by Ali Spooner
With a deep sigh, Nat stood and walked back into the cabin. Marissa had lit candles in the bathing area and had set out fresh towels for them to use. Marissa had made them a cup of coffee and was sitting at the kitchen table when Nat entered. They ate the meal Marissa had prepared and talked quietly.
She looked up at Nat. “Will you return here at the end of the fall?”
“I will definitely be coming back here,” Nat said. “The latest would be at the end of fall.”
“My heart already misses you,” Marissa said.
Nat smiled warmly at Marissa, but had no words of comfort for her. She could not tell her exactly when she would return and would not fill her with false hope.
“I can’t believe how quickly this day has passed,” Marissa said, as she stood to walk out to check the water temperature.
When Marissa entered carrying a bucket of steaming water, Nat joined her in carrying the water in for their bath. After several trips each, they had plenty of water and stripped out of their clothing to enjoy a steamy bath.
Nat climbed in first and then Marissa followed and rested her head on Nat’s shoulder. “This feels really good,” she said.
“I will miss our bath times,” Nat said. “Not too many opportunities for hot water in the woods,” she said with a chuckle.
“How do you bathe?” Marissa asked.
“Usually in very chilly streams and lakes,” Nat said.
“I can understand why a hearty meal and a bath are so appealing to you then.”
“I typically don’t get to lay my head back and hold a beautiful woman in my arms when I bathe in the wild,” Nat said with a chuckle.
“It makes me happy to know that you think I am beautiful,” Marissa said.
“You are beautiful and thoughts of you will keep me warm on the long chilly nights,” Nat said.
“That is so sweet of you to say.”
“You have given me so many fond memories to take with me, Marissa,” she said as she nuzzled into her lover’s neck.
“If you keep talking like that you will have me crying again,” she warned.
“I am sorry, but it is the truth.”
Marissa sighed. “I know exactly how you feel.”
She turned in Nat’s arms to face her and leaned in for a kiss. “I will miss your sweet kisses, too.”
“I promise to make up for lost time when I return,” Nat grinned.
“You had better give me plenty tonight then to hold me for a while then,” Marissa teased back.
“That is no problem,” Nat said as she held Marissa in her arms and kissed her softly.
They kissed until they were breathless with passion and Marissa locked eyes with Nat. “It is time you take me to bed.”
They climbed from the bath tub and dried their bodies. Nat took Marissa by the hand and led her to the bedroom. They lay down beside one another and continued to kiss as their hands caressed and explored the other’s body.
Nat rolled Marissa onto her back and touched between her legs to find her body drenched with excitement. She locked eyes with Marissa and watched them glaze over with passion as she entered her body with two long fingers and gently caressed her delicate body. Nat’s mouth moved down across Marissa’s breasts, tantalizing her nipples with an expert tongue. Marissa arched her back, tempting Nat to take more of her hypersensitive flesh into her mouth, but Nat continued to tease Marissa into a frenzy of desire. The juices of her passion spilled into Nat’s palm as Marissa’s body climaxed with a violent shudder as she called out Nat’s name and pulled her head firmly onto her breast.
Nat could feel Marissa’s inner muscles quivering around her fingers as her climax faded and she slowed the movement of her fingers as she suckled her breasts and massaged Marissa’s swollen clit with her thumb.
“You are driving me mad with desire,” Marissa purred as she arched her back, filling Nat’s mouth with her breast.
Nat suckled her breast until she felt Marissa’s body vibrate with pleasure and then lowered her mouth to take Marissa’s throbbing clit deep into her mouth, sucking it gently in and out of her mouth. Marissa’s body gushed with a flow of pleasure as Nat’s tongue fervently lapped up her sweetness. The taste of Marissa’s passion filled Nat’s senses and she allowed Marissa to roll her onto her back.
Marissa’s body burned with excitement as she lowered her face into Nat’s wetness for a long, deep, sensual kiss as her fingers twisted Nat’s aching nipples.
“Turn your body toward me,” Nat instructed between groans and Marissa climbed to her knees, turning her body to Nat’s reach. Nat penetrated her body with three fingers and thrust deeply inside Marissa’s velvety wetness, mimicking the movement of the tongue inside her body.
Marissa’s deep moans of pleasure vibrated inside Nat’s body and her body erupted onto Marissa’s face, soaking her with her wetness as Marissa bucked wildly onto Nat’s thrusting fingers.
Nat lifted Marissa’s head to cover her clit as Marissa continued her wild ride and her excitement flowed through her body to her mouth as she greedily sucked Nat’s clit until they both were overwhelmed with passion and collapsed breathing hard onto the bed.
