She noticed the box the moment she opened the door. Curious, she moved to the bed where it rested and picked it up. It was extravagantly wrapped. It could only be a gift from Lucien, but for what occasion? Christmas was still months away.
Had he wanted to be there to see her open it, he would have placed it in her hands himself, so she carefully removed the ribbons and paper and pulled the top off the box. "Oh Lucien."
She wasn't surprised to hear a footfall in the hallway a few moments later. She looked up and saw his silhouette through the frosted glass of her door.
Lucien had started to move back down the hall by the time she opened the door to him.
"Lucien?"
"I hope I wasn't being presumptuous…" He stopped speaking once his eyes found her.
"Jean." His voice was a ragged whisper.
"You'd better come in, Lucien." Jean stepped aside so he could do so.
"I didn't think I'd see you in it until our wedding night." He was sitting politely on her bed. His hands were in his lap, but he couldn't keep his eyes off her.
"Why did you give it to me now?"
"You deserve fine things, Jean. The best. I don't see why I should wait to give them to you."
She moved to stand in front of him, her knees grazing against his. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, resting his head on her stomach.
Jean loosened his grip and heard him gasp as she straddled his lap. "Jean?"
She unbuttoned his waistcoat and started tugging at his shirt. "It's so unfair!" Frustrated, she rested her forehead against his.
"What is it, Jean?"
"You could have me naked and writhing in a minute flat, but I have to work my way through five layers of clothing."
He laughed, even as he was running his hand up her thigh. He stopped laughing when he realized she wasn't wearing anything underneath his gift.
"Jean?" He paused. "Is this what you want?"
"I'm not dead, Lucien. It's what I've always wanted."
"But…now?"
"I don't see why I should wait to give you fine things."
It took twice as long as she had predicted to have her naked and writhing. But he thought it only fair to help her since they were his buttons.