A/N: wow only 8 days between updates... that is a first for me ;) and I can already say that chapter 4 will be up real soon... it only needs one or two more read throughs by me then off to beta reader (thanks Bellarsam Chrisjulittle).

Will give a HUGE thanks to the wonderful ladies at the facebook group/proboard who have help BIG time with this chapter and the rest of the story... You should join us if you need a bit of a creative kick to move on with your story... ;) or just want to chat about TSOM

I love to hear what you all think... review please... thanks

Chapter 3

Maria and Georg lay in a peaceful silence together in the bed, both feeling content and excited over the prospect of having a full month alone together in Paris. The monotonous swaying of their train car had also lulled them into an almost slumber-like state. They were both thinking about what had already happened this day: the brunch with the family (with some slightly embarrassing moments). Maria still pondered about their…eh…interlude in the car. Such a lot of new information about her husband had been revealed in the relatively short journey to the train station. Information that she knew he didn't share with anyone but her; she decided that she liked that very much.

When they had arrived at their train suite, they had taken no time in thinking rationally in any way. The magnetism that seemed to draw them together had hit them with full force, and the offending buttons and zippers had been opened, followed by clothes discarded carelessly on the floor or a nearby chair. In the next hour, everything else was forgotten and they shared a passion that had only intensified since last night.

Maria moved her head slightly, trying to find a more suitable resting place on Georg's shoulder. Her hand lay just over his heart, her fingers caressing his warm skin. She was amazed that the tiny movements she made seemed to send shivers through her husband; she noticed that he got goose bumps on his arms the more she moved her fingers. Maria smiled to herself and wondered what else there was to discover about her husband, and having been born with a slightly curious streak, she was very much looking forward to this new journey she would make together with him.

Georg craned his neck in an attempt to get a glimpse of his wife's face. When he saw the whimsical smile on her lips and a playful twinkle in her eyes, he wanted to know more of her thoughts and get to know everything there was to know about her. He took his free hand and placed it under her chin, willing her to look up at him. She complied immediately. Her smile widened, and she let every emotion she held be shown in her face, and he was delighted by what he saw.

"Hmm…you seem rather pleased about something, darling." He smiled broadly and winked at her. He knew why she looked so happy; he only asked so he could hear it from her.

"Well, I…I…oh Georg, I have never,never imagined that marriage could be this…eh…wonderful, and filled with…love and…passion." Maria lowered her eyes, not sure how he would react to her words. But deep down, she was not worried that he would ever laugh at anything she would say, unless it was meant to be a joke. Her insecurity was still lurking under her newfound confidence.

When her eyes met his again, the smile on his lips had only broadened, and he placed his hand behind her head, pulling her closer to his waiting lips. Maria willingly raised herself up to give him a kiss that told him beyond words how much she loved him. The kiss was long and filled with passion, and they felt themselves fall deeper and deeper into the other's embrace, both craving to be closer to each other.

Had it not been for a short knock on the door, the kiss would have evolved into another interlude filled with even more love and passion.

The knock was followed with a short announcement from the conductor: "Dinner will be served in an hour."

When Maria had heard the knock, she had pulled away from Georg and had grabbed for the covers, which in a mysterious way had slid further down her body. She sighed in relief when she heard the conductor move down the corridor to the next compartment. Then she turned to find her husband grinning like a madman. She frowned slightly, but when she thought about it, she must have looked rather amusing.

Maria hit his arm lightly and tried to look angry, but failed miserably when he pulled her into his arms again. He place a small tender kiss just over her ear and whispered: "Don't worry, no one will walk through that door unless they are invited. I made sure to inform the conductor that we wanted the utmost privacy. He knows we're on our honeymoon."

Maria's eyes grew wide at this information, and within her over-stimulated mind, she came to the conclusion that it meant they would also know, at least to some extent, what they would be doing in there. The whole idea made her cheeks turn crimson, and this didn't go unnoticed by her husband.

"What's wrong, darling? Is it not alright that they leave us alone?" He smiled at her, trying to figure out why she seemed to blush just now.

Maria was flabbergasted and had no idea how to express her worry, or concern if you could call it that. She shook her head, trying to put words together that would make some sense.

"They know!" was all that came to mind, and she hoped he would understand, but since his raised eyebrow told her otherwise, she tried again: "They know that we…well, you know…what we…eh…are doing in here." Her voice was trembling slightly, and her eyes were filled with true worry about this matter. Georg saw all this in her eyes and tried not to laugh, as he knew she might misunderstand the whole thing.

