Work on the saloon was temporarily postponed, while the task of cleaning and repairing the sheriff's office and jail cell took center attention. Douglas and Manuel found enough pieces of wood to patch the roof, while Natasha and Teresa cleaned the small building, as well as pulling the weeds around the exterior. Douglas didn’t want Jacob affected by hay fever while he was suffering from the effects of alcohol withdrawal. One headache was bad enough to contend with.

Beverly kept the children out of the way by taking them to the small pond to play. Her mood never altered from the cold, depressed woman they had all grown to know. Douglas was confident, once Jacob was over his withdrawal, things would be better. He maintained that Beverly would cheer up after the man she loved was returned to her. Natasha, however, knew how the woman spoke of her husband when Douglas wasn't around and felt certain the couple's relationship would not change for the better.

The night was quickly approaching, as was the end of the hard work. The roof was patched, although more work was needed, at least it would hold out the weather for now. The jail cell was unlocked and clean, the mysterious keys removed by way of a long stick, and a little determination. Two bedrolls had been laid out, one in the cell behind the bars for Jacob, the other near the wall by the missing door, for Douglas. The smell of mint water and moist cement lingered in the room as the sunset and darkness enveloped the building. Henry and Manuel went to the stream for freshwater, taking along the large pan they'd been using for washing. Beverly started the fire and began opening cans of stew for their dinner, while Teresa mixed together the ingredients for flour tortillas.

Douglas was tired and felt the soreness of his labors rippling through his muscles, his arms ached from the constant hammering and his neck was tight and tense from bending over for so many hours. He felt sweaty and sticky and in need of a bath. With very little mental coaxing, he convinced himself to take the short walk to the pond and clean up while dinner was cooking. He gathered a towel, still damp from the children's day of leisure, and a bar of soap before searching out Natasha. He found her next to the walkway, dumping dirty water out of an empty formula can she'd used for sponge bathing Nate, smiling at the strange feeling of contentment warming his tired soul. Her red hair flew freely in the desert breeze, her tiny frame hidden beneath a baggy pair of jeans three sizes too big. She still had possession of his oversized shirt and looked like a little girl, playing dress-up in her father's clothes. She straightened up, stretching the sore muscles in her back as she reached her arms high above her head.

She was astounding, a child in many ways, innocent, naive, trusting, and uncertain. In other ways, she was a woman, loving, giving, eager, and more sensuous than any woman had the right to be. He longed to have her in his arms, to hold her and kiss her, to taste the sweet surrender of her lips as they parted for him. He craved her body, ached to touch her, and feel her soft curves mold against his large hands.

Natasha turned around and saw Douglas standing a few yards away staring at her, with an odd smile curving his masculine lips. At first, she couldn't move, she could barely breathe, her eyes locked with the deep emotion echoing within the splendid green depths of his passionate gaze. She knew without even speaking to the man, what was on his mind. She knew also, just how desperately she wanted the same thing. Douglas shifted his stance in preparation to move closer when she caught sight of the towel draped across his arm.

"Are you going swimming?" she asked, her tone shaking and husky with a voice she no longer recognized as her own.

"I need a bath," he answered, his feet bringing him closer to her as he spoke. "I was hoping I could talk you into coming with me. Bradley said he'd watch Nate for us and Henry and Manuel agreed to watch Jacob."

"Isn't the water too cold to bathe in at night?"

"I'll keep you warm, Sweetheart."

His voice was barely above a whisper, his breath brushing her delicate face as he stopped within inches of her. Douglas reached forward and drew her closer, his large hands resting on her tiny waist, his eyes holding her prisoner as his lips lowered to claim her response, unspoken and lingering on her lips.

The minute their lips touched, Natasha fell to his charms, she was possessed by his skills, his abilities to make her want him without thought of consequences. She swayed closer to him, her heart pounding fast enough for a marathon runner on the road to victory. Douglas wrapped her tightly in his embrace, cradling her against his long frame.

"Come with me," he pleaded against her lips, his tongue tracing the delicate curve of her mouth.

Natasha moaned softly and nodded, unable to speak at that precise moment. Douglas kissed her one last time, his lips pressing hard and demanding against hers, promising much more than his words ever could. They walked to the stream in silence, arms wrapped around each other, as though their lives depended on the support and comfort of the other.

