Chapter Forty-five

Jessie drove carefully down the partially cleared road. It seemed like forever before the snowplows made it up Annie's way. She really had no idea how deep the snow was until she was out in it. Snow was piled high on each side of the road and there were no visible fences that she could see. She made her way past Mary Ruth's cabin and wondered how she had fared. Her car was still buried. On the drive to Chris's cabin, it was just one long snow tunnel and she parked behind Chris's Jeep, which was still heavy with snow.

It was nearly dark when she got there and a few stars were already blinking in the clear cold sky. She pulled her parka tightly around her and hurried to the door, pausing only a moment before knocking. Chris called to her and she walked into the warm room, the fireplace glowing hotly. Chris lay on the sofa, a pillow tucked under her head and Dillon curled on her stomach. Their eyes met and held, a slow smile forming on Chris's face.

"Hey."

Jessie nodded, feeling her throat threatening to close. She was nervous. As nervous as she'd ever been in her life. What if she was wrong about Chris? What if Chris laughed it off, blaming it on the snowstorm? She shrugged out of her parka and let it fall to the floor.

"Chris... I... there's something I want to tell you. Need to tell you," she started. She stood firmly rooted by the door, her legs refusing to carry her closer to Chris. "You may not want to hear it."

Chris sat up but still clutched Dillon in her lap. She had no idea what was coming, but Jessie looked ready to bolt through the door.

"Okay. What is it?" she asked hesitantly.

"It's me... it's us," she said. At Chris's frightened look, she hurried on. "I don't know what you want, but... I... oh, hell, McKenna, I wanted to warn you that... I think I'm in love with you. At least, I think that's what this is. And I wanted to give you a chance to get out or tell me I'm out of my mind before I say something really stupid or..."

"I love you, too," Chris said softly, interrupting her somewhat chaotic speech.

"What?"

"Come here."

"What did you say?" Jessie whispered.

A gentle smile broke across Chris's face and she stood, slowly walking the short distance to the door.

"You want me to say it again?"

Jessie nodded mutely.

"I'm in love with you. You consume my thoughts, day and night. And when I look into your eyes, I see my life there. I see everything that matters to me, and it has nothing to do with this place or this job, or Annie or the damn snowstorm. It's just you and me and the love I feel inside for you."

Jessie knew she was crying. She could feel the tears on her face, but she couldn't look away from the clear, blue eyes so close to her own. Blue eyes that burned with love... for her.

"That was the most beautiful thing anyone's ever said to me," she whispered. She was able to move then. Move into the arms that opened for her. She buried her head against Chris's neck and let her tears fall. Never in her life did she think she deserved this. Never once did she think she would ever find this.

Chris felt her soul open up and take Jessie inside. It filled her with such joy that she ached from it. She gently lifted Jessie's head and kissed the tears away, finally finding her lips and placing soft kisses there.

"Let me make love to you," she whispered. "Let me show you how much I love you."

The bedroom was dark, and Chris paused to draw the covers back before undressing the silent Jessie who stood numbly before her. She quickly shed her own clothes and lay back, pulling Jessie with her. As soon as she felt Jessie's weight settle on top of her, she was lost. The gentle, slow lovemaking she'd planned vanished as Jessie's hungry mouth found hers. Tongues battled and Chris rolled them over, pinning Jessie to the bed. But she wanted to go slow. They had all the time in the world. She straddled Jessie's hips, pressing intimately against her as her mouth found Jessie's breast. Her lips closed over an erect nipple and she moaned with pleasure, loving the way Jessie's hands held her firmly to her breast. She suckled her breast, teasing the tip with her tongue, feeling it swell in her mouth.

Jessie closed her eyes, giving in to the gentle touch of her lover. She heard the contented sigh from Chris, felt her move ever so slowly to her other breast. She opened her eyes, meeting blue ones that closed as her mouth settled over her. Again Jessie thought, what did she do to deserve this?

She felt Chris's lips move across her stomach, felt the cool air on her still wet nipples. Her hips arched and she pressed up, feeling Chris's wetness against her thigh. Her hand moved between them, finding the wetness with her fingers. Chris sat up, then settled back down, guiding Jessie's fingers inside her. Jessie heard Chris's breath hiss as her fingers were engulfed in wetness.

"Oh, yes... that feels so good," Chris murmured. Her hips rose again and came back down on Jessie's hand, impaling herself. She nudged Jessie's thighs apart, her own fingers sliding through hot silk, slipping inside Jessie in one quick thrust.

Jessie drew a sharp breath and pressed her hips up, drawing Chris inside her. Their rhythm became one as hands and hips danced together, moving in and out of each other in perfect harmony. She opened her eyes to find Chris watching her. Chris's own eyes were glazed over, her mouth slightly opened as she struggled to draw breath.

Jessie was mesmerized. With her free hand, she found Chris's breast and squeezed the nipple between her fingers. She watched Chris's eyes close, watched her head tip back. The pressure of her hips increased and Jessie struggled to maintain the rhythm. Her fingers met each thrust of Chris's hips and her own legs opened wide, allowing Chris deep within her. She felt the first tremors of Chris's body, felt muscles squeeze her fingers tight and she finally gave in to her own release. She let it come, let it nearly overwhelm her with its force.

She couldn't have held back the scream if she'd tried. It mingled in the air with Chris's as her hips went down on Jessie for one last stroke. She closed her legs tight, holding Chris's fingers inside her as Chris finally stilled, her hips settling back down on Jessie's hand. Her wetness ran down Jessie's arm and Jessie groaned. She licked her lips, wishing her mouth were there instead.

They stayed like that for a moment, Chris still sitting upright, Jessie lying back, their eyes locked together.

"I love you," Chris whispered.

"I love you."

She finally moved, letting Jessie's fingers slip away from her. She withdrew her own, then brought them to her mouth, licking Jessie's wetness from her fingers.

Jessie thought it was the most intimate thing she'd ever seen. She reached up and drew Chris's mouth to her own, tasting herself on Chris's lips.

Chris lay down beside Jessie and pulled the covers over them. She gathered Jessie in her arms and gently kissed her damp forehead.

"Are you okay?"

Jessie nodded,

"That was... beautiful."

"Yes. It was perfect."

Chris leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Jessie's lips.

"I told Annie about us," Jessie said suddenly.

"What? You did? Was she okay?"

"Yes. I think she was ... surprised. Although I think she probably suspected there was more to our relationship than we let on."

"Jessie, please tell me you're not leaving. You're not going back to New York."

"No. I want to stay here with you. I want to try to have a life together, if that's what you want. That is what you want, isn't it?"

"Yes. I want you here with me always."