Fear not-I have not forgotten about this, nor have I lost interest, nor did I intentionally leave it this long.

I cannot apologise enough, yet I don't have a valid excuse , I've been busy, but more than that it's just been a struggle to write for some reason. I hope this part is sufficient enough, especially considering the lengthy wait and I wanted to give you SO much more, but the thought of giving you SOMETHING tonight won.

I've had so many little reminders recently, asking me to update soon, hoping I've not given up, etc. I'm glad you're all still interested in not only this story, but also Matthew and Mary. And I actually promise (even though that is a very strong word) to have more for you very soon. I'm looking forward to writing the next part and have so many ideas for it, so I'll most likely do that over the weekend.

Again, thank you all so much for continuing to read and sending me your thoughts. I hope you'll review this part and forgive any mistakes that I may have missed.

-...-...-...

Mary cleared her throat, beginning to feel a little awkward and most certainly on-show as Matthew stepped back from her. She looked down at her flushed skin, hot and sticky from their passion and slid down from the table, immediately scanning the room for clothing; any item of clothing. Matthew had already found and pulled on his boxers and was now bending over to pick up his trousers. Mary grinned at the view.

A frown appeared when Matthew pushed one leg into his trousers and she quickly protested. She wasn't ready for him to be completely dressed; not after that. No, she quite liked the idea of him half naked in her kitchen. After all, she'd barely had time to take inventory of him; not that night, nor the night before. She placed her palm on his wrist, halting him. "Who said you could get dressed?"

Matthew dropped his trousers to the floor and stood straight; a smug smirk gracing his lips. "Not quite finished with me Lady Mary?"

Mary blushed a little, finally locating her bra and quickly fastening it at the back. "I..." Mary's smile accompanied a sigh, not able to find the right words without sounding silly or too eager. She rearranged her thong and grimaced a little at how damp it felt on her before making a move to reach for her dress.

"Well, if I'm not allowed to get dressed, I hardly think it's fair that you do." Mary paused and met his eyes as he reached forward to pull the dress from her fingers. She watched as his eyes moved over her and hovered over the black lace covering her chest. His eyebrows rose with obvious suggestion.

"Underwear is allowed" Mary scolded him gently and teasingly. "After all, you have yours on."

"Well... I can soon change tha-" he reached for the waistband of his boxers but stopped when Mary placed her hand over his and captured his lips in a brief kiss.

"I'm going to clean up a little" she told him, "I won't be long." Matthew nodded and watched as she walked across the room and towards the staircase, admiring the dip of her waist, the sway of her hips... And her bottom almost completely bare apart from a small scrap of material. Oh, he definitely had the better part of the deal with this 'underwear only' rule.

Mary returned a short while later, wearing a black silk robe, feeling a little less sticky and in a pair of clean underwear. She found Matthew gathering pieces of glass from the floor. "What the-"

"We must have knocked them off the table when we..." She nodded at his conclusion and quickly grabbed a handful of kitchen paper to soak up the spilt liquid. "You covered up." He observed, standing to dispose of the glass.

"Hardly" Mary stood and brushed past him to throw the sodden paper towels in the bin. The robe was short, he noticed and still showed off her long lean legs. He watched as she wet a cloth under the tap and then sprayed the floor with some form of detergent and wiped away the remainder of the mess. As she brushed past him again, he smelt her freshly sprayed perfume. "Dessert?" She turned to him and although her voice sounded a little formal, her smile was sweet.

His eyes raked over her form, noticing the change of her underwear quickly; still black and although they weren't a thong as she wore before, the material was sheer. The robe hung over her shoulders loosely and bared her lace covered chest and stomach to him beautifully. His eyebrows twitched with suggestion and Mary stepped forward, pushing his chest with her palm "actual dessert". She moved past him to the fridge and pulled open the door.

-...-...

Deciding to ignore the total of 4 dessert choices in her fridge, Mary and Matthew decided they'd share a large piece of banoffee pie. Still in the large kitchen, they sat close together on the small sofa; each with a spoon, eating from the bowl in Matthew's hand.

