Hey! ho who turned the sodding lights out? Honestly.....
Due to rabid pestering encouragement, herewith next episode of Northos.
Previously... they'd been trying to track down Kate.
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"Did you find her?" Norah was still at her cutting table when Porthos arrived, surrounded by candles. "Porthos?" He was looking unusually subdued - fear flooded through her.
He saw her face "Yes, we found her, she's ok. Well kind of..." he outlined the little that they knew.
"Robbie?" Norah looked worried "You're sure?"
"Does it matter?"
"Well, it's just she got him the job, so... depends how much she wants to feel guilty about it.... Oh well. Are you still leaving tomorrow?"
He shrugged "As far as I know. I don't see how she's going to be fit to ride, but Athos says she's stubborn as they come, and Treville wants some papers delivered. Find out tomorrow I guess. So..." he grinned suddenly "you'd better make the most of me!"
A reluctant smile appeared on Norah's face. She blew out candles and tidied the papers and samples on her table.
He watched her move round the room, the candles' soft glow illuminating her smooth creamy skin as she approached each one to blow it out. She glanced over at him and blushed at the expression on his face. With one candle left he walked slowly across the room and pulled the combs from her hair to watch it fall, curls and ringlets framing her face.
"You should wear it down more often." He bent to kiss her, teasing the curls out with his fingers. Norah returned the kiss, standing on tiptoe and pulling him down to her, then broke off and grinned. "That bit about making use of you...?" He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "It's just, I haven't eaten yet - are you any good at chopping carrots?" His smirk turned to a look of disbelief "You're always telling me you're good with a knife...?"
He gave her a good natured leer "I can fill you up..."
Norah flush bright red, tossed her hair in mock outrage and started up the stairs, then turned at a gentle slap on her bottom and found herself taller than him for once. She ginned and leaned down to kiss him as he looked up at her. She stepped back and he found his eyes were level with the top of her bodice He gave a sudden grin and reached forward, pulling at the laces and stepping upwards to bury his face in her neck, licking and kissing her neck as he worked the laces loose and yanked her bodice down.
Norah gasped as he pulled at her blouse, caressing her breasts, beard dragging against her skin and stimulating the nerve endings. He pulled her in close, arm around her waist with his hand squeezing her buttocks, his other arm braced against the wall. She clung to a banister, thoughts of food temporarily driven from her mind. Stepping backwards, her heel caught on her skirt and she stumbled on the stair, pulling him down with her.
He braced himself against the tread and looked at her lying beneath him. "The stairs? Well it's different..."
"Uncomfortable, more like." Norah could feel the bare wood digging into her back and pushed him off, hauling herself upright. "Anyway, I'm hungry!" She stuck her nose in the air and walked up the stairs, tugging her bodice back together.
To his surprise, there was a stew bubbling gently on her small stove with a pile of carrots beside it. Norah quickly chopped half of them and threw them in to cook, then cursed and snatched her hand away as she brushed it against the scorching iron.
"Show me." Porthos took her hand, concerned ,and turned it over to check. He looked down at her palm and raised it to his mouth, kissing it gently, then brushed his lips along her middle finger. Her eyes flew to his, the pain of the burn forgotten, stomach performing somersaults that had nothing to do with hunger. He drew her closer, then leaned in and kissed her. Gently at first, and then harder, relishing her response as she retreated across the room, pulling him towards her bed. Norah pulled at his clothes, running her hands across his skin as he worked his hands up inside her corset again. Laces undone, it dropped to the floor, swiftly followed by his shirt and her blouse.
She pulled him down onto her bed, squirming as he tugged at her skirts.
"Don't you dare rip another button off!" she swatted at him and undid the fastenings, wriggling herself out of the material. Do you know how much thread I have to use just repair my own clothes when you've finished ripping them off? Honestly."
He grinned and caressed her thigh "I dunno - how much does a button take? From here..." he trailed his fingers up her side "...to here?"
She squirmed and giggled as his fingers tickled their way upwards.
