Chapter 62

"Yes Catherine, I understood you. I was once again allowing my fears to cause me to hesitate. Since I am new at this, maybe you could instruct me on what the usual procedure is?"

"Vincent the usual procedure is what ever the couple in questions wants. That is why I gave you the choice. Since this is your first time I want it to be everything you hoped it could be. Would you like me to undress for you, or would you rather have the pleasure of taking my clothes off yourself?"

Great! He had been so worried about her reaction to him naked that he hadn't even thought about Catherine without clothes. Well, he had in his deepest secret thoughts, but as for here and now! What in the world should he do? As that thought raced through his mind Vincent's gaze fell on his hands. Her clothes were as delicate as Catherine herself! How could he even think of touching her clothes let alone Catherine with these hands?

"Vincent?" came her soft urging.

Realizing that once again she was waiting for him to answer her, he quickly said, "Catherine I think it would be better if you did the undressing yourself."

A bit unsure about why the answer was worded so oddly she was still glad that they were ready to move on. "I would be happy to Vincent. Why don't you take off your boots and vest then sit on the bed so you can watch me?"

"Watch?"

"Yes, I assumed since you wanted me to take off my own clothes, you wanted to watch as I did so. Wasn't that the plan?"

"I…ummm…yes Catherine. I am sorry that I am still a bit flustered about all this."

"It's okay Vincent! Just let me know what you want. I want this night to be special for you."

Hearing the plea in her voice it dawned on him that he should be just as concerned about making this night special for her too! What a cad he was being! Letting her take all the responsibility for ensuring that this night be all he had dreamed of. Certainly Catherine had dreams and desires as well and he needed to get himself in line and start paying attention to them!

Tuning into the Bond, something he told himself he should have been doing all along, he asked her, "Catherine which would you prefer? If you undressed alone or…if I helped you?" Before she spoke he knew the answer. Her heart had leapt at the thought of him helping her out of her clothes. Standing, he walked towards her and put a finger to her lips just as she was about to speak. "Catherine, may I please have the pleasure of helping you to undress?" he whispered softly.

She could only nod her answer, but the stars shining in her eyes spoke volumes to him.

With the care that he would have used when touching a new born baby or handling a piece of blown glass, Vincent began to unbutton the baby blue mohair sweater she was wearing. He had been so focused on not tearing a button hole or snagging the delicate yarn that it was made of, that it wasn't until he reached the last button and Catherine shrugged the sweater off, letting it drop to the floor, that he realized what he should have been focused on was the fact that he was revealing parts of his beloved that he had never seen before.

Yes, he had seen her in nightgowns before, but she usually covered herself with a robe as soon as she got out of bed before coming to the balcony door. But now here she was standing there in a scrap of lace that may have implied covering, but left very little to the imagination.

Smiling at him, she asked, "Vincent would you unhook me?" then turned her back to him so he could see the bra's mechanisms.

Ever so carefully he did as she asked and after her bra joined the sweater on the ground, watched in amazement as she casually turned back around and said, "Okay, it's your turn now."

Vincent was drinking in the beauty before him so her words had not registered. He sensed amusement through the Bond just before she stepped forward and reached for the lacings on his vest. He almost jumped away, until he realized that now she wanted him to remove some clothing as well.

To be continued….