A/N: If you didn't notice the rating change, we are working with a hard M now. All I have to say is that I'm so sorry.
Broken, battered, bruised, and beaten – all terms Georg had come to recognize within himself in the years after Agathe's passing. In the course of five years, he had become a shell of the man he had once been. He had been empty, unfulfilled, destroyed to his core. He had become a monster of himself; a man whose very soul was crushed by the weight of his grief, remorse, and broken heart.
He had pushed most everyone away, his own kin included, in the belief that he was better off alone. The relationships he had held were empty and devoid of real emotion or feeling. In fact, Georg had believed he couldn't feel anymore, besides the fury and hatred that brewed beneath the surface; he had become numb.
The cards that life had dealt him had left him without hope. In his mind, he had already lost. He was lost. A broken man travelling a dark, broken path without hope of ever finding light. He had found spots of light coming through the cracks of the dam he had built around his heart, and for a while, it had been enough. The small beams of light had been enough for him to see, to know his heart was still beating in his chest. The cracks of light were enough to convince him to keep marching on, to keep breathing.
He had come to terms with the fact that these little cracks in the dam he built around his heart – Max's friendship, Elsa's charms, the peaceful memories of a better time that his mind conjured up in the dead of night – were the best he was going to get. He had come to terms with the idea that the rest of his life would be lived out as a shell of a man who had once known more happiness than he likely deserved. He had come to terms with his situation and the loss that he had suffered so acutely that it scorched his very soul.
However, he hadn't expected that he might feel that happiness again. He hadn't expected to feel the storm within him to die, and when the dust settled, a sunlight so radiant and warm would wash over him and remind him what it felt like to be alive. He hadn't expected to be revived from the comatose way he had spent the past five years of his life by a woman he had met under the most unsavoury circumstances. He hadn't expected to not only live but want to live.
Broken, battered, bruised, and beaten had been what he believed himself to be before Maria had waltzed into his life and cast a spell on him that made everything brighter. Whereas the world had seemed dull and grey before, he could see colours more vibrant and more beautiful that ever before. Whereas little things were able to crack the dam, Maria had somehow made the whole structure collapse, allowing a waterfall of everything he had repressed to flow free.
Over the past week, Georg had become more aware of the joy Maria had brought to him. He became aware that her touch ignited a fire within him that he thought had died out when Agathe had passed. He became aware that her eyes were the river that calmed him and brought him back to earth, that brought him back home.
Though everything was still so fresh between them, Georg knew he owed this woman his life. She had saved him. She had pulled him off the cliff he had been standing on for five years. She had taught him that he was still alive and that the numbness running through his veins was of his own making. She taught him how to breathe again, how to feel again, how to love again.
He had known the night that she had fallen asleep in his arms that she had him – mind, body, and soul. There wasn't a thing he wouldn't do for the woman who had reconnected him with his children and made his house a home. She had given him the greatest gift – the gift of life. Where he had felt more or less like a walking corpse before she came along, he now felt alive, and it was intoxicating.
She made everything better. She made him better. He strived to be the man she deserved, the man she would always deserve. He wanted nothing more than to make her happy. He wanted to bring her the joy that she had brought to him. He wanted to bring her the love that she had brought to him.
As he sat at his desk in his study, he shook is head, a smile poised on his face. He knew he had fallen for her. While it seemed ridiculous to have fallen for her in such a short amount of time, it didn't matter. He had been lost to her the moment his lips met hers at that ghastly nightclub, he had just been too broken to realize it.
The past week had only confirmed his feelings. Every moment spent with her reaffirmed the message he knew to be true in his heart; the stone-cold Georg von Trapp had fallen in love again. He wasn't sure he would ever fall in love again. He thought it was impossible. He had loved his dear Agathe so deeply that finding love in someone else had been out of the question. He supposed that life worked in funny ways. Just when he was at terms that he would live his life in the independent bubble he had stuck himself in, Maria had walked into his life and completely changed his world.
Despite these realizations, Georg was determined to keep them to himself. While he knew what love felt like, he doubted that Maria did. She was so new to the concept of a relationship that he doubted she would know how to react if he sprung the word 'love' on her. No, he had stuck to the resolve he had made when he fell asleep with her in his arms for the first time; he would do everything he could to have her reciprocate his feelings before he told her the depth of what he felt for her.
His plans had been going rather smoothly, he reflected. The two of them had spent the week enjoying the new feelings they were able to admit to. While they weren't quite able to be open about them with the rest of the world, Georg had found that they made do just the same.
Most days were spent with the children. In an attempt to make up for the week that Georg had reverted to his old ways, he spent as much time as he could with his children to make up for the suffering they might have felt. It certainly didn't hurt that Maria was also present when he spent time with his children.
There were also moments where Georg would catch Maria alone. Whether it was after the children had gone to bed, or passing her in an empty corridor, he didn't waste a second. Often times, they would just talk. They talked about the children, the books they loved, Maria's time at school, or Georg's time in the navy. He found that when it came to Maria, he could never get enough. He found himself yearning to learn all that he could about her.
There were other moments, however, where not much talking was done. There was one afternoon that he caught Maria in the hallway, on her way back down to the children. He had wasted no time in pulling her into the nearest room and kissing her like his life depended on it. He couldn't get enough of the way she felt against him or the way she responded so eagerly to his touch.
Their physical relationship had been restrained; Georg had made sure of it. He clung desperately to his control when he was with her. He refrained from letting his hands wander too much or his kisses deepen too far. He didn't want to scare her, and he certainly didn't want to pressure her into anything she wasn't ready for.
She hadn't made it easy. She was entirely too intoxicating for him. He found himself wanting her beyond what he thought he was capable at his age. He had thought the passionate lust and desire for a woman would have left him years ago, but all Maria had to do was look at him and he found himself wanting her desperately.
He wouldn't push her though. He was set on waiting. As she had never been with anyone before, he didn't want her first time to be some lust filled fumble. He wanted her to be sure about it. He wanted her to be sure about him.
Even so, he had almost reached his breaking point. He had gone to her room one night after the children had been put to bed. He convinced himself it was because he had been too preoccupied in his study to give her a proper goodnight. He had convinced himself that he would kiss her goodnight and leave, knowing that sharing her bed again would be too risky for several reasons, as much as he longed to wake up with her in his arms. He had been very, very wrong.
As it often happened with Maria, one goodnight kiss turned into several minutes of ravishing her skin with his lips. She was just so responsive, and he couldn't seem to get enough of the taste of her. The alarm bells only rang in his head when her wandering hand had brushed against the front of his straining jeans causing him to break his lips away with a strangled gasp. She had immediately apologized and believed she had been in the wrong, to which Georg tried to gently calm her down. He let her know that she had done nothing wrong, that he was just surprised. He had given her a chaste kiss goodnight before retiring to his room for a much-needed cold shower.
The incident had happened a couple days ago, and Georg had made sure to keep things relatively restrained since then. He mustered all his control to only give her light kisses and keep his distance. He calmed Maria's frantic mind by telling her that he just wanted to keep things slow for the time being, when in reality, he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep himself in check. He wanted her with a fire that burned so brightly within him that the slightest touch from her would have him aroused beyond belief.
Georg shook himself from his thoughts. Just thinking about it made his body respond in ways he couldn't afford. He couldn't focus on the lust and desire he felt for her, not tonight. He needed to be completely in control for his plan to work.