The ripple of the small waves bouncing across rocks and onto the muddy bank could be heard a good hundred yards away, as the sounds of water spilling from the stream that connected to the small pool, trickled and lapped at its mossy sides. Douglas led Natasha to a small clearing where crickets chirped a magical tune of romance and love beneath the star-filled skies. He sat his towel on the grass then began tugging his dirty blue tee-shirt over his head. Natasha watched in amazement at the way his muscles moved across his chest and arms. He was a giant, capable of causing harm and pain, yet as gentle as a newborn kitten.

"Help me," he ordered gently, pulling her to him and kissing her with such tenderness, Natasha was left panting softly against his lips.

She gasped when his long fingers led her hand to the zipper of his pants, pressing it against the hard swell that lay beneath the tight denim material.

"I want you," he whispered against her ear, his breath caressing and warming the fear from her quaking soul. "Tell me you feel the same way, Sweetheart, please. Tell me you need me as badly as I need you."

Natasha's head fell back allowing him full access to explore her slender throat. Pleasure and delight sprang to life inside her, causing a parade of goosebumps to travel across her aching flesh.

"I'm scared," she told him honestly, her tone shaking with emotion. "I don't know what to do, but yes, Douglas, I want you with all my heart."

He rewarded her answer with a tight hug, lifting her feet from the ground, bringing her eye level with him.

"Don't be afraid, Mon amour," he told her gently. "I'll never hurt you, that's a promise I intend to keep, no matter how hard it is."

"What do you mean, no matter how hard?"

Natasha's fears were beginning to grow, and her twitching stomach was now a rolling sea in a thunderstorm.

"I've wanted you so badly, for so long, I don't know how much longer I can hold back. You've possessed my soul, Mon amour, my love. I need you more than I need the air in my lungs, more than I need the earth beneath my feet. You are my life and once we join, I will never be able to live without you."

"You're too wonderful to be real," she told him, hugging him tightly. Douglas chuckled softly, vibrating her breasts pressed against his chest through the thin material of her shirt.

"I am real, Sweetheart," he assured her easing her feet back to the ground. "I am also sweaty, and I smell like an old gym sock. Come bathe with me. We can wash each other."

Natasha blushed when he reached for her shirt and began unbuttoning it. Three buttons opened, and Douglas gasped, his need for her springing to life in an urgent throbbing beat, demanding immediate amendment.

"I think you'd better finish this, or you're going to find out the finer aspect of being a woman, faster than either of us would like."

Natasha's blush deepened, watching as the man quickly kicked his sneakers off, before stripping out of his dirty jeans, and wading into the small pond. He dove beneath the surface of the cold water and disappeared from sight, giving her a few precious moments to either undress or change her mind and run like hell.

Her mind was ordering her to turn around and leave, she knew she shouldn't be here. She wasn't raised to give herself to the first man she met, but her heart was proving treacherous, as her fingers began to unbutton the remainder of her shirt, watching the water for the man to surface. Surely, by now he'd need air, but there was no sign of him, not even a ripple in the water’s stillness.

Horror raged to life within her, taking place of the nervous turmoil she had been experiencing. Something must have happened to him or else he would have emerged. She removed her clothes in such haste, one watching might have thought they were on fire. She left them where they fell as she quickly ran to the water's edge, plunging into the cold stream. A gasp of shock sounded from her throat when the water enveloped around her, but she barely noticed the temperature, as she frantically began looking around the water for a body floating unconscious beneath the surface.

"Douglas!" she shouted, calling his name in panic as she tried to part the water with her hands.

Water splashed behind her, covering her back with a cold spray as the man emerged from beneath the dark depths. Natasha turned and began pounding on his chest with her fists.

"Damn you!" she cursed.

"Wait a minute, what did I do?" he asked, capturing her wrists against the wall of muscles. Natasha lowered her head and began to cry, too many emotions flooded over her in a moment's breath, forcing her to surrender to the more demanding feeling of relief.

"I thought you were drowning," she sniffed, leaning her head against his chest. Douglas chuckled, wrapping her in his strong embrace.

"I needed to cool off, Sweetheart, that's all. I guarantee I'm an excellent swimmer. Besides, the water isn't deep enough to drown in, see," he eased her away motioning to the level of the water, barely covering the lower half of his body. "It's not that deep."

