Isabelle threw her bag over her shoulder and quickly headed through the hallway. Glancing down at the floor, she was caught off guard when she passed Elizabeth's office and the door was still open, light shining from within.
"Elizabeth!" she stopped abruptly in the doorway, causing her friend's head to snap toward her voice. "You should be gone by now!"
Elizabeth searched her office walls for the time. "What time is it?" she asked.
"Time for you to go!" she grabbed her jacket and purse before struggling to pull the blond from behind her desk. "Henry is waiting on you! Come on!" Elizabeth only rolled her eyes, grabbing her belongings from her friend's full arms.
"I still have work to get done!"
It was Isabelle's turn to roll her eyes. "You know George already said he would pick up any work that was unfinished."
"Yeah, but—"
"Nope!" She grabbed Elizabeth's arm and pulled her toward the door. "Grab your keys. Come on, come on, let's go!"
…
Elizabeth walked through the doorway of their small apartment, met by Henry, who was running around frantically.
"Babe!" He stumbled as he tried slipping a shoe onto his foot while he hurried around. "I thought we were going to try to be out of here by four?"
She watched as he pulled their luggage toward the door and grabbed his coat. "I'm sorry." She shot him an apologetic look before pecking his lips. "I got tied up at work." The stress etched on his face visibly softened as he returned her kiss before dragging the suitcases and duffle bags out to the car.
When he returned inside, she was no longer standing in the narrow entryway, and her coat was now laying on an end table. "Elizabeth?" He called, wondering where she had managed to go within a matter of minutes.
"In here!" she shouted from the kitchen.
He laughed softly, trying his hardest to ward away his building tension. "Babe, what are you doing?" He watched as she ate cold pasta out of a tupperware bowl in front of the open refrigerator.
"I'm eating." She answered as if her actions were obvious.
"We have to go!" She put the dish back on the shelf and shut the door before placing the fork in the sink. "We're going to miss our flight!" She waved her hand, pushing away his concern.
"It'll be fine."
He grabbed her coat and pulled her toward the door. "Come on!"
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" She giggled as he drug her out the door.
"Yeah, yeah. We were never going to get out the door." He gently coaxed her toward the car, and shut the door after seeing her feet rested comfortably inside. He hurried around to the driver's side, shutting the door and buckling his seatbelt. "I promise," he leaned over to place a tender kiss on her cheek. "This weekend is going to be one to remember."
She turned her head, pressing another kiss to his lips. "Hmm," she hummed into his mouth. "I'm looking forward to it Mr. McCord."
"As am I, Mrs. McCord."
Elizabeth nearly leapt into the air when they arrived at the hotel. "Henry! We're staying at the Waldorf?" She squeezed his hand, bouncing up and down on her toes as they made their way over to the front desk to check in. "It's beautiful!" Her eyes lit up as she futilely attempted to conceal her excitement.
The receptionist smiled politely as she searched their reservations. "Honeymoon?" She asked sorting the room keys.
"First anniversary." Henry glanced toward Elizabeth, her smile utterly contagious.
"Enjoy the city," She said, handing them both a room key. "and have a nice stay."
"Thanks." Henry slipped his hand into Elizabeth's before tossing the pleasantry over his shoulder toward the front desk.
Elizabeth gasped when she walked through the door, leaving Henry at the entry with their bags. "Baby!" she squealed gleefully, noticing a bottle of champagne iced down on a table near the window. It was a bottle she had seen her parents drink on special occasions, sometimes during dinner parties. She might have been partial, but it was one of the only sparkling wines in which she could actually enjoy the taste.
She shuffled back over to her smiling husband. The room was quaint, beautifully decorated, with a dazzling view of the setting city sun. Henry knew she was perfectly happy living a simple life, but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy spoiling her every chance he got.
"It's already perfect." She whispered against his lips. "I'm happy just drinking the champagne and staying in bed all weekend."
He hummed, chuckling against her lips. "I may just have to take you up on that plan." She giggled, eyes fluttering closed when she felt his thumb graze softly against her jawline and up under her earlobe. He shifted their suitcases just inside the threshold, letting the door fall shut as he pulled his wife into his awaiting arms.