While Georg had been showering Maria with small gifts of flowers and her favourite chocolates throughout the week, he had realized rather stupidly that he hadn't even taken her on a date. They had been stealing kisses and conversations in the darkness of the night. He knew it was a necessary precaution until he was able to settle things with Elsa, but he was tired of stolen moments. He wanted to be with her without the pretenses of hiding.
He had let Mrs. Schmidt, Franz, and the rest of his staff have the night off before he sprang his plan into action. He smiled to himself as he glanced at the time on his laptop. Maria would have just put the little ones to bed. The older five would have been finding ways to keep themselves occupied with books or video games. There would likely be no interruptions.
With a smile on his face, Georg stood from his desk, closing his laptop and turning off the lamp before walking out the door. He made his way down the hall and out towards the foyer, feeling a certain spring in his step. As he turned into the foyer, he was delighted to hear the clicking of her shoes against the floor.
He felt his heart rate increase at the sight of her crossing the foyer to meet him. In leggings and a baggy t-shirt, he was convinced she would be the most beautiful woman in any room. Her golden hair was slightly mussed, her cheeks slightly flushed, and yet he couldn't conjure up a more perfect image in his mind.
"Oh, there you are, I was just coming to find you," she said sweetly, offering him a bright smile. Georg smiled back before taking a few steps towards her and catching her hand in his.
"I want to take you somewhere," he said, bringing her hand up to his lips to press a gentle kiss against her knuckles. Maria's eyes widened, fixing him with a look of surprise.
"Where?" she asked skeptically. He gave another smile at the way she eyed him curiously. Spontaneity wasn't typically his strong suit, but something about Maria was able to bring that side out of him.
"Come with me," he told her. She gave a small nod, her eyes still focused on him in bewilderment. He began walking towards the back doors, her fingers intertwined with his in a way that never failed to make his heart feel full.
They exited onto the terrace, only stopping for a moment so Georg could close the doors behind them. The sun had just set, and the world was being thrust into the darkness of the night. Only the moon and the stars shone down on them to guide their path. There was a cool breeze sifting through the air, which was a pleasant contrast to the lingering heat of the day.
Georg frowned briefly as he noticed the gathering clouds that began to hinder their view of the stars. He had believed that the evening would be a clear one, but it looked like perhaps they would be expecting some rain. He pushed that thought from his mind. They still had some time, and Georg wanted to spend as much time with Maria as he could without the interruptions of children and staff.
Georg led Maria down the steps of the terrace, guiding her to the right of the yard. He could hear her audible gasp when she saw the candlelit picnic that he had set up just a few feet from the gazebo. A few pillows lay across a picnic blanket where a few candles dimly lit the area.
"Georg, what is this?" she asked, her mouth hung agape as they walked over to the blanket.
"Only half of what you deserve," he told her gently. She looked up at him with bright eyes. He gave her a small smile before sitting on the blanket, propping himself up against the pillows. "Won't you join me?"
"What if we are seen?" she asked, her eyes roaming over the champagne and strawberries he was reaching for.
"I sent the staff home for the night, and I'm sure the children are far more preoccupied," he replied with a shrug. He wasn't entirely sure of the odds of them being discovered, but that didn't discourage him. He did want to keep things private until he was able to talk to Elsa, but if one of the children happened to wander upon them while searching them out, he wasn't sure he would be terribly upset. In fact, he was very nearly ready to yell from the rooftops, if their circumstances had allowed it.
She seemed to hesitate for a moment, her eyes glancing back to the house, the worry briefly etched on her features. When her eyes came back to his, the worry seemed to dissipate. She gave him a small smile before sinking down onto the blanket next to him. Georg couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.
"What is all this?" she asked as she settled next to him. She sat nestled against the pillows, and her arm seemed to lean gently against his.
"I realized that I haven't taken you on a proper date yet. Unfortunately, this is the best I can do under the circumstances," he told her sheepishly. He popped the champagne and grabbed the two glasses he had brought out.
"I think it's perfect," she replied. Georg glanced over and gave her a warm smile. To say he had been worried about what she would think might have been an overstatement, but he couldn't deny the small cloud of doubt that had began to form in his mind earlier in the day. He was glad that she was pleased with his efforts.
"Champagne?" he asked. She nodded in response. He poured a healthy amount into each glass before handing one to her. She took it gratefully, her dainty fingers sliding over his for the briefest of moments. Georg felt his heart pump faster at the contact.
He turned away to grab the container of strawberries he had brought out. He carefully placed the container between them, offering a smile to Maria when she looked at him questioningly.
"You brought strawberries?" she asked.
"You said they were your favourite," he replied. His response earned him a dazzling smile. Maria picked a strawberry out of the container and took a bite. He was unable to look away as her lips enveloped the fruit. He heard a quiet moan of delight sound from her throat as she tasted the strawberry. The fingers of his left-hand twitched in the space between them. He looked away, feeling his control slip from his grasp. The fact that it only took a small action from Maria to get his mind to haze over with desire was becoming a problem; one in which he wasn't sure how to fix.
He focused on anything else. This night was about her, and he would not have his desire for her cloud over the comfortable evening he had planned for them. He wanted to do things right by her. He brought his attention to the stars that were now twinkling above them between the thickening clouds. A smile spread across his face.
"Do you remember the night we met?" he asked, gazing up at the constellations. He already knew the answer. It was a night that was hard to forget, even with the amount of booze they had consumed.
"Yes," she told him. He spared a glance at her. He could see the small smile on her face as she too looked up at the sky to eye the stars.
"You told me that night that you loved looking at the stars because it reminded you that there was a whole universe out there to be explored," he said, watching her face look up in awe in the dim candlelight. The flames created an irresistible glow to her complexion that made Georg swallow hard. Her gaze came down to meet his, and his breath caught in his throat.
"You remember that?" she asked. He nodded gently, noticing the way the light from the candles danced in her irises.
"It stuck with me. Even though I tried to forget that night, for some reason what you said gave me hope. I suppose it made me think that there was more to discover in my life. Maybe there was a light in the darkness," he told her. He watched as her eyes gave him an open gaze, drinking in every word he said. "What I didn't realize then was that you were it. You were the light in the dark."
Maria watched him with wide eyes. He could see fresh tears prickling at her eyes at his statement. He let a smile spread across his face. Every word had been true. He felt everything he said. She really had become the light in the dark, the sun peaking through the clouds, and he wanted to spend every moment of every day reminding her of that.
Slowly, he leaned his head down to capture her lips with his own. He could taste the fusion of strawberries and champagne on her lips, a mixture that tasted even sweeter coming from her mouth. He felt her hand rest gently against his chest, just over his heart, and in that moment, he knew he would never get tired of the way it was between them. The ease and comfort between them were something he never wanted to let go.
He didn't linger, as much as he desperately wanted to cling to her for the rest of his life. He brought his head back after a moment, knowing the precarious position he could put them in if he kissed her for too long. Her eyes slowly opened to look at him, her irises betraying the admiration she felt for him. He gave her a small smile before taking a sip of his champagne in an attempt to distract him from the urge he felt to reach out and grab for her. He grimaced when he realized he would much rather be tasting it off Maria's lips.
"Can I ask you something?" her voice sounded. He turned his head to look at her, adoring the way the orange glow made her look ethereal.
