((I personally feel the need to develop something for Theodore Groves before we move on. I always liked him in the movies and felt he didn't get enough air time. Don't worry, we'll get back to the original story soon enough. Enjoy the brief break though.))
They had walked a good portion of the way back into town in silence. They were not walking on the more trafficked streets, neither one of them wanted to risk running into acquaintances. However, Groves still kept a proper distance to Sally, standing just off from her elbow, ready to take it if a situation should arrive. Sally, for her part, kept her eyes lowered, not caring who might see her but also not wanting to make eye contact with Groves. She was still seething, from both embarrassment and anger, over his earlier words. The longer they walked in silence and he went without apologizing for hurting her the more she felt the anger win out over embarrassment.
Sally glanced over her shoulder and tried her best to read Groves' face. She would never admit it to him, or anyone else for that matter, but he actually frightened her in a way. The fact that she'd come to feel so much for him and yet he seemed unmoved, well she did not like the power he had over her. She didn't know why she even bothered thinking about the man when he seemed so uninterested; he always made her mad and was quick to return her to where he felt she belonged, not at his side.
"Why do you matter so much?" She questioned aloud, not really meaning to but suddenly not caring. When he didn't say anything but kept walking she growled, "Did you know that you are an ass?" Sally turned to face him, not caring when a passing man eyed her in surprise.
Groves raised a brow over her outburst and stopped walking. He didn't hate her, and he did find her attractive, but he couldn't quite figure out what he wanted to do with her. She represented a level of society he was not keenly interested in getting involved with. While his family was connected enough that, given advancement in naval ranks, a match between them would not scandalize society, but he was still reluctant to encourage any hope within her.
He had been an only child, all his siblings had died in childbirth, and his father had been a hard man. Any sign of passionate emotion was seen as a possible temptation to err and so he would work the emotion out of Groves. Groves had learned at an early age to be in control of his emotions, to show little of what he really felt, and keep his feelings to himself. Only a few were privy to his smile, Ashlin being one of them.
Lady Sally was an enigma of emotion. In Groves' mind women were not only emotional, but they were unpredictable at best and allowed their feelings to rule every decision they made. In marriage, they wanted to marry for love but often married for prestige, with children they nurtured through nurse maids, and they always described silly stuff, like clothing, with outrageous names for colors. Just what in the hell was periwinkle or violet? Was indigo even a color, he had always thought it was a flower. Sally was everything he imagined women to be; but he had never thought of the time when a woman would be interested in more than a passing dalliance with him.
"What do you mean, Lady Sally?" He put extra emphasis on her title, trying to remind her of her standing and as such that her earlier language was not exactly tolerable.
"You think that no matter how you treat me, I will always come back for more." Before Groves could interrupt Sally stepped forward, causing him to step back in response. "You feel that no matter how many times you are forced to return me to my father's house, I will come back, and always under a new guise." She stepped forward again and again he stepped back, just as she hoped. "Well you are wrong. I have reached my limit and soon I could be gone."
There was a look about her eyes that made him hold his tongue as she continued to advance on him. He didn't know why but this slip of a woman was backing him into a corner, literally and figuratively, and he knew not what to do about it. He wasn't certain if he didn't like the power she was suddenly exuding or if it was that very power that held him enthralled presently.
"I find it ironic, Theodore, that it is I who will be the one to tell you that there will soon come a day when you will wake up and find yourself alone. You will realize that the window of opportunity for prosperity hand-in-hand with happiness has passed you by and you will have to settle with contentment." She halted her steps, satisfied when his back was mere inches from the wall behind him. "Is that what you want, Theodore? Contentment? Do you want to wake up every morning content, go through your day content, and fall back asleep at night content? Is that really enough for you?"
Her words struck a chord inside him and he stiffened. His father had always told him to be content with his lot in life, to be content with what he had. It had been his mother who had encouraged him to seek life beyond the family. Now here was Sally, throwing that same challenge back in his face.
