Return of the Swamp Witch

by

Marty Chrisman

Chapter 1

Luke Duke looked up at the sky as a bolt of lightening flashed overhead. The sky was black with storm clouds and the wind was picking up. Daisy and Uncle Jesse were busy trying to get the animals into the barn while Bo and Luke moved the vehicles to safer locations away from the trees and the buildings. There were both severe storm warnings and tornado warnings being issued for the county. And if the storms were too bad, flood warnings would be added to that list. It had been almost twenty-five years since weather as severe as they were predicting had hit Hazzard County .

Suddenly the rain started pouring down in sheets. Even though Luke was only a short distance from the house, he was still soaked to the skin by the time he ran across the barnyard and onto the screened in back porch. Daisy, Jesse and Bo all came running too and they were just as soaked. Jesse ushered everyone into the house and told them to get into some dry clothes. Outside, the wind picked up and started howling around the house as the rain pounded down on the tin roof. The rain kept up relentlessly, accompanied by high winds and hail.

“We're in for a long night.” Jesse said somberly “We'll have to take turns sitting up and listening for warnings.” The boys nodded. They all knew the emergency routine.

Jesse had insisted they practice it regularly when they were children because in a real emergency every minute counted. Once a month they checked the supplies in the storm cellar to make everything was working order and well stocked.

Bo volunteered to take the first shift while everyone else went to bed. Luke went upstairs to their room and lay down across his bed. He didn't bother to undress; he had the next shift in three hours time. He had just drifted off when suddenly the bedroom door slamming open jarred him awake. “There's a twister coming this way!” Bo's voice yelled frantically. Luke bounced to his feet as Bo ran down the hall to alert Daisy and Uncle Jesse. Within minutes the family was running outside and around the corner of the house to the storm cellar. The wind blew harshly forcing them to fight their way against it to get to the safety of the cellar.

It took both Bo and Luke to pull open the cellar door against the gale force of the wind. They ushered Daisy and Jesse in first, then quickly followed them, pulling the door securely shut and slamming home the bolt to lock it from the inside. They hurried down the steps and huddled together with Jesse and Daisy, waiting out the storm that raged overhead.

They waited almost three hours before Jesse finally decided to send the boys up to find out if it was safe to come out. Luke unbolted the lock and the boys shoved it open. Outside, the rain had tapered off and a scene of destruction met their anxious eyes. Tree limps littered the barnyard and the old oak tree between the house and the barn had been uprooted. It had fallen on the barn and smashed in the side with the hayloft. Half of the roof had also been blown off. There were several broken windows in the house and the corral beside the barn had been destroyed. Luckily, none of the vehicles seemed to be damaged, except for Jesse's pickup which had a broken windshield. The boys exchanged worried glances wondering how badly the rest of the county was damaged. They returned to the cellar to tell Jesse about the damage to the farm and to let him know that it was safe to come above ground.

The Dukes surveyed the damage. Jesse knew his insurance would cover most of the damage but they would have to do the work themselves. They went back into the house. Jesse checked the phone but the line was down and the electric was out too. He wasn't surprised. Daisy found the emergency candles and lit them so the boys could see to fix the broken windows at least temporarily until they could get the materials they needed to fix them properly.

Jesse built a fire in the old wood stove in the kitchen so Daisy could make them all some coffee. They all hoped that the storms were over at least for the night. But that hope was short lived with another thunderstorm came in just before dawn bringing with it more hail, high winds and a downpour of rain. It poured down all day, resulting in flood warnings being issued along with additional storm warnings. There wasn't anything any of them could but wait out the weather. Luckily, they hadn't planted the spring crops yet so they didn't have to worry about losing them.

It was late afternoon before the rain let up enough for the boys to make their way to the barn to check on the livestock. They found several dead chickens, a dead goat, and Maudine the mule was also dead. So the first order of business was digging a hole to bury the dead animals in. The boys grabbed shovels and went out behind the barn to get to it. At least it wasn't hard to dig since the ground was so wet but it was still backbreaking labor since they had to dig the hole at least four feet deep, five feet long and four foot wide. Finally, they finished digging and hauled the deal animals out to the common grave and dumped them inside. They covered them over and stomped down on the loose dirt to pack it down. Finished with that, they fed the rest of the animals and gathered the eggs. They had barely made it back into the house before the rain started pouring down again. It was after midnight before the rain finally seemed to stop for good.

The boys turned in. As long as it didn't start raining again, tomorrow they would have to start the work to clean up and repair the damage done to their property and that included checking the rest of their property for damages. They were all up by five thirty the next morning and ready to get started. Daisy was taking Jesse's truck into Cooter to have the windshield fixed. Bo was following her into town in the General so she would have a ride home. He was also picking up the materials to fix the broken windows in the house while he was in town. Jesse and Luke stayed behind to start cleaning up the damages around the barn and farmhouse. The first thing they did was to start cutting up the fallen oak tree for firewood.

Chapter 2

Bo and Luke slowly walked through the back pasture surveying the damage from the storms. There were large sections of fence down all over the property; weeks of work lay ahead of them to repair all the damage that had been done. Bo had told Luke and Jesse that the damage was just as bad throughout the county and in town. Bo stopped and shaded his eyes against glare of the sun. Off in the distance he could see something lying on the ground but he couldn't quite make out what it was.

“Hey, Luke….there's something laying over there.” He said, drawing his cousin's attention to the object lying on the ground. He pointed in the right direction.

“Let's check it out.” Luke said “It could be one of the colts that Mr. Henderson said he was missing..”

As the boys got closer, they suddenly realized it wasn't an animal laying on the ground, it was a body. They both broke into a run with Luke reaching the figure on the ground first. It was a woman with long golden brown hair who was lying face down on the grass. Her clothes were wet and streaked with mud. There was no way of knowing just how long she had been laying there before the boys found her. Luke knelt down beside her and gently rolled her over onto her back. He found himself looking at the unconscious figure of Selena Drew, a woman who lived in Hazzard Swamp . The one some people called the Swamp Witch. A woman who had saved Luke's life not once but three times. The most recent time being just 6 months ago.

“Hey,” Bo said in surprise as he joined Luke and knelt down beside him “That's that Selena girl.”

“Yeah, I know….” Luke said, his eyes quickly looking for visible injuries but not seeing any. He pressed his fingertips against the side of her neck. He found a pulse, strong and steady. “Let's get her back to the house.” He told Bo. Luke gently slipped one arm under her shoulders and his other arm under her knees. He hoped she didn't have any internal injuries but somehow he didn't think so. Carefully, he gathered her into his arms and straightened up. Her head leaned against his shoulder and he could feel the warm of her breath against the side of his neck. He was surprised at how light she was she couldn't weigh much over a hundred and twenty pounds.

“How do you think she got out here?” Bo asked as they started walking back towards the house as fast as they could without falling in the puddles and mud that still covered the ground beneath their feet.

“I don't know….but she wouldn't have left the swamp unless she had to.” Luke said “I think she might have been trying to get to our place.”

As they reached the barnyard, Bo ran ahead to open the back door for Luke. He carried her onto the screened in back porch and then into the house. Jesse had already stepped into the kitchen from the living room to see what was going on when Bo came rushing into the house and held the door open for Luke.

“What's wrong?” Jesse asked, stopping in surprise when he saw the woman that Luke was carrying in his arms. “Selena….” he said softly when he recognized the unconscious woman. “Lay her down on the couch….” He told Luke gruffly

Luke carried her into the living room and carefully laid her down on the sofa. “We found her in the back pasture.” Bo told his Uncle in an excited voice “She was just lying there on the ground.”

“No telling how long she's been lying there.” Jesse said, as he gently ran his fingers through her hair checking for injuries. He found a small knot on the left side of her head. “She must have been out in the storm…..she's soaked to the skin.” He glanced at his two nephews “Bo, call Doc Applebee and ask him to get out here as soon as he can. It looks like she hit her head on something.”

“With all that rain we had the swamp probably flooded.” Luke said “And no telling how much damage the twister caused out there.”

“More than likely.” Jesse agreed. He gently ran his calloused hands over her arms and legs checking for broken bones but didn't find any. Daisy had come over to stand beside him in case Jesse needed her help with anything.

“Has she really lived up there all her life, Uncle Jesse?” asked Daisy, who had been standing quietly by as the boys and Jesse talked.

