Topic: A First For Everything

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-12-18 22:51 EST
((Contains material of an adult nature.))

The long ride back to the homestead from the Dugan farm had given the eldest of the newly-wedded Mullen couples time to think. And for Dale, those thoughts kept returning, over and again, to the prospect of the night ahead of them. Eli had been adamant that there would be a wedding night, and she had no doubt that he would follow through on that promise. What she wasn't quite prepared for was how excited she was to get to that moment. It certainly made the last chores of the day difficult to concentrate on. Trying to corral chickens in a skirt while your mind keeps wandering to the handsome man dealing with the horses and cattle is not the easiest job in the world, and by the time she was done, she was down to her shirt-sleeves, her high collar unbuttoned to let her skin breathe.

Maybe they weren't exactly in love yet, but there was definitely a flame smoldering between them. Eli, too, was having trouble focusing on his chores, rushing through them in eager anticipation of what lay ahead. Neither of them were virgins, and though they knew what awaited them, all of it would be brand new, like the first time all over again. No, not the first time, Eli decided. The first time had been awkward and rushed and strange. This first time would be different; he would make sure of it. He wasn't sure what it was about Dale that made him agree to marry her, but he was looking forward to finding out.

When, finally, the last of the chickens was in the henhouse and secured safely for the night, Dale made her way to the house. She wasn't expecting mutants to pass by tonight, which meant that there was no need to secure everyone and everything in the basement beneath the house. It meant that Eli had free rein to explore the house itself while she cobbled together something fairly simple for supper - nothing but bread and cold cuts for them tonight. That left on the table, she called for him to come in as the sun began to set, pumping cool water into a bowl to wipe her face and neck clean after the afternoon's exertions.

It was difficult getting his chores done knowing Dale was nearby, knowing what presumably awaited them later that night, though he didn't want to make any assumptions. Did she want him the way he wanted her, or was this really just a marriage of convenience" She seemed to want him, but was he only imagining it' Still, there was dinner to eat and dishes to wash before they could turn in for the night, and chores would begin again bright and early the next day. It had been a long time since he'd lived this sort of life, since he'd felt his life had purpose and meaning, and he owed all that to her. He joined her inside once the animals were settled for the night, rolling his sleeves up so he could wash up for dinner.

Her reaction to his presence in the kitchen with her was not exactly designed to convince him of her coolness toward him. Away from the sight of others, Dale quite brazenly let her eyes wander over her new husband as he washed up, a half-smile curving her seductively full lips. "Nothing sexier than a handsome fella good and sweaty from a hard ride," she heard herself say, flashing him a sparkling-eyed grin as she turned away. And there was nothing innocent about the fact that when she bent over the table to pour out a couple of cups of freshly brewed coffee, her shirt was now open enough to show a hint of the corset that presented her girls virtually on a plate. After all, there was no need to pretend she was a virtuous widow now she was a wife again.

"Nothing smellier, either," he countered with a grin, knowing he needed a good bath. Now, there was an idea. Why not save water and bathe together" Was there a tub big enough for both of them' He would have to find out. He scrubbed as much dirt and muck from his hands as he could, unable to avoid the eyeful she was purposely teasing him with. "You want it on the kitchen table, or you willing to wait 'til after supper?" he asked, quite bluntly.

She straightened, laughing at the blunt response to her teasing. "You saying I only get it once?" she countered innocently. "And here's me thinking you're a strong man. Weak at the knees already, Mr. Mullen?" She knew she was playing with fire; this wasn't Bart, with his gentle clumsiness and misplaced sense of his own attractiveness. Eli was young, strong, and handsome, not to mention a match for her in temperament. She had a feeling he could only be teased so far before he took matters into his own hands.

"You can have it as many times as you want, Mrs. Mullen," he replied, with an emphasis on the Mrs. "But if we don't eat first, we might pass out from exhaustion before we're finished," he warned, as he dried his hands on a piece of linen. He was content for now to wait until after they ate something, but if she pushed him too hard, he just might rise to the bait.

