Courting

[Lovely]

May 18, year 2
late afternoon


It was later in the afternoon, the time when she expected she might see Sloane again. Why were did she feel so nervous at just speaking to him? Because she was afraid of something or someone coming between them again and unsure if Sloane truly wished for the same things she did and wanted her at his side they way she wanted to be. So much time had passed and things kept them apart. She carefully pinned her hair, just so and picked a flattering dress, putting it on in hopes that he'd come by and find her lovely in it.. she nearly felt.. giddy, something she'd not felt since the last time she'd waited to see him years before.

Sloane stepped into Tessa's hall with a different determination than the girls had seen. He was eager, to be sure, and that they had seen many times, but not the deliberate steps that took him to the door across from Tessa's instead of to the stairs to the first girl who could hook their arm on him. He seemed not to even see any of the others as he flung his hat upon a peg in the hall and knocked on the door. A thought melted over him and his hand brushed it off his face then scratched at the spots where he'd scraped too close with his razor. What if she wasn't alone, he wondered. It was just a courtesy was all, checking on her for comfort's sake, he said to himself, though a fire lit his eyes, hoping not to find anyone with her.

The knock made her jump and she knocked over her small bowl of hair pins with a small startled sound. Too many times she'd heard such a knock and it had not been a pleasant visitor who dragged her out of the room for a good lashing. Telling herself it wasn't possible now, she went to the door to open it slowly. Jaime looked up with surprise and a softening expression which melted into a delighted smile at who she found on the other side of the door. "Sloane.." His name flowed off her lips as her eyes drank him in. "What a pleasant surprise.."

He reached for the hat forgetting he'd already hung it aside. His hand instead smoothed down his bristly hair as her smile struck him along with the vision she was standing there in her finery. Hazarding a glance beyond her he confirmed she was alone and her smile was returned. "Very pleasant," he nodded, forgetting where he was. Her smile reeled him in to offer a pleasant kiss as well.

It couldn't be, could it? Was he leaning to.. he was and she let him, reaching her hand to his cheek as she returned the kiss tenderly. Jaime didn't know what to think but her whole body tingled with joy at this one sweet gesture. Sloane was simply the most handsome man she'd ever laid eyes on and time had only made him more so. "Well hello." She breathed out softly when she could, still smiling but even more warmly, now.

"Evenin' Jaime. You're dressed for town. You're not leaving are you?" He wondered openly, hoping she wasn't going to the station or worse.

"No, I wasn't.. and aren't you the sweetest man to think I'm gussied up.. I might have to kiss you again." She smiled sweetly, her eyes lighting up with a sparkle and shine just for him.

"Well you are and you may to your heart's content," he offered, chuckling a little. He glanced away to the hall then back. "Course, might be more content if I was all in there instead of out here."

[Lovely]

She giggled and brushed her hand over his cheek. "Well now, I never thought I'd be inviting you in my room.. but would you like to come in?" She gave a small curtsey and stepped back, blushing just a touch and motioning him to come in.

"Never thought I'd be patient 'nuf to wait for the invitation." To anyone's room, let alone hers, he thought. "If I may," he nodded, more than happy to join her as he took the step in and closed the door behind himself.

"Well I'm most happy that you were." She couldn't stop the smile that just shone out filled with delight at being in his pressense again. "Would you like to sit down?" She motioned to the loveseat which had just enough room for them to sit together.

"Sit?" Sloane looked as if she'd spoken something to him in a language he'd never heard before. He hadn't looked away from her smile and bright eyes to see her hand move. Nonetheless, he reached for her hands and looked around to see the chair himself and tugged her toward it.

Jaime was content to let him lead her to the seat, she didn't have to take her eyes off of him to know it was there. Her fingers curled gently in his hand and she settled next to him, brushing her thumb over his hand.

"Time was, we had to steal away to that old log behind the schoolhouse," he muttered, trying to find a place to start. "Last place Cody'd ever think to look was any place close to a book." He chuckled and looked down at their hands, quiet a moment.

She nodded to his statements, both were as true as they came. Jaime watched him watch their hands. "We could visit that old log, right here you know.." She wasn't sure he'd get what she was saying so she leaned to explain with a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Long as we don't have to visit Cody," he said, looking up as she brushed over his cheek, seeming bashful and boyish as ever despite the peppering in his hair. He was being far from bashful these days, though, less and less with each minute he'd been away from her. He turned to her kiss with that boldness, turning his hand to hold hers.

He surprised her again and she enjoyed it, closing her eyes and leaning gently into the kiss. Her hand curled more firmly around his as he turned to hold it and her free hand came up to rest against his shaven cheek. She really hadn't kissed anybody but him, other than the obligatory one after her I do and she realized even more, how much she'd missed him.