by Karen Ward
Goose says, "Meet us at Evelyn's and I'll tell you all about it."
Since Stump and Pinky dropped him at the ball field on their way back to the ranch, Dylan rides to Evelyn's with Damian and me. When we get in the car he clasps my hand in his, places a warm kiss on my palm, and says, "I've missed you."
Smiling I say, "I've missed you too."
Damian interrupts asking his dad all types of questions and telling him all about the ballgame and school. When we get to Evelyn's Damian bolts from the car and heads for the door. Dylan pulls on my hand and leans over the console to tenderly kiss me. "Oh God, I've missed you so much."
We exit the car and walk hand in hand to the door. We sit together on the couch where he clasps my hand in his and listens as Goose fills him in on what happened in LA. As the story unfolds the tension in Dylan unwinds. He is relieved to know that everyone survived such an ordeal when it could have ended so badly. When Goose tells him about me killing Jonas he glances at me and sees my blush. Squeezing my hand he whispers, "I'm proud of you." I turn an even darker shade of red.
I interrupt, "Don't forget to tell him you got shot."
Blushing Goose says, "Actually I'm ashamed he got the jump on me. I should have known he would pull something when he stopped the car. I'm just glad he wasn't a better shot."
Evelyn interrupts, "Better shot! The first one would have killed you if not for the Kevlar vest!" elbowing him in his side.
Dylan asks, "So when is the wedding? I'm happy for both of you."
Evelyn says, "Tomorrow, we already have our license. We were waiting for you to get back. We don't want anything big or fancy."
Standing, Dylan says, "I don't mean to be unsociable but I haven't even been to the ranch yet and I'm bushed. I'll talk to you tomorrow Goose. Evelyn, I'm happy for you. I love you Sis." He hugs his sister and shakes Goose's hand then Dylan and I head out the door.
We load Damian in the car and head for the ranch. He asks, "When did you get brave enough to venture off the ranch? Aren't the Paparazzi still giving you a hard time?"
Smiling I reply, "Not so much anymore. I think they're afraid of me now. At least they leave me alone most of the time." Pausing I ask, "Dylan, the rape trial is next week in LA. Will you be able to go with me?"
Smiling reassuringly he says, "Of course."
When we get to the ranch Dylan nervously tells Skye, "Sweetheart, I'm sorry but I really am whipped. I haven't had more than three hours of sleep in the last thirty six hours. I'll see you tomorrow, all right?"
Disappointed, I say, "I understand Dylan. Sleep well." I gently kiss his lips and turn and walk into the house. When I enter my bedroom and close the door I let the tears fall. I am so relieved that Dylan is home safe. I really do understand about being tired but I just feel bereft. I long to lie in his arms, to feel his hands caress my body. I want to taste his kisses and hear his moans when I touch him just right. I want him to make love to me. I want to make another new memory with him.
Dylan knows Skye is disappointed and his heart clenches at the thought but he is so tired he can't even think straight. He needs some time to decompress and release the stress of their mission. He needs one more day to heal before he lets her get too close. He thought he was going to collapse screaming in agony when Goose slapped him on the back. He spent six weeks as a captive of one of the cruelest dictators in the world. His back looked like ground hamburger meat when Stump and Pinky rescued him a little over two weeks ago. It is better now, but still very tender. The beard is to cover up the scar where he was slashed with a knife across his cheek.
When he steps out of the shower Stump is waiting. He says, "Here, let me put the salve on your back. You know you're going to have to tell Skye. This is not going to heal for another several weeks and you can't wear that beard for the rest of your life either. You probably should have stayed in DC at the medical center for a few more days."
Dylan shakes his head, "No, I wanted to get back for Damian's game. I've missed too many of them in his life already. I'm going to tell Skye, tomorrow. I would appreciate it if you would fill Goose in though. He slapped me on the back tonight and I nearly collapsed screaming in front of everybody from the pain."
"I'll take care of it. Barry told us about what happened in LA. They were lucky. It could have ended really badly. He said if Goose hadn't been wearing the vest he would be dead. The first shot hit him square in the heart. If Skye wasn't the exceptional woman she is, she would be dead too. From what Bear told Barry she really used her head pulling Jones off balance to buy time and then she dropped him with one shot."
