“Mirisa.” He placed his hand on her chin turning her face up and kissed her. Mirisa closed her eyes knowing she wouldn’t stop him. He brushed her hair back and kissed her again. She thought out of all of them that he probably kissed the best and kissing was her Achilles heel. She didn’t know what he wanted so she just sat waiting. When he didn’t do anything she started to pick up the cards and he grabbed her hand and brought her back facing him.
With one hand, James unbuttoned her blouse and slid it off her shoulders and then unbuttoned her jeans pulling them off one leg at a time. She had on an off white silk camisole that clung to her body perfectly. He ran his fingers up her sides slowly pulling her up off the couch. He knew every inch of her body like he knew his own. James walked behind her moving his hands over her deliberately until her reactions became automatic and almost anticipatory but every time he touched the back of her hips he felt the shutter move down her spine. He reached up and slid the straps of her camisole down and exposed her breasts. James ran his hands up her neck and kissed her under her ear. Mirisa responded and he continued to just kiss her until a small moan touched her lips. He slid the camisole lower until it was just touching her hips and then held her tightly against him as he whispered what he was going to do to her. Mirisa’s whole body responded like clay under the fingers of a master sculptor.
James still had not removed his clothes. He continued to softly caress her body until she thought she would have to beg for him to stop. He moved back around so he was facing Mirisa and she looked up into his eyes realizing that he was not only in complete control of her but he was purposely doing everything he was doing. He slowly undressed. James probably had the most magnificent body she had ever seen on a man. He was so well defined and he was definitely designed to entice. Her desire was in the depth of her dark green eyes but her need to touch him was controlling everything in her mind. James brought her up to him and kissed her again. Mirisa begged him which is the first time she had ever talked during sex but she begged him with everything in her soul which made James smile. The climax for both of them was so tremendous that they became completely lost to the moment as her fingers dug deep into his biceps.
She didn’t know what to say to him. All she wanted was to make love to him all night. James pulled her back to him and made love to her again.
He finally put on his jeans and lit a cigar. She watched him and thought if she believed he was magnificent before she didn’t know what to think now. She knew by appearances that their smugness was warranted but their prowess just amazed her. She started to get dressed again and he stopped her and told her that he didn’t want her dressed.
“When did things change?”
“When you lost your faith in the marriage which meant all bets were off.”
“I was a rule?”
“You were the first rule ever implemented by Dominic regarding a woman and the hardest one to follow. You really have no idea how hard.”
JAMES TOOK her out riding on Sunday so they could gather the wild flower bulbs that were just sprouting. Half of the pantry room was filled with herbs and concoctions she had brought from the Plantation and he had read several of her journals on making the different potions. He never understood any of the history of the country medicine people despite being raised with it but so many of the potions were good.
They stopped at Buffalo hill and decided to take a break. She sat against him facing the North. He hadn’t changed at all but then the way he treated her was determined long before he slept with her.
“Are you taking something to stop from getting pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“Have you always done this?”
“In the beginning before Dominic found out. I didn’t want to bring children into the world with a war and even though I understood he wanted someone to carry on his family name I really didn’t want to raise a child alone. I don’t know whether it is because I am so close to my father but I believe the presence of a loving and strong father is so vital to raising a child. I started making it again after the twins were born.”
“Then you planned the twins?”
“I was trying to have more children. I don’t know why I don’t get pregnant often since many women seem to be pregnant year after year. I wonder sometimes if the herbs have an after affect that makes it difficult.”
“I think you need to either stay on it or let us know if you want to have more of Dominic’s children.” He lit a cigar and held her tightly.
“I don’t think I can mend fences with Dominic. I don’t know what to think after last night except I know for certain that if I still loved Dominic then I would have never slept with another man.”
“You know my feelings on marriage. I found it interesting that the year you spent at the Plantation we reverted back to being unstructured and just men. You and the children make a difference.”
“Doesn’t anyone care what I do?”
“Only Dominic. That’s understandable because he does love you in a strange way and he does believe you belong locked away. I think if he would have stayed at Plantation in the beginning that you would have had a long marriage with a large family. I don’t know if the war dictated the direction of your life but Natchez would have provided you with normalcy and you would have never have wanted for anything. Garnett would spend his life having an illicit affair with you as long as you didn’t ask for a commitment. He’s similar to Dominic except he’s honest about who he is. I personally can’t be objective because I have always believed that sex should never be tied to being in love but you have proven that love can become so strong that it enhances everything it touches.”
“And Alexander?”
“Meeks is aware of what Garnett did as well as the fact that I’m alone with you this week. Unlike your husband, he is very secure in your love but then I think you already know that.”
“Does Dominic know?”
“I doubt it. He’s so tangled up in the issues with Meeks that he’s not really taking in a lot of what is happening. You have basically taken him off of his game which is something no one has ever done.”
James helped her up and they went back to the house. Mirisa sat and talked to him about the roots and the different medicines she made. After she got the twins fed and down for the night, James fixed something light to eat.
