Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The doctor was insistent that Thalia not be moved for at least two days.
Her sudden sickness, as he claimed it, was caused by a combination of fatigue, malnutrition, and the very real fact that she was pregnant so she could not afford to not be eating or sleeping.
It was a perfect storm that saw her strength give out and illness take her.
Thankfully, she would be fine, as would be the baby.
“So long as you rest,” the doctor told her and Caspian. “I cannot stress enough how important it is that you rest.”
“Can I at least go home?” she asked hopefully.
“I would prefer if you waited,” the doctor responded. “Another day… two would be best. Just until we can be sure that you are back to good health. No sense taking any unnecessary risk.”
It was a frustrating two days for Thalia, confined to her bed, forced to remain at her brother’s home, when she wanted nothing more than to return with Caspian to where she belonged. And was it not for her unborn child, she might have taken the risk… but Caspian put a stop to that pretty quickly.
“It’s only two days,” he eased her. “I can wait.”
“I don’t know if I can,” she said with some humor.
He smiled and kissed her. “We have the rest of our lives. What’s two more days?”
It shouldn’t have surprised her that Caspian elected to stay at her brother’s home for those two days, nor that he spent each day sitting by her bed.
He had told her how he felt, and she believed him fully.
But she also supposed that actions spoke louder than words, and if she had any doubt about the truth of his love, his willingness to spend those long hours by her side was the final proof she needed.
Finally, however, two long days after collapsing, Thalia was given leave to return to her home. She kissed her best friend goodbye, she hugged both her brothers, and then she was led from the home and into the carriage that awaited.
“I am quite fine,” she insisted as Caspian guided her down the driveway; he held her the whole way, refusing to let go. “I can walk without the help, thank you.”
“I know you can,” Caspian assured her. “Just think of it like this. I’m doing it for me, not for you.”
She eyed him. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t want to let you go ever again,” he said. “So, that’s just something you will have to get used to.”
The urge to roll her eyes struck her, but she smiled instead because while his words were a little tart for her taste, they were just as sweet.
He had told her already how he felt, he had shown her also, but that he continued to prove it through these small actions…
he really does love me, and now I wonder how I ever doubted it.
Despite all the good that had happened between Thalia and Caspian these last few days, there was still something missing.
It was not spoken of. It was not hinted at.
Rather, it was felt between them. There was an underlying tension that hovered above the surface, that sat between the husband and wife, and that grew until it threatened to burst.
Both Thalia and Caspian seemed to sense it, just as they seemed to know the cause and the cure. All they needed was time together, which was exactly what they got once they returned home.
“I’ve had your room made up for you again,” Caspian explained as they walked up the staircase. Still, he kept one arm around her as if worried she might fall.
“My room?” she eyed him sideway. “I… I thought –”
“I did not want to presume,” he hurried to explain. “I thought that you might still wish for your own space.”
“I will indeed,” she said with a smile. “Only, not as it concerns where I sleep. In that instance, I rather like the idea of…” She felt her cheeks turn red and she swallowed the lump in her throat. “… you being in my space.”
With that said, Caspian led Thalia to his room instead of hers.
They walked in together, and as if he could read her mind, he closed the door gently behind.
It was still early in the day, light shone through the window, the house was busy with workers, but none of that mattered.
They were alone, finally, and their minds both went to the obvious place without needing to dance around the fact.
“How are you feeling?” Caspian’s eyes roamed over Thalia’s body. She was dressed in a loose-fitting gown, and in truth she felt rather bedraggled, certainly in need of a bath. But he did not seem to care.
“As well as I ever have,” she said with a coy smile.
“No chance of collapsing…” He took her by the hand as he continued to drink her in.
“I don’t believe so.” She allowed herself to be pulled closer.
“I have missed you.” On hand held Thalia’s hand, while the other went to her waist. “All of you.”
“Prove it,” she purred.
“And how should I do that?” he chuckled as his hand squeezed her waist.
“Oh, I am sure you can think of something.”
Thalia’s eyes flicked up to meet Caspian’s. His eyes were hungry, and he let her see just how much. Their bodies were pressed together, and she could feel already how hard he had turned in his breeches, just as she could feel the racing of his heart and the trembling of his limbs.
He let go of her hand and rested his fingers under her chin. He licked his lips as he looked from her lips and back to her eyes. They had told one another how they felt. They had proven it these last two days. But there was one more thing they needed to do…
And if we don’t do it soon, I might just explode.
That was when Caspian kissed her fully on the lips. She accepted the kiss, breathing him in as if it was life itself. Her body stiffened and then relaxed and soon they were engaged in a passionate kiss.
The kiss was ravenous. It was ferocious. It started slowly but devolved quickly until it seemed that both were trying to devour one another. Tongues lapped. Teeth nibbled. A growl rose from somewhere, and Thalia couldn’t tell if it was hers or his. And they were far from done.
As they kissed, Caspian pulled Thalia toward the bed.
She followed, pushing as he pulled so that when the back of his knees hit the bed, he fell onto his rear and she climbed upon his lap.
Both her hands took his face and held it in place as she continued to kiss him, while his hands moved to her hips and then her backside.
He squeezed, she moaned, and their hips began to grind.
“Thalia…” he growled between kisses. “I should never have let you leave.”
