He very nearly did draw more sounds from her with every touch, from both the sensations on her skin and Maria's own surprise. The memories were faded now after so much time, but time spent in her marital bed had rarely prompted any noises of appreciation, and if she ever sighed, it was mostly out of boredom.

But the more of her skin that was exposed to Desmond, the more she had to make an effort to stay quiet. This was no place to be vocal, not when the consequences for what they were doing could be dire. She clamped out mouth shut and held his head against her briefly as he put his mouth to her breasts, squirming against him and only letting out a small sound of appreciation.

As intoxicating as this was, it felt odd as Desmond undressed her but not himself. For the first time in a long while, Maria felt a pang of self-consciousness. Rather than wait for him to ease it, though, she pushed herself upright from her elbows and reached for his belt, leaning in for a kiss as she did.