by Paula Mabbel
She ignored her brain and edged herself closer to Edward’s hand, so that he had no option but to dip his fingers into her. She could hear his breathing change as his fingers become moist to the touch.
“Should I lay back and think of England?” Sophia said as she watched Edward unfasten his pants in haste.
“You should do no such thing.” Edward said with a laugh as he walked over to his with his hardness freed from the pants that had been holding it prisoner.
Sophia took a sharp intake of breath as nerves took over her body, but then Edward’s hands were cupping the small of her back and he was sliding himself inside of her. He was giving her something that no other person had ever given her before and she knew in that moment that she was finally living.
Edward found a gentle pace. Sophia was sure that he was being gentle so that he didn’t hurt her. She could feel something building up inside. It was pushing against her skin as it tried to explode from her body. Her breathing got quicker as her fingers started to dig into his back and then an explosion. It was like the moon and the stars were born in that very moment. It was like she had been born again. It was like every happy moment you could ever hope to have in a lifetime and then it faded and she found herself shivering in the snow.
She stood silently for a minute as her brain tried to process what had just happened. She looked at Edward whose face was full of thought and then she watched him as he spoke.
“Sophia I want you to leave with me tomorrow. I don’t want you to be just another girl. I want to always have you by my side. You can put a smile on my lips where others might only put sadness and I need you.” Edward said with pleading eyes that could carry nothing but honesty.
******
Sophia looked at the clock that stood by her door. It was early morning and the sun was yet to make an appearance above the horizon. She looked at her pillows and considered trying to sleep some more, but she knew that it would be pointless. Her mind was racing with the words that Edward had left her with the night before and what she was going to do about them.
She knew her mother would never allow her to leave with Edward unless they were married. She knew that a morning wasn’t enough to throw a wedding either, not that Edward had actually asked her to marry him. He’d asked her to run away with him and for some reason; Sophia found that more exciting than the idea of a white dress and wedding ring.
She pushed the covers off of her body and let the icy chill, take a stab at her skin, as she stood up and pulled on her dressing gown. The fire in her room hadn’t quite gone out from the night before and it didn’t take her long to stoke the fire back into good health.
As the room heated up, she called down to the maids to prepare her some breakfast to have in her room. She knew that her mother wouldn’t awake for another few hours and her stomach was already growling with hunger.
It didn’t take the maids long to bring up a fine breakfast of left over meats from the night before and Sophia ate until she was full. She could feel her mind buzzing with thoughts as she sat quietly eating. She could feel the offer that Edward had presented her with as it ticked closer to the time when she would have to make up her mind.
After breakfast, she headed downstairs and found her mother sitting in the parlor room.
“Mother I need to talk with you.” Sophia said quietly as she entered the room.
“What is it?” Her mother asked with concern when she noticed the distracted look on her daughter’s face.
“I have to ask you something. I know it’s something that you won’t agree with, but I need you to give me your blessing anyway.” Sophia said.
“What is it?” Her mother said again, but this time more sharply.
“Edward asked me to leave with him today.” Sophia started, but then her mother interrupted.
“No.” Her mother said quickly.
“But mother.” Sophia pleaded with her words and her eyes.
“No.” Her mother said again and then she shook her head. “No daughter of mine will live with a man outside of wedlock nor will any daughter of mine marry a man who has sullied other women.”
Sophia took in the look of disgust on her mother’s face.
“Mother, I understand your concern, but I am in love with him. He makes me feel alive in a way I’ve felt before and I thought you wanted that for me.” Sophia tried to reason.
“I never wanted my daughter to live a life of sin.” Her mother said with a look of outrage on her face. “I have said no and that is final. I don’t want to hear about this again. What would your father say?”
“My father would have told me to be happy because that’s all he cared about.” Sophia said boldly. “He wouldn’t have cared about Edward’s past, all he would have cared about was whether he made me happy and he does.” She added.
“Hardly.” Her mother said with a snort.
Sophia shook her head and walked out of the room. Her mother would never understand. Her mother had never properly understood her in the way that her father had. Sophia felt a pain in her chest as she realized how desperately she missed her father.
She thought about the library and hiding away. She thought about closing herself off from the world and losing herself in her father’s countless books and stories. She thought about never marrying to spite her mother and what her life would be life without Edward in it and then she realized that not having Edward in her life wasn’t an option.
She didn’t bother going to her room and packing. She knew that her mother might catch her if she did that. She just walked straight out of the house in her cotton dress. The cold was extreme and she could feel her heart slowing down, as she walked quickly down the street and into town.
She didn’t care, though. She didn’t care about the cold. She didn’t care about the pain it brought. She didn’t care about the fact that she had just walked out on her family because she was finally free. She got to inn that the dukes were staying at and knocked on the door loudly.
