by Mlyn Hurn
“Open your eyes, Julie. I want you to see me. There must be no doubts, my sweet.”
Julie had looked up at him and saw the intensity in his face. She raised her hand to caress his cheek, his neck. And then Jim had moved his body and thrust into hers. He stopped a second after he thrust through her barrier. She had guessed he was surprised to find that she was still a virgin. She knew some people had assumed—
Julie cried out only once at the pain and her hands pulled him closer, urging him to go on, continue…anything but stop. Jim had kissed her open mouth and then began thrusting within her hot, grasping flesh. He pulled her legs to encircle his hips as he continued to claim her body for his own. He slid his fingers down to once again tease her soft flesh until she climaxed hotly and sweetly around him. It only took the first squeeze of her muscles around him for him to climax, shooting his seed deeply into her body.
* * * * *
“So, how long do you plan on staying home, Julie?”
Frank’s voice finally drew her out of her memories. Julie shook her head lightly. She had not heard a word he had said. She blushed brightly as she realized how hot and eager her body had become, just remembering that very first time with Jim one year ago. Suddenly, she became aware of where Frank’s hand was resting, down low on her back. She moved away from him, forcing him to hold her more loosely.
“Oh…I think probably just until after the wedding. My aunt is thinking of returning to Europe,” Julie answered, forcing a smile to her lips. She was feeling flushed from her erotic and chaotic thoughts. She was so glad to hear the music ending just then.
“Would you join me for another dance, please?” Frank asked her, bowing slightly.
Julie stepped back, lightly fanning her face with her hand. “No, thank you, Frank. I really need to sit a few out and get something to drink. Perhaps the—”
Frank took her arm in his hand, turned her smoothly away from the others and led her off the floor. “Allow me to fetch you some lemonade then.” Before she could refuse, he had darted away.
Julie looked around frantically, wanting to escape from everyone at the party and settle her out-of-control thoughts and emotions. Suddenly, she remembered the secret area of the garden. Turning, she moved through the crowd, avoiding people who might try and stop her. Opening the small gate, she moved inside.
It was quite dark in the garden, so she made her way slowly to the edge of the small brook, following the sound of the babbling water over rocks and stones. She sat down on the soft, springy grass of the bank. The moon was trying to make its presence known, peeping through the branches and leaves that hung overhead. Julie lay back, looking up at the sky. Everything was always so much bigger here than in the city. She closed her eyes, letting her mind travel back in time.
Chapter 4
Slowly Julie let her memories chase away thoughts of today. One year ago, she had made wild and unbridled love with Jim in her bed. It was easy to recall how confused she had felt at first. Lying on the bed beside him, not really sure what was going to happen…then.
There had been many other meetings over the next week before Angie and Tony’s wedding. She couldn’t seem to stay away from him. At gatherings, they always managed to sneak away. During the day, if nothing was planned, they would make arrangements to meet somewhere discreet. And on several evenings, after everyone had gone to bed, Julie found herself sneaking out of the house, saddling a horse and riding over to Jim’s house. He had chastised her each time about how dangerous it was, coming out alone like that, but then he would take her in his arms and they would forget about it until the next time.
The day of the wedding had been a frantic one for everyone. Julie hadn’t had any free time to talk with Jim until quite late. He said he would drive her home, so they could be alone. Two days earlier, he had revealed that he was at the point where he didn’t give a damn that anyone knew what was going on. He drove partway home, then he had stopped and they had made love in a secluded area. Julie had then told him she was leaving the next morning, on the early train.
Jim looked as if he had been punched in the gut. “I can’t believe you! Are you just going to walk away from this?”
“This!” Julie shouted at him angrily. “And just what is this, Jim? An affair? Some light-hearted fun? A quick fuck between wedding guests?” She had turned and run back to the buggy. She grabbed the reins and Jim jumped in just as the wheels were starting to turn.
