Their housekeeper Mrs. Cynthia Lawrence served them their morning tea and toast. Neither was dressed properly for the day because it was only six thirty and the sun had yet to rise. At first she knew William had been uncomfortable being clothed in such a manner in front of anyone but herself (and for awhile he had been bashful even there), but two months living together seemed to have quashed his sense of propriety soundly...at least in so far as varying states of dress went.
"You look very wistful today."
She glanced over at her husband who was occupied with blowing on his tea, and realized she had been absentmindedly staring out the window, watching the much needed rain shower bring new life to their modest sized garden.
"More speculative I'd wager."
"Oh? Do tell," he said as he took a cautious sip.
"William, I'm curious...have you ever had a dark fantasy in regards to me?"
He choked a little on his hot water and surveyed the room to assure himself that their housekeeper was no longer present before responding. "How do you mean, Julia?"
"Just what I said, William. A dark fantasy...something you've only dreamed of doing with me...or to me as the case may be, but deemed it too improper to ever mention lest it force you to go to confession."
Her husband's eyes darted around the dining room again as he cleared his throat a few times. She found his continued bashfulness to be endearing but also rather irritating. "Julia, it's far too early to be discussing such topics," he said fiddling with his cutlery. "Perhaps later. We have to get ready for work soon."
Julia smiled ever so slightly. "So then you do have a dark fantasy about me?"
Abruptly his fidgeting stopped and he stood up. "I have to go...shave."
He headed in the direction of the water closet and she followed soon after.
"There will be no judgement," she said as he retrieved his toiletry items. "You have nothing to fear in divulging your secret to me. As a show of faith I'll share my darkest fantasy about you first."
His hand stilled on the brush for his shaving cream and a few seconds later it was resting back on the sink. William turned to face her, expression unreadable except for a faint glimmer in his eyes.
"It's a bit silly really," she said as she played with his pyjamas collar, "but I've always wanted you to thoroughly," she chuckled, "interrogate me at the station house."
Predictably he raised an eyebrow. "Interrogate, Julia?"
"Yes...you are dressed in a constable's uniform and looking very rugged since you've neglected to shave for several days as you tracked me down."
"And why would that ever be necessary? You would never break the law."
She rolled her eyes. "In my fantasy I am a jewel thief, something akin to Robin Hood, with a bow and arrow to boot, who has caused the constabulary no end of grief with my mischief. I've escaped custody twice before so now you never take any chances and always handcuff me tightly..." she glanced up to see his reaction while tracing the outline of his lips, "very tightly." He gulped. "As well, you are quite industrious with your baton in an effort to locate the stolen gems."
"That sounds rather violent," he said making a face. "I would never hit you."
"Oh you aren't abusing me with it, just smacking the table every time I speak out of turn in a witty manner..." she smirked, "which as you can imagine is fairly frequently."
William got an odd look on his face but didn't respond. Naturally this peaked her interest.
"William?"
"I too have had a similar fantasy," he said quietly after swallowing hard. His face had become slightly flushed. "Roles reversed of course. In fact, that is also my darkest fantasy about you."
She observed him silently for a few moments. "You aren't just saying that to avoid telling me your real fantasy, are you?
"I assure you I am not." In a clipped, stilted manner he continued. "At first it made me uncomfortable to have you...dominate me...but as the years went by and I continued to experience this fantasy, I became accustomed to your rough manner..." he smiled sheepishly, "and even embraced it to a certain degree."
"How shocking, detective!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together and laughing. "How wonderfully scandalous!"
He frowned. "I thought you said there would be no judgement?"
"And there isn't." She gave him a quick kiss. "Well then, now that I know, I have some shopping to attend to."
She turned to leave but he called her back.
"Julia..." he said in that same embarrassed manner, "you don't intend to actually live out this shared fantasy of ours? We were just having a discussion, were we not?"
In response she smirked and pocketed his razor.
"Julia!"
If I continue this it'll probably have to get moved to the M section.
