Man and Wife

by The Blue Raven

Sequel to "Mrs. Watson". After more than a year of marriage, Helen decides it's finally time to make things official with James.

Summary: Sequel to "Mrs. Watson". After more than a year of marriage, Helen decides it's finally time to make things official with James.

Man and Wife

It was not surprising to find James standing over the crib, watching Ashley slumbering. After all, he'd admitted to doing it many nights and she'd told him to stop running away just because she came to the nursery, too. He turned his adoring gaze from the baby, smiling warmly, but a bit sheepishly, at Helen.

"Evening," he greeted her quietly. "Are you sure I shouldn't go? You're her mother. You have more of a right than I..."

"For once, I didn't come to see her," she answered, leaning up and kissing his cheek.

"Oh," he whispered, swallowing hard and staring down at her with wide eyes. "You... came to see me?"

"A fair deduction," she teased, taking his hand and tugging him away from the crib. "Come have a drink with me, James."

"I... certainly, if you like."

"I do like," she assured him, leading him to her sitting-room.

He followed without protest, but stalled in the door when he saw brandy already poured and waiting for them. "You... really were looking for me."

"We need to talk. I've been thinking a lot about our marriage," she told him, releasing his hand and picking up a glass. Passing it to him, she reached for her own, watching his face carefully. "Do you think about it much, James?"

"I generally try not to," he admitted, expression guarded as he sipped the brandy. Larger sips than he typically took, as if he were trying to fortify himself. Knowing him, he was.

"Well, I've been thinking of little else lately, James. It's become increasingly clear to me that this marriage is missing the one thing that makes marriages such by definition."

He choked a bit at her words, eyes widening.

Biting her lip, she waited for him to recover. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, of course not. I merely misunderstood..."

"James, you didn't misunderstand," she told him quietly. "I think it may be time."

"Time? Do you mean to say..." He trailed off, clearing his throat.

"I'm ready. Are you?"

"I... I wasn't sure this day would ever come..." he admitted. "I forced myself to accept that it probably would not."

"I suppose you didn't want to anticipate what you were scared of never knowing?"

"Mostly. And I never wanted to unintentionally apply any pressure to you. But, now that you've made the choice, I must confess, I'm unsure how to proceed."

"I imagine it will come quite naturally once we get started. These things usually do," she pointed out. "It's not as if either of us is inexperienced."

He made a nervous noise at that, fidgeting. "Yes, well, on that subject..."

"James, I've talked to John about... you. I know that you aren't inexperienced."

He turned a bit red at that, looking down. "There were a few young men at school, yes. But... you see... well, that doesn't make me experienced in... certain other ways."

She swallowed hard as that sank in, covering his hand with hers as she remembered something he'd said when she was delivering. She'd been too preoccupied at the time to really register the fact, or its implications. "You've never been with a woman before."

"No," he whispered, closing his eyes and shaking his head faintly.

"Is that why you were so diffident at Oxford, James?"

"Well, it certainly didn't help. As I'm sure you can imagine."

"James, be honest with me?"

"I've told you more than once. I only ever wanted your happiness. At first, you seemed so absorbed in your studies and I didn't want to be the man to come between you and them. Later, there was John. You loved each other. For a time, it was beautiful. I was glad for you. It hurt to see you with him, but you were so happy together. So I held my tongue and wished the best for you."

"And this past year and a half..."

"I should have thought my feelings were clear enough by then without having needed elaboration. So I waited for you to make your choice."

"And, now that I have?"

"Now... I'm terrified!" he chuckled, giving her an anxious, but loving, smile.

"I don't bite," she soothed, squeezing his hand. Smirking, she added, "Or maybe you'd like it if I did?"

"I... might not entirely object," he confessed, chuckling shyly.

"I'll have to remember that," she teased, leaning against his shoulder. "Is tonight the night, James? Are you ready, darling?"

"If you can abide my fumbling, I'm ready."

