~Raining Kisses~

          A cold rain drop splattered on my nose, "It looks like rain!" I declared looking up at the sky.

"That was fast..." Leo squinted at the sky and shielded his eyes searching for something, "What happened to the sun!"

I laughed at him, "Well, I don't think you're going to be finding it anytime soon." I noted just how dense the clouds had become.

"Guess we better hurry up our walk then." He took hold of my hand and squeezed my fingers.

I giggled at the look of adventure he had in his eyes, "I guess so."

Soon he was pulling ahead, half dragging me, in hopes to beat the oncoming downpour.

The sound of thunder cracked across the sky setting free a torrent of rain. 

"Ahhhh!" I screeched at the delightfully freezing rain drops, "What do we do now?"

"Follow me!" Holding my hand even tighter, he continued to lead the way. Rain pelted our backs, and our feet splashed in puddles forming on the path in front of us.

Nearly soaked we came to a large tree. It's branches rattled and bounced from the impact of the wind and rain. I could still feel the gentle wet splashes of rain, but not as heavily now that we were under the canopy of leaves.

"We'll just wait it out from under here." Leo smiled, "Is that okay?"

"Yeah," I grinned back up at him, "It's fine." I ran my fingers through my hair and  twisted the water out of it.

"I mean," Leo continued, "We could keep running for the car, but then we'd be a soaking mess."

"We're already a soaking mess!" I gently pushed him playfully.

"Yeah well," He pushed back in retaliation, "We'd be even worse than this." He looked down at me and smiled. My heart jumped realizing it was one of his special smiles, the smile he saves just for me.

Suddenly my cheeks were blushing hard, "What?"

"Oh, nothing." His eyes traveled over me, his smile never faltering.

"Tell me!" I felt my own smile growing, "You're thinking about something."

He tilted his head and whispered, "Maybe."

I felt his body lean slowly towards mine. My heart began to race with excitement, and heat began to boil under my cold skin. My mind shut off the storm around us, and all I could think about was him. His eyes spoke beyond words, his body gestured for something more, his breath quickened excited by me. I closed my eyes and let myself fall into another world, the world of electrifying caresses and blissful kisses.

Leo's lips pressed into mine, and sent my spirit soaring. I couldn't help the moan that escaped inside me, Leo pulled back and flashed his special smile, "Do you like it when I kiss you?"

I giggled and nodded my head, wanting for him to kiss me more.

Instead, he moved his wet lips to my cheeks, his hands pulling me closer by the waist. I let out a deep sigh, filled with so many emotions and feelings.

I felt the rain continue to shower us gently, beads of water running down my forehead and into the path of his lips. The sensations were overwhelming, as his kisses gradually trailed closer to my lips. His mouth tasted my skin and sucked on the water trickling over my face. I moaned as Leo's tongue found mine, and his lips pressed more desperately. His hands pushed me up against him, this time it was his turn to let loose a moan. The sound of his pleasure only excited me more. Suddenly he pulled away.

Puzzled I asked, "What? What's wrong?"

"The rain stopped." He looked up at the sky through the dancing leaves, "We can go back to the car now."

"Oh." My heart sank and I dropped my eyes down in disappointment. "I guess we could." 

How could he break off such an intimate moment because the rain stopped?

Leo laughed, "Hey," His fingers lifted my chine so his eyes could look into mine, "I bet with the heater on, and those blankets in the back, we could be a lot more cozy than this."

My smile returned realizing our little visit to this new and exciting world wasn't over. I pulled myself out of his embrace and declared, "Race you to the car!"

Written By~Ally Elaine

~Midnight Moonlight~

I opened eyes and glanced out the window. It's probably really late into the night by now. All the stars were glittering and the moon illuminated a brilliant glow. 

"Come," His voice echoed in my head, "Meet me tonight." Our conversation repeated from this afternoon, "I'll wait for you."

I sat up in bed, struggling with myself. Should I go? The memory of his tempting smile and enticing body gestures was still vivid in my imagination. It was enough to convince me.

I grabbed my farm boots and slipped on my jacket. The stairs creaked in tiny moans as my feet ventured down into the kitchen.

"I'll wait for you all night if I have to." He had begged me.

The whole house was asleep. If I tried to sneak out, I would have to be careful not to disturb our farm animals, or else my father would come out with a gun, expecting to find a bear or thief running about.

"But where?" I had asked him.

I grabbed an oil lantern and lit it with a match. I watched as the tiny yellow flame caught and burned the vulnerable white wick to a charcoal black.

I blew out the match and turned for the door.

"Do you know where that abandoned barn is... across the field?"

I opened the door, and breathed in the cool night air that rushed over me. I stared out at the property I've explored every inch of growing up, but now it seemed so foreign and frightening.

