For personal and select distribution only � December 1998
I Take Thee .....
By Pam Hunter

Michaela stirred as the bed dipped slightly, and, as he momentarily threw the covers back, the cool air caressed her skin. Through narrowed, sleepy eyes she watched him slide out of the bed, carefully place the covers back over her and walk nonchalantly towards the door. Her breath caught and her heart began to pound. She’d never realised how beautiful a naked, male body could be, or perhaps her reaction was a result of loving this particular man so very much.

He slowly turned the handle and pulled the door open. The noise of the labouring train engine and whoosh of air immediately intruded, muting her heavy breathing and loudly beating heart. His back to her, he took a step forward and leaned slightly over the rear railing, then he raised his face to the star laden heavens and took a few deep, deep breaths.

Michaela’s heart was pounding even faster now, but no longer due to the beauty of her new husband’s body. Why had he left her? Why was he standing so still out there in the night, while she lay here in the lamplight, alone, watching him? Had she not pleased him? She closed her eyes and tried to control her rapid, nervous breathing.

The past few hours, on this train bearing them towards Denver, had been the most overwhelming, profound hours of her life. She had learned so much about herself, and this man with whom she had chosen to spend the rest of her days. She reached out and brushed her open palm over the crumpled sheet beside her, where Sully had so recently loved her for the first time ………….

Sully raised his eyes to hers once more and smiled at her in his special way, as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Her body tingled. Holding her gaze, he gently began to slide the sleeve of her beautiful, white, wedding gown down her arm again. Her blush deepened but she held his gaze and this time lifted her arm as he reached her elbow, allowing him to slide the sleeve down over her wrist and off. Then he began to trail his fingers up over her heated, bare skin, from her wrist to her forearm to her shoulder and across to the swell of her lace covered breasts. For the first time in her life a man, this man, her husband, cupped her breast tenderly in his large hand and teased the nipple though the satin of her gown. She gasped as her body responded to his touch. She instinctively raised her hand to the nape of his neck to urge his mouth down to join with hers. This kiss was more urgent, more intimate than the last, and as his tongue explored her mouth she responded in kind, enthusiastically increasing the pressure with her hand. The kiss went on and on, as did Sully’s loving caresses over her body. She slid her hand in under the neckline of his spectacular, buckskin wedding shirt, trailing her fingers as low as she was able, making him tremble and his skin flush.

Suddenly he pulled back and rose to his feet, swiftly pulling the elaborate, heavy shirt off over his head to reveal the bare skin of his broad chest, gleaming bronze in the dim light of the train car. Smiling down at her, he bent to unhurriedly unlace her white, leather boots, removing them, and then reached up under the full skirt of her dress to the tops of her stockings which he rolled down and off, running his hands lovingly over her thighs, calves and feet in the process. He rested his knee on the bed and then once again slowly lowered his body to lay with her, a little of his weight along her length.

She could feel the hardness of his body against hers and rather than being intimidated, she felt safe and further aroused. She tentatively raised her hands to his bare chest and ran her fingertips lightly over his skin, through the soft and so masculine hair, pausing to caress his nipples as he had done to hers. She was surprised when they hardened as hers had, when his skin warmed under her touch, and he occasionally quivered against her hands.

His hand again moved to her breast, this time gently pulling at the lace covering, until the soft mound was exposed to his scrutiny.

The rush of cool air on her previously shielded skin raised goosebumps, or perhaps it was Sully’s adoring gaze and then his sensuous mouth and tongue which took over from his hands. Michaela grasped his head against her breast and buried her face in the softness of his long, sun-bleached hair. Even this sensation engendered by his mouth, his closeness, was so much more than her mind had ever conjured up, or her mother and Dorothy had ever suggested. Her soft moan prompted him to lower the gown even further, exposing her other breast and her midriff. The feel of his skin against hers was overwhelming, his chest, his hands, his lips. She thought her heart may burst through her chest it was pounding so hard.

