Sweetwater (Birdsong Series) (16 page)

Emily giggled, forgetting her fears for a few moments. “Of
course it’s delicious. It’s French!” Everyone laughed at her joke. It was
comforting to be back among her friends.

Cassie laughed too, but then she added, “You can all make
fun of me now, but someday, I’ll show you. I’ll go to France . . . or
something, and all my French will come in handy. You’ll see.”

“Yes, darling, I’m sure you’ll show us all up, one day. But
in the meantime, be happy with our prairie ways,” Emily said, sweetly, “and
take your time. You are so precious. Life here wouldn’t be the same without
you.”

“Or you,” added Dora. Changing the subject, Dora asked,
“You gonna go off and live on that farm, Em?”

That was Emily’s favorite subject and immediately her face
glowed with happiness. “Yes, ma’am. I plan to do just that thing. My husband
and I will live on the farm and raise chickens and vegetables and all the
flowers you can imagine. Then, three or four times a week, I’ll come into the
hotel and visit with all of you, toting baskets of flowers and vegetables and
fresh eggs. I might even do the pruning around here. Can’t let these beds go
to seed, not after all the hard work I’ve invested. You’ll never even notice
I’m gone.” She laughed.

Blake shook his head in disbelief. It had only been a few
minutes earlier when his Emmie was still in a mild state of shock, but to look
at her now, you’d never know it. She was an amazing woman. His love for her
grew deeper with each passing day. Blake couldn’t help but smile like a big
dope, just watching his love take center stage and talk about her farm and
their future life together. Could it really be two more weeks before they said
their vows? How could he wait that long to make her his wife?

Soon they were all happily eating the delicious French beef
stew, savoring every last drop. It was indeed,
magnifique
. The hot buttered rolls and custard pie complimented it
perfectly.

“I know I need not ask, but is there anymore, honey?”
Whiskey held out his clean plate to his wife. “I done sopped up the gravy with
them rolls, and it sure was tasty.”

“Now you know better than to ask, old man! I always fix
enough for you and everyone else to have thirds. Gimme your plate. Anyone
else want thirds?”

Groans were heard all around the table. “If I eat one more
spoonful, I can forget wearing my new wedding dress,” Emily lamented.

“Since Cassie and I are bridesmaids, we must refuse as
well,” Patty chimed. “However, I am very reluctant to pass on it. It was the
best
boeuf borgeniong
I’ve ever
tasted, Dora,” Patty exclaimed. “I believe you’ve become a master French
chef.”

Dora’s face glowed with the praise. “Aw, heck. I was born
to cook. I’m just glad I’ve got people that knows good food when they taste
it.”

Blake sat back rubbing his distended stomach. “Another
piece of pie sounds good to me, but I doubt if I could walk away from the
table. Maybe I’ll come down, after everyone is asleep, and help myself,” he
chuckled.

“Now that’s a good idea, Doc. Just help yourself.” Dora
giggled, pleased as punch that everyone liked her food so much. She had worked
very hard to make it tasty and she appreciated their comments.

As Whiskey was finishing up his third plateful, Blake
decided to make an announcement.

“I’m worried about Emily staying here, in town. It’s
impossible to keep an eye on her every second of the day, and I know she finds
it uncomfortable to never have any privacy.

“I’ve been thinking that I could take her away for a week or
so, at least until time for the wedding. No one will know where she is, and
she’ll be safe. What do you all think?”

Their heads nodded in agreement.

Emily looked questioningly at Blake. “When were you going
to tell me about this?”

“I’m telling you now. I’ve been thinking hard on it, all
day . . . while you were sleeping. My work keeps me away from you, darling.
I’ve got to know that no harm will come to you. I’ll whisper the location in
your ear, if you’d like?”

She nodded and leaned in to his mouth. As his lips moved
silently, her heart leapt in her chest and she smiled ecstatically. Looking up
at Blake, she nodded enthusiastically. “When do we leave?”

