The spot they'd picked was perfect, not directly in the sunlight, but just in the midway, beneath a tree by the creek. They could see an old stone bridge from where they lay the picnic blanket, but it was obscured enough to insure a bit of privacy. Anna was in a very good mood, cheerfully unfolding their blanket and basket, admiring the view of her husband as he surveyed the scenery.
She loved seeing him this way, relaxed and smiling. For years she'd watched him carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, believing there was no happiness in this world left for him. Two years ago, he had kissed her goodbye in a dingy room, fully convinced that he would be hanged. Her heart swelled in happiness and love as he casually sat down on the blanket, tossing an apple playfully.
"Is there anything to drink?" Bates asked curiously, glancing into the basket.
"There certainly is," Anna replied brightly, reaching into her second basket and withdrawing a glass bottle.
"Beer," Bates remarked as she unveiled it with gusto. "That's very racy of you."
"I am racy," She returned with mock indignation and he smirked back at her. She giggled, thinking of some of their racier moments in the past year, with her favorite garters and how fond she was of pushing him out of control.
"What shall we drink to?" Bates smiled at her.
Anna paused, considering. "The future," She said finally, before smiling mischievously. "And your Scottish blood."
He could always tell when her mood was mischievous. He always knew the day the chose to wear one of her garters or when she was feeling particularly frisky. His eyes narrowed. "What are you up to?"
"Nothing," Anna lied, not even attempting to look innocent. In retaliation, he snatched one of the picnic baskets.
"What are you up to?" He demanded again and she giggled again, trying to retrieve the stolen basket.
"Nothing!" She continued to giggle reaching for it. "Nothing!" He gave it back to her only after she leaned forward, offering her lips. They kissed and he gave her a lazy smile. He didn't believe for a moment she didn't have something up her sleeve, but Anna would not give away the surprise.
She would simply have to distract him.
"Are you going to tell me now?" Bates asked, taking her hand and playing with her fingers.
"There's nothing to tell," Anna replied breezily. He rolled his eyes in response.
"Mrs. Bates," He said fondly. "I can see right through you, right to your back collar button."
"Oh, really?" Anna replied archly. "Well, I hope the view is nice." She leaned in to kiss him again, letting her fingers ghost over his tie. She felt his breathing hitch as she deepened the kiss, languidly exploring his mouth. He returned the kiss enthusiastically, knocking off her hat, unable to resist touching her hair. He had a fascination with her hair; she was constantly having to repin it. She scooted closer to him, pressing as near as she could dare.
He broke away for half a moment, inhaling sharply. "Should we eat now?" He suggested, his voice rather strained.
"I'm not quite hungry yet," Anna purred, kissing him deeply once more. She was half on top of him now, and her fingers were itching to unbutton his shirt and to touch his chest.
He let her carry on for a few moments longer before gently pushing her away. "Later," He said regretfully. "We'll continue this later."
Anna scowled. "And when will that be?" She wanted to know. "They've put us in separate rooms for this trip."
Bates winced slightly and she knew she'd scored a point. "I miss sleeping next to my husband," She told him. "It's hard to sleep without you."
"It's hard to sleep without you as well—" Bates started to say but Anna interrupted him, cupping him through his pants. He sucked in his breath sharply.
"I miss this as well," She murmured, beginning to kiss his neck.
He groaned, closing his eyes. "You are killing me, Mrs. Bates,"
"What do you think it's like for me sleeping by myself here?" She demanded. "All alone there in the dark…thinking about you."
His eyes snapped open. "Thinking about me?"
She smirked. "Of course," She said, using this interested pause to undo his tie. "Thinking about our nights together…how you kiss me, how you touch me."
Bates was riveted. "And…how do I touch you?" He asked slowly.
Anna grinned. She glanced about to make sure no prying eyes were watching and then began to massage her breasts through her blouse. She licked her lips, rather wishing her blouse had front buttons as she gently stroked herself more fully. She gasped a little as she increased the pressure, palming herself fully. Bates' gaze was fevered as she let her index finger trail down the valley of her breasts, circling her stomach.
"Anna…" He breathed but she wasn't quite ready for him to interrupt just yet.
"And then," She closed her eyes, murmuring softly, "You touch me like this…" She let her fingers unbutton her skirt, caressing the soft skin of her thighs.
"You really do not play fair," Bates said raggedly. She let her hands drift to her core, gasping noisily as she stroked her curls. Her fingers ghosted over that sweet bud of nerves.
