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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3912742" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Two-hundred-thirty-four, “Photographs and Memories“, Sunday, June 18th, 7:45 P.M. George Eastman sits down on the couch with the first photo album. After Ruby sits beside him he opens to the first page, showing he port of Santo Domingo. He continues to show her photographs of the city scenes. Most homes appear to be just two-or-three room single-story shacks with thatched roofs. Ruby is surprised to see that the people in the photographs appear to all be half-elves, similar to some that she saw in Arizona but with darker skin. Ruby runs her fingers over some of the pictures. "The city does look poor. Even though the west is still being built, it's not like this, with the small huts and stuff," she comments. "And I didn't realize there were so many half elves." He replies, "The native Dominicans were all wood elves, like the Mexicans. One of the things that Columbus and the Spaniards who followed him brought to the land were their European diseases which the Elvan shaman were unable to protect against. Eventually all of the elves died of the foreign diseases, the only survivors being the hybrid offspring from unions between the natives and the Spaniards, as they had the natural immunities inherited from their human parentage. So all of the natives are now of part-elvan and part-human heritage, with some Ogrish now mixed in as well from the time of the Haitian occupation." "That's sad too, a whole race lost like that." Ruby looks at George, "You're very smart to know all this stuff, you know. I don't know anything important like this." He says, "That's hardly true Ruby, from what you've said you had done more than your share to help tame the west and protect the people there." She says, "I guess in some ways... I hadn't really thought of it like that. Most of that stuff, well, wasn't really by choice. I mean, I'd like to say I was a hero and all but it was more being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'd like to think that over time I've become less selfish but really when it comes down to it, it's about the people I love and care about... and me. And up until recently there wasn't too many people on that I care about list." Ruby is quiet for a moment before she laughs. "I guess I should have just agreed with you, huh?" He replies, "Ruby, most people who become heroes are folks who just happened to be at a particular place at a particular time, not something preplanned. And as for just agreeing with me, I'm certain there are thousands of women who have been brought up to never question the man they are with, I'm not one of those people." He continues to show her more photographs, the next series of which are taken outside of the city of natives harvesting bananas and coconuts. He then has a dozen photographs large stone buildings within the city itself which he explains is the University of Santo Domingo, the oldest human university in the western hemisphere, established by the Spanish in 1538. She asks, "Do you regret not getting to go to University? I know when we were younger you were looking forward to it." He replies, "No, I have made myself self-educated, using various books and other resources to give myself the equivalent of a college degree and for specialized skills such as engineering I have hired experts to tutor me." Ruby leans her head back against the couch. "You should be very proud of yourself, making all this," she waves her hand around the room, "And everything else you've done, come true. You're so... smart. And determined. I admire that." He says, "Thank you my dear, that means a lot coming from you." They complete the first photo album and he gets the second. It has pictures of several fishing boats and then some seascapes. He explains, "I managed to convince some fishermen friends to take me and my camera out with them fishing for a couple of weeks. I managed to get between three and eight pictures each trip. I tried to capture the everyday life of a fisherman as well as getting pictures of the land and other boats from the sea." Ruby wraps her arm through George's and snuggles closer to him. "You know, you could probably copy these somehow, frame them and sell them. They're beautiful and I bet people with seaside homes could decorate their homes with them. You have a lot of talent," Ruby says looking up at him with admiration. "Thank you. You are full of compliments tonight." She shrugs. "Probably because I'm in a very good mood and feel truly happier than I have in a long time," is her reply. He finishes with the fishing pictures and goes on to a series of photographs of a fancy stone building. He states "This is the Governor's Palace. It was first built by the Spanish to house the Spaniard who ruled the island. The Island's ruler has resided there since." He shows her a photograph of a older man standing in front of the building, with some half-elvan features but appears to be mostly human. "This is their current ruler, Francisco del Rosario Sanchez. He and his friend Ramon Mella led the revolt against the Haitians thirty-eight years ago. The two of them have alternated leadership roles since that time." She asks, "Did you get to meet the rulers or just taker their pictures? I mean, do they know who you are?" He says, "Of course I met them, I was in the country with their permission. They saw it as an opportunity to promote their land. " They flip through the remainder of the album. which has a series of smaller buildings and several beaches that look different from those of the city of Santo Domingo. He says, "These were taken from San Pedro de Marcoris and La Romana, two coastal cities forty and fifty miles east