My thanks to chelsiefan and to deedeedeedee for their help with this chapter.

"Might your husband also 'look'?"

She nodded, but backed away from him. He wasn't quite sure what she was doing, until he realized her hands were slowly bunching her shift up until she could pull it entirely over her head. She slipped her knickers off swiftly, before her self-consciousness could insist otherwise and she sat there, naked before him.

He froze, drinking in the sight of her. A treasure for only her husband to know. She reached out for his hand, and when she found it, she pressed it gently but insistently against her breast.

"I think he might," she whispered.

He touched her gently, and almost as shyly as she'd touched him. On a whim, he closed his eyes, mapping her body by feel alone as she'd done his. Her skin was deliciously warm beneath his palm. He cupped both her breasts in his hands and with one thumb he circled her nipple, causing*it to stiffen. He smiled at the sensation. She seemed to press into his touch, and Charles lost the ability to keep his eyes shut. When he opened them, he could hardly contain his delight. Her bottom lip was trapped firmly beneath her teeth, her body arched in the most attractive manner. He groaned, and she smiled, seeking out his cheek with her fingertips and pulling him towards her for a kiss.

Gods, he would never grow tired of kissing her. They'd grown quite good at this, he thought, her mouth opening easily and her tongue meeting his. She tasted sweet, of tea and shortbread and something inherently her that he could never quite put his finger on. His fingers tangled in her hair, which was still mostly pinned up in her usual fashion. She winced when he accidentally pulled a few strands loose and he drew back hurriedly.

"Elsie, oh, goodness, I'm sorry." His apology tumbled forth quickly, but she didn't look upset.

"Perhaps I ought to take it down?" she suggested.

Charles found his chest rather tight, and he made an effort at taking a deep breath. "Yes," he agreed after a brief pause. "May I help?"

She nodded, so he moved to sit behind her. Her hands went to remove the first pin, but he caught her fingers before she could. "Let me?" he asked, pressing kisses to her fingertips.

His voice had gone even lower than usual, and Elsie almost melted right then and there. "Alright," she murmured, unable to keep the breathlessness from her voice.

Charles removed the first pin he could find and a curl tumbled down. He let it slip through his fingers, his mind likening it to fine silk. As he removed more pins, the delightful coconut smell of her shampoo filled his nose. She remained very still, even when it pulled, and with each pin the tension between them seemed to increase. Only by focusing intensely on the task at hand did Charles manage, and even then it was at an agonizingly slow pace.

If she was frustrated with his slowness in undoing her hair, she didn't show it - other than biting down hard on her lower lip again, unsure of this new, strangely urgent want. Finally, finally, he was finished, and he ran his fingers through her hair to be sure that he hadn't missed one. Gently, he pushed her curls to the side, exposing her neck and he pressed an open-mouthed kiss there. And then another. And another.

She let out a breath, half-sigh and half-vocalized, at the feeling of his mouth hot against her sensitive skin. She leaned back, her head lolling on his shoulder to give him better access.

She was intoxicating, all soft and inviting. He discovered that by kissing just behind her ear, she moved in the most tantalizing way, pressing herself firmly against his torso. Absently, her hand floated up beside her head, grasping at his hair and pulling him even closer.

He'd been trying to keep some distance between his pelvis and her back, awkwardly avoiding the possibility of his pressing up against her. He flushed, wondering if she noticed, wondering if she'd mind…

Elsie dropped her hand, wondering why her husband had shifted away from her so. "Charles?"

He wrapped his arms around her middle, and whispered reassuringly in her ear. "I'm right here."

"Are you alright?" She worried her lip, and he was quick to reassure her.

"More than alright," he told her. He held her gently for a moment, thumbs stroking her sides and she hummed in contentment. He pressed his cheek to her temple, enjoying simply being this close to her.

His hands traced mindless patterns across her ribcage and plain of her belly. The heat of his hands gave her goosebumps, and her cheeks flushed a rosy pink hue. Charles noted this with a bit of pride, and was bold enough to cup her breast in one hand again, teasing her nipple between two fingers. His other hand inched lower and he wondered if might ... that is, if she would let him…

He dropped his hand away from her breast and paused, unsure of how to go about things without her guidance. Her knees were pressed together, perhaps he shouldn't-

She'd sensed his hesitation and she placed her hand over his. "Charles?" she asked.

He might as well ask her. "Can I…" he trailed off, his hand still pressing against her abdomen. He noticed she was holding her breath, and he gathered his wits. "Elsie, can I touch you?"

"Yes, please," she breathed, curling into his chest. She brought his hand down until it rested between her legs and left it there, resting her hand on his forearm. She wanted him to touch her, to know her as she knew him. He complied with her request, parting her gently with his fingers. A wonderful feeling flooded her, rising until she felt almost lightheaded. He varied pressure, firmer and then gentle, slowly driving her mad. As he circled a particularly sensitive spot, she gripped his arm harder than she intended. He paused, and she thought she might burst.

"Is this alright?" he asked, his voice full of uncertainty.

"Yes." It took her a moment for her to gather enough breath, "Yes, Charles, it's ... yes."

