Harold Hill had never realized he was the kind of man who could be driven mad by ankles.

Particularly because he was a very happily married and well-satisfied man – he'd kissed every inch of Marian's bare body thousands of times in their six years of marriage, and he fully intended to do so all over again at the next convenient opportunity, yet on the spring morning when he found her standing at their kitchen counter slicing apples in a stylish new dress, hemline that was most definitely several inches higher than any she'd ever owned before, Harold stopped in his tracks.

The fabric was a rich blue that reminded him of that darling dress she'd worn the day they first sipped strawberry phosphates together, but this new dress was gingham–patterned with a tantalizing square neckline lined by white fabric, and three large buttons at her waist. A fluttering bow tied at her back and two loosely flowing ruffles at the front added a charming femininity to her sleek silhouette. Her lovely ankles and the lower half of her calves were fully visible beneath the higher hemline, emphasized by low-cut, high-heeled shoes, and the sight was captivatingly novel.

To top it all off, her chignon was loosely bound, blonde curls framing her peaches–and–cream cheeks and angelic profile. Altogether, she was a vision worthy of the cover art of some fancy ladies' magazine – in truth, she always was, but Harold couldn't deny that she was especially alluring in this brand-new ensemble.

"Why, don't you look sweet today?" he remarked as he strolled over to her side. "When you told me that your new dresses had come in, I had no idea that it was anything this special."

"Is it so special, really?" She gazed at him sidelong, a bit of flirtatious mischief in her eyes, but Harold could tell from her tone that this compliment genuinely seemed to delight her, and it warmed his heart.

Leaning down to breathe in her delicious scent of vanilla and lilacs and Marian, he kissed his way lightly up her neck with well–practiced ease, wrapped an arm around her warm waist and tugged her closer – and froze.

Holding and touching Marian was the most familiar sensation in the world, and he knew exactly how his wife ought to feel when she was fully clothed for the day. There should have been a distinct firmness at her waist, a layer of resistance keeping him from truly feeling the softness of her curves until he had her in a state of advanced undress. Today, though, there was no such barrier, just the feel of a couple of layers of supple fabric against skin, and if the sight of her ankles had driven him half-wild with desire, he was now completely lost.

"You feel soft. You're not wearing a corset, are you? Did you – did you get new undergarments with those dresses, too?" His words came out graceless, voice slightly hoarse, and he would have been embarrassed over his lack of finesse if he weren't so dazed.

Though she didn't break her stride in making up the breakfast plates, the coy smile on her face was plain to see. "Perhaps."

For a moment, Harold could only stare at her mutely, eyes wide, and he knew he must have looked ridiculous from the way she started to giggle. He'd always been a man who prided himself on effortlessly finding exactly the right words for any situation, and there was nothing and no one but Marian who could render him completely inarticulate on a regular basis.

He wanted to kiss her senseless, he wanted to get her out of that pretty dress right now, he wanted to tease out even the slightest hint of what she was wearing underneath it. Most pressingly, he needed to find something, anything to say. "I think you're going to need to show me later, darling."

Hands on his chest, Marian looked up at him with a teasing, indulgent smile that showed she had him exactly where she wanted him. "I didn't know you had such a keen interest in ladies' fashions, darling!" she exclaimed in feigned surprise.

"Why, you little – "

Right at that moment, they were interrupted by the loud clatter of wooden wheels against the kitchen floor, and little William following closely behind as he chased after his errant toy motorcar.

Adapting quickly as they always did, husband and wife managed to separate in an instant and school their flirtatious expressions into proper motherly and fatherly ones.

"Hey, now, what did we say about playing with your toys in the kitchen?" Harold admonished gently, kneeling down to his son's level.

William's freckled face flushed bright red. "I'm sorry, it just rolled away!"

Chuckling, Harold gave his son's golden hair a gentle ruffle and placed the toy back in his hands. "Be careful next time, all right? Now, why don't you go put that back and come sit down for breakfast?"

Just as William left the room, little Susanna made her appearance as if on cue, running to her mother and showing her a tear on the dress of her beloved doll, cherubic face scrunched up in worry. Lifting her youngest daughter up and kissing her golden head, Marian promised to mend it at her first possible opportunity, and Harold watched the charming scene with warm fondness, until he was again interrupted by five-year-old Charlotte flinging herself at him with a good–morning hug.

So, for the time being, there were certainly no more opportunities for flirtation, or further pursuing the tantalizing mystery of Marian's intimate apparel.

As the family sat together around the breakfast table, Charlotte complained of growing pains in her legs while contemplating whether or not she wished to grow tall, William had to be dissuaded from demonstrating a magic trick he'd been taught by the Washburn twins, and Susie needed to be gently convinced to eat the apple slices she was attempting to push off her plate.

There was an inevitable sort of chaos that came from having three young children about, but Harold rather enjoyed it. After years and years spent in bleak loneliness and isolation, he still couldn't quite believe his good fortune that this vibrant, happy family was his own, that his love for his dear little librarian had brought forth these three lively, lovely little people, brimming with so much of what was best of the both of them even at their young ages. As difficult and exhausting as fatherhood could sometimes be, he was determined never to take one moment of it for granted.

