by Mlyn Hurn
Jim caressed her naked body eagerly, his mouth following his hands. Julie cried out as he kissed and sucked her nipples deep into his mouth. Over and over, he stroked his hands across her arms, legs and over her tummy, teasing her with his touch. When he slid his body down over hers, Julie tried to stop him. But he wouldn’t be deterred. He slid between her thighs. He caressed her smooth lips, spreading them gently. He lowered his mouth and licked her clit.
Julie cried out loudly, her body jerking in response to his wild, erotic caresses. He returned to lick her pleasure point, while his fingers moved eagerly over her lips, and finally between them. First one finger, then two, and finally a third, all while he continued to lap at her juices oozing forth as she grew closer and closer to her climax. Her gentle pleas didn’t hurry him, though. He worked her flesh like a master violinist. He knew just which strings to pluck to drive her higher and higher. His clever digits continued to work magic within, until finally Julie screamed out his name and spasmed around his fingers, flooding them with her moisture.
Jim caressed her tenderly, pulling his fingers from their warm nest, and licked all her sweet liquids from her shaven lips. He moved up and pulled Julie into his arms, gently pressing her to rest her head on his chest.
* * * * *
Julie lay stunned for several long minutes, her breathing ragged and uneven. She finally rose up and kissed his mouth. The taste of her was on his lips she realized with a start, blushing brightly. She moved down and rested her head back on his chest. She played with his chest hair for a moment. She shifted her head then and began licking his masculine nipple. She suckled his nipple as he had her own. With his encouraging words, she tugged harder than he had and nipped him with her teeth. Jim couldn’t hide his reaction to her aggressive love bites. Julie continued to tantalize his nipple while she moved one hand down his abdomen to find his hardening shaft.
She enclosed his shaft with her hand, holding him gently. She encircled the hardness and began stroking her hand up and down, pulling his skin up with each movement. She deserted his nipple then and moved down his body, just like he had done with her. But Jim caught his fingers in her hair for a moment, stopping her.
“Baby, you don’t have to—”
Julie smiled slowly. “I know.”
She continued down his body, encircled his cock with her small hand and lowered her head. She licked around the ridge of flesh, pausing to tease him here and there with quick, darting, repetitive licks of her tongue. Jim groaned under her sweet ministrations.
Julie moved her hand down to cup his sac, holding his balls gently, rolling them slightly before she lowered her head to lick the skin. Her tongue moved over his sensitive skin there until she took his sac into her mouth, sucking on him gently, surely. She released him, all but the last bit of skin, holding it between her lips, sucking and tugging on him. With her other hand, Julie pressed the extremely sensitive area just behind his sac. Jim moaned as she drove him crazy with her seductive touches and caresses.
“Oh, God, honey…you are driving me crazy doing that!” Jim finally managed to get past his hoarse throat. His hand lowered to caress her soft hair as she rose up a bit to lick around the head of his rod once again. She moved her tongue to point where the ridge met at the back of the head, and began licking him slowly at first. Then she began tapping her tongue, faster and faster, while one hand began stroking him.
Suddenly, he shot his seed wildly. Julie licked around the head of his cock one last time, and then moved back up to lie beside him. She kissed him. Jim opened his mouth, tasting himself on her lips and tongue. Julie finally pulled away and lowered herself to lie next to Jim on the warm grass. They fell into a light sleep.
Chapter 5
After that afternoon with Jim by the pond, a routine was established. She continued to meet him each day, agreeing to next time just before parting. On Saturday, one week following the engagement party, a dance was planned at his parents’, so Julie agreed to skip coming over during the daytime. She felt drawn to him, even though she didn’t want to, or at least her head was still telling her not to. Her body was telling her another story entirely.
Friday evening, though, she learned that her mother had invited everyone in the family to the house, including Frank. Julie was seated next to him, and had to force herself to listen to what he was saying. She refused to walk with him afterward, stating that she was too tired from riding all afternoon. In truth, she was exhausted from feigning interest in the conversation.
On Saturday, she rode to Jim’s parents’ home with her brother, Heath, who drove into town to pick up his date, Linda. Julie chatted with them during the drive, but her mind kept wandering to the fact that she had promised her aunt she would leave on the train Sunday afternoon to return to San Francisco. She hadn’t told Jim she was leaving yet, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to. Heath helped Linda down from the carriage first, and then Julie. He offered his arm to each lady and escorted them into the house. The house was ablaze with lights, and people were spilling onto the lawns and out into the barn, where the dancing would be held.
Julie excused herself as she saw that Phyllis and her husband, Rob, were greeting new arrivals. She didn’t want to face Jim’s mother’s animosity at the moment. Julie walked back outside and strolled over to the barn. She looked around at the entrance, trying to see who was inside. The dancers were whirling quite madly to the music already, and it was hard to see anyone.
She moved along the wall toward the refreshments table. Her hair had been dressed high on the back of her head and curls tumbled down artlessly. Angie had insisted on styling it for her, to match her Paris designed gown. The dress was black lace, low-cut, and draped her body lovingly. She hadn’t come with many clothes, but this was a dress she had left behind last year.
