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.

He’d left early mentioning to Millicent that Paul wished to discuss business which put her right off wanting to accompanying him. He kissed her goodbye and headed out the door. It took him twenty minutes to reach Elsa and Paul’s townhouse. He literally flew up the stairs and had entered almost before the butler had turned the knob.

“Your brother is in the library Sir,” said the butler.

“Thanks Rivers,” David said and headed for the library. He found his brother sitting in a chair by the fireplace having tea with Elsa.

“Ah, David,” said Elsa rising to greet her brother-in-law.

“Elsa, how are you?” he asked.

“Doing well and looking forward to heading to our house in Somerset,” she said.

“And you Paul?” asked David.

“Fine. And you?” asked Paul in return.

“When I am at home, I wrap myself up in James and whatever he wants. Otherwise, I’m with the woman I love in Chelsea,” said David.

“So, that is still working out well?” asked Paul. He had the report from Elsa, but wanted to hear it from David as well.

“Yes. There are days I wish I had never married Millicent,” said David.

“I can understand. Have to admit that I’m still chuffed over our cousin Henry topping her like some common serving maid,” smiled Paul. When Elsa had told him of the arrangement between David and Henry, he’d laughed until his sides hurt. He’d always suspected that Henry might be related. It happened in even the best of houses. As it was, nearly everyone with the prefix ‘Fitz’ was related to some royal via the wrong side of the blanket.

“I have to admit that the only part of that that I am unhappy about is the fact that Henry was so abruptly cut off,” said David.

“I can understand that,” said Elsa. “Poor man, we must find him a lady.”

“Agreed. Now, to the business at hand. Have you mentioned the excursion to Lillian yet?” asked Paul.

“No. I hoped to do it tonight. Why? Has there been some change?” asked David slightly apprehensively.

“No. Oh no David. However, I’ve had a little situation come up and wondered if you’d be interested. It would be a bit of a change, but it might be for the better,” said Paul.

“And what is it?” asked David.

“Well, as you know, I run part of the family business in Taunton. Need to be there at least three months out of the year if not more. In fact, the way things are looking up, they’ll want me there longer,” said Paul.

“Longer? How on earth will you cope? I’m certain that Elsa is very lenient in your times away, but still man,” said David.

“Oh, I agree. I miss Elsa something fierce, and that is why I’m talking to you. Would you be interested in taking over my end in Taunton?”

“What?” asked David.

“Would you like to move to Taunton?” asked Paul. He smiled realizing that David hadn’t picked up what could be possible if he wasn’t in London.

“Paul, I’m… I’m not understanding what you are asking for,” said David.

“Oh Paul, you took the wrong tack,” said Elsa. “David, would you and Lillian like to move to Taunton?”

David blinked. “I… um.. what about Millicent and James?” he finally asked.

“Well, we both know that James will be going off to boarding school soon and Millicent wouldn’t leave London if it was burning. Entrust her to Henry and walk away,” said Paul.

David thought about it for a few minutes while Elsa poured him a cup of team.

“Paul, this is a lot to think about. What made you decide to offer this?” David asked.

“Well, I know it chaffs that you don’t get to spend more time with Lillian. I’m fairly certain that you’d gleefully move in with her full time if you could,” said Paul. “Plus, we both know that Millicent has turned out to be a… um… a disappointment. She certainly isn’t the woman you thought she’d be.”

“No, that is certainly the truth. And I’d certainly enjoy being with Lillian more than just an evening with the rare sleep over,” said David almost wistfully.

“So, think about it. See how Lillian likes Somerset and Taunton. If you’d both like it, I’m willing to give over our house there and the work. I could keep an eye on Millicent and send James to you when he’s on holiday,” said Paul.

“David, think about it. Millicent has her little circle of friends and barely notices you most days. As for any more children, there is always Henry. For that matter, I’d swear if you dressed Henry in your clothes, she’d never notice the difference,” said Elsa.

Both men laughed and David nearly spilled his tea.

“Oh Elsa! I… I hate to admit it, but I must say that you are probably correct. She is wrapped up in her own world and as long as tea is on time and her pin money is there once a month for her pet projects,” said David. “But is it fair to Lillian?”