With all of this hubbub going on around them, it would have been easy for husband and wife to forget the charged moment they'd shared right before breakfast. But for just one instant, despite everything, their eyes managed to meet without any children interfering... and Harold was thrilled to see the stark longing in her hazel eyes, the way her lips parted slightly on an intake of breath.

Parenthood had, by necessity, taught him a new kind of patience, as well as a new method of flirtation and seduction that was measured and carefully paced. Once a week, the children almost always slept over at their grandmother's house – an arrangement that was greatly enjoyed by all parties involved – but neither Harold nor Marian would have wanted to make love merely one night a week, so for all of the other days, they had to be inventive in managing and nurturing that ever-burning flame between them.

One of the many skills they'd had to master was how to keep their passion simmering through stolen moments even with the little ones underfoot. Through charged glances, lingering touches, and quick whispers, their language of discreet desire kept things exciting, and it was always, always wonderfully satisfying to make good on all that prolonged anticipation when they were finally alone and undisturbed.

As usual on weekdays, Harold would be walking Charlotte to kindergarten on his way to the Music Emporium, while Marian would be dropping William and Susanna at her mother's house before heading to open up the library. As such, husband and wife would generally not have much of an opportunity to steal even a moment entirely alone together right before leaving the house, so their goodbye kisses naturally had to be moderated for appropriateness in front of the children.

But there were times when a sweet and (mostly) closed-mouth kiss at the door simply would not suffice to tide him over until much later, and today, while Charlotte proudly took it upon herself to help her younger siblings into their shoes, Harold managed to pull Marian into the music room and kiss her soundly and deeply, the way he'd been yearning to do ever since he'd stepped into the kitchen earlier.

"Tonight." He used his lowest and velvetiest tone, guaranteed to make her melt.

She surprised him by pulling him in for another long, hungry kiss in response, though they surely had only moments to spare. "Tonight," she breathed when they broke apart, all dazed and dreamy with desire and looking delicious enough to eat.

Even the feel of her waist beneath his hands was driving him mad with longing, and it was all he could do not to give in and touch Marian everywhere, to cup her breasts and tease her sensitive nipples to firmness through the thin fabric, to revel in all this new, thrilling softness beneath her gown. But he knew that he could do no such thing, not for many hours, yet. So, with great reluctance, he finally released her from his embrace, and they slipped from the music room just in time to hear Charlotte calling down the hall, asking where they were.

Still, his hand scarcely left his lovely wife's waist until the very moment that they had to part ways on the sidewalk.

xxx

It was one of the first days this year that had truly begun to feel like spring, and the breeze carried the aroma of blossoms and fresh grass through the open windows of the Emporium.

The weather, along with the promise of what was certain to be a very enjoyable evening with Marian, made Harold a little antsy and restless. He had plenty of work to do and plenty of customers, of course, and he'd long ago learned that he couldn't let it drive him to distraction every single time he was anticipating a night of passion with his wife, given how very frequent that was, but the change of seasons always seemed to give him a burst of extra energy.

(He broke into a grin thinking about exactly how he could put all that energy to good use, tonight and on their upcoming date night.)

If it had been any other day when he was as worked up as this, Harold might have tried to arrange for them to have some alone time at home on their lunch break, but today they had a prior engagement to keep.

So, as planned, they enjoyed a pleasant lunch at Mrs. Paroo's house, along with their children. Even Winthrop, who tended to take lunch with his high-school friends these days, stopped by, with bright-eyed Amaryllis at his side as she nearly always was.

Despite his youth – or perhaps because of it! – Winthrop had grown into the role of an uncle remarkably well, and his patience was admirable when his nieces and nephew instantly surrounded him and clamored for him to play. Rushing to her brother's rescue, Marian managed to convince the children to give him some space, as he was only here on a short break from his classes – though not before Susie innocently tried calling Amaryllis "Auntie", a title that brought the teenager into fits of blushing giggles. Thankfully, she had a good sense of humor about it, though Winthrop turned about as red as his hair.

The music professor couldn't help but remember how, on the very first night of his new life, a ten-year-old Winthrop had innocently inquired if Harold were going to marry his sister. How strange it was to realize that that same boy was now grown enough to be on the receiving end of such blunt suggestions, and from the children of that aforementioned union, no less!

He had to admit that he hoped Susie's unwitting prediction would be proven correct eventually, because there was nothing that would make him prouder than to see his kid brother-in-law thriving with a wife and family of his own. And Winthrop and Amaryllis really did make such a sweet pair.

Naturally, there was no opportunity at all for Harold and Marian to find any alone time on their lunch hour, but he made sure to rest his hand on the curve of her waist whenever he could manage it. He would have embraced her this way regardless, as it was a perfectly respectable way for a man to enjoy his wife's closeness around others, but it was somewhat less respectable for him to keep stealing furtive, lingering glances at her enticing calves and ankles, so he only did that when he was fairly certain that no one was watching them too closely.