About that time Damian runs into the room. His eyes as big as saucers when he sees the stripes across Dylan's back, he says, "Dad, what happened?"
"Hey Sport, Dad had a little problem while he was gone but I'm going to be just fine." answers Dylan.
He looks closer at where Stump is applying salve he asks, "Doesn't it hurt? It looks like it hurts really bad."
Smiling Dylan says, "It doesn't hurt so much anymore. Come here I want to tell you something. I want you to promise me that you won't tell Skye. I don't want her to worry about me, all right? Can you keep Dad's secret?"
Damian says, "Sure Dad, but Skye is real nice. She'll understand. She's brave too. Did you know she shot the man that tried to hurt her, the same man that shot Goose? I like Skye a lot. I wish she could be my Mom."
Tears in his eyes, Dylan replies, "I like Skye too. What if we talk to her about being your Mom? Would you like that?"
"Can we really? I would like that a lot!" answers Damian. Thinking he asks, "Dad, is that a secret too?"
"Yes, keep it as a secret for a little while. I'll let you know when we are going to ask her, all right?"
When Damian runs back down the stairs, Stump says, "So, you're going to bite the bullet too, huh?"
"Yeah, I love her Stump. Lying in that prison camp all those weeks not knowing if I would live or die, I promised myself that if I made it out alive, I would ask her to be my wife. My main obstacle was Damian, and he just removed that one for me."
Stump asks, "What about the company? I don't see you wanting to do anymore of this kind of mission."
Dylan hesitates then says, "You're right. I think it's time to shift our focus to domestic security. Plenty of companies need our expertise and with the recommendations the Pentagon will give us, we should do fine. Are you okay with that?"
Stump smiles and says, "Yeah, I'm okay with that. Those foreign missions are for the younger guys. I don't mind passing that torch and Pinky will be glad too."
******
The next morning is a beautiful spring morning, brisk but not cold and promising lots of sunshine. Dylan is up early and heads for the house just in time for breakfast. When I walk into the kitchen he is sitting at the table drinking coffee with Barry.
When I enter the room he smiles and says, "Good morning, Beautiful."
A warm smile crosses my face as I amble across the room to his chair, place my arm around his shoulders, kiss him warmly and say, "Good morning. You look better this morning."
If she noticed him tense at her touch she didn't indicate it in any way but Barry notices. He says, "Dylan, I need to show you something in the study, Skye will you excuse us for a few minutes?"
Dylan follows Barry to the study where he closes the door and says, "Okay, Scoot, let's have it. What really happened on your last mission? Stump and Pinky didn't say anything last night. I saw you tense when Skye placed her arm around you, so what's up?"
Dylan sits down in the chair next to the desk. Staring at his hands he says, "It was bad man. I spent six weeks in captivity. I didn't think I was going to make it."
A worried look crosses his face and Barry says, "You were tortured?" Staring at his face he sees the scar under the beard. "I see you have a new scar under that beard."
"Yeah, I'm still healing from the beatings. My face is healed but I wanted to tell her before she sees the scar. It's really ugly." answers Dylan.
Barry says, "Go tell her, now. Don't wait. Is there anything else?"
Dylan says, "Yeah, I'm having some dreams, the doctors in DC said it's mild PTSD. I'm going to go down to Phoenix for a while but I promised Skye I would go to LA with her Monday."
Barry says, "Skye can handle LA without you. I'll be with her and Goose and Bear are coming too. Tell her today and leave tomorrow for Phoenix. Don't wait, it only gets worse."
"I'll tell her and discuss it with her, all right?" responds Dylan.
"Fine, it's a beautiful day. Pack a lunch and have a picnic. Just don't come back until you've told her," says Barry. Pausing he adds, "Don't forget about the wedding tonight."
******
An hour later, Dylan and I are riding side by side toward the far reaches of the Rock Springs Ranch. Dylan knows exactly where he wants to go. In the high pasture he knows about a spring that cascades down a rock face splashing into a crystal clear pool. He plans to build their house by the spring in the near future. Smiling we chat companionably as we ride across the pasture just happy to be together. The sun is shining brightly now and warming the air nicely.
