In the last set of reviews, it was suggested that Rhett and Scarlett had not been "busy" lately. Err um, "Busy" with what one might ask. Yeah...uh huh...
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The days passed slowly as the household waited for Carreen get well. Dr, Gilbert had stayed for three days until he was called away by an emergency with one of the troopers. Major James had come to collect the doctor himself, ordering him back to post. As Rhett watched the doctor leave, he understood what was happening with the man and decided to take his role as the elder brother-in-law to heart. He would give the good doctor time to take care of the emergency and then Rhett would go to the post to have a friendly chat.
Scarlett, having stayed away as told, was clueless and Rhett decided that she would remain so. He didn't want any more upset in her life right now. She seemed tired all the time and had lost interest in the new store, something that concerned him. She was always interested in making money. But he didn't want to push her, so he remained close, silently watching out for her well-being. But Mammy noticed and his extreme watchfulness alarmed her. Consequently, Scarlett had two people ready to answer her every need.
One change that Rhett was grateful for was Suellen's new attitude. While she could still be sharp, her mood seemed to have improved since Carreen's return. And he noticed that there seemed to be more covert exchanges between Sue and Will. The final clue was that Will was appallingly happy these days. Maybe there was happiness in the Benteen marriage after all.
Mammy reported that Carreen was feeling much better that morning. Scarlett wanted to go see her, but between Mammy and Rhett she was convinced to wait another day or two. "Da feva done gone but she still sick. You don' need to git sick yoself…gotta think of dat baby," Mammy told her. So Scarlett backed down. "All right, but tomorrow, I will see her."
Rhett had taken charge of the final arrangements for the store. The building was going up quickly and Adrian Carter was onsite daily, planning the layout. That morning Rhett consulted with him and then sent him to Atlanta to arrange for supplies to arrive early the next week. "The building should be complete by then, "Rhett told the younger man. "We need to open as soon as we can."
Adrian nodded. "How much cash do I have to work with?" he asked.
"None," Rhett told him. "I've arranged for a line of credit through my bank in Atlanta. All the invoices will be paid through that. It is too dangerous for you to travel with that much cash. The suppliers can take their bills to the bank and collect."
"But won't that be dangerous for them?" Adrian was perplexed.
"That's their problem. Your safety is mine. This will be safer for you. I'll give you enough cash for your expenses, but no more."
Adrian nodded acceptance. "I've never done things this way, but it's your money," he told his new boss.
Rhett returned to the house and found Scarlett waiting for him on the front porch. The feelings that seeing her sitting there for him evoked were indescribable for him. But as his heart swelled at the sight of her, fear engulfed him as well. It's all too good, the devil in his mind told him. You're too happy; she's too…attentive. It can't last…But he was damned if he was going to let his fears stop him from enjoying the here and now. So he dismounted and threw his horse's reins over a post, then sauntered to the porch taking two steps at a time. Her smile could have lit the heavens, he thought. And it is for me.
Without hesitation, he scooped her out of the chair she was sitting in and hugged her snuggly against him, whispering to her. "You look beautiful."
She pushed away. "God's nightgown, Rhett Butler, I do not. I' hot and fat…and look, even my feet are swollen," she complained as she lifted her skirt for him to see.
He burst out laughing. It was his earthy, bawdy laugh that so often came with improper suggestions. And Scarlett couldn't help but smile. Then she feigned annoyance as she had done so many times before when flirting with him. "I don't understand men," she sighed, exasperated. "You want your women slender and shapely but then you want us to carry your children and get all fat and swollen and then you tell us we're beautiful, when it is as plain as daylight that we're not."
Rhett chuckled again. "Oh, but you are…at least to the man whose child you are carrying."
Scarlett's head was tilted down but she batted her eyelashes at him, her eyes peaking upwards to see the results. "Well, at least you are trying to make me feel better, as you should since this is all your fault." Rhett grinned. "My fault?"
