(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

Passion...untamed

"Derek..." she said softly, her hand caressing the day's old stubble, "I know what I mean to you...I do...because it's just as I feel for you...my husband...my soul mate...the love of my life."

"Let me give you a night of romance...a night to always remember..."

"A night with you," she said raising her other hand to cup his face, and then kissed him lightly, her eyes meeting his gaze as she spoke, "can never be forgotten."

"Let me...somehow...make it up to you...it's the only way I can show you..."

"But you have...you already have..."

"Meredith..." he said, his eyes never leaving hers, and she saw a glimpse of past regrets.

"You're paying me back," she smiled, joking with him, unwilling to let him berate himself for the past.

"Meredith...no...please don't think that," he said so seriously she felt bad for teasing.

"Derek, I'm teasing you," she said and nibbled on his lips, "I know it's not payback...I know you love me...and...we can take it slow...tonight, our wedding night, the first time we make love...as slow as you want..."

"You won't be sorry," he told her.

"The second time..." she said, and kissed him deeply, then murmured seductively, "I expect the panther to be fully unleashed."

"Meredith...slow does not mean the panther is tamed," he whispered, making her laugh.

"I'm counting on that Derek..." she said, "I'm counting on that," and pushed him back lightly until the back of his legs met the side of the mattress and she fell on top of him on the bed.

"Meredith...you're not playing fair," he growled, making her giggle.

"Uhmmm...just wondering if you still want me."

"You're everything I want...everything I need..."

"So are you Derek," she said, and found his lips.

"Mer..." he laughed, "this is damn uncomfortable."

"I keep telling you," she said rubbing against him, "we can take care of that..."

"That's not what I'm talking about," he chuckled, "half my legs are off the bed," and rolled her off him before he sat up, and pulled her to a sitting position with her back resting against the headboard.

"So..." she said, "what do you want to do now...find a crossword puzzle?"

"Smart ass," he laughed, reaching for her. "It's already after seven, and I'm surprised you haven't complained about being hungry."

"I've complained," she smiled, placing her hand on his thigh and inching her fingers higher, "you're just not listening."

"I'm listening all right..." he said holding her hand, "I just have a bit more self control."

"Are you challenging me..." she taunted, raising her eyebrow, "you'll lose..."

"I bet I would," he laughed, reaching for her and quickly bringing her legs around him, and leaned in to kiss her. "Let's have dinner...a nice romantic dinner, all we need to do is call, the menu had been left in the dining room, if we can find it," he joked, thinking of the size of the villa.

"We can do that ...but..." she whispered, rubbing her body more intimately with his, "who's playing with fire now..."she said referring to their current position.

"I told you," he joked, "I have more self control..."

"Really," she said, as she began stroking him, leaving him speechless, "cat got your tongue?"

His response was a throaty groan.

"I thought so," she responded in a whisper, and proceeded to tempt him, until he pulled her under him, and after that moment neither would remember, or care about self control as they tantalized the other. Their bodies were intimately molded against each other, the heat and hardness of his desire pressed against her, their moans of pleasure enticing the other, and then she breathlessly stopped to tease, "all of your favorite things," she said as she stroked and caressed him.

"You," he began, his breathing hard, and then bringing his mouth to her breast, sucking gently as she felt her entire body tingling with anticipation, "win..." he said. "I lose..." and her soft moans made him forget his resolve momentarily, "but...Mer...our wedding night," he said as her tongue teased his "let..." he took a deep breath, "me ...love you...as I want to love you..."

"You are...Derek..." she said, almost making him forget his resolve, as she shifted beneath him rubbing against him, her hands squeezing the length of him, willing him to forget about waiting, "you are..."

"Mer..." he said, his eyes lost in hers, just as the doorbell rang.

"Don't," she moaned, "don't...answer..." she said as her body responded to the gentle strokes of his fingertips on her body, the light flush of her skin evident to his knowing eyes.

He took a deep breath. "Saved..." he said, his breathing labored, "by the bell."

"You...seriously..." she whispered, kissing him deeply, her fingers further ruffling his hair, pulling at the curls on the back of his neck, "want to be saved..."

