“Worth It”

Part 2

A short story based on the WB Series, “Tarzan”

By Deb Duncan

Disclaimer: Don’t own any of it…not the characters or the series in any form. I am making no profit off of this. I’m writing it purely for my own enjoyment, and hopefully for the enjoyment of some of the fellow Tarzan fans.

Distribution: If you want it, you can have it… just give me credit and tell me where it is going.

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Jane’s breathing slowed down and got deeper; the combination of the wine, the walking tour, the passionate kissing, and several stressful weeks had finally taken its toll on her. As John sat and held her, his mind worked rapidly, trying to think of other ways he could get Jane to be his. She was so very beautiful, lying in his arms sleeping. Even though he knew Jane was right, he didn’t have to like it - this waiting. If he’d been back in the jungle with Jane, she’d be his by now. Of course, this strange world of buildings, streets, cars and guns, and so many different people, was so confusing and had so many stupid rules. John sighed. Rules; how he hated them. But Jane had grown up with them, so it was hard for her to give them up, even though she broke them sometimes.

A thought suddenly occurred to John – Jane had acted a little strangely all night, ever since supper – and her eyes had looked a little funny. What had happened to make her act differently? She was very much more relaxed tonight than previous times they’d been this close. Just look at when they had been in the country. He had wanted to kiss her then, too, and they’d been just as close, but she hadn’t let him kiss her. What was different? They’d eaten then, they’d been close and alone then, he’d wanted her just as much then as now. John thought about it for a little while and then suddenly realized something that had been different – the wine. He remembered now why he didn’t like to drink too much of it – it made him feel funny, kind of weak and sleepy. Did wine make Jane weak, too, and more relaxed? Yes, her eyes had looked kind of strange, like she was having trouble focusing. And she had tasted like the wine. He would have to remember about wine.

The thought of her taste, her mouth, and their shared deep kisses brought a quiet groan from him. He nuzzled Jane’s ear and kissed her lightly on her temple. Jane murmured a little and moved slightly closer to his warmth. The movement caused him to be even more uncomfortable with his need for her and he decided he must change positions. Flexing his legs and carefully standing up, he gently lifted Jane in his arms. Jane mumbled something incoherent and adjusted herself to the new position, one arm creeping around his side and her head resting on his bare chest. She sighed and continued to sleep.

John walked to the greenhouse doors and opened one with his foot. Going through them carefully, he quietly padded to his parents’ old bedroom, which was now his. Jane would sleep more comfortably on a bed. Entering the room, he carefully laid Jane down on the bed and covered her with a blanket from the end of the bed. Crouching down next to her, he gazed at her and wondered what it would be like to sleep with her in his arms every night. Moving some hair that had fallen across her face, he lightly stroked her silky red hair and down her face and watched her sleep. After a few minutes, he walked around to the other side of the bed and slid into place behind her, spooning her body with his under the blanket. Putting his arm over her slender waist, he pulled her pliant body into his. Burying his face into her hair, he breathed her scent deeply. It was sweet torture, but oh so necessary. This was right, this is how it should be, he thought, and decided he had to seriously think of what else he’d have to do to make Jane his, because he wanted to do this forever.

Trying to control his body’s response to this new position, John thought about little things his aunt had mentioned he would have to do in order to make Jane his. What had she called it? Oh yes, courting. Taking Jane to dinner, dancing, movies, and fun places and bringing her flowers and little gifts. His brow wrinkled slightly as he thought about how cold out it was now. He’d have to wear shoes. How he hated them! But it would be too cold outside to do this courting without shoes and a coat. And he wanted Jane, so he would have to wear them.

What else did Kathleen mention? Oh yes, money. What was money? She said he’d have to have money to take Jane to do these things. She also said money was no problem, whatever that meant. He’d ask Kathleen to explain it more tomorrow. What else? Oh yes, reading. He needed to learn how to read again. He vaguely remembered A, B, C and books, but had barely started learning to read before the plane crash. How hard could it be, if he had started knowing it when he was so little? He would ask Kathleen to show him this reading tomorrow as well. And driving! He was looking forward to learning how to drive. Jane said she would teach him, so that meant she would. It had seemed easy until the car had gone in the grass. If other people could do it, he could.