In truth, Harold wasn't sure if he was engaging in a slow seduction today or simply succumbing to his desperation to touch her as much as possible. But from the way her pulse quickened under his touch and her eyes sparkled when they met his, he wasn't sure if it even mattered who was seducing whom.

xxx

Marian no longer sat in on band rehearsals as frequently as she used to, now that Harold's own musical and didactic capabilities were much more well-developed. Still, he always had her lend her expertise a time or two before any public performance, and this performance in particular was going to be a doozy. The band had never performed outside of River City before, but the following month, they were going to take part in a statewide competition. The prospect was both exhilarating and terrifying, as an impressive ranking would firmly establish the band's reputation and legacy once and for all, whereas a poor showing could prove both discouraging and embarrassing. True, there were very few people who still harbored any doubts about Harold and his band, and one contest was unlikely to make or break that trust, but he did not want to give Mayor Shinn any new reasons to scoff at him.

Harold Hill wasn't the sort of man to aim for any less than the very best – but, practically speaking, he was absolutely resolved that his boys would bring home at least the bronze.

These rehearsals were vitally important, as was Marian's presence at them, and he couldn't afford to let his mind wander off the task at hand. And though his passion and desire for her had only grown over the years, Harold thought he'd gotten fairly skilled at tempering the full extent of his ardor while in mixed company. Oh, there were still times when he slipped up for a moment and lost his train of thought, especially with her right there in the room with him, but it wasn't as if he lacked all self–control and reason!

The librarian was irresistible even in the most unremarkable of workaday ensembles, never mind a pretty little calf–baring dress with something intriguing hidden underneath it, and Harold knew that his well–practiced resolve was going to be tested anew this afternoon. But as long as he could keep his distraction at a level just above "besotted schoolboy", he'd be all right.

She arrived at the Emporium at around 4 PM, stunningly gorgeous and all business, and though they did share a kiss once they found themselves away from all prying eyes, it was a brief and (mostly) decorous one, both of them remaining aware of the task at hand as they sat down to go over the scores one more time before the rehearsal.

Marian radiated warmth and affection in his presence even when she was at her most professional, and her eyes always glowed sweetly whenever she looked his way. Harold could feel her love for him in her every little gesture, in the way she handed him a pencil, in the way she nodded when he said something she approved of. Even when there was no opportunity for any sort of overt flirtation, the strength of their bond colored every interaction, a quiet harmony between two people who were one in heart and body and soul.

And, strange as it seemed, it was that ever–present undercurrent of comfortable affection that steadied him and helped him refrain from falling too deeply into his fantasies at times when that would be highly inappropriate. Sometimes he could be content simply to bask in her nearness and keep his more urgent desires on the back burner for the time being.

Then, just as Harold was congratulating himself for his considerable self-control, Marian brushed past him as they were preparing to leave his office, walking around the side of his desk. Her backside pressed into his groin a little too closely, a little too firmly to be an accident – and when she gave him a sidelong glance with a glimmer in her eyes, she confirmed his immediate suspicions that she'd been deliberately teasing him. The contact alone had been enough to send an electric jolt through him, and now that she'd made her intentions clear, she might as well have repeated the motion, for the way it affected him.

They had mere minutes before rehearsal began, but Harold simply could not allow such a deliciously brazen gesture to pass by without acknowledgement. So, for one reckless moment, he gave in to his wife's sweet siren song and tossed practicality to the wind. In a single swift motion, he closed the door with one arm and caught her around the waist with another, pulling her near. She was soft, soft, soft, and it was almost too much to bear, but he wasn't going to lose his wits entirely – just even the score a bit.

"Why, you little minx, you did that on purpose." He pressed hot, open-mouthed kisses up and down the side of her neck, and he could feel Marian's legs trembling as she was wracked by pleasant shivers. "Tell me what you're wearing under this dress."

"You're going to have to find that out for yourself," she whispered, followed by that low, sultry lover's laugh that always ruined him, and Harold was so overcome that he could only lean in to kiss her harder.

He had to be careful, as her neck was entirely uncovered and leaving even the slightest of marks on her pristine skin would have caused her embarrassment, so he resisted the urge to concentrate on her neck for too long and kissed his way up to lavish his attention on her lips instead. Her mouth parted eagerly beneath his own to welcome his tongue against her own, her hands clutching at his shoulders and tangling in his hair as she pulled him close, and he was so caught up in the heady thrill of it all that he was barely conscious of where they were, or who was waiting for them just down the hall.

As he remembered that hemline falling tantalizingly several inches above her ankle, he couldn't resist bringing her leg to wrap around his waist, inching her skirt upward ever so slightly so he could caress the curve of her calf as he kissed her, eliciting a gasp from her panting lips. He knew he was playing a dangerous game, but then, a little bit of healthy danger was an absolutely delicious ingredient in lovemaking.

Tickling the delicate shell of her ear with his lips and his breath, he whispered, "If I had anything to say about it, I'd find out for myself right now."

She let out the softest, sweetest little moan at that, going all pliant and yielding and yearning in his arms, his breath caught as he imagined how she must be aching for him – and then, all at once, she startled as if waking from a dream and hastily ended their embrace, laughing as she brought a hand up to her heated face. "Really, Harold, there's an auditorium full of boys waiting for us out there!"

