Disclaimer: They are not mine, they are NOT mine, they are SO not mine! Sigh.
Dedication: This story is dedicated to Lady T for filling in for me, for putting up with my oddities and for going above and beyond the call of duty. The girl is a saint! ; )
Joseph worked outside for the rest of the day. I cleaned up the dinner and began on the evening meal, only a little uncomfortable with what had happened.
I still had a decision to make, but the day had helped. I spent the afternoon wrapped in thought, making a mental checklist of the pros and cons of my relationship with Joseph. I thought of all the men that I was acquainted with, all of the men who had ever been a part of my life and I realized how blessed I was to have known three fine men in my life.
There was only one man that I had known that could compare with Joseph, and spending my life with him was not an option. He was gone, and I could spend the rest of my life growing old with nothing but a cold bed filled with memories, or I could remember him and still have a warm bed and a wonderful man in my life.
There was only one small corner of my mind that was not convinced by evening, and I could not place my finger on exactly what was holding me back.
I let Joseph wash up in my bedroom when he came in, and I had the table completely prepared. I was just lighting the candles when I heard the stairs creak.
Just as I blew out the match-stick, I felt two strong hands slip about my waist and I gasped and laughed as I turned to him. He was shirt-less and he was already breathing heavily and filled with strong need. He moved me away from the candles and to the counter as he breathed heavily against my neck.
"I want to feel your hands on my back," he begged hoarsely. I moved them there and he moaned as I explored his muscles.
He pressed me against the counter and begged for permission with his eyes. I nodded and he captured my mouth roughly in his and kissed me harder than he had before. I returned his kiss for a few minutes before I pulled away from him slightly, chuckling, "Supper is getting cold, aren't you hungry?"
He smiled, his eyes twinkling with desire. "I am starved!" he said, and I knew that he was talking about more than food.
We sat down and ate in near silence. He loved what I had prepared and told me so, but we both had so much more on our minds than food. Other than his occasional compliment, we consumed our meal nervously, unsure of what was to come.
I cleaned off the table in silence as Joseph made a fire in the great room. It was obvious that it was going to be a chilly night and I was so thankful for the large pile of firewood I knew was now in the yard. It felt so comfortable having a man in the house again and I let myself enjoy the strength of his presence and the familiarity with which he moved about my home.
I finished my task and took two plates of apple pie into the great room with me. Joseph was on the couch with his eyes closed, but he opened them quickly when I entered the room. The fire was crackling loudly in the hearth and it had already begun to warm the room. He smiled gratefully when I handed him the pie and he drew in its scent deeply.
"I have been waiting all day for this," he said exuberantly. He enjoyed the pie immensely and I had to laugh when he finished it before mine was even half gone.
"Some day I will have to make hand churned creamed ice to go with your pie. My mother has the most wonderful recipe..." he stopped in mid sentence as he realized what he had said. "That is, if you decide that you want me," he said quietly. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."
He was ashamed of himself and it made me feel terrible. He was such a fine man and had been so patient with me as I had made him wait so long. I am still not sure what I was thinking as I set down my plate and took his hand, leading him slowly up to my bedroom.
He was shaking as I turned to him in the soft glow of the lamp and slid his suspenders down over his strong bronze shoulders. "Do you know what you are doing, Elizabeth?" he asked in a trembling voice.
"No," I said uncertainly, "but I know that I have made you wait too long for me."
He swallowed and closed his eyes. "I can wait longer if need be."
I shook my head in admiration. "You said that you had never waited four months for a woman before."
He nodded.
"You have been with other women then?"
He nodded and swallowed, uncertain what I was trying to say. "What do you want from me?"
I leaned toward him eagerly. "I want you to remind me how it feels to lie in the strong arms of a man, I want you to kiss me, I want you to touch my body and make me want you..." My words trailed off as I was breathing hard and he had moved to hold me in his arms. He was kissing my neck softly and moving his hands across my back.
"I do not need you to tell me how to give a woman pleasure," he whispered seductively in my ear.
My heart beat madly and I was filled with anticipation. "Show me," I whispered against his lips.
We undressed each other quickly, taking only a little time to enjoy looking at each other's bodies for the first time. We were filled with need for one another and Joseph moaned as I slid back onto the bed, drawing him to me by the hand.
I knew that he needed to be inside me terribly, it had been so long. . . but I lay there and marveled in admiration as he took the time to bring me along with him, kissing me deeply and moving his hands seductively over my body. When he slid to my side and moved his hand between my legs a great peace washed over me and he watched my face, his eyes filled with adoration as he brought me nearer and nearer the end.
When I was moaning and panting for him, he moved over me and entered my body gently, filling me with his hardness. I smiled in bliss as he moved deep inside me, bringing me closer to the inevitable end. He was hot and strong and sweet and it felt absolutely perfect and right as we came together to the height of arousal and fell blissfully over the edge. . . and as we did, Joseph whispered, "I love you, Elizabeth."
I lay with my head on his chest for some time listening to his heart rate return slowly to normal. He had truly made love to me and I was finally convinced that I would find no man better than him, no matter how long I searched. I raised my head up off of him and looked him in the eye smiling mischievously. He smiled back and his brows lowered questioningly.
"So, Joseph Young, how soon do we leave for Boston?" I asked matter-of-factly.
His mouth opened in surprise, then closed as he waggled his brows and asked, "So I was THAT good, was I?"
I rolled my eyes and slapped him on the chest and he laughed and drew me up to kiss my mouth.
All references to characters belonging to the X-Men Universe are (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, duplication or distribution of these materials in any form is expressly prohibited. No money is being made from this archive. All images are also (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities; they are not mine. This website, its operators and any content used on this site relating to the X-Men are not authorized by Marvel, Fox, etc. I am not, nor do I claim to be affiliated with any of these entities in any way.