"You won't fumble nearly so much as you think you will," she promised, refilling their drinks. "Courage, James."

"Courage, Helen," he agreed, knocking back his brandy in one long gulp.

She winced a little at that, but offered, "More?"

"Thank you, no. As much as I could use another, I want to be in control for what's coming."

She smiled at that, setting down her drink untouched and climbing to her feet. "Come to bed, Mr. Watson."

"If you'd like, Mrs. Watson."

Standing as well, he took her hand in his and tugged her towards her bedroom, his palm cold, and a bit sweaty. Heart lodged pleasantly in her throat, she followed him into her room, closing the door and turning to face James. Looking nervous, he rested his hands on her hips and gently drew her closer.

"I've wanted you for so long," he admitted, looking equal parts nervous and eager. "I hardly know where to begin."

"It's all right," she promised, kissing him tenderly. "Why don't you tell me some of what you've wished for and imagined?"

"I don't know. The usual, I suppose. I... For a long time I've wanted to kiss and touch every inch of you." It came out like a guilty confession, his eyes cast down and his expression shamefaced.

"James, darling, that's not too much to ask of a lover," she assured him, taking a step back and slowly peeling off her nightgown.

For a moment, she was nervous. She'd mostly regained her old body since the pregnancy, but she still had stretch marks, and breasts that sagged a bit. It occurred to her abruptly that James might not appreciate all that was on offer, and she cleared her throat uneasily, shifting position slightly as he turned his eyes up to her body.

He didn't look unhappy with what he saw, not in the least. Smiling mischievously, he told her, "That's not the body I remember from when you delivered..."

"James, don't joke," she protested quietly, biting her lip and watching him uncertainly.

"Forgive me. I'm just so nervous."

"You don't have to be. But... do you still want to kiss every inch of me?"

"More than ever," he assured her, smiling and taking a step closer. "If you could only see what I see."

She blushed and made a soft, deprecating noise. "I own a mirror. I've seen it all before."

"Not through my eyes." Smiling with loving admiration, he rested one hand against her hip and the other on her shoulder, urging her closer. "You are so beautiful..."

She felt a shy flutter at that, lifting a hand to his chest. "You don't have to flatter me, James. I'm yours already."

"I don't want you for my own. I like you better with your independence. All I ask is to share in your life. Not even a great share, just a small one..."

"You'll always have that," she promised, smiling warmly. "And thank you for wanting to share, not possess me. After the last time I... I gave myself..." she began, faltering and struggling to push down painful memories of John.

"This won't be like that," he promised, drawing her into his arms and cradling her close, ardour replaced with tenderness for the time being. "I could never break your heart, even if I wanted to. I'll always strive to be a man you can care for, and I'll want it so badly it will happen even despite itself."

She bit her lip at that. "John once told me I made him want to be a better man."

"And he would have been, if circumstances had been different. What happened was terribly unlucky, but it's the past. We have only the future to consider."

She swallowed hard at that, looking down and whispering, "I'll always love the man he was."

"I know. And so will I," he assured her, biting his lip. "But that doesn't mean we can't be happy together. We just have to allow it of ourselves."

She nodded at that, feeling a bit emboldened. "I intend to be happy, James Watson. I've make the decision to be happy with you."

He beamed at that, making a breathy noise that was almost a chuckle. "I'm very glad, Helen Ma- Helen Watson. My governess once told me that happiness is a decision that each of us must make or not make on our own, regardless of our situation. She was not wrong. I'm very glad you've finally made this decision for yourself. You can still love and remember without mourning or assigning blame for what happened. It's natural to remember. Healthy, even."

"I'm glad you think so, because I do remember. Less frequently than I used to, admittedly, but still..."

"That's natural, too. And I'm glad you have fond memories of those times. That's as it should be." Smiling warmly, he pressed his lips gently to hers for a long moment before drawing back. "Is the topic too difficult to discuss? Has this become a bad time for... this?"

