Disclaimer: Would that they were mind, but alas, they are not.

Author's note: This interlude takes place between chapters 6 & 7 while the Butlers are in London.

Scarlett's head lolled forward as Rhett undid the buttons down her back. She'd come to love when he undressed her instead of Prissy or Mammy. She loved the way he ran his hands all over her as the layers between her skin and his were removed.

Once Rhett had unlaced her and tossed her corset over a chair with her dress and petticoats he turned her to face him. After a moment of silence, Scarlett asked, "Rhett?"

"Undress me."

"What?"

"Undress me. You like it when I undress you don't you?"

"Yes," Scarlett looked down as she answered. Now that they'd been married for several weeks she found it much easier to answer his direct questions, but she still struggled to meet his eyes when her answers made her feel nervous or vulnerable.

Rhett leaned forward and kissed Scarlett's jaw just below her ear, "So I would like for you to undress me."

Scarlett responded by reaching out and removing the stick pin from Rhett's cravat. She walked to the vanity and placed it into her hairpin dish and returned to loosen Rhett's cravat and pull it out from around his neck. Once it was in her hands she looked down at it confusedly. Rhett smiled and took the cravat from her hands and draped it over her petticoats on the chair back.

Scarlett undid the buttons on his vest and then his collar and shirt. Biting her lower lip Scarlett looked up through her lashes at Rhett and then slowly slid her fingers under his shirt and up to his shoulders then down his arms. Scarlett felt her belly tremble in anticipation as her fingers stroked down his warm skin. Rhett shuddered when she leaned forward to kiss the skin below the hollow of his throat.

Once his arms were free of his sleeves, Rhett pulled the ends of his shirt out of his pants where Scarlett had left them tucked in, and tossed his shirt and vest onto the growing pile of clothes on the chair.

Scarlett stepped slightly away. Rhett's chest was bare and Scarlett knew she needed to remove Rhett's pants and drawers but for some reason she was afraid to just reach out and touch him there.

Rhett reached out for one of her hands and drew it to his waistband.

"Undo the buttons, Scarlett," he directed.

Scarlett did with trembling fingers. She could feel the heat of him as the backs of her fingers brushed his manhood. When the buttons were undone Scarlett quickly shoved Rhett's pants off his hips, eager to be done undressing him.

Rhett chuckled and sat on the bed to remove his shoes. He slid his pants off, tossed them away and then stood dressed in nothing but his tented drawers. They stood facing each other for a moment as Rhett waited to see what Scarlett would do. When she did nothing he stepped forward and lifted her chemise over her head, then briefly sucked one of her nipples into his mouth while he pushed down her pantalets.

Scarlett stood before him naked and flushed. Rhett could smell her arousal, but she still didn't move. He looked down to his drawers and back at Scarlett. She didn't move.

"Are you enjoying London, Scarlett?" Rhett asked and Scarlett laughed. When he looked back down to his drawers again she stepped forward and placed her hands on his hips. Scarlett rested her forehead against his chest then began to push down.

Scarlett made a choked sound when his manhood sprang up from his drawers and Rhett chuckled.

Rhett clasped Scarlett's hand and then laid on the bed on his back. Scarlett sat next to him and he pulled her down to lay against him.

"Have you ever really seen your husbands, Scarlett?" Rhett whispered into her hair.

Scarlett shook her head no.

"Touch me."

Scarlett extended her hand towards him, but it came to rest on his hip inches short of where he wanted it.

"I don't know what to do," Scarlett felt her face flame as she whispered in the dark.

Rhett picked up her hand and placed it on his manhood. He wrapped her fingers around it and then rested his hand on top of hers. Rhett's fingers were forcing Scarlett's to squeeze him.

"Does it hurt?" Scarlett asked softly. His member felt hot and harder that Scarlett somehow thought it would.

"No," Rhett whispered into her hair as he began to move their hands up and down himself. "Stroke like this. It feels wonderful." Then he lifted his hand away.

Scarlett paused, with her fingers still wrapped around him.

"Go on, stroke me, Scarlett."

Scarlett couldn't decipher what the edge in Rhett's voice was but she resumed drawing her hand up and down his manhood. It felt so soft, and the skin moved more than she thought it should, almost like the skin wasn't attached correctly. Scarlett squeezed tighter, worried about hurting him still but when Rhett groaned and lifted his hips into her hand she smiled. This must feel for him like when he rubbed that part of her that tingled in a circle.

Almost as if reading her mind, Rhett reached between her legs and began to rub the spot she'd come to think of as his in circles. When his fingers dipped lower to spread the moisture there Scarlett shuddered.

"Faster," Rhett whispered into Scarlett's ear and she increased the pace of her stroking and raised her eyebrows in question.

"Yeeees," Rhett groaned.

Rhett pulled Scarlett's leg over his hip and then guided himself inside her. Scarlett's hand dangled trapped between them until he began to slowly pull himself out of her. Scarlett threw her arm over Rhett and he thrust himself back home groaning.

Rhett teased Scarlett with long slow strokes and slow swipes of his fingers against her most sensitive spot.

Scarlett looked up at Rhett and he smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. Rhett hadn't been sure if this new position would be too much after the first time he'd asked her to undress him and touch him, but there was no tension in her eyes or face. Overcome with affection for this woman who had never liked relations but willingly gave him her body and her heart he leaned down and kissed her, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. When she pulled her face away and gasped into his ear, Rhett whispered, "I love you, Scarlett."

Before she had a chance to reply he was kissing her again. He rolled them onto Scarlett's back then drew their arms up over Scarlett's head. Holding their four hands together above her head Rhett thrust wildly until he felt himself spill inside her.

When Rhett stilled and relaxed his hands Scarlett withdrew her hands and put her arms around him. She lifted her head and drew his earlobe into her mouth. Then, releasing it she whispered, "I love you too, Rhett."