Chapter 10

Scarlett held Spencer's hand as the followed Norie through the different exhibits. The girl danced along in front of them, stopping when something caught her interest, studying it for a moment before moving on to the next.

Norie soaked it all in like a sponge.

"Did you know that these dresses were actually worn by the first ladies?" Noreen told them as she bounced back towards them through the displays. "Some of this stuff is ancient…" she declared, tugging Scarlett's hand to show her through the dresses.

"Can you imagine having to get dressed in the morning and have to put on all the layers of clothes? Bustles and petticoats, stockings and corsets? Every single day?" Scarlett said in a loud whisper.

"No, not me…" Norie giggled. "I would have been running around in just the bloomers…" she laughed.

Scarlett let the little girl take her hand, walking together through the other sights. Spencer followed them, watching their interaction, enjoying their fun.

They stopped at different spots between them, randomly studying some of the exhibits until the museum announced it was closing.

Norie took one more picture of the display before her as they headed out of the museum.

"There was so much to see," she exclaimed, scanning through the pictures on her phone. "I don't think I got everything," she shook her head in disappointment.

"We'll come back another time…" Spencer promised her. "And they change some of the exhibits at different times, so there is always something new to see…"

They walked to the car, listening to Norie's excited chatter the entire way. Spencer looked back in the rearview mirror as they headed home, seeing the little girl's head droop slightly as she fell asleep.

"I think she's worn out," Spencer mentioned to Scarlett, nodding towards the back seat.

Scarlett looked back, shaking her head. "I think you are right…" she responded, yawning.

"She's not the only one…" he laughed.

"No… I'm exhausted," Scarlett admitted. "It's been a lot to take in…" she told him, scooting over as much as the seatbelt would allow and laying her head against his shoulder. "And I didn't get much sleep last night," she reminded him.

Spencer kissed her forehead. "All part of my evil plan…" he teased. "I'm glad you both had fun…"

"Did you?" she asked sleepily, her eyes drifting closed.

Spencer sighed, looking down at her. "More than you can imagine," he told her softly.

Scarlett woke when she heard the car door open.

"Come on sleepy head," she heard Spencer's voice at her ear as he pulled her from the car.

"Norie," she mumbled, pressing her cheek against his shoulder.

"Is already in bed," he told her, kissing her forehead as he carried her up to the apartment. "Now it's your turn…"

Scarlett held on to his neck, listening as the door opened and closed. "You don't have to carry me inside…" she protested.

Spencer chuckled lightly as he lay her down on their bed.

"You are already inside, crazy girl…" he told her. "Go back to sleep," he grinned, kissing her softly.

"Mmm-hmm…" she mumbled, turning her face in to her pillow. She heard him moving around the room.

Spencer tugged her boots off, pulling her arms from her coat and removing the rest of her clothes, stripping her to her underwear, while she continued to sleep heavily. He undressed also, and stretched out alongside her, watching her.

Scarlett turned, moving closer to him. He settled against her, tracing his fingers along her skin, memorizing every detail of her face. He touched some of the freckles along her cheeks and studied the wrinkles on the bridge of her nose.

"Is this still part of your evil plan?" she mumbled, opening one eye to look over at him.

Spencer chuckled. "Yep. Go back to sleep…" he teased.

"Are you going to stare at me all night?" she asked with a yawn. She stretched like a cat beside him, linking her legs through his.

"Absolutely," he told her, kissing the furrow on her brow.

Scarlett slipped back into a dreamless sleep, her mind drifting. He watched her eyes track under her lids, as he studied her closer.

Spencer rose up on his elbow so he could see her better. He touched her hair, spreading it out along the pillow behind her like a fan. When his arm brushed against her breasts accidentally, she sucked in a surprised breath and arched towards his touch.

He stopped moving, looking down at her face again. She still slept, her body reacting involuntarily. He gave a self-satisfied smile.

Holding himself up on his arms, he leaned over her, careful not to touch her. He brushed his lips lightly over hers, not quite touching them. When Scarlett moaned, his body reacted and he stole the sound from her mouth.

Spencer pulled away, heat building in the air between them. He watched the perspiration bead up on her flesh, his breath raising goose bumps on her skin. She arched up, trying to reach his heat, but he pulled back, avoiding contact.

He pursed his lips, blowing lightly across breasts, grinning slightly as her nipples puckered under his breath. She whimpered, twisting under him.

Scarlett felt like her senses were being overwhelmed. She tried to clear her foggy brain, reaching for Spencer, feeling her blood start to simmer. When she didn't find him at her side, she opened her eyes, meeting his hazel ones directly.