"It's deeper than I thought it would be," she insisted pushing him away and splashing cold water across his torso, with a slap of her hand on the water’s surface. "You scared the hell out of me when you didn't come up for air. I thought you'd hit your head, or a crocodile ate you."

"There are no crocodiles around here, Natasha, and the most I could have done was skin my knees on the bottom."

"I don't care, you still shouldn't have scared me like that."

"I'm sorry, my love, please forgive me," he begged, his big hands pulling her back into his arms.

"Quit that," she said as he began caressing down her spine, his lips grazing her cheeks and neck. "I'm still very angry with you." Douglas chuckled at the lack of hostility in her tone.

"Perhaps I should beg for your forgiveness on bent knee," he teased, lowering himself down in the water. Natasha snorted her disbelief that he was sorry at all then gasped as his lips pressed into the deep cleavage between her breasts. His tongue darted out, licking a path across one swollen globe, circling the rosy nipple that peaked from the cold.

"You’ve been hiding a great deal beneath those baggy clothes," he whispered, sucking the hard pebble into his hot mouth. Natasha gasped again, her fingers digging into his shoulders for support as he gently nipped the tender nipple to hold it tight, the tip of his tongue flicking across her imprisoned flesh. She had never felt anything so stimulating, or so torturous before. He was doing things to her she had only heard of, only dreamt of.

"No," she moaned with disappointment when he pulled away from her throbbing breast, then sighed a soft womanly "yes" when he took up his assault on the other side.

Minutes slipped by as Douglas continued to shower her breasts with kisses, caressing and tasting each one thoroughly before moving to the other, over and over again. He continued this action until Natasha was breathless and panting, her head spinning and her knees shaking though it had nothing to do with standing waist-deep in the cool water.

Just as she was certain she could bear no more, his lips began to travel a slow descent down, searing a path of heat over her ribs to her stomach, his hands moving across her back, her shoulders, her arms and back to her bottom where he held her securely against his lips. Gasps and moans of pleasure echoed around them, bringing an almost maddening desire to her flipping stomach. Her passionate moans forced him to explore further, to know more, to take all that this red-haired beauty had to offer.

"Bathe me," he ordered in a soft growl, his lips kissing her flat belly. Natasha frowned, how could he possibly want to be washed at a time like this?

"What?" she asked in a dreamy fog, uncertain if she'd heard him correctly.

"Bathe me, so we can get out of here," he demanded, handing her the soap he'd held in his hands. Natasha's frown deepened as he began cupping water in his large hands and spilling it across her slippery shoulders and back.

"You've been washing me?" she asked him in shock, hearing the deep rumbling of his seductive chuckle.

"In more ways than one," he whispered, his hands rinsing the film of soap from her breasts. Natasha blushed. She had no idea that between kisses he'd been cleansing her body of the day's dirt and dust.

"I'm sorry." Apologies seemed appropriate, yet somehow embarrassing. She thought he'd been loving her not washing her.

"Don't apologize, Sweetheart," he growled, his hands cupping the firm roundness of her bottom, as he lifted her closer to him and rose out of the water.

His hard penis pressed against her, causing a volcano of desires to erupt in places she never knew had feelings. "I enjoyed every delicious second."

"Then I suppose I should do the same to you," she whispered, her courage and curiosity growing between pants of lust.

"Dia Mio," he groaned, pulling her against him so hard, she could feel the pulsating twitch of his erection against her stomach, as he began to grind against her. "I'll never survive."

Natasha was certain she wouldn't either, though she felt wicked enough to try. She slid her hand holding the bar of soap across him, caressing and exploring the strength of his arms, the magnificent span of muscles covering his chest. He groaned each time her fingers touched his skin, gasping as she moved to another spot on her path of cleansing exploration.

"Do you like that?" she asked, her tone deep and daring.

Douglas groaned a savage sound and spread her knees apart with his long legs between hers.

"What do you think?" he demanded, his lips grinding fiercely against hers as his penis began to rub against her pelvis.

Natasha gasped, a twinge of fear forming behind her closed eyelids, then pleasure quickly replaced the uncertainty, burning to life a desire she had never known.

"I want to know more," she told him, hearing his rasping breath as he panted for air.

