For what felt like the hundredth time, he lifted a hand to brush his hair from his face as the gentle wind relentlessly whipped it back and forth; uncaring of how bothersome it was being.
The evening sun was slipping below the tree line, casting a dark hue over the lake. It was enough to make him resent having to venture out into the weather, which had the looks of threatening to break into a small storm any minute.
The clouds were thick overhead, dark and intimidating, leaving little light to soothe the world. It was the kind of day one wished to remain indoors next to a warm fire with book in hand, or, in his case, his wife in hand.
"Is she nearly here?"
His wife's fingers clasped his more tightly as she glanced up the road, her green eyes searching for the yet to be seen vehicle.
"She said she was leaving the station when she called. He switched the hand holding hers so he could run a soothing palm up and down her back. "She was fresh off duty."
Since Abbie's call half an hour earlier, he'd been trying to sell the idea of venturing away from the cabin's grounds in his wife's ear, but he wasn't sure how effective he'd been. She looked calm enough at the moment, but he knew Katrina could put on a brave front better and quicker than most. It was one quality he wished she didn't have in her heavy, and seemingly unending, arsenal.
"Are you alright?"
She gave half a shrug as she glanced up at him, a thin smile on her lips. "As alright as I can be, I suppose."
Not sure if that was comforting to him or not, he ran his knuckles down her arm. "I'll be with you every moment."
He received what seemed to him an obligatory nod, but she remained otherwise silent.
"I doubt we'll be gone long," he added, hoping to draw out her mood for inspection. "I just want you to be able to acquire things you might like, or I wouldn't have even asked."
"Ichabod," she whispered as she turned toward him, her face soft and kind. "I'm alright. I want to help."
The knot in his stomach was becoming more bothersome than the wind. "Are you sure? I don't want you to push yourself too much. If you're too uncomfortable-"
Laughter bubbled from her as she slid her arms around his waist and leaned up to brush her lips over his.
Gentle and slow, she caressed him with her barely there kiss, drawing him deeper into her with her light touch. It never failed to be obvious that she was much better at this sort of lure than he was. Whatever she wanted to perpetuate between them often began in this fashion.
Before he'd thought better of himself, he'd wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against him, pressing harder against her and taking her small kiss much farther than he imagined she'd intended.
His palm and fingers laid flat against her spine as his other hand worked its way beneath her hair to hold her neck steady. For the life of him, he simply wanted her closer and could never seem to achieve pulling her close enough.
This had become a daily occurrence of late. They would get lost in one another for minutes and sometimes hours at a time. However, they never went beyond the soft embrace of holding one another as they'd both agreed to wait until they were both ready and comfortable. The time in between was to be spent learning how to live with one another again and he was enjoying every minute of it. It was as though they were learning each other all over again.
She lavished him with her attention, giving her all over into helping him become at ease with who she was, both as his wife and as a witch. She took her time explaining the intricacies that came with her magic and what was to be expected of her and their baby. She told him story after story of her adventures as a girl with learning who she was and how she'd eventually mastered her abilities enough to take over leadership of her coven.
He, on the other hand, provided her with all the love he held within himself for her. Every morning, he would rise half an hour earlier than usual to build a fire to warm the cabin for her. Then, he would prepare her a breakfast that he prayed would sit well with her stomach. So far, it was only bacon and other overwhelming smells that seemed to bother her to the point of illness.
Throughout the rest of the day, he would basically follow her around the yard, listening to her speak of all the wonders nature provided. She mused that the world truly had all it needed at its fingertips if only it would open its eyes and see.
He marveled over the way life thrived in her presence. Plant and animal life alike would reach for her as she walked through the small paths among the trees; yearning for her attention; her touch. He'd even had the small thrill of having a squirrel eat nuts out of his hand.
It had been the most wondrous thing.
Katrina had laughed at him, of course, when he'd arose and exclaimed over the meeting between man and animal, but he hadn't minded. Anything that brought a smile and gentle laughter to her soul was enough to prompt foolishness from him however many times she needed.
Her lips slowly slid from his, leaving him to soak in deep breath after deep breath of the air she'd deprived him of, not that he was complaining.
"You mesmerize me," he whispered, the smell of her lingering with him, as he finally opened his eyes to see her grinning.