John sighed and breathed in Jane’s delicate scent again. Life in the jungle was so much simpler: hunt for food, eat, and sleep, with occasional brief fun times when he taunted Sheeta or Numa, or watched the black men while they danced around their fires. He missed the jungle life, and its warmth and simplicity, but since Jane was here, this is where he wanted to be. It had been so very lonely there, and now that he had met Jane, he knew what he had been missing. Slipping his hands under her sweater so he could touch her skin, he curled around Jane, breathed in her scent, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Jane awoke to the feel of very warm hands running softly up and down her left leg, one going up and the other going down. Suddenly the hands stopped at her knee. She could feel her pantyhose being gently pulled away from her leg near her knee and then the material was released. This process was repeated further up her leg, near her skirt. A pause, and then the hands started their caresses again; warm, inquisitive hands gently running up under her skirt, pushing it up towards her hip. John had been very surprised to feel cloth on Jane’s legs this morning when he woke up next to Jane and couldn’t resist exploring the body he desired. He could see her skin through it, but it was cloth and not Jane’s warm skin, as he had originally expected.

As the questing hands got higher up on her hip, Jane’s breathing got a little irregular. Hearing her altered breathing, John’s hands stilled, resting on her upper thigh, and after a short time Jane’s regular breathing resumed. John didn’t want to wake Jane up yet; he wanted to finish exploring first. Who knew whether Jane would leave right away or not? He doubted she’d let him explore when she was awake. He had been very surprised and happy to wake up and find Jane still next to him. Finding cloth on her leg instead of bare skin had disappointed him a little, but then his curiosity took over and he decided to see how far up this material went. He had just uncovered red cloth underneath the clear cloth on Jane’s hip when her breathing became irregular.

Hmmm, her underwear – was that the right word? – wasn’t white like the ones he was supposed to wear. This was exciting! John lifted the bottom of her black skirt a little and found a very silky-feeling black garment underneath the black skirt Jane was wearing. Women’s clothes were so fascinating. He wondered what he would find if he moved her sweater up a little; would he find another black silky garment under there, too, or something else? He hadn’t felt anything around her waist, but maybe he’d have to go higher. Besides, he wanted to see what those intriguing mounds on her chest looked like. Thinking about touching them made his stomach clench and his blood burn. Carefully moving his hands up to her waist, John gently lifted the bottom of Jane’s sweater. Not seeing any black silk next to the sweater, he started pushing the sweater up higher.

Jane didn’t know if she could pretend to be asleep any longer with John’s warm hands playing so seductively across her body. His touch sent little tendrils of desire cascading through her traitorous body and she vaguely wondered how far he would go, even as she was reveling in the feelings he awoke in her.

Her skin was so warm, so soft, so beautiful that John didn’t pay attention to Jane’s rapidly changing breathing until it was too late. An involuntary moan escaped her throat as his searching hands quietly explored her ribcage just below her bra. He had just glimpsed more red cloth near his hands when she moaned. He froze, his senses finally telling him of the change in her breathing. He wondered if she was actually waking up or whether her body was just reacting to his touch. He listened intently to her breathing and decided that she was waking. And just when it was getting interesting! He growled softly in his throat and slowly withdrew his hands from under her sweater, carefully pulling it down to where it was supposed to lay.

Crouching on the bed next to Jane, watching her wake up, John patiently waited for her to open her eyes. Jane, realizing that he knew she was waking up, decided she had better open her eyes. His erotic touch had turned her into a mushy puddle already; no telling what else would happen if she didn’t confirm she was awake. Slowly opening her eyes, she focused on the wall across from her, realizing that she was on a bed. Wait a minute; where was she? Last thing she remembered was leaning back against John in the atrium!

Slowly moving her head and turning onto her back, she stretched slightly and turned farther over, and then woke completely up as she saw John crouched next to her on the bed, gazing intently at her, eyes gleaming with desire. Her eyes opened wider and her heart started beating harder. God, he was so tempting. Chest bare, hair tousled, eyes still a little sleepy-looking, she could only stare at him like a giddy teenager in the throes of her first crush. Heat and desire curled through her body. ‘Down girl,’ she thought.

“Jane.” He quietly spoke her name, a hint of longing in his voice.