“Is it any more fair than it is right now?” asked Paul. “If she wanted a child, how would she cope? Say she was raped? Ostracized because she had an ‘affair’? You and I know you love Lillian more than you ever will Millicent.”

“Paul, you make it difficult to deny what you say. Let me think on it and let’s have our month in Taunton. If Lillian likes it there, perhaps, just perhaps I will take you up on the proposition. It certainly would be cheaper than running two houses in London,” said David.

“Plus, you could get away with coming up to London once a fortnight to visit Millicent and she would be just fine,” said Elsa.

“Alright. Let me think about it. Now, are we set to leave next week?” asked David.

“Yes. Lillian will leave with us and you’re to follow on the Friday,” said Elsa.

“Good. Now, I’m off to see Lillian and tell her of our little plan,” said David. He kissed Elsa goodbye and clasped his brother’s hand as they saw him out the door.

“Sorry I’m late Lillian,” said David as he walked into her upstairs room.

“It’s alright David. Elsa said you’d be stopping by there before joining me tonight,” said Lillian.

“Yes, and I have a surprise for you,” he said taking her in his arms. She wore a sari tonight, one of the soft silk ones in a green that highlighted her eyes. He loved how she felt so soft and curvy in the exotic clothes.

“And what is it?” Lillian asked. She could feel his erection pressing against her stomach. She was looking forward to their lovemaking, but knew he had something planned.

“Well, Elsa is heading to Taunton for her laying-in,” said David.

“Oh yes. We discussed this. Better air, calmer atmosphere, and much quieter for Elsa,” said Lillian.

“Yes, it is. She would like us to accompany her. You as a ‘companion’ and me to help Paul ride herd on the other children. Do you think you could cope with a month or so in the country?” asked David.

“Oh! David, really?” asked Lillian.

“Yes. We could have nearly a month together with no interruptions and the company of Elsa and Paul to keep prying eyes away,” said David.

“Oh David! When? Can I take Aya and Betsy?” she asked.

“Of course!” said David. “We leave next week.”

“I am so happy that I think I might swoon,” said Lillian.

“Do so and I will be forced to take advantage of you,” he whispered hoarsely.

Lillian closed her eyes and went limp in his arms. She felt David pick her up and place her on the bed.

“Madam, please. Oh dear,” said David. “Fainting women, what in the hell does one do?”

Lillian tried not to giggle. She’d discovered that he liked to play act and mix sex into it.

“Oh yes. Loosen their clothing,” David said. He tugged at bits and pieces of her attire and while he could loosen part of her sari, he couldn’t get far because she was laying partially on the bed.

“Damn, this isn’t working. Perhaps if I kissed her, she might awaken,” he said. Rather than kissing Lillian on the lips, he delicately raised the skirts of her sari until her nether lips were exposed. He moved over her and gently placed a kiss on her mound.

Lillian once again tried to hold as still as possible. He licked her this time and the tip of his tongue made contact with her clit. It felt so good, but she continued to hold still. He licked her again, letting his tongue move all the way down to her opening where it slid in.

Lillian moaned slightly as if she was just beginning to come round.

David smiled, knowing she couldn’t see him. He’d undone his trousers and slipped a sheath on over his cock which had gone rigid almost the second she’d swooned. He lapped at her opening again, wetting her even though she truly didn’t need it. Lillian moaned again ever so slightly and moved her legs apart. This was what David had been waiting for. He positioned himself and drove in hard and deep.

“Oh! Sir! Oh you take advantage of me Sir!” Lillian cried out pretending to fight David away from her.

“Nay fine lady, I simply aim to revive you after a swoon,” he said as he grabbed her hands and entangled them in a bit of the sari. Once that was done, he increased his rhythm.

“Oh please sir, please stop… My Saahab would be offended by your treatment of me. Please don’t! Please,” Lillian begged in mock protest. She wiggled her hips which drove David deeper into her.

“Ah, but once started, I must finish your treatment err you swoon again,” he said. “As for your Saaahab, I’m certain he would be happy with me for taking care of you.”

