The First Day
LHOP inspired fictions by Cheryl C. Malandrinos
Warning: This story contains some description about Almanzo & Laura's first night together as husband and wife. While it is not overly graphic, it does discuss how Almanzo and Laura felt about their first night together.
Laura awoke that morning to Almanzo's blue eyes staring down at her. He smiled as she looked up into his face, confused.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I was watching you sleep," he admitted. He reached his right arm over her and stroked her long, reddish-brown hair with his hand. He held the ends between his fingers, admiring its beauty. He remembered how he had buried his face in Laura's lovely, sweet smelling hair last night, their first night together as man and wife. Almanzo had never known a woman that way before and it made his impending chores seem tiresome. He wanted to lay down next to his wife all day, experiencing her over and over again.
Laura watched in silence. She scanned his face for signs of what occupied his mind. She was sure their thoughts were the same. After they had been together last night, Laura had spent at least an hour reliving it in her mind.
She had always been attracted to Almanzo – from the moment she met him – but last night when she came out from behind the screen and found a bare-chested Almanzo waiting for her in bed, her feelings were stronger than mere attraction. And even with all the anxiety she felt over what would happen that night, her focus, her desire was on knowing Almanzo in a way in which she had known no other.
Laura pulled her arms out from under the covers and picked her hand up to touch his face - that strong, handsome face which had been so close to hers the night before. She ran her hand down the arm which he was using to prop himself up in bed. She felt the muscles bulging against his nightshirt. His arms made sturdy from farming the land had been so gentle when he embraced her last night.
Almanzo leaned down close to her. They locked eyes before he came to place a soft kiss on her lips. He pulled back, knowing his morning chores were waiting. She drew him closer again, not wanting him to leave her. Her lips sought his and kissed him eagerly. Almanzo wrapped his arms around her petite frame and pulled her against him. They kissed with intensity, barely breathing as the passion rose inside them. He felt her underneath him, the shape of her body arousing him. Her hands in his hair, his arms around her body, wanting and needing to reaffirm their love.
He heard the clock downstairs chime eight and fought to quell the arousal inside him. "Beth," he whispered, panting. "I have…I havta take care of the animals." She kissed him again.
"No really Beth, I've gotta milk the cow. She's an hour past due." He pulled his arms out from under her and put his hands over her wrists, trying to release her grip. His kisses still came, but they were softer than they had been a few moments ago.
Disappointed, Laura laid her hands back down on the bed. They stared at one another, both breathing hard. He wondered if she were angry. But she just smiled at him.
"No one ever said it was easy being a farmer's wife." She chuckled.
He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. She leaned over and placed a small kiss on his knuckles. "Later, I promise," he said before stooping down to give her a peck on the cheek. He stood up, tucked his nightshirt into his pants, and pulled up his suspenders. He looked back at her and smiled as he reached for the door knob.
"Later," she smirked.
Once alone she began to think of last night again. She had been so scared, not knowing what to expect. She had never been a wife to anyone, never mind to the man who she had admired for years before he noticed her. It was worth the wait, she thought.
When she had first slipped in bed beside him she was eager to kiss him, really kiss him. But as he placed those first few kisses on her lips, she became frightened. Laura wasn't used to being afraid. She was always the feisty one, so sure of herself. But Almanzo had reassured her that this was all new to him too and that there was no one he wanted to be with except her. She shivered underneath him as he turned down the lamp.
After that it became hands and arms entwined, lips touching skin, and warm bodies fighting to be free of their clothes. How had her nightgown come off? She thought he removed it, but did she? No he must have done it. She would never have been so bold.
Laura remembered feeling a slight twinge of embarrassment as she lay there naked on the bed, partially covered by a thin sheet. What would Almanzo think of her body? She had never been under such scrutiny. His gaze had gone from her eyes, down past her shoulders, and to line where the sheet met her knees before returning to her face again. Laura found his eyes full of desire when he stared at her, swallowing hard. He leaned in to softly kiss her again, and then as he felt Laura's body against his bare-chest, his breathing became more rapid, and his kisses pressed hard against her lips. She accepted them, cupping the back of his head and keeping him close to her. As she turned to move into him, she felt the rough fabric of his trousers. For a moment she thought it was strange he had worn them to bed. Perhaps he didn't want to intimidate her.
She found herself reaching for the clasp on his pants; scared by what they would reveal, but too excited to worry about the unknown. It was then that she felt his hands over hers, helping her take them off. Her ears heard his trousers hit the floor beside the bed, but the rest of her was too occupied tracing the outline of his body. She placed light kisses on his shoulders and chest.
Almanzo took over once again, placing himself on top and looking lovingly into her big brown eyes. They were both so full of love and desire. Laura could hardly imagine it was she underneath him. How she had longed to be his wife. How she had struggled to make Almanzo see her as a woman despite the difference in their ages. And now as they lay there together, kissing, touching, and loving each other, she knew he would never doubt her womanhood again.
