The laughter of the goodnights died away. Anne and Gilbert walked hand in hand around their garden. The brook that ran across the corner dimpled pellucidly in the shadows of the birches. The poppies along its banks were like shallow cups of moonlight. Flowers that had been planted by the hands of the schoolmaster's bride flung their sweetness on the shadowy air, like the beauty and blessing of sacred yesterdays. Anne paused in the gloom to gather a spray. "I love to smell flowers in the dark," she said. "You get hold of their soul then. Oh, Gilbert, this little house is all I've dreamed it. And I'm so glad that we are not the first who have kept bridal tryst here!"

It was late and Gilbert knew it. The clock has struck eleven as their vistors had departed. Not that he was in any rush, no. But he still had such the romantic evening planned for him and his bride.

He knew what others had advised him before the wedding was in a way sound advice. They didn't mean to stick their noses in! Most advice had been 'get it over and done with as quickly as possible for her and you there will be time to get it right later' he appreciated it would never be perfect first go round... he'd prepared himself for that, on the other hand the side of him which was most like Anne, the sweet romantic daydreamy side to him told him it could be perfect. Then the morning of his wedding his father told him "you don't have to rush it son, be a gentleman." It was then he knew with a certainty the kind of man he was. No, there was no rush on it. Yes, he wanted her! Hell he'd waited over half his life for her! Every second of his manhood was a knowledge he was very much in love with the women he now held in his arms as his wife. Had they had sex before they married... Every time they came close it... looking back it would have been rushed and frantic... was that the experience he wanted for not only himself but the angel beside him? No, no it wasn't. He wanted her to be bedded with love.

Because that is what she deserved.

As he had danced their wedding dance in the early afternoon he had gazed into his wife's dreamy grey eyes.

"what are you dreaming of Anne-Girl?" He had asked her.

She didn't look away her eyes fixed on him the same dreamy way. He thought for a few seconds she hadn't heard him but then she said something in an almost whisper looking at him with so much love her eyes turned from the dreamy grey to the sparkling green. "you."

Wow!

Gilbert stood behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her. "are you happy Anne-Girl?" He whispered in her ear lovingly.

She smiled looking on their little brook "you're making all my dreams come true." She whispered.

He kissed into her neck (once again thankful for the ongoing trend of collarless dresses) snuggling there.

"isn't it lovely sweetheart?" Anne whispered reverently. "The bubbling brook the birds singing their evening song..."

"the whispers of the leaves in the trees." He reflected. "you were always better then me at this sweetheart, what are they whispering about tonight?" He asked her.

"only the most lovely things today." She answered. "did you hear them today love? As we said our vows?"

He smiled into her neck kissing it again "i wondered only that all the birds in the world had not burst into jubilant song." He told her.

She turned into him and kissed him gently.

Gilbert could feel her breaths staggering. "Anne." He whispered. "there's no rush." He told her gently. "we have the rest of our lives."

"I want to be your wife." She whispered. "in every sense of the word." She told him. "but the part which makes me... yours completely..." She trailed. "I want to satisfy you." She whispered. "what if I can't."

He sighed and chuckled a moment "Anne." He said gently. "no matter what happens..." He kissed her lightly. "you will not disappoint me, it's impossible."

She smiled playing with the button on his shirt "you don't KNOW that." She said simply

"yes..." He started "yes I do." He lifted her little pointed chin and kissed her gently. "come inside love" He whispered " there's a lovely warm fire cackling and a cosy front room to snuggle down into and a Tennyson book which needs to be read." He smiled.

He led her into the house where she made her way up to the bedroom where she readied herself in her new night clothes . Unbeknown to Anne, Gilbert heated pots and pans on the fire filling the bathtub with water. Upon realising her husband had given her ample time to ready herself she made her way down to him finding him putting the last of the water in the tub by the open fire.

"Gil?" She whispered looking at the bath then him. "what is this?" She asked him.

Gilbert turned and looked at his wife. Her long red hair running freely down her back coming to her waist. She had a silk night robe which covered a pretty bodice which nipped in at the waist the skirt only just falling on her knee. Gilbert forgot himself and his surroundings for a moment. "Anne!" He whispered in awe. "I... I..." He started trying to find the words.