“She was born and raised up there.” Jesse said solemnly with a slight nod of his head. “Her mother was a full blooded Cherokee squaw….she'd never left the swamp so she didn't see any reason for Selena to leave either….”

“What about her daddy?” Luke asked as he looked down at the woman's face, noting the color of her hair and the color of her skin, mute evidence that a white man's blood flowed through her veins as well.

“Her father was an old moon shiner that hid his stills up in the swamp. That's how he met her mother. He used to bring Selena into Hazzard with him sometimes….but most of the time she stayed up there with her mother.” Jesse said. He smiled faintly “She's always been torn between two worlds and never quite fit into either one.”

“That's so sad….” Daisy said suddenly feeling sorry for the young woman she'd only met briefly.

“Yeah, baby…” Jesse agreed “It is.”

There was a light tap on the front door. Daisy went to open it and admitted Doc Applebee to the house. He crossed over to the sofa and knelt down beside Selena. Gently, he began examining her looking for any other injuries besides the knot on her head. He found some scraps and cuts on her hands and legs. There were also some bruises on her right side. As he gently ran his fingers along that side, even though she was unconscious, she flinched when he touched her ribs. Looking at the Duke family, he straightened up and said “She's got a concussion and some cracked ribs, a few cuts and bruises. She should be alright in a few days. She just needs some rest. If she doesn't wake up in the next few hours, let me know right away and we'll take her to the hospital.”

“We'll take good care of her, Doc.” Jesse told him “Thank you for coming out here. I know you're busy right now with all the other folks that got hurt in the storm.”

“It's no problem, Jesse. She's a pretty special young lady.” Doc told him with a smile “She's got generations of the old remedy's in that head of hers remedy's that aren't even written down anywhere anymore. Do you have any idea how valuable that information is?” He looked at Selena contemplatively “I'd like to try and get her to share them with me someday.” He reached into his bag and handed Jesse a small bottle of pins “Give her one of these every four hours for the pain. I'll show myself out.”

As Doc Applebee left, Jesse said “Luke, why don't you take Selena into the spare room?” He glanced at Daisy “And, honey, why don't you see if you can find something dry to put on her so we can get her out of them wet clothes.” Daisy nodded and headed towards her room to see what she could find. Luckily they were about the same size even if she was shorter than Daisy.

Jesse straightened up and walked over to the spare bedroom that they had recently added on to the house. He opened the door and stepped into the room, pulling back the sheet and bedspread that covered the single bed that set in the middle of the room.

Luke gently gathered Selena back into his arms, carrying her across the room and into the tiny bedroom. He laid her down on the bed. He couldn't help but think that she looked so small and vulnerable lying there. Fiercely protective by nature, Luke suddenly felt the urge to protect her and keep her safe from anyone or anything that tried to hurt her. He was surprised at the strength of that feeling. He'd never felt that for anyone outside of his family before and he had no idea why he felt that way about her. He left the room as Daisy came back downstairs carrying a terrycloth robe over her arm. She went into the bedroom and Jesse stepped out, closing the door behind him.

Daisy gently pulled off the other woman's wet clothes. She showed no signs of responding even when Daisy moved her around on the bed so she could undress her and then redress her in the robe. When she had finished, Daisy quietly left the room, closing the door behind her. One of them would check on her later. The boys and Jesse went back outside to continue their work, while Daisy stayed in the house to do the inside chores.

Chapter 3

Selena slowly opened her eyes. She immediately closed them again to block out the glare of the sunlight streaming in through the window beside the bed. There was a relentless pounding in her head as if someone was in there with a hammer trying to bang their way out. Slowly, she eased her eyes open and looked around at the unfamiliar room trying to figure out where she was. The last thing she could remember was trying to get out of the swamp when the tornado hit, followed by the massive flooding. She vaguely seemed to remember falling in the dark and hitting her head on something.

Gently she ran her fingers through her hair, wincing when she found the painful knot on the left side of her head. After a moment's hesitation, she slowly eased herself up to the edge of the bed. She felt the sharp pain in her side that she knew meant she'd cracked some ribs. All in all, she didn't seem to be in that bad a shape considering what she'd been through when the storms hit the swamp. She suddenly realized that she was wearing a terrycloth robe she had never seen before. She wondered who had dressed her in that and where her clothes were.

She could smell the aroma of food cooking somewhere in the house. It smelled delicious and immediately reminded her just how hungry she was. She had lost all track of time, she had no idea how long it had been since she left the swamp. So she had no idea how long it had been since she'd eaten but it had been awhile if her stomach was sending out the right signals. She was trying to decide if she felt strong enough to stand up or not when there was a light tap on the bedroom door. She glanced up as the door opened and Jesse Duke stood in the doorway.

“Good….you're awake.” He said with a warm smile “How are you feeling?”

“Hungry” Selena told him with a relieved smile as she realized that somehow she ended up at the Duke farm.

“Well, we can take care of that. Supper's almost ready.” Jesse told “I'll have Daisy bring you something to put on besides the robe. You was soaked to the skin when the boys found you.”

“How did I get here?” Selena asked still trying to piece together what had happened in her mind.

“Bo and Luke found you lying out in the back pasture.” Jesse told her “Do you remember how you got there?”

“No….not really. I just remember the storms and the twister hitting the swamp and knowing I had to get out of there while I had a chance….” She told him

“Well, you're safe now and you're more than welcome to stay here as long as you want to.” Jesse told her “I'll have Daisy bring ya them clothes. Then you can join us for supper.”

Selena nodded as Jesse quietly closed the door. The pounding in her head had let up a little but she still felt dizzy and lightheaded. A few minutes later, the door opened again and Daisy smiled as she came into the room.

“These should fit.” Daisy told her as she laid some clothes on the bed “We're about the same size.”

“Thanks.” Selena said gratefully

“When you're ready, just come on out in the kitchen.” Daisy told her as she left the room, closing the door so Selena could get dressed.

Selena sighed softly and reached for the clothes. She pulled on a pale blue tank top that left very little to the imagination. She was bigger busted than Daisy and it showed once she had the top on. The short shorts fit perfectly, showing off her long slender legs. She found her squaw boots stuck under the edge of the bed and slipped them on. She picked up a brush lying on a small dresser sitting in the corner and ran it through her long golden brown hair. Satisfied that she looked presentable, she opened the bedroom door and stepped into a small comfortable living room. She crossed the living room and went through an archway into the kitchen.

Daisy was standing in front of the stove cooking supper. She turned and smiled at Selena as she came into the kitchen “I hope you like pork chops cause that's what we're having.” Daisy told her. “Go ahead and make yourself at home. There's lemonade in the fridge if you want some. You can set the pitcher on the table.”

“Thanks, that sounds good.” Daisy reached up into a cabinet beside the stove and handed her a glass. Selena took the pitcher of lemonade out the refrigerator, poured herself a glass and then sat the pitcher on the table.

“Go ahead and sit down.” Daisy told her “Supper should be ready in about ten minutes.” Selena took a seat at the far end of the table.

“Where is everybody else?” Selena asked as she took a sip of the lemonade. It felt good to her dry parched mouth and throat.

“They're outside trying to clean up some of the mess left by the storms.”

Selena wanted to ask what day it was but she didn't want to look foolish. She was just curious as to how long she'd been out of it. Not that it mattered all that much, she figured she'd find out sooner or later.

“Do you need help with anything?”

“No, you're a guest so just sit there and relax.” Daisy told her. She reached into the cabinet and took out five plates, sitting them on the table. Then she added glasses and the silverware. By the time she was finished setting the table, Jesse and the boys came in from outside. They all greeted Selena warmly, both boys eyeing her outfit with obvious approval. Jesse paused at the kitchen sink to wash his hands. Glancing at the two boys, he said gruffly “You two git washed up for supper.”

“Yes, sir.” They said simultaneously. Laughing and talking between themselves, they went though the archway into the living and their footsteps could be heard on the steps as they climbed the stairs to the second floor.

Jesse dried his hands and sat down at the head of the table. He reached out to pour himself a glass of lemonade. Glancing at Selena, he said “I reckon them storms we had hit the swamp pretty hard.”

“You could say that.” Selena said “I got out as quick as I could and still almost didn't make it in time…”

“At least you got out safe.” Jesse told her “And you're gonna stay right here with us just as long as you need to.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that. It'll be at least a couple of weeks before I can even get back into the swamp to see how much damage there is.” Selena said “There'll be too much flooding right now.”