Her husband had clearly had enough. He snatched her towards him, bringing her to settle on his chest before aggressively kissing her. His hands fumbled against her, artlessly entangling his fingers in her hair. She moaned against him when she felt his hardness through his pants, squirming to wriggle out of her skirt.
She slid his suit coat over his shoulders, smiling when she heard a familiar rattle. "What's this?" She teased, pulling out a tin from the pocket. "Peppermints?"
"You know I carry them," He said softly. Bates occasionally smoked and he knew Anna didn't like the taste of their kisses when he did so.
"I think I fancy one," She remarked, popping one in her mouth. She sucked the candy hard, letting the mint explode across her mouth. Experimentally, she kissed down his neck and smiled when he shivered violently, apparently feeling the mint's tingle.
"Lovely," She purred, artfully managing to kiss and lick his throat without dropping the peppermint, enjoying the rumbling noises he was making. When the candy finally dissolved, he captured her lips again, determinedly drinking away every trace of mint.
His hands were hurriedly undoing her back buttons, desperate to touch her skin. Anna broke away from his lips to kiss down his collarbone, letting her hands trace designs in the black hair on his chest. When she was freed from the confines of her blouse, she felt his hands cup her behind, giving her leave to straddle him more fully.
She liked looking down at him like this, sitting astride him, watching his hot eyes roam up and down her body. She loved when he took control, made her gasp and scream, but there was something intentionally powerful about returning the favor. He leaned forward to kiss her breast, pushing away the flimsy material left on her bosom easily, lightly sucking her nipple.
Despite their lack of a honeymoon, they'd had a year, one glorious year to learn each others' likes and dislikes, to learn what made the other gasp and flush. Her breasts had always been particularly sensitive and Bates used this knowledge to his full advantage, alternating between kissing and licking as well as gently stroking and squeezing. He rolled one breast under his tongue, hardening it into a nub, chuckling darkly when she keened desperately. He followed her previous example running his lips down her pale belly, giving her a playful nip around her navel.
"We are pushing the limits, aren't we," Bates grumbled against her skin, kissing that little sensitive area near her hip. As he neared her thighs, every kiss began to feel like electricity, coursing up her body.
"Oh?" Anna gasped out, cradling his head against hers, arching against him.
He turned her over, to give himself better access to her thighs. She was wearing the red and black garter, in the hopes that their picnic would go this way, and he smiled against her skin, kissing the seam.
"Anyone could walk by," He murmured, burying his face in her curls. She gasped again when she felt his tongue flick out, gently teasing her.
"Like who?" She managed out. "Poor Molesley?" Her fingers dug into the picnic blanket.
"I hope so," Bates growled, sliding his tongue against her core. "He told me once years ago he fancied you…I'd love to squash any hopes of that." He fluttered his tongue against her, the action sending hot waves of pleasure through her.
Anna was tempted to tell him the time Molesley approached her, but Bates looked so annoyed at the thought, his face buried in her thighs, and his scowl as he plundered her was much too appealing. She would save that for another time.
He seemed quite content where he was, driving her wild with every lick and nip, but Anna was far from content. She rolled him around, pleased to have her original throne back and kissed him deeply as she unzipped his pants. He was hard and ready for her, which pleased her immensely.
Wet heat pooled against her thighs as she rubbed herself against him. He groaned almost painfully, his fingers digging into her backside, and she wanted to laugh at how frenzied he looked. It would be a short laugh, she realized when he fiercely sucked her throat. She felt just as desperate, if not more.
They both cried out when she sheathed herself upon him. He couldn't seem to stop kissing her—her lips, her face, her eyelids. She rocked gently into him, building their pace, moaning on how it felt to have him so deep inside her. Bates' head rocked back as he groaned again in pleasure and she quickened her pace. He arched up to meet her as she took him again and again, white hot need boiling inside her. She felt like she was going to explode when he whispered her name over and over again.
She rode him harder, her breaths becoming more shallow and erratic as she sank herself deeper and deeper into him. His right hand went to the place between them gently stroking her swollen core in time with her movements, wanting her to find pleasure first. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she muffled her scream against his neck, her walls contracting all around him. She trembled violently as she came to her release, her husband following quickly after, choking out her name. She leant against his sweat-soaked shoulder, letting her breathing return to normal. He sank back against the picnic blanket, exhausted, and Anna lazily listened to his heartbeat.
"You will be the death of me," Bates panted out, curling his arms around her waist.
"I certainly hope so," Anna murmured, enjoying the moment, despite the likelihood of one of their party coming upon their partially clothed states.
"And we hadn't even opened the beer," Bates commented with a laugh, curling a golden lock of hair around his finger.
She kissed his cheek. "There's still daylight left."