DUNCAN VISITS THE CABIN

Once the sun had set and Jean Claude was happily working away on his tapestry down in the loom room of her basement, Sarah Jo and Duncan left the house and headed down Valley View toward Rayden's house. They were expected, so the way was already open and waiting for them. Duncan's eyes widened in surprise when he saw the panoramic beauty of a rugged moonlit mountain range that he knew wasn't really there. It was as if they had been transported through some magical portal to another place and time. He had taken Connor's advice and wore hiking boots, and now he was glad he did. The path looked like it went straight up a rather steep hill!

But the prospect of the climb ahead of them didn't seem to phase Sarah Jo at all. She bounced all around him, laughing and joking with him as they began to go up the trail. She was obviously very much at home in this type of environment. She led him up what looked to be a well-worn path beside a noisy creek that tumbled down the hill beside them. There was more than enough light for the observant tracker in him to be able to notice the many signs of abundant wild game all around him. Several times he thought he saw the silvery flash of a trout swimming down the creek, and once a small herd of deer raced across the creek and into the woods in front of them.

As interesting as all the beautiful scenery around him was, his attention kept returning to the girl in the snug fitting jeans and sleeveless tank top striding up the hill in front of him. ~ now that's a very nice view indeed! ~, Duncan thought to himself as he watched the gentle sway of her hips and the way her long strawberry blonde ponytail danced across her back as she moved. The little nurse wasn't all that big, but she was sturdily built and from the firmly toned muscles in her shoulders and arms, obviously used to hard work.

They had been climbing for around half an hour when they arrived at a makeshift log bridge laid over the creek. He could see the lights of a cabin on the other side and the sweet sound of someone singing caught his ear. As they crossed over and neared the cabin, they could see Connor laid back in a chair, his feet up on the railing of the porch. An old hound dog lay snoring at his feet. The singing was coming from inside the cabin and the aroma of food caused Duncan's stomach to rumble and complain about being empty.

Connor's intense eyes seemed to almost glow in the darkness as he watched them approach. "I take it Rayden sent you up the long way," he said with a chuckle as Sarah Jo bounded up onto the porch. The nurse just giggled and reached down and gave him a hug and a kiss before disappearing into the cabin. The older Macleod looked down at Duncan who was still standing at the foot of the steps.

"Come on up and sit a spell," he offered as he motioned to the chair beside him. Duncan took the offered chair and sat down. He glanced down at the old earthenware jug on the floor between them.

"That's not what I think it is, is it Connor?" he asked hopefully. Connor chuckled and nodded.

"Hee hee. Aye, 'tis. Pure mountain dew, Duncan old lad. Very potent stuff indeed. Have a sip if you want," he said with a wicked grin on his face.

Duncan picked the jug up, uncorked it and balancing it on his elbow and forearm raised it to his lips. The first tentative taste burned like liquid fire all the way down and his head was filled with an almost instant buzz. By the end of the second drink he had forgotten why he was nervous about being up there with Connor and Katherine, and when the third healthy swig descended into his belly, he no longer had a single care in the whole wide world. Connor took the jug from him and took a drink of it himself, still chuckling to himself.

The younger highlander looked around, his senses seemingly heightened by the moonshine coursing through his blood. "I can see now why Asher loved it up here," he said quietly to himself. The screen door beside him opened and Sarah Jo and Katherine stepped out to join them. Duncan glanced at the two ladies and then did a double take. For a brief second, it was as if another person had been standing there instead of Connor's lady, someone so achingly familiar and precious to him that it tore at his soul. He continued to stare at her, trying to recapture the fleeting memory, as she returned his gaze steadily. But the vision had vanished, and he could not recall it.

"Suppers ready," she said quietly, her eyes still locked with his. She was dressed in jeans as well, with a short sleeved top tied up underneath her small breasts. The top button of the jeans was undone in deference to her slowly expanding waist. The two men got up and followed the ladies inside to a table where steaming bowls of delicious smelling chicken and dumplings lay waiting for them along with plates filled with a mixed salad. The simple meal was capped with a cake-like apple pudding served with a hard lemon sauce.