He raised his eyes to hers once more and ran his thumb across her tremulous lips. His eyebrows rose in a silent query. She bit her lip and nodded, unable to disguise the awe, the arousal, shining in her eyes. He smiled and lowered his head to place teasing kisses to her cheeks, her chin, her lips. She eagerly turned her head and took his mouth with hers as he came closer. Again the kiss seemed to be never-ending and, as it continued, he rested a little more of his weight on her so that for the first time she could feel his arousal. She gasped and instinctively raised her bent knee, resting it against his hip, opening her body a little more to him. This time it was he who moaned.

His hand moved down to draw up her voluminous skirt and petticoats until he could touch and caress the bare skin of her calf, knee and thigh, before the fine soft lawn of her undergarments barred his way. He pulled back a little to gauge her reaction to this new intimacy. She smiled shyly at him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, drawing him close. He placed a trail of wet kisses across her breasts, moving up to her chest, then her chin and her mouth, but he did not prolong the kiss this time. Instead he drew back and then eased himself up a little to take her hands in his own. He raised himself up on his knees and then edged back to stand on the floor, gently pulling her up with him.

Instinctively she wanted to cover her exposed breasts but he held firmly to her hands, drawing her forward until she stood in her bare feet hard up against him, her breasts and cheek against his chest. He let go of her hands and just held her, rocking her slightly in synchronisation with the motion of the train. Her tense body gradually relaxed in his arms and her previously rapid breathing slowed, just a little. When he finally released his hold to move his hands to the lacing at the back of her gown, she feared that her legs would buckle under her, so she circled his waist with her arms and pressed herself up as close as possible against him. Every time his fingers fumbled with the lacing and grazed the sensitive skin of her back he stoked a fire which threatened to consume her whole body. At last the laces were freed from their eyelets and he began to gently draw the dress down, until it fell in a frothy drift at her feet. Next his hands moved to her hair where he sought and gradually found the pins which held her intricate hairstyle in place. The white flowers and pins were tossed aside onto the brocade wingback chair behind him until her hair tumbled over her shoulders and down to her waist in curly, copper waves. He began to pull his fingers through it and then held a thick tress up to his nose and deeply inhaled the scent. He pulled back a little to meet her eyes. "Roses?" he asked softly. She nodded and whispered, "Marjorie’s."

Then, for the first time, he gazed on her half naked body, and the resultant gleam in his eyes and smile on his lips, made her blush and lower her eyes to the floor of the carriage. Again his hands trailed down her body and then slipped between the waistband of her petticoat and bloomers to stroke her skin. He caught the waistbands under his thumbs and gradually eased her undergarments down over her flat stomach and rounded buttocks to join the froth of satin at her feet. She gulped and fought the urge to try to cover herself with her hands.

She was suddenly aware that his own hands were trembling and that his breathing had quickened. She glanced up to see such a look of adoration on his face that she was overcome. She stepped forward so that once again she leant against him, only to become immediately aware of his arousal, potent and powerful. She began to kiss his chest and was even adventurous enough to lightly tease his nipple with her tongue.

His response was a tensing of his muscles and then he sidestepped her so that he could turn back the covers on the bed. He swept her up into his arms and then gently laid her down in the centre of the bed. He leant across to kiss her flushed skin, starting at her chest, then over her breasts to her stomach, then a little lower until her trembling made him pause and look back up into her face.

Her lip was caught tightly between her teeth and her brow was creased in consternation, despite the aroused blush to her skin and the exaggerated rise and fall of her chest with each rapid breath. Suddenly her nervousness and inhibitions had returned threefold and a fine sheen of perspiration appeared on her skin making her shiver.

His hands left her and he stood again, before bending to undo the laces on his boots, pulling them and his socks off and then moving to the buckle at his waist, all the while watching her, desire ablaze in his eyes. He slowly undid the fastenings at the front of his black tuxedo pants and then drew them down, to step out of them, for the first time naked to her eyes.

She momentarily took in the magnificence of his body before her wide eyes rose to his face, and then turned away, afraid of what he might see in them. She felt the bed move as he climbed in beside her and then was relieved to feel him pull up the white cotton sheet to cover their naked bodies. He edged closer until she could feel him along her length from knee to chest. What an overwhelming sensation! Her heart pounded and her blood warmed. He slipped an arm underneath her and then rolled her towards himself, hooking one leg over hers, bringing the most intimate parts of their bodies into closer contact.