“Stop, Julie! Give me the reins, you are too angry to be—” Jim tried to reason with her. But his attempt at calmness and rationale had only made her angrier. She didn’t know what she was feeling. She had spent most of the day worrying over how to tell him she was leaving, and what she would do when he asked her to stay.
But he hadn’t asked her to stay. All he had wondered was how she could walk away from “this.” After spending the day calling herself everything from a fool to whore, his words had been vinegar on her open, wounded emotions and she went up in flames. She had stirred the horses to go faster than was safe in the darkness. She had been unfamiliar with the road and hadn’t seen the tree that had fallen. The horses had reared their feet in fear and the buggy careened wildly, tumbling down a short ravine with its two passengers.
The last thing Julie had heard was Jim calling her name. She had been tossed from the carriage, hitting her head on a rock and getting quite a few scrapes and cuts as she fell through the shrubbery. She was unaware that the buggy landed on Jim’s leg, trapping him. In fact, she did not awaken for several days.
When she awoke she was in her bed and quite confused about what had happened. For a week or so, there was no memory of the recent events whatsoever. She’d even forgotten why she had come home.
It was only weeks later that she had learned what had happened, once she had regained all of her memories, right up to the accident. That was when she had suddenly started to cry and asked where Jim was.
It was her mother who had sat down beside her and started to explain the events after she’d hit her head. Jim and she had lain there until the next morning. Nick and Heath had headed out to look for them, but in the dark, they couldn’t see much. So the next dawn, with the Morgans and other friends, the search had started. Jim had been conscious for most of the time, and in terrible pain from where his leg had been crushed by the carriage. He had spent the night calling Julie’s name, but she never answered him, and he had feared the worst.
Victoria, her mother, had been the one who told Julie that Jim was relieved when he finally saw her alive, though unconscious. He had told the sheriff he was driving, after too much to drink at the wedding, and didn’t see the tree until it was too late. Everyone had accepted his word.
Julie had learned that for two weeks it had been touch and go as to whether he would lose his leg or not. But finally, the infection was under control. The bones would heal, but he would always limp. Her mother had told her that Jim asked about her frequently. Nick had visited her later that day and said the same thing. If she wanted, he would drive her over the next morning to see Jim.
To this day, Julie never knew why she had dressed in the dark of night and once again crept away from her house, her responsibilities. She had left a note for her mother that time, though, explaining that she had been the one driving the horses, not Jim. In explanation, she’d written that she was angry, not paying attention and going much too fast. The accident was all her fault, not his at all.
She had not seen Jim until he had contacted her in San Francisco several months later. Neither had mentioned the accident—why, she couldn’t say. All she knew was that she was still craving his touch, his kisses, as much as she had the last time she had been with him. But Jim had been the one to walk out on her that time, leaving her sleeping peacefully after those heated hours of making love. She had awakened alone in the hotel room with no message as to why he had gone.
* * * * *
Suddenly a voice jerked her out of the past and away from her bittersweet mem
ories.
“Why the tears, Julie?”
Julie sat up abruptly, rubbing her fingers over her cheeks. She was surprised to feel the wetness there. She looked up to see Jim standing over her. It shocked her to realize that she had been so deeply immersed in her daydreaming of the past that he had managed to get this close without her realizing it. In silence, he lowered himself to sit next to her on the cool, moonlit grass. He showed her that he had a bottle of champagne and two glasses. He handed her the glasses and then he easily popped the cork. She laughed as he poured it into the crystal champagne flutes. After setting the bottle aside, he took his glass from her.
“Should we toast something or just chug it down?” Jim asked her with a smile. A light clinking noise sounded as he touched his glass lightly to hers.
“Let’s toast Angie and Tony and wish that they have a happy married life together!” Julie said laughingly, wanting to steer him away from the topic of her tears.
Jim nodded. “To Angie and Tony…may they have many children and live to a ripe old age together.” He sipped his champagne. “Are you going to tell me why you were crying, or should I just drop the subject?”
