Chapter 10 - That Divine Rendezvous

A/N: A long (for me) cozy chapter as a reward for everything you've endured this last week!

After as hasty a retreat as he could manage, Seth escorted his bride to the car while carefully clutching their marriage certificate. Sam had instructed him to carry that to the county clerk's office tomorrow. "Or the next day, in case you're too tied up tomorrow," and roared with laughter at his own crude joke. No matter, Seth thought. We're married now, and he smiled appreciatively.

"Any particular reason for that smile, Dr. Hazlitt?"

He opened the car door for Jessica and handed her into the seat. As soon as she was settled, he leaned in for another kiss. "Can't a man take pleasure in his wife?" he breathed, and Jessica shivered at his words and at their unspoken meaning. He handed her their marriage certificate. "Put that in the glove box, will you, Mrs. Hazlitt?"

She smiled up at him. "I like the sound of that."

"So do I." He shut the car door carefully, then walked around to the driver's side. Jessica quickly opened the glove box and placed the marriage certificate with their rings, then she slid over to the middle of the seat.

Seth smiled as he opened the car door. "What's this?" he asked as he folded himself behind the steering wheel.

Jessica leaned in to kiss his neck and murmured in a low voice, "I just want to be close to you."

Seth put his arm around her. "I want that, too, Jess." Gently, he traced the throbbing pulse in her neck, then leaned in for another kiss. "Let's get buckled in and get on home."

"I was thinking," she said hesitantly, biting her lower lip. Seth raised his eyebrows in a silent query. "What if...what if we parked somewhere. Somewhere close," she stammered. "Somewhere private, and-" She jerked her head towards the back seat, then kissed him on the lips, soft and inviting, before he could respond.

He returned her kiss with interest. He found he couldn't stop kissing her, but he had to. She was pressed against him, and she began fumbling with the buttons on his shirt. He pulled back and took her hands in his. "Are you mad?" he exclaimed. "We can't do that…" He flapped his hands between them. "Here!"

"Not here, no," she agreed, nodding. "But we could find someplace close."

"So that we could, that you and I could…back there?" Seth gestured to the back seat.

"Yes, back there! It's certainly big enough!" She leaned in closer. "We could be quick about it," and kissed his neck again.

"We're not a couple of teenagers, Jessica!"

She whispered huskily in his ear. "You make me feel like one, Seth."

His wife was so soft and warm and she smelled so good. He hadn't been teasing her when he told her he was raring to go. He groaned, shifting uncomfortably.

"You make me feel that way, too, Jess, but we can't. Not here." He looked up at the house, worry blooming in his chest. He'd unwittingly parked right under a streetlamp. "We've already stayed parked in the drive for too long. Sam'll make hay with this." He sighed again and took Jessica's hands in his. "I want you, Jess. More than ever, now." He kissed her hands softly. "Let me get us home, Jessica."

They stared at one another for a long moment, then Jessica reluctantly slid over to the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt. Seth heaved a sigh of relief and buckled his own seatbelt. He never wanted to argue with her, but he absolutely didn't want to have an argument with her on their wedding night about their wedding night! What was she thinking? It would be a very long, very uncomfortable drive home. He started the car and pulled them out of the driveway and onto the road as smoothly as he was able . He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She looked pensive, biting her bottom lip as she stared out the glass. What was he thinking?

"I love you, Jessica, and that was the most thrilling proposition I've ever received."

"Don't tease, Seth," she implored, and buried her face in her hands. "I'm so embarrassed." She took a breath, then whispered, "I thought you were as eager as I."

Seth barked a laugh. "You have no idea." He sighed. "Woman, if I were thirty years younger...heck, five years younger…I'd've taken you up on that delightful offer."

It was a smooth, straight stretch of road, so he nudged her leg with his open hand. He was relieved when he felt the warmth of her palm against his. He squeezed her hand affectionately. "Don't you be embarrassed, woman. We're husband and wife now. Nothing that happens between us can be embarrassing or shameful, you understand?"

She sniffed, but squeezed his hand. All in all, he took that as a good sign. Now all he had to do was get them home in one piece to find out whether she'd extend a similar offer there.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Seth had never driven so quickly yet so carefully in his life. Tonight was not the night to get pulled over for speeding. Somehow, some blessed how, he managed to get them home and into the house. In the living room, they stared at one another for a long moment, and Seth could see that Jessica was trembling.

"I'm nervous, Seth." She looked at the floor. "It's been a long time for me."

"For me as well, Jess." He cleared his throat and chuckled awkwardly. He stared intently at the braided rug on the floor. "I haven't made love to a woman since my Ruth."

She looked up at him, surprised and touched.

"Nor have I." Smiling, she threw her hand out to forestall Seth's teasing. "Why do you think I suggested the back seat?"

Seth grinned. "To rev my engine even more?"

"No! Because I thought it might be easier just to get it out of the way."

"Get it out of the way?"

"Just…you know. The first time." Jessica exhaled in frustration and cast her eyes at the floor, wringing her hands together. "I thought it would be quick and passionate. And dark," she added as an afterthought, "and I wouldn't have time to worry!" After a few moments of silence, she met his perplexed gaze.

"Why should you worry? I didn't want a quick fumble in the back seat because I want this to be enjoyable for you, Jessica! I want you to want to make love with me." He turned his face away from her and scrubbed the back of his neck. "I've spent six years here as a GP, Jess. I've heard my fair share of wives' complaints. Husbands, too, but they've no excuse! They could do something about it!" He sighed. "I'm a nervous wreck, woman! It's much harder for a man to please a woman." He cleared his throat and forced himself to look into her eyes. "And I want to please you, Jessica, in every way." He grasped her hands in his and squeezed them tightly.