"I'm well aware." Her hand reclaimed his. "I know you're worried for me, but I feel much better about venturing out now than I did before. The only thing I'm truly concerned about now is conversing with other people without appearing too different."
He brushed his hand over her hair. "People are going to adore you."
She smiled and shook her head.
For whatever reason, it seemed she didn't believe him. He'd simply have to be sure to prove his words one way or another.
"I've been practicing my control over my magic and I do have greater control of it than I did the last time we went out, but it still drains me too quickly. Usually, I can go a whole day without tiring after its use, but now... the smallest things make me feel so weary."
"Which is why you shouldn't push yourself so hard," he pressed, hoping she understood how serious he was about maintaining her safety. "Not just for your own health, but our child's as well."
She leaned her head to his chest. "I promise I'm not pushing. I haven't used it too much today."
The approach of Abbie's vehicle interrupted whatever words he might have conjured to further attempt soothing her.
Relieved she was here at last, he waved to his friend through the window and opened the back door for Katrina.
Once she was in, he grasped the seat belt and pulled it over her body to secure her.
"Is this alright?" He eyed the material wrapping around her. "Is it too tight?"
A small smile stretched dented her cheeks. "It's fine."
Meeting her eyes for his own assurance, he sighed in relief before closing her door and moving to open his.
"You guys ready for another adventure? I must say, this is a mission we've certainly never embarked on before."
Almost groaning at how cheerful Abbie appeared, he shook his head. "Let's just get this over with."
"So do you like white bread, or whole wheat?"
Katrina stared at the two bags Abbie was presenting like they were a puzzle she couldn't quite decipher.
"I'm not sure," she said as she twisted her hands together. "Are they very different?"
Reaching for the yellow bag of bread, he set it in the buggy. "The white will be fine."
Since they'd stepped foot inside Wal-Mart, Katrina had been like a small child at her first carnival. Everything was brilliant and amazing while still being terrifying all at once.
She'd marveled over the abundance of food and clothing laid out around the store, wondering at how many seamstresses it had taken to conjure so many different sizes and quantities.
As he pulled a jug of milk from its shelf, Abbie said, "It must be nice to be able to just pick that up instead of bothering a cow for it."
"Oh, yes," Katrina said with a laugh. "The worst was freezing, cold mornings and a stubborn cow. I spent more time in the barn during my youth than I did in my bed."
"What about you, Crane?" Abbie asked with a raised brow. "Spend a lot of time out in the barn growing up?"
"I didn't live in the country," he tersely replied. "We had our groceries delivered to us."
Abbie rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah, I forgot you were a snobby, little, rich boy."
Meeting her gaze, he began a retort but was interrupted by Katrina.
"Ichabod was a poor farmer for sure." She grinned at him. "Shortly after we married, he set about making the most valiant attempts he could manage to think of as a means to impress my father."
"That's all in the past, my love," he said, praying she wouldn't continue.
"Do you recall that time you were attempting to milk Bell and she kicked you right off your stool?" Katrina laughed. "I thought my father would perish with laughter."
"Since when are my misfortunes so humorous to you?" He narrowed his eyes. "The two of you are forbidden from speaking of me amongst one another."
"Ok, grumpy," Abbie said as she backed away. "As you're so well versed in modern grocery shopping, I'm going to leave you to it."
With that, she set off down the aisle in search of her own supplies.
"Forgive me, my love." Katrina ran her hand down his arm. "I hope I haven't embarrassed you."
The slight nervousness in her voice softened his face.
"Of course not." He traced a finger down her cheek. "I'm just glad to see you smile."
At that, she gave a bright smile and walked alongside him, her eyes flitting over the many products.
"I can't believe how many different kinds of food there are of the same item." She looked up at him. "Is it not wasteful?"
"Oh, you'd be quite surprised over how much food is wasted in this modern era." He grabbed a can of coffee mate off the shelf. "This generation takes everything they have for granted."
Katrina nodded as she looked over the freezer section.
"Have you seen anything you want, yet?"
"I don't need much of this, my love." She smiled up at him. "I'll eat whatever you choose. You know better than I what is best."
While he appreciated her generosity, he couldn't help but sense the slight change in tone revealed in her voice.
"I want you to choose things for yourself." He stopped the buggy and reached for her hand. "All of this is ours, not just mine."
The strange look that passed over her features as she stared at the few items in the buggy didn't go unnoticed by him.