When Sally thought she was going to go cross-eyed from staring at the silent man, Groves moved. He reached up and set his hands on her shoulders and twisted until it was she who was leaning against the wall. Sally kept her eyes on his face, the face that was now so close that she could almost make out the freckles she knew to be on his nose in the lamp light. She did not know what to make of his sudden change, but she did know that he was making up his mind about something.
Groves was having a hard time concentrating on what he'd been inspired to say moments previous. Her face upturned towards his, his hands still on her shoulders, and her body so close that it was if they were lovers near embracing, it all distracted him from his original purpose. He could admit that she felt good, nestled almost against his chest, her softness contrasting with his strength. Groves felt Sally lean a little more into his arms and he had to shake his head slightly to bring himself back to the purpose at hand. He only barely understood his own reasons for suddenly being so physical with her.
"Why are you acting like this when you hate me?" Sally's voice reminded him that he had yet to explain himself.
He did not let loose his hold of her shoulders and she did not make any movements either, neither to push him away nor to move closer. She was looking at him with clear confusion written on her face, but there was a glimmer of curiosity there as well. Groves could not help himself; he reached up and brushed some wild strands of hair away from her face. Sally widened her eyes and stopped breathing for a second but she didn't say anything.
"I do not hate you, Sally." Groves smiled then, "I like you well enough but I just do not know what to do with you."
Sally quirked a brow, "You like me?" her voice was a pitch higher than usual.
"Well," Groves leaned his head back, his gaze critical, "as much as I can like a woman who continually throws herself at me without so much as an indication from me that the throwing would be welcome."
Sally tilted her head to the side in confusion. She was silent, what a miracle, as she gazed at him, pondering all that he had said. Groves kept himself from smiling; he could see every single emotion that was flashing through her mind. She probably did not realize how openly emotional she was, or how her eyes betrayed her thoughts, and he wasn't about to warn her about it either. It made it easier in dealing with her; at least he could always tell when she was about to do something, even if he did not know what she was going to do.
"Why are ye telling me this now?" Her voice was soft when she ventured her question.
Groves sighed on a shrug, "I do not know really; perhaps what you said about contentment reminded me of something I heard years ago, or perhaps it is was your accusation that I am an ass." Sally stiffened a little but didn't say anything. "But I suppose it could be because my curiosity has finally won out."
"Curiosity over what?" Sally seemed completely lost.
"Well," Groves leaned closer, his mouth just inches from her nose, "You represent a mindset completely opposite to my own. Despite our differences you have insisted upon making your interest known while I have neither been hot nor cold towards you. I have been curious as to whether or not an interest on my part could be pushed into one or the other if I were to," he paused and glanced over his shoulder to assure himself of their privacy, "well if I were to kiss you."
Sally gasped, shock written clearly across her face and her mouth dropped open. Sally was really surprised by his frankness, and he was a bit surprised that he had even told her but, oh well now. He would just ride out the waves of his actions, and hopefully, they would be pleasant waves instead of turbulent.
"You really should not have said all that, Theodore." Sally was flustered again.
Groves shrugged, the smile still on his lips, "Maybe not, but it is the truth and I have heard that the truth sets one free."
Sally began to wring her hands together, "You really should not have said that."
"Why, Sally?" He purposefully drew out her name, saying it in a huskier tone, enjoying the feel of turning the tide on her. Perhaps the ale had taken hold of him, in the morning he would certainly claim that, but at the moment he felt a freedom to express himself in ways he had never felt before.
Her eyes were especially wide when they returned to his face, "Because ye are tempting me to-"
Groves reached up and smoothed away some more hair, speaking softly as he did so, "To what?"
"Let you satisfy your curiosity." Sally's voice was strained.
Groves grunted in reply, making Sally even more nervous. What in the world was she doing? Why was he suddenly telling her things that made her toes curl and her heart pick up in pace at the thought of? No one had ever said such things to her before, and though she'd often dreamt of kissing the man before her, she had not thought it possible that he'd had the same thoughts as well.
Neither one planned what happened next; though Groves wished he had planned it because it was perfect. A stray cat howled off to their right, causing both of them to jump, and Sally to throw her hands up to clutch at his shoulders while leaning into him. When they realized what happened neither one of them drew apart immediately.