"More than that?" He carried on trailing his fingers across her chest, circling her breasts and watching as her nipples hardened in answer to his touch. "More?" his fingers trailed down her other side. He smiled as her eyes widened and she gulped in anticipation as his hand moved lower.
She pushed herself up onto her elbows and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him down onto the bed.
"There is..." she murmured against his ear "the question of quality versus quantity of course. If the thread is poor then I'd need a lot more.. at least from here.." her fingers trailed across his shoulders and down his back "..to here." Her hand slipped under the waistband. "But if it's good quality - strong and thick, then I shouldn't need more than a few inches.." There was a sharp intake of breath from him as her hand slipped round to the front of his trousers "About this much I'd say. As long as the quality is there..." she withdrew her hand and arched her eyebrows at him as he growled and rolled on top of her. "Minx." Her reply was smothered as his mouth descended on hers and conversation was abandoned.
She pulled at the fastenings on his breeches, loosening them enough that she could help push them down and he could kick them off. Then she lay back and sighed with pleasure as his lips moved from her mouth to her ear, nuzzled along her neck and then down to her breasts. Her hands moved across his back, dragging her nails gently across his skin and occasionally digging in as his tongue sent jolts of pleasure through her body. Her burnt finger snagged on one of his scars and she winced, pulling it away. He looked up and sat back, lifting her with him.
"Show me." He took her hand again and looked at her fingers, marvelling as always at how small they were compared to his. "Was it this one?" He kissed her index finger gently, lips barely touching it. "Or this one?" Her middle finger received the same treatment, lips nuzzling along its length before it was drawn into his mouth. Her eyes were locked on his "How about this one?" Her ring finger followed suit and he smiled as she swallowed and moistened her lips and his tongue swirled round her finger. "It must be this one..." he looked at her little finger. "Not too bad, but you should put something on it."
He got off the bed and crossed the room. Norah watched him walk away from her, unable to tear her eyes from his physique, the scars on his broad back leading her eyes down to his waist and buttocks, muscles rippling under his skin. She got off the bed and followed him silently as if hypnotised. He turned with a small jar of ointment and found her right in front of him. She ran her fingers across his chest, teasing his nipples and then reached up and pulled his mouth down to hers, her kisses urgent and demanding, standing on tiptoe to push him back against the wall.
He pushed the jar away onto a shelf, her urgency transmitting itself to him. There was suddenly nothing more important to him than getting her back onto the bed and losing himself in the feel of her skin against his, her hair wound through his fingers. Their tongues met and jostled for position, hands competing to draw gasps from each other - probing, caressing. She shuddered against him as his hand moved between her legs and he felt himself harden further as he felt how wet she was. They crashed down on the bed and he thrust into her, his movements fast and urgent. He forced himself to slow down, hold back, and then grinned as their earlier conversation popped back into his head. "Just a few inches was it?" He withdrew almost completely. She looked up at him, confused by his comment. "Quality over quantity I think you said?"
He moved slowly then stopped, barely inside. Norah bit down on her lower lip, body screaming in frustration. "Tease" she managed to gasp as his fingers rubbed against her.
"More then?"
"Yes" her voice was barely above a whisper, eyes glazed as she squirmed beneath him, trying to pull him deeper inside.
Another inch "Better?" He smirked as he looked down at her, then felt her fingers stroke his inner thigh, moving upward as she raised an eyebrow.
"Two can play..." Norah's fingers cupped and teased, squeezing and stroking. He groaned in pleasure and gave in, burying himself deep inside her, unable to resist the feel of her gripping him, her skin slick against his. Their rhythm built inexorably, breath coming in short gasps, heat rising between them. He groaned, her hands clasped around him as she clung on, shaking uncontrollably and calling his name as his final thrust tipped her over the edge. He collapsed on her, then turned his head to look at her, curls damp with sweat, cheeks flushed. They lay in silence for a few moments, sated, limbs tangled together.
"Full enough yet, or do I need to find you a carrot?"
He chuckled at her answering poke in the ribs and wrapped his arms around her.