“John. Where am I?” She couldn’t think of anything else to say and was barely controlling her traitorous body. She wanted to just roll over to him and devour those full, sensual lips until she could no longer think straight.

“In my bed.” His answer, so straightforward and simple, pierced her heart and it started racing even faster.

“Your bed? I thought you slept in the atrium?” Jane knew she sounded kind of stupid, but really, how was she supposed to think clearly with the man so close to her?

“I do most of the time. But you don’t sleep in the trees, so I brought you here to my room when you fell asleep last night.” He lightly stroked her arm, noting the goose bumps rising on it.

Jane tore her eyes away from his intense blue gaze and quickly scanned the room. Yes, she remembered seeing it briefly last night. ‘Oh yes,’ she thought, ‘this was the room he mentioned that had a bathroom he used to take warm showers in…’ The thought of him in a shower brought a remembered picture to Jane’s mind of his naked, sculpted backside all wet and glistening… Jane closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. She had to stop thinking like this or she’d never get out of this bed.

John, noticing Jane’s attempt to control her emotions, smiled slightly and wondered if he could persuade her to stay with him this morning. He remembered the heated kisses of last night and his stomach clenched with a sudden intense need. Bending over her face, he lightly kissed her lips.

Startled, Jane’s eyes flew open. Desperately wanting to take the kiss deeper, but terribly embarrassed because her mouth tasted like sour wine, Jane kept her mouth tightly shut, kissed him gently back and then pushed away from him. John looked at her carefully, wanting to pull her to him and kiss her senseless, but realized she wasn’t going to cooperate.

“Um, John?” she said. “You don’t happen to have any mouthwash, do you? My mouth tastes like sour wine and I’d really like to gargle.”

“What’s mouthwash?” he asked, curiously.

‘Oh, great,’ she thought. How to explain this? “Um, it’s a liquid you rinse your mouth with in the mornings when your mouth tastes bad from something you ate or drank the night before. It kills germs and makes your mouth taste better.” Sighing, she added, “I take it that you don’t use it.”

Shaking his head, John said, “No, but Kathleen probably has some in her bathroom, if most people use it. Should we go look?” Thinking maybe that he’d be able to persuade her to stay longer if he could fulfill her wish, he wanted to be helpful. He wanted to kiss her again.

“Okay.” Jane slowly got up off the bed on the opposite side of John, wanting to keep her distance. Her body wasn’t completely obeying her mind right now and the less temptation, the better. John came and took her hand.

“This way,” he said, and led her back out into the hallway. Walking through a set of doors at the end of the hallway, he led her into Kathleen’s wing of the house. Smelling the air, he decided Kathleen wasn’t there. Reaching her bedroom, he noticed the bedroom door was open, which it wouldn’t be if she was asleep in there.

“John, hadn’t we better knock?” Jane asked, pulling back a little, worried what Kathleen would say.

“Kathleen’s not in here,” John replied. “Her door would be shut if she was in here.”

“Oh, okay, if you’re sure.” Jane reluctantly followed him into the room.

“The bathroom is over there,” John said and pointed across the room.

“Okay. Please stay here and give me some privacy, okay John?” Jane didn’t know exactly how to tell him her bladder would burst if she didn’t relieve it soon.

“All right. I’ll wait in the hall,” he added and left the room.

Jane shut the bathroom door, used the toilet, and looked around the room curiously while washing her hands. After drying them, she looked in the cupboard next to the sink, and sure enough, there was some mouthwash. Since the glass in the room was probably Kathleen’s, Jane poured some mouthwash in the cap, then poured it into her mouth and rinsed the cap while swishing her mouth thoroughly. Jane turned on the water and cupped her hands to catch water to drink. Making sure she rinsed the sink thoroughly and dried her face on the towel, she felt much more ready to tackle the very sexy man waiting for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With a mint-fresh mouth, Jane quietly exited Kathleen’s bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Since John was still out in the hall, Jane took a moment to look curiously around Kathleen’s room again. It was gorgeous, but yet practical; bold colors mixed with elegant fabrics and classic furnishings to make a unique room. Kind of like the woman whose room it was, she decided. Going to the open bedroom door, Jane looked out for John and saw him crouched against the wall a few feet from the open doorway, waiting patiently. She smiled at him and took a couple of steps towards him; he stood up and smiled back. Devastating. That was the only word to fit that smile of his, especially when he was so very happy.