* * *

It seemed to Emily, she had packed everything she owned into
the two trunks she was taking with her to her undisclosed destination. Going
from room to room, while completing one task after another, she flitted about,
humming merrily. No one would ever guess she was soon to go into hiding. The
one thing that was curious, Dora noticed, was the fact that Emily was spending
a lot of time in her gardens, digging up existing plants and carefully wrapping
them in burlap, for planting later. That could mean only one thing, but she’d
not speak a word of her suspicions.

Blake decided they would leave under the protective cloak of
night. The darkness would offer them a bit of assurance that the old man would
not be able to follow them. He may not even be aware for some time that she
had left town.

The goodbyes were said quietly, during the daylight hours.
Everyone carried on as usual, attending to the guests and preparing for the
next day. Blake went as far as scheduling doctor appointments for the next
morning, which he intended to keep. It was very important that everything
appear normal.

Whiskey loaded the heavy trunks up onto the wagon before
dinner and made a big show of how he was taking these extra plates and such to
the church in Wide River, for distribution to the needy. “It’s the Christian
thing to do,” he proclaimed loudly.

After ten o’clock, when the lights had been turned down and
the hotel was bathed in darkness, Blake and Emily silently left through the
back door. With Emily well concealed beneath a tarp, the wagon rolled quietly
down the street, heading out of town. Hopefully, if Lucas caught sight of the
old wagon rumbling down the road, he’d think it was just some farmer who’d
stayed too long at one of the many saloons.

Three miles seemed a long way off when traveling by
moonlight and at a snail’s pace. Eventually, Emily crawled out from under her
cover and was enthralled by the beauty that awaited her. High above her head,
millions of stars twinkled in the deep cerulean sky. The air smelled cleaner
and the night sounds were welcoming . . . not the least bit ominous. Best of
all, Blake sat beside her, reins held securely in his strong hands.

Emily couldn’t help but admire his physical form. With legs
long and muscular, connected to lean hips and a fine backside—he was a
magnificent example of masculine beauty. His shoulders were wide and well
formed, and the muscles on his chest moved deftly as they worked beneath his
shirt, guiding the team. He carried no excess weight around his middle, keeping
his stomach hard and flat. Emily sighed as she compared his male perfection to
the pictures she’d once seen of Greek statues.

Her mouth had gone dry and her hands itched to touch his
warm flesh. The mere thought of running her hands up and down his back, caused
her temperature to climb sharply. His back was flawless, firm and tan. Oh,
how she yearned to nuzzle his neck and nibble at his ear, bringing deep moans
of pleasure that only increased her ardor. She knew Blake enjoyed the touch of
her hands roaming over his large body, exploring freely his most private areas.

Emily dragged her gaze up to admire his perfect face. He
was a handsome man with sculpted lips and a straight nose. Even after years of
boxing, his face remained unmarked. His compassionate brown eyes sparkled with
intelligence and good humor. Still, in spite of his physical beauty, it was
his deep goodness that she loved and found most attractive. He possessed a
huge heart and wasn’t afraid to risk breaking it. He had taken a big gamble
when he fell in love with her and, hopefully, it would pay off for him and he
would never regret his decision. He moved her in ways she didn’t totally
understand, but she knew she liked it—loved it, actually, and she was
convinced she would love him forever.

Emily hadn’t noticed she was squirming on the wagon seat,
but Blake noticed. He chuckled, knowing what was causing her slight distress,
for he was uncomfortable in the same way. Watching Emily staring at him, he
grinned and gave her a wicked wink.

“It won’t be long now, sweetie,” he promised “The farm is
just over that rise and then we’ll be alone for the entire night.” He looked
at her intently, and then wriggled his eyebrows up and down rapidly, causing
her to break out in a fit of laughter.

“There it is!” she squealed, pointing to the floor of the
valley. “I see the moonlight on the lake. Isn’t is glorious, Blake?”

He looked at her—not the lake—and smiled,
“Beautiful. Heavenly in fact.”

After quickly unloading the wagon, Blake helped Emily change
the bed linens, and then eagerly assisted her out of her traveling clothes,
wasting as little time as possible.