Mary ate small spoonfuls of the dessert, humming in appreciation with the first taste of the sugary treat. Matthew smirked, recognising it as a similar sound to the one she had made when his teeth grazed her collar bone. Her eyebrows rose, "what?" She asked him, her voice still smooth but slightly more high in pitch that usual.

He simply looked down at her, his smirk turning into more of a grin before shaking his head a little. Suddenly he thrust the bowl into her free hand, "here, hold this for a second." He stood from the sofa and paced towards their pile of discarded clothes. Mary continued to eat the dessert while simply enjoying the view as he bent to retrieve his trousers.

"Hey! I thought I said no cloth-" she stopped her reprimand when he dropped the trousers back to the floor, holding up his phone for her to see, indicating that he simply wanted it from his pocket.

He dropped back onto the sofa and scooted closer to Mary, "I just remembered that you promised me a photo."

Mary rolled her eyes, an audible groan escaping her lips. "No Matthew, I'm not dressed." His eyes raked over her skin and she quickly slapped his arm, "you are not taking a picture of me like th-"

"Head and shoulders" he quickly corrected her... Not that he'd object to having a picture of her entire form exactly as she was in that moment. He leant backwards a little and held the phone in front of his face, waiting for her to smile. Instead, he was met with a small frown.

"No."

"Please?"

Mary couldn't help but smile at his playful pout and soft pleading tone. She sighed and reached for the phone, pressing the icon that turned the camera so that she could take the photo herself. Matthew watched as she shuffled even closer to him. "Fine, but not just of me", he realised she was going to take a picture of the two of them together. He looked towards the screen of his phone and then her head came to rest on his shoulder. Her fragrant hair captured his attention and just as Mary took the photo, his head turned to look down at her. She was beautiful, he told himself and she smelt wonderful. He noticed the way her mouth curved into a small smile and then quickly, from the corner of his eye, saw the flash.

"Matthew!" She cried out in disappointment and he quickly turned to see the photo displayed. He hadn't realised he'd been smiling himself when looking down at her, but smiling he was - just a small appreciative smile. She looked simply stunning with her head leaning against his shoulder; a couple of inches the the right and she would have been perfectly nestled beneath his chin.

"Sorry, here." He took the phone from her and held it in front of them. "I'll take another." Mary quickly placed the bowl of dessert on the sofa, making sure it was safe and not likely to topple over, before returning to him, this time closer and under his chin; her arm laying across his bare stomach. Through the screen she could see the look of concentration on his face as he steadied his hand and decided on the the perfect amount of distance between them and the phone. "Ready?" He checked with her and Mary nodded.

The phone flashed and Matthew smiled at the result, deciding that he'd later set that to his home screen, but decided against doing so in front of Mary. Mary reached back for the bowl, lifting her spoon and licking away some of the cream. "Happy now?" She asked as he placed his phone on the arm of the sofa and reached for the other spoon.

"Ecstatic" he took the bowl from her and held it between them as he had been before.

After a few more spoonfuls of the dessert Mary left her spoon in the bowl. She returned her head to his shoulder and her fingers found the light dusting of hair across his chest. She liked the feeling of his skin against hers, she liked how they were able to just sit and enjoy each other's company and she liked how confident she felt when she opened her mouth to inform him of an issue she wanted to address... "Matthew, just so you know for next time, I'm... you don't have to... pull out, when we..."

"Oh!" Matthew's eyes widened, suddenly realising what she was trying to tell him. "You're... Are you sure?" He felt her nod against him.

"I'm covered."

"And you're not worried? that I might, um..."

Mary looked up at him, a small frown disturbing her features, "you're not concerned that I might have any-?"

"No, no of course not!" He answered quickly.

"Good" Mary answered, "because it would be a little too late for that now if you were."

"True" he agreed. "So, you're-" Matthew cleared his throat, "clean"' hating that he was speaking so matter of fact about it all, especially since they'd had such a wonderful evening so far. Mary nodded. "And I'm clean... And you're covered, so... We can."

"You can."

