Thanks to Gina E for the picnic suggestion!
***
Chapter 3 - Picnic time!
"This really was a good idea," Maria commented, as she popped a strawberry into her mouth.
They were sitting on a large blanket, on which the remainders of a picnic were spread out. Plates covered with crumbs, empty cups and crumpled napkins were the silent witnesses of a delicious lunch. The staff at the hotel had really gone out of their way to cram a picnic basket to capacity with delightful sandwiches, cold meat, sweet cakes and fruit.
"I'm glad the French countryside meets your approval, Fräulein," Georg answered.
"Well, it's not the Alps," Maria mused. But looking around at the gently sloping hills, dotted with groups of trees, and the slowly flowing river, she admitted: "But it is quite gorgeous all the same."
Georg edged closer to her and kissed her neck.
"Not as gorgeous as you, my dear," he murmured onto her skin.
The feel of his warm breath on her skin immediately sent a jolt of pleasure down Maria's spine. She turned to face him and put a soft kiss on his lips.
"I'm glad we came out here," she told him. "Paris is really beautiful, but it's crowded, too. This is so nice, and quiet." She looked around with a satisfied smile on her face.
Georg leaned into her for another kiss.
"Uhuh, this is a quiet spot," he said, only for a moment lifting his lips from hers. "I haven't seen anyone all morning." He deepened his kiss, putting an arm around Maria to pull her closer.
She moaned softly, meeting his kiss. "And what do you mean to say by that, Captain," Maria asked huskily, hardly breaking apart.
"Nothing," he said lowly, but as his eyes met hers, they told a different story, and still kissing, Georg pulled Maria down on top of him and silenced her protests with his lips.
****
Hours later, Maria opened her eyes, slowly waking up from a peaceful slumber. Her head was on Georg's chest and she snuggled closer to him, revelling in his closeness. She blinked, and then looked around in disorientation. The picnic basket came in to focus, and reality slowly came back to her. They'd dozed off in the warm afternoon sun. Maria's cheeks flushed at the memory of the heated embrace that had preceded their little nap, and she quickly looked around to see if they were still alone. Having determined that they were, she quietly sat up. She buttoned up the top of her blouse and tried to straighten some of the creases out of her skirt. Looking around, she saw her jacket and shoes discarded on the other side of the blanket.
She looked down at Georg. He was still sleeping, and she enjoyed just sitting next to him silently, looking at his content face.
A gust of wind blew one of the napkins away, and while Maria made a grab for it, she noticed that the temperature had dropped quite a bit while they were dozing. She looked up and registered for the first time that the sky had gone dark with clouds. More wind, blowing harder now, tugged at her blouse and hair and she really started to feel cold.
"Georg," she whispered, bending over him and kissing his cheek. He woke up and looked at her, with that slightly annoyed look of one being awoken from a wonderful nap.
"The weather has changed. I think we should be getting back to the car," Maria explained with an apologetic smile.
He sat up and yawned, taking Maria's hand and bringing it to his lips. He shook his head to clear away the last shreds of sleep and looked around. Noticing the grey sky and chilly wind, he got up.
"You're right," he said, stifling another yawn. "Let's just hope we get to the car before the storm really breaks loose."
Together, they collected the plates and bowls into the basket. As Maria folded up the blanket and placed it on top, she felt the first drops of rain on her face.
"Oh oh. There goes the chance to make it to the car dry," she sighed.
As they started to walk along the river in the direction where they'd left the car, the rain started coming down in earnest. The wind kept getting stronger, and Maria winced as a bright flash of lightning was almost immediately followed by a loud thunderclap. She had no problems with thunderstorms when she was high and dry in a safe house, but she knew that being out in the open field during one was not quite as pleasant.
Georg obviously shared that thought and gestured to the right with his head.
"The car is way too far away in this weather. I think I saw some kind of shed, or a cabin, when we came this way."
He practically had to yell to get over the noise the wind, thunder and rain were making by now. Maria nodded, and he took her hand and led her away from the river.
Indeed, after a few more minutes they reached a small cabin. It looked rather shabby and disused, but any roof over their heads would do at this point. Maria tugged at the doorknob, but the door was either locked or jammed.
Georg motioned for her to stand aside and slammed his shoulder into the door. It gave way with a load crack, causing Georg to tumble over the doorstep, barely managing to remain standing. Maria quickly followed him inside and shut the door behind them, glad to be out of the streaming rain.
