Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

In my opinion Ashley would have been a very sexually frustrated man. All of Scarlett's fawning over him would have made that situation worse.

Chapter Three

Rhett and Scarlett's purpose for going to the master bedroom after dinner was to be intimate but they did talk about their decorating plans afterwards. There was a lot of squabbling between the two of them.

Rhett said, "Let's rip everything out and start all over again."

"No, I love this room."

"Of course, you do. It is a room for a young girl," Scarlett frowned at him. Rhett went on, "We can exchange the pink curtains for beige ones."

"No!"

"I will let you pick any fabric you want as long as it is beige."

"Fine. I'm getting up"

They did get up and get dressed. They join the rest of the household.

A few days later Rhett said, "We will exchange the white carpets for brown ones."

"No!"

"Scarlett that is truly a matter of necessity. I am always walking in something. Look how dirty the carpet is on my side of the bed."

"You just need to wipe your shoes better."

"That is a solution, but it is not what I am going to do." Rhett laid there and stared at Scarlett.

"I get to choose it."

"That is fine but remember when you are choosing, I am going to be stomping all over it."

"Fine. I'm getting up."

They did get up and get dressed. They join the rest of the household.

A few days later Rhett said, "I have ordered some furniture for our sitting area."

"I don't get a say."

"I want our bedroom to be soothing."

"It was."

"Not to me."

"Fine. I'm getting up."

They did get up and get dressed. They join the rest of the household.

A week later Scarlett said, "I'm keeping that wallpaper."

"It is too flowery."

"I love it."

"It is too pink."

Scarlett leaned forward in the bed without even the sheet for a cover and kissed Rhett. She whispered, "Please."

Rhett laughed and said, "Yes, you devil woman."

Scarlett didn't like him calling her a devil woman, but it was a lot better than some of the other things he had called her. Judging by the way he said it she thought he meant it as a compliment.

When Rhett saw the fabric, Scarlett chose for the curtains he really wondered about her for a minute. The fabric was beige, beige lace over brown material. That day after they were intimate Rhett said, "Scarlett, do you see me as feminine?"

Scarlett was startled by the question. The absurdity of the question. She said, "No, not at all."

"Then why do you think I would want my bedroom to have drapery that has lace on it."

"I thought it was pretty."

"Baby, you are going to have to take those curtains back and choose material that you think I would like."

"No."

"Baby, I am not going to call a room mine that has lace curtains, and I am not ever going to sleep anywhere but the master bedroom again."

"I'm getting up."

"Scarlett! I'm going to need an acknowledgement of my order."

"Yes, yes, yes. Now get up and lace up my corset."

They did get up and get dressed. They join the rest of the household.

The next week the carpets were delivered. When Rhett saw them, he burst out laughing. The carpet for his side of the room was a plain brown. There was no pattern on it at all. The carpet to her side of the room was a beautiful floral design on a brown background. The carpet for their sitting room was a pretty design of blue, green and brown.

The next day after they were finished Rhett said, "I like your choices of carpets for our bedroom."

Scarlett said warily, "Really?"

"Yes, I think the one for my side of the bedroom is very masculine."

"What about the one in the sitting area?"

"That is a very tasteful choice."

"And?"

"Your carpet suits you perfectly."

Scarlett didn't know why but she thought he was mocking her. She said, "I'm getting up."

Rhett just smiled as he watched her put on her shimmy. She turned to him with an expectant look, and he got out of the bed naked and tightened her corset. The one time she had scolded him about not putting on his robe he had said, "You are lucky I wear clothes in our bedroom at all."

She never said another word.

When the curtains returned, they were a very pretty brown color with a nice design in them. As Rhett looked at Scarlett's choices, he decided that her taste wasn't that bad when she was reined in.

That is the way things went for the rest of the month of July. Rhett and Scarlett being intimate every afternoon. They were being more physical than they had on their honeymoon.

Scarlett was visiting her mills and the store two to three times a week. Her making innocent comments that implied that Ashley was stupid. Scarlett was talking to Ashley in a condescending way.

Because Scarlett knew that Ashley wanted her body and Ashley had tried to prevent Rhett from having access to it, she was making innuendos about her and Rhett to Ashley.

One day as Scarlett was looking over the books at Ashley's mills for the month of July she sighed and said, "Ashley, sweetie, you have barely covered expenses again. You do understand that the goal is to make lots of money? Not just cover expenses."

Ashley snapped, "Yes, I understand." Ashley was not happy. For the last month Scarlett had subtly been implying he was stupid.

"I'm sorry. Did I upset you? I know how sensitive you are."

Ashley again snapped, "No! You didn't upset me."

"I have hurt your feelings. I am so sorry. After living with Rhett, I forget that people can get their feelings hurt so easily," Scarlett sighed and said, "He is such a brute." She giggled.

Ashley shouted, "You didn't hurt my feelings."

"I think it is best that I just leave for now. You have certainly gotten yourself in a tizzy. I wish I had some brandy. That is what I gave Aunt PittyPat when she would get like this."

Ashley again shouted, "I am not upset. I am not in a tizzy. I am not sensitive. I am not a dumb bunny like you. I am a lot smarter than you."

