Sawny woke with a start. There was a noise downstairs. Ian she wondered? She looked over the loft rail and didn’t see anyone. Looking at her clock, she realized it was 5am. Damn. Creeping downstairs she headed for the sounds. Looking in the kitchen, she saw the window was open and the tail end of a raccoon headed out with the loaf of bread. She grabbed the broom and headed out the door. Blasted wildlife! She ran out the door swinging the broom at the raccoon. It chattered as it ran off with her bread.

Headed back towards the cabin, she reached for the door as a voice spoke out of the darkness. “I really do like those early morning broom outfits of yours,” Ian said.

She screamed because he startled her. Dropping the broom she turned and didn’t

know whether to hug him or hit him. “Damn you! You scared the hell out of me!” she said. “Why can’t you show up at normal times like everyone else?” Then she realized what he had said, looked down and thought, “I’ve done it again!” She sprinted into the house for her robe.

Water was on to boil when she came down. Ian had brought some food from his mom’s and was putting it on the table. “Sorry about this morning. I meant to get here last night, but I got tired and pulled over to sleep. Woke up and decided to see if I could get in without waking you. Raccoon ruined that plan,” he said softly.

She smiled at him. What she wanted to do was run over and hug him to make sure he was real. She knew how much she had missed him the moment she heard his voice. Now to deal with this burst of emotion with some reason. Men were still a scary subject.

Ian turned to make the tea. He wanted so much to touch her, but afraid to scare her away. He was walking on eggshells. Ian turned back with the cups in his hands. Sawny was right behind him, and before he could do anything, she bumped into the cups sending the hot liquid all over her side. Without a second thought, he dropped the cups and reached to help her remove the soaked clothing. He grabbed the water jug and poured cool water over the scalded area. She had the towel in hand and was mopping up and trying to dry off all at once.

“Sawny, I am so sorry. I didn’t see you…” he didn’t finish the sentence as it soaked into his brain that she was standing there almost nude.

“Ow… oh.. I’m okay,” she stuttered and then realized that he wasn’t talking anymore. “oh…” Her tee-shirt was soaked and her robe was in a puddle on the floor.

Ian handed her his shirt. He held it in front of her while she took off the tee-shirt. It fit like a robe. Both of them had turned a shade of red. This isn’t how she wanted things to go, but she could read his face and knew how fast her own heart was beating. She had to do something about this. Now was not the time to panic or run away. The scald hurt, but this had to be fixed now.

Sawny took a deep breath and took him by the hand into the main room of the cabin. Gingerly she sat on the couch and asked him to sit with her. Little did Ian know how much courage this took. Ian sat and waited. His heart was going through the roof and it was all he could do not to explode. The conflict between having hurt her and how she effected him was playing chaos with his thoughts.

“Ian, when I came out here, it was to get away from a relationship that had gone

really wrong. The last thing I expected was to meet anyone,” she started.

“I think I understand. I should have left that first day things got out of hand and never looked back,” he said looking down at the floor.

“Oh…No. Wait a minute I need you to understand something. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” she said as her hand gripped his tighter. “I just wanted you to know I didn’t plan any of this. I didn’t realize how I felt until that morning when I woke up and you were gone.”

Ian’s heart thought it skipped a beat. She felt the way he did. “I went because I didn’t want things to go too fast. I didn’t want to scare you away,” he said as he looked at her and felt the last barrier fall between them. Gently, Ian pulled her towards him. Sawny didn’t resist. In fact, she seemed to melt into his arms. Sawny curled up against him as much as her skin would let her and relaxed. She had missed intimacy so much.

Ian struggled to breathe normally. He had wanted this since that first day. “Relax,” he thought. “Don’t screw it up now.” He put his hand on her shoulder and she winced. “Oh! I’m sorry. Does it hurt that much?” he asked as he rose off the couch. He looked around for his carryall. Mom’s salve was in it.

“It’s tender. What is that?” she asked as he came back with a jar filled with green

something.

“It’s my mom’s salve. Good for burns and scrapes and that type of thing. You need

to take my shirt off, so we can put some on,” he said.

Sawny hesitated for a moment and then slowly pulled it off. Her skin hadn’t

blistered, but was a deep pink. Tender too. She looked at Ian and then put out her hand for the salve. He shook his head, and said, “You have to learn to trust me sometime.”

She rolled her eyes, holding the shirt over the parts of her body that weren’t scalded. Ian started to put on the salve. It was so cool to the touch, and he was light handed. It smelled of lavender and mint. Relief. When he had finished, he picked her up and carried her up the stairs to the bed.

“Wait a minute!” she said in a slight panic.

“Not what you think Sawny, I’m just putting you to bed and getting you covered

up. I don’t want you going into shock. Those burns aren’t bad, but they aren’t going to

disappear in 10 minutes either,” he said firmly.

His look as he tucked her in was one of concern and authority. She stayed put. He disappeared downstairs and she could hear him cleaning up the mess. She drifted off to sleep wondering where they went from here. Seduction with an invalid is a cramp in anyone’s style.

Sawny woke to see the light stream across the end of the bed. She looked at the clock. 4:15pm. Had she dreamed the whole thing? No, the body still hurt the way only a burn can. She needed to get up.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Ian’s voice came from a spot on the floor.

“I need to go before we have a bigger mess!” she said trying not to giggle. No bathrobe, no shirt. To hell with it, she stood up and went for the stairs. A little unsteady, she felt his hand on her elbow before she saw him. Ian helped her down the stairs and through the kitchen. She was so glad that they had added a compost privy to the cabin. She couldn’t have walked farther.

As she came out and washed her hands, he handed her her robe. It was warm. “I

rinsed it out, and hung it out to dry,” he said. “Are you hungry?”

“I could eat a four course meal. Just no tea for me please,” she smiled. Ian laughed and brought out some fruit and cake that his mom had sent with him.

“Thanks for the salve. You have a gentle touch,” she said as she ate.

“Paramedic training and mom’s magic green goo. She gave it to me the other night. I had run out of it,” he went on. “Good thing too. I’ll put some more on after you’ve eaten.”

What a paradox Sawny thought. “I want his touch, but not because I’m hurt!” She ate a bit more and stood up. “Let’s go back upstairs,” she said. Sawny headed for the loft much steadier than she came down.

Trying not to blush, she laid down after she took off her robe. The breast and shoulder were the most tender. The cool feel of the salve on her skin was giving her goosebumps. He had almost finished when she held his hand to her stomach and softly said, “Thank you.” She leaned forward and kissed him. There was that jolt of electricity again. Ian felt like his skin was on fire. As deftly as he could, he tucked her up in bed and then excused himself.

Out the cabin and off to the stream, he went. He stripped off and plunged into the stream. That water was cold! Oh did he need it. “Why on earth didn’t I look before I turned?” he asked himself. He kicked himself mentally frame by frame for that stupidity. She was beautiful dressed, but there she was hurt and naked and all he could think was how much he wanted her. All he could do is put salve on that lovely skin… Damn. He got out and dried off in the evening sun. Standing there naked, he stretched.

Sawny was watching from the window and sighed. He was gorgeous, and here she was toasted. Typical. She watched him dress and then popped back in bed before he got back to the house. What an entanglement of heart and head.

They sat and talked all evening. Ian made a light dinner and they ate it in the loft. They talked about him coming back to the ranch after his father died and how he never left. All the plans for work or further study just disappeared. The ranch became his life. She understood and told him about her father’s death not so long ago. Then they talked about Sawny’s last two years. She opened up about Jake and what had happened that night she ended up in the hospital. Ian understood why she had been so man shy. He wanted to tear Jake limb from limb, but didn’t tell her that. No man should ever abuse a woman. He felt odd hating a man he had never met, and it troubled him.

As she fell asleep, he covered her up and then lay down on the floor. He could

have lain on the couch downstairs, but didn’t want to be that far away.

It was his turn to wake up to hearing noises. He glanced at the bed and she was gone. Noises were coming from the kitchen. He crawled out of the sleeping bag, pulled on his jeans and went downstairs.

“Morning,” she said as he entered. She was wearing an impromptu halter and shorts. The burns looked almost healed. She handed him a cup of coffee and steered him towards the table. He sat and watched her while she fussed around the kitchen. It wasn’t her thing, but she managed.

“You sound like you feel better,” Ian offered.

“Yes. Your mom’s salve is great. Only one or two really tender spots,” she said as she came round the corner with biscuits and jam. “Not the greatest, but never did say I was a good cook.”

After breakfast, they planned the addition of a shower and tub space to the cabin. Ian was drawing and Sawny leaned over his shoulder. Her breasts grazed his shoulder and neck. “Breathe!” he thought to himself. The effort to hold back was beginning to show. Ian finished the drawings and put the pencil down. Putting his arm gently around the side with the burn, he drew her to him and began to kiss her. Her lips pressed eagerly to his. It was awkward at the table, so he picked her up and carried her over to the couch.

Her halter disappeared, and his hands caressed her gently avoiding the tender skin. Sawny’s hands ran over his chest, running her fingers through the sun lightened curls. His lips moved down her neck, kissing and licking the lavender scented skin. Then Ian’s lips moved to her nipple. He ran his tongue over it till it crinkled. She moaned and he took it in his mouth, letting his tongue play over it.

“Wa..wai.. wait a minute Ian..” she gasped. Oh how her body ached for this, but not on the couch. She disentangled herself and took his hand. Ian realized that she was headed upstairs, picked her up and they were in the loft before she could protest.

He laid her down on the bed and with his eyes asking permission, started to remove her shorts. He then stood up and dropped his jeans to the floor. Gently he got back on the bed with her. Sawny looked over his long frame. Well proportioned for as tall as he was she thought. His cock stood next to his balls and was nested in the same brown curls as his chest. He had a farmers tan line that made her smile. It looked like he had on a light brown shirt and white leggings. She wanted to grab his cock and fondle it, but she ran her fingers up and down his body. She didn’t want to rush this for any reason. It had been so long.

Ian looked down at Sawny. She really was tiny, except for her breasts. They

weren’t huge, but they made an impression. She was running her fingers over his skin in a way that made him feel like he was going to explode. He returned the favor. Ian’s fingers ran around her nipples and down to her belly button. He grazed the edge of her panties that she had left on. “Wait,” he thought. “Just wait”.

Ian pulled Sawny to him so that their bodies touched. He could feel her toes tickling his shins. Her hands wrapped round to his back caressing as they went. His hands explored the cleft of her ass and the way she fit in his hands.

Sawny moaned as he touched and held her. She could feel his pulse as his cock throbbed against her. It was pressed against her hips, and she felt herself go wet. The way he caressed her ass was setting her on fire. Ian ran his hands down from her shoulders all the way to the backs of her knees. “Ohh,” the moan escaped her lips. She was kissing and nibbling his neck while her hands explored his torso. Her fingers weren’t long enough to reach any farther unless she moved.

Ian thought that he would explode. Her moan against his neck made him shiver with pleasure. His self-restraint was wearing thin. This time as his hands ran up her thighs, his fingers slipped under the thin cloth and touched her lips. So moist, so soft. He pulled back from their embrace and slowly pulled off her panties. Ian smiled when he realized that her curls were as red brown as her hair.

As her panties left her, she realized that the point of no return had long since passed. She looked into his hazel eyes and wanted to melt. She opened her legs, and he moved between them. He picked up her ankle and was nibbling the flesh on the inner side. The sensation was exquisite. Ian moved up her leg stopping to kiss and bite the calf, knee and upper thigh. She didn’t know if she could take any more. He must have known, because he stopped and grinned.

Ian let his fingers explore her lips as she watched him. Caressing and tugging the outer lips, she opened up like a rose. Her smell made him want to dive in and forget to come up for air. Slowly, he kissed his way up to her crotch. Then ever so cautiously, his lips moved over hers. His tongue moved up and down working slowly between the lips. He savored the sweet taste of her as his tongue worked its way to her clit. He found that precious bud and began to tongue it in earnest. His hands went under her ass to hold her close. Her hips bucked and she moved in time with his tongue.

