Chapter 2

Since landing at the airport a week earlier their hands had never been far apart and had most of the time been firmly clasped as they shared the wondrous moments. It was no exception now as the locomotive sped along the tracks, climbing higher into the mountains for the next leg of their journey. Jamie squeezed their joined hands and placed a kiss to the back of the smaller one. "I don't really need to ask you this since the smile hasn't left your face for days, you were even smiling in your sleep last night, but are you having fun?"

Erin's grin widened. "Absolutely!" she said. "This has been a perfect honeymoon; beyond my wildest dreams." Her expression turned serious and she brushed the side of Jamie's face with her fingertips. "Thank you for coming back to me."

"There wasn't a choice. I should have died in that plane crash. But our connection gave me the strength to live. We both know that…but I don't think we should test that conclusion ever again. Let's just plan for a future of travel," she tapped Erin's button nose, "success and children."

Erin leaned into the strong body beside her. "But let's live for today," she said as their lips came together. It was just a brief touch, but that's really all it took for a spark of warmth to settle into their hearts and bring contentment to their souls. A spark known simply as love.


They took a taxi from the train station out to their home for the next five days. Erin had rented them a real Swiss chalet. The house was set well away from any neighbors giving them much privacy. A fresh snowfall of five inches had blanketed the valley overnight covering everything in pristine white. The ice crystals glittered like diamonds scattered about the ground beneath the sun's rays.

"Wow!" Jamie marveled, her eyes roaming over the landscape. "This is incredible."

Erin wrapped her arms around her wife's waist and tugged her close. "Yeah. It's even better then the photographs in the ad." She looked up into the pale blue eyes. "I think we're going to like it here."

"Oh, I'm sure of it," the rancher agreed.

The walkway and steps had been cleared in preparation for their arrival and a fresh evergreen wreath, on the door, welcomed them. An easy twist of a key allowed them entry to the five-room house. The couple stepped inside, deposited their luggage on the floor and stood there slightly stunned as they surveyed the beautiful interiors. The furniture, in leathers and plaids of rich, dark colors skirted the small living room. Deep hued hardwoods trimmed the door casings and matching heavy beams stretched across the ceiling. A tall bookshelf covered half of one wall holding many of the nation's finest literary work. Erin wasn't sure just how much time she would have for reading in the next week, but she definitely intended to check it out at some point. The enchanting dwelling was just right for the remainder of their stay in Switzerland.

Erin stepped to the back of the house and down a small hallway where she quietly marveled at the well-equipped kitchen, which would come in very handy for the romantic dinner she was planning for their last night there.

Jamie's attention stayed with the combined living room/dining room. She checked out the stereo equipment, pleased to find it technologically up to date. She had several CD's packed away in her luggage, some old favorites and one brand new one that she couldn't wait to play for her lover. And Saturday night would be the perfect time.

After their curiosity of those rooms had been satisfied they met coming down the hallway.

"Hewooo," said Jamie, slipping into an Elmer Fudd imitation for some inexplicable reason.

Erin chuckled. "You must be expecting someone else," she teased. "I think all of the ski bunnies are over at the lodge."

Jamie leered down at her spouse. "Bunnies does seem to be the operative word when it comes to us. But instead of cotton tails, I prefer firm, round, pink flesh." Jamie squeezed the body part in question and kissed the upturned lips. "Shall we check out the bedroom?"

With a rapid nod of the blonde head, they ducked down another side hall.

* * * *

Jamie sat, somewhat dejectedly, on the side of the small hill. Her butt was freezing and her legs ached. Her cheeks were rosy, but not from the chilled air. She reached up and re-settled the dark goggles on top of her black, knit ski cap. Very slowly, blue eyes looked skyward. They came to rest on the face, whose lower half was hidden behind a thick red glove. Jamie knew that the mouth behind that glove was laughing. The twinkle in the green eyes was evident. "You think that was funny?" Jamie asked.

Erin shook her head, but didn't say a word.

