Chapter 4

I am not the happy owner of anything regarding "Gone With the Wind"

(A/N Thanks for the reviews. Please leave feedback, it helps and sorry of the mistake with Pansy/Prissy)

In the carriage Rhett broke the tense silence,

"This is the carriage you will get in payment for your offered deal. Will it do my dear Mrs. Hamilton?"

He still didn't look at her and his voice sounded strange and distant, Scarlett hadn't paid much attention to the carriage before, but now she took a good long look at it.

"It's perfect Rhett. Thank you"

"Perfect and perfect! But it will get you to Tara I do believe, and not many carriages and horses are available these days"

Finally he looked at her.

"I will take you for a picnic at my hotel room Scarlett, I don't think it would be wise to picnic outside with the battle so close to Atlanta"

He saw her tense and continued,

"Don't be afraid my dear Mrs. Hamilton, I will not hurt you and after all you have been married to that boy Charles."

His last sentence made her tense even more, she covered her nerves with a tense laughter,

"I'm not afraid Rhett but I'm just not used to be a loose woman"

Finally Rhett turned to her and said in a serious voice.

"There is nothing loose about you Scarlett, please don't ever think that".

It was a short ride and before Scarlett had prepared for what was in store, she was stepping through the doors of Rhett's hotel and climbing the stairs to his room. All the way up she felt questioning eyes burning into her back, but she was too ashamed to turn and look at the reception manager, she was sure it his eyes following her. Instead she fastens her eyes on the back of Rhett, who was a few steps ahead of her, leading the way. Rhett held the door for Scarlett and she took a deep breath and entered the room-his room.

It was a very masculine room with heavy dark furniture and it smelled of cigars and whiskey, the odours made Scarlett relax. These were smells she knew and that made her think of her father and she felt safe. Rhett noticed the change in Scarlett and smiled, he would never admit it but he was nervous too.

"What is it about this woman that makes me come back over and over? I will get my payment today, even if she is scared and doesn't love me. I will be gentle with her but I want her too badly to stop now."

"Come over here Scarlett" he begged.

Scarlett turned and looks to his side, he was standing before a spot on the floor covered with a thick blanket with plates, glasses and meals for two.

"I did promise you a picnic my dear Mrs. Hamilton, please make yourself comfortable".

Scarlett situated at the blanket and took the glass of wine Rhett offered her "To your beautiful green eyes Scarlett"

He said in a toast, Scarlett drank a large drop of the wine and decided to enjoy the food before her, it was a long time ago she had eaten this well. Rhett was amused at her healthy appetite,

"It's good to see a woman that enjoys her food for a change. It's a rarely sight"

He laughed in a friendly way.

"Mother in Heaven! he can be pleasant company when he wants. He is charming in a pirate way, maybe this won't be so bad after all"

The thought made her blush.

Rhett enjoyed the beauty of a blushing Scarlett, this was a new side of her he didn't know, he wanted their time together to be pleasant and without the normally anger and insults. When they had the coffee Scarlett asked Rhett to tell her of his blockade adventures, he decide to tell her of Paris and the latest fashion. Like expected his tale made her eyes shine with excitement and her mouth a little open in amazement.

"God she looks too tempting and beautiful"

He couldn't wait anymore and moved closer to kiss her fully on her lips. First it was a sweet kiss, but when she didn't withdraw he deepened the kiss and lost himself in the sweet, warmth of her mouth. Scarlett was quickly loosing herself in the sensations Rhett's kisses started in her body; she felt warm, fluttered, her body started to tangle and her breathing became heavy. She didn't object when Rhett lifted her up in his strong arms and carried her to the bedroom.

There was no thought left of modesty or doubt but the wonderful feelings from Rhett's kisses and touches. Rhett was surprised and very grateful of Scarlett's reactions to him, never had he dreamt she would willingly meet his passion in this warm and inviting way. When she whispered,

"Please be careful Rhett, it's my first time"

It was his undoing and there was no turning back. He knew it was wrong of him to take advantages of her innocent but he was beyond reason. Never had kissing a woman made him feel as kissing Scarlett did nor had any woman stirred this engrossing passion in him, and never had he felt this deeply for any woman before Scarlett. If he wasn't careful she would consume him and he would be at her beg and call forever, he knew it would be right and wise to stop. Scarlett's virtue wasn't something to take lightly but the mare thought, that she would be his completely, allowing him into places no one had been before him was too tempting and for the first time ever, Rhett lost control and gave into his passion.

"God I do love this woman" was Rhett's last thought before Scarlett demanded his full attention.

Scarlett opened her eyes slowly, she was still in Rhett's arms, she lifted her head and met Rhett's dark, warm eyes as he claimed her lips in another passionate kiss, and ,again, she granted him full access to her body without holding anything back. When the sun disappeared Scarlett awoke from her dream state of mind and reality stuck her without mercy.

"Oh my God! Now I'm a loose woman. He will never marry me. Oh, why did I enjoy it so much? I can't love him! I just can't, it will be too dangerous"

She started moving out of the bed, when Rhett draw her back into his arms,

"Thank you for letting me be your first, I will never forget it. Will…"

Before he could finish Scarlett laughed lightly

"Well, we made a deal didn't we Captain Butler. Now if you will please let me go".

In one second his face became hard and the blank expression returned to his eyes. Rhett couldn't see her eyes, Scarlett hid them from him so he wouldn't see the tears and despair in them. Her words stuck deeper than any knife ever could, he had spent an awake hour to think of his actions and the reasons behind his behaviour and had reached the conclusion, that he would be a skunk, if he didn't offer her some kind of security after their lovemaking. He only needed to decide what kind of security he was willing to give, more than once the word marriage had come into his mind but truth to be told, it scared the hell of him. When Scarlett had cut him short, he almost could have sworn he was about to ask for her hand in marriage, but he was eager to reassured himself it was not so. And with Scarlett's words he was glad she had interrupted him before he had gotten into her web.

"Well, Mrs. Hamilton we did, didn't we. Don't you worry, your secret will be safe with me."

His words made her tense with horror.

"My Mother! She must never know. Oh, what have I done?"

Rhett saw her shame and misunderstood it, with a mocking, cold laughter he said

"Do not worry about the wood headed Mr. Wilkes, he will never know" Scarlett was taken aback.

"Ashley! Why will he mention Ashley? Never mind, let him just think I worry about Ashley and not my mother".

"Get dressed and I will take you home, your payment is done. I will leave tomorrow and don't have time for your next payment. It has been a pleasure making business with you Scarlett."

"Business! Is that what is was to him?"

For some reason, she didn't understand why the thought was unbearable to her

"Damn you Rhett Butler. I hope you will go to hell and I never will see you again. Ever!"

He just laughed. He drove her home in silence. Outside the house he gave her the reins and in a pleading voice asked her to take care of herself and Melanie, and not doing anything stupid. She just glared, coldly at him and uttered no word when he left.