"Promises, promises," she teased, her voice far warmer toward him here in the privacy of their own home than it had seemed in company. "You'd better sit and eat then, before you keel over in anticipatory exhaustion."

"Hmm, that answers my question about the table, then," he teased back, eyes dancing with uncharacteristic mischief. There was just something about Dale that brought out the best in Eli, despite his own surly nature.

She laughed at his mischief, truly surprised and delighted by this difference in him. When they'd met, he'd been terse, almost surly, but had come out of himself to make her feel safe. Now she was his, he seemed to be coming out of his shell again, and this time, he was warm and teasing. "Honey, you could have had me on the side of the road," she informed him sweetly, batting her lashes at him as she moved to the table.

"I doubt you'd have said that a few days ago," he reminded her, a slightly amused smile on his face as he pulled a chair out for her before claiming his own seat at the table. A few days ago, she had pointed a shotgun at him, which was hardly conducive to romance, and yet, here he was.

The show of good manners made her full lips curve in a smile as she sat down. "Thank you," she murmured, trying not to laugh at the memory of the look on his face when he'd seen her in all her glory, armed and ready to shoot him. "A couple of days ago, you weren't my husband," she pointed out. "Although ....I probably wouldn't have argued too long about it if you had decided to take it out in trade."

"It's too bad I didn't know that then," he countered, though it was hard to say if he'd have taken her up on that offer or not. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd enjoyed a roll in the hay with a woman he barely knew, but for some reason, it seemed important that he do things right with Dale. Maybe it was because his brothers were settling in the village, and he was trying to become a respectable citizen again. Maybe it was more than that. Either way, he had agreed to marry her, despite his initial uncertainty.

"I would've blacked your other eye for it afterward," she added in an absent tone, spreading butter on her bread as her gaze flickered back to him. She wasn't sure quite what was going on. She liked him, that much was obvious, but she'd liked Bart too. Just not in the same way - there was something about Eli had made her feel incredibly feminine in a way Bart had never managed to, and Bart had been the one who'd made her a woman, so to speak. Yet Bart had not raised even a fraction of the heat in her that a single glance from Eli could muster. "Can't take advantage of a chaste widow without consequences."

"In case you haven't noticed, I've already got the black eye, darlin'," he reminded her further, indicating said blackened eye with a wave of one hand, that smirk still in place on his handsome face. He wasn't sure what it was about her either. He'd met plenty of women before, but not a single one of them compared to her. He made no comment about whether she was or was not chaste, though he knew she was no virgin.

"Having seen the both of you in one place, I daresay you both earned your war wounds," she informed him cheerfully. It didn't take a genius to see how Mahon and Eli could easily rile each other to the point of violence. She squirmed a little in her seat; that smirk was not making it easy to concentrate.

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-12-18 22:52 EST
"Cody's the one who has to live with him, not me, and I 'spect the women will keep him in line," Eli said, plucking up some meat and fitting it in between two slices of bread. "I still got the better of him though," he added with a ridiculously proud grin. He hadn't meant the break the guy's nose, but he thought he'd made his point.

Rolling her eyes, Dale fixed him with a startlingly knowing gaze for a long moment. "You seem very pleased with yourself about it," she commented, daring him to expand on what the whole mess had been about in the first place. "Maybe I should learn how to tie you down when you're in a gnarly mood." Not that she believed he would ever raise his hand to her in anger.

He didn't say much about whether or not he was pleased with himself, but only shrugged, snorting with laughter at her suggestion, however serious she might have meant it. "I'd like to see you try," he murmured before he could stop himself, scowling a moment as he realized he probably shouldn't put it past her.

She smirked back at him, knowing she'd ruffled his feathers by the scowl on his face. "Who said I'd give you any opportunity to see it coming?" she asked innocently, washing down her mouthful with a sip from her coffee cup. "Surely half the fun would be in the look on your face when you realized you were completely at my mercy."

"Might I remind you, I was completely at your mercy a few days ago, but you were the one who was naked," he said, unable to keep a straight face. He took a bite of his makeshift sandwich, having a feeling he was going to keep up his strength for the evening ahead.

