I am so grateful and happy about all the enthusiastic response to this sequel! I appreciate all of the reviews, and I hope that I am able to live up to all of your expectations with this story which I am most definitely continuing! I'm anticipating that this fic will be pretty much just a happy place, with a minimum of angst, and a maximum of sensuality.

Speaking of sensual pleasures, Derek intends to have just that before they leave for London...enjoy...

Chapter Two
Afternoon Delights

The days following the receipt of the invitation (or royal summons, as Derek dryly referred to it) had passed in a flurry of activity, with clothes being selected and cleaned, bags and trunks packed, and the manor readied for their absence. After Derek and Meredith explained what was going on, the children took it all in happily, chattering non-stop about what they might encounter in London. Meredith was quite sure they would be all right with leaving home for awhile. The girls, Hannah and Ella, were especially consumed with curiosity about the Queen and what it meant for their mother to be a lady-in-waiting. Michael wanted to see the stables and the horses, and their youngest son, James, was too small to understand anything other than getting caught up in the general activity. A trip to visit their grandparents, and hopefully the Sloan family, would also be in order if time allowed.

Now there was only one day before they were to leave, and Derek was anxious to spend some time alone with Meredith before their departure. He was aware of just how much of their time would be spent apart while at court.

After lunch, Derek led Meredith towards the stables, leaving the children in the capable hands of Rose and Meggie, their nanny/governess. It was a perfect late summer day, the air scented with the lush aroma of the roses in the garden. Meredith had taken over tending them just as diligently as Derek's mother had, and the bushes were full of velvety blooms in a myriad of red, pink and cream shades. They passed through the rose arbour, and Derek plucked one of the blossoms for her, handing it over with a flourish. "For you, my lady..." he murmured, kissing her cheek before they moved along the path again.

Meredith brought the rose up and let the petals tickle her nose. "You do remember the first rose you gave me?" she asked, glancing over at him. Her heart fluttered a little at the sight of him in his open white shirt, snug riding breeches and polished boots. As always, the sight never failed to arouse her.

"Of course, love. And you blushed so prettily, I just couldn't resist teasing you, and then kissing you until you were breathless..." Derek recalled, winking at her. His arm slid around her waist, as they walked slowly together. "And I wanted you so badly and you were so sweet, that I was willing to wait for more...for awhile," he grinned as they crossed the paddock. There were several colts and fillies grazing with the brood mares, many of them descended directly from Satan. Derek had invested in the bloodlines, buying other stallions that showed promise of strength and speed, mating them with mares of Arabian background known for speed as well. The stables flourished and Gracewood was beginning to become well known for its horses, which was clearly the reason the King wanted Derek's presence at court.

"You rogue. My resistance melted like sugar in hot tea as far as you were concerned," she told him.

"You didn't give in too easily, as I recall, love..." Derek reminded her, thinking of her initial hesitation to his advances.

"Oh, I couldn't let you think you had me too quickly!" Meredith laughed, skipping ahead of him. She was wearing a new riding habit, similar to her old one, made of buttery soft caramel color leather. Her dainty boots tapped along the cobblestones of the stable as she raced ahead of him.

Derek chuckled, and gave chase, catching her easily next to the stall where Mistral waited patiently. The filly was still Meredith's favourite, even though they had several other mares to pick from. Now she whickered happily, arching her neck over the stall door. "Hello, lovely..." Meredith murmured, rubbing Mistral's nose, while holding out a chunk of apple. "Are you up for a ride today?"

Behind her, Derek rested his hands on her shoulders, pulling her against his body. "She's ready..." he observed. "Just as much now as on our first ride. Even though I won't take Satan with us today."

"No?" Meredith was slightly distracted by the heat of his body behind her.

"I want to take Midnight out today, and see how he runs." Midnight was one of Satan's offspring, just as black and haughty as his sire. "Since we will be away for awhile, I want to be able to give him a good run – he is too wilful for most of the grooms to take out for long." Satan, on the other hand, had mellowed in his old age, and was content to graze in the paddock, his stud duties done. Derek still liked to take him out from time to time, but for the most part, Satan seemed happy to be left to live his days out in peace and quiet.

"You will miss being here with them..." Meredith glanced up at him. "Satan will likely miss you, as well."

"Yes, but I trust the men completely. I have made sure to leave detailed instructions on the care of each horse with John. He knows what to do, as always." Derek kissed her temple. "And we're wasting time, love...let's get the lads to saddle the horses so we can go. I'm anxious to spend some time alone with you before we are in London with little privacy at court."

Before long, they were riding through the meadow towards the pond and waterfall that had been their private refuge since they first met. Meredith lifted her face to the warmth of the sun, and breathed in the rich scent of the grass and wildflowers. For the moment, they cantered along slowly, but Derek knew that the young stallion was itching to run. He glanced over at Meredith, and raised his eyebrows.

