On the Mountain

by Peggy Ann Craig

A startled expression crossed his face, obviously not expecting the question. “Well, because, I wanted you to have something to remember this place.”

  “A diamond brooch?” It would have been the last thing she would have connected to the ranch.

  He frowned. “It’s in the shape of a circle with what looks like an H in the middle. Like the Circle H brand.”

  She looked closer than was able to see it. Smiling oddly, she nodded and said, “Thank you.”

  He stood above her without saying a word for several moments. Then he reached out and took it from her hands. “When we were up in the mountain and I saw firsthand how time can heal all wounds, I thought of the brooch and realized I bought it because I wanted you to know that lesson. Life can’t be touched or altered by any human form. Evil or not. It’s not influenced in any shape or form by the actions of mankind. It will continue on its path, heedless of the obstacles we put in its way. It has no beginning nor ending. It is a continual process and like a circle, cannot be stopped.”

  Startled, Anna looked up into his face at the realization she too had come to the same conclusion. “Never ending.”

  He smiled and took her hand and turned it over to lay the box back in the palm of her hand. “Never ending.”

  She closed her hand around the box and brought it to her chest. Her eyes glistened as she recalled the deer and her fawn. “Thank you, Wade.”

  Instead of replying, he gently laid a hand against the side of her head. His eyes studied her face and Anna felt her insides begin to stir. Her eyes spoke the words she was too frightened to say. She heard him sigh and lower his hand. Immediately, she dropped her gaze, then took an unsteady step away from him.

  “Good-night,” she whispered softly and turned to go.

  “Anna.” She halted and looked back at him. “I would like it if you slept in my bed tonight.”

  Shock exploded down her spine before the realization of what his words actually meant sent an alarm ringing in her brain. Trying to appear composed, she nodded and left him. They had been married over a month now and she had waited for this moment with heart stopping anxiety. After it became apparent he was not interested in Anna in that form, she had buried that fear. Till now.

  Not even having been with a man before, she was as naive as they came to matters in the marital bed. She worried all the way up the grand staircase what Wade would think of her then. He had been with many women and she feared greatly that he would find her a huge disappointment. An image of him in a sexual tryst with Marion came to mind. She squeezed her lids shut and willed it away.

  She placed the box with the diamond brooch safely on his dresser than stripped out of her dress. Feeling every deplorable emotion inside, she crawled naked beneath the covers. Admittedly, her feelings were in turmoil. A great portion wanted this, had wanted it for a long time. But a bigger portion feared it. Reaching out, she doused the light.

  She lay there for several minutes until finally she heard his footsteps along the hall corridor. Holding her breath, she waited until the door opened and he entered the room carrying an oil lamp. He did not look at her once as he went over to the opposite side of the room and began to undress. Anna instinctively looked away. Inside she wanted to watch, to see his beautifully naked form, but she was far too frightened.

  The bed moved beside her and she realized that he had gotten under the covers. She bit her lip and waited. Darkness filled the room after he doused his own light. He laid next to her completely still and Anna frowned. She was so innocent where men were concerned, she realized that she really had no idea how to make love to a man. That one deplorable image of Marion came to mind.

  Swallowing her inhibitions, she rolled over, pulled back the cover and lowered her head to his privates. With a start, she discovered he still wore his night shirt. Awkwardly, she tried to raise the hem.

  “Whoa,” he exclaimed, obviously startled by her actions. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he pulled her away from that male portion of his body. “What are you doing?”

  He had pushed her all the way to a sitting position, and Anna realized the bright rays of the full moon outside his window highlighted her naked form. With embarrassment she reached for the blanket. “I thought this was what you wanted.”

  “What?” He sounded dubious and Anna felt herself grow pink with humiliation. “No—well, yes, but no. Anna, I just wanted to lie here with you.”

  “I’m sorry,” she muttered and wished herself anywhere but there. She pulled the blanket closer.

  He sighed and said, “I knew you weren’t ready. I thought if we took it slow, you might eventually come around and want to share my bed on a regular basis.”

