Hallie moistened her lips, tasting his soft kiss and turned. "Maximus…when?"

"When I think you are ready," was his reply.

She went over and squatted down by the stream, splashing water on her hot face.

He lifted her back up on the horse and mounted behind her. Taking the reins once again, he said into her ear, "Do not think I do not want you or that I am afraid of you and your burden, for it is not so." He turned Argento and they rode back to the stables.

Once there she walked back to the house. He watched her for a moment and, sighing, picked up the brushes and attended to Argento’s needs. She was young but she had a woman’s body and she was coming alive for him. He would not leave it for much longer.

Hallie couldn’t understand what he was waiting for. She was afraid he still thought of her as a child, but she wasn’t a child and it made her a little angry. She ran upstairs to her room and passed by the full length mirror. True she was petite, she couldn’t help that, but she was twenty-five, not fifteen. She looked at her clothes, jeans and a tee shirt. She thought maybe if she didn’t dress like a fifteen year old maybe he would notice…and then.

She took a bath then searched in her wardrobe for the clothes the House had added, finding a short black skirt that fit her snugly and a pale blue silk blouse, which she tucked in. She played with the blouse in front of the mirror and looked at her face, adding a little mascara and a touch of lipstick, a pair of strappy heels. She didn’t look fifteen anymore. Maybe he would notice.

He did notice. He’d come from the stables and stopped in the kitchen for a drink. Something smelled good in the oven. He walked to the stairway and stopped as she was coming down. He met her eyes, holding them for a while. "You look lovely, Hallie. I will join you shortly." He passed by her up the stairs. Hallie took a breath and walked into the kitchen to see what was for dinner.

She wanted to eat in the dining room. She was building up to something tonight…would it be tonight? Pulling out china, she set the table and lit candles. It looked romantic, she thought, and pulled the drapes, blocking out the late evening sun. To help her out the House started the CD player with soft background music. Hallie smiled. She needed all the help she could get.

The House had been shocked by her revelation but did not share Andy’s reluctance for her to stay. It chose Maximus for her. It knew him very well.

She knew he was there before he entered the living room, his seductive scent finding her and she turned. He’d dressed in modern clothes tonight, well-fitting black slacks and a cream silk shirt open half way down his chest. Once again he left her speechless. He smiled, walked over to a drinks cabinet and opened a bottle of wine. Wine was a great relaxer and he felt he needed it himself. She’d sent the invitation. It would be tonight. He walked over and handed her a glass. "To you, Hallie Madison."

She touched his glass with a nervous smile and sipped her wine. There was something different about him tonight. His eyes were soft but hid a deeper meaning when he looked into hers. He moved with such a sensual grace. The simple act of pouring wine wrote itself in her memory.

"I think dinner will be in the dining room tonight, lamb, I believe."

Maximus smiled to himself…lamb to the slaughter. "I like lamb."

He took a good drink from his glass and still held her eyes. "What made you change your attire?"

"I was…I found this in the wardrobe."

"It suits you tonight."

"Thank you." She wanted to go to him. He was too far away but something kept him there and she did not move to him.

"Are you ready to go in to dinner?" he asked, refilling his glass.

"Um, yes ,I am." She moved from behind the coffee table and led the way to the dining room. He held her chair for her and filled her wine glass again with the bottle he'd brought from the drinks cabinet.

"I don’t have much of a head for wine," she remarked.

"Is that so?" he smiled slightly and placed his napkin in his lap. "Perhaps tonight you will indulge me."

They finished their meal and the bottle of wine and walked back into the living room. He stood very close to her and touched her hair, letting it fall through his fingers like silken threads. Her eyes were centered on his chest, bare above the buttons of his shirt. His fingers strayed to her jaw, tracing down to her chin. He lifted it and kissed her gently and then his arms went around her and he kissed her again, this time probing her mouth with his tongue.

"You are sweet," he said against her lips.

His soft beard against her lips made them tingle. "Maximus."

He picked her up and carried her to his bedroom, placing her on the fur-covered low bed in front of the fireplace. He undressed her and himself and lay down beside her, placing his hand on her stomach.

"It is time, little one."

"I’m ready." She was more than ready. The wine made her feel as though she were floating, his hand moving on her body and his scent had her reeling.