Douglas released her and dove briefly beneath the water to wash the soap away, splashing water up across the front of her. Natasha gasped at the cold moisture, dropping the soap from her trembling fingers then gasped again when she felt her feet leave the muddy, mossy bottom of the stream. She was lifted high into Douglas's arms, as he picked her up and carried her to the spot where they had left their clothes. He released her momentarily, lowering her feet to the ground, while he stepped to retrieve the large towel, spreading it across the ground to cover the rough grass and weeds that grew wild around the embankment.

"Come here Mon Amour," he ordered, reaching out toward her and taking her hand in his.

Natasha was pulled to the earth's surface, the warmth of Douglas's strong wet body cushioning her from the hard ground like a mattress. She lay partly across his chest and partly on the towel next to him, her head resting on his shoulder in the same protective way she held Nate at night.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, kissing her forehead and cheek.

Natasha moaned softly when he rolled her onto her back, his lips retracing the path he'd explored in the water, capturing one hard nipple between his teeth. Her gasps mingled with soft moans, as he began suckling her tender, aroused flesh deeper and deeper into his mouth, licking and teasing it with his tongue.

"Still want to know more?" he asked her, planting soft feather-like kisses across the round globes of her swollen breasts, shielding them from the night air with his large hands.

Natasha nodded, emotion again rendering her speechless. Douglas moved slowly down her body, coaxing her to lie still against the towel as his chest pressed against her torso. His lips caressed and teased the delicate skin across her ribs and stomach, as her fingers reached for his wet hair. He nipped the firm skin of her flat stomach then reached for her hands and folded them together as if she were praying, before wrapping a single large hand around her wrists. He held her arms across her stomach as the fingers of his free hand moved to the soft red curls covering her hidden treasure.

Natasha’s breath caught as he began to caress the sensitive skin beneath her curls, his lips moving across her stomach to where his hand lay pressed against her groin. She moaned deeply when he pressed his palm against her and gently pushed up, then gasped as his teeth nipped at the lips of her labia. She tried to squirm against the firm grip holding her wrists, but she couldn’t get free, and for a brief moment she was frightened. The fear quickly dissolved, as his fingers gently moved her labia apart, and his tongue began a heated exploration of her inner folds. He licked and teased her swollen clitoris, tickling and nipping until she was dizzy with sensations she had never before experienced. As his fingers gently began to caress the opening of her vagina she moaned, this was the most incredible feeling she had ever felt, and she squirmed against his mouth, silently begging for more.

Douglas knew she was nearly spent and was eager to allow her to explore, what could possibly be her first orgasm, regardless of how desperately he wanted to join her. She was a virgin and he wasn’t going to rush her, though his own desire was beginning to grow painful with unspent need.

She continued to move beneath him, moaning as his tongue explored her body, edging her closer to release. He very slowly began to inch his long finger inside her wet vagina, distracting her from the stinging sensation with his mouth as he sucked her clitoris. He held it gently between his teeth as the end of his tongue tickled and teased the imprisoned tip. Her moaning was growing deeper and more vocal, her vagina twitched against his touch and he knew she was on the threshold of climax.

He closed his eyes to steady his racing desires and picked up speed, tormenting her body was beginning to ignite a fire inside him that was not going to be extinguished without joining her. In a single swift movement, he thrust his finger inside her until he was buried within her tight body and smiled a wicked, wanting grin as she gasped in pain.

Pain and pleasure, they were two of his favorite sensations. He loved to give them as well as experience them and he was eager to make her feel both. He slowly pulled his finger out then added a second to the length and pushed them both in, listening to her cry of pain, as he began to caress the soft pad of flesh hidden behind the front wall of her vagina. His thumb joined his tongue, as his assault on her quivering body continued until he felt her tense beneath him, feeling the heat of her orgasm before he even heard her cry of release.

"Tell me if you like this," he demanded in a deep husky tone as he rose above her, bringing her wrists to rest above her head.

Natasha couldn’t speak, words didn’t make sense in her mind and even less on her tongue. The fingers inside her were thrusting at a steady rhythm, taking her down the dark path of orgasm, bathing her in the heat of a woman’s desires. Douglas chuckled as he covered her mouth with his, silencing her cries from alerting the town to what they were doing. She could taste salty moisture against his tongue as he thrust it into her mouth, mimicking the actions of his fingers. As he positioned himself above her, his large legs moving her thighs apart, he slowly removed his fingers and replaced them with the thick tip of his penis.

