A/N: Um, so I was so inspired by the new Cobert picture(s) - and a fangirling session with modernamericangirl - that I did a thing...
He held her close to himself, dancing with her, her red dress reminding him of one so long ago on their honeymoon. Of course, then the dress had been much different – but the color still brought him back to those days when they'd been first married.
She enchanted him – as she always had. Cora looked up into his face, her sweet smile firmly affixed upon her lips, her eyes sparkling, and Robert could hardly keep his poise. He wanted to pull her even closer, to kiss her, to take her away from all the people who mingled about and danced around them. He felt the heat rise in his face, and all of a sudden – he had to have her.
Bending his head close to her ear, he murmured, "Darling, it's quite warm; might we find another place to be?"
Cora chuckled, tapping her fingers upon his shoulder. "We haven't finished the dance, Robert."
Leaning closer, Robert breathed, "We can finish it elsewhere." He punctuated the statement by pressing a hand into her back briefly and smirking.
"Robert!" she exclaimed in a whisper. "It's irresponsible! We have guests!"
"I don't care," he murmured. "They can fend for themselves for a while, can't they?"
His breath upon her earlobe made her heart begin to race. "Well, I suppose that's true."
Grinning even more, he clasped her hand tighter and broke apart from her, leading her off the dance floor.
"Where are we going?" she queried, as they passed the main staircase. She expected him to take her upstairs.
"You'll see," he threw behind him.
In a moment they arrived at the billiards room. Cora's jaw dropped a bit when Robert pulled her into the room. Smoke rose above the table where several gentlemen were drinking and casually playing a game.
"Out!" Robert barked. "I need this room."
Cora's eyes went wide as the men left, leering at her as they did. "Robert!" she hissed. "What on earth has gotten into you?" The last man closed the door behind them and her husband jerked her to himself, looking down into her face with an expression of pure lust.
"You have."
She had only seconds to catch her breath before he crushed his lips to hers. In no time, he'd run his hand up her leg and pulled her skirt up with it. "Robert," she gasped.
"Don't speak, Cora. Don't say a word." He kissed her again with even more fervor, and the heat he generated spread through her own body.
However, a niggling fact worried at her. "The door – there's no lock…." She gasped when he cupped her bottom beneath her dress.
"I don't care," he murmured against her jaw, where he'd begun settling his kisses.
Cora couldn't be bothered to care anymore either. The look he'd given her as they'd danced – she knew he was as much in love with her as he'd been three decades before, and it intoxicated her far more than any alcohol could. "Robert," she sighed against his temple, running her hands up and down his torso.
Her sigh only spurred him on. "Cora," he breathed in return. "I need you. Please."
Feeling his arousal against her, she gazed into his eyes. "Take me then, my love. I cannot deny you – wouldn't want to."
Robert kissed her thoroughly as his hands ran up and down her hips, drawing down her undergarment with a pass over them. "Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yesssss," she hissed, keeping her eyes on his. "I need you," she whispered, wrapping her leg around his and running her foot against his thigh.
"I love you," he murmured, turning her around in his arms so she faced the billiard table. When she'd secured her hands against the side of it, he unbuttoned his trousers, pressing kisses to the back of her neck.
Cora leaned back against him. She closed her eyes, wondering how much longer she could wait.
Robert placed his lips upon her cheek. "Are you ready?" he asked, his voice husky.
"Yes, darling, yes," she said, pressing her body back against him. "Please."
Not knowing how he'd gotten ready so quickly, Cora gasped as he entered her from behind, clutching the billiard table to steady herself. "Darling," he whispered into her ear just before he began to thrust himself into her.
"Oh… God… Robert," she uttered as he continued, his hand creeping down her side to touch her more intimately and make her eyes widen with pleasure.
"Cora…" he murmured against her hair as she wriggled her behind against him, trying desperately to increase his delight as he catered to hers. "Good God," he let out.
Grinning, Cora continued to press back against him, her hands solidly upon the billiard table, gasping and shuddering. "Robert, yessss," she breathed.
Once he felt her convulse around him for a second – and third – time, Robert let go of himself, moving even more quickly against her, until he felt her a fourth time. It proved his undoing and he fell, his chest against Cora's back, breathing heavily.
"Cora." He murmured into her ear once more. "That was…." But he had no words to describe it.
"It was marvelous," she finished, turning her head to look at him a bit, grasping his hand in hers. "It was marvelous, and I hope it's not the end of tonight's pleasures." Cora blinked at him a few seconds, then sent a coy look his way.
"No," he said, placing several kisses along her neckline as he fumbled to pull her undergarments back over her. "Most certainly not. I mean that to be a preview…."
"Good." She winked at him. "In the meantime, we have guests, and I'm sure there are more waltzes."
"How am I to manage?" Robert whispered, half facetiously, and half utterly seriously. His wife's presence next to him did more than he liked to admit.
"Well, you will," she intoned, kissing him briefly and turning herself around as well, her arms sliding about Robert's neck. "You have to. I'll want you later," she whispered very deliberately in his ear.
"Stop that, Cora. Or else I'll have to pick you up right now and take you upstairs to our room." Robert closed his eyes.
"Later," she repeated, her breath hot upon his ear. "Later I will be all yours, to do with exactly as you please. Even though I know you already had your way with me there."
Robert opened his eyes and trained them upon hers. "I did. But there's nothing like falling asleep with you afterward." Leaning closely to her, he murmured. "I love you. So much I don't think I know how to say it. I need you and want you, but I also love having you rest in my arms after our exertions. There's nothing in the world like that."
Cora raised inquiring eyes to his. "Really?" she asked, although she thought she knew the answer after so many years together.
"Really," he breathed in her ear.
"Then that time will come soon enough, my love," she said, still looking into his eyes as she did up his trousers carefully. "But for now, we have guests. They'll be gone soon enough," she reassured him, placing a kiss upon his cheek.
Taking one long look to make sure neither of them were indecent, Robert tugged at Cora's hand with a smile, clearing his throat as they encountered Thomas in the hallway.
"Er, the billiard room is open again, Thomas," Robert said.
Thomas inclined his head, a hint of a twinkle in his eye. "Yes, my lord," was all he said as he watched Lord and Lady Grantham head back to the party.
"Soon," Cora whispered to him as they approached the great hall. She squeezed his hand.
Robert smiled in return. "Soon," he affirmed, before greeting their guests once more.