"Oh, darling, you shouldn't worry too much on this matter. A lot of married couples travel on this train, and everybody knows whatmarried couples do behind their closed doors. No one would think twice about what we do, and why should we even care?" His voice was soothing for her somewhat growing nerves. Her quick-thinking mind also realized that she soon would have to venture out into a dining car with other people, people who would all notice the glow that seemed to be around herself and her husband. Anyone not blind would know they where newlyweds, and would all know what they might be doing when alone.

When she told him this, he suggested that they could just eat in their compartment; it was big enough for them to do so. Maria contemplated this suggestion for awhile, looking around the somewhat small compartment, though it did seem as if they could eat their dinner there. Then they could continue what they had been doing the past hour. This thought made her blush, and she realized that she might need the distraction of dining out among other people, for her to be able to keep a sane mind. Her mind seemed to be filled with one thing and one thing only: him, her husband, who now lay in a waiting position with his arms under his head. He wore a smile that told her that he was rather amused by what he saw, his wife's mind working on overtime to find pros and cons for dining in their compartment.

Georg had decided that she should make the choice on where they would eat their dinner. If he was asked, he would skip dinner and ravish his beautiful wife in every way possible. His grin broadened at the thought: a whole night alone with his wife, inbed no less. That was a thought that could, and would, brighten up any man's day.

Maria noticed the changes within his face and smile, and when she also saw the twinkle in his eye she knew exactly whatwas on her husband's mind. Her mind became fuzzy at this point, but she shook her head and looked around the room one more time. Still feeling drawn to her husband, she also knew that they would have all the time in the world to be alone in the coming month, so she made up her mind.

"Well… you know we do have a whole month to ourselves, so I gather we would get plenty of alone time…to…eh…you know…be together…in bed." Her eyes told him in more than one way that she was looking forward to this.

He grinned and nodded his head in agreement. Although he would have loved to spend the evening in bed, he acknowledged the fact that they might also need the time around other people. Then they both rose from the bed and tried to find suitable clothes for an evening of fine dining.

Within the next half hour, they had dressed and were now ready to walk down to the dining car. Maria held her trembling hands clasped together in front of her, but when Georg saw this, he gently took both of her hands in his and kissed her knuckles. His kiss calmed her down a little, but she still felt butterflies in her stomach. She tried to send him a brave smile and raised herself up to give him a small kiss.

Georg groaned inwardly, as she made it quite hard for him to not just abandon their dinner plans and zip down the dress she had put on; her mouth was doing wonderful things to his mind and body. When Maria felt his searching hands on her back, she pulled away from him, raising a challenging eyebrow and asked: "What are you doing, darling? I thought you wanted to go dining with me." She tried to look disappointed, but when he just gave her his lopsided, wicked smile, she failed miserably in her attempt. Her laugh rang out in their small compartment, and he pulled her in for a hug while he whispered in her ear: "I do want to eat dinner with my beautiful wife, and I want to show the whole world that she is mine. But she is making it quite hard for me to concentrate on anything but her, when she chooses to wear my favourite dress, a dress with a zipper no less, a zipper that hinders me to just ravish her right here and now." He looked down at her blue dress, the dress she had worn on that night in the gazebo where they confessed their love for one another. That dress would forever hold a special place in his mind and heart.

When the word ravish registered in her mind she pulled back a little; she was still not used to hearing him speak such bluntly and brazen words of endearment. Georg noticed her blush and grinned down at her; he knew that she was still apprehensive about the intimate side of their marriage, and would need more time before she would get used to hearing him talk like that. He just hoped that she soon would be more at ease when they were alone.

Maria shook her head, trying to clear her mind. She took a deep breath of air and decided that this night would be a chance for her to get used to being together with her husband out among other people. How many people could there be on one train, anyway? She gave Georg a reassuring smile and took one of his hands, letting him know that she was ready.

They walked out in the corridor and turned left to go to the dining car. The corridor was quite narrow, but they somehow managed to walk side by side anyway. Georg held his arm around her shoulders, gently leading the way. Two times they had to make way for other passengers walking the opposite direction; when this happened, Georg merely slid in behind her letting his hand gently rest on her hip.

Both times Maria demurely lowered her eyes, as she feared the other passengers would all see where her thoughts were. It was hard for her to not think about Georg, as the hand on her hip was sending heat waves to her stomach. Nor did it help that he at one point let his thumb gently circle over her hipbone; this caused shivers to erupt down her spine. If he had not held her with both arms, her knees would surely have buckled under her.

When the last passenger had moved away, Georg glanced at his wife, and he noticed the slight pink tinge adorning her cheekbone. He winked and gave her a knowing smile, then he lay his arm securely around her waist, and led her to the dining car.