Marissa’s head rested on Nat’s chest as they waited for their bodies to calm. “You make me feel so incredible, Nat,” she whispered against Nat’s skin.
“That feeling is mutual,” Nat said as she softly stroked Marissa’s hair.
Silence hung between them as they embraced and when Nat heard the soft purring of Marissa sleeping she carefully pulled the linens up to cover their bodies.
PART EIGHTEEN
Nat woke the following morning to the smell of bacon cooking. She climbed from the bed and pulled a night shirt over her body before walking to the kitchen to find Marissa toiling away.
Marissa looked and up smiled as Nat approached. “I had to send you off with a full stomach.”
“It smells wonderful. How long have you been awake?”
“For almost an hour,” Marissa said.
“Long enough to cook fresh biscuits and bacon,” Nat said with a grin.
“I have eggs too. I was just waiting for you to wake. Fried or scrambled?” she asked.
“Fried ma’am if you please,” she answered.
“Did you sleep well?” Marissa asked.
“Like a rock and you?”
Marissa blushed slightly. “So well, I fell asleep on you.”
“That’s all right. Last night was beautiful,” Nat said.
“Yes, it was,” Marissa said as she cracked a half a dozen eggs into the frying pan. “Will you break up a biscuit and some bacon for Gyp in her bowl while I finish the eggs?”
“Yes ma’am,” Nat said. “Are you hungry Gyp?”
Gyp sat at Nat’s feet and her entire body wiggled.
Marissa smiled at Gyp as she dropped two fried eggs into her bowl and then served the remainder onto her plate and Nat’s.
Nat mashed up her fried eggs and took a bite of bacon as she dipped half a biscuit into the yellow mixture to sop up the yoke. “Are you sure I can’t hide you away in one of my packs?” Nat asked.
“No, my love, even with all your skills, I would not do well living like you do,” Marissa answered.
“I know, but I couldn’t help but ask one last time,” Nat said.
“I have to leave for work soon. Will you stop by after you are packed?”
“I couldn’t leave town without saying goodbye,” Nat said.
“I would have to hunt you down if you did,” Marissa said.
“Now that could be fun,” Nat teased.
“I love you Nat, don’t ever forget that,” Marissa said.
“I love you too, Marissa and will come back to you,” Nat promised.
Marissa stood and carried her plate to the counter to hide the tears in her eyes. “You two better eat all this food, so I don’t have to store it,” she said.
“I don’t think that is going to be a problem,” Nat said. “We both love your cooking
.”
“I will go get dressed and will be back shortly,” Marissa said.
Nat and Gyp finished off the breakfast Marissa had made for them as they waited for her return.
“How long do you think you will be?” Marissa asked when she returned to the kitchen.
“No more than an hour,” Nat said. “I just need to pack the animals and saddle Hardy for the trip.”
Marissa embraced Nat and kissed her passionately. “I will see you soon then, my love,” she said and turned to rush from the cabin.
Nat rinsed off her plate and Gyp’s bowl and then turned to her companion. “Are you ready to get started?”
Gyp jumped to her feet and rushed to the door.
“Not quite that fast,” Nat said. Nat picked up her old boots and carefully slipped the jars of chowder down inside them for protection and then added a pack of the food Marissa had wrapped to add cushioning to the glass jars. She then tied the boots together using a thin strip of rawhide and hung them over the bundle of clothing.
Nat walked to the bedroom to dress in the new breeches Maggie had sewn for her, a new work shirt and the new boots Maggie had made. Everything fit well and Nat felt good as she walked from the bedroom.
Nat picked up the small pack and walked to her cabin to add the final pack to her growing pile. She then walked out to the barn to saddle Hardy and prepare Buck and Quincy to carry the packs. She led all three animals to the hitching post and tied their leads securely.
Nat walked inside and picked up the largest packs and strapped them onto the harness across Buck’s shoulders. She returned to the cabin and picked up the remaining three packs and tied them onto Quincy’s back. She walked through the cabin to make sure she was not leaving anything behind and with a soft sigh she closed the door behind her and led the animals down to Marissa’s.
Nat walked inside to pick up her bedroll and range coat which she tied onto the back of her saddle. She then walked back inside to collect her rifle and took it out to slide it into the sheath tied to her saddle. Nat was just about to mount Hardy when she had an idea. She turned and walked back into the cabin and walked to the bedroom. She carefully took the bear claw necklace from around her neck and placed it on Marissa’s pillow. The scar on her face would remind her of the bear she had killed and the cabin where her father was buried and his grave would remind Nat of her father. Nat was leaving her most personal possession behind for Marissa and she hoped she would understand the commitment Nat was making to her.