“Oh! Oh my! Oh!” cried Lillian softly. “I am undone!”

“Yes, and I am the instrument of your undoing,” he said as he felt his orgasm surge forward. As he came hard against her pubic bone, he rubbed her clit bringing Lillian as well.

Lillian cried out as she ascended the heavens. “Ohhh,” she moaned.

David grabbed the sheath and pulled out. He cleaned up and before Lillian could right herself, he pulled her up off of the bed and carried her around to the other side where he stood her up. Lillian tried to act shocked, and a giggle escaped. David changed the game just a bit.

“Patni! Little wife, why are your clothes in disarray?” he asked.

“Ah Saahab, a gentleman tried to revive me in a most unconventional manner when I swooned,” she said trying to ‘rearrange’ herself.

“Did he touch you?” David asked acting the offended husband.

“Only a little,” she said.

“Where?” he asked.

“Oh, he just loosened my sari and rubbed my ribs a little,” she said trying to come off innocent.

“I don’t believe you! Let me see,” he said and started to turn her around and around, which undid her sari. As it fell to the floor, the wetness of her arousal showed on her thighs.

“I think he did more than rub your ribs,” David said.

“Oh no Saahab, it is that I am just so wet and ready for you. When you touch me, you excite me,” she said.

“Well, maybe. Perhaps I should…” he started and then swiftly moved his fingers between her legs and began to rub her clit.

“Oh! Oh Saahab,” she moaned.

“You are very wet for someone who only just saw her husband,” he said. He felt his cock growing hard and hoped that there was another sheath in the drawer. “I think I shall punish you for being so wanton.”

“No Saahab, I am a good Patni, a good wife,” she moaned as he thrust two fingers deep into her.

“Yes, and you shall please me as I want,” he said. David rolled her on her stomach and after putting his fingers deep into her pussy, he spanked her with the other hand. Her muscles clenched and grabbed his fingers as juices trailed down her thighs.

“Ohhhh, Saa-hab!,” she moaned. His spankings excited her and she couldn’t help but wiggle against his hand.

David stopped the spanking, yet continued to finger Lillian as he looked into the drawer for another sheath. He found one and slid it on his cock. Then he spanked Lillian a few more times and swiftly replaced his fingers with his cock. He grabbed her hips and pumped into her again, amazed at how fast he’d recovered.

Lillian’s breasts and mound were rubbing against the quilt on her bed, and she could feel herself coming from the multitude of stimuli. David rubbing her ass as he drove in and out of her as well as the quilt under her drove Lillian over the edge. She cried out her orgasm into the bed, and her ascent to the heavens was a continuous roll of pleasure. Just as she thought that her pleasure was at an end, David gripped her hips tightly and slammed home his own orgasm.

“Ahhh,” he cried out as this orgasm seemed to rip the spine out of him. He fell forward gasping and drooling on Lillian’s back. It took him a second to regain any sense of place or time and grab the sheath so that he could safely withdraw. He dropped it on the dresser and then collapsed next to Lillian on the bed. He pulled her into his arms and held her for a while before he had to leave.

“Iz gots a sistur,” she lisped as she ran full tilt into Brian’s arms. He’d been waiting on the porch with Henri listening to the radio. The two men walked back with Lizzybit to greet the newest member of the family. All the girls were bustling around the kitchen. Henry was hauling firewood for Natalie while Quintus tended the fire. Alice and Marie watched over the children and made sure there was food for everyone. It was a crazy chaotic kitchen, but Brian smiled. To him, this was the essence of home. Pack. As he and Henri were served a cup of milky tea by Alice, Natalie came out holding the baby.

“Jenny say this one named for your maman,” she said to Henri. “Caroline.”

Henri took the baby gently in his arms and sniffed her tiny head to lock her scent in his mind. She smelled of Jenny and sun washed linens. Then he handed her to Brian. Brian did the same, sniffing the tiny bundle.

“So small,” he said.

A knock on the cabin door brought the chaos to a halt for a second as Marie answered the door. There on the porch was Alexander. Behind him was George, smiling.

