Touched By Love

His soft lips touched the bare skin on her back, in the triangle where her shoulders met the gentle slope of her neck. His hands, calloused and strong but gentle at the same time, followed the curve of her arms before wrapping around to cup her breasts. She arched her back, dropping her head backwards onto his shoulder.

"Jesse..."

"Alana..."

Alana gasped and sat up in bed. The dream had felt so real... Her eyes burned with tears. God, she missed him so much. Jesse, her husband, her man in uniform...

"I'm home."

Her eyes widened, not willing to believe what she'd heard. He wasn't supposed to be home yet, not for another month. She could feel her body shaking, wanting to turn around and see him, but terrified that if she did turn, he wouldn't be there. She was dreaming, she had to be dreaming, it wasn't really him.

Rough hands engulfed her shoulders, pressuring her to turn towards him. She wouldn't turn, instead her hands flew to cover his. Tears dripped down her cheeks from eyes that couldn't close, just stared straight ahead at the wall. Jesse pulled her back against his chest, kissing the top of her head, and Alana broke. Her whole body shook with sobs and his powerful arms wrapped around her small frame, pulling her back down to the bed next to him.

"Oh God... Jesse..."

"Shh..."

Their lips met in a passionate kiss that took her breath away. It had been so long since she'd felt his touch. Eight months he'd been away, but it seemed longer. Like an eternity. When they parted, she was left gasping for breath, staring up into his eyes with all the love and lust she had wanted to share with him since he'd left. They hadn't been together since their wedding night.

He crawled down the bed so that his head was by her thighs, near the hem of her nightgown. As his hands pushed the silky fabric up her body, he left a trail of soft, lingering kisses all over her bronzed skin. Her hands went to the top of his head, feeling the roughness of his shaved scalp. The stubble on his face gave her chills as it rubbed across her skin as his lips lingered on her breasts. Her back arched up as his mouth locked around her nipple, flicking his tongue across it softly. Alana moaned quietly and he pulled back, turning his attention to her other breast and running his hand up between her thighs.

One finger slipped inside her, stroking her gently while his thumb pressed lightly against her clit. She rolled her hips against his hand, moaning as he touched her most sensitive areas. He hadn't lost his touch, even in all the time that he'd been gone. His hand slipped away and moved to grab her hip, the other hand freeing his manhood from his uniform pants. Their lips locked again as he slid in to her and she sighed against his mouth. God, he was so big... She'd forgotten how much she loved it when he took her.

Their pace was slow, like it had been that night eight months ago. They were truly making love, connecting with every thrust, every impassioned moan and sigh. They came together, bodies locked in the intensity of orgasm.

He rolled away from her, turning her away and curling her up against him.

"I love you, Alana."

"I love you too, Jesse."

She fell asleep in his arms, feeling safe and loved and protected. It was finally over, he was home...

---

Alana woke with a start, sitting straight up in bed. Light streamed in from the window above her bed, cris-crossing the bed with shadows and drawing attention to the fact that she was alone. Where was Jesse?

She searched the house, hoping he was unpacking or something, but found no signs that he had even been there. She checked the garage too, but his car was still there, exactly as she parked it when she'd come back from the airport the day he left. Alana collapsed onto the couch in their front room, her head in her hands. What was going on?

The doorbell rang and she stood up to get it, looking through the peep-hole as she started to unlock the door. Her hand slipped away, suddenly not strong enough to complete the action. Two men stood on her front porch in full dress uniform. One carried a large envelope.

"No..."

Her voice was barely audible. Alana collapsed, leaning against the door. It wasn't possible... Her whole body shook with sobs. She just kept repeating it.

"No..."

One of the men knocked on the door, calling through it as he did.

"Mrs. Scott?"

She couldn't make herself stand up to answer the door. He knocked again.

"Mrs. Scott?"

"Jesse..."

She moaned his name, thinking of the previous night. Had it all been a dream? It had felt so real...