A/N: M-rating

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Ruth is nervous. She's been nervous all day. The anticipation should have been exciting and fun, like that day on the beach when she'd seen Nelson take his shirt off and spent the whole afternoon and evening with the quiet hum of arousal within her. But this isn't like that at all. She knows what's coming and she's terrified.

She barely slept after they got off the phone that night. All she could think about was the way he'd looked at her during sex before and the way that might change if she were to climb on top of him to have every fat, sagging part of her on display. He had said he wanted to see her that way, and she really could not imagine why. Neither of them are going to enjoy it if he does that, so why bother? Why can't he just let her lie there beneath him, why can't he just cover her unfortunate body with his glorious one? Well, he does look a bit middle aged. He's still strong and virile, but his belly is quite soft. He probably wasn't always that way, but he has been since Ruth has known him. But unlike the men she's been with before—academics and archaeologists and scientists for the most part—Nelson leads a very active life and his physical fitness is a vital part of his job. None of her other lovers had possessed muscles like Nelson and certainly none of them had scars like Nelson. The closest she's ever had to a man with battle wounds is Max who had his appendix out as an adult.

All of this whirls through her mind as she tries to work on her lesson plan for the next day and keep Kate occupied and decide on what to make for dinner for them all. She gets very little done during the day.

Nelson arrives early, at just after four in the afternoon. Ruth can't decide if she's grateful for that or not. Kate is happy, at any rate. She immediately wants to take him up to her room so they can play.

"I'll be up in just a moment, Katie. I need to talk to Mum for a minute first. You go up and I'll follow in a little while," he tells her. She does not like that response one bit but at least she has the good sense not to whine about it.

Ruth closes the door behind him. "I didn't think you were coming till later. I haven't really gotten anything started for dinner and I need to finish preparing for my tutorial tomorrow and I…"

Her rambling is cut off when he wraps one arm around her waist and pulls her against him and kisses her soundly. Ruth feels her heart speed into overdrive, and she's lightheaded when he pulls back. "Sorry, couldn't help it," he whispers.

"You wanted Kate to go upstairs just so you could kiss me?" she asks. Her voice is breathy, which makes her feel quite stupid.

"Yes. Bit of a preview of what's coming later," he teases. He wraps his other arm around her and gives her bum a sensuous squeeze.

Ruth whimpers, wishing she could stop herself. But she has very little self-control when it comes to Nelson. After all, it's not often any man wants her, let alone one she's madly in love with. She takes his face in her hands and pulls him back down into another kiss.

He pulls away again, before they can get too distracted and take things too far, which is for the best. Lord knows how Ruth is going to be able to focus on anything now. Nelson gives her one last quick kiss before letting go of her altogether and heading upstairs to join Kate.

Somehow, she does manage to finish her lesson preparation. And she starts cooking chicken and veg for dinner, getting everything in the oven before Flint comes over begging for his own dinner. She's just finished putting his bowl down when Kate runs into the kitchen.

"Mum, is it dinner time yet?"

"Almost," she answers. "Why don't you and Dad get washed up and then you can set the table for me?"

Kate likes a task, things that make her feel useful. She does not like chores, such as cleaning up her own things. Though neither does Ruth, so that's probably genetic. But Kate likes being part of what's going on, so Ruth does her best to include her in things that need to be done around the house that she can participate in.

"Smells great, Ruth," Nelson compliments, walking over to the kitchen sink to help Kate. Ruth just smiles in response.

They all have a perfectly nice dinner. Kate even manages to eat two whole carrots, to Ruth's amazement. The three of them then all do the dishes together. It's something out of a film, to Ruth's mind. Nelson washing dishes and flicking Ruth and Kate with water. Ruth helping Kate dry each dish and swatting Nelson with the towel. Kate plays with the soap bubbles, shrieking with joyful laughter. They're all laughing and happy. And for a moment, Ruth isn't nervous about what's to come.

As has become routine when Nelson spends the evenings with them, he takes Kate upstairs for bathtime and bedtime. Ruth finishes putting things away in the kitchen and tidying up downstairs. She also opens a bottle of wine and takes it with a couple glasses up to her bedroom. By the time she's all done, Nelson is reading a story to Kate, whose eyes are starting to get heavy.