His lips hovered over hers, creating an unbearable anticipation within her stomach, forcing her to take initiative and pull him in, kissing him hungrily. He responded, pushing her jacket off her shoulders, stumbling over bags and kicking them from under his feet as he guided her backward toward the plush bed.
When her legs hit the side of the bed, her knees immediately buckled, sending her backward. Landing with the softest of sounds, she gripped the lapels of Henry's lightweight jacket and pulled him down with her.
She blindly kicked off her flats, lifting her leg and resting her thigh heavily against his heaving ribs. She roughly pushed the fabric from his shoulders, coaxing it fully off his back with a skillful foot lingering on his spine. He brought one knee to rest on the bed, eagerly pushing his hands under her sweater as his tongue slipped tantalizingly slow along the roof of her mouth.
She moaned softly into his mouth, feeling his hands move slowly up the quickly heating skin of her torso. Their lips parted with a pop, leaving her breathless as she gasped for air. "Henry…" his name left her lips in a breathy moan as she threaded her fingers though his thick curls.
He pulled away just enough to entice her body higher, enough for him to slip her sweater over her head before throwing it to the side carelessly. He nearly lost his cool when he saw her choice of undergarments. She wore a deep blue silk and lace bra that she knew drove him crazy. He was more than anxious to find out if she had worn the matching panties.
"Like what you see Mr. McCord?" He pulled his shirt over his head, letting a groan rip through the air.
"Mhm." He slid one hand up her thigh, gripping her backside as the other locked around her bra-clad breast and squeezed gently. "You've been driving me wild since the day I met you."
She reached a small hand between their bodies, gripping his ever growing arousal through his tight jeans. "I can see that." She whispered, tossing a tease back in his direction as they both fought the urge for simultaneous moans.
"You are entirely too clothed." He whispered into her ear, nibbling the earlobe and flicking his tongue across it slowly. He moved to push her pants down her thighs as she unbuttoned his jeans and moved to do the same. His boxers, already painfully uncomfortable, only became more so when he saw the slightest sliver of deep blue silk revealed.
He panted heavily into her ear, feeling her hot breaths mirror his, moistening his jaw. "You know how much I love this set on you…" He caught her lips hungrily in a passionate kiss, feeling her back arch, her breasts pressing tightly against his bare chest.
"Ba—Oh," she choked out exclamations clumsily when she felt his hand slide down her stomach, venturing painfully slowly into the silk he so adored. "Uh, H-Henry…" Her neck stretched, mouth falling open in pure ecstasy
"You're so wet, baby." The words dripping from his lips.
"So wet for you." She echoed his tone, coaxing him into dirty talk. "Only you can make me this wet…" He moaned, feeling she had knowingly turned the tables on him.
He slid one finger through her wetness, flicking his thumb over her clit before removing it and licking his finger erotically. "Just for me," he hummed huskily.
"Just you." She affirmed, watching his movements intently as he slid her panties down her thighs and plunged two long fingers inside of her. She screamed hoarsely, caught by surprise by the sensation, even though her eyes had been locked on his movements.
He grunted, bracing himself on the bed with one hand, the other grinding deeper inside her heat. She pulled his head down, biting his lower lip hungrily before sliding her tongue past his open lips and finding his ready to meet hers.
Her breaths came in hurried pants as his fingers curled and twisted and moved faster. He knew she was nearing the edge, and took that as his cue to plunge a third finger deep inside, immediately curling it expertly to elicit a muffled squeal.
"Oh, Hen—yeah, YES!" She rolled her head to the side, grinding herself harder onto his skilled hand. "Oh God, YES, I'm—Uh, I'm gonna co—" He felt her muscles contracting around his fingers as her body trembled. It was a sight that, even after a year of marriage, he was sure he would ever get used to seeing. She was pure and beautiful, and he would cherish every moment he was given to both tell and show her that.
As her breathing slowed into even huffs, he pulled his fingers from her, trailing his hand, covered in her juices, up her stomach, popping open the clasp of her bra when he reached her breasts. He then moved back down to lap up the juices he had lead up her heaving abdomen. He pinched each nipple between his nails, rolling and kneading until hard peaks appeared and considerable, throaty moans escaped.
