Sorry about the delay! I'm hoping to have Noir completed in the next 14 days.

Noir56

Erik slept with his face against Corinna's perfumed hair and one hand on her bare hip. He lay awake long after her breathing evened out, long after he had raked his fingers through her hair and replayed her answer again and again.

She was going to be his wife. Without question, without threats, without conniving she had smiled and agreed to marry him.

There was nothing she wanted more.

Her words made him wonder how different the last fifteen years could have been if he had been man enough to remain in her company. Would he be a father? Would they have remained in France?

Erik ran his hand lovingly up her side and thought if they were to ever conceive he would want a daughter, a little titian-skinned girl with almond eyes like her mother. He didn't feel the need, the urge to continue his family name the way some men desired a son. The name Levesque stood behind a shadow, a dark cloud that had grown more prevalent after his father killed himself in the church.

I could make it respectable again, he thought as his fingers brushed past Corinna's stomach. For her, he thought. He would do anything for Corinna.

His caresses roused her, and with a sigh she turned over and faced him. Her eyes fluttered open, barely visible in the room, since the fire had diminished as the hour grew later.

"Are you awake?" he asked.

She grunted and nestled her head against his chest, kissing him softly where old scars littered his flesh. Her breath against his skin made him shiver with pleasure. Each stroke of her hand, each peck of her lip made him understand what joys of the flesh meant.

"You should be asleep," Corinna murmured. Her arm wrapped around to his back and drew him closer until his bare stomach and chest touched hers. "You feel so warm."

"Were you cold?" he whispered.

"No, I don't think so. I was dreaming."

"Good dreams?" he asked as he kissed her forehead.

He was so tired that he didn't expect her to arouse him. When he had lay behind her, his body fitting perfectly against hers, he kept telling himself to fall asleep. She would be there in the morning and each morning he woke for the rest of his life. Knowing she would be with him forever made him want her even more, though he didn't want her to think that his only desire for her was primal. From the moment he first realized his feelings for her she had meant more to him than mere coupling. She was his partner, his friend. His best friend, he thought.

His only real friend, he admitted, and the power behind that revelation had brought tears to his eyes.

"Good dreams," she said. She chuckled when he inched closer and fit his lips against hers, his tongue pushing past her lips. "But this is better than any dream."

It was impossible to hide his most intimate needs when she lay with her knees against his, her hips touching his. Her hand reached between their bodies and she touched him intimately.

"Are you tired?" Corinna asked as she draped her leg over his. She tormented him with an offering he wanted to accept without question.

Erik swallowed, prodding her gently but not yet taking what he suddenly felt he couldn't live without. "Are you tired?"

She laughed again, legs parting further. Her voice dropped low and husky, her eyes heavily lidded, lips parting in a seductive smile. "I asked you first."

"Not tired enough," he answered. He entered her, sinking into her before pulling out completely. The feel of her body accepting his sent a surge through his insides. She made his senses reel with more pleasure than he thought one man could experience in a lifetime. "And you?"

"I was asleep," she teased. Her fingers pressed into his shoulders, her frustrations and growing need becoming more evident. She sabotaged his self-control and pressed the head of his manhood to her center.

"Are you…sore?" he asked, knowing her pleasure was much different than his own. If she said she wanted to sleep he would leave her be, though deep inside he knew it would mean spending the night in a separate bed. And the more he felt her breaths on his neck and her fingers against his flesh he knew she wanted the same thing.

"No," she breathed, shuddering as he settled into her again.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said, his voice so strained that he wasn't sure if she heard him or not. It slowly killed him to pull out but he didn't want to harm or frighten her. He had wasted enough years doing terrible thing. Corinna made him strive to be a good man. "Tell me, Corinna. Tell me if I hurt you."

She shook her head and positioned herself, silently begging him. "You are gentle when you love me."

Her words made the blood pulse faster through his veins. Erik's arms slid beneath Corinna and he drew her in closer, capturing her lips again as he sank into her, filling her completely.