"No, this is a perfect time," she assured him, leaning up and kissing him gently. "You understand feelings that I was sure you'd hold against me."

"How could I possibly hold such a loving heart against you, hmm?" he answered, smiling warmly down at her. "Come to bed, Helen. I want to make love. If you're ready."

Her body ached with the anticipation he'd roused in admiring her and, while she found herself missing John, it was not as painful as she'd always feared it might be, her first time without him. Reaching up to help James out of his nightshirt, she found that she could think of her former lover calmly, almost without pain, enjoy those memories and still look forward to making new ones with her husband.

Her husband. She smiled at that thought, caressing his bare chest. "I'm really your first woman?"

"First and only," he breathed, dropping his lips to her shoulder. "I can't imagine ever wanting another..."

She smiled at that, fingers mapping out his chest as she enjoyed the sensation of his lips on her shoulder and then, delightfully, against her throat.

"James," she whispered, moving a hand from his chest to tangle in his hair. "You don't really plan on kissing every inch of me?"

"And why not? There's no part of your body I don't covet."

"Oh, come James," she chuckled. "It can't all be as appealing as... certain parts are."

"Well, some parts may be of more immediate interest, I'll grant, but there's no segment of you I don't adore."

She blushed at that, biting her lip and looking down, feeling shy at his obvious... it wasn't lust precisely, or not entirely, but his passion and desire were still clear. She would have felt naked in the face of his enthusiasm even if she'd been fully clothed. Fully bared as she was, it was hard not to feel an even deeper sense of exposure and intimacy. It could have been scary but, instead, there was something in the self-imposed vulnerability that felt oddly... powerful. He wasn't just seeing her at her most exposed, he was worshipping her in her nakedness. It was, somehow, impossible to feel shy in the face of his loving scrutiny.

"Tell me what you see when you look at me," she directed, voice catching in her throat.

"I see the most beautiful creature on God's Earth," he breathed, wetting his lips and taking a step back to just stare at her body, eyes devouring.

"Don't just stare. Touch me, James. Appreciate me with more than your eyes," she directed, extending her hands. "I give you permission to stop restraining yourself."

She could see it in his face, something inside straining and snapping at her instructions. He pulled her into his arms with a groan, covering her face with hungry kisses, and then dropping his lips to her throat again. Experience told her that she would now be thrown onto the bed, that they would rut together until each had taken their fill. His arousal, hard and hot against her stomach, boded much the same. Few men could have held back in such a moment.

But James was not like most men and, after what felt like an eternity of him kissing and sucking her throat, even gently biting it at times, his hands stroking restlessly over her back, sides, and stomach, he lifted her in his arms and gently lowered her to the bed rather than throwing her down roughly. Spreading her legs, she nodded encouragingly, moaning and reaching for him. He slid willingly into her arms, but ignored the invitation advanced by the position of her legs. Obviously insatiable for her flavour, he dropped his lips to her throat again, kissing and tasting her heated skin.

All her body wanted was to be filled with him, to feel him moving inside of her until they both reached completion. It was maddening to be forced to wait, but James seemed intent to follow through with his desire to kiss all of her. He licked and bit in addition to the kisses, never very hard, but firmly enough to make her jump, and send little jolts of pleasant fire through her over-sensitized body, like sparks of static.

She jumped when his teeth latched onto one of her nipples, and whimpered when he started to suck. She felt herself producing milk in response to that, gasping and mumbling in humiliation, trying to push his head away.

"Hush," he soothed, leaving off. "I won't do it again," he promised, kissing and nuzzling her breasts but leaving her nipples alone. "I guess I'll just have to wait for that, hmm?"

"Please. I... it's a bit awkward," she admitted with a weak chuckle.

"It's all right," he soothed, then chuckled, "I suppose it shouldn't have been a surprise."

"No," she agreed, giggling shyly. "God, I never realized that would be a side-effect of motherhood."