Anne giggled bringing herself in front of Gilbert. "lost for words Doctor Blythe?" She flirted.

He laughed gently realising the exact sort of power Anne now held over him. "I stand in awe." He smiled blushing final dropping the last pan and wrapping his arms around his wife. "I haven't told you something either." He admitted. "I'm incredibly nervous about our... first time." He whispered. "I know medically... I know what could be..." He continued. "I don't want your first memory of me... of our intimacy to be one where you are scared or hurting and as much as I don't want those things to happen I know that they might." He sighed. "so I thought this would be imitate where we won't feel pressured to go... The full course, but still get familiar and comfortable with each other... We could become familiar with each other a little before we felt we had to." He explained.

Anne smiled. "to bathe together?" She asked him flirting a little.

He nodded with his own smile his eyes reflected the candlelight in the room and the fire roaring beside the bath.

"Gilbert Blythe." She smiled. "you sweet romantic man." She whispered.

He laughed "but that was before my wife presented herself to me like this!" He said standing back slightly holding her hands and looking her up and down. He pulled her close again "Wow Anne! Really... really wow! You are..." He started and kissed her gently "...beautiful!"

She smiled. "you have an advantage husband." She whispered.

"oh?" He asked.

"you're wearing more clothes then I." She whispered with a sparkle in her eyes kissing him gently.

A grin broke across his face. "I think that can be remedied." He told her kissing her again. He reached for his buttons.

"no Gil." She asked him. "may I?" She whispered.

His hands dropped to her waist holding her there while he watched her unbutton his shirt slowly, she reached to his shoulders bringing down his suspenders then pealed his shirt off his shoulders. She watched as the lost fabric revealed under them toned and bronzed arms. The biceps contracted as her fingers followed where the shirt has been moments before hand. He watched as her eyes moved back up to his shoulders as she took his shape in fully for the first time. He felt the spring of his curls come away from the carefully styled hair he shaped earlier in the day. She smiled and brought her fingers to it and played in the curls for a moment before she kissed him again. As they kissed gently her hands stroked down his shoulders onto his collarbone down to his still covered chest by his vest. She slipped her fingers along his trouser line tugging the vest free and bringing it over his head. This time she stood back and looked at him in awe. She had felt beneath his shirt before even trailed her fingers along his stomach, but seeing it was different to touch. She felt the urge to touch him the same way she often had to make sense of what she was seeing to match the sight with touch. She apparently had lingered too long as Gilbert whispered "you don't need to be shy." She laughed and looked up into his eyes. "the advantage I had over you is vastly dwindling." He observed in a whisper to her ear kissing her there lightly. "do you mind?" He asked her looking into her eyes again.

She shook her head and he in turn took off the robe from on top of the bodice. He allowed it to slide to the floor and brought his hands down her bare collarbone and arms. He looked and saw down her arms lots of tiny little freckles dancing down her milk white skin. He smiled gently on seeing them, he loved the spray of freckles on her face and now he would take a secret delight in getting to know each one of these new freckles he had discovered. He decided not to draw attention to them as she was sensitive about the ones on her face but instead planted kisses from her neck down to her collarbone across her naked shoulder onto her arm. His fingers automatically drawn to the waist length red hair which had presented itself as a cushion for his fingers by mere existence. He pulled her closer his fingers reaching round the back of the bodice he gently tugged at the bottom of the bodice lace. His fingers slowly moving up until it all came loose the material fell too to the floor.

He'd seen plenty of bare topped women. He'd operated on so many he'd been half afraid he would see his wife and think 'is that it? Just like the others' but instead who stood in front of him did exactly what she always did. Take a simpler form of the other women around her, you could tell she was a women and they were women parts they looked similar. Except Anne was the angelic manifestation of the ordinary. She was so perfect he was a little afraid to touch. Anne smiled at her husband, remembering back to the first time his hand had accidently caressed her covered chest.

