For my friend, Sarah, who constantly encourages me to avoid mediocrity and to pursue stories that challenge me.

xxx

Harold Hill was exhausted. After a whirlwind two-week business excursion to Des Moines, the harried music professor was eager to be home. Happy to return the well wishes of those he passed as he made his way down Center Street, Harold reflected on the changes that had greeted him upon his arrival to Des Moines. He hadn't visited the city since his and Marian's honeymoon almost six years ago. During his absence, the city had expanded and grown becoming even more of a thriving metropolitan than it had during his last trip. On his first lonely night at the hotel, he was reminded of a similar visit back in November 1912. That time, he'd been struggling with the weighty decision of abandoning his bachelorhood and allowing River City's lovely librarian to share his name forever. He'd spent several sleepless nights wrestling with the idea of marriage until one evening, he was struck with startling clarity and realized that nothing in his life would matter if Marian Paroo wasn't a part of it.

That decision finally settled, he'd returned to River City with a light heart and proposed to his dear librarian soon after. Two months later found Mr. and Mrs. Harold Hill returning to Des Moines for their honeymoon. Although it had gotten off to a rocky start, the two quickly worked through their troubles and spent the remainder of the week exploring their love for each other in the wonderful and new avenues presented to them.

After experiencing Des Moines in a haze of wedded bliss, the previous two weeks in the city without Marian had been difficult. Harold had become accustomed to her warmth nestled beside him as he drifted to sleep at night. The smell of her perfume filling their bathroom had become a familiar welcome as he began his day, and although he would admit to enjoying the relative quiet, he still missed the boisterous shouts of their son, Eli. His "little shadow" as Marian so often called the boy, was his pride, and he reveled in opportunities to spend time with the son he never expected to have.

As the familiar white gate came into view, Harold felt his heart beat faster. Quickening his pace, he hurried through the entrance and bounded up the stairs, wincing when he tripped over the top step and uttering a soft curse as he caught himself against the post. Decidedly eager to experience his wife's welcoming his embrace, he fumbled with his key to the front door, but before he could slide the key inside the lock, the door swung open and light spilled out from the hallway. Glancing up, he saw Marian standing before him, her hazel eyes wide with surprise. Harold's breath caught as he drank in the sight of her. Blonde curls tumbled around her shoulders and her spectacles were charmingly perched on her nose. She carried a book in her hand, and he was delighted to note she was clad merely in a sheer lingerie frock that was affording him a rather tantalizing view of her curves, courtesy of the light from the hallway.

A teasing comment regarding her choice of attire when answering their door hovered on Harold's tongue, but when his usually-reserved wife unexpectedly threw her arms around his neck and pressed her familiar curves against him, it faded away. Although never shy about expressing her affection in the privacy of their home, Marian always maintained a respectable air of propriety when in public. So it came as quite a shock to have her in his arms, on their front porch, clad only in a dressing gown. But Harold was never a man to disregard an opportunity, so quickly slipping his arms around her waist, he pulled his wife close and returned her embrace.

"Harold! I didn't think you were arriving home until tomorrow!"

Her pleased tone was not lost on Harold, who smiled into her hair and tightened his arms around her. "I missed you, darling. I couldn't wait until tomorrow."

Marian pulled back to gaze at him. "I missed you, too. Every day and every night." Nestling her head on his shoulder, she sighed, "I can't believe you're home."

Harold simply stroked her curls by way of response and savored his wife's presence in his arms. But as they stood there, a stray memory flitted through his mind. He was struck by the striking similarity this reunion had with one several years ago. Amused, he chuckled aloud and quipped, "Well, if this isn't déjà vu."

Marian lifted her head to give him a puzzled frown. Grinning, Harold gestured to her ensemble. "I seem to recall being greeted in a similar manner a few years ago, although I believe there was a tea cup involved last time, not a book."

Marian continued to stare at him in confusion until the significance of what he said registered in her mind. "Oh!" she finally responded. "I had almost forgotten." She smiled, and a faint blush colored her cheeks. She lowered her eyes in mild embarrassment. "I can't believe you still remember that," she chastised softly.

