Pointless - Just a little bit of nothing
Exactly what Cora had hoped to avoid - chasing Robert down like a naughty child - was exactly what happened Christmas Eve. She tried to curb him gently - easy joking meant to warn him that she knew he was dangerously close to foolish. He called her a spoilsport and wandered away.
She attempted bribery. She cornered him behind the tree and made mad, delicious promises about what she would do if he would just behave. The glimmer in his eyes told her that her pleas were falling on deaf ears, although not her salacious requests.
"Will you promise to be strict?" He asked with a sound that was suspiciously like a giggle and, as he pushed past her to rejoin the party, he swatted at her bum. Inebriation and poor aim made it more of a caress than a smack but she narrowed her eyes at his retreating back none the less.
She enlisted the help of Mary, Tom and Edith to corral him and they were only marginally successful themselves. Cora exhaled relief when Robert concluded his heartfelt speech to Tom without hardly stumbling over the words at all, but it was shortlived. Another round of drinks and she found herself pulled into his arms and onto his lap. Fortunately, wine flowed easily all evening and the embarrassment she'd hoped to avoid never truly materialised. The tenants were enjoying themselves far too much to pay attention to their Earl and his wife.
"You've been naughty, Robert Crawley." Cora whispered to him, and was rewarded by the press of his fingers to her hip pulling her closer. His nose bumped her throat and she swallowed against the feelings that swamped her unexpectedly.
"Don't be mad, Cor." He was sober enough to know her weakness and purposely used the nickname he only spoke when they were alone. Her mild irritation began to instantly dissolve and she paused to try to count how many drinks *she* had consumed over the course of the evening. It seemed every time her hand was empty, Robert was there with a fresh glass. "I don't think anyone noticed."
"You're going to regret this tomorrow." Not only was he likely to have a terrible headache, but the impropriety of it all would have him blushing for days.
He pulled a false scowl and swayed his knees beneath her. She clutched at his shoulders to keep from falling. "Don't let's fight. I'm happy. Be happy."
She was on the verge of another rebuke when she simply shook her head in defeat. Perhaps his joy was induced by a fine helping of alcohol but she couldn't bear to squash it. "I yield."
In response his fingers tickled at the sensitive spot above her hipbone and Cora's eyes widened in horror. "Don't."
He pressed harder, knowing exactly her most ticklish place until she was trying to wriggle from his grasp and biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud. "Robert, no."
His grin widened and a giggle escaped her lips. He paused for a moment and switched hands, his attack coming from the other side. She jerked and yelped in surprise. The party faltered and heads swiveled in their direction when Robert pulled them both to stand. They swayed into one another and Cora attempted once more to pull from his grasp, unable to contain a smile.
"Everyone, I must apologize for my wife. She isn't feeling too well and I think I'll need to help her upstairs. Please, enjoy yourselves and happy christmas."
They headed towards the stairs with a chorus of well-wishes to their back and Cora managed to gather herself enough to hiss at Robert.
"Now they'll think I'm drunk!" She resisted the urge to stomp his foot and, instead, jabbed at his middle with an elbow.
"Better you than me, I always say." He replied nonsensically and Cora let out a little bark of laughter. He really was ridiculous when he was drunk and if she was at all honest with herself, she wasn't entirely sober either.
"Come darling, let's go to bed." She took only a few steps when she felt him pressed full against her back, his body curling around hers and he pulled her tight against his chest. His chest rumbled against her as he growled something unintelligible into her neck.
"I'm not tired." He spoke clearly before capturing her earlobe between his teeth.
Reaching behind her blindly, Cora grabbed what she could and was rewarded with a breathy growl from her husband. "Neither am I."
It took them longer that it should have to tumble, laughing, through their bedroom door.
"Cor." It might have been a whisper...a handful of drinks ago. He nudged his thigh against her and she stretched like a cat in his arms. Their skin was still dewy and Robert's hand brushed soothingly over her belly.
"Shhhhhhhhhh" she drew out the sound and burrowed deeper against Robert's chest. He hadn't exactly ruined Christmas Eve and, in his enthusiasm, he'd certainly made up for it. Yet she was exhausted and had no real desire to speak. It was lovely to simply doze in his arms while the fire crackled merrily.
"No…" His voice lowered to an acceptable rumble and she wriggled in his grasp. His fingers brushed from her damp belly to the hollow of her throat, an echo of the playful tickling from earlier. "This is important."
"Hmmmm." She was far too content to object and reached behind to twist her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck, fingernails scratching lightly.
"Thank God for nipples," Robert pressed his lips to the shell of her ear and lazy fingers plucked at the part in question. "Without them, breasts would be pointless."
I guess this outs me as the anon from not long ago, but I figured I would flesh it out into a bit more ridiculousness. Because why not?