Page 110 of On the Mountain

She moaned again and found her body rising to meet his. Wade removed his hand to Anna’s immense disappointment, only to feel both his hands capture a leg in each palm. His mouth moved further down yet on her belly and Anna arched her back, breathing heavily while he softly lifted her legs slightly up and apart. She hardly even noticed, so intent was she on that wonderful mouth of his until it stopped suddenly only to reappear where his hand had earlier been.

Anna’s eyes flew open, apprehension taking hold of her briefly until she felt his lips as they kissed and fondled her in an area she never imagined a man’s mouth should ever be. She gasped as her heart stopped for a full heartbeat before erupting from the depths of her womanhood in a sensation she had never felt the likes of before. So alarmed by this new feeling, she gasped his name, “Wade?”

He raised his head and placed a tender kiss on her belly once more. “It’s all right, Anna.”

She could offer no more for his mouth branded her skin along a path he claimed between her belly and her breasts. Her heart was beating so fast she literally feared it would stop beating altogether. As he lavished her body with blatant desire, she responded in a manner Anna would never have thought capable. She arched up to him and released a deep unbridled sigh, loving his every touch and every kiss.

“Anna?” He half pleaded and half asked. Without another word, she knew exactly what he was requesting permission for, and her heart filled even more. No other man ever made her feel more woman.

“Yes, Wade, yes.”

He groaned against her stomach and sucked in the small amount of flesh above her belly, before sitting up suddenly and ripping off the night shirt covering his body. Staring up at him, even in the darkness, Anna was impressed with his huge and muscular form. A fleeting feeling of fear crossed her mind. But he eased her worries once more by lifting her hips gently off the bed and laying his naked member against her now moist womanhood.

He stayed like that for several moments, all the while driving Anna’s body crazy with his mouth. Desire spewed from her lips, while her body pressed wantonly against him. He pushed back with a corresponding response. Her back arched as he drew her breast into his mouth once more, than grabbing her hips he slowly entered her. At first, she felt pain, but the kisses he engraved on her body soon eased her first initiation into womanhood. When he was fully entered, he caressed her gently. Anna’s heart rate pumped harder and the blood in her veins skyrocketed to alarming heights.

Moaning, she reached out and grasped his body wanting to feel him close against her. She could hear him breathing hard as he held her tight, then in one final thrust he pinned her to the bed with his large frame. He felt so wonderful being that close and having their bodies meshed together, she wrapped her arms around him and clung. She heard him grunting then collapse on top of her with a loud moan at the same moment Anna felt her body racked with a feeling similar to the one he had created with his mouth but much grander in proportions.

He laid there for several minutes breathing heavily on top of her body and Anna thought she would never reach this level of happiness in life again. He went to lift himself and she instinctively wrapped her legs tight around him.

Wade chuckled in her ear. “Anna, I’m too heavy.”

But she didn’t care. “Not yet,” she whispered.

He lifted his chin to look down at her and their eyes locked with unexpressed emotions. Anna could feel his breath on her face and his pulse on her breasts as his chest rose and fell in rhythmic breathing against her. Unconsciously, her eyes instinctively dropped to that wonderful mouth of his so close and yet so untouchable, and felt the tiniest bout of heartbreak.

Then, with a start, she realized his head was slowly beginning to descend. She went utterly still in fear that he may realize what he was doing, and pull away. But his mouth continued, until very gently at first, he laid it softly on Anna’s lips.

She couldn’t help herself, she sucked in her breath. He must have been holding his own as well, for she felt him release it against her mouth before slowly moving his lips against hers.

Since she had never kissed a man before, she had no idea how to respond, but decided it was best to let instinct take over. As Wade had once told her, trust instinct when common sense failed. Very softly, she returned him kiss for kiss. He only paused once, lifting his head to look deep into her eyes. Then when he returned, his kisses became intense and more sensual. Anna raised her arms and drew him closer.

Wade caught her small body against his and rolled over onto his back, dragging Anna with him. Her body came to rest on top of his and when their lips eventually drew apart, it was there that she remained. She rested her head on his chest and listened to the steady beating of his heart, smiling to herself at the realization that like hers, it had just come down from an unbelievable high. Her heart and soul had never before felt so fulfilled. Closing her eyes, she sighed with contentment and felt him pull her closer in response. A glow filled her heart and it was with happiness and love that she fell asleep in the arms of the man she loved.

* * *

Anna woke from one of the best sleeps she could ever recall. Stretching her arms, she felt the soft mattress of Wade’s bed beneath her, then realized with a start that he was not in it. She opened her eyes and sat up, looking about the empty room. A feeling of disappointment toyed with her happiness. But only slightly.

Seeing his night shirt was still lying across the bed where he had tossed it the night before, she reached over and slipped it over her head before getting out of bed. Wade may feel comfortable in his own nakedness, but Anna wasn’t quite at that level. Leaving his room, she went quietly down the back stairs and into the kitchen with a smile playing about her lips. In the entrance, she stopped dead in her tracks, her smile wiped away at the sight of Wade sitting fully dressed at the kitchen table with Prescott.

Both men looked up and Anna felt herself go completely red from embarrassment. Instinctively, she crossed her arms in front her bosom as if to conceal herself. A wide grin spread across Prescott’s mouth. “Good morning Anna.”

“Good morning.” Her eyes darted toward Wade, but he had returned his attention to the coffee mug in front of him. “I thought you were in Lantern?”

“I returned early this morning to help Wade with the new heifers.”

Anna nodded, then took a few steps back. “I’ll just get dressed and have breakfast ready shortly.”

“No need,” Prescott told her. “We had Kim prepare us something earlier.”

“All right.” Her eyes immediately shot in Wade’s direction, but he still did not return her look. She quietly excused herself before turning to hurry back up stairs. Inside Wade’s room, she shut the door firmly and raised a hand to touch the skin over her cheeks. They even felt hot to touch, she could only imagine how they looked.

Reaching for her dress she got dressed quickly and tried not to allow Wade’s silent behavior to worry her. No matter if he had regrets or not, Anna knew they had shared something special. Even the thought of Marion no longer left a stinging in her heart. What she witnessed and what she shared with Wade last night, couldn’t have been further apart. Smiling she went downstairs and got herself breakfast and coffee before heading outside to the barns for her daily chores.

She knew she ought to change into her barn clothing, but that morning Anna wanted to feel like the woman she was. The men were all gathered in the corrals along with a good hundred or so heifers, and Anna spotted Wade instantly. She had always sought him out first anyway, but that day her eyes were drawn to him like a magnet. All morning she had trouble keeping her focus on her chores. Whenever he was within view, her eyes would wander lovingly over to him. Of course, he was far too busy to notice Anna. Except when she tripped over a water trough she did not see and scraped he

r knee.

“You all right?” He looked down at her from his position at the top of the corral fence, his face shadowed by his hat.

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