“Ohh oh oh oh oh oh,” she moaned louder and louder. The caress he was giving her with his tongue was almost more than she could bear. His tongue moved from her clit down to that sweet opening, darting in and out. It was too much. Sawny’s body began to shake and shudder with orgasm. She swore she could feel him smile as he worked his tongue faster and faster over her lips. “Aaa-yyyyeeee!” she exclaimed, as her body locked in rolling orgasms. Ian stopped and let her melt to the bed. He wiped his beard on the bedding, but when he reached up to kiss her, she could taste herself on his tongue and lips.

“You… you…,” she took a breath, “wonderfully tongued man!” she finally got out. The world wasn’t done spinning yet though, so she lay there while he continued to caress her skin.

It was her turn. Sawny moved so that she crouched over his body. She started by kissing and sucking on his nipples. When they were all hot and wet, she blew on them to make the skin crinkle. Then she slid her hot mouth back over them. Ian moaned and squirmed. She moved down his firm belly, kissing and biting as she went. When she got down to his cock, she didn’t touch it. She ran her fingers around the base and down along his balls. Ian thought that he was going to explode. It had been a long time and games like this were almost too much for him. He took a deep breath.

She moved so that he couldn’t see what she was doing. Her ass was towards him,

and Ian’s hand caressed it. She bent over and cupped his balls in her lips. The hand on her ass tensed. Slowly, she kissed up between the balls to the base of his cock. She sucked the skin at the base, and then slowly worked up to the head. It throbbed like it had a life of it’s own as she did this. The hand on her ass moved and was caressing her lips and making her ache. Sawny took his cock into her mouth, letting her lips slide as far down as they could. Her lips moving and her tongue flicking his cock were almost too much for Ian.

“Sawnnn….y….. ah…ah…ah..,” he gasped. He was trying to get her to stop but his body didn’t agree. She moved off of his cock and turned and smiled. She knew what she was doing. Ian grabbed her and pulled her on top of him. Her legs wrapped around him and he slid into her. Hot, wet and tight. “Oh my g…,” was as far as his thoughts went.

They moved in concert like they had done this many times before. Ian’s hands switching from her ass to her breasts and back again. Sawny rode his cock, caressing his chest or reaching behind to caress his balls. They moved rapidly until there was no more movement, just exquisite pleasure punctuated by heavy breathing and moans of pleasure. The electric spark that started with a kiss exploded in orgasm. Ian felt like he lifted off the bed while Sawny floated away, the only thing anchoring her to this world were the hands on her body. Shuddering with pleasure, Sawny melted to the bed next to Ian. She looked over to see if he breathing. Yes, he was breathing. She smiled as she closed her eyes.

They must have lain like that for an hour. Occasionally one would caress the other. It was subtle, languid motion. All passion spent. Ian decided he had to break the spell and get up. “Come on, let’s get up,” he urged.

Sawny smiled and moved to the edge of the bed. She felt better than she had in a long time. She followed Ian down to the kitchen. He was filling a basin with water so that the two of them could wash. He added the last of the warm water off of the stove as well. Sawny went first with Ian trying to rinse off her skin without hitting any of the tender areas.

“That water is too cold!” Sawny protested. Ian had just dumped warm water over her.

“You ought to try the stream,” Ian laughed.

“I’ve seen you jump in, and it didn’t look pretty!” Sawny smiled back. They were almost cleaned up from their escapades. A shower or a real tub was a definite project for this week. Maybe even tomorrow. “Are you going to be long in town?” she asked.

Ian shrugged, “Maybe 2-3 hours. I have to phone mom, pick up some food and see about some other stuff. I should be back about dark.”

“Alright, I guess I can last that long,” she said as she winked and walked off to find some clothes.

Resigned to the fact that she was going to have to put another ad in the paper or do the job herself, Sawny went to work on the kitchen area. She ‘found’ the back door. It was buried under chunks of roof, and half off its hinges. Sawny set to work clearing the door, throwing pieces of roof and other debris through the hole above her head. She finally cleared the area and pulled the door out into the open. There was actually a stone step under all that mess. It brought a smile to her face as she looked around at the progress she had accomplished this morning. Wood and shingles everywhere, but at least it was a beginning.

After a drink of water and an apple, Sawny started to sort rubbish into a burn or trash pile. She didn’t want to have to haul off or bury any more than absolutely necessary. Sawny’s trash pile was getting pretty big. She saved parts that she thought went to the stove off to one side.

Inspecting the door, she realized it was in better shape than she thought. Sawny decided to try and re-hang it. She got the hinges all cleaned up and remounted. Next was cleaning up the frame. She pulled bits of greenery away from the frame and swept the dirt out. With the hinges on the frame, she was ready for the door. Concentrating on lifting the door, Sawny was trying not to fall over and still line up the hinges. It was heavy.

“Need some help?” Ian asked as he reached over her and grabbed the door.

Sawny screeched, let go of the door and sat down on the ground. Ian caught the door and set it on the hinges as she regained her composure.

“That is twice in one day you have scared the hell out of me!” she shouted. “Damn! I thought you had left.”

“I did,” he said. “Do you want me to leave again?” he asked. Tapping in the hinge pins, he turned and offered her a hand up.

“No, I just didn’t expect you back,” Sawny said as she stood up. “After this morning, I figured I had pretty well messed things up. You didn’t say good-bye, so…” Sawny didn’t finish the sentence when she saw the smile break across his face. He started walking around the cabin and down towards his truck. Sawny followed him.

“I figured you needed some time to yourself this morning, after our little chat,” he

said over his shoulder. “We got started off on the wrong foot, so I went to town to get some supplies.”

Sawny looked around him and there in the truck was lumber, paint, various brown paper sacks of all sorts, and plastic sacks from the grocery store. She was astounded. “You shouldn’t have bought all this. We never even agreed on wages or even if I was hiring you,” she said. Sawny looked up at him and he was smiling again.

“I didn’t buy it, you did. I charged the lumber and stuff to your accounts,” Ian said.

Sawny felt herself going red in the face again. “I…uh… How did you know I had accounts set up?”

Ian smiled. The look on his face said it all. It reminded Sawny once more of just how small the town was.

“Well, if you did all this, I guess we ought to consider you hired,” she said holding out her hand. Ian shook it again with that pulse-stopping grip.

“If you grab the food, I’ll start hauling the other stuff up,” Ian said grabbing a bunch of lumber. Sawny grabbed the bags and headed up the hill. She felt like such a fool. He hadn’t left in anger this morning. He had gone off to get supplies. He knew he was hired. It was just her that was a little slow. What was she getting herself into?

As they reached the cabin, and put the stuff down, Sawny stopped him on the porch. “I have a few questions. Things I want straight before we go any farther,” she said. He nodded, waiting for her to continue.

“First, how much do you expect to be paid?” she asked.

“Well, My brother pays me $11.50 an hour when I do carpentry work for the ranch. I figure it’s a fair price,” he said. The look on Sawny’s face as he said that bespoke pure panic. He took a second to make it look like he was rethinking things. “But for you, how does $9.00 sound?” he asked.

Her mind racing she finally managed to say, “Alright, if you think it’s fair,” she said. Her heart was pounding so hard she was afraid it would shake right out of her chest. She’d have to watch her money if this took too long.

Ian stuck out his hand and said, “Deal!”

Sawny once again lost the circulation in her fingers to his grip. She’d have to watch out for that grip.

He started back down the hill and then turned. “Anything else?”

“Yes,” she said. “How on earth did you manage to pull up here twice without me hearing your truck? I heard it when you left, and it doesn’t add up.”

He looked at her and laughed. “When we were kids, we’d drive up here and try to sneak up on the cabin to see the ghost. At the top of the hill, we would cut our engines and coast to the bottom, which is now your parking area. I just couldn’t resist doing it today for old time sake,” he finished.

“Okay, I can understand this morning, but why this afternoon?” Sawny asked.

“I didn’t. You were making so much noise throwing all that rubbish around, I could have driven a tank up here and you wouldn’t have heard me.” Ian smiled and headed back down the hill.

With everything up at the cabin, Sawny started to look and see exactly what Ian considered food. Spam, eggs, salad, steak, coffee, milk, bread and a few other things. It was an amazing collection. Heavy on protein and light on vegetables. Not exactly her kind of diet. She turned to find him watching her unpack the food. Some of it would have to go in the cooler sitting down in the creek.

“Planning to stay a while?” she asked.

He looked at her and nodded. “It is too far to be running back and forth every day. I have a sleeping bag in the truck and some clothes,” he answered.

“Confident you’d get the job?” she asked.

“Yes, no one else I talked to wanted it. Plus to be honest, around here a sleeping

bag in your truck isn’t a bad idea. And, I just did my laundry so it was in the truck,” Ian said.

“The only one? What is it? Is my reputation so bad after a few weeks in this county that no one wants to work for me?” Sawny asked just a tad exasperated.

“No, it’s the ghost,” Ian said looking a bit sheepish. “Too many people have seen Old man Ross and are just a bit afraid of him.”

“Alright, this is the third or fourth time you have mentioned my Uncle Joshua as a

ghost. Explain this please.” She sat down again and waited for him to answer.

“Local legend has it that the ghost is your uncle,” he started. “People see him sitting on the porch or out by the graveyard standing over one of the stones,” Ian paused as this soaked in. “He doesn’t talk to you or anything, just startles the hell out of you if you are snooping around his cabin. He must have figured you were kin, otherwise you would have seen him by now,” he paused again. “I even tried to spend the night here one time. Never made it though. Something howled and I was out of here like a shot.”

Ian finished unpacking the groceries while Sawny thought about what he had said. “My Mom remembers him being a quiet old man. He left here after his wife died. I guess it might be her grave he stands over. I haven’t seen any gravestones though.” She stood up and dusted off her shorts. “Why do you think he haunts the cabin?”

Ian looked at her and said, “Why did you come up here?”

“I needed some time to myself. I had some inheritance money, and no one else in

the family wanted to even find out what this land looked like. So I came out here,” she said quietly. Sawny didn’t think he needed to know what an ugly relationship she had just left. Or, that her family thought she was hiding from Jake.

Ian was watching her as she spoke. He could see she was holding something back.

Sawny hesitated for a moment. She swore he was looking at her like he knew Sawny was hiding something. He just waited for her to finish. “Dammit,” she thought. She took a deep breath. “When I got here, I sort of fell in love with the area and when I finally found the cabin, I decided to stay for a while.”

Ian nodded as if he understood far more than she had explained. Like he knew

her more than she did herself. “I understand,” he said quietly. “This land gets in your soul and doesn’t let go.”

Sawny just nodded.

They finished the day by clearing out the rest of the kitchen. All the bits to the stove were found except for one cover. Ian wrestled it back to where they thought it should go and hooked the stovepipe into its slot. Then they worked on the water pump. They cleared the pump and primed it with a bucket of water. After a bit of elbow grease, Ian got it pumping water. It was rusty and dirty at first and then flowed clear. It certainly beat hauling water up from the creek. A few gallons of water later, the stove was almost was usable. Sawny was covered in soot and dirt. Ian had taken off his shirt, and was dusty with webs, soot and sweat.

“You want to try and fire this thing up tonight, or just use the camp stoves and a fire?” he asked.

“Camp stoves. I’m still not sure that more of the roof won’t come down on our

heads in there,” she said looking up to where the stove pipe met the roof.

“It isn’t that bad, and it was only one rafter that fell.” he laughed. There had been a small avalanche of debris cascading around him when they went to lift the pipe back into it’s spot. One chunk had been a small broken rafter.

“Well, it was your shoulder it fell on. Lets make sure the roof is back in place first.” she finished.

His shoulder had soot marks where the rafter had fallen on him, but that was the only proof that anything had happened. Sawny tried not to watch him as he moved so gracefully for someone so tall. The memories of Jake and how he enticed her kept floating up. Ugh… what a mess that episode in her life was. No, she was not going to think about him.

Ian turned to say something when Sawny knew she had to get outside. “I’m going to go get washed up! Be right back!” she shouted. Sawny shot out of there, grabbed her wash kit and headed for the stream. “That man sees too much!” she thought and here she was feeling like a spooked rabbit. “Damn! Was she really that transparent?”