"It's all so expensive."
A shot to his heart was what her words brought. Here he was excited over finally having a job and his first paycheck to purchase groceries with while she was worrying over the cost.
Lifting her chin, he caught those blasted green eyes he so adored and hoped he was conveying the right amount of sincerity in his own gaze.
"That's not something I want you to fret over."
Despite his wish, she dropped her eyes.
"You worry over it all the time. I don't want to cause you any undue stress."
"Katrina," he whispered, his voice despairing. "The only thing that's going to cause me stress is your unhappiness."
"Don't attempt to cajole me, Ichabod Crane," she answered with a measure of ferocity. "I'm well aware of how deeply concerned you were about our finances."
Oh, so tempted to groan, he somehow managed to keep it to himself.
"Be that as it may," he went on in an even tone. "Things are different now. I've gained a form of employment which now allows me the income to provide for us."
"Income we shouldn't squander." She glanced at the buggy again. "We have a baby on the way and his or her needs far outweigh mine."
Taking a moment to stare at her and consider the obvious thought she'd put into this, he turned her face back to his.
"I understand your hesitance, but, as I'm the one who constantly worries, don't you think I've worried enough over the future to know if we're squandering or not?" When she only gave a small shrug, he smiled. "Please, pretend to be picking out things you want, or, at the very least, if I give you an option, choose one. It'll make me feel as though I'm getting you what you want."
Finally presented with the slightest of smiles, he watched her begin to walk again.
Shaking his head over the stubbornness she possessed, he followed behind her.
"Now, tell me, Mrs. Crane," he said as he caught up to her. "Are you still in possession of that sweet tooth?"
Tapping his fingers along the buggy's handle, he concentrated on cataloging the items within.
For the past ten minutes, he'd been waiting for Abbie and Katrina to return from searching for some private items and he was beginning to lose his patience over their absence.
Being parted from his wife in the midst of a multitude of people was not something he was enjoying. What if she became afraid? Or had an accident? A dozen scenarios flickered through his mind of all the reasons he should be with her.
At the end of his waiting, he pushed the buggy and set out in search of something to occupy him.
Toothpaste was now on his list.
The beauty department was hardly what he would deem a worthy title to this department. Did these people not know that men were less willing to shop in such a department? Couldn't they have named it something more fitting to everyone's needs? Cleanliness Department? Hygiene Department?
As he grumbled over the idiocy of some people, he turned his buggy down the proper aisle and set about searching for the desired item.
The only problem was that one didn't tend to go through tubes of toothpaste too quickly and, as a result, he'd never purchased the product for himself. This left him at a loss for which one he now needed as there were dozens that looked nearly exactly the same.
As he sagged against his buggy and stared at the shelves, he perked up at the sound of a familiar voice.
"I had a friend who said these really helped while she was pregnant."
Glancing around, he was at a loss for the sight of Abbie.
"If you think it's appropriate," Katrina replied, a certain uncertainty in her voice.
They were on the next aisle over, he finally concluded as he moved closer to the opposite shelving.
"Look, I know you and Crane have been dealing with all kinds of stuff that hardly goes along with a normal pregnancy. Being from a different century can be tough and I know it's causing him stress. I imagine you're dealing with that, too."
He leaned against the buggy and sighed.
"Plus, that ex of yours running around town isn't exactly helping Crane's nerves," Abbie added. "I know not long ago he was in need of some reassurance."
"Abraham is hardly a reason for Ichabod to feel oddly towards me," Katrina said softly. "The fact that he took things this far goes to show that Ichabod should feel more sure than ever that he's my love."
"So, were you and him serious at all?" Abbie asked, more curiosity laced in her voice than he would have imagined. "I know Crane said it was an arranged thing, but that's Crane talking. No guy wants to admit their wife had any sort of relationships before them."
Slightly miffed, he rolled his eyes.
Abraham and Katrina were hardly a relationship.
"Oh, well, Abraham was... quite the catch by anyone's standards. He was wealthy, funny, intelligent, and very handsome."
Heat swept along his collar as he suddenly became aware that he was eavesdropping on a conversation he no more wanted to overhear than Katrina likely wanted him to, yet for some reason he couldn't bring himself to move.
"He sounds like a real Casanova."
