Dry Valley Ch 13

Leaping from the Cliff

It wasn't a long ride out to the rock cliff that Jessica had found inviting. She had remembered the day the photo was taken. They had gone there to enjoy a picnic, a bit of frolicking and eventually the plan had been to make love, but someone had other plans. She giggled, remembering how terrible Bailey felt for showing up at the "wrong" time. She'd come up to spend sometime alone, depressed over her lack of landing a date for the upcoming dance. In the end though Tom had volunteered, granted he'd done it with a lot of bravado and pretended it was a big bother for him, but Tom sure wasn't having problems with Bucktooth Bailey now, was he.

Her giggle brought a rise from Mitch's brow. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"I was just remembering the last time we were up there."

"I don't remember anything funny about that day," he sighed. "Bailey came at the wrong time."

"Aww. You poor baby," she said and leaned up just enough to kiss his neck. "Did you know she's back in town? I can call her up ask her to relieve the memory with us." She pretended to go for her cell phone and Mitch grabbed her arm.

"I don't think so," he told her, tucking her hand on his lap. "Mister O' told me she was back. She'll be over at our place Wednesday night for supper. You're coming too, as is Tom and the O's."

Jessica laughed and left her palm where he had placed it. "That'll be fun. I haven't had a chance to see your mom and dad yet."

"Well, if you'd let me have my way, you could see them every day."

She sighed and moved away from him. "I told you I'm not staying here. All that stuff you said at the house was sweet. I don't expect you to do all that for me. I'm not your wife."

"No, you're not my wife," he answered back, pulling up the rocky path that led to the top of the cliff. One word was left off his sentence . . . yet. He wasn't about to pop the question in the cab of a pick up truck. There was a place and a time for everything and he be damned if Jessica was going to rush him. She'd made him wait years. She could wait a few minutes.

She blew out a puff of air, making her lips wiggle as she did. Jessica said nothing else. He'd not taken the bait and the fact that she was even hoping he would was enough to tell her she was being silly. Just because he wanted her to stay didn't mean he wanted her to STAY. Besides, she told herself, it was better for her to get him out of her system and then go home. After all, she had a great job, her own place and a bit of savings that kept her looking like a million bucks.

When he killed the engine on the truck, she opened the door. He cursed to himself, disappointed that the strong headed female hadn't let him open the door for her. He shrugged his shoulders, refusing to let her know it irked him. Walking around the front of the truck he took her hand and slipped his other into the bed of the truck.

Jessica watched him pull a picnic basket and a blanket out and she chuckled. "Courtesy of your mom or did you fix whatever poison is in there?"

He let go of her hand and swatted her ass. "You ate my muffins didn't you?"

She jumped, rubbed the tender spot and giggled. "Yes. Were those homemade?"

"I made them at home."

Her laughter filled the air and she took the blanket. "Come on Betty Crocker, let's have supper. Though it's a bit early."

They walked together up the remaining few feet that kept the view of his ranch hidden. When they reached the top a small gasp of shock escaped her lips and she scanned the land below her. "Wow," she whispered. "It's beautiful. I mean, it's always been beautiful, but... I guess I've forgotten. Who bought it?"

"I did." He made the proclamation quietly, not letting his pride show through, though inside he was grinning. He knew she'd love it. How could she not? She was Dry Valley. Weren't they all? He set the basket down and took the blanket from her hands. He spread it out on a patch of land that was relatively clean of rocks.

By the time he was done he noticed she hadn't moved from her spot on the cliff. He walked up behind her hand wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder and proceeded to tell her all about his dream. "I plan on starting up my own ranch full of the finest horse flesh available to man. The house is small, but that's all I need right now. Mom and Dad are keeping my stud and when I can I'll move him over here."

He turned her body and his, pointing out where he planned on pasturing the mares and then he showed her where he imagined a great stable as well as other odds and ends that would eventually fill only a small section of the land he purchased.