Jamie used her discarded ski pole and pushed herself to her feet as she was taught at the beginning of the lesson. She very methodically reached down and unlatched her heavy boots from the long, polished skis. "Well, Miss I can teach to you ski Jamie, it won't be any problem at all, let's see how funny you think this is." She gathered up a hand full of wet snow and began forming it into a sphere.

The green eyes widened as Erin pushed herself back along the white ground cover. "Now Jamie, play nice," she implored.

Perfect ivory teeth shone through the evil grin. "I always play nice, sweetheart. You did promise we would have a ball here."

Erin quickly pointed her skis down the hill and with a little push, she slid away from her pseduo attacker.

"Sure, run away," Jamie called out after her. "Chicken!"

Erin skidded to a stop, sending up a spray of white flakes. She looked back up the hill with squinting eyes, ready to face the challenge. Two poles fell to the ground and two skis were quickly discarded. She marched back up the small incline, grabbing her own ammunition along the way.

Jamie just stood there tossing her weapon back and forth between hands, letting the intimidation ooze.

Erin stopped about ten feet from her quarry and they stared each other down like a scene from an old west shoot out. They each watched for subtle signs, movement of clothing, sliding of a foot, the twitching of the trigger finger.

Thirty seconds passed.

Just as Jamie was about to throw, a gust of wind blew across the mountain and a load of snow fell onto the rancher's head from the branches above her. She jerked as some of the freezing stuff slipped beneath her shirt. Spitting and sputtering, she dislodged the dirty flakes from her mouth and quickly brushed them away from her eyes. The first thing she saw was Erin, on her knees and doubled over in hilarity. The laughter slowly bubbled up from deep within her belly and soon Jamie mirrored the small blonde.

Erin's chuckles finally began to fade away, but for a very long time. "Now that…was funny," she said between some deep breaths.

Jamie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it was…but so is this." Her arm jumped out and a perfect snowball flew from her fingertips.

The soft projectile hit Erin right in the middle of the forehead and slid down her face and behind her glasses. She brushed it away and opened her eyes to see Jamie on the ground, crawling toward her like a leopard…a snow leopard stalking its prey. Erin skittered backwards, scrambled to her feet and took off as she was pelted in the back with more snowballs.

She ran a few more feet and turned to try and reason with her playful lover. But Jamie was gone from sight. Erin had ducked into a small stand of trees and her head bobbed, looking for the tall woman among the thick evergreens. The fresh, clean scent of pine entered her lungs with every excited breath as her eyes darted around thick trunks and bushy boughs. The snow crunched softly under her heavy boots. That and the mild whoosh of the wind was the only sound Erin heard as she sought out her elusive partner. "Where are you Jamie?" she said quietly as she prowled along. "Come out, come out where ever you are."

Erin suddenly heard the cracking of a branch and something like a war cry as she turned and was bombarded with yet more snow. Ignoring what was hitting her coat she reached down grabbed a handful and tossed it haphazardly. Jamie continued to throw as they quickly advanced on one another. In a last ditch effort to win their little battle Erin launched her body at the dark haired woman and they both fell to the ground and rolled, clenching each other tightly.

After three rotations Jamie planted the tip of her boot in the ground stopping them, with her landing on top. She looked down into the sparkling, emerald eyes. "Have I told you how much I love you in the last hour?" she asked.

Erin pretended to check her non-existent watch. "No, not in the last hour you haven't. But you can tell me now."

"I just did," Jamie said teasingly.

"No that was a question not a declaration."

"My mistake. It's time for a little show and tell then. I love you." She gave Erin a brief kiss. "I love you." Another small kiss. "I love you." Jamie dipped her head and kissed Erin like it was the first and the last time.

* * * *

Erin set the two steaming cups atop the wooden tray then added the half empty bag of marshmallows and gingerly carried it into the living room. She stopped at the kitchen door, hitting the light switch with her elbow, not wanting the harsh fluorescence to compete with the soft, orange glow of the flames dancing across the logs in the fireplace.