John quickly glided over to Jane’s side and surprised her by leaning in and kissing her. Tasting her mouth rather slowly and thoroughly, he decided the taste of the mouthwash was all right, but he much preferred Jane’s natural taste to it. Jane, flattened against the wall with her eyes closed, lightly panting, trying hard to remain standing when he finally released her, decided she must be insane. One good morning kiss and she was ready to jump on him and drag him into his aunt’s bedroom and make wild, passionate love to him. It was sweet torture being the experienced woman with a gorgeous, eager young male who wanted you. Your body just wanted your morals to take a flying leap and disappear forever.

Slowly opening her eyes, Jane stared into John’s amused ones. “Good morning, Jane,” he quietly said. “Kathleen always tells me good morning and kisses my cheek when she’s here, but I decided I liked kissing you better this way.” Guileless and unembarrassed, he just ran his fingers through her long hair and stared deeply into her eyes, wondering if he could sneak another kiss in quickly before she recovered.

Feeling very hot, very weak and her willpower quickly weakening, Jane managed to answer him back, although her greeting was a little shakier. “’Morning, John. Hmmm, yes, I think I like your way of kissing better, too. But…” she put her hand up in front of her in a stop motion as John grinned and started to move towards her. “But, I think that’s all I can handle for the moment, John.” She smiled as she said this, lessening the bad news, and then stroked him back, running her fingers lightly down the side of his face and through his hair. She knew touch was very important to John, and it was becoming very necessary to her, also.

John, quivering slightly from her touch, desperately wanted to take Jane in his arms and kiss her forever. Steeling himself instead, he backed just a little ways away from Jane, giving her some room and hopefully helping her relax a little. She was much more agreeable when she was relaxed, he decided, and if he was going to steal another kiss, he needed her agreeable. “Are you hungry?” he asked, breaking the tension between them.

Jane, relaxing a little and realizing he wasn’t going to pounce on her, smiled at him and said, “Yes, but maybe I should get going home, before Nikki gets there…” Jane really didn’t want to leave yet, but maybe it would be less tempting if she did.

John spoke quickly and entreatingly, before Jane could say more. “Oh, but Nikki won’t be home yet. She won’t be awake yet if she stayed up late.” Racking his brain for something else, he added, “It’s early yet. Come.” And he took Jane’s hand and led her quickly back towards the atrium. Puzzled, but not really wanting to leave yet, Jane followed behind, wondering why they were heading to the greenhouse.

When John pulled her eagerly into his little waterfall area, Jane saw he had spread a blanket and a couple of pillows on the ground, with a big bouquet of flowers in the middle of the blanket. Letting go of her hand, he picked up the bouquet and gave it to Jane. “Here, these are for you. They smell good, like you do,” he added, smiling. He’d been a busy guy while Jane was using the bathroom. “Sit. I’ll get us some breakfast,” and he smiled at her again and rushed out of the atrium.

Flustered, but touched deeply, Jane slowly sank down onto the soft blanket next to the bench and buried her face in the bouquet of flowers. ‘How sweet,’ she thought, and started tearing up a little at his thoughtfulness. ‘God, when was the last time she’d gotten flowers?’ she wondered. Michael wasn’t much on flowers, as most men weren’t, and he had rarely gotten them for her. Maybe once or twice when they were first dating, she thought, but that was it. Looking around at the peaceful setting, Jane relaxed more and leaned back against the bench, waiting for the man she loved to bring her food. Laughing slightly to herself, she imagined sitting in a jungle clearing waiting for her jungle lover to come back from the morning hunt. Smiling at her funny thoughts, she sighed and decided she deserved a short break and a lovely breakfast with a charming and virile man.

John, meanwhile, was down foraging in the refrigerator. He’d been thinking about what to have for breakfast while making up his picnic spot in the atrium, and decided that fruit would be best, and maybe some bread and such. Mary, the Asian maid, came into the kitchen and watched him for a moment. Smiling to herself and knowing that Mr. John had his lovely lady friend upstairs waiting for him, she quickly got out a tray, two glasses and dishes, some butter and jam, knives and spoons and a couple of napkins. Turning his head at her entrance, John just smiled at Mary as he went back to his task. “Mr. John,” Mary softly said, “let me help you.” She liked him a lot now, captured by his truly gentle heart and child-like innocence, as were most of the staff.

