A/N: Okay, ladies. I have tormented you long enough. Let's earn that "M" rating, shall we. Enjoy!

Ch. 20 - Consumed

Together they worked to straighten up the kitchen, making short work of the dishes. Christine would feel a spark pass between them as their hands brushed against one another in the soapy water. She smiled, secretly wondering what it would be like to live here with him and do this same thing every night before bed, perhaps with one or two children playing and laughing in the background.

Her smile faded suddenly at the thought of the news she had initially been so eager to share with him. All at once she felt uncertain. What if was not pleased by it? After all, Erik had built himself a perfect home here, and she assumed that his work was here as well. Unlike her, he had traveled extensively throughout his life and now seemed perfectly willing to settle in one place for the remainder. Could she live with herself if she uprooted him from the first real home he had ever known?

Christine remained quiet for the next several moments, and Erik glanced over at her in concern. He wondered why she suddenly seemed so serious after all the tenderness and laughter of the past few hours. Drying his hands on a dishtowel, he pulled her into his arms for a quick kiss, still reveling in the sensation of being able to embrace her so freely.

Christine pulled back, breathless and Erik chuckled softly. "Come, my dear, enough drudgery for one evening. I have been remiss in my duty to show you an evening of romance. A man can hardly expect to win a fair lady's heart by forcing her to scrub his kitchen on their first real evening together. The sun is just setting. Let's go for a walk, shall we?"

Christine laughed, taking his extended hand. "Lead on, good sir."

Arm and arm the two made their way across the extensive grounds and down the road. All along the right side of the path, the curve of the hill sloped downward to reveal Florence which was robed this time in the rich golden glory of the setting sun. Finding a soft patch of grass, they settled themselves down upon it watching as the gentle cloak of night descended and the stars revealed themselves in the heavens above.

Leaning her head against Erik's shoulder, Christine felt she was existing in a dream. She had never before felt so content with the world, so utterly at peace and so incredibly close to another human being. They talked animatedly in the darkness about music, art, literature and life in general, neither one caring to admit that the time had long since passed when Christine should be taking her leave. They were so engrossed in their conversation that neither noticed the clouds rolling forth under the cover of darkness, blotting out the delicate silver stars one by one.

Suddenly lightning sliced angrily through the sky, followed immediately by a resounding crack of thunder and a torrential downpour. Christine shrieked and clung to Erik's arm, but Erik was laughing as they ran back in the direction of the villa. They were soaked to the skin in seconds and the lightning and thunder were frightening in their intensity and proximity. Christine realized nervously that they had traveled much further from the house than she had originally thought.

Erik turned to her and called loudly into the howling wind, "I don't think we will be able to safely make it back to the house. Just follow me. There is a place just over there behind those trees..."

His voice was lost in the din of the storm, but Christine got the essence of the message and clung tightly to his hand as he dragged her off in the opposite direction. They made their way hurriedly through the trees. Christine breathed a sigh of relief as a solid looking structure came into view. Erik flung open the heavy door and pulled her inside, quickly closing and bolting it behind him against the increasing strength of the wind.

"What is this place?" Christine asked, glancing around her curiously as she began to wring the rain from her hopelessly drenched skirts. Erik stepped over to the fireplace and stooped down to start a fire in the hearth. "This is the guest house. I have never used it, though I thankfully did have the roof repaired and a thorough cleaning done upon my arrival."

He reached for a box of matches upon the mantle and very shortly a cozy orange glow began to spread across the floor, illuminating the room a bit. Christine could just make out the covered forms of what must have been furniture and a wooden floor adorned with a thick rug. She smiled in delight. She would surely have to explore this cozy cottage in the light of day when next she had a chance.

Shivering, Christine realized suddenly that she was freezing and had nothing else to wear. She sighed as she listened to the storm battering their temporary shelter, seeming only to increase in its fury. It was nearly certain that she would be spending the night in her sopping dress.

Erik noticed her shivering and looked immediately concerned. "I apologize, my dear, but I have no other clothing to offer you. However, I do think I could find some dry blankets that you could wrap yourself in while we hung your clothing by the fire to dry."

His voice was matter-of-fact, but Christine felt herself color at the thought. "No, really, I am quite fine, I couldn't possibly..." Her voice trailed off in embarrassment, but her teeth chattered involuntarily. Erik noticed.

"Nonsense, Christine. I will not allow you to risk pneumonia out of some misplaced sense of propriety. Come now. There is a dressing screen in one of the bedrooms upstairs and several quilts at the foot of the bed. I shall remain downstairs, and attempt to devise some sort of comfortable sleeping arrangement for us, as I doubt the storm will subside until morning."

Christine blushed furiously, opening her mouth to protest. "I...I...don't understand. Surely one of the bedrooms upstairs would be suitable."

Erik gave her an impatient look. "Christine, it is only May and the nights are still very cold. I do not have enough wood for more than one fire to last through the night. I am sorry that you find the arrangement so contrary to your taste, but it will have to do. Rest assured I will not ravish you in your sleep."

