After managing to reign in their ardor on the train (although Harold had taken great delight in listening to Marian's moans as his hands had traversed her smooth curves), the newlywed couple disembarked and made their way to the Hotel Randolph. Harold had kept their destination a surprise, but when Marian saw where they were, her eyes had brightened with barely-contained excitement, and Harold knew he'd chosen wisely. The newly-built hotel was hailed as the only "absolutely fireproof hotel" in the city. Harold, with his penchant for the finer things in life, had decided that a brand-new hotel was the perfect place to celebrate the start of his brand-new beginnings with Marian.

Their hotel room was spacious and elegant. When they entered it, Marian immediately took note of a small chair nestled in front of a lit fireplace. The flickering light bathed the room in a soft hue, and Marian let the warmth envelop her. There was a couch, situated in the middle of the room, and she remarked to Harold that she wondered if it was as comfortable as it looked. He merely shrugged.

"I can't imagine us having much use for that," he quipped, winking at her and then grinning when she furiously blushed at his bold statement. Taking a few moments to divest himself of their luggage, Harold allowed Marian the time to familiarize herself with their accommodations. He knew what lay ahead was new territory for her, but he certainly knew the territory and was determined that she would experience nothing but wonder and delight on their first night together as husband and wife.

When Marian excused herself to retire to the washroom that was connected through an adjoining door, Harold used the opportunity to remove his coat and tie. Unbuttoning his collar, he tugged it open and breathed in relief as the constricting material gave way. He heard the door open behind and turned to his wife, but his greeting died on his lips when he saw her long blonde locks flowing past her shoulders.

Having witnessed such an intimacy with his wife only once before – on the night he had visited her at her home upon his return from the very city in which they were now staying – Harold was momentarily stunned. Marian, noting her husband's temporary speechlessness – a rare occurrence, indeed – walked toward him with a shyness that spoke volumes until she stood before him, her eyes searching his. When he drew her near to him, he felt her tense in his arms; Harold didn't take umbrage at this lukewarm reception. Instead, he merely dipped his head and traced slow, languid kisses along the nape of her neck. As she gradually relaxed in his embrace, he gently reached up and found the first of the many hooks that dotted his wife's wedding gown.

Harold watched Marian's eyes drift shut when his knowledgeable hands slowly began to unhook the fasteners and, as he worked his way down, he allowed them to linger, caressing the lines of her body and learning her shape. When the last of the hooks was finally undone, he coaxed her toward him and nibbled at her lips until they opened beneath his, smiling in satisfaction when her soft sighs broke the silence. When Harold deepened his embrace, gently teasing her, Marian's hands moved of their own volition and sank into his hair, fingernails softly raking across his scalp. He groaned into his wife's mouth at this sensual act and sliding his hands up along her form, he began to slowly untie her corset, his fingers making quick work of the laces there.

Marian was lost in the heady sensations of Harold's delicious caresses and completely unaware of her husband's hands until her corset opened and a warm palm slipped inside to softly close over her breast. Gasping, she stiffened as a sensation she had never known coursed through her. Harold smiled against her lips and languidly trailed a hand along the length of her body until it rested at the small of her back as his other hand continued to lovingly trace the softness he had dreamed about for so long. Marian was oblivious to everything but her husband; when her dress slowly fell to the floor a few moments later, she didn't even notice. But Harold, ever the gentleman, gently retrieved it and placed it along the arm of the couch.

Returning to his flushed bride, he trailed his lips and tongue lazily across her throat and cautiously slipped his hand from her small of her back, moving it lower, eventually sinking his fingers into the luscious skin he found there. He was rewarded for this action by the exquisite sensation of Marian pressing closely against him and moaning his name insistently into his ear.

Impatient, Harold removed her camisole and, finally able to give into fantasies he'd only been able to dream about, brought his lips to the hollow of her throat and slowly worked his way down placing heated kisses along her alabaster skin. For a moment he wondered if he might bring Marian to the brink with that alone as she became more vocal and her cries of pleasure filled the darkened room. Raking her hands through his hair, she insistently pulled him closer to her and whispered his name, confessing things he'd only ever dared to imagine.

Leaning down, Harold scooped his wife into his arms, and met her mouth with his once more as he made his way to their bed. With what he hoped was restraint, and in a manner he prayed was gentle given his current state of mind, he made quick work of her drawers and stockings. For a moment he could only stare at Marian as he was finally allowed to look upon the woman he loved – flushed cheeks, eyes bright with desire, hair tumbling across her shoulders; Harold couldn't believe the vision before his eyes. A fierce possessiveness raced through him as he realized that this lovely creature was his wife and that what they were about to share she'd never shared with another.

With a quick admonition for her to stay put, Harold moved across the room to extinguish the lights save one. When he returned to her side, he made short work of his clothing and lay down on the bed beside her. Even in the near darkness, he could see the furious blush that crept across her cheeks as his gaze traveled along her naked body. He held his breath for a moment, unsure of how she would react to seeing him. When her hand came to tentatively rest across his chest, he was reminded of the afternoon in their bedroom when she had affected a similar gesture, but this time instead of fleeing, she drew her palm across his chest, nails softly scoring his skin as they traveled down to his firm stomach. When Harold groaned, she averted her gaze in mild embarrassment.

