Having Endorsed a Potato - Summer 1889, Tewkey POV
Enola pulled back to run her warm hand down Tewkesbury's chest again. This time settling it just above his hip before walking her fingers up to his shoulder and used it to balance herself in his lap as she pressed a sweet kiss to his exposed collarbone.
"Cripes!" He exclaimed at the touch which sent tiny bolts of electricity to his already dazed brain.
She continued a line of pecks up his neck to below his ear, her lips were somehow warm on his blushing skin.
"My… Adonis." She whispered pensively into his ear as if she was testing the word in her mouth.
Tewkey had to stop himself from using a much more vulgar curse at the tiny sentence. Enola had never referred to him as hers, except as her fiancé or maybe her useless companion. But hearing her call him such a name made his heart swell with pride and mirth, and maybe a little possessiveness.
"Somebody has been studying her Greek classics." He teased as he brushed a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her face.
Enola shook her head girlishly.
"Italian Baroque paintings?" He asked curiously.
She shook her head again, smiling at a yet unknown secret.
A mix of panic and shock flooded his brain. "Julia hasn't got you studying sculptors, has she?" he rushed, "Mother said she was progressive, but I would not think that an appropriate subject for an unmarried lady."
She stared back at him curiously, hopefully wondering why his eyes were as big as saucers. "Shakespeare," She corrected, "And who says everything I learn has to come from Julia, I am a natural detective, you recall."
"I don't know whether to find that comforting or concerning." He studied her face for anything other than superciliousness.
"Maybe you should just find it complimentary." She smirked at him.
"Oh I do," Tewkey admitted, "That must make you *my* Venus then." He raked his eyes over her rosy skin. 'A good descriptor.' He added to himself before mirroring her prior actions, peppering kisses over the side of Enola's neck and shoulder closest to him.
He happily noted that the rosiness of her skin had gone from rosa centifolia to almost rosa majalis from his attentions.
The little noises she was making however hit him with more delight and hunger than happiness, causing the last bit of restraint and embarrassment to flee his drunken brain.
He pulled back, leaning against the cold wall as he took a steadying breath.
"You said when I saved you from the rain last Winter, that I could touch you, yes?" Tewkey queried, taking in the fire in Enola's warm eyes.
"Saved would be a strong…" She started to argue before her brain seemed to catch up with her, "Yes, I did."
He smiled at the fact that even after kissing her senseless, she was still her stubborn self. "Does that still stand?"
She thought for a second, "You know how much I care for propriety Viscount Tewkesbury."
"Evidently." He chuckled, rubbing the skin of her exposed shoulder. He was about to make sure she was not doing something she didn't want to when Enola seemed to read his mind.
"And you know that I would have you pinned to the ground before you could say 'Bob's your uncle' if you tried to do something that I was not okay with." She assured with a mix of sweetness and power.
"Noted." He nodded before placing his hand on her lower back to slowly test the waters.
Teasingly he tiptoed his fingers towards her soft behind.
"May *I* touch you?" She asked pointedly, causing the shyness in him that had slowed their revelry to be overtaken by heated desire. The reciprocation of his feelings was not something he was expecting.
"Mmmhmm" Tewkey managed as he bent forward to kiss her again and squeeze the warm cheek that was now under his hand. Decidedly not actions befitting a gentleman, but he was too far gone to be phased by that.
Enola seemed less confident in her actions as she placed one hand on his back just above the waistband of his trousers, but kept the other on his shoulder where she had been balancing herself since he pulled her onto his lap.
This changed as Tewkesbury tilted his head to deepen the kiss and probe at her mouth, causing her to return her hand to his hair and press her closest leg even closer to him. So close that there was no doubt in Tewkey's mind that she was aware of the situation. So close, he had to bite back a slight groan.
At first, Enola pulled back, looking shocked by his reaction. He was about to repeat his embarrassed actions from the ball when her eyes smiled wickedly, and she very deliberately pressed the outside of her thigh against his crotch.
Tewkey kissed her again in hopes of hiding the fiery blush that must have overtaken his features and stopping himself from making any further silly noises. Enola didn't seem to mind since she quite happily returned to gently twisting her fingers in his hair.
Slowly he inched his hand up from her waist, making sure she could feel where he was going; kissing deeply and lovingly as he went. His fingers found the bottom of her breast, soft and round and warm, just like he had imagined. He found the nipple and brushed his thumbpad over it, making Enola gasp.
After a minute of toying with the small bud, watching Enola seemingly melt into his hands, Tewkesbury felt bold enough to continue. He inched his fingers up towards the neckline of her shift and was just starting to inch back down under the soft fabric when she grabbed his hand and held it against the wall. Only then did he notice how scared she looked.
"We, we cannot do this, Tewkey," she worried, "My business, your standing, it would be ruined if…" Her voice faded off.
"We will stop then," he consoled, wiggling his arm out of Enola's grip and using it to slide her gently back onto the carpet, "If you fear the effect of being caught like this would have on our reputations."
"I don't believe we will be caught," Enola explained stubbornly, "It's the middle of the night."
"Then why are you afraid?" He asked, looking for meaning in her eyes.
"Mother said that if a man touched me under my under-things I would become…" she paused, trying to gather her thoughts, "Avoir avalé une pomme."
"Having endorsed a potato?" He questioned, knowing that his French translation was somehow off.
He saw a small smile appear at the corners of her mouth, "To have swallowed an apple." She corrected.
"I am sure you have swallowed many apples in your lifetime," He joked, hoping it would make her relax, "Hopefully chewed first, but to each their own."
"It means to be with child." She admitted.
Shame flew over Tewkesbury as he realised, he hadn't found out what she knew about the making of babies, thus making her think she was at risk. He hid his face in his hand.
"Enola I am so sorry," she looked more worried as he paused so he rushed to complete the sentence, "I completely disregarded the fact that you might not understand what causes a child."
"What do you mean?" Enola asked confused.
"There is no way you could be with child from me touching you," he explained awkwardly, "There is a further process that a husband and wife must complete to create a child."
That seemed to settle Enola's nerves but not her curiosity.
"What is this process?" she asked as if she would take notes if he gave her the answer.
"I don't think it right for me to tell you, and it is getting very late," Tewkey confessed, "But I promise you I will not let it happen until you know and we are married."
"Shouldn't I know now, so I can be forewarned?" She practically begged.
"How about this?" He tried to compromise, "If you have not already been told or worked it out yourself, I promise I will tell you before we are to marry."