Christine closed her mouth feeling thoroughly chastised. She hadn't meant to offend him or make him think somehow that she was adverse to the idea of lying next to him with nothing in between, quite the contrary in fact.

Even now, as he stood staring at her in obvious annoyance, Christine could not help but notice his appeal. He had removed his jacket and stood only in his dark trousers and a white gauzy shirt that was thoroughly damp and clung tightly to the ridges of his taut muscles beneath. His tanned skin glowed in the flickering firelight, and his tall, lean form fairly radiated masculinity. And that was the very reason why she didn't trust herself to simply lie chastely in contentment mere inches from his enticing form for one entire night.

She lowered her eyes in shame. "I apologize for my foolishness. You are right, Erik. I will do as you suggest." As she lifted her bedraggled skirts to climb the stairs, Erik touched her arm lightly. His momentary impatience had faded and he was instantly ashamed of his harsh words.

"I am sorry, Christine. It is I who should be asking your forgiveness. Any woman would be uncomfortable with this arrangement, but I am afraid it is the best I can do under the circumstances." He touched her face gently and she smiled. All was forgiven between them in an instant.

Christine climbed the stairs, her smile widening now as she realized that whatever the circumstances, tonight for the very first time, she would spend the night lying next to the man she loved. No matter how inappropriate the situation might seem to the outside observer, she decided she cared not for the rules of society this night, for the man she loved was not bound by them and here in their own little world she found she had no use for them either.

After several moments, she returned gracefully down the stairs, her hair hanging freely down her back and her slight frame wrapped only in a large quilt. She noticed at once with a smile that Erik had arranged a cozy nest of blankets near the fire, complete with a feather pillow. However, her smile faded a bit when she noticed a single thin blanket spread nearly ten feet away which she assumed was meant for Erik's bed.

As she reached the foot of the stairs, she was disappointed to find that Erik was nowhere to be seen. She stood in front of the fire, staring into its warmth. Outside, the wind buffeted the house and the thunder and lightning raged, but here inside she felt a safety and freedom she had never known. It was as if the stars had aligned to provide her and Erik at last with this one night away from the world and its prying eyes.

Her earlier disdain for the rigid constraints of social propriety returned and she vowed that she would no longer allow such imaginary barriers to keep her and Erik from sharing the time that they had at last been granted.

She heard a faint sound behind her and drew in a deep breath. She would not waste this gift they had been given. With no further hesitation, she lowered the blanket, sliding it below her shoulders and holding it tightly around her clasped at the center of her chest. She hoped with all her heart he would understand and accept her invitation.

Christine stood unwavering, her breathing rapid and her chest heaving slightly in anticipation. It felt like an eternity as she awaited his touch.

But in reality, she did not have to wait long. Her eyelids fluttered closed instantly as she felt Erik's hands ghost against the fire-lit skin of her shoulders. He slid them feather-light upwards along the curve of her neck, and then down its length to rest on her arms, just above the topmost edge of the blanket.

She felt him lift the heavy damp mass of her curls from her back and lay it gently over her right shoulder, bringing his mouth close against her left ear so that the warmth of his breath caressed it, sending an immediate thrill down her spine. His hands slid lower and grasped the edges of the blanket on either side of her body, pausing there for what felt like forever.

Erik whispered low as his lips nipped at her ear, "Tell me you want me, Christine. Tell me what you would like me to do to you." His hands tightened on the edges of the blanket. She knew at any moment, he had only to tug and she would be completely revealed before him.

Christine's pulse was racing madly. Though she had been married for nearly seven years in the past, the sexuality that Erik wielded so easily was hopelessly foreign to her. She had never in her life experienced the powerful primal instincts that engulfed her body at this moment. And with every taste of all that he revealed to her, she found herself only longing for more; her aching need craving to be sated at last. No, there could be no denying it. In Erik, she felt the Adam to her Eve; the very essence of her womanhood compelling her to be made complete in his masculinity. Theirs was an ancient, natural attraction, pulling their bodies toward one another with such force she felt her knees would buckle at the weight of it. Tonight, she would deny that force no longer.

Her voice was husky with emotion when she spoke at last. "I want you, Erik. I want to know you, all of you. And I want you to know me with nothing between us. Tonight, I want at last to have the hands I have dreamt of so often on my skin and to finally feel you within me." She looked over her shoulder into his burning eyes. "Please, Erik, let us be one at last," she whispered.

At her words, she released her hold on the blanket that separated them. He did not immediately allow it to drop to the floor, but instead slid it down the length of her torso, holding it at her hips. His mouth became fervent against the skin of her back, reverently adoring every inch of her flesh with patient worship. At last, with one hand he tossed the blanket away so that she was entirely bare before him in the firelight.

She heard his intake of breath at the sight of her perfect feminine form in the dying light of the fire. Every curve and hollow of her was cast in contrasts of shadow and light so that she looked like an artist's sculpture. And yet, as he trailed his hand down the center of her back, she was wonderfully warm and alive, yielding and straining toward his touch.

