But Now One Soul

An hour later Jesse and Shiloh lay sprawled out in the backyard. Huffing and puffing, the tall woman looks at her running companion and says, "You wore me out."

Panting with his mouth open and tongue hanging out, it looks like he is smirking. She scratches his neck. The Lab quickly rolls onto his back to expose his belly. "Oh, you want me to rub your belly."

After a couple of minutes she addresses him. "I guess I better clean myself up for some chow." She heads into the house and up the stairs. On her way up, she smells the enticing aroma of coffee and bacon coming from the kitchen. Showering quickly and donning fresh clothes, she heads back down and into the kitchen. "Good morning." She beams with her greeting.

Tyler looks over his newspaper. "Mornin Jesse." He pushes his glasses back up with a thick index finger.

"Would you like some coffee?" Brenda asks the tall woman.

"Yes, thanks."

She pours it and points to where the cream and sugar are. "The children should be coming in any minute now. Dani wanted to help feed the horses this morning."

At that moment the kitchen door opens. In walk the three siblings. Dani still looks half-asleep. She sits down next to her lover and lays a head upon a strong shoulder. "I don't know how you got up earlier to run."

"Okay everyone, foods on the table. Don't be shy Jesse, just dig in." Brenda begins piling some food on her husband's plate.

Dani leans in close. "Would you like me to prepare your plate?"

Jesse smiles and nods. She watches wide-eyed as the young woman scoops a hearty portion of scrambled with cheese, bacon, and hash browns mixed with onions, red peppers, and spices. Dani then grabs the small bowl at their place setting to fill it with the fresh fruit salad.

"How's that? Enough?" Dani asks.

Jesse leans in to whisper. "More than enough. In fact I may need your help to finish it."

"Oh, I'll definitely help." Dani responds as she rubs noses with the dark woman.

"Aw, come on, you guys aren't going to start sucking face at the table, are ya?" Mikey feigns gagging.

"Michael," Brenda snaps. "They can be affectionate if they so choose. If they want to, as you say, 'suck face', then let them." She looks over at the couple. "As long as you don't get carried away and start other things at this table."

"We won't Ma."

"Good, because that is only reserved for your father and I." She adds suddenly.

Tyler looks over his paper again, and then continues eating silently. The rest of them at the table are all bug-eyed.

"Ma, I don't want to know what you and Pops do." Mikey starts in.

"And why not? You're the one who was conceived on this table." Brenda responds.

"Oh, god, I think I'm gonna be sick." He adds.

Tyler says nothing, hoping he won't be dragged into her twisted sense of humor.

"Ma, you know Mikey can't handle this. He's too sensitive." Kenny says with laughter.

"You leave your brother alone, Kenny. You want to start something? Ever wonder why you love the farm and the horses so much? Try the loft in the barn."

"Aw, Ma." Then Kenny shuts up just as quick so as not to provoke her.

Jesse doesn't know what to think. She stares at her food. Her and Dani are wishing they could crawl under the table.

The table conversation has died. Tyler stands up to leave. "I'm going out for a pipe smoke. Honey, you care to join me in the laundry room later?" He wiggles his bushy eyebrows for effect.

Dani and Jesse can't hold the laughter in any more. Mikey groans covering his face with his hands.

As breakfast comes to a close, Brenda asks the couple what they plan on doing today.

"I thought we could do some hiking at Red Rocks." The strawberry blonde answers.

"Oh, I'm sure Jesse will enjoy that. Why don't you prepare a picnic basket and make it a day?"

"That's a great idea Mom. Thanks."

Jesse helps clear the table. "Um…would you like me to help with anything?"

Dani walks up to her lover. Giving her a kiss on the cheek, she says, "Nope. Why don't you go check out the farm? I'm sure Kenny will show you around a bit. I'll prepare our lunch. I want it to be a surprise." She scrunches her nose with a smile.

"Alright." She returns with a kiss.

******

A hawk flies overhead. The afternoon sun shines brightly in the clear blue sky. The cool air is pleasant as it caresses the skin. Dani pops another orange segment between her lips. Leaning over, she offers the juicy bit of fruit to the dark woman.

Jesse leans back on her elbows on the blanket they have spread out for their picnic lunch. The food consisted of boneless, skinless chicken breasts marinated in a Caribbean jerk sauce topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and red onions on a wheat and oat bun. The side dish was Brenda's famous cold tortellini salad. For dessert they had some oranges and raspberries. They washed it all down with a couple of beers. Jesse takes the offered fruit. Biting down, she then kisses the young woman softly.

