by Gunn, Autumn
"What is it?"
"Jonathan finished all the property development work here in Colorado. He spoke with Abby and they're moving to the Sierra Nevadas. They're going to develop there. Around Mammoth Lakes. There are lot of Chinese buyers. Really good friends and business partners of my Jonathan's. They got priced out of the Vancouver market, and wanted to stay on the West Coast. They know there are a lot of other people from Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing that want to come over. Even other parts of China. The demand is huge. My dad wants to develop there, but also help foreigners see the opportunities available in the U.S. The country you helped keep safe."
"So they're leaving. Wow. Do they know about us?"
"Yes, I told Jonathan after he told me he and Abby were leaving. He was supportive. He said in life when you find people that mean the world to you, hold onto them with everything you got. They don't come along very often. Sometimes never. A good business partner is extremely hard to find. A partner for life, even harder."
I didn't say anything at first. Just took it in. Still surprised, but of course as a Marine I was prepared.
"Jonathan and Abby even offered us the house and property."
I couldn't believe it. While I laid in a hospital bed in Iraq, Emily had taken care of everything. What an amazing woman. Words couldn't do it justice.
Emily was smiling. She was holding my arms tight. "You're awfully quiet. What do you think?"
"First. I think you're amazing. But you already know that. Second, it's incredible how things are working out. The incident in Iraq really got me down, but it may have somehow turned out to be a huge blessing in disguise. Third, there is something I didn't tell you."
"Oh no. Do I want to hear this?"
"You do."
"Sure? Everything seems so perfect right now."
"We're both outdoors people. We need the fresh air, the animals, the tranquility." I paused.
"And..."
"In that hospital in Iraq I was in the cot next to a Marine from Pennsylvania. We got to know each other really well. Did some rehab together. And of course lots of ping pong. Once I knew I was getting discharged he volunteered to make some calls. Help get me set up."
"Set up for what?"
"I really appreciate Jonathan and Abby's incredible offers, but I am my own man. I need to put my own stake in the ground in this life. I took my hazardous duty pay and bought us a piece of land along the Appalachian Trail. I may not be fit for the Corps, but I can still ride bikes, jump out of planes, swim in the lakes, and get my adrenaline kicks in other ways. More healthy ways even. Like how you make my heart race when we're together. I thought we could build a little cabin there. You and me. I can run a little adventure resort and rehab center for Marines and other service men and women coming home that need to sort through some issues and you can practice environmental law. You're already dialed in with all your connections from the property development permits and such. And I know how much you love animals. Of course I'll have to get special training to properly assist the veterans, but being a veteran myself I think I'll be able to relate to what they're going through. Build that bond and hopefully get them up and running again. Transition back to civilian life as quickly and productively as possible. I know it's going to be tough. Real tough. But I'm ready for the challenge. And I'm ready for us."
Emily closed her eyes. When she opened them again a tear streamed down from the corner of her left eye onto her cheek.
"I love you. You are the most incredible man I've ever met. I want to be with you forever."
"And me with you."
I got down on one knee. Emily put both hands to her face. The tears were streaming like a waterfall.
"Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God, yes. Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes a million times and forever."
"But I haven't even asked you?
"You never needed to. I was yours from the first time I saw you."
I pulled the little box from my pocket. Emily extended her hand. The ring fit perfectly.
"It's so beautiful. Where did you get it?"
"I bought it in Iraq. Or should I say attempted to buy it. The village nearby the base had a lady who handmade jewelry. She was 82 years young and still going strong. Noora Bata was her name. When I told her the story about you, about us, she listened to the whole thing. A tear formed in her eye and she just looked at me and said, for you. Take. I will accept nothing for it, just your promise to love this woman forever. I agreed, of course. She smiled and made a motion towards the door. For me to go. I smiled and left. That was it."
"How did you know my size?"
"I didn't. When I was looking at it I put it between the fingers of my hand. Imagining we were holding hands. I always remembered what that felt like."
"You are amazing."
"I found the diamond when I was nine. I was up in the old Kelsey Lake Diamond Mine. I was just messing around. A boy and his imagination. I stumbled across it and put it in my pocket. Took it home. I never showed anyone. Until today."
"It must be worth a small fortune."
"The diamond. I wouldn't know. Honestly I wouldn't care to know. The real treasure is the beautiful young woman on who's hand it rests now and forever. She is priceless. One of a kind, just like that stone."
Emily grabbed me by the shoulders to lift me up. She was crying. Tears of joy. I grabbed the underside of her thighs and lifted her off the ground. Her mouth hard against mine. I steadied her with my right hand and with the left grabbed the bottom of her white dress, which was now somewhere around her waist and lifted it up over her head. It had been five long years, but I hadn't forgotten a single curve on that bottom. All those curves and edges. I wanted to take them all in. All at once.
I started with her neck. Kissing it softly then harder. Working my way up to just below her ear and kissing her neck. Then a bit to her earlobe. She moaned. Her head dropped back. I cupped the back of her head and pulled her hair. She breathed out hard. I kissed her breast through her semi transparent white bra. The bra was firm to support her curves, but she didn't need it. They were better on their own. Beautiful as they were intended to be. With one hand I unhooked the bra. I buried my head into her beautiful mountainous chest.