He pushed her further on to the bed, letting his painful erection brush her thigh as he did so. "Henry, oh God, I need you now." She hooked her thumbs into the elastic band of his boxers, sliding them clumsily over his hardness, causing him to spring free.
Immediately, her small hand gravitated toward his length, stroking him firmly. "Babe, Oh." He threw his head back, stilling her hand as he leaned forward. "You do that and I'm not going to last very long." She gave him a devilish smirk, pumping him again, causing a small stream of liquid to trail down, dripping on to her hand. Her mouth fell open as she quickly licked him off of her palm, meeting his eyes in a heady stare as she did.
"That's so hot." He grunted, sucking the air from her lungs as he longed for a tasted of him on her sweet tongue. He pushed her on her back, sliding his tip tantalizingly slow along her slick folds.
She dug a heel into the back of his thigh, letting a needy whimper escape. "Henry." With her encouragement, unwilling to let her want any longer, he thrust into her, both crying out in pleasure.
She instinctively moved her legs, wrapping them higher around his waist as she pulled him deeper. She grazed her nails down his chest, as her other arm tightened behind his neck. "Harder, baby. Uh…I need you…Harder!"
He obliged her wish, pushing harder and faster into her as they met each thrust together. "Come on, baby. Come for me." She raked her teeth across his collarbone, digging her nails into his tight backside, surely leaving her mark.
With a final, frantic thrust her grip tightened, her muscles becoming tense as she spasmned against him fervently. "YES!" she let out an uninhibited scream, burying her face in his slick, sweaty neck. Uninteligible syllables strewn together threw him over the edge, his length stiffening before spilling inside of her with a strained moan.
He gently rolled beside her, their bodies remaining connected in the center of the bed as they laid in silence.
She was the first to speak, breathing heavily against his chest. "I love you so much."
"I love you." He echoed her sentiment, trailing his finger down her spine. "Happy anniversary baby."
"Happy first anniversary." She quickly specified, making him chuckle.
"We didn't even get to drink the champagne before we christened the room." She pouted, looking across the room at the untouched bottle. Henry quickly retrieved the bucket and placed it on the bedside table next to him.
"What shall we toast?" she asked before daring take a sip.
"To us." He raised his glass proudly.
"To us," she mirrored his gesture. "and a love that will never die." She placed a tender peck on his lips, taking a small sip of the bubbly. "What else do you have planned for the evening, professor?"
He hummed, swallowing a generous amount of champagne before speaking. "How about you slip into that sexy dress you brought and find out."
"But Henry," her voice adopted a childlike whine as she crinkled her nose. "I'm all gross and hot and sweaty." He then set his flute on the bedside table, grabbing an ice cube from the bucket. She gasped, ice cold sensation sending a tingle through her stomach as he slid it up her abdomen, through the valley of her breasts, landing in the hollow of her neck where it melted completely.
Their eyes locked, hers daring him to reach for another ice cube. Accepting her challenge, her dove his hand back into the bucket, retrieving another cold chunk. Though she saw his hand move toward her body, she still gasped when the icy sensation rushed to her tender nipple and spread throughout her body. She threw her head back, hand covering her mouth as a violent urge to scream washed over her.
"OH!" It was loud and high pitched as she arched her back and threw her head to the side.
"We should really shower before we miss our dinner reservations." The ice cube on her breast had long melted, replaced by his still steaming hand. She opened her eyes glaring at him with a look that could surely kill.
"Are you kidding me?" Her voice was trapped in her throat by a hoarse whisper as she gripped his bicep. "You are going to tease me like that, then tell me to take a shower?"
He attempted to kiss her jawline, receiving nothing but protest from her whipping head. "We can shower together…" her head immediately stilled and she smiled up at him, moving her hand to softly pat the reddening finger marks on his arm before pulling him out of bed and leading him toward the bathroom.
"Ow ow!" Elizabeth whistled upon Henry's reentry to the room from the bathroom. She immediately sauntered over to him, hands roaming any spot she could touch. "You look very handsome professor." She whispered the compliment in his ear, fingers fiddling with his untied neck tie, lips lingering at the lobe of his ear.