“What do you think Jane would like besides this fruit?” John asked her, knowing she had a kind and good heart. “Some bread? Some juice?”

“Oh yes, that would be very good. There is some coffee cake in the breadbox; let me get it out for you and slice it.” Then she added, “There’s some lovely seven-grain bread, too, which she might like, also, with butter and jam.” Miss Jane was a lovely lady and Mary had decided that she was good for Mr. John, so she’d help the budding romance any way she could, especially since it had Ms. Clayton’s approval.

John, nodding absently, thought that would be enough. He didn’t want to be gone too long or Jane might get restless. Watching Mary spoon out the fruit and slice the cake and place the bread and spreads on the tray, John could hardly wait until she finished. He carefully poured two glasses of juice and added them to the tray. “There,” Mary said, “that should be just right.” John smiled and quietly said thank you to Mary, and quickly left with the tray.

Walking as quickly and carefully as he could, John made it up the stairs in record time, not wanting to be gone too long. As he came through the atrium doors, he saw Jane leaning back against the bench, a dreamy smile on her beautiful face as she smelled her flowers. John smiled, too, glad she liked his gift. This courting was going to be fun, he decided.

Noticing John just as he neared the blanket, Jane shook her head lightly and smiled up at her jungle man. She had half-expected him to come back with a bunch of bananas and a couple of mangoes, which she decided would have been just fine with her. Her eyes widened at the amount of food on the tray John was carrying and how nicely put together it looked. “Goodness, John, you are learning very quickly, aren’t you?” She was a little shocked to think he knew how to do something like this.

“Mary helped me some,” John replied, smiling at her wide eyes. “But I knew what I wanted. She just made it better.” He carefully set the tray down on the bench, using it as kind of a serving table. Jane thought that was very smart of him because then nothing would get knocked over on the blanket. John just didn’t want anything between Jane and him. He remembered how Jane had looked the night before, eating the fruit with her fingers, and he couldn’t wait to try and feed her some and see if it felt as sensual as it looked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Handing Jane a glass of juice, John asked Jane if the breakfast looked okay to her. Jane smiled widely at him and said, “Of course. Most mornings all I have time for is a smoothie or a cup of coffee. This looks wonderful!” She picked up a napkin and placed it on her lap. Then she picked up a piece of bread and spread it with butter and jam. John, watching her closely, smiled and did the same.

“I’m starving!” Jane said and took a big bite of the bread. “Mmmm, mmmm,” she murmured and closed her eyes, thoroughly enjoying the delicious bread and jam. John’s eyes sparkled as he enjoyed watching Jane eat. His piece of bread quickly disappeared, followed by another piece as Jane finished hers.

Picking up a bowl of fruit, John started eating it, deliberately using his fingers. Jane, staring a little at John eating his fruit with his fingers, watching him suck the fruit juices first and then chew it up, suddenly felt very warm. Her eyes glazed slightly as her mind thought how sensuous fruit could be, handled by the right hands. Strong, long fingers, a smiling mouth, full lips…

“It tastes good; do you want some? John suddenly asked her.

Startled out of her musings, Jane jumped slightly and stared at him. “What?” she asked breathlessly.

“The fruit – it tastes good. Here’s your bowl.” John handed her the other bowl.

Jane shook her head slightly and took the bowl of fruit, deciding she had to try some for herself. John, who had noticed Jane’s slightly bemused expression, was starting to feel a little anxious himself as he watched Jane ignore her spoon and pick up the fresh fruit and suck on each piece a little before eating them.

As she sucked and ate her fruit slowly, Jane stared at John’s mouth and thought how wonderful it would be to taste his lips again…and John was thinking the exact same thing. John set his almost empty bowl down on the tray, taking a single piece of fruit in his fingers. Moving closer to Jane, continuing to watch her, he slowly put the piece of fruit up to her lips. “Here,” he murmured.

