They brought in the shopping bags and she followed him into the kitchen, she hadn't answered his request she had stayed silent not knowing what to say feeling torn but knowing deep down there was only one thing she really wanted to do. He didn't want to press her for an answer so he busied himself unpacking the shopping bags whilst she perched on the same stool where they had shared breakfast this morning and watched him moving from one side of the kitchen to the other preparing the dinner he had promised her.
Her mind drifted back to their time in Afghan when she used to watch him striding purposefully between the ops tent and his quarters, admiring his broad shoulders and the way he stood, legs slightly apart with his hands on his hips, she still couldn't believe that she was here now in such an intimate setting doing "normal" God he was so gorgeous and he was all hers, she didn't want to let him out of her sight. She was brought back from her daydream by him presenting her with a glass of wine "here you go beautiful, take that through to the sitting room and relax, I will let you know when dinner is served"
She slid off the stool and walked from the kitchen to the hall, looking back at him still pottering around the kitchen, humming away to himself and then moved into the sitting room , she could see some photo frames on a side table, pictures of who she guessed where Mr and Mrs James, one of the captain passing out at Sandhurst, one of Sam and Charles on the beach in Cornwall and an older photo of a young boy who looked similar to Sam it must be Charles when he was not much older than Sam is now. She moved toward the sofa, sat down and curled her legs under her there wasn't too long to wait before he popped his around the door and announced "dinner is served Madame"
He came over to the sofa and led her by the hand to the door, he put his hands over her eyes and guided her back into the hall and through into the dining room. He took his hands away from her eyes and she was greeted by a room totally bathed in candle light, at the centre of which was a table carefully laid for two. "take a seat" he pulled the chair out for her, settled her at the table and disappeared momentarily only to appear with two plates. He placed one of them in front of her and settled himself down at the other side of the table, taking a moment to meet her eyes before placing a napkin on his lap.
"This is lovely Charles" he smiled that she had called him that "my pleasure" he gave her that cheeky wicked grin that made her want to just want to jump across the table and devour him not the steak. They both proceeded to start their food, not a further word spoken between them, the atmosphere in the room crackled with the electricity as they exchanged glances every few minutes, both taking turns to hold each other's gaze until they couldn't stand it any longer.
They had both finished their food and Molly fiddled with her napkin folding it repeatedly into various squares and shapes, smoothing it out on the edge of the table, he watched her intently and then moved across to her side of the table, standing behind her he bent down to kiss her on the top of the head, he had his hands on either side of her shoulders this was closely followed by a soft kiss on the side of her temple, then her cheek, then her ear lobe teasing the very edge with his teeth, then the base of her neck where it meets her shoulder, she sat and slowly moved to allow him wrap himself around her, the crackle of electricity that had been in the air now felt as though it was creeping from the base of her spine right up to the nape of her neck. She allowed him to continue one side and then the other until finally she stood and pushed him and the chair away so that she was facing him, resting against the edge of the table. He moved in closer and swiftly cleared the table behind her, lifting her onto it, she lent back as he continued to run his hands over the entire length of her body, gently caressing every contour as she arched her back and closed her eyes. He undid the buttons of her jeans as she pulled at his belt and started to do the same, their movements becoming more urgent as the need for each other took over.
He moved on top of her and as his lips came close to her ear again, he whispered again "Stay"