Closing the door behind him, Richard pulled his shirt over his head, laying it down onto the chair that stood beside the door. Taking a quick look around the room, he walked to the bathtub in the next room. Lying back in the water, her body covered by bubbles, Kahlan opened her eyes as she heard his approach. The water dripped over the side as she sat forward as he entered the room.
"I thought you would be asleep." He said as he knelt down beside the tub, resting his arm on the edge.
"I couldn't sleep while you were out there."
Leaning close to her, he pressed his lips to hers, giving her a quick kiss before pulling back and looking around them. "We didn't find anything. Cara thinks that we should try again in a few days."
"And you?" She whispered.
Reaching out, he pushed a few strands of hair from her face. "I don't know. If we go, we would be gone longer and I'm not sure I could survive it. Not without you. Where's Emma?"
"With Zedd." She watched his eyes move over her face, studying every detail, making her heart pound in passion. Biting her lower lip, she shifted her body, turning slightly as she lifted herself partly out of the water, exposing her breasts. His eyes stared down at her in hunger, his pants becoming tighter. "Join me?" She breathed out breathlessly, suddenly realizing her own arousal.
He jumped at her words, pulling loose the strings of his pants. She stared up at him as he moved, a smile crossing her lips as he stepped into the water, sitting down before her. Moving her legs over his, she sat up, running her fingers over his chest as she pushed him back. Slowly, she came closer to him, pulling her hands from his stomach and entangling them into his hair as he closed his eyes. Her smile widened as he parted his lips, reminding himself to breathe. She loved how a simple touch from her could drive him wild.
Pressing her lips to his shoulder, she pulled herself closer to him, her body craving his touch and warmth. A soft moan flowed from her lips as his arms circled around her, his fingers trailing over her spine to draw her closer. The movement pushed the water over the edge of the tub, splashing loudly and echoing through the room. Kissing over his shoulder, Kahlan slid her tongue out, grazing over his skin as she reached his neck, her name leaving his lips in a breathless gasp. She could feel his muscles flex beneath her lips and touch, at last coming to relax.
Sliding his hands beneath her, Richard lifted her up, moving her to sit on his thighs as she continued tasting his skin. His mind went blank as her lips continued their journey over his skin. Each moment of contact fueled the passion that burned like a wildfire within him. A soft whimper left his lips as her hands fell from his chest and disappeared beneath the water.
Smiling against his skin, she pressed her chest firmly against his, knowing it would make his heart pound harder. Grabbing his hand, she kept him from touching her, trying to keep him on the edge as she continued slowly. Kissing over the part of his chest that wasn't covered in the bubbles that floated around them. His breathing, now rapid and coming close to panting, rung in her ears, thrilling her at thought of making him feel this way.
Her own needs begging for attention, Kahlan released his hand and pulled back and waited for his eyes to open. Leaning forward, he crashed his lips against hers, pulling her bottom lip into his mouth as his hands explored her back, holding her firmly against him as she began to rub herself against him. She pulled back, gasping for air as he helped reposition her over him, making their connection seamless.
Her name left his lips in a gasp, the feel of her around him was a sensation he would never get used to. With each movement, he lost himself in his love for her, in their connection that was not only physical. He couldn't get enough of her; the feel of her skin against his and her warm breath against his neck pushed him on, making his movements faster as he began to lose all control. Her nails begun to dig into his back, scraping over his shoulder as she pulled him closer to her, her eyes growing darker as her magic floated to the surface.
Richard pushed her chest from his, needing to see her face. The sight was one of his favorite things. The darkness of her eyes as she reached her peak, the subtle way she arched her chest as her eyes slid closed and her hair flowed around her, just as she whispered his name.
Gasping for air, she pulled him to her, collapsing against him as he leaned his back against the edge of the tub. With his heart pounding he closed his eyes, he tried to focus on the sound of her breathing, but all he could hear was the sound of the water falling from the bathtub onto the floor, making him chuckle.
"I missed you." He breathed out with a smile as she pulled herself closer to his chest.
Her body continued to shake as she slowly began to regain her strength. The release of her magic always took everything from her, but she didn't mind when it brought her into his arms. "I missed you too." She said in a low whisper, her eyes closing as he began to stoke her back.
Tightening his arms around her, he tried to keep her warm as the water began to cool. It was then that he noticed the open window across the room and the sight of the swinging tree limbs from the force of the wind blowing through them. Looking around, he tried to find a towel, but quickly realized that he hadn't laid one out, because he hadn't ran the bath for her. Slowly, he sat forward, being sure to keep her against him as he began to stand. Knowing that she wouldn't have her full strength yet, he lifted her into his arms, giving her a wide smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Walking to their bed, Richard found it difficult to tear his eyes from her. The way a few strands of her hair stuck to her cheeks and forehead and softness of her features as she laid relaxed in his arms and from the dark circles under her eyes, he was sure that she hadn't relaxed since he had left more than a month before. Gently laying her body onto the bed, he reached for the thickest blanket, the one they rarely used because the warmth of each other had always been enough, and pulled it over her as he lay down beside her. Instantly, she rolled onto her side, pressing herself against him as he wrapped her in his arms. Within seconds, they were both asleep.
"Are you two planning on spending the rest of the day in bed?"
Kahlan opened her eyes, quickly shutting them as she raised her hand to block the sunlight that beamed down upon them from the window. "Cara-"
"Get up. You've already slept through lunch and the wizard will not be able to talk the council to their deaths."
