She had cleaned her teeth, removed her makeup and brushed her hair. Now undressed she stood naked in front of the bathroom mirror. Studying the image she decided that at forty five years old and after two children she didn't look too bad, but was it enough for Lucien? She sighed, Christopher was the only man who had seen her naked and now she was about to give herself to another man.
She knew Lucien had watched the way she moved about the house and had to admit that once they had become more than housekeeper and employer, when they were a bit more than friends she had welcomed the attention, enjoyed it that a man would look at like that.
His looks had graduated to touches, to kisses, then cuddles on the couch, but never had they been this close and it made her feel a little vulnerable.
'Pull yourself together!' she admonished herself.
Slipping a light, pale blue silk nightdress over her head, she smiled. With fine, shoestring straps the garment slid over her body ending just above her ankles. She had made it herself and she was rightly proud of her needlework.
A deep breath and out into the adjoining bedroom.
Seeing him standing, gazing out of the window, she felt so very blessed.
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Having cleaned his teeth he left the bathroom for his new wife to use.
In the bedroom he changed into his pyjama trousers and dressing gown. He hung up his suit and stood looking out over Melbourne, nursing a glass of whisky.
It had been years since he'd slept with another woman. While searching for his wife he had been faithful. It hadn't been easy, he'd been tempted several times, not least with Joy MacDonald, but she had died before they had become that close, and Jean.
Ah, Jean. He sighed. First his housekeeper, then his partner-in-crime, then his friend and now...now his wife. He couldn't believe how lucky he was, that after all that had happened she had agreed to be his wife. She had fed him, picked up after him, kept his house, kept him in his place, stayed by him even when his 'dead' wife had turned up and even saved his life! But now she was his wife, Mrs Jean Blake!
He wondered what she expected. He didn't want to frighten her. He was sure he had more experience than her. He'd been no innocent when he married Mei Lin and neither was she. But Jean, sweet Jean, with her strict Catholic upbringing... He knew she was no prude, her kisses since Mei Lin had left hadn't exactly been chaste. More than anything he wanted to make her happy, and love her, oh, how he needed to love her.
The bathroom door opened and there she stood, a slight, vision in pale blue silk. He sensed her nervousness and held out his hands to her. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen!
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She came towards him and he pulled her to him, wrapping her in his dressing gown against his bare chest. He bent down to kiss her, pressing his lips against hers his tongue tentatively pushing between her lips and she let him in.
He carried her to the bed and laid her gently down on the cool sheet. As he lay down beside her she moved to him, closing the gap between them and they gave themselves up to the desires they had hidden from each other for so long.
Finally exhausted the fell into a deep sleep.
Dawn found them, limbs entangled, hearts entwined, no longer strangers.