Maria still felt lightheaded while she walked down the corridor with Georg. She wondered if the seemingly endless flow of butterflies in her stomach would subside with time. Or would it always be this tantalizing to merely walk around with her husband? Her senses were still on high alert when they entered the dining car.

There were several other passengers already seated by the tables at the windows. Maria was astounded by how they had managed to make the dining car look bigger than it really was. And the whole décor was polished and refined; it sure was a place that she would have never dreamt of ever dining. She was still admiring the décor when a waiter approached them, holding a leather-bound book.

"Sir, Madam. What can I do for you tonight?" the young waiter asked with a small bow. He opened the book in his hand, ready find them a seat.

"I do believe we have a reservation for tonight. Captain von Trapp is the name," Georg said in swift manner. The waiter shortly looked into his book and nodded his head.

"Ah, here we are, Captain and Baroness von Trapp, please follow me. I've placed you right here." He pointed to a table at the last window, where they actually would have some form of privacy. Maria was relieved by this. The waiter pulled out one chair and motioned for Maria to take a seat. Her nerves were still on edge, but she placed herself on the chair and let the waiter help her get settled. She nodded her thanks to the waiter; she feared that her vocal cords might not be of any help to her just now. The waiter pulled out a menu card for them.

Georg watched his wife closely, and he noticed every emotion running over her features. She had not managed to keep her blush under control, a thing he thought was quite endearing if one would ask him. He sat down on his chair and took the offered menu options from the waiter, who then moved away from the table so they could make their final decisions.

He glanced down at the short menu options there were on the train, then looked up at his wife, who now sat nervously in front of him. She tried to look calm, but Georg noticed that she seemed uncomfortable in some way. Trying to get her mind off of things, he said:

"All right…we have three options: veal, chicken or fish. What would you like to have tonight?"

You! was the first word coming to her mind, but the second her mind registered what she had thought she felt her cheeks going even more red. She sure hoped that the word had stayed inside her head, and she looked up at Georg, but he was merely looking at her with slightly raised eyebrows.

"Eh…Oh, I don't know…I think I'll try the chicken." She managed to say the words without too much quivering in her voice.

Georg smiled at her and looked at the menu once more: "Hmm, I think I'll try the veal." Then he placed the menu on the table and caught the attention of their waiter.

When the waiter came over, Georg placed their order and asked for a bottle of wine and some water.

"Very well, Captain and Baroness. I'll be right back with your wine and some appetizers for you to enjoy before your meal arrives." With a curt bow, he moved away from the table.

When they were alone again, Maria smiled shyly at him. Somehow she had no idea what to say, which was a rare thing when it came to her. Georg gave a reassuring smile and reached over the table, offering his hand to her; she placed her hand in his without hesitation. The comfort and warmth from his hand did calm her nerves slightly.

"So, are you pleased that we decided to have dinner here?" He squeezed her hand and let his thumb gently caress her knuckles. He noticed her face change colour, and he knew her thoughts were on what and where they could have been.

"Uhm…yes, I'm very pleased. It looks beautiful in here, and this also gives us a chance to just talk and be together." Her voice trembled a bit at the start but soon she found her confidence, and her voice slowly became more steady.

"I'm happy that you like it here. I really just want to spend time with you, no matter where we are," Georg said, then pulled his hand away as he noticed their waiter returning with their wine and appetizers.

Maria looked a bit weary at her wineglass, and when the waiter had left them alone again Georg asked: "Are you all right?"

"Well, it's just that I've never tried to drink wine before." She looked at Georg with worry in her eyes; would he think any less of her if she didn't drink wine? When she saw his surprise by her question, she quickly added: "It's not like I don't want to try, I'm just not certain that I'll like it all that much." She noticed his smile widen slightly, and she felt more at ease.

"It's all right, you just give it a try and then if you don't like it, just don't drink it," he stated, and nodded his head towards her glass of wine.

Maria took the glass and let the aroma of the wine fill her nostrils. It stung a bit, but it had a nice sweet fruity aroma as well. She shrugged her shoulders and raised the glass to her lips, and let the amber liquid into her mouth. The tiny sip she took tasted rather well in her opinion, though it did burn on the way down her throat. But she soon decided that she actually liked the wine very much. She took another larger sip, and then smiled at her husband, nodding her head, letting him know that she liked it. Georg laughed a bit and took the glass gently out of her hand.

"Please remember that drinking too quickly will cause you some dizziness." He chuckled a little when he saw her horrified expression. He quickly added: "It's all right; I just don't want you to get too tipsy. I do want you to feel well later tonight." He winked mischievously at her.