Julie laughed softly, ruefully. “You see too much. Has anyone ever told you that, Jim Morgan?”
“Only with you, Julie Bradley. Only with you do I lose my ability to think and act logically.” Jim leaned forward, lightly kissing her lips. “If that damn Fitzhugh had held you that close for one more moment, I was going to come up there and deck him!”
Julie laughed at his forthright admission of jealousy. “You may not believe me, but I didn’t even notice how he was holding me until near the end of the dance.”
“Good God, Julie, he was practically inside your dress on that dance floor!” Jim threw back the rest of his champagne and then poured himself another glass. He offered her more, but she refused.
“My thoughts were far away from the dance floor, which is why I didn’t notice how he was holding me.” Julie sipped her drink carefully.
“What the hell could have possibly held your interest so fast that you didn’t feel him pawing your bottom and leering down your dress?” Jim’s anger was obvious.
Julie glanced up at him through her lashes, then back down. “I was thinking about a year ago…Gerry’s engagement party.”
Her words hung in the air between them as they both remembered that had been the day they had first made love.
“God, honey. You sure know how to take the wind out of my anger, don’t you?” Jim took her glass away and pressed her back into the grass. He came down over her, kissing her lips lightly. He placed gentle kisses on each closed lid. He kissed her mouth again, finding it open for him, her tongue eagerly seeking his, as he was for hers. His hands covered her breasts, massaging her gently. She shifted for him as he pulled the fabric down for the second time that day, exposing her bountiful flesh to his hot gaze. As he suckled at her breasts, Julie cupped her hand around the back of his head, holding him close.
Above his head, the moon shone through more brightly now. He raised himself to lift her skirts, smiling this time when he discovered she had left her panties off. “God, baby, I want you!”
Jim spoke against her mouth as his fingers moved to find her sweet, hot passage. He groaned when he felt how wet she already was. Neither spoke another word as he caressed her smooth lips. He adjusted his own clothing, and then thrust deep inside her. Julie took him eagerly, wanting him just as much as he wanted her. She met each thrust with a squeeze of her innermost muscles, which caused him to groan out loud in response. And finally, gasping for air, they climaxed hotly, passionately together.
Instead of allowing their bodies to separate, Jim rolled with her in his arms so she was lying on top of him. Her thighs fell to either side of his hips and she could feel his softening cock still within her body. Lifting her head a bit, she looked into his eyes. She tightened those innermost muscles once and Jim groaned in response. Julie pushed with her hands against his chest, lifting herself until she was sitting astride his hips. His cock was still within her body, held tightly by her straining flesh. Jim didn’t resist the temptation her naked breasts presented him. He cupped her breasts and began a gentle massage that soon had Julie squirming about, which only made his torture more exquisite.
“Julie, honey, my spirit is willing, but I’m afraid my flesh is weak. I don’t think I can go again so soon.”
Julie leaned down, kissing his mouth lightly. ‘‘That’s all right.”
“I’m getting too old to spend part of the day riding the fences, then partying, and then making love to the most beautiful woman here twice in one day!”
Julie laughed, sliding off his body. “But you have already done it twice. This would have been the third time.” She adjusted her bodice once again and pulled her skirt down as Jim closed his pants. “You think we ought to be heading back to your party?”
Jim put his hands behind his head and just looked up at her for a moment. “Are you going to tell me why you were crying?”
Julie stopped fussing with her hair. “I was remembering the accident, or as much as I can remember about it all.” She met Jim’s eyes finally. “I never did apologize, and I should have long ago.”
“Apologize for what, Julie?”
She knew that Jim watched her face. His face was lit from the moon over her shoulder and still she couldn’t guess what his true thoughts or emotions might be. What secrets was he seeing in her eyes since hers was more in shadow than his?
“For the accident…your leg. It really was all my fault.” Julie looked away, playing with the folds in her skirt to avoid looking at him.
