Almost Alice

Oh, why you look so sad?

Tears are in your eyesCome on and come to me 't be ashamed to cry,

let me see you throughCause I've seen the dark side the night falls on you,

you don't know what to do,Nothing you confess

could make me love you lessI'll stand by you, I'll stand by you,

won't let nobody hurt you,I'll stand by , if you're mad get mad,

don't hold it all inside,Come on and talk to me hey, what you got to hide?

I get angry tooBut I'm alot like you're standing at the crossroads,

don't know which path to choose,Let me come along,

cause even if your wrongI'll stand by you, I'll stand by you,

won't let nobody hurt you,I'll stand by me into your darkest hour,

and I'll never desert you.I'll stand by when, when the night falls on you baby,

you're feeling all alone,You won't be on your own, I'll stand by you.

I'll stand by youI'll stand by you,

won't let nobody hurt you.

I'll stand by youTake me in into your darkest hour

and I'll never desert youI'll stand by you.

I'll stand by you - The Pretenders

Alice let him lead her through the halls, his stride confident and commanding. No one even stopped to ask where they were going. His grasp on her hand was gentle but firm. " I had hoped to do this properly for you Alice."

"Tarrant?" she asked as they headed back to the chamber they shared.

He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes that devious yellow, "Rest easy lass, I'll take proper care o ye." His brogue was different somehow. Like honeyed whiskey, dark and rich and seductive. She felt her stomach flip and her core heat.

"Have I told you how much I like your brogue?" she asked a little breathlessly.

He slid a sly sidewise smirk at her, "No love, ye havena. But I wager ye'll be likin it much more shortly."

And suddenly she was quite certain that she would. When she bit her lower lip on a soft sigh of anticipation he chuckled. "I'll give ye more than sighs." He brushed his nose along hers.

Alice shivered under the heat of his gaze and then he was pulling her through the chamber door and shoving her up against it. His mouth on her, his hands roving over her. She whimpered and sighed as his tongue plundered her mouth. His clever hands lifted to tug the silken tie from round her throat, swift fingers sliding buttons from their holes. He leaned back to survey his territory. Her pale breasts jutting up against all the delicate lacy bits he'd fashioned for her.

He ran an elegant fingertip across the edge of the lace and she sucked in a breath. "Have you any idea how I knew your size?' he asked huskily.

She shook her head, "I… I suppose its because you are a master of your t…trade." Her words tripped over themselves.

He smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek, then her ear, nipping the lobe lightly, making her gasp. "Tha too lass. But nay, I've imagined ye, all o ye a hundred times o'er. How to cover ye up, how to reveal ye. How yer bonny breasts would fit like so in my hands. How to love ye to utter exhaustion."

Her cheeks were flushed. She had never imagined that Tarrant Hightopp could paint such erotic images with simple words. She took in his perfectly sculpted face, his verdant eyes, his bright hair. That lush, lovely mouth. She lifted her hand to his cheek, splaying her fingers over the lovely skin and elegant bone structure beneath. "You are a beautiful man Tarrant Hightopp."

He turned his mouth to press a kiss to the thundering pulse of her wrist, "And I am e'er yer own mah Alice." His head descended to tug away the lace with his teeth and she buried her fingers in his hair. "I ha need o ye."

With gentle, clever hands and teasing kisses, he slowly revealed her, all of her to himself. He stood in silence for a moment, taking in the golden glow of the light on her skin, the way it haloed on her hair. Alice felt very nervous under his scrutiny and made to cross her arms over herself, when his tight grip on her wrists stopped her.

"Ne'er hide away from me." he growled. His lovely hands slid to her waist, to the flare of her hips. "Ye've grown up so nicely. Pale, soft, made for my love."

She blushed, leaning in to capture his lips in a kiss of hunger and need and the hatter was most compliant. He let her play at her leisure before he took control once more crushed her softer body to his own much harder one. He walked them backward, as he helped her remove his clothing. Her hands unsure and nervous delighted him.

Each delicate brush of her fingers made him moan softly. How he needed her. He let them tumble backwards into the large bed, rolling swiftly to pin a panting Alice beneath him. He closed his eyes at the feeling. "This is exactly where you belong Alice." he told her, pressing a nipping kiss to her shoulder, "In my arms."