His eyes teared up as he gazed upon her scantily clad body.
He couldn’t believe his good fortune. Standing before him—in only her
shift and stockings—was Emily, smiling seductively and inviting him to
come closer and touch what he was so obviously admiring.

“My God, Emmie. If only you could see what I see when I
look at you. You are magnificent . . . total perfection, and you’ll soon be
mine. The thought of it overwhelms me.”

“You could make me yours tonight, darling, if you’d only
ask. I want to feel your arms around me and know what it’s like to give
oneself completely. I crave that special closeness a woman receives from her
husband. Blake . . . I need you, desperately. I’m ready for this,” she stated
unequivocally.

Blake took Emily in his arms and covered her beautiful face
with sweet, sweet kisses. She tasted divine and felt like heaven in his arms.
He inhaled her womanly fragrance, filling his lungs with her erotic essence.
He groaned from the sheer bliss of it. There was nothing he wanted to do more
than to make love to her . . . but now was not the time.

“Emmie.” He struggled to speak through the overwhelming
desire burning through his veins. “I love you so much, but I want us to wait
until we’re married. It’s important to me that we do it right; however, do not
think for one moment that I do not want to take you completely. It’s torture
for me to leave you without joining our bodies. I nearly burst with the need
to bury myself deep inside you and fill you up with my seed. In the meantime,
there are other things we can do to bring each of us pleasure. I’d like to
kiss you here, if you’d let me.” Carefully, he placed his hand at the juncture
between her thighs—her most private place.

“Kiss me,
there
?”
Emily was astonished he would mention something like that. Surely no one did
that.

Blake chuckled. His voice grew soft and raspy, “Yes, my darling.
I want to kiss you and taste you, too. You’re so very sweet and I desire the
flavor of you upon my tongue. It will be pleasant for you and heaven for me, I
promise.”

His fingers had already begun circling her feminine spot
causing her temperature to rise and her nerves to tingle. She could feel
herself getting wetter and an ache began to throb under his touch. Closing her
eyes, she relaxed and willed herself to let go of her insecurities and enjoy
his masterful hand. She assumed Blake was an expert at pleasing a woman and
she, most assuredly, would benefit from his knowledge.

Within moments, Emily was swept away on the surging waves of
desire. Blake’s skillful fingers located and stimulated a small, hidden bit of
flesh, previously unknown to her. “Yes, oh yes. Don’t stop,” she urged.
“Just like that . . . oh,” she screamed.

Blake stopped just long enough to remove the remainder of
Emily’s clothing and place her upon the bed with her legs hanging over the
edge, spread wide for his enjoyment.

Blake was a considerate lover and took great joy in the many
pleasures he brought to Emily, bringing her to ecstasy again and again, and in
ways she never could have imagined. She was incredibly responsive and highly
passionate. He smiled as he felt the tremors of sexual fulfillment engulf her
voluptuous body. Soon he would be able to claim her body and, at long last,
find that explosive release for himself.

The night sky was beginning to lighten by the time Blake and
Emily sought their rest. She was well satisfied and much exhausted by the time
Blake finally removed his clothing and crawled into bed next to her. With the
quilt tucked up around them and their naked bodies entwined around one another,
they soon fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

*

Blake flicked at the pesky fly alighting on his lips and
nose. Repeatedly, he swatted it away, but it kept returning. Once again, he
knocked the offending insect from his face.
How was a man to sleep?
He was flipping it off for the fourth time
when he noticed the irritating tickle was accompanied by a delightfully
feminine giggle. This fly was either a giddy female fly or a feisty little
brunette. Slowly, Blake opened his sleepy eyes to discover the real culprit
disturbing his slumber.

“Emmie, are you bothering my sleep?”

“Not me, dear. What gives you that idea?” She continued to
giggle as she loomed over him, her hair hanging down around her shoulders and
the tips of her bare breasts grazing his chest.

“Well, maybe I have my suspicions because you’re holding
that lovely black curl of yours, just below my nose and I see blue sparks
coming from your entrancing eyes. Could I be correct?”