“Well, don't you go worrying about that right now.” Jesse told her

The boys came back downstairs and took their usual seats at the table, Bo sitting to Jesse's right with Luke sitting between Bo and Selena. Daisy sat bowls on the table that contained fresh green beans from the garden, mashed potatoes, and white gravy. She added a basket of hot rolls and a platter of pork chops to complete the meal. As she took her place on Jesse's left, they all bowed their heads and Jesse said grace. He also added a special thanks to god for guiding Selena safely to them in her time of need. When he had finished, the family and Selena started eating.

After supper, Selena insisted on helping Daisy in the kitchen while the boys went outside to do their evening chores. Jesse retired to his favorite chair in the living room to read the evening paper.

Chapter 4

After supper the family retired to the living room where Daisy worked on some mending that needed done, Bo played checkers with Jesse and Luke watched a movie on TV. Feeling uncomfortable and out of place, Selena stepped out onto the front porch and sat in the old swing, gently rocking back and forth. She listed wistfully to the gentle sounds of the night wishing that she were back at her cabin in the swamp. She glanced up as the screen door opened and Luke stepped out onto the porch.

“Would you like some company?” he asked quietly, smiling warmly.

“You don't have to.” Selena said self consciously “I'm fine. I'm used to being alone.”

“I guess this must seem really strange to you then…..being here with us I mean.” Luke said. He had grown up secure in the loving embrace of his family. He couldn't imagine what her life must be like living alone up there in the swamps with no family around.

“It is” she admitted “But I don't have any place else to go.”

“That's why you're here. And you'll get used to us soon enough and then you'll probably be ready to leave.” He grinned as he sat down on the front steps and leaned back against the porch railing. He looked up at the stars and the moon. “I always like to sit out here at night….it's so quiet and peaceful….”

“Yeah, it is…..you'd be surprised how many things you can hear at night if you just listen.”

They both glanced towards the front door as the screen opened and Daisy looked outside “Selena, I went through my clothes and laid some stuff on the dresser in the spare room for you. Everything should fit.”

“Thanks.” Selena said graciously “I appreciate that.”

“You're welcome.” She looked at her oldest cousin with a wicked grin and said “And don't believe anything Luke tells ya….he sweet talks all the girls in Hazzard.”

“Thank you, Daisy.” Luke said. He grinned at her friendly teasing. Daisy winked at Luke as she went back into the house, shutting the screen.

“I have a feeling that sweet talk runs in this family.” Selena said with a faint smile as Daisy disappeared back into the house.

“Darling, it's not sweet talk…” Luke told her with a chuckle “It's just good ole southern hospitality.”

“Yeah, and that good ole southern hospitality usually gets you what you want, doesn't it?”

Luke couldn't help laughing. She had a directness that was somewhat unnerving but underneath it Luke sensed a vulnerable innocence that he found strangely appealing. He realized that she had spent an isolated life up in the swamp partly by choice and partly because of the heritage she shared with her mother, who had been conditioned by generations of separation from the white man's world. He found himself wanting to get to know her better while he had the chance. He had a feeling that she was much more complex then she appeared to be on the surface.

“Do you always say what's on your mind?” he asked looking deeply into those playful brown eyes that did funny things to his stomach.

“Saves a lot of time that way.” She told him “It's the Indian way. That's one of the biggest differences between the Indians and the white man, the Indians don't play word games, and they don't beat around the bush or say one thing when they really want to say something else.”

“It must have been hard…” Luke said thoughtfully “Being raised with two different cultures….the Indian and the white man.”

“My mother and her people taught me the Indian ways….and my father tired to teach what I needed to know to live in the white man's world but there was a clash sometimes between the two cultures.”

“Are there any Indians still living in the swamp?”

“No…my mother was the last of her tribe.”

“Then you're also the last swamp witch.”

“Yeah….I guess I am.” She looked out into the darkness, an unreadable expression lingering deep within those eyes.

At that moment, the screen door opened and Bo stepped out onto the porch. He grinned at his cousin and at Selena. “Hey, ya'll.” He glanced at Luke “I wondered where you got off to.” He settle down onto the top step beside his oldest cousin.

“I was just keeping Selena company.” Luke said with a trace of annoyance creeping into his voice.

“Well, then I'll just help ya keep her company.” Bo said with a big grin at Selena

“Actually, I don't need either one of you to keep me company because I'm going to bed.” Selena told them both, standing up and disappearing into the house.

“Now look what ya did.” Luke said not bothering to hide his irritation

“Me? What did I do?” Bo said defensively

“I was trying to get to know her a little better when you butted in.”

“I didn't butt in….I came out here to see what you were up to.”

“Yeah and ya scared her off.”

“I didn't scare her off. She said she was going to bed,” Bo looked at his oldest cousin with a sly grin “Sounded to me like she was getting bored with your company. Didn't sound like that Duke charm was working with her.”

“What makes you think you could do any a better?”

“Cause I'm the cute one.”

“You're pushing it, Bo” Luke grumbled “I'm going to bed too.” He shoved himself to his feet and disappeared into the house leaving Bo sitting by himself on the porch steps. Luke sighed softly as he slowly climbed the steps to the second floor and went into the bedroom that he shared with Bo. He couldn't quite figure out what was going on here. He was attracted to Selena, he knew that. She was a very beautiful woman. But it was more than that somehow, there was something about her that made him want to take care of her and protect her. And more than anything else, he wanted to feel her body in his arms as he kissed her like she'd never been kissed before. He found himself wanting to erase the memory of any other man she'd ever been with until he was the only one she remembered. It was an unsettling feeling, one he'd never felt for any other woman before. He didn't believe in love at first sight, lust at first sight was different. He'd felt that plenty of times but he knew that wasn't what he was feeling right now. This feeling was something totally new and different for Luke.

In the privacy of his room, he quickly stripped off his clothes and crawled into his bed. But sleep was a long time coming. He heard Bo come to bed about an hour later and he pretended to be asleep. He didn't feel like talking to Bo or anyone else right now. He lay there staring into the darkness until much much later when sleep finally came.

Chapter 5

The boys spent most the of the next day clearing away the section of barn that had been destroyed in the storm. The damaged section of barn had been the side that had contained the hay loft. It could be rebuilt but the boys would have to do most of the work themselves. Rebuilding the barn, mending all the fences that were down, and clearing away some other trees that had been uprooted was all going to take time. Their farm had sustained a lot of damage from the storm but so had most of the neighboring farms too. The damage throughout the county had been substantial enough that Hazzard had been declared a disaster area and federal funds had been made available to help the community to rebuild.

By the time suppertime came both boys were exhausted and ready to let off some steam. Since it was Friday night, they planned on going to the Boar's nest to unwind and have some fun. Daisy had already left for work so Jesse and Selena had fixed supper.

The meal was delicious as usual. Fried chicken, fried okra, white gravy with biscuits, and fried potatoes. As they were finishing up their meal, Jesse looked at the boys and said,

“What are you two doing tonight?”

“Going jukin'…” Bo told him with a grin. He glanced at Selena “Hey, Selena…you wanna come along?”

“Jukin'?” she said looking at Bo with a puzzled frown and then at Luke.

“We're going to the Boars Nest.” Luke explained with a smile “Dance, play the jukebox, have a few drinks. Jukin'….”

When Selena hesitated for a moment before answering, Jesse said, “You should go with the boys. I'm not going to be here and I hate to leave you here alone. Don't worry….the boys will take good care of ya.”

“Okay…” she said still rather hesitantly.

“Great!” Bo said enthusiastically

“It's okay….” Luke said encouragingly sensing Selena's uneasiness “You'll have a good time.”

The boys went to take showers and change while Selena helped Jesse with the dishes. Then she went to the spare room she was using and went through the clothes Daisy had loaned her. She finally settled on a pair of jeans and a clingy white top. She pulled her hair back into a single braid that hung down the middle of her back. She went back into the bedroom to wait for the boys to finish getting ready.

She didn't have long to wait. Bo came down the stairs first. He was dressed in his good blue jeans, black boots and his favorite yellow shirt. Luke came down next. He was dressed in a new pair of black jeans, black boots and a white shirt with a black leather vest. Selena smiled approvingly. She had to admit they were both handsome young men in their prime. The boys smiled back, approving of the way she looked too.

“Ready?” Bo asked with a pleased grin. Playfully, he offered Selena his arm. Selena grinned and slipped her arm through his and let him lead her outside to the General Lee.

