Too Tired to Preform

Leslie snorted as her flesh tingled.

"What's got you grinning?" Jostice asked, bringing his face away from her olive skin.

"Your nose has touched me more than your lips." She giggled, teeth glowing in the candlelit room.

Jostice worked the tip through her red strands. He took another long breath, eyes closing, taking in her scent.

"My lips get the night off ..."

Leslie pushed against his shoulders, forcing his bare body off of hers. She wanted to find his eyes, and once she had, she smiled warmly.

"You mean not to kiss me all night? I don't think I can bear that ... If this is how you plan to work our evening I may just need to find myself a new fragrance."

Jostice laughed, sitting up. The sheets slipping down his back. Even in the glow, she could see the scars that marked his mountainous chest and hilly abs, glistening of sweat.

"That smell is what keeps me coming back to you. Lose that, and hell, I don't think I'd recognize ya."

Leslie placed a hand behind her head, red strands stretched across her pillow. "What're you ... a dog now?"

"Half." He winked. Jostice arched down, sliding his nose along her stomach then up between her breasts. He lingered there. Each gust of air tickling her skin while drawing out goose flesh.

"Looks like you're worthless tonight." Leslie pulled beneath his arms, twisting at her hips, wrapping her ankles between his. In one quick motion, they rolled and she mounted. "If you won't work, I will."

Jostice hands found her hips. He lifted his head, nostrils flaring, drawing in more of her essence.

"I've had enough out of you," she pinned a pillow to his face, making certain he could breathe. Leslie reached down, thankful when she felt him solid. She gave him a few strokes, "glad I don't need to churn you ready." He mumbled or laughed she couldn't quite tell.

There was something about tonight that made her yearn for him. Maybe it was due to being their first night in the new house. That the twenty horse's outside would need tending tomorrow. Or that she finally got her ranch back in order ...

No. All excuses. It was four years without a proper bedding, she knew.

It'd been a year since the tournament ended and they'd been working tirelessly on the restoration of the ranch. Day and night, hammering away, even before their wounds completely healed.

It was a joint effort, and she felt blessed to have Jostice by her side. Even when times were hard, he pulled them through, making certain they'd complete the process. There was little time for each other in that year, and though there was still much more work to be had, they'd at least had their bed to come back to at night.

Leslie brought two fingers down below her hips, feeling warm moisture, she was as ready as he was.

"You just relax tonight," Leslie stroked him once more, bringing his tip to her lips, "I need to work on my riding, no how—"

Three loud knocks came at the door.

"Sis!"

Jostice pulled the pillow from his face, taking a large breath. Maybe she'd covered him more than intended.

"Can I sleep with you?" A voice muttered. "I had another nightmare."

"For the regiments sake!" Jostice said. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you pair were sown at the hip."

Leslie said, "one moment, Rynan!" Then turned towards Jostice. "I'll be quick, I promise." From there, she swept herself into the covers and brought a foot to the chilled floor, dismounting. The boards creaked beneath her weight. Leslie stayed on the balls of her feet, gliding across the floor.

"He's too old for this nonsense ... you need to stop babying him—"

"Shhh!" Leslie had a finger to her lip.

In her heart, she knew Jostice was correct. Even before the fire, they never had a moment's peace with Rynan lingering around; only able to find a bit of quiet when he stayed with Boone at the cottage. But that was when Jerocobish and Ma Jean welcomed him with open arms. These days Boone was too busy training with Krigun, therefore, Rynan stayed lonely on the ranch.

The door squeaked, and she peered out, seeing the boy lumbering like a tree, dressed in a patchy one-piece. Lower lip pouting. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

Leslie peered over a shoulder, looking upon Jostice's bare flesh. He leaned on one side, hand beneath an ear, watching with little amusement. He waved.

"Not tonight ... I, uhm, need to rest up ... and your snoring keeps me up at night." Jostice shook his head and Leslie slipped out the door, closing it behind her. "I'll take you back to bed."

They walked down the hall, past the room Jostice was supposed to be sleeping in, to the door on the other side. Two windows allowed light to pass. She opened the door, looking upon the missing floor, hidden beneath piles of scattered clothes.

"You'll need to clean this up in the morning."

"But!"

"I don't want to hear it. You've been raised better than this ..." She pushed him forward, and it was like moving a boulder. Leslie stepped carefully as the boy stumbled towards his bed, one that could fit three grown men, nearly the size of the room, there she sat him down.

"Now get some sleep."

"I can't sleep, I'm too—" he pulled on his garment, "sweaty!"

Leslie placed a hand on his moist forehead. "You do feel a bit warm."

"I told you ..."

"Go on!" She pointed to his one-piece. "You can sleep nude ... but I best not find streaks on your bedsheets again." Nothing was more disgusting than having to clean up after Rynan. And his sheets were the worse, leaving stains from every orifice. "You hear me?"

Rynan's cheeks brightened red as his coiled hair. He twiddled his thumbs, "yes, mama." He sat there, looking towards the floor, unmoving.

Leslie crossed her arms, waiting. The boy didn't seem to have any idea what to do next. Maybe I have babied him for too long, she thought. With a long sigh, she began unbuttoning his one-piece, slipping the cloth over his shoulder.

"You're going to have to start doing things for yourself, ya hear? I think it's time you transition into a man."

The boy stayed silent, thumbs still twirling.

"I know you can do it, Rynan. You're a smart Kid—"

Leslie's tongue got stuck, her eyes falling upon the black trail of fungus flesh around his shoulder. From there, Leslie pulled the cloth down to Rynan's hips, looking upon the black infested skin around his right shoulder blade.

Krigun had given her a proper remedy, even explained that the hex was dormant; that it'd become a nasty black scar one day, but something about it never sat well with her; a feeling, perhaps. And even though the rancid smell had gone, and the creature stopped trying to feast on his flesh, the hex almost seemed alive. At times Rynan complained about his muscles twitching, she'd even witnessed it; like something was alive beneath the skin, sleeping, ready to be awoken.

"Have you been scratching this again?" The skin around the wound was red and swollen.

"I try not to ... but it itches so darn much."

"Well, tomorrow we can head to Boone's and see what Krigun has for the itch. Does that sound good?"

Rynan cheeks bubbled making half-mooned indentations. "And we'll get to see Boone?"

Leslie stood to her feet, shrugging. "Depends if that Grandpappy of his will allow it ... Seems like he's got him working day and night on his gunslinging and alchemy skills."

"I'd say ... hardly recognized him last time I saw him ... his hat fit fine and guns never left his side."

"I know. He's just growing up, that's all." Leslie rubbed his head, making his ears wiggle. "Get some sleep."

Rynan nodded, falling back into the bed. She then left, allowing him the privacy to strip the rest of his garments.

On return, she felt herself once, fingertips moist. "Good, I'm still hot ..." Leslie opened the door and slipped back into the room, tiptoeing toward the bed. At the foot, she spread the sheets, exposing her beautiful nude flesh while the white marks on her leg and shoulder, and the black bruises around her neck, stayed hidden in the darkness. "Get to bucking—"

A soft sound came from the man's nose, his eyes shut tight, body still.

Leslie sighed, "asleep already ... guess I'll do the work alone."

She climbed into bed next to him, shifting to get comfortable, then reached down below and gently massaged herself.