, I am too small."
"You! And you are gonna feel just how beautiful you are tonight."
She gasped as his teeth nipped at her nipples. Her body responded just as he knew it would. While his lips and tongue played music at her breasts, his hands went over her.
He felt her sweet love nest, it was warm, inviting, and wet. He smiled, at her readiness.
His fingers began to explore between her legs, and she moved them restlessly as he touched her there.
She moaned softly. "Oh Aiden, no one has ever touched me like this before. I feel like something is coming and I don't know what. I want something, I need you, and I love the way you touch me."
"Are you enjoying it, sweetheart."
"More than I probably should." She was breathless and reaching for his hair. She loved his hair. She ran her fingers through it restlessly as he continued to make love to her.
"Have I ever told you, how much I love your hair?" she asked, her breaths coming rapidly now.
"No, but I'm glad you like it."
"I love everything about you Aiden, your hair, your body, you lips, your hands… and your lips. I so love your kisses."
He smiled, as his lips moved down to the curve of her waist and his tongue dipped at her navel. She began to squirm as his fingers were exploring deeper now. He touched a part of her that had her coming up off the bed. "Oh my…. I don't know what's happening. It feels so wonderful. What are you doing to me?"
"Making love, sweetheart, watching your body come to me, wanting me. Do not be afraid, for what I do, I do from love."
His head went down further now, and he parted her legs, his hands going up and down her legs now as he admired them. They were so shapely, probably due to her walking so much. He kissed them, and then… everything changed as his head dipped to the soft mound of her womanhood. His hot tongue began to make love to her in a way she had never anticipated. Her body shivered with delight and expectation of more to come. She found her hips raising to his mouth, eager to meet him, thrusting against the sweet laps of his tongue. She felt something coming, she wasn't sure what, but the urge to be close had her reaching for him in every way, her fingernails dug into him, her body lifted toward him. Her mind blanked except for exquisite pleasure he brought her
The ache inside her built, the need more pronounced every moment he laved her. He touched her soul, her core and the center of her sex. She nearly came off the bed, the feelings he evoked had her body totally uncontrolled, seeking him, needing him, sighing with such unbridled passion.
"Oh Aiden…. My God…. This is beyond anything I ever knew existed. The feeling, the need."
"Go with it, let it come, enjoy it, embrace it, for it is I loving my woman as she should be loved… " He told her and continued.
She was thrashing wildly, trying to reach something she knew little about. She felt her body take control, her mind blank save for the erotic way he made love to her. She panted, she thrashed herself against him, meeting him more than halfway. She gloried in his love-making and felt she might just die when suddenly it happened. A moment transfixed in time, indescribable, yet perfect as her body shuddered against the beautiful mouth that delivered her into an orgasm she'd never known. She pulled his hair, her nails dug into him, and finally she began to bre
ath once more as the ultimate climax came that sent her spiraling into the unknown of love making.
Finally, she relaxed and collapsed.
"Oh Aiden…. Oh Aiden, what just happened."
He slowly came up to her breast where he caressed each nipple with such undying pleasure. She shivered with an aftermath of little quakes running through her body reminding her of the moment of ecstasy he had brought to her.
Once he satiated his desire for her beautiful breasts he came to her lips and kissed her with a passion that stirred her.
Her breathing was erratic as he let her go for a moment. Her eyes were shining, her lips were red from his kisses, and her mind was searching for a way to explain what happened between them.
"What happened to me?" she asked when she could finally control her breathing once more.
"We made love without compromise. I have never seen a more beautiful woman in my life. Never enjoyed watching such beauty come to life as you. You were wild, free, and totally my Lucy. I will always love you Lucy, and I have marked you as mine. But on our wedding night, I will put my brand upon you forever. For you are the one and only lady I will never share with anyone else." He smiled. "Did you enjoy it?"
"Enjoy." She laughed playfully now. "There are no words for what you have done with me."
"Good."
She laid there in his arms, and slowly went to sleep. She was exhausted from her own response. His lovemaking changed her life, brought her a new life, caressed her with his love.
But way before dawn, she woke up. She turned to look at him and smiled. He was such a handsome man. She moved the covers so she could look at him, all of him. He had opened a new world for her, a world she had no idea existed. She realized quickly that he gave to her, without regard for himself. And unselfish love. Now, she wanted to return the favor. She wanted to explore his body, as he had hers. She wanted desperately to make love with him, but to please him only this time.
She began by kissing him, he responded quickly to her kisses. She began to slowly make here all the way down his body. She found his hard-little nipples and just to test she ran her tongue over them. He jerked awake.
"Sweet one, what are you doing?" he asked with a husky voice as she continued to play at his nipples.