"It's amazing."

The colors of the land were brilliantly displayed on a canvas of blue and white. Clouds were fluffy and floating in the sky and a soft breeze ran over the untamed wilderness. Mitch took a deep breath. His fingers pressed against her hips and he turned her toward him. "I bought it a long time ago, or so it seems like I did. Everything seems to drag around here."

"Oh? You don't like the Valley? I find that hard to believe."

"Everyday has dragged since the day you left." He saw her teeth come up and saw her face pale slightly. He heard her intake of breath and he witnessed the tears that threatened to spill from her beautiful eyes. His finger came up and ran over her cheek, down her jaw and then across her lips. "Jessica, I know you're leaving in six days. You've been adamant about that and I'll not stop you."

His hand moved from her lips to her neck and he pushed his fingers through her hair. His other hand slid behind her back. "I bought this place with the idea of bringing one woman to it and making her my wife, but I didn't know how I was going to do it. I just felt I had to. Jessica, I'll beg. I'll plead. I'll sell everything I have right now if you ask me to, but I need to know one thing."

She watched him swallow and she felt her lips start to shake. She wanted to tell him no. She wanted to give all the excuses known to man, but she couldn't. She was frozen as she watched him slip his hand into his pocket and slid down her body. "Oh God," she whimpered.

He took her fingers in his hand, held them and kissed each one. "Jessica Scott, I love you and want you to be my wife. I want you to take pictures of this ranch. I want you to take pictures of Dry Valley. I want you to take pictures of our kids. I want you more than anything and I'll give it all up just ask me too. Will you marry me?" He produced the black velvet lined box and opened it for her.

Jessica felt like she was in the middle of a romance novel. The sun was setting. The weather was perfect. The man at her feet, she'd loved since she was a little girl. Everything was perfect and the little girl in her wanted it to remain that way forever. The woman in her wanted it too, and for the first time in a long time she allowed herself to let go of the past and pray for a future that was unknown. "I love you."

She fell to her knees and took his hand. Her fingers wrapped around his and she squeezed them tight. "Mitch, I know I'm stubborn and pigheaded and a bit of a brat, but I love you. I've always loved you. I came back here hoping to sell the place and get out of Dodge. But you were there. Mitch you weren't supposed to be there." Her tears fell and she knew her face was growing red and her nose was getting runny. She didn't care.

He watched her fall apart and he loved every second of it. His heart was pounding in his chest and fifty years from now he'd tell her she'd never looked so beautiful, but for now he only listened and waited.

"I'll marry you. I'll live in on your ranch, take your pictures and have your babies." Her lips found his or his found hers, neither really knows. All they did grasp were each other. His tongue pushed and played as hers darted in and out. Her fingers left his hand and she wrapped her arms around his neck. His ran around her back and hauled her to him. They fell back onto the blanket and rolled until he was on top of her. His hand was wedged underneath her and he jerked it out.

"For diamonds being a girl's best friend, you sure don't seem to care much," he told her. He straddled her hips and sat up. The bulge in his jeans ached to find relief, but he swore she'd have the ring on her finger first. He took the jeweled band out and lifted her left hand. "I love you Jessica Scott and I swear to you that no matter what happens in the future and no matter what happened in the past. . .I will be there to protect you, love you, shelter you, and care for you. You are mine and I am yours." He slid the ring on her finger and then kissed her wrist.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and whispered back, "I just want you."

He closed his eyes and leaned over her. His lips pressed against hers and his tongue merged with the one that had kept him in a drugged state since the first day he'd kissed her at the local fair kissing booth eons ago. Every emotion was in that kiss. It went from slow and teasing to fast and thirsty, then back again. Fingers moved over skin that was quickly exposed to the dying sun. Pulses raced as hands traveled over flesh that seemed to burn and sear the souls of those that were diving into the unknown.

"Jess, oh God Jess. I've wanted you for so long."

