TEN YEARS, The Kenny Ackerman Story BOOK TWO~ FUTURES, by Melly O'Hara

REVELATION

CHAPTER   3

Waking slowly to his lips seeking mine, aware of the fading candlelight, the warm hardness of his body, the soft caress of his hands, I curved my body toward his; accepting his passion once again, surrendering to his love, his need, his hunger. Falling into an awareness where only he and pleasure existed, I reached for him, enveloping him with my own warmth. Our hands, our mouths, our bodies flaming and satisfying each other's desire; until we lay, satiated, once again in each other's arms.

"I love you Kenny", I affirmed, as he held me close.

In the silence, I listened to his soft breath and felt the steady beating of his heart against my cheek, as I kissed his chest. It didn't matter if he answered. It only mattered that I was unafraid to tell the truth. No matter what his response, his body had told me that my love was returned.

"I love ya too, Owl", he spoke at last.

"I know", I whispered.

He released me from his arms and sat up, smoothing back his tussled, black hair; reaching for his clothes. Taking my lead from him, I started to find my own. But he pulled me close, kissed me and releasing me, threw me his own shirt; now crumpled by our bodies. I put it on; drinking in the scent of him, as his shirt enveloped me, thinking vaguely that I should just refuse to give it back, when the time came for him to leave so that I would always have a piece of him with me.
Raising myself from the straw, where we'd loved and slept; I walked to the lanterns and one by one, exchanged the burnt down candles in each for the fresh ones that lay, ready for use, on the wooden shelves beside them.

Awake and surprised at seeing me, at this time of night, Ginger whinnied as I passed her stall. I stopped to pat her, and she searched the pockets of Kenny's shirt for sugar cubes, nuzzling me with her soft nose, sneezing at the unfamiliar scent on me.

"Sorry, Ginny. No treats in this shirt", I laughed, as she tossed her head in indignation.

Giving her one last pat, I walked back to the empty stall that contained the hay, where Kenny sat, shirtless. Again he had plucked a strand of straw and was chewing on its end, his eyes never leaving me. Reaching for his black cowboy hat that lay beside him in the hay; I placed it on my head. Tilting it in the famous 'Kenny style' I stood over him.

" I've done slain ya, Kenny Ackerman", I drawled, imitating his accent, "With my Special Power! My Power o' Lurve!" I finished sarcastically, through the mounting giggles, rising inside me.

His face remained expressionless, his eyes never leaving me.

"Marry me, Jas", he replied.

Speechless and dropping to my knees beside him in the soft straw, my giggles silenced; I faced him as he took my hands in his own.

"Marry me", he repeated, his eyes soft and sincere, his face awash in the amber glow from the lanterns. The look of of optimism and hope had been replaced with a relaxed certainty, as he waited for my answer.

Four years, it had taken. Not even counting the years before that, when love had not been spoken of, but had remained a dream, I thought I alone cherished. Never daring to think my love would be returned,  or that he could ever see me as more than a confidant or a friend.
Of course I would marry him!

Contentment and gravity struggled for dominance on his face, as I accepted his proposal. Confused, thinking that maybe I'd misheard, I asked if that was the answer he'd hoped for.

Looking down, shaking his head slowly, he answered, "Aaahh Owl, o'   'course  it's what I wan'! Wouldn' have asked ya otherwise! Me, I'm jus' hopin' ya don' change ya mind when I tell ya what I couldn' tell ya earlier  -  what ya didn' wanna hear earlier. But ya done given me ya promise! So's ya can' back out now!" he grinned, meeting my eyes, taking his hat from my head and placing it on his own.