It took a few seconds for him to regain his bearings – though their embrace had been brief, Marian's kisses and the feel of her nearness had a remarkably potent effect even in small doses.

"It's a good thing you have good sense, darling, because you make me lose mine far too easily." He stepped away from her for a moment, stood in front of the wall-mounted mirror and hastily attempted to restore his hair to a presentable state. As usual, though, he couldn't resist getting one last word in, and he grabbed her hand to pull her right up against him once more, close enough to kiss. "But when I get you alone tonight, you are going to get it, my dear little librarian."

Just as he'd hoped, Marian let out the most delightful gasp of startled laughter, cheeks flushed and eyes wide. "What am I going to get, precisely, Professor?"

He might have pursued this delectable thread of conversation a lot further, tested just how much he could make her blush with increasingly direct euphemisms, but they were short on time, and at present he could think of no better rejoinder than to throw her own saucy words back at her.

"You're going to have to find that out for yourself," he retorted with a grin, giving her backside a playful squeeze as he passed by her and opened the door.

When they entered the auditorium side-by-side a minute later, they were the very picture of professionalism. But there was an unusual bloom in Marian's cheeks and a particular brightness in her eyes, and a keen observer would have noticed the tendril of hair hanging loose over Harold's forehead despite all his attempts to set it right. His quick stop in the washroom to splash cold water on his face had not exactly helped the hair situation, either.

If Harold's steadfast assistant Tommy Djilas noticed how flustered the music professor and his wife were – and he had a wife of his own now, it couldn't be entirely lost on him – he at least possessed the tact not to let on.

xxx

Fortunately, despite all of their toying with each other, husband and wife led a successful rehearsal, and hearing Marian's highly approving assessment of the boys' performance was enough to make Harold feel as proud and confident as if they'd won the award already.

As afternoon progressed into evening, there were children to attend to, dinner to prepare and eat and clean up, and the pressing matter of getting her out of that dress had to stay on the back burner for several hours yet.

While they sat on the sofa watching William and Susie play side by side while Charlotte plinked on the piano in the next room, Harold had simply wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and tugged her closer, the same way he might have done any night. But on this night in particular, that gesture was charged with maddening meaning for the both of them.

His hand stroked the contours of her waist, warm and uncorseted, while she sat mending Susie's doll's dress, and while they read side by side a little later. Despite all his efforts to defer it, his craving for her was verging on overwhelming at this point.

He'd always been a man of great, perhaps extraordinary carnal needs, but meeting Marian had intensified those appetites to a level he'd never previously imagined; being married to her, even moreso. Scarcely a day went by when his idle thoughts did not constantly drift toward fantasies of the next time he'd have her naked and warm and wanting in his arms, and it gratified him greatly to know that her longing and hunger for him was just as all-consumingly fierce, though it had taken her some time to discover and understand it.

He wondered if she were feeling just as impatient as he was tonight, just as eager for the moment when they'd finally be alone. She'd flirted boldly and shamelessly all day, yet Harold always tried to keep in mind that they had busy schedules and three young children to care for, and there was always the chance that she'd be too tired to make love on an ordinary weeknight like this, even if he wasn't. He never, ever wanted to be the sort of husband who became resentful if she needed to say no sometimes – he could let those desires simmer for another day until the convenient evening came along, which was always in short order, anyway. He wouldn't have wanted her to make love to him with anything but the utmost enthusiasm.

But God, he desperately hoped that Marian would be just as frantic to have him tonight as he was for her.

She unpinned and unwound her hair while the kids were still awake and about, a somewhat unusual act that Harold deemed exceptionally promising – especially when she snuck him a coy glance as she did so, dropping her pins in a little dish on the end table with a clink-clink-clink. He wondered if she was thinking the same thing he was – that he was going to be too preoccupied with slipping off that dress as quickly as possible to take all that time on her hair!

The children's bedtimes went smoothly, fortunately. They clamored for a story, drowsed off one by one, and even though spirited Charlotte made a token protest or two when it came time for her to brush her teeth, she was still half-asleep before her head hit the pillow. Harold was the best at telling bedtime stories, but Marian captivated the children by singing softly to them as they fell asleep. Together, they made a wonderful team.

Harold was waiting a few feet down the hall as he heard his wife conclude her dulcet lullaby, transfixed, as ever, by her gorgeous voice and the sweet maternal love she poured into it, but also half-crazed with anticipation to get her alone.

As Marian gently closed the door to the girls' room behind her, he could practically hear his heart thumping in his chest. He was about at his wits' end, unable to even formulate a proper plan of seduction, something that he usually relished in doing. Should he go occupy himself in the study or the bathroom and wait for her to come to him? All he wanted was to pounce on her right away, but maybe she had her own plans in mind – or maybe she'd be disappointed in his gracelessness.

Thumbs hooked in his pockets, he took a few steps down the hall toward her, looking more casual than he felt. "All three of 'em fast asleep?"

"They all seemed very comfortable." Marian gazed up at him with a subtly playful smile, running her hands up and down his lapels. "I even gave Charlotte a glass of water on her nightstand, so she won't have to get up if she wakes and feels thirsty."