Maria thought about his words and what they meant, and when his true intentions were clear to her, she felt her face heat up rather quickly. She couldn't help but grin a little herself; of course they would be intimate later tonight, and she secretly looked forward to this too. She just nodded her head in consent, as she had no idea what she would say to him in response.

She was saved by the bell, so to speak, when their meals arrived to their table. So the next few minutes were spent in silence while they ate their dinner. Maria was a bit surprised at how relaxed and easy going her husband was during their meal. She gathered that he had dined in places even more refined and extravagant than this train's dining car. But for her it was a new experience, and she absorbed everything and tried to save as many memories that she could. She never wanted to forget this night, or this honeymoon all together.

When they both had eaten almost half their dinner, they started to talk again. Georg tried to make the conversation light and casual, hoping that it would help Maria feel more at ease. He had noticed how captivated she had been with the whole setting and where they were dining. It didn't take long for Maria to finally relax enough so she could speak with her husband about how things might be going at home. Soon they also talked about the various sights they both wanted to see while they were in Paris. At one point, Georg asked if she wanted to go out in the countryside for a couple of days, to see a real French wine château. Maria was delighted with this idea.

Soon, they had both finished their dinner, and Georg noticed that Maria looked thoughtful, as if she was trying to figure out what they would do now. Georg knew very well what he wanted, but he knew that being forward to a request like that out in the public might not help Maria lose some of her tension.

"So, did you enjoy your dinner?"

"Yes, very much. I had no idea one could eat such fine foods on a train ride." Maria sounded surprised and astounded by this fact.

"Ah, well, it sort of comes with the deluxe travel package that I bought for us. I wanted you to have the best, especially on our honeymoon" Georg explained and shrugged his shoulders; he didn't give much thought over such matters.

"Thank you," was her short reply. She didn't know what else to say; it was still a bit overwhelming for her to actually be on their honeymoon.

"You're welcome. So, what do you want to do now? We could eat the dessert, or we could make our way into the lounge car to have a glass of champagne to celebrate the beginning of our honeymoon and toast to a long and wonderful marriage." Georg thought it best to give her some options that didn't include them going to their compartment just now. The evening was still young, and they would have all the time in the world once they were in Paris.

"Oh, I would love to have a glass of champagne, I've never tried that." Her voice was excited, and she looked shortly at her glass of wine that was now only half filled. She had held back and only sipped her wine occasionally during their meal. She guessed one glass of champagne on top of that would be all right.

Georg noticed her looking at her wine glass and smiled knowingly at her when she looked up at him again. She smiled back and was relieved that he seemed to be pleased with her decision.

They rose from their seats and walked out of the dining car. On their way out, they were met by their waiter.

"I do hope everything was to your satisfaction, Captain?"

"Indeed it was, thank you for your service. Have a nice evening," Georg replied and took Maria's hand, and then they walked into the lounge car that was located right next to the dining car.

When they arrived, Maria noticed that other passengers had already moved into the lounge as well. Georg did a quick search and soon found a couch in a somewhat secluded corner; he motioned for Maria to follow him. When they were seated, they were soon approached by another waiter.

Georg ordered their glasses of champagne, and the waiter quickly came back with two long-stemmed glasses half-filled with the golden bubbling liquid.

Maria had taken the short waiting time to look around the lounge. It was furnished with plush couches and small round tables where the passengers could place their glasses of cognac, brandy, or whatever drink they might prefer. There was a middle-aged woman seated not far away from them that caught Maria's eye. Maria nodded in a silent greeting, and the woman did the same, though she did look rather snobbish if one would ask Maria. The woman sat next to a man that Maria assumed was her husband; he was engaged in a heated debate with another passenger about one thing or another. The woman did talk occasionally with another woman sitting close by, but she seemed bored out her mind.

Maria stopped looking the minute their glasses of champagne came. She thanked the waiter and turned slightly towards Georg. Her eyes shone with happiness as they toasted to their coming honeymoon and new life together. Georg smiled and motioned for her to take a sip of the champagne.

Maria let the golden liquid flow into her mouth. The bubbles tickled her mouth and she couldn't help smiling even more.

"Hmm, this tastes nice, no wonder Liesl is so impatient about tasting this," Maria mused and then added: "You do know that she'll soon be old enough to try this, and do other things that her siblings can't. She'll be a woman soon." She touched Georg's arm tenderly.