The way he said her name in that low rumble of his…she felt strangely weak in the knees, and she moved closer to him. "Oh, Seth," she breathed, "perhaps I've been foolish."

"No more so than I, my dear." He reached out and gently stroked her cheek. "Seems we both need to relax. It's only natural to feel some trepidation." He paused to look into her eyes, surprised and gratified to see the love he felt for her reflected back to him. "But I love you, woman. I have done for a very long time now. And I plan on showing you every day, in word, thought, and deed, just how much."

He drew her into his arms for a warm, comforting hug. " We don't have to make love tonight, " he murmured. "We've got the rest of our lives together."

Jessica buried her face in his neck and burrowed more deeply in his arms, savoring the warmth of his body as she took a few slow, deep breaths. Then she turned and began placing soft, warm kisses on his neck.

"Jessica," his breath ragged, his hold on her tightening. She could feel his pulse quickening. She kissed his jaw, his cheek, then pulled back to look into his eyes.

"Seth, let's go to bed." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze as she turned to lead him to what was now their bedroom.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Jessica lay across Seth's chest. He drew lazy patterns as he stroked her arm and back, feeling a peace and contentment he hadn't dared to hope for. He'd never allowed himself to imagine what it might be like to make love with Jessica. Well, not many times. Those few and poor imaginings were like attempting to compare those crude cave drawings to the ceiling of the Sistene Chapel or the Mona Lisa. Jessica was beautiful, and of course he was attracted to her, but there was something more than just the physical appeal. She loved him. She wanted him. And he felt that love and affection and desire in every kiss and caress.

He could understand Jessica's apprehensions about making love. He shared them. It had been many years and he wondered himself if things would still work properly, if he would remember enough to guide them both through. He knew himself to be a gentle and patient man. He would have waited for Jess forever. He had waited for what felt like forever. But in the end, they met in the middle, and making love with her had been everything he had hoped it would be and more. It was awkward and tentative at first, but the love they shared and the deep trust they had in one another saw them through the most delicate parts. He smiled, remembering how he'd grasped her hand and gazed into her eyes. To think that he'd been worried. To think how worried she'd been! He chuckled softly to himself.

"What is it?" murmured Jessica.

"I was just thinking, my dear." He drew light fingertips across her back. "We couldn't have spooned like this in the station wagon."

He felt her stiffen in his arms, and his heart rate spiked. Surely she doesn't regret asking-

"I never flirted with you, you know. "

He let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding. "I know, and that's what gave me hope." He tightened his hold on her. How wonderful it was to be married!

Of course his response wasn't strictly true, but the secret to a happy marriage is a poor memory; He smiled as he recalled just how many times that adage had saved him with Ruthie. He dropped a kiss to Jessica's head.

"I love you more than I thought possible, Jess, and it just keeps growing." He paused. "And it doesn't take anything away from what I felt…what I feel for Ruthie. And I wouldn't want you to feel like you have to hide your love for Frank. They're a part of us, Jess. A loving, important part."

Jessica raised up on her elbow, silent tears rolling down her face. She leaned up to kiss Seth as he reached down to dry her tears with the pad of his thumb.

Jessica drew back from the long kiss so she could look into Seth's eyes. "Oh Seth. I spent so much time being afraid. Afraid of us, of what we could be to one another, and of what that would mean to Frank and my memories of our life together." She looked away for a long moment. "I've suppressed my feelings for you for a long time. I ran from them because I had the means to do so. I'm ashamed of that."

"Jess, I-"

She turned her face to him and placed a gentle hand on his chest. "No, please. Let me finish, Seth. I was such a coward. I hurt myself and I hurt you." She drew a shuddering breath. "But seeing you in that hospital bed, thinking you might die without ever having known how deeply I love you-" She began to cry again, and Seth tightened his grip on her, shuffling them up in the bed so that he could hold her more closely. "I couldn't lose you, too. Not like that." And she dropped her head onto his chest and sobbed.

"Oh my dear girl," Seth crooned while rubbing her back. "I'm here, Jess," he murmured as he continued to rub soothing circles across her back. His own eyes grew wet, but he kept up a steady rhythm until she became calm again.

"Oh, Seth, I'm sorry. Crying like this on our wedding night. I just, I've been so afraid."

He drew her to him in a warm embrace. "Don't you worry about a thing, Jessica. I love you, and I think I understand what you mean. We've been through a great deal together over the years, but these past few weeks have been particularly difficult. I wanted to confide in you when I was in the hospital. I wanted to tell you right then and there what you mean to me, but I was afraid, too. I was afraid of losing our friendship, and I couldn't have borne that. We've both been afraid." He put a gentle hand on her chin and tilted her face up to his. "But we don't have to be afraid anymore. I know you love me, Jess." He kissed her lightly. "Just as I love you."

"I do love you, Seth." She smiled, then settled herself back down on his chest.

He rubbed her arm soothingly. "Let's get some sleep, Mrs. Hazlitt."

"I don't think I'll ever tire of hearing that," said Jess drowsily.

Seth kissed the top of her head and pulled the blankets up around her before shifting himself to a more comfortable position. He wished he had the energy of a younger man, but he'd been telling the truth earlier. They had been through an extremely trying time, and the proof was in her emotions: they were all over the place. They both needed a good night's sleep...probably more than one, though he speculated they wouldn't be sleeping quite as much s they'd been accustomed to in the weeks and months ahead. He stroked her back lightly and listened as her breathing became more rhythmic. He was overcome with gratitude for the woman in his arms. Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of two such fine women in my life. I didn't deserve Ruthie, and I don't deserve, Jess, but I'm thankful. So very thankful.

A/N: Only one planned chapter left! I'll post it next Sunday.