"Goodnight, Kate," Ruth whispers, kissing her forehead. "Sleep well."

Nelson does the same, softly closing the book and shutting off the light. They close Kate's door firmly behind them.

"Our turn," he murmurs softly to her, putting his arm around her.

Ruth's heart flutters nervously again. "I've got some wine for us in the bedroom."

He grins. "Good."

Nelson has been waiting for this for two days now. Ever since he and Ruth made that dumb bet, he's thought about what he'd like to do with her. And he did tell her what he wants. She'd seemed nervous, and she seems nervous now. But he's fairly certain that he can get her worked up into that frenzy he loves to see her in. If he can control himself, he wants to try and make her come twice before he gets to be inside her. That should relax her.

They go into her bedroom and close the door. He pours the wine that she's put on her bedside table. They clink glasses and each take a sip. Ruth takes more of a gulp. Christ, she is nervous. "Alright?" he asks, just to see if she wants to talk about it.

"Fine," she lies. He can tell, her smile is tight and she almost looks as if she's shaking.

"Come here," he requests. He takes another sip of wine and puts his glass down as he sits on the edge of her bed. He takes Ruth's hand and pulls her onto his lap. She's not the daintiest thing, but he's more than able to have her sit on him like this. He wraps her up in his arms and starts kissing her neck. She takes another gulp of her wine and then reaches over to set the glass down beside his.

Ruth relaxes slightly as he caresses her skin with his lips and teeth and tongue. She gasps when he sucks hard on her pulse point. He's probably leaving a mark but he finds he wants to now. She is his, and he is hers, and that is all that matters.

His hand moves from her waist to her breast, kneading it through her loose blouse. She moans softly, and he smiles into her skin. She seems to hardly notice when he pulls her top off over her head.

Nelson deftly unhooks her bra with one hand and tosses it aside before catching her lips with his. Her tongue immediately enters his mouth, this time making him moan. He massages her bare breasts now, rougher than before. Ruth squirms on his lap, and he's getting harder by the second.

She pulls away, gasping for air. Her eyes are wild and dark, and he's sure his are just the same. "I want you naked," he growls.

Ruth blinks, taking a moment to understand, then stands up. She pulls her soft trousers and her knickers off and hurries to the bed and under the covers.

But Nelson doesn't want that. He wants to see and feel her. All of her. He pulls the covers off her and practically throws them off the bed. Nelson pulls his shirt off as fast as he can, kicking off his shoes and trousers and socks. He's watching Ruth all the while, and she's watching him, too. But he leaves his trunks on for now. He needs to keep control as long as he can. He wants to indulge in her. He wants to touch her, he wants to taste her, he wants to make her come apart. And most of all, he wants to prove to her that this is truly what he wants. She is truly what he wants.

He climbs on the bed and hovers over her, kissing her passionately again before moving his mouth down to swirl his tongue over her breast. She gasps when his teeth graze over her tightly furled nipple, filling him with pride and arousal in a way he can hardly describe.

Onward he moves, trailing wet, open-mouthed kisses down the soft skin of her belly and spreading her legs with his hands. He loves her legs. Loves to squeeze the flesh of her thighs, loves to rest his cheek on their soft pillow, loves to feel them clench around him, loves to stare at the shape of them when she doesn't know he's watching. He presses a few kisses to her inner thighs before starting on his task in earnest.

Ruth cants her hips and grinds herself against his face as he licks and suckles at her. She's already so incredibly wet. He can practically feel her trembling. He sucks hard on her clit and she emits a muffled cry. Nelson looks up to see that she's biting her lip to keep from being too loud. Well, he'll let her keep quiet as best she can. He goes back down on her, sliding one finger inside her as his tongue vibrates her clit. Her body is still pulsating from her first orgasm, and Nelson is nearly at the end of his limit. But he wanted twice, and he'll hold out as long as he can. He adds another finger and moves his hand faster, curling up inside her.

The whimpering sounds increase and she's gasping his name. God but he loves the way she calls him Nelson in a benediction, almost. Ruth isn't religious, but he feels like this moment between them is divine. A blessing on them both.