"Ready to race?" he grinned, and Midnight's ears flicked as if he could understand the question as well. Derek held the reins with easy grace, yet sensing the power of the horse ready to spring free.

"Mistral can still race," she replied, kicking lightly to push the filly into a gallop. "Come and catch me!" They were off through the grasses before Derek could spur his own mount into motion, but he quickly gave Midnight his head. The big horse surged ahead without any difficulty, enjoying the chance to run hard, galloping after the filly. He flew past Mistral as if she was merely cantering, and raced towards the forest edge.

At the edge of the clearing, Derek waited for Meredith to catch up. "Impressive," she smiled, nodding at Midnight. "Are you happy with him?"

"He is faster than Satan, and loves to run. He's not even breathing that hard."

"And very handsome..." Meredith smiled. "Almost as handsome as his master..."

"Vixen, flattery will get you anything you want..."

"I've always thought so..." she observed with another innocent smile, and Derek could only shake his head in amusement.

The horses made their way along the trail towards the pond, where Derek leapt off Midnight, and offered his hand to Meredith. She slid down against the strength of his body, enjoying the feel of him against her. He cupped her cheek, and lowered his head, brushing his lips against hers. "Come...we can spread the blanket over here..." He took the bags from behind the saddle, and let Midnight roam beside Mistral in the grass. They hadn't bothered with bringing food, just some wine to share.

"So we did not spend that much time at court before, what can I expect for a long term stay?" Meredith asked, as they settled together on the blanket. Even though it had been on her mind constantly, they had been so busy with preparing to leave that she didn't have time to voice her questions. She poured them each a glass of the tart white wine, before savouring a sip that felt heavenly on her dry throat.

"What can I say...hmmm...expect a lot of gossip, a minimum of privacy and remember to keep your thoughts to yourself," Derek replied, as he leaned closer to her, his wine goblet clasped casually in one hand. "No matter what happens, remember that I am the only one you can truly trust."

"You make it sound rather depressing." Meredith lifted her hand to trace the length of skin displayed by his open shirt. While his horse may not have exerted himself in the race, Derek's skin was already damp with fine sweat.

"It can be, but it can also be very entertaining at times. Do not take any gossip seriously, and do not let the women pull you into what can become petty jealousies."

"Do not worry, darling...I know how to keep my opinions to myself. Your mother has always drilled into me the proper etiquette of the upper class, and I'm sure the court is twice as bad." The Dowager Duchess had proved to be a formidable ally when it was announced Derek was marrying Meredith, and the matriarchs in society had been less than impressed at first. Meredith learned much from Eleanor, and found the older woman filled a void left after being without her own mother for so long. In fact, all of Derek's sisters welcomed Meredith unconditionally after they realized how much their brother loved her. He had been willing to leave his title and land if it came down to a choice, something he had made clear to everyone at the time.

Derek nodded, lowering his head to kiss the hollow of her throat, letting his teeth graze her gently while his fingers pulled at the laces of her riding shirt. "Court is a very contained world, and many things are scrutinized, while other things may be dismissed as inconsequential. Just never…ever…forget how much I love you and how jealous I can be if another man even looks at you..." He punctuated his words with more kisses so that she sighed happily.

"As if any other man could turn my head, Derek...you are all I want."

"Ah, but you will be a new woman to them, and their jaded tastes," Derek warned her. "They may try to see if you will betray your marriage vows just for sport. I know how they can be."

"Aha, so is that what you liked to do as a single lord in the court?"

"I admit, I pursued my share of eager women...but none of them were married...and we won't discuss my betrothal to Lady Addison." Preferring not to dwell on the disastrous relationship with Lady Addison Forbes-Montgomery that led to his leaving London, he pushed Meredith's shirt open, exposing her breasts to his roaming fingers. "The only married lady I intend to pursue is the one here with me that I can never get enough of..." In the warmth of the sunshine, Meredith stretched languidly under his touch, giving herself up to the way he made her feel. "My sweet vixen, that's quite enough talking for today. Time for more sensual pursuits..."

"I thought you would never get around to that," Meredith teased him, her thoughts quickly straying away from what they had been talking about.

"I'm sorry, was I making you wait too long...?" he murmured, not entirely repentantly, pressing his lips to her temple, the arch of her eyebrow, her closed eyelid and then her cheekbone, prolonging the moment even further. Then he claimed her mouth in a strong, possessive sweep of his tongue that infused desire into her already humming veins, quickening her pulse even further. His hands deftly worked the loose shirt from her shoulders, exposing her to the warmth of his hungry gaze, before he kissed her again, tangling his fingers in her hair that had been left loose for the ride. The feeling of her bare skin against his shirt was tantalizing Meredith and she spread her legs wider to pull him closer to her. She was impatient to be free of the rest of her clothing, needing to feel him against her completely. The hard arch of his arousal felt delicious and she wanted more.