"Yeah," she drawled laughingly. "You wouldn't be completely at my mercy unless you couldn't move your arms or your legs, and even then, I wouldn't put it past you to have some kind of freaky move with your hips that'd give you the advantage again."

"Freaky move?" he echoed, laughing again. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see," he teased, waggling his brows at her as he took another bite of his sandwich. Who was this guy and what had he done with the real Eli"

To her everlasting astonishment, Dale felt herself blush. She hadn't blushed when he'd seen her naked; she hadn't blushed at any of the teasing from his brothers today; but the implication in his tease made her face warm as she glanced away, not quite able to raise an answer to him this time. "Okay, you win."

"Win?" he echoed, brows arching upwards in curiosity. "I'm not sure what you mean," he said, feigning innocence. He hadn't been aware that there had been a contest of sorts going on between them, until just now, though in his opinion they were both winners.

"Uh-huh." She shook her head, pressing her fingers to her cheek in the hope of cooling her blush down more quickly. "So if you don't acknowledge your win there, I guess you don't want your prize, then." She was going to claw her way back onto level ground, despite the minor setback of his knowing that his teasing was definitely having an effect on her.

He lowered the sandwich for half a second, frowning a little before calling her bluff. "I'm gonna get it anyway," he told her, assuming she was talking about the eventual consummation of their marriage which was presumably taking place in the not too distant future.

His frown gave her a moment's concern this time, her smile fading as she glanced down at her plate. "I know how to be a good wife, you don't need to worry about that," she offered seriously, not wanting him to think he wouldn't get his dues on his own wedding night. The fact that she wanted him to was another matter.

It seemed the conversation had suddenly and unexpectedly turned serious, and Eli wondered if he'd said something wrong. "You think that's why I agreed to marry you? Because I'm looking for a good wife" For someone to take care of me?" he asked, studying her solemnly. He wasn't sure how the teasing and flirtation had turned serious, but maybe it was a good thing. Of the three newly-married couples, it was Eli and Dale who probably had taken the biggest risk in agreeing to get married.

"No, I ..." She sighed softly, shaking her head once again as the mood changed between them from flirtatious to solemn. "To be honest, I don't know why you agreed to marry me," she admitted reluctantly. "I don't understand why you would agree to marry someone who's been alone so long she's got at least one screw loose, especially knowing what I've done in the past. When I asked you, it was convenience, but a night in your company convinced me that it was a good idea. I like you, Eli, better than I've liked anyone. I just ....I don't see what you get out of this, if it isn't a woman to look after you."

Eli sighed as he set what was left of his sandwich on the plate and gave her his full attention. Her concern was a serious one, and he intended to give her a serious reply. "I'm not sure I can explain," he started. "But I like you, too, and that's more than I can say for anyone I've met in a very long time." He knew it wasn't enough of an explanation; it didn't even come close, but it was a start and it was the truth.

She held his gaze for a long moment, her eyes clear as she looked at him. "I trust you," she told him, and it was obvious in the weight of those words that she had not given her trust to anyone in a very long time. "I know we don't have all the answers right here and now, and we don't have to. I just thought you should know that ....it feels like more than simple convenience, at least on my side."

"It isn't just convenience on my side either," he assured her, though it was certainly convenient, for a lot of reasons. "This isn't just about my brothers, not anymore." He paused a moment as if considering his next words. He couldn't claim that he loved her, not yet - but he certainly couldn't deny there was an attraction between them that he'd had a hard time ignoring. "Does it even matter, Dale" This ....arrangement is good for both of us. It's good for everyone. And I like you. I like you a lot, but it's Brona you should probably thank. She's the one who pointed out that I can't keep running forever, and I reckon if I turned my back on you, I'd only live to regret it."

It wasn't a romantic conversation, but she could sense his honesty, reassuring her as she relaxed. A slow smile curved her lips as she felt her ease returning. "So ....should I go and thank Brona now?" she asked, mischief sparkling in her eyes once again. "Or do you think that can wait until I really have something to thank her for?"

"You can go thank her now if you want, but you might be interrupting something," he reminded her further with a soft smile of his own. It wasn't just their wedding night, after all, but that of his brothers and their brides, as well.

