The Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 314

She turned towards him; he was already advancing. Their restrained desire rebelled, and they allowed it free rein as their lips met amidst the splendour.

His warm breath caressed her neck, his lips tracing a path along her jawline as she slid his coat from his shoulders and tossed it aside.

Trembling and fumbling, she began to work on his shirt. He cautiously pulled at the laces on the back of her gown, which yielded easily to his touch. A fleeting smile graced her lips in gratitude for Lucy’s foresight. A shiver of anticipation coursed through her as he slid the dress from her shoulders, pausing to prevent the hem from touching the ground.

“Let go,” whispered she, continuing to work at the buttons of his shirt. He complied, and the garment flowed down her body to pool around her feet.

“There is more?” queried he at the undergarments revealed, and she giggled, charmed by his sweet perplexion.

He touched the black ribbon upon her arm, and she halted, causing him to flinch away. She grasped his hand and hesitantly placed his fingers upon the bow, permitting him to tug at it. It came loose, and he held it, uncertain of what course to pursue next.

Taking it from him, she let it fall onto her dress before continuing with his shirt. The last button of came loose and he pulled the garment off for her. His torso, chiselled and defined by gruelling hours under the sun, bore the distinct imprint of a soldier’s life. The badly sewn sword wound ran diagonally above his heart, adding a sense of primal allure to his physique.

Her gaze lingered on the scar, and a flicker of unease surged within him. Yet when she extended a hand to tenderly trace the violent testament of his past, he found comfort. She pressed her lips against it, feeling his heart thudding while her hands ventured towards his waist.

She unbuttoned his breeches and slid them down, kneeling to help him kick them off. Stepping up and backwards a pace, she surveyed him with unabashed desire.

The physical manifestation of his hunger stood prominently before her. She caught her lower lip between her teeth, a flicker of doubt crossing her mind as she pondered again whether she could accommodate him.

His stance slowly began to suggest a trace of timidity, folding in upon himself under her gaze.

Yearning not for this reticence but for the solid, upright man she knew him to be, she advanced and placed her hands upon his shoulders, applying a gentle pressure that encouraged him to straighten. With this tender adjustment, his chest rose and the timorousness dissipated. Broad-shouldered and scarred, with powerful legs shaped by countless miles, he radiated a formidable aura.

He commenced the fragile task of loosening the ribbons at her stays, which surrendered to his fingers with ease. The garment fell away as he discovered the hooks at the front were barely clasped together. She giggled again at Lucy’s foresight.

Uncertain of the meaning behind her giggle, he became conscious of her impending state of undress and instinctively retreated a pace, almost backing into the mahogany pole.

Seizing the moment, she slid her petticoat down and stepped out of it. As she rose, with a fluid motion she lifted away her chemise and shook her hair out of the ribbon holding it together.

Clearly mesmerised, he stood frozen in wonder. She felt the wonder give her the strength to unashamedly allow his gaze to trace the contours of her body.

Simple hunger gave way to an intensifying lust as he beheld her. Dark tresses spilled over her bare shoulders, highlighting the small pink nipples of her pert breasts.

He advanced, then hesitated; his hands raised slightly, twitching with the need to touch her.

She stepped into them, and let them glide down her waist where the curve rendered her hips reminiscent of violins. Summoning every ounce of self-control, he fought the impulse to kneel and seize them, to draw her closer and press his lips against the softness between her thighs.

The awe that had once illuminated his features yielded to a passion far more sublime. What she had witnessed previously was his admiration for merely a part of her essence. Now having beheld her in entirety, the sheer veneration carved upon his countenance buoyed her heart. She rose onto her toes and clasped her hands around his neck.

He pulled her against him, they exchanged a kiss ablaze with passion, enveloped by the heady scent of roses wafting through the air.

A deep rumble emanated from his throat; he suddenly swept her up into his arms. She emitted a soft gasp of surprise; he kissed her and lowered her onto their garments.

His lips found the delicate skin of her neck, then discovered her collarbone. One hand caressed her breast, the nipple responding to his touch by hardening as he gently rolled it between his fingers. A sensual moan escaped her as his mouth attended to the other breast with gentle suction and teasing bites, while his unoccupied hand traversed her body, igniting flames wherever it passed.

He shifted abruptly, kneeling between her legs. then lowered his head with deliberate intent.

“What are you—”

She was silenced as his tongue made momentary contact with her sensitive bud. She grasped at his head, holding him there as a sensation she had never known coursed through her being.

He looked up at her with a question in his eyes. She smiled down at him and nodded with her lower lip caught between her teeth.

With that encouragement he delivered a firm lick and her legs straightened; then her heels dragged up his back and he emitted a rumble of gratification in response.