He pressed his palms against the front of her hips and pulled her roughly up against him from behind. A tiny moan of pleasure escaped her lips as she felt the solid length of him against her back and realized his shirt had been discarded and her skin now met the bare, muscled wall of his chest. He threaded his fingers in the glorious thickness of her auburn curls and tugged gently on its silky length, forcing her head back. Immediately, his mouth returned to move against the skin of her neck, one hand grasping her throat with just a hint of danger that only served to heighten her arousal.

Christine felt as if every muscle in her body was melting. Just as she became certain her legs would surely give way, he lifted her effortlessly and laid her down on the pile of blankets on the floor.

As he knelt above her, for the first time she saw his face and the raw, unbridled need combined with the tenderness of his eyes nearly undid her. His gaze traveled the length of her body as if he were drinking in her breathtaking feminine form. When his eyes reached her face he seemed to hesitate, but Christine reached up, her hand gently cupping his strong jaw, her eyes locking with his. Her hand gently removed his mask and laid it aside. "I don't want this between us ever again," she said softly.

His gaze softened and Christine reached her hand back up to touch his ravaged cheek. "Erik, I want you. Please, take me. I am yours."

At her words, he seemed to move at last beyond all doubt. His actions now were controlled and with purpose, moving toward their inevitable conclusion. He would not be denied this time. Even if he had wanted to stop, he doubted he could have. A frenzied need took over his body at the sight of her naked loveliness. And he began at last to take their bodies to the final height of pleasure that awaited them.

Kneeling between her knees as she reclined on the nest of blankets, he ran his palm from the base of her throat to her navel, purposefully increasing the pressure of his hand along the way. Christine's breathing grew ragged as his hand stopped just inches above her waist. Erik leaned forward so the tips of her breasts just grazed the dark hair of his chest and slanted his mouth against hers with such force she felt her teeth grind against his. His tongue invaded her mouth, and one hand tangled in her hair, while the other boldly explored every curve of her body.

When his free hand cupped her breast, Christine gasped. With his eyes never breaking contact from hers, he slowly lowered his mouth to the rounded peak, suckling gently as he drew the tender flesh between his teeth. Christine's eyes opened wide as his tongue circled first one nipple and then the other, but felt only disappointment when he abandoned them all too quickly.

She closed her eyes, anticipating his mouth to return to her own, but instead, she felt his palms at her hips and then a sensation that could only be described as the most intense, deliciously pleasurable feeling she had ever experienced. She arched her back, pressing herself against his mouth, but once again, he left her body pleading for more as his mouth and hands at the last second made the return trip up the soft skin of her abdomen, tracing a path between her breasts and returning to claim her mouth once again.

She strained against him now, her own hands becoming urgent and demanding. She laid her palms against his chest, tracing her fingers along the grooves between his taut muscles and sliding them down over the waist of his trousers. When one hand came to rest over the length of his manhood beneath the fine fabric, she felt his sharp intake of breath and smiled against his mouth in satisfaction. Her other hand moved to undo the clasp. As it pulled free, she slid one hand inside and pulled the last barrier between them down over his hips. Erik moved a hand to aid her in their removal. Succeeding easily, he lay his naked body down to cover hers.

As he leaned down to nuzzle her ear, she reveled in the feel of the solidness of him against her. One large, deft hand slid down the length of her side, his thumb brushing over her breast as his hand continued its journey, finally sliding beneath her buttock to lift her against him. His eyes sought hers and his question was plain. He was seeking her consent. With her own eyes never leaving his, she nodded.

Gently, he took her mouth in his own as he entered her. He caught the breath which she released upon his entry and with one hand beneath her left shoulder and the other beneath her bottom, held her tightly against him as he began to move within her. Christine whimpered with pleasure beneath his mouth and he groaned as he began at last to lose his tightly held control.

As he rocked against her, passion and sensation mingled and intertwined, and the two lovers became entirely caught up in the experience of one another. A magnificent hazy pressure was building quickly between them, a feeling somewhere between the realms of intense pleasure and pain. At last, Christine heard Erik breathe, "I love you" gently against her ear as they both passed the threshold into unimaginable bliss and completion.

In that moment, it was as if their souls fused, brought together by the breath of their lungs and the connection of their bodies so that never again could they exist as two separate individuals, but now would forever be joined as one flesh.

For several moments, the two lay exhausted, still shuddering at the after effects of the mutual pleasure they had experienced and shaken to the core by the rush of powerful emotion that drowned their hearts and minds. Finally, Erik pulled her tightly into the safe harbor of his strong arms and she laid her head against his chest in wonder and contentment.

Never had she dreamed it could be like this. This man was truly something extraordinary. Closing her eyes, she whispered, "I love you too, Erik."

Erik smiled. It was the last thing he heard before he fell into the most peaceful sleep of his life.