"I'll be waiting for you there."

I closed the door behind me, and walked. One foot after the other. I was nervous, but I had to see him. I looked back, making sure no one was following.

His voice was perfectly re-created in my mind, "Come alone."

I ran across the field in search of the barn as the wind blew my hair wild. I knew where it was, it was a little less than a mile from my house. I've been there many times, but tonight, I felt like I was going for the first time.

In the light of the moon and my tiny lantern, I finally reached my destination. My heart was pounding so hard, I thought for sure a cougar would hear it and come after me for dinner. But I took a deep breath and continued onward.

At the entrance, I noticed the tall wooden doors had finally collapsed from their hinges. It was abandoned after all.

Second thoughts suddenly flooded through me. Maybe I shouldn't do this? Maybe I should just go back.

But then I saw him. Inside. Leaning against a post, underneath a ray of moonlight that squeezed through the splintering barn walls. Wearing his cowboy hat and boots, my heart beat faster. He was handsome. No, he was more than that. He was... perfect.

Leo looked up and noticed me, "Hi."

"Hi." I smiled back.

"I didn't think you were going to come." He took a few steps closer until he was standing right before me.

"Yeah," I turned away shyly, "I didn't think I was either." My skin burned with heat, and though it was pretty warm out, I'm positive it wasn't from the weather.

 "Com'mon, I want to show you something." His smile lit up his eyes as he took my hand and led me deeper into the collapsing structure.

I've never held his hand before, and though it wasn't much, I relished the feeling as if my life depended on it.

He took me around a corner and by the light of my lantern I spotted a blanket laid out on a large pile of straw.

Then Leo pointed up, "That's what I wanted to show you."

I followed his finger to the roof where it had almost completely been blown off. Probably from that storm we had a few weeks ago.

"The stars," He whispered, "This is the best place to admire them."

Gazing up, I realized he was right. They were brilliant. But it could've just seemed that way, because he was standing so close to me. He would be the most radiant star in the sky, ultimately the most beautiful.

He stopped eyeing the sky and looked down at me, "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Yeah." I smiled as he leaned in closer.

"Aright, don't tell anyone this, but... I know a man, who works on this farm everyday, who has a crush on you."

I nearly choked, holding back a gasp, "Really?" It was music to my ears, since he was the only ranch hand we had. I found myself bursting with feelings I couldn't control, and asked, "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Yeah."

"Well, don't tell anyone," I whispered, "but I know a girl who has a crush on the man who works on this farm."

There was a moment of silence, just the two of us, smiling at each other.

"Well," He said, "I think we have a problem." He took the lantern from my hands and extinguished the flame. Without it's golden glow, we were covered in the blanket of night, with only the sparkling sky above for light.

"A problem?" I wasn't sure I caught his meaning.

"Because," He explained, putting down the lantern with his hat, "After years of working on this particular farm, just so he could be around her and get to know her as much as possible... He never kissed her did he?" He stood before me again, everything about him screamed for my darkest desires.

"No, he never did," My face blushed hard and I was glad for the lack of light.

His hands reached up, seeking with his fingers to find my hair. Emotions continued to build up inside me, new and exciting, I didn't know what to think any more. I only wanted to feel him.

As if he could read my mind, Leo leaned on me more, so our bodies were touching. His hands moved down lowly to caress my cheeks and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

My heart wasn't the only one beating like a drum, I could feel his own heart pounding in rhythm with mine.

Excited by him, I took a deep trembling breath.

And then he kissed me, softly but desperately. My head was spinning so fast, I nearly tripped, knocking him off his balance as he pulled me closer. We stumble, stifling giggles as we found ourselves falling onto the soft blanket in the hay.

In the abandoned barn across the field, under the midnight moonlight, I kissed him back.

Written By~Ally Elaine, Edited By~Madge 

~Tears~

"Ugh!" I screamed as I slammed the front door shut, and took off for nowhere. I just had to get away. Sometimes he just makes me so mad. I had to go somewhere quiet. I had to calm down and pull myself together.

Why does he have to be so arrogant sometimes? Why can't he just admit to the fact that he's wrong and I'm right? Why does he think that he always has to be right? Why do we have to continue to argue and fight about it?

I tugged and pulled at my hair, forcing it to fall from its' once beautiful French braid.

 I didn't feel pretty anymore. I wanted to fall apart and disappear.

In the woods, I found a small place to sit alone and cry. I hate when this happens. It always hurts more when you argue with someone you love. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wept heavy sobs. I can't handle it anymore... the yelling and arguing.

I held on to my depressing thoughts, as if somehow my anger would dull the pain, telling myself over and over, I am right, he is wrong, why can’t he see that? Why can’t he see that? 

I don’t know how long I was sitting there in my misery before I heard his footsteps approaching. 