Startled a little, because she had been watching his mouth and not his hands and hadn’t noticed how close he’d gotten, Jane slowly opened her mouth and took the entire piece of fruit and the ends of John’s fingers into her mouth. Feeling her moist mouth around his fingers, John froze. The feel of John’s fingers in her mouth was so erotic that Jane couldn’t even chew; she could only stare into those blue, penetrating eyes. She saw John’s eyes change, gleaming with a sudden urgent need, and the look brought a response deep inside her belly. Slightly mesmerized by those needful eyes, she slowly sucked the piece of fruit and his fingers while her own hand brought a piece of fruit from her bowl up to John’s lips. He captured the fruit and her fingers gently with his mouth, sucking the fruit in and then gently sucking and licking her fingers in return.

Jane’s eyes widened slightly and her mouth went a little slack at the feeling of John’s lips and warm mouth caressing her fingers. If John hadn’t still been holding the piece of fruit, it would have dropped out of her mouth. Her fingers slowly fell from his mouth, and John slowly withdrew the fruit and his own fingers and grabbed hers carefully, slowly tugging her towards him as he moved closer. Eyes locked with hers, John carefully and slowly brought his mouth to hers, pausing just in front of her, seeming to ask her permission. Aching to taste him, Jane closed the slight distance between their quivering mouths. Her sweet, sticky lips met his warm, sticky ones in a very tender kiss. Sighing with pleasure, slowly moving her head sideways to draw his mouth closer to hers, the kiss deepened. Jane’s bowl fell unnoticed as their hands crept up around each other, his up her back and hers clinging to his shoulders.

Slowly devouring Jane’s mouth, John pulled her against him tightly so they were kneeling and pressed together firmly from knee to head. One hand was behind her back, holding her close, while the other cupped her head from behind. Hers were alternately running back and forth across his shoulders and up and down his back, stroking him, touching him, holding him close. Releasing her mouth finally, John buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent, and laying tender little kisses down her neck and shoulder. Jane could only cling to him with her eyes shut, shuddering with the feelings he was invoking. ‘God,’ she thought, ‘what is this madness that comes over me with him? Michael’s kiss never took me here.’ John’s strong hands fisted in her hair and brought her mouth back to his. He captured her mouth, kissing her hard and deep, and she lost every coherent thought left in her mind. Moaning into his mouth and whimpering at the pleasure she was feeling, Jane met his mouth with equal passion, wanting to draw him into her and keep him there forever…

‘Mine,” was all John could think as he plundered her lips, tasting her, needing to make her his, to show her that she was the only one for him, forever and always. Her little whimpers and moans were arousing him as nothing else could, making him want to steal her will and yet give her everything, all of him, in a single instant. He wanted to protect her and devour her at the same time and all his pent-up feelings just poured from him into her, filling her up with him, only him. And he was, in turn, filled with her – her taste, her smell, her sounds - and the feel of her body, which was fitted so perfectly up against his. His soul knew he had found her - his mate, his reason for existing – and he wanted to show her and take her with him, forever and always, together.

Gently laying Jane down on the blanket, John continued his assault on her body and mind, wanting to taste and touch her everywhere all at once, with his mouth, his hands, his body. Kneeling over her like a great cat over his kill, his warm mouth traveled from her mouth, all over her face, her neck, down her body to her exposed stomach, where his hands had gently pushed up her sweater. His mouth and hands explored her smooth skin, the taste, the feel, the texture, as he pushed her sweater ever higher. Jane moaned and started trying to stop the upwards journey of his ravenous mouth and hands, when suddenly he was back at her mouth, kissing her so deeply she couldn’t think straight. Her hands moved of their own accord, up and over his bare chest, across his muscular shoulders, pulling him down to her, trying to pull him into her very skin. Drugging her with his mouth for several minutes, John finally left her mouth and kissed his way down to the dazzling red bra he had exposed with his clever, roaming hands. Kissing the hollow between her breasts, John gently caressed each breast with both his mouth and hands through the fabric. Jane thought she’d quietly go mad. She knew she should stop him, but just couldn’t get her body to obey her mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Just as John’s hands started to push up the red bra to reveal the treasures beneath, he froze. A sound had finally breached his sexually-drugged mind. “Mr. John, Mr. John,” the sound came again through the foliage. “Where are you?” Mary knew she had to announce herself or Mr. John would scare her without meaning to. He was always dropping out of the trees at the most unexpected moments.