Laura fought to bring herself back to the present. She stood up and walked over to the window, pulling up the shade. She saw Almanzo cleaning out the old hay from the barn. Laura watched him work for a few moments and remembered the promise he made earlier. She shivered. She strode over to the wash basin to clean up and get dressed so she could start breakfast.
Dagburnit!" yelled Almanzo, throwing his rake. He had clumsily knocked over the wheelbarrow full of soiled hay. He was distracted this morning. His daydreaming had already caused him to overfill the milk pail and splash the warm liquid onto his boots. He walked into Barnum's stall and began to brush him.
His thoughts turned again to his young wife. She was ten years his junior, but Almanzo had to admit she often acted more mature than he did. It was Almanzo who had left town when Laura's father had insisted she wait until she was eighteen to get married. And it was also Almanzo who had broken off their engagement when Laura decided to teach in Radner so she could help him buy a farm. He wondered how much he would have lost if he had not come to his senses.
He patted Barnum and whispered to him, "I'm a lucky man, boy."
Almanzo heard Laura's voice from the front yard. "Manly! Breakfast is almost ready!"
He looked out of the barn door. She stood on the porch with a smile on her face. "I'm almost done Beth." Almanzo leaned against the barn door and admired her figure.
"Okay," she said, giving him one last smile before going back inside.
Almanzo stared at the closed front door, thinking again about last night. He still couldn't believe how amazing it was, she was. His inexperience with women made him nervous. He had dated a few women since moving to Walnut Grove, but none of them made him feel the way Laura did. The entire drive home from Sleepy Eye he tried to quell the feelings of anxiety inside him. He didn't want to disappoint her. When they finally made it to their bedroom he struggled to hide his fears, realizing Laura was probably scared too. But neither of their fears could have stopped the passion brewing inside each of them.
He wanted to be able to show her how much he loved her; how much she meant to him; how lucky he felt to have Laura for his wife. He wanted this to be the most memorable experience of her young life. When Laura had stepped out from behind the screen in her nightgown, her reddish-brown hair down to the middle of her back Almanzo thought she looked lovelier than he had ever seen her. He had stared at her as she pulled up the covers and slid in next to him. He felt his heart pounding inside his chest, knowing how close she would soon be. When he leaned in and began to kiss her, he felt her tense up. He wondered if he should stop, but she seemed eager to continue. His kisses became more intense and Laura pulled away, almost in tears. Her admission of how anxious she was made Almanzo love her even more. He finally felt free to confess his own anxiety and he hoped his confession helped ease Laura's mind.
They began again, Almanzo looking for signs that he should ease back. But there were none. There was only his beautiful, young wife responding eagerly to his kisses. He reached over and turned down the lamp, not breaking their kiss. Almanzo felt her hands running up and down his back, Laura's fingers making goose bumps form on his flesh. His arms reached underneath her and pulled her in closer; her body fitting perfectly against his, their passion difficult to contain.
She moved her lips up to his ear and whispered, "I love you Manly."
The spontaneous declaration made him stop. His breathing quick, he stared at her, almost too overcome with emotion to respond. He smiled and caressed her check. "I love you too," he said, swallowing hard.
Propped up with one arm he began to unbutton her nightgown. He glanced up at her to see if she would protest, but instead she sat up and put her arms in the air so he could remove the gown easily. She laid back down on the bed and let him gaze over her naked body. He swallowed hard again as he looked into her eyes. He moved in closer and began to kiss her again. The warmth of Laura's naked body against his bare chest making him feel as if he had just entered paradise.
She shocked him then. He felt her fingers working to unclasp his trousers. He helped her, feeling an immediate need to be free from the confines of his pants. Almanzo watched as Laura ran her fingers down the entire length of his body. She smiled when she met his stare, and began to place light kisses on his shoulders and chest.
He laid her down on the bed now and placed himself on top of her. He had never known such pleasure; had never known how one woman could make him feel weak and dizzy with passion; had never thought one person could make him feel so complete.
He shook his head when he heard his name. "Manly! Are you coming to eat or not?" Laura said from her post on the front porch.
He blushed. "I'm sorry Beth. I was daydreamin."
"I understand," she smirked.
"Let me get the milk and I'll be right in."
Laura walked back inside and chuckled to herself. Almanzo's face had looked a little flushed, and she doubted it was from farm work. She leaned up against the closed door and gazed up at the ceiling. She couldn't believe this was her life now; waking up next to Almanzo every morning, taking care of him, loving him. She felt so lucky. She knew there would be less than happy times too, but right now as she stared up at the ceiling, she looked forward to every day of her life as Almanzo's wife…and to the fulfillment of his promise.