Washing up, Sawny thought about why she really had come out here. Jake. No matter how she tried to change it, the reason was Jake. Jake was beautiful. Small, compact Cajun, intelligent; but with a mean streak Sawny never understood. She felt like a princess when she was around him. She had brought him home to meet the folks and made dream plans about the future. They exploded in her face one night, and to this day, Sawny had no idea of what set him off. They had argued over supper, but there was something else on his mind and it boiled over into a fight. The next thing Sawny knew, the police and the paramedics were there as well as Pop. Jake went off in the police car while she went to the hospital.

Sawny’s nose and the bruises healed, but her heart was trashed. Sawny moved home. Mom and the family moved all of her stuff out of the apartment she had shared with Jake. Life was all cotton wrapped. She couldn’t concentrate on her work and home was stifling, but she couldn’t get up the energy to leave.

Then Pop got sick. Some viral infection that attacked his lungs. It was all over so

quickly that Sawny barely made it to say good-bye. Mom needed her, so she stayed even though Sawny wanted to run away from all the pain. When the dust settled, and they had found the paperwork Pop had left, Sawny had something to do that made her feel alive. She gave notice at work and sat down to sort out the family business.

It was amazing. Sawny didn’t realize that Pop was such an astute businessman. Nurseryman, gardening and all that didn’t seem like work to Pop. However, what he did left Mom and the family well off. No need to worry about the future. Mom could live off the interest alone for years. Sawny’s brothers took over the business. When Sawny found the deed to the land things changed. She knew what she wanted. Escape.

Sawny figured it was time to get her life back. Only this time she didn’t have plans on how to accomplish that. There were lots of ideas, but nothing certain except leaving home. This land gave her an excuse to get out of the house. Sawny came out to Colorado to look over the land and if necessary, sell it off. She’d use the profits to travel or set up life far away from New Orleans and all she had left behind. That all changed when Sawny found Uncle Joshua’s land and the cabin.

“Hey! Sawny! You drowned? Or do you want to eat?” Ian’s voice drifted down to

where she was along with the smell of cooking steaks.

She grabbed her things and shouted, “I’ll be right up!” Oh man, her wool gathering had lasted far longer than she thought. “Here’s hoping I keep the rest of my life to myself,” she said to no one in particular.

Ian had pulled the table outside along with two of the better chairs. Steaks, salad

and bread was on the table. Sawny just hoped it was edible. No way he could cook too! “Smells good. I’m hungry enough to eat my boots!” she said.

Ian grinned. “I hope it tastes better than that. Otherwise, my mom is going to be mad that her efforts with me didn’t take.”

Sawny sat down and grabbed her fork. “Let’s see,” she said with a grin. So far, so good. No foul ups and she might not stick her foot in it before they finished supper. It was heavenly. Then again, how could anyone ruin steaks and salad? Sawny just left it alone.

During dinner they chatted about the cabin and what needed done. Ian figured they could get the framework for the roof up on the kitchen and finish that up tomorrow. Then he was going to tackle the chimney in the main room. He had found a vent handle and figured it was just full of junk. Sawny admitted she wouldn’t have even known what to look for when it came to the fireplace.

They also talked about Uncle Joshua and how he brought his bride out here. The family didn’t know a lot more than that sadly. They did know she died one winter, and then he moved back to live with his family. That was it until the cabin and land turned up in Pop’s papers.

Ian knew more than Sawny did. He told her what he knew. Joshua Ross was known as a giant of a man who would help any neighbor. Didn’t matter if it was chasing cattle through the snow or helping build a barn. His wife, Elene was small and dark and always right there to help as well. There weren’t any children. That explained why Sawny’s parents ended up with the land.

Yawning, Sawny excused herself and headed off to bed. She didn’t even think about where he would sleep. Her head hit the pillow and that was it.

Ian sat on the porch trying to decide what he had gotten himself into. No one in town wanted to work up here. Most were afraid of the ghost. The rest thought that Sawny Hawke was crazy. A small fireball of a woman with long reddish brown hair saying she was going to fix that cabin and live up there. She was from the South and didn’t have a clue to what winter could be like. Hell, they all figured if the ghost didn’t drive her out, the first snow storm would. He’d thought the same until he saw her posting that ad on the grocery bulletin board. She intrigued him. His baby brother was bigger than she was. Must have needed a book to sit on to drive that beat up old truck of hers.

Watching her load up supplies his mom asked him what he was thinking. As he put the groceries in his mom’s truck, he surprised himself when he said he was thinking about working for her. His mom laughed. “I knew you were getting bored out at the ranch. Not to mention all the noise.”

“Yeah mom. I need some quiet,” he said not looking at what he was doing.

“Hey! Watch it son,” she said as he almost dropped the milk. “You better go introduce yourself. No one else in town is going to help her. They all want her to sell the land and leave. She’s a stranger.”

Ian didn’t do it that day. He waited till the ad came out in the paper. That was when he grabbed his tools, laundry and headed to town. As he left, his mom and brothers watched him go knowing he’d be back when he had gotten that redhead out of his system. She smiled as he disappeared in a cloud of dust. He wasn’t the first son of hers to go chasing a fine looking woman.

Ian sighed as he laid down in the meadow on his bag. He was thinking about today and wondering what had hurt this woman enough to make her leave home and family, and come all the way out here. Oh well, he’d either find out or he wouldn’t. There was a roof to fix in the morning, and he was mentally listing other things to do. Ian was asleep before he finished his list.

Chapter 4

Sawny woke to the sound of the saw rasping across wood. It was barely light. Confused, she took a minute to remember that Ian was up here. She grabbed her jeans this time. She was determined to keep things on an even keel, and men didn’t fit into her plans for a long time.

She walked out to see the kitchen roof almost framed. Ian was up the wall nailing

in a rafter. “When did you start working? Right after dinner?” she asked.

“No, about 5am. I woke up early. There is some bread, cheese and coffee over on

the table. Coffee might be cold,” he said talking around the nails in his mouth.

“I’ll make myself some tea thank you. No wonder you ran out of things to do at that ranch!” she smiled as she walked away. Cobwebs still clung to her brain. Her watch said 6:30am. Damn. Too early for this girl! She curled up on the chair and ate some bread while the water boiled. At least it was a better start than yesterday.

After breakfast, she gave Ian a hand with the work. The roof went up over the kitchen faster than she could imagine. They cut a new window and framed it so that there would be more light. After lunch, they tackled the stone chimney. Ian was up on the roof and Sawny was inside to ‘catch’ the junk. Ian had shown her the rod that worked the vent. She had figured it was just a cup hook and never would have guessed it’s true purpose. Ian hollered and she twisted the vent catch, and then jumped back. She didn’t want a soot bath. She got one anyway, as all sorts of junk tumbled out. Twigs, dead things, nests, dirt and soot and a metal box. Sawny grabbed it and headed outside to see what it was.

Ian found her on the grass trying to open the box. “Here, let me see if I can open it,” he asked as he held out his hand.

Sawny handed up the box. “Do you think this is why he kept hanging around?” she asked, curious to see what was in the box.

Ian fiddled with the latch and then pried it open with his knife. The box groaned as it opened. Inside were some papers, a few old photographs a book and a locket. Sawny wiped her hands on her jeans and began to look through the stuff.

“Oh… look. This must be Joshua and Elene,” she said. The pictures showed a tiny woman in a huge hooped dress and a man in uniform. She barely came to his chest buttons. Elene looked like so many of the photos of women taken then. Stiff, formal and afraid to breathe. Yet her eyes seemed to sparkle. Joshua on the other hand looked like he would walk right out of the picture. “Oh wow.” Sawny said softly. Ian looked at the stuff over her shoulder.

Then she went through the rest of the stuff. Deeds, bills of sale, promissory notes, maps. Sawny lifted the book out. Dusting it off, she read the words “my diary” just barely visible on the cover. Opening it she saw that it was Elene’s diary. The tiny spidery writing was hard to read. She closed it for later inspection. Then she looked at the locket.

“It’s the same as in the photo.” Ian pointed out. She looked, and nodded in agreement. The locket showed clearly against Elene’s dark dress. “How sad all these bits were,” Sawny thought. She took the box and went down to the truck. It was the only place she had that was safe from animals or weather. She walked back up wondering why Joshua had stuffed it in the chimney in the first place. One more mystery to solve.

The cabin progressed so fast that Sawny was astonished. She had figured it would take two months to finish. Here it was just three weeks since Ian had driven up, and they were done. Ian’s brothers had brought up a tractor with a blade to scrape the road and driveway. Clearing ground out back, they had found a small graveyard. Elene’s grave along with three smaller ones. No names, just dates. Sawny figured that they were children that didn’t live very long. Ian and Sawny planned to put a fence around the area.

The cabin was beautiful. They had painted the inside of the kitchen white. New windows cut added light and airiness. The stairs were firm and fixed, as was the guardrail to the loft. Varnish on the rest of the cabin walls cut down the dust and added a beautiful gleam to the rooms. Now all that was needed were furnishings and supplies.

Ian had planned to head into the city with her that morning, but at the last minute

declined. Said he had something he wanted to check on. Disappointed, Sawny headed out with list in hand. At least by now she knew all the back roads and didn’t get lost too easily. “Big city, here I come!” she thought. It was the first time she had been farther than town since she arrived.

She had planned to take them out to a fancy dinner. That was squashed by Ian’s sudden change in plans. She wondered if there really was a project, or did Ian just need some time alone. He wasn’t much of a talker. She did most of that, even when she didn’t mean to. Ian had a talent for making people open up and talk. She had seen it happen more than once in town when they had gone in for supplies. It was like his own private magic. It had caused her to slip a couple of times when she hadn’t planned on it. Damn that was irritating. The highway exit loomed and demanded her attention. It was only fifty miles north, but still new highway to her.

Ian waited until the dust settled and then started on his project. He had rescued the bed frame from the pile Sawny had dropped it in a month ago. He cleaned it up a bit more and polished the wood. He had asked a friend who was into old furniture how to repair an old fashioned rope framed bed. The wood frame was pegged together and then rope lashed across the bottom to form the support for the mattress. Ian wanted to surprise Sawny with the bed.

He also hoped that she wouldn’t take it the wrong way. In talking, he had found out that there had been a rotten relationship that had left her as skittish as a foal. He also knew that she wasn’t happy that she had let that slip. Said she wasn’t ready for a man in her life. That had come out one night by accident and she had literally run off to the stream for an hour. Wouldn’t say anything when she came back, which made Ian a little more cautious. He had even stopped taking off his shirt around her unless there was no other way around it. Sawny would get flustered and clam up tight. It was difficult, as he felt attracted to her. Ian knew now, that that was what his mom had seen in his eyes that day. He hadn’t planned it, but he was falling in love with Sawny. Ian knew he needed to go as slow as you would with a horse that had never seen a saddle. The anger he felt towards this unknown man that had hurt Sawny worked in his favor. The ropes on the frame were tight. He left to pick up the feather bed his mom had out at the ranch.

Sawny spent the night in the city. She had shopped late and went to a movie after

eating a wonderful dinner. Civilization… Bookstores, movies, people, shops. All so nice after being out in the back of beyond for a couple of months. The hotel shower was almost more pleasure than she could stand. Hot water! She needed to talk to Ian about solar power and a real bathhouse. That and about a thousand other things she seen.

Her truck was loaded with furniture and other things for the house. She made arrangements with her mom to send some of her things out from storage. She might not stay at the cabin all winter, but she was never going back to New Orleans except to visit. She fell asleep with the TV on.

Chapter 5

 Sawny crested the hill and saw Ian standing on the porch. She waved and then headed down to where they parked. As she got out, she didn’t see him. Oh well, she thought as she grabbed a load and headed up the hill.

He wasn’t there when she got to the porch either. “Hello!” No answer. “Ian! I’m back!” Still no answer. She walked into the cabin wondering where he had gotten to when the chills ran down her arms. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. It wasn’t Ian she had waved to, it was Uncle Joshua.

