Disclaimer: They do not belong to me. However, I have asked Santa and I do have hopes of finding Norrington tied with a bow underneath my tree.
AN: Merry Christmas!
Katherine had hastily made her way back to the house and her rooms. James had given his word that he would not hurt Jack so she no longer had any concerns regarding Jack's safety. However, she did have concerns regarding her own safety. Not that she thought that James would ever actually harm her but it was more than apparent that he was determined to settle things between them. It was not her physical safety that she was concerned with but rather her emotional safety. If they made love tonight, there was no way that she would be able to conceal the depth of her feelings for him.
As she nervously paced the floor trying to decide what to do, she could not help but wonder at James' extraordinary behavior. The man had actually been willing to duel over her. Oddly though, he had not seemed particularly enraged until she had cut the button from his waistcoat. She gulped recalling the look that had appeared in his eyes when she had so boldly challenged him. He had most definitely not been amused. Katherine was certain that if Jack had not been present that there would have been a very different ending to that encounter. Thank goodness Jack had not fled. Quickly on the heels of this thought came another; why had Jack not fled? It would have been the eminently sensible thing to do considering that at the very least his freedom had been at stake. While Jack might be a bit eccentric and outlandish sometimes, he was not a fool. Only a fool would not have taken advantage of James' distraction while she and James had fought.
Sinking down onto the settee, she replayed the events in her mind. Viewing the whole situation with the clarity of hindsight, Katherine came to the conclusion that James' and Jack's fighting had been rather dispassionate in nature. True they had crossed swords but both had seemed to be restraining themselves. Jack had not resorted to any dirty tricks and James' breathing had barely been elevated. Heck, he had seemed more taxed by his dueling with her than he had been from his fighting with Jack!
Something was not right. Closing her eyes she mentally walked through the scene. James and Jack had been fighting. Jack had implied that she and he had been intimate. Here, Katherine conceded that there was a grain of truth to that implication but not in the manner in which Jack had indicated. Then James had backed Jack up against the tree and forced Jack to drop his sword. While she had scrambled to pick it up, Jack had rashly suggested that she preferred him to James. At that point James had said… James had said… James had said 'You will not speak so vulgarly of the woman that I love.' The woman that I love. James had said that he loved her. He had said it out loud and in front of a witness!
A delighted giggle escaped her and she was filled with happiness. He loved her. He truly loved her. Slowly a nasty suspicion trickled into her consciousness. At first she dismissed the thought as absurd but it was not to be so easily dismissed. It certainly explained Jack's inexplicable decision to stick around rather than flee when given the opportunity. It also explained why neither man had received so much as a scratch from their fighting. Most importantly it also explained James' fury when she had not reacted to his declaration and had instead challenged him to a sword fight. Those two conniving little rats! The whole thing had been staged.
Katherine tried to whip up anger at her husband for his prank but instead found herself grinning foolishly. James had gone to a lot of trouble to set up that little dramatic scenario. It was rather sweet of him and certainly romantic. Suddenly Katherine had a new worry. How should she greet him when he came home? Should she let him know that she was aware of his deception or pretend continued ignorance? Should she play the indignant wife or the eager lover? Smiling Katherine realized that she did not even have to ask herself that last question. Tonight was New Year's Eve and she fully intended that they would start the next year off right. Now the only dilemma was what she should be wearing when he returned.
James stopped at the fort on the way home to ensure that there would be extra patrols in town tonight. New Year's Eve often brought out the less genteel side of Port Royal citizens and James wanted to have things well under control so that he could spend the evening at home and undisturbed. Even though events had not unfolded exactly as he had hoped, he still had plans for tonight. Plans that he was determined would come to fruition come hell or high water. Once again he felt that combination of irritation at and admiration for Katherine when he recalled her standing in front him with that sword and challenging him. If Jack had not been present, his plans for the evening would have been moved up by several hours. Still it was better this way. This way they could take things slowly and comfortably and without any distractions. As was his usual custom, he had given all of the servants the evening and next day off. In the past he had preferred to see in the New Year in solitude and peace but tonight he would start a much more enjoyable tradition.
Just as he had expected, the house was quiet when he reached it and all of the servants had left for the evening. In the kitchen he found that cook had left a hamper full of food for him and Katherine along with a note wishing them a Happy New Year. James made his way upstairs to Katherine's rooms. Outside he hesitated for a moment before trying the door. What would he do if she had disobeyed him and locked him out again? He really did not want to have to make good on his threat. Taking a deep breath he turned the knob and was relieved when the door swung open. A moment later his lungs seized and he was unable to draw air. Katherine was sitting curled up on the settee with a book in her hands and she was wearing what could only laughably called a nightgown and robe. Both appeared to be made of sheer lace and even from a distance he could clearly discern the outline and shadows of her delectable curves.
