"You were right, William," Elizabeth sighed dreamily, resting her head against his shoulder as he held her, bridal style, in his arms.

"What was I right about, dear?" He knew what she meant, but he wanted to tease her, hear her say the words.

"About - about tasting. That I would - enjoy it." Though her eyes were closed, there was no mistaking the famous Lizzy blush and the very relaxed look on her face.

"And did you?" he teased, grinning widely. Darcy loved seeing her pleasure of just a few minutes ago. It thrilled him to hear the way she'd cried out his name and bucked her hips against him, her slim legs shaking uncontrollably as she climaxed. "I could not tell."

Her eyes flashed open, sparkling up at him. "You, sir, are quite impossible! You are determined to tease me!" Lizzy exclaimed in mock indignation.

"Yes. But it is your fault, my dear, I am only following your good example." They laughed together as he stood and carried her out of their bedroom. "Close your eyes, please."

"Was what you just did to me not part of my surprise?"

"No, I did not plan on that. You are so tempting, it is difficult for me to resist you." He'd wanted to take her then, her body warm and open and quivering from his attentions. He wanted to have her now, and later, and spend hours upon hours in an idyll of bliss with his wife. But there was a larger part of him that desired more than carnal attentions. Darcy wanted to see her smile, to hear her laugh. He needed to know she was happy with him. So his baser bodily needs went unheeded, at least for the present moment.

Darcy set his wife carefully on her feet and stood next to her, taking one of her hands in his. "You may open your eyes now, my love."

He watched her face as she saw the room, eyes wide in amazement, her mouth opening but nothing coming out. Then she moved away from him, walking around the room, slowly examining everything he'd requested.

A fire crackled and snapped in the white marble fireplace, warming his small sitting room and casting light on the work of his servants. Flowers cut freshly from his conservatory - roses and tulips and lilies, blood red, creamy white, sunny yellow - filled numerous vases set all around the room. A large copper tub was in the center, steam still rising from the surface of water. Small tables were set around the tub, one holding a carafe of wine and two crystal glasses. The other tables held plates of cheeses, cuts of ham, small breads and butter and honey, dried fruits, and a plate of his favorite dessert - small apple cakes. His staff had done very well, but now that Lizzy was here, it was truly complete and wonderful.

"William, this is so beautiful," she whispered, her back to his. He watched in pleasure as Lizzy bent to smell the red roses in a silver vase by the fire. Her small white fingers slowly traced the delicate velvet petals. That innocent action made his body tighten with desire.

What would it feel like, having those sweet hands touch him? Not in the way she'd lightly touched his body this morning, although that brief encounter had been very arousing. Her fingers were soft and gentle and tentative, as he felt her explore his back and hips in a slow, deliberate sort of way. No, it was a far more intimate touch he was imagining, gazing at her as she stroked the flower petals. He wondered how he could possibly broach such a topic with Lizzy, and felt the fabric of his loose trousers began to rise in response.

"William! Oh my darling!" Elizabeth exclaimed, startling him. She ran to him and threw her arms about him, sighing in pleasure. "I wish to kiss you for all of this, but you are rather tall."

"We can rectify that," Darcy laughed, sitting down in a chair by the tub. Lizzy smiled as she stood near him. "There, now we are reversed," she whispered, looking down at him with love and adoration clear upon her face, tracing his lips with those fingers he wanted in other places.

He sighed into the pleasure of his wife initiating a kiss, something she had never done before. His face was in her hands, her soft lips first pressing lightly against his, then opening to allow her tongue to meet his. He recalled a few stolen kisses during their engagement, remembering how his wife responded the very first time.

Nervously. Tentatively. As he had expected. That had quickly changed before the wedding, and she became a student eager for his lips. But she had never started anything as she was doing now. His eyes widened as she broke the kiss and pressed her lips and tongue against his neck. Sparks shot straight to his groin, and he groaned her name. "Lizzy," Darcy gasped, "how did you know to do that?"

"Why, William, you kissed me like that last night! You said proper had no place in our bedroom. . . " she trailed off, pulling away from him and giving him a serious look. "I thought you might enjoy it as much as I did," she said softly. Even in the light of the candles, he could see how deeply she blushed saying these words.

"I do! I enjoy it more than you can know," Darcy exclaimed, feeling oddly relieved. Even though he'd heard Lizzy's loud cries several times the prior evening, and just a few minutes ago, he found he adored her shy admissions of pleasure. "When we are alone, you may kiss me as much as you please, with no consideration of propriety."

"Is that all I am allowed? Only to kiss you? You see, I have not finished thanking you for this surprise."

Darcy felt his mouth drop open, but he could not find his voice. For a long moment they stared at each other, neither moving nor saying a single word. Then Lizzy slid her hands over to his shoulders and pushed his robe away. "What are you doing?" he asked stupidly.

"Undressing you, sir." Her voice turned coy as she teased him. "Unless you would like to do so yourself?"

He shook his head wordlessly, and she smiled in return. Lizzy's hands gripped the hem of his shirt, testing him. His arms lifted up over his head of their own accord, and his wife pulled the garment from his body. Darcy jerked suddenly as she sat on his lap and began torturing him. Her lips caressed his neck, her fingers explored his chest and sensitive nipples, her bottom rubbed against his growing erection.