He knew the next few minutes would be difficult and painful, and he couldn’t bring himself to take what she had to offer without her consent. He kissed her cheek, caressed her neck and ears with the tip of his tongue until her labored breathing slowed, and he knew she could concentrate again. Douglas leaned up on his elbows, locking his fingers inside hers as he released her wrists but kept her hands above her head.

She was more beautiful than he ever imagined she could be. Her blue eyes were as dark as the ocean was deep, her lips slightly bruised from his kisses, her cheeks rosy from her recent escapade. She smiled at him, watching the serious expression cross his handsome features.

“Stay with me,” he whispered, the tip of his penis twitching against her moist body. “I need you to agree to this. Tell me it’s what you want. Tell me, it’s me you want.”

Natasha frowned. How could he be asking her this now, after what he had just forced her to experience? Then she saw the intent look in his deep green eyes and realized it was up to her, he was giving her the last thread of escape she could hope for. In an instant she knew she didn’t want to be released, she didn’t want to be set free, she was with him at this moment and come what may, she was in this to the end

“I can’t remember ever wanting anything more,” she assured him, seeing the resistance ease in his handsome face.

“Are you still afraid?” he asked, his tone husky and barely above a whisper.

“A little.”

“Do you trust me?”

Natasha thought for a moment. It had been a very long time since she felt trust for another human being, but oddly enough, the feeling was there now, stronger and more vibrant than she had ever known possible.

“With all my heart,” she whispered, accepting the passionate kiss he offered her, as he slowly began to push inside her.

The searing pain of her body stretching to accommodate his size came instantly, upon his first movements, forced tears to spring to her eyes and a gasp to catch in her throat. She knew it would hurt, but she had no idea it would feel like this. Tears slid from her eyes, down the sides of her temples, and were quickly kissed away by the man filling her insides with his massive heat.

“Stay with me,” he whispered against her ear, pushing the full length of his engorged penis into the deep recesses of her quivering body.

Within seconds the pain eased, the pressure of his movements had stopped, and he was kissing her neck again. Testing the depths of her lungs, Natasha began to breathe again, aware now that she had been holding her breath for what seemed like hours. Her eyes opened slowly, and she looked up to see the handsome features of the man she loved, staring down at her. He smiled gently, kissing the tip of her nose. The trembling of his restraint tightened his shoulders, assuring her of the strength it was causing him to hold still within her sore body.

“Are you finished?” she asked shyly, hearing the rumbling of his laughter erupt around them.

“Not quite,” he assured her with a smile. Natasha blushed at the intimacy of his tone.

He watched her closely for a few seconds, seeing the tension ease on her face then slowly began to withdraw from her sensitive portal. Natasha drew a deep breath. Sure, the ordeal had ended, she began to relax only to feel the full pressure of him thrust back inside her. She looked at him with a surprised expression, seeing the beads of sweat form across his brow. She watched the restraint fade away from his eyes, his fingers tense around hers, and listened as his breathing became labored.

Again, and again, he withdrew from her, only to thrust deeply within her again. Natasha felt the strange sensation of insanity build inside her again, the tingling that had erupted within her a few minutes ago was back. She found herself actually moving against his hips, meeting the deep thrusts he supplied her with. She couldn’t believe it, the pain was gone, and her desires were back, building to an explosive conclusion. Douglas released her hand only to reach down and lift her legs up, pressing into her deeper and smiling as she gasped.

The snarled look of savage passion twisted his handsome face as he continued to drive into her, over and over until they were both gasping for air. And then she felt it, the heat of his release raking her body as her legs tensed and the sensations took over, allowing her to join him in the insane world of passion and desire. She called out Douglas’s name, hearing his growl of release as he continued to thrust inside her. Slowly, he collapsed against her, pressing his weight to her delicate frame, holding her tightly to the towel beneath her.

As they lay together, embraced, and panting for air, Natasha knew beyond a doubt this was what she had waited so long to experience. This was what she longed for, this was what she had waited her entire twenty-two years for. This thing, this burning need, this beautiful wondrous thing called love.