“I came to bless the babe if you want,” he said.

Brian nodded. He was always amazed at how fast news traveled in the valley. Over a thousand people at the moment and yet information flew. “Come in Alexander,” he said. “George, go on.” He watched George run. That boy loved to run and Brian was hesitant about the day he shifted. Wondered if he’d come back. A hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality.

Alexander took the baby, crooned to her and then blessed her. Then he pulled stick candy out of his pocket and handed it around. He was mobbed.

Jenny was up on her feet fairly soon after Caroline was born. She was learning the herbs and medicines from Natalie. Caroline was either in someone’s arms or snugged up in her cradle. Quintus volunteered to watch her when the older children were at school as he was only there in the morning.

Natalie moved through her day in a rhythm. Chores, patients at what had become a clinic, family time and then her nights with Brian. It helped that Jenny was learning to work in the clinic. Shifters were a healthy lot for the most part, but a person had to know as much about animals as they did about humans. With more people moving in, shifters were beginning to be less open about what they were. Two men last winter had gotten shot as ‘wolves’ and Natalie got her first work at patching up gunshot wounds.

“Jenny, I’m going into go check on Brian and then I’ll be back,” said Natalie.

“Aye, Maman,” said Jenny as she settled to nurse Caroline.

Natalie took her basket and headed to the mill. In the basket was a lunch and if she could get Brian to leave, they’d head up into the woods for a run. She nearly got to the mill when she heard a cry from the area in front of the saloon and the shops. Natalie headed for the sound at a run. When she got there, she found Sally in the dirt kneeling over something. When she got closer, she saw that it was Big Joe, her brother.

Natalie knelt and looked at her brother. He wasn’t breathing. No pulse. She pounded her fist on his chest and then listened again. Nothing. She turned to Sally.

“What happened?” she asked.

“He come in for a beer and about half way through it said his chest hurt. He stood up and walked out of the saloon and collapsed,” said Sally. Tears were streaming down her face.

Alexander came up next to Natalie and looked over Big Joe. “I think he had a heart attack,” he said. He closed Big Joe’s eyes and said a prayer over him. Natalie simply nodded.

By this time, a crowd of people had gathered. Brian wrapped his arms around Natalie as she knelt in the dirt. Two men came with a stretcher to carry Big Joe home. His wife had fainted when they told her and her neighbors were watching her and the children. As they moved Big Joe to the stretcher, Brian, Kent, and two of Natalie’s brothers moved in to carry their brother home.

Natalie sobbed with Sally and Alexander got the two women to sit for at least a minute on the porch of the saloon. Brian came back a little later and took Natalie to Big Joe’s house. Celia was already there directing people and barking out orders. She’d lost three sons in the Great War and her husband two winters ago. Big Joe was her favorite and the shock of his sudden death showed on her face. Natalie wrapped her arms around her maman for a minute and then Celia started ordering people around again. Big Joe’s wife was sitting next to her husband holding his hand and rocking back and forth.

“Brian, who is the head of the family?” Alexander asked. He was still working out the dynamics of the various families.

“Celia. Then Natalie and then, um…I think Daniel. Nathan left the valley long time gone. You want to lead the service?” Brian asked.

“Only if they want me,” he said. The men were being moved out of the house so that the women could wash and dress Big Joe.

“They want you. Just don’t know it yet. We go get my tractor and dig the hole,” said Brian glad to be out of the house. Burials were either fast or slow depending on the weather. It was warm enough to be quick. As they headed for the mill, Brian saw the constable head towards the house. He shook his head, knowing that he didn’t want to be there in about five minutes.

Alexander noticed the look and the shake of the head. “What?” he asked.

“That constable, the want to be Mountie, he gonna get an earful in about three seconds. Celia don like non-shifters. He a good man, but don listen when we say leave us alone,” said Brian.

“He knows?” asked Alexander?

“Aye. His auntie marry one of them Harris boys years ago. So, whole family know. But that constable got the brains of a goose,” was as far as Brian got. Behind them, Celia began to yell and scream and the constable came flying out of the house with a frying pan, pots, and a bucket of water chasing him.