"You have worked hard all day, and set up this surprise," she whispered, her hot breath in his ear making him gasp and shiver. "Let me tend you." Lizzy pulled away from him and gestured to the tub, with its still steaming hot water. "Please, will you get in?"

"But this is for you, not for me," he protested, knowing that, in the end, he would do what she wanted. There was little he would deny her.

"I am your wife now, you must do as I tell you," she said, giving him a playful smirk. "You told me several times during our engagement that you would do anything in your power to make me happy, husband." Lizzy trailed a finger down his chest to his abdomen, playing with the top of his breeches. Darcy got even harder. "This will make me happy."

"I have one condition," he said, looking into her eyes. "Come in with me."

"What?"

He hadn't planned this ahead of time, hadn't thought of bathing together until just this moment. It was something he'd never done before, but whyever not? The tub was roomy enough for them both. What did it matter if they were skin to skin in the bed, or skin to skin in the bath? Darcy stood, quickly removing his breeches and stepping into the warm water. He sat and leaned back against the copper frame, settling in, and looked at his wife. Lizzy stood there, staring at him in confusion. "Please join me, my love," he said gently, holding a hand out to her in welcome.

"Do people do - that?" she stammered finally, blushing as deeply as he'd ever seen.

"I would like to. I've never done so before," he admitted.

"Aren't - aren't you hungry?"

"Right now, I am hungry only for you, my darling." He leaned toward her, curious as to her hesitation. "There is nothing to be afraid of, Lizzy. It is all proper."

To his relief, she smiled and came to him, leaning over to kiss him. "I was simply surprised by your request, William. I had not thought of a wife sharing a bath with her husband."

"So will you?"

He watched, enthralled, as she slowly untied the laces at the bodice of her burgundy nightgown. As Lizzy pushed the thin straps down her arms, as the gown slid from her body to the floor, he gripped the edges of the tub as tightly he could in an effort to control himself.

But that was not to be. She had barely set one leg in the tub when he gripped her tightly around the waist and lifted her in. She squeaked in surprise, but Darcy ignored that, helping her to straddle his lap. He had to pull her close, to feel her body pressed hard to his. He needed her. "Lizzy," he gasped, running his hands over her waist and hips, ravaging her mouth with his. She moaned in response, and he felt her hands moving along his ribs and abdomen. Her wrist bumped his erection and left him groaning in pleasure.

"Did I hurt you?" Lizzy asked, misinterpreting his sounds for pain.

"No, sweet, it feels wonderful when you touch me there," he whispered hoarsely. Then his eyes opened wide, feeling her hand deliberately touch him. Fingers exploring the tip, sliding slowly down below the head to the base of him. She wrapped her hand around him and squeezed gently. "Lizzy," he moaned, kneading her bottom with both large hands. "Lizzy."

"You enjoy that," she whispered, in a tone that sounded a little like pride.

"Yes," he hissed. "I do indeed." Loving the feeling of her touching him but knowing he was too close, he reluctantly pulled her hand away. "Too much of your attentions and I will not be able to perform my husbandly duty."

It would not be long now, his need to be inside her was growing to a ferocious level. Darcy gently rubbed her lower lips with one hand, while the other hand supported her back. His mouth feasted on her full breasts, lavishing kisses on one, then the other, his tongue and teeth alternately swirling and softly biting her dusky pink nipples.

"Is this your husbandly duty?" she panted, trying to tease him.

"One of them," he quipped, slipping a finger inside her, feeling her tight hot creaminess surround him. "One of the duties it is no hardship to carry out."

Her cry of pleasure was his undoing. Darcy's erection throbbed in response. "I need to be inside you, Lizzy," he gasped, moving his hands to her hips to lift her body. Gently he guided himself into her, locking eyes with his wife as she braced her hands on his shoulders. He smiled faintly, seeing her eyes close and mouth open in desire. The water sloshed around them as they rocked together, settling their positions and finding a rhythm, with Darcy helping Lizzy move her hips as he thrust up into her warm center. She felt so wonderful around him, he never wanted their lovemaking to end.

"William!" she cried out suddenly, her eyes flashing open, staring sightlessly into his. He could feel her body start to tighten around him, feel the beginning of her climax. And then Lizzy let her head fall back as she let out a sob of pleasure, her firm legs trembling against his as she came. Watching her orgasm tipped him over the edge. With just a few more thrusts, Darcy heard himself yell her name, pulsing inside her as his release thundered through him.

The warm water lapped around the lovers who clung to each other, panting and trembling. For a few minutes they both were quiet, enjoying the feeling of their bodies being so close, allowing their heartbeats to slow after such frantic coupling. Reveling in the knowledge of how much they loved each other, how they took such pleasure in all the expressions of that love.

Then Darcy broke the silence.

"Did you enjoy your bath, Mrs. Darcy?"

And so, dear reader, began a tradition, of sorts, with the newly married couple.

Whether they were in Pemberly, or the house in London, they would often indulge themselves in such a way. Dismissing the servants for the night, loving each other as long and as often as they were able before succumbing to exhaustion and having to get out of the tub and into bed.

In fact, it was almost the only way Mrs. Darcy could get Mr. Darcy to agree to attend most town social invitations, especially the balls he so famously hated. The promise of such a reward was quite enough incentive.

All that was required to end the torture of high society events was for Mrs. Darcy to tell her husband, in a very low voice, of course, "Mr. Darcy, your bath is ready."

And we're done! Glad you enjoyed, look for more from me in P&P in the future.