My heart is soaring. Finally I am going to get to spend some time alone with Dylan. I wonder where he is taking me.
When we get to the spring I exclaim, "Oh Dylan, this is lovely!" I get down from my horse and walk to the edge of the pool, "I wish it was warm enough to swim. I would love to go skinny dipping."
Dylan smiles in response wishing they could skinny dip too. He unsaddles the horses and hobbles them to keep them from straying. He spreads the blanket across the tall grass and sets the picnic basket on the corner then lowers himself to the ground. His heart is overflowing with love for Skye but he just doesn't know how to tell her his secret.
When I look toward him, he extends his hand to me and I move to the blanket and sit beside him. Raising his hand to my cheek he turns my face toward him and gently kisses my lips. Gazing into my eyes, he says, "Oh Skye, you are the reason I live."
I smile then drop my eyes to my hands and say, "I missed you so much Dylan. I am so relieved you are home safe. Once while you were gone I had a horrible dream." I look off in the distance. "I dreamed you were lying in a pool of blood with life slowly seeping out of you. I woke up screaming and then I cried for hours because I couldn't get the image out of my mind." When I look back at him I see the stricken look on his face, "Dylan, what's wrong?"
Dylan raises troubled eyes to mine, "Skye, that wasn't a dream, it was a vision. It really happened to me."
My heart stops at his words before slowly starting back at a slow pounding pace. Looking into his eyes, I implore, "Tell me about it please."
"We were in the jungle, it was hot and I needed to relieve myself. I stepped away from where Stump and Pinky were hidden and I was ambushed by six men. They dragged me away deep into the interior of the jungle to a prison camp. They beat me and whipped me every day. I almost died. I remember lying in the dirt barely conscious and you appeared before me and begged me to fight, to not give up, and I did. I fought to live ... for you. They kept me imprisoned for six weeks beating me every day before Stump and Pinky were able to get me out. I'm still not healed," he adds.
I look into his troubled eyes, and say, "Show me."
Pulling his shirt from his pants he slowly starts to release the buttons. After removing his top shirt, he reaches for the hem of his undershirt and says, "Are you sure Skye? It's bad."
Nodding I say, "I'm sure."
He pulls the shirt over his head and turns so I can see his back. My stomach rolls at my first glimpse. Gently I reach my hand and trace the jagged lines, tears streaming down my face. "Oh Dylan, I'm so sorry."
Turning back toward me he says, "Skye, there's more. I have the beard because they laid open my face with a filet knife. One of the other prisoners put it back together and fastened it with a vine. It's ugly."
Lifting his face so I can see the scar, I slowly trace it with my fingers. Then I lean in and trace the scar with my lips then move to his lips where I kiss him deeply. "Dylan, you could never be ugly to me. I love you, the man, the one that lives in here," and I place my hand over his heart. "Make love to me Dylan."
He places his hand on my cheek and kisses me deeply. Plunging his tongue into my mouth he tastes my tears, absorbing my warmth. He reaches for the hem of my shirt and pulls it over my head then quickly unhooks the front closure of my bra letting both of them fall to the blanket. Gently laying me back he lets his eyes devour my luscious breasts and watches as the nipples pucker in anticipation.
He says, "Your beauty takes my breath away." His heart is pounding in anticipation and his mouth is watering. He kisses my lips tenderly as he carefully rolls my nipple between his thumb and finger. He moves his lips down my neck and hungrily suckles first one breast and then the other.
I am in heaven. Dylan's beard tickles as he moves his head down my neck to my breast. It's a very erotic sensation. Anxiously waiting for his mouth to capture my nipple I restlessly move urging him down. I carefully caress his shoulders making sure to stay away from his injuries.
Dylan's heart is pounding furiously. He has dreamed daily of having Skye in his arms again and he doesn't want to miss one single thing. Taking his time he pays equal attention to each breast. As he suckles first one, then the other he quickly unfastens my jeans and begins to slide them down past my hips to my knees.
"Oh Skye, you are so sweet! I have missed you so much. I have dreamed daily of holding you just like this."
