Epilogue
EPILOGUE
“ Y ou may now kiss your bride,” the bishop intoned.
Finally, Richard could give in to the urges he had been fighting since he saw Selina approaching him, looking beautiful and delectable. He had always wanted to ravish her, her mere presence stirring his lust.
He was grateful for the coat he wore, for it helped conceal his arousal. He had barely listened to the sermon, with how engrossed he was with his wife and wishing to whisk her to somewhere private where he could ravish her with no restraints.
But then he could not do that without going through the process of marrying her and enduring the wedding breakfast that would follow. He was so distracted, thinking up ways to skip the process, that he almost missed the moment when they were about to exchange vows.
“Your Grace?” the bishop called, dragging him out of his daydreams. “Do you, Richard Nathaniel Curtis, take Selina Elena Wilkins to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to hold, in sickness and health, till death do you part?”
“I do,” Richard answered, his voice clear. His eyes were glued to Selina’s, her green eyes an entire galaxy he would not mind getting lost in.
“Do you, Selina Elena Wilkins, take Richard Nathaniel Curtis to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to hold, in sickness and health, till death do you part?” the bishop asked Selina.
“I do,” she intoned, her voice high and clear as she smiled brightly at Richard, her eyes luminous and brimming with unshed tears.
Those were happy tears, he knew. When he thought about the hurdles they had jumped over because of his cowardice…
He thanked the good Lord that he had not missed the chance to marry the love of his life because of his stupidity.
When the bishop gave him permission to kiss his wife, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, bent his head, and took her lips in a deep kiss that conveyed his adoration in ways that words could not.
But just like all his encounters with her, he soon lost his head when she kissed him back. He devoured her mouth with no care for their audience.
It was only the sound of the bishop clearing his throat loudly that called them back to their senses, and they turned to wave to the crowd as the new Duke and Duchess of Seymour.
His former self, who was a stickler for propriety, would have been scandalized to see such a display of affection in public, but he had discovered something he loved more than the appearance of perfection—the beautiful sprite beside him that was now his wife.
Weaving through the crowd, they greeted their guests, thanking them for witnessing the happiest day of their lives.
“At long last,” Herbert said when it was his turn to greet them. “At least now we will be spared the drama.” He rolled his eyes with a smile. “I would advise you to treat her well,” he whispered to Richard conspiratorially. “Trust me when I tell you that her black moods are super gloomy.”
The whole family laughed.
“Herbert,” Selina warned, but the culprit just smiled unrepentantly with the joy that only troublesome brothers felt when they had succeeded in discomfiting their sisters.
“I will miss you so,” Diana said, drawing Selina into a tight hug. “Please write me often. The house will be dull without you.”
“I doubt that,” Selina said with a reassuring smile, taking her sister’s hands in her own. “Herbert will be there to trouble you, and as for a sister, you will have Elizabeth. Stephen will offer guidance. Besides, I believe you will make a match soon and move to your own house,” she added, drawing her into another hug before releasing her.
“And it appears I am only valued for my guidance. I do not know if I should take offense at that,” Stephen said, eliciting a laugh from her. “You look absolutely beautiful, Sister,” he added, pulling her into a hug. “I wish you every happiness.”
“Thank you,” Selina whispered with a watery smile.
She looked into his eyes and saw that they also shone with unshed tears. Stephen might not be given to emotions, but she knew that he probably felt like a proud papa walking her down the aisle and giving her away.
He quickly blinked, masking the vulnerable look, and turned to Richard.
“Congratulations!” he said, drawing him into a bear hug and slapping his shoulder in that rough way that men liked. “I do not need to remind you to be careful with my sister, do I?” he asked, arching an eyebrow in challenge.
Selina tensed up slightly at the thought that they might decide to engage in one of those matches of strength that annoyed her to no end. The last one that was done on the day her dowry was negotiated resulted in Richard coming out with a slightly swollen face where her brother’s blow had landed.