Jamie had already thrown several big pillows on top of the velvety, woven area rug on the floor. She was stretched out with her back against the sofa, warming her feet by the fire. Her eyes were closed and her hands rested lightly on her stomach, but she was far from sleep. The stitches of pain jogging across the muscles in her back saw to that. She heard the sliding of socks moving across the planked floor and opened her eyes just in time to see the sturdy, green mug hovering above her hands. "Thanks hon," she said before grabbing an enormous marshmallow from the bag and dropping it into the chocolate drink, where it proceeded to melt slowly. She took a careful sip and hummed her approval.

Erin eased herself onto a pillow beside Jamie before starting in on her own drink. The wind outside whistled its artic tune and slammed against the slatted shutters on the west side of the house. But the cold didn't touch the snuggling couple.

Just in case though, the rancher reluctantly pulled from the embrace, crawled over and stoked the fire. While scooting back to her place she stopped suddenly and a groan escaped through clenched teeth.

"What is it?" Erin asked. The answer fired in her brain when she saw the shoulders twitch. "Oh sweetheart, it's your back, isn't it? I'm so sorry. I never should have asked you to go skiing today. Where is my head at; of course learning something like that was going to over tax your muscles? That was so insensitive of ..." Her self-abusing tirade was halted by a gentle kiss.

"Don't blame yourself," Jamie said when she ended the kiss. "First off, I had a lot of fun today." She smiled and placed a silly kiss on the tip of Erin's nose. "Second, it's not that bad; I have certainly had worse. Finally, and most important, I will most likely have to live with these little pains for the rest of my life and I certainly won't let that stop me from indulging in any sort of physical activities with you." Her leer told of the true intent of her last words and the fingers that ran down Erin's arms and onto the jean covered hips solidified the meaning.

Erin kissed her way to a tasty earlobe as she fumbled for something on the floor beside her. She pressed the cup to Jamie's hand and said, "Finish your hot chocolate and then meet me in the bedroom."

"I'm not thirsty anymore," Jamie said with a husky, lust filled voice. "Lets just go to bed."

Erin wiggled away, placing restraining hands against the eager shoulders. "No, no. I need just a few minutes to prepare," she said, before dashing off down the hall.

Jamie didn't quite understand what there was to prepare, but she was the obedient one and busied herself with several little chores. She doused the fire and turned up the furnace to warm the rest of the house as she waited impatiently. She downed the rest of her drink in three gulps, licking a bit of marshmallow from the corner of her mouth.

Jamie checked her watch.

It had only been six minutes, but that was plenty of time…wasn't it? Jamie had a quick thought and ducked into the small bathroom in the hall where she had left her traveling case. She filled a glass with water and swallowed a pain pill, not wanting anything to interfere with the rest of the night's activities.

Erin was placing a small towel and a bottle on the nightstand just as the door to the bedroom opened. But Jamie didn't particularly notice that as her eyes were riveted on the body she intended to devour. But why is it clothed?

Erin turned to find her tall lover leaning against the door casing, grinning widely.

The smile turned decidedly mischievous. "Times up," Jamie said as long fingers reached up to the buttons on her heavy shirt.

Erin skittered across the room in a flurry of protest. "Let me do that," she insisted. The author proceeded to remove the clothing in a most unsensual, almost clinical manner. Erin was already dressed in her sleepwear and Jamie's smile dropped when she finally realized that their thoughts were on very different tracks.

"Lay down on your stomach," the blonde instructed her naked partner.

The smile perked back up. Then again.

Jamie crawled onto the right side of the bed and snuggled into the fresh smelling sheets. She soon felt the weight settle onto the backs of her thighs and she sighed expectantly. Hands covered in a warm, slippery substance started at her neck and slowly began the process of loosening the drawn muscles.

Erin leaned over and placed a simple kiss to the small birthmark near Jamie's shoulder blade. She never failed to perform the loving gesture, whether attending to her partner's back in passion or comfort. The blonde grunted slightly as her hands moved on to the shoulders and the work became more difficult. "Honey, your muscles are really tight here. I'm going to have press pretty hard to relax them. Let me know if I hurt you."

"You won't."

It took some time, but when that goal was accomplished, the small, but strong hands slid across the middle of her back and then lower where her thumbs gently worked on either side of the long, but nearly faded scar. Erin knew from the past that Jamie often held a lot of pain in those particular muscles.