Rising to his knees he removes my boots and then skims the jeans and panties off my long legs. Gazing at me he drinks in my beauty as he removes his own boots and jeans.
I am breathless as I drink in my first glimpse of a naked Dylan. He is a gorgeous man. The well developed muscles of his chest, a light sprinkling of dark brown hair across his male nipples, his washboard abs, and his engorged male shaft are a magnificent combination.
Finally naked he joins me on the blanket covering my nakedness with his and whispers,
"You are so beautiful. I'm in awe of you."
He starts again with my lips and worships every inch of my body, kissing, licking, and tasting. Moving down to my breasts, then my midriff to my stomach where he dips his tongue into my navel and swirls it round and round. Then moving lower he inhales my essence and tastes the sweetness of the skin on my upper thighs.
I am in heaven. Holding Dylan, kissing him, tasting him, is the fulfillment of my most cherished dream. I am drunk with feeling.
When he reaches the curls at the center of my sex, he lovingly runs his hands down through the curls parting my folds. Blowing softly he warms me and then tastes my very essence. Inserting two fingers in my warmth he gently stretches me and suckles my most sensitive spot. Moving his fingers in and out he suckles in time to his movement. I begin moving with his rhythm. As my movements begin to get more desperate he applies more pressure to my sensitive nub, first sucking, then swirling his tongue around and around and holding me close with his other arm. When I crash through into the exquisite oblivion of ecstasy he is with me, holding me steady as I soar through the world only lovers know. As I float back to reality, he smiles down at me loving me more than he ever dreamed possible.
When I open my eyes, I pull him close and kiss him deeply. "Love me Dylan. Love me all the way. Give me another new memory."
He says, "Oh Skye, I don't have ..."
"I don't care! Please, Dylan, love me all the way. I want to feel you inside of me. I want to watch your face as you love me. Nothing would make me happier than to have your baby."
Lowering his head he kisses me tenderly, his heart nearly bursting with love at my words. Pushing his tongue deep into my mouth he tastes every corner of my sweetness while rolling my nipples between his thumb and finger. Moving down my neck to my breasts he suckles each one as he probes my sex, inserting his fingers into my warmth and moving them in and out in the rhythm of lovers.
"Now Dylan,
love me now."
"Be patient my love, I want to make sure you are ready," answers Dylan.
He moves back to my lips tenderly caressing me while he kisses me deeply bringing me back to a frenzy of wanting. He moves between my legs, gazes lovingly into my eyes and slowly pushes into my warmth, stretching me. Dylan is in heaven. She is so tight and she fits him like a glove.
When I first feel Dylan at the entrance to my femininity, I have a minute of doubt. Is it going to hurt? Then I see the love emanating from his eyes and know this time will be different. When he enters me, I feel a stretching sensation, but no pain.
He pauses to give me time to adjust then slowly withdraws as he stares deeply into my eyes. Then he plunges back inside, filling me. Making a slight adjustment in the angle of his entry he says, "Wrap your legs around me Skye."
When he withdrew from me I was amazed at the delicious friction the movement created. I felt empty, bereft and longed to pull him back in.
I wrap my legs around his waist and watch the expressions as they cross his face. I see the love glowing in the depths of his eyes and it warms me deep in my soul. As he begins to move inside me I move with him setting a comfortable rhythm. Feeling the delectable tension building in my core I pull his face down to mine and say, "I love you Dylan Drake."
He makes another slight adjustment to apply more pressure to my most sensitive spot and picks up the pace, "You are my life Skye. Come fly with me." He plunges into my warmth and grinds his hips against my core sending me over the edge and with one more plunge he joins me in the world that only lovers share. Slowly floating back to earth he moves to my side and pulls me close. Tenderly kissing me, he pulls the blanket across our naked bodies and we drift into a light sleep.
A little while later I wake to find Dylan looking tenderly down at me and my heart expands with love for him. Smiling up at him and snuggling closer in his arms I say, "Mmmmm, I could get use to this."
Smiling and pulling me closer Dylan says, "Skye, I want to hold you like this every night. I want to make love to you and laugh with you and grow old with you. Will you marry me and be a mother to Damian?"
