Chapter Seven

Constance Teague Ashmore Weston woke beside her new husband, nestled deep into a feather bed in the fabulous Grand Hotel de Louvre in Paris, wearing nothing except a smile. She stretched and then let her fingers play among the dark hairs covering his chest.

She laughed as his hand grabbed hers and carried her fingers to his lips. He proceeded to kiss and nibble on every one, then bite gently on the fullness beneath her thumb. Her moan of pleasure encouraged him and he placed more kisses along her arm to her shoulder. Not one to be bested, Constance allowed her other hand to follow the dark arrow of hair down his stomach and beneath the sheets.

"My, there seems to be something alive under here," she said as she giggled. "Shall I swat it?" she teased.

"I do believe my intelligent wife knows what to do with such a creature." He lifted his head from her breasts long enough to retort. Then he returned his eager mouth to its previous pursuits.

She reacted by tossing away their covers, running her hands up his bare chest, and planting a moist kiss on his firm lips.

Before he rolled her beneath him, she pushed against his chest. "Nate, wait... There's something I've wanted to...to tell you..." She hesitated.

He saw a pretty pink blush stain her cheekbones. "What is it, love? What's wrong?" Concerned now, Nate raised up on an elbow and looked down at her, one dark brow arched in question.

"Nothing's wrong. Do you remember when we were on the balcony...? Uhm... When we escaped the maid and Colonel Dempsey?"

"I remember that very well. It was the first time I really kissed you. What of it?"

"I loved you even then, and I...I wanted to be with you, like this. To learn all the things you've shown me...and more. Does that make me totally wicked?"

"The wickedest Yankee spy ever, my darlin'. But it will remain our secret."

Constance had yet another secret to share with him, but it would wait until they were back home at Teague Oaks, after this honeymoon provided by a grateful President Johnson. She smiled and ran a gentle hand across her own tummy as her husband nuzzled her earlobe.

~ The End ~