"Really, Ashley, if you are going to start name calling like a child I am just going to have to leave." Scarlett got up and handed Ashley the ledger. She walked to the door. When she got to the door she turned around and slowly said, "Remember. We. Want. To. Make. Lots. Of. money." She hurried out the door.

As soon as the door was closed Ashley threw the ledger against the wall. He was so mad he could scream.

As Scarlett was walking across the clearing, she heard a bang and knew that Ashley had thrown the ledger at the wall. She thought, "Who is the dumb bunny now?'

Life was good for Rhett. Scarlett was sweet, kind and caring. Everything he had always wanted her to be which was why he was so suspicious. He was on guard, but he was also enjoying Scarlett being loving to him. He knew she was getting sexual satisfaction in their bed. She had finally allowed him to not only pleasure her with his hand but also his mouth. He knew she had liked that a lot. He had known by the way she had kept calling his name in the most sensual and desperate way. Was that all it was sexual pleasure? Was he just a stud or was it more than that? No, it had to be more than that. She had joined him in his bed before he had given her any sexual pleasure. Was he just security and any man would do? Or had she wanted him and only him. He did know that she wasn't thinking of anyone else when they were together. He would be on guard until he could figure this mystery out.

That night as they sat in the family parlor, Scarlett was distracted. Finally, Rhett said, "What is the matter, baby?"

"Please, don't get mad. It is about Ashley."

Rhett felt himself tense but he made himself smile and say, "Of course not. Come on. You know you can tell me anything."

Scarlett gave him a sad smile while she thought, 'I once could. Maybe I can get that back at least." She said, "Ashley called me a dumb bunny."

Rhett stopped himself from laughing. He stopped himself from making a teasing comment. He quickly decided to give her a compliment. He said, "You certainly aren't a dumb bunny. In fact, you are a very clever bunny."

"Thank you."

Rhett went and sat down next to her and said, "Tell me what happened."

"I just asked him if he knew that the goal was to make lots and lots of money not to just cover expenses. He got all mad and said, 'I know that is the goal. I am not a dumb bunny like you.'

Scarlett looked up at Rhett with tears in her eyes. Rhett wrapped his arms around her and said, "There. There. I would have questioned it also since he barely ever does better than cover expenses."

Rhett sat there waiting for Scarlett to start babbling on about how Mr. Wilkes was too fine and good to be a good businessman. She didn't. Finally, she said, "He really hurt my feelings."

"Let's go upstairs and I will make you feel better."

Scarlett shyly smiled and said, "I would like that."

Scarlett went back out to the mills the next Tuesday. As she breezed in, she said, "I have decided to forgive you for calling me a dumb bunny. I know you didn't mean it," Scarlett smiled adoringly at him. Scarlett continued, "I know I will have to forgive you for being such a bad businessman. Like Rhett said, 'Not everyone can be smart and good-looking like him.' Scarlett laughed.

"I am as smart as Captain Butler if not smarter."

"Of course, you are dear," Ashley fumed at her condescending tone. She continued, "Let's talk about what you plan to do to pick up production."

"I plan to go on sales calls."

"How wonderful. You have some leads?"

"No, but I can go to the job sites."

"That is an idea. You must be bold in your approach. Don't accept their first no."

"Alright. Alright."

"Hopefully, you will have some good news when I come back out here on Friday," She looked at her watch. She jumped up and said, "I have to go. Rhett doesn't like it when I am late for….. Well, Rhett doesn't like me to be late. Bye, my love."

Ashley fumed. Not only had Captain Butler wormed his way back into Scarlett's bed he was taking full advantage of the situation.

One night as they sat in the parlor playing card Scarlett said, "Would you explain to me about men's nature."

"Why?"

"If I understand you better than maybe I wouldn't make another big mistake?"

"It is extremely simple. Men want to have relations all the time until they die."

Scarlett blushed and said, "Are you saying that all my beaus were thinking about me in that way."

"All the time. Even the honorable Mr. Wilkes."

"What did you mean about the dog?"

"Never mind. I will explain it to you some other time."

"Rhett, you say you want to have relations with me all the time but when I was pregnant with Bonnie, and I told you it wasn't comfortable anymore you didn't get upset or mad. You just said then we won't do it anymore."

"If there is a reason to not have relations then I can behave myself, but I will not be dictated by the honorable Mr. Wilkes."

"Oh Rhett, I'm so sorry but I really don't want to have any more children."

"If that is really the reason then I can deal with it. We won't have any more children."

"Well, accidents do happen especially considering what you have to do. If we have an accident, then I wouldn't be that upset. A child is a better choice than us sleeping separately. I didn't like that." She looked at Rhett and smiled shyly at him.

Rhett smiled back and said, "I didn't like it either."

Those words made Rhett so happy because yes, accidents do happen, and she was alright with having another child. A child that he desperately wanted. If he was honest at least with himself, he wanted a house full.

Author's Notes: At times when I read Gone with the Wind I felt just like Scarlett. I didn't know what the hell Rhett was talking about. The dog reference is a perfect example of this. Time after time Rhett makes reference to things that she has no idea what he is talking about. I ask myself 'How can she learn if she doesn't understand.' And Rhett never explains.