  She stilled and lifted her eyes. “You did?”

  She saw him smile in the darkness. “Maybe I didn’t make myself very clear. It’s my own fault, I was trying not to frighten you. But I don’t have much experience in this field.”

  Anna frowned. “What do you mean? You have plenty of experience.”

  The thought of Marion haunted her once more, however Wade reached out and touched her arm. “What I’ve experienced won’t come close to comparing to what we will share. Together.”

  She felt her heart do a ridiculous flip and realized no matter what he said, he had a knack of making her feel special. Anna searched his eyes in the darkness and wished she could see their blueness. His hand slowly moved from her arm to reach out and lay a finger against the tip of the blanket where her exposed chest peaked beneath the rim. She felt his finger begin to stroke her skin and realized he had noticed just the hint of her scar where the knife had plunged into her chest. With gentle hands he peeled the blanket away just enough to expose the remaining trace of the red and jagged wound.

  Because it was too dark, she could not make out his expression, but she could sense in his touch the emotions he felt. Her heart overflowed with her love for him and Anna allowed the blanket to drop away from her completely. His hand froze and Anna waited a breath stopping moment before he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss over the wound. She sat utterly still while his mouth pressed soft kisses against her naked skin.

  Then his lips trailed across her chest to cover one small breast in soft and tender kisses. Her breath caught in her throat and she waited for him to continue. Lifting his head, he looked down at Anna in the darkness. She could not see his features, but she had long memorized the shape of his mouth and she longed for him to cover her own.

  His hands came out and gently moved Anna until she was lying on her back, her head resting on the soft down pillows of his bed. Then he returned to her breasts and continued the sensual attention he had been giving them. She was fully aware of the small size of her breasts and that she lacked what most women had. It was one of the reasons she was able to pass herself off so easily as a boy. However, at that moment she felt more woman than she could ever have imagined as Wade lavished them with loving kisses.

  She caught her breath when she felt him draw one ruby nipple into his mouth. Then he went over and did the same to the other. A flutter of butterflies quivered in her stomach catching Wade’s attention for he moved his lips from her breasts to leave a sizzling path down her flat belly. Anna felt her heart rate start to rise and her blood temperature to increase. She was beginning to think there was nothing more wonderful than the touch of his mouth, when she felt his hand begin to caress the inside of her leg.

  Slow and deliberate, it stroked her soft skin and raised the temperature in her blood even higher. Anna heard a soft moan and realized it had come from her own mouth. It triggered a corresponding response in Wade for his hand suddenly stopped stroking her leg, then immediately she felt its presence against her most private parts. She froze and felt the return of her fears.

  Wade, however, continued to stroke and caress her belly until Anna relaxed once more under his touch. When she thought he would stop and finally make love to her, he startled her when the hand resting against her womanhood began to move and ever so gently stroke
d the secret folds between her legs. Her instinct was to pull away, but the warmth his touch evoked had her gasping in longing instead. The lips on her belly became more intense, causing her pulse to accelerate.

  She moaned again and found her body rising to meet his. Wade removed his hand to Anna’s immense disappointment, only to feel both his hands capture a leg in each palm. His mouth moved further down yet on her belly and Anna arched her back, breathing heavily while he softly lifted her legs slightly up and apart. She hardly even noticed, so intent was she on that wonderful mouth of his until it stopped suddenly only to reappear where his hand had earlier been.

  Anna’s eyes flew open, apprehension taking hold of her briefly until she felt his lips as they kissed and fondled her in an area she never imagined a man’s mouth should ever be. She gasped as her heart stopped for a full heartbeat before erupting from the depths of her womanhood in a sensation she had never felt the likes of before. So alarmed by this new feeling, she gasped his name, “Wade?”

  He raised his head and placed a tender kiss on her belly once more. “It’s all right, Anna.”

