Perpetual Love (Albert and Anne)

by Jamie Salisbury

  All he could think of to say was, “I am not a Peeping Tom and I wasn’t spying on you.”

  “Well, I don’t know what they call it in Nevada, but in England and everywhere else I’ve been, you’re a Peeping Tom,” she raged, trying to gather her clothes while he was standing in the middle of them.

  “I am not a Peeping Tom!” he yelled, and then quietly added, “I didn’t see anything.” He was furious that he had to keep declaring his innocence.

  Anne continued to rant as she struggled to put her clothes on over her wet body, “I can’t believe I could not even come here for a little privacy without being leered at by some cowboy! Good Lord! You act as though you’ve never seen a woman before!”

  “I’ve seen many women, Anne,” he said slowly with a smile, “just very few so scantily clad.”

  At this she stood straight up, fire in her blue eyes. She dropped her clothes and stalked to face him, closer than she had ever dared before as she began, “I knew it! You did look!

  Coupled with the embarrassment of Albert seeing her in a state of undress, she realized she had lost her temper again, and it was his fault. She was now doubly furious. She managed to put her stockings back on and made an attempt to button her skirt. Struggling, she tried to pull her boots on, finding that over wet stockings, this was just not possible.

  Listening to her rage on about him being a Peeping Tom and a “Scoundrel”, along with a few other names, he tried to think if he had heard her correctly. Peeking over his shoulder, seeing she was for the most part dressed, he turned to face her. Seeing her dilemma, he approached her as she was bent over, trying to jam her foot into her boot, still raining insults on him. He bent over, grabbed the top of her boot and attempted to help her. As a result of his help, she lost her balance and had to grab for his back to keep from falling. The contact of their two bodies was a shock neither would soon forget. Albert felt himself immediately become aroused as Anne’s wet body covered his back. Quickly pulling her leg away, she backed up, not caring she was still only covered by the wet camisole from her waist up.

  “You tried to trip me!” she exclaimed, perplexed, not knowing what else to say.

  Albert straightened up and walked toward her. “Anne,” he said softly, “I didn’t mean to.” His hand reached out to caress her face, something he had wanted to do ever he first laid eyes on her.

  She turned and walked to the lake shore, slipping her shirt on. She was torn with feelings she had never felt before, having no idea how to suppress them. The closeness of him, the response of their bodies, was more than Anne could deal with at the moment. Besides, he had spied on her, seen her in a state of undress. In fact he had seen enough of her that, in England, a wedding would be required.

  He stood terribly close to her, saying in a soothing voice, “Anne, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to touch. . .to make you feel. . .to see. . .I mean, you’re a girl and I. . .”

  “What?” she asked. She wasn’t sure if she had heard him correctly and asked again, “What did you say?”

  Knowing he had committed a serious offense, Albert fumbled badly for the right thing to say. “All I was trying to say was that I was sorry that I had seen you. You’re only a girl, and I’m sorry that I had seen you dressed or really undressed, only a little. And seeing your. . .”

  Anger filled her as she thought, “He called me that again! I am not a girl! I am a woman and I have a woman’s emotions and a woman’s body! He has embarrassed me for the last time. He needs to be taught a lesson.”

  Softening perceptibly, Anne looked into his sensual eyes as she walked to him. She said softly, “Albert, it’s all right. I know you enjoyed seeing me like this. If you’d not made yourself known, you would have seen more. I won’t tell anyone, no one needs to know that you and I were here today and that we. . .” She moistened her lips with her small pink tongue.

  Albert’s eyes watched every move she made and, when she came to him, slipping her arms around his neck, pressing her wet chest against his, a guttural moan escaped his lips. He thought, “This is not at all like Anne. Perhaps this is another side to her I need to explore.”

  Her lips kissed his neck, her warm breath sent currents coursing through his body. His arms crushed her to him. He felt her breasts straining for release against his chest as she whispered to him, “Go ahead, Albert, take it off.”