Emily sat back, thrusting her plump breasts forward, their
rosy tips begging for his attention. “Entrancing? You think my eyes are
entrancing?” She smiled, mischievously. “What do you call these?” she cupped
her breasts together and pointed them in his direction.

He put his hands around her waist and pulled her down on top
of him. “I call them magnificent, and I call you an incorrigible and most
desirous woman—one that needs to learn a few lessons.”

“Stop . . . stop,” she laughed as she tumbled down on top of
the playful man in her bed. Staring deeply into his eyes, biting her lower
lip, Emily told Blake exactly what she wanted.

“This is our home, Blake. You and I shared this bed only
last night. I think it is perfectly proper for us to make love in it
now—right now. I see no reason to wait.”

She nibbled on his ear and kissed his neck, making her way
down to his strong shoulders. Her hands stroked his chest and flicked his
manly nipples while she nuzzled her face in the soft curls surrounding his
navel. The groan she heard from him only encouraged her to be bolder.
However, once again, she met with resistance.

In danger of losing his self-control, Blake grasped both her
hands and held them tight. “No, Emmie. I must beg you to stop this behavior.
Why do you insist on tempting me? You know I want to wait. But by God, I’m
only a man and I can only endure so much. Did you ever stop to ask yourself
what would be the consequences if something happened to me, before we married,
and you discovered you were with child? What would you do, Emmie?” Blake’s
face was red with temper. This was no joke to him.

“That wouldn’t happen, darling,” Emily insisted, “but if it
did, I’d manage.”

“”Well it could happen, and it did happen . . . to my
sister. Anna was happily engaged one day, and the next . . . her fiancé was
trampled by a horse—just a freak accident. He died leaving her pregnant.
She didn’t wish to embarrass the family, so she left town. We received a
letter informing us of her death during childbirth. She and her baby were
buried in a lonely grave, without the comfort of her family and friends about
her. It broke my mother’s heart—so yes, Emily—it can happen!” Not
wanting Emmie to see his tears, he quickly wiped his cheeks and turned to look
away, breathing deeply, trying to regain his composure.

“I know it may be irrational of me to insist, but I’m afraid
I must. I will
not
make love to you,
Emmie, until we are married and that is final.”

Emily slowly left the bed and went behind the screen to get
dressed. She had never known about his sister. She wanted to comfort him, but
he was clearly in no mood.

From behind the screen she said, “I’m sorry, Blake. I
didn’t know. Naturally, I’ll wait. I’ve waited all my life for you. What’s
another week and a half?”

Blake peeked around the corner and smiled at the beautiful
picture of his future bride, standing only in her stockings and her lacy
camisole—no drawers—leaving her precious bottom bare for him to
admire and lust after.

“Oh, Emmie. If we were married . . . what I’d do to you.”
He snickered. “I don’t know how I’ll survive another nine days. You have no
idea what your beauty does to me.” Just then, he grabbed her around the waist
and returned her to the bed, where upon he proceeded to touch her and kiss her
and stroke her all over until she was panting and begging for mercy. It was
exquisite torment for them both.

Much later, Blake was ready to return to town. “Nobody
knows you’re here, Emmie. You should be fine. I’ve got to see four patients
this morning and then pick up some supplies for this place, but I’ll be home
for supper,” he grinned. “That sure sounds nice—
home for supper
. Almost like we’re already man and wife.

“Keep the rifle handy and don’t talk to anyone. Stay inside
the house as much as possible. We’ll play some more games when I return.” He
gave her a little swat on her bare bottom and laughed; knowing the only types
of games they would be playing would be in their big bed.

“Don’t worry about me, Blake. I hid out here before,
remember? This farm has felt like my home for months. Could you bring some
whitewash back with you? The house and barn could use a good coat. They look
rather shabby.”

“Sure thing, sweetie. I’ll start working on the house right
after the wedding. Give me a kiss and send me on my way,” Blake begged.

