Part 10-squillion... Smut ahoy!
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The two of them sat in companionable silence, an empty wine bottle on the table, accompanied by a half-full one. D'Artagnan had left to meet Constance somewhere and Porthos was with presumably with Norah.
"So... what have you found out about your mystery bride then....?" The question was met with a raised eyebrow and silence. He'd thought he would have better luck fishing for information with D'Artagnan out of the way, but apparently not. He shrugged, they'd doubtless find out more about her in due course. He smiled to himself - she certainly promised to be interesting company judging by today's events. As he refilled their glasses Porthos appeared in the door, grinned at the sight of them and pulled up a seat.
"He's not telling me anything."
Porthos grinned "A gentleman doesn't talk about his conquests... especially when she throws knives like that!" He glanced over "You reckon it's ok if Norah goes to see her tomorrow?"
The conversation moved on to their upcoming exercise as they talked and drank into the night.
He walked slowly up the stairs and knocked softly at the door, doubting she'd be awake, but wanting to check how she was. There was no response - he took his hat off and ran a hand through his hair, then turned to head down the stairs and back to his room. The door opened quietly behind him and he looked back to see Mistress Fournier considering him.
"Is she alright?"
He received an incredulous look. "No! She's had two bangs to the head in three days; she's exhausted and she needs to rest - properly! She refused to take any poppy but she's finally asleep. Do NOT wake her up." She returned to the room and reappeared with a basket. "I'll have breakfast sent up tomorrow. She's not to leave that room before I've been up to see her."
He stepped quietly into the room and closed the door. A candle flickered on the table next to a small pot of ointment, and a fire was smouldering in the grate. He placed his hat on the table with his weapons, shrugged off his jacket, and sat on the bed to pull off his boots.
He looked down at her, curled up on her side and nearly as pale as the sheets. For all that the cut had been stitched, beneath the smear of ointment it looked red and inflamed, with the surrounding skin puffy and tender, and the bruise was shades of red and purple. Her hair was pulled back in a loose plait, apart from a few stray strands that had worked loose. There was no reaction at all as he brushed one away from her face.
He sighed and lay down gently, trying not to disturb her as he slid between the sheets. She shifted slightly, moving closer against him before settling back into a deep sleep.
He woke in the morning to find her nestled against his shoulder, an arm stretched across his chest. He stretched slightly and she smiled up at him, delighted to wake and find him there.
"Breakfast is being sent up and you're not to leave the room until Mistress Fournier has been to see you" he recited dutifully. "And you're to rest. Properly."
"Hmmm. You got an ear bashing too then? When did you get here?"
He rubbed his face "Last night - you were asleep."
"Ah - I spent a fair bit of yesterday evening pretending to be asleep, just to get some peace...." She looked thoughtful. "I'm needing bed rest them, am I?"
He looked down at her, suspicious of the tone of voice. She was gazing back innocently. "You're exhausted and you need rest. Apparently." He sounded slightly dubious.
"Oh, I'll just lie here then...?" Her fingers were trailing absent-mindedly across his chest. She moistened her lips and watched in amused anticipation as his gaze was drawn to her mouth- well aware of his body's response to her actions.
He dragged his eyes back to hers. "You are sneaky..." he bent his head to kiss her gently "and devious..." he was rewarded by a whimper as his tongue skimmed across her lips and lifted his head to watch her face as he circled a thumb around her nipple.
"I do my best..." her voice was breathless and her skin quivered at his touch. She lifted her head to kiss him as he rolled towards her, pulling his head down towards her, burying her hands in his hair. He could feel her lips, soft against his; tongue flicking against his and exploring his mouth - he wrapped an arm around her to pull her close, the full length of her body pressed against his, legs tangled together.
Shielding her cut with his hand, he returned the kiss and increased its intensity, brushing his beard against her skin, never breaking the kiss as his hands began roaming over her body. Her heart pounded inside her chest, every nerve ending tingling in response to the touch of his fingers. His lips moved to her neck, beard tickling against her collarbone. One had cupped her face and she caught his thumb between her teeth, gently nipping it, licking and sucking on his fingers and smiling at his sharp intake of breath against her neck. He closed his eyes briefly, face buried in her shoulder, then his lips resumed their journey downwards as her fingertips dragged across his back.
She squirmed under his touch as his fingers circled her breasts, then a jolt of intense pleasure shot through her as his lips closed over one nipple, while his fingers teased the other. His other hand reached down to pull up her shift, and he smiled at her shudder of anticipation, dragging his nails up her thigh as hers dug into his back. She lifted her head to try and reach him, only to be pushed gently down again. "Bed rest" he grinned at her as he worked the shift upwards and began to kiss and lick his way down her side, hands continuing to caress and tease as he worked his way further down. Kate found herself starting to shake uncontrollably as his beard grazed along her inner thigh; one hand locked on his, the sensations flooding through her were unbearable, indescribable. He grinned again as a whimper escaped and she gasped his name - back arching as his tongue and lips continued to tease and stimulate. Then suddenly, nothing. She opened her eyes, bewildered, and found him poised above her, gazing down at her, watching her intently as he lowered himself down, entering her with exquisite slowness. A satisfied sigh escaped her as he leant down to kiss her, biting down gently on her lip and brushing a thumb across her breast as he pulled back and paused. She wrapped her legs round him drawing him back inside, deeper as her body moulded to his, her hands running over his body as he withdrew again.
She frowned at him "Tease" and tried to pull him back down.
He grinned "Were you after something?"
"You. Now." She lifted her head to kiss him, then broke off with a gasp as he thrust into her, tempo increasing as he felt her back arch, his lips seeking hers as he felt her tighten around him, his fingers teasing beneath her legs. Her whole body shook as he abandoned any attempt to hold back and drove her into the mattress, until they fell against the sheets, both gasping for breath.
They lay together in silence as their breathing steadied, her fingers trailing along his arm, tracing the outline of his bicep. He grinned "I don't know about rest, but you definitely haven't got out of bed..." She smiled against his shoulder and closed her eyes as she drifted back to sleep in his arms.