It took a moment, but the fact that someone was talking to her finally registered. "Huh?" she said, and then struggled to her feet. "Someone needs care? Who?"

"YOU do."  He grinned.  "A full body massage would be good.  What do you say?  Like my prescription?"

"Sounds marvelous," she said, weaving as she stood. "You volunteering?"

"Most certainly," he said smoothly, catching her. "But I think a certain Highlander will have my head if I don't give him equal time."  

"S'right with me," she yawned, completely unaware he was steering her out of the room and out of the clinic. Seeing one of the Pony Express riders lounging about near by, he told him to run find Duncan MacLeod and have him meet them at Sarah Jo's place, pronto like.

Ike could not speak, but he could hear.  Nodding, he rushed to find Duncan MacLeod!  Meanwhile, Doc brought Sarah Jo to her home.  Once they were there, he asked, "Do you want to get comfortable?  Maybe take a nice long bath?"

She nodded and yawned again. She was due for a major crash, but after having forced herself to stay up for so long, her body was not cooperating. Even if she did lie down, she would most likely lie awake, staring at the ceiling.  Ben took the yawn for a yes, and steered her to the bathroom. There was a nice sized claw foot tub in it and as she fumbled with her clothes, he started the water running.

"Now don't fall in and drown yourself, Pet," he smiled, kissing her on the forehead.  "I'm just going to see if your masseuse is here yet."  And he hurried out of the room before she undressed too much and he got less generous.

Duncan was just entering the house. "What's up Doc?" he quipped. "Where's the fire?"

"No fire," he smiled, "just a warm bath."  When Duncan looked confused, he said, "She's tired and vulnerable.  Needs some tender loving care and maybe a massage.  You think you can manage that, Highlander?"

The confused look changed into a smirk. "I think I can," he said. "You look like you could use some rest yourself."

"Which is why I am asking you to carry out the prescription.  I'm too old to go without sleep." He grinned and Duncan had a feeling he was lying through his teeth, but he wasn't going to question it.  More than likely, Duncan thought, he just assumed she was too tired to give him any, and he'd try another time, leaving her to his tender mercies tonight!

Taking the stairs three at a time, he ran upstairs, arriving just in time to keep the water from running over in the bath. Sarah Jo was sitting on a stool, her shirt unbuttoned, staring off into space. The fact that a different man was in the room with her hardly registered.

"Great," said Duncan.  "Just great.  Thanks a lot DOC."

The sound of his voice made her look up. "Hey, Duncan," she said. "What'cha doing here? Are you going to put me to bed?" Duncan chucked and told her she needed to take a bath first.

Sarah Jo shrugged and started to slide her shirt off. He watched as she did so.  Maybe he should just put her to bed!  But it wouldn't be fair. 

When she started to climb into the tub with her skirt still on, that’s when he sprang into action.  Duncan stopped her, and then undressed her the rest of the way. "Like what you see?" she said when he had the last bit off. 

"Yes," he said softly.  "Very much."

He helped her into the tub, and then had to pull her head above the water as she sank below and didn't come back up. Soaping up a washrag, he started to wash her, starting with her feet and working up her body until he reached her arms. "Hmmm, you have very nice bath side manners,” she said as he washed each arm all the way down her fingers, and then kissed each palm once he was finished. "I'm clean. Can we go to bed now?"

“Yeah," he said, cursing Doc out under his breath, "we can go to bed now."

To his surprise, when he lifted her out of the tub, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him very thoroughly. "I missed you," she mumbled. "You went to the fort and stayed away. Then everyone got sick. I wanted you to come and see me," she said as her mouth closed on his again, her naked wet body pressed against his.

His heart suddenly pounding from the change in her demeanor, he closed his arms around her and kissed her back passionately. Aha! He thought, Doc was wrong!

He wrapped a warm towel around her and then scooped her up into his arms. Half of the stuff she was saying didn't make much sense, but he didn't care at this point. As he laid her on the bed, she attempted to undress him, but her tired fingers didn't seem to want to work the buttons of his shirt.

He pushed them gently away and kissed under the towel; her body was warm and wet.  "Tell me if you want me to stop, Sarah Jo," he said huskily.  "I don't want to take advantage of you."

"You aren't," she said as she tugged on his shirt. "You see me, I want to see you. Maybe the sight will help wake me up!"

He chuckled and opened his shirt.  It was a nice chest, she thought, and well worth it.  Then she tugged lower, and again he chuckled.  "You asked for it!"

"Oh! A pretty!" she giggled when his erection sprang forth after he dropped his pants. "Can I play with it?" Duncan chuckled as her hand wrapped around it and her fingers slid up and down his shaft. She was so tired she was almost punch drunk silly. But at this point, he didn't care. It felt good to be manhandled this way.  Of course, if he tried to do something else with it and she suddenly realized it wasn't a plaything . . .

He coaxed her, telling her what felt good and what felt really good. Even as tired as she was, she was a quick learner. "Hmmm," she said as he encouraged her to taste it with her tongue and mouth. "So nice." 

"So are you," he moaned softly, "So are you."  He pushed her away gently before it was too late.  "You can finish me off this way, or . . . “ The question hung in the air.

She kissed the weeping end of his manhood once more and then laid back, her arms open wide in invitation. That was all it took. He crawled up her body, kissing her as he went.  Soon it was pressed against her opening, leaping eagerly at the prospect of being inside her.  His kisses by then were filled with passion.

She opened wider, allowing him access. But as he started to push his way in, suddenly Duncan froze, looking at her in surprise. She was still a virgin! Suddenly it all made sense. The easy way she had taken to playing with his shaft must have meant she had done that to Doc Adams. That, and no more!

"Thank you," he said, "for choosing me!"

He pressed in again, this time with a little more force, breaking through her barrier. Sarah Jo gasped, and then moaned with the sheer joy of feeling him fill her so completely. "Love me, Duncan!" she cried out. "Love me now!"

"Oh yes!" he said, sure that she had eschewed Doc's suit for his own, and that's why the old man had pushed them together, "Yes, Sarah Jo, my sweet!"

She kept encouraging him to take her faster and harder, and he happily obliged, quickly building her up to an earth-shattering climax.  As she screamed out as he sent her plummeting over the edge in the little death, Duncan joyfully followed her over. "Thank you," she mumbled as her body went limp underneath him and she fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.

He curled around her, also exhausted, but in a nice way.  She had waited for him!  He was elated.  That must mean she had chosen him over Doc- a formidable rival!  It was impossible not to feel elated. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep himself, happy and content.