"Come for me again, Ruth," he begs, wanting and needing her so much he can hardly breathe.

Her back arches off the bed as a sound rips from the back of her throat. Her hands are fisted in the bedsheet and her whole body jerks as she comes again. She's like a vice grip on his fingers as a rush of wetness lands on his tongue.

Nelson pulls away from her to pull off his trunks and lie on his back beside her. "Please, Ruth," he pleads.

She turns her head to him, panting and looking a bit dazed. And really, that's what he'd been hoping for. But her face changes suddenly. There's a flicker of fear in her eyes. He doesn't like that at all.

"Come here," he requests again, holding his arms out to her.

Slowly, she rolls over onto her stomach and crawls over to him. He smiles, trying to encourage her. The anticipation of it is killing him. To see and feel her ride him is surely going to be one of his dearest fantasies come true. She straddles him, leaning forward so their bodies are almost flush together. His cock slips inside her easily due to how wet she is, and Nelson hisses a swear. Ruth smiles slightly and leans in to kiss him.

They move together slowly. He's deep inside her, and the angle is good for him to rock and thrust into her as she moves on him. But this isn't what he wanted. Christ, she feels so good, but Nelson wants more. "Sit up. Please. Let me see you," he begs.

The look on her face says it all. She very much does not want to sit up for him to see her. And she just crumples. Tears fill her eyes and her body trembles, this time from distress, and she rolls away so he slips out of her and curls up with her back to him.

Nelson is bereft from the loss of her, but this reaction from her has cooled his lust. "Ruth, love, come here, what's wrong?" he asks, curling up behind her body and holds her.

"Why?" she asks in a harsh whisper.

"Why what?" he asks in return, rubbing her arm soothingly.

"Why would you want to see me? It doesn't make any sense!" Her breath is hitched and he's almost sure she's crying but he can't quite see her face.

Nelson forces himself to think and find the words before answering. The last thing he wants is to upset her further. "I think you're beautiful," he tells her. He'd said the same thing on the phone last night, but he wants to explain further now. "Your body is gorgeous and I want to see it. And I thought that getting to look up at you while you ride me might be…"

"What?" she asks when he trails off.

"Might be the most erotic thing I've ever seen," he finishes.

She shakes her head in disbelief. "I don't understand. I'm not beautiful, I'm not very good with people, I'm stubborn and fat and insecure, none of which are attractive qualities. Why do you want anything to do with me?"

Nelson growls in frustration, "Because I love you, you daft woman."

Ruth whips her head around in shock. "What!?"

He pulls her into his arms as she rolls back over toward him. He brushes her tears away and kisses her softly. "I love you. And even if you do think you're stubborn and fat and insecure, I love you anyway."

She still stares in disbelief. "Why?"

Half of him is bloody annoyed with her and the other half wants to laugh. "If you let me think about it when the blood from my brain isn't collected in my cock, I'll give you a list of reasons. But right now, would you just believe me when I tell you?"

"This can't be real," she whispers.

"Well, if it's not, we're sharing the most nightmarish fantasy."

Her brow furrows. "Nightmarish?"

"Yes, I don't think either of us fantasize about you starting to cry during sex, Ruth," he points out.

She wraps her arms around him and presses her face into his neck. "I'm so sorry," she says, muffled against his skin.

"I just want you to be alright, love. I want you to enjoy," he tells her.

"I was enjoying," she says, pulling back to look at him again. "That was incredible. Before, well…"

"I know. We don't need to try that again until you feel ready for it. I'm sorry I pushed you."

"It's my fault," she insists.

He's not going to argue with her on that count. But she's stopped crying, which is a step in the right direction.

"I love you too, you know," Ruth adds with a small smile.

Nelson's smile at her words isn't small in the least. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she replies.

He pulls her back into another kiss, this time with the passion reignited between them. Ruth hitches her leg up over his hip, and he slips back inside her. His erection had flagged but it was coming back properly now. They continue that way, thrusting against each other with their bodies flush together. They come at almost exactly the same time, whispering their love for each other into their kisses.