Maiden of the Forest

Chapter 29 - Dearest Ella, today begins the weekend

They stayed under the footbridge until the thunder stopped, huddling together, listening to the rain. When Kit felt it was safe to venture back to the palace, he gently squeezed Ella's shoulder. "Ella, darling?"

"Hmmm?" she mumbled.

Kit smiled. "Ella, are you asleep?"

"…no…"

A soft chuckle escaped him as he shook her again. "Ella, I think we can head back to the castle now. I believe the lightning has passed. It's still raining though."

Ella glanced out at the downpour and smiled sleepily. "What's the matter, Kit? Have you never before danced in the rain?"

Kit raised an eyebrow. "I can't say that I have."

At this statement, sleep fled from her eyes and Ella rose immediately, stretching out her hands to him. "Then we'll have to remedy that! Your Highness, it would give me great pleasure if I could lead you through this, the first –"

"Dance?" Kit interjected, smirking as she used the exact words he had to invite her to dance with him the night of the ball.

"Yes," she grinned, "dance… that's it."

Taking her offered hands, Kit stood. With a cute little smile, Ella pulled him out into the rain and within seconds both were soaked to the skin but neither cared. Kit looked into Ella's beautiful face as he wrapped his hand around her waist, pulling her towards him. Then the two began to sway, their bodies matching each other as they moved around in the grass. Both became lost in memory and Ella started to hum La Valse de L'Amour as she spun around, following Kit's lead.

Kit had to admit, dancing with Ella in the rain in the dark of the night was positively thrilling and rather arousing. The feel of her wet skin beneath his fingers and seeing her clothes cling to her body excited him like nothing had before. It was good they were dancing or else his fantasies would travel down a road that would be considered positively tactless for an unmarried man!

When the time came for Kit to take Ella's waist and lift her around in the air, his whole body surged with energy as her breath hitched. Ella's wet cheeks darkened and when he placed her back on the ground, the two abandoned the remainder of the dance. Instead they stared into each other's eyes for an immeasurable amount of time and then Kit slowly wrapped his hand around the base of her neck, resting his forehead against hers.

"I love you more than life itself," he muttered, breathing in her scent mixed with that of the rain.

She closed her eyes, hiding her beautiful brown irises from his view. "As do I."

Kit pulled her into his chest and kissed her again, the rain falling all around, the cold providing a nice chill to the heat sprouting between them. Ella's thin fingers laced into the thick curls of his hair as Kit deepened the kiss like he had under the bridge. She moaned into his mouth causing his whole body to shiver. Consumed in passion, he set to work kissing every inch of her face until he reached his favorite spot on her neck. He chuckled a little as she eagerly turned her head, inviting him to do as he wished. Kit decided not to mark her again, seeing as she still had the remains of the last one, but he did allow his lips to linger softly against her skin. As he reached her ear, he gently kissed the lobe before muttering, "We should probably return to the castle now, my darling."

"You're probably right," she gasped, chest heaving as excitement coursed through her from his actions. "We'll likely get sick if we stay out here much longer."

Kit frowned. If that occurred his weekend plans would be spoiled! "Oh, we can't have that," he muttered, pulling away and taking her hand.

She chuckled as she guessed, "Don't want to spoil the weekend?"