Georg and Maria stepped out into the busy square, the bright sunlight causing their eyes to squint. They had just spent the better part of the last hour wandering through the magnificent cathedral.
"Well, that was spectacular!" Georg commented, his first words to her since they had entered the building an hour earlier. Knowing about respecting the serenity of the cathedral, they had wandered about the building in silence, the only communication between them during that time was the occasional squeeze of the hand.
"Yes it was. Thank you for bringing me here Georg." Maria replied earnestly. "So what would you like to do now?"
"Well, perhaps we can have some lunch then there is a museum nearby that I wouldn't mind taking you to, if that sounds fine." Georg said casually. "Then of course is the terribly romantic dinner I intend on having with you later tonight." He added with a smirk.
Just before Maria could reply, the bells of the cathedral started to ring and the masses of people who had been mingling in the square started to approach the cathedral and enter in.
Maria looked wistfully back towards the cathedral. "Oh... Mass." She said, almost to herself.
Knowing what she was thinking, Georg paused for a moment before asking her, "Darling, did you want to go?"
Maria looked back at him, slightly surprised. "Would you mind?"
"Of course not. Maria, what was it that you told me the Reverend Mother said to you? Just because you love me doesn't mean you love God less? Right?"
Maria nodded as Georg gave her a pointed look. "But what about lunch and the museum?" She asked.
"We'll still do it afterwards. Err... Did you want me to come with you?" He asked.
"No, it's fine. Thank you Georg for all of this. How about you meet me back here in around an hours time then we can have lunch."
As he nodded, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before turning and hurrying off with the rest of the crowd of people into the church. Georg wondered for a moment what to do to occupy himself for the next hour. Then he remembered a task that he had been hoping to accomplish for the past few days without Maria. Glancing at his watch, he wondered whether he would have time to do it and get back before the Mass finished. Deciding that he had 'just' enough time, Georg quickly hailed a taxi and set off.
Just over an hour later, Georg arrived back at the cathedral to see Maria waiting outside for him already. Hurrying up to her, he greeted her with a kiss.
"I'm sorry I'm late darling. Have you been waiting long for me?" He asked.
"Only a few minutes. The Mass finished a little early but the thought did cross my mind that perhaps you had forgotten me!" Maria laughed.
"Not a chance." Georg chuckled back. "Now how about lunch?"
They had a long lunch then spent the afternoon at the nearby museum that Georg had previously suggested. Finally, just before dusk, they arrived back at the hotel. Upon entering their suite, Maria immediately kicked off her shoes and collapsed onto the elegant lounge.
"Oh! I'm exhausted! It's been such a long, busy day!" She exclaimed as she swung her legs up onto the lounge, propping her feet up on a cushion. She lay back and closed her eyes.
Georg gave her a smile as he took off his suit jacket and hung it over the back of one of the chairs. He came over to sit next to her, but firstly picking up her feet off the lounge while he swatted the cushion away. He placed her feet onto his lap as he loosened and removed his tie, throwing it onto the table in front of them. Unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt, followed by the buttons on his sleeves, he rested back into the comfort of the lounge with her.
"Ah, yes, very long day. But just think of doing all the sightseeing that we've been doing with all our seven children in tow!" Georg commented.
Maria opened her eyes and groaned. "Now you're really making me feel tired! I do miss them though. I wonder how they are and what they've been doing?"
"Probably causing havoc for Max and Frau Schmidt no doubt." Georg replied. Glancing down at his watch he added, "I would suggest we try telephoning them now however I do see that it is almost dinner time. Maybe we could try calling them in the morning." Maria nodded, closing her eyes again and resting her head on the back of the lounge.
"Speaking of dinner…" Georg mentioned casually.
Maria opened her eyes and looked at him questionably.
"Did you forget about the terribly romantic dinner I had been promising you before darling?" Georg asked her, eyebrows raised, thinking that he needed an opportunity to give Maria small gift he had bought for her on his errand earlier that day.
"Oh… dinner. I had forgotten." Maria replied, still looking exhausted.
However after a moment the look of exhaustion on her face changed to one of cheekiness. She sat up and leant in towards Georg running her hand through his hair. Pulling him towards her with the other, she gave him a playful kiss before running her hands down his chest to undo the next one of his shirt buttons. As she slipped one hand inside his shirt, she whispered in his ear.
"You know, we could order room service and just have dinner here. I'm sure we could make it just as 'romantic' in here as well…"
She started to place gentle kisses along his jaw line and down his neck. Georg found it difficult to resist her and he was almost at the point of losing control and taking her there and then but he pulled back.