'I'm so sorry!' he had exclaimed blushing wildly, she had bitten her lip took his hand and placed it back on her chest for him. His eyes had widened his breathing irregular she put her hand on top of his and squeezed gently into his hand, causing his to squeeze against her breast. Her eyes had rolled back close her body had arched towards him she looked at him her eyes dilating... Gilbert... Her Gilbert and his hands! She moved her hand away and had whispered "don't be afraid of our love." Before he had squeezed it again of his own free will and kissed into her.

"don't shy away." She reflected his earlier words. "don't be afraid of our love." She reminded him as she pulled at his trousers and drawers, without looking down she let them fall to the floor. She kept eye contact with him deliberately as his hands travelled down to her waistband and he slid her drawers down she like him stepping out of them disregarding them.

Their arms went around each other. Their eyes fixed completely on the others eyes. Gilbert lifted her gently into a hug.

A sigh came from both of them for they knew now...

Nothing stood between them.

No misunderstandings.

No failed attempts of mending the damage.

No pride.

No jealousy.

No failed proposal.

No loss of each other.

No missing each other.

No pain.

No sorrow.

No distance.

No more waiting.

No more wanting.

No wedding day.

No evening friends.

No clothes.

Nothing.

And the strange thing they both felt... It felt so natural!

They pulled back and kissed as their bodies felt. Nakedly.

"hmmm!" escaped Gilbert's mouth as Anne felt something hard against her stomach. She pulled back shocked for a moment. "sorry." He blushed as Anne recognised what it was.

"don't be." She assured him. "I'm curious." She whispered as her feet touched the floor. "May I?" She asked him. He nodded quickly pulling back a little allowing her to see his full body. She looked down towards his manhood she reached for it before hesitating. She decided instead to crouch down and investigate more before touching. She had seen Gilbert's medical text book about it. But his, he was different. This is her husband.

"what do you think?" He whispered after a few moments. She stood up and reached for him gently touching him. She looked to him sweetly not replying but kissing him instead. He smiled and chuckled gently as she let go. He lead her by the hand and offered the bath to her first. She stepped into it and as her husband stepped in the tub also she plaited her hair back and knotted it up.

He smiled "Ladies first." He offered. She smiled and sat forward in the bath as he slid behind her and wrapped his arms around her gently. Her shoulder close to his lips anyway he took the opportunity to kiss it. She smiled into him. She hugged into his bare chest. "luckiest man alive." He whispered relaxing fully back with her in his arms.

"luckiest women in the world." She reflected. "I can't think of another man who would do this." She told him. "so romantic."

He gently caressed her and kissed into her hair. "I want your happiness more than..." he blushed "...my own." He reached behind them to the small table and grabbed the book laying there. He opened the pages and started reading Tennyson to her as he enjoyed her fingers exploring round his body under the water he likewise trailed his free hand round his wife's torso.

The bath was cold before they climbed out the warm towels waiting for them . They wrapped a towel around them. He smiled happily "I love I can do this with you." He whispered drying her off with a fresh towel.

She smiled as she did the same. "me too." They finished drying each other off where he swept her into his arms and carried her to their marriage bed.

He knelt bedside the bed kissing her as she lay on the bed his hand again took the same route as it did in the bath, gently exploring Anne's curves. His hand slowly moving to her hips.

She smiled sat up and slid herself onto his lap. She could feel him press against her. She reached into his hair what was normally tamed curls were still wet to touch she leaned forward and kissed him at first gently then gradually it increased into their lips parting allowing their mouths to be explored. Anne's fingers found Gilbert's scalp her nails trailed there as Gilbert felt his eyes roll and a sighed contentment leave his mouth groaning into her.

Something more thrilling made her feel a familiar feeling between her legs as she rested.

"Gilbert." She whispered.

"yeah?" He asked.

"don't you want me? I don't think it's our wedding day anymore." She whispered.

"no it isn't." He confirmed. "it hasn't been for a couple of hours." He whispered. "and I have always wanted you Anne Shirley."

"Shirley?" She whispered. "Gilbert Blythe you bad boy! You'll have Mrs Lynde blushing!" She laughed.

His mouth twisted to the schoolboy smile she had unknowingly first fallen in love with. "My apologies Mrs Blythe." He whispered then shook his head. "no not Mrs Blythe." He laughed. "that's my mother!" he shook his head. "and you are definitely not!"