She snorted with laughter, spluttering into her coffee cup briefly before putting it back down again. "At least we don't need to worry about it being the first time for either of us," she pointed out. "We get to enjoy our wedding night."

"That sounds strange, doesn't it' Our wedding night," he echoed. Who'd have thought that Eli Mullen, of all people, would have gotten married, and to someone he hardly knew, no less - though getting to know each other just might prove half the fun.

"Oh, that isn't the part of that sentence that sounds strangest to me," Dale heard herself blurt out, and immediately regretted it, laughing to try and pass the moment by without it being commented on. Bart had never hurt her, but he hadn't exactly been the god in the bedroom he'd clearly believed himself to be. Eli was ever so slightly intimidating to her, purely because she wanted to be intimate with him. It was a feeling that left her ever so slightly out of control. "But it's true. It's our home, our marriage, our life together. We're a team now, for better or for worse."

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-12-18 22:52 EST
"Not a team, Dale. A partnership," he corrected her gently. A team implied there were more than two people involved, and he didn't want anyone else butting into their marriage, but them. He frowned thoughtfully, not because of anything she'd said really, but at another thought that came to mind. "Dale," he started, looking a little uncertain if he continue. "Do you think you could ever ....I mean ....That we could ever ..."

His frown brought an echo to her own face, concerned by whatever had produced such an expression in the first place. "Ever ....what?" she asked, curious to know what he meant. She could have guessed, but they didn't know one another well enough for her to try that. After all, she could easily be wrong.

Love was a word Eli found hard to say, even now, and it was almost too much for him to hope for, but there were other words that worked just as well and meant almost the same thing. "Do you think you could ever care about me?" he asked, almost shyly - or at least, as close to shy as Eli was going to get.

The shy way he spoke made her own frown fade, replaced with a soft smile as she looked at him. "I think we've made a good start," she told him quietly. "If I didn't care, I wouldn't have wanted to rip Mahon's testicles off for blacking your eye, would I?"

"Did you?" he asked, brows arching upwards. This was the first he'd heard of that, and he couldn't help the mingled feeling of pride and amusement at the knowing it. Of course, if Mahon knew the truth about how Brona had met them and come to know him, the big man might want to do the same to Eli.

She nodded, her smile a little self-conscious. "Yeah, I did," she admitted. "You're a handsome man, Eli, and once you agreed to marry me, you became my man. Honestly, if he hadn't been nursing that broken nose, I don't think I would have been so polite."

"If he knew the truth, he'd want to do a lot more than blacken my eye," Eli pointed out, still feeling a bit guilty for the way he'd forced Brona to take care of Cody, though all had turned out well. He picked up the other half of his sandwich, his stomach reminding him that he was still hungry.

"He'd have to get through both your brothers and their wives before he even came close," she pointed out to him, picking her own meat apart into delicate pieces as she ate. "And that would give me time to arm myself. You really think he could get through me?"

"I don't think Brona would let him," he countered, though he wasn't too sure about Mahon's wife. He hadn't had much time to get to know either of them before the wedding and he and Dale had departed for home. "I just hope he doesn't give Cody a hard time," he added, before finishing off his sandwich. He figured if anyone could keep Cody safe from Brona's older brother, it was Brona herself.

Her brow rose. "If he does, he's going to get an earful," she predicted. She didn't know Brona too well, but she'd seen enough of the power that girl had over the men in her life today to be fairly sure that Cody was safe in her hands. Licking crumbs from her fingers, she rose to collect their plates and cups, moving to wash them clean in the sink automatically.

He didn't doubt that, though he wasn't too sure why Dale was so adamant about it. They were off to a good start, as she'd said, but he couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever regret the decision they'd made here today. Still, he had decided to marry her for a reason, and he wasn't sure it was an entirely selfless one. "Do you want to know why I married you?" he asked, getting up from the chair and moving over to help her clean up from supper.

"Because I needed you?" she guessed quietly, rolling her sleeves to her elbows before taking up the brush to scrub the plates and cups clean. Her gaze flickered toward him, curiously eager to know the answer to his own question.