“Miss Roberts how can I help you?” The inn keeper asked as soon, as he had opened the door.
“Is Duke Walters in?” Sophia asked through chattering teeth.
“He is. Won’t you come in dear?” He asked as he stepped aside to allow her entry.
“Thank you.” Sophia said as the warm air hit her bare legs and arms.
“You are certainly not dressed for the weather.” The innkeeper said with a concerned face.
“I hadn’t planned my trip.” Sophia said with a smile.
The inn keeper disappeared up the stairs and then returned a moment later with Edward behind him.
“Sophia you came.” Edward said with a grin that couldn’t be held back.
“I guess I don’t know what’s good for me.” Sophia teased as she smiled at Edward.
“Sophia I know that I haven’t proposed to you and I know that might worry you.” Edward said with a soft frown on his forehead. “But I can promise you that I will give you a life that was worth living.” He said.
“That’s all I need.” Sophia said as her heart raced in anticipation of their life together.
*****
THE END
First Time With A Cowboy
The never-ending countryside panorama ran on either side of the road, the perfect picture of rural serenity. To the right, it looked like it stretched into the horizon, and Emma felt insignificant in comparison to the grandiosity of Mother Nature.
She almost felt tears prickling her eyes, congratulating herself for finally taking the time to drive around El Paso. It seemed like the best way to relieve some of the stress from adjusting in a new city.
She had been so busy getting accustomed to college life that she had been bound to the campus for several weeks. Sighing, she took in the impressive landscape, the tension that had accumulated since the beginning of the school year diminishing significantly.
A smile split her face at the sight of a herd of cows, lazily grazing in the distance. “Oh, the wonders of country life,” she t
hought.
As a city girl from the East Coast, she never had a connection with her food. She knew she had to eat clean, organic, but not much else. Now, she tried to comprehend the grandeur of the moment, of realizing she was witness to the natural process that would result in the milk she took for granted every day.
She couldn’t remember why she had been reluctant to come to the small El Paso college. True, she had been disappointed at first about not getting into a bigger college, but the important scholarship they had offered her to study biology had been a nice incentive. Her dream of becoming a doctor meant more to her than studying at a high-profile college in Texas.
She couldn’t stop smiling, content in the silence of her trip. She was glad now that she didn't waver in her decision to study as far from home as possible. Yes, she needed a break from her family, but judging by the serenity of the moment, she now understood that she also needed a break from her uneventful life. She needed to experience life in as many ways as possible. She needed to grow.
Lost in thought, Emma didn’t notice that her car was slowing down by itself until it stopped. She searched for any suspicious light on the dashboard, but couldn’t see any.
“Stupid old car,” she muttered, getting out.
She looked under the hood, hoping to find what the problem was, but since she didn't know the first thing about cars and engines, the effort proved to be in vain. She decided to call her roommate to come and pick her up.
“Oh, hell no!” She shook the phone, frustrated. Of course there was no signal in the middle of nowhere.
After walking around a few paces, her phone held high in a futile attempt to find a signal, she returned to the car. “What now?”
Hands on her hips, she looked at the engine once more, trying to see if she could pinpoint what was wrong, when a shadow obstructed the sunlight. She turned and looked up, but couldn’t distinguish anything in the bright sun. The silhouette swayed on the back of a horse, casting a moving shadow over her.
“Car problems, Miss?” the man asked, his voice low and husky. She stepped to the side to see him better.
He dismounted and came level with her, his hands on his belt. Emma looked down, intimidated by his tall stature.
“Can I offer any help?”
“Um, no, thanks. I mean, it’s a rental, I can’t just do anything I want to it,” she stuttered.
“Sure.”
In the awkward silence that followed she dared to glance at him. He was blond, a few days of stubble covering his strong jaw. The large cowboy hat obstructed most of his face, but she caught a glimpse of a smile. She blushed.
“What’re you going to do, Miss?”
She didn’t know. “I tried calling my roommate, but…”
“There’s no signal here.”
“Yeah.”
The awkward silence fell over them again. She cleared her throat, trying to dispel the uncomfortable feeling.
The stranger finally broke the silence. “I suppose I could give you a ride. You could use the phone on the ranch.”
“Really? That would be wonderful!” She gave him her prettiest smile, grateful for his suggestion.
“Sure. Have you ridden a horse before?”
“What?” She backed away a few steps. “I…You mean a horse ride to the ranch?”
Her surprise seemed to amuse him. “Why, yes, Miss. It’ll be too long to just walk there.”
“Oh. I thought you had a car close by…”
His laughed. “No car, Miss. So, have you ridden a horse before?”
