Page 35 of Rusty

"Good," Janice replied, her eyes downcast but a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.

Needing something to keep his hands busy and his mind off temptation, Rusty stood up. "I'm going to do the dishes. Let me find somethin’ nice for you to do." He got some paper and colored pencils out for Janice and set them down on the coffee table, then walked over to the kitchen, trying to ignore the deep ache in his groin.

Fuck, he was hornier than a mountain full of goats.

The warm soapy washing up water helped to calm the arousal that burned inside him. He scrubbed at the dishes as hard as he could, trying to wash away his desire.

Once the dishes were done, Rusty dried his hands and took a deep breath before walking over to see what Janice had drawn. His heart leaped at the sight: a beautiful picture of the two of them riding their horses side by side. In the air above them, a heart connected the two riders.

“That’s you riding Midnight,” she told him as he sat on the couch beside her, “and I’m on Snickers.”

"Wow, Janice, this is amazing," Rusty said, his voice thick with emotion. "What do you call it?"

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with a mix of hope and sadness. "I call it 'If Only,'" she whispered.

Rusty felt a lump in his throat. He knew there were obstacles keeping them apart, but at that moment, all he wanted was to be close to her again. They had both been through so much, and yet their love for each other remained strong.

"Janice," Rusty began, his voice barely audible. "I . . . I don't know what the future holds, but this picture means more to me than you'll ever know."

His eyes lingered on the drawing, his heart pounding, and he knew he couldn't hold back any longer. With a surge of determination, he leaned in and pressed his lips hard against Janice's, kissing her deeply and urgently.

"Rusty," Janice whispered against his lips, her surprise quickly melting into delight as she returned his kiss.

The passion ignited between them like a long-dormant flame roaring back to life. Rusty's hands cradled Janice's face, his thumbs tracing the curve of her cheeks as their bodies drew closer together.

"Janice, I can't stand it anymore," Rusty murmured between kisses, his voice thick with desire. "I've been thinking about us, about everything we had . . . and everything we could have again."

She looked into his eyes. "Rusty, I feel the same way. I don't care about the obstacles or reasons we shouldn't be together. I don’t care about what happened in the past, or what’s going to happen in the future. Right now, all I want is you."

Their breaths mingled, hearts racing in unison as they embraced the truth of their words. The cabin seemed to fade away around them, until all that was left was the flame of their rediscovered love.

"Let's make new memories together, Janice," Rusty said softly, his voice filled with hope and determination. "No more 'if onlys.'"

Rusty scooped Janice up in his strong arms, her body feeling weightless against his broad chest. He carried her through the dimly lit corridor to his bedroom, their hearts beating in unison.

Rusty’s bedroom was cozy and inviting, with a wooden bed, navy blankets, and a skylight window above it, offering a view of the vast evening sky.

Rusty laid Janice down on the bed. She looked perfect there, blinking up at him in her gorgeous little lemondrop dress.

"Are you ready for this, darlin'?" Rusty asked, his voice husky with desire. “I want to eat you up like candy.”

Janice nodded. “I’ve been ready for the last decade, Rusty.”

In seconds, his clothes were off, then, moments later, hers too. He marveled at her body, the smooth plane of her stomach, the gentle curve of her hips, the full, heavy shape of her breasts. Images and feelings came rushing back to him as he drunk her in, like a man stranded in the desert for a decade, finally able to lift cool water to his parched lips.

"God damn that's a sight for sore eyes."

Her eyes lingered on him, too. He wondered whether she felt the same hunger as him.

“Now, remind me,” he said. “How did we used to do it? The ol’ Sunday routine? We used our mouths first, right, and then—”

“Then we made love,” said Janice with that beautiful, life-affirming giggle she had.

"That's right." Rusty nodded, a smile spreading across his face. He leaned down and captured her lips in a deep, passionate kiss. The taste of her was like a drug to him, intoxicating and all-consuming.

He moved down her body, trailing kisses along the way, savoring every inch of her. It all came back to him; that alabaster-smooth skin, the warmth of her, the constellation of freckles over her perfect body.

Finally, he reached the apex of her desire, and he looked up at her, his eyes filled with love and longing.

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