Her eyes feasted on him as he rose over her and removed what little clothing he hadn't shed. While he did she untangled herself from the ones he'd pushed up so he could drink in her beauty. When he came back to her, there were no barriers separating them. Flesh met flesh and lips met lips.

"Mitch, I love you so much," she whispered against his shoulder as his mouth captured her ear and tugged gently.

He could feel the heat of her sex blanketing his cock and he desperately wanted to drive into her. There was so many things he wanted to do, knowing he had a lifetime to do them, only added to his frustration. "Jessie, I can't take my time. I'm too weak."

His admission brought a smile to her face. Running her fingers down his spine, she let her nails trail a path of sin over him until they rested on his ass cheeks. "Don't wait," she growled back at him and lifted her hips as she pushed him down toward her slick sex.

He groaned and moved his hand between them. His hips rose up and he grabbed the hard shaft of his sex. "I swear to you, we'll go slow next time."

She smirked. "We'll see," she answered and her grip on his ass increased. She drove him down as she lifted herself upwards.

He followed her movements and his hand was driven away as his cock slammed home. They stilled, each one realizing that they had finally done the one thing that they had never gotten a chance to do. They relished that moment, then each one moved. Both groaned low and both whispered "oh God."

Mitch was the first to come back to reality. His cock demanded him to act on its behalf. He started to roll his hips, encouraging her with words and kisses to mimic his movements. For a moment a stab of jealous washed over him as he thought of her past boyfriends, but those melted away when he saw the last bit of sun hint the ring on her finger. She was his. He pushed deeper into her and told her how wonderful she felt.

"Mitch," she gasped. Her hands moved down his back and then up again. Her mouth moved to his lips, his jaw, his neck. She couldn't find the perfect place to rest, so she covered every inch she could reach.

As he moved in and out of her, he forced his head to move away, leaving her panting for more. Mitch traveled down her neck and toyed with the small dip at the base. One hand moved up her torso, cupped her breast and kneaded it gently. He pushed it against her and then found her nipple with his mouth. He smiled when her back arched and her nails dug into his. With the tip of his tongue he traced the perfectly formed areola and then flicked her hard nipple. "Beautiful Jess," he told her before opening his mouth and grabbing the pearl with his teeth.

"Mitch!" she cried out. Her hands flew to his hair and she pushed him closer to her breast. "Oh God, baby. Harder. Bite me harder."

Inwardly he grinned; outwardly he did as he was commanded and bit her harder. The sound that filled the air told him she liked it and so he continued the assault, treating her other nipple to the same treatment.

Soon there were no more words that were audible coming from Mitch and Jessica, only the sounds of two lovers nearing the edge of a different type of cliff. She screamed out his name, nature the only audience to hear her climax. He groaned as he felt her fluids cover him. He shot deep into her. His eyes were shut, but he opened them just in time to see her face full of moonlight and love.

When she gazed up at him, she blinked several times before she could breathe normally and several more minutes passed before she tried to speak. "Wow."

He chuckled. "Yeah. Wow." He covered her lips and tasted their sweetness. He rolled to his back and watched her settle herself on his semi-hard cock. She rode him until he was grabbing her hips and dropping her up and down on his member. Before either of them realized it was happening, they were both climaxing again. It took another series of minutes before they came back to Earth, this time he refused her to arouse him again.

"In a bed, baby girl. This ground is beautiful, but it's the only thing staying hard if I don't find a bed to drive into you on."

Jessica giggled and slipped off his cock and then looked at the picnic supper. "That was your cooking that was wasted right? Not your mom's?"

He laughed and sat up, tossing her shirt at her. "Get dressed. I've got left over pizza at home."

She smiled and quickly donned her clothes as did Mitch. They made their way to the truck and headed down to the ranch. Both were lost in their own little worlds. Jessica desperately wanted to call Bailey and tell her to keep her ass at home. Mitch wanted to get his girl to the alter in case she had a moment of cold feet and ran off.