Spencer saw the confusion move across her face for a split second before her eyes met his and wrinkled at the corners in a sleepy smile.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly, lifting her hand lazily to rub at her eyes.

"Watching you," he whispered. She shivered as his words touched her skin.

"Still?" she questioned. "Having fun?"

"Yes," he told her. "And yes… so shush," he grinned, blowing across her skin, trailing his breath from the hollow of her throat, down to the valley between her breasts. He heard her drag in a sharp breath and she reached for him. He pulled away from her hands.

"Stay still," he whispered, his words moving across her stomach making her muscles contract. Scarlett shivered slightly, moving her hands to her sides, gripping the sheets. She pressed her lips together tightly, biting back the whimper in her throat.

Spencer watched as her skin twitched under his breath, hearing the small mewling sound rise in her chest. His own blood burned, his body aching to give in and touch her, but he held back.

Instead, he spoke softly, brushing words across her skin erotically.

"And so that night, they danced on Air, as he dreamt about his maiden fair.

The sun, so jealous, cast its Light, chasing her image back from his sight.

So know my Lover, when darkness falls, it is my Soul to which yours calls.

When again we will dance, to spite the sun… you and I, our souls, will be as One…"

Scarlett felt every word touch her skin, igniting a fire that she struggled to contain.

"Spencer…" she panted his name as he moved back up to look down into her face. She saw his eyes burning with his own need, and it took her breath away. She grabbed at the words he'd spoken, trying to use them as an anchor to concentrate on, instead of the need boiling inside.

He watched her fighting for control, and it made him smile.

Scarlett cleared her throat. "I don't remember ever hearing that poem," she said, trying to keep her voice even.

Spencer shook his head. "You couldn't have. I just made it up now, while I was watching you," he told her.

Scarlett heard the words repeat once again in her mind, his voice filling her head, his breath moving across her skin… she drew in a ragged breath as her body took over, and a climax ripped through her.

Spencer saw the change in her eyes, watched the blush warm her skin as she cried out under the intensity of the orgasm. He covered her mouth with his, muffling the sound, his own body screaming for release.

Scarlett felt his lips move over hers, tasting her, as the heat ran through her. She gasped for a breath, wrapping her arms around his neck and threading her fingers through his hair. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, nudging her back a little so he could look into her eyes.

The red that stained her chest and neck had started to fade, and her green eyes were now heavy lidded and sated. He pressed another kiss to her cheek, feeling the flush of heat still there, her skin slightly damp from the exertion.

She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, meeting his lips gently now, as he lowered his body against hers finally. Scarlett felt his heat scorch her skin.

"You…" she breathed the word out heavily. "Only you could shatter me with words…" she told him, her eyes locked to his. "You are my soul mate, Spence…" she whispered, brushing her lips along his as she spoke.

Spencer couldn't stop the growl that rumbled deep in his chest. Her words, the feel of her body, now so soft and pliant under his, was too much to deny. He shifted, entering her, his heart stuttering against his ribs as his body reacted almost immediately. He tried to fight against it, to hold back…

"Don't," she whispered. "Just, feel…" she told him, as she gently brushed her lips against the sensitive spot behind his ear.

He didn't move; he just took in everything around him, using all his senses to feel the moment. The growl turned into a moan as he felt the heat build, burning through him as he felt her surrounding him.

Scarlett ran her fingers across his back as his muscles twitched. She didn't move either; only turning her head slightly to meet his eyes. The heat that consumed him burned there, making his eyes look brighter. She locked her gaze with his.

"Come for me, farm boy…" she whispered heavily, her voice throaty with need.

Spencer felt her words, the sound of her voice, rip through him. He bowed back, burning, burying himself deeper into her warmth as he found his release. He bit his lips together as he cried out, trying not to make noise, creating a strangled sound in his throat. He dropped back down on top of her as his body gave out, unable to move. Neither of them spoke.

Scarlett closed her eyes, breathing in deeply, taking in his scent, letting it fill her memory. His hair was slightly damp at his temples as she turned her head to press a kiss there. Spencer grunted trying to move his weight off of her.

"No," she whispered. "Stay…"

Scarlett ran her hands down his hair and across his shoulders, stroking his skin gently. He settled against her, his ear pressed over her heart. He heard her voice vibrate under his cheek.

"I love you, Spence…"

He locked the sound of her voice into his memory. When she pressed her lips against his hair, he felt her breath on his skin and he sighed.

He moved up just a bit to nuzzle his face into the crook of her neck. He kissed her throat lightly.

"As I love you…" he responded, cuddling into her.

Scarlett brushed her fingers through his hair, kissing his forehead. She felt his weight shift against her as he drifted off. She held him close as she fell asleep herself.