She looked up as he entered and granted him a serene smile. "James, you're later than I thought you would be. Problems at the fort?"
It took James a moment to regain his powers of speech but then he managed to push the words out, "No. There were no problems. I was just making sure that we would have the whole night to ourselves undisturbed." He was pleased to see her take a nervous swallow at this statement. If she had thought to taunt him by flaunting her body he had just neatly turned the tables. With deliberation he removed his jacket and then began to unbutton his waistcoat.
Anxiously Katherine licked her lips and inquired, "What are you doing?"
"Well seeing as how you are dressed, it seems only gentlemanly that I should catch up and also prepare for bed," James practically purred.
"I thought that you said that we needed to have a discussion?"
"We do and we shall have one. Later. After." James shrugged the waistcoat off and placed it on the back of a chair. He then began unbuttoning his shirt.
Katherine silently watched him and then carefully put her book down and stood up. While walking towards the door she informed him, "Well if that is the case and you do not wish to speak to me then I shall simply have to… James!" Katherine's statement ended on a shriek as she felt herself pulled back against the hard length of him.
James' voice softly sounded at her ear, "Oh no you don't, Mrs. Norrington. Not tonight." He lifted her up and carried her into the bed chamber telling her, "The only place you will being going right now is in here, with me." He gently tossed her onto the bed where she bounced slightly and then settled into a delightfully disheveled heap with her gown riding up high on her thighs. He waited for the protest that was sure to follow. None came. Instead, he heard her throaty chuckle.
"James, before I was so rudely interrupted, I was going to say that I shall simply have to lock the door. After all, we do not wish for a repeat of Christmas Eve, do we?"
James stared at her for a moment unwilling to believe this turn of events. He searched her face but found only sincerity and a burgeoning desire. Then he answered with a chuckle of his own, "I see your point. Although the servants are gone for the evening I suppose we are better safe than sorry. I shall be right back."
In the few moments that it took for him to go lock the door, Katherine shrugged off the robe and threw it on the floor next to the bed.
James reentered and stood at the foot of the bed for a moment in wonder at the sight before him. At last! At last he and Kat would consummate their union. He felt as nervous and as overjoyed as a schoolboy. He resumed unbuttoning his shirt but stopped when Katherine shyly requested, "Let me do that. Please?"
As James went to sit on the side of the bed, Katherine sat up and scooted over to him. Their eyes met for a moment and he raised an eyebrow in question. Wordlessly she nodded her ascent to his unspoken query if she was truly ready for this. Kneeling with her brow furrowed in concentration she began to work the buttons free. At last she reached the last one and then tugged the shirttails free of his breeches. Katherine splayed her hands over his chest and began to explore him as he had explored her on Christmas Eve. It might be wrong to call a man beautiful but she could think of no other more appropriate word. His chest muscles were well defined but also well proportioned to his lean body. She could feel the strength in them underlying the softness of his pale skin. He had a smattering of dark chest hairs that began to concentrate around his navel. Unwilling to follow that direction yet, Katherine pulled her gaze back up to his and then pushed the shirt back off of his shoulders so that it fell to the bed. Inexperience made her uncertain of what to do next so she decided that she would do to him what he had done to her. After all if she had found it pleasurable it made sense that he would as well.
Lightly she traced her tongue around his nipple and then took it in her mouth and began to suck. She felt James stiffen but he made no move to stop her. After several minutes of this exploration she began to feel bolder and her hands drifted downward.
James was doing everything in his power to restrain himself but her delicate touches were driving him crazy. He was trying to allow her to set the pace but when her hand began to caress him through his breeches he had to reassert control. He placed his hand over hers and lifted it away.
A worried expression filled her face. "I'm sorry, James. Did I do something wrong?"
Immediately he sought to reassure her, "No sweetheart, you've done nothing wrong. In fact everything you've done is more than right. It's heaven. But I have to stop you or this will be over before we have even started. Besides, it is my turn now," and so saying he captured her lips in a kiss.
Katherine sighed in pleasure and sagged against him. His tongue boldly invaded her mouth and she could feel the tingling begin in her toes. When his lips found their way to her neck and began lightly kissing and nipping and then found a particular spot behind her left ear, she felt a shudder run through her body. James leaned over her and pressed her back into the bed. His lips worked their way down and through the lace gown fastened on one tight bud while his fingers found the other and began to tease and torment. Before long, Katherine was arching upwards in an attempt to draw him closer. The rasping of the lace and his tongue was a pleasurable torture and she could not hold back her plaintive whimpers. His mouth moved over to the other peak and his now free hand slowly moved down and began to ruck up the end of her gown. "I believe that you are overdressed for the occasion, Mrs. Norrington." With these words, he drew her gown up over her head and tossed it aside.
