Without You I Have Nothing (41 page)

_{Strangely enough, it
was Jennifer who had to drain her glass at the next three spins of the duck’s
head, and it was Peter who took only little sips.}

_{The laughter in the
household was raucous as the game continued. Loudly they urged each other to be
the next to drain their glass.}

_{The game continued
until Elizabeth called an end to the banquet. Tipsy and giggling, she stood and
pulled Peter to his feet. “I’m so glad Jennifer brought you home. I haven’t
enjoyed a day so much for...”  She clutched the table and sank back to her
seat.}

_{Peter resumed command.
“Goodnight everyone. You, Andrew, help me clean up. You others go as I believe
there is church in the morning, so go.”}

_{Fuzzy headed and
blinking in the morning glare, one by one the family gathered in the kitchen.}

_{Elizabeth had laid
out a late, light breakfast and fussed over her brood, which now included
Peter, checking they all looked respectable as they climbed into the car.}

_{“Church is not all
that far away,” she told him, but Peter didn’t hear. He was too busy holding
Jennifer’s hand and drowning in the depths of her eyes.}

_{For once, Andrew was
silent, possibly, because that damned duck’s head had pointed to him so often
that he ended up drinking most of the beer on the table.}

_{The church, as
Elizabeth called it, was no ordinary country church but a gothic cathedral endowed
with a massive pipe organ, wonderful stained glass windows, magnificent
hand-hewn sand-stone walls and a history going back to the gold rushes.}

_{Peter’s appearance
beside Jennifer caused a stir in the congregation and proudly he held himself
tall as he took her arm to walk beside her down the aisle. Lustily he sang the
hymns and knelt in prayer beside his love.}

_{Together they took
communion and, as he walked back down the aisle to their pew, he fervently
prayed that Jennifer would one day be dressed in a white bridal gown walking
beside him as his wife.}

_{Eric introduced Peter
to the Bishop who was most gracious and friendly in his welcome.}

_{However, the Bishop
couldn’t refrain from teasing Jennifer about her man. “I’m surprised Jennifer. I
heard you had captured a wild Irishman. Glad he knows how to pray.”}

_{Smiling broadly, he
turned to speak to the next parishioner.}

_{Immediately after
breakfast the next day, Jennifer handed Peter a picnic basket.}

_{“We’re off down to
the creek for a picnic.”  Her eyes twinkled as she walked off carrying cushions
and a rug. “It’s been years since I’ve been down to the creek. Not since Andrew
and I were children.”}

_{Past the shearing
shed, the shearers’ quarters and the sheep yard she led the way with Peter
dawdling behind, across the wheat stubble towards the distant line of weeping
willows, she-oaks and peppercorns.}

_{Firmly fixed on her
hips swaying so enticingly under the flared skirt, Peter’s eyes did not waver.}

_{As he caught up to
her she linked an arm through his.}

_{“We used to hide down
here whenever we’d been naughty,” she smiled up at him. “It’s still the same,
after all these years.”}

_{He didn’t fail to
notice the buttons on her blouse, undone just enough to reveal the white tops
of her silken breasts.}

_{As if unaware of his
glance, Jennifer seemed captivated by the setting. She let the cushions and rug
tumble to the ground. Freed of the bulky bundle, she threw her arms out and
twirled around, her head back and her hair hanging free.}

_{“This is it!”  She
cried excitedly, slowing down a little. “Spread the rug out here.”  She laughed
as she came to a standstill, pointing to an area under the largest willow.}

_{Not daring to break
into her mood, Peter watched her investigate the clearing.}

_{“It’s just as I
remember it,” she repeated as she examined each section. Shyly, she suddenly
dropped her voice almost to a whisper, “Now you’re here, it’s just like I had
imagined when a little girl.”}

_{They talked - well -
Jennifer talked, while Peter was her captive audience.}

_{Filtering through the
trees, the sunlight gave their world a strange mellow light, and the
bottlebrushes separating them from the outside world added an insulating
barrier against the heat. The babble of the creek and the twittering of birds
was the melody to which Jennifer reminisced.}

_{Heads cocked to one
side, four magpies strutted towards them as if to enquire why they were there. Satisfied
that the humans meant them no harm, they threw their heads back and caroled
their welcome to the two visitors.}

_{At last, lunch eaten,
the lovers grew silent. Quietly they lay in each other’s arms, enjoying the
peace in their souls.}

_{Peter knew the time
had arrived and didn’t shrink for fear of refusal.}

_{“Jennifer, there is
something, I must ask you. Every time I’ve tried...”}

_{Jennifer put two
fingers to Peter’s lips and smiled with a knowing, amused look in her eyes. ‘“I
won’t stop you this time,” she whispered softly.}

_{For min  utes,
silently, not daring to breathe, they stared into each other’s eyes until Peter
stood, lifting Jennifer to her feet. Holding her hands, he dropped to his knees
and looked up at her face.}

_{The world seemed to
become quiet and still, as if holding its breath in anticipation, even the
birds were silent.}

_{Peter broke the
silence. “Jennifer, I love you with all my heart, all my soul and all my body. Will
you marry me?”}

_{Peter had never
before seen such a look of love cross her face as he saw at that instant. Her
eyes were two soft wells of green warmth, her face softened and her head
dropped towards him as she whispered her reply, “Darling Peter, yes.”}

_{Peter was sure the
family must have heard his whoop of joy as he leapt up and lifted her off her
feet.}

_{“Thank God, thank you
God!”  His cry to the heavens came from his heart. They kissed with a passion
that made both of them pant their need.}

