Continuation of "The Awakening" by Jude Deveraux

OK I really liked Amanda Caulden and Dr Henry Raine Montgomery. I thought he was the sexiest, most attractive hero that Deveraux has created to date and I liked the way he was humbled yet strong. I wanted to know what happened to them, and even though I knew that JT Montgomery was their son who would go onto marry Aria in "The Princess", I guess I wanted to know more about what their married life would be. I imagined that Amanda and Hank would have a true marriage of equals in which they both adored each other.

"He'll be fine, he just needs a lot of rest." The doctor said, studying Hank's arm judiciously.

Amanda looked at the doctor anxiously. "It's bleeding an awful lot."

"I'll be fine." Hank said through gritted teeth even though his arm was killing him. "Where's the preacher in this town?"

The doctor stared at him in perplexity. "You're going to be fine son, no need to make funeral plans."

Hank laughed shortly. "I'm planning on getting married, doc. As soon as I can find a damned preacher."

Amanda stood and stared at him. "Why the hurry?"

Hank's eyes met hers, dark and urgent. "I want you to be my wife before you change your damned mind."

Amanda looked at Hank, not knowing whether to laugh or scold him for his ridiculousness. "I know my own mind, Dr Montgomery. I'm not a child."

He laughed and pulled her onto his knee despite the doctor's protests. He kissed her soundly and grinned,

"I can't wait to make you my wife. Condemn me if you wish."

An hour later, a slightly battered groom-to-be and a slightly crumpled bride-to-be stood before the preacher exchanging their vows very emphatically.

When the preacher asked her if she would obey Hank, there was a gleam of amusement in Hank's mischievous eyes and she met that gleam by saying,

"Only if he makes the same vows."

"Take it out, father - for the sake of domestic harmony."

Hank being Hank didn't even bother to wait for the preacher's permission before kissing the bride and she clung to him hungrily, her tongue tangling with his as he kissed her.

"Mrs Montgomery." He murmured.

"Husband," she retorted, smoothing his sweaty blond hair from his tired face.

"I should have waited. If I'd taken you back to Maine - my mother would have thrown a huge wedding for you with all the trappings." He felt slightly bad that he had deprived her of such fanciness and she laughed, a low rich laugh that had no trade of dissatisfaction.

"Hank - I need none of those things. All I want is you," she whispered and he kissed her again, walking with her from the small church.

"I will take you to Maine though. My family will adore you."

------

They had stopped on the way back to Maine though so that they could both buy new clothes and freshen up. Hank helped her to pick out pretty dresses, hats, stockings and French perfumes.

His mother had been very charmed by his lovely, young wife with her dark, dark eyes and sweet smile. While Amanda had been slightly awed by his elegant mother, the older woman's friendly charm had soon put her at ease and she had been able to relax in her presence. His father had taken to her immediately, smiling at her charmingly.

She had been dazzled by his brothers and sisters, all as big and handsome as he was, the girls stunningly beautiful.

The boys had flirted with her outrageously and the girls had babied her, welcoming her to the family with an unfeigned warmth, delighted that Hank was finally in love.

They had walked along the beach, his arm in a sling but Amanda running ahead of him, barefoot with her skirts hiked up to reveal her slender, shapely calves.

Her hair was tumbled around her shoulders in unruly chestnut waves and her dark eyes were filled with laughter and wonder and he felt his heart ache with the love swelling up inside of him.

"I can see where you get your good looks," she commented as she collected shells.

Hank found himself flushing slightly as he glanced at her. She had smiled at him mischievously. That was his life with his new wife - irreverent laughter and teasing. There was something incredibly joyful about the way she was now embracing life. It was as if until he had met her he had been incomplete, moving around life in search or the missing piece that would make him whole. Now that he had Amanda, everything had fallen into place for him and she was there to inspire him, to encourage him and to love him.

"They love you," he told her, coming to sit beside her on the beach, his hand sliding caressingly down her smooth, bare leg.

"I love them, too. I wish I had grown up in large family," she said wistfully.

"They're your family, too now," he murmured, his hand sliding higher, beneath her skirt and her eyes widened in shock as she glanced around.

"Hank!"

"Amanda!" he teased her, his clever fingers sliding higher and stroking her until she moaned and arched against him as drew her down to him and kissed her senseless.