Pleased with the thought, Nat turned and walked from the cabin. She placed a foot in the stirrup and mounted Hardy. She reached down and took the lead for Buck and they started toward town. Quincy was tethered behind Buck and trotted excitedly behind the large horse. Gyp took the lead and walked quickly in front of Nat and Hardy.
Nat turned in her saddle before they left the yard and took one long last look at her new home.
Nat rode first to Smithy’s store and found Maggie and Smithy sitting on the front porch waiting for her. She smiled brightly when she saw the two of them waiting for her.
“Good morning, my friends,” she said as she dismounted and stepped onto the porch.
“No chance of talking you out of going is there?” Maggie asked.
“No, but I will be back,” Nat said.
Smithy stood up and handed her a small cloth wrapped bundle. “I wanted to give you this before you left,” he said as he looked down at Nat.
Nat opened the bundle and found a beautifully hand carved knife handle attached to a gleaming new blade. “This is beautiful, Smithy,” she raved.
“The handle is made from a piece of the whale bones you brought back,” he said. “It was Maggie’s idea and she helped me with the carvings.”
“You both did a wonderful job,” Nat said with tears forming.
Maggie had also stitched a heavy sheath that could be placed on Nat’s belt and she smiled when Nat unfastened her belt and hung the knife and sheath there.
“All set now,” Nat said. She hugged each of them tightly. “Thanks for such a wonderful gift.”
“Hurry back to us,” Smithy said.
“I will,” Nat said as she took Hardy’s reins and led him to the hotel to say a final goodbye to Marissa.
She dropped the reins over the hitching post and was about to step onto the porch when Marissa ran into her arms. Nat embraced her and could feel Marissa’s body trembling. “Come home to me soon,” Marissa said.
“I will,” Nat said.
“Damn you look handsome in those new clothes,” Marissa said and Nat returned her compliment with a painful smile.
Nat turned away from Marissa before the tears began and mounted Hardy. Nat tucked her hair underneath her hat and smiled at Marissa. “I love you,” she said, as she turned Hardy toward the road from town
Nat turned and waved at her friends then disappeared from view as she took a trail that would take her deep into the woods.
Her heart ached with the sound of Hardy’s footsteps, each step taking her further away from the woman she loved. She rode for several hours as the sun traveled across the sky and dark clouds were ushered in on a cool wind. Just after a short lunch break, the mist began to fall and by midafternoon rain was pelting down upon them. Nat stopped to cover the packs with new ground tarps and slipped her arms inside her range coat. She mounted Hardy and pulled the brim of her hat down as they continued their journey to the cave where they would spend the night.
Nat knew she was about another hours ride from the cave and she prayed that no one else had used the cave and depleted the pile of dry wood she had stored there several months ago when she had left the woods. The rain seemed to have settled in comfortably and would more than likely last all night. There would be no chance of finding dry wood in this weather and Nat knew she may be in for a long, uncomfortable, first night in the woods.
She was relieved when the surrounding area began to look familiar and she found the small trail that would lead back to the cave. There was no sign that anyone had traveled the path recently so Nat’s hopes for dry wood soared. She dismounted Hardy at the mouth of the cave and led the animals inside away from the falling rain.
Nat walked to the back of the cave and nearly jumped for joy when she saw the pile of wood, just as she had left it. She took an armful to the fire pit and started a fire then turned to tend to the animals. She unsaddled Hardy and took the rifle from its sheath and leaned it against a boulder where it would be close at hand if needed. Then she removed the packs from Buck and Quincy and dried each of them off the best she could with an old saddle blanket. Nat then hung the blanket and her coat to dry as she watched the rain come down in earnest just beyond the mouth of the cave.
“Well this certainly isn’t the start I had hoped for,” Nat said as she removed her hat and shook the rain drops from it.
The fire grew quickly as she spread out her bedroll and then pulled a bundle of food from her spare boots. Nat and Gyp feasted on fried chicken and corn bread while their companions ate oats from their feed bags. After their meal, Nat sat with her back resting against her saddle with her hand buried in Gyp’s fur as she stared into the flames and listened to the falling rain.
Marissa had a miserable day and took off early from the hotel. When she walked into the cabin she immediately sensed how empty if felt without Nat and Gyp there waiting for her. Her heart sank as she pushed the door closed behind her and stoked the fire. She wondered how Nat and her traveling companions were faring as they holed up for the night.