"On the surface, he was," Katrina said. "But there was so much about him that was cemented in stone. He wasn't willing to change. This is hardly to mention his temper. He wanted things a certain way and if anyone failed to meet his expectations, they always paid for it in some way or another. I suppose it wouldn't have mattered what he was like. No matter his personality, he wasn't someone who made my heart quicken. He didn't make me laugh, or wish to prolong our walks and dinners."
She laughed.
"Ichabod, on the other hand, never failed to make me smile. He could tell the absolute worst joke and just the sheer lunacy of it would have me in tears."
"I can see it now," Abbie said, her voice soft. "Your love for him."
"Miss Mills, I know this is an awkward and quite strange set of circumstances we find ourselves caught in. We're from completely different backgrounds, worlds even. You represent everything that women like me could only have dreamed of so long ago." Katrina paused. "But I hope we can find a way to be friends eventually, not because we were forced together through our connections with Ichabod, but because we've truly found a place in our hearts for one another."
Abbie didn't speak for a minute and it had him practically sweating.
"Can the kid call me Auntie?"
Katrina laughed. "Of course. There was never a question."
Finally having enough of his own spying, he composed himself and pushed the buggy to the next aisle.
"Have the two of you found what you needed yet?"
Two sets of eyes whirled around to face him.
"I told you to wait close to the register," Abbie groaned.
However, he hardly heard her as the items Abbie began moving from her buggy to his were far too intriguing.
A few bottles of soaps and medicines were expected, but the next item wasn't.
Red panties.
Lacy red panties.
Hot under the collar, he averted his eyes to the shelves next to him, desperately attempting to swipe the images from his mind.
However, that hardly helped as tampons were right in his face, an item he no more wanted to see than he'd wanted to know the purpose of. That was a conversation Miss Jenny had found far too much enjoyment over the one and only time he'd shopped with her.
"I, uhm," he cleared his throat and took to staring at the ground. "I was worried."
"Worried?" Abbie chuckled. "More like nosey."
Sure he was beet red, he finally met Katrina's eyes to find her standing with her hands behind her back and her eyes downcast.
Glad the material was at least out of sight, he managed to regain his composure.
"I was searching for toothpaste."
Abbie raised an eyebrow. "Do you have everything now?"
Sensing she might be on to his spying as the toothpaste was sitting on top of his other groceries, he stood straighter. "Yes."
A knowing glint passed over her face as she proceeded to push her buggy toward the front of the store.
More than ready to depart from this loathsome department, he looked at Katrina who was still avoiding his eyes. She was clearly embarrassed, something he couldn't stand.
Reaching out for her hand, he waited for her eyes and smiled. "I love you."
The faintest of smiles graced her face, making him feel a great deal more comfortable.
"Are you ready to return home?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "If you are."
"So, you're enjoying your time out then?" he asked, hopeful of her answer.
"Oh, yes." She nodded toward Abbie as her face relaxed. "Abigail has made me feel much better about the world."
"Has she?"
"Well, I suppose actually spending time with her has helped even if it only was a few minutes." She looked up at him. "It's the unknown that made me so fearful."
That, of course, made all the sense in the world.
"But you're not fearful any longer?"
"Oh, I am," she said with a laugh. "I simply know I'm capable of overcoming it and I'm now much more willing to face it."
"You guys coming?"
Glancing up the aisle, he found Abbie waiting, hand on her hip and eyebrows raised.
Shaking his head, he released Katrina's hand and followed Abbie's path.
Once in line, he went over a mental checklist of everything they had to make sure nothing had been missed; most especially the essentials. The last thing he wanted was to forget something and be forced to return to this busy place.
Confident everything was accounted for, he glanced around the checkout line at the various magazines, the likes of which had him diverting his eyes almost immediately.
When had it become appropriate for women to go with so little clothing, most especially in places where children ran about? Sometimes, he truly wondered about the world he'd spent so much of his life fighting for at times.
Katrina's hands fisting in the back of his shirt drew his gaze to her.
She was biting her lip, her gaze fixed on the floor, and she looked uncomfortable.
Concerned over her sudden change in mood, he placed a hand to her back and asked, "My love is everything alright? You seem downcast."
She gave him a tight smile, though she didn't meet his eyes. "I'm fine."
Not at all convinced, he glanced back at Abbie who nodded toward the register.