Ian found her sitting on the hood of her truck. She must have just gotten there, as the truck wasn’t unloaded. As he got closer, she sprang off the hood and hugged him tight.

“Hello! What did I deserve to merit this?” he asked. She realized what she had done and dropped out of the hug as fast as it had happened. She was going all red in the face.

“Sorry, but I was so glad to see you and I am still a little freaked. I had a visitor,” she said.

Ian looked around and was puzzled until she started to explain about her arrival home. He just stood there and listened. “I don’t think he meant to scare or hurt you. You have been here for over a month. Why would he show up now?” Ian asked calmly.

“I don’t know. I have been trying to figure that out myself. I just couldn’t go back in until you showed up. In fact, I thought he was you,” Sawny said.

Ian mulled over his thoughts but didn’t voice the fact that he had noticed a small

resemblance to him and Joshua. Nor the fact that both Sawny and Elene were almost the exact same height. When he looked at those photos that day, he had that deja-vu feeling wash over him.

Sawny was asking him where he had been, and he explained that he had gone for a walk. He picked up the basket he had dropped when he was hugged and showed her the early berries he had found. She smiled.

They grabbed up stuff from the truck and headed up the hill. No ghost, just the cabin in the warm evening light. When everything was up the hill and piled in the middle of the cabin, it was like Yule. All these things to see and admire. Sawny wanted to know what it was that had kept him at the cabin. Ian stood to show her. He took her hand and led her up the stairs. “Now, don’t take this the wrong way. It isn’t what it seems,” he barely finished as she came round him and saw the bed.

It was beautiful. The wood had burnished a deep mahogany color. The feather bed fit like it had been made for it. Ian’s mom had also sent some bedding and a quilt in blues and lavenders to cover it. Sawny just stood there with her mouth open. She understood his caution when he had spoke downstairs and marveled at his understanding of her. Tears floated down her checks. “Oh thank you Ian,” she said as she hugged him for the second time that day. Ian returned the hug cautiously. The hug was more thanks than words would ever be.

“You’re welcome Sawny,” he said as they parted. Every inch of his skin throbbed as he headed down the stairs and out into the cool air. Calm down he thought to himself. Rush this and you’ll never get another chance. He stood on the porch as she came out.

“That was a beautiful gift. I never knew that bed was so lovely, let alone usable. Thank you again,” she said. Sawny reached upwards to kiss him and she couldn’t reach. Ian bent down to her. The kiss was just a brushing of the lips, but the electric spark that passed between them was like lightning. Sawny recovered first and went inside. By the time Ian dared breath, the cabin was dark.

He wandered down by the stream stripping off his clothes and plunged in. The water wasn’t cold enough by far. If he didn’t know better, he would have sworn he glowed in the dark.

In the cabin, Sawny’s thoughts weren’t much different. She lay on the soft sheets

of the feather bed wondering what on earth she was doing. She wasn’t ready for this. It was too soon, and she hardly knew this man. Sawny fell asleep going over reason after reason that this was not the right time, place or person to open her heart to so soon.

She woke up feeling like someone was watching her. She got up and looked over the edge of the loft and there was no one in sight. In fact, it was too quiet. “No!” she thought as she ran down the stairs and out to where Ian had been sleeping. No bag. no clothes, no tools. Sawny ran down towards the trucks, his truck was gone too. Damn. It was a long walk back up the hill.

“First I don’t want him, and now that he is gone, I want him! What is wrong with

me?” she said to the empty cabin. She sat down at the table and saw the note. It read:

Sawny,

Things got a little warm last night. I am going to town for a few days. I’ll be back Thursday or Friday.

Ian

Today was Tuesday, and her belongings were due in this morning. Well, rather than mope all day, Sawny decided to head into town. It took her an hour to straighten and put away the stuff that she had bought in the city. After that, she shut the doors and off she went.

It was busy today. Shoppers everywhere and her stuff hadn’t arrived yet. She left a map with the feedlot man who handled the storage lot. He promised to bring the stuff up to her when it arrived. Sawny walked back to her truck. She was disappointed. The idea of having her books and things around her would give her a feeling of normalcy. Maybe even get her mind off Ian, but now she’d have to wait.

At the store she got a few things and then headed back up the mountain. It was almost dark when she got there. No one on the porch, and no lights on in the cabin. Lugging her stuff up the hill she thought how quiet it was. Maybe she ought to get a dog. She missed Ian.

The days crawled by. It was Thursday at last. Sawny wondered if Ian would really show up. The cabin was as tidy as it could get. She had picked flowers for the table and had even found a skirt that looked all right. “Going to have to get a generator,” she thought. Lanterns and candles are nice, but a little electricity would go a long way.

She got the stove going and only smoked herself out once. The bread didn’t look too bad, and she trimmed off the burnt bit. She had made a casserole, so it wouldn’t look like she had cooked with Ian in mind. She waited.

Finally, she gave up and ate. Maybe it was a good thing that Ian hadn’t shown up.

Sawny wasn’t the best cook. She cleared the table and put things away.

Sawny had brought the box of Joshua’s stuff back into the cabin when it was

finished. She decided to look at that diary. The writing was so tiny. She read:

Ma Chere`,

I have fallen in love with a giant of a man. He says that he will take me away from Maman and life in the city. I don’t know……. It is so scary to think of life without the city. This West of his sounds so wild, so primitive. How will we live?

Sawny flipped the pages.

Ma Chere`,

We are living in this petite cabin in the middle of no where. It is so beautiful and

quiet. Today we helped a family move into a new cabin. The old one had burned. Joshua helped build the new one. I helped with the boys. Their maman is heavy with another bebe. They played in the creek. So much mud! The new cabin is so small, for such a big family. All those boys. I long for a bebe, but it seems that is not to be. I cannot carry them long enough. The maman will call me when it is time for her new bebe. At least I can help her and cuddle a new life once in a while.

Another entry was smudged, as if tears had blotted the page.

Ma Chere`,

I am ill once more. There are days when I think I will live in this bed forever. I have lost another bebe. Joshua put our daughter next to the boys. Betty, the maman of all those boys in the next valley has come to help. She cooks and takes care of me while I hear the small voices playing outside. I am so weak. She and I talk of things only women think of. I asked her if I die to make sure that Joshua is not alone. Her sister looks at him with love in her eyes. I know this, and it doesn’t upset me. I do not know how to tell him this. It is something though that I need to do.

Sawny put the diary down. How sad it must have been to see all the life around her and no children of her own. Then again, she had the love of Joshua, which came out in page after page of the diary. Elene loved him enough to try and make sure he wasn’t alone if she should die. How beautiful, as well as sad. It was late, and she headed for bed.

It was a cool night. The wind coming off the river chilled the air as it caressed Sawny’s skin. It felt good after all the hard work she’d put into clearing the cabin. “At least the spiders and the mice can live somewhere else,” she said to no one in particular.

Sawny had moved up to the cabin the week before. Pop’s death had turned up a lot of interesting paperwork; one of which was the deed to the cabin and seventy acres of land. No one knew it existed. Great-great Uncle Joshua built the cabin soon after the Civil War for his bride. As far as anyone could tell from family diary entries, Joshua left the cabin about 1910. He was a widower and moved back to New Orleans.

Sawny’s Grandma remembered meeting him as a child. “He sat by the window,” Grandma said. “It looked to me like he was dreaming of some faraway place.” Now that she was here on his land, Sawny thought she knew of where he dreamed . Over 140 years later, Sawny was cleaning out the cabin and dumping enough compost outside for three gardens.

It had taken Sawny a week just to find the property. The local county clerk was no help. Mrs. Vigil pointed to it on a map, but didn’t know if there was any access to it. It was a rural postman that showed Sawny the road. You could barely see it in the daylight, let alone at night. Sawny learned that the hard way. That tree she hit never had a chance. Good thing that she wasn’t one for worrying about how her truck looked. The wire and duct tape would hold the bumper in place for a while.

Seventy acres is a lot of land when it’s covered by trees. It was two days after finding the road that Sawny finally found the cabin. The maps showed it was next to a creek. She looked in what seemed like the logical places, but missed the creek. She could hear the water running over the rocks, and had to push through the willows and shrubs to find it. There were more bushes than water. Wading upstream for almost half a mile, the cabin just seemed to appear. Sawny had to laugh when she looked down the valley from the cabin. She could see her dusty blue truck in the distance. Had she walked right instead of left, she would have been on the rut up to the cabin and saved herself a long wet walk. Sawny laughed so hard she must have scared all the chipmunks and birds for a mile.

From the outside it didn’t seem much of a cabin. A nearly square affair with a deep front porch and a lean to off the back. Bushes crowded around the cabin and in some places looked like they were about to grow inside. Looking around she found a post that must have held a clothesline at some point and the garden plot.

Sawny set her tent up on the old garden plot. It was the flattest bit of ground near the cabin. She unloaded the supplies from the truck and made some dinner. Her camp stove was old but efficient. Sawny heated water for dishes after she served herself dinner. She wrote down an inventory on all the things to do on just the outside of the cabin while she ate. There was so much to do to rehabilitate the old homestead. She just hoped it would be finished before Autumn. After washing up the dishes, she crawled into her sleeping bag and fell asleep.

The next morning, Sawny inspected the inside of the cabin. The porch was fairly sturdy and the front door was still in place. It opened without too much hassle. The cabin itself was a two-room affair with a sleeping loft. The main room was a large open space. Pulling paper away from what little glass was left in the windows let in enough light for Sawny to take a good look around. Off to one side Sawny found the table and chairs. Most of them looked usable. She’d have to check them out better when she cleaned. Across one wall was a fireplace. It was made of river stone and big enough to roast a small ox. It looked solid, but she couldn’t see up the chimney. The mantle was a huge slab of wood, and the apron looked like sandstone. The floor was a bit bouncy in places, but Sawny was overjoyed to find it. She had been afraid that there was only a dirt floor. There had to be at least four inches of dirt on top of the planks.

The roof supports formed part of the loft floor. The spaces in between were filled with planks. At the back of the cabin there was a crude ladder-stair concoction that led to the loft. There was no handrail, just the steps. Normally ladders didn’t bother Sawny, but she made herself a promise that a rail of some sort would go up as soon as possible. The loft had a small window covered with paper. It let in some light, but not enough. The guardrail at the edge of the loft needed repair too. It looked like someone had cleaned the loft by shoving everything over the edge. This had damaged the railing. Standing at an unbroken bit of rail, it was nice to look down into the main room.

The second room was more of a lean-to attached to the original cabin. There under the garbage and half the roof paper was the kitchen stove. It must have been someone’s pride and joy, but right now it was a mess. Birds and mice had camped in it’s recesses leaving twigs, grass and other scraps. Sawny wasn’t sure what was holding up the roof, but she decided to tackle the kitchen after the main part of the cabin.

She moved the bits of furniture out onto the porch. One chair was beyond help. The rest of the bits while old were probably usable. She still had to puzzle out the wood bits from the loft. She kept them together off to one side. Grabbing the shovel and the broom, Sawny began to remove the dirt. She started with the loft. Working the dirt to the edge with the shovel and then the broom, it cascaded over the edge near the broken rail. With no cross breeze, the dust seemed to hang in the air for ages. Sawny took the scarf off of her hair and put it over her nose. The dirt from the main part of the cabin scraped up in a matter of hours. It went out the front door and off to one side of the porch. Sawny swore she wouldn’t need steps on that side.

By this point, she was so grungy that she headed for a shallow pool formed in the bend of the creek. Originally she had started washing her dishes there. Then she realized that if she added a few rocks, that the pool would deepen enough to use as a bath. Cold water, but better than nothing. Stripping off, she stepped into the pool. Goosebumps raced up her legs. Using her washrag, she slushed water up to rinse off the dirt. Last to be washed was her hair. By the time she finished, she had an ice cream headache with no ice cream.

The next day was much the same. After a quick breakfast of tea and bread rolls with a bit of cheese, Sawny took the broom to all the spiderwebs and dust on the walls. The logs had caught a lot of the dirt that had swirled around the day before. After a few buckets of water, even the fireplace looked good. She didn’t try to mop the floor, but threw buckets of water across the planks and swept the remaining mess out the front door. Then she cleaned the furniture.