"O-ho! No you don't!" He replied with a laugh. She looked back at him innocently. "I remember the last time you convinced me to 'skip' dinner at the restaurant in preference of room service. By the time we eventually got around to ordering dinner, the kitchen was closed and then you made me wander the streets of Paris at some ungodly hour to find something to eat and the only place that was open was that old patisserie on the corner and all they had left was stale bread. No, my dear, downstairs to the restaurant for us tonight!"
Maria roared with laughter of the memory of that night several days earlier. She swung her legs down off Georg's lap and sat up straight.
"Yes, you have a good point, darling. I guess I better go and get dressed into something more appropriate." She gave him another teasing kiss, the promise of what was to come after dinner before getting up and wandering off into the dressing room. Georg followed to get dressed as well.
Around ten minutes later, Maria emerged wearing a midnight blue evening gown, figure hugging and cut low around her cleavage. When Georg saw her, he approached her, took her in his arms and kissed her enthusiastically.
"You look ravishing darling. I think I have changed my mind. Let's stay here and order room service." He growled into her ear.
Maria playfully pushed him away, giggling. "Oh no, no you don't Captain! Now that I'm dressed, we have to do downstairs. I think I'm feeling like having a long dinner."
"Oh, you are such a tease!" He laughed back. "You are determined to play this little game aren't you?" Maria simply nodded, a huge grin upon her face.
Downstairs at the restaurant, Maria was definitely enjoying herself playing the game of prolonging their return to their suite with Georg. Maria had not only ordered entrée but mains as well and now she was starting to talk about also getting dessert. Every mouthful she savored, almost putting on a show of how slowly she could eat. It was driving Georg crazy. Not only how long Maria spent upon every mouthful but also as he watched her eat, his eyes were drawn towards her mouth, thinking about what he would love to be doing to that mouth once they had returned to their suite. So transfixed he was with watching her that she had to remind him twice about his own meal as he had left it untouched.
Trying to shake himself out of distraction, he suddenly remembered his errand from earlier that day and the real reason he really wanted to take Maria out to dinner, rather than just dine in their suite. Taking the opportunity while Maria was scanning the dessert menu, he began to dig around in his pockets for the specific item he was looking for. Not finding it, he started to empty the contents of his pockets onto the table: Wallet, room key, handkerchief. Maria looked at him a bit perplexed.
"Darling, what are you doing?" Maria inquired.
"Er… just trying to um… find something. Ah, found it!" Georg replied as he finally pulled the last item out of his pocket. He placed the small box on the table right in front of her. He said nothing, just gave her a slight smile.
"What's this?" she asked.
"For you. Open it. Please."
Maria picked up the small box and examined it with curiosity. She made a bit of a show of giving it a bit of a shake before opening it. Inside it was a spectacular gold pendant in the shape of a cross, with a diamond embedded in the centre.
Maria gasped when she saw it. "Oh Georg… It's beautiful, but what have I done to deserve this?"
Georg reached out across the table and took her hand. Stroking her hand and running his thumb across her knuckles, he said. "Nothing and everything. You have made me the happiest man in the world in becoming my wife. More than you know. I do hope you like it."
Maria was silent for a moment before giving Georg a tender smile and saying softly. "I'm touched really. I love it. Thank you Georg. But if I may ask, when did you have the time to get this and without me knowing about it?"
"Oh you may be surprised to know my darling that I am a man of hidden talents." He replied casually but giving her a wicked grin.
"That I do know, Georg. I always look forward to discovering these hidden talents of yours!" Maria replied with a glint in her eye. "But really darling, when did you get it?"
"Earlier today when you were at Mass. Would you like me to put it on you?"
Maria nodded and Georg got up from his seat and walked behind Maria's chair. Taking the pendant from the box, he carefully placed it around her neck, doing up the clasp on the chain. As he did so, the tips of his fingers gently brushed the skin around her neck and he heard her take in a deep breath. He let his fingers linger for just a moment longer than needed on her bare skin and he could almost feel her becoming flushed at his touch. Finished with his task, Georg moved back to his side of the table. Sitting down, his eyes locked on hers, seeing in them an intensity and passion that he knew all too well. A hunger and desire that was reserved for him and him alone.
Just at that moment, the waiter returned to take their orders for dessert.
Without breaking her gaze with him, Maria said, more to Georg than to the waiter. "I think we're going to have to skip dessert."
