I was cruising with some friends in the eastern Caribbean. During down times I wrote this one-shot companion story to 'The Union of Moon and Crane'. So far it's the "sexiest" fic I've written and it was a bit of a challenge for me but I enjoyed writing it.
In the pre-dawn darkness I found myself awake. My body was still tired from the exhausting (but wonderful) events of the day before, but I couldn't get back to sleep. Every instant of the wedding was playing and replaying in my mind, which wouldn't have been bad at all if it wasn't three o'clock in the morning.
I rolled over and listened to Niles' soft breathing; he was not having any trouble sleeping. I looked fondly at him; the moonlight was shining through the sheer curtains on the window as just enough to illuminate his sleeping form. My friend, my lover...my husband. A warm, incredulous feeling swept through me. I still couldn't believe I was so lucky, that I was now Daphne Crane. I nestled closer to him, but even that didn't help my sleeplessness.
On a sudden inspiration, I tried a tip Niles gave to patients who had nighttime anxieties -imagine a calm place-perhaps a forest or a childhood home. I instantly knew what that place was for me. A sunny beach in Belize, overlooking miles of sparkling water. I immersed myself in thoughts of the soothing sound of the waves and brilliant sunshine. And then, almost subconsciously, another memory of that place came to me.
Gentle hands caressing my skin, exploring my naked body. A soft pair of lips capturing mine for a fiery kiss. Bodies entwined in the warm waters of a hidden cove. Eyes as blue as the sea, looking at me with love and passion…
Sleep was no longer a possibility as uncontrollable desire overtook me. I wanted Niles badly. I leaned in and kissed him softly, thinking of the times he'd woken me in the same way, the kisses often sparking blissful intimacy.
"Daph-ne?" Niles said sleepily.
I smiled in the darkness.
"Hello," I answered him cheerfully.
"Is everything okay?" he asked, concern in his voice
"I'm fine," I said, quick to reassure him, and then decided to be direct. "I can't sleep. I want you."
"Want me? " my husband said through a yawn.
An amused laugh escaped me. He really was half-asleep, or he'd have gotten my meaning instantly.
"Make love to me, Niles. Please?" I pleaded.
The sheets rustled as he sat upright.
"It's just past three in the morning!" he said in what sounded like a protest, but I wasn't fooled by his teasing words. I heard the pleased tone in his voice and sought his lips in the darkness, kissing him in a manner that assured him I was serious. A soft but eager gasp told me that he was now on the same page.
"Are you awake now?" I teased.
Niles gently stroked my cheek, in much the same manner as he had after our first fight, which had led to our 'first time' with each other. I leaned in for another kiss, but he stopped me.
"I want you, too," he murmured, "but turn on the light. I want to see you."
I obliged happily, flattered that after all these years, Niles still adored my body. And I wanted to see him as well. He wasn't what most women would call classically handsome, but I loved his lean form and how beautifully he fitted against me. I had to shake myself out of my reverie; I would be seeing his sexy body soon enough. I slipped out of bed and turned on the beside lamp—and then began to slowly, teasingly pull my plain cotton negligee of my body. I had meant to bring something sexier, but from the look in Niles' eyes I knew it didn't matter to him what I wore.
"You're so beautiful," he gasped as I flung that article of clothing away.
Niles then rose from bed, insistent on being the one to remove my panties; I kicked them aside while his mouth explored mine and his tongue gently parted my lips. That was all it took to undo me, making my hands so shaky that I had difficulty undressing him—which made him laugh.
"I see I still have a profound effect on you," he said playfully, while gently pushing me back into the bed.
"You're just so—good at this," I explained.
"And this is just the beginning," he answered with a grin before straddling me.
I surveyed Niles' flawless body, weaving the tips of my fingers into the hair on his chest and tracing the adorable cleft in his chin with my free hand. He responded in kind, trailing kisses from my lips to the hollow of my chest before playfully nipping my breasts. The sensations he made were incredible, but it wasn't until he ran his hand down my side to find a certain sweet spot that I finally went to pieces.
"Take me," was all I could coherently say, and to encourage him I gave the most intimate part of his body a lingering touch, eliciting an unbridled moan of pleasure from him.
Soon we were lost in our own world where all that was important was satisfying each other and expressing our love—and it was that love that made our physical ministrations so much more fulfilling. Never had another man made me feel so adored, so treasured, and I wondered yet again how I had not seen sooner that Niles was the one for me.
Until the first faint light of dawn we pleasured each other, calling out each other's names with sheer abandon.
The following morning…
Brilliant sunlight streamed through the lace curtains. It took me a few moments to fully waken, and I smiled when I realized Niles' arms were still securely around me, his bare skin warm on mine. I wanted to stay in his arms all day, but a glance at the clock told me it was well into the morning. We'd be late for the final breakfast with our wedding guests before everyone started heading home. As much as I wished to remain where I was, I knew it would be ungrateful to abandon the family and friends who had been so supportive of my and Niles' relationship and marriage. I nudged him, and he stirred, releasing me from his arms.