The family exchanged knowing glances when a slightly dishevelled Hank returned to the house with his blushing, tousle-haired bride.

------

"I'm pleased to say that the examination results were excellent. It's very gratifying for a teacher to discover that his pupils were paying such careful attention to what he was saying."

There was a ripple of amusement from the crowded lecture hall and as the students forwarded from the room, two of the girls who were leaving spoke to each other.

"Is it me or is he getting cuter every time I see him?"

"He's a sex god," the other girl agreed wistfully. "When he came back from his vacation a few months ago - married - there was widespread mourning around campus."

"Married?" the other girl squeaked in disappointment.

"He never got involved with students anyway," the first girl told her consolingly but the second girl still stared mournfully at the boyishly handsome professor with his dark blond hair, lean frame and charming smile.

Hank Montgomery was packing up his books, smiling down at the little note he had discovered in amongst his notes. Aside from making his lunch, Amanda had slipped in a little love note written in Latin which made him smile tenderly.

He glanced at his watch, wishing he had the time to go home to see her, but she probably wasn't home. She was very busy these days setting up her English classes for migrant workers.

He rubbed the side of his neck reminiscently, aware that his collar covered up a rather livid love bite his loving wife had left on his throat as a result of a rather intense bout of love-making which had taken place before he had left for work.

He made it through the remainder of the day and stopped by the community hall on his way home. Sure enough, his wife was there giving orders in relation to desks and chairs. Amanda's luxurious chestnut locks were loosely braided away from her exquisite face and her dark, dark eyes were intent as she discussed the seating arrangements.

He stood by the door watching her, feeling a deep sense of pride as he studied her intelligent, wilful face with its expressiveness. She turned and caught sight of him, and a warm flush crept over her fair skin as she realised that he had been watching her.

"Dr Montgomery." She greeted him formally, for the benefit of the others and he grinned engagingly.

"Mrs Montgomery," he replied, walking towards her. "Have you missed me?" he asked her and she flushed a deeper red and he laughed, pulling her slim body into his arms and kissing her hungrily.

Her soft lips parted beneath his and his body tightened as she kissed him back.

"You ready to leave?" he asked her huskily and she nodded.

"Let me get my things." She murmured and they made their way out to the waiting car.

She lolled comfortably against the seat as he drove skilfully and swiftly through the streets towards their home.

"I do love nothing in the world so well as thee - is not that strange?" she quoted to him and he smiled, his body aching for her.

They arrived home and fumbling with each others clothes they managed to get inside the door, halfway up the stairs before he was taking her on the stairs, his strong body pulling her against him as he buried himself in her soft yielding body. She moaned against his mouth, lifting her hips up to take him deeper and they slumped together at the top of the stairs, exhausted and satisfied.

"For some reason it just gets better," she whispered up at him, her dark eyes filled with love.

"I love you so much, dearest Amanda," he said kissing her soft lips lingeringly, smoothing her tumbled hair from her flushed face. "I still can't believe you're mine."

"Our wedding wasn't proof enough, love?" she teased him and his hand strayed over her full breast, caressing and arousing.

He lifted her into his arms and carried her into their large bedroom, following her down onto the bed. He could smell the fragrance of the lavender with which she washed the sheets and marvelled at the changes that she had wrought in his previously Spartan bachelor home.

They had been married two months earlier and wallowing in blissful matrimony ever since. Their honeymoon had been such an intense period of lovemaking that she had barely been able to walk. She had been very interested in his work and had been very keen to find some employment of her own. Anxious to ensure that she was occupied and happy, he had suggested the English classes.

"Are you hungry?" she asked him as they lay tangled in bed, his strong muscular leg entwined with her slender leg.

He grinned down at her. "Are you offering?"

"Dinner - should I prepare dinner O Husband?" she asked him repressively and he chuckled, a sensual sound which made her kiss him again.

She slid from the bed, out of his arms despite his protests and his attempts to pull her back beneath the blankets. His gaze lingered approvingly on her naked body before she pulled a thin robe around her body, tying the sash around her waist before heading downstairs to the kitchen.

This is all I have for now but part of me is toying with the idea of continuing the story further. Perhaps reintroducing Blythe Woodley or Taylor Driscoll or some form of drama. Who knows. I'll see how things turn out.