Harold reached forward and gently tipped his wife's face toward his. "How could I ever forget such a sight?" he replied with a smile, but there was an undercurrent of brevity in his voice that belied his light words. His manner became serious when he discerned the longing in his wife's eyes, and he slid a hand behind her head to sink his fingers into her curls, insistently tugging her closer. "As I recall, I was unable to properly greet you the last time I returned alone from Des Moines." His mood lightening, he gave her a thoughtful look, then smiled mischievously. "However, I don't believe I have any such constraints now."

Marian's soft gasp amused Harold almost as much as the unconscious step she took backward when he moved toward her, but he pressed forward, his foot snaking out to push the door closed with a solid thud. Behind closed doors and assured of their privacy at last, Harold stared at his wife for a silent moment, eyes roving over her lithe form and drinking in her loveliness while mentally cataloging every desire that was racing through his mind.

Harold grinned. "Did you have anything planned this evening?"

"I was reading in the parlor," Marian pointed out with a wry smile, her amusement briefly displacing the longing that had been present since his arrival. "But I was distracted by such a commotion on the porch that I was forced to come and investigate."

"Commotion?" Harold scoffed. "I merely tripped."

"Commotion," Marian affirmed. "If I'm not mistaken, I believe I also heard a colorful word shortly after the thud."

The scolding note in her voice was not lost on Harold, and he had the good grace to look chagrined. "I apologize, Madam Librarian," he murmured. "I sometimes forget there are little ears around the house these days." He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer for a kiss, but then stopped, as his mind registered the silence that surrounded them, which was a most unusual occurrence since their son had learned to talk. Curious, he looked to Marian for clarification. "Speaking of little ears, is Eli asleep?"

Marian's lips parted into a smile and she shook her head. "I would imagine he's managed to convince his grandmother to allow him to stay awake as long as Winthrop does."

"Did I hear you correctly?" Harold asked, his eyes widening in surprised delight. "Are you telling me we have the house to ourselves?"

"That's not what I said, Professor Hill," Marian laughed and swatted at his arm, eyes sparkling with amorous mischief. "But yes, I would imagine we do."

Sliding his arm around her waist, Harold pulled her to him for a soft kiss. "Would it scandalize you if I suggested we take advantage of the opportunity afforded us?" he murmured after they parted. He waited as Marian gazed thoughtfully at him, her desire evident in the heated gaze with which she regarded him. When she didn't immediately answer, he leaned forward and captured her lips again, this time lingering longer. Marian's arms stole around his neck as she returned his embrace, her mouth parting beneath his in a silent entreaty for him to deepen their kiss.

When Harold released her several moments later, he stared breathlessly at his wife, satisfied beyond words that she had, indeed, apparently missed him as much as he had her. Reaching down to capture her hand between his, he raised it to his lips, his eyes never leaving hers as his lips traced soft kisses along her palm. Marian returned his gaze, her longing for him clearly evident. When his tongue followed the same path his lips had taken, Marian shuddered and released a shaky sigh.

"Perhaps we should retire to the bedroom."

"That's too far away, my dear," Harold informed her with a devilish smile and then laughed when Marian looked at him in scandalized surprise. "I have a feeling we won't be making it upstairs for quite some time," he admitted before taking his wife by the hand and leading her into the parlor. He didn't make it very far before Marian stopped and turned to press her lips against his in a heated kiss. Although startled by his wife's unexpected affection, he quickly recovered and drew her tightly against him. Marian broke away and buried her face in the crook of his neck, uttering a low moan when his fingers sank into her softly rounded curves. Harold could almost sense her desperation when her hands clutched at his shoulders, as she swayed with him back and forth while he caressed her through her gown.

