On Pasts and Presents: Chapter 7

Brandon realized he was holding his breath when it finally dawned on him what Marianne was asking. So far those few precious stolen moments of privacy and intimacy they had had with each other had been more or less thrust upon them by unexpected opportunity. Some, he had to admit, he had orchestrated to the best of his ability. This time, it was once again an opportunity that had presented itself, but for the first time it was Marianne who had voiced that mutual affection and (dare he think it?) desire they had silently communicated to each other for some time now. He shouldn't be so surprised by her initiative, though: this was his beautiful, and brave Marianne, after all!

Forcing himself to breath again, however shaky that breath was, Christopher Brandon lifted his trembling hand to Marianne's cheek. He had, without thinking, dropped his reigns long ago but that did not matter – his horses seemed perfectly happy to have found their way to the lush bank of grass by the roadside and were not about to move. A delightful blush took hold of Marianne's cheeks as his hand touched her face and she leaned her head so his touch would be on her cheek even firmer. Seeing her reaction and understanding that it was his presence and his touch that affected her so strongly gripped his heart so tightly he was no longer sure if he could breath again after all. What ever he had done in this life to deserve the affections of this girl, this beautiful young woman, he could not tell, but he was not going to refuse this most exquisite gift life had seen fit to bestow upon him.

Their eyes never broke contact as Marianne, too, lifted her hand to his face, stroking his cheek and jawline so tenderly. What their eyes were communicating to each other in this moment was so much more than either would have been able to put into words. Taking hold tighter with the arms they already had around each other, the pair inched closer to each other. Tightly.

"Marianne…" he whispered, closing the distance between them.

The kiss was hot and tender at first, but very soon the tentative exploration gained momentum and became a more confident communication between the two. Brandon tightened his hold around Marianne's waist when he felt her fingers in the nape of his neck, pulling him against her even harder. Brandon was not able to hold back a moan that accompanied the surge of blood to his nether regions.

Good God this woman had awakened his longing for physical closeness in full. She made him want her touch, her nearness – her everything – in ways that Brandon had thought were long denied him. He had lost his first love such a long time ago and despite any human contact he may have had since, he had convinced himself that such vigorous current of life was no longer in the books for him. He would have been happy and settled for loving intimacy of any level with this woman in his arms, but the roaring fire she lit in him was more than he had ever experienced.

Still, however much she turned him on this very moment Brandon was not going to let her feel the very physical manifestation of his feelings. He would not subject her to the awkwardness of showing her his desire when they were not in a position to carry out anything more than this kiss. Even this kiss was too much, but Brandon could not bring himself to deny this little glimpse of heaven from himself. There would be the right place and time for more when they finally married. And if Marianne's sighs and the force at which she pulled him to her were anything to go by, the heat he felt was not one sided.

But by gods did she feel like heaven to him. Her lips soft but still as determined as his, her taste, her scent – how was he going to survive until the wedding? The way she responded to his touch reassured him of their love and their compatibility. To marry her and to love her was more than he had ever dared to dream. Brandon would have been happy to stay there, with her, for the rest of his life like that, but reality in the form of need to breath claimed its own back and the lovers lips parted.

"Christopher…" she managed to gasp and their eyes met again.

"Marianne, I love you so much," Brandon said the only coherent words he had at this moment. He could not have meant it more.

"And I love you… Can we not get married sooner?" Marianne then responded with a little smirk of a smile. Christopher smiled back. They were still holding each other in close embrace, unwilling to let go. He let his forehead rest against her and reached further just enough to exchange one more light caress of lips with her.

"How I wish that too, dearest," he then replied in a soft and gentle voice, and continued:

"But I doubt if we're granted that luxury. Holding on to the memory of this moment will have to carry me until then."

Marianne smiled at him, still keeping their heads together and faces close. She reached up and gave him a light kiss on the lips.

"It will have to carry me, too, my love, but perhaps we can visit Beth and explore your estate on our own again meanwhile?"

Brandon merely nodded and smiled as he collected the reigns. As frustrating it was to wait, this moment would help the wait.