Meng's Revenge: Vol.4 of Life Among Clouds WangXian Series

Unbound Commitment

Qing entered the house next to the new clinic. Lan XiChen had decided that the old place was not worthy of salvage and had purchased the bigger space and the house that was now her new home. The snow was already thick outside, about 4 inches, and still falling. Any other time, she may have headed out for a brisk walk until her aching head had cleared. Now she could only think of starting the stove and falling asleep. 

The stove, however, was already lit and the room was nicely warm. A kettle sat on it with water heated for tea. A pair of strong arms wrapped her up from behind and she smelled Lotus scent. 

Jiang Cheng's deep voice whispered. "You are exhausted. You will have some tea. Then you will get a good night's sleep. I insist."

She closed her weary eyes and leaned back against his strong, unyielding chest. 

"I do not intend to argue with that order, Sect Master Jiang."

"That's a first."

She twisted around, grabbed his shirt in both hands, burrowed her face in his chest, and began to cry. He held her tightly. They stayed like that for a long time as his hard hand gently stroked her ebony hair. Her legs began to tremble.

"I think I will pass on the tea. I just want to sleep. I have not been this tired in a long time."

 He carried her to the bed and quickly stripped her stained tunic from her, then slipped a sleeping shift of thick red cotton over her head. He lifted her head and gave her a tender smile and a swift kiss, then laid her down, sitting beside her and holding her hand. She was slumbering in an instant.

She woke up in the early morning, just after dawn. Qing hated that feeling of aching sorrow that comes before you even open your eyes. A sadness you are already aware of before consciousness ever fully arrives. She lifted her lids slowly and watched in secret as Cheng moved in silence, the muscles in his arms bulging as he effortlessly manhandled hot water from a large cast-iron pot into the tub hidden behind a hand-painted screen.  He was wearing a heavy robe and not much else, and his hair was still damp. He had obviously bathed early and was heating fresh water for her. Her Amethyst was beautiful. He suited her well, and she found him even more attractive than the Lans and Wei Ying. His sharp and angular features sent shivers down her spine every time she looked at him...which he was now doing to her, directly in her black eyes, drowning in their unending depths. They gazed at each other, and then he finally broke the connection. 

"It's time to bathe, My Flame. I raised the blind so you can soak and watch the snowfall. I checked on everyone at the clinic about an hour ago. Lan Zhan was still awake, but the others were sleeping. They are feeling discomfort, but no one is in mortal danger."

She sat up in relief and slipped out of her shift and into the steaming water. She soaked for a moment or two, then startled him as she rose quickly and made a dash into her secluded courtyard. He followed and stared as she stood behind the cloistered walls, ankle deep in the snow, her white skin shimmering like mother-of-pearl in the faint light of dawn, her arms out-stretched with flakes falling, twinkling around and upon her. He saw that the inky color of her hair also covered that valley below her flat belly. Jiang Cheng was frozen in awe at the vision before him. Then, just as quickly, she strode past him again and sank back into the hot tub.

 Again he followed, watching her every move, audacious, animal-like, and uninhibited as she was. His Flame mesmerized him. He took his place by her head and reached under her neck and massaged water through the strands of her hair, then washed the blood from yesterday's wounded away, adding oil to detangle and scent the inky mass. The soft cloth he had anointed with more oil slowly floated over her skin, cleansing her, stirring her passions, and she wanted him. 

He knew it; he stood above her and dropped his robe. She could not look away from him, erect and magnificent, neither could she move an inch.

Jiang Cheng reached down and lifted her up. Reverently, he began to wipe the droplets from her, their eyes never breaking away from the other. Then he fell to his knees, worshiping his Snow Goddess, his face buried and seeking her out. She widened her stance, hands gripping his long, thick hair, allowing him full access, and immediately moaned as his tongue found its sheath and began in earnest until she screamed in delirious pleasure. He caught her as she fell and carried her once more to bed.

                                                                              ***********

They finally detangled an hour later, lying quietly awake.

He asked. "Has it not bothered you that we never talk about marriage?"

She shrugged, "Not really. We are both too busy, too independent, too arrogant, too crabby to even consider it."

"True. I like what we have. Ceremonies and formality may not be for us."

"If a child should come, then there is time to discuss it, but until then, I am content. Besides, we have Jin Ling and I may be mothering Xiao Mian now. She wants to be a doctor like me, so I want to help her."

"You should. Toughen her up a little. Lan Zhan and Wei Ying are bound to spoil her too much. She will need someone to put steel in her spine."

She chuckled and punched him lightly in the bicep. "You are too much. Sweet-talking one moment, then telling me how tough I am."

"It is one of the reasons I love you. Only someone as bullheaded as myself could stand me, I am afraid."

" Your temperament is not the only thing that reminds me of a bull!"

She kissed him on the nose and jumped up, ready to face the day. No one was able to fill her with such energy as Jiang Cheng could.

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