"Do you like it up here?" Dani asks tentatively.

"It's beautiful. Thanks for showing me the view."

Dani looks around for a second wondering if she can pull off what she has in mind. Looking back at Jesse, she says, "I know of a much better view you may enjoy."

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?" She asks in a seductive tone.

The small woman straddles her lover's hips. Unbuttoning her shirt and unclasping her bra in the front, she pushes the material aside. Breasts now exposed, her nipples become erect from the cooler air. She cups them in her hands.

"Oh, that is definitely a wonderful view. I like it very much." Jesse sits up placing her hands on the hips before her. She looks into sea green eyes filled with a primal passion.

Dani slowly rocks her hips as she kneads her breasts pulling on the nipples with her thumb and forefinger. "God, Jesse…yesss." She begs through half lidded eyes.

A crushing kiss passes between them. Dani adjusts her position to have her right knee up against Jesse's crotch. The tall woman bends at the knees to have her left knee pressed to the young woman's sex.

They kiss and Jesse begins the slow grind while taking over where Dani's hands were on her nipples. Dani grabs the hips before her to grind herself in harder. Her climax is near. "Oh, Jesse…. mmm." Holding her weight upon her hands now she leans forward to give her the leverage to grind into the tall woman's crotch. Kissing again, their climaxes are screamed into each other's mouth. They lay there panting and basking in the warm sun.

"I thought we could drive into the town, walk around and have dinner there."

"Sounds good to me." Jesse responds.

Dani props herself up folding her hands on the dark woman's chest and laying her head on it. "I love you."

Jesse smiles. "I love you too."

In town Jesse feels as if she stepped back in time about fifty years. The storefronts are somewhat rustic in architecture. The cobblestone sidewalks add to the feel of a time long passed. Passing a country western store, Dani pulls the tall woman inside. "Ooh, let's go in. I've wanted to get a new pair of boots. Maybe they'll have the style I want."

Inside, the soft tune of a country western song plays over the speakers. Dani excitedly walks up to a hat rack. Checking out a soft brown suede hat, she puts it on. "What do you think?"

Jesse turns her attention to the small woman after looking over the belt rack. Instantly she experiences déjà vu. The brown hat brings her into another time period. She hears horses and the crack of a whip. Dani and herself are on horseback chasing after a stagecoach. She comes back to the present and shakes her head.

"Are you alright?" Dani asks.

"Yeah, I just had some kind of flashback. It was weird. Never mind." She looks at the hat again. "It looks great on you. Brown works well."

"Here you try this one." Dani hands her a black leather fedora style cowboy hat. The tall woman tries it on and looks in the mirror nearby. "It looks great on you. It'll be perfect with your vest and chaps."

"Ya think?" Jesse questions.

"Definitely. Lay it at the counter. I told the cashier we'd be piling stuff there."

"Now you want me to dress as a cowboy?"

Dani leans in to whisper in a tantalizing ear. "It'll be so hot when you fuck me from behind in full cowboy gear and strap-on. I'll be your cowgirl and wear a short skirt and no panties."

Jesse licks her lips at the visions. "Well, then, what else are we going to get here?"

The strawberry blonde pats Jesse's cheek. "Boots."

They each pick out a pair of boots. Again, brown for Dani and black for Jesse. The young woman also gets a couple of shirts. Jesse returns to the belt rack to pick out the one that caught her eye earlier. She then glances at the various buckles in the glass case at the counter.

Suddenly the tall woman feels something wrong in her gut. She straightens to her full height and looks around. The brunette cashier looks at her when the tension in the room is evident. Jesse begins to weave her way between the aisles of the store. Dani is nowhere in sight.

Jesse, I'm in a bit of trouble. Please hurry!

Upon hearing her Love's spirit call to her, Jesse sprints to the back of the store. The cashier curiously follows wondering what is going on to make the tall woman act in such a way.

"Well, well, aren't you a pretty little thing?" The man says with a partially toothless smile.

Dani turns.Goddamn, why do they always come to me? What the fuck am I? Fly paper for freaks?

"Hold on there cutie." He grabs her by the arm. "I'm not going to hurt you, unless you want me to."

"Get your filthy hands off me."

He slaps her across the face. "I said I wasn't going to hurt you but you're a feisty one. Maybe the only way you'll understand is if I do smack you around. Seems the only way you bitches listen is if you get hit. You're all the same." He squeezes his hold on her upper arm.