“Here, let me give ya a hand.” Luke said, picking her up and helping her to slide into the orange stock car. He climbed in beside her and Bo climbed underneath the wheel.

With a Duke boy on either side of her, Selena leaned back in the seat as Bo hit the gas and headed towards the Boars Nest.

Bo found a place to park in the dirt parking lot and they climbed out of the car. Luke automatically put a hand on Selena's elbow to escort her inside. The bar was crowded and lively with a three piece band playing at one end of the room. Bo spotted an empty booth near the back of the room and led the way across the room to claim it before anyone else could. Selena slid in next to the wall with Luke automatically sitting down beside her with Bo sitting on the opposite side of the table. Luke had deliberately chosen to sit beside Selena he knew it would send out the signal that she was with him for the evening and keep the other good ole boys in the bar from hitting on her. He knew that this was new to her and the last thing she needed was every guy in the bar trying to put the moves on her.

“I'll get some drinks. What would you like, Selena?” Bo said

“Just a coke, please.” She told him

“You don't drink?” Luke asked with a grin as Bo crawled out of the booth and worked his way through the crowd to get their drinks.

“I used to sneak some of my daddy's shine once in awhile when he took me with him to help him with his stills.” She admitted

“Yeah…the first time I ever drank it was some of Uncle Jesse's shine.” Luke told her with a chuckle.

“Does Jesse still make shine?'

“Nope…not since me and Bo got caught making a run about a year ago.”

“The way Bo drives how did you ever get caught making a shine run?”

“We got a tire shot out. Bo lost control and we ended up rolling the car three times.” Luke told her

“So if the two of you got caught running shine, then why aren't you in jail?”

“Uncle Jesse made a deal….he agreed not to make or sell anymore shine as long they let me and Bo go with probation instead of sending us to prison.”

“And they went for it?” Selena asked in a surprised voice “That doesn't sound like the feds.”

“Well, the Duke family made shine for over 200 years and never got caught…heck, the feds never even came close.” Luke told her with a certain amount of pride in his voice “I guess they figured that was the only way they were gonna put Uncle Jesse out of business.” Bo returned with their drinks and slid back into the booth opposite them.

“What have you two been doing while I been gone?” he said in a teasing voice as he handed Selena her coke. He slid a glass of water and a fruit jar half filled with shine across the table to Luke.

“Just talking.” Luke told him with a thin smile. He glanced at Selena as the band started to play a slow song The Dance by Garth Brooks. “Would you like to dance?” he asked offering her his hand. She looked at him hesitantly and then finally nodded slightly.

Luke slid out of the booth and took her hand to help her out. Smiling he lead her through the crowd to the small area near the bandstand that was used for couples who wanted to dance.

“Luke….” She whispered nervously “I don't know how to do this….”

“It's okay.” Luke whispered back as he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close “Just relax and follow my lead.” He felt her tense up momentarily as he embraced her but then she slowly relaxed as they started to move along with the music. The feel of her body in his arms was intoxicating. Luke was sorry when the music ended. Slowly, they walked back to the booth and sat down. Bo had been joined by Rachel Holmes, a pretty blonde with baby blue eyes.

“Uh…Rachel, this is Selena Drew. Selena, this is Rachel Holmes.” Bo said introducing the two women

“Hi, Selena.” Rachel said eyeing her with mild curiosity. She knew every woman in Hazzard County and she knew that she'd never seen Selena before. “Are you from Hazzard?”

“Uh….Selena's staying with us for awhile at the farm.” Bo told her “Her place was hit pretty bad by the storm.”

“Really? Where do you live?”

“In the swamp.” Selena told her

“The Swamp? I didn't think your kind came down to the bottom very often.” Rachel said innocently, apparently not realizing how rude her statement sounded.

“We don't unless we have to.” Selena said a cold edge creeping into her voice that wasn't hard to miss. Bo and Luke exchanged glances but decided to keep out of it; Selena seemed to be handling her own quite well. “Cause that means we have to get dressed and put on shoes.”

Rachel blushed self consciously. “I think I better go. I'll talk to you later, Bo.” She said, sliding out of the booth and walking away. Both Bo and Luke burst out laughing, making Selena looked at them with a puzzled frown.

“What's so funny?” she asked

“Nothing darling, except you just put Rachel in her place…” Bo told her trying to control his laughter.

“I've had lots of practice dealing with people like her whenever I leave the swamp.” She said “That's why I don't leave unless I have to.”

“I'm sorry if she upset you.” Luke told her the laughter dying on his lips.

“It's okay. I'm used to it. That's only one of the reasons I don't fit into your world.”

“I think you could fit in just fine….if you wanted to.” Luke told her looking deeply into her eyes

“I think this was a bad idea. Could you take me back to the farm?”

“Sure.” Luke told her. He glanced at Bo “Can you find a way home?”

“Sure….I'll just hitch a ride with Cooter.” Bo told him “You two go ahead.”

Luke slid out of the booth and took Selena's hand to help her up. He hated to see the evening but he didn't want her doing something she wasn't comfortable doing.

Chapter 6

As Luke pulled out of the parking lot and headed back to the farm, Selena looked at him and said quietly “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your evening.”

“Don't worry about it. You didn't.” Luke told her reassuringly “Rachel was way out of line.”

“I'm still sorry that you had to leave just to take me back to the farm.” She said not wanting to feel like she was keeping him from having a good time “You can drop me off and go back if you want to. I don't mind.”

“And I don't mind keeping you company.” Luke said glancing at her with a warm smile. “Unless you don't want me to.”

“No…that's okay.” Selena told him “I'd like that.” Selena realized it was true. She liked being with the dark haired Duke cousin. For some reason he made her feel safe and protected. She felt comfortable with him and that wasn't a feeling that she had with most people. But she had it with Luke.

Maybe she should have left the swamp when her father died. He begged her to. He didn't want her staying at the cabin by herself like that. But it was the only place where she really felt safe and secure. She was too uncomfortable in the world outside the swamp. She could survive there if she had too but she didn't really want to. Now she wondered if that had been a mistake. Maybe she had built up too many defenses over the years to fit into that world. She was pulled from her thoughts as Luke pulled into the barnyard behind the farmhouse. He parked the General in its usual spot and climbed out from under the wheel, sliding across the hood to get to the other side so he could help Selena out of the car.

Instead of going into the house, Luke smiled and took her hand, leading her around to the front porch so that they could sit in the swing. As they sat down, Luke casually rested his arm on the back of the swing behind Selena. “Don't worry about what happened back there.” He told her gently “Not everybody in Hazzard is like that.”

“I know and I shouldn't let people like her get to me.”

“You sure didn't have any trouble putting her in her place…” Luke said with a grin “I don't think I'd wanna see you if you got really mad.” He added with a chuckle
“You don't wanna see a squaw on the warpath?” Selena asked with a soft chuckle of her own

“I don't think so.”

“Thanks for bringing me back here. I guess I just wasn't ready for that yet.”

“It's okay. I wouldn't want you staying somewhere where you weren't comfortable.”

“I guess what scares me the most is that I know I may not have a home to go back to…the twister was heading right for my house when I ran for it.” She said in a sad forlorn voice “And I just don't know if I'll ever be able to adjust to living in your world….”

“I think you can…” Luke said gently trying to reassure her. He let his arm slip from the back of the swing to her shoulders to offer whatever comfort he could give her “It'll take some time….maybe a lot of time…but I know you can do.”

“Why should it matter to you?”

“Because I still owe you for saving my life….and not just once but three times….” Luke told her quietly, as he looked deeply into her eyes fascinated by the way they changed colors depending on how the light hit them. From a dark brown with golden flecks to a soft amber color, to an almost black hue.

“Like I told ya before….you need to stay away from the swamp and from crazy people who keep taking you there to try and kill ya.”

“I guess….” Luke said with a faint smile. “But then I'd have never met you…” He leaned forward and gently let his lips brush across hers. She didn't pull away but she didn't respond either. Instead she just looked at him, her eyes unreadable. The directness of her gaze unnerved him and he pulled back not wanting to go too fast and spoil things. The truth was all he wanted to do more than anything else was to pull her in his arms and kiss her, really kiss her. But instinctively he knew that if he did that, she would only pull away. But just simply brushing his lips across hers had sent a chill down his spine that he'd never experienced before and made him long for something more.