The music professor had always prided himself on being an attentive and thoughtful lover to his wife. Her desires and needs were always at the forefront of his mind as they made love. But tonight, he found his restraint being sorely tested. After two weeks away from Marian and their bedroom delights, he was eager to taste experience his wife's sweet embrace once more. He had missed falling asleep next to her at night and waking to find her cuddled beside him every morning. Now, as Marian insistently pressed her hips against him, her body soft and warm beneath his hands, he had the strong urge to indulge his desires and forego the usual niceties. After his initial passion had been sated, he could easily whisk Marian away to their bedroom and spend the rest of the night ensuring her every desire was fulfilled and then some.

A grin tugged at the corners of Harold's mouth as he contemplated the tempting thought, but a moment later, when Marian quietly confessed her desire, his amusement vanished and was replaced by a sharp sense of longing. As satisfying as it would be to feel his wife's nakedness against him right now, Harold suddenly realized it wasn't enough. He wanted to hear Marian moan his name in that seductive, low tone she only used when they made love. Images of her arching beneath him danced through his mind. He needed to feel her writhe against him in passionate abandon as he teased her with his hands and lips until she cried out in pleasure and collapsed in his arms.

At this thought, Harold found it hard to swallow, and it took a few attempts before he was able to do so. With fidgeting hands, Harold reached for the opening of his wife's nightgown and made quick work of the many fastenings there. As he did, he dipped his head until his lips found the sensitive skin of Marian's throat, and he indulged in gentle love bites while he slid the thin material off her shoulders and down her body. When the unnecessary garment pooled at her feet, Harold reached down and swept his wife into his arms, his lips never leaving her throat. Marian giggled at his actions, but her laughter quickly changed to moans when Harold began to nibble lower. Feeling pleased with himself, he gently placed Marian in his favorite chair, and gave her a devilish grin when she shot him a questioning look. Kneeling before her, he trailed his hands along the tops of her thighs and then down along her calves, his fingers gliding across her legs as he dipped his head and bestowed heated kisses along her inner thigh.

He saw his wife's eyes widen slightly when his fingers closed around her upper thigh, but then his mouth was upon her, eagerly welcoming her familiar taste, and he heard a sigh fall from her lips. Harold languidly teased her with his mouth and hands in the ways he had discovered brought her pleasure. As his lips moved along her warm skin, he tenderly stroked her with gentle hands, his fingers slipping inside her, and he delighted in her moans, which were growing louder and more intense as he continued his passionate explorations.

As Marian twisted above him, Harold felt his own arousal increasing. Marian sighed when he pressed his tongue against her and then she was arching against him, her fingers threading through his hair, pulling him closer as she cried out in dazed pleasure. Harold turned his head and smiled into her smooth thigh. He had never prolonged their prelude to lovemaking this long; he couldn't contain the thrilling sense of satisfaction that roared through him as his wife's heated moans floated past his ears. Bringing a hand up to caress her, he gently nipped at her skin again, and her breathless gasps gave way to wordless moans and then whispered entreaties for him to continue. The faint strains of her voice, words uttered in a deliciously heated tone, sent desire coursing through Harold, and he increased his ministrations, desperate to show Marian exactly how much he had missed her.

His teasing fingertips danced lightly along her smooth skin, dipping ever so slightly and then withdrawing when her breath caught as his warm finger delicately parted her soft folds and glided upwards at a maddeningly slow pace.

"Harold," she softly pleaded and gazed down at him with quiet desperation. He could see the passion building in her hazel eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to hear that passion echo throughout the room as she cried out his name.

Thrilled by the longing in her voice, Harold lowered his head to resume his earlier explorations, and then Marian was lost once more as his lips began to open and close around her, his tongue darting out to trace exquisite patterns against her slick flesh. He could feel her tremble beneath him as he expressed his love for her without words. Her breathless gasps inflamed him, and when Marian's hips rose from the cushion as she frantically sought release, Harold slid an arm across them and continued to shower her with skilled affection. Her pleading moans filled the quiet parlor, eliciting a satisfied smile from him, and then suddenly, Marian was shuddering against him, her hands clenched tightly in his hair, his name falling from her lips over and over until it tapered off into breathless gasps.