Eyes following her direction, he was met with the scrutinizing gaze of a woman who appeared to be in her thirties; well dressed, and immaculately painted in thick makeup. She had a young son, who was rioting through the various packages of candy behind her and tossing them on the ground.
However, the woman was hardly paying him attention and it became increasingly obvious to him that the woman was staring at his clothing, switching between looking at him and looking at Katrina.
Her thoughts he could guess as he'd been met with them numerous times before.
The odd thing was, he and Katrina had been met with such stares many times in the past; dirty looks over their sordid affair behind Abraham's back. With Abraham's death and their quick marriage thereafter, there had been a question of if foul play was involved on his part and, perhaps, even Katrina's.
Then, came the looks of disgust and judgment over the other circumstances around their marrying. Little wealth had existed between them other than the small amounts he'd received for his efforts with Washington and hers from her nursing. For more than a year, they'd scraped by on many occasions, going without many of the small luxuries he'd have given just about anything to provide her with.
At times, he'd left her money and gone to hungrily stay with his men in camp just so she would eat and not fret over him going without food. Their struggles had been a very trying thing, but Katrina had always had faith that they would make it through and come out better than before. Her endless hopefulness had always amazed him.
As the war began in full force, he'd ascended in the ranks and, before too long, he'd found himself a Captain. In time, he became a respected member of the small town they called home, the same town who'd once rejected their love.
Soon after, he'd purchased his love a large house in town, one she'd protested every step of the way.
They'd been blessed.
Now, though, they were back to square one, even the judgmental looks returning. Granted, the woman's looks were likely all for him and thoughts of why Katrina was with him, but it hardly mattered. She was bothering his beloved and he wasn't having it.
"May I help you, madam?"
Katrina tensed at his side and he just knew every inch of her protested his addressing of the situation.
The woman's eyes widened as she finally met his serious gaze.
"Oh, I was just-"
"Perhaps, if you turned your attention to your own child rather than worrying about what others are doing, he wouldn't be acting thusly."
Beet red, either from embarrassment or anger, the woman spun around to face the cashier as she handed her the receipt and grabbed up her son before hauling him out of the store by his upper arm with him squealing the whole way.
"Ichabod," Katrina muttered, rubbing at her eyes. "My love, she was nearly gone."
"It's never alright for someone to make you feel less than you are." He placed his hand to her cheek and caught her eyes. "You are beautiful, kind, and far more intelligent than you've ever been given credit for by anyone, me included. Never again will I permit anyone to treat you as less than you deserve."
The glisten in her eyes was enough to prompt him to pull her into his embrace and wrap his arms around her waist.
A moment passed before Abbie nudged his arm as she pushed her buggy past his to begin checking out, clearly sensing the two of them needed a moment the cashier didn't look willing to give them.
If only everyone were so considerate.
As he set the jug of milk in the refrigerator, he heard the water start in the bathroom.
Good, he thought as he returned to the other groceries. At least, she was caring for herself like he'd begged her to do.
The moment they'd walked through their front door, he'd all but demanded she go make herself comfortable and rest. He didn't want to seem too overprotective, but he could hardly stand to see her so tired which she'd admitted she was during the drive home.
Then, of course, that woman's judging glances had to be taken into account. The audacity of her to look at them a certain way while her child went without supervision.
Whatever the case, he was just glad Katrina had consented to allow him to take care of their groceries while she took care of herself.
In the last bag, he found the tube of toothpaste and a bottle he didn't recognize as having purchased.
Picking it up, he read the label and realized it must have been what Katrina and Abbie had been looking for when he'd been eavesdropping earlier.
It was a bottle of body wash meant to soothe and relax the muscles, or so it bragged anyway.
The longer he stared at it, the longer he felt the urge build in him to take it to her. If she'd purchased such a thing, then she must be feeling the need for it.
The only problem was the very bare state he would find her in and the fact that he'd yet to look upon his wife in such a fashion since waking in this century. He knew he'd hardly be able to avoid keeping his eyes off her body.
Steeling his nerves, he tightened his hold on the bottle and set the course that would hopefully lead to bridging the gap that was keeping them from being at complete comfort in each other's presence again.
Upon reaching the bathroom door, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and rapped his knuckles against the wood.
"Yes?"
"May I-" He cleared his throat and laid his hand on the handle. "May I come in? I have some things that belong in there."