"Anything," he replied in a whisper. She turned more fully towards him, her chest dangerously close to his own.
"When I asked you why you kissed me that night, you told me that it felt right in the moment. Is that true?" came her question. He smiled remembering the conversation they had in his study not so long ago.
"It was as true as I could be then. I was scared you'd run away if I told you that I kissed you because I had been utterly bewitched by you. I still am bewitched by you," he told her softly. She smiled as his arm came around her, pulling her gently to him. She settled firmly against him, her head dropping to his shoulder. He placed a kiss on her forehead, revelling in the feeling of having her in his arms.
"I tried so hard to forget about that night," she said. Georg nodded.
"I did too," he replied somberly. He felt stupid now when he remembered how hard he had fought off the memories of that night. It had been so pointless in the end. He should have known he would never be able to forget about her, especially when he had known she had awakened something within him that night.
"I wanted to forget. I figured I would never see you again, so it wouldn't matter. I thought it had been a mistake," she muttered softly. He could understand how she felt. He had felt the same. He had spent months believing that he had made a mistake, and that he'd never see her again. He couldn't fathom why the memories had been so vividly attached to his memory.
"I couldn't get you out of my head," he stated. She looked up at him, a curious expression on her face. "I tried to. I told myself it was ridiculous to hold onto a memory that seemed so insignificant at the time. I couldn't forget. It haunted me every night."
"Every night?" she asked. Georg stilled at the slip of his tongue. He hadn't meant to betray that bit of information. He fumbled with the words to explain himself without explicitly telling her just what she had done to his subconscious.
"Sometimes I dreamt about it," he replied carefully. He didn't want to give himself away. He didn't want to tell Maria about the lust filled dreams that had played in his mind ever since that night. He didn't want to tell her that he often woke drenched in sweat at the image of her body wrapped up with his. He didn't want to frighten her off.
"What kind of dreams?" she asked curiously. He felt his face begin to prickle with heat. This was not the kind of conversation he wanted to be having with her. To reveal the things his subconscious had come up with would surely scare her off. He looked away from her, gazing at the stars instead, desperate to regain some strength and composure.
"Nothing of importance," he muttered. He could see in the way her brow knitted from the corner of his eye that she wasn't satisfied with his answer. He scrambled to change the subject, not willing to expose her to the lustful dreams he had about her. He was trying to keep himself out of danger with her and talking about his dreams certainly wouldn't help in in that regard.
"I was lost for a very long time. I don't think I ever would have found myself if it wasn't for you," he told her. He glanced back towards Maria who gave him a small smile.
"I think you would have. I knew there was a good man under the mask," she replied.
"You did?"
"Well, maybe not at first. But the older children told me stories of how you had been before. They loved you so fiercely that I knew there was more than met the eye," she told him. Georg's heart melted at that. After the neglect and pain he had put upon his children, the fact that they could look past his failures as a father and love him unconditionally touched his heart. He only wished he could have been what they deserved.
"I put them through hell," he muttered bitterly. His mind began to remember just how much he had missed of their lives due to his own darkness. He had missed half a decade, and nearly all of his youngest's life.
"You were all put through a lot. You lost someone you cared for very much, and that's never easy. They understand, you know," she said. Georg nodded. He did know. He also knew they had to grow up far too quickly in his absence. While he knew they were growing up to be remarkable young men and women, he only wished he could take credit for it instead of being the reason they had to grow up faster than most children.
"I just wish I had handled things differently. I wish that I had been there when they needed me most," he replied. He watched as she nodded slowly and looked above to the stars, her eyes flitting about the constellations. For a moment, she said nothing. She popped another strawberry in her mouth and took a sip of her champagne, her eyes scanning the stars thoughtfully.
"What was she like?" she asked, turning her head to look at him. Georg knitted his brows in confusion.
"Agathe?"
"Yes," she replied. His eyebrows raised as he contemplated her question. He hadn't talked about Agathe in a very long time, other than the few times he had talked to Maria about her. Aside from her death, most of the things he had told Maria about his wife had been miniscule details. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
He stayed silent for a moment. He grabbed a strawberry from the container, chewing the sweet fruit as he thought about her question. He let his eyes roam over her face, noticing the discomfort there. She looked down at her champagne glass, avoiding his eyes as if she felt guilty for even asking.
He felt a pang in his heart. He never wanted her to be afraid to ask him anything, nor did he want her to think there was any part of his life that he wanted to hide from her. He took a healthy sip of his champagne, finishing the glass before he placed it next to him. He grabbed her free hand with his, catching her attention.
"She was a wonderful woman. She was beautiful and kind to everyone she met. She had a wonderful sense of humour. She was able to ignite joy into everyone she met. She was a fantastic mother to our children," he started. He had avoiding talking about Agathe in fear that it would be incredibly painful, like throwing salt in the wound. However, as he started to speak with her, he didn't feel the painful ebb in his heart as he once had. He felt joyfully reminiscent as he looked back on the fond memories of a woman who had meant the world to him.
"I think she would have liked you a lot," he told her with a gentle smile. Maria looked up at him with a soft open gaze. "You had the same kind-hearted nature. And she would have adored your voice. She loved music."
"She sounds lovely," Maria told him, a fond smile on her face. Georg returned the smile. Some women might have been uncomfortable talking about the subject of his wife. Some women might have found jealousy in talking about a past lover, but not his Maria. She was attentive, and her eyes displayed a genuine curiosity to know more.
"She was. I met her not too long after I joined the Navy. I was visiting some friends in Vienna while I was on leave. We ended up at this charming little bar where she happened to be. It was one of those moments where I saw her across the bar and was instantly smitten. She was the most beautiful woman in the room. I knew I had to talk to her. I walked over and introduced myself, and the rest was history. I knew that night that I was going to marry her one day," he said. He found a smile forming on his lips as he remembered the night that he had met his wife. It had once been painful to think about, but now he was only filled with peace at the memory.
"Did you propose shortly after?" Maria asked, her eyes staring at him with uninhibited wonder. He gave her a gentle smile.
"God no. It took me three years to work up the courage to propose. Her family despised me. They wanted their daughter to marry a lawyer or a doctor, not some low-ranking Naval cadet. For a time, I thought they might have been right. I thought that she deserved more. I even tried to break it off at one point. She was to inherit a large fortune from her parents but marrying me would have meant her giving up that inheritance. She told me that she would rather lose her fortune than lose me. When she said that, it gave me the courage to propose," he said.
Maria watched him closely, a smile on her face. The admiration in her eyes was clear. He wrapped his arm tighter around her. He never thought he would be able to talk to Agathe to anyone and not have it rip his heart in two all over again. The attentive way that Maria listened and watched him with adoration gave Georg the courage he needed to talk about Agathe.
"Of course, once children were brought into the mix, her parents ultimately forgave her for marrying a Navy man in favour of having a relationship with their grandchildren. I surprised them pleasantly by ranking Captain by the time Louisa was born. They finally saw me as worthy of their daughter," he told her, a smile forming on his face at the memory of Agathe's parents approaching him with an apology for their behaviour.
"Do the children still see their grandparents?" she asked. Georg stiffened a little before nodding.
"They've gone to their grandparents every Christmas since Agathe passed. Unfortunately, my relationship with them ended. They had tried to reach out to me, but I was beyond comforting. I closed myself off, and my relationship with them ceased. I haven't spoken to them since the funeral," he said, feeling the guilt creep into his veins.
