I'm trying to juggle an awful lot of balls at the moment, none of which was planned, but sometimes life likes to keep you on your toes. I hope you're enjoying this and I'm posting a couple of chapters as I did for "Faith Hope and Love" to say "Thanks" for understanding. Your reviews are much appreciated and, currently, feel like little hugs when I need them most. XX

CHAPTER 3

The night air turned chill and damp as they lay in each other's arms along the window seat and Grace involuntarily shivered beneath the delicate satin coverlet in which they were wrapped. Her movement woke Roland who turned to nuzzle against her cheek.

"You're cold, darling. Let's go to bed."

He rose and closed the window, helping her up and walking, arms entwined around each other, to the bed. He pulled back the covers, eased her between the sheets and then joined her, pulling the blankets up and round them. Grace moved closer within his embrace, relishing his warmth, and pressed her lips to his chest, snuggling down to resume her sleep, but the gentle movement of his hands, stroking her back, served to place sleep firmly on the back burner. The lightness of his touch made her flesh tingle and instinctively she reached for him to return the caress. As they stroked one another, their mouths met in the silvery darkness, moving effortlessly, as if bringing one another to the heights of profound mutual passion was a familiar friend. He tore his lips away for a second, breathlessly confessing his feelings for her.

"Grace, my sweetheart, you've opened the door of love for me and I can see that, before tonight, I'd never stepped beyond the threshold."

She said nothing, for she could not think beyond the moment, overwhelmed as she was by her physical response to him, but she took his hand, kissed it and placed it against her, holding it fast, looking deep into eyes, which reflected the moonlight, so close that they shared breath. With a groan, his fingers slid home once more and he heard her sharp intake of breath, as she levered herself up, so that he could move more freely inside her. Her hands were either side of his face, as she drew his mouth to hers, once more, and undulated against him. As their kiss ended, he placed his lips against her ear whispering,

"You drive me wild with longing; you know that don't you?" His thumb skirted the raised flesh at the heart of her and she gasped with pleasure, expelling her reply with each moan that rose from deep within.

"If I do, it isn't intentional, but I want you so much. I want you to make love to me, to touch me, to fill me….."

Her words trailed off, as they sparked a purely physical response in him, and she could feel his hardness press against her, whilst he stroked her face and then moved on top of her to make love once more, saying her name like a mantra, over and over again, driven to savour the reality of the love he had felt for so long but which could only now be fully expressed. Grace wanted him fully as much and the impact of his words was like an intense emotional assault, one before which she willingly capitulated, opening herself to him, holding nothing back. As her legs parted, she felt an exquisite pressure followed by a sudden deep seated sensation of fullness as he entered her and started to move slowly, covering her body with his, even in the extreme grip of his passion, wanting to protect her. She raised her head from the bed, reaching for his mouth, needing him and pulling him down onto her, as her legs wrapped around him and her hips met his every thrust. Her mind was a whirl and she could think of nothing beyond the need to reach fulfilment together, matching his pace and rhythm, until she registered a change on a subliminal level. Seconds later, he lost control and his shout of completion merged with her name, while her accompanying cries as her body shuddered with the force of her climax, left her trembling like an aspen in the breeze, and it seemed to her that the darkness around them momentarily shimmered. He collapsed on top of Grace and she relished the pressure of his body on hers, as she ran her hands down his back. She felt alive.

As his body recovered, he gently nudged her head to one side and kissed her neck, murmuring the words of lovers for generations before them, leaving her in no doubt of his desire and love for her. He rolled over and took her with him, looking into her eyes as she lay along his body, peppering her face with tiny kisses finally settling on her mouth for moments of deeper, more sensuous caress. When rest came, they lay facing and holding each other, Grace's head safely tucked beneath his chin as he cradled her.

"I can't believe you're here, in bed with me. I've wanted you for so long, my love. I feel as if I've captured a moonbeam."

"Believe it; I'm here and I'm real."

"Oh, I know that you're real. My body would never respond this way for a product of my imagination."

"How do you know that? Did you imagine lying with me when we were in France?"

"What do you think?"

"If you were anything like me, I longed for you so much I would often lie awake and wish you would come into my tent and make love to me."

"Oh, Grace, the time we've wasted when we could have experienced the joy we now have."