Sally was tense; she did not know what to do. Her hands held fistfuls of Groves' jacket while her body was pressed quite intimately into his. Groves' hands had also come up to rest on her ribs in order to steady her. Sally was suddenly very conscious of how his thumbs were inches away from brushing the undersides of her breasts, and how the warmth of his hands seeped into her body and made her tingle with awareness. She liked this. She was suddenly not at all afraid, or embarrassed. That was why she did not make a move to pull away.
Groves was thinking along the same lines, but he was also thinking of how much better it would be to move just a little bit and take Sally's mouth with his own. After a little bit of thought he decided to do just that, though he moved slowly so if she wanted to pull back she could. First, he tightened his hold on her ribcage. He felt her shiver slightly when he let his thumbs brush against her ribs. He smiled down into her eyes, loving the way her emotions were darting this way and that.
Right before he could kiss her, Sally suddenly pulled further away, a pensive expression flooding her face. She wanted this, she knew she did, but she also wanted Groves for more than just curiosity. She wanted commitment and a future. Now, with Groves saying these things and being so gentle and attentive, it would be so easy to just give in to a little curiosity and call it that. As she looked up into his eyes, she felt her stomach drop and her breath quicken. If curiosity was all she could get from the man then so be it. It was worth it.
She leaned up and pressed her lips against his, and he relished the way they felt like wet satin. She was so soft and innocent that Groves knew he should take it slowly, not rushing her, but the temptation to reach out with his tongue and trace her lips was almost too much to bear. When he breathed in, he smelled a faint alluring scent, the scent of woman mixed with nature and fresh air; it was enough to intoxicate a man. The kiss tasted sweet and held such longing that Groves pulled Sally even closer against himself until her chest was pressed against his own. He broke the soft kiss and moved his lips to her forehead, and then to her cheeks, and chin, all the while keeping his eyes open to gage her reaction.
Sally's eyes were closed and her head tilted backwards when he trailed a long line of hot kisses down her exposed throat to the spot above her wildly beating pulse. Feeling daring, and most likely inebriated, he licked the skin here, making Sally shiver and gasp in a mixture of shock and pleasure. He smiled wickedly in response.
Groves was being so gentle with her, going so slow that she was almost going crazy with anticipation. She had seen couples kissing, and they usually opened their mouths when they did so. When she had first seen it, it had intrigued her and made her a little uneasy, but now, with Groves' hands stirring great warmth throughout her body, Sally suddenly found the courage to reach down and pull Groves' head back up to her lips, her hands tangling in his hair as she did so.
Groves smiled against Sally's lips. He was both surprised and pleased with her sudden burst of courage but he was completely shocked when her tongue tentatively touched his lower lip, tasting him in a soft caress. His arms tightened and he had to quickly reign in his passion but he slowly returned the favor, letting himself indulge on these soft kisses. When he felt Sally relax into his arms again he opened his mouth a little wider, gently stroking his tongue along her lips, coaxing her mouth open then sliding his tongue in.
Sally stiffened a little, not knowing exactly what she thought of this new experience, but when Groves began to massage her lower back with his fingers, she immediately relaxed and followed Groves' lead. Their tongues met and moved together, sliding back and forth in a natural rhythm. She tightened her hold on his hair, and moved her other hand across the nape of his neck and up toward the top of his skull, holding him for the kiss. She softened even more against him, melting, and conforming to his own body. She could not stop the moan that vibrated from her throat at the sensations he was causing to awaken within her.
Groves opened his mouth wider and shifted angles, so he could have more, because it was driving him crazy in the most exquisite way. He felt Sally move against him and he could feel the both of them start to get desperate, her movements suddenly more wanton then he would've expected coming from her, his hands getting a little rougher than he would have liked.
Deciding it was time to end the kiss that had dragged into many kisses, Groves pulled away. Sally didn't mean to allow him to though, and ended up following him. When Groves leaned even further away, Sally leaned as well. Any average woman would have gotten the subtle hint to stop and pull away, but not Sally. She was dead set upon continuing her satisfaction of curiosity. They ended up leaning so far that Groves lost his balance and they ended up in a heap on the ground.