Covering her hands with his own, Harold stared at his wife in pleasant shock, a crooked grin slowly spreading across his face. So she won't have to get up... Marian had gone ahead and taken extra care to ensure they wouldn't be interrupted, that they'd be as alone as they could possibly be tonight. Even after their long and tiring day, she really did want him as much as he'd hoped and prayed she would.

All at once, they found themselves caught up in the same sort of breathless rush of magnetic desire that had struck them speechless in her mother's front yard on that July night that would change their lives forever. It made no difference that she was now his wife of six years – Harold was just as incoherent with longing, just as desperate to take her in his arms and kiss her as he'd been back then. If anything, he wanted her more, because his love and desire for Marian had only continued to deepen with each passing day and year.

He wanted to make a quip about it, wanted to remark on how extraordinary it was that she could still knock him so far off-balance that he didn't know which way was up, but words proved utterly superfluous in a moment such as this.

She was gazing up at him with hooded eyes brimming with unabashed longing, lush lips slightly parted, her entire body yearning toward him, and instead of attempting to say another word, Harold did what he couldn't have possibly done on that fateful summer night and crushed Marian against him in a deep, demanding kiss.

Between hungry kisses to her lips and neck and the swell of her breasts, Harold did finally manage to get out a couple of words, the fire of his gaze burning into hers. "Bed. Now."

He was gleefully playing on her weak points, for he knew well that, when she was in the proper mood, it drove her wild when he was a little rough, a little commanding. At least, he told himself that he was doing it on purpose, because the plain fact was that at present, he was so worked up that he barely knew how to express himself otherwise. Regardless, it certainly paid off when he felt her shiver and gasp in his arms.

"Oh, that's just what I've been waiting to hear all day long – "

Sweeping her into his arms with a brilliant grin, Harold wasted no time in bringing her to their bedroom and getting to work on those fastenings, and she undressed him with equal skill and alacrity, leaving a trail of his discarded garments leading toward their bed.

It was all too easy to get distracted from his intentions, because Marian was, as always, a delectable banquet for the senses, intoxicating and overwhelming, and it was incredibly difficult to hold onto rational thought when all he wanted was more and more and more of her. So, as soon as he'd gotten her out of that pretty little dress, he almost forgot himself entirely and started trying to remove her underthings as hastily as he could possibly manage, craving nothing more than the feeling of all her naked skin against his.

But when he reached for the laces of her corset, he found none, only silken fabric over soft, warm skin, and Harold pulled back with a startled gasp.

Though she was flushed and panting herself, Marian let out a peal of lovely laughter. "Did you forget, after all that fuss?"

He couldn't deny that a great deal of blood had probably rushed away from his brain by now, but apparently there was still enough left over to rush to his face.

"Mm, you do make it easy to stop thinking entirely, Madam Librarian," he admitted with a laugh of his own. He couldn't even pretend to fault her for laughing – he'd really earned that one! Sitting back a little bit and taking a deep breath, he willed himself to slow down and collect his senses for long enough to carry out his original plan. "Now, let's take a look at you... I want to see what I'm up against, after all."

She lay before him a deliciously tousled mess, lips slightly parted as she watched him with warm hazel eyes. With her honey-gold curls spilling wildly around her head, over the pillow, and onto her shoulders, and her body covered only by her new, thinner undergarments, she presented an irresistible erotic picture, an enticing present for him to unwrap.

Stretching his body out beside her, he slid his hands up to cup her breasts as he explored the fascinating new garment that had rendered her so wonderfully touchable today, and was rewarded with the most delectable breathy exclamations at that first contact alone. The fabric was as thin as a camisole, and it was marvelously easy to make her gasp and squirm as he traced the tautness of her nipples through the light garment. Feverishly, he wondered if this new garment might even make it easier to caress her through her clothes.

And she was just so very soft!

Instead of the time-consuming lacing that she'd always had on the back of her corsets, the new brassiere had only a scant few laces in front, and they proved quick and easy to tug open.

There was undeniably a certain erotic appeal in the long, slow process of unlacing a corset, but Harold couldn't imagine that he'd miss it at all. He could still choose to go as slowly as he wanted when he was in the mood for a drawn-out seduction, but being able to get Marian naked quickly – and, presumably, to restore her to decency just as easily – opened up a world of new possibilities for scandalous lovemaking at all sorts of places and times.

The temptation to simply dive into her decolletage right away and spend several long minutes lavishing his attentions upon her breasts was considerable, but this time he did not forget that she was still wearing lower garments that needed to be properly examined and assessed, so he marshaled his willpower and continued with his long-awaited journey of discovery.

The girdle around her lower abdomen looked a bit intimidating, but Harold was pleased to discover that it opened with hooks alone, another definite improvement over the corset. Beneath it, her new drawers extended only to her mid-thigh, delicate lace trim resting tantalizingly against her alabaster skin.

Marian giggled warmly as he gave her a wicked, playful grin and slid his hands up her legs, but her laughter was quickly cut off by a soft gasp as one hand made its way between her thighs. He could feel her heat and wetness through the layer of fabric, could make her moan and roll her hips as he pressed the heel of his hand against her most sensitive places, but he was somewhat frustrated to discover that he could apparently delve no deeper without removing the garment.

