Woken by the sun's beaming rays that heated her face, Scarlett turned her body towards Rhett's side of the bed expecting to be greeted by his warm body, but instead she found herself lying face-down on the icy and empty sheets. Abruptly, Scarlett opened her eyes and sat up, fully realizing that she was alone. Although uncertain as to why, she felt a stab of anxiety and nervousness overwhelm her. If he'd gone again, she wouldn't forgive him. It was one thing to leave her for no reason when she at least knew about it, but it was something completely different if he ran away in the middle of the night without any explanation. Hatred began to penetrate into her heart where not two minutes before had she wished to open her eyes to his handsome face.
Before she had time to act on any of the ploys of revenge which were circling through her mind, Rhett sauntered into the room carrying a breakfast tray in his hands and the frown on her face curved into a smile. He smiled warmly in return when he saw how her face lit up at his entrance, brought the tray over to the bed, and laid it down in front of her. He then took her face gently in both of his hands and gave her what she thought would be a quick peck but what turned into a long passionate kiss, and she was faintly disappointed when he eventually pulled away. When he saw the look on her face he wanted to laugh, but he managed to hold it in. He would have gladly taken her right then and there, but he controlled himself because there were a few things he still had planned for Scarlett and some things he needed answers to before he would allow his emotions to take over him.
"I was hoping you'd still be asleep by the time I got back," Rhett said sitting down next to her on the bed.
"You were?" she answered softly, looking down at the tray and noticing the freshly picked white and violet iris.
"Well I didn't want you to wake to find that I wasn't there, thinking god knows what."
He was grinning but she didn't notice because she refused to look at him.
"I didn't think anything of it," she mumbled while playing with the stem of the flower.
Chuckling he responded, "When will you learn that you are a terrible liar Scarlett. So what was it then? I'm quite curious actually. Why did you think I'd gone, obviously you did not think it was to fetch your breakfast."
"I didn't know why. I just was surprised that you were gone."
"I suppose you were relieved to see me walk back into room," he said while placing his hand on hers, the one that was still fiddling with the flower.
She finally looked at him and caught him smiling charmingly, and she couldn't help but smile back at him.
"I was, until now," she teased.
"Oh don't say that," he said then laughed, lifting her dainty white hand up to his mouth, running his lips over each and every finger before turning it over and placing soft kisses in the palm of her hand.
She shivered slightly at his electric touch, wanting to pull her hand away when his lips travelled up to her wrist, for fear that he would notice how her pulse quickened.
Between kisses he said, "And what do you think of the breakfast I've brought you?"
"I love it," she answered cheerfully; grateful that he was changing topics and hoping he would release her arm so that she could think more clearly, which was relatively impossible when he kissed her tenderly like this.
"Do you?" he said then chuckled. "And what about the flower I picked just for you? You know, I believe you're the only woman I've ever picked flowers for."
"It's lovely Rhett. You really went and picked it just for me?" she said her green eyes glistening.
"Only for you," he murmured, still caressing her hand and the inside of her arm.
Scarlett was slightly confused by his behavior. Although there were those times where he was loving and tender, he never went out of his way to say how he felt. In fact, he often kept his true emotions under tight rein, so she wondered why he was being so open with her now. She decided that perhaps he felt guilty for what he'd done the other day and was trying to make amends for his unwarranted overreaction.
Pulling his lips away from her creamy skin, he looked her in the eyes in that same penetrating way and asked, "And what about the person who brought you your breakfast and that flower? What do you think about him?"
She bit her lip nervously and lowered her gaze as she felt the apples of her cheeks grow warmer.
He was trying to give her an opening to tell him how she genuinely felt because he truly needed to hear those words said to him, intentionally, more than anything he'd ever needed or desired before. He was still puzzled as to why she had tried to keep her love concealed because she was the type of woman who went after what she wanted, so he assumed pride prevented her from acknowledging her true feelings just as it did him. Even though he knew that if he told her how he felt that she would probably admit the same in return, there was still that little voice at the back of his mind telling him that the moment he told her he loved her, she would use it like a whip over his head and no longer want him anymore. By luring her into confessing, which he fully intended on accomplishing, he could still maintain the upper hand.
Eventually, Scarlett looked back at him with a girlish grin and answered, "I think he's darling. I only wonder how long it will last this time."
He laughed loudly in response, thinking that she was going to make this much harder for him than he previously thought. Finally releasing her arm and picking up the fork on the tray, he began feeding her breakfast like he would a child. He would have to think up some other clever methods into getting Scarlett to confess her true feelings.
During their morning together, the conversation was kept light and carefree, mostly because Rhett was preoccupied with finding other tactics at enticing Scarlett to profess her love and because their train for Atlanta was leaving early that afternoon, so they still had last minute packing to do which did not leave much time for heartfelt discussions. Before leaving the hotel, Rhett noticed that Scarlett placed the iris he'd given her in one of her bags and he wanted to kiss and tell her how much he loved her right then and there, but he couldn't because he had to wait for the most opportune moment and to stick to his original plan. She needed to say it first, and he couldn't allow himself to change his mind.
While in their private cart on the train to Atlanta, Rhett planned on telling Scarlett that he would be building them a house and that they would be living in the National Hotel bridal suite until their home was completed. He hoped she would be delighted by the news because there was no way in hell that he was living under the same roof as her aunt Pitty. He was genuinely pleased by how thrilled she was when he told her the news, both finally agreeing on something, and then he was equally horrified when she told him what kind of home she wanted built.
"You really want a house like that?" he asked, hoping he could somehow persuade her to change her mind because this was not at all the kind of home he wanted to be living in.
"Oh yes! I want everyone who's been mean to me to be pea green with envy," she said with a sparkle in her eyes at the thought of how jealous people would be of her home.
"Don't you think they are envious enough as it is? You did after all marry the wealthiest bachelor in Atlanta. There's no need to rub it in their faces," he said with a grin.
She rolled her eyes. "You? If anyone is jealous it's all those men who were just waiting for the chance to court me until you came along and—"
"Whisked you away before they had the chance," he interrupted quickly, laughter clearly lingering in his voice. "I have no doubt about that," he finished, taking her hand gently in his and rubbing his thumb along the back of it.
She cleared her throat nervously and contemplated pulling back her hand.
"Do you not like my ideas for our home?" she asked trying to ignore what he was doing to her hand.
"No, but if this is what you want you shall have it. However, did you not also want to be a great lady? This would not be the way to go about it."
"Whatever are you going on about?" she asked carelessly.
"Do you think the old guard wants to be reminded of their poverty and our ill-gotten money? Flaunting our wealth will only be a constant reminder to them as to why we are scalawags, and as it is, we'll be lucky if we aren't spit upon."
"How you do run on," she said, barely listening to his words. "I don't care what they think of me, but if you don't like my ideas, maybe we could come to a compromise."
"A compromise?" he said with a raised brow.
"Well, it'll be our home. You should like it too I suppose."
He laughed loudly then kissed the back of her hand, tickling her with his mustache.
"You are a constant joy to me. You never seem to stop surprising me."
She only responded by giving him a satisfied smirk.
It was late that evening by the time they reached their destination and hotel room. During the length of their train ride, Rhett hadn't tried any attempts at getting her to confess her love because he had a strategy that he planned on putting in motion tonight. When they got into the hotel room, Rhett opened up one of his bags and handed Scarlett a wrapped package. Ecstatic, she grabbed it out of his hand and was about to open it until he stopped her.
"I want you to put that on tonight, in the other room, after I help you undress."
She blushed, not knowing what exactly she would have to wear for him, but she nodded her head in agreement and allowed him to help her undress, slightly shivering in anticipation and anxiety as he unlaced her.
Rhett was sitting on the bed, waiting for Scarlett to emerge from the other room, and when she did, he took in a quick breath and muttered, "My god," under his breath.
She came out of the room in a sheer white silk nightgown that clung to all her curves, flowed out at her hips, and ended above the knee. This was definitely the most revealing thing she'd ever worn, and she felt vaguely uncomfortable standing in front of him as he watched her with that hot leaping light in his eyes.
He walked over to her and placed both his hands on her bare shoulders and whispered, "You're stunning," before running his hands up her exposed neck until he had her face in his hands and then drawing her in for a kiss.
Her eyes closed and her hands instinctively went around his neck, pulling him closer to her, but then his lips broke away from hers and travelled down her neck.
"Scarlett, I need you to tell me," he whispered into the side of her neck between feather-light kisses.
"What?" she asked, not really listening because she was overwhelmed by this warm tide.
"I need you to tell me how you feel about me," he implored softly, still exploring her neck with his lips.
"I don't know what you mean," she answered, running her hands through his hair and suddenly finding his arms wrapped around her waist.
His hands went up into her hair and he began pulling out the pins until her raven locks came cascading down wildly around her shoulders as he said, "Tell me why, when I run my hands through your hair, your breath catches in your throat."
Her heart was pulsating so quickly she was sure he could hear it, and she moved her hands away from his hair to grip his shoulders to steady herself.
"Tell me why your heart races when I kiss your neck," he murmured as his lips then moved up her neck to right below her jaw where he could feel her pulse beating rapidly, the warmth of his breath burning her skin. "Or tell me why you shudder involuntarily when I touch you," he continued, sliding one hand from her waist down her thigh.
"Rhett…please," she whispered.
"Scarlett, you need to tell me."
She opened her eyes reluctantly to look up at him.
"You know… don't you?" she asked, panicking internally.
Feigning ignorance he said, "What is it that I know?"
"Oh god," she sighed, realizing it was all over.
"I need to hear you say it," he murmured, his heart racing excitedly in anticipation for her declaration.
"Rhett I… can't," she mumbled, her voice cracking at the end.
Pulling her body in roughly, he kissed her passionately and her lips melted in that instant. Her body was molded to his, and her breathing came in sporadic gasps when his lips moved away and lay poised just above hers.
"Don't you know how I feel about you? Do you know how long I've been waiting for this day Scarlett? How long I wanted to be the face you saw when you closed your eyes and not—tell me," he said huskily. "Tell me before I—"
"I love you," she said looking up at him and running her fingers over his cheek with affection.
Rhett drew in a deep breath, and before she knew what was happening, she was being lifted into his arms and carried over to the bed.
He was straddled on top of her, brushing his lips all over her exposed and shivering skin, running his hands all over her body, and pulling at the fabric of her dress when he implored, "Say it again."
She giggled. "I love you."
His lips found hers again and she grew faintly worried that he would not say it back to her, but then his lips broke away from hers once more and he was looking down at her with the light dancing in his dark eyes, his usual carefully placed mask nowhere in sight.
"I love you Scarlett. I loved you the moment I saw you at Twelve Oaks. I've loved you for so long and I only hoped—I never thought you would— I loved you for years before I finally got you. I love you so much, and I would have killed Frank Kennedy if he hadn't died when he did, just to have you."
Stunned by his words, Scarlett lifted her back up from the bed and placed both her hands gently on the sides of his face. She knew how much it hurt to love someone who didn't love you back, or in this case, who you thought didn't love you back, but she could not imagine how it must have felt spending years aching that way.
For the very first time, Scarlett shakily initiated a kiss then murmured "Rhett, show me how you feel," and grinning, his heart beating out of his chest, he eagerly complied.
Sorry this took me longer than I expected, but I hope it was worth the wait ;) By the way, I just wanted to let you know that there will be more to this story.