* * * * *
Jim watched her moving through the crowd. She didn’t stop unless someone spoke to her first. Her lace dress molded her curves, displaying her full breasts and hips to perfection. She bent over to get a glass of lemonade, and Jim saw her breasts nearly spill from her dress. Damn! He thought to himself, the woman could probably make a dead man erect, and he was far from dead! He moved up behind her quietly, waiting until she had sipped from the glass before he leaned forward.
“That dress should be outlawed!”
Julie turned to look at the man she had been searching for. A smile curved her lips. “Oh, does that mean you don’t like it?”
Jim laughed, taking her elbow and leading her back to the doorway. “No. I like it too much. Let’s get out of here.”
Outside, he turned a corner, and they were enveloped in darkness. He walked her back along the side of the barn. “I was beginning to wonder if you were coming at all.”
“I came with Heath, and we went into town first to pick up Linda.” Julie sipped her lemonade as they walked. “Uhm, Jim—”
“Yes?” He stopped and turned to face her at the change of tone in her voice. “Is something wrong?”
“I have to catch the eleven o’clock train tomorrow for San Francisco.” Julie glanced up for a second. Quickly she looked back down, unable to hold his gaze. “I promised Aunt Tillie that I would go to Europe with her.”
Jim turned and started walking again. Julie had to rush a bit to catch up with him. “How long will you be gone?”
“She wants to go for three or four months, she said. I promised her before I came back…”
Jim nodded in silence. He wanted to demand she not go, but he knew where that had ended them a year ago, when it was time for her to go. He had been the one to leave her, in San Francisco, but it had been harder than hell to not turn around and go back to her. But she would have to decide to stay, of her own accord, or it would never work out. And there was still the matter of the land—
Julie wasn’t sure what she wanted. Part of her wanted to hear him demand she stay, and the other wanted him to ask her to stay. “The wedding is in five months. I’ll be back for that for sure.�
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Jim still didn’t speak, just continued walking. After a few more minutes, he turned back. “We should probably head back. You came for a dance, after all, and you haven’t had a chance for a single one yet.”
Julie followed him in silence, trailing one step behind. She stopped, though, before they came within sight of anyone else. “Take me home, Jim.”
Jim turned to frown at her. “Julie—”
“Please, Jim. I don’t want to dance, and I don’t want to be around anyone else at the moment.” Jim looked into her face for several long moments. To be honest, he didn’t want to laugh and joke and pretend everything was all right, either. “All right, Julie. Let me go tell someone—”
Julie grabbed his hand. “Please, let’s just go. No one will miss us in this crowd. Please.”
Jim nodded and then led her away to the farthest barn where his parents’ carriage and horses were kept. He quickly harnessed the horses, and then they were on their way back to Julie’s house. They were partway there when he pulled the horses up sharply. Julie realized that they were at the exact spot the carriage had gone off the road a year ago. She shivered in remembrance. Suddenly, it was all too much, and her stomach heaved. She jumped from the carriage and ran to the side of the road. She barely made it before she lost the contents of her wobbly stomach. Clutching her stomach, she heard Jim come up beside her. He held her lightly at her waist.
“Are you all right, honey?” Jim offered her his white handkerchief. Julie nodded, wiping her face.
“I’m okay now. I’m sorry.”
Jim helped her back into the carriage. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. It’s all right.” He soon had the horses back in motion. Neither spoke the rest of the way. He tied the reins outside the house, to the post there, and then helped Julie down from the carriage. He followed her up the front porch steps. “Are you sure you’ll be all right, Julie?”
Julie looked up into his face. She knew he wasn’t coming inside at that moment. Perhaps it was better this way. “Yes, I’ll be fine. I’ll go straight to bed.”
Jim nodded, fighting the urge to drag her into his arms and kiss her silly. Instead, he moved away from her, back to the steps. “I’ll get going then. Julie…”
Julie looked up at him as he softly spoke her name. She knew what she thought she wanted him to say, but instead all he said was, “Have a safe trip.” Julie watched in silence as he walked away from her, for a second time.
* * * * *
Four and a half months later, Julie took the train home. It was dark and quite late when the train finally rolled into the station. Julie didn’t see anyone waiting to meet the train. She had wired when she was coming. Picking up her small bag, she pulled her cloak closer around her body and headed out of the station. She hadn’t gone far when she saw Jim walking toward her through the dark. She recognized him immediately, not just from his slight limp, but his height and the breadth of shoulders gave him away. Of all the people she wanted to see first, Jim was the last. She had too many things to decide on, and deal with, before she confronted him.
“Hello, Julie.” His voice was the same deep sensual sound as always. He reached for her bag. “Welcome home.”
Julie forced a smile to her lips. “Hello, Jim. I was expecting someone from the family—”
“Nick told me you were arriving tonight, and I had to come into town on business, so I offered to give you a ride home. Do you have any more bags?”
Julie shook her head. “This is all I came with—”
Jim nodded and pointed toward his buggy, a short distance away. “So, you aren’t staying long this time, then?”