Harold grinned in satisfaction, and as Marian's breathing slowly returned to normal, he dropped several kisses along her thigh, sighing in pleasure as his wife's fingers trailed through his disheveled locks – Marian had a delightful habit of thoroughly mussing his hair when she surrendered herself to passion. Feeling his own longing intensify as she bestowed loving affection upon him, Harold slowly stood and began to loosen his tie. A comfortable silence settled upon the parlor, broken only by Marian's occasional sigh as the pleasant aftereffects of Harold's ministrations resonated through her.

Whereas Marian would have once averted her eyes from her husband as he undressed, she now boldly gazed upon him with avid interest as he hurriedly removed his shirt and stepped out of his trousers. Harold felt his heart hammer wildly in anticipation as Marian's eyes roamed across his naked form, and he was suddenly unsure as to how best love his darling wife. He was tempted to take her place in the arm chair and settle her on top of him. He could still recall their honeymoon in Des Moines when she had sat on his lap that third night, the fire roaring behind them as they softly confessed their love for one another, reconciling his past with their future. It had taken all his restraint to not make love to her right there in the armchair. But at the time, he wasn't certain that his blushing bride was ready for such activities. Certainly during the last six years, he had introduced his lovely wife to the many pleasures and locations lovemaking could include. But he still hesitated, wondering if what he had in mind would be too much for his wife's proper sensibilities.

As Harold regarded her in silent contemplation, Marian rose and stepped into his arms. Harold's eyes slid shut at the sensation of his wife's smooth warmth against his own skin. If he wasn't careful, Marian would end up seducing him tonight and that was not what he had envisioned for their time together. When she began to place seductive kisses along his neck, Harold knew he had to take control, so with considerable effort, he moved away from her enticing mouth.

"You certainly know how to tempt a man, my dear little librarian." His remark was meant to be playful, but it came out in a strained voice. Harold knew Marian noticed, because her eyes darkened with desire. Gazing at him thoughtfully, she settled herself on the arm of the chair and opened her arms to him.

"Oh Marian, how I've missed you," Harold murmured as he stepped closer and reverently ran his palm along her bare hip, his eyes bright with emotion. He was once again reminded of their honeymoon, when he had uttered those same words after they'd spent a day apart because of a misunderstanding. That time, they'd both been in Des Moines, but Harold couldn't help remembering the love and longing with which he'd revealed his heart to her as he earnestly confessed his feelings and she returned his sentiments with her own. His heart tightened when he realized that five years hadn't diminished the intensity of his feelings for his wife, nor apparently had it lessened hers for him.

Harold's eyes never left Marian's as he stepped between her thighs, gauging her reaction as he prepared to make love to her in a most-unconventional fashion. But Marian steadily returned his gaze with a heated look of her own, causing his desire to flare up again. Brazenly she wrapped her leg around his waist and pulled him closer.

"Why, Madam Librarian!" Harold cried in mock scandal.

"Why, Professor Hill," Marian returned in a low voice.

Harold regarded his wife with a cheeky smile. Running a hand along her hip, he slid his fingers beneath her thigh. "How long did you say Eli would be at your mother's?"

Marian arched an eyebrow and gave him a seductive smile in return. "I didn't say, but I imagine he won't return until early afternoon."

Grinning widely, Harold leaned down and placed his lips against his wife's slender neck. "Good," he murmured between kisses. "I've missed you, darling, and I have a feeling it might take me several hours to properly show you how much."

Marian's eyes briefly slid shut at this provocative statement. When she re-opened them, the passion there gleamed brightly. Harold felt his heart skip a beat when she gave him a heated glance and tightened her leg around his hip. Drawing him closer, she touched her lips to his ear and whispered, "I think it might take longer than that, darling. You're not the only one who intends to make up for lost time tonight." Her teeth gently nipped at his earlobe, and she giggled. "Do you think we'll even make it to our bedroom?"

Groaning, Harold pressed forward, taking delight in Marian's soft sighs when he finally entered her. Drawing back, he gazed into her eyes. "Later," he promised before capturing her lips with his.