Another flicker, a soft murmur bubbled up from the depths of her throat thick with supplication for him to continue.

His tongue began to dance a meticulous ballet, tracing patterns—up and down, back and forth—swirling around before returning to the start.

Each time, she responded favourably at precise moments. He repeated the cycle. And each time she responded with equal fervour at those same instances.

He refined the sequence, and she began to grind rhythmically into his face. A grin spread across his features for a brief moment as he indulged in her invigorating soft moans, before focusing on the motion that elicited the most intense response.

Her hips gyrated with increasing fervour, and he found his own nearly mirroring the motion. Only his woollen coat lay between him and the unyielding ground, and the call stirring within his loins grew increasingly insistent.

She arched her back, tugging at his hair in a shameless plea when he severed their intimate connection. He wet two of his fingers with a suck, then introduced them gently into her welcoming warmth.

Upon finding a small, textured spot within, he applied light pressure; she responded with another arch of her back and a cry of approval.

He tapped it lightly; one of her heels bounced off his back, she let out a laugh as a tremor flashed through her. Laughing along with her, he tapped it once more.

She chirped in the back of her throat blissfully while he alternated the tapping between one finger and then the other. With each touch, jolts reverberated within her until they became so intense she was compelled to place her hand over his, steadying it in its position.

Attuned to her desires, he instantly adopted languid strokes of his tongue, circling and teasing her bud. His fingers maintained a slow, tantalising rhythm as they moved in and out, occasionally pausing to leave her yearning before resuming their dance within her. With deliberate taps and retreats, he orchestrated a chaotic cadence that gradually coaxed her towards her climax.

Exquisite shivers emanated from deep within as he pressed tender kisses upon her swollen nub of sensitivity, drawing it gently into his mouth.

She convulsively bucked her hips against his face and tightened around his hand; the sound of her joyous cries of his name were muffled by the clasp of her thighs against his ears. Her knees drew close together, anchoring him in place as her fingernails clawed at his scalp.

With a final shake of her hips, she emitted one last cry of ecstasy that settled into a deep sigh of satisfaction, and relaxed back onto the ground.

Threading her fingers through his hair, she gradually unwound her legs. He looked up at her, his smile glistening with a thin sheen of moisture in the setting sunlight. Holding his hand motionless, she slid reluctantly off his fingers.

Rising to his knees, he towered above her, hard and pulsating with desire. A growl escaped him as she encircled him with her hand. A small, clear bead of liquid emerged; she rubbed at it with her thumb, and in response, he twitched forward before pulling away. He leaned down to capture her lips in a deep kiss while the void within her amplified, pleading for fulfilment.

She pressed her hands against his chest, breaking the kiss, and whispered hesitantly, “I am… I have not…”

A puzzled expression crossed his face before understanding cleared his features. “I am... have not also...” confessed he.

Her cheeks flushed, which seemed absurd to her given the circumstances. “But you have just…”

“Oh,” replied he with self-conscious bemusement. “I suppose it simply seemed the proper thing to do.”

Her laughter rang through the air, spontaneous and filled with joy, resonating with her appreciation for his impromptu gallantry. It was a melody that sang to the seeds she had sown, beckoning them to burst forth and obliterate the fortress that concealed his heart from her.

Leaning in once more, he kissed her once more, the passion of their embrace intensifying. Their hands roamed and clutched at one another as the need within each swelled to an insatiable crescendo.

He abruptly withdrew, his eyes searching hers for an answer to the unspoken question lingering in their depths. She stayed in that moment, absorbing the intensity of his desire etched upon his features. With a gentle nod of reassurance, she conveyed her response.

His hips moved slightly forward. A soft cry parted her lips as she felt him enter and she pulled at her dress beneath them. He paused, prompting her to let go and seize his hips, hands sliding down to press against his firm buttocks, silently urging him onward.

He filled her slowly, igniting every nerve with marvels hitherto unexperienced. For a moment, they remained still, breathless in the thrall of their devotion.

They commenced moving in unison, engaging in a dance as ancient as humanity itself.

Their breaths mingled, creating an atmosphere charged with desire and adoration. She traced lines across his arms, feeling the muscles tense and relax beneath his skin with each movement. The sensation of his chest hair against her breasts was exquisitely satisfying in its intensity.

Caught up in a world where only they existed, every caress of hers was like fire against his skin, and each whisper from her lips sent passion surging through his veins. His tempo increased, the movements becoming more urgent.

Sweet nothings were murmured into her shoulder, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers dancing down her spine. As he continued to move within her, she felt herself drawing ever closer to release.

Nothing else held significance but their entwined embrace, a union both beautiful and primal. Approaching the precipice, her heart ignited as his lips met hers once more in a scorching kiss that sent shockwaves through her entire being.