She shook her head, embarrassed.
“No worries. You just have to hold on tight. Come on.”
She looked at him in puzzlement. He offered her a hand but the novelty of the situation made her reluctant to oblige. Taking charge, he pulled her close, making her gasp. Blushing, Emma felt his hands go around her midriff, and then she was suddenly in the air. She blurted out a small scream, startling the horse even as she now sat astride it.
He grabbed the reins tightly and calmed the animal with a few whispers.
“Settle now, Shade,” he said, patting the horse on the neck. “Be careful now, Miss. The horse ain’t a bike. Try to be calm.”
She nodded, embarrassed. In a swift move, he mounted in front of her, his broad back shielding her from the light wind that had just begun to blow their way.
“Hold on to me, Miss.”
Blushing, she timidly wrapped her arms around his waist. When the horse started moving, she had to grab on to him tighter. Mortified the entire trip to the ranch, she was grateful to feel the trusty ground under her feet again. He smirked at her, probably amused by her wide-eyed expression.
“You’re not really used to big animals, are you?” he joked.
“No. I’m used to the city.”
“Ah. Plenty of big animals there, Miss. Just not the kind we have around here. Where are you from?”
“Newport, Rhode Island.”
“Here to study?”
She nodded.
“Now, what exactly are you doing home at this time a’ day, Son?” a woman’s voice came from the direction of the house.
“Hey, Momma. This girl…”
“Emma.”
“Emma. Her car broke down and she needed to use a phone.”
“Look at you, always helping damsels in distress,” the woman joked. “Well, come on in, Miss. You can use the landline.”
“Thank you.”
She hurried inside and went straight for the phone. Emma tried not to pay attention to the woman’s amused expression.
Her roommate picked up after the second ring.
“Hey, can you come pick me up? My rental broke down.”
While listening to her roommate's mandatory lecture, she glanced at the woman, who was busy drying dishes with a kitchen towel. Her son came into the kitchen and pecked her on the cheek. Emma couldn’t hear what they were saying, but a nagging suspicion that they were laughing at her made her face flush.
Replacing the receiver, she shrugged the uncomfortable feeling off and walked into the homey kitchen.
“Thank you for letting me use the phone. My friend will be here soon.”
“No problem, doll,” the woman said. “Would you like something to drink while you wait?”
“No, thank you. I’ll just walk back to the main road.”
“Suit yourself. In this heat, some lemonade would do you good, but it’s your business.”
Feeling guilty for refusing, Emma thanked the woman and hurried out. Instinctively, she looked around for him. He was on the other side of the large yard, preoccupied with checking the sturdiness of a fence.
“Hey. I just wanted to thank you again for your help. I’ll be off now.”
“No problem. But isn’t your girlfriend giving you a ride?”
“She is, but I figure it would be easier for her if I were closer to the main road.”
“It’s pretty far from here. Wouldn't it be better if you waited?”
Emma blushed and looked down, trying to hide the fact that his smile made her weak in the knees. After another moment of hesitation, she waved him goodbye and turned to leave.
“It's Ridley,” she heard him behind her.
“What?” she asked, turning to face him.
“My name is Ridley.”
“Nice to meet you, Ridley.”
“Are you up for another horse ride?”
She smiled, shaking her head. “Sure. I promise not to scare Shade again.”
“You better,” he laughed and went to bring the horse.
Slightly more comfortable around Shade, Emma managed not to scream when Ridley lifted her into the saddle. She even allowed herself the liberty to wrap her arms around his waist uninvited, eager to touch his muscular body again.
The horse strutted at a leisurely pace, giving her the opportunity to truly appreciate the beauty of the trip. “I’m on a horse! With a freaking cowboy!” she said to herself, her face split into a childi
sh wide grin.
*****
She hated Thursdays. The one day of the week she had more courses than she could handle, and little time for breaks.
Taking advantage of the free half hour before the last seminar of the day, she went outside to take in some fresh air. Emma loved to sit directly on the ground, legs crossed comfortably, slowly sipping the weak coffee she bought at the cafeteria. She could feel exhaustion seeping into her bones, but forced herself to sit up straight, her back against the old tree, to chase away the sleepiness.
A confident looking guy, probably a football player, started in her direction. She averted her eyes, trying to look as uninterested as she felt. As her mind wandered, she found herself comparing the guy with Ridley, the difference strikingly favoring the cowboy. Leaning back against the rough tree bark, she couldn't stifle a smile at the memory of his hard abdomen.
The guy seemed to get the wrong impression and sped up his pace. “Oh, God, no. Please, make him go away,” she prayed to herself. At that moment, her phone rang. She frowned, not recognizing the number.