“James.”
“What Mirisa?”
“Would you marry me?”
“In a heartbeat.”
“Would you give up other women?”
He thought about it for a moment. “I doubt if I would need anyone else but since I can’t have you to myself then I shall just enjoy other women.”
“I think it is the women who enjoy you. I think you are way too intoxicating.”
“It’s a good thing there was a rule about you.”
THE house was filled with more people then Mirisa could keep track of and the noise was deafening. She finally walked half way up the stairs and sat down to get out of the way. Dominic wanted to take Matthew but with James and Meeks heading east, he didn’t have anyone to watch him while they worked so it would mean another lengthy separation. Mirisa got up and went upstairs and closed the door. James took out a cigar and lit it. Meeks watched her climb the stairs and he looked at James who didn’t look all that happy. Meeks climbed the stairs and closed the door. She was standing against the railing of the porch. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
"I’m leaving next week with Tom for the Plantation. I don’t want Matthew to spend the summer alone and he does well at the Plantation."
"Does Dominic know?"
"I told him this morning."
"When are you coming home?"
"I don’t know."
"You don’t know if you are coming home or when you are coming home?" Meeks turned her around and told her he was still waiting. He kissed her and held her for a while before going back downstairs. Meeks sat down next to James on the porch and lit a cigar. They
talked about the trip to New York and what they needed to accomplish. Garnett walked by and grabbed the bottle through the railing. "Where’s Mirisa?"
"Upstairs."
"If she were a man, she would just pack up and find something better. I don’t understand why women tolerate as much as they do or why they are taught not to express their feelings no matter what they are." He lit a cigar and leaned against the railing.
"She’s going to Mississippi for the summer. Tom is going back next week and they are going with him."
"When did Dominic decide to do that?"
"He didn’t."
Garnett passed the bottle back to James who took another drink then put it down. Dominic stopped and looked at the three of them. "Are you three going to sit here and get drunk?"
"I don’t think what I do should concern you." James got up and walked to the adobe.
"What’s with him?" Dominic took the bottle. "Where is Mirisa?"
"She’s in the piano room." Garnett knew that Meeks had just been with her. Meeks said he had things to do and headed to the adobe. Dominic climbed the stairs and went into the room. She was sitting out on the porch rocking. He squatted down next to her and picked up her hand and kissed it.
"Mirisa, I’m sorry that I yelled at you this morning about going back to the Plantation. I think it will be better that you are there while I am gone but I would have preferred to take you home myself."
"Dominic, I can handle traveling to Natchez without you."
"Damn it Mirisa, I don’t want you to handle things without me. Why can’t you understand that it makes me angry when you push me away?" He pulled her up out of the chair and she was stunned by his explosive anger as his eyes turned stone cold. She pushed him and he yanked her so hard that she panicked. He threw her on the couch and took her with such force as she tried to break away from him. When he stopped she untangled herself and moved away from him.
“Damn you Dominic.”
He was out of words, he was out of apologies and he knew he had to deal with his anger now and not later.
"Mirisa, I am sorry. I never wanted you to see that part of me." He looked at her. “Mirisa.”
“No, Dominic you were the love of my life, you will always have some control over my feelings despite the fact that I am fighting so damn hard to not love you. I have relented over and over and still our relationship continues to crumble. What happened to your love?”
He got up and put on his jeans and walked out onto the porch and lit a cigar. She sat on the floor watching him. She hated growing up, she hated men, she hated her father for sending her to Mississippi, she hated Conrad for using her and at that moment she hated everything and everyone.
“This is my fault”
“Dominic stop. I am tired of apologies, I’m tired of lies and excuses, I’m tired of being treated like I don’t have the ability to understand, I’m just damn tired of all of you and all of the constant handling. I cannot live like this and I cannot pretend that your son is alright with the constant prolonged separations from you. He’s not.” When she took in her breath a stabbing pain racked her. She struggled to get off the floor and put on her clothes. The adrenaline was the only thing that got Mirisa down the stairs. She slammed the door so hard when she left the house that it rattled the glass. Mirisa asked Sr. Gomez to saddle her horse and when she had trouble mounting he steadied her while watching the pain spread across her face.
Dominic finally came down. “Where the hell is she?”
“She left.” Garnett was sitting on the back of the couch. Dominic walked over to the bar, strapped on his gun and left the house almost as angry as she appeared to be. Dominic came back after an hour without her.
James was sitting on the porch smoking a cigar with a bottle of whisky between his legs. “Didn’t find her?”
“No. I have no idea where she has gone but she’s unarmed.” He took the bottle and sat down. “She is being irrational and reckless.”
“I think you said that before. How many ultimatums do you get when you’re married?”
“Are you ever on my side?”
“Sure. I just think you need to decide whether or not you love her or if she has just been an infatuation that lasted a lot longer than any of us thought she would. You know the odds were never in your favor.”
“I know but I can’t live without her.”