"It must have been hard on you," she commented quietly. He forced a weak smile on his face.
"It was. I was so broken. I felt that I was beyond fixing. I didn't cope very well," he said, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat.
"I suppose it's never easy to cope with loss," she replied, looking back down at her champagne glass before taking another sip.
"No," he replied quietly. He noticed the small shift in her body as she tensed against his arm. "I imagine it wasn't easy losing your parents at such a young age."
"It wasn't. I was very young. I couldn't understand why they had never come back home," she replied quietly. Georg nodded. He could understand how difficult it would have been. A pang hit his heart as he realized his children had lost both of their parents at a young age as well.
"Do you remember anything about them?" he asked gently. He watched as Maria fiddled with the stem of her glass.
"I don't remember much. My father used to sing and play the guitar. My mother liked to bake. They were extremely happy together, and they wanted to give me the world," she replied somberly. Georg felt his heart break for her. To lose the two most important people in her life before she really had a chance to know them would have been devastating. He wondered if that's how his children had felt.
"What happened afterwards?" he asked, hoping he wasn't prodding too much. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable with his questions, but he found himself desperate to know more about how Maria had transformed into the incredible woman she was today. He just wished it hadn't been under such horrifying circumstances.
"I didn't have many living relatives. My mother's brother was the one who took me in. He was a farmer on the outskirts of Salzburg. He was also a miserable, miserable man," she replied. He watched as the features of her face grew dark. He was tempted to change the conversation to a lighter subject, but she spoke before he could.
"He wasn't terrible, I suppose. He supplied me with the basic necessities. He put a roof over my head and fed me when I needed to eat. But he drank a lot. When he drank, he became volatile," she said quietly. Georg's heart kicked up a notch as scenarios began to whiz through his mind at the implications of her words.
"Did he ever hurt you?" he inquired gently. He didn't want to push her, especially if it would lead to bad memories, but he found himself asking the question for his own peace of mind. He let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding when she shook her head.
"Not physically, no. His words were his weapon," she said. Georg frowned. He could imagine the horrible things she might have had to endure. "As I got older, he was in my life less and less. I realized that I was the only person I should depend upon."
His heart broke. Maria had gone through life believing that she was alone in the world because the world had taken her parents from her far too soon. He realized that she had never had anyone to take care of her, to be there for her. He realized that Maria had been utterly and entirely alone in the world for a very long time.
He gently pulled her closer against him. She gave no resistance, falling into him easily. Her head fell against his chest, just above his heart. He heard a small sigh escape her lips as he brought his own lips to the top of her head.
"You're not alone anymore," he whispered into her hair, hoping it might put her mind at ease. He was glad his children had each other. While his actions as a father had been deplorable, they had each other. They had been able to heal together. Maria hadn't been so lucky. She was forced to face the death of her parents alone, and while she might have come out stronger because of it, no one should have to face something like that alone.
He felt her push away from his chest, her eyes meeting his once again. What he saw there was enough to take his breath away. She looked at him with something akin to a loving tenderness that struck his heart deeply. The way she watched him made him feel vulnerable. He felt like he could tell her anything in that moment. He found three words brewing on the tip of his tongue that he was desperate to say. He was consumed by a tidal wave of love for the woman in his arms, and he wanted her to know it.
Before he could form the words, she looked away, breaking the spell she had cast him under. He watched as she took another sip of her champagne before taking a bite of a strawberry, and he swallowed the words. He could have told her, he wanted to tell her, but he realized he couldn't. He was terrified that it would all be too much. He hadn't said those words to anyone but Agathe, and the prospect of saying them to Maria frightened him beyond belief. What if she didn't feel the same way? What if she never felt the same way?
Shaken from his near slip of tongue and desperate to change the course of his thoughts, Georg turned away, reaching for the bottle of champagne and pouring more of the contents into his glass. He held the bottle out to Maria who held her glass out in return, a polite smile on her face.
"Thank you," she said when he filled her glass. He smiled back at her, trying to calm his racing heart as he took a sip of his champagne. He could still feel his nerves set alight at how close he had been to revealing his heart to her.
A silence fell over them, one in which Georg could only hear the pounding of his heart in his ears. His hand absently began to stroke Maria's shoulder. He looked back up to the sky, noticing that the clouds had begun to obstruct his view of the stars almost entirely. He focused on the darkening of the sky rather than his racing heart.
"Georg?" came her voice after a few moments.
"Hm?" he responded, his mind still clouded with the words he had almost said.
"What are we going to tell the children?" she asked. He turned to look at her, his eyebrows furrowed.
"About us?" he asked. She nodded. He felt his face softened at the question. In truth, he had thought about this answer a lot. He continuously wondered what the most appropriate way would be to tell his children that he was involved with their governess. However, the most important thing to him was that Maria was entirely comfortable with what they told them. "What would you like to tell them?"
"I don't know," she told him quietly. He nodded, his fingers absently stroking her shoulder as he though about her question.
"Well, when the time comes, I'd like to tell them the truth. I'd like to tell them how special you are to me and that I hope you'll be in our lives for a long time," he said. He knew he wanted to say more. He wanted to tell her that he wanted to shout from the rooftops that he had fallen in love with her when he thought the idea of falling in love again had been out of the question, but he couldn't get the words out.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yes, unless of course, you find someone younger and more handsome you'd like to run off with," he said teasingly, giving her shoulder a playful squeeze. She gave him a light smile as her eyes flickered across his face.
"I think I'm okay with where I am," she said, giving his hand a soft squeeze. He brought the same hand to his lips. She smiled before her features darkened into a frown. "What are you going to tell Elsa?"
Georg tensed. He hadn't thought much about what he would say to Elsa. He knew he had to break things off and make it clear that he was in a different place that she was, but he hadn't worked much on his execution. His mind had been more pleasantly preoccupied.
"I'll tell her the truth. I'll tell her that it's not working and that I can't go on living a lie. I'll tell her that it's unfair to the both of us," he replied honestly. "I'll also have to confirm her suspicions about us."
"Won't she be terribly angry?" Maria asked. He could hear the anxiety in her voice. He gave a weak nod.
"She might be, but I've lied to her and myself for too long. She deserves to know the truth. She deserves to know that I don't see a future with her," he said. Maria nodded slowly, taking another sip of champagne as she let his words soak in.
"Do we have a future?" she asked timidly. Georg brought his eyes to hers and watched the anxiety cloud behind them, as if she were afraid of the answer. He felt his breath catch with the words he desperately wanted to tell her. He tried to settle his racing heart. Maria was new to relationships in general, he didn't want to declare his feelings until he was sure she wanted this, that she wanted him for the rest of her life.
"I'd like us too," he told her quietly. She watched him, her eyes waiting for more of an explanation. He took a deep breath, willing his lungs to function again. "I'd like to see where this goes. I'd like to figure this out with you."
He knew he didn't say everything he wanted to say, but rather a toned-down version of it. Looking at her now, sitting next to him under the stars, made it clearer to him than ever that he wanted to fall asleep with her in his arms and wake up with her next to him for the rest of his life.
"I think I'd like that," she whispered back timidly. He let a smile grace his face as Maria leaned into him, her chin tipping upwards to reach his own. Slowly, she let her lips fall against his. He felt his heart rate speed up at the feel of her warmth against him.
