Pushing open the door, Richard stepped into their room, doing his best to be as quiet as possible. Since they returned from sealing the rifts, Kahlan had been kept busy with the duties of Mother Confessor and rarely found the chance to sleep. Stopping at the foot of the bed, he looked down at her with a smile. She had taken favor to one of his old shirts, wearing it almost every night. It looked better on her, though, she rarely was able to wear it very long. The blanket barely covered her, giving him more than a small peak at her soft, pale skin.
Being nearly completely silent, he took off his boots and hung his sword on the back of the wooden rocking chair that sat on the left side of the window. Pulling his shirt over his head, he looked back to her with a smile. Removing his pants, he made his way back to the bed and slowly climbed in beneath the blankets. She sensed him next to her and moved closer, bringing her arm over his chest. The feel of her hand against his skin brought a low moan from deep within him. One touch from her always had him weakened.
Instantly, he ran his left hand up her arm, pushing slightly until she was lying on her back again beside him. Lifting the bottom of the shirt, he slid his long, thick fingers beneath the fabric. Her body instantly responded to his touch. Turning her head, she released a soft moan as his hand journeyed north. Moving slowly, he brought his head to her stomach and lowered his lips to her skin. Her back lifted from the bed, pushing against his kiss as his lips moved over her.
Tossing a leg over hers, he held himself above her as he continued. The kisses quickened as he began to lose himself in the taste of her skin. He stopped kissing her stomach at once as her fingers slipped into his hair. Lifting his head, he looked up and met her eyes. She was smiling at him like she usually did, waiting for him to continue. Laying her hand over his, she held it to her breast and pushed up against it with a soft moan.
Slowly, Richard moved from her stomach and brought his face to hers, pulling his hand from beneath her shirt. "I'm sorry."
Leaning up, she gave him a quick kiss and grinned. "You should be. You didn't wake me."
"You haven't slept much."
Her smile widened as she held back a laugh. "So you thought you could have your way with me while I slept?"
"I didn't mean to go that far."
Rolling over him, she pulled the blue shirt over her head and tossed it onto the floor. Pushing her fingers back through her hair, she moved a few strands out of her face and looked down at him. His eyes were moving over her body, making his heart race faster and faster as she shifted above him. Reaching up, he ran his hands up her sides and over to her chest and was instantly rewarded with a low moan released from her soft lips. Her body ached for his, desperate for more attention as she slowly rocked against him. He knew all too well what would she desired.
Moving quickly, he tossed her onto the bed and crawled on top of her. His lips covered her body, moving slowly as he pushed his tongue out to take a deeper taste. It had been so long since they had been this way, taking each other with such hunger and need. Pushing up against him, she panted, her heart racing so fast that every few moments she needed to gasp for air. His hands grazed her flesh, rarely remaining in one spot for very long. Her body was always an open field for him and he made sure to take advantage of their time together.
Kissing his way back to her lips, he began pressing his body against hers for brief seconds. Each time was enough to cause her to moan out in protest of him leaving her. She had already been aching wildly for him and he knew what to give her to set her body on a fiery frenzy of desire. If he didn't take her soon, she would go mad. As their lips connected again, she rushed her hand between them and took hold of him. She was determined to make him as impatient as she was. One touch from her hand and he pulled back, his whole body shaking in need.
His head jerked back as he thrust against her with a moan. She was teasing him and it was too much. Her legs wrapped around his hips as he pulled her hand away, neither willing to waste another moment apart. The next few minutes were almost a complete blur of kisses, scratches, thrusts and moans. Their bodies heated the room, the sweat beading down their backs as they rolled over each other to gain another moment of pleasure. The night was perfect.
Lifting her head from his arm, Kahlan gave a soft laugh at their surroundings. Not long before, they had fallen from the bed, but were too consumed in passion to stop. It had been many months since they had lost control like that. Richard lay on his back beside her, panting viciously with his eyes closed though she could see the smile on his lips. This was the way they wanted it to be and sometimes they had found a way to make it possible, but as more time passed, it became clear that their lives wouldn't be as they dreamed.
It never stopped them from trying, of course. When he was needed at the People's Palace, he always did his best to work quickly and rush back to her arms. Kahlan had, most recently, been sent out to the outer villages and cities for confessions and other duties the council had thought of, giving them a brief night together when they would sneak away. It happened so rarely and their duties had multiplied so frequently that a glimpse of the other was cherished.
Turning his head, he stared at her with a wide grin. Her hair was around her face, framing it perfectly. Her beauty always made his breath hitch and seeing her in this way, like no other, made his breath stop completely. Her laugh echoed around them as she rubbed her hands against the floor. He loved her smile; it was something he never saw enough of. Rolling onto his side, he held his head up with the palm of his hand while his elbow pushed into the wooden floor.
"I don't remember the wood feeling like this," she said with a childish grin. "It's smooth."
Shaking his head, he laughed softly. "I sanded it."
Pausing her movements, she shifted her eyes to him and widened her smile. "You sanded it?"
"I wanted to make it more comfortable."
"The floor?"