I walked us inside the barn. As we passed the supplies I grabbed a freshly cleaned blanket from the pile and laid it down on the new hay. I laid Emily out on the blanket. Not stopping with the kisses, exploring tongue, or possessing hands.
I kissed her over the top of her matching semi transparent panties. Then with my tongue. Up and down. Up and down on her folds. She was wet. Dripping. I was hard. I could feel the pre-cum of my own.
I bit the side of her panties and lifted her legs together to the side. Removing the panties with my mouth. I dove in head first. My tongue playing with her clit. Teasing. Twirling. Figure eights. Circles. Back and forth. Extra attention to the clit's most sensitive position. The One O'Clock position.
"I'm going to come."
"Come on my face."
Her body shuddered. Then shook. A series of spasms.
"You taste so delicious."
She put both her hands on my face and pulled me up to kiss her. Our tongues one.
"Fuck me. Please fuck me." She grabbed my ass with both hands and then reached around with both hands to remove my belt. I was already about to explode.
I unzipped my jeans and she frantically slid down my jeans and black boxer briefs.
"Oh my God. I want that in me. I want to taste it first."
I stood up to slip out of my pants. The second they were off my sex was in her mouth. She was sucking the shaft. Twisting about an inch each time she hit the tip. She put her hands on my ass to brace herself as she took all 9 inches. Her eyes rolled back in her head.
"I'm too fired up." I slid my cock all the way out and gently pushed her back onto the blanket. Immediately I was on top of her."
"Fuck me. Fuck me now. Fuck me hard."
I slid my tip around her folds. Teasing. Stimulating. I c
ouldn't take it any more. From the look on her face neither could she.
I knew this was her first time. She told me in her letters she was waiting on me, but growing hornier by the day. We had joked about our first time being in the airport bathroom. Maybe even on the runway.
Even though she was encouraging me to give it all I had I wanted to make sure she was OK. We had a lifetime of passion ahead of us. We'd remember this moment forever.
I slowly slid in the tip. She was dripping. She moaned. "Deeper."
I pulled back and slid in about three inches. "Deeper. I want more."
I pulled back and slid in continuing slowly until about seven inches was inside. "Oh yeah."
I slid in straight, from the side, up to down, elevated her pelvis then down to up. Every direction I could think of. I wanted to feel every millimeter of her pussy. And I did.
"I'm going to go for it. Are you ready?"
"I'm ready."
I flipped her over. Slapped her ass with my right hand. She screamed out. I put my cock in and thrust with the whole 9 inches.
"Ohhhhhh!"
"Are you OK?"
"Yes. So good. Just fill me, please."
I pulled back and let loose with five years of lust. Finishing what we had started five years ago. I buried my hardness inside her over and over again. I cupped her right breast with my right hand and pulled her hair back hard with my left. My eyes rolled back in my head. I never felt so good in my life. I let go of her hair and tit and grabbed her waist hard with both hands and began to drive my cock deep inside. I was possessing her and she was possessing me. I felt my balls tighten and that feeling inside when a man knows he's going to come in about three seconds.
"I'm gonna cum."
"Cum inside me."
I thrust twice more and then it happened. On the third thrust my entire body collapsed and shot all its power out through my cock. Right inside her. She screamed. She shook. She came. I felt her pussy clench around my dick. My cock had just owned her pussy and now her pussy literally owned my dick. I couldn't pull out if I wanted to. A few clenches later and her pussy walls relaxed. I just laid there. On top of her with my dick still inside. Spent. Totally.
The night was warm, but we still plugged in a small space heater. Keeping it close, but protected away from the hay in a safe heating unit container specifically designed to use in situations like these.
We were like rabbits all night. Fucking. Exploring. Fucking. Talking. Laughing. Not a moment of sleep. Not a single desire to sleep either.
The sun began to come up and I got up to let the horses out to graze. I locked the barn from the inside and went back to lie down with Emily. We were exhausted. We passed out straight away.
Nine months later
I was down by the creek gathering fresh water when my walkie talkie beeped. I dropped the water and ran up to the cabin.
Sara, our midwife, looked at me. Her water broke. It's time.
For the next 72 minutes held Emily's hand. Emily and Sara did all the work. Then the proudest moment of my life. Jackson Strickland was born. 8 pounds 7 oz. He would grow up here. Along the Appalachian trail. He would learn to be a self sufficient boy here in the woods. Of course he had our love and support all the way, but we decided we wanted to prepare him in a way where he could learn as much as he could. A place where his imagination could run free. A land of fewer people, but stronger bonds with others people, animals, and nature. It was familiar to me. Like a platoon. One for all and all for one.
Sara handed Jackson to Emily. He had my eyes and Emily's calmness.
I reached down and kissed Emily full on the mouth. "I love you. I love Jackson. I love our family."
There are few certainties in this world. Especially living in the wildness. This much, our love, is the one certainty which I will always know.