While Georg was still set about not letting things get too out of hand, he couldn't help but enjoy such a blissful moment with her in his arms. For a moment, he set aside his desires and focused solely on her; the way her hand came to rest on his jaw, the way her soft lips danced against his, the way her chest felt pressed against his own. He focused on the feeling of having her close, and the way it made his heart swell with joy.
His head felt bubbly from the champagne, and the taste of her only intoxicated him further. He felt alive with her mouth pressed against his in a delicate dance that felt intimate and slow and perfect. He knew he could have stayed there for an eternity without a single complaint.
He couldn't be too sure how long they had been sitting there wrapped up in each other before he felt a drop of something wet land against the back of his hand. He gently broke off the kiss and looked above. The clouds he had seen earlier had rolled above them, and the sky began to open up and rain down on them.
The rain began to come down with more force. Before Georg could look back at Maria, the heavens opened up and began an assault of pouring rain that extinguished the candles around them. He felt the downpour begin to soak through the material of his jeans and jumper.
"We should probably get inside," he said, raising his voice over the pelting rain. Maria nodded before beginning to gather up the champagne, the glasses, and the strawberries. Georg rose from his position on the ground and gathered the pillows and blankets into his arms. The rain increased its force. Without a doubt, they would both be drenched to the bone before they made it inside.
Together, the hurried their way towards the doors. He could feel his hair loosening from the hold of the products he had put in earlier and falling upon his forehead. The drops of rain streamed down his skin as they lightly jogged towards the door.
They made it inside, both completely soaked. The blankets and pillows were drenched, and he knew that it wouldn't be an easy thing to explain to the maids in the morning. He couldn't be bothered by it in the moment, however. As he looked upon Maria in the light of the foyer, he could see the droplets of water rolling down her skin until the path was interrupted by her thin t-shirt that now clung to her body like a second skin.
Georg swallowed hard. Her hair was matted to her forehead, her cheeks red with the effort of jogging to the door. He knew he should look away, lest his imagine run wild, but he couldn't. She was a vision to behold, even soaked through with rain. What made it worse was that she was staring back at him with a dangerous look in her eye, one that set his skin on fire through the dampness of his clothes.
"Where should we put all of this?" she asked softly. For a moment, her words didn't register. He couldn't be sure what she was talking about as his eyes followed a drop of rain rolling down her neck, destroying his stability. Her words finally registered when he glanced back up to see her expectant look.
"Um, we can settle everything in my room for now. I'll take care of it in the morning," he said, his voice sounding foreign to his ears. Maria nodded before carefully removing her shoes and socks with one hand, leaving them by the door as though to try and lessen the amount of water they would be tracking into the house. Not that Georg cared; he couldn't bring his mind to focus on anything but the woman standing in front of him. However, as if on auto pilot, he followed her actions.
As he finished clumsily removing his watery shoes and socks, Maria gave him a bright smile before turning towards the stairs and ascending. On their own accord, his feet followed her. His eyes roamed over the back of her. Her clothes clung to her in a way that ignited his imagination. He swallowed hard, trying to think of anything else. The direction his thoughts were going in were not helpful to the twinge of desire he felt flowing freely through him.
They made their way down the hall, leaving a trail of rain behind them from their dripping skin. He couldn't bring himself to pay any mind to the floor when he felt her arm brush against his, setting his nerves alight. He gritted his teeth as he reached for the doorknob, opening the door to his room. He gestured for Maria to enter.
She took a tentative step inside. Having never seen his room, he watched as she took in the large four poster bed, the burgundy drapes, and the collection of pictures of his family scattered across the room. He smiled at the wonder clear in her eyes, taking in a small, intimate part of him that not very many people saw.
He followed her through the door, making his way into the en-suite to place the soaked blankets and pillows to dry. He walked back out to turn on the lamp on his bedside table, allowing more light to filter through the room. He watched Maria admire the photos on his dresser of the children, her arms still full of glasses and containers.
"You can just leave those on the dresser," he said, inclining his head to the contents in her arms. She looked up at him and gave a shy smile before setting everything down with great care.
Neither quite knew what to say as they stood facing each other, only a few feet separating them. Georg knew that logically, he should wish Maria a goodnight and leave it at that, but with everything they had shared through the night, it felt almost too impersonal to end things that way. He could hear his heart thrumming furiously in his ears as he tried to figure out what to say.
"Thank you for joining me tonight," he said rather pathetically, his fingers twitching at his sides. He watched as she gave him a soft smile.
"Thank you for inviting me," she replied. He wondered if she was feeling as unsure as he was. He wondered if she desperately didn't want to go as much as he didn't want her to leave. He took a tentative step forward before taking her hand in his and raising it to his lips. He placed a kiss on the inside of her palm, his eyes never leaving hers. The hitch in her breath sent a shiver down his spine that threatened to unhinge him.
He closed the gap between them, deciding on a goodnight kiss before telling her he would retire for the night. He had kissed her goodnight every night for the past week, and he was hopeful that his composure would stick with him. Had he been more aware of the subtle shift between them that night, he wouldn't have dared to close the gap.
He dipped his head closer to hers, his forehead resting against hers as he felt the whisper of her breath across his lips. He steeled his control, determined that he would give her a chaste kiss. He had to stay strong. He couldn't give into the desires that he so wished to.
Tentatively, his lips descended on hers. The breath felt as if it were being robbed from his lungs at the tender way her lips met his. He felt a hand slid into his damp hair, pulling him more firmly against her and destroying his control bit by bit. His hands descended to her hips, holding her with a gentle grip. His brain screamed at him to back away, to end the embrace there, but his body wouldn't listen. She fit so perfectly against him that he struggled to let her go.
While he had felt his control was strong enough to keep him from taking things any further, he felt his resolve begin to crumble when he felt the swipe of her tongue at his bottom lip. Without thinking about the consequences of his actions, he willingly granted her access, feeling her tongue slide against his in a most delicious manner. The boldness of her actions was enough for him to break. He could still faintly taste champagne infused with strawberries, a combination that only spurred him on.
His heart thudded dangerously as her lips continued to torture him with their sweet caresses. There was a surge of desire shooting through him, one in which he wasn't sure he could control. He wanted her so badly. He wanted to taste her everywhere. He wanted to feel every inch of her pressed up against him. He wanted to discover all the places no other man had dared to explore. He wanted her with every fibre of his being, and it scared him.
He pulled away, his conscience finally winning out against his bodily desires. His breath was ragged against her lips as he tried to regain the composure that she had so skillfully crumbled. He had to stop it. He was right to stop them before things got out of hand and it was too late to go back.
"Maria," he let out the whisper of her name, struggling to catch his breath. His eyes caught hers. She looked up at him with eyes reflecting the wanting he felt. He suddenly loathed the damp jeans he wore as they clung to his body in a most uncomfortable way.
He watched as her hand came up to stroke his cheek. He let his eyes fall closed at the soothing contact, willing his body to tamper down its desires as he took a deep breath. He fumbled in his mind with the words he wanted to say. Swallowing hard, he opened his eyes to find her scanning his face tenderly.
"Maria, we should say goodnight," he told her gently. Her eyes fell from his, fixing on a point on his throat instead. He held his breath as he waited for her to say something, anything. He wanted her to tell him that he was right, that she should go, but a small part of his mind, the part being driven crazy by wanting her so badly hoped that perhaps she would stay.
