Chapter 18

Sawyer spun Piper around on the dance floor one more time, then pulled her into his arms and kissed her when the music came to an end. "Was it the wedding you always dreamed about?" he asked, leading her back to their table and helping her into a chair. "It was exactly what I wanted."

"It was perfect," Piper said, beaming at him. "You're perfect; everything is perfect."

He laughed, "I guess that answers my question, which just leaves the honeymoon," he said. "I know we can't take a big trip like most people do, but I planned something very special, Piper."

"I don't need a big fancy trip, Sawyer. As long as I have you, I'll be happy," she said. "But maybe you could give me a clue where we're going, I don't know what to pack."

"Oh, you won't need clothes for what I have planned for us," he said, grinning at her. "But just to be on the safe side, I had Bridget pack you a bag and lay you out an outfit to wear this afternoon."

"So, you won't even give me a hint?" she asked, leaning over and showing him her breasts. "Not even if I tempt you?"

"Tempt me all you want, sweetheart, but I'm not saying a word," he said, enjoying the sight of her plump breasts. "But we should get going, I want to get there before the sun sets."

He was waiting in front of the house with Buttercup and Prince when Piper emerged from the house, her saddlebags thrown over one arm, her bridal bouquet in the other. A cheer went up from the guests, and he handed over the reins, then joined her on the porch, giving her a quick kiss. She gave him a questioning look when she saw the horses, but he just smiled at her and shrugged his shoulders.

After Piper threw her flowers to the crowd of excited young women who lined up, he sent her garter flying through the air, pleased when it landed right on Jayce's shoulder. They made their way down the porch, then, after many hugs and well wishes, swung up into the saddle and rode away from the ranch for two days alone. Piper rode in front of him as they left the ranch, the trail too narrow for them to ride side by side, but that was okay with him. He got to enjoy watching her as she rode, and it wasn't long before his body was throbbing with desire.

When the trail widened, he rode up next to her, "Are you going to tell me where we're going yet?" she asked, looking over at him. "I know these mountains as well as you do, you might as well tell me."

"Not quite as well. There are still a few secrets you don't know," he said. "I'm not going to tell you because it will ruin the surprise when you see it."

They rode in silence for several miles, the beauty of the mountains working its own special magic on them, then he took the lead. "We've only got about a mile to go," he said. "But it gets a little tricky from here."

An hour later, they emerged from a deeply wooded area at the base of a huge cliff, the horses panting with the effort of climbing uphill. "This is it," he said, jumping off Prince. "What do you think?"

Piper looked around, "Umm……it's really nice," she said. "But I'm sorry, I don't get it, it's just a cliff. What makes this one so special?"

He walked over and pulled Piper down off Buttercup, then turned her to face the cliff, "Look a little closer," he said. "Remember, not everything in life is obvious, sometimes there are wonderful things right in plain sight."

She studied the cliff for a second, her eyes roaming over the rocks, then they widened with surprise, "Oh, Sawyer, I see it now," she said, looking up at him. "There's a cave right there, but it's almost impossible to see because of the shadows."

He took her hand, "Come on, let's go inside," he said. "This isn't an ordinary cave, it's very special."

When they walked into the wide entrance, he paused, "The cave is made up of three rooms. I've been using this first one to stable my horse when I spend the night here," he said. "It should be big enough for Buttercup and Prince for a couple of nights."

Piper looked around, then nodded her head, "Okay, nothing amazing so far," she said. "What's in the second room?"

"Living quarters," he said, pulling her through a smaller opening into the second much darker room. "Hold on, let me get a lantern so you can see."

Piper closed her eyes when the bright light cut through the darkness, then opened them slowly and looked around the cave, her mouth hanging open. "Sawyer, what is all this?" she finally asked. "Did you do all this?"

He grinned at her, "Everything but the paintings on the walls, those were done by Native Americans hundreds of years ago," he said, putting his hand on her back and guiding her deeper into the cave. "They must have considered this space sacred, at least that's what I get from the paintings. I've never shared it with anyone, it's always been my special place, but now it's our special place."

"Oh, Sawyer, thank you for sharing this with me," she said, slipping into his arms. "You must have gone to a lot of trouble to bring all this up here by yourself."

"I wanted this to be special," he said. "I wanted us to be comfortable, but there's one more thing I need to show you."

"The third room?" she asked, her face full of anticipation. "Is it better than this?"

"You tell me," he said, pulling her through the cave, past the bedding he'd spread by the fire, around the camp kitchen on the back wall, and through an even smaller opening. When they emerged into the small space, Piper gasped and stared at the steaming water, her eyes transfixed by the glowing walls of the shallow pool.

Piper finally turned and looked up at him, "Sawyer, this is amazing," she said. "I've never seen anything like it. Why does it glow?"