"Mrs Blythe?" Anne asked.

"My mother!" he corrected. He picked them up and slid onto the bed. He kissed into her hair. "Anne Blythe then." He whispered. "until I get used to the whole Mrs Blythe thing." She hugged into him. "of course I want you Anne. But I have an idea inside my head and you know what I'm like with ideas."

She laughed and whispered "you don't give up until you've achieved it." His face grinned in satisfaction. "so?" She asked running her fingers round his naked chest "what's your idea?" She asked him.

He shook his head. "Not a chance Anne Blythe." He kissed into her again and hugged her closer. "Its a surprise."

Anne didn't understand it as they talked until what she assumed was the early hours of the morning. It was then he put on a dressing gown and asked her to follow suit. Confused she did and was surprised as he lead her outside. Even more surprised when bare foot they went into the small gathering of trees just deep enough for privacy. She found herself surrounded by beeches the floor covered in moss and pink roses.

Anne looked in surprise. "How did you...?" She trailed.

"a man has his ways." He whispered romantically coming behind her and kissing into her neck. She turned and looked up into his eyes. Which despite the lack of sleep twinkled in the early morning light. "sunrise love." He whispered kissing her again. "remember how we wanted to be married?" He asked her.

"yes." She whispered.

Their wish was different to reality not that they would exchange it. But it would be simply them.

" It would be at dawn—a June dawn, with a glorious sunrise, and roses blooming in the gardens; and I would slip down and meet you and we would go together to the heart of the beech woods,—and there, under the green arches that would be like a splendid cathedral, we would be married."

"I know it isn't June and I know we are already married, but how about if we are able to consummate our marriage as we wished to begin it?" He asked her gently.

She looked at him in awe! This was Gilbert Blythe! His imagination apparently had no limit when it came to her and his imagination was so romantic!

"you mean..." She whispered coming closer to him "you want to..." She continued "here?" She asked.

He smiled and nodded not able to speak. Not sure if she would think it romantic or if she would take flight!

She smiled and bit into her bottom lip, she brought her hair down her back again and removed her robe. She stood bare in front of him. He genuinely believed she was the goddess of the morning the warm light burning through her hair and illuminating her skin. She pulled him close and took his robe from around him peeling it onto the floor. He led her to the softest part of the ground and lay her down on top of their robes he lay on top of her his hands supporting his weight he kissed her deeply.

"What do you think Mrs Lynde would make of this?" Gilbert laughed bringing his arms around her.

Anne laughed before Gilbert claimed her lips again. As he pulled back she replied "she would think it blasphemous in some way or another..." She whispered before he kissed her deeply again. "...tell us it was unholy or unnatural..."

Gilbert chuckled drawing circles on her upper back. "Its strange, I can't think of anywhere more natural... surrounded by nature..." he trailed kissing into her neck. "making love to the Queen of nature herself."

"is that what you see?" She whispered to him.

"that's what I know." He told her. He was close enough he could feel her heat. "Tell me if I hurt you. I will stop." He whispered.

"you won't need to." She whispered back.

It was then he moved closer he felt just how serious she was! It wasn't exactly warm around them but he couldn't help but notice just how warm they both were and she was ready for him! He slipped inside. He took a couple of deep breaths and looked into Anne's eyes.

"closer?" He asked her to which she nodded her head tilting herself for him she grasped around his neck and nuzzled into it. He held into her hair more smelling it's scents, smelling her scents.

She felt his hand stroke in circles round her lower back as he did every time he stroked past the exact middle of her lower back she arched towards him, unable to control her actions for those brief seconds.

Gilbert noticed and smiled at this. Had he found her weak spot? He found the place again and held her there and moved into her allowing her to shudder in delight. It was in these shudders he knew he knew her and with a few sweet movements he joined her there in bliss.

Not wanting to loose the moment they lay side by side stroking each others physical bodies only thinking and feeling the eternal bond they had just created.

He lead his bride into their home, he realised the chapters in his life without Anne were over. A new story had begun, one of lovers whispers and planning and creating a family and a life. He silently thanked God. All was well in the world.

80 chapters later finally!

Thank you everyone who is still following or who have followed...

Love

Carrots x