After two days work, Sawny had a table, three high-backed chairs, a stool, and a bed frame. Those bits of furniture and a few cupboards were all that was salvageable from the cabin. The table was crooked and the chairs wobbled, but the bed was the challenge. It had looked like a pile of wood up there on the loft floor. No mattress, no supports, nothing. Only after cleaning the grunge off of it was Sawny able to recognize that it was a bed frame. It was one of those rope and board contraptions. She’d have to find someone to help her reassemble it.

Dinner was canned chili and cheese sticks followed by another dip in the creek. Sawny took her sleeping bag and pad out of the tent and placed it in the corner where the bed had been. It felt nice to actually have a clean enough corner to occupy in the cabin. Curling up in her new bedroom, Sawny was so tired that she was asleep in an instant.

Chapter 2

Sawny woke to the sound of something moving in the bushes outside. It was early morning, and her first thought was Bear! The locals had been teasing her about becoming lunch for one, and here she was wondering if it was to be breakfast instead.

Sawny got up as quietly as she could. She grabbed the broom from the wall and headed for the door. Peeking out the front door, she could still hear the swishing of bushes. There was nothing to be seen. Not even a chipmunk. Feeling a little silly by now, Sawny stepped out and started around the corner. Nothing. She kept going, and realized the noise was coming from near her tent and supplies. Sawny came around the corner with the broom held high to hit what was making the noise. What she saw was a man bent over her camp stove.

“What the hell are you doing in my things?” she yelled. Sawny startled him and he moved away from the stove as she came at him with the broom still raised.

“Hold on a minute!” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you, I was just starting some water for tea.”

She stopped and saw that there was water just beginning to boil. Curiosity getting the better of her, she decided to find out what the hell he was doing here before she hit him. “Who are you and what are you doing on my land?” she asked.

“I’m Ian MacKenzie. I came up here in response to your notice in the paper,” he said. He reached slowly into his pocket and pulled out a ripped section of newsprint, and held it out to her.

Sawny took it. It was the ad she had put in the paper over a week ago. Oh, did she feel stupid. “I’m sorry,” Sawny stammered. “I had forgotten all about that. I,… umm… I’m Alexandra Hawke. Most people call me Sawny,” she said as she put down the broom and held out her hand.

His hand covered hers and he shook it with a firm grasp. “Sawny?” he asked with a puzzled look on his face.

“It’s what my brother called me. He couldn’t say Alexandra, so it stuck,” she said as she tried to get the circulation back in her fingers. “You gave me one hell of a scare. I thought you were some wild animal rooting in my stuff.”

“Hence the broom,” Ian said looking at her weapon of choice. He turned to the stove and took the water from the heat. Then he poured it into cups. “You might have stopped them with the broom, but the sight of those legs might have provoked them again,” he said as he smiled.

“Shit!” Dropping the broom, Sawny ran back towards the cabin and her jeans. She had forgotten that she had slept in just a tee-shirt and panties. Her face burned red as she got dressed. “Men! He would just stand there and stare,” she thought. Sawny combed her hair and braided it back fuming as she flicked strand over strand. She kept thinking of what she would say to him. The lecher, ass,… so rude. Then she stopped and realized how she must have looked to him and started to giggle.

“I’m glad to see you have a sense of humor,” Ian said, his voice floating in the front door.

Sawny looked towards his voice and saw a hand holding out a cup in the doorway. Ian hadn’t stepped in yet. The cup was an olive branch. As she walked towards the door, the anger melted away. Sawny took the cup. “Shall we try this again?” she asked.

He smiled. “Yes, Ms. Hawke. I’m here looking for work. You seem to have more

than enough to do around here. Do you want a hand?”

She sat down on the porch and waved him towards a seat on the planks. “I certainly could use help. Tell me about yourself, and you can start with how you found this place so readily.”

He didn’t look like he had been hunting for long. The creases were still in his shirt, and he hadn’t even broken out in a sweat. His brown hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail. Ian rubbed the light beard on his chin with one hand as he sat on the edge of the porch. Ian laughed. ” I grew up around here. Most kids come to the ‘haunted cabin’ to prove how brave they are. Some of us even know that it’s old man Ross that haunts it.”

Ross was Uncle Joshua’s last name. Sawny was just beginning to understand how much of a joke some of the people in town had been having at her expense. Her cheeks began to burn again.

“Haunted cabin eh?” She took a sip of tea. Damn, he even had the right amount of honey in it. “I guess that everyone in town is having a good laugh at my folly,” she said. The look in his hazel eyes told her the truth of it.

“Well, not everyone, just some of them. They’re okay once they see that you aren’t from Texas, or that you’re really serious about the land and staying on it,” he said. Ian sipped his tea and stretched out his legs. He must have been 6’2″ or more Sawny guessed.

“Texas?” Sawny didn’t think anyone visited down here, let alone Texans. The puzzlement must have shown on her face as Ian was trying not to laugh.

“Yes, Texans. They come up here and have been trying to buy up all the land.

Summer homes and winter playgrounds. It drives the local ranchers and farmers nuts,” he said. “They even tried to annex this part of Colorado and New Mexico since it was Texas a long time ago.”

Sawny nodded, remembering looking at old maps of this part of the country. This part of the state was so odd anyway, she felt as if she had stepped back 50 years if not more.

Ian sat there cup in hand. “Well, I guess you want to know what kind of a rogue I am, and if I’m qualified for the work,” he said.

“Umm, yes,” she said trying to remember what she had for food that would quiet her growling stomach. She bet it was loud enough to hear. Ah, the bread rolls! “Would you like a roll to go with that tea?” she asked as she got up and moved towards her food sack. Ian nodded as she got the bread out of the bag. Sawny handed him a roll and sat down with hers. As she began to devour it, he took a bite and after a moment began to talk.

“My family runs a ranch a couple of valleys over from here. My brother’s the boss. I do just about whatever comes to hand. It’s a bit noisy what with all the nieces and nephews here this summer. So I was looking for some work to get me out of there.” He smiled and ate a bit more of the roll. “What do you have in mind?”

Sawny swore that as he said that, it wasn’t carpentry he had on his mind. She took a sip of tea, counted to ten before she replied. “I need help repairing the cabin properly, not just a patch job. The interior needs a lot of help and the roof needs a bit of TLC as well. Then I want to fix up the garden and scrape the driveway to get rid of the ruts. I need to cut the bushes back too.”

He nodded, stood up and moved past her into the cabin. “You’ve done a bit of cleaning I see,” he said as he looked around. Walking towards the loft he looked up at the underside. “Good workmanship here, but that guardrail needs replacing.”

“I know. So does the ladder,” she said. Sawny ate the last bite of roll and finished her tea. He had finished as well, and handed over his cup. “Where did you learn carpentry?” Sawny asked. She didn’t want just anyone fixing up the cabin, although she might not have much choice. Ian was the only one to answer the ad.

“The ranch, and school. I went to University of Northern Colorado,” he said.

“They taught carpentry there?” she asked, trying not to laugh. Sawny caught the expression on his face, and realized that she had made a mistake.

“No,” he answered rather gruffly. “I majored in English Lit and European History. I had planned on being a teacher. I did carpentry work on the side to pay my tuition.”

Feeling her face start to glow Sawny stammered an apology took their cups and headed for the door. Out in the morning air, all she could think about was how screwed up this day was already. Moving around back, she went over to the stove where there was still a bit of hot water. Sawny got the cups washed and set aside. She put away the camp stove and tried to figure out what on earth she was going to say to Ian McKenzie. Just as she had her thoughts in order, the quiet was shattered by the rumble of a truck. Walking around the cabin Sawny could see the plume of dust heading off down the mountain. Damn! He had left. She must have really screwed things up. Frustrated and mad, Sawny sat down and cried.

“Huh?” said Willow.

“Undressing. Piece by piece or just strip off and dive under the covers?” he clarified.

“Umm…Piece by piece? You take off one and I’ll take off one?” she said a little uncertain.

“Alright. Shoes and socks first,” said Jason. He knew that would relieve a little tension and plus make it a little less awkward when they got down to jeans. He sat down and removed his shoes and socks.

“Jeans but not undies next?” asked Willow.

“Fine by me,” said Jason. He pulled off his jeans and put them on his chair next to the bed. That left him in his sports briefs, flannel shirt and teeshirt.

Willow slowly pulled off her jeans. It wasn’t to tease or tantalize, she was nervous and trying not to show it. While she’d wanted to do this, part of her was having second thoughts. She put her jeans on the trunk.

“Top shirt?” Jason asked. Willow nodded and now they were both down to an undershirt of some sort and undies. Willow was beginning to look a little nervous. “How about we get into bed and just touch for a bit before we take off any more clothes?” Jason asked.

“Okay. Plus, it’s a little cold,” said Willow.

They climbed into bed and Jason checked the drawer for condoms, although he didn’t pull one out. He had some, but didn’t think they’d get that far tonight. Honestly, he was amazed they got this far. Jason turned to Willow and kissed her.

Willow kissed back. She felt safe in his arms and snuggled up closer. He put one arm around her and held her close. It still felt good. Her hand touched his arm and then slowly glided down his chest to his hip.

Jason steeled himself to keep calm. The last thing he needed right now was an erection with a mind of it’s own. He pulled Willow close and they kissed. He smiled when her arm stroked his side. He let his own hand rest first on her shoulder and then on her back. When Willow’s hand began to touch his ass, he let his own hand touch hers. She didn’t flinch, which was good. They kept on kissing.

Willow wanted to touch him. His cock. He wasn’t real hard, but she wanted to feel the weight of his cock in her hand, but she felt shy about the whole process. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to have him touch her in the same way now that they were to this point. Slowly, she brought her hand down to his cock and let her fingers trail over the thin cotton.

Jason tried not to gasp when he felt her hand touch him. He just kept on kissing her and stroking her back. “Would you like me to take off my teeshirt?” he asked.

“Um…” she hesitated.

“You don’t have to take anything else off yet,” he said trying to relieve a bit of tension.

“Oh. Okay,” she said and removed her hand from his cock.

Jason took a deep breath as the shirt went over his head. It gave him a few seconds to calm things down. He dropped the shirt to the floor.

Willow looked at Jason’s chest. There was the typical farmer’s tan evident even in winter, scars, and very little body hair. “You’re not very hairy,” she said.

“No, Part Nez Perce. So, I missed out on that,” he said.

“Oh. And where did all these scars come from?” she asked as she traced some of them.

“Barbed wire, a bb gun, dog bite, tree,” he said as he named the scars Willow touched. He didn’t mind, because she was touching him and not worrying about it like she had a few minutes ago.

Willow nodded and then put her hand on his stomach and cuddled close. She lay there with her head on his chest and listened to his heart. Her own was racing and she relaxed hearing the slow steady pace of his. After a minute, she moved her had a little lower until it was resting just above the elastic of his briefs.

Jason did his best to keep his breathing steady. He could feel her heart racing under his hand and knew everything depended on him keeping calm. In spite of thinking about everything from killing chickens to Betsy, he could feel his erection growing. The tip was sitting just below her hand, and if he got any stiffer, it would poke out of his briefs.

Willow looked down and grazed the edge of her hand across his briefs. She brushed his cock through the material and it twitched. She did it again, and the head of his cock began to peek out of his briefs. She did it a third time and smiled as it twitched more than the first time. Willow giggled.

“What’s so funny?” asked Jason.

“Your… your cock,” she said as she touched him again and it bounced.

Jason sighed. “Okay, it has a mind of it’s own. Okay?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” she said.

Jason looked at her and stripped off his briefs with one hand and kicked them off. His cock stood proud and bobbed up and down.

“Oh,” she said. “You’re a bit bigger than my last boyfriend.”

“Okay. Does that bother you?” he asked.

“No, not really. It’s just that um… May I touch it?” she asked.

“Why stop now? You were touching me earlier. That’s how I got in this condition,” he said in a joking tone. “Please let her be okay with this,” he thought.