"What's happening?" Niles asked blearily, blinking in the bright light that filled the room.
"Our guests are departing today," I said. "We need have breakfast with them."
His eyes scanned my body.
"Or—I could stay here and show my beautiful new wife how grateful I am that she married me."
Niles' proposal was oh so tempting, but I roused myself and stepped out of bed before I could fall for his seduction.
"There will be plenty of time for that," I chuckled. "They've been so supportive. Well, except for Mum. We can't just let them leave without saying goodbye."
Niles sighed.
"You're right," he agreed reluctantly.
We dressed and left our room.
In the hallway we met a couple who gave us a strange and oddly reproving look. I mumbled an awkward 'good morning', but they glanced narrowly at us and strode away. Niles and I were puzzled over their attitude, but it wasn't long before we discovered the reason for their cold manner. The woman was speaking, obviously thinking we were out of earshot as they headed downstairs for the hotel lobby.
"—must have been doing it all night. You'd think they'd remember they have neighbors. I almost called the front desk to have our room changed."
"I'm glad I thought to bring my MP3 player and headphones," her partner complained. "The way they were carrying on!"
Niles turned a very bright shade of pink and I wanted to sink into the floor. It took all our effort not to turn back. What if we should run into the couple again down in the lobby? Finally summoning our courage, we crept down the stairs, thankful when we didn't see the them. Relieved, we humorously discussed who we'd be glad to see off first—Mum or Simon.
As we passed the sitting areas, however, our humiliation returned. A few people who were obviously strangers to each other were commiserating over something in tones that told me they were gossiping. As Niles and I passed by, we heard their hissing whispers.
"That's them, I recognize their voices. I passed their room when I went downstairs to find someone to fix the AC in my room," someone said. "They were really, er—vocal."
"How could you not hear them?" said another. "I heard them, and I was on the floor below!"
We had to pass the front desk to get to the dining area and we saw that the receptionist was giving us a strange look. A queer feeling came over me. I had a nagging suspicion that this receptionist had gotten some complaints. I wondered that we hadn't been contacted to say we were disturbing other guests, but when another guest spoke to the receptionist, my mental question was answered.
"I am very displeased that my complaint wasn't taken seriously," an indignant-looking man was saying loudly, and Niles and I ducked behind a couch. "I have an important meeting tomorrow and I hardly got any sleep. They were in the room above me, but there might as well have been no ceiling."
"I'm sorry, sir," the receptionist said quickly. "I should have but it would have been a very awkward call to make."
Niles and I made a hasty exit to the dining room, where the entire party was gathered, but we couldn't even escape the talk there. Simon was grinning rather suspiciously and when I went to tell him 'good morning', he raised an eyebrow.
"Oy, Stilts, have you heard the talk? Word on the street says that you and Niles were really enjoying yourselves last ni—,"
I lunged at Simon. I hadn't been this angry at him since the aftermath of my choosing Niles over Donny, when he'd been wrecked the wedding gifts and added to the drama that Mel was causing.
"Daphne, please don't kill your brother in public."
I turned to see Frasier, who stepped between me and Simon.
"Fine, but one more word out of him and I'm going to try some moves he uses during football riots back in Manchester," I spat.
I found a seat between Roz and Claire, hoping to find some relief there. I should have known better; Claire greeted me politely, as if everything was normal, but Roz was in the middle of a silent fit of laughter. I knew just what was amusing her.
"I see you've heard the news," I said, a bit more sharply than I meant to.
"I guess he really is good," Roz snickered, referencing a confession I'd made to her about my and Niles' first time making love to each other—a conversation in which I may have revealed too much.
I glanced desperately around the table, hoping someone would say something on another subject. I caught Frasier's eye and he seemed to understand, leading the conversation back to the wedding. After this were the goodbyes to everyone except for the Crane men, Mum, and Simon (The rest of my brothers took shuttles to Sea-Tac, as I didn't want to spend the rest of my wedding weekend chauffeuring the loud, carousing Moon boys).
After breakfast, Niles and I slipped away to the hotel gardens, mutually glad to have the uncomfortable situation behind us.
"I thought I'd die of embarrassment," I declared as we sat on a bench in a quiet corner.
"I guess we should have been more discreet," Niles said. "But we just got caught up in the moment…"
"Well, someday we'll look back on this and laugh," I said, trying to convince myself as well as Niles. "But…I don't regret the lovemaking. You were wonderful."
Niles nibbled my earlobe before responding.
"I have a plan. After we take your mother and Simon to the airport and get Dad, Frasier, and Roz back where they belong, I'll take you back to the Montana and give you a romantic night. We'll have some champagne and then I'll light some candles, turn on our favorite music…and then we can pick up where we left off—and we won't need to hold back. The walls of my apartment are practically soundproof."
His flirtatious smile told me all I needed to know. The trip back to Seattle in the Winnebago seemed almost torturously long. All I wanted to do was be back in my husband's loving arms, indulging in intimacy until we were spent and happy—especially since there was no fear of being heard this time!