Jane froze also, faintly hearing Mary’s voice, too. John growled low in his throat and moved over Jane protectively. His breathing was ragged, but he tried to slow it down and calm himself. He knew he had to meet Mary away from his little trysting spot, or Jane would be too embarrassed and he’d never get her in here again. “Jane,” he said in a low voice while staring through the foliage. “Stay here. I’ll go see what is wrong.” And looking deeply into her eyes for a moment, he disappeared into the bushes.

Shaking still and shuddering, Jane pulled her sweater back down and then laid one arm up over her eyes and the other protectively over her stomach. Breathing deeply, she tried to control her ragged breathing, knowing what had almost happened, and what would happen if she couldn’t get herself under control before John returned. Too weak and shaky to sit up yet, she simply lay there listening and calming herself. She could hear John talking to Mary in the distance, and she certainly hoped he was still standing in the bushes, because one look at John and Mary would know exactly what had been going on near the waterfall. Men were so obvious sometimes.

Jane could hear Mary’s excitable voice saying something, but not what. The conversation didn’t last too long, however, and before Jane knew it, John was crouching next to her. “Jane, are you all right?” he asked, quietly, stroking his fingers lightly down her arm. Jane lifted her arm from her face and looked at him. His eyes were full of concern and need, and he had one of his hands already tangled in her hair, wanting so much more from her.

“I’m fine, John,” she said, her mind adding, ‘Just shaken to my core.’ “What’s wrong with Mary?” Jane was both relieved and annoyed at the interruption, leaning mostly toward annoyed. She was only human, after all.

“Nothing is wrong. Kathleen called and will be away for the rest of the day, so Mary wanted to know if you were going to stay for lunch.” His eyes, still slightly dazed and needful stared at her, willing her to stay. “Will you?”

“No, John. I just can’t.” Jane decided she’d better sit up or her decision could quickly be changed.

“Why?” John asked his perpetual question in a breathy, strained tone. “We were so close, Jane. I thought that’s what you wanted.” His azure eyes shone with an intenseness that reached right into Jane’s soul. Moving a little closer and lifting a large handful of her hair, he smelled it and then rubbed it against his cheek, reminding her somehow of a cat.

Touched by his obvious need to be closer to her, wanting desperately to do the same with his golden locks but not daring to do so without losing herself completely, Jane finally answered him. “Yes, John, I do want to be closer to you. But John, I am just not ready to be quite that intimate with you yet.” Reaching up and stroking his face, Jane tried to placate him with total honesty. “You touch me, John, deep inside, and I want you. But I’m just not ready, here in my head, to be with you completely.”

“But Jane,” he started to say, when she interrupted him.

“Soon, John. Soon. I’m only human, John, and I still need to figure out a few things about us before we go further.” Seeing his expression, she quickly continued, “I know that’s not fair to you, John, but it’s the way it must be.” Seeing his unhappy expression, she went on more quickly, “Please, John. Please. I can only resist you so much.” Smiling slightly at him, tugging gently on his hair, complete honesty shining from her eyes, her last statement tugged a crooked smile from John. It slowly faded though, as, clearly thinking, he stared at her so very seriously.

“All right, Jane. I’ve waited for you a long time. I will wait longer.” Jane smiled tremulously at him. “But,” he continued, “I need you close to me, Jane. You are a part of me now, one that I can’t do without again.” The intensity in his eyes as he leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips shook Jane to her very soul. If ever there was a look that said, ‘Mine,’ it was that one. She knew he would wait, but she wasn’t sure how easy that waiting period would be – on either of them.

Cupping his face in her hands, she kissed him back tenderly, promising with her mouth what she couldn’t say. “Thank you, John.” They stared at each other for a moment, and Jane could clearly see the primal conflict going on inside John as he fought his instincts to take her and make her his, now, before she could escape. Intelligence finally won out, and he shook himself and looked at her again. “Soon,” she whispered again, stroking his face once more before moving away from him. It was time to leave.

John stood up and held out his hand to Jane, who took it. They walked hand-in-hand downstairs, looking at each other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~