Brian and Alexander stood and watched. Celia didn’t come up to the man’s chest, but she could be heard over 5oo yards away.

“Stay away!” hollered Celia. “Go screw your damn horse! It got more sense than you!”

The constable cringed and backed away. He finally turned and ran, heading for Brian and Alexander. When he reached them, his uniform was soaked with what smelled like vinegar or piss. His face was red where he’d been slapped and dirt covered his knees.

“Constable Roberts, you okay?” asked Brian.

“Yeah. I just didn’t realize that Celia would be there. Didn’t think that one through,” he said.

“I understand. Big Joe, he have a heart attack Natalie said,” Alexander added. “You want a ride home to clean up?”

“Nah, I ran over here, I walk back. It give me time to dry off,” Roberts said.

“Sorry about Celia,” said Brian. “She don’ change. Don’ think shifters should marry humans,” said Brian.

“Well, my aunt did. Best thing ever happen to her. She loves her family and they all love her,” said Roberts. “An not like I’d say anything to anyone.”

“We know, you’re family. Celia she just don change for nobody,” said Brian. “We gotta dig the grave, so don go out later tonight okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll make sure no one goes hunting either if I can,” said Roberts. He waved as he walked away from the two men.

Brian and Alexander started up the tractor and headed for the cemetery. It was small, as many of the family just walked away when they got too old. Brian moved over to the graves of Big Joe’s brothers and father. Three were empty, but that didn’t matter to Celia. There were still headstones. Alexander guided while Brian dug. It didn’t take long as the soil wasn’t frozen.

Near midnight, the procession left Big Joe’s house and headed up to the cemetery. A thin sliver of a new moon shone in the sky. Brian and the brothers carried Big Joe. He was wrapped in a quilt and nestled in a pine box that Kent had knocked together. Behind them came Celia, still wound as tight as a steel cable. Following her were Big Joe’s wife and children and then the rest of the families. When they got to the cemetery, they found Alexander waiting for them by the grave.

They set the coffin down and gathered around as best they could. Sally brought up the rear with two helpers to carry the beer. She had a well used glass in her hand and poured the first of the beer into it. Then she handed it to Alexander.

“We gather under the moon, in the woods and beneath open skies to honor a man who had been a strength and a fixture in our community. Big Joe had seen a lot in his life. He survived the World War, and difficult times. He knew love and family. His family is here tonight. Family by blood and family by choice,” Alexander said. He lifted the beer glass up high. “To Big Joe, a good man, hard worker and decent boss.” Alexander took a swig of the beer and then passed it to Celia.

Celia took the beer glass, and held it up. “My son is gone. He was a shit, but I loved him,” she said and took a sip. Then she passed it to Natalie.

“Big Joe, I am so glad you didn’t beat my Brian up when we mated,” Natalie said and took a sip of beer. She passed it to Brian.

“To Big Joe. You saved my ass in France and made sure most of us came home,” said Brian. He took his sip and passed the glass.

Everyone there took their turn toasting the life of Big Joe. Sally refilled it as needed. The last one to take the glass was Big Joe’s wife, Martha. She shuddered with the effort not to cry. “Joe, I love you. I loved running in the woods with you beneath the moon. I loved you even when we fought. I’ll miss you you bastard,” she said and drained the last of the beer and held onto the glass.

The men lowered the coffin into the grave. Once it was in the ground, Martha leaned in and put the glass on the coffin. Sally poured the last of the beer into the glass as best she could. The rest of the beer went into the grave as well. Then the family walked back to their houses. The children would be put to bed while the adults shifted and ran out their grief. Brian, Daniel and Alexander filled in the grave, taking care not to tip the glass. When it was filled in, they set a marker at the top to be replaced by a stone as soon as it could be carved. Then they walked down to join the others on the run.

As the shifters changed and began to run, a solitary wolf crept out of the forest and across to the new grave. The wolf was scruffy and thin. He walked as if each noise in the night was a threat. He sniffed and walked around the grave. The wolf with the lopped ear sat at the end of the turned earth, pointed his nose to the sky and howled.