"We didn't waste it, but perhaps we could have been more honest about our feelings despite the obvious barriers."

"We can't go back, we can only move forward. Come with me on the journey. It'll last a lifetime, if you'll have me."

"If not you, then no one else will do."

He held her closer than ever.

"It's selfish of me, but I'm glad. I never wanted you to love anyone but me and I had no right. I'd look at you while you worked in the office and pray that you wouldn't find anyone else. Can you forgive me?"

"Forgive you for loving me? Of course I can. If I'd known what you were thinking I might have been braver."

"Well, neither of us knew what the other felt or, perhaps we did, but were frightened of rejection."

"Which is why tonight is so special. We never expected this and yet here we are in your bed. We're lovers at last. I love you so much, Roland."

He nuzzled her neck and said, "I'll never give you cause to regret your decision, Grace. I'll love you forever, give you anything you want, and make you the centre of my world."

"I just need you, Roland, nothing else."

"I wish I was free so I could marry you, but I shall be one day."

"I told you, all I need is you, to feel your mouth on me, your arms round me and your body in mine. Nothing else matters. What makes you think I need marriage?"

"Don't you?"

"Not if I have you, but if you asked me, I might consider saying yes."

He could hear the gentle humour in her voice.

"Will you marry me when I'm free?"

There was no hesitation as she answered, "Yes, Roland, I shall."

She held him as she said this and he returned her embrace telling her he loved her.

"Grace, I don't have a household as such. Will you be able to manage?"

"Roland, think back. What did we have in France and did I cope?"

He smiled against her hair.

"Very little and, yes, you did."

"I've dreamt of living with you, of looking after you and satisfying your needs for years. Let me, please."

Laughing quietly he said, "You certainly satisfy my needs. I didn't realise how much they needed satisfying prior to tonight."

She playfully smacked his bottom with her free hand and he responded by seizing it and pinning it to the mattress above her head, while he bent to kiss the breast, which his actions had freed from beneath the bedclothes, sucking at the nipple which she was pressing into his mouth and then drawing it to point and releasing it, as he freed her hand. Grace's hands moved to hold his head as she very deliberately and sensuously kissed him, allowing her tongue to mesh with his.

"Satisfied?" she asked.

"Of making love with you? Never!"

They laughed together.

"So, will you let me look after you?"

"Yes, with pleasure. I do have a woman who comes in from the village to clean the house, change the linen and collect laundry. That would be a help wouldn't it?"

"Of course; especially as I'll be working at the hospital, " Grace answered.

"You don't have to work, Grace. I have enough to support both of us and to keep this house running."

"But I want to nurse and manage my staff; it's part of me and I've earned it. Anyway, I'd hardly see you, if I stayed here all day. It isn't going to change things, is it?"

"No, my darling, it doesn't change anything and it's true that we would see more of each other with you at the hospital, too. Are you sure you can manage me as well as work, sweetheart?"

Grace moved against him smiling, as she answered, "I'll enjoy trying to. Yes, I can manage you. I'm determined not to lose my professional role. Please, Roland, say you support me on this."

"I do support you; no one knows better than I just how good you are at your role. I just wanted you to have the chance to give up, if you wanted, and to simply be my partner."

"Oh, Roland, I won't pretend it isn't tempting and, I promise you, there is no choice between you and my work. You know I would choose you in an instant. Perhaps in time I could nurse only a few days a week, but right now I can't envisage not nursing."

The arms which held her tightened their hold in response to her words and his mouth sought hers again, kissing her fears away.

"When we marry, darling, you'll have to resign from QAIMS; they won't let us work together if you're serving."

"I know, but who knows what will happen between now and then?"

"Let's take things one day at a time and see how we feel as we move forward. You want to look after me and I want to look after you; we'll work it out together."

"You're everything to me," she said planting a gentle kiss on his mouth.

"And you are to me, Grace. We'll make it work, whatever you decide."

"Is your lady from the village coming this morning?"

"Yes, she will be."

"Then we should sleep then and rise early. I wouldn't want to scandalise her by being found in your bed!"

"Now there's a thought: Mrs Anderson walking in to find us sprawled naked amidst the bedclothes. Actually, not one I relish. Sleep tight, my darling. I'll be up early and I'll wake you."