Vivienne said goodbye to all the well-wishers that evening, Tavington beside her, offering the occasional "farewell," but otherwise silent. Soon the Colonel and his bride were alone. Tavington put his arm around Vivienne's waist and whisked her off to their temporary home.

He was kissing her even before they were through the doorway. Vivienne wouldn't be standing had her arms not been locked around his neck. He pulled away from her, just slightly.

"Do you remember" he stopped to kiss her "the last time we did this?" Vivienne smiled beneath his lips.

"How could I forget?" she murmured.

"This time there will be no interruptions - we have all night to do as we please."

Tavington swept Vivienne into his arms and carried her up the stairs and into a bedroom. He set her down and closed the door, but he did not rush into her arms.

"I have a gift for you." Tavington reached into the drawer of the vanity and pulled out a box the size of a large book. He stood before her and removed the lid. Vivienne watched him with intense curiosity.

Out of the box came what looked to be a jumble of leather straps. He looked up at her, amused at her puzzled reaction. "And the finishing touches, of course."

Tavington pulled a pistol out of its holster on his right hip, then a switchblade knife from a small holster on his left. Setting the weapons onto the vanity, he turned his attention back to Vivienne. He raised the leather thing to her.

"May I?" She nodded slowly, not knowing what he would do. "Put your foot here." He lifted his knee. She obeyed, her knee facing him as she rested her right foot on his thigh.

His fingers moved to the hem of her dress, lifting it an inch or so before he looked back up at her as if asking for permission. When she didn't react, he lifted her dress, exposing more and more of her slim, pale leg. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her naked flesh as he finally stopped at her thigh.

He reached for the leather object and, as he unbuckled it, Vivienne could see it seemed to be a rather complicated garter. She was still confused, but she liked his touch on this more intimate part of her skin.

He smoothly buckled the garter around her thigh, reaching then for the pistol and the knife. With one hand supporting the inside of her thigh, he slid each item into individual holsters on the garter. His hand still on her leg, he looked up at her.

"I give you these to protect you, should anything . . . undesirable happen to me. That man who spoke to you that night in the forest . . . " He trailed off, she could sense the growing irritation in his voice.

"What man?" she said with a sultry little smile, sliding her dress off her shoulders to reveal the edge of her corset and providing more than enough of a distraction. His eyes sparkled just for her.

"I haven't a clue what you're talking about," he replied, slipping his hand around to undo the fastenings on her dress before sliding it off her body to fall in a white puddle of silk. Now in only her corset and underskirt, Vivienne found herself feeling rather shy.

"William," Vivienne whispered as his hand moved to her breast "I don't know what to do." He paused to smile at her.

"You have the rest of your life to learn, my darling, and I have much to teach you." His voice was low, husky with lust, as he tossed his red coat off in one smooth movement. He took her hand, laying it on the sliver of his bare chest the loose white shirt revealed.

"I'll make you ready for me," he said into her ear, running his fingers through her silky hair, his other arm clasping her close to him. Vivienne didn't doubt he would.

She found her nervousness melt away as his experienced fingers explored her body, finding the places that made her gasp with pleasure. Crushed to the wall, Vivienne's hands found the hem of his white shirt. She lifted it up and over his head, he helping her. She tossed the garment away, eager to plant both her hands on his bare chest. Tavington took his turn next with her corset.

With one hand supporting her lower back, his other hand deftly unlaced her corset, which fell to the floor to join the rest of the clothes. Vivienne's hands moved from his chest, sliding down his torso to the buckle of his weapon belt. It, too, hit the floor.

Tavington moved to unfasten her skirt, but she stopped him with a hand flat to his chest. He stepped back as she unfastened the garment herself, drinking her in as her last bit of clothing pooled around her feet.

Standing naked before him, her hair tousled, her lips swollen and pink from kisses, cheeks dewy with sweat, Vivienne looked like some wild thing, daring him to possess her. Pink bloomed on her cheeks at his unwavering stare, and she tried to cover herself. He stepped forward, catching her wrist, going for the buckle of her garter, which he tossed aside as well.

"You won't be needing that tonight, nor will you need it tomorrow, because when I've finished with you, you shan't be able to walk" Tavington took her in his arms, and pressed her down on the bed. She waited, looking up at him.

Under her gaze, he let his breeches be the last article of clothing to hit the floor. He fluidly climbed onto the bed, crawling toward her tantalizing form, pale against the green coverlet. Tavington was atop her at once, hugging her to him, his hands spreading fire all the way down to her toes and back up again.

Vivienne's lips moved from his neck down his chest, wanting to taste him completely. Tavington was tiring of the foreplay, but he wasn't quite done yet. He wanted her to plead, to beg him to take her once and for all. His hand slid up her inner thigh, her responsive sharp intake of breath making him smile.

"Oh I can tell that you remember this," he murmured, sliding two fingers into her at once, swirling them inside her wetness.

"William," she gasped, clutching his sweaty hair. This only encouraged him. His mouth moved down to her breast, his other hand firm on her hip. Her back arched and this time she cried out more loudly, not able to control herself. His fingers pumped harder into her throbbing womanhood and his name burst again from her freshly kissed lips.

High on his touch, Vivienne wanted to please him as much as he was pleasing her. Her hand darted down to his cock, stiff with wanting her. She grasped him firmly, sliding her clenched fist up and down his erection.

Transported away from simple delight and into the realm of utter rapture, Tavington knew he would not hold up long under her touch. He wanted to have her fully, make her his, right now. Now he would finally have her.

He reached down to unwrap her hand from his aching member and lay it gently on the bedcover beside her. Both his hands slid up her sides and he lowered his pelvis to hers. She let out a small gasp as he filled her slowly.

"Brace yourself, Vivienne, my darling," he whispered, lips brushing her mouth. He drew back out of her, then, without warning, thrust himself back into her. Her small cry seemed to penetrate the ever-melting layer of coldness around him and he kissed her, whispering promises he well intended to keep

Tears squeezed through her eyelids and he kissed her wet cheeks. She trusted him.

The white-hot pain exploding through Vivienne's loins became a vivid pleasure more intensely wonderful that anything she had felt before. Tavington moved with her as she bucked in response to the joy shooting through her, both lovers breathing hard and fast as their movements accelerated.

They both reached the peak of joy at the same moment, savoring the spasm of delight and the fuzzy exhaustion that followed.

The sweat cooled on their bodies, and they slipped beneath the sheets, bodies still tangled together, fitting perfectly. Vivienne lovingly laid her head on her husband's warm chest, his arms holding her close.

With her ear just above his heart, the soft, thudding beats lulled her to sleep.