She closed her eyes and took several very deep breaths, trying to control the trembling, the rushing of blood through her veins. When she at last opened them, it was to perceive him doing the same, although his hand still moved caressingly down her body, revelling in each warm curve and dip. His mouth was so close she could feel his panting breath against her cheek.

He opened his eyes and whispered, "Trust me Michaela ….," and then once again captured her mouth for a long, passionate kiss, tongues and lips moving sensuously, rhythmically together. He rolled her onto her back and again his hand moved slowly down her body, stroking and kneading, until it reached the bush between her thighs. She reddened and then moaned softly as he gently separated her legs and touched her, caressed her, where no man had ever touched her before. Within moments she was panting and writhing under his passionate ministrations, clinging to his back, pulling him down against herself, overcome with unheralded sensations. "Shhh …. its alright …. its alright …..," he whispered. He stopped long enough to lift himself up and over her, supporting himself on his elbows and knees.

He hovered over her, his deep blue eyes locking with hers. He gently lowered himself down so that she could become accustomed to his weight on her, and then moved down a little to take her breast into his mouth, kissing and suckling whilst his hand resumed its former tantalising movements over her now highly aroused body. At last he stopped, and with his eyes still locked with hers, he asked softly, "Ready?"

She nodded nervously and then held her breath as he oh so slowly lowered himself to her. Her only focus became his loving hand and his throbbing manhood and then suddenly she winced and her breath caught in her throat as he entered her, gently, but slowly and steadily. She sighed deeply as the momentary pain was replaced by unexpected sensations of awe, of fullness, of oneness. He was holding himself still on her, allowing her to explore the moment. Her hands moved to his waist and back and she lovingly stroked his flushed, damp skin and tense muscles. He lifted his head to whisper, "Alright?" She nodded, arousal and desire written clearly on her face. He smiled in relief and pleasure, then began to move, slowly and gently at first, creating further heart-stopping sensations which were indescribable.

As his movements became more energetic and rhythmic she clung to his back, her fingernails digging into his skin, her breathing in syncopation with his. She raised her knees alongside his thighs and held him captive between them, oblivious to the increasing dampness of his skin and then hers, as their dance of love continued. Suddenly, when she thought their hearts could not pound any faster, nor their breathing quicken more, she was aware of a new urgency in him, a striving for a conclusion. And then he froze and shuddered over her, murmuring her name, before slowly lowering his entire weight onto her open body.

Strangely his weight did not distress her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and cradled his quivering body in her softness, until his breathing slowed enough that he could raise himself a little. He made to roll to one side but she held him secure, wanting him on her, inside her, just a little longer. He lovingly ran his fingers through her hair and whispered against her ear, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she murmured softly in return, tilting her head to kiss his cheek.

He at last rolled sideways taking her with him so that she lay beside him, her head against his chest.

She could feel the pounding of his heart beneath her cheek and the perspiration on his skin beneath her hands. She shivered suddenly as the cool, evening air grazed her own damp skin. Realising, he reached down to pull the covers up over them, cocooning them in a single pocket of warmth and closeness.

"I didn’ hurt you?" he asked softly against her hair.

"No," she whispered in return. Then added, "I …. I ….. didn’t know it could be like that ….."

He hugged her a little tighter and then gasped softly as she lifted her leg to hook it over his. "Oh Michaela ….. ya don’ know what ya do to me ….," he moaned softly. She felt his heartbeat quicken momentarily and then he took a few deep breaths.

Suddenly overwhelmed, her eyes filled with tears and she lowered them so that he wouldn’t see. She began to tremble and her body instinctively curled in on itself. Reluctant to raise her hands to wipe at the tears, she let them fall unchecked onto his chest. She felt him inhale and then hold his breath.

After he finally expelled the pent up air he whispered, "Michaela?" When she did not respond he said contritely, "I *did* hurt you."