_{Not daring to
progress too quickly, he gently lowered her to the rug and placed pillows under
her head. He lay beside her, gently allowing his tongue to flick sensuously
across her lips. Softly he nipped her bottom lip, dragging it between his
teeth.}

_{Jennifer’s response
surprised him. Previously she had been reticent, not allowing her full feelings
to flow into her kiss. He had expected reservation - a shy holding back, even a
deliberate withdrawal - but instead she opened her mouth and entwined her
tongue with his, greedily sucking it into her mouth. Their embrace became more
passionate than ever as she threw one leg across Peter, pulling him closer to
her body as if unwilling to release him.}

_{He felt the meaning
in her embrace, her arms, thrown around his neck, and her leg-tightening
telling him, “I am yours forever.”}

_{As they embraced
ardently, Peter stared into her eyes gratefully accepting her body’s message.}

_{Taking his face
between her hands, she pulled him even closer to her. Their lips met once more,
brushing softly against each other. Then her hands went behind his head and
pulled him into a more intense kiss. Her mouth opened and her tongue parted his
lips.}

_{Unaccustomed to a
Jennifer who was so demanding in her passion, Peter was unsure what to do with
his hands. Smiling, he lost his insecurity and wrapped one arm around her back,
stroking her gently as he put the other hand on her thigh to pull her hard
against him. He pressed his body into her, wanting to feel her soft breasts against
his chest.}

_{“Oh my God!” murmured
Jennifer as she explored Peter’s mouth with her tongue. She began caressing his
neck, then down his shoulder and upper arm with her soft fingers.}

_{Responding to the
pressure of his hard arousal against her body, Jennifer wanted Peter as never
before and she couldn’t get enough of him. Slowly, she shifted her hand to
Peter’s, removing it from her thigh. Gently, she lifted it up to her breasts,
pressing that hand hard against her.}

_{She pulled out of the
kiss and closed her eyes, savoring the moment. She noticed that her fast
breathing had turned to panting as she arched her back and thrust her breast
again into Peter’s palm.}

_{His hand just curved
to hold that one breast gently.}

_{Tenderly he
whispered, “The other one is getting jealous,” as he moved to clasp the other
breast. He made no effort to tweak her rock hard nipples, being content to just
hold them and worship the feel of her softness - even through her blouse.}

_{Completely relaxed,
Jennifer felt her leg and hands drop away as she offered her whole body for
further exploration.}

_{Peter moved closer. He
began to kiss her again, slowly and delicately, their lips together, slightly
parted.}

_{As they kissed, more
slowly than before, Jennifer felt the warmth between her legs beginning to
build until she felt as though she were on fire. She felt her toes curling
slightly as if they were somehow involved. Her knees seemed to weaken a little
as her relaxed legs fell wide apart and he held her body more tightly.}

_{Their passion grew
even more fervent and their feelings intensified.}

_{Jennifer was losing
her inhibitions and fear.}

_{The background sounds
of the magpies and crows disappeared. She could only hear his breath and the
soft moans escaping from their ensnared mouths. All too soon, the light in the
clearing dimmed and she could only see his eyes, sometimes closed, sometimes
captured by her, as they became part of the kiss as well.}

_{Jennifer became one
with him and her body melted into his. She began to feel her body blossoming as
even more of her honeyed essence flowed freely. She felt herself growing first
warm and then wet between her legs and she could feel him move on top of her,
his hardness pressing against her stomach. Rejoicing at the feeling, she
demanded more.}

_{As he kissed her
throat, his lips followed the pathway where his fingers quietly undid the
buttons on her blouse. Slowly he slid down her body until his head was on her
breasts. Once there, he slid her blouse off her shoulders to reveal the lacy
bra holding her succulent sweetness. Moving his lips to first one breast then
the other, he worshipped her softness as he kissed the skin that lay open to
him. Sucking her nipples into his mouth through her bra, Peter rejoiced in the
knowledge that he was making her essence flow even more readily.}

_{Jennifer’s eyes
flicked open and she stared at him as he moved to kneel at her feet. His hands
began a painstakingly upwards climb from her ankles, savoring each inch of her
satin-smooth legs until he flicked her skirt above her waist.}

_{She knew the time had
come and she was ready for him. She was ready to complete the act of love with
the man who had become her life’s commitment.}

_{“Oh God, oooh!”  The
involuntary sounds broke from her without restraint, even as she stopped
thinking, giving herself over to the pleasure that had taken possession of her
body and mind. She knew that the sounds of moaning were coming from her own
lips but was unable to be quiet. It was as if her moans were goading Peter
onwards.}

_{He stared at the
vision revealed - murmuring in admiration of her beauty. “You’re so exquisite,
so lovely.”}

_{Realizing he had
almost lost control, Peter stopped suddenly, panting hard as he asked the
question he knew he must, his eyes pleading as he sought an honest reply.}

_{“Jennifer, you’ve
told me you want to wait for the wedding night. Do you want me to continue now
or will I bring you back to reality so that you’ll have no regrets later?”}

_{It took some time for
Jennifer to realize what he had asked and even longer to force herself to answer.}

_{Peter had to strain
to hear her words.}

_{“Peter I want you and
need you so much at this moment that I don’t want you to stop but,” she paused,
struggling with her emotions, “I have to be honest and say I want to wait until
our wedding night. Can you wait too?”}

_{Agonizing over her
answer, she continued with a smile, “But if this is what I have to look forward
to on our wedding night then I want the wedding to come quickly.”}

_{Peter fell back on
the rug, his arms wide. He was gasping, trying to regain his composure and to
appear normal once more. The hard shape of his erection was blatantly obvious
in this position. He drew in a sharp breath and sat up.}