"Ow, you're hurting me! Let go!" She tries to pry his fingers off.

Jesse turns the corner into the dressing room where the supply room is also located closer to the back end. She sees the young woman trying to get out of this brute's grasp. From behind, Jesse throws a back swing punch to the side of his head. He stumbles against the wall. Jesse takes hold of Dani. "Are you okay?" She notices the red mark on the young woman's cheek.

"You fucking cunt." The man yells. Pulling out a knife, he wields it in front of Jesse.

Instantly in the heat of her rage, she kicks it out of his hand and comes at him full force. She knees him in the groin. As he bends forward, she drives an uppercut to his jaw. When he falls to the floor, she kicks the man's face in. The loud crunch that is heard indicates the seriousness of the injury as the blood spurts out of his nostrils and mouth to pool onto the floor. She doesn't care if she broke his nose, jaw, or even killed him.

The look Dani witnesses in her lover's eyes sends a shiver down her spine. She has never seen a look of pure anger, violence and battle lust. The young woman gently touches her lover's arm. "Jesse, let's go." Not getting any kind of a response, she moves around to the front of the tall woman. With one arm around her waist, she raises her other hand to cup the sculptured cheek with her palm. "Jesse, please look at me?"

A flicker in the icy silver blue eyes brings her back. Jesse looks at the young woman. Her eye color returns to their normal cerulean blue.

"Please, let's leave?" Dani asks again.

Jesse comes out of her rage and nods her head. As they turn around, they come face to face with the sheriff.

"What's going on here?" He asks roughly.

The cashier steps out from behind him. All four sets of eyes look at each other for a moment. Dani starts. "That man attacked me, and my girlfriend came to my defense." Dani hooks an arm around Jesse's.

"Oh, really?" He questions sarcastically.

"It's true officer," the cashier interrupts. "That man did attack her, and he is also the one responsible for the rapes in this town."

"And how do you know he is?" the officer asks.

"Because…" she bows her head in shame, " he is my husband, and some of the women he has raped were close friends of mine. I…was scared of him. Too scared to ever press charges when he raped me on occasion. And he knew it. That's why he ventured out further because he believed I would never tell. But never telling was my greatest mistake. These women have done nothing wrong. I'm not pressing any charges against them and I know Henry won't do it either because of his pride. But your evidence is on the store video camera. You can take that if you want."

"I just will. Thank you Ma'am." The sheriff calls on his radio for an ambulance to come by as he bends down to check the man's pulse.

The three women walk to the front of the store. The cashier says, "I'm sorry this has happened. If I had pressed charges against him months ago…"

Dani cuts her off. "No, please. It's over now. Thank you for coming to our defense. And thank you for your bravery." She lays a gentle hand on the woman's arm.

"Well, um… I'll ring up your stuff." The brunette cuts the tags off all of the items on the counter that the couple placed there. The two take no notice as they hold each other tightly and revel in each other's warmth and safety. Jesse hands her a Visa Card. The cashier only rings up the boots. Jesse looks at the receipt and then up at the brown eyes behind the counter.

"Please, I owe you so much more. I wish I had someone to care for me as you do her." She nods towards Dani.

"Thank you." Jesse says and they walk out.

"What happened there?" Dani asks.

"She only charged us for the boots."

"But… we have a couple of hundred dollars worth of stuff here?"

"I know. This is the way she wanted it. She said she wished she had someone to care for her the way you have me."

Dani hugs her. "I'm so grateful I have you." They pile their bags into her brother's Jeep Cherokee. "Hey, do you think you'll stop having those nightmares now?"

"Hmm, maybe."

******

They pull into the driveway of the ranch. Jesse grabs all of the bags while Dani opens the front door. Tyler and Kenny are on the couch watching the game.

"Hi, we're home." Dani says.

The men notice the deep purplish red bruise on her upper cheek.

"Sweetie, what happened to you?" Tyler asks as he gets up to make a closer inspection.

Before she has a chance to answer, Kenny being the irrational one advances towards Jesse. "What the fuck did you do to my sister??" In a flash, he punches her in the eye. She falls to the floor and sits there holding her face silently.

"Kenny! NO! She didn't hurt me." Dani rushes over to her lover. On her knees she cradles Jesse's head to her chest. "You goddamn idiot! Why do you always have to jump to conclusions?"

Brenda steps in from the kitchen. "What is all the racket in here?" She sees the two women on the floor. Kenny is just a couple of feet away huffing in anger. "Tyler, what is going on?"

