AN: Haha. Let's just say meeting Estelle was a serendipitous encounter for Rhett. He's not a man to overlook an opportunity, how he ended up with so much financial success. Thanks for all the great reviews guys, here is the very brief next part.

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Part Six

Mid-May 1868

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Scarlett smiled from her spot on the parlor's sofa as she watched Rhett stretched out lengthwise on the new rug he had purchased the month prior for all the time he spent on the floor with the children. It drew her eyes to the impressionist Paris cityscape across the room that he had returned with after his longer trip. There was such mystery created through the technique, such excitement lay within the scene. He had ignored where she had wanted it and hung it on the wall directly across from where she always sat.

The feeling that had coursed through her when she stood admiring it as he stepped in close behind her and told her, "One day we'll walk that street together."

Every time she looked at it now, it was as if she were about to step into it with her arm hooked into Rhett's.

Looking at the painting, then made her return her gaze to Rhett on the floor with the children. His coat had been discarded, he was in a white shirt and suspenders, his tan puff tie had been unfastened and hung loose, the long length of tan slacks nearly spanned as long as the sofa. He had one arm hooked around Ella as the toddler was climbing and exploring upon him protecting Wade's blocks from his sister crashing upon them.

Scarlett had been so fearful of him moving out of Tara and into Calverton. It hadn't been the same, but it hadn't been horrible. Even taking Ella hadn't been horrible. She would set off with Wade and Ella and arrive at Calverton where Rhett would be waiting to greet them. Ella would go off with Estelle and Rhett would take Wade on to school leaving Scarlett to manage the business. She could spend far more time at Calverton with Ella there. She could set off to retrieve Wade with Ella under Estelle and Rhett's watchful eyes and by the time she and Wade returned to Tara, Rhett and Ella would be there and it would nearly be time for dinner.

For all of Rhett's talk about hiring Estelle to take care of things like that in his own house, he took the meal with them every day he was in town. He stayed with them until it was nearly time for supper and he would return to Calverton. Scarlett would spend the later evening with Tara's books making sure they were settled for the next day.

Now that school was finished, Wade sometimes spent full days at Calverton like his sister, changing between Tara and Calverton depending on whether Will had something to occupy him at home. On the days Wade spent at Tara, Rhett would come to retrieve Ella rather than let Scarlett handle her on her own in the wagon.

She did so wish he would simply come for breakfast and stay for supper, but he swore that would be pushing the generosity of the family too far, which was utter foolishness considering how often Rhett tended to bring them food now that he wasn't living with them any longer. Something he had seen in town and couldn't resist. Scarlett knew the times he brought wine were Suellen's favorite and frankly Scarlett's as well, Suellen became increasingly more enjoyable when they both had some alcohol in them. Wine was becoming increasingly more palatable every time Rhett brought it.

Scarlett didn't bother to pick up the mending in her lap. Rhett would be gone for at least two days starting in the morning. There would be plenty of time to tend to her tasks then.

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"It's a pony," Scarlett questioned in confusion as Rhett had pulled her to the old stable to show her what he had purchased on his trip to Columbus.

"It is, a New Forrest, I got it for Wade."

"I thought you were looking at a Quarter horse?"

"I did, but then I saw him."

"Well, he's hardly anything much to look at," Scarlett said taking in the small pony, its coat a reddish-brown, black mane and tail, such a common-looking creature.

"There's a rumor they were descended from an Arabian set loose in the forest."

She gave him a look.

"The pony is very near fully grown, they're sure-footed, gentle and friendly. Wade can ride him for the next several years."

"Well, he'll be pleased for sure."

Rhett let out a laugh, "And you'll be pleased when the new stable is finished and filled with horses you can make money from."

"What about Shetland ponies? They're such delightful-looking creatures."

He let out a laugh, "I am sure there is a market for the rich wanting to spoil their children. They're known for being intelligent and incredibly powerful. They're not a pony for Wade to take out on his own."

She gave another shake of her head, "Well I'm sure you and Wade will both enjoy your new pony. Should we go to the office and you can give me-"

Oh, he would give her plenty in the office. He would sweep her up into a kiss, settle himself onto an armchair with her in his lap. He had ordered a chaise, she would have his head when she saw it, but to lay with her in his arms on something soft instead of the hard ground. Even when they finally sat to discuss business at the large double desk he'd had made, no barrier between their legs, but a front of oak blocking anyone else from seeing their legs. Seeing how his leg would press into hers, how often his hand dropped to her hand or thigh, it had dipped low far more often than he had expected, to an ankle and up her calf, behind her knee. He had taken to being so bold as to trace patterns on her thigh upon just the soft material of her undergarments. He hadn't dared let his fingers trail up and slip into the slit in her drawers. He needed his lips upon hers, the weight of his body pressing into her for that. He needed to drive her mad, drive her as mad as she was driving him.

"-give me the details you gathered. The stable should be done soon. I don't know why you insisted the bunkhouse and a cabin be finished before the stable."

"Because we need stable hands and a cook in order to have horses."

"Fine you made your case for a bunkhouse, but I am more than certain your housekeeper could feed a few hungry hands."

"I am bringing in an excellent cook from New Orleans, trust me, you'll be thankful I had the foresight to-"

"Tell me about it inside Rhett, the sun's entirely too strong."