She shook her head vehemently and wrapped her arm around his waist. "No …. no …. you didn’t," she murmured. She grasped him more tightly. "Oh God Sully … I love you so much …."

He rested his fingers under her chin and raised her face to his. He gently brushed away the tears with his thumb and rejoined, "And I you ….. more than you’ll ever know…." He dipped his head to kiss her with a tenderness which dried her tears and had her responding in kind. As the kiss ended he chuckled softly and said, "Its bin quite a day hasn’ it?"

She nodded and then whispered softly, "Thank-you …"

"Thank-you?"

"For making the day so wonderful …. for loving me ….. for being so gentle." She ran her fingertips lightly over his slightly parted lips. "For making me feel so special … so cherished."

He brushed the hair back from her face and smiled. "And thank *you* for givin’ yourself to me …. for trustin’ me …. I’ll try to live up to that trust."

She whispered, "You already have …."

Sully kissed her adoringly and then pulled the covers more securely around them. He crooned, "Sleep now my love …. we got two whole weeks to spend together … to love each other …"

She snuggled in against him and closed her eyes, drifting off into a contented, if somewhat dream filled sleep………….

And now here she was watching her new husband as he stared off into the cool, dark night. Her skin, which had flushed becomingly as she recalled their lovemaking, cooled, and her nervousness and doubts returned. Why wasn’t he still lying here beside her?

As if she had spoken the words aloud he turned to observe her laying awake in the middle of the large bed he had so lovingly carved as her wedding present. Her eyes were wide, and could he detect an element of doubt or even fear in them? He wondered how long she had been awake. His brow creased in concern and he stepped back into the train car and closed the door quietly behind him, reducing the noise to a rhythmic hum in the background. Surely she could no longer be afraid, unless of course she had not spoken the truth earlier. He approached the bed and realised that this time she had not turned away from his nakedness. She was eyeing him with a new hunger which made his breathing quicken and his senses reel. But desire was not all that showed in her face, there was still a vulnerability which made him want to clasp her to him and hold on forever. He pulled the covers back and slid in next to her, pulling her close.

She shivered as his skin, cooled by the early spring air, touched hers. As he pulled her close she murmured, "You’re cold."

"Uh huh," he replied softly, with a touch of self-satisfaction.

She looked up into his face, puzzled by his tone.

Not given to blushing, he lowered his eyes and said quietly, "Needed to cool down a little is all …."

"If you’re too hot we can push one of the blankets down," she hastily suggested, wanting him to remain at her side.

He chuckled. "Aint that sorta hot …," he murmured. "Can’t seem ta git used to ya bein’ here with me."

As he spoke she could feel his skin warming against her and certain muscles tensing. She blushed and whispered, "I …. I …. thought you ….. you …… didn’t want ….."

"Didn’ want!!" he exclaimed. "My God Michaela …. I’ve bin fightin’ with myself for hours ….. I can’t stop touchin’ ya, holdin’ ya ….. I waited three years to be with you like this …. an’ I’m havin’ trouble …. I didn’ want to wake you, frighten you …. Had to cool down some way."

His heart was suddenly beating much faster against her cheek and as she hooked her leg over his she was instantly aware of his renewed arousal. She smiled, suddenly cognisant of the powerful effect she had on him, that he desired her, that she *had* pleased him. She raised her face to his and then drew his mouth down to hers, actively deepening the kiss until they were both panting.

He pulled back a little and breathed, "Michaela …. I can’t hold out …"

In reply she claimed his lips again and caressed the skin on his chest and stomach, not yet ready to be any more adventurous.

Again he called a halt and gazing into her eyes he murmured, "You don’ mind? I don’ wanna hurt you …."

She shook her head. "You won’t hurt me Sully …. I want to love you as you love me." She paused, took a deep breath and softly intoned, "I take thee as my lawful wedded husband …"

"And I take thee as my lawful wedded wife …. to love and to cherish …"

"As long as we both shall live …."

Their pledge was sealed with a kiss, a kiss to top all other kisses on this their wedding night …. The first night of the rest of their lives.

To Love and to Cherish