“Then you better find a way to make her believe that or she will find someone else to love her. I think leaving her behind again is ill-advised.” James relit his cigar and took the bottle back.
Dominic looked at him. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
James looked at him and smiled. “No but if she were my wife I wouldn’t sleep too soundly.”
“James.”
“Dominic, I suggest you find her and learn how to grovel because leaving her alone for five months is a very unwise decision considering that you have had no real intimate contact with her over the last year. You have left her completely vulnerable to her own desires and I can assure you that every day you punish her, every hour you ignore her, every time you separate yourself because you can’t handle looking at her sends her into the arms of another man. Either commit yourself or end it because you can’t turn back the clock and you can’t take back what you have done.”
Dominic sat down on the porch as James went into the kitchen. Meeks and Garnett were leaning up against the counter drinking.
“Where is she?”
“Don’t know. Dominic couldn’t find her though I don’t think his tracking skills are turned on at the moment.”
Garnett pushed away from the counter and walked out onto the porch. “Have you given up?”
“Garnett, I can’t spend all of my life trying to rein her in when she doesn’t like something I have done or said. I never thought a woman would make my life a living hell.”
“I am assuming you are now referring to the redhead because Mirisa has done nothing to make your life hell.”
“I left you in Richmond so…”
Garnett interrupted him. “Let’s be honest. Since marrying Mirisa, you have taken every opportunity to go on ‘business’ trips whether it was an assignment, heading to a nearby town or leaving her alone for almost an entire year. I’ve been riding with you for a long time; I have been enjoying other women with you for as long and I knew that being married would not impact your belief that men have the right to freedoms we deny women when we wed them.” He held up his hand to keep Dominic from injecting anything. “We’ve been good friends and if someone had told me that any woman could ever come between us then I would think they were crazy. You left me in Richmond to babysit your wife. Why in the world would you think that would be something I would want to do? If you gave a rat’s ass about her being unfaithful, you would have done everything in your power to keep her happy. I don’t work for you and it wasn’t my job to make sure she behaved herself. The only reason I personally didn’t knock her off your damn pedestal myself is because I am no better then you not because we’re friends. You were overly confident thinking your friendship with all of us was something you had control over and you still don’t realize that all three of us honestly care about her.”
Garnett walked down the steps and mounted his horse heading east. Meeks walked out with James and they sat down but no one wanted to talk. Garnett followed her trail into town. He smiled because they had always put a mark on her horse’s front shoe in case they ever needed to track her. She was so much like an untrained hunting Dog that would just go off without thought into whether or not she knew the way home.
Garnett dismounted in front of the tavern and tied up next to her horse. He walked up to the desk clerk waiting as he assisted another gentleman who was checking in.
“Mr. Alexander, what can I do for you today?”
“Did Mrs. Lanfear check in?” The clerk became a little nervous and then nodded. “Which room?”
“Oh, I don’t know that I should be telling y
ou because she was mighty upset and you know how much we like her….”
“I understand but I need to talk to her.”
“She’s in room 4. Is she alright? I wanted to send for the doctor but she told me she just needed to be alone. I hope it’s nothing serious.”
“She’ll be fine.” Garnett put a tip on the desk and headed up the stairs. He stood outside the room for a moment then knocked. When she didn’t answer, Garnett called her name and Mirisa opened the door then walked back to the small bed and pulled herself into the corner watching him.
“Are you alright?”
“I want to be alone.” Garnett walked over and sat on the bed. He reached out and put his hand on her chin gently turning her face toward him. A small bruise was forming on her cheekbone. He unbuttoned her blouse so he could see her arms and you could see the fingerprints that were turning black faster than her cheek.
“Mirisa, pull up your camisole.” She hesitated as he pulled it up to find bruising on her left side. Garnett gently followed her ribs down the side finding that two were cracked. He looked back into her eyes. “I’m sending for the doctor. Those need to be wrapped so they don’t puncture your lung.” He left the room and when he came back the doctor was with him. Garnett left the room and when the doctor came down they talked briefly before Garnett went back up to her room.
“Did Dominic do this intentionally?”
“Are you talking to me as a friend or a lawyer?”
“As your lawyer. Anything you tell me will remain confidential if that is what you want and anything you need me to do I will.” He opened the bottle of whisky and poured her a shot. “I want you to listen to me without interrupting and understand that I won’t make excuses for what happened but I think you deserve to know the truth.”
Mirisa sipped on her whisky as he began. “The reason that Dominic pays for sex and generally he prefers uneducated working girls is because they will tolerate anything including pain or injuries. We knew as long as he was filling that need away from your home that he would not bring it into your bed. It’s no excuse and maybe it would have just been better to talk to you before you married him because you have endured more than you ever should have. Mirisa, I assume that he lost control because of his anger.” Garnett took a swig from the bottle. “I need to know if he beat you or if this was during sex?”
The Visitor - Colorado 1869 - 1871 Page 8