He touched her again, this time with more intention and in return she melted into him. In the back of her mind she worried that she was slipping out of control. Suddenly, his other hand was on her breast again, and she unintentionally moaned aloud. Immediately, she stiffened and her hand flew from his forearm and clamped over her mouth.

He broke contact, and Elsie fought the urge to burst into tears. Gods above, what a wanton sound she'd made. How he must think-

"Elsie," he whispered in her ear, "it's okay."

"I'm sorry," she muttered, shamefaced.

"You don't understand," Charles said, soothingly. "I want to hear you."

She shook her head.

"I do," he told her, "it's a perfectly lovely sound. From my perfectly lovely wife."

She smiled despite herself. "Charles Carson, I do not deserve you."

"I beg to differ," he rumbled, hugging her tighter. His hand snaked around her waist to her stomach. "May I?"

She nodded, and relaxed back against him as his fingers slipped between her legs again. Her breath quickened, but she couldn't bring herself to permit another sound escape her lips. It had been too mortifying, no matter what her husband said.

He seemed to sense her tension, how it held her back. "Let go, my love."

She wanted to, but she didn't quite know how. Her chest tightened as pushed her pleasure higher and higher. She didn't know what would happen if she fell.

"Trust me," he whispered, his breath also short. "Trust me and let go."

His words were the permission she needed. Something in her mind relinquished control to him, and she was rewarded with the most exquisite sensation. A few moments later, when the cry came from her lips, it didn't come with shame but with joy, and when she fell back down to earth her husband was there to catch her. She shook in his arms, somewhere between laughter and tears.

"I...I…" it took her a minute to formulate a proper sentence. "I didn't ... think …"

Charles seemed rather pleased with himself. "I love you," he said, pressing kisses to her temples.

"I love you," she countered, turning in his arms so that she might embrace him properly. "Charles ... I don't ... I had no idea."

He beamed at her. "Well, I'm pleased you trust me."

Her face went rather serious for half a moment. "Always," she said, tracing his chin, seeking out his lips for another kiss. "Always."

They bumped noses as she went to kiss him again, but neither of them cared, not even enough for words of apology. Elsie longed to make him feel as he'd made her feel. She wanted to know him entirely.

She let him guide her onto her back, trusting him not to let her head hit the headboard. He dipped his head, taking the opportunity to capture the peak of her breast in his mouth. He teased her nipple with his tongue, relishing the sound of her gasp. Her hands grasped at him, finding purchase on his shoulder and the back of his head. She pulled him up towards her so that she might kiss him, all full of fire.

For a spell, they just lay flush against each other, kissing with a passion that reflected how they both felt. When his arousal brushed her center she pressed her hips lightly against his, her way of letting him know he was welcome.

For Elsie, it hurt - sharp and sudden - but that only lasted a brief moment before it was replaced by a sense of completeness. There was a great pleasure in knowing that her husband had given himself to her entirely, worshipping her as he'd promised to do. He moved slowly, as slowly as he could manage until she joined him, her hips rolling in time with his. Their bodies moved together in a union she had no adequate words for. A now familiar tension coursed through her, building as he swept her up into a wave of pleasure. Her husband. Her Charles. Gradually the pace of their lovemaking increased, and instinctively she lifted her knees and wrapped her legs around him, surrounding him with her small frame. He groaned his approval in her ear, followed by her name and endless words of his devotion to her. He pushed relentlessly, and she bit down on her lip hard just before he made her cry out once again.

Her voice echoing in their tiny bedroom was what pushed him over the edge. He fell apart in her arms, shuddering and still stammering his love for her. She kissed him softly, not letting him go. They clung to each other for an impossibly long time, hearts and bodies entwined as close together as possible.

Eventually, they moved apart, and Charles took it upon himself to go get a cloth so that they might both clean up. He pressed a warm cloth into her hands and she knew what to do with it. He took it from her wordlessly when she'd finished. When he went away again, Elsie thought about searching about for her nightgown, but she couldn't bring herself to move. There was something oddly luxurious about lying completely naked and utterly spent beneath their bed sheets.

Charles seemed to agree with her, for he climbed back into bed and pulled her to him. He'd been gone only half a minute, but it might as well have been an age as far as he was concerned. He stroked her hair with one hand, and she pressed her ear to his chest, listening to his hammering heart slow down. He made a strange sound and sniffed, which struck her as odd. Elsie lifted her head in confusion. She snuck a hand up to cup her husband's cheek, and to her shock, she found it wet with tears.

"Charles?"

Charles was even more stunned than she was. There had been a great well of emotion that had overtaken him and before he knew it there had been tears streaming down his cheeks.

"It's alright," he told her. "I just … " He wasn't quite sure what to say. Elsie swept away his tears with her fingers and pressed kisses to his cheeks, to his jaw. When she was sure there were no more to fall, she rested her head in the crook of his neck. Charles responded by hugging her extremely tightly.

"I love you so very much, Elsie."

"I love you, too, my man."

He loosened his grip, and they settled into a more comfortable position with his arm around her waist and her head resting gently on his shoulder. Exhausted, delighted, and emotionally drained, Charles and Elsie fell asleep.

TBC...