"Fluorescence, as far as I can tell," he said, grinning at her. "Do you feel like taking a swim?"

"Are you kidding?" she asked, then started taking off her clothes. "That looks fabulous."

"I didn't mean right this second," he said, laughing. "But I'll be more than happy to stand here and watch you take all your clothes off."

Piper stuck her tongue out at him, dropped her pants on the ground, then shimmied out of her panties, "Are you going to join me?" she asked, sinking into the water. "It's awfully lonely in here."

He groaned, "I have to get a fire started first so you don't freeze when you get out," he said. "But I'll be back, woman, and you'd better be ready for me."

***Piper***

Piper leaned back against the smooth stone that lined the pool, closed her eyes and let the heat soak into her muscles, feeling them relax almost instantly. Letting out a little moan of pleasure, she let her body float to the surface, then shivered when the cool air rushed over her. Her nipples instantly hardened, and a familiar growl filled the small space, sending thrills shooting through her.

She opened her eyes to find Sawyer watching her. His clothes were piled on the ground next to him, and his muscular body glistened in the faint light. His arousal was more than evident and her body responded, tightening and tingling deep inside, anticipation making her heart begin to pound. Neither moved for several seconds, both enjoying the suspense as the passion between them slowly came to life with only a look between them.

When she started to move, he held up his hand, "Don't move, I want to look at you for a little longer," he said, then stepped into the water, his eyes roaming over her body, leaving a hot trail on her skin.

A few steps brought him over to where she was floating in the water, then she felt his hands come up underneath her, and he bent his head, sucking one hard nipple into his mouth. She gasped as pleasure shot through her. Sawyer switched to the other breast, feasting on her until she was forced to cling to him or go under the water. When he pulled away from her and his hands slowly slipped out from underneath her, she was forced to float again as her body screamed for more.

Sawyer's hand slid under her back, supporting her in the water. He looked down at her and grinned, then traced a path down her chest between her breasts with his finger, then moved lower. She shivered when his fingers slid across her stomach and moaned when he slowly spread her legs in the water and reached between them. He parted her folds with his finger and found her swollen nub, making her gasp when he slid his finger over it.

Giving herself over to the passion now a roaring inferno between them, trusting that Sawyer would never let her sink into the water, she rode the waves of pleasure, each one more intense than the last. Aware that she belonged both body and soul to the man holding her suspended in the water, she opened her eyes and met his when she soared over the edge. When she stopped trembling, Sawyer scooped her up in his arms, carried her out of the water, through the small opening, and over to the fire.

He set her down on the bed, then grabbed a towel warming on the rocks and gently dried her off, before laying her down on the soft blanket. She watched his muscles gleaming in the firelight, her body throbbing with need as he dried himself off, then layed down next to her. His mouth found hers in a searing kiss so full of love and possibilities that it took her breath away, and she began to squirm under him, desperate for his touch.

"I'm going to take my time with you tonight," he said, flipping her onto her stomach. "I'm going to kiss every inch of your body, then make love to you all night long."

Gasping as a stab of deep need hit her deep in her loins, she could only lay there as he fulfilled his promise and his lips roved all over her body, kissing and nipping at her flesh until she was panting and desperate for more. When he finally parted her legs and took her up to the heights of pleasure, she lay moaning beneath him, her world reduced to what was happening between them and the pure sensations thundering through her.

When she finally came back down to Earth, Sawyer was watching her, his face full of suppressed need, and she spread her legs further for him. "Take me now, Sawyer," she said. "I need to feel you throbbing inside me."

He let out a growl, his eyes locked on hers, and slid up her body, grabbed her hips to enter her, but didn't. Instead, he rubbed the smooth tip of his manhood over her sensitive pleasure button. Her body reacted instantly, and she cried out as she began to climb again, then just as she tumbled over the edge, Sawyer drove himself into her with one powerful thrust of his hips.

A moan of pleasure escaped from his lips, but it quickly turned into a growl, then her name as he drove himself into her over and over again. "God, you're incredible, Piper," he said. "Your body fits so perfectly with mine. I can't control myself with you, I never want this to end, but you're pulling me to a point of no return."

She felt him hesitate, then another low growl came from deep in his chest, and he buried himself even deeper inside her, then Sawyer exploded in ecstasy himself, taking her with him. When he finally collapsed on top of her, she wrapped her arms around him and held on as he shifted to his side, the bond between them making her entire body tingle and grow warm.

Above their heads, tiny pinpricks of light floated in the air, then slowly rained down on them, landing on Piper, a gift from the universe to cement their love for a lifetime. She opened her eyes just as the last one disappeared on her skin, and didn't notice when a small flare of light flashed deep within her belly as she lay secure in Sawyer's arms.