“I think maybe we'd better go in now.” She said softly

“Okay…” Luke said, standing up and taking her hand to help her to her feet. He opened the front screen door and they went into the house. Turning to look at him once more, she smiled and said “Thanks again for bringing back here. Good night.”
“Good night.” Luke said, sighing softly as she opened the door to the spare room and went inside, gently closing the door behind her. Luke slowly made his way into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. Pouring himself a cup, he sat down at the table to drink it. He was still sitting there when Jesse came home an hour later. He looked at his oldest nephew in surprise when he came into the house. It was unusual for either one of the boys to be home so early on a Friday night.

“What are you doing home so early?” Jesse asked, helping himself to a cup of coffee and sitting down next to his nephew.

“I brought Selena home.” Luke said “Bo's gonna catch a ride home with Cooter.”

“Didn't she have a good time?”

“I don't think so….”

“Well…just remember….she needs time to adjust to everything….this is all new to her.” Jesse told him “She's been pretty isolated up there in the swamp.”

“She's scared that she won't have anything left to go back to….that she'll have to stay here.”

“I know she is….and unfortunately, she's probably right. The twister came right through the swamp when it hit. That's where most of the damage was from it.”

“Does she know that?”

Jesse nodded “She knows. I told her she could stay here as long as she needed to.” He looked at Luke closely with the wisdom of his years of raising the young man sitting beside him “Is there something else bothering you, Luke?”

“I like her, Jesse” he admitted “And I wanna get to know her better but I'm not sure if she'll let me…”

“It's not easy to get to know Selena.” Jesse said “She's a lot like her mother. All you can do is give her some time and some space….she's dealing with an awful lot right now and she's still adjusting to being here instead of in the swamp where she feels safe and comfortable.”

“I'm willing to give her all the time she needs.” Luke said sincerely “Jesse, I've never felt like this about any woman before….”

“Do you know what you want from her, Luke?”

“I want more than just a one night stand…..I know that.” Luke admitted

“Right now, you may be what Selena needs the most.” Jesse told him “It just may take her some time to realize that….” Jesse finished his coffee and said good night, leaving Luke alone with his thoughts.

Chapter 7

Over the next week, the boys cleared away enough debris that they were able to start rebuilding the section of barn that was damaged. Most of the other damages around the farmhouse and the barn had been repaired. There were still sections of fence in the back fields that needed repaired and they would get to those when they could. Cleaning up after the storm had caused a lot of work for just the two of them.

At breakfast one morning, Jesse told Luke to drive over to a neighboring farm and ask if he could borrow two horses for the day so he could take Selena back to swamp to check on the damages to her cabin. Luke agreed and left right after breakfast taking Selena with him. The neighbor readily agreed, the boys often exercised his horses for him and helped out when he needed an extra hand around his farm. Luke let Selena lead the way as they headed back towards the swamp.

Although most of the flooding in the swamp had gone down there were still large patches of water standing in low areas. Trees were uprooted and the ground was littered with broken branches and other debris. The flooding and twister had also brought out the animals that usually stayed more hidden. Alligators lay along the banks of the swamp and there were more snakes in view than usual. Selena and Luke had to watch their horses carefully, guiding them through the maze of debris and making sure the snakes and other critters didn't spook them. The swamp had been a dangerous place before but it was even more dangerous now.

Finally, they reached the small clearing where Selena's cabin had been. The cabin was totally destroyed. It had been leveled to the ground by the storms. The entire area was littered with clothes, broken glass, furniture, and other personal possessions. Although Selena had expected this, Luke saw the tears in her eyes as she slid down from the horse's back and stood there just staring at what used to be her home. Luke slid down off his horse and walked over to stand beside her.

“I'm sorry, Selena…” He said gently. With a sob, she turned towards him and buried her face against his shoulder, crying softly. Luke put his arms around her comfortingly and held her close, letting her cry. He gently rubbed her back soothingly in a slow circular motion, trying to calm her.

Selena heard the concern and caring in Luke's voice and she felt the strength and the comfort of his arms. It had been too long since she had been held like this by any man and she could feel a stirring deep inside of her, as old as time, as emotions and needs that she had suppressed for so long began to break through her defenses and surface once more. She was tired of being alone.

She stopped crying and stepped back from Luke's arms, her head held high with a fierce look of determination in her eyes. “At least now I know that there's nothing to come back to.” She said keeping her voice level and calm even through her heart was breaking. “So it looks like I'm going to have to learn to live in your world.”

“You'll have all the help you need…” Luke assured her “From all of us…” He smiled encouragingly as he reached out and gently touched his fingertips to her cheek. Sapphire blue eyes locked with soft brown eyes and they both felt the electricity that passed between them. When Luke bent his head to kiss her, she didn't resist but accepted his kiss willingly. Luke felt the thrill that ran through his whole body with that simple kiss and he desperately wanted more. He could feel her trembling in his arms as he kissed her so he kept it light and tender.

She was the one who gently broke the kiss and moved away from his embrace. “Id like to see if there's anything that can be saved….” She whispered, turning her attention back to the destruction of her home. Luke nodded without speaking and began helping her to sort through the debris for anything she might be able to salvage. After almost two hours of searching, she had found some jewelry and a lock box with her important documents and papers in. Everything else she owned had been ruined or destroyed by the flooding. Luke took the things she had salvaged and put them in his saddlebags.

“There's one more thing I need to do before we go back.” She told him quietly. Luke followed her as she slowly walked along a path that led a short distance into the woods from the where the cabin had stood. She finally stopped in front of two slate headstones that had been knocked over by the storm. Luke helped her to put the stones back in place at the graves of her parents. Then he stepped back to give her a moment alone to say goodbye, not only to her parents but to the only she had known up until then.

She stood up and looked at him sadly. Instinctively, he reached out for her hand and they walked back to where they had tied the horses. He helped her to mount her horse and then swung himself onto his own horse. They rode back in silence, both of them lost in their own thoughts. They returned the horses and Luke drove back to the Duke farm.

When they reached the farm, Selena went into the house and on into the spare room, closing the door behind her, needing to be alone for awhile. Jesse looked at Luke questioningly as Luke closed the back door behind them. “There's nothing left.” Luke told him, shaking his head slowly. “There's no way she can go back.”

“I was afraid of that.” Jesse said somberly “Is she okay?”

“She's taking it hard but I think she'll be okay.”

“Well, she's got all of us to make sure that she is.” Jesse said, sitting down heavily at the kitchen table. He glanced at his oldest nephew “You better get back to helping Bo with that barn,”

“Yes, sir.” Luke said automatically. He turned and left the house to go outside again.

In the bedroom, Selena sat on the edge of the bed, staring out of the window. It was not the Indian way to dwell on things that could not be changed. And Selena was more Indian than she was white in her beliefs. Her personality had been forged by the two cultures she had grown up with and each culture had contributed strongly to the woman she had become. Still, she was confused. She was leaving the only home she had ever known and now would have to learn to adjust and live in the world that her mother's people had always avoided. She smiled as she thought about how hard her father had fought to teach her the white man's ways too, knowing that someday she would have to live in his world. It was not a world she was comfortable with but it was her world now and she would have to make the best of it.

The Duke family had welcomed her with open arms and made her feel as comfortable as they could. She was grateful for that and always would be. She could feel a connection to them that was growing steadily stronger. She smiled faintly as she remembered Luke's kiss and she knew there could be something special there if she let it happen. She knew that he liked her and she liked him too. But there was a part of Selena that was afraid, afraid of making a commitment that she wasn't sure she would be able to keep. She had never been in a serious relationship with a man before and she was afraid of letting down her defenses enough for that to happen.

Chapter 8

A week later, the boys had finished the repairs to the barn and the new loft was ready to be filled again. They wouldn't have finished that quickly if some of their friends and neighbors hadn't pitched in. A farmer's barn is a necessity and in times like this, the community pulled together to help each other as much as they could. To celebrate, they decided to have a small get together, just a few close friends and neighbors. Selena had been helping Daisy with the food all afternoon while the boys and Jesse sat up make shift tables in the barnyard for the food and for their guests. Jesse figured it would also be a good way for Selena to meet some people and for them to meet her.

The first ones to show up were Cooter Davenport, the local mechanic and one of their best friends. Enos Strate, a local deputy and another close friend of the family, showed up at the same time. The boys introduced them to Selena and then let the girls get back to their work while the men went back outside.

“She's the girl from the swamp, ain't she?” Cooter asked Luke “The one that helped you out?”