The massage continued on for several more minutes, the author taking great care while working around the tailbone. Erin's palms finally came to rest on Jamie's backside, further stimulating the rancher. Her arms were at her sides and as Erin worked her way back up, scooting higher to exert more pressure, Jamie tickled the inside of a silk covered leg.

The blonde jumped. "Hey!" She leaned over near an ear. "Sweetheart, this massage is medical. I want to end your pain." She smiled when the corner of Jamie's mouth drooped into a pout. Erin kissed her cheek. "When we get done and if your back feels better, I'll see what I can do about relieving that other tension."

The dark head nodded quickly and Jamie finally settled completely into the magic fingers against her back. "You know," the rancher muttered, "over at the lodge they have professional masseuses. I could have called and had one come over."

"Well, call me stingy," said Erin, "but I don't want anyone else's hands on your naked body."

Jamie gave a slurred chuckle.

* * * *

It was 8:30 in the morning before Jamie opened her eyes again. A thin line of dull light peeked between the heavy, gray and maroon curtains covering the two big windows. Jamie readjusted her head against the fluffy pillow as a brush of cool air fell across her arm. She pulled it under the covers with the rest of her bare body as she sleepily recalled the events of the previous night. An experimental stretch told her that her back was nearly pain free and she knew it was do to her loving partner. Turning over, she came to rest against the body of that partner and she maneuvered her hand up under Erin's top, letting it rest against a very warm breast. "Good morning," she whispered.

A similar reply was mumbled.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep on you last night sweetheart," Jamie said.

Erin's awareness rose just a notch. "I don't think there's a rule that says a couple has to make love every night of their honeymoon."

Jamie snuggled in closer. "No rule, but we have averaged twice a day and in case you didn't realize, I really, really wanted to. What do you say we spend the morning making up for it?"

"Let me sleep for another half an hour and then we can spend the rest of the morning in bed catching up," said the sleepy blonde.

"Deal. I'm gonna take a shower to get this greasy oil off me. I'll be back. Love you."

"Love you too."

Jamie smiled and tucked the covers tightly around her slumbering wife.

The hot water soothed away the last of the tiny spots of pain and Jamie happily dashed into the kitchen to see what she could come up with for breakfast. She started a pot of life saving coffee and took the last two, clean cups from the cupboard and set them on the tray Erin had used the night before. While the java was brewing, she decided to wash up the sink full of dirty dishes. Once that was done, her eyes fell on the breadbox on the corner of the cabinet. She grinned, remembering their trip into the nearby village the day before and the stop at the deliciously sinful, little bakery.

Jamie actually gave Erin forty minutes before she roamed back into the bedroom with the loaded tray. She was surprised to find her wife already awake, sitting up in the bed and running her fingers through her mussed tresses.

"You don't have to do that honey," said Jamie. "You're pretty darn cute just like that." She scooted onto the large bed and placed the tray between them.

"It's a curse, what can I say." Careful not to jostle the brimming cups, Erin reached over and accepted her proper good morning kiss.

While letting Erin start in on her first cup of coffee, Jamie picked up the wax-coated bag and rustled it with a smile. Peering inside, she took a few seconds before deciding on one of the icing and nut-covered pastries. Jamie pulled it out with two fingers, but just before it reached her lips it was pilfered by a wide-eyed and hungry Erin. The blonde took a healthy bite as Jamie chuckled and retrieved a duplicate from the bag.

Erin hummed and licked her sticky fingers. "I was just dreaming about eating something sweet." Her eyes darkened and flicked over to Jamie. "And just as soon as I finish this, I will."

* * * *

Ice-skating was on the schedule for the next day. An area where Jamie needed no lessons. She remembered how she and her twin sister Jordan had first learned.

Michael Sheridan bent down to tie the strings on Jamie's brand new white skates. His wife did the same for Jordan. Five-year-old Jordan had mostly mastered the art of tying her shoes, but she tried to hide the fact so she wouldn't hurt her sister's feelings because Jamie was just a little behind in the new task. With hats pulled down over their ears and mittens pulled on tight, the girls were ready. They had sat and fidgeted all morning, waiting impatiently for the mid afternoon hour to arrive so they could finally try out their new Christmas presents.