Turning her head, she smiled as she saw him. His eyes still closed, sleeping soundly through the Mord-Sith's words. "We're going to be late." She whispered softly as she looked back to her friend. "They shouldn't wait."
"They're going to make us go back."
"I thought that you wanted to go back."
Looking to the man sleeping, she stepped closer. "He doesn't."
"Does the council know?"
"Yes."
"You really didn't find anything did you? That's why they want you to go back. They think that you missed something."
"Maybe we did. He couldn't stop thinking about you and the small you long enough to take a step and the guards you sent with us wouldn't be able to sneak up on anyone."
Smiling, Kahlan sat up, holding the blanket against her chest, moving slowly to make sure she didn't wake the man sleeping beside her. "I'm sorry. They're the only ones the council would allow us to spare. If you were to go alone, do you think that you would be able to-"
"Yes."
"When he wakes up, I'll tell him." The Mord'Sith nodded as she turned away, taking a few steps towards the door. "They're going to want to send someone with you, to keep you safe. Tell Zedd that the council is not to argue with this." After a moment, Kahlan sat up, holding the blanket against her chest. "Cara, talk to Nicci first."
She watched her leave, closing the door behind her. Slowly, she leaned back, trying to lay back into his arms without waking him. "You're sending her out there alone?"
She froze at his voice, wondering how long he had been awake and why he hadn't said anything. "Yes." Opening his eyes, he waited for her to look at him, knowing that she wouldn't be able to keep looking away. Meeting his eyes, she turned onto her side facing him. "Do you think I shouldn't have?"
"I don't think she should have gone alone, but she would never allow you to send someone with her."
"Do you want to go with her?"
He could hear the fear in her voice, fear of him leaving her again. "No." He whispered, reaching out to her, his fingers trailing down her arm. "I don't want to leave your side, but I'm afraid of what she may find."
"You think that she'll find them?"
"I don't know, but if she did- Kahlan, if she found the army, it would change everything. We would know for certain that they're out there and the council- I would never be able to sleep knowing that."
"You don't want to know what we could be facing?" She asked, softly. "Nicci said that they could have gathered an entire army and they-"
"I know. Spirits, I know. Kahlan, sometimes it's almost all that I can think about. Sometimes, I just lay here, watching you sleep, because I'm afraid that I may never get the chance to do it again and I- I know that I can't survive without you and I- That's why I went, Kahlan. I wanted to prove to myself that you and Emma were safe."
"We are safe." She whispered, "Richard, we're safe as long as you're here. We don't know if they even want us out of the way or if Nicci was even telling us the truth and we can't live looking over our shoulders, wondering what's going to happen, because this, Richard this is everything to me. If we spend all of our thoughts, our energy, on what could happen, and then we won't have anything left for us."
"We'll always have something left for us." He said softly, bringing a small smile to her lips. "I don't know what I would do if we didn't. Kahlan this," He smiled widely, "is what I live for. Laying here in bed, naked, with you and spending time with Emma." he smiled widely. "I can't imagine life without it."
"Me either." She said softly as her body began inching closer to him. Resting her hand against his chest, her eyes followed her fingers as she traced over his skin, moving slowly.
Without thought, her tongue traced over her bottom lip, drawing his attention. Quickly, he leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers as he rolled onto her. Pulling the blanket from between them, Kahlan held him tightly against her, arching her back off of the bed as she pushed into his chest. Sliding her fingers into his hair, she parted her lips as his tongue dove forward. The soft moan that escaped his throat was drowned out by one of her own, a moan that one would never expect to hear from The Mother Confessor, as she wrapped her legs around his, pulling him even closer.
They were never close enough and their need for their lover's body called for more. Trailing his lips over her jaw, neck and to her chest. Her hold on him tightened as his hands moved over her, gently cupping her breast, her body begging for more as her breathing turned to pants at the sensation. Pulling at his hair, she brought his face to hers, colliding their lips once again as she rolled them over.
Pulling back, Kahlan pushed her hand through her hair, moving it from her face as she sat up over him. His eyes roamed over her as she tied her hair back, not wanting the long strands to get into her way. Her head fell backwards as reached up to her, bring a soft moan from her throat, making his need for her become nearly overwhelming. Sitting forward, he moved her over him, pushing her back to the bed.
Her nails raked across his shoulders and back as he moved over her. Her hold on him tightened as he lowered his head to the crook of her neck, unable to concentrate on moving his lips with hers. His entire body shook as he came closer to reaching his height and the way her body arched up into his was driving him over the edge. The soft cry of pleasure that flew from her lips was followed by the rumble of her magic flowing into him, pushing him over the edge.
She held his head against her chest as he collapsed on top of her, lightly running her fingers through his hair as she struggled to regain her breath. Trailing his fingers over her side, Richard smiled as her body jerked in surprise. He pressed his lips to her before lifting his head from her chest and rolling off of her. Turning onto her side, she pushed his arm up and moved in close, laying her leg over his.
"If you keep running your hand over my chest like that, we're not going to be able to make it to the meeting with the council."
"Zedd can handle it." She whispered with a smile. "I'm sure we will not be bothered for a while longer."
With a light chuckle, Richard tightened his arm around her shoulder. "Not after what they heard coming from our room." He didn't have to look at her to know that she was blushing. Her cheeks always turned red at the thought of others knowing what they would do behind closed doors.