He turns to her. "Honey, I don't know, but I'm sure we'll find out." Looking at Kenny, he says, "Kenny, go sit down before I knock your ass." Green and brown eyes lock for a moment. "Now."

Kenny quietly sits.

"Mom, I need some ice for Jesse's eye. Please, it's swelling up quick." Dani pleads.

"I'll get you a steak, dear, it will be more effective." She hurriedly goes into the kitchen.

"You think you girls can get up and come into the kitchen also?" Tyler asks.

They nod. In the kitchen they all sit at the table. Brenda gestures for Jesse to put her head back. She then gently places the piece of now half frozen meat that she ran under cold water, on Jesse's eye. "I know it's disgusting, dear, but it will really help. Just don't let the dogs near you or they'll lick your face all night long." She tries to lighten the mood with her comment. "Dani, here's some ice for your bruise."

"Thanks Mom."

"Why don't you tell us what happened?" Tyler jumps in.

Dani sighs then begins explaining. "We were in a western shop picking out some things. I went into the dressing room to try on a skirt. When I came out, there was a man standing there. He attacked me when suddenly Jesse came and beat him unconscious. He was the one who gave me the bruise when he backhanded me."

Kenny stood listening by the fridge. Upon hearing what happened, he stormed out the back door.

All of them see him leave. "You know he feels bad about this." Brenda mentions. "You'll need to forgive his rash temper."

"You sure have been coming to my daughter's rescue on more than one occasion." Tyler says to Jesse.

Jesse looks at him with her one good eye. "I love her with my life."

"Yes, I see that. Thank you Jesse. And I'm sorry Kenny gave you that shiner." He takes his glasses off. "To my shame, he and I have been skeptical of you."

"Daddy how can you say this?"

"Now, Dani let me finish." He looks at the tall woman again. "We're a bit old fashion, and we believed that Dani needed a good strong man to settle down with. Do you get my drift?"

She nods slowly.

"Well, I clearly see you are the man for the job. And I thank you greatly for loving her the way you do. Forgive us." He stands and puts his glasses back on.

Jesse nods again then looks at her Love.

"I'm going out for a pipe smoke and check on Kenny." He walks out.

Dani kisses the dark woman tenderly on the lips.

"Why don't the two of you go upstairs and rest up a bit. Dinner will be ready in an hour. And don't you take that steak off until it's completely defrosted. I'll cook it later and feed it to the dogs." Brenda checks the pot of gravy on the stove. As the two women walk off, Brenda calls over her shoulder. "Jesse, thank you for being there for my baby." With that she returns to cooking.

Jesse lies back on the bed. Dani perches herself on a muscular shoulder, and they hold each other. "When we return home, I'm going to look into taking self defense classes."

"Are you sure?" Jesse asks.

"Yes, of course. I need to learn how to defend myself. You can't be next to me twenty-four hours a day."

"If I could, I would." Jesse responds.

"I know, and I love you for that. How about we take classes together?"

"Sure, have you ever thought about Aikido?" The dark woman spreads her legs to allow Dani the room to settle herself between them.

"Oh, isn't that the martial art where you use your opponents strength against them?" She snuggles further into Jesse's neck.

"Yep."

"Sounds good, I like it."

"It's also a great art because even if your opponent is three times bigger than you, you can still take him down without a problem."

"Oh yeah, I will like that."

They take a nap before dinner.

******

Some hours later, azure eyes flutter open. The moonlight shines brightly through the sheer curtain windows. She looks over at the bright red numbers on the alarm clock.12:30am. Damn, have we slept so long? She puts a hand up to her black eye.Wait a minute. The steak is gone. Ugh, I hope I'm not laying on it. She feels around the pillow and finds nothing. She also notices the ice pack Dani had earlier is gone too. Kissing the strawberry blonde crown, she tries to stir the young woman awake.

Dani mumbles something unintelligible and snuggles deeper into the tall woman's neck.

"Baby, wake up," Jesse wiggles her body to move Dani, "you missed dinner."

"Wha…?" Emerald eyes slowly open to look into her lover's face. "Dinner?"

Jesse smiles. "Yeah, dinner. We haven't eaten. Aren't you hungry?"

Suddenly the young woman's stomach growls loudly. "Yeah, I am."

"Figures. Come on, we'll have to raid your mom's fridge for scraps." She reaches out to turn the nightstand lamp on. At that moment she notices the note attached to the lampshade. Grabbing it, she reads: