A/N: So, I really have to apologize for those who are looking for an update to "Marriage is Just…" I have two different chapters started for that … but obviously not finished. And I REALLY need to beg for forgiveness for anyone waiting for "Love of a Lifetime" (though I doubt many of them are reading this too). What can I say? Alice and Tarrant shout the loudest these days.
Anyway… This takes place once the family returns from saving the Hightopps.
It had been a long day. A very, very long day and a stressful one at that. We had travelled back in time, dodged several firey bullets and rescued Tarrant's family. Not bad for a day's work.
All I really wanted to do was watch the children sleep for a bit and then fall into bed myself.
But Tarrant had different plans.
After changing from our armor, pulling on some simple clothes, watching our little dears sleep for a while and thinking about just how blessed we are, we wandered back to our bedroom.
I hadn't even begun to remove the top I had on, when I was suddenly pushed against the wall.
"Hatter!" I screeched in surprise.
"Yes, love?" he whispered as a hand snaked up my top.
"What on earth are you doing?"
"Beloved, we have two children and you have two almost full rooms of hats, I would think by now you would know what I am doing." His calloused hands began roaming all over my chest as his mouth latched on to my neck. I would definitely need something with a collar tomorrow to hide the mark he was deliciously making.
I moaned in spite of myself. "Fine, I know what you're doing. But shouldn't we … ahhh … get some sleep?"
"Sleep is for the weak and for couples who don't need to celebrate," he said as he switched sides of my neck.
"Well, I understand you want to celebrate, but is now really good? You're full of emotions right now and –"
"Alice, sweetness, I love you dearly, more than life itself, but do shut up," he said before claiming my mouth with his own.
Only one person in this realm or any other could tell me to shut up without repercussions. And only when he was doing these amazing things.
He kissed me without abandon, as if he was trying to put every drop of love, gratitude and adoration for me into that kiss. It was brutal and loving, all at the same time. His hand was stroking my breasts, while his other wound into my hair.
I prayed the children would be fast asleep as he kissed and nipped my neck, and circled my nipples with his thumb (for once, without a thimble).
"Tarrant," I moaned.
"Alice, you are amazing. You are perfection. You are nothing I could even come close to dreaming of. You are my life and my world and my heart…" He paused, catching his breath, trying to avoid slipping into a ramble. "There is no one who can do what you do to me. Yeh're th' very life blood w'thin my veins."
The Outlandish burr began to cover his words, just fueling my excitement of being pinned against the wall by this man.
"Yeh make my life balanced, yeh ken tha' don' yeh?"
I wanted to smile at him and tell him that I did know, but instead, I had a better idea. "Aye love, Ah ken wha' yeh mean. Yeh're th' center o' my world, Tarrant. Mah addiction."
Hearing me try to have my own accent threw him over the edge. He roughly grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. My fingers clutched his hair and I kissed him as hard as I could.
He continued to caress my chest, one breast for each hand. Alternating between palms and thumbs, I was blissfully lost in his ministrations.
"Oh, Tarrant …"
Soon enough, one hand abandoned my chest and began pulling my skirt up.
He gasped, breaking our kiss, when he found what I wasn't wearing under that skirt.
"And yeh dinnae wan' teh celebrate," he said with a raised eyebrow.
I rolled my eyes and breathlessly replied, "In my defense, I only tossed these clothes on after changing out of the armor. I wasn't expecting anything like this."
"Doesnae matta'. Ah'm lovin' it either way."
I took that break as an opportunity to get the shirt off of him immediately. The motion just made his hair all the more unruly and that just made me all the more excited.
He pressed me against the wall even harder as he lowered his mouth to my breast. He nipped, sucked and licked until I was biting my tongue to keep from screaming.
"Oh, cricket, 'ow Ah wish yeh coul' be makin' th' noises Ah wan' yeh teh be makin' … screamin' e'en."
"You know what they sound like," I whispered. "Imagine me screaming your name. Moaning my pleasures. I love you, Tarrant."
He groaned. "Sweetness, Ah love yeh more than Ah can say."
Hatter returned to what he was doing to my breasts and I sighed in delight. As his mouth continued at my chest, his hand pulled my skirt up again and slipped a finger down my folds.
My head made a thunk against the wall as I tossed it back. I could feel him grinning wickedly against me.
He dropped to his knees in front of me and kissed my belly, never stopping the gentle stroking of my womanhood. I moaned again and was rewarded with the sight of him looking up at me with deep emerald eyes. I knew what would happen soon. These were the nights where the madness came out to play a bit as well. I never cared. In fact, I relished it a bit. I had absolute faith that Tarrant would never, ever hurt me, so it made me a little hot and bothered when it did happen.
The rakish smile on his lips told me everything I needed to know. It was a warning. Turn back now if you don't want this. As if I would turn it away! I gave a slight nod and his other hand held my hip tightly to the wall.