“Oh yeah,” she said almost absentmindedly. She traced her fingers up and down his cock, and across his balls. Willow touched him a little more each trip. Tentatively, she wrapped her hand around his cock and gently stroked up and down.

Jason moaned. It felt so good to have her touch him. He worked at keeping calm, and it wasn’t very affective. His heart beat faster and as she continued to stroke his cock, his breathing became faster and a bit ragged.

Willow watched as his cock responded to her touch. It became firmer and then the first drop of pre-cum pearled at the tip. She touched it and rubbed it on his cock. She could feel his heart beating faster under her head. When he gasped, she turned to look at him.

“You okay with me touching you and you not touching me?” she asked.

“Yyyes, just don’t stop,” Jason said. He could feel an orgasm building and the last thing he wanted her to do was stop.

“Oh. Okay,” Willow said. She stroked his cock a little more firmly. It had been a long time since she’d given anyone a hand job. She watched his cock turn a deeper red and then it pulsed under her hand and he began to come in spurts that arched up his stomach and across her hand. She kept stroking him until there was no more.

“Uhhh,” Jason moaned.

Willow released his cock, and went to the bathroom. She came back in a minute with a warm washcloth and started to clean him off.

“I’ll do that,” said Jason.

“No, I made that mess and I’ll clean it up,” she said with a shy smile on her face.

“Alright, I won’t protest. Your hand feels very nice,” Jason said.

Willow smiled again and finished cleaning up the sticky sperm. Then she went back to the bathroom and crawled into bed on her side. Jason rolled over to face her.

“Thank you,” he said.

“You’re welcome,” answered Willow.

“Do you want touched?” he asked.

“Um, yes. Just your fingers?” she asked.

“You decide. You are the one in charge,” Jason said.

Willow nodded and under the covers she took off her top and undies. Then she took Jason’s hand and put it on her mound. Jason just cupped her for a moment and then slowly stroked her thighs and mound. Willow opened her legs and he let his hand move between them.

Willow was a little tense, but Jason was going slowly and she tried to relax. It was like he was reading her and when she got a little freaked, he slowed down. Very slowly, he moved one finger between her lips and let it graze her clit. She wasn’t as wet as she might be, but he didn’t worry. They had time. He touched her clit a little more.

“Oh,” Willow said softly.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yes, and that feels nice,” she answered.

Jason kissed her and let his fingertips slide downwards until they came to her pussy. He slid just a tip inside of her and then back up to her clit. He did this several times, listening to her heart and breathing.

“Jason,” she gasped.

“Yes,” he answered.

“Please make me come,” she begged and arched her hips so that his fingers went in deeper.

“You sure?” he asked. The last thing he wanted to do was rush her or make her feel she had to let him touch her.

“Yes!” she said.

Jason increased the speed of his fingers and added his thumb to the movement. In a moment, Willow was arching up off the bed in orgasm.

“Ohhhh,” she cried as she came. Her body shuddered and then she lay there breathing shallowly.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

Willow smiled and then curled up in his arms. Within moments, she was asleep. Jason turned so that he could switch off the bedside lamp and went to sleep with Willow in his arms.

However, I would love it if more people posted comments. Even moreso if people would speak up about what they would like to read. I teased you with four stories… Anyone else want to put in their two cents/pence/pesos worth in on a story choice?

Life has been very hectic, so you have until Friday to make your choices known.

“Jason, would you touch me?” she asked.

“I am touching you,” he said. He knew what she wanted, but once again, she had to ask.

“Touch me intimately,” Willow said.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes!” she nearly shouted. “Aren’t you horny? Don’t you want to touch me?”

“Yes, but it has to be on your terms, not mine,” he said.

The truth of his words struck her like a bolt of lightning. He really had meant what he said all those weeks ago. She turned to him, and sat on his lap. Then she took his hand, kissed his fingers and palm and then placed it on her breast.

Jason held her breast and wrapped his other arm around her. He pulled her close and kissed her. Willow returned his kiss. He gently massaged her breast through the thick sweater and kissed her. He nibbled down her jawline and moved to her earlobe. She pressed forward against his hand, wanting more contact. When the sweater got to be too much, she broke the kiss and pulled back a bit.

Jason wasn’t sure what was in her head, but smiled slightly as she pulled her sweater off and sat there in just her bra. He traced his fingertips along the edge of the bra and then slowly put his hand on her breast. There was only the thin material of the bra between them. Willow gasped and then brought her lips back to his to kiss.

They must have kissed for five minutes like that, he gently moving from one breast to the other and her relaxing and enjoying the experience. Jason knew from her body language that she wanted more, but he understood that they needed to go slowly. She had to want him as much as he realized he wanted her. He just hoped she wouldn’t ask him to stand up, as he worried that his cock would snap in half.

Willow broke the kiss and leaned back. She undid her bra and tossed it aside. Then she put his hand back to her breast. Jason caressed her and then bent down to kiss her breast. When she didn’t shy away, he moved to the other one. Willow moaned and moved so that she was straddling him. This brought her breasts right up in his face. Jason moved back and forth, kissing, licking and holding her breasts. As he wrapped his arms around her, he realized that she was getting cold. He scooted forwards and pulled off his flannel shirt and wrapped her in it. He cradled her to his chest, and continued to kiss her.

“If this doesn’t trigger bad memories, I’ll be glad,” he thought. He’d wrapped her in his flannel shirt when he’d found her. He slowed down the kisses and just held her. “Just about as far as I want to go tonight,” he thought. The last thing he wanted to do was rush things.

“Jason? Is there something wrong?” she asked.

“No, I just don’t want to rush things. Is that okay with you?” he asked.

Willow thought about it for a moment. “Yeah, I think so. Think you’re right. I’d be real upset if we got going and then I froze or had nightmares,” she admitted.

Jason nodded and gave her a kiss. They finished the movie and headed to bed. She took a shower and then crawled into bed. Jason took one too. It was the only way he could settle down. Even a walk out on the back porch while she showered hadn’t cooled his reaction to her kisses. He crawled in to bed twenty minutes later and just a tad drained. Good thing too, as she snuggled up to him.

“Good night Willow,” he said and then kissed her.

“Night, Jason,” Willow replied after the kiss. She snuggled against his chest and fell asleep.

There were no nightmares that night, nor the night after. He had to laugh when he realized that she’d grabbed his flannel shirt he’d wrapped her in for a bathrobe first thing in the morning over her pj’s. She looked puzzled when he laughed.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Well, my Dad always called that a Montana negligee,” Jason said.

“What?” asked Willow confused.

“He said there was nothing sexier than a girlfriend or a lover running around in your flannel shirt. And I laughed because you’re wearing my flannel shirt,” he said.

“Oh. OH!” she said and blushed bright red. “But I’ve got my pj’s on.”

“I know, but it still makes me smile,” he said and headed downstairs to make breakfast.

By the time Willow came downstairs, he had pancakes cooking and coffee ready in the pot. She helped herself to a cup and waited for her stack of pancakes. They ate and then headed outside to do chores. It hadn’t snowed in a few days which was nice. Everything had packed down and it was easy to move about as long as you didn’t step off into untouched snow.

Willow gathered the eggs. She was amazed that they were still laying, but enjoyed every one of them. She took the basket inside and was heading out when Jason filled the doorway.

“I’m going to head out with the hay for the cattle. Go ahead and stay here. No use two of us getting cold,” he said.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes. See you in a few hours,” he said and headed back to the shed.

Willow took off her heavy coat and the boots and decided she’d do some housework while he was gone. She started some laundry, and cleaned the kitchen. Then she brought firewood into the living room, started up a fire and curled up with her book.

Jason came inside late in the afternoon. He didn’t smell anything cooking, but that wasn’t unusual. He saw that there was laundry done and the kitchen was sparkling. He walked into the living room and found Willow asleep in the chair. He picked up her book and put it on the table. Then slowly, he called her name.

“Oh, Jason, I fell asleep,” she said with a yawn.

“Yes, and even better, when I woke you up, you didn’t startle,” he said.

“I… I didn’t,” she said with a smile.

“Let’s go make dinner,” said Jason and held out a hand to her.

They were sitting on the couch when Willow turned to Jason. “How much sexual experience do you have?” she asked.

Jason blinked. “That’s a question out of the blue,” he said.

“Well?” she asked.

“Um… let me see,” he said silently counting on his fingers. “I lost my virginity at sixteen. I’ve had four serious relationships and Betsy wasn’t one of them. I know my way around a woman and I think I have a fairly liberal attitude towards trying things,” he said. “Oh, and I’m rather vanilla in my tastes. You?”

“Um… Lost my virginity at eighteen, thought I was in love and discovered it was lust. Two sort of serious boyfriends, never played around with anything kinky which is what I think you mean by vanilla and got raped at twenty-nine.” she said. “Oh, and I wanted to get married to one of them, but they didn’t like my hippy lifestyle. Wanted me to be a nice artsy trophy wife.”

Jason nodded. He wasn’t certain where this conversation was going, but he’d follow her lead. “Okay. Any particular reason for asking?” he asked.

“Well, I got curious. And to be honest, I wanted to understand what you thought sex was about,” she said.

“Okay,” he said and went back to his book.

“Jason,” she started.

“Yes,” he answered.

“Could we go to bed?” she asked.

“Well, it’s only 7:30, isn’t that a little early?” he replied. He knew what she meant and couldn’t resist playing dumb.

“That’s not what I meant!” she said.

“Well, what do you mean?” Jason replied.

“Will you have sex with me? At least give it a try?” she asked.

“If that’s what you want,” he said.

“Yes! I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want it!” she said. Then she realized he was teasing her as he broke out into a smile.

Jason put his book down and took her hand as they headed up the stairs.

“I couldn’t believe the amount of soot on my face!” said Elsa.

“It has been so long since I rode a train cross country,” said Lillian. “In India, we’d have needed a bath, not just a basin to wash our hands and face.”

“I can’t imagine,” said Elsa. “Will Aya and Betsy be enough to deal with the children?”

“Yes. Aya is amazing. By the time we leave in a month, she’ll have them all speaking Hindi,” said Lillian with a smile. It had been decided to take just Aya and Betsy as they would take up less room than Elsa’s servants.

“That would be amazing. I swear little Charles hardly speaks English,” said Elsa. The three Milne children were the delight of Elsa’s life and the bane of their nanny’s existence. Charles was eight and attending dayschool. Allison was five and shared nursery time with her little brother Brian who was three. All three children were very outgoing and adventurous much to the consternation of their nanny, Miss Burke. This holiday was as much for the Milne family as it was for Miss Burke.

“He does just fine when he wants,” laughed Lillian. It had been Charles that had cussed a blue streak when the conductor returned him to the compartment.

After a final check of their clothes, the two women headed downstairs to the public room for dinner. Paul awaited them by the fire.

“I’ve ordered dinner. Hope you don’t mind,” he said.

“Of course not dear,” said his wife.

“No, I don’t,” said Lillian. “Even after all this time, I still don’t know what to order in public. It is so different here.”

“I have to admit that I can’t imagine India,” said Paul.

“I think you would find it very hot, dirty and crowded,” said Lillian.

“Oh? And yet you miss it?” asked Paul.

“Yes, I do. We lived in a beautiful area and that section of the city was well kept. I knew there was poverty of an extreme sort just right round the corner, but I didn’t have to face it daily. Not like when we went to Delhi or Calcutta,” Lillian said.

Paul nodded. Dinner was brought out. Shepherds pie, a bread and cheese tray as well as tea. For afters there was treacle tart or apple pie. While Elsa and Lillian ate sparingly, Paul ate well. He finished his dinner with Stilton cheese and an apple.

After dinner they went up to their rooms. Lillian said her good nights as did Elsa and Paul.

“Do you think she’ll like the house?” asked Paul. “It isn’t exactly the most modern edifice.”

“No, but it had the beautiful walled garden and the brook at the end of the kitchen garden. Plus, there is literally no one around for at least a hundred yards,” said Elsa.