  She could offer no more for his mouth branded her skin along a path he claimed between her belly and her breasts. Her heart was beating so fast she literally feared it would stop beating altogether. As he lavished her body with blatant desire, she responded in a manner Anna would never have thought capable. She arched up to him and released a deep unbridled sigh, loving his every touch and every kiss.

  “Anna?” He half pleaded and half asked. Without another word, she knew exactly what he was requesting permission for, and her heart filled even more. No other man ever made her feel more woman.

  “Yes, Wade, yes.”

  He groaned against her stomach and sucked in the small amount of flesh above her belly, before sitting up suddenly and ripping off the night shirt covering his body. Staring up at him, even in the darkness, Anna was impressed with his huge and muscular form. A fleeting feeling of fear crossed her mind. But he eased her worries once more by lifting her hips gently off the bed and laying his naked member against her now moist womanhood.

  He stayed like that for several moments, all the while driving Anna’s body crazy with his mouth. Desire spewed from her lips, while her body pressed wantonly against him. He pushed back with a corresponding response. Her back arched as he drew her breast into his mouth once more, than grabbing her hips he slowly entered her. At first, she felt pain, but the kisses he engraved on her body soon eased her first initiation into womanhood. When he was fully entered, he caressed her gently. Anna’s heart rate pumped harder and the blood in her veins skyrocketed to alarming heights.

  Moaning, she reached out and grasped his body wanting to feel him close against her. She could hear him breathing hard as he held her tight, then in one final thrust he pinned her to the bed with his large frame. He felt so wonderful being that close and having their bodies meshed together, she wrapped her arms around him and clung. She heard him grunting then collapse on top of her with a loud moan at the same moment Anna felt her body racked with a feeling similar to the one he had created with his mouth but much grander in proportions.

  He laid there for several minutes breathing heavily on top of her body and Anna thought she would never reach this level of happiness in life again. He went to lift himself and she instinctively wrapped her legs tight around him.

  Wade chuckled in her ear. “Anna, I’m too heavy.”

  But she didn’t care. “Not yet,” she whispered.

  He lifted his chin to look down at her and their eyes locked with unexpressed emotions. Anna could feel his breath on her face and his pulse on her breasts as his chest rose and fell in rhythmic breathing against her. Unconsciously, her eyes instinctively dropped to that wonderful mouth of his so close and yet so untouchable, and felt the tiniest bout of heartbreak.

  Then, with a start, she realized his head was slowly beginning to descend. She went utterly still in fear that he may realize what he was doing, and pull away. But his mouth continued, until very gently at first, he laid it softly on Anna’s lips.

  She couldn’t help herself, she sucked in her breath. He must have been holding his own as well, for she felt him release it against her mouth before slowly moving his lips against hers.

  Since she had never kissed a man before, she had no idea how to respond, but decided it was best to let instinct take over. As Wade had once told her, trust instinct when common sense failed. Very softly, she returned him kiss for kiss. He only paused once, lifting his head to look deep into her eyes. Then when he returned, his kisses became intense and more sensual. Anna raised her arms and drew him closer.

  Wade caught her small body against his and rolled over onto his back, dragging Anna with him. Her body came to rest on top of his and when their lips eventually drew apart, it was there that she remained. She rested her head on his chest and listened to the steady beating of his heart, smiling to herself at the realization that like hers, it had just come down from an unbelievable high. Her heart and soul had never before felt so fulfilled. Closing her eyes, she sighed with contentment and felt him pull her closer in response. A glow filled her heart and it was with happiness and love that she fell asleep in the arms of the man she loved.

  * * *

  Anna woke from one of the best sleeps she could ever recall. Stretching her arms, she felt the soft mattress of Wade’s bed beneath her, then realized with a start that he was not in it. She opened her eyes and sat up, looking about the empty room. A feeling of disappointment toyed with her happiness. But only slightly.