The waiter nodded but as he turned to leave, Georg suddenly signaled to the waiter for the bill. He signed the piece of paper without even looking at it, as he was too busy still gazing at his wife. As they stood up from the table, Georg finally broke eye contact with Maria to sweep up the items from the table that had previously been in his pocket and he led Maria out from the restaurant towards the elevator.
Georg let out a grunt of frustration as he saw the numerous people waiting for the elevator ahead of them. Either they would have to squeeze into the first one that arrived or just wait for the next one to come. Georg was impatient to get his wife back to the privacy of their suite so he felt more than happy to squeeze into the elevator with the other guests when it finally arrived. Georg and Maria made their way towards the back of the elevator knowing that the honeymoon suite was on the top floor and so they would be the last the exit.
It was quite squishy inside the elevator and Georg found himself standing in the corner just behind Maria as the elevator doors closed. She was standing so close that the thought of giving her a bit of a 'tease' crossed his mind. Ever since their wedding night when he dared to reach down to stroke her backside while the elevator attendant was looking the other way, Georg looked for opportunities to do it again to her. Not every time they were in the elevator, no, that would ruin the element of surprise.
Just as he was about to make use the opportunity, he felt her reaching behind to start stoking his leg. Maria looked straight ahead, not giving anything away to the fact that she was moving her hand up and down the inside of his leg. She then brushed an area much higher with her hand causing him to involuntarily let out a groan. Leaning back, she purred softly into his ear, "you must be very quiet."
Georg's head swam. He took some deep breaths trying to calm himself down as she continued to stroke his leg, knowing that in a few moments he would have to get out of the elevator, no matter what state he was in. The elevator stopped several times to let the other guests off on their particular floors. Finally they reached their floor and the moment the door opened, Maria strode purposely out of the lift, only stopping momentarily to thank the attendant in flawless French.
Georg stood rooted to the spot, still in shock at Maria boldness. The attendant turned to Georg. "Monsieur?"
"Err... yes, thank you Monsieur." He muttered as he quickly left the lift to follow Maria around the corner towards their suite.
There were only two suites on the top floor of the hotel; the other suite was located in the opposite direction from the elevator so the corridor leading to the door of their suite was completely deserted. Georg found Maria waiting for him, leaning up against the door smiling seductively at him.
He immediately took her in his arms and growled into her ear, "you little tease! Doing that to me inside the elevator!"
She replied with a giggle. "Come now Captain, you can't honestly tell me that you weren't planning to do the same thing to me? Besides, I can see that you obviously enjoyed the attention." She glanced downwards.
"O-ho! I think you'll have to pay for that!" He slurred seductively into her ear as he proceeded to kiss her neck, her throat, her chest. Finally moving to kiss her lips as he pushed her up, capturing her against the door. As he started to run his hands over her body, Maria found herself starting to go weak at the knees with desire for him.
"Georg," she whispered in between kisses. "Shouldn't you unlock the door?"
"The door? Hmm... Yes, just a moment." Georg started to dig around in his pockets for the room key while continuing to kiss Maria passionately.
"Georg? The door?" Maria was staring to get impatient.
"Err... I can't find the key." Georg muttered.
"Don't worry about the key, just unlock the door!" Maria murmured in between returning his intense kisses.
Georg suppressed a snort. "Darling, I can't unlock the door without the key." Pulling back from their embrace, he did one final check of his pockets. No room key.
Letting out a defeated sigh, he said "Well I must have left it down at the restaurant in my haste in getting you back up here." He ran his hand through his hair as he added, "you stay here. I'll go back down to get it. I shan't be long."
Giving her a final kiss, he turned and started to walk back towards the elevator. Just as he was about to turn the corner, he heard Maria call out.
"Georg?" He turned back towards her just to see her holding up the room key, dangling it in the air. "Looking for this?"
Georg walked back to her, mouth open wide in surprise. "How did you...?" He started to ask.
"Like you, I too am a lady of hidden talents!" She replied with a gentle tease in her voice and a mischievous smile on her face.
"You had it all this time? You let me carry on thinking..."
Maria gave him a sheepish nod.
"Oh my dear Baroness, you'll definitely be paying for this one!"
He took the key out her hand and unlocked the door to the suite. Pausing for a moment to give Maria a wicked smile, in one swift movement he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder before carrying her off to the bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him.
A/N: This was another fun one to write. Again, there will be more to come. Please review as I really like reviews! I still don't own anything etc.