"Yes, well you…I mean, you just know what you do to me when you… are close. And you know what that leads to. Not that I mind having your babies, mind you. In fact, I find that I want more of your babies."
"You do?" He seemed mildly surprised.
"Well, yes. We do make beautiful babies, Rhett. And…well," suddenly she was shy, he realized. "Yes?" he drawled. "Well," she said coquettishly, "I do love making babies with you. And well, having your seed grow inside of me, it…its well, I've never felt anything as exciting." She looked at him demurely, as she had looked at so many men while she played the part of the Belle. But this time, he saw sincerity in her eyes, causing his heart to skip a beat. "I do hope you wouldn't mind if we have more babies…" she told him quietly.
"You like being pregnant?" he asked incredulously.
"Well, no…but I like the before and after."
He chuckled again. "My dear, as I've said several times now, it doesn't matter to me whether you have one baby or a dozen."
She looked confused, bewildered even. "I want several," she replied. "But only your babies. I wouldn't go through this again for anyone else's baby." Her manner was matter of fact. Something in what she said, the way she said it, caught him by surprise. "Rhett?" she asked, looking concerned.
His eyes locked with hers. "I'm honored, Madame." His voice caught in his throat. He saw fear etched in her face. Something he said had frightened her. "Scarlett?"
Tears sat in her eyes as she blinked to fight them back. "You…you haven't called me that in…a long time."
"What?"
"Madame," she whispered.
His brows furrowed, trying to understand what had upset her. "I'm sorry, my pet. I don't understand…"
"You used to call me that when you…when I was…things were bad between us."
He gathered her close to him. "I'm sorry, my dear. I don't wish to upset you."
"So…so you're not upset…that I want more babies?"
He pulled back so that he could look at her squarely. "My love, after all that has transpired between us…and your declaration that you did not want my babies a few years ago, I am…touched that you feel so differently now . No, more than that, I am honored because you said my babies are the only ones you would have. After everything, that we have come to this place…it is miraculous. And I only want what will make you happy. And if more babies will make you happy, then believe me, I will be most dutiful in the effort required for such an outcome."
His smirk was endearing. Scarlett let out a small laugh. "You're being ridiculous," she said lightly.
He feigned looking hurt as he gazed at her. "My dear, you wound me. Perhaps I should demonstrate my sincerity. Gently, he kissed her, his lips warm on hers and his moustache tickling her. She melted into him, knees weakening as they so often did.
As Rhett pulled away, he noted the sparkle in her eyes. "Are you satisfied about my intentions or should I further demonstrate?"
"Further demonstrate?"
Rhett choose to ignore the question in her tone and take her literally. Kissing her again, his lips were more demanding and his hands more personal. Scarlett was left breathing deeply. He noticed her flushed face and thought it had nothing to do with the heat, at least not from the warmer weather. "Come my dear," he growled huskily. "Let's go to our room." Taking his arm, she moved with him indoors.
Rhett was tender that afternoon, taking his time with her. Her statement on the porch that she wanted only his babies had affected him far more than he'd let on. The night she'd told him she didn't want any more babies, especially his, had nearly crushed him. He'd carried that hurt for years, not even her confession later that she had wanted the baby they had lost had softened it. Her insistence that she wanted this baby, her insistence that he accept it, had alleviated some the pain of her words years ago…but the pain was still there until her declaration on the porch. She wants only your babies, he rejoiced. No one else's…yours, only yours.
His touches were reverent. She is the mother of your babies, he told himself. And as his hands made their way over her body, he thrilled in the thought. He rested his hand over her abdomen, now swollen with their child, his child. He hardened at the thought. He never knew that the thought of Scarlett carrying his child would be so erotic, but it was.
She purred under his attention. As he watched her responses to him, the feeling grew that he wanted to make her happy, satisfy her as only he could. It gave him a sense of power, something of his old self back. But this time, he wouldn't abuse her with his appetites; he would use them to make her happier.