Emily stood on tiptoe, wrapping her arms around his neck and
kissed him long and deep, tasting his lips and sharing his breath. Her heart
swelled with love for this man.

Her bare breasts pressed against Blake’s shirt, causing his
body to respond, once again. He could feel her hard nipples through his shirt,
and longed to suckle them, rolling their pink tips over his tongue. It seemed
he was always in a state of arousal these days, and it was damned
uncomfortable, as well as embarrassing. He reached down and adjusted the front
of his trousers.

Blake growled, playfully, as he picked up Emily’s wrapper
and handed it to her. “Put this on, you naughty minx, and stay out of sight.
I’ll be home before you have time to miss me.” His lips curled up at the
corners in a roguish manner. “I am a lucky man,” he sighed.

Emily giggled. “Hurry back, darling. I miss you already.”

She stood on the rickety porch and waved goodbye until Blake
and the wagon had long disappeared from sight. Even though he promised to
return in only a few hours, her heart was heavy. Whenever Blake left her side,
he always took some sunshine with him, but when he returned, her heart soared
and the sky was blue.

“Well, might as well get busy,” she muttered to herself.
“Where are those pesky geese?”

* * *

“What the hell?” questioned the ragged man taking cover from
behind the feed and grain building. “Where the hell is that girl?” Lucas
growled, as he spit on the ground, striking his boot. He’d seen her ride out
with the doc, just last night, and now Dr. Donovan had returned without her.

That could only mean one thing, he thought to himself. The
good doctor thought he had stashed her somewhere safe, but Lucas was smarter
than that. Sneaking off in the middle of the night hadn’t fooled him one bit,
and this wouldn’t either. It’d be as easy as falling off a rock, to retrace
the doc’s steps back to where he’d left the girl. And when he found her, he
planned on having some fun before he either killed her or sold her off. She
was still worth a lot of money to the right people, even though she was probably
no longer a virgin.

The despicable man laughed out loud at his good fortune.
“Well, tarnation, if I ain’t one lucky son of a bitch,” he laughed. Raising
the half empty bottle to his lips, he swallowed the rest of its contents and
staggered to his poor excuse for a horse.

“Come on, Maverick. We’ve got us some trailing to do.” He
climbed up on his saddle and kicked his heals into the sides of the old
gelding, who managed a lumbering gallop out of town.

The sun shone brightly, but the temperature was crisp and
still held the promise that winter would soon be upon them. Lucas hated the
cold weather. His bones hurt and his feet never warmed up until April. He
pulled his collar up around his dirty neck, and his hat . . . he pulled down
low.

After a couple of miles, Lucas had had no luck in locating
Emily’s trail. She couldn’t have gone far. “Damn it, Maverick. Where the
hell did he take her?” His rheumy old eyes saw nothing that would hide the
girl or provide good cover. There wasn’t so much as a cave to give her
shelter. He saw no fires, smelled no smoke. Still, she had to be somewhere
close by, he thought. He could feel it in his bones. Tirelessly, he kept
searching for signs.

The sun was high in the sky when he finally caught a glimpse
of something sparkling and reflecting light. He forced the old horse up to the
top of the ridge and reined in suddenly, to survey the countryside.

It was the glistening water on the lake that first caught
his attention, but it was the pretty little farmhouse and barn that drew his
real interest. The windows were sparkling clean and the porch had been
recently swept. But it was the smoke curling up from the chimney that brought
a smile to his face.

“Well, doggies! I think I’ve hit pay dirt, Maverick.”
Lucas licked his lips in anticipation. “I got a good feelin’ about this here,
place. Let’s git on down and have a look see.”

He drew his pistol as he quietly rode around to the rear of
the house, keeping an eye open for a ravishing, dark-haired beauty. His hands
trembled with excitement, and he hated to admit it, but his manhood had come to
life just thinking about her. He’d definitely have a little fun before he
decided what to do with her. It wasn’t as if she was his blood kin.

Lucas tied old Maverick up to the clothesline pole and crept
over to the closest window where he could peer in, in hopes of spying Emily.