Author's notes: There is ::GASP:: sex in this chapter! It's not explicit, as per the rules. Hopefully it'll get a few hearts pumping.
Harold opened the door to his room and the pair stumbled inside, laughing but trying to keep their voices down. "Well, this it. It's not much" he said.
Melody looked around. The room was small with a bed, a small desk covered in papers, a chair, a small dresser. Melody smiled. "It's cozy," she said. "And we're alone."
Harold smiled. Thank God for that, he thought. He liked Melody's sister, but was glad to find himself alone with Melody.
Melody pulled out the desk chair and gratefully sat down in it. She pulled her grandmother's lacquered comb from her hair, allowing it to fall about her shoulders. She turned to look at Harold, who was smiling down at her.
"You're beautiful, Melody," he said sweetly.
Melody smiled. "Thank you. A lot of men said that to me before, but I feel like you really mean it."
"I do," he said. "You're the prettiest girl on this ship."
Melody felt herself blush. She stood up. "I had a really nice time tonight."
"So did I," said Harold. He stepped closer to Melody. "I hope you'll let me take you for a walk on deck tomorrow."
"I'd like that," said Melody, her smile widening.
They stood, staring into each other's eyes for a few moments before both of them burst out laughing.
"Oh God!" cried Melody, "I'm so sorry. Why am I so nervous?"
Harold laughed. "Same reason I am, I suppose."
"And what's that?"
"I don't know!"
They both continued to laugh until they forgot themselves, and Harold put his hands up to touch Melody's face. They stopped laughing. Harold leaned in and gently brushed Melody's lips with his own.
Harold pulled back to look at her, smiling, before he kissed her again, his hands slipping around her waist, moving slowly up her back. Their kissing became more intense, and Melody felt her heartbeat quicken.
Harold pulled back, gently guiding her to sit in the chair again. He knelt in front of her, slipping her shoes off and placing them under the desk. He smiled up at her, reaching for her again. Melody kissed him, allowing her hands to stray into his soft hair. She tugged at Harold's jacket, and he absentmindedly helped her slip it from his back.
Harold pulled back and looked at Melody, his expression nervous. "May I touch you?"
"Please," was all Melody could say.
He lay his hands softly on her shoulders and caressed the white skin above Melody's bodice softly, smiling up at her. His hands began roaming her body. Melody sighed. She reached back and began to unbutton her dress with an expert hand.
Harold broke the kiss, his eyes wide. "Melody?"
Melody smiled at him as she undid the last two buttons. She stood, reaching up to slip the dress from her shoulders. It slid to the floor with a whisper of satin, revealing the white corset underneath. Melody stepped out of it and smiled down at Harold.
Harold gasped, looking up at her. He stood and slipped his arms around Melody, kissing her once again. His hands went up her back, caressing her shoulders as he kissed her more passionately. Melody sighed, leaning into him. He kissed his way down her neck, exploring her flesh. She could feel the heat rising in his body and his hardness against her—it excited her.
Harold gently moved her toward the bed, backing her up to it until she hit it with the backs of her knees and was forced to sit down. Harold knelt and guided her to lean against him, his hands going for the laces on her corset. He carefully untied it and loosened the laces slowly, stroking her shoulder with his free hand and trailing his mouth along her neck. Melody let go of all control completely—in that moment she felt she could let him do anything he wanted as long as he held her while he did.
Soon the corset was loosened enough that Melody felt her body adjust to being released from it. She put her arms around Harold's neck and kissed him again, leaning into him. Her lips parted slightly, allowing him to slip his tongue inside, exploring her mouth.
Melody reached out to unbutton Harold's shirt. She parted the fabric, slipping it from his shoulders. Harold dropped his shirt onto the floor before removing his undershirt. His lean chest was pale and dusted with only a little hair. "Are you nervous?" he asked.
Melody smiled weakly. "Yes."