“Yeah….she is.” Luke told him with a slight smile

“Actually, Coot…” Bo said with a grin “She's the swamp witch.”

“You're joking right?” Cooter said with a laugh “I mean come on…that's just a local legend.” He looked at the boys with a slight frown “Ain't it?”

“No,” Luke said “She really is the swamp witch. She's also the one who helped me out when Cyrus and his boys grabbed me and took me up there.”

“Well, buddyroe….” Cooter told him with a grin “She sure don't look like no witch I've ever seen.”

“She sure don't…” Enos agreed with his trademark giggle. “She could cast a spell on me anytime.” He blushed when he realized what he had said. They all laughed at Enos' comment. They all knew that the only woman Enos had eyes for was Daisy. Their conversation was interrupted as other friends and neighbors started arriving. Altogether, twenty people showed up for their get together. Selena was introduced to all of them. She was gracious and polite but stayed close to Daisy, still uncomfortable around a lot of people.

The food was placed on the table for people to help themselves, while they mingled and talked among themselves. Billy Collins and his brother, Scottie, who had the local band that played at the Boars Nest on the weekends had brought their guitars and entertained the crowd. Some of the younger couples danced and even some of the older couples too. Although a couple of unattached guys asked Selena to dance, she politely turned them down. Scottie talked Bo and Luke into joining them for a couple of songs. Both boys sang and played guitar too and had sang with the band before.

Selena listened, surprised at how good the boys were. She smiled as she remembered spending long evenings with her father as he taught her to play the guitar and sing the old mountain songs that he loved. After both of her parents died, she had often passed the time in the evenings playing her guitar and singing the songs she had learned at his knee to entertain herself. But she knew she'd be too nervous to ever sing in front of a crowd like Bo and Luke were doing. She enjoyed the music, surprised at how many of the songs she recognized. On Friday and Saturday nights, she had always listened to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio. Blessed with an excellent memory, she could hear a song a couple of times and remember it perfectly. Without even thinking about it, she sang along softly to the songs she knew.

Daisy smiled as she listened to Selena singing along with the band. She was glad to see Selena enjoying herself even though she obviously was still uncomfortable around a lot of people. She was more relaxed around the family now and was fitting into life at the farm but she still was hesitant about going into town even though Daisy had invited her to go with her several times when she ran errands.

Daisy could also sense a bond developing between Selena and Luke and she couldn't have been happier. She loved her oldest cousin dearly and she thought that Selena would be perfect for him. Because of her isolation in the swamp, she was totally different from the local girls who threw themselves at the boys constantly. Daisy could see the look in Luke's eyes when he looked at Selena when he thought that nobody was watching. He was falling for her and he was falling hard and fast.

Luke came up to where Selena was sitting on a bale of hay and smiled at her warmly. “Having fun?” he asked

“Yes…you have a lot of friends.”

“They could be your friends too if you let them.” He told her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her felt “Come on….dance with me.”

She smiled as he pulled her into his arms, holding her close. Feeling more relaxed than when they danced the first time, she put her arms around his neck and looked deeply into his eyes as they moved to the music. She could smell his aftershave mixed with that unique scent that was his alone and she felt her heart starting to pound in her chest. No man had ever made her feel like this before. It both scared her and excited her.

When the song ended, Luke whispered in her ear “Wanna take a walk?” Selena nodded shyly and let him take her hand, leading her away from the crowd. He walked with her around to the opposite side of the house, not that far away but some place where they could still be alone.

Smiling softly, he pulled her close and bent his head to kiss her, a real kiss this time that sent an unexpected tingle of pleasure through both of them. Luke gently ran his tongue against her bottom lip, silently seeking permission to deepen the kiss. Selena willingly opened her mouth, moaning softly as Luke explored her mouth with soft gentle strokes of his tongue. She shivered slightly at the feelings he was stirring up deep inside of her both with his kiss and his touch. They broke the kiss only when they both had to come up for air.

“We better get back before somebody comes looking for us.” Luke said softly. He would rather stay there and keep kissing her but he knew that he couldn't rush this. It meant too much to him to scare her off by coming on too fast. He took her hand and they slowly walked back around to rejoin the party. Daisy spotted them as they rejoined the crowd. She smiled when she saw the look of Selena's face. She looked like a woman who had just gotten kissed and kissed good and knowing her cousin, she was positive that was what had happened. Luke pulled her into his arms as they began to dance again.

Selena spent the rest of the evening at Luke's side. They danced, they talked and just sat silently, listening to the music and holding hands. By the time the evening ended, they had unofficially been labeled as a couple by the others at the get together. Jesse and Bo had both noticed too and had slightly different reactions. Bo was slightly jealous that Luke had gotten to Selena first, he had been attracted to her too but he couldn't be angry at Luke for making the first move. After all she had saved his life. Jesse was pleased to see Luke so happy but he was a little worried too. He didn't want to see Luke or Selena get hurt if they got involved too quickly. But he sensed that Luke was serious about this relationship, more serious than any other relationship he had ever been in before.

Chapter 9

Selena slowly walked along the path that led through the woods behind the Duke farm. She had left the house, deciding to take a walk so she could be by herself for a little while. She had been at the farm for a little over a month and had settled into the family comfortably. She smiled as she came to a small clearing and saw the small pond hidden deep on Duke land . It was hot and the water looked so inviting that she stripped off her clothes and dove in. She broke the surface, gasping to catch her breath against the sudden chill of the water.

She dove back under the water, swimming as long as she could without surfacing. She was an excellent swimmer and could easily hold her breath for several minutes under water. As she surfaced, she gave a little yelp of surprise when she saw Luke leaning against a tree grinning at her. “Did you follow me?” she asked, trending water and keeping everything except her head below water.

“Not intentionally.” He told her “I saw you leave the house and thought you might like some company. I didn't know you were planning on going skinny dipping.”

“I didn't either but the water looked so good I couldn't resist.” She smiled at him

“You gonna stand there all day watching me or are you gonna turn around so I can get out of here?”

“I'll turn around….” Luke told her with a grin “Unless you'd like me to join ya….”

“I don't think so…..not this time anyway.” She said sweetly “Promise not to look?”

“That's gonna be hard….but I promise.” He told her, turning around like a gentlemen so she could come out of the pond. He heard her come out of the water behind him, then the rustling of her clothes as she quickly redressed.

“Okay…you can turn around now.” She said. Luke turned around trying hard to keep from grinning. Since she was still wet when she redressed, the tank top she was wearing clung to her like a second skin, outlining every curve of her torso, her nipples clearly outlined against the thin material. She tilted her head and looked at Luke, noticing where he was staring “Are you enjoying the view?” she asked with just a faint trace of a smile tugging at her lips

“Yeah, as a matter of fact I am.” Luke told her with a soft chuckle. He reached out to take her hand “Come on, since we're here anyway….I wanna show you something.”

“Where are we going?” she asked as he started leading her farther down the trail.

“You'll see.” He continued to lead her down the trail and up a hill to Lookout Bluff. From the top of the bluff you could see for miles and the view was fantastic.

“It's beautiful up here.” Selena said softly, admiring the view spread out in front of her. She took a step forward as Luke stepped back so she could look at the scenery.

“Not as beautiful as the view right here.” Luke whispered, slipping his arms around her waist from behind. Selena laughed and leaned back against him, feeling safe in his embrace. Luke gently nuzzled the side of her neck with his lips making her giggle when he found a ticklish spot.

“Ticklish?” Luke asked nuzzling her neck again

“You're not gonna find out.” She said laughing

“Wanna bet?” he asked as he gently started tickling her sides. She had forgotten that he had his arms around her waist. Selena burst into laughter and slapped playfully at his hands to make him stop. In the process, she twisted around in his arms so that she was facing him. Luke stopped tickling her and kissed her instead. Selena sighed softly at the touch of his lips on hers and this time she was the one who sought to deepen the kiss. Luke felt the heat rising deep inside of him as they kissed each other passionately. When they finally stopped for air, he said in a husky voice “Darling, if you keep kissing me like that…things are liable to get out of hand….”

“You saying you wanna stop?” she whispered looking deeply into his eyes

“Not exactly…..but I think we need to slow down a little.” Luke said with a smile. He took her hand and led her over to a large oak tree, pulling her down to the ground beside him so they were sitting in the shade. He slipped his arm around her shoulders as she leaned up against him with her head resting comfortably on his shoulder. With his free hand, he reached out to run his fingers through her hair. It felt like spun silk as the strands slipped through his fingers.