"What if I don't want to?" came her response. Georg let out a soft groan. Did she know how much he wanted her to stay? Did she know how much he desired to lay her in his bed and show her how much he didn't want her to ever leave him? She couldn't have known, or she wouldn't still be standing there. He sighed deeply, praying for his control to come back to him.
"We have to. If you stay, well I-," he struggled to finish his sentence. He took a shaky breath. "I tend to forget myself when I'm with you. The truth is, I want you rather desperately, and if you stay, I don't know if I'll be able to stop myself."
Her eyes flitted back up to his, scanning his face with a scrutiny he wasn't accustomed to. He was sure the desire was written all over his face. He was sure it would have been obvious to anyone just how much he wanted her in that moment, and yet, she hadn't left the room, nor had she tried to extricate herself from his embrace.
"What if I don't want you to stop?" she asked, her voice weak and timid as if unsure if she should speak. Georg felt his blood run cold. He shivered involuntarily at her words. Was she really offering to stay knowing the consequences?
"Maria," he spoke, his voice ragged and weak. "Please don't. You don't know what you're saying."
"I know I don't want to leave, and I know that you aren't the only one who has been having dreams," she whispered. Her eyes flitted back down to his throat, her cheeks darkening in hue at her own honesty. Georg felt as if the air had been stripped right from his lungs. He struggled to find his words, any words.
"If you stay, I can't promise that I'll be able to control myself," he muttered softly.
"I'm not asking you to," she replied. His fingers flexed against her waist, desperate to close the distance between them. He was wearing thin, but he had to try and warn her, for the both their sakes. If she was really offering to stay, he knew he wouldn't last much longer. He needed to feel her. But he wasn't sure if he could go through with it if he happened to push her too far and she left him. He couldn't lose her, not when he had just found her.
"We said he would take things slow," he whispered. Her eyes came to find his once again. There was no fear there, no animosity about what he was saying. Her face tilted upwards; her lips so close to his own that he could already taste her.
"I trust you," she whispered back.
Those three words hit Georg straight in the chest like a bullet. Whereas he had been holding his restraint on the idea that she might have been naïve on the physical intimacies of love, he realized that perhaps he was the naïve one instead. The way she looked at him now, her eyes full of trust and devotion, he didn't see the scared young woman he had spent weeks trying to protect from himself. He saw a young woman who, while inexperienced, knew what she wanted and could make her own decisions.
That was all it took for Georg's once iron clad control to snap in two and be thrown straight out the window. Without much thought, he was backing her up a few steps until her back collided with the door. His lips descended on hers with a force he didn't know he was capable of. It was as if her words had summoned all the pent-up desire he had been feeling for days, weeks, months, until it was all he could feel pumping through his veins.
The doubt that had been swimming around in his head left him as he felt her fingers thread through his still dripping hair. She kissed him in equal fervour making him dizzy. He lost any last shred of control he had when her fingers trailed lightly over the back of his neck, causing him to shudder with desire.
He was perfectly fitted against her, their hips fused together against the door. Every nerve in his body sprang to life. He could feel the warmth of her body through the layers of damp clothes they wore. He would have to do something about that, he thought.
He slipped a hand under shirt, feeling the bare skin of her waist against his fingertips, his head spinning at the feel of her soft skin. Groaning at the nuisance of the cloth separating them, Georg gripped the hem of her shirt, breaking his mouth from hers to tug the shirt up. She eagerly lifted her arms, letting him remove the garment from her body. He tossed the damp article somewhere behind him before bringing his mouth back down to hers.
Tongues collided as his hands explored the newly exposed flesh, feeling the curve of her waist and the jut of her ribs with the tips of his fingers. His heart hammered wildly as his fingers trailed along her torso. He couldn't believe she was standing before him, her body pressed up against his. He nearly wanted to pinch himself to determine if it was a dream; however, he quickly decided that if it was a dream, then he certainly didn't want to wake up.
Her own hands travelled from his hair to his shoulders before snaking down his chest with agonizing slowness. The feel of her hands on him caused his mind to spin. She felt better than any of his dreams. Her dainty fingers trailed down his abdomen before tugging impatiently at the hem of his shirt. Without hesitation, he took half a step back, removing his lips from hers before he tugged the offending article from his body and threw it to the ground. His mouth was back on hers before his shirt had even met the floor.
He revelled in the skin to skin contact. The warmth of her chest met his, causing a twitch of desire to travel straight south. His hands descended past her hips. He gripped the back of her thighs and lifted her in one smooth motion so that she was pinned between the door and his body. With a little encouragement, she wrapped her legs around his hips. His jeans were becoming increasingly more uncomfortable as he felt himself pressed against her center.
He kept his hands positioned firmly on her thighs as he broke as mouth away from hers, suddenly hungry to taste every inch he could reach. His lips descended on her neck, blazing a trail towards her collar bone. He nipped and sucked at the skin, revelling in the taste of her. He heard her moan, and her hands gripped at his back as his mouth moved lower, placing kisses just above her breasts.
He lifted a hand, pulling down the straps of her bra and pushing the cups of her bra out of his way. His tongue flicked out to lap at her breast, eliciting a moan from Maria. He smiled against her, lavishing attention upon one of her breasts with his mouth as one of his hands came up to palm the other.
He was convinced that all sense had been lost now. He could hear a small voice in the back of his mind telling him to stop what he was doing and suggest that they end the night, but he ignored it. She felt like heaven in his arms, and her skin had intoxicating effects on his brain. He wanted her with everything that he was.
She was panting against him now, in between the ragged moans that escaped her lips. The sounds she was making and the way her hips rolled against him, blindly trying to release the tension he knew was building, was slowly driving him insane. There were too many layers between them. He needed more of her.
He trailed a path back up to her neck before pulling her away from the door. Without ceasing his attentions, he walked them over to his bed, setting her down on the mattress as gently as he could muster with the adrenaline pumping through him like liquid fire.
She looked up at him, her eyes blackened with desire. He was painfully aroused as he looked upon her laying there, her creamy skin tantalizing him, and her breasts exposed. Without much hesitation, he climbed over her, reaching behind her. He fingered at the clasp of her bra, his eyes asking permission to a question he didn't have the voice to ask. She nodded gently before he skillfully unclasped the garment and removed it from her entirely.
She bit her bottom lip as he looked down at her now fully exposed torso. Her muscles were taut and strong showing off her athleticism. She was more perfect than he could have ever imagined and seeing her exposed to him as she lay on his bed had any shred of sanity left in his body shattering.
He noticed the timid look in her eye, and he realized he had just been blatantly staring at her, practically drooling like a schoolboy. He offered her a small smile before pressing a kiss to her lips gently.
"You're beautiful," he muttered against her lips. He pulled back far enough to see a shy smile form on her lips. He pressed his mouth against hers once again, kissing her fiercely as if staking his claim. Her hands explored the muscles of his back, her fingers digging into his shoulders causing him to shudder in delight. Her hands did absolutely sinful things to his body. He brought a hand up to her breast, rolling a nipple gently between his forefinger and thumb to elicit a moan from her lips.
His mouth detached from hers in a desperate desire to taste her skin once again. He blazed a fiery trail with his lips down her neck, nipping gently at her pulse point. He continued his path, reaching her breasts as his mouth ravished every inch of her skin. He received gasps and moans from Maria as he continued his attentions. He smiled to himself as he felt her hips arch up off the bed. His mouth continued its path, placing hot, open mouthed kisses along her abdomen. He made sure to kiss any and every place he could reach, not seeming to get enough of her.