While they ate, Sarah Jo and Katherine kept them entertained with stories of things that had happened there while Sarah Jo was growing up. It was hard to imagine a tiny woman such as Katherine raising a child all by herself in such a primitive and remote location in a cabin with a wood cookstove, no running water or indoor "facilities". The conversation was light and pleasant, and the overall mood very relaxing. When they were done, Sarah Jo helped Katherine clean up while the men went back outside to enjoy the refreshing night air. Duncan was half dozing in the chair when they came out a few minutes later.

Taking him by the hand, she hauled him to his feet. "Come on, lazybones! Let's go for a walk! The night is young yet!" as she pulled him down the porch steps he glanced back and saw Connor pull Katherine onto his lap and start to nuzzle her neck and ear. Her soft laugh followed them as they crossed the meadow, her hand still holding his firmly. Turning away from the bridge, she led him upstream to where a lovely pool had been formed by a cascading waterfall. As they stood there looking at the way the moonlight danced off the water, he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her slowly to him, alert for any sign of resistance. She melted into his arms willingly and as he held her close, breathing in the fragrance for her hair; her own arms reached up and her strong hands ran gently up and down his back.

Tipping her chin up, he gazed into her sparkling eyes and then leaned down to kiss her, giving her plenty of time to let him know if she did not wish him to do so. His mouth met her slightly open lips and he kissed her firmly but sweetly, the slight pressure of the hand on the back of his neck telling him that it was ok to deepen it even more. His tongue began to explore her mouth, which still tasted vaguely of the lemon sauce they had just eaten. One of his hands ran up the back of her shirt while the other traveled down to rest on her shapely rear. They stood bathed in the moonlight, kissing each other passionately as their hands explored each other's bodies.

Groaning softly, Duncan broke the kiss and pulled back slightly. He pulled her arms from around him and then gently lifted them in the air above her head. When she kept them there when he released his hold on them, he dropped his hands and grasped the bottom of her shirt and in one swift pull removed it completely from her body. Letting it drop to the ground, his hands explored her lace-encased breasts before reaching behind her and undoing her bra. He allowed himself another gentle caress of her now exposed breasts before he quickly pulled his own shirt off and tossed it on the ground as well.

"That's much better," he said softly as he pulled her back into another tight embrace, enjoying the feel of her firm breasts being compressed up against his bare chest. They returned to kissing each other, their hands and mouths becoming more and more insistent as time seemed to stop around them.

Somewhere along the line, both of their jeans were unsnapped and the zippers pulled down, allowing exploring hands to dip deep inside of them. Feeling he could stand it no more, Duncan pulled back once more and knelt at Sarah Jo's feet as he lowered her jeans and panties down to the ground at the same time. She supported herself by placing a hand on his strong shoulder while he lifted each foot in turn and pulled them off her completely. Staying on his knees, he glanced up at her smooth ivory skin gleaming in the moonlight and saw the soft, reassuring smile on her face. He then began to shower kisses all around her belly and upper thighs as his hand reached up to explore her moist hidden treasures. As his fingers dipped deep inside her, he stopped and looked up at her in surprise. She lived with two men! Surely she was not still a virgin!

Laughing sweetly at the shocked look on his expressive face, Sarah Jo explained briefly about the fact she had been a virgin at the time of her *first death*. It took a moment for that little bit of news to sink in, but when it did, a big smile spread over his face as he considered some of the possibilities. His reaction just caused her to laugh merrily at him and he couldn't help but add his own laughter to hers.

It was several hours later before they finally returned to the cabin. One small lamp still lit up the room for them, but otherwise the place was still and quiet. Apparently, Kat and Connor had not bothered waiting up for them. The door to a second bedroom stood open invitingly and they went in and closed it quietly behind them. Duncan made love to her once again before they both finally drifted off to sleep; Sarah Jo cradled in his strong arms.