And Alice had to agree, for her mind was growing hot and fuzzy. The thoughts refusing to form, the colors taking over. When the hatter kissed his way to her breasts, she arched readily into him but he did not linger. When his fingers found her heat she cried out with delight but then he was gone.

He kissed his way over her golden stomach, nipped each of her hip bones into turn. She caught his riot of curls and tried to pull him back up to her but he refused to be moved. In fact, he shoved his shoulders between her thighs, anchoring her to the bed.

"Tarrant? She asked, "What are you doing?"

Green eyes looked up at her from her core and she blushed hotly, suddenly embarrassed at his nearness to that very guarded part of her. To touch with our hands was one thing, to look quite another. Tarrant read her confusion and a touch of fear there. He sighed gently and stroked her thighs with his long fingers.

"Do you trust me?" he asked

"Yes of course." she replied immediately.

"Then lay back and let me love you. As I wish to, I will never let you regret that." he crooned to her.

His tone and his touch sent shivers through her, her legs already trembling against him. Slowly she lay back, unsure of what was to come. She recalled Margret once telling of a small pain, rushed movements and discomfort in her back. 'Best lie back and hope it ends quickly. It's a sticky nasty business but it doesn't last long and isn't needed very often.'

Those words rang in her head now and she took a deep breath and waited.

The hatter felt the tension rise in her body and frowned. He glanced up at her to see her eyes closed and her features set in concentration.

"Aaallliiiiceee" he whispered.

Her eyes flew open and she locked gazes with him.

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head, "You don't have to do this you know?"

She swallowed, "I want to" she assured him, "I'm ready."

He laughed outright at her. Alice was instantly irritated, she tried to pull from him, but he merely slid up her body to kiss her lips. "Forgive me" he murmured, "I should not have laughed at you."

"No" she agreed, "I've not done this before you understand."

He pressed a sweet kiss to her brow, "You just look so…. Well, resigned."

"Shouldn't I?" she asked.

It was his turn to look irritated, "Certainly not." he said with great conviction, "if you are simply resigned to it, then what enjoyment can there be?"

She blushed, "Margret said best lie back and hope it ends quickly. It's a sticky nasty business but it doesn't last long and isn't needed very often." she confessed.

Tarrant threw his head back and laughed again, "No dearest she had it all wrong. I daresay she has never been loved by a hatter. And certainly not a mad one."

"I shouldn't think so" Alice agreed.

He stroked her cheek softly, "If you find no joy, no pleasure Alice, I don't either."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "But all the ladies…"

He pressed his fingers to her mouth, "Are not MY lady." he told her in the sweetest voice, "And you will never find it sticky and nasty… well…unless you want to. I have loved you with my hands, now the rest of me wants to as well."

She laughed lightly at his earnest expression. "I love you Tarrant."

He smiled widely and kissed her again, "Now shall we have tea or shall I love you?"

She loved him so much in that moment, to give her an out should her cowardice win. A light hearted warmth filled her inside and out. "I found my muchness" she assured him, "Lets see yours."

He growled against her mouth, "Ri here lass."

He kissed along the column of her throat, loving the soft moans and whines. "Thas more like it."

His fingers found the wet heat of her and he groaned, "Yer so hot Alice. I'm no a small mon, ye must be ready."

She arched into his questing touch, "Oh.. Tarrant." she whispered. He nipped her hipbone and smiled against her stomach.

He lowered himself again, "Open fer me mah heart."

Alice felt the gentle pressure he placed on her thighs and finally relaxed and let them fall open to him.

Tarrant took in the sight of her, sex vibrantly pink and glistening with dew. He groaned as he stroked fingers along the length of her slit. "So lovely."

"Tarran..T"

He bent to his task, blew lightly over heated flesh, then he gently parted her and pressed a kiss to the crown of golden curls cropped close to the mound of her. She trembled and he soothed her with soft touches and gentle sounds.

When his lips brushed her core she jolted, his arms looped round her thighs and he delved in with his tongue. Not allowing her any retreat from his ravenous mouth. He flicked the little bud nestled in her flesh swiftly, then gave it long, languorous licks, then nipped at it.

"Ah! Oh Tarrant!"

Alice cried out at the white hot sensation. Her little hands tangling in his hair once more, nails scratching lightly at nape and scalp. He growled against her wetness, liking her passion. He pressed his tongue within her, curling it to stroke her, his nose finding purchase on her pebble.