He grinned, kissing his way back up to her mouth. "Hopefully that's our one snag for this encounter. Do you need a moment?" he murmured against her lips, his smile warm and loving and his expression not at all put out by the unexpected incident. Some men might have been repelled by the reminder of her recent pregnancy but, clearly, he was not such a man.

"All I need is you," she answered, taking his hand and shyly moving it between her legs so he could gauge her arousal. "See how badly you have me wanting you?"

Looking endearing shy, he caressed her wet, swollen folds, chuckling softly. "Oh, that's lovely..."

She smiled and squirmed under his touch, wetting her lips. "You'll like it even more when we're joined."

"I can hardly wait. But I... may I do something a bit unspeakable?"

She swallowed hard at that, stomach twisting a bit uncomfortably. She knew from experience that some lusty men, perhaps especially men who had taken the Source, sometimes enjoyed modes of sex that could be called unnatural. John had never hurt her, but he'd done very embarrassing things at times. Still, even the humiliating things could be not-entirely-unpleasant, and she enjoyed the pleasure of her partners too much to readily deny James something he seemed eager for.

Clearing her throat, she nodded. "Anything you like, of course..." she told him, hating the way her voice wavered.

His eyes widened at her reaction, and he nuzzled her face, caressing her cheek. "I could never misuse you. And if you don't like it, I'll stop."

"It's fine, James," she assured him. "I trust you. I just don't like not knowing what's coming."

"You already know. I told you. I want to kiss and touch all of you."

She bit her lip at that, frowning. "You said you wanted something unspeakable."

"I want to kiss you," he clarified, face bright red and eyes averted, "where perhaps a girl ought not be kissed."

She squirmed a little at that, squeezing his hand. It was an odd request, but seemed harmless enough. "Of course, James. Don't be shy. That's not so very terrible," she assured him, rolling onto her stomach. "I've experienced worse..."

He chuckled at that, gently caressing her bum. "That's not what I had in mind. Still, as long as you're here..."

She giggled at the absurdity of it all as he dropped his lips to one of her 'cheeks', kissing thebswell of muscle, staring at him over her shoulder as he kissed and nuzzled.

"I'm starting to think all men were obsessed with the female bum. But, if that's not where you meant to kiss me..."

"It's a beautiful bum," he answered, smiling warmly up at her. "But it's not the part of you I'm chiefly interested in at the moment," he added, reaching down between her legs and gently caressing her warmth again.

She gasped softly at that sensation, wetting her lips, then gasping and blushing. "You want to kiss me there?" she squeaked, gaping at him and resisting the sudden, wild impulse to pull a blanket over her bare body at such a blatant and peculiar request. "James, whatever for?"

"I like kissing things I appreciate," he answered with a shy smile. "Sometimes, I do a bit more than simply kiss."

She cleared her throat, squirming. No wonder he'd called it unspeakable. "You've… kissed men in unspeakable places? And that's... enjoyable for you?"

"And for my partner, when I've done it in the past. I don't see why a woman's body should be so very different. May I show you?"

There was no doubt that he wanted this, so she nodded, rolling onto her back again and watching him nervously. "You'll stop if I ask?"

"Of course," he agreed, nodding firmly. "All I want is to do something pleasurable for you that I think you've never experienced before."

"How do you know it will work on a woman?" she asked, watching shyly as he knelt between her legs and bent to kiss her stomach.

"I honestly don't but, when I touched you there, you seemed very sensitive. That's a good sign, I hope."

"All right," she whispered, squirming and nodding. It was an odd request, but an exciting one for some reason, and his own enthusiasm for it was strangely infectious. "Go ahead."

"I'm mostly going to lick and suck, but I may use my teeth a little. I'll be gentle, though," he promised.

"I trust you, James. Go ahead," she directed, closing her eyes and laying back.

He started by gently caressing her folds with his fingertips, lightly exploring. That, at least, was nothing she hadn't experienced before, and she couldn't help but sigh softly at how wonderful it felt to be touched in earnest after more than a year and a half without a lover. Nor was the pleasure merely physical. To be loved, to be desired again...