"No..." he smiled against her lips, and began to pull away, "but...just think..."

She giggled, "think...are you kidding, I lost that ability a long while ago."

He laughed, "so did I Mer...so did I..."

The doorbell rang again, and he pulled himself away from her, and sat on the bed for a few seconds before getting up, "don't forget...where we left off."

"Derek..." she smiled suggestively, "that... will be hard," she teased again, "no pun intended...to forget."

"Mer...payback..."

"Promises...promises," she laughed, and his heart skipped a beat at the sound. At that moment, he knew she had forgiven him."Why don't you find our suitcases and I can unpack, while you order dinner for us."

"Let me go answer the door," he said and leaned down to kiss her softly, "any preferences?"

"For a meal you mean?"

"Yes, for dinner," he laughed, "and do you want dessert?"

"Always Derek," she said, "you know that by now, it's my favorite part of the meal."

"Uhmmm...so it is," he smiled.

He went downstairs and opened the door find a couple in their fifties with a silver ice bucket that held a bottle of champagne, neither able to disguise their amusement as they exchanged knowing looks, taking in the sight of his messed up hair and the reddish beginnings of a love bite on his neck.

The couple informed him they were on the property a few minutes away and available twenty four hours. The woman gave Derek a tour of the main floor while the man took the suitcases, knocking on Meredith's door, where Derek had indicated was their bedroom.

Derek selected their meal, and was told it would be ready in about thirty minutes, but that they should ring the kitchen extension when they wanted the meal served. The woman also let him know the beds would be turned down while they enjoyed their dinner, and once they had finished, she and her husband would retire for the evening and wait for their call for breakfast the next morning.

"Derek," Meredith called out to him when she heard him walk upstairs, "I've unpacked everything we need...are we being casual tonight?"

"Whatever you want," he told her.

She walked up to him, and put his arms around his waist, and looked up to him, "you wanted romantic...so maybe I'll wear a dress."

"Mer...not the black dress."

"You told me to bring it," she said with a questioning glance.

"Yes, but I already have this other scene in my mind," he said suggestively.

"I'll wear my wedding dress," she agreed immediately. "It's in the garment bag, so it shouldn't be too wrinkled."

"Ok...Mrs. Shepherd," he smiled, brushing her lips, "meet me in the parlor."

"Derek..." she giggled, "where's the parlor?"

"The room down the hall, with the plasma screen."

They met each other as agreed, donning their wedding attire after each had showered.

She walked in the room and their eyes met, a knowing smile on her face as he perused her body, the longing in his gaze mesmerizing.

"You're beautiful," he whispered when she walked up to him, "do you have any idea what you do to me...just watching you walk to me," and kissed her.

"Uhmmm..." was her response, "same as me watching you...devouring me...with your eyes," and she kissed him back, "we could..." she offered, "skip dinner."

"We could..." he agreed.

"We've waited so long...yes...let's..."

"I love you," he said, as he pulled back from her and smiled.

She laughed, in spite of her desire to skip dinner, she'd agree o let him set the pace for this night, "diversion...again..."

"I love you..." he said again, and kissed her lips one more time and then walked downstairs holding hands and he showed her around the main floor before heading to the kitchen, and after a brief conversation with the older couple, were told dinner would be served in five minutes.

They walked to the dining room holding hands, "Derek you already have a bottle of champagne chilling?"

"Actually, it's a gift from John and Colleen, here's the note," he said taking it out of his coat pocket and giving it to her to read.

"You haven't read it?"

"Not yet, but I do know the couple here has worked with them over ten years, and were asked by John to tend to us during our stay, which I gather has everything to do with our upgrade."

"Can they do that?"

"Apparently so... let's read the note," he said as she opened the envelope that held a copy of their message written in longhand on the hotel's stationery.

"Dear Meredith and Derek, Lake Como is one of our favorite places. We spent our honeymoon there and would have loved to host you in our home, but...since you would not let us, the next best thing was a call to the hotel...and a request that you stay at Villa Cima, our compliments.