“What is it with guys and long hair?” Selena asked softly

“I don't know about other guys….I just like girls with long hair.” Luke told her “I think it's sexy as hell….”

“Well, I think guys with blue eyes and dark hair are sexy…” she told him with a grin “Not to mention a killer smile and real nice body to boot…”

Luke couldn't help laughing at her comment. He wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her close, bending his head for another long lingering kiss. Each time he kissed her, it just got better and better. She had reached a part of him that no woman had ever touched before and he knew that he was falling for her and falling hard. And he was fairly certain that she was starting to feel the same way. Breaking the kiss, he said breathlessly, “We keep this up and I'll have to go skinny dipping to cool off….”

“Are you saying that I'm making you hot?” she asked in a deep sultry voice

“Honey, you know you are….” He growled as he kissed her again, hungry for more of her sweet lips. He let his hands gently caress her back as he kissed her, feeling the passion mounting deep inside of him. He knew that he should stop before he got carried away but he didn't want to. Selena broke the kiss first and looked at him with those big brown eyes and whispered,

“Luke….it's been a long time since I've been with a man….too long….”

“I don't want you to do anything you're not ready for…” Luke whispered back. He smiled as he gently ran his fingertips across her lips. “Maybe we'd better get back…”

“Maybe we'd better.” She agreed grateful that he seemed to understand what she was trying to say without her having to put it into words. She wanted to make love to him but she just wasn't ready for that yet. He gave her another long lingering kiss and then stood up, reaching down to help her to her feet. Slipping his arm around her waist, they slowly started walking back towards the farm.

Daisy was standing by the kitchen window washing dishes and saw them as they came around the corner of the barn and started walking across the barnyard. She couldn't help smiling. They both looked so happy. Things seemed to be moving right along. Luke was falling in love Daisy could tell. She wondered if Luke had figured that out yet…..or Selena for that matter.

“They make a good couple, don't they?” Bo said, coming up behind Daisy and glancing over her shoulder at Luke and Selena.

“Yeah, they do.” Daisy admitted

“Think we'll be having us a wedding anytime soon?” Bo asked in a teasing tone

“I don't know about that.” Daisy said with a laugh “I don't think Luke realizes himself that he's in love with her yet.”

“Oh, I think he does….” Bo said with a chuckle “He just don't wanna admit it….” He smiled “Selena's the one I'm not so sure about.”

“What do ya mean?”

“I don't know…..I just don't think she's in love with him yet.”

“I think you might be surprised, cousin…..cause I think she's getting there real quick.”

“I hope so….I'd hate to see Luke get hurt.”

Chapter 10

Over the next week, Selena and Luke continued to spend as much time together as possible. It was a pattern they fell into without even thinking about it. It just seemed natural for them to spend their time together. They had shared a few more kisses but nothing more. Luke let Selena set the pace that she felt comfortable with. Luke had never let any woman be that much in control of their relationship before but with Selena things were different. He wanted her and he was willing to wait as long as it took to get her. The rest of the Dukes could see what was happening and they approved. They could see that Luke was falling head over heels in love with her. Selena had been at the farm for 6 weeks and was already like one of the family.

Selena had relaxed considerably from when she had first arrived and had even started to go into Hazzard once in awhile with Daisy to run errands. Slowly, she was beginning to adjust to her new world that she was living in. She still didn't like crowds much and hadn't been back to the Boars Nest. Luke still went with Bo once in awhile but most of the time he stayed home with Selena. It didn't take long for the news to leak out that one of the Duke Boys anyway was apparently spoken for.

One day, Selena and Luke found themselves alone at the farm. Daisy was at work and wouldn't be home till after midnight . Jesse had gone to Atlanta for the day and had taken Bo with him and they wouldn't be back until late either. Selena, who was an excellent cook, made toasted ham and cheese sandwiches and beef stew for lunch.

After lunch, they walked out to the barn where Selena sat on a bale of hay and watched while Luke fixed a loose door on one of the stalls. When he had finished, he grabbed Selena's hands and pulled her to her feet.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he smiled down at her and said “What would you like to do for the rest of the day?”

“Well….” She said seductively as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against him “We could always go skinny dipping…”

“I'd love to go skinny dipping with you…” he said, giving her a long lingering kiss.

“Then let's go…” she whispered when they broke the kiss

Luke looked at her with a surprised but pleased expression on his face. “You're serious…” he said. He thought that she had been joking.

“Yeah….I am.” She said with a grin “I'm hot….I need something to cool me down.”

“Then let's go.” He said, taking her hand and leading her out of the barn. They walked in silence to the hidden pond in the woods. When they reached the pond, Luke paused and looked at Selena for several long minutes. His heart started pounding in his chest as she slowly reached down and pulled the tank top she was wearing over her head, letting it fall to the ground at her feet. With breaking eye contact, she slowly reached down and stripped off her jeans. God, she was beautiful, perfect in every way. She tilted her head and looked at Luke questioningly. “Your turn, darling….” She drawled with a grin.

Luke unsnapped his shirt and slipped it off, letting it fall to the ground at his feet.

He had never felt awkward undressing in front of a woman before but for some reason he did now, Selena standing there watching him was making him nervous as hell (among other things) As he started to pull of his jeans, she laughed and turned away, diving into the pond. Finally pulling off the rest of his clothes, Luke dove in behind her. He came to the surface and looked around but couldn't see Selena.

He slowly turned around in the water trying to find her. He knew she was under the water somewhere but he couldn't be sure where. Suddenly, he felt her brush against his leg as she swam past him. A few minutes later, she surfaced a short distance away, smiling sweetly.

“Did I scare ya?” she asked in a slightly husky voice, her brown eyes laughing.

“No…I knew you had to be close by….” Luke said with a grin as he suddenly dove under water and disappeared from sight. Selena started to swim knowing instinctively that Luke was going to try and catch her and not wanting to get caught, at least not yet. She didn't know that Luke was swimming underneath her until he suddenly grabbed her waist and pulled her under the water. She managed to take a quick breath just before the water closed over her head.

Luke pulled them both to the surface, still holding her tightly in his arms, until they were standing upright in the chest deep water. He could feel the touch of her body against his and she could feel the mute evidence of his desire. Luke moaned as her hands slipped beneath the water and touched him. Nobody had ever known exactly how he liked to be touched without being shown before but Selena seemed to know instinctively. His mouth found hers in a deep hungry kiss.

Growling softly, Luke picked her up in his arms and carried her back to the shore, gently lying her down in the soft grass near the bank. Selena looked at him, her heart pounding wildly in her chest as he slowly ran his hands over her ribcage in a gentle caress. Her skin felt like it was on fire wherever he touched her. She reached out to run her hands over his bare chest, then over the muscles in his back and shoulders. Luke's breathing quickened as he responded to her touch.

They kissed each other hungrily while their hands continued to explore the other one's body. Selena soon discovered that Luke enjoyed giving his partner pleasure almost as much as he enjoyed pleasuring himself. And Luke quickly discovered that when it came to making love, Selena was more than willing to give as well as to receive. At that moment, nothing else mattered except finally being together in the most intimate way a man and a woman could be. Afterwards, they lay in each others arms basking in the aftermath of their lovemaking and knowing that their relationship had just changed permanently.

“I'm in love with you, Selena…” Luke whispered as he gave her a long lingering kiss, finally saying the words that he'd been wanting to say to her for so long.

“I love you too, Luke….” She whispered back when they finally came up for air. They looked at each other, their eyes both shining with their newly professed love, as they kissed again to seal the commitment they had just made to one another.

They spent most of the afternoon at the pond, making love again before finally heading back to the farm. After a quick supper of leftovers that Selena found in the fridge, Luke helped her do the dishes and then pulled into his arms and said,

“Would you sleep with me tonight in the hayloft?”

“Why the hayloft?” Selena asked with a puzzled frown

“Because I can't sleep with you in the house and I wanna wake up with you in my arms in the morning.” Although Jesse was fairly opened minded and recognized that Bo and Luke were both adults, he still had a strict rule about the boys sleeping with any of their girlfriends in the house.

“Okay….if that's what ya want.” She told him with a soft laugh.

“Good….just let me get a few things to take out to the barn with us.”

Selena waited in the kitchen while Luke got a sleeping bag and a blanket, along with a pillow from his room. Then they went out to the barn and climbed the ladder up to the new loft. Luke found a spot near the loft door where they could look out and see the moon and made a pallet on a pile of straw. Moving into each other arms, they kissed gently and then slowly undressed each other. Lying down on the pallet, they made love in the moonlight and then fell asleep cradled in each others arms.