"Rhett, you are impossible," she giggled as his fingertips grazed over her, caressing. "That's why you love me, my pet…" His fingers settled on her neck as it joined her head behind her ear. He heard the gentle sigh from her as his fingertips had the desired effect, relaxing her and arousing her at the same time. His lips followed his fingers, nibbling over the sensitive area. She was lying absolutely still, her eyes closed, and her breathing becoming more intense. Hovering over her, he watched the erratic rise and fall of her chest. Then his eyes shifted to her face, her lips slightly parted with a smile threatening. A tremor ran through him as she opened her eyes and looked at him through heavy, lust-laden lids. Descending upon her, his kiss was passionate and long, his tongue exploring every corner of her mouth with occasional circles around hers. She pushed her head back into the pillow, gasping for air as her lips left his. Rhett began to lift his head, but her hand quickly went to the back of his neck, pulling him back to her.
Her lips captured his as she began to take the lead in their love-making. Impatience was evident in her groan. As her lips held his prisoner, her hands began to explore, raising the temperature in the room. All of his senses were tuned to her, taking in everything about her. With his eyes closed, he breathed in the mixture of her perfume and that which was simply Scarlett. Her taste was heady, sending him higher than any alcoholic beverage ever could. The only thing he seemed to hear was the sound of her breathing with an occasional moan mixed in. And the feel of her beneath his fingers, beneath his lips, beneath his body…. It was excruciatingly blissful.
He felt himself rolling onto his back and as he opened his eyes, he realized she had done it. Now she was hovering over him, her beautiful face just inches from his, her breasts mere inches away, and her belly resting comfortably on his. His cock was so hard it began to hurt and involuntarily he felt himself arching towards her, needing entrance…craving the warm wetness that was his home.
Her expression was catlike as she realized his condition. Caught between amusement and salaciousness, his head felt as if it would explode. He was totally at her mercy and she knew it. Slowly she began to taunt him as he had done her on so many occasions. Her touches were like fire, blazing hot trails over his body. Holding herself over him, her lips travelled along his jaw, down his neck, and over his chest, sending spasms of eroticism through him. He couldn't help it as his hips bucked, his manhood seeking the contact it so desperately needed. "God Scarlett…" he moaned.
Lifting herself up, she positioned herself over his rod and slowly descended, stopping just as the tip of his cock made contact with her opening. His hands were firmly on her hips and he held her as his hips thrust upward. She grinned wickedly as she lifted herself just enough to avoid him. Growling, he pulled her back to him and this time, she slid over him, sheathing his weapon in sublime ecstasy.
Rhett Butler had always prided himself on his self control, even in the throes of passion. But as she slid down his length, he lost all control, crying out her name as his blood boiled through his veins. His head was throbbing with lust, the pounding of his heart the only sound he could hear. He fought the urge to close his eyes, wanting to watch her in her own pleasure but it was too much to bear and the lids folded down. The intensity of his feelings increased with the loss of sight and all his mind seemed to understand was the sensation of her velvety wet tunnel. He felt her rhythm quicken and instinctively his body matched hers as she pumped over him. Somehow, he was on top again thrusting into her. She wrapped her legs around him, giving him better access and he felt himself going deeper into her with each plunge. And then she began to convulse under him, her body shaking with ecstasy as she clung to him, which sent him into his own spasms. He felt himself explode into her, her body milking him until he was dry. The release was rapture, the sweetness of their completion pure bliss. And as he settled back to Earth, he nestled into her, taking in the spicy aroma that was distinctly them.
Neither stirred nor spoke for a long time, simply basking in the afterglow. Finally, she sighed and rose, heading to the chamber pot. When she returned, he gazed into her satiated emerald eyes and smiled. "You're so beautiful," he whispered.
Smiling, she rested her head on his chest, her fingers playing lazily over his stomach. "Thank you," she muttered as she drifted into a contented nap.
GWTWGWTWGWTW
Hmmm...I guess that could be called "busy." Anyway, the little button is down there somewhere. Some of you have been getting lazy lately. That's okay. Just understand, your comments make my day. I look forward to reading a lot of them...