"When we first got married... I was so convinced you'd never love me, not like this," she whispered, breath coming a bit faster as he continued fondling her, carrying her higher.

"I almost wish I'd had the courage to do so sooner, but it seemed more important to wait until you were ready. I'm glad we're finally here, Helen," he murmured, bending and planting a gentle kiss to her warmth.

He started licking her then, and she gasped, half-sitting and staring down at him in shock. It felt a bit strange, but lovely, too; base and carnal and shockingly erotic. It seemed so wrong, so against what a 'decent' man and wife should do in bed, and the appeal of the forbidden, the naughty, took her breath away. More, though, the slide of hot, wet flesh against her tender folds was delightful, sensual on a level she wasn't used to. It amplified her arousal, and her need, made her feel like a woman being bodily revered by a man. And it left her very much in need of eventual union with him. He could have proposed anything at this point and she would gladly have accepted.

Her hips jumped, and she gasped a little at the first sensation of teeth but, true to his word, he wasn't rough with her. He nipped just hard enough to stimulate without hurting, and it was dizzying. Nodding and making an eager noise, she tangled a hand in his hair.

"James, don't ever stop, darling," she groaned, panting and wetting her lips. "Please..."

He chuckled at that, licking, sucking, and biting by turns. And, judging from his little grunts and groans, enjoying every second. At first it was just pleasant, and profoundly sensual. She would have quite liked this unusual practice even if it that slow burn had proven to be the full extent of it. Then his questing tongue found the little organ hidden away high up between her folds, and she was suddenly in heaven, gasping and trembling with shock and pleasure.

In not quite two years without any sex, or even much self-exploration, she'd almost forgotten that her clitoris existed. James now seemed intent on reminding her how much she'd always enjoyed stimulation to it. The muscles of her thighs quivered and tightened, and she could feel her walls fluttering in a way that normally only happened when she was filled with a man's hard heat. The pleasure was overwhelming, and it just kept growing. She bit down on her hand to muffle her sobs, head thrashing a bit as an unexpected orgasm ripped through her. It wasn't the most powerful of her life but, after so long without experiencing release of any sort, it took her breath away and left her light-headed, her vision swimming as she lay there struggling to recover.

He stopped those glorious ministrations after that, peering up at her in anxious silence for a long moment before asking gently, "Darling? Are you all right?"

Panting hard, she nodded, groaning a response since she didn't trust her own voice at the present.

"Good," he answered, sliding up her body and wiping away tears she hadn't even realized she'd been shedding. "You had me worried for a moment," he admitted, biting his lip.

"Glorious," she managed, voice quavering. "So good..."

He broke into a wide smile at that, kissing her first tenderly and then deeply, passionately. She couldn't help but feel shy to taste her own pleasure and arousal on his tongue, but she returned the kiss as well as she could, and decided that the flavour was actually rather pleasant. Yes, she quite liked it when he used his mouth on her in that unspeakable way of his. She would have to make him do it again soon. And again not long after that...

"Oh, James," she sighed against his lips, reaching up with slightly-trembling hands to cup his bum. "My darling, I need you inside of me..."

He groaned at that, nodding eagerly and whispering, "Is it a safe time? You won't become pregnant again?"

"It's much too soon to be likely," she assured him, hands caressing his back. "I don't think I'm fertile yet."

If he noticed her equivocation, he didn't comment on it. More likely, he was too lost in his own need to realize that 'unlikely' was not the same as 'impossible'. And, perhaps it was the hormones of motherhood, or those released in the aftermath or her orgasm, but she didn't care, either. She wouldn't entirely welcome another pregnancy so soon but, as Ashley had taught her, finding yourself in that condition was not the end of the world. Besides, she needed to feel James too badly to let herself be concerned with improbabilities. The risk was slight, and she wanted him badly enough not to regard it.