He kissed her, cupping her breasts, first one then the other. He bit them softly, leaving a trail of kisses down her body. She was a rosebud and he tasted her and gently probed her with his fingers. She was wet; he wanted her wetter.

Hallie was drowning in sweet sensation. "Let it go," she heard him softly say and she did, pressing herself to his lips and his tongue. She convulsed against him and he moved up her body, kissing her deeply, giving her a taste of her own sex. He moved on top of her and entered her to her threshold.

"I am going to hurt you a little, Hallie," he whispered and took her mouth with his and trust himself into her, holding her tightly and not moving. He felt the door give way and lay joined with her a moment before beginning to move within her.

Hallie began moving with him, her arms tightly around his shoulders. She felt it building again and let him take her with him. She was all sensation, her whole body alive with the need. He brought her to a climax again and then let himself enjoy her.

Two tears escaped from her eyes, rolling down into her hair. "I didn’t know it could be so beautiful."

"Now you are a rose." He kissed her again and moved to her side, pulling her close to him.

She cuddled against him and slept.

A few hours later she woke still in his arms. "Are you all right, Hallie?" he asked softly.

"Yes, oh…yes."

 He pulled her from the bed and took her into his bathroom where he had a sunken tub. The water was warm and fragrant when they entered.

Days went by and they hardly left the bedroom. Their meals appeared and the remains disappeared. He fed her grapes and figs and wine. He taught her how to please him and encouraged her to tell him what she wanted. All traces of the child were disappearing. He could see it in her eyes, she had become a woman.

Hallie felt different and lost all her self- consciousness with him. She became playful, loving and sure, and she fell in love with Maximus.

"I have created a monster." He tossed one of the soft pillows on his bed at her.

"I think you have! Now you have to live with it."

"The sun is out today. I think we should go out and see if the world still exists."

"Do we really care?" She lay back on the pillow.

"Yes, we do. Come now, let us dress and go out."

She hated to leave his room. It had become so familiar, his scent had become hers. The haunting music that emanated from the walls would be with her forever and forever she would remember him.

Time had passed. There were only a few weeks left of spring. Hallie had given no thought to his leaving. He was her everything. He spoke to her often about the four seasons and the four elements. She laughed, he WAS the four elements. There could be no more.

"But there will be, Hallie, Summer, Fall and Winter…will arrive. You have taken the house for a year."

"I don’t want to think about that…think about you leaving. No, I want you to stay, Maximus."

"I cannot and you know this." He would not discuss it with her until she came to her senses.

There were only a few days left and it was raining again, which brought them back inside and they were in his bed again, leaning against the headboard of the big Spanish four-poster bed. Maximus had enjoyed the little monster he’d created but it was time to talk to her about his going. She’d ignored it and would not talk about it.

"You must face it, Hallie. In three days I will leave. I cannot change this magic. I would prefer that you make plans for summer."

"I can’t, Maximus! Who would I invite after you…I can’t make that decision. Maybe I’ll just be by myself, I don’t care. That might be better anyway."

"That will not happen. If you do not choose a summer, the House will."

"The House chose you. I don’t care who it is, who comes. It won’t matter, don’t you see! I love you, Maximus. After you…there isn’t anything."

"That is foolish talk. You have a long life ahead of you and immediately three more seasons to come."

Hallie started crying. "Help me, Maximus! I can’t face this!"

"Come to me, little one." He pulled her across his lap. "You have grown into a woman in these months. You must learn to live as one. A woman may cry as is her due but she will also reach deep within herself and find the strength to do the next thing. You may think a man is strong for his muscular strength but it is you, woman, who has the real strength. You can bring me to my knees, Hallie. No man can do that. Learn to use that strength you possess. Pull yourself up and you can face anything, anything."

She looked into his eyes, believed him, and took his face in her hands and kissed him.

Excerpt from her diary the day he left:

I came here post-student, still wearing my college clothes, and not knowing anything, I realize now. I have spent three months with the most wonderful man. He has taught me more in this time than I learned in all my twenty-five years. He has made me a woman and I will never ever forget him. Maximus, there is nothing else I can say but that I loved him.

He has prepared me for what is to come. Summer will arrive tomorrow and I have let the house choose a companion for me. I don’t think it will ever top Maximus. He has only been gone for a few hours, but I miss him.

TO BE CONTINUED...