"Okay girls," said Amy Sheridan, "Let's go."

The dark haired sisters grinned as their feet hit the slippery ice and went every which way. They giggled when strong hands grabbed them and the four of them took off across the silver surface.

After about an hour, the children were doing well in keeping their balance and as with all children they wanted independence.

"Can we go alone now Mommy?" Jordan asked. Jamie loudly echoed the request.

Amy was hesitant, but with a nudge from her husband she soon relented.

The red- cheeked girls held tightly to each others hands as they cruised around the perimeter of the frozen pond. "We're doing it Jordy, we're doin it," yelled Jamie.

With the cold weather, the twins had to be urged to leave the ice. But they were right back out there the next day and many more times the rest of that winter and then the next. By the winter of 1979 Jamie had to take to the ice by herself. But even then, she was never alone; the spirit of Jordan Michele Sheridan was right there by her side.

Even during her darkest years, Jamie always managed to find a pond or a rink to go skating in winter. She preferred to go first thing in the morning or late in the evening so she could enjoy the solitude and the memories.

Erin and Jamie chased each other around the ice for over an hour, catching each other often and bestowing kisses as rewards.


* * * *

They returned home about nine from having dinner in town. And because it was an unusually warm evening they had taken a leisurely stroll around the ski lodge to walk off some of the delicious, but undoubtedly fattening food.

Jamie saw the reflections coming through the glass panes of the rear door and she turned to Erin. "I feel like a late night swim, care to join me?"

The author yawned. "Oh honey, I'm tired. I'd really just like to take a bath and lay down. Do you mind?"

"Of course not," Jamie said, kissing the blonde head. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Erin said and playfully pushed her spouse away. "You go on. Have fun."

"Okay. I'll be about twenty minutes then I'll join you."

The author watched as her wife stepped through the back door and reached for the bathing suit she had left hanging on the wall. Erin grinned. "Perfect," she purred.

After thirty or so relaxing laps Jamie peeled off her drenched suit and dashed through the chilly house into the small bath to change for the night. Once again warm and dry, she vigorously rubbed her damp locks with a towel as she strolled down the hall. The towel was down over her eyes when she stepped through the bedroom door and even though the room was silent, Jamie got the unmistakable feeling that something was different. She stopped for just a second before slowly lowering the towel. "Oh my…." Her eyes popped when she spotted her wife, standing across the room, looking both demure and sexy. "What do we have here?" Jamie asked as those eyes raked up, down and back again over the body stuffed into the short and frilly frock.

"You like what you see, ya?" Erin asked in a cute German accent.

Jamie took particular notice, not that anyone in the world could have missed the abundant cleavage pushed nearly up to Erin's chin by the corseted dress. The bright, blonde wig atop her head had two long braids that draped down the sides of the accentuated chest, making Erin the perfect, if somewhat exaggerated, barmaid.

"Ohhhhh ya!" Jamie answered.

Erin gave her a saucy wink. "Good." She pulled out the chair at the small, round table in the corner. "Please have a seat," she said.

Jamie happily caught onto her partner's game plan and was more than ready to play her part. She tossed the towel aside, sidled over and pinched the barely covered behind. "I'll take this one," she said lasciviously.

The barmaid giggled and waited for her patron to sit down. She tipped forward at the waist giving the seated woman a face full of plump breasts. "What would Fraulein like…to drink?" she asked.

Jamie didn't need anything to wet her whistle; she was practically drooling down the front of the flirting woman's bodice. She cleared her throat, but the words came out gravely anyway. "What do you recommend?"

"Well, we have a very hearty and brash, dark ale on tap tonight. How does that sound?"

"Looks goo…sounds good to me." A few seconds later, a heavy glass mug brimming with an aromatic brew was placed before her. Jamie looked up at the pretty face and flashed her best smile. "Would you join me?" she asked.