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Late May 1868

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"Where is the builder?" Scarlett questioned as she entered the completed, but still vacant new stable with Rhett by her side.

"He won't be here until noon."

"Why that's over an hour from now."

"Exactly my sweet and Ella is occupied with Estelle. Betina is working in the kitchen. The workers are installing fencing. And you and I can be alone for longer than a few snatched minutes."

"They're hardly a few," she refuted, they closed the office door for far too long, but in truth it always felt far too short.

She had gone too far, she knew that. It was horrifying to think of how far she'd let him go the week prior. They had been laid out on a blanket outside, hidden from the world by massive oaks. She'd allowed his fingers to do things that felt far more natural than what her husbands' bodies had done under the cloak of darkness. She was growing desperate for him, wanton, he'd turned her into a hussy.

She recalled his husky voice asking why pleasure shouldn't be natural, why enjoyment and fun were acts to be looked down upon. Who had stripped away all the fun? The Old Guard? Religion? One day life was life was climbing trees, the next laced into a corset and dancing, the next wearing a coarse black dress, thick with child.

Rhett made her remember fun. It was sinful what she'd allowed him to do to her in the woods. It was even more sinful that she'd allowed him to repeat it in the office with her child under the roof.

"Let me kiss you from your ankle to your lips, let me hold you against me without yards of fabric." He said his words as he trailed kisses against her neck.

"You'll not be seeing me naked Rhett Butler."

"I see you stripped bare in my mind all the time," but he conceded, "just down to your shimmy Scarlett."

"In the middle of the barn?"

"In the very nice and newly completed room for the stable boy."

"Why that bed's barely big enough for Wade."

"Oh, it does please me my sweet that your first thought is of the bed. Mine was of the door and the shuttered window."

"I don't know-"

"Take your time," he said scooping her up into his arms and heading to the small room.

As he sat upon the narrow bed, urging her closer to kiss him, she lost sense of herself as she often did with him. Lost the impropriety at being alone with Rhett and a bed. She was annoyed at how impossible it was to get as close to him as she wanted because of her skirts catching and gathering underneath her.

He had already unbuttoned half of the top when she pulled back. Thinking of Rhett as he did manual labor. His top would be bare except for a flimsy undershirt that dipped down to expose the black swirls of chest hairs, sleeved rolled up to show the strong forearms. She had seen him without a top only once when he had been dressed in good clothing and help had been needed. He had stripped out of the fine garments on the top half of his body and gotten to the task.

It had been wondrous to see the way the muscles of his back moved and worked. She had wanted to see them closer, to feel them under her skin and not through the confines of his shirt.

"It seems only fair that if you're trying to divulge me of my outer layer you'd do the same."

"My dear I'd thought you'd never ask," he smirked.

"Just the top," the words flew out of her mouth as he stood, suddenly fearful Rhett would strip bare before her, which was quickly followed by regret at stopping him from baring himself further.

"Of course," he smiled at her.

He divested of them with a speed that showed how nimble his fingers were after years of cards. She should look away or stop, but she did neither and he was bare chested as he pulled her to her feet. Placing kisses and gentle strokes as he freed her from her blouse and skirt.

Soon she was standing before him in her shimmy in the daylight, the room was dark, but every detail still visible. She should feel ashamed, horrified or frightened.

Instead, she felt exhilarated. Thrilled at his reaction. He had practically growled as he pulled her to him.

A desperation began to course through her as he pulled her onto the bed with him. Running her hands over his flesh, even her lips into the dark curls on his chest. Then her hands into his hair as his lips began to trail her chemise, he failed to trail kisses down to her ankle. The sudden desperation had overtaken them both. She gasped as his fingers slid into her drawers, but she didn't fight him and met his mouth for every desperate kiss.

She didn't care anymore. There were no thoughts of her mother, of her family's name, of all the lessons she'd been taught that feeling good was immoral.

"Can you really not make a baby?" she asked. He had randomly peppered in information over the last few months, all of the various ways children didn't have to be an outcome of marriage.

"I have carried the sheath with me since the first day I arrived at Tara."

"Just this once. Just today," she said rocking against him.

"Just this once," he promised capturing her in another desperate kiss.

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Scarlett ached for Rhett Butler in a way that was not satisfied by only once. As she lay alone in her large bed later that night, she wished that she was once more skin to skin with him. She wasn't even sure how he had gotten her out of her shimmy, she'd certainly started by refusing to take it off, but somewhere in the throws of it all, her arms had lifted for him to tug it off.

Laying with him after, in that small bed, hearts still pounding, skin still slick. It had taken moments for her to remember to be horrified. She had been contented with her head on his chest, his strong arms around her. She would have said yes if he'd asked her in that moment or likely any of the preceding moments before that.

Fun.

He'd been right. It had been fun all right, but it had been more than that.

Overwhelming, all-consuming, thrilling while feeling totally safe.

It hadn't been sated with one time. It had solved the mystery of what could lay between them, it awoke even more desires she didn't want to have.

She desperately wanted him next to her.

She wondered if she would ever find sleep ever again with all the thoughts coursing through her. To regret something and want more of it...

Thanks for reading!