His attentions only ceased when he reached the waistband of her leggings. He looked up at her, silently asking for permission. Once again, she nodded. Georg rocked back on his knees before hooking his fingers into her waistband, and slowly peeling the damp article down her legs. He saw her shudder as his fingers grazed the sides of her legs with a light touch.
Once her leggings were off, he threw them to join the growing pile of clothes on the floor. He scanned her body, his eyes feasting on the creamy skin and curves. His jeans were tight enough to the point of pain, but he ignored it. If she was letting him have this, he would push away his own desire in favour of her pleasure.
He covered her once again, his mouth meeting hers in the dance he so loved. He wanted to slow things down. He wanted to take his time. He wanted to show her that he would give her the world if she asked. He kept his hands at her arms, lightly stroking her skin. He felt her shudder beneath him, her hips lifting to reach his. He groaned at the contact, inching his hips away. He didn't want it to be over before it began.
He felt her hand skim over his chest, gently feeling the skin and hair there. He moaned into her mouth when he felt her fingers skim over a nipple. Her hands descended lower, grazing against his abdomen and driving him insane. It wasn't until her hand tentatively rested on his belt that he pulled away.
"Darling, patience," he whispered against her in a breathless chuckle. He lifted his head to look her in the eyes. She lay before him, her eyes hooded with lust, and her mouth swollen from his kisses. He had never seen an image so painfully arousing in his life.
"Please, Georg," she muttered. He could hear the firmness that lay in her tone, despite her timid nature around him. It was then that he knew he would never be able to deny her a single thing when she looked at him like that. He rocked back on his knees once again and slowly undid the buckle of his belt. He kept his eyes firmly on hers, looking for a hint of discomfort, but he found none. With agonizing slowness, he undid the button of his jeans and slid down the zipper.
He let his jeans hang open for a minute, scanning her face for any indication that he should stop. What he found was a look of pure want akin to what he felt. He stood from the bed to push the jeans from his hips, letting them fall down his legs before stepping out of them.
He watched as her eyes roamed his body, stopping as they landed on his midsection, his desire for her only concealed by the thin material of his boxers. He moved slowly over her once again, hearing his heart thundering in his ears. Knowing they were only separated by their undergarments was doing intoxicating things to his brain.
He placed a gentle kiss to her lips, willing himself to slow down. He kissed her tenderly for a few moments, letting her feel the affection he felt for her rather than the pure lust he had kissed her with earlier. She reacted in kind, her one hand coming up to thread in his hair while her other gripped at his back. His own hands stayed safely at her sides, twitching to touch her. He let his one hand travel over the creamy expanse of her torso, lingering on her breasts before grazing down her stomach.
When his fingers reached the edge of her underwear, he traced the hem contemplating his next move. He let his fingers travel further south with a featherlight graze. He felt rather than heard her hum of appreciation. He let his fingers explore the most intimate part of her body delicately, not yet applying any pressure.
It wasn't until her hips rolled against his hand that he conceded, dragging a finger upwards, feeling her slick beneath the barrier of her underwear. She gasped against his mouth at the contact and the sound made his body harder than stone. He repeated the motion a couple times, receiving a moan each time he did. He heard a curse escape his lips as he continued his ministrations.
Feeling as if her underwear was becoming a nuisance, he used one hand to pull them down slowly, pulling his head back to look into her eyes. She bit her bottom lip before nodding gently in permission for him to continue. He let his fingers discover the newly exposed flesh, teasing but not quite touching. She let out a groan of frustration. Finally, after moments of having her squirm beneath him, he applied pressure to the place she desired him most. She gasped out something that sounded like his name.
His entire body was set on fire when he touched her. The way she arched against him and gasped out his name had him completely and utterly unhinged. His mind was solely focused on the woman beneath him and the best way to bring her as much pleasure as he could. His head dropped, his lips reaching her neck as he kissed gently at her skin.
His touches were light and slow as he used his index finger to circle her center, drawing delicious sounds from Maria's throat, which he was currently nibbling at. He continued his ministrations while kissing down her body. He stopped at her breasts, lavishing attention to each before he continued downwards. As he kissed the jut of her hip, he glanced up at Maria. Her eyes were shut tight while one of her hands gripped at the sheets, her other hand tangled in his hair.
He took his hand off her entirely and watched as her eyes opened to look at him. He grinned wickedly before placing a kiss on the inside of her thigh. He nudged her legs open a little more before experimentally running his tongue along her folds. His hands immediately came up to hold down her hips when they threatened to fly clear off the bed. She let out a strangled moan, her hand tightening in his hair.
He gave a few more experimental touches of his tongue, determining just what made her moan the loudest. He could already tell she was close by the way she gripped his hair, attempting to bring him closer. He stroked his tongue gently against her, smiling despite himself when he heard her sigh of frustration. She arched into his attentions, desperately trying to gain the release that he was refusing to give her.
"Georg, please," she heard her voice weakly sound out. She was nearly begging, and Georg knew he wouldn't be able to deny her anything. He picked up the pace, his tongue flicking insistently against her as she writhed against his mouth, her fingers attempting to pull him impossibly closer.
The long, drawn out moan that escaped her lips was the first indication that he had pushed her over the edge. The second indicator being her thighs clamping on either side of his face followed by the rocking of her hips against his mouth. He felt her body convulse beneath his hands, and the thought that he had been the first man to give her an orgasm shot straight down to the strain in his boxers.
He slowed his ministrations as she rode out wave after wave, his name coming blissfully from her lips. Only when her body went limp did he remove his mouth from her, gazing up to see her laying peacefully outstretched on the bed. She gave him a lazy smile, tugging him up gently by his hair. He crawled over her, coming face to face with her. He grazed her nose with his.
"Hi," he said. Maria gave him a small, satisfied smile. He felt a smug grin form on his face.
"Hi," she whispered back, her hand coming to rest on his cheek. She gently pulled his face down to meet his lips. He kissed her deeply, languidly, hoping to put everything he felt for her into words. His brought up a hand to her hair, his fingers playing with the soft, short strands.
While he could feel his evident want for her rigid against his abdomen, he willed himself to ignore it. He wouldn't push her, he wouldn't take his own pleasure, he wouldn't have her do anything she was uncomfortable with. If this is where she wanted the night to end, he would be happy enough with that. The fact that she let him go as far as he did was enough for him. He adored the woman beneath him with every fibre in his being, and he realized that he would do anything for her, without hesitation.
However, as it often happened with Maria, she surprised him when he felt her hips rise to meet his. Involuntarily, his hips thrusted against hers causing them both to simultaneously moan. He could feel the wet heat of her through the material of his boxers and the thought of her only being separated from him by a thin piece of fabric caused him to lose breath.
He retracted his lips, his eyes shut tight as he tried to calm his body down. He slowly opened his eyes to find Maria staring up at him with uninhibited adoration. She gave him a small smile as she stroked his face tenderly with her fingers. He turned his head to kiss her palm.
"Are you okay?" he asked gently.
"Yes," she told him breathlessly. "Are you?"
He forced himself to nod in answer, ignoring the pull of arousal he felt as her breasts pushed against his chest. He felt her squirm beneath him. While he wasn't sure she was doing it on purpose, it was torturous all the same. He let out a small grunt.