The blonde lashes batted. "Ya. Thank you. But first I must clean up the mess you make." She clucked a disapproving tongue and crossed back toward the door. Making sure the blue eyes were on her, the barmaid bent over deeply at the waist and took her time picking up the discarded towel. The starched, white frills went with her, revealing some extremely luscious landscape.

Jamie choked on her beer when the bare, pink flesh came into plain view. Not that it was something she'd never seen before. It was just shocking, but pleasantly so, to see her lover's brazen behavior.

The blonde quickly scooted back to her customer, rubbing Jamie's back through the jerky spasms. "You must be more careful," she said, maintaining the accent. Reaching around the tall woman she suggested, "Perhaps this is too much for you, ya?"

The breasts tickling her ear and cheek sorely tested Jamie's patience. The game was afoot and she would not be the first to break. But that didn't mean she couldn't play the part of the lustful customer for all it was worth. "Sit," she said in a demanding tone.

The barmaid looked around and placed a surprise hand to her cheek, the one on her face that is. "I'm afraid there are no more chairs Fraulein."

Jamie smirked and scooted back from the table. She patted her lap with both hands. "Here's a seat, ready and waiting."

The blonde hesitated. "I don't know if I should. I barely know you."

"What better way to get acquainted."

The barmaid giggled again and wiggled sideways onto Jamie's lap. The half empty glass was lifted to her lips.

"Share with me," said Jamie.

"Thank you, but I really shouldn't. Beer makes me very…hot." The last word was wetly whispered into an ear.

Jamie twitched once, then smirked. "I'm already hot baby. We'll share that too. Then maybe later we can cool off together." The woman in her lap drank down some of the dark beer. Jamie watched the lovely lips curled around the thick glass and the tongue that swiped away some errant drops from those rosy petals. Erin's disguise was nearly perfect save for one little detail, the two rings still on her left hand finger. She knew Erin would never willingly remove those. But since they were already pretending, Jamie just pretended not to see them for the moment. "So, how long have you been doing this?" she asked. Jamie let the question linger as her fingertips rubbed along the muscled thigh, creeping up under the white frills.

The blonde did her best to control her body's reactions as the adlibs formed in her mind. Her erratically beating heart was sure to give her away though. "Actually, this is my first time," she said. Erin didn't want to be the only one simmering with desire so with just the tip of her tongue, she licked a path up the side of Jamie's face, tasting the slight hint of chlorine. "I guess that makes me a virgin," she finally whispered.

Jamie's breath hitched and she covered it with a chuckle. The blonde snuggled closer to the solid body and snaked an arm around the rancher's neck. She gave a little push against the dark head.

Jamie ended up with her chin resting on a shelf of soft skin and it took all her control not to bury her face deeper. The next move was hers in this tempestuous little game. In just a short amount of time the tension between them had risen to an almost unbearable level and someone was soon to snap. "Tell me about yourself," she asked, making sure to exhale heavily between words.

The hot breath tickled in the most luxurious way as it slid into the valley between the blonde's cinched up breasts. "My…father is a dairy…farmer," she panted, barely able to keep up the disguise. "He doesn't know…I do this kind of thing. I sneak away at night."

The dark haired woman wrapped her arms around the curvaceous body and her hands fiddled with the laces holding the dress closed. "So, you might say that you are a naughty, farmer's daughter."

The blonde began circling Jamie's ear with a single finger. "Ya. I'm very, very naughty."

"Perhaps I could set you straight…so to speak and take you away from all this. Show you the world's…immense pleasures."

The blonde head hovered closer, the tension stretched to its absolute limit. The accent suddenly disappeared and the plea was whispered. "Please, take me…" The mouth that commandingly closed over hers swallowed the rest of the words. Without parting their melded lips, Erin wriggled her way around to straddle Jamie's lap. The long, brown laces at the back of her dress were quickly loosened, as Jamie's ravenous tongue went on the prowl, searching out its mate.

The lovers soon broke apart, both panting and racing to find more flesh to taste. Jamie's kisses moved lower down a quivering jaw and below, where her tongue slipped into the hollow at the base of the silky neck. Finally, she traced a wet path onto the sweet smelling planes of flesh under her chin. With an index finger Jamie pulled the lacy neckline of Erin's dress down, even further. The dark, pink nipple that popped out screamed for attention, which she denied momentarily as she repeated the action on the other side of the dress. Jamie stared down the fleshy points and watched as they swelled before her eyes. She looked up to see Erin watching her with threatening eyes.