When Jesse and Bo got home later that night, they both assumed that Luke and Selena had both gone to bed since it was almost eleven o'clock at night. At least that was until Bo went to their room and saw Luke's empty bed. He grinned when he saw that Luke's pillow and blanket were missing. He knew right then exactly where Luke and Selena were.

Chapter 11

The sun was just starting to come up when Luke woke up the next morning. He sighed in contentment when he felt Selena curled up beside him with her head resting on his chest. He would have liked nothing more than to stay right where he was for the rest of the morning but he knew that wasn't possible. There was work that needed to be done.

Gently, he brushed his lips across her hair and said softly “Time to get up, darling…”

Selena sighed softly and said “I don't want to….I wanna stay right here with you like this….”

“I'd like nothing better myself but I chores to do….” He reminded her “And Bo and I have to get that fence fixed in the back forty today.”

Selena sighed as she slowly moved away from him and sat up. She started gathering up her clothes to get dressed while Luke did the same. When they were dressed, he pulled her close for a deep good morning kiss before they climbed down from the loft and went into the house. He left the sleeping bag and blanket where they were for now, along with the pillow from his bed.

Daisy was in the kitchen just starting breakfast when they came in from outside. She looked surprised for a moment and then grinned, as she realized that they must have spent the night together in the barn. Selena sat down at the kitchen table while Luke went upstairs to take a shower and change clothes.

“I'm not even going to ask how well you slept last night.” Daisy told Selena in a teasing voice as she poured a cup of coffee and sat it down on the table in front of her.

“Actually, I slept very well thank you.” Selena told her with a grin as she accepted the coffee gratefully.

“I'm sure you did” Daisy said with a giggle as she turned her attention back to fixing breakfast.

Upstairs Luke was getting teased in a similar fashion by Bo as he went into their room to get some clean clothes.

“Hey, cuz….you don't like my company anymore?” Bo teased him

“Very funny, Bo.” Luke told him with a crooked smile as he pulled a pair of jeans and a shirt out of his dresser.

“And here I thought that I would be the first one to break in the new loft.”

“Sorry, cuz….I already beat ya to it.”

“Hey, Luke….” Bo said as Luke started to leave the room to go and take his shower.

“Yeah?” Luke said, pausing and glancing back over his shoulder at his younger cousin

“I'm happy for ya…and Selena too….”

“Thanks, cuz.” Luke said with a grin as he left the room and walked across the hall to the bathroom.

He went into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. Stripping off his clothes, he reached in and turned on the shower, adjusting the water to a comfortable temperature. He stepped under the spray and turned his face up towards the showerhead, letting the water wash over his body. He started singing softly under his breath as he started shampooing his hair, a sure sign that he was in a good mood. He went downstairs just as Daisy was putting breakfast on the table.

Although Jesse didn't seem to notice, Daisy and Bo noticed the glances that Luke and Selena kept exchanging when they didn't think anyone was looking. They were in love and you could tell by just looking at them. Daisy found herself wondering just how long it would be before they really were planning a Duke wedding. After breakfast, Luke left with Bo to go work on the fence that still needed mended while Selena stayed behind to help Daisy in the house. When Jesse left the house to go into town to pick up some feed, Daisy decided it was time to have a heart to heart talk with Selena.

“Ya know, Selena” she started after they had finished the dishes and sat down at the table to enjoy a glass of lemonade before continuing with the household chores. “I'm really happy for you and Luke.”

“It shows, huh?”

“Are you kidding? You bet it does.”

“I didn't think it was that obvious.”

“You know, Bo falls in love with a different girl every week….but not Luke. It takes somebody pretty special to make him fall in love….” Daisy told her

“I'm sure I'm not the first girl he's been in love with…” Selena said with a faint smile.

“No…” Daisy admitted “But you're the first one he's ever fell this hard for.”

“He's the first man I've ever felt this way about.” Selena admitted “Not that there were ever a lot of men my age up in the swamp to choose from.”

“Uncle Jesse was starting to think that neither one of the boys was ever going to settle down….so I'm sure he'll be happy when he finds out about you and Luke.”

“Well, I'm not sure myself just where this is going yet…” Selena said

“If the way the two of you look at each other is any indication then I've got a pretty good idea where things are going.” Daisy told her with a soft chuckle

“This whole thing is just still so strange to me…I mean two months ago I was living in the swamp by myself……and now my whole world has changed….”

“Well, then I guess something good came out of the storms after all….”

“Kinda looks that way.” Selena agreed with a chuckle

“Luke's a good man…..and I'm not just saying that because he's my cousin. He's sweet, he's sensitive, he'll do whatever it takes to take good care of you…” Daisy told her. She grinned “Although he can get a little over protective sometimes but you'll get used to that. Sometimes you just gotta tell him to back off….” Daisy smiled and added “But he'll always be there to pick you up if you fall and to put the pieces back together again.”

“I think that Luke is very lucky to have grown up in this family. It's what made him the man he is today.” Selena said “You walk into this house and it's so easy to feel the love…”

“Yeah….I think this is a pretty special family too.” Daisy admitted “But then I could be a little bias…”

“Thank you, Daisy…for everything.”

“Hey, that's what friends are for. Besides I'm just glad to have another female around for a chance…..kinda evens up the odds.”

“At least you had Bo and Luke to talk to and hang out with when you were growing up….I didn't have anybody.”

“That must have been so hard….I can't imagine not having Bo and Luke in my life….”

“They say you can't miss what you never had….but they're wrong about that. I miss a lot of things I never had….”

“But you've got all of us now….and you've got Luke. I'd say that makes you pretty lucky.”

“So would I.”

Chapter 12

Luke and Selena faced the family who was sitting in the living room looking at them expectantly. Selena glanced at Luke and reached for his hand, standing silently by and letting him break the news to his family. Luke grinned and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly and then he said “I asked Selena to marry me and she said yes.”

Daisy gave an excited scream and jumped off the couch, running to them and hugging them both. Bo and Jesse both smiled and stepped forward to congratulate them too. The rest of the evening was spent discussing plans for a Duke wedding. Selena and Luke wanted to get married as soon as possible so they decided to set the date for the first Sunday in June, just three weeks away. Jesse told them they could continue living at the farm with the only difference being that Bo would move into the spare room that Selena was using now and Luke and Selena would take the boy's room since it was bigger. There was a double bed in the attic that was still in good condition that could be moved into the room for Luke and Selena.

They announced their engagement and pending marriage to the community at Church that Sunday and afterwards, they spoke to the preacher to make arrangements for the ceremony and the church. When they returned to the farm that afternoon, Jesse called Luke into his bedroom to talk to him privately for a moment. Opening the top drawer of his bureau, he took out a small box and handed it to Luke. Luke looked puzzled as he opened the box. Inside he found his mother's engagement ring and her wedding band. Luke looked at Jesse with tears glistening in his eyes. He had no idea that Jesse had the rings. “Thank you….” He whispered with a smile.

“Your mother would be proud of you.” Jesse said in a choked voice “I know that I am.” They exchanged another quick hug and Luke left the room to find Selena so he could officially give her his mother's engagement ring. Jesse smiled as his oldest nephew left the room. Jesse had one more surprise for the young man and his bride and that was his wedding gift to them. He was giving Luke the deed to the back forty, some of the best farm land in the county.

The next three weeks were busy as they made the plans for the upcoming wedding. There would be a reception afterwards at the Boars Nest and then Luke and Selena would spend the weekend at one of the nicest hotels in Capital City (their wedding gift from Daisy and Bo)

Selena and Luke had already talked about their plans for the future. They both agreed that they wanted at least four children. The sexes didn't matter to either one of them but they both knew that they wanted a large family. They also talked about the home of their own that they hoped to have one day. Luke wanted to stay close to the farm and the family and Selena understood that. (They didn't know yet about Jesse's wedding gift but when they did, they realized that at least part of their dreams for the future had been partially fulfilled. They had the land now all they had to do was build the house. )

Their future was set, they destiny awaited them, and they looked forward to their future together as man and wife. For the first time in her life, Selena had a loving extended family and a man that she loved with all her heart and soul. And Luke had the woman he had been looking for all of his life. Together, they would make their dreams come true, side by side, joined together for eternity.