To Frederic, it felt like forever and yet only a few moments as he kissed her- cliche, yes, but true. He found his hand carefully tangling in her hair and felt the wall against his hand right behind Karen. She practically gasped his name against his mouth and he pulled back to catch his breath, gathering that she needed a moment too. He leaned his forehead against hers and just smiled softly at her. Goodness, everything between them was moving so fast, but Frederic felt like he needed her in his life. He could hardly remember the time when she wasn't present in his thoughts, even though it was only three or so weeks ago. He hadn't meant to fall so quickly for her, in fact, he hadn't meant to fall for her at all at first, but this just felt so right, so freeing, that he knew it was practically inevitable in his mind. Yes, he was falling in love with Karen Calloway, and although it frightened him a little, he knew he was ready to love again.

Indeed, she needed a moment to catch her breath, for she was dizzy with exhilaration and excitement. She sagged against the wall behind her even as his forehead rested against hers. Her eyes looked into his for a long time. There were no words that she could form into sentences at the moment, for her brain was a muddle. All she could focus on was their kisses and his nearness to her. Her mouth, swollen from kisses, formed a soft smile and she leaned in slowly for another kiss, this one slow and sweet. Her fingers tangled into his hair and she couldn't help but press against him for support.

Frederic leaned into this kiss a little more than he had the others and he felt her head (on which his hand still laid, gently tangled in her hair) touching back against the wall. He was careful to keep too much pressure off her head and as he felt her pressing against his body, he moved closer too, the hand around her waist moving just a little lower to the small of her back. It was peaceful inside this warm yellow house, he thought, his heart whistling with emotion, neither of Karen's babies were crying, no clocks were chiming, no wind could be heard blowing outside- it was just them, and he liked it.

At last, the kisses had to come to an end. She pulled back and rested her forehead against his the way he had hers. Lord, but all that kissing left her heart beating like drums of war. Karen gazed up at him with hooded eyes, feeling some kind of way. She wanted more than just kisses, and it made her feel kind of greedy to even think of that so far... but it was hard to deny the pull they had toward one another. "Frederic, what are we going ta do?" she asked softly. It was all happening so fast that she was overwhelmed with all of it.

Frederic's hand, the one holding her close on the small of her back, moved up to gently caress Karen's cheek. "We do whatever you are comfortable with and want... my dear." He hadn't called anyone (aside from Clover) something as sweet as that in years. "And however you may consider me in this moment, I return those feelings wholeheartedly." He smiled softly. "I wish to see you happy, and however you may find joy, be it with me or another, I will support you." He chuckled and brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. "Though I truly hope it's only me you find the joy of a kiss in."

"I don't think I could find happiness with someone that isn't ye," she whispered softly to him. Her eyes closed and she nuzzled into the hand that caressed her cheek. "I don't even know what this is but I don't wish for it to end." She sighed and embraced him, wrapping her arms around his middle and taking in the feeling of his strength. She should have felt guilty for all of this, but she simply did not. She wanted more than anything for them to be together, even if it wasn't what was considered proper. Harold was dead and he wasn't coming back. He would not know of her rebellious heart because he was not ever going to be there again. Frederic was very much alive, and he made it sound like he was taken by her. For whatever reason, fate had decided to throw the two of them together, lonely hearts, one with old scars of lost love, and one with new scars of lost love.

Frederic's heart swelled at her words. "We needn't put a label on this if you do not wish to," he said, his voice still soft and gentle, "though I don't wish for it to ever end." He placed a tender kiss on Karen's forehead and reluctantly glanced at his watch. They had roughly ten minutes until Clover got out from school. Well, he might as well make the most of that time, Frederic thought, and leaned in for another slow, sweet kiss.

It seemed they were bound to do a lot of kissing. Part of her wanted more than just that but she wasn't ready to face the consequences of doing more than just kissing. Then again, it had been a while since she'd made love to a man that she could not help the direction of her thoughts. "No label," she murmured against his kiss, "Just kiss me." She chuckled softly into said kiss and cupped her hands over his face.

Frederic did exactly as she said and just kissed her, covering her gentle hold on his cheeks with his own hands. He willingly lost himself in the moment and stood there with Karen, knowing only her and him together, and happy, and alone. A part of him tugged at his heart to seek something more, but he held back, knowing he would only make that move if he got the sense from Karen that she was ready for it, which he wasn't getting now. It was so serene in this moment, he barely noticed that ten minutes had passed at all until the lullaby in the clock he'd made for Karen chimed in the other room and he pulled back reluctantly. "Clover will be on his way any minute," he said softly, stealing a few more quick kisses before stepping back fully, immediately missing the warmth of her hands and her lips on his.

She didn't want him to step back, didn't want the kissing and embracing to be over but it must end for now with the fact that Frederic had to be there for his son. "Do ye think he'll stop here first and leave another little trinket?" she asked. Was her voice shaky? Her heart still beat a staccato against her ribcage. She didn't want him to go either, didn't want to be alone, but she knew that once he had Clover, they would eventually have to go home. She couldn't help but steal yet a few more kisses before finally backing away.