He took up a towel without any prompting to help dry the dishes once they were washed. "That's part of it, I think," he replied thoughtfully. "After I got back, Brona and I had a long talk, and she said I should start thinking about what I want and not what my brothers want, but the thing is, all I've ever done is think about what I want."

She glanced up at him in confusion. "I'm not sure I understand," she told him gently, hoping to draw a little more out of the man who was now her companion in life. She pulled the plug in the sink, letting the water drain away to wipe the bowl clean before setting the cloth aside to dry.

He already had the cloth in hand and was drying the dishes one plate at a time, that thoughtful expression still on his face. "After our parents died and the farm burned, all I wanted was revenge. I kept telling myself I was doing it for them, to protect them. That we needed to move so we could start fresh, build a new home somewhere else, but it never seemed to happen. We just kept moving on, and all I could think about was killing mutants so that the same thing didn't happen to someone else's family." He had a faraway look on his face as he got lost in his own thoughts, holding a wet plate in one hand and the towel in the other, but making no move to actually dry it

Dale watched him for a long moment, understanding that need to keep moving, to keep on having some purpose. She'd felt it herself once, before a kind man had offered her a home and his protection. Reaching out, she took the plate and cloth from Eli's hands, setting them aside before raising her hands to cradle his jaw, drawing his gaze back to hers. "Because of you, it didn't happen to a lot of families," she pointed out. "But you can't live that way forever. You're going to protect our family now, and all I can do is hope it will be enough."

"It wasn't fair, and it wasn't a good life for them, to keep moving like that, never settling down. Cody was just a kid. It was up to me to take care of them, Dale, and all I could think about was revenge. I know it turned out all right, but am I being selfish now" Wanting to settle down and be with you?" he asked, searching her eyes for an answer, despite what she was telling him. "All I ever wanted was to be a farmer, like my father. To raise a family and live in peace. I never wanted to be a soldier, and now look at me."

"I am looking at you," she told him, a flicker of a smile on her lips as she held that gaze. "Eli, I'm looking at a man who was so desperate to save his brother's life that he drew a gun on a girl, despite the fact that it was completely against his nature. I'm looking at a man who has allowed his brothers to step away, and to find wives of their own, and a place to settle. I'm looking at a man who didn't have to marry me, but who chose to, and who still doesn't know how much that means to me. There'll always be a part of you that needs to fight, we both know that. But you need peace, too. I'm not the easiest person to live with, but I can give you that, if you'll let me."

"What about a family?" he asked, almost as if he was afraid to ask, afraid to hope. He'd lived so long without hope, he'd forgotten what it felt like, and yet here he was, with a lifetime of hope staring him right in the face, and yet, he still hadn't answered her question. Maybe because he wasn't quite sure how to answer it. "I'm not sure why I agreed to marry you, Dale. I think part of me wants to protect you and take care of you, but it's more than just that. I think we could be happy together. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but I can't help but hope it's true. I think Brona's right. Now that Nate and Cody are settled, it's time I think about what I want, and what I want is you. Is that so hard to believe?"

"I hope we can have a family of our own," she murmured in answer to his hesitant query, her hands sliding from his jaw to rest against his chest. "I think we could be happy together, too. And I want you, Eli ....not just in my bed, but in my life. I feel safe with you, and I haven't had that feeling in a very long time."

"I'm right here, Dale," he replied, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against his chest, fingers caressing her hair. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise," he said, his voice quieting. After all, he wouldn't have agreed to marry her if he didn't plan on sticking around.

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-12-18 22:53 EST
She closed her eyes as he drew her close, feeling the pins in her hair give up trying to hold the heavy mane in place as his fingers stroked over the strands. Dark locks tumbled loose over her shoulders as she leaned into him, part of her wishing she could hide how much she needed to feel this. "I might still tie you up, if you tried leaving," she murmured, wanting the easy lightness back in the atmosphere around them. The intimacy he had drawn around them felt almost too intense.