"I'm glad you like it." He nodded his head towards her glass, then he sighed a little: "And yes, I know our oldest is growing into a fine and wonderful young woman. I'm thrilled and thankful that you came and opened my eyes so I could see my children again." Georg gently took her hand that lay on his arm and squeezed it lightly. Then he raised their still joined hands to his mouth and gave her hand a quick kiss.

Maria was very much aware of where they were seated, and she couldn't help blushing slightly when she felt his warm mouth on her hand. Georg grinned knowingly, then he took her glass and placed both their glasses on the small table and then pulled her closer to him, so she had her head resting on his shoulder. Not knowing where to put her other hand, she placed it on his chest close to her chin.

Georg had his arm around her shoulder and fully enjoyed just sitting there with his wife, not really bothering with who saw them sitting so close or not. He felt her relax in his arms, and he was relived that she seemed more at ease about them showing the world they belonged together.

Maria relished in the warmth that surrounded her; Georg's arm that lay around her shoulder gave her a sense of security. She inhaled deeply and let her mind and body relax in his arms. Soon everything else but her husband seemed to fade away, and it was only them sitting on the couch.

Georg did his best to look calm and poised, but when he felt her hand begin to slide over his chest in slow circles he tensed slightly. He could only assume that the movement was done unconsciously, as he by now knew his wife well enough to know that she still would be very hesitant about showing any sign of public affection. He had seen how she had blushed when they had merely walked down the corridor of the train.

Nevertheless, her hand did not stop its journey over his chest, gently gliding over the fabric of his shirt. He was wearing a tie, but her small hand sneaked under the thin piece of clothing, finally stopping it's path. Georg held his breath, not sure what she was up to; he still believed her actions was unintentional so he kept himself quiet and did a quick scan of the room around them. No one seemed to have noticed where his wife's hand was at the moment, and he was relieved by this fact.

Her hand rested under his tie for several minutes, her fingertips still moving gently over his shirt, a caress that had him forgetting they were out in the public. The touch seemed innocent enough but his body and mind boiled with heat waves of passion. He marvelled at how this tiny touch could bring him on the edge so fast; he took a shallow breath and willed his body to calm down again.

Suddenly, he felt her hand shift slightly, and then her fingers found the small gap between two buttons, causing her fingertips to brush gently over his skin. This action caused him to gasp out loud and he quickly placed his hand over hers.

When Maria felt his hand on hers, she looked to where her hand was located and gasped out loud. She suddenly remembered just where they were and she quickly looked around.
To her dismay, the haughty lady she had previously greeted was now staring openly at them, with disapproval written all over her face.

Maria pulled her hand out of his grasp and hid her face in both her hands. When Georg noticed this, he too looked around and when he met the eyes of the lady sitting close by, he knew why his wife had acted so horrified. Her eyes told with no words that she disapproved very much off how close they where sitting and what they were doing.

Georg placed his other arm gently around Maria's shoulder, fully engulfing her in his embrace, as if making a statement to the lady that he by no means was sorry for what they were doing. He then continued to glare openly at her, as if daring her to speak one word. Suddenly, the woman found her companion very interesting, and she started to whisper things to the other lady. When she too started to look at Georg, he gave her the same glare and chuckled slightly. Oh, the obnoxious people that were present in the upper-class these days; he couldn't, and wouldn't, care less of whatever they thought about him.

When Maria heard him laugh she looked up at him with questions in her eyes. Whatever could be so funny at a moment like this? She was still horrified beyond words by her actions, and she could hardly see anything remotely funny about the situation. When Georg met her eyes, she saw the twinkle and mirth in them, and she couldn't help smiling at him. But she still raised a questioning eyebrow, wanting to know what he found so amusing.

"Darling," he whispered into her ear, not wanting the nosey ladies to hear what he spoke to his wife, "I think we should retire before those two," he nodded his head in the general direction of the women, "decide to get us kicked out of here."

Maria turned her head slightly and saw the women still looking at them, though it was in a more subtle manner.

"Oh, Georg, I'm so sorry for this, I didn't…I wasn't…oh, I don't know what came over me." Maria's voice trembled with worry and embarrassment over her actions.

"I do." When Maria only looked at him, puzzled when hearing this statement, he clarified: "I do know what came over you: the very same thing that has been on my mind the entire evening seeing you in that dress."

Maria was shocked by his words, and her mouth formed a silent "o" in astonishment over his rather blunt words. Her face turned crimson the second she fully registered what his words meant. That he too was looking forward for them to be alone. Georg chuckled over her shock, then rose and pulled her up with him. Sending a smile and a polite nod in the direction of the nosey ladies he walked out of the lounge cart with one arm wrapped around Maria's shoulders.