of Santo Domingo." When they finish with the album he sets it aside. He starts to reach for the third and final album but then hesitates. He turns back to Ruby and says, "You are probably bored with looking at pictures by this point." She smiles and nods her head no. "I like seeing the things you've done." She pauses. "And besides, even if I was, I like listening to your voice. And, well," she blushes, "Sitting near you." She continues quickly, "So if you want to go on, please." "Err...well...um....I suppose he says." He somewhat reluctantly brings the next album over. The first few pages show what appears to be a smaller village of poorer half-elves. He doesn't spend much time describing the pictures this time and they begin to go through them rather quickly. When they are around half-way through the book Ruby begins to note one particular half-elvan woman of the human equivalent of late teens keeps appearing in most of them. Ruby points to the girl. "Who's that?" she asks bluntly. George stutters slightly and says, "Her name was Sophia...she...she was one of the people who helped to show me around Santo Domingo." Ruby runs a finger across of of her photographs. "She's beautiful." She is a little unsure if she really wants to know who this girl was, with George acting so strange. "What else did she do, besides show you around? It looks like you spent a lot of time together and you're acting all funny talking about her." George says, "We did spend a lot of time together. She....during the last five years since you left...well, she's the only one I've had any type of serious relationship with. I....I thought I was in love with her. I now know that I was not, but at the time I mistakenly believed that to be true." "You loved her?" Ruby suddenly felt nauseous, her stomach sick with jealousy. "What happened? I mean, why aren't you with her now?" He replies, "Her father did not approve of the union. He told me to leave so I did. That's how I now know it wasn't true love. I am certain that if it were the real thing absolutely nothing would have kept me from her." Ruby sits next to George, speechless. He just admitted he was in love with someone else and only wasn't with her because of her father. Ruby couldn't comprehend the excuse, someone's father didn't make love go away. Her stomach was still churning and her heart was pounding in her chest. She moves away from him on the couch and says quietly, "I think I'm done looking at pictures for the night... It's late... should probably get to bed." He takes her hand and says, "Ruby, I would not go back to Santo Domingo for her ever, that is in the past. It wasn't meant to be. I...my feelings towards you....what I felt towards Sophia pales by comparison. I don't know if we are meant to be together going forward but...I truly do love you." The nauseous sick feeling quickly changes to the nauseous butterfly feeling. She felt like she was getting tugged between her own emotions, spiraling out of control. She looks him in the eyes, "I...I...George, I...," Ruby tries to say the words back to George but isn't ready and can't force them out. Instead, she does what she knows how to do best to show how she feels. She puts her hands on his face and kisses him, warm and soft on the lips. He returns the embrace and kiss. After a few minutes Ruby pulls away, but only slightly. She looks him in the eyes and says softly, "I'm totally jealous you loved someone else George." He chuckles and says, "You're one to talk! You were with me and stood up on a table at the El Parador and declared your undying love for another man!" Ruby's cheeks turn dark crimson. "I believed it at the time, I believed he loved me too. I guess it was foolish. If this is how I made you feel, I'm sorry. It's a terrible feeling." A small smile comes to her lips. "How about we forget all that and concentrate on... right... now. Not yesterday and not tomorrow. Just right now." "A wonderful suggestion," he replies. He embraces her again and pulls her close for another long passionate kiss. Ruby gently but persistently pushes George back onto the couch, so she is lying on top of him as they kiss. Between kisses she says breathlessly, "I hope this is okay George..." "Of course," he states and his hands begin to wander Ruby enjoys his wandering hands and wandering kisses and it doesn't take long before thoughts are pushed away and instincts take over. With some difficulty she pulls his suspenders off his shoulders and then unbuttons his shirt. The excitement of being with someone new... coupled with her feelings for George and her certainty of how he feels for her was making this a new experience, a new level of exhilaration and intimacy. She was sure and yet unsure at the same time. Ruby wiggles his shirt to remove it, then sits up suddenly, turning her back to George. "Help me please," she says, still breathless, biting her lip in anticipation of George's hands on her, helping with the intimate act of disrobing. He stands but instead of reaching out towards Ruby he heads towards the door to the room. He then shuts the door and then turns off two of the three lights illuminating the room before returning to her and helping her off with her dress. Once she's standing in her underclothes she turns back to George and pulls his undershirt off over his head. She admires him, runs her hands over his strong arms and smooth chest, down to his waist. "I should warn you," she teases between kisses, "Once you've bedded me you'll never be satisfied by another woman." "Let's take this one step at a time," he whispers back, then adds, "And I would never want another woman." "Well then," she says slyly, "You tell me, what's the next step?" "Whatever you wish my dear," he states as he lowers the two of them back down onto the couch and leans