"Is that a promise or a warning?" he asked, the smile back on his face, as the mood lightened, meeting her gaze and tipping her head back so that he could dip his head to meet her lips. It wasn't the first kiss they'd shared, but it was perhaps the first given with real feeling behind it that promised more than just friendship. There was a spark there in that kiss, if she chose to find it and kindle it. Perhaps there was hope for them yet.

"Both," she told him as his lips found hers in a kiss that set her trembling. There was more to that kiss than simple passion or attraction, a promise that they could ignite something deeper between them perhaps. She drew back for just a moment, letting out a slow breath as her eyes found his, dark with desire. And Dale gave up pretending to be a good little wife, throwing her arms about Eli's neck as her lips pressed to his once again with an impatient moan. She'd never desired anyone like this, and now he was her husband, he was about to find out that when Dale was impatient, it would take more than a gentle hand to hold her at bay.

If his kiss was anything to go by, he was as eager as she was, and now that they were officially married, there didn't seem to be much point in holding himself back. Encouraged by her reaction to his kiss, he scooped her up into his arms, his lips never parting hers, and headed toward the stairs. He'd never been to her bedroom yet, but his sense of direction told him it was probably on the second floor of the house.

It was just as well he had a vague idea, because she was in no state to give directions, already half-drunk with his kisses as she tucked her legs about his hips, her hands restlessly tugging at his shirt. A button or two didn't survive that urgent investigation, pinging away to bounce on the stairs as he reached them, but Dale didn't really care. She was far too interested in the warm skin uncovered to her questing hands and lips.

She might have to find and sew those buttons back on tomorrow, as Eli's wardrobe was pretty limited, but buttons were the least of his concerns at the moment. Neither of them virgins, there wasn't much point in pussyfooting around now that the spark had been lit. The way she had her legs wrapped around his hips she was bound to notice the evidence of his own desire as he carried her up those stairs.

Her own buttons didn't quite survive the journey up the stairs, either. Say what you like about his tiny wife, but she played fair when it suited her. Stripped to her corset, she let her own shirt hang over the banister as her hands returned to skimming his skin, letting herself enjoy the feel of him under her palms as her lips teased his hungrily. She was no virgin, certainly, but this was going to be one hell of a learning experience.

By the time they got to the second floor, there was already a trail of clothing left behind them. His lips had traveled from her mouth to her neck, but he had to pause briefly as they reached the second floor. "Which room?" he asked, too distracted by the view right in front of him to count the doors he had to choose from.

Fingers tangled in his hair, she mewled softly as he paused, protesting even the briefest cessation of the passion that had been haunting her daydreams since he'd ridden away the morning before. "Blue door," she breathed against his ear, her nails just barely scratching over his back as her legs tightened about his hips. Bart had never managed to bring her to breathless trembling, yet Eli managed it just with kisses. What had she been missing all these years"

They had hardly even started and already they felt the heat of passion stirring between them. He didn't have to ask if she felt it, too. He could tell from the way she clung to him, the way her lips devoured his, the way her nails scratched his back as if she could hardly contain her passion, and who wanted to' Maybe they both needed this and needed each other. He found the blue door easily enough and pushed his way inside, not bothering to close it as there was no one else there but them, not even a dog or cat to intrude or interrupt.

The details of the bedroom would come to him later, no doubt, but the bed was very present - a wide, welcoming nest of soft blankets and sheets that dominated the room as Dale clung to him, reluctant to loose her legs from his waist despite certain logistical issues if she kept them there indefinitely. Her nightgown hung on the back of a closet door, a seductive promise in rare silk for another night, perhaps, when they were not so immediately distracted with one another.

She was such a tiny thing, he had no trouble making his way to the bed and laying her very gently down upon it, his kiss deepening, mouth searching hers in eager exploration. His hands found her corset, deft fingers easily undoing the laces so that he could explore further.

His were not the only hands busy as he laid her back against the sheets, the material cool against her flushed skin. Sparing a last thought for those who were left fumbling and uncertain on such a night, Dale tugged at Eli's pants, flicking open the fastenings as she felt her corset loosen under his determined touch. Her lips curved in a playful grin beneath his kisses, trading them breathlessly back to him as she arched to draw him over her.