A moment's pause, long enough to have his heart hammering, passed before her soft voice met his ears.
"Of course, my love."
Gently pushing the door open just enough to slip through, he made sure to keep his eyes plastered to the floor; a task he found harder than he'd imagined it would be.
"I uhm, I have the soap you procured today." He shifted his feet. "I thought you might like to have it."
"Oh, yes, thank you for bringing it to me."
Unsure what to do, he held out his hand and felt the slick feel of her skin as she took the bottle from him.
"Well, I'll just-"
"Will you wash my back?"
So startled as to actually lift his eyes to her, he stuttered, "I-I'm sorry?"
The small smile that touched her lips had his throat suddenly as dry as a few of the founding fathers' humor.
"I can't reach it and it's bothering me quite a bit." She lifted a white cloth from the water's depths. "Please?"
Wordlessly accepting the cloth, he moved around the tub and knelt behind her while attempting to steady his breathing.
The smooth skin of her back presented so freely to him had his body flushing from head to toe making him feel like a school boy getting his first generous glance of a woman's bosom.
Was that his pulse throbbing in his throat? It surely felt as though it was.
When she leaned her body forward and moved her hair up the back of her head to hold it out of the way, a thrill pulsed in his trousers.
Clearing his throat again, he tentatively laid the cloth to her shoulder and watched as the excess water ran in small lines down her back, something he couldn't help but allow his eyes to follow.
"Is everything alright?"
Her voice was soft, but held enough curiosity to pull his eyes up to find her gaze trained on the swirling water, the hint of a smile on her lips.
"Are you enjoying the torment you're stirring within me?"
Laughter shook her body.
"Actually, I am," she said, her voice full of mirth as she turned her head to look at him with amusement sparkling in her eyes. "You're so flustered."
Katrina teasing him was a familiar past time of long ago days. No matter how much he tended to complain about her doing such things to him, he'd always secretly enjoyed it, secretly longed for more of it. To have her attention and focus fixated on him had always been enough for him that it didn't really matter what she was doing, so long as it was all for him.
Not having any more of her continuing in the powerful hold she had, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to the back of her neck.
"And you're beautiful."
A quiver ran down her spine, drawing a grin across his lips as he continued to press his mouth along the expanse of her neck and shoulders.
All the tempting, but safe kisses they'd partaken of over the past weeks was paling in comparison to the feel of this, to the feel of so much of her flesh bared before him.
It went so far as to the point that he was beginning to drown in her skin just as surely as if he stuck his head under the water below. She was so smooth, so welcoming. How could he continue to resist this beautiful creature who was so trustingly willing to do anything he wished?
A soapy hand touched his face as she turned her body toward his.
Then, her lips were caressing with his, causing his breathing to labor even further.
He placed a firm hand to the back of her neck as the other gripped the edge of the tub to keep himself aware and out of the water.
However, it was hardly helpful that she kept pulling him deeper and deeper into her kiss, not relenting in the least. If anything, she was practically pulling him into the tub with her.
No, wait. That was her pressing against him, her wet front soaking through his shirt.
Detaching from her, he made the mistake of looking downward.
"Oh, God," he whispered as he took in the sight before him.
She was on her knees in front of him, her body mere inches from his; bare; wet; tempting. Her all too alluring breasts pulsed with each inhalation and the view between them led to a path he couldn't bring himself to gaze upon just yet.
Jerking his gaze up, he met her gold green eyes and groaned at the knowledge glinting within them.
"You truly are a bewitching creature." He rested his forehead to hers. "What am I to do with you?"
"Forgive me?" she asked hopefully, the corner of her lips twitching.
"I believe I'm the one who started this."
She shook with laughter. "I'd love to allow you to believe that, but I'm afraid I've had this planned since before Abigail dropped us at the door."
Pulling back from her, he narrowed his eyes. What on earth was she talking about?
She smiled as though he'd asked his question aloud.
"I spoke of being tired in the car and then I purposefully left the soap in the kitchen. I knew you'd read it and wonder if I needed it as you're always so worried about my comfort." She shrugged her shoulders. "All I needed do was wait and ask you to help me when you arrived."
Completely taken aback by her admission, he stared at her in shock.
"Are you angry with me?"