Harold, ever mindful of his wife's inexperience, sweetly gathered her in his arms and drew her closer to him. As her smooth skin pressed against his, he realized he had never known such sweet bliss. All thoughts of the women who'd come before Marian fled his mind, and he knew he'd never seek pleasure in another woman's arms. He could feel her heart thudding rapidly beneath his palm, so he quietly whispered words of love, desperate to communicate the longing he felt for her. He brought her to lie beneath him, letting his mouth banish her fears as he slowly worked his way down. When he pressed a series of gentle kisses across the soft skin of her hip, he was rewarded with a breathy sigh.

Marian could sense she was being watched. Opening her eyes, her gaze traveled down to find Harold's eyes trained on her. There was something wholly intimate in knowing her husband was watching her as she moved beneath his loving caresses, and she suddenly realized that mere words would never be able to convey the overwhelming tenderness she felt communicated through his gentle lovemaking. The nervousness that had haunted her when she first contemplated their union slowly faded into eager anticipation as the sensations swirling inside began to build, and in a rare moment of clarity, Marian discovered that she harbored no embarrassment at Harold seeing her displayed before him in such a manner. She felt no shame as Harold's hands continued to play across her body stroking and fondling even as his mouth caressed her in the most delicious ways. She could feel his warm breath as he seductively murmured heated words against her bare flesh, and had she been coherent, she might have been shocked by the desires her husband was confessing to her.

For his part, Harold realized he would never grow tired of watching his wife beneath his skillful touch – eyes closed, mouth slightly parted, gently panting as mounting desire played across her expressive face. He took a certain pride in knowing that he was introducing her to pleasures she had never before experienced and felt honored that he was the man she had chosen. When he brought his hand lower to gently cup her softness, his eyes closed and breath caught when Marian involuntarily arched beneath him as he touched her silky wetness for the first time.

"Harold," she called out in dazed wonder.

Realizing that her cry was one of passion, Harold chose not to respond and instead focused his attentions on the beautiful movements of his wife. As she slowly writhed against him, Harold realized his own restraint was nearing its breaking point and knew that it wouldn't do to wait any longer. So with infinite tenderness, he drew her closer to him and, ever mindful of the pain he knew would inevitably cause, entered her as gently as he could. Her hands instantly came up to clutch at his shoulders and, when she tensed at the sudden discomfort, he reached down to give her a gentle caress, hoping to help ease the pain he knew he had created. Cautiously moving within her, he withdrew, slowly gliding in and back out until she had become accustomed to this new sensation.

As her breathing deepened, she began to press against him and in a few moments, they were moving together, Marian's head flung back as the exquisite pleasure began to build again. Soft gasps and sighs of pleasure soon morphed into moans darkened by passion, and Harold was struck by the knowledge that they were the sweetest sounds he had ever heard. Gritting his teeth as she clenched tightly around him, he suddenly smiled in smug satisfaction as he felt Marian began to writhe beneath him and cry out his name in shuddering gasps.

Marian, caught up in a cacophony of heightened awareness, felt as if she was falling as a flood of sensual bliss she had never known existed suddenly consumed her. Her ecstatic cries tapered off into one long wordless moan when the most incredible sensations coursed through her body, and then all coherent thought fled as she was lost in a maelstrom of ecstasy, oblivious to everything but the pleasure Harold had created.

As Marian wrapped her arms tightly around him and pleaded in desperate whispers, Harold felt his own release come upon him. Tensing, he thrust into her sharply, moaning her name against her throat several times until a final shudder passed through him and he collapsed, his ragged breathing echoing in the darkness.

Silence descended upon the room, broken only by shallow breaths as the two slowly regained their senses. Harold knew this memory would stay with him forever, and he wanted to prolong the moment for as long as possible. As Marian began to stir beneath him, he was startled to feel her hand gently glide up his arm and caress his shoulders before trailing down his back in a loving caress. When he gazed down at her, she raised a hand and tenderly stroked his brow, combing away the disheveled locks that had fallen into his eyes.

Raising himself up on one arm, Harold surveyed the picturesque scene below him. Marian was stretched beneath him, hair splayed about her shoulders, and he was enthralled to see the womanly satisfaction in her gaze. Harold gaped at her in awe, and he knew he would never forget the way she moved beneath him that first time nor the look of breathless wonder that had lit her eyes as he slowly introduced her to the joys of marriage. Contrary to what he had once proclaimed, she wasn't the sadder-but-wiser girl; he didn't know if he could ever express how thankful he was for that.

As he reflected on these things, he couldn't help the self-satisfied smile that broke across his features and Marian, still caught up in the heady bliss of the moment, smiled impishly back at him. Leaning back down, he brought his mouth to hers for a languid kiss and then gathered her back to him, his hand running possessively along her body.

As she nestled her head against the crook of his shoulder, she draped an arm across his chest. "I love you, Harold," she whispered softly.

Harold bestowed a gentle kiss to her temple and replied in a soft voice, "I love you, Marian Paroo Hill."

XXX

A/N – Much thanks to Morfiwien Greenleaf who took the time to give this story her thoughtful insight and the occasional comma. It is much appreciated!