"Yes, I can." He nodded. "Well, I'm glad that's covered then." Mary laughed as the blush that had been forming across his face increased. She settled against him and the pair fell into silence.

A little while later, Matthew leant forward to place the long forgotten about dessert on the small coffee table in front of them. He stretched out his legs, tightening his hold around Mary's shoulders. Mary's eyes traveled down his long masculine legs, bare until she reached his ankles. "You still have your socks on."

"I do." His lips twitched into a small smirk, remembering how desperate they'd been; how quickly she rid him of his clothes. Of course, he still had his socks on- they weren't an obstacle.

"Hmm"

"Would you like me to take them off?" He asked.

"I don't know" she replied softly, her eyes still fixed upon his covered feet. She remembered the feel of his bare feet against hers that morning, but she didn't recall actually seeing them.

"You don't know?"

"It depends what state they're in."

She answered him so nonchalantly that Matthew laughed a little in response. Without another word about the state of his feet he bent each leg in turn at the knee so that he could reach to take off the socks. Mary watched as he returned his legs to their previous stretched out position and her eyebrows raised in approval, "not bad." She looked up at him, a small smirk playing at the corner of her mouth "I can live with that."

Matthew dipped his head to capture her lips with his own. Their kiss was slow and increasingly deep. He felt Mary's fingers move slowly from his chest and up his neck, stilling when he moved away from her lips and began to nip at her jaw. When he returned to her mouth he heard her purr of approval as one long, smooth leg snaked between the two of his. Matthew tightened his hold of her as their lips and tongues continued their sensual dance. One hand slid beneath her robe, craving the feel of her skin beneath his fingers. Mary briefly sucked on his bottom lip before they parted for air but Matthew soon planted his swollen mouth tenderly against the skin of her neck. They travelled towards her breasts with the most fleeting of touches, which only had Mary craving for a lingering warm caress. Finally, once he reached the swell of her breast, his lips answered her silent request. She felt his tongue slip beneath the lace and she gasped; a mixture of surprise and pleasure.

"Matthew." Her voice was husky and she pulled lightly at his hair, her hands grasping the back of his head, indicating for him to stop. He reluctantly pulled back a little, just enough to meet her heavy gaze. "Upstairs."

He nodded, gently removing her leg from between his and standing from the sofa. He held out his hand for her and she took it, allowing him to gently pull her up. Their hands remained joined as they climbed two staircases in order to reach her bedroom.

Mary was more than a little impressed that Matthew remembered exactly, without a moments hesitation, where her bedroom was located and led the way. Once inside she slowly clicked the door shut and turned to face him. They made eye contact and she felt his bright pair burn into her instantly. Mary slid her robe from her arms and hung it on the back of the door along with another. When she returned her gaze to Matthew he rose his eyebrows "not so shy anymore?" He asked her, gesturing behind where she stood to the black robe she'd just hung up.

Mary shook her head slowly, taking the two steps needed to stand directly in front of him. "Not shy." She corrected, "... I just don't like to be so blatantly on-show." She smiled a little up at him as. Matthew gently took hold of her waist "flaws and all" she added quietly before he claimed her lips.

Matthew kissed her softly, breaking their contact almost immediately once her words had registered in his mind. His small sigh was teamed with a genuine smile "Mary," his eyes moved from her face, down over her body and then back up to meet her eyes, "you are so beautiful."

She thought she might have blushed; she ought to have really, but she didn't. She knew she hadn't. Instead she smiled a small smile and, instead of speaking, she wrapped her bare arms around his neck and kissed him fully on the mouth.

Within moments Matthew had pulled her towards the bed. Before collapsing on top of the duvet completely, he quickly unhooked her bra and she released him from her grasp just long enough to slip it from her arms. His lips were quickly on the move, paying particular attention to her neck and collar bone before moving down her torso.

Mary gasped when his hot breath reached a certain place on her stomach and a small moan escaped her mouth when his lips softly caressed her skin. Her hands were in his hair, yet she didn't guide him; this time she allowed him to take his time. Their need for each other had already been fulfilled once tonight and they were now patient enough to allow for the exploration he desired.