From her amused expression, he knew she was hardly concerned over any hard feelings on his part. Why should she be? She was a beautiful woman, bare and exposed, in his arms. Her entire evening had been spent attempting to lure him into her embrace. How could he possibly be angry with that? If anything, he should be honored over such intentions.
"A spy for Washington indeed," he finally said as he slipped his hands around her waist to pull her against him.
Her answering grin was impossible not to share in.
"I'll have you know, Mr. Crane," she whispered against his lips as she ran her hands up the back of his neck to tangle in his hair. "This is a brand new tactic I've never once implemented before now."
"Is that so?" He brushed his lips over hers a few times. "Well, my cunning little spy, you'd best get out of there before you catch your death."
With that, he pushed himself up and reached for a towel before holding it out for her.
"Come now before you freeze."
As she stood from the water, the excess running down her body, he found himself rooted to the spot as he took in the entirety of her form.
Curves and flawless skin. Red hair hanging around plump breasts. Gold Green eyes watching his every move.
"Ichabod, are you alright?"
"I'm not sure," he whispered in a cracked voice, the thick feel in his throat forcing him to swallow.
Her hand lifted and beckoned him forward, which he obeyed as he stepped closer and touched the towel to her arm.
She remained still, watchful, as he guided the towel over her wet form; making sure to catch every drop.
When he reached her breasts, he staggered over a breath as the soft flesh moved with his touch; effectively stirring that delicious burn in his trousers.
However, he somehow managed to not fumble and proceeded to continue down her body.
She placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself as he bent to wipe the towel over and between her legs; the latter of which causing the most restraint he'd used all day.
How he'd garnered the heart of such a beautiful creature was beyond his understanding, yet here he was in a place most men could only dream of.
When she was dry, he reached for the shirt she'd laid out and helped her slip it over her head before grabbing her hand and leading her into their room.
After sitting her on the bed, he moved to the dresser to retrieve the lotion she'd chosen and returned to kneel before her.
"Ichabod, you don't have to-"
He held up a finger. "Not a word."
She sighed, giving him the incentive to continue.
Squeezing some of the cream into his palm, he picked up her foot and set about massaging its soles.
"Oh," she moaned, prompting him to glance up at her and find her eyes closed and her lips slightly parted.
Internally pleased by her reaction, he renewed his efforts, switching between her feet while being sure to be thorough.
However, when her entire body tensed and she jerked upward, he thought he might have pressed into her soles too hard.
"Katrina?"
Her eyes were wide and startled and her breathing was sharp as she laid her hands over her belly.
"I felt our baby."
Unsure he'd properly heard her, he held her gaze with confusion swirling in his mind.
"You-" He glanced to her hands. "Truly?"
He hesitantly placed his hands over hers and met her eyes again. "Are you sure?"
"I'm positive." Her eyes began to glisten. "I've never felt anything like this."
Going up on his knees, he maneuvered between her legs and stared at their hands.
"What's it like?"
"I don't know how to describe it." She squinted. "I just know it's our baby."
Our baby.
She felt their baby.
Smiling at last, he said, "I can't wait to feel it for myself."
"Ichabod?"
Meeting her eyes again, he found tears slipping down her cheeks.
"Are you alright?" He cupped her face. "Katrina, what's wrong?"
"No, I'm fine, it's just-" She shook her head as a bright smile took her over. "I'm so happy."
Relief swelled in his chest.
"Oh, my love," he whispered as he caressed her cheek. "You have no idea how happy that makes me."
"It's a girl," she said as she laid her hand over his.
"Is that what you want it to be?" he asked, imagining she was finally expressing a wish.
"No, it's what I know." She pulled his hand back to her belly. "I can't explain it. It's just something I feel certain of."
Taking a moment to allow her words to sink in, he frowned. "Is this another gift of yours?"
"It's not something that's supernatural," she explained. "I've seen common mothers at the infirmary voicing their beliefs over the sex of their child. They were always so certain. Sometimes, a mother just knows."
Nodding along with her, he stared at the place their hands rested.
A girl.
A daughter.
Truthfully, in his life, both past and present, he'd not spent much time considering having a daughter. He supposed as a boy who'd once been so close to his father, he'd been more apt to fantasize about having a son to teach; to impart his values and knowledge with over long walks and across the expanse of a book littered kitchen table while Katrina tended dinner, commenting here and there with a gentle smile and laugh.