"Hmm." He hummed in appreciation, hand encircling her waist and sliding down the silky black fabric to rest on her toned backside. "And you look ravishing as ever Mrs. McCord." He squeezed playfully, eliciting a giggle and a coy pat on his chest.
"Are you going to tell me where we ae going?"
"We're going to a little French bistro I learned about when I was in basic training, Rue Dix-Sept. I think you're really going to love it."
Her hands lingered, looping his tie into a knot and tightening it around his collar. "I love anything I get to do with you." The radiant smile upon her face was reflected, contagious even, as his lips spread into a soft grin. He kissed her gently, sliding his hand into hers and pulling her toward the door.,
"Oh!" she gasped as he locked the door behind them. "I wonder if they'll have cassoulet? That was my favorite when I studied in France during boarding school! And strawberries and crème fraiche. Oh, and chocolate, and strawberry savarin!" Henry smiled widely, holding back a chuckle as they walked toward the lobby, his wife rambling about the various foods in which she was so excited to indulge.
…
Elizabeth was taken aback, loving how cozy and comfortable, yet chic and elegant the restaurant was. Golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, illuminating the dim room just enough. Candles were lit on every table, and velvet curtains lined the walls, exposing intricate molding and etchings.
"Henry, this is beautiful." She whispered quietly, still grasping his hand as they were led to a secluded table.
He placed a soft kiss on her temple, sliding his hand to the small of her back. "Wait until you taste the food, then let me know your verdict."
After reading over the menu, the two quickly decided on their entrees and fell into a comfortable conversation as they awaited their food.
"Thank you, Henry. I don't know my words are even adequate." She grasped his hand across the table and leaned in for a tender kiss. "I love you so much." Their eyes met, both shining in the flickering candlelight. "What did I ever do to deserve a wonderful husband like you?"
"You love me." His answer was a simple whisper as he stroked her cheek softly. "That is all I could ever dream of. It is me who doesn't deserve you." He leaned in, recapturing her lips in a chaste kiss that soon reignited their dormant passions.
"Henry," she breathed his name huskily against his lips before running her knuckles along the back of his hand. "our food is going to be out soon." He closed his eyes, unsuccessful fighting a smile.
"Now we see where your true passions lie." They both laughed, their food arriving as if on cue.
…
After enjoying a delectable dinner and a round of dessert, the two paid the bill and exited the bistro, strolling hand-in-hand down the sidewalk in the cooling fall night. "So," Henry spoke, breaking the silence between them. "What is the final verdict?"
"Mmm, excellent choice, professor." She leaned heavier against his side, sliding her arm under his sport coat in an attempt to fight off the chills. "You know how much I loved living in Paris, thank you for this treat. It was almost like being there."
The two stopped, finding a stone gateway, presumably a park entrance. "Almost?" He knew the restaurant wouldn't be nearly as authentic as a dinner in France, but he decided to tease her.
"Well, yeah. Almost." She played along, watching him sit on the stone ledge while she remained standing in front of him.
"What was missing?" He asked inquisitively.
Her eyes darted above t heads, as she pretended to ponder his question before stepping between his legs and wrapping her arms around his neck. "The kisses." She whispered against his lips.
He let a quiet moan escape his throat. "The kisses?"
"Mmhm." She nodded, her nose grazing his as their hot breaths mingled against their faces. She lowered her voice again, become huskier. "They weren't French enough." Before allowing a response, she gripped the back of his neck, pulling him in for a searing kiss. Her tongue traced the seam of his lips begging for immediate entrance.
He pulled her closer, her hip resting dangerously close to the arousal she was certain she would feel at any moment. "Perhaps we should not do this in a public place." She moaned against his open lips, the frustrated groan vibrating his mouth.
She rested her forehead against his, steadying her breaths before grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet. "Come on!" She giggled, "The hotel is only a few blocks away." She started running, dragging him behind her. "I bet we can make it there in record time."
He took this moment, as he was jogging behind her, to truly appreciate the love of his life. She was a caring, funny, spontaneous, loving, whimsical radiantly beautiful woman, and as she pulled him behind her, he couldn't be more sure that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him.