"No split seam?" Somehow, he'd not thought of this, that some familiar conveniences would have to be sacrificed in exchange for the new ones.

She shook her head, blushing. "I suppose that's what comes of higher hemlines. Is that – does that disappoint you?"

With a firm shake of his head, Harold dismissed that burgeoning insecurity. "Ah, it's a fair tradeoff for not having to undo corset laces anymore. Besides, you don't think I'd let a little seam stop me, do you?"

"I don't think you'd let anything stop you – oh!"

For in his explorations he had just discovered that, at least from this angle, he could slip his hand up the short leg of her drawers and stroke her without too much difficulty.

"So wet for me," he breathed appreciatively as his fingers delved into the slick heat between her thighs, his blood rushing hot and wild through his veins.

The blunt, possessive words made her blush and glow, bewitching Harold even further. "I've wanted you so badly all day," she murmured, earnest and intent, apparently nearing the end of her own patience with their little game. "In the last few hours I could hardly bear waiting... oh, please, Harold, please."

Bold as ever, she did not simply plead passively, but pressed her hand to the front of his drawers, first stroking his straining erection through the thin fabric and then slipping inside to take him fully in her soft little hand. Harold groaned shamelessly, eyelids fluttering in response to that heavenly touch, and with his own hand still nestled snugly between her thighs, he could feel the way his wife's heat and arousal mounted in response. His mind was running wild with vivid images of each and every thing he wanted to do with her tonight - it was all he could do to resist replacing his hand with his mouth and tasting her deeply right now, or encouraging her to take him between those pretty lips - but first and foremost, he needed to make love to Marian fully and properly.

There was still much more fabric constricting the free movements of his hand than there would be if she'd had a split seam, so, after he'd decisively proven that he could still touch her without removing them entirely, he tugged her drawers down and tossed them aside, followed by his own, just about finished with being separated from her by anything. She also happened to be at a point in her cycle where it wouldn't be strictly necessary for them to take any precautions, and Harold was glad of it, desperate to feel all of her and have her feel all of him in return.

"See, I've always thought you should wear fewer clothes... fewer laces and buttons and things." He pressed open-mouthed kisses along her shoulder and up the side of her neck as he extricated her from her opened brassiere, and he was astonished and delighted how quickly he'd been able to get her from fully dressed to completely bare in his arms. "I love slipping a nightgown right off you, of course, but I'd also prefer getting you out of your proper outfits to be nearly as convenient as that. You're too deliciously undressable for it to take so long."

Marian laughed in sheer delight at that, even as she arched into the deft caresses of his hands and his mouth upon her delectable breasts. "I love the things you say about me. 'Undressable'..."

"Mm, because you are. And I can think of a whole lot of other things to call you, if you'd like to hear them..."

He breathed all those things and more in her ear, wicked and wild and wonderful, as he nudged her thighs apart and thrust home with her legs wrapped high around his waist. He would never, ever lose his wonder at the way she gasped and her mouth dropped open whenever he first entered her, the way her thighs spread eagerly and her back arched as she welcomed him in as deep as she could take him. Certainly, her responses sent a surge of masculine pride through him, but it was more than just that. With Marian, everything was always more, colored by awe and tenderness and infinite love.

Harold was so worked up and so hard for her that he worried he might lose control and climax far too quickly, and he had to breathe deep and start slowly, accustom himself to being inside her tight, silken-wet heat after longing for it so desperately all day. He accompanied the slow and steady pulse of his hips with soft, indulgent kisses upon her breasts, taking each rose-pink nipple in his mouth and swirling his tongue around it, a maneuver he knew drove his sweet wife absolutely wild – especially when he took the time to look up at her while he did so and deliver a devilishly wicked grin between caresses. As he felt her grow even wetter around his cock, melting and trembling and whimpering with incoherent need, it was almost too much to withstand.

He loved to watch Marian bloom and unfurl like the most beautiful of flowers as pleasure flowed through her being and set her aglow, hear her soft little gasps turn to full-throated moans, feel the undulation of her hips against his becoming more frantic and insistent. Though he'd started out slow for good reason, and it was fun to tease her, they both knew this careful pace couldn't last for long – within minutes she was impatiently tugging him closer with her hands on his backside, pressing him and holding him deeper within her. All the while, she panted the most delightfully provocative things in his ear, mingled words of affection and exclamations of pleasure and audacious requests for exactly what she most wanted him to do, and he was completely powerless to resist her luscious charms. Thrusting into her as fiercely and furiously as he dared, he watched, enthralled, as she threw her head back against the pillow, golden curls tumbling around her as she cried out his name with joyful abandon and shuddered from head to toe.

Despite his initial, fleeting worry about how long he was going to last, he managed to bring his darling wife to climax twice before allowing himself to join her in the ecstatic thrill of release – and then, as soon as he'd collected himself, he kissed his way down her body and buried his head between her thighs, employing all the ingenuity of his clever lips and tongue to keep his wife swept up in a whirlwind of dizzying pleasure until he was once again hard and ready for her.

