By Lace Priest

Part 9 of The Gardener Series

John had mobilized his men. They would soon be invading the island the private investigator had tracked Gabrielle and her whore to. His men were to surround the area, arriving by sea and air. He didn’t know who the fuck this Xena dyke was, but he’d be damned if he was going to let her get away with her perversity. Damn employment agency.

He wiped his face with his hand in frustration. It hurt his ego. He had given his wife everything. Could almost say he loved her. He sighed deeply. Was that it? He shook his head as if trying to alter the picture his mind had made. I thought money kept all women happy. Isn’t that what everyone said.

"Sir, the men are ready."

John barely heard the words, he was so far away. Slowly he turned, regarding the tall muscular man standing at attention. "David, is it?"

The man quickly brought his eyes to meet light brown ones. "Yes, sir?"

"Are you married?"

The question brought out a frown. "A...yes, sir."

John turned back to face out the window. He hadn’t hired another gardener, and it was starting to show. "Does she love you?"

Again, the guard, frowned. He knew that his boss was troubled about his wife and all, but he didn’t understand how he could help. Yes, he was there for just a paycheck, but the guy was sometimes all right. Sometimes. "Yes, sir."

"How do you know?"

David shifted, afraid of the way the answers were being interpreted. "She tells me she does." He paused, wondering if he should continue. "Our bedroom life is pretty active."

"Thank you, David."

The man waited a few seconds, then turned around slowly. He didn’t understand it at all either. The woman had everything she could have wished, what had been missing? Shaking his head, he ran off. Women.

Gabrielle walked in to see a vision from heaven. Xena was sitting on the bench by the window. Sheer curtains to the side, soft sunlight streaming in, bathing her lover with a surreal shimmer of light. She sat, white button down shirt open and to the side, right leg raised, arm casually placed on top of the knee, left leg stretch beside the bench. Long black hair pushed to the side, exposed a creamy neck that just begged for attention. She felt her heart swell up at the sight. She looked like an angel.

She walked slowly towards her so as not to startle her. Xena turned her head and gave her a heart stopping smile, moving around so that her whole body faced her. What a sight to behold. The silky undies beckoned her, the partially open shirt tantalized her. Would there ever by a day when she wouldn’t be affected this way?

Gabrielle walked in to the open arms. Softly ruffling silky hair as Xena placed her cheek on her belly, as if worshipping or asking for forgiveness. The embrace became tighter, and she wandered what demons had surfaced and why.

"I don’t deserve you." Xena placed a kiss on the smooth skin and inhaled the scent that was her Gabrielle. She looked up to see love looking back at her. She brought up her hands, and softly trailed them on the body before her. Xena didn’t know how much longer she would have this gift, but she wanted to memorize everything.

Hands trailed around to the back, catching on the edge of the lacy panties. Unhurriedly, she brought them down, fingertips trailing, touching. She couldn’t get enough. She brought her face forward again. Gently, she brushed her nose back and forth against the blond curls. This wasn’t about sex, or lust. But a deep internal need to connect, to belong, to possess and be possessed. She’d give anything if she could just get inside of her Gabrielle. Tears of frustration fell from blue eyes. It was not enough, yet it was too much. It was overwhelming.

"Gabrielle, you are my savior. My life, it doesn't mean much, it doesn't mean anything at all. The life I've left behind me is a cold room. I've crossed the last line from where I can't return, where every step I took in faith betrayed me, and led me from my home.

And sweet, sweet surrender is all that I have to give. You take me in no questions asked. You strip away the ugliness that surrounds me. Are you an angel, am I already that gone. I only hope that I won't disappoint you, when I'm down here at your mercy.

And I don't understand by the touch of your hand, I would be the one to fall."

Tears flowed down Gabrielle’s face. "Baby, I love you, all of you." The blond straddled the muscled thighs, hugging her one and only, in a fierce embrace. She showered the upturned face with tender soft kisses. Her hands reached down and parted the white shirt that was hiding what she wanted to see, feel, and taste. She felt the gardener shudder as the shirt slid smoothly off.

She arched her back as warm wet lips suddenly began sucking her breast. Threading fingers through dark hair, she pressed her in, needing to feel her, wanting a connection that went beyond the physical. The feelings and emotions that the woman brought out in her were indescribable. She had never experienced anything even remotely close. The sucking moved up her neck to a particularly sensitive spot. She marveled at how Xena knew, how she cared. She had never had a lover that was so concerned with her pleasure. But Xena, ...Xena played her body like a musician who was a master of his art.

"Oh god, Xena, you make me feel sooo good," she growled. Sometimes, she swore she’d die from the intense pleasure. There were no words in any language to describe the ripples of ecstasy that flowed. Strong hands anchored her as wave after wave crashed against her body.

She brought her lips down for a kiss. She wanted to devour Xena, wanted to memorize the way her tongue moved inside her mouth, the way it tasted her, teased her, the feeling of velvet caressing her.

Just when she thought she couldn’t stand anymore, she felt herself deliciously filled. Tears flowed uncontrollably. It was too much. The hand moving beneath her, guiding her, thrusting marvelously into her, was all she could think of.

"Xena." She purred deeply, and buried her head in the neck of the gardener. "Xena," she panted again and she held on tightly as her body convulsed.

Marcus looked fondly at the island as he quietly sailed by. Xena. The name both inspired happiness and shame. 'My friend, I should have stopped them... or at least gone down with you.' Some friend he turned out to be. Like a coward, he had let them make her walk the plank. Those eyes had briefly fallen on him, and all he did was look away, afraid that they'd make him do the same since everyone knew they had been together. How she had survived the raging stormy seas that night was only a testament of the wonder that she was. It hadn't been until much later that he had learned that she had survived. And ever since, he carried around his guilt and shame in private.

The sudden roar yanked him out of his depressing thoughts by a slew of small speedboats that were passing by. Uneasily, he saw them heading towards the island, wondering what was going on.

"Jonas!"

"Yes captain." The voice was there within seconds.

"Gather the men as fast as you can."

The man turned to carryout his orders.

"Jonas!" Neutral eyes looked up.

"Have you ever heard of Xena?"

A big grin instantly formed. "The pirate? Who hasn't, the men are inspired by her. Among other things." He laughed.

"Good, good. Ask the men if they would like to help her out, and then set the coordinates and head for that island."

The grin got bigger, and he ran off without hesitation.

'Xena, I failed you once, I'm not going to fail you again.'