His body pressed against hers, lifting his hips to give her better access to his pants. Neither of them a shy virgin, each seemed sure what they needed and wanted from the other and knew how to get it. His lips broke from hers suddenly with a gasp of breath, just so his lips could explore further, leaving a soft trail of kisses down her neck while his hands worked her corset free of her body. He tugged the thing away from her and tossed it carelessly over one shoulder, hands and lips and tongue in further exploration of the womanly curves he found so enticing.

One thing was for sure, there would be no shy fumbling from either of them. As he stripped the corset from her body, revealing the soft ivory of her voluptuous form, she found her own prize, moaning softly against his ear as her hand claimed him for her own. They would never be lacking in passion, not if this was how they consummated promises shared before men and God. The problem might come with getting out of bed in the morning.

His groan echoed hers as she literally took him in hand. Of all the women he had ever known, this spitfire of a woman was the only one who'd ever seemed able to equal him in every way, even this. He gave as good as he took from her, striving to leave her breathless and trembling before claiming her as his wife. He let his actions speak for him, showing her in no uncertain terms that he knew his way around a woman and wasn't afraid to use that to her advantage.

Kisses and wandering hands, softly shared groans and quiet laughter, clothing shed piece by piece until they were finally bare to one another. They both knew what they were doing, both possessed of skills learned over time that were purely designed to give their partner pleasure. Yet Dale had never been on the receiving end, her responses exaggerated with astonishment as Eli found his way to every part of her that wanted his touch, all seemingly without being told where they were. No, Bart had not been even half the lover Eli was, and as she peaked at his command, there wasn't even a hint of dissembling in her. Every sigh, every tremble, was genuine; every kiss given in answer was tenderly grateful for his need to give her what her former husband never had.

As far as Eli was concerned, he wasn't trying to compete with a dead man - he was just doing what came naturally. He didn't think he was a great lover, but he was experienced enough to know what to do with a woman. He knew how to be tender and gentle when it was called for, and when to be a little bit rough, never crossing the line between pain and pleasure. He followed her lead where he could, an attentive lover who could read her reactions and knew how to elicit the desired results. Even while seeking his own fulfillment, he had enough self control to be sure she was equally fulfilled, and when it was done, and they were both satisfied - at least, for the moment - he took her in his arms and held her close, heart to heart, exchanging soft kisses as the fire of passion cooled to a warm simmer between them.

And there it was again, that feeling of safety and security, the knowledge that no one would hurt her so long as Eli was there. Dale nestled into his arms, each kiss shared with a soft smile as her fingertips played into his hair. And the words came out, completely unbidden and wholly unexpected. "I could so easily love you, Eli."

If there was anything she could have said that would have shocked and surprised him, it was that, especially since he'd been thinking the same thing. No, it wasn't quite love yet, but there was definitely something there - some inexplicable spark of something, something more than friendship, something to build a marriage and a life together on. He didn't say anything for a moment, too moved by her confession to reply. He wasn't the usually the emotional type, and yet, he was clearly struggling against to contain his emotions. "Then why don't you, Dale?" he asked, in a hushed tone of voice.

The tip of her nose circled his briefly as they gazed into each other's eyes. Confidence with her emotions did not come easily to Dale, even less so when she tried to communicate them. But this was Eli, holding her in his arms and not expecting anything from her that she couldn't give him. It was a new feeling, and one she wanted to hold onto. "I think I will," she whispered back to him, her full lips finding his in a slow kiss.

Where it not for her kisses to reignite the blaze of passion, he might have answered in kind, but instead, he let his kisses speak for him, sharing with her the passion and the burgeoning feelings that were blossoming between them. There would be time for words later; right now, all he wanted was to show her what it might mean to love someone like him now and forever.

One fractious first meeting, one decision made on a whim, and now they had forever to learn to love one another. Not bad for a couple who only knew the fringes of society. There was hope for them yet.

((Well, at least they're talking to each other, right' :grin: Huge thanks to Eli's player!))