his head in for another passionate kiss. They take their slow time kissing and learning what they feel like, and what makes them crazy. George quickly figures out Ruby's soft spot is her neck as she melts whenever he kisses her there and he frequently returns to the spot to hear her moan in pleasure. Both half naked, unknown amounts of time go by as they just enjoy each other. Finally Ruby gently pulls George's head away from her, tugging on his hair. With kiss swollen lips she looks him in the eyes and whispers, "Tell me you love me again George, tell me you'd get the stars for me if I asked. Tell me you've never really wanted anyone but me." Her eyes can't hide her vulnerability at this moment, she isn't asking because she is teasing him or trying to be sexy, she's asking him because she needs it to be true, she wants it to be true and she can't hide it from him. He replies, "Ruby, I love you and would do anything for you. I know that I've never wanted anybody like I want you....because...well, I've never been with a woman like this before.” Ruby, momentarily shocked, says nothing at first. Finally she says, "What do you mean, you've never been with woman before like this? You mean, on the couch?" He replies, "No I mean...well...I've, well, I've spent time before in the company of women, kissing and the like. Down in Santo Domingo Sophia and I became very close, swimming naked together and exploring each other's bodies to some degree, but I could not bring myself to rob her of her virtue. So I have never fully engaged in the practice of sexual intercourse. I've had opportunities before but never with the right person so I passed. When you asked me just now to tell you that I've never really wanted anybody but you. Well, no truer words have ever been spoken." Ruby closes her eyes for a moment. She could be truthful and maybe ruin the whole moment, their whole relationship, or she could just keep her mouth shut and go along with what was going on. She opens her eyes and smiles softly at George, trying to break the news gently. "You know that I have done all this before, right? I just wouldn't want you to go through with it and have regrets later." He embraces her again and states, "I have no regrets whatsoever." She kisses him passionately but before she goes too far she stops. "Well, your first time should be a little more special than the couch. Maybe we should go upstairs?" He takes her by the hands and leads her back to the door, unlocking it, and escorts her up to his room. She stops outside his door. "Why don't you get some candles and I'll be right in." She kisses him hard on the lips before she hurries off to her room. Suddenly glad she chose lingerie instead of jewelry Ruby quickly throws off her underclothes and puts on the see through pink gown and matching robe. She pulls her hair down from it's up position, shaking it out so it's fluffy. A little dab of perfume and she headed back to his room. She looks both ways before leaving her room, then knocks on George's door before entering. He opens the door, having taken a few minutes to attire himself in a silk robe. A single candle illuminates the room. "Oh my, you look so beautiful" he exclaims. "And you," she says, taking a few steps towards him until she is breathing on him, "Are so handsome and charming and gentlemanly. And you are totally stealing my heart George Eastman." She kisses him softly, guiding him towards the bed as she does. She gently pushes him back onto the bed where she continues to kiss him. After some time goes by Ruby pulls herself off George and stands next to the bed. She starts undoing her robe but pauses in motion and looks up at him. "Are you ready George?" He reaches his hand over and helps her off with the robe. She waits a moment but decides the gown is so flimsy she might as well remove that too. Making sure to be tantalizing, even though she knows she doesn't need to, she pulls the gown off over her head and drops it to the floor, leaving herself naked before him. She again waits a moment, giving him time to enjoy looking at her before she climbs onto his lap. She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls herself close to him, her enjoying sharing the same air, feeling the warmth of him envelope her. "I'm so lucky to have a friend like you, I really am." She gazes into his brown eyes, "I...I..." She stops herself from stammering. She whispers, "Make love to me George." He unbelts and drops him robe, also revealing nothing beneath. He lowers her onto the bed and they spend the next three hours in reckless abandon. Ruby curls up into George, wrapping her arms and legs around him. Still breathing heavy, her heart pounding and sweaty, she reaches up and wipes off George's forehead. The wide smile though won't come off her face. "That was... surprising." He replies softly, "Don't be surprised, I have waited my whole life for you. And when I put my mind to something I give it all of the energy that I can muster. I love you Constance Grace West...Ruby...with all of my heart." "I love you too George." The words come out before she even realizes what she is saying. She pauses, expecting to feel regret or even scared, but those feelings don't come. She smiles widely, picks herself up on her elbow so she can look at George and repeats, "I do, I love you too. Something is just... right." Her heart pounds, the butterflies return but it's all good. "I love you too," he replies. He snuggles closer if that is at all possible and gives her a deep hug. Before she can respond again she hears a light snoring sound and realizes that he has fallen asleep. She kisses his forehead and falls into the most comfortable, restful and peaceful sleep she's had in a very long time.</blockquote>

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