Julie didn’t know how to answer him. She walked along next to him in silence. “What business did you have in town tonight?” She had seen him walking from the saloon, and the worst thoughts possible were conjuring up in her mind.
Jim tossed her bag in the back, and then turned to help her up. He climbed up next to her, releasing the reins and clicking the horses into motion before he answered. “I come every couple of weeks to go over the books with Dan.”
“Dan Wheeler? He owns the saloon…” Julie’s voice trailed away.
Jim kept his eyes on the road. He hadn’t confided to a lot of people that he had bailed out his old friend when he had run into money problems a year ago. He now owned half the saloon, as a silent partner. With fresh infusion of capital, it had begun to turn a very nice profit for them both. But he also knew that quite a few people frowned on the saloon and all it represented. And while he didn’t particularly care what most people thought of him, he also didn’t want to invite his mother’s vocal opinions on the subject, either.
“Dan was in trouble financially about a year ago, so since he’s an old friend, I became a silent partner for him. He is doing pretty well now.” He turned the buggy onto the road leading to the Bradley ranch. He was doing his best to keep from staring at Julie.
“That was really nice of you, Jim,” Julie told him softly, meaning it. “How silent are you?”
Jim smiled a little. “I leave pretty much everything to Dan.”
“So you don’t have anything to do with the hiring, or meeting the employees?”
Jim tried to hold back his laughter but it was impossible. “Do I sample the wares? Avail myself of the lovely women working there? Perhaps accept a payment in a different form of tender?”
Julie turned and glared at Jim. “I didn’t necessarily mean that. Uhm…I could have meant the bartender.”
“Ha! Perhaps I have no need to visit the saloon for female companionship at all.”
Julie shivered suddenly.
“Are you cold, Julie? You have the cloak pulled so tight around you. I’ve got some blankets in the back.” Jim turned to hold her gaze. Julie looked away, though, loosening the death grip she had on the edges of her cloak to keep it closed.
“No, no. I’m fine, really.” Julie let the cloak fall apart, just a bit, trying to relax.
A chill went through her as she had heard Jim say he had no need to go out for female company. Good God! Had he met and married a woman in the last few months and no one had written to let her know? Of course, it could be that the letter to tell her was still in the mail. A moment later she was glad to see the lights from the house glowing just ahead. She knew she needed to talk to Jim, and soon, but she also wasn’t ready yet. Now if there were someone else in his life…she would have to leave here immediately.
Thankfully, no sooner did the buggy pull up than the front door swung open. Angie and her mother came rushing out to greet her. Julie hopped down without waiting for help, hugging them both. Jim handed her bag to Angie, who was holding her hands up. Julie heard him refuse to come in, stating he had some work to get done before all the festivities started tomorrow. He tipped his hat to the three women, then turned the buggy around and drove away. Julie continued to look after him as her mother and sister went up the stairs. Her mother called her name twice before she followed them inside.
Chapter 6
The next day dawned bright and beautiful. It was a perfect day for the rehearsal at the church, followed by the dinner at Jim’s house. He was, of course, Tony’s best man. Jim had slept very little the night before, tossing and turning, restless in sleep because of dreams of Julie, and disturbed while awake with thoughts of her. Nick had let it slip that Julie had returned over two months ago, but had remained in San Francisco. He then confided that the family had thought she was planning to return home permanently as well, but she had given no reason or explanation for her continued absence.
Seeing Julie, he had wanted to confront her last night with why she had stayed away, but he had held his tongue. It hadn’t been easy, especially when she started asking him questions about the saloon. It had been a deliberately misleading statement when he intimated he had no need for female companionship from the saloon. It was the truth, because the only female he wanted was Julie!
As the day wore on, having his house turned upside
down was getting on his nerves. By one o’clock that afternoon, his mother was driving him crazy with all her arranging and rearranging for the dinner. His plan had been to just leave it all up to his very competent housekeeper, but Phyllis chose to supervise. Jim deserted the house for some peace and quiet.
* * * * *
He wasn’t at all surprised to find himself riding to the small creek where he had spent so many hours with Julie nearly five months ago. What did surprise him was to see someone else was already there. He saw the small buggy tied up as he dismounted quietly. He left his horse there and walked silently into the more secluded area near the water. A woman was sitting on a blanket, with a soft shawl pulled up over her head and around her shoulders. He didn’t want to disturb a stranger, but somehow he sensed the woman wasn’t unknown to him at all.
Walking stealthily, he wasn’t surprised when his foot broke a twig and the woman who turned to see who was there was Julie. But from the startled look on her face, he could tell she was surprised to see him.
“Jim!” Julie went to get up, but he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Instead, he sat down next to her on the blanket. His next words had her cheeks flushing a bright pink.
“The blanket feels good. Too bad we didn’t think of that a few months ago.” Jim turned and saw the bright blush moving down her neck and across her upper chest. The shawl had loosened and was sliding down the back of her hair and opening in the front. “I’m surprised to see you, Julie. I thought you would be occupied with last minute fittings of the dresses and all.”