Tonight was proving to be one of those glorious nights where their mutual ardor temporarily overruled any sensation of fatigue, and they made love again and again, each of the sweet little interludes of rest and recovery in between rounds inevitably leading them back into another erotic embrace.

They writhed together in positions both very familiar and far more daring, and though Harold was not exactly thinking all that much at the moment, he was still endlessly awestruck by how in tune with each other they were, how his every desire seemed to align perfectly with her own, and there were times when it was entirely unclear who was leading and who was following as they rolled over into yet another delicious configuration of man and woman.

Though they couldn't cry out as loudly as they would have liked, there was a different kind of exquisite eroticism in the urgent need to muffle their most intense cries in any way they could. Perhaps the most wonderful moment was when a rush of blissful sensation took Marian so completely by surprise while she was riding astride him that she had to stifle her scream against his chest, lest she risk waking up the entire household. Although they were always wildest on the nights when the children were sleeping elsewhere and there was no need for any sort of restraint, it thrilled Harold to know how burning hot she could get – and how spontaneous she was willing to be – even on nights that had not been specifically set aside for the purpose of lovemaking.

Despite their very busy lives and the many inconveniences that came along with parenthood, their lovemaking was at absolutely no risk of ever becoming routine or perfunctory. They loved each other with the same heated desperation that they had on their honeymoon, always coupling as if they'd been starving for each other for months, and Harold marveled at how unbelievably lucky he'd been to find and win this brilliant woman whose passion equalled his own and who also loved him with all of her generous heart and innocent soul.

Even after years with Marian, it still amazed Harold how her innocence enchanted him so completely, considering that he'd once believed that was the very last quality he'd ever want in a woman.

She had become incredibly free and uninhibited in the bedroom, and she was thousands of times more experienced with him than any other lover had ever been, but innocence was in her very nature.

It was in the way she always seemed awed by the intensity of the pleasure he could give her, the way she was still frequently surprised and impressed at her own seductiveness and audacity, how she'd blush and declare what he was about to do "perfectly wicked" with a smile on her face before entreating him to keep going.

Even at her naughtiest, Marian always made love to him with the sort of guileless, delighted wonder of discovering something new that she'd never thought possible before, and it took his breath away. Of all the men in the world, she'd chosen him, and him alone, to awaken and experience her most secret, sacred self, a truth that was never far from his mind. He would never stop marveling at the depth of her trust in him, the staggering intimacy of it all.

Completely overwhelmed by her beauty and her sweetness and the perfection of being inside her, Harold could hold nothing back, and as she arched above him with another cry of unbridled ecstasy, he surrendered once more to the pure bliss of his own climax, holding his beloved closely and tightly all the while.

xxx

Later, when he finally lay sprawled out in a sated daze, Harold felt so perfectly pleased and exhausted that he could hardly even move. He could not begin to recall how many times they'd made love tonight, never mind how many times he'd made her come, but ever since the earliest days of their marriage, he'd learned to consider losing count to be a point of particular pride. Before Marian, he'd never thought such a thing possible – he'd never thought a lot of things possible.

When she slid back into bed beside him upon her latest return from the washroom, he could only sigh in utter contentment as she wrapped her arms around him and showered his face with sweet kisses before nestling her head against his shoulder.

"I'd say that was worth waiting all day, wasn't it?" She gazed up at him with twinkling eyes, looking adorable as could be.

"You've always been more than worth the wait, every single wait we've ever had." Harold kissed her nose, smiling at her soft giggle, and gently traced her soft, pink cheek with the pad of his thumb. "Say, I'm afraid I don't know much about these new fashions, except as relates to undressing you, of course. Are you always going to wear those new underthings from now on? Even with your other clothes that aren't as new?"

She nodded thoughtfully. "I imagine I could. Perhaps it's a little vain of me to say so, but I don't think I truly need a full corset to maintain my figure, even after having the children..."

He could hear a tinge of doubt coloring her words as she finished that sentence, and in response, Harold gave her a long kiss, hands deliberately tracing those lithe, lovely curves. It was undeniable that her breasts and hips were now fuller than before she'd become pregnant for the first time with Charlotte, but he'd always considered that to be a delightful change with no downside, and her figure remained a flawless hourglass, sleek and curvaceous at the same time. Even the silvery stretch marks on her belly, which she still made self–deprecating remarks about from time to time, were a site of worshipful adoration for Harold, visible proof of her incredible strength in bringing their cherished children into the world.

"Your figure is absolutely perfect," he assured her in a firm, earnest tone, managing to restrain himself from waxing rhapsodic about it for minutes on end.

She gave him a sly little smile. "And these undergarments are so much more convenient, aren't they?"

"As your husband, I'd like to offer my ringing endorsement, and I look forward to taking them off you again and again... and again." To punctuate his statement, he slid one silken strap of her pale–peach nightgown down her shoulder – although neither of them had the energy left to pursue that avenue any further without a good night's sleep, she really was just so undressable, and he enjoyed taking every possible opportunity to remind her of that.

Marian let out a low laugh as she snuggled against him, heavy-lidded. "You've seen me in every state of undress so very many times – how fortunate that they keep inventing more!"