“No, you shouldn’t have.”
“I will never make that same mistake again.”
She wrenched her lips free and started to lick and suck down his neck. “You best not.”
“I want you,” he moaned as she kissed his neck.
“Prove it,” she demanded of him as she thrust her hips forward, able to feel him hard and ready for her.
Caspian chuckled deeply, a rumble in his chest that she felt. As she kissed his neck, his hands moved from her butt to her thighs; he slid them under her gown, traced his fingers across her skin, and then gripped her legs tight as if he was scared to let go.
Still kissing his neck, tasting him like she never had, Thalia’s fingers worked to open his shirt.
Which she did do, exposing the thick black hair that curled across his broad chest. She flashed her eyes with delight and ran her fingers through his hair, and he growled and snapped his teeth before finding her lips once more.
There was a part of Thalia that wanted to take this slow.
This was their first time together after having admitted their feelings.
The romantic side of her wanted tenderness and passion, a chance to explore and learn about the other’s bodies.
But the other side of Thalia could not wait for such things, did not have the patience, and was desperate to feel her husband inside of her as soon as she could.
The second side of her won out.
I can take my time another day… the rest of my life. For now, after all we have been through, the idea of taking things slow feels impossible. And from how my husband throbs, I sense he is of the same mind.
She was quick then to help Caspian undo the front of his pants. She still straddled him, having to lean back as she unclasped and opened him. And he was forced to wrap a hand around her back and lift her as he raised his hips and shuffled his pants out.
His member came free, already hard and throbbing. Her hands wrapped around its girth, squeezing and then stroking as Caspian’s body turned stiff and his eyes shut tight. He moaned as she stroked him, and he bit into his lip and growled as she wrapped a hand around his balls and squeezed.
“You are going to be the death of me,” he moaned with pleasure as she continued to work his manhood.
“Let’s hope not,” she giggled. “I am not nearly done with you yet.”
“Nor am I.”
Thalia was already soaking wet between her thighs, and she could feel the heat as if she was on fire. For that reason, she did not bother with foreplay, nor did she want it. She wanted to feel her husband inside her as soon as she could, and she wasn’t about to wait.
Caspian could sense what she needed, and he did not disappoint.
He helped to lift her and pull her into him.
He helped to guide her gently down so that the head of his manhood pressed against her lips.
And he helped to lower her, inch by inch, as he slipped himself inside her so that two became one.
“Caspian…” she breathed as she felt him enter her, open her, fill her like she so desperately needed. “I… right there… yes…” She shoved her head into his neck and bit down.
“You are perfect,” he purred into her ear as she continued to take all of him. “So perfect.”
“Tell me that you love me,” she said, thrusting her hips forward a final time so that he was completely inside of her.
“I love you,” he said as his hands wrapped her bare backside. “I love you more than – oh, God!” he cried out as she thrust herself forward and ground her hips into him. “I love you… I… I love you…”
“Say it again,” she demanded as she began to gyrate.
“I love you.”
This wasn’t their first time making love, but it felt that way.
Things had changed between Thalia and Caspian, and nowhere was that more evident than in this moment.
Feeling her husband deep inside of her. Devouring his face as she kissed him.
Hands through hair and clawing at bodies.
It was untamed and wild, passionate and heavy, and somehow tender all in one.
Thalia moved her hips up and down, allowing Caspian’s manhood to slide in and out of her. She thrust herself forward, her clit rubbing against him, and each time it sent a pulse through her body that she felt in her heart.
The pleasure rolled over her like waves. Her entire body shook. Her legs trembled. She could hardly breathe. The sounds she made were intense and shook the walls. Harder and faster, deeper and longer, she couldn’t get enough.
“Caspian…” she moaned as the fire grew from her thighs and swirled up her body. “I’m about to… I’m so close…”
“Me too.” He gripped her waist and helped her thrust up and down. “Don’t stop. Don’t you dare…”
She had her knees rested on the bed as she straddled him, and this allowed her to bounce up and down.
She moved faster, coaxing that fire within to build hotter and heavier so that it burned.
Her body shook. Her heart expanded. She knew what was about to happen and was caught between making it last longer and letting it take her.
“Say it again,” she moaned as the climax rose.
“Say it?”
“You know what,” she said, panting heavily. “Say it.”
He chuckled deeply. Then he kissed her on the lips, eating her face and licking everywhere his tongue could touch. “I love you,” he said as he thrust himself up, deep inside of her.
She screamed. “Say it again.”
“I love you,” he roared. “I… I… I’m about to...”
“Say it!”
“I love you!” he cried out just as they both reached breaking point.
Thalia threw back her head and screamed into the sky.
Caspian did the same, roaring like a lion in the wilderness.
Their bodies shook together. Her legs locked around him, his hands wrapped her and held her in place, and she felt him filling her with his seed as she exploded from within, expanding to breaking point, and then collapsing back into herself.
She fell forward once the energy was release, and Caspian fell onto his back.
Thalia stayed on his naked chest, panting heavily, sweating everywhere, while never wanting to move again. Her body trembled as the moment left her, their breathing calmed, and still they lay there because never before had a moment felt so perfect.
They had been married now for close to a month, but this, this was right here felt like the true beginning of their marriage. The true beginnings of their life, one that they could be proud to call their own.