It was well healed now, but she didn’t want a repeat of it. She was going on her honeymoon, and she preferred to have her husband intact and free of pain. Just as she was about to inform her brother of her preferences, Richard capitulated.
“Yes, of course. I promise to love and protect her with all my being.”
“You better,” Stephen said, slapping his shoulder again.
Elizabeth was the last to step forward.
“Congratulations, Selina. You look absolutely beautiful,” she said with a watery smile. “Please write me often, or I will come visit unannounced. Do ask Stephen how violent pregnant ladies can be. You do not wish to incur my wrath.” She chuckled, gathering Selina into a hug.
“I will. Thank you so much,” Selina replied, feeling her eyes well with tears as she slowly realized that she was leaving her family to become one with Richard.
While it was not forever, and she could always visit them or they could visit her, it could never be the same as living in the same house with them.
She felt Richard squeeze her waist, and she decided that there was no one better that she could embark on this journey with.
With his hand on her waist, he led her to the wedding breakfast, where they ate and drank. He made an early announcement that he wanted to take his wife home, since the journey to the estate in the countryside was long.
Amidst cheers and tearful goodbyes, they boarded the coach that would take her to her new home.
When the coach had finally moved far from the prying eyes of their guests, Richard stretched out his arms and pulled her onto his lap, eliciting a gasp of surprise from her.
“Finally,” he groaned. “I can have some privacy to ravish my wife.”
He buried his face in her neck and proceeded to kiss and nibble on the sensitive skin there.
“Why do I have the feeling that the country estate is not as far as you made it out to be?” Selina said, chuckling.
“I always knew you were clever, my love,” he said, before sucking her earlobe into his warm mouth, slowly loosening her grip on her sanity. “There was no better way to make them give me privacy. It was either that or carrying you like a caveman out of that place.”
“You wouldn’t.” Selina giggled.
“You underestimate me, dearest. Perhaps I should show you why you shouldn’t,” he said with heated eyes.
He swooped in and claimed her lips, moaning slightly with relief and desire. Licking her lips and nibbling on them, he urged them open, then groaned when he gained access to the warm cavern of her mouth.
The kiss caught fire as he explored the heated depths of her mouth, his desire climbing to new heights.
His hand moved to the back of her dress, loosening her stays with desperation, pulling on the material until he heard a tear and it fell open, giving him access to her breasts. He immediately cupped them in his hands, kneading them and pinching her nipples, causing her to whimper and writhe on his lap, encouraging his aroused member to harden even further—almost to the point of pain.
His hand found her knee, fighting with her voluminous skirts until it touched her skin. He stroked the inner side of her knee, enjoying the gasp of pleasure that escaped her lips as he worked his way upwards, his thumbs forcing her thighs open until he was touching her core.
She was hot and wet and so tempting that he had to fight the urge to lay her down on the cushion and rut her like an animal. Instead, he stroked her sex, spreading her folds until he found her pearl and strummed it, enjoying the screams of pleasure she tried to muffle against him.
He slid a finger into her warmth, growling with pleasure at the tight fit. The thought of pushing his hard member into her tight core almost blinded him with desire.
Panting against her mouth, he fought for control, concentrating on bringing her pleasure. He nipped her lips, once, twice and then moved lower to her chin then neck and lower to the nub of her desire which starined with her arousal. Her scent nearly undid him but he knew her tatse would be the end of him and he laved at her with his tongue, groaning at the sweetness of her.
He wondered if the desire he felt for her would ever dim because he craved her more with each day that passed with an intensity that winded him at times.
Her hands went into his hair and he knew she was close by the sounds pouring from her lips and the way her legs shook around him.
“Richard.” She gasped, spasming in his arms.
He laved at her until she calmed, gathering her into his arms and pressing a kiss to her forehead, as he tried hard to slow his breathing.
“I shouldn’t have done that. You make me lose control, you minx.”
“Whatever will the driver think?” Selina giggled.
“Whatever he chooses to.”
“That is not very proper of you, Your Grace.”