Though Harold's first reaction to that statement was to grin and ready a flirtatious retort, after a moment of thinking, it gave him pause. Maybe she hadn't meant anything deeper by it, but he certainly didn't want his beloved wife thinking that she needed novelty to keep his interest and desire.

"You don't need to always be... new, you know, that, right? You just need to be you. No matter what you're wearing, no matter how many times I've taken it off you before, I want you as badly as if it were the very first time. I always have, and I always will."

They were so closely entwined that Harold could feel the way that her body relaxed against his, releasing tension that he hadn't realized she was holding – and perhaps, neither had she.

He hesitated before continuing, not wanting his words to put her in mind of things that she should never have to think about, but after a moment's delay, he made the decision to tell her the full measure of his thoughts, hoping he could help her to understand how impossible it was for her to ever lose his interest. "You know what I was thinking just a few minutes ago, laying here with you? That you, Marian Paroo Hill, are both the only woman who's ever truly satisfied me, as well as the only woman I could never possibly get enough of. And let me tell you, it is a divine combination."

Marian beamed up at him, eyes brimming with adoration. "I think I understand. I mean, from my own perspective, of course, which is quite different, but – I do know what you mean. It's like that for me, too, even though I can't make any – comparison." She let out an awkward little almost-laugh, and Harold kissed her sweetly to remind her that she was, in fact, incomparable. "And I suppose I knew that already, that I don't need to try and impress you. But it is good to hear you say it." The smile curving her sweet, full lips turned just a little bit mischievous. "That being said, surprising you like this is awfully fun. I did enjoy the way you looked at my legs all day today."

"Well, you are irresistible. I can't take my eyes off any part of you I can see," he pointed out, absentmindedly looping a tendril of her blonde tresses around his finger, then drawing it up to his lips for a kiss. "And perhaps I'm a bit biased, but you do have the finest legs in all the world, and I sure am proud to be the man who knows what they look like aaall the way up." For emphasis, he traced his way up from her calf to the lithe curve of her thigh through her nightgown, causing her to squirm and giggle. "You know, I can't wait to take you dancing in a dress like that one. That hemline looks positively designed for kicking up one's heels. Did you happen to order any new evening dresses, by the way?"

"Hmm, I suppose you'll find out in a few weeks at the May Day Sociable, won't you?"

Harold broke into a grin, softened by drowsiness. "That sounds like a 'yes' to me. Mm, I sure do love taking you out dancing – always makes me want to get you home as quickly as possible. We'd better make sure we can get the night of the Sociable all to ourselves so I can ravish you properly, darling."

He was pleased to feel a little shiver run through her body in response to his words. "I'll ask Mama soon. Honestly, I'm sure she'll already be expecting that we'll want it for a date night, we usually do, whenever there are – dances and things. And I certainly don't think the children will object!" She nestled even closer to him, her hand softly curling on his bare chest. "I can't wait for you to see the rest of my new dresses, if this is the sort of reaction I can expect. Oh, and I wanted you to know – I also ordered a little something special for our date night on Friday. Very little." Though she was visibly sleepy, she still managed to flutter her eyelashes coquettishly. "I think you'll enjoy it."

Despite his exhaustion, Harold's heart was still pounding at the idea. Was there a new-fashioned style of seductive lingerie, too? Even if there weren't, he could barely wait to find out what delicious seduction she had planned. He loved how freely she took initiative these days, loved these reminders that she craved and relished in their lovemaking every bit as much as he did.

And what somehow thrilled him even more than the thought of whatever little slip of lingerie she'd picked out for herself was her offhanded confidence in this gradual seduction. She was clearly using one of his favorite methods of seduction right back at him – getting her to think about something until imagining it drove her wild – and all at once, Harold was thunderstruck to realize that she'd been using that exact tactic on him all day.

He truly had met his match in this gorgeous, intelligent, indomitable woman, and he'd never stop being in awe of his incredible good fortune.

"I really do love you madly, you know that?" he remarked.

"I do know. And so do I. I love you so... much..."

She interrupted herself with a yawn, and by the time she managed to finish that declaration, her eyelids had fluttered closed. They'd really worn each other out tonight, and there was no doubt that they both needed as much rest as possible for another day of work and running around after the children and preparing for the state competition – and, hopefully, making love to each other all over again at the soonest possible opportunity.

With a tender kiss to her forehead, Harold reached back behind them and turned off the one remaining lamp, letting her slow, deep breathing and the warmth of her in his arms lull him into peaceful slumber.

xxx

Though I researched it quite a bit, I cannot attest to the strict historical accuracy of the way I've described undergarments herein, and I have to attribute some of it to artistic license and what worked best for the story I was trying to tell, so I'd simply advise not thinking too deeply about it. Though I make no claim to pure accuracy, in my research I did find what appeared to be a bit of variation in the garments and I have simply chosen the interpretation that served the story and characters best.

The same could be said about certain other historical details that are (possibly conspicuously) absent here... just don't think too hard about it, lol! I assure you it was not accidental. I'm just playing and having fun in this lovely universe as I always do :D

Big thanks to my friend Marianne Greenleaf for allowing me to adopt her awesome "Bed. Now." line for Harold into my own universe!