"Hey sweetie," Leo whispered, "I thought I'd find you here."

"Great, you found me." I choked down my next sob and buried my head in my knees, "Now can you please... just leave me alone."  I don’t know why, but after a long fight and tremendous pain, we resent being comforted, his gracious whisper only made my anger grow. I wasn’t mad at him anymore, and I wanted to be, so I was mad at myself for not being mad at him, and mad at him for treating me once again with love and kindness.

I heard him crawl down on his knees and quietly sit next to me.

In the silence between us, I sniffled and he took a deep breath.

 "Actually," He spoke calmly, "I didn't come here to fight."

I tried to ignore him, my heart still feeling cold. I know, I thought, that’s what makes me mad!

"...I'm sorry," he confessed honestly. Why do you have to be so nice? I’m ugly my hair’s messed up, my eyes are red, I was mean, and I’m mad.

Being careful not to startle me as if I was a nervous horse, he reached out. One hand on mine and the other brushing away my frazzled hair from my face, he said. "I don't like to see you upset."

Yeah, well I don’t like you to see me upset either, so why don’t you just go away? It was obvious he wasn’t just going to go away. Knowing this, I looked up, I wasn’t quite ready to forgive him, but I knew we had to start somewhere; after all, you can’t stay mad forever. What I saw shocked me, he had been crying too! I was also struck by how unfair it was, he was still beautiful.

"Hello," He smiled, eyes glistening, rims still red, "I don't believe we've met. What's your name?"

Streaked in tears with red puffy eyes, my face cracked into a grin, weakly I replied “You, you know what my name is you jerk.” Again I smiled, it was good to be communicating, and he was really trying to make amends.

"Oh yeah," he looked away as if remembering, he knew I didn’t mean it, "it was something like, Polly Wants a Cracker, or was it Curious Gorge the Monkey... so does that make me the Man in the Yellow Hat?"

“Shut up.” I laughed and punched him in the shoulder, then wiping away my wet cheeks I was again aware of my far inferior appearance, I was a mess. Oh, but he loved me anyway, that was plain.

"Nah," He poked me in response to my punch, "I'm just kidding with you."

"Obviously," I poked him back.

"So, do you forgive me?"

Our argument felt so far away now, I don't even remember how it started or what it was about, "Yeah, I guess." He took a deep breath as if a cloud of heavy tension had left him, then I asked, "Can you forgive me?"

He smiled warmly, "Of course I do." His fingers began gently brushing through my tangled hair. I closed my eyes, and in our new found silence of peace, I didn't try to stop him. As he worked out the knots, it was almost as if he could've been untangling my heart. A heart that had been broken to pieces only moments ago. I felt him attempt to divide my hair into three sections, and I smiled realizing he was trying to mend the French braid I had ruined. Like mending the wounds that had hurt my heart. He's trying to show how much he cares... how much he loves me.  Taking the divided sections, he crossed them over, adding more and crossing over. We sat for a while, in silence, his fingers in my hair attempting to pull it back up to its former glory. Though I'm not sure how capable he was of re-creating a french braid, the fact he was trying was more than enough.

"There." He said, "All better?"

I reached back to touch it and was surprised to find the braid felt right. I turned to smile at him, "Yes, it's perfect. I feel much better. Thank you."

"You're welcome," He hesitated, "Oh, wait! Don't go anywhere." I watched him as he got up and ventured over to a small grove of wild flowers. Leo took a close look at each of them before he picked any, and soon he came back holding a variety of flowers as if they were a prized possession. "Ok, turn around," He spun his finger at me, a signal to turn away.

He knelt down behind me, and carefully weaved the radiant flowers into the braid he fixed for me.

Is this the same man I had argued with? A moment ago I wanted to shrivel up and die, but now I felt beautiful. An apology was nice, but this felt even better. He had made me feel beautiful again.

"There," He sighed, putting the last flower in place, "Now, it's done, and you look like the queen of the forest."

Facing him again I blushed, "Really? You think so?" I couldn't possibly smile any brighter, "Thank you."

He pulled me into a hug and whispered in my ear, "I love you,"

"I love you too," I whispered back.

"Well," He exclaimed, pulling out of our embrace, "Now that's all cleared up, I'd love to stay and chat, but it looks like rain. Do you feel like you could come back to the house with me? I'll make it up to you... we can pick out a movie, snuggle on the couch and eat popcorn."

He gave me his most brilliant smile, he knew I could never resist snuggling for a movie, especially where there was popcorn involved.  "Okay, as long as I get to pick the movie."

"Deal," He shook my hand, "But wait!"

"What?"

He started frantically searching for something, "I'm missing my yellow hat!"

Written By~Ally Elaine, Edited By~Madge