  His long fingers fumbled with the tiny buttons of her camisole as she stood facing him, his back to the lake. While he worked diligently on the buttons, her lips nibbled on his earlobes, encouraging him, as her fingers unbuttoned his shirt. She slipped her hands inside, caressing his chest, her fingers running over his nipples. He let out a soft groan as her hands played havoc with his self control. When he had two buttons undone and the prizes he longed to hold were so very close, she did something he would later laugh about. Molding herself closer to him, her tongue teasing his ear, she whispered, “Don’t ever spy on me again, Albert Stuart!” Then she pushed on his chest with every bit of strength she had and watched as he, off balance, fell into the lake.

  Standing there, buttoning herself up, she called to him. “That’s for calling me a ‘girl’, Albert! You may have guessed by now I’m no girl, I am a woman. I would have thought you knew that when you watched as I came out of the lake.” Turning, she grabbed her blanket and her bag, and ran to mount her horse, kicking him into a run back to the house.

  Sitting on his bottom, soaking wet in the lake, he watched her ride off as he said to himself, “I’m going to marry that woman!”

  Arriving at Sky Valley, Anne found Ben, Henry and Thomas sitting on the porch talking. The boys were dressed for an evening on the town.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Stuart. How are you gentlemen this fine afternoon?” Anne asked, alighting from her horse.

  “We’re all just fine, Anne.” Thomas replied. “George told us you had gone out riding and that Albert had gone after you.”

  “Yes sir, I decided this morning to take a ride to Topaz Lake. It certainly is beautiful there.”

  “Hmm,” Thomas thought. “Anne didn’t mention Albert. Perhaps he didn’t find her.”

  “By the way you two are dressed, I assume you are going into town for the evening, Anne said, smiling at Henry and Ben.

  Ben, as always, could not hold his curiosity or his tongue, and blurted out, “Anne, how come your hair is all wet?”

  “Oh, I went swimming at the lake,” she explained.

  At that moment Albert rode up on Diablo, his clothes still wet from the lake. His brothers and father took one look at him with Ben and Henry bursting into laughter.

  When they could control their laughter, Henry asked, “Albert, you do a little swimming’ too?”

  “Doesn’t look like he went swimming’ Henry, Ben said, grinning. “Looks to me like he fell in clothes and all!”

  Ignoring his brother’s laughter, Albert got off Diablo in one swift motion. With a smile on his face, he strode to Anne, taking her arm, none to gently, and telling his family as he led her to the barn, “You’ll have to excuse Anne and me for a while.”

  Albert led Anne into the barn and shut the door. Henry turned to Thomas and asked, “He isn’t going to whip her, is he?”

  “No, Henry,” Thomas said chuckling. “I believe Albert wants to talk to Anne privately. We best stay here, no better yet, you boys go on to town.”

  Before he thought, Ben replied, “Not on your life. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Thomas shot him a look, “What did you say, young man?”

  “Sorry, nothing sir,” Ben replied.

  Albert had heard Henry’s comment on the way to the barn and thought, “A whipping is long overdue for Miss Wallace. She might just get one before the day is through.”

  Leading her into the barn and shutting the door, he let go of her. As she jerked her arm away from him and started to tell him just what she thought of him, she was stopped by the look on his face.

  He calmly told her, “Now you are going
to listen to me Anne. I wasn’t peeping, as you so eloquently called it. I was worried about your being off by yourself. I went looking for you and just happened to find you, well just that way. What were you thinking going off on your own? Anything could have happened to you! Indians. . .”

  Anne was no longer angry, but for some reason she couldn’t understand, she felt anxious as she replied, “I wasn’t concerned about the Indians. I thought I could go there for a little privacy and a swim to get some relief from the heat. I had no idea that Peeping Toms were so rampant in Nevada.”

  “I am NOT a Peeping Tom!” Albert bellowed.

  “Do not yell at me! And you are a Peeping Tom!” Anne shot back at him.

  Out in the courtyard Thomas shook his head, saying louder than he intended to, “Peeping Tom? Lord, what has my son gone and done now?”

  Henry and Ben looked at each other and busted out laughing - again!