Moaning with anticipation, she slid her hands down his back, cupping his bum firmly and tugging it down so his twitching erection lay flush against her wet centre.

"Please..."

He didn't need to be asked twice. Covering her face with kisses, he shifted position on top of her, lifting his hips just slightly and reaching between them to grasp his arousal in one hand. Making a breathless noise and beaming down at her, he brought his head gently to her opening.

For just a second, she was worried that she might not enjoy being penetrated the way she had before the pregnancy. In the past, she'd always adored the sensation of being forced to stretch to accommodate her lover, of being snug around him. Now, though, given everything her body had been though, she realized that she might no longer be able to enjoy those particular sensations in quite the same way. She disliked the idea that she might not ever feel that pleasant stretching again, and hated the thought that she might not be tight enough to gratify James. Swallowing hard, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, waiting nervously.

And then he was pushing into her and her misgivings were banished in a heartbeat. Her body had bounced back in a surprising way. While, in the past, the initial sensation of penetration had often been accompanied by a slight sting, this time there was nothing but pleasant stretching, followed by that familiar, clenching tightness as he came to rest inside of her. He wasn't as sizeable as John, but he still felt like a perfect fit, his body tailor-made for her own. She groaned at the feeling of physical completion, leaning up to kiss him.

"Oh, James..." she breathed against his lips, nodding. "I've missed this."

He chuckled and nodded in agreement, kissing her hungry and rocking gently against her. "Oh, darling..."

"You feel so good," she whispered, wrapping her legs around his waist and bringing her hands to his bum again, urging his hips to move harder. "Why did we wait so long?"

"It wasn't time. Now it is," he panted, pressing his face into her throat as he obediently rocked harder. "Oh, darling, I've ached for you, for so long," he whispered, his tears hot against her neck.

"And now you have me," she managed, body on fire and mind swimming in an ocean of pleasure and desire. "We have each other. It was worth the wait."

"It was," he laughed, beaming up at her as his hips moved firmly but still slowly. "I never thought I'd feel like this. Thank you!"

She had to laugh herself at that, at the idea that he was thanking her when he was the one making her feel so amazing. Moaning and smiling adoringly up at him, she reached out and caressed his beautiful face, rocking gently in time with his thrusts. He looked so happy, and so powerful in the taking and giving of pleasure. He was in his element, and she loved him like this.

"Don't thank me," she moaned, wetting her lips and caressing his back. "Just don't ever stop."

"Never?" he laughed, kissing her hungrily.

"Mmm, never," she mumbled against his lips, nodding. "Keep going until we die of old age."

"Starvation will take us off first," he answered, laughing and nuzzling her face.

"Starved or not, I'll die sated," she promised, hugging him with a happy moan. "Oh, darling..."

He was panting by now, but that didn't stop him from making a happy noise of his own. Hips moving hard, and faster, he gasped out, "Helen, my love!"

Her heart, hammering with pleasure, skipped a beat at his words, and she shut her eyes, nodding and clinging to him as she rocked up to meet him. She'd almost forgotten this about sex, that sense of emotional as well as physical intimacy. It was glorious, exquisite...

His body seemed to be moving for her alone, with a delightful combination of force and tenderness. He was unrestrained, but not rough. His movements were abrupt and forceful, but never so much so that they were too much for a body long unaccustomed to such exertions.

Unaccustomed or not, though, there was only one way a female body could really react to such welcomed stimulation. Almost too soon, tension was building and building, bringing delirious pleasure with it again. Breath coming faster, she tightened her hold on his bum, nails digging into the firm flesh as he carried her higher.

"J...James!" she gasped, nodding urgently and gripping his sides with her legs. "Please..."

"Yes, darling. Yes..."

Covering her face with kisses, he slid his hands down her legs, cupping her bum and urging her hips off the bed a bit as he kept thrusting into her. Panting and groaning, pleasure writ across his face, he moved against her with real urgency. He sobbed with pleasure and, for just a moment, she thought he was going to finish before she could find completion again. Then he stilled for a moment, drawing a few shaking breaths and shaking his head, composing himself before his hips started moving for her again.

