Irene caught her breath, the rate of her intake of oxygen slowly returning to normal as Sam’s tempo slowed until he was unable to move within her and slipped out.  That gentle exit made her gasp once more.  She laughed softly, pulling him down mostly on top of her and then giving him a slight shove so they lay facing each other.<br/><br/>“So much for clean sheets.”  Irene spoke softly, petting his stubble-covered cheek.  “You’ll have to shave...or perhaps I’ll shave you...before you visit me down south again,” she teased.  “Feel like I rode a porcupine bareback,” she said, eyes smiling into his.<br/><br/>Irene felt like she should clean herself or the bed would be even dirtier, but she didn’t want to leave Sam.  She shifted around until she gave him her back, hauling his arm around her and sighing once more.<br/><br/>“Now, can we get some shut-eye?” she asked, tone unable to keep the sound of humor from the words.<br/><br/>Lying there, Irene remembered the dream she’d been having before he’d wakened her.  “I was dreaming this, Sam, and then you made it real.  I wasn’t sure I was awake...at first.”  She pulled his arm tighter around her and splayed her hand beneath his, reaching her fingers between his and lacing them together, his hand on top of hers.  She tucked their joined fists under her chin and, with a wriggle of contentment fell asleep as somewhere out in the pre-dawn dark an over-achiever rooster began to welcome the morning.<br/>