Jenny woke slowly, shivering gently in the chill night air. She lifted her head to look into the sleeping face of her lover. Her heart swelled with love for him, as she watched his handsome features relaxed in slumber. Lifting one gentle hand, she traced quivering fingers across his smooth brow, her fingers following the gentle curve of his eyebrow and trailing down to trace his soft lips. Smiling as his lips parted under her fingertips, unconsciously sucking her fingers between his lips, running the tip of his tongue across the pads of her fingers, sending a shiver of desire coursing down her spine.

Shivering as the gentle breeze caressed her naked skin she leaned forward and replaced her fingers with her lips. She ran her tongue over his lips, tracing across his white teeth as his lips parted under her caresses. His tongue joining with hers as he came slowly awake, his hands began to caress her naked body and she lifted her head to speak to him.

"Buck" she murmured "We need to get some clothes on before we freeze" she spoke against his lips, loathe to leave his mouth with her lips but she was beginning to shiver almost uncontrollably.

"I was so afraid that this was all a dream" he spoke against her lips, rolling them both on their sides, his body protecting her a little from the gentle breeze that had sprung up

"I will always be with you darling you don't need to dream any longer" she murmured as she pushed herself to her knees, his mouth going dry as he watched her move lithely away from him to pick up her clothes from where they lay across some small shrubs. She knelt to pick up his trousers and turned back to him where he still lay his head resting on his hand, uncaring of his nudity, a silly grin on his face as he watched her moving around.

"What are you smiling at?" she asked him as she pulled her dress back on, then sat on the ground near him to pull her moccasins on

"I was just thinking that no matter how many dreams I have had of this day, no matter how many ways I dreamt of what we have shared here, never could I have imagined how exquisite you really are, and how deeply you have touched me" he reached one hand up and caught her fingers in his. Pulling them to his mouth he kissed her knuckles tenderly. "I never thought that in my lifetime I could be as happy as I am at this very moment"

He looked deep into her liquid eyes, then he rose to his knees, taking her face between his hands he kissed her gently on her forehead, then teasingly brushed his lips against hers before claiming them in a kiss filled with his love. He stood and quickly pulled his clothes on over chilled skin returning quickly to her side wanting nothing more than to spend time with the woman he loved.

He sat down beside her and drew her into his arms, aware for the first time in his life exactly how empty his arms had been. He couldn't seem to help himself, he had to touch her, to be connected to her, to feel her skin against his in some way. Sensing something was wrong he looped one hand under her chin, and turned her face up to his, alarmed by the tears he saw on her cheeks.

"What is it Jen?' he spoke softly his eyes clouding with confusion "What have I done?"

"Nothing" she sobbed "Everything" she murmured "I don't know" she smiled waterily at him, her confusion plain to him but confusing him as well.

"I can't seem to help it" she looked into his face and saw the confusion there "I never expected this to happen when I rode out here Buck" she spoke " All I know it that I couldn't let you leave. If I let you go, it would be like losing my soul." She murmured "When Lou told me you had gone it was like she had torn out my heart, I couldn't let you go, I realise now that since you rescued me you have been a part of me. I never in my wildest dreams thought that you could love me like I love you."