  Seeing his night shirt was still lying across the bed where he had tossed it the night before, she reached over and slipped it over her head before getting out of bed. Wade may feel comfortable in his own nakedness, but Anna wasn’t quite at that level. Leaving his room, she went quietly down the back stairs and into the kitchen with a smile playing about her lips. In the entrance, she stopped dead in her tracks, her smile wiped away at the sight of Wade sitting fully dressed at the kitchen table with Prescott.

  Both men looked up and Anna felt herself go completely red from embarrassment. Instinctively, she crossed her arms in front her bosom as if to conceal herself. A wide grin spread across Prescott’s mouth. “Good morning Anna.”

  “Good morning.” Her eyes darted toward Wade, but he had returned his attention to the coffee mug in front of him. “I thought you were in Lantern?”

  “I returned early this morning to help Wade with the new heifers.”

  Anna nodded, then took a few steps back. “I’ll just get dressed and have breakfast ready shortly.”

  “No need,” Prescott told her. “We had Kim prepare us something earlier.”

  “All right.” Her eyes immediately shot in Wade’s direction, but he still did not return her look. She quietly excused herself before turning to hurry back up stairs. Inside Wade’s room, she shut the door firmly and raised a hand to touch the skin over her cheeks. They even felt hot to touch, she could only imagine how they looked.

  Reaching for her dress she got dressed quickly and tried not to allow Wade’s silent behavior to worry her. No matter if he had regrets or not, Anna knew they had shared something special. Even the thought of Marion no longer left a stinging in her heart. What she witnessed and what she shared with Wade last night, couldn’t have been further apart. Smiling she went downstairs and got herself breakfast and coffee before heading outside to the barns for her daily chores.

  She knew she ought to change into her barn clothing, but that morning Anna wanted to feel like the woman she was. The men were all gathered in the corrals along with a good hundred or so heifers, and Anna spotted Wade instantly. She had always sought him out first anyway, but that day her eyes were drawn to him like a magnet. All morning she had trouble keeping her focus on her chores. Whenever he was within view, her eyes would wander lovingly over to him. Of course, he was far too busy to notice Anna. Except when she tripped over a water trough she did not see and scraped he
r knee.

  “You all right?” He looked down at her from his position at the top of the corral fence, his face shadowed by his hat.

  Anna had nodded, then quickly ran into the barn to hide her embarrassment. To make matters worse, she walked straight into a barn door when she discovered Wade and Joe inside the stable going over some business dealings. When Wade heard the bang he spun around alarmed and looked at Anna concerned. “What happened?”

  She shook her head and tried to brush the incident off, but she couldn’t stop her hand from rising to the bruise she was sure to receive beneath the hair sweeping across her forehead.

  “Are you okay?” Wade watched her closely while she quickly replaced the feed bucket. Joe snickered beside him and Anna refused to look at either of them and hurried out of the stables, but not before she heard Joe tell Wade something about her being smitten.

  Anna nearly ran all the way back to the house and didn’t go anywhere near Wade for the remainder of the day. He and Prescott came in for lunch, but left before any words could be exchanged as it was apparent the heifers were keeping them busy. Anna was glad, she would be horribly embarrassed if Wade mentioned her accidents in front of Prescott. Truth was, Joe was right. Anna was acting like a young school girl with a huge crush. She had to get control of herself.

  Both men came into dinner, clean and dressed properly. Anna felt slightly stupid for having done her chores in her only proper dress. When she sat down at the dinner table, Prescott noticed the soil on the hem of her skirt, but as a true gentleman, made no comment. Instead he ruled the conversation at the dinner time as usual, however, this time Anna was truly excited to hear his good news.

  “Has Wade told you that I am an engaged man?”

  “I haven’t had the opportunity,” Wade stated before placing a fork full of food into his mouth.

  “How wonderful. I’m so happy for you and Elizabeth.” She smiled with genuineness.

  “I proposed last night and she accepted. We decided an August wedding would be lovely. When Kathleen comes to visit next month, she’ll finally have that celebration she has been wanting.” He beamed and Anna realized with a start that the evening before hadn’t been special just for her. “Now you and Wade may have this home all to yourself.”