"So am I," he said, smiling back. He pulled Melody up so he could kiss her again. Harold's hands went to the busk of her corset, unhooking the front clasps. The corset slipped from her body and Harold dropped it to the floor. His eyes grew wide when he looked at her, sitting on his bed in only her remaining undergarments. Melody smiled, laying back against the pillows, cocking one arm behind her head. She still wore the long black ribbon tied about her throat, and she knew it drew attention to her sudden nakedness.
Harold chuckled. "You're teasing me."
"No I'm not."
"And how is that?"
"I'm staying here, aren't I? Teasing implies you won't get what you are after." She shot him a coy smile.
Harold smiled, his hands moving to her legs, rolling her stockings down and slipping them off. He carefully helped her remove the rest of her clothing before standing up and slipping off his shoes and socks, and then his trousers. He lay next to Melody on the bed, gently caressing her stomach with one hand. "Are you sure?" he asked.
Melody bit her lip nervously, but nodded.
Harold smiled and leaned in to kiss her again, pulling her close. Melody sighed at the touch of his skin. She was nervous, but she felt comfortable with him, so soon she was lost in the moment.
It wasn't like she'd imagined it would be. Up until now, she'd envisioned the quick release of the man's pent up energy that many of the girls at Momma's brothel had described. "Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am," one of them had said. Harold was not like that. He took his time, whispering sweet words to her and kissing her the whole time. It hurt a bit, and Harold squeezed Melody's hand and kissed her every time she gasped in pain. Soon the pain ceased and there was only pleasure.
Melody soon felt a rush of heat and tingling go shooting down her legs and she cried out. Harold soon followed, and she was taken aback by how beautifully expressive he was. He lay down next to her, holding her and murmuring her name. Melody smiled, her eyes closed, stroking Harold's chest absently with her fingers.
He raised his head. "That was beautiful."
She smiled. "It was."
He sighed and snuggled closer, wrapping his arms around her.
Melody smiled, her eyes still closed. "Harold?"
"Yes?"
"What will happen when we get to New York?"
Harold looked into her eyes. "I don't know."
Melody frowned. "Will I ever see you again?"
"I will see you. If you'll let me," he said. "Melody?"
"Yes?"
"I want you to be next to me always. For all time."
Melody smiled. "I'd like that."
"I'm serious," he said, sitting up. "Wait here." He got up and went to the desk, opening a drawer and fumbling through it until he found a small wooden box. He opened it and pulled something small out of it.
Melody smiled, admiring his lean, sensual frame. He came back to the bed and sat next to her.
"Melody, I never felt happier in my life before I met you. I've only known you a few days, but I've never been so sure of anything. Will you marry me?" He was holding a simple gold band between his fingers.
Melody's mouth fell open and she felt tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Harold . . . I . . ." she swallowed, wiping at her eyes. "Oh, yes."
Harold laughed joyfully, placing the ring upon her finger. He held her hand between both of his, smiling and looking into her eyes. "How do you feel about going to the captain tomorrow?"
"What? Why would we do that?"
He kissed her hand. "He can perform weddings."
Melody jumped a little. "Oh Harold, that's so soon."
"I know. I don't want to wait another day."
Melody smiled, the tears flowing openly. "Neither do I." She had never been so certain of anything.
Harold wrapped his arms around her. She leaned into him, kissing his neck, her hands running over the smooth skin of his back. He moaned a little at her touch. "I guess that means you are happy?"
"Oh yes," she sighed. "So happy."
"God, I love you," he whispered.
"And I love you," said Melody, her heart full.
He pulled back and kissed her, guiding her to lay down on the bed again. Soon they were moving against each other, sighing from pleasure. Harold took one of Melody's hands, moving onto his back and guiding her to sit up. She looked at him, confused.
He smiled at her. "Relax," he whispered. "There's another way." Melody sighed and allowed him to pull her into a sitting position across his body. They moved together slowly, and when it was over, they lay down and pulled the covers over, falling blissfully asleep soon after.