  “Did Anne call Albert a Peepin’ Tom?” Ben asked, laughing. “Now he’s been called a lot of things, but never a Peepin’ Tom.”

  “I didn’t think old Albert had to sneak around to see a gal nekkid. Why I remember. . .” Henry laughed as a memory flashed through his head.

  “Boys!” Thomas’ voice thundered. “That is enough!”

  “Sorry, sir,” they both said sheepishly.

  Inside the barn, the battle raged on.

  “Anne, I don’t have to sneak around to see a woman nude. There are plenty of women who willingly. . .”

  “I can just imagine what type of woman is attracted to you and your crude behavior,” Anne looked at Albert haughtily.

  “Anne! Damn it! I was concerned, no, worried, that something had happened to you. You don’t know the terrain or the people. You could have gotten hopelessly lost in the desert!” Albert exclaimed. “Now, I’m sorry that I saw you almost nude, but I won’t apologize for my reaction. You’re a beautiful woman with a beautiful body.” He stopped himself, realizing that he was about to get himself in more hot water. “But you had no call to tease me the way you did.”

  “You called me a girl!” she screamed.

  Out in the yard, Henry turned to Ben and said, “She’s mad because Albert called her a girl? Isn’t that what she is?”

  “Naw Henry. Anne’s no girl,” Ben said grinning. “Anne’s a woman.”

  Thomas sat chuckling to himself thinking, “I do believe my eldest son has met his match.”

  “Anne, now I mean it. . .” Albert began, his anger beginning to rise.

  “No, you listen to me Albert Stuart. I am not a girl! I am a woman! I would have thought that an intelligent man like yourself would know that, after seeing me soaking wet in my underwear! What are you? Blind?” She challenged him.

  Now all ears, Thomas, Ben and Henry looked at each other as Ben voiced their confusion. “Albert saw Anne how?”

  Shrugging their shoulders and shaking their heads, the three men continued to listen intently.

  Inside the barn, Albert had grown tired of trying to explain to Anne his reasoning for being at the lake. Anne still seemed angry, and she refused to listen to reason. As he watched her, he thought she was never more beautiful than at that very moment, except for an hour and a half ago at the lake. He noted that when she lost her temper, her eyes turned a deep sapphire blue.

  Albert did what he had wanted to do since he had met her. He grabbed her arm, pulling her to him and kissed her deeply for the first time. Anne had never been kissed this way before and found herself kissing him back. Her hands caressed him as her fingers ran through the curls at the nape of his neck. He tightened his grip on her as his tongue explored the warm, sweet depths of her mouth. She offered no resistance and returned his kiss. His hands moved from her waist to her back, gently caressing her as he pulled her closer to him.

  Anne had been surprised that he hadn’t kissed her way before now. She had felt a strong attraction between them from the moment they met. She had longed to be in his arms, feeling him, kissing him. Never before had a man made her feel the way he did. They had a connection that had drawn them to each other.

  Moaning, he whispered, “I know you’re a woman, Anne. I didn’t need to see you that way today to know that.” He held her body close to his as he kissed her again.

  He had decided on the ride back that she needed to be kissed and kissed a lot, but only by him. Anne had captured his heart and touched something deep inside of him, something he had searched for but never found until Anne. The perfect woman for him to love. He realized this early on, but after today, she was going to be his.

  Leaning back, his arms still holding her, as he looked into her eyes and said, “I’m not sorry about today, Anne. I was worried about you being alone. Anything could have happened. Seeing you that way made me realize I never want another man to see you as I did, or kiss you the way I am.”

  “You better never tell anyone about today,” she said softly, smiling as her lips found his, her arms holding him to her.

  “Hey,” Henry began. “It’s awful quiet in there. Think we ought to check on them? You think Anne done killed him?”

  Knowing his son, and remembering what it was like to love a woman, Thomas shook his head, and told his sons, “No, they’re fine. Let’s go on in the house, or better yet you boys go on into town.” He smiled as he rose and went in.