She writhed and cried out for him. Panted his name. Gods what Margret had been missing! Then all thought was taken from her as he brought her close to that edge that only he seemed to know about once more. Just as she arched sharply, he backed off, gentling his touch, slowing it. Then softly, so softly he brought her to release. Making her feel his love, his madness, his passion, his rage, his gentleness, his unending desire for her.

"Mm, how good ye are..."

"Ah! uhn, nghhhh."

Alice felt all the tension wind tight in her stomach and body and then with one artful flick of his tongue, he sent her spiraling through the air. Faster and more powerful than the ride on his hat over the water.

"Gods Tarrant!"

Tarrant felt her release and slammed his fingers deep within her greedy channel, feeling her walls pulse and undulate with her need to be filled. Her voice broke, his name a sob torn from her lips. He slid back up her body, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

Her body was covered in a fine sheen and shook like a tiny leaf in the breath of the wind. Her arms nearly too weak to hold him. He was quite pleased.

"I'll have ye now" he told her, wanting her pleasure to be high and her pain to be dulled. She felt him settled his trim hips between her legs, the blunt head of his sex brushing against her. She jolted at the mere touch, sensitive now.

He caught her eyes and held them. "Mine" he whispered to her. Tarrant linked their fingers on one hand and using his free one, he lifted her thigh onto his hip and slid home in one smooth, well prepared thrust. Then he went terribly still.

Alice felt the stretching of her body to take him in and the swift piercing pain that followed. She cried out softly, her nails biting into the back of his hand where they were connected as well. Tarrant kissed her ear, "I know. I know" he soothed, "Be still for a moment and let it pass. I'm sorry."

His voice filled with sorrow for the small hurt he caused her.

"How long?" she whispered back, as he stroked the wetness from her lashes.

"Until Oh" he replied as if that made any sense. So she waited.

She clung to him, letting him soothe her with kisses and soft words until she felt the urge to shift and then her eyes went wide.

"Oh!"

He smiled at her, "That's how long."

She smiled back at him and he pressed his brow to hers, "I must move now Alice. If there is pain tell me."

He slowly withdrew until only the plum shaped head remained within her then just as slowly he slid back in, watching her face for any sign of pain.

There was none and he repeated the agonizingly slow action, "Thas sooo good love." he groaned to her. She slowly took up the rhythm that he set and he dropped his head to her shoulder and picked up his pace. He urged her with his hands to wrap those wonderful legs of hers around his hips and then she met his full force as he took her harder and faster.

She cried out for him, nails scrabbling over a well muscled back, head thrashing against the pillow. He licked and bit at her throat, her shoulder. Stole her breath in drugging kisses, muttered all manner of dark, devious things in her ear. That brogue delicious and wicked.

The sturdy bed began to groan from the strength of his thrusts.

"Can ye feel me Alice?" he ground out, "All o me, in all o ye? This is why ye are mine, an mine alone. Ye were made fer me. I'll love ye til ye canna walk, canna speak. And then, I'll do it all again."

He was close now, very close and knew she was as well. The tremors rolled through her body, her walls began to hold him very tightly. His own back was beginning to ache from the pressure of his impending release. It really had been far too long.

The scent of sex filled the air and the slapping of wet flesh to wet flesh reverberated in the large room. "I canna hold it" he grunted in her ear, and his fingers stole between their churning bodies to find the button of her desire, "Ye must come with me".

He pinched the tender nub in time to his thrusts. Alice ground her sex hard against him now, swearing she could feel him pushing deeper.

Alice screamed out, her body locking in a tight pose of elongation. Tarrant grunted one final time, feeling her body clamp down and take his prisoner. Her release was hot and washed over him, fueling his own which exploded from him with such force he saw stars. He felt the throbbing pulse of his release as he emptied into her. He groaned long and low.

He barely managed to brace his hands on either side of her head to take the bulk of his weight. His red hair curled in damp spirals on her throat and breasts. Hearts thundering in mad unison. Breath coming in pants and two people slowly came down together.

Tarrant rolled to the side, taking her with him, covering her with a sheet and smiled against her hair. Alice could feel him thump within her, his heartbeat in her body. And as she shifted lightly, his softening length slipped from her body making them both hiss.