“I believe you have stripped me of all my pretense of propriety.”
Selina laughed loudly at the accusation.
Her eyes widened when the coach jolted to a stop, and she realized that they were home. She looked out the window to admire her new home.
She was in awe of the sheer architectural wonder. It was built with the majestic boldness of the previous century. Its facilities were renovated to match the pleasure and comforts of modern times, and the combination was nothing short of mesmerizing, much like the master of the estate.
“This is your new home, Duchess,” Richard said, refastening her dress and fixing her hair so that she did not look like she had just been ravished by her husband.
She did not think that it helped much.
When they stepped out of the coach and headed to the house, they were greeted by an elderly butler, who welcomed them with a surprised smile. A look around confirmed that the servants had been expecting their master to arrive later.
Perfect, Richard thought. He wanted alone time with his wife.
“We were not expecting you this early, Your Graces. Perhaps I could go and inform the others to come and greet the new Duchess.”
“Do not bother, Robert. Please do your best to hide the news of my arrival. I do not want to be disturbed,” Richard said.
He grabbed Selina’s hand and pulled her forward so that they were running up the stairs, laughing with exhilaration. Selina barely had time to admire the house before he was ushering her into his bedroom, closing the door, and turning the key in the lock.
Backing her up against the door, he proceeded to kiss her with reckless abandon, fanning the embers of her desire until she was writhing and moaning in his arms.
He suddenly pulled back. She whimpered in protest, but he simply pulled her forward, turning her so that he could divest her of her clothing. In no time, she was standing naked in the middle of his bedroom.
His eyes roved over her body with admiration and desire, leaving a trail of fire wherever they touched.
“Your turn,” she said, her voice raspy as she unfastened the buttons of his shirt, her hands suddenly clumsy.
He took over, removing his shirt, and for the first time, she saw him shirtless. He was magnificent, his chest a solid wall of muscle, trim and rippling, with softness in sight. She wanted to touch him and kiss him all over, laying claim to him like he had her.
He unfastened his trousers then, and she stared, lost in the work of art that was his body. Prowling towards her, he carried her to the massive bed that dominated the center of the room, before climbing in with her. He pulled her flush with his body and nibbled on her neck, licking and kissing it as his hands squeezed and kneaded her breasts. The sensations drove her to new heights of pleasure.
“Beautiful. You are so beautiful,” he murmured in her ear. His voice amplified the shivers that ran down her spine.
He moved lower, sucking her breast into his mouth while he tortured its twin with his free hand. She was whimpering and gasping, writhing on the bed as she arched into him and then away from the intense sensations he was wreaking on her body.
The hand on her breast trailed down her stomach to her aching core, his talented fingers stroking her there until she bit his shoulder to muffle her screams of pleasure.
He was ruthless now, driving her to the brink, then slowing his strokes so that she did not fall off the peak. He did this several times until she was a mess of sensation, sobbing and begging for the climax that was so close.
“Please,” she moaned. “Richard, please.”
She didn’t know what she was begging for, but this time, he withdrew his fingers and replaced them with the blunt head of his manhood.
He stared down into her face, the frown on his face proof of his need. He pushed into her a little, eliciting a low moan from her, before sliding in to the hilt. She squirmed at the strange pressure inside her.
“Are you well?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“Yes,” she replied, and he must have taken that as his cue to move.
Rocking into her, he withdrew almost entirely, then surged back in. Her pleasure grew with each thrust until she reached her release, gasping and writhing with the overwhelming waves of pleasure coursing through her.
Moments later, she clutched his shoulders as he found his pleasure, groaning as he spilled his seed inside her before he fell onto the bed beside her. Their panting breaths were the only sounds in the room as he gathered her into his arms.
“That was absolutely wonderful.”
“I do aim to please, my love,” Richard answered, smiling with adoration at the flushed face of his wife.
Gone were the days when he cared so much about pleasing the ton. He had pledged to please one woman, and it was much more rewarding, he must admit.
The End?