  Chapter Five

  Albert now looked forward to every day, knowing he would be spending it with Anne. He had found what he had been searching for in her, and was now content with his life. As their relationship grew, so did his brothers questions.

  One afternoon, while Albert was repairing a lariat, Henry began peppering him with questions.

  “Albert,” Henry asked, “how come you and Anne are only seeing each other? What about them other gals you were sweet on before she got here?”

  “Henry, I wasn’t sweet on any of those women, they were just someone to pass the time with. I have no interest in anyone else but Anne.”

  “Then does that mean if another fella asked Anne to go somewhere with him, she’d turn him down?”

  “Yes, I imagine so,” Albert responded. “What, what other man is interested in asked Anne out?”

  Henry shrugged, telling him, “Nobody I know, I was just whatiffin’ with you.”

  “Do Ben a favor, Henry,” Albert began, “tell him about Anne and me. Then there will be no misunderstandings.”

  “Albert, I wasn’t talking about Ben. I was just whatiffin’ with you,” Henry told him.

  At his brother’s last remark, Albert went back to making his repairs. That is until Ben joined them. “Hey, Albert,” Ben began, “I got a question for you. I know you don’t like to talk about private things and such, but remember that day when Anne was givin’ you all get out in the barn?”

  Sighing, tired of hearing about being a Peeping Tom, Albert answered, “Yes, Ben, I remember. Why?”

  “I still can’t figure out why she was so mad about you calling her a girl,” Ben said, shaking his head.

  “That Ben, is because Anne is a woman and I mistakenly referred to her as a girl,” Albert explained. It was enough for Albert to know she did not like the term. He for one, certainly wouldn’t call her that again.

  After that day in the barn, Anne and Albert were inseparable. They were openly affectionate with each other and did not care what anyone thought. One evening, as Albert and Anne sat on the porch, looking at a full moon, he leaned over and gently kissed her.

  She gave him a curious look, to which he responded, “Because I wanted to and because I told you, you need to be kissed a lot.”

  Rising from her chair, she went and sat in his lap. Placing her arms around his shoulders, she softly returned his kiss and said, “I love your ideas.” His arms pulled her closer. As he kissed her, Henry and Ben walked out onto the porch.

  “Is that all you two do anymore?” Ben asked. “Every time I see you two, you’re smooching. It’s kind of scary.”

  “Why is it scary
Ben?” Albert laughed.

  “It just isn’t natural for you to be acting that way. You have never been that way with no other gal, ever,” Ben said.

  Anne smiling at Albert then replied, “Good! It’s nice to know I have no other competition.”

  “You’ve never had any competition, Anne,” Albert told her pulling her back into his arms.

  Not thinking, Henry added, “Why I remember, when old Albert used to be worse than Ben here. He had so many gals. . .” Henry never finished his statement as Ben’s elbow found his ribs.

  “Now why’d you go and do that Ben?” Henry asked. Then after seeing the look on Albert’s face added, “Sorry Anne, I was just messin’ around.”

  Anne rose from Albert’s lap telling them men, “That’s all right Henry. I really should be going in, if you all will excuse me.”

  “Anne,” Albert said, taking her arm and leading her away from the house.

  “They aren’t going back to the barn to yell some more are they?” Henry asked.

  “And you say I don’t think before I run my mouth,” Ben said walking away, shaking his head.

  “Anne,” Albert said soothingly, “don’t pay any attention to them. They’re just joking.” He led her to the far side of the courtyard, away from the others, so they could talk.

  She didn’t want to admit it, but Henry’s comments had bothered her. She knew Albert had been with other women, but she did not want to be told about it.

  “I know you had a life before me, Albert, and I’m sure you’re quite popular with the women in town,” she started.

  “Anne, I haven’t seen anyone since the say you arrived.”

  “Albert, really you don’t have to,” she started.

  Albert pulled her to him and kissed her long and gently. “Anne, hush. You know my heart, there is no one else, nor could there ever be.”

  Chapter Six

  Plans were underway for a big celebration in Carson City the following week to celebrate Independence Day. Albert and Anne planned to attend along with the rest of the Stuart family, including George.