“We were both injured, Julie. And I could have grabbed those reins out of your hands, but I didn’t.” Jim slowly sat up next to her. He reached out and traced the faint scar that went from her temple, down the side of her face and neck, onto her shoulder.
“You were injured far worse than I was. Everyone knows that, especially your mother. She hates me, you know.” Julie savored the warmth of his fingers against her skin. “Why haven’t you set the story straight with everyone? That it was I driving, and not you?”
“Because it isn’t anyone’s business but ours, and don’t worry about my mother.” He stood up then, offering his hand to help her up. Julie took his hand, coming to stand beside him. She bent to pick up the bottle and glasses. “Just leave them, honey. I’ll get them tomorrow.” He took her hand in his and led the way back out of the small, quiet garden. They could hear the music still playing and people laughing. “Party doesn’t seem to be slowing down any, does it?”
Julie nodded her head. “That is the bane of being too good of a host, you know. The guests never want to leave.”
Jim laughed with her, still holding her hand in his. He stopped her as they were almost within sight of the others. Pulling her close, he kissed her hotly. His mouth devoured hers. When he pulled back, her mouth felt slightly bruised. She couldn’t help but wonder if anyone else would notice.
“Do we walk back together?”
Julie paused as she considered his words. Part of her wanted to say yes. The need to stop hiding was becoming overwhelming. She was surprised when Jim answered his own question.
“I’ll go this way and come from around the corner of the house. You go in the back door there and come on out the front.” He didn’t give her time to agree or disagree, but turned and walked away from her.
She watched him for a moment, angry with herself for not making up her mind fast enough. Kicking at a small stone, she went toward the house.
* * * * *
Following the engagement party of her sister, Angie, and Jim’s brother, Tony, the next few days were quiet without parties and spent at home. In fact, on the morning following it, she had wired her great-aunt that she was going to stay for a little while longer. Her family had all been happy to have her stay, and no one had asked any questions about her change in plans. Julie had made it a habit to ride out each day bef
ore lunch, taking a sandwich with her and saying she would be back for dinner. The first day she had ridden around for a while and then ended up at Jim’s. He had seen her riding up from a distance, and walked away from where his men were working with a new horse in the corral.
Jim had smiled up at her. “Afternoon, ma’am.” He tipped his hat to her.
Julie smiled back. “I wasn’t sure…are you busy?” She glanced over at the corral.
“Nothing I can’t walk away from, should I need to.” Jim watched her nervously playing with the reins. “Do I need to?”
Julie looked into his eyes for several long moments. She nodded her head. Jim told her to ride off toward the small creek that was half a mile back, and he would follow her in a few minutes. Julie smiled and then turned her mount, riding off quickly.
* * * * *
Jim watched her go before settling his hat firmly on his head. Walking over to his men, he said he was going back to the house to work on the books. He rode back toward the house, then circled around and headed off toward the creek he had directed Julie to. Jim rode up to the creek area, but pulled his horse abruptly to a stop. He could see Julie’s horse tied up, but didn’t see any sign of her. Dismounting, he walked over to the water’s edge. Suddenly he was splashed with water. Like a mermaid, Julie rose out of the water. Her hair was sleeked back. She was laughing up at him.
“I decided to cool off while I was waiting.”
Jim tossed his hat onto the grass, beginning to unbutton his shirt. Julie continued swimming in the water, staying afloat where she was. He sat down, slipping off his boots and then his socks. He then undid his pants and started to slide them down. He stopped, though, as Julie moved closer to shore. He had thought she was wearing some clothes, but as she walked nearer, he saw her naked shoulders, then her naked breasts. She paused, with water dancing below her waistline. “Are you coming in here or not?”
Jim shucked his pants, knowing she was unaware of the double meaning in her words. He walked into the water to join her. As he came close enough to touch her, she spun and dove back into the water. He laughed and swam after her. They played like children for quite some time before their wrinkling skin drove them back onto land. Jim pulled her down onto the sun-warmed grass beside him. Their wet flesh heated and dried quickly as their passions rose.