Completely absorbed, he was lost in the moment, a low groan emanating from deep within his throat. He drove himself deep into her and held her tightly as if fearing she might drift away.

“I am here Jack,” said Ana, locking her hands around his neck. “I need more, please.”

He accelerated his thrusts, relentless in the pursuit of their mutual release. Her body trembled and quivered as the physical display of his intense adoration rang through her.

The fervour of their union intensified with each caress; every touch ignited sparks that left them gasping for air. He murmured carnal words of adoration into her ear, stoking the flames within them both. She clung to him, desiring this moment to endure eternally yet simultaneously craving release.

They ascended to the pinnacle, the sensations intensifying beyond measure until it became an exquisite torment too potent for either to endure. Enveloped in a haze of pure bliss, they tumbled over the edge together, gasping for breath, and clinging to each other as if their very existence hinged upon this union.

She embraced him and laughed, her entire being alight with joy; he joined in her laughter, his body ablaze with passion, rendering him momentarily delirious.

In the moments following their profound union, as their heavy breathing subsided yet never ceased entirely, they knew beyond a shadow of doubt that they were irrevocably entwined for eternity.

He began to move but she shook her head and held him close, tracing patterns upon his back and smiling in contentment as he lay upon her. She was certain that he completed her in every conceivable manner. The fervour of their lovemaking had left them both spent yet satiated; each caress and murmur still resonating through their souls.

She felt his essence escape her, trailing down her thigh—a reminder that crept up and pounced upon her before she could stop the full weight of realisation descending to crush her spirit.

Her breath hitched. Startled, he began to withdraw from her embrace.

“No!” cried Anastasia, drawing him back into her, pleading with her body for him to stay.

Jack held her close, his heart racing and his mind whirling in a tumultuous search for any hint of what might have prompted her to—he abruptly understood and parted his lips to offer reassurance, then realised words would not suffice.

Wishing fervently that he could alleviate her distress, he lay there cradling her in his arms, seeking an answer to the quandary that beset them.

Gradually, while he pondered, her sobs subsided and she nestled her face against his chest.

“Thank you,” whispered she.

“You are most welcome,” whispered he, uncertain of her precise meaning yet gratified that he had provided some assistance.

Beneath the copper roses, they nestled together while twilight unfurled its dusky veil. Their bodies still vibrated with the resonance of their shared ecstasy as they clung to one another. Garments lay strewn haphazardly about them, silent testimony to the fiery passion that had engulfed them.

A profound satisfaction suffused his being, every corner of his soul humming in contented harmony. It was as though he had discovered the missing piece of his tapestry, a sense of completeness he had not realised he craved until her touch awakened it within him.

Their encounter transcended the mere physical act of love; it was a communion of souls, two halves merging into one harmonious whole.

In his eyes, she beheld a reflection of her own heart—brimming with adoration. Drawing a deep breath of the roses that surrounded them, she spoke into the night.

“I love you, Jack.”

The moment hovered, a chord sustained in the gathering darkness, and the last bastions around his heart crumbled as it rang over them. She sensed it in his body and in the very air that surrounded him. The rigid restraint that had once held him captive dissolving under the warmth of her devotion.

He trembled, the weight of his words carrying a depth that surpassed mere declaration, his entire being imbued with sincerity.

“I love you, Ana.”

The melody lingered in the air between them as her name—shortened, intimate—echoed in her ears.

She had always been ‘Anastasia’ since her family was taken from her. Yet now, within this shared moment of devotion, he had subtly bridged another gap between them.

She blinked up at him, a surge of warmth spreading through her at the endearing abbreviation. It signified more than just her name; it was both a promise and a whisper of intimacy that deepened their bond.

“Ana,” echoed she. “Would you… could you say it once more, Jack? Please.”

The softness in Jack remained steadfast as he gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. “I love you, Ana.” Each syllable conveyed an unspoken vow that carried a cornucopia of tenderness and dedication, without the need for lengthy declarations.

The chill of the evening began to encroach upon their sanctuary, serving as a silent reminder of the reality that lay outside their intimate bubble. Reluctantly, they parted.

A blush crept up his cheeks as he gestured towards their scattered clothing. “We should probably…” His voice trailed off in a bashful blend of modesty and suggestion.

Laughter, soft and imbued with shared understanding, rippled from her lips. She nodded, eyes alight with playful mirth. “I believe we should indeed.”

Despite his military precision, Jack fumbled with the intricacies of her gown. His fingers, unaccustomed to such delicate laces and fastenings, struggled. Yet eventually their efforts bore fruit; her dress was restored to its proper state. Merriment lingered between them as they stepped back into the world, hearts forever entwined.