Sally gasped when she landed on Groves' chest, almost straddling him on the ground. Why had he been so intent upon ending the kiss when it had only begun to get really good? It wasn't like they could do anything more on a deserted street, or was there? Though not as educated as some ladies, she did know what went on in the bedrooms of married couples. It didn't scare her at all, just made her curious. She did know that what happened there most certainly couldn't happen here. Or could it?
Sally frowned as she sat up and pushed the hair out of her face so she could look down at Groves, who still remained lying on the ground beneath her. He was quickly coming back to his senses and did not seem to like lying on the ground all that well from the frown passing over his brow
"What are you frowning for?" Groves chuckled, his hand reaching up to cup her face, "It isn't like I landed on you on the cold ground."
Sally blushed and quickly rolled off the now chuckling Groves. She glared at him but said nothing, the blush in her cheeks saying more than words ever could. She certainly was a character, his Sally. One minute she's close to ravishing him, the next she's blushing because he teased her a bit. Yes, a life with her would never be dull.
Groves suddenly frowned as well. When had he started calling her his Sally and thought of any possible future with her? She would never be his, there was no way, and so there would be no future with her. Why was everything so confusing all of a sudden? He'd only meant to satisfy a thought and now… Groves sighed and brushed himself off as he stood. It was probably the ale, Ashlin's silent condemnation, and Sally's accusations all rolled together.
"We should get going," Groves bent down and helped Sally stand, "You're father must certainly be missing you by now."
He didn't know if he jerked too hard or if she naturally had no sense of balance, but she ended up in his arms once again. Sally's face was turned up towards his, her arms clutching his shoulders again, her body pressed tightly against his own. One of his hands now rested on her hip while the other was on her shoulder. They were in a position that many lovers took upon a farewell, a position that he had spent many years making fun of and laughing at. However, he certainly wasn't laughing now.
"Are you going to kiss me again Theodore?" Sally's voice had gone all husky and Groves found himself clenching his jaw in reaction.
"I would rather not, Sally."
Sally frowned slightly and tilted her head to the side, "Why?"
"Because," Groves finally gave into his urge to smooth some of her flyaway hairs, "I need to return you to your father's house without tarnishing your reputation."
Sally's face suddenly brightened, "So does that mean that you satisfied your curiosity and know what you want now, to kiss me?"
Groves rolled his eyes heavenward and sighed. Heavens, this woman was trying on a man's will power. She had no sense of propriety, no thought for her reputation, no understanding of the power of her beauty and innocent seduction, and absolute trust in his character. What was he supposed to do with her except marry her?
The thought near struck him blind and his hold on her tightened for a moment. He could do worse than marry a woman that loved him and who he found himself attracted to, perhaps, even beginning to love in return. Yes, they had not known of each other for as long as he would like before contemplating marriage, but the future was so uncertain, and having her in his arms was so different from that.
"Aye I have satisfied my curiosity and would like to kiss you." He smiled then. "I know what I want from you."
Groves should've known better than to tell her the truth. Before he could take another breath he had Sally wrapped completely around him, her lips pressed enthusiastically against his own. He didn't know whether to laugh or to cry, but he did know that if they kept this up they were never going to get her to her father's house. Having made up his mind, of sorts, he was more determined than ever to protect her from scandal.
"Sally," he pulled back and shook his head at her, "I really must return you to your father's house, and now. I do not think any of us want you to be involved in a scandal."
Sally reluctantly drew back and nodded. She still wasn't quite certain what he wanted from her but from the way he looked at her, kissed her, and now seemed quite content with holding her hand in his own as they continued on their way, she had an inkling that things were beginning to shape up in her favor after all.
For his part, Groves knew that Ashlin was going to tease him to hell and back once he confessed. And he would confess because he had yet to be able to keep anything from the young man.
((Not going to entreat you for reviews though I am interested in feedback on how you think it is going thus far and critiques on staying in canon or etc.))