The key

Thomas worshiped her mouth and pulled her against his chest. He knew from the moment he met her that if he surrendered to her, he would be lost forever. He didn't want just a taste of her he wanted to devour her entirely and she was not pushing him away.

He forced himself to release his hold on her, but didn't stop touching her. She was going to be his now and he had no plans of surrendering his claim. He rested his hands on her hips and nuzzled his nose into her neck. Her breath was ragged and she leaned against him wobbling with dizziness from the kiss.

"I have never been kissed like that," she breathed. She balled his shirt into her first and spoke into his chest. "I've never really been kissed," she admitted. "And that was," she trailed off.

She slowly lifted her head to look at him, but didn't release her grip on his shirt. She was clinging to it for support.

"I don't think we will have a problem with a real marriage like you said," her voice was husky and thick with desire.

He crushed her into him again and kissed her one last time before forcing himself to let her go. He raked his hands through his hair full of pent up frustration.

"We're going to have to marry soon," he said with a low chuckle.

They had agreed to keep the wedding a secret until they could secure the date and even then they planned on not telling anyone until the day before. Sophie worried that Frida's anger would flare up again and she didn't want to postpone it for as long as she could. It was very likely that they could be married within the week but there was no reason to create additional drama if it could be avoided.

Thomas knew this was a good plan but he founded near impossible not to touch her at every moment. He wondered how he had ever walked beside her so casually before when now it was everything he could do not to place a hand at the small of her back or take her hand in his. Now that she was to be his, he wanted to claim her fully. He wanted to be bound to her.

He forced himself to release his possessive hold on her and they rode back into the city gates and drove straight to the church to set the date. The preacher was not alone though. Willard was at his elbow and Sophie did not want to talk to him with Willard's listening ear nearby.

"I will come back tomorrow and talk to him," Thomas assured as he drove them back to the Castro farm.

The next day Sophie sauntered cheerfully through town visiting shops and talking breezily with the townspeople. Thomas watched her from his central location in town as her smile brightened the whole town. She purchased some fabric, he wondered if it was for a certain special occasion coming up. He smiled to himself as he watched her. She was radiating beauty and she was his.

Finally she skipped towards him, her smiling growing even bigger. He was tempted to run out and greet her right in the middle of the dusty street, the whole town looking on. But he did not. He stood calmly in his shop, working the metal in front of him and waited for her.

"Hello Thomas," she said with her big goofy grin. She held her hands laced in front of her and swayed her shoulders side to side playfully.

"Hello Sophie," he casually.

"Sophie! Oh Sophie!" someone called after her. They both turned to look at who was calling her. It was Frida, again. Both of their shoulders dropped in disappointment. Sophie pressed her lips together trying to hide her disappointment.

"Frida, hello," Sophie said as the fretting woman approached.

"Oh Sophie," she said slightly out of breath. "I just had to catch you and make sure all is well with home."

"Oh yes, everything is just fine," she said with a half smile.

"Well, come over for coffee, we simply must catch up."

Sophie desperately wanted to refuse her but she just knew she couldn't. She bit her lower lip trying to think of a reason why she could say no, but she came up with nothing.

"That would be wonderful," she accepted reluctantly. "I just have a little business with Thomas and I will join you."

"What business could you possibly be doing with a black smith?"

Sophie smiled and looked at Thomas who was watching her curiously. Sophie pulled the string around her neck that was holding her precious key and presented it to him.

"Thomas could you turn this into a ring for me?" she asked. Her hand was shaking as she held it out to him.

Thomas wanted to refuse adamantly, but he knew he couldn't behave so intimately in front of Frida. Not yet. He shouldn't let on that he knew what a significant token this was to Sophie.

"Sophie," he said softly. "Are you sure?"

"I have never been so sure about anything," she said adamantly. She was beaming again. "I would actually like two rings made."

Thomas gingerly took the key from her and rubbed it carefully with his thumb as he inspected it carefully.

"So, can you do it?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded carefully and eyed her skeptically.

"How do I know what size?" he asked.

Frida sighed impatiently and shifted side to side waiting for Sophie to finish.

"Do you have a string?" she asked.

"No, I do not have a sting," he said with a laugh.

Sophie looked at the sting in his hand, holding her key. He rolled his eyes as he realized he was holding some. She held her hand out to him.

"Tie it around my finger for measurement," she instructed.

He obeyed, wrapping the string gently around her slender ring finger and securing a knot. Frida, who was growing more bored, looked off into the distance. Sophie mouthed to Thomas, "the second ring if for you."

She slipped her finger out of the circle and turned on her heel walking with Frida to the governor's house.

Thomas held the key in his hand and watched his future bride walk away from him. His heart was bursting with admiration and love for the woman. He had no idea he was capable of such a feeling.