“There is that. Perhaps she will like it. I know I’d like it if David took the job. Hell, I’d even figure out a way to wrench James from Millicent’s clutches,” he said as he helped his wife out of her clothes.

“Ah, and there’s the real crux to things now isn’t it. Millicent. She is such a changed person from the woman David married,” Elsa said as she eased out of her corset. She didn’t go in for tight lacings when expecting, but she still needed some support. She sighed as she dropped it to the chair.

“Let me massage your back,” said Paul. He’d surprised himself with the discovery that he found pregnant women appealing. He started with rubbing Elsa’s back and then moved his hands around her to cup her breasts. They were full and heavy.

“Paul, don’t stop,” Elsa said. She moved until she was propped up on the pillows. Paul moved between her legs and kissed and sucked first one nipple and then the other. Then he kissed his way down her stomach until he reached her pregnant stomach. He kissed her skin and then worked his way down to her nearly hidden mound.

“Have I told you lately how much I love and adore you wife?” asked Paul.

“I think it’s been since this morning,” she said with a gasp as he licked and kissed her.

“Well, I do. You are the most beautiful being and anyone who says that pregnant women are hideous need their eyes checked,” he said.

“Oh Paul,” she giggled. He’d gently thrust two fingers into her and stroked her clit with his thumb. “Oh… oh my. Gently dear.”

“Always my love. I wish we could make love instead of just touch and kiss at the moment,” he said.

“As do I. A little to the left,” she said as he worked to bring her to orgasm.

Paul adjusted his fingers and within a moment, Elsa gasped arched and orgasmed. His hand was drenched with her juices.

“Another?” he asked.

“No, I think not. I don’t want to have this baby before we get too Taunton,” she said.

“Alright,” said Paul. He dropped the rest of his clothes on the chair and climbed into bed. His erection caught Elsa’s attention and she took him in her hand.

“Eeeelsa,” he gasped as she stroked and touched him. She licked the head of his cock which made him gasp. Elsa and Lillian had chatted and Elsa delighted in this way to relieve Paul’s tensions when they couldn’t have sex. She still took it very slowly. Elsa continued to lick and suck Paul’s cock until he began to orgasm. Then she quickened the pace of her hand until he erupted all over her hand and his stomach. She giggled as she watched his juices spurt everywhere.

“Oh gods,” he gasped as he melted against the pillows. He didn’t mind taking care of himself, but having Elsa help, especially with her mouth literally blew his mind.

“Let me find a towel,” she said with a giggle. She got up and grabbed a towel from the wash basin. She wiped her hand and then gave it to Paul. He cleaned up and then the two of them curled up to sleep.

Lillian lay awake in her bed listening to the sounds of Paul and Elsa in the next room and realized how much she missed David. She thought about the way he’d kissed her goodbye and how much she was going to enjoy their time in Taunton. No interruptions, no swift evenings of fun followed by lonely nights. She was glad that her cycle was just finishing so that they would be able to enjoy themselves without a week’s pause.

She reached under the covers and touched herself. She ached for David’s touch. Fingers touched her clit and it only took a few moments to bring her gasping to the ascent of heaven. She sighed as the pleasure seeped into her body. Lillian fell asleep.

The train left Newbury at 10am. The next major stop was Westbury and by tea time they were in Taunton. Paul got a carriage to take them to the cottage. A pony cart followed behind with the luggage. Elsa brought almost enough for three months as if there were no shops in Taunton. Paul had protested, but it got him nowhere.

The cottage was in a secluded section of Taunton. The front garden had a lush green lawn with low shrubs. The cottage itself was made with river stone and the front porch was just enough to cover a person standing on the doorstep. The back garden was divided into two sections. A rose garden and flowers off to one side just out the back door and a kitchen garden at the bottom of the high stone wall. The children went running to chase a cat while Elsa and Lillian walked through the house and opened windows and removed dust covers.

There were four bedrooms, a sitting room, kitchen, dining room, a small library and various pantries, store rooms and servants quarters off the kitchen. Aya and Betsy went to work in the kitchen as they weren’t sure if the cook who normally came in to help would be there today. As the stove was cold, they didn’t think she would be there.

Paul watched the luggage taken to the correct rooms and then paid off the drivers. While the women put things away, he looked out on the children in the garden. They were restless after two days on the train. Hell, he was restless.

“Elsa, do you want anything from the shops?” he called upstairs.

“Um… milk, maybe some biscuits and a loaf of bread if you can find it,” she called.

“Alright. I’m taking the children and I’ll be back soon,” he said.

“Lovely!” Elsa called.

In a minute, Paul and the three children with a basket over one arm were out the door and down to the local shop. He was enjoying the fresh air after the dirt of the city.

Dinner was light. Cheese, tomatoes, ploughman’s pickle, tea and scones. Elsa and Aya tucked the children in bed and the adults sat around the fireplace in the sitting room. Aya and Betsy were cleaning up in the kitchen.

“This is a delightful house,” said Lillian. “I’m surprised you don’t spend more time here.”

“We usually do, but with the baby coming, we decided to wait until now. As it is, I’m not sure I’ll have to wait much longer for it’s arrival,” said Elsa.

“Oh?” asked Lillian.

“Well, I’m not due until the end of May, and to be honest each one has come a bit sooner than the last. I feel so heavy,” Elsa said.

“Well, you can relax here and when the baby arrives we will take care of you,” said Lillian.

“And David and I will make sure you relax,” said Paul. “Which reminds me. David is due tomorrow or the day after.

“Oh good. I am so looking forward to our time here,” said Lillian. “However, I am exhausted and shall head to bed.”

They all said their good nights and headed off to bed.

In the Arms of Fenris

 Marty never thought about them really. Werewolves that is. Never figured they would be a reality or an issue.   Granted, she used to think that they were fairy tale monsters and characters for fright movies.  Ranked them right up  there with witches,  ghosts and vampires. She ought to have known better.  You can't have whole genres of literature  without a little bit of fact hiding somewhere. Never thought she'd ever meet one, let alone date one.

Sheeple

“Now be good, and don’t eat any Sheeple while you’re out shopping!” Kate said as she headed out the door. Behind her, Eric rolled over and mumbled into the pillow.

Kate was off to take the children to summer school. It was the first day she had gone without Eric. He and her oldest son Zach were going off with his girlfriend Anne to do some shopping. Living out in the boonies had its advantages as well as some disadvantages. One of them was being unable to find computer parts easily. Eric was building yet another computer and had run out of memory. Computer memory that is.

Kate ran out to her beat up Subaru where Jamie and Mark waited. It was a fair drive to the school, and while the radio blared, Kate started thinking about how life had altered over the last fifteen months. She was still deep in thought when they got to the school. Jamie kissed her goodbye and Mark muttered something and slammed the door.

“Don’t slam the doors!” she hollered at Mark.

The dust from the road rolled over the Subaru when she finally came to a halt at a picnic site deep in the valley. She stood up and stretched, smelling the breeze. Cottonwoods, pines, water and the smells of animals caressed her nose. She was very aware of just how sensitive she had become to scents.

Grabbing her water bottle and the light pack with her lunch, she headed farther up the road towards a spot where she and Eric loved to stop. Without Eric, she was hesitant to put the car in 4 wheel drive and drive up the rough road. Fifteen minutes later, she was sitting beside a stream that bisected the road. Her muscles felt good for the fast pace she’d set, and yet Kate was ready for a rest. Spreading out the blanket, she settled down for some thinking. The clouds floating by caught her attention. Especially the one shaped like a wolf’s head.

 Sweetwater

Rab came down the rocks and into the ritual area. He stood there as the
two packed up their gear. He was there to help them get the stuff down to the
transports. Balendin wasn’t a young man, and there was a fair amount of gear to
get down out of the rocks.
“He’s watching you dear,” Balendin said with his inner voice.
“I know. He isn’t hard on the eyes either,” she said
“Well, he wouldn’t be a bad choice, if you’d ever decide to, you know,” he
said.
“Stop pushing! I’ll take interest when I’m ready, and will not be pushed.
Especially after some of the messes we’ve had to repair due to forced or rushed
pairings,” she answered back rather forcefully.
“Hey now! I was just letting you know he was looking. I wasn’t trying to push
you. It’s just that Traherne has been gone a long time. No one expects you to be
celibate forever,” He replied.
“I understand. It is just that some days I feel like a herd beast on parade
with all the old biddies trying to match me up with some likely bull!” Vesna
answered.
That made Balendin laugh, and Vesna giggle as well. They turned to Rab
and started picking up what they could carry. He picked up the rest and thought to
himself about what they would say if they knew he could hear bits and pieces of
their “private” conversation. Not enough to totally understand, but enough.

The Cabin

Sawny got up as quietly as she could. She grabbed the broom from the wall and
headed for the door. Peeking out the front door, she could still hear the swishing of bushes.
There was nothing to be seen. Not even a chipmunk. Feeling a little silly by now, Sawny
stepped out and started around the corner. Nothing. She kept going, and realized the noise
was coming from near her tent and supplies. Sawny came around the corner with the broom
held high to hit what was making the noise. What she saw was a man bent over her camp
stove.
“What the hell are you doing in my things?” she yelled. Sawny startled him and he
moved away from the stove as she came at him with the broom still raised.
“Hold on a minute!” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you, I was just starting some
water for tea.”
She stopped and saw that there was water just beginning to boil. Curiosity getting the
better of her, she decided to find out what the hell he was doing here before she hit him.
“Who are you and what are you doing on my land?” she asked.
“I’m Ian MacKenzie. I came up here in response to your notice in the paper.” He
reached slowly into his pocket and pulled out a ripped section of newsprint. Ian held it out to
her, and Sawny took it. Yes, it was the ad she had put in the paper over a week ago. Oh, did
she feel stupid.
“I’m sorry,” Sawny stammered. “I had forgotten all about that. I,… umm… I’m
Alexandra Hawke. Most people call me Sawny,” she said as she put down the broom and
held out her hand.
His hand covered hers and he shook it with a firm grasp. “Sawny?” he asked with a
puzzled look on his face.
“It’s what my brother called me. He couldn’t say Alexandra, so it stuck,” she said as
she tried to get the circulation back in her fingers. “You gave me one hell of a scare. I thought
you were some wild animal rooting in my stuff.”
“Hence the broom,” Ian said looking at her weapon of choice. He turned to the stove
and took the water from the heat. Then he poured it into cups. “You might have stopped them
with the broom, but the sight of those legs might have provoked them again,” he said as he
smiled.
“Shit!” Dropping the broom, Sawny ran back towards the cabin and her jeans. She
had forgotten that she had slept in just a tee-shirt and panties. Her face burned red as she
got dressed. Men! He would just stand there and stare. Sawny combed her hair and braided
it back fuming as she flicked strand over strand. She kept thinking of what she would say to
him. The lecher, ass,… so rude. Then she stopped and realized how she must have looked to
him and started to giggle.
“I’m glad to see you have a sense of humor,” Ian said, his voice floating in the front
door.

“Brian, you can’t keep her from shifting or being in heat. You sure ain’t keeping her from runnin’ off with that Jacques Moreau. He’s a handsome one and she’s thinkin’ with her body not her brain. Plus, it didn’t work with Jenny, why you think it work with her?” asked Natalie.

Brian looked at her with half shifted eyes and just growled. “Don trus thha Jaks,” he growled.

Natalie just smiled and tugged his arm until he came into the house. Her papa had been the same way. She just kept walking until they reached the bedroom were she shut the door and dropped her bathrobe. At forty-one she still had a fine figure. She stretched out on the bed and waited for Brian to decide which way he was going.

Brian stretched and let the bones in his head shift back to more human positions. Then he undressed as best he could and lay down on the bed with Natalie. She was right, he couldn’t stop Alice any more than he had Jenny. It just frustrated the wolf inside and he still hadn’t learned to deal with it. Marie would be sixteen in two years, and he’d probably react the same way with her.

Natalie grabbed his cock with her hands and began to stroke him. Brian shuddered with the gentle touch and began to relax. She stroked him until he was rigid. Then she licked and sucked his cock while he began to touch her.