We locked eyes as the teasing finger entered me. I could barely blink as I was entrapped by his face. The gold flecks grew a bit, but never to a solid color. Tarrant had control, but he was relinquishing some of it to the mad side. His grin grew larger as another finger joined the first and the sinful feeling of him gliding them in and out of me was building fast.
"My luv, yeh're so wet fer me," he growled.
"See what you do to me…" I panted.
"Aye," he replied, still never breaking the eye contact.
I began to quiver and I knew I wasn't going to last long.
"Shall Ah 'elp th' lady out?" Hatter asked.
I knew he wanted me to beg. It was something he did often, but especially in times with the madness in play. There was a time where I would have found it demeaning and misogynistic, but with Tarrant, I didn't mind. We were very give and take in the bedroom and if it was what he wanted, then it was an easy wish to grant. He certainly gave to me as well.
"Yes, Tarrant, please. Oh please."
"Tha's mah girl." He circled the sensitive nub with his thumb and everything that was building was suddenly crashing around me.
Quick as lightning, he was on his feet and kissing me, yet still stroking, taking my scream of pleasure into his own mouth.
I slumped forward a bit and he caught me easily.
"Easy, lass. Don' wan' yeh teh pass out yet. Ah'm no' done wit' yeh yet."
He swept me into his arms and carried me to the bed. The perfect gentleman, even in situations like this, he gently laid me on the bed.
"May I 'ave yehr skirt, lass?"
"If I can have your pants, then yes."
"Fair 'nuf."
He pulled the skirt quickly down my legs and shoved his own pants down before I had a chance to do it myself. I noticed there was nothing underneath his pants.
"Now who was ready to celebrate?" I teased.
"Well, m'dear, Ah'll admit that Ah did have th' ulterior motive fer no' wearing mah shorts. An' lucky me, mah plan is comin' toget'er. Quite nicely, Ah migh' add."
"Tarrant, are you going to boast about your motives and plans, or are you going to follow through with them and take me?"
I saw his eyes briefly flash all gold for just a moment. Apparently I had excited the madman as well.
"Yeh wan' me teh take yeh, eh?"
"Please, Tarrant! This is all for you. You've got emotions now that I wouldn't begin to know how to deal with. If this is what you need, then take what you need from me."
"Ah don' deserve such an angel as yehrself."
"We'll argue about that later. Right now, I need you. I want you and, frankly, I will have you one way or another."
"Is tha' wha' yeh think? Well, far be it from meh teh leave a lady disappointed." He pulled my legs apart quickly and settled in between them. He kissed me hard and moved down my throat.
"Mah luv," he murmured. "Ah fear things may get a wee bit rough tonight. Are yeh up fer tha'?"
"I'm up for whatever challenge you have."
"Is no' a challenge. It's a promise."
Before I knew it, he was sucking and caressing my breasts again. Alternating between gentle bites and hard licks was making me almost go mad.
Tarrant reached between us again and smirked. "Alice, yeh do wonders fer a man's self esteem. Ah luv 'ow wet Ah get yeh. Meh and only meh."
"Only you, Tarrant. For always."
His fingers began to pump within me again.
"More," I purred.
"Oh, yeh'll be gettin' more." He positioned himself on his knees and before I knew it, his fingers were gone, my legs were hooked over his shoulders and he staring down at me.
"Are yeh sure yeh're all right?" he asked.
I couldn't even speak an answer. He smiled a victor's smile and before I could say anything, he had filled me swiftly.
The cry of his name escaped before either of us could catch it from my mouth. He braced himself and began to move hard, fast and deep within me.
I panted and he moaned. I bit my thumb and he bit his lip. We were both so close but definitely couldn't scream the way we wanted to. I fear we would have woken the entire castle.
Tarrant sat back a bit on his knees and spread mine. He kept a hand on each one and resumed his thrusting, only this time, even deeper. I began to muffle my moans, but I desperately wanted to shout and scream.
Just then, Hatter ran a hand down my thigh and right to the bundle of nerves that was practically pulsating. A few well timed touches and I burst, taking him along with me.
After a moment to catch our breaths, he sat back completely and let my legs drop.
"Well, that was unexpected," I joked.
"Teh yoo, maybe," he said with a smile.
I giggled and closed my legs as he moved to lay next to me. "Though, I'll be feeling this one tomorrow. Ugh."
"I hurt you?" he said in a panicky tone, the brogue instantly gone.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
"Tarrant. I'm fine. I loved each and every bit of that. Now, I just need a bath, that's all." I stood up and began to walk to the washroom. I turned back and asked over my shoulder, "Care to join me?"
Like I had to ask. Before I knew it, he was ahead of me on the way to the bath.
A great day with a fantastic ending.