She gazed up at him, her eyes filled with lust as her hips shifted again, perfectly aligning their bodies. He heard her small gasp as she felt him fully pressed against her. He cursed under his breath. The heat of her was intoxicating. It was taking all the strength he could muster to not ground his hips against her.
As much as he wanted to take her right there, a bit of doubt sprang to the forefront of his mind. He didn't want her to feel pressured into anything. He wanted her badly, yes, and he was aroused beyond comprehension, but he was more concerned about how she felt. He didn't want to take something so precious from her away if she wasn't entirely sure about it.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked. He watched as she nodded weakly. He shook his head. "I need to hear you say it. I need to hear you say you want this."
"Yes," she whispered. "Please, Georg."
He kissed her hard. His body's desires were set free. His hips began a steady rhythm against her, and he revelled in her soft gasps in his mouth. He had never burned so hot in his life. He wanted her with everything he had.
He broke the kiss, leaning towards his nightstand to open the drawer. His fingers appeared to stop working as his hand fumbled with the contents of the drawer. Finding what he needed, he pulled away from Maria. He pushed his boxers off his hips with one hand, kicking them away from his body. Without wasting time, he tore open the foil package, rolling the condom over his rigid member before covering her body with his.
This time, he only gave her a loving peck before pulling back to look into her eyes. He could see the trust in those big blue orbs, it reminded him that he needed to take things slow. She was allowing him something incredibly delicate, and he would be forever grateful for that.
"Are you ready?" he asked. She nodded slowly. He kissed the tip of her nose. "It might feel uncomfortable at first. If at anytime you want me to stop, just tell me."
He carefully lined himself up before slowly inching inside of her. He watched her face carefully. He had made it a couple of inches before he saw the discomfort form on her face. He stilled.
"Are you okay?" he asked. She was still for a moment before she nodded. Carefully, he continued to sheath himself in her heat. He felt a curse fall from his lips as he buried himself inside of her. She felt better than anything he had ever dreamed.
He heard a small whimper come from her as he filled her entirely. He made no movement. He let her adjust to the intrusion. It killed him to stay still. Every nerve in his body shouted at him to move, but he wouldn't. He felt the sweat form on his forehead from the effort of keeping still.
A few moments passed before he felt her hips lift against his, indicating that he should move. He gave her a chaste kiss on her lips, his hand travelling down to her leg to hook it around his to give him more access.
He slowly pulled back, until he was almost entirely out of her, before he inched back in at an excruciatingly slow pace. There was still a twinge of discomfort on her face, but she nodded for him to continue when he stopped. He repeated the slow movements a couple of times before the discomfort faded from her eyes, transforming into a lustful look. Her arms came up to twine around his neck.
Ever so slightly, he picked up the pace. Her eyes closed as a soft moan escaped her lips. Both of her legs came to wrap around his waist. The adjustment in position allowed him to thrust deeper. He moaned as he buried himself over and over again, his pace quickening with every passing moment. She brought his head down to kiss him, and he obliged happily, his tongue intruding her mouth in a similar way to what his body was doing.
He lifted her legs a tad bit higher, feeling her moan deeply as he reached that hidden spot within her that no man had ever reached before. The thought was enough to hitch his breath. He let out a groan before releasing her lips, burying his face in her neck and peppering her skin with hot, open mouthed kisses. He was surprised when he felt her lips just under his ear, gently kissing him as her ragged pants echoed in his mind.
He wasn't going to last long; he had known that from the moment he had pushed her up against the door. He had wanted her for too long, had dreamt about this moment far too much. It exceeded his expectations in every way and the result was his control shattering. He felt the tension build in the base of his spine and realized it wouldn't be too long now until he would shatter before her.
He slipped a hand between them, rubbing a gentle finger against her center. As he pulled his face away from her neck, he saw that her eyes were clamped shut, her fingers fisting in his hair. She let out a moan as his fingers touched her center.
"Maria," he breathed out, "Look at me."
Her eyes opened to reveal a blackened gaze of desire. As she took in his, what he assumed was an unkempt appearance, she let out another moan, her eyes rolling back in her head. He felt her walls begin to convulse around him as she reached her second peak. As her walls clamped down around him, Georg felt himself lost to her entirely. He grunted as he went flying off the edge in a blinding, blissful, earth shattering orgasm. He could distantly hear his voice repeating her name like a prayer as they both rode out the waves of their pleasure.
He ceased his lazy thrusts as he came back to earth. He just barely had the energy to push himself away from her before he collapsed on the other side of the bed. He stared up at the ceiling as he felt his breathing normalize. The only sounds in the room were their mingled pants.
When he felt himself come out of the blissful daze that he had lost himself in, he turned his head towards Maria to find her eyes already on him. He gave her a lazy smile before leaning in to peck her lips. Slowly, he extricated himself from the bed and walked to the en-suit to dispose of the condom. He walked back to find Maria settling under the covers, her eyes heavy with sleep.
Georg shuffled back onto the bed beside her, shifting under the covers. He was turned towards her, propped up on his hand as he stared down at her, a smile on his lips. Her sleepy eyes looked up at him.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly. She smiled up at him.
"More than okay," she replied, lifting her head to kiss him. He leaned into the kiss, letting his lips caress hers gently. She smiled against his lips before she broke away, resting her head back against the pillows.
Georg smiled as her eyes fluttered closed, a small smile plastered on her face. He leaned over her, turning off the lamp on his nightstand. She turned on her side, her back to him, before shifting closer to his body. Without hesitation, he wrapped both arms around her, holding her as close as he could. He heard a soft sigh fall from her lips as she relaxed against him.
It wasn't long after he had gathered her into his arms that he heard the even sounds of her shallow breath. He knew within minutes that she had fallen asleep in his arms. He smiled into her hair. While he hadn't expected the night to go how it did, he found a wave of calm and bliss wash over him. She was perfect in every way, and he felt his heart swell in his chest as he held her in the aftermath of what ended up being one of the best nights he could remember in a long time.
The fact that she trusted him so entirely to give herself to him in that way humbled him completely. He knew he would never do anything to cause her pain, he couldn't bear it if he did. He knew he wanted to spend what was left of his life cherishing the woman in his arms. While he had come to a similar conclusion nearly a week ago, he felt the love and admiration for her cemented in his bones.
He shifted his head up to look at her. In the shadows of the dark room, he could just make out her features. She looked so peaceful and so beautiful laying in his arms. He felt that he'd never get tired of the view. He could hear her begin to softly snore, proving that she was in a deep slumber. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple.
"I love you," he whispered. He knew it wasn't the same as telling the conscious Maria how he felt, but until he was brave enough to face her with those three words, it was enough.
He laid his head back against the pillows before shutting his eyes and following Maria into a deep slumber. He fell asleep with a smile on his face, blissfully unaware about what he was about to be faced with.
A/N: So here we have it. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this chapter. I've been quite nervous to post it. It was a lot packed into one chapter, and I really struggled with it. This is quite a setup for the next few chapters though. I'm not ready, are you?
I know I might have done a bit of injustice here with Georg and Maria's relationship being so fresh, but hey, it's a modern AU, and I've made them wait for fifteen chapters. Each time I wrote this chapter, it had the same outcome, although I didn't try and fight it very hard.
Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, favourited, and followed. It means the world to me, and I can't wait for you to see what's in store.