"Wonderful!" She practically jumped from her chair, grabbing her shawl as she made her way to the front door. Pulling it open, she took her place on the porch and waited for Charlie, like a good wife-to-be should. A huge smile broke across her face and she waved at him when he came into view.
Smiling, he threw himself off Jack's back, and tossed the reins to Reg, who had come running around the house as soon as he heard the hoof beats. "Reg, take my saddlebags up to the bedroom and make sure Jack gets special treatment. Duncan should be coming along shortly with a cart full of things for Miss Rebecca, so hurry back to help him unload." He turned to Rebecca and almost shyly said, "hello, dear one. I have missed you."
She put her arms around his neck, her heart hammering in her ears as she kissed him on the cheek. "And I have missed you," she whispered in his ear, "and if I do not get you inside, your stock with the men will triple its value."
"Darling, I am filthy. Every inch of my body is coated with half dust and soot from the rail bed between here and Washington."
"Then I shall take you upstairs and wash every inch of that body." She refused to let go of his arm as they walked inside.
Trying to contain the heat between them, at least until they could be alone, Charlie asked, "Do you know why Duncan rather than Jocko brought the cart and Jack to meet me
"Jocko brought a sick woman in to Elizabeth last night, and then Richard sent him on an errand. I have not seen any of the three of them since." She was stroking his arm through his coat, clinging closely to his body. Charlie's heart rate went up several notches at her possessiveness and all thought of Jocko disappeared. His time with Lizzie had certainly set his hormones to running free, and now this passionate reception from Rebecca was pushing his libido higher and higher. "Come into the back parlor, dearest."
"Of course." She smiled like the cat with the canary as they walked to the back parlor. Rebecca let Charlie go in first then she closed the doors, threw her arms around him and kissed him with all the passion she felt.
Charlie welcomed her kiss, holding her close and tight against his body, reveling in the feel of her solid, lithe frame against his own and the heat of her lips on his. Their tongues teased and caressed one another, exploring, tasting, savoring. He broke the kiss to ease her into her chair, kneeling beside her, and lavishing caresses on her neck and shoulders.
She moaned, allowing him to explore as she tugged on the buttons of his coat. "I missed you, Charlie." She began undoing the buttons as fast as she could.
"Love you so." Her hands on his body, the urgency of her touch was driving him insane. "Upstairs. Now. Please," he begged.
"Oh, yes," she managed to gasp out even as they continued to kiss, while she struggled out of the chair. It was as if they had been apart for months and not just for a few days. She had never missed someone so much in her entire life; she wanted nothing so much as to go upstairs and really make love with Charlie. Her mind considered for the briefest of moments that if it did not happen, she might die. "I want you, Charlie."
Her words went through Charlie like lightning. He could not talk. He grabbed her hand in his and pulled her through the door. The two of them rushed up the stairs, breathless and laughing at the same time. His coat, weskit, and tie came off as they passed through the sitting room. By the time they reached the bedroom, he was standing in boots, britches and shirt. His eyes were flashing silver with his need. The chances of Rebecca's dress surviving this evening were slim.
She reached up and began unbuttoning his shirt. "I have no intention of stopping tonight, Charlie. I have missed you so much." She leaned in and kissed him again as she unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it from his britches.
"Wait. Wait a minute. Let me get out of these boots." He jammed his heel in the jack and yanked his foot out of the boot, then repeated the process wit the other foot. He turned back to her. "Turn around."
She smiled and turned her back to him. Her stomach was fluttering wildly and her hands were trembling from desire and arousal. "Hurry, Charlie."
His fingers refused to manage the small buttons that went up the back of her dress. With a muffled groan of frustration, he finally slid his hand under her dress and popped every button off the dress in a sweeping stroke.
She laughed as his unusual method of undoing her dress. She turned around to face him and their eyes locked as she pulled the dress off her arms and then pushed it to the floor. Clad only in her chemise, she turned her back again. "I think you can manage these buttons. They are a bit bigger."
With a little fumbling and an uncounted number of kisses on her shoulders and lovely neck, he managed to unbutton the chemise. By the time he was finished, he was panting and the need to feel her in his arms was overwhelming. Charlie spun her and lifted her, carrying her to the bed. He laid her down and immediately covered her with his own partially clad body.
"Oh Charlie," she moaned and arched into him. "I am yours. I will be anything you want or need me to be." She wrapped her arms around Charlie’s shoulders and pressed her body as hard against her as she could.
Charlie's heart was pounding. "I just need you to be you, darling. My love. My heart. My home. Mine." Each word was punctuated with lavish kisses to her throat, the hollow formed by her collarbone, and the valley between her breasts. Charlie concluded by suddenly drawing her right nipple deep into her mouth.
It was, no doubt, the long loud moan coming from Rebecca's throat and the sensation of her nails on Charlie’s shoulders that kept either of them from hearing the door to their bedroom creak open.
"Papa?" A little voice called.
A small voice saying "Papa" was not what Charlie expected to hear Rebecca saying. Slowly, it penetrated her befogged mind that Emily was there and was calling for her. Reluctantly, her lips released Rebecca's nipple. She did not shift her body, as it was currently the only thing covering Rebecca's nude form. She looked into Rebecca's eyes, confused, and clearly frustrated. "Emily is here," she announced, stating the obvious.
Rebecca managed to keep from cursing in frustration as she tried valiantly to reclaim her breath. "I heard. We need to send her on her way, Charles Redmond."
Charlie nodded agreement. Moving carefully, she pulled the covers over Rebecca's oh so tempting body as Rebecca helped re-button his shirt.
Charlie turned to the small child. Gently, he asked, "Emily, what are you doing here? It is past your bed time, little one."
She smiled as her little feet carried her across the room. She flung herself giggling at the bed. "Em miss Papa."
Charlie caught the small, squirming bundle of energy and held her close. "I am here now, little one. Here, you have your hug and bed time kiss." He matched his actions to his words. "Now, Em, it is past your bedtime, so I am going to take you back to your bed. Tomorrow we will play together."
"Papa. Em stay Papa."
"Not tonight, little one. Tonight, Em stays in her own bed with dolly Em." He carried the small girl towards the door, on his way to depositing her in her own room and hopefully quickly tucking her into bed. Rebecca, his beautiful Rebecca, waited.
As he stepped out of the room, he heard a long groan from the bedroom. "Hurry back, Charlie," was the whimper that followed.
"I will, darling 'Becca." Charlie strode down the hall to Constance's room and tapped on the door. Unfortunately, Em’s room opened off Constance’s; he needed to pass through to put the child back to bed. All the while, Em clung to him like a very determined little leech.
Constance had been dozing; the knock startled her. "Come in," she called, pulling the covers a little higher around her neck. As Charlie entered, carrying the small human remora, a look of shock registered on her face. "Em! How did you……" she stopped when she noticed the General's state of undress and the flushed look to his skin. "Oh, General, I am so sorry." She reached for the baby. "Emily, you come to Mama right now."