“You must be able to do other things,” she chided.
His brows rose. “Not any that you would deem to be of merit.”
Was she so demanding as this? She was shocked to think that he believed she might hold him in such low regard and would have reassured him, had his expression not turned wicked.
“Although,” he mused. “I believe there is one activity in which you believe me to have promise.” His eyes sparkled as he surveyed her and she welcomed the sight of his smile. “Will you choose a page from your book, Patience?”
* * *
The book manuscriptmocked Arthur as vehemently as the cards. Patience chose blindly from the sheaf of papers and they read the page together.
Upon the merit of disguise…
Arthur cast the page back with an excuse and chose another.
Upon the merit of surrendering secrets…
Patience eyed him, the direction of her thoughts most clear, but Arthur pulled another page from the manuscript before she could protest.
Upon the merit of leisure…
It has become routine in our busy world to admire the efficiency of haste in gaining our objectives. This, I suspect, comes from a suspicion of surfeit, that is the conviction that a limited quantity of all goodness exists and that each of us, to ensure we have our share, must lay claim to prizes with speed and enthusiasm. We fear the prospect of missing out on some lauded advantage or pleasure.
I not only adhere to the opposing view—that there is more than sufficient of all goodness to accommodate the desires of all people—but insist that each increment of the pursuit of a goal should be savored. Not only should the chase itself be enjoyed for its own sake, but victories should be appreciated. The capitulation of two parties to physical pleasures, shared affection, and even mutual ardor is a journey of many steps and stages. Each one should be celebrated as it is reached—and the best way to celebrate intimacy is with the gift of time.
What purpose is achieved in a hasty union? Perhaps physical satisfaction is gained, but perhaps not. In my experience, the delight in the encounter increases based upon the time spent in pursuit of the ultimate goal. There is little more seductive or satisfying than an appointment of some hours duration, preferably behind a locked door and without interruption, in which two partners explore each other and each learn the preferences of the other.
This is the basis of a bond to defy all others, for what begins in offering sensation and physical pleasure can readily expand to include confidences and confessions. Once that foundation is made and two partners continue to strive to provide for the happiness of the other, affection is sure to dawn, and from affection, all great loves begin. Indulge in time with your lover. Linger over the pleasure you can offer each other and learn what your partner loves best. Do not hasten to finish an interval, for mutual satisfaction is not a race, and the surrender of the heart is well worth the expenditure of time.
They read the passage together, then Patience looked up at Arthur, her eyes dark. He watched her swallow and wanted nothing more than the sweet capitulation offered by this advice.
“It is yet early,” he noted and she nodded immediately.
“I have no other engagements on this evening,” she said quickly and Arthur smiled.
He put down the page and framed her face in his hands, savoring her trust. He bent and kissed her cheek softly, feeling how she trembled a little. Her hand rose to cover his and he felt her catch her breath. Her eyes closed as he slid one hand into her hair, drawing her closer, and kissed her ear. “You like this,” he murmured, then grazed her skin with his teeth.
“Oh yes,” she confessed, her voice shaking.
“Tell me what you like best,” he invited.
“Your kiss, your teeth, your breath.”
He continued to kiss her, loosening her braid so he could entangle his fingers in her hair. He felt her clutch his shoulder and smiled that she rose to her toes, pressing herself against his chest so that he could feel her pert nipples.
“Your voice when you murmur to me.” She caught her breath, almost laughing. “Your very wicked thumb.”
Arthur smiled, lifting his other hand to her breast. Through her chemise, he teased her nipple, liking how she squirmed. “This one?”
“That one,” she agreed, then drew back to look at him. Their noses almost touched, their breath mingled, and the wonder in her expression humbled him. “I like that you know what to do,” she said. “And I like that you do it with me.”
Arthur smiled. “How could I resist?”
He might have kissed her but she placed her fingertips over his mouth. “What do you like?” she asked, her gaze searching his.
“I like how clever you are,” he admitted. “I like how you tell me details of some pertinence when you are uncertain –” she laughed a little at this and blushed “– but mostly I like that your uncertainty does not stop you.”
“It would if I did not trust you.”