"Are you disappointed?"
It was bothersome to him that she might think that. So, with a sigh, he moved their hands so he could lift her shirt and gaze at her smooth skin.
He, then, leaned forward to press a light kiss to her belly.
"Do you think she can hear me?"
Katrina's fingers threaded through his hair as he remained close to her skin.
"I'd like to imagine she could."
"Then, I think she deserves to know that her father cannot wait to meet her." He traced his finger around Katrina's belly button. "I'll treasure you every day, my sweet, little one, and I'll do everything within my power to keep you protected and cherished. You'll never know a day without love."
He pressed another kiss to Katrina's belly before looking up to her tear filled eyes.
"I imagine you'll be just as beautiful as your mother; mesmerizing, kind and caring."
Dropping her shirt, he leaned up and paused a breath from her face.
"You'd best not be wrong about her." He raised an eyebrow. "I have my heart set on a little girl now."
Katrina's eyes traced his face as she swallowed and lifted her hands to his neck. "How do you make me so happy with only the smallest of gestures?"
With a smile, he brushed his lip over hers before sliding them along her cheek and down her neck while his hands wound around her waist.
"I love you, Katrina." He slipped his hands under the shirt to slide along her back, taking in the smoothness of her skin. "I'm so blessed to be yours."
Little by little, he pushed her shirt up, touching every inch of her skin along the way.
She was so soft, so trusting.
When he pulled back to slip her shirt over her head, he caught those eyes; the one's he could stare into forever.
The gold green was bright and youthful; reminiscent of the day he'd asked her to be his wife.
There'd been no more hesitation on her part then than there was now.
Katrina had always known what she wanted.
Leaning forward, he gently caressed her lips with his own as his hands worked their way along her skin; their callousness adept and familiar with the angel beneath them.
She was so willing; her pace matching his as he touched her with the same gentleness he'd used on their wedding night.
What a night that had been.
He'd been a ball of nerves and she'd been so sure, so patient with his fumbling as the desire fueled pulse in his trousers grew by the second.
They might have caused a scandal in town, but that night, in that small, completely unworthy room, a sacred completion had taken place; a joining of body and soul.
"I knew the day I met you that you would forever change my life." He laid her back and leaned over her, his heart pounding in his ears. "I knew my course was forever changed; forever bound to yours."
Her fingers traced his jaw as she settled against the blankets. "Tell me what you said on our wedding night."
Pulling his shirt over his head, he pressed himself over her and nuzzled his face against her ear, breathing in her fresh scent.
"Man is meant to worship God above all others and I strive to do that every day." He dragged his lips over her warm skin. "But man is sinful; flawed and imperfect. I know this is true because the intentions within me are unchristian. I want to worship you like a man would a deity of the most high. I want to ravish you with my mouth and hands; make you feel like a woman enraptured with the greatest of pleasures possible without supernatural interference. I want to love you in such a way that will leave you feeling in your very soul that there is no greater connection in all the world than the one that begins with you and ends with me; the connection that makes us one being; one creature forever bound."
She trembled beneath him as his hands moved down her body, searching out places within her that had been untouched for centuries.
"Ichabod," she whispered, a breathless moan accompanying the sweet arch of her body.
"Tell me, my love." He pressed his lips to her neck. "Tell me what you said in return."
Her palms smoothed over his shoulders.
"Worship God first, dear husband. I'm willing to be second as I would rather be second in your eyes and under your touch for an eternity than be first for a few, short decades." She turned her face into his. "I want to be worshipped and ravished by you in this life and the next; for countless and innumerable years. I want to be one with you in terms of God's forever, not man's."
He smiled and traced his fingers along her jaw. "I could never express in words the depth to which my love and devotion runs for you."
Her face softened. "If words fail you, let your actions do their best."
With a shake of his head, he closed the space between them and when it was all over and his beloved was thoroughly sated, thoroughly aware of all she meant to him, he pressed his front to her back and his hand over hers.
Therein laid the place his last thoughts drifted toward.
That place that held the precious creation made from their connection.
His baby girl.
Next up: Another doctor's visit. A baby store. Mrs. O'Conner meets Katrina.
Sorry about the long delays. I'd write this chapter, delete it, then write it again. I hope everyone enjoys what finally came to be :)