“Mmm,” she crooned as she licked the tip of his cock. Brian’s fingers played up and down her thigh and then across her clit. She was wet and as he slipped his fingers into her, she took him deep into her mouth. They played until Natalie ached for Brian to fill her. She moved around and straddled him, letting Brian’s cock slide into her. She settled herself and then rocked back and forth.

Brian reached up and cradled her breasts in his hands as Natalie increased the pace of their lovemaking. He let her call the pace this time, and smiled as he watched her face. He loved her so much. Loved the way her face softened just before she came, or the flush under her skin right above her breasts. Most of all, he loved the way they felt making love.

The two wolves ran in the forest. Wolf chased his mate, the scent of sex leading him by the nose. She stopped suddenly and he looked to where her head pointed. Deer. Slowly, they circled the deer in the meadow and then leapt onto the back of one deer. He grabbed the neck and as he swung down over the top, the spine broke. She had grabbed the deer by the hindquarter, keeping it from kicking her mated.

They ate well and with full bellies began to wrestle and drag the carcass back to the village. The deer was a little worse for wear by the time they’d dragged it back, but Wolf didn’t care. They left it on the porch and went running again.

Brian helped his brother-in-law Daniel reorganize the metal foundry after Big Joe’s death. Alexander helped with the paperwork and dealt with the non-shifters that were owed money. It made life easier. The lumber mill was running at full speed most days as pulp mills and the building trades increased their demand. Brian noticed that more non-shifters were moving into their valley. Still Metis, which made life a little easier, but as people began to marry into families there were problems.

“How you tell someone you love that you shift?” Henry asked his Papa.

“You better be honest. They gonna laugh. They don’ believe, you shift. Simple,” said Brian. “Or, better yet, you stick ta family.”

Henry didn’t like that idea, but at eighteen, he wasn’t too worried. He was in love with Maggie and their first born was due anytime. He was worried about Marie, who kept flirting with all the new loggers. He didn’t tell his Papa, as he didn’t need Brian ripping off heads. Papa was some protective about his girls. Here it was nearly eight months later and he still wouldn’t talk to Jacque Moreau, Alice’s mate. Alice was eight months pregnant as well. She and Maggie were making baby clothes.

“Best be honest. Worst, you leave. Move. Let everyone think you crazy, aye?” said Brian. He was trying to figure out how to house his family. The original cabin had run out of room. Two of the additions had collapsed during the winter. Jenny and Henri had taken in Marie, George and Quintus until they had been able to make repairs. As it was, Marie stayed with Jenny while George and Quintus returned home. Natalie had suggested that they move into Grandma Davy’s old house that she used as a clinic, but Bryan couldn’t let go of the cabin he grew up in.

“Guess you are right Papa. I think I go home check on Maggie,” he said and gave his Papa a hug. Brian hugged him back and headed into the office. Alexander was in there finishing up paperwork.

“Brian, you know some man named Burke?” Alexander asked.

“Non,” Brian said straight off.

“English, stuffy, said he know you long time gone,” said Alexander.

Brian thought for a moment. “Oh! Burke the Captain in the Great War. What he want?” asked Brian.

Alexander handed him a letter. It was a request for specific lumber. Cuts to requirement. Brian read the letter and then sat down. He remembered this list.

“What’s wrong?” asked Alexander.

“This order. This is for barracks. I recognize it. Did it twenty years past. Why for they want more barracks? What they know that they don’ tell people?” Brian asked.

“I don know. May be we need listen to that radio for more than music,” said Alexander. In truth, he knew what was going on in Europe and Asia. Japan invaded China and there was a massacre in some town called Nanjing. October had seen thousands of Chinese die. The Americans even lost a ship to Japanese bombers. Hilter was stirring things up in Europe as well. Jews were being attacked and their possessions taken. The Great Depression in the America had hit Canada as well, but those who lived off of the land had done okay. However, like so many of the shifters, Alexander felt people moving in too close for comfort.

“May be you are right. May be it is time to stock up again like in 1913,” said Brian.

“Wasn’t alive then, but I remember my parents saving up and making sure they had things they needed,” said Alexander. “You placing his order?”

“Soon as I see money. Don do nothing without it. Not now. Too much family. Too many people to take care of,” said Brian. “I think I go talk to Natalie. You, you listen that radio.”

Alexander nodded.

Brian took a walk over to the clinic and talked with Natalie. He was surprised to find that many of the women, Natalie included had felt the same thing. She showed him the storage room with all the herbs. Twice as many as normal and there were other supplies as well.

“Natalie, why you no say anything?” he asked. He wasn’t upset, just puzzled.

“We… we thought at first it was just nerves. Being silly, so I say nothin’. Then, that Jacque, he drive down to that Montana for a while, listen to things and he bring back some of this,” Natalie said. She pointed to fabric and salt. “Then I talk with the women in the valley and we all feel this way. Didn’t think about talking to you, you have so much to do as it is,” she said.

Brian nodded and took her into his arms. “Bad times coming,” he said.

She nodded.

Over the next year, the families stocked on on everything they could. Brian did the job for his captain and used the money to fix up the lumber mill and send some of the family south into Montana. No one checked the border, so no one knew who lived where. More people moved into the valley and running at night was getting harder. Hunting slacked off too.

There were happy times too. Alice and Maggie had their babies nearly a day apart. Brian loved rocking his new granddaughters on the front porch. He even started talking to Jacque.

“So, how’s things going?” asked Doc as he pulled the last of the stitches out.

“Okay. We hold hands, she’s kissed me a few times and she cuddles up to me at night,” said Jason. He’d already explained the sleeping arrangement, which Doc had smiled about once he understood what was going on.

“Good. You do realize that she may never be able to cope,” Doc said.

“Yes, I realize that. I’m going slow and to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever been so clean in my life,” said Jason. He was masturbating in the shower almost every morning to keep himself on an even keel.

“Ah, Sally Suds aye?” smirked Doc.

“Yeah,” said Jason trying not to blush.

“Do yourself a favor,” said Doc.

“How so?” asked Jason.

“Let her catch a glimpse of that morning wood. She may not be advancing her own emotional state because you are being so guarded,” said Doc.

“Okay, but in my book, no matter who it is, no means no until they say yes,” said Jason.

“Good! But you don’t have to look like a neutered saint, just act like one,” said Doc. “Let her know that she affects you. Let her know that you still hold back inspite of being turned on.”

Jason thought about it for a moment. Doc had a point. “I’ll give it a try,” he said.

Doc smiled, packed his bag and left for town.

Betsy and Willow got back an hour after Doc had left. They came in giggling and carrying bags of groceries. Betsy set the last of the bags down, and went to check on Jason. Willow started to put groceries away.

“Hey Jason, how you doing?” she said as she entered the living room where he was sitting.

“Doing okay. How’d your shopping trip go?” he asked.

“Very well. We got some real food for this house and even a surprise or two that you’ll just have to wait for,” she said with a smile.

“Oh? Not even a clue?” he asked.

“Nope! Not one red cent of a clue,” said Betsy. “Just be good and you might earn a surprise.” With that said, she turned and headed back to the kitchen to help Willow.

That night after a supper of tortellini, salad and garlic bread, Willow headed up after the dishes to take a shower. This was a departure from her regular routine, so Jason wondered if something was up on the ‘date front’. He sipped his coffee and read his book until he heard the shower turn off. Then he headed up to the bedroom and got ready for bed. Jason had just had enough time to take off his boots and unbutton his shirt when Willow came out of the bathroom. Instead of her usual flannel pj’s over long underwear, she had on a set of brushed cotton pj’s with a bit of lace at the collar, cuffs, and the pocket. There were no long undies on under them either.

“Hello,” said Jason. He looked her up and down in an appreciative manner.

“Do… do you like them?” she asked shyly.

“Yes, they look very good on you. Much better than the shapeless flannels you’ve been wearing,” he said. And, as per Doc’s suggestion, when he stood up, he didn’t shield the fact that he had the beginnings of an erection. He watched her eyes dart down to his crotch and back up. He just kept walking to the bathroom to get his pajamas.

When he came back, Willow was in bed and reading.

“So, you and Betsy had fun shopping?” he asked.

“Yes. I got the new pj’s and she got a new nightie as well. By the way, she said you two use to date. Why didn’t you stay involved?” Willow asked. She had Betsy’s answer, and yet still wanted to hear his. Her heart about exploded when she’d seen his reaction to her new pj’s. She hadn’t expected that. It scared her and made her smile at the same time.

“Well, Betsy and I grew up together. Everyone thought we should date. So, we gave it a try. No sparks. So, I have a good friend. Anything else you want to ask?” he said.

“Why no girlfriends? No wife?” Willow asked.

“I’ve never found anyone who could cope with me and the ranch. A few wanted me to sell the land and move to the city. One wanted me to move her family up here and turn it into a subdivision. That isn’t what I wanted to do, so either they left or I dumped them. Hell, you’re more of a girlfriend than I’ve had in ages,” he said softly. “And now to see how that flies,” he thought.

“Oh, Betsy said something about you not having anyone who wanted to share the ranch life, but she didn’t explain,” said Willow.

“Well, she didn’t know the whole story on some of them,” he said. He turned in bed towards her and put his hand under her chin. “What would you like?”

Willow felt herself blush as he asked that question. She couldn’t look away because he had her chin in his hand. “I… um… I want to feel normal again. I want to love and touch someone and not be afraid. I want to have sex! I realized I actually miss sex. Hell! It’s why I bought new pj’s, because I want to feel sexy again and not just invisible,” she said.

Jason looked at her and smiled. “You aren’t invisible to me. You haven’t been since the moment I found you in the forest,” he admitted softly. “She’ll either freak or she won’t at this point,” he thought.

“You … you what?” asked Willow totally confused.

“I saw someone hurt. I saw someone who fought to live. I realized that you were worth getting to know, because you fought to stay alive. Especially when you fought the doctor and the sheriff about letting me stay in the room when you were examined. When you showed up on my doorstep a few months ago, I wondered why you’d come. Each day as you’ve healed, I’ve let a little hope grow in my heart. Were you someone who really liked me and the ranch? Or, were you just staying here to get your head on straight? Would you stay or leave with the next storm?” he said.

“Oh,” said Willow.

“So, Willow, what do you want?” he asked. “Do you like my ranch? Me?”

“I do like it here. The snow drives me crazy, but I like it that we are somewhere quiet and yet there are things to do like feeding the animals and taking care of each other,” she said.

“Okay. What else,” he asked knowing that there was more to her thoughts.

“I… I find you attractive and I…” she stopped, and buried her head in the pillows.

Jason counted to ten and then gently extracted her head from the pillows. “Willow?”

“I… I feel like a nervous fifteen year old on a first date!” she said.

“Alright, nothing wrong with that. What do you want?” he asked.

“I wanttogettoknowyoulikearealgirlfriendandboyfriend,” she said so fast that all the words ran together.

“You what?” he said. He’d understood her, but knew she needed to own her words.

“Oh why is this so hard?” she asked rhetorically.

“Because you got raped? Because you’re mixed up? Because I’m the ugliest thing this side of the Canadian border, but you think you can get me cheap?” he asked knowing she really hadn’t meant him to answer her.

Willow laughed. “You bastard!” she said gasping for air.

“No, my parents were married. I’ve got pictures,” he said. “Willow, what do you want?”

Willow took a deep breath. “Now or never,” she thought. “I… I want you. I want you to kiss me and hold me and make me feel wanted,” she said and blushed.

Jason smiled. He put one hand on her shoulder and leaned in to kiss her. She tilted her head up and their lips met. He kissed her gently, but firmly and slowly pulled her into an embrace. She held still at first and then slowly kissed back. After about the third kiss, she put her hand up on his shoulder and participated in the embrace. Slowly, Jason kissed her a few more times and then gently let go of her.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I think so. I didn’t panic. My heart’s going ninety miles an hour, but it isn’t because I’m scared,” she said.

“Good. May I hold you as we go to sleep?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said and snuggled into his arms. She fell asleep almost at once. Jason lay there awake for nearly an hour. He waited to see if she’d have nightmares and for his erection to relax.