They made love side by side, slow and sensual, each clinging to the other in a way that was more than physically satisfying. Their kisses were long and languid, drawn out to match their easy pace.

Corinna cupped his face in her hands, and Erik's caress moved from her hips and sides up to her breasts as her legs locked around his waist. The moment he touched her breasts she gasped and drew his hands away.

Still coupled, Erik stopped, his eyes opening in alarm. It wasn't a gasp of pleasure, he knew. Her body had tensed and he felt her wince. He had hurt her. In some way he didn't understand he had caused her injury.

"Corinna?" he questioned, not knowing if he should touch her anywhere.

"Don't stop," she whispered.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked.

She shook her head, her hips moving, her body refusing to allow the night to come to an end.

"But you…"

"I'm a little sore," she whispered. "But I'm fine. It's only natural."

His expression showed that he didn't believe her. He briefly kept his hands against her hips, but after several moments his arousal vanished, replaced at once by concern.

Corinna sighed and propped her head up. She took his hand in hers, kissed his knuckles, and pressed his palm flat to her abdomen.

"It's only natural," she said again.

"You're sore here too?" he asked obtusely, his brow furrowed. "I asked—"

Corinna rolled to her back and released a hearty laugh. She clapped her hand on her forehead and ran her palm down to her chin. "Erik, for months we have made love," she said, peering at him. She sighed and grinned widely. "Did you think nothing would happen?"

His lips parted in astonishment. "Happened?" he whispered, her words registering at last.

Corinna nodded. "Happened."

"When?" he asked, his lips curling into a smile. He held his hand against her hardened belly again, gently caressing what felt like a grapefruit beneath her skin. That grapefruit belonged to him. "Do you know when? How long have you known? Are you feeling ill? Do you need something?"

"Slow down," Corinna giggled.

"You're…you're certain?"

"Certain," she said, hands clasped behind his neck. Her smile widened when he looked into her eyes. "I forgot the rest of the questions."

His hands began to tremble as he massaged her belly, giving her goose bumps as he lay on his side and stared at her in wonder. This beautiful woman would not only be his wife. She was already the mother of his child.

"How long have you known?" he asked again.

"I've suspected for about two months," she said nonchalantly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Through his joy he felt a small pang of sadness, unsure of whether or not she trusted him.

Corinna placed her hand over his and looked into his eyes again. "I wanted to surprise you on our wedding night," she said gently.

"But what if I hadn't asked…?"

"I still know you after all these years," she whispered, kissing his cheek. She laughed when he kissed her back. "And if you hadn't asked me, my dear, I may have been forced to ask you."

"How are you feeling? In general. Are you ill? Are you uncomfortable?"

"I'm a little tired, but it's expected."

"Should we…stop?" he asked. "Should I sleep elsewhere?"

Her eyes twinkled. "What would be the use of that?" she grinned.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't want to deny you," she answered.

Erik shook his head. "My needs are secondary. Your comfort, your well-being comes before mine."

Corinna held him tighter and kissed him again. "You're good to me, Erik. I love you."

"I love you too," he murmured, his eyes still drawn to her stomach. It wouldn't be obvious for several weeks, but the idea of her belly swelling made his heart race. His face straightened as his mind reeled with the possibilities of their life together.

He had no way of knowing for certain, but he wanted to believe Corinna had conceived on their first night together. He could think of nothing better than two blessings combined. She had given him her body and soul, and she would give him a child.

"Are you happy?" Corinna asked. She ran her fingers down his cheeks and along his lips, drawing his eyes back to her face. "If you aren't happy, if it's too soon…"

He answered her with a kiss and lay the palm of his hand over her stomach, caressing the gentle swell. "Today you will be my wife, Corinna. Together we will be a family."

She nodded and hugged him tightly, kissing his lips and his face, rousing him again.

They lay for a long while in silence when they were satisfieed, both tangled in each other's arms, both sharing the same joy.

Before Erik's eyes closed at last he felt Corinna nuzzle his neck.

"I dreamed," she whispered. "Of our daughter."