He seemed to have more self-control this time, although he was still clearly lost in pleasure. Huffing out breaths of air, he shifted position, kneeling over her as he continued to thrust desperately from that new angle. Head falling back, he reached down to where they were joined, fingers finding her arousal again, and rubbing in quick circles.

Gasping and nodding, clinging to him with her legs, she clutched the blankets under her body, tensing and straining. After such a pleasant and protracted build-up, it didn't take long for that extra little bit of stimulation to send her tumbling over the edge. Again. Gasping and shuddering, she half-sat, wrapping her arms around him and clinging weakly as it took her. More than one shuddering whimper escaped her as pleasure broke over her in waves. It was undignified, but she was too awash in pleasure to care. He was making her feel things she hadn't felt in years, and it was glorious.

He didn't hold back after that. Clutching her to his chest and burying his face in her hair, he gave a few more hard thrusts into her clenching depths and then was emptying into her with a series of quiet, delighted sobs. Moaning at the sensation of wet heat filling her, she shakily rubbed his back, giving a breathless sigh of pleasure.

"Oh, James," she mumbled against his warm chest, kissing the sweaty skin and nodding. "Darling, that was marvellous."

"More than," he agreed, clinging weakly for a few more moments before lowering her back to the mattress and sliding down on top of her. "I'm not too heavy, am I?" he asked, resting his head lightly against her breasts.

"No. No, you're perfect. It feels amazing." Sighing softly again, she pressed her lips to his hair, revelling in her feelings of peace, contentment, and perfect, natural rightness.

"I didn't know it could be like this," he whispered, trembling a bit as he lay against her. "Oh, darling..."

"I know. It's so overwhelming, isn't it?" she murmured, stroking his back. "But so good."

"Good," he agreed. "Wonderful. Amazing."

He yawned and she had to laugh. "Typical man! All tired out by a bit of light lovemaking..."

"I confess, it's been so long that I'm weak and lack stamina. But, with practice, I'll soon reach a credible level of proficiency again."

"Practice, hmm?" she repeated, smiling to herself.

"Oh, yes. If I can only find a willing partner to practice with..."

"I suppose I might be convinced to spare the time."

"Time can be difficult to find with a baby underfoot," he pointed out, turning his head and smiling languidly up at her.

"We'll just have to work nights," she laughed, leaning down and kissing his forehead. "Oh, James, I'm so happy."

"So am I, darling. I love you so much," he murmured. "I've always worried that you might be unhappy in our marriage."

"Never unhappy," she promised, smiling warmly. "Not with you, James."

"Still, I'm glad it's official now," he admitted, grinning shyly up at her. "A real marriage. Helen Watson..."

"Just don't expect this to mean that I'm going to start submitting myself to your 'authority' as my husband," she teased.

He snorted in answer. "I'd love you less if you suddenly became meek. I like you headstrong. It suits you. It's a large part of what made me fall in love with you in the first place."

"Then I'll be twice as difficult and defiant, and never give you a civil word," she declared, smirking. "Then you should worship the ground I walk on."

"I already do that," he laughed, shifting up and kissing her gently on the mouth. "You're a disruptive influence, a corrupter, and nothing but trouble. But you're the best kind of trouble, and the kind I'll always want to get into."

She giggled at that. "Was that innuendo, James Watson?"

He blushed and laughed. "Accidental, I assure you. Still, now that you mention it..."

She bit her lip at that, feeling a bit delighted. "Randy again already?"

"Very rapidly getting there," he admitted, grinning unrepentantly. "See? Corrupting me already..."

"If you think what just happened counts as corruption, James, I have a lot to teach you," she laughed, kissing him hungrily. "You have a great deal to learn from me, my darling. Shall we begin?"

The End