Derek lifted his head, regarding her lazily, stroking her skin leisurely. "Are you impatient today, love?"

"Yes, you know me well..." she whispered, trying to lift his shirt away from his breeches. "You have too many clothes on." She kissed him, nipping at his lip in her eagerness.

"We can't have that, can we..." Derek eased away and pulled the shirt over his head, tossing it aside carelessly, before jumping to his feet and discarding the boots and breeches, so that he was naked in a matter of moments. "Is that what you wanted, my love?" He stood over her, his cock ready for her touch, as the sunlight played over him through the shifting branches overhead. His chest was still as muscled and tanned as always, his time riding and working with the horses in the stables keeping his body in prime masculine condition, down to his strong thighs and calves.

"Much better...I approve..." Still keeping her eyes locked on his, Meredith worked the riding skirt away from her hips, her breathing quickening as he watched her undress. Even after all the time together, the moment of anticipation between them was still erotic; the air still filled with the same palpable need as the first time he took her to his bed. He dropped to his knees between her legs, admiring the sleek line of her body before lowering his head to fan warm breath over the sensitive skin of her thighs. A tremor shook her body, as he nuzzled the inner thigh and then dragged his lips lower. Her legs fell open wider, and the heat in his eyes sent burning sensations through her core. He took one calf and lifted her leg up around him.

"So beautiful..." he murmured, his voice rough with need.

"Thank you, m'lord..."

"Is it my lord today, then vixen?" he teased her. For awhile after their first encounter, she had been unable to call him Derek outside of the bedchamber, a fact he had found extremely amusing.

"You like that…I know you do…" she giggled softly. "My lord and master…"

"You're my mistress of passion then..."

Meredith smiled confidently, tracing her fingers along his chest. With him she could be wicked and shameless, bold and demanding, or submissive and demure. "I'm pleased you approve, m'lord..."

With a devilish grin, Derek moved lower against her body, relishing the feel of her skin against his. His fingers slid over the slick folds of her sex, teasing lightly, tormenting her, before delving into her. Her body arched to meet him, as he played along her clit, maddening her with the pleasure. "So wet, my sweet...so ready for me..." He shifted to press his mouth against her folds, his tongue adding to the feel of his fingers. She could feel the release building, and she ground her hips against him...bliss was imminent, she could feel it. Small waves of pleasure began to radiate through her, as she abandoned herself completely to his wicked tongue.

"Please, Derek...do not tease me any longer...I want you inside of me..." she panted finally, caught up in the need for him.

"I want you to ride me now..." he muttered, pulling her over him quickly. She braced her hands on his chest as she slid slowly to take his cock inside. She bit her lip as it moved its way in – the thick shaft throbbing and alive. The head was barely inside of her, straining to drive deeper, to bury itself in her wet creamy heat.

"Are you all right, love?" he asked, supporting her with his hands at her breasts, giving her a tempting smile that sent her heart racing even faster. There was lust and tenderness mixed in that smile, and she held his gaze as she rose up higher, then let him buck up into her, unable to say anything. Connecting with him, as she bounced faster, making her breasts rise and fall madly. Sensual sweat coated them both, and her senses reeled from the intensity. Her first full climax took hold of her, and she gasped at the pure thrill of the moment here in the open.

"More..." she pleaded, throwing her head back, and he responded eagerly, thrusting up against her, holding her tightly. Derek pulled her forward, arching up to take her nipple into his mouth. They both moaned at the sensation, while his hips bucked up to hers, and he rubbed himself hard against her throbbing, sensitive clit. Demanding and hot, he pushed them both to new heights of pleasure, and tremors wracked them both, as their mutual release flooded them, and she fell forward, kissing him deeply. Feeling his fullness in her as she squeezed him tightly, until he relaxed and exhaled in satisfaction.

"Did that meet your needs, my love?" Derek murmured after a few moments, too sated to move a muscle himself.

"Yes, it seemed more intense than usual today..." Meredith's senses were still whirling, her body shaking as he gently stroked her back. She rested her cheek against his chest, listening to the wild thump of his heart, as she absorbed the scent of him, mingled with her own feminine arousal. The sun was decadently warm, and she was loathe to move anywhere just yet.

"Very much so," he agreed. "We need to keep this moment in mind when we're at court, with not as much privacy, and more demands on our time."

"I will cherish the thought, but we will have time to ourselves won't we?" Meredith lifted her head to gaze into his eyes.

"Yes, we will make time, no matter what..." he vowed. "Now…I believe we have some time before we need to return home, why not cool off in the pond?" His eyebrows raised suggestively, and before she could reply, he was on his feet and swinging her up in his arms. She gasped in surprise, as he waded into the cool water, and then gasped even more once he lowered her into it. He caught her mouth under his, and his kiss warmed her instantly, so that she shivered in bliss instead.

"Yes, m'lord…" she whispered when he broke the kiss, "we must make the most of this time together…as always..."