Katherine knew a moment's embarrassment at being completely naked; for no man had ever seen her so. She was glad that only a few candles lit the room. However James' glittering look of approval dispelled her worry that she might not compare favorably to others that he had known. He began to cover her in light kisses and touches and soon it was all that she could do not to writhe shamelessly beneath him.
His hand rested for a moment on the outside of her now bare thigh and then began moving in light ever increasing circles. When the circles were large enough that his fingers were grazing the inside of her thigh, he removed his mouth from a breast long enough to softly whisper, "Part your legs, Kat." He could sense her reticence and he pulled back to meet her gaze. "Trust me, Kat. This will help to limit any pain that you might feel from it being your first time." Nodding slightly, she acquiesced. James felt a surge of triumph that she trusted him enough to follow his lead.
When his fingers found their way to the valley between her thighs and began stroking, Katherine felt herself tense. Taking a deep breath she forced herself to relax and soon she began to enjoy his insistent attentions. Before too long she felt a different sort of tension begin to grip her.
James was amazed how responsive she was to even the slightest of touches. He could not help but think that the men in London must have been bloody idiots to let her reach the age of twenty-four with no one laying claim to her. He smiled as he realized that their loss was most definitely his gain. He felt her fingers tighten convulsively on his shoulders and knew that it was time. Slowly he withdrew his hand and moved to leave the bed. Katherine let out a querulous protest, "James?"
"Hush, love. I am not going anywhere but only removing my boots and breeches." A few moments later he was back and she could feel his arousal pressing against her thigh. "Sweetheart, this will hurt a moment but I promise you that the pain will not last." Slowly he nudged his way into her pausing at each sign of resistance and soothing her with petting and whispered words of affection. Finally he whispered, "Kat, I cannot hold back much longer," and with a thrust he fully entered her.
Katherine knew a moment of sharp pain and was tempted to push him away but she recalled his promise that the discomfort would only last a short while. It felt so odd having him sheathed inside her. Odd but not unwelcome.
James could feel her momentary tension begin to recede. He met her mouth in a deep thrusting kiss and soon their bodies were mimicking the kiss. His fingers found their way back to the nub between her legs and began rubbing and stroking. James could feel Katherine's passion begin to return and it fueled his own. Suddenly Katherine tensed and let out a breathy, "Oh!"
James' own release soon followed. For quite a while the two just stayed there wrapped in each other's arms. Then Katherine quietly asked, "Is it always like that?"
James happily laughed, "No, not always. However, I have the feeling that with you and me things will only get even better."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. But we shall have to wait to see. This was your first time and I do not want you to be too sore tomorrow. It is best if we rest for a bit and then, if you like, we can eat the picnic which cook left."
Katherine was about to protest that she was ready to see right now if things could get even more pleasurable but she held her tongue. After all she did not want to seem to be too wanton and perhaps James was right. Besides, even just being in his arms was enjoyable. She must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew she heard a knocking on the door and cursing from James.
A sheepish voice called from the hallway, "Commodore? I am so sorry to disturb you but you are needed in town. There has been an accident and one of the men has been hurt."
James impatiently shouted back, "Bloody hell, Murtogg. Tell Lieutenant Gillette to see to the matter."
"That is just the problem, Commodore Norrington. It is the Lieutenant who has been injured."
James hesitated for a moment torn between concern for a man that he viewed as a friend and the desire to stay in bed with his wife. He felt Katherine put her hand on his arm. She urged him, "Go, James. You will never forgive yourself if he is seriously injured and you did not assist him."
James sighed and knew that she was correct. "Murtogg, wait for me outside. I'll just be a few moments." As he hastily dressed, she modestly pulled her gown back on and then settled back onto the bed. Once he had finished dressing, James just stood and stared moodily down at her in the bed. "Kat, we did not even have a chance to talk."
"Go, James. Do not worry about me. I shall be here when you return. We can speak then," she assured him.
James wondered how she had so accurately discerned his fears. He was terrified that she would bolt the moment that he left.
Sensing his worry Katherine teased, "I shall not leave but you could always tie me to the bed to make sure." Instantly she regretted her words as she saw his eyes alight on the sash of her robe and a considering look form on his face. "James Norrington, don't you dare." She tried to scramble off of the bed but he was too quick for her and he caught her hands in his.
"That is an excellent idea, Mrs. Norrington. Thank you for the suggestion." He took the sash and wound it about her hands and then tied it to the headboard. He made sure to leave enough room so that she could comfortably lie down but not enough room so that she could maneuver free. Then he leaned over and kissed her until she was breathless. "I shall return as soon as possible. Get some sleep, darling," and with that advice he left.
Katherine was torn between amusement and outrage at his behavior. She could not believe that he had actually tied her to the bed. In the future she would have to learn to curb her tongue from making sarcastic suggestions. Settling comfortably back down she replayed the evening's events in her mind and soon fell asleep with a smile.