"Don't tease me, Jamie," Erin begged. "Please."

Jamie flashed her a half smirk. "Isn't that what you were doing, tying to seduce and tease me?" She wiggled her chin against the turgid bit of flesh. They both knew they could now longer keep up the pretense. As fun as their little pretend session had been, when Erin and Jamie made love, it had to be as themselves and only themselves.

Erin squirmed again hoping to quell the itch that was rapidly building between her legs. "Seduce you yes," she panted, "tease you…" She sucked in a breath when a warm mouth quickly descended and teeth tugged on her nipple. "…no," she finished quietly.

Jamie hummed her appreciation and Erin moaned her enjoyment as the heat in the room rose several degrees and the aching seconds slipped away. The dark haired woman had loosened the laces just enough to allow Erin to be able to breathe better. And she was certainly breathing heavily and quickly at the moment. But the dress was still snug enough to provide the support needed so Jamie could put her hands to other good uses. One of those hands slowly crept under the layers of crinoline, inching toward the moist heat. Her blunt nails scraped along the slick thigh at an agonizingly slow rate.

When fingertips barely touched the blonde curls, Erin lurched forward and grabbed the tall spindles on the back of the chair Jamie was sitting in. "Thank you," she said as she began undulating her lower half encouraging the exploring digits. Erin was riding out the power that was building beneath her skin, rippling through her muscles and nerves, looking for an outlet.

Jamie's mouth was full or she would have returned a verbal welcome. The response she did manage was to double her efforts, much to Erin's delight.

She soon left the throbbing points and trailed back up to nibble on a fleshy earlobe. Between licks and nips she whispered words that fueled the flames swarming inside the petite body moving on her lap.

Erin hissed and groaned as the sweet mouth and talented fingers loved her absolutely and not so delicately. But right now that is exactly the way she wanted it. With every spontaneous, but perfect movement, the spring coiled tighter in her belly, waiting to bounce back when the rapturous moment arrived.

Being the only coherent thing she could think of, Erin moved her hands to Jamie's head as the passion continued to escalate to its pinnacle. The soft, dark hair fell just to her shoulders and Erin loved that she could let it slide through her fingers over and over again without moving her hands. The rancher had promised that she would keep it at its current length.

Jamie's long finger made a tight circle in just the right spot and she spoke her feelings. "I love you Erin...eternally."

That was it. At that glorious moment of release, Erin's head flew back and her eyes snapped shut as the tremors vibrated through her. Jamie stilled her hands and mouth and simply watched the lovely sight before her. The black dots danced behind her lids and Erin lurched forward, resting her forehead against Jamie's shoulder, her breaths slowly settling into a more normal pattern. The rancher rubbed soothing hands down her lover's back, further untying the strings holding the brown dress closed.

Erin raised her head briefly. "God, you are so good at that," she slurred languidly as her muscles became jelly and she melted into the body supporting her.

Jamie wiped away a trickle of sweat from her wife's temple as she modestly accepted the compliment with more slow kisses. Her own need throbbed torturously, but she was a patient lover.

Erin's head fell against her shoulder again.

Another two minutes passed and she feared Erin had fallen asleep in her lap, because the near boneless woman hadn't made a move.

"You know honey," said Jamie, "I wish I could carry you over to the bed right now, but…"

The blonde shivered. "I know, I know." With great effort, Erin pushed away from Jamie and her feet started to slide to the floor. "I'm coming," she said.

"Again?" Jamie grinned rakishly. "And I'm not even touching you. I am good."

Erin cradled the smiling face between her hands and her expression suddenly turned serious. "You are. Sometimes I think I could just by looking into these eyes."

With that said, sweet and gentle kisses were exchanged, relaying the deepest of loves. The couple leisurely undressed each other and crawled into bed where they expressed that love long into the night.


Continued in Part 3