Laying his left hand on her back, he traced his fingers along her spine and leaned in close. "We spent a lot of time down here."
Moving closer to him, she pushed her forehead against his and nodded. "You kept insisting we move back to the bed."
Giving her a quick kiss, he pulled back and brought her into his arms. "We never left this spot." He sighed and closed his eyes, tightening his arms around her. "Two nights later, Cara and I left for the People's Palace."
"Mmm, I remember. It was the first time we used the Journey Books that Zedd had given us."
"I never had it out of my hand."
Lifting her head, she raised an eyebrow. "I would hope not." Her head tilted as she thought, her smile fading for a moment. "Cara read it, didn't she?"
"Only a page or two," he answered quickly. "I didn't know she was standing behind me." Laughing, he brushed his fingers through the side of her hair. "She was very surprised by the books contents."
Nodding, she returned her head to his chest and sighed. "Now it makes sense. When you returned she told me- She gave me some surprising advice."
"She did?" he asked curiously.
"I didn't take it," she answered his unasked question.
Moving beneath her, he waited for her to continue, but she didn't. "Why not?"
Once again, she lifted her head and looked down at him. "Do you wish I had?"
"No," he said quickly. "But I am curious."
"Are your curious as to what it was or why I didn't do it?"
He smiled. "Both, but I think I already know why you didn't do it."
"Why?"
"Because it wasn't you."
"It could be," she countered softly.
His eyebrows furrowed at her words. "Why? Kahlan, you don't have to- You don't need anyone's advice. Trust me."
"You may change your mind when I tell you what she said."
Bringing her back to his chest, he hugged her tightly. "I don't want to know anymore. I love what we have and what we do. I wouldn't want it- I don't want you any other way."
Moving from his hold, she hooked some of her hair behind her ear, trying to keep it from her face as she sat up. He was watching her carefully; the feel of his eyes on her was something she never missed. Taking a moment, Kahlan thought about their friend's advice and if she should take it. The man lying beside her may not realize what he was missing. Looking down at him, she took a deep breath, readying herself for what she had decided to do.
"Have you never wished- Wanted something different?"
Shaking his head, he grabbed her hand and kept it from moving over his chest. He could see her thoughts and didn't want her to continue. "Have you?"
"Not when we're together," she admitted quietly. He grinned widely, surprising her. "What?"
Sitting up, Richard pulled her back against his chest and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Why Mother Confessor, are you saying that when we're not together, you imagine us-" With reddened cheeks, she pushed her elbow into his stomach, softly bringing his sentence to a stop. Brushing his nose against her neck, he whispered heavily. "What do I do to you?"
His warm breath made her body quiver in anticipation of what would come next. His hands were moving over her slowly and she was a few moments away from losing herself completely. "Richard, please..." she moaned. Her hands were over his, helping him along quickly.
Kissing the back of her shoulder, he pulled her harder against him while his hands broke free of hers. They moved skillfully over her, bringing a long line of moans and gasps that seemed to never end. "Show me what I do to you," he whispered softly, knowing that she was no longer thinking.
Releasing a soft whimper, she turned rapidly and crawled over him. With her right hand against his chest, she pushed until his back was against the ground. Carefully, he reached up and pushed her hair over her shoulder, giving himself full view of her beautiful form. She didn't give him long to admire her before she leaned down and began to kiss his chest. Closing his eyes, he relaxed his body as she continued and held his arms still to the floor.
Her tongue moved over him slowly, taking the time to fully taste him. Releasing his arms, she met his eyes, silently telling him not to move them. To remove the temptation to touch her, he folded his arms beneath his head and closed his eyes. Her hands moved over his chest and stomach, following her lips as his moans grew louder. He bucked against her, hitting her chest as her kisses slowed and remained against him longer. Her name left his lips in surprise and pleasure as her lips wrapped around him.
He wanted to reach to her, but didn't know what to do. If he stopped her, she would think that he didn't enjoy it and if he didn't stop her, she would believe that he wasn't happy with what they had. There was no winning in this moment. Reluctantly, he grabbed her shoulder and pulled her over him. He didn't open his eyes; he wanted to catch his breath first. She was staring down at him and he could imagine the look on her face. The impatience and fear practically bleeding through his eyelids.
"Kahlan..." he whispered breathlessly. "I-"
Pushing out of his arms, she moved away from him and sat up. "It's all right, I understand." Quickly, she got to her feet and crawled onto the bed. Laying down, she rolled to face the door, knowing that he would be laying down beside her soon.
He remained still for a few minutes unsure as to what to give her. His body was still on edge and he was beginning to regret pulling her from him. Sitting up, he looked at her on the bed, the blanket laying just above her hips while her hair covered her back.
"I love what we have Kahlan." She remained silent, but he knew she was still awake. Standing, he grabbed his pants and began to dress himself for a distraction. Turning back to the bed, he hoped to see her face, but she hadn't granted his wish. "I need to walk."
She didn't budge as he walked to the door, he didn't expect her to. It wasn't often, but there were times they went without speaking. He only hoped that it wouldn't last long.