Mary's skin was on fire as Matthew's lips trailed back up her torso and settled on her breast. Her eyes closed blissfully and she was soon arching towards him in pleasure. His tongue, teeth and lips were insistent; kissing, nipping, sucking.

Of course, Matthew wouldn't be able to describe the way her skin tasted if he tried; it was completely her and utterly perfect. Finally satisfied that he'd spent enough time enjoying and teasing her breasts, Matthew proceeded to return to the trail he'd began earlier; down her stomach, across her hips; nipping lightly at the skin. He pulled briefly at her underwear with his teeth but left it in place, grinning up at Mary when she moaned as a result of his ministrations. He loved the fact that it was him that was making her feel good and he who was causing her to purr and moan passionately. Matthew shuffled a little down the bed as he began nipping lightly at her thighs, leaving no centimetre untouched.

Jolts of, what could only be described as electricity, shot through Mary's body when he sucked briefly behind her knee. Her deep moan encouraged Matthew further and after repeating his move a few more times, his lips trailed up her inner thighs. He grasped her underwear and Mary lifted her hips from the bed to assist him. She moved a little to reach for him but soon realised he had other ideas when she felt his breath at her warm centre. She barely had time to register the intense pleasure she felt before his lips began to caress her there. She parted her legs further to allow him access.

Mary's heart was racing at a delightful pace. Her deep panting breaths were masked with frequent moans of approval. She'd given up trying to work out exactly what he was doing to her... Lips, tongue, teeth, fingers... It had all merged into one and all she could feel was fire. Fire everywhere... On her skin, under his mouth, within her stomach. There was no point in opening her eyes as keeping them open was an impossible task. Her legs shook as she climbed towards her peak and she couldn't have stopped her thighs from tightening around Matthew once she fell over the edge, even if she'd tried.

Matthew placed a few more tender kisses on her thighs before removing his own underwear. Mary; her skin, her curves, her taste, her smell, the sounds she made as he explored, teased and pleasured her: she was the reason he was so painfully aroused. She was beautiful. Now spread out on the bed; dishevelled and satisfied. She smiled up at him under lidded eyes, barely able to move yet craving more of him; she reached out for him with both arms and welcomed his mouth with her own when he gently settled himself over her.

Their kisses were heated and full of passion. She could feel his arousal between her legs, yet didn't guide him towards her as she had done the previous night. Mary pulled at his lips with her teeth, enjoying the little sound he made in response. Her fingers were lost in his thick hair and she was completely lost in him. When Matthew finally pushed inside of her she gasped into his mouth. They moved slowly at first, their lips refusing to part ways, but eventually when Matthew held no more reserve, her lifted himself slightly from her upper body and his thrusts became more purposeful. Their climaxes came so close together that neither would know who began first, only that they clung to each other in a sweaty, spent and completely satisfied state. Mary ran her fingers through his golden locks, smiling blissfully up at the ceiling as their breathing began to calm.

After just a few minutes of silence Mary sleepily hummed her approval and Matthew pressed a light, lingering kiss to the side of her neck. "Well you certainly have some talents." Her voice was smooth and while her tone was playful, he knew it was a compliment.

Matthew smiled, still with his face pressed against her neck, "I'm glad you approve". She laughed and tightened her arms around him. Matthew felt himself drifting towards sleep and he quickly opened his eyes. "I should go" he told her, still not moving. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to stay; if she expected him to stay... If she wanted him to stay. He dragged his sleeps sleepily across her collar bone, hoping he didn't have to leave her for the rest of the night.

With her eyes closed and one hand in his hair, Mary simply shook her head "do you want to go?"

"Do you want me to stay?"

"I got you a toothbrush."

Matthew smiled.

"It's next to mine." Her voice was low and sleepy too. She waited for a reply, but didn't get one. "Matthew?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to stay?"

"Of course I do." They both smiled and neither spoke another word before falling asleep entwined together. An hour or so later, Mary woke feeling a little cold. They were both on top of the duvet, so instead of waking him she grabbed a large blanket from a shelf in her closet, ensuring both she and Matthew were covered before curling back into his side and returning to sleep.