***
Chapter 3 - Picnic time!
"This really was a good idea," Maria commented, as she popped a strawberry into her mouth.
They were sitting on a large blanket, on which the remainders of a picnic were spread out. Plates covered with crumbs, empty cups and crumpled napkins were the silent witnesses of a delicious lunch. The staff at the hotel had really gone out of their way to cram a picnic basket to capacity with delightful sandwiches, cold meat, sweet cakes and fruit.
"I'm glad the French countryside meets your approval, Fräulein," Georg answered.
"Well, it's not the Alps," Maria mused. But looking around at the gently sloping hills, dotted with groups of trees, and the slowly flowing river, she admitted: "But it is quite gorgeous all the same."
Georg edged closer to her and kissed her neck.
"Not as gorgeous as you, my dear," he murmured onto her skin.
The feel of his warm breath on her skin immediately sent a jolt of pleasure down Maria's spine. She turned to face him and put a soft kiss on his lips.
"I'm glad we came out here," she told him. "Paris is really beautiful, but it's crowded, too. This is so nice, and quiet." She looked around with a satisfied smile on her face.
Georg leaned into her for another kiss.
"Uhuh, this is a quiet spot," he said, only for a moment lifting his lips from hers. "I haven't seen anyone all morning." He deepened his kiss, putting an arm around Maria to pull her closer.
She moaned softly, meeting his kiss. "And what do you mean to say by that, Captain," Maria asked huskily, hardly breaking apart.
"Nothing," he said lowly, but as his eyes met hers, they told a different story, and still kissing, Georg pulled Maria down on top of him and silenced her protests with his lips.
****
Hours later, Maria opened her eyes, slowly waking up from a peaceful slumber. Her head was on Georg's chest and she snuggled closer to him, revelling in his closeness. She blinked, and then looked around in disorientation. The picnic basket came in to focus, and reality slowly came back to her. They'd dozed off in the warm afternoon sun. Maria's cheeks flushed at the memory of the heated embrace that had preceded their little nap, and she quickly looked around to see if they were still alone. Having determined that they were, she quietly sat up. She buttoned up the top of her blouse and tried to straighten some of the creases out of her skirt. Looking around, she saw her jacket and shoes discarded on the other side of the blanket.
She looked down at Georg. He was still sleeping, and she enjoyed just sitting next to him silently, looking at his content face.
A gust of wind blew one of the napkins away, and while Maria made a grab for it, she noticed that the temperature had dropped quite a bit while they were dozing. She looked up and registered for the first time that the sky had gone dark with clouds. More wind, blowing harder now, tugged at her blouse and hair and she really started to feel cold.
"Georg," she whispered, bending over him and kissing his cheek. He woke up and looked at her, with that slightly annoyed look of one being awoken from a wonderful nap.
"The weather has changed. I think we should be getting back to the car," Maria explained with an apologetic smile.
He sat up and yawned, taking Maria's hand and bringing it to his lips. He shook his head to clear away the last shreds of sleep and looked around. Noticing the grey sky and chilly wind, he got up.
"You're right," he said, stifling another yawn. "Let's just hope we get to the car before the storm really breaks loose."
Together, they collected the plates and bowls into the basket. As Maria folded up the blanket and placed it on top, she felt the first drops of rain on her face.
"Oh oh. There goes the chance to make it to the car dry," she sighed.
As they started to walk along the river in the direction where they'd left the car, the rain started coming down in earnest. The wind kept getting stronger, and Maria winced as a bright flash of lightning was almost immediately followed by a loud thunderclap. She had no problems with thunderstorms when she was high and dry in a safe house, but she knew that being out in the open field during one was not quite as pleasant.
Georg obviously shared that thought and gestured to the right with his head.
"The car is way too far away in this weather. I think I saw some kind of shed, or a cabin, when we came this way."
He practically had to yell to get over the noise the wind, thunder and rain were making by now. Maria nodded, and he took her hand and led her away from the river.
Indeed, after a few more minutes they reached a small cabin. It looked rather shabby and disused, but any roof over their heads would do at this point. Maria tugged at the doorknob, but the door was either locked or jammed.
Georg motioned for her to stand aside and slammed his shoulder into the door. It gave way with a load crack, causing Georg to tumble over the doorstep, barely managing to remain standing. Maria quickly followed him inside and shut the door behind them, glad to be out of the streaming rain.