Pearl
Holy moly, I was married. To a man I barely knew. But what a man he was.
Georgia doesn’t require blood tests to get married, so thirty dollars and a trip to the Dublin courthouse later, Duke and I were officially man and wife.
No family to interfere, no friends butting in, just a man that I barely knew and yet trusted completely.
For our wedding night, Duke booked us a beautiful hotel suite in Savannah, and I had all my belongings packed in the brand-new Samsonite suitcase Nana had bought me for my birthday.
She’d said she wanted me to travel and explore the world, and I felt a pang of guilt because I was pretty sure it didn’t mean marry a man I’d met four-and-half days ago, but I glanced at Duke and all my worries disappeared.
“Are you sure this place isn’t too expensive?” I asked.
Duke chuckled. “I may be the black sheep of the family, and my father may be pissed at me, but I’m not cut off or anything,” he said.
Until that moment, I honestly hadn’t thought about whether or not Duke had money, but I suppose it was nice not having to worry about that. The state of my “virtue” was another matter.
“You okay?” Duke asked, clearly sensing my fear.
I nodded. “Just a little nervous.”
Although, not as nervous as I’d been an hour ago.
Duke had made us sit in the hotel bar and plied me with alcohol to calm me.
I wasn’t a big drinker, but he’d introduced me to a Brandy Alexander, and I’d decided I was in love.
With him and the deliciousness that had been poured into the glass.
I’d had two before Duke cut me off and took me to our room.
“I’m gonna take care of you, sweetheart. Don’t be nervous.”
I licked my lips. “Okay.”
“You know how this all works?”
“I did study animal husbandry.” I blushed and lowered my eyes. “And I’ve seen horses breed.”
“Jesus Christ, you’re beautiful.”
“Because I’ve seen horses breed?” I asked.
He chuckled, sliding my floppy hat off my head and throwing it on the bed.
“No hats on the bed!” I exclaimed.
“What?”
“It’s bad luck.”
“Oh, boy. My wife is a superstitious Bible thumper,” Duke teased.
“Hey, you’re stuck with me forever.”
“Gladly.”
He stroked my cheek then unbuttoned my dress, slipping it over my shoulders and letting it pool on the floor. I shivered as I stood before him in my underwear and knee-high boots, and crossed my arms over my breasts, but he frowned and tugged them down.
“Don’t ever hide yourself from me,” he ordered gently. “You are beautiful. More beautiful than anyone I’ve ever seen, and I’m gonna show you how much I appreciate you in a minute, but for now, don’t hide yourself.”
I bit my lip and nodded. “Okay.”
He slid my bra straps down my arms and my nipples hardened as he unsnapped it and dropped it on top of my dress.
“Duke?” I whispered.
“Yeah, baby?”
I closed my eyes and shook my head. “Nothing.”
“Show me your eyes, Pearl.”
It took me a second to get up the courage, but then I was staring into his eyes as he smiled gently. I instantly relaxed. I trusted this man. With everything I had.
“Better?”
I nodded and he knelt before me, unzipping one boot then the other, standing again and helping me slide them off.
Kissing me, he pulled me against his fully clothed body and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He smelled like tobacco and leather and mint from the gum he’d been chewing earlier, and I melted against him as he lifted me onto the bed.
Hovering over me, he ran his thumb over my lower lip. “If you feel uncomfortable or scared, you tell me. I’ll stop.”
I nodded. “Okay, Duke.”
He kissed my neck and his moustache tickled me, causing goosebumps to form on my skin as he moved down my body. I let out a quiet squeak when his mouth sucked on one of my nipples gently and I wove my fingers into his hair. Oh, my word, it felt incredible.
He continued to move downward and when he reached the apex of my thighs, I stiffened.
“Open for me, Pearl.”
“You’re…you’re going to…?”
“Yeah, baby, I’m going to taste you.”
“You can’t.”
“I can’t?” Duke smiled. “How come?”
“It’s…naughty.”
“Which is my absolute favorite thing, baby.” He slipped his hand under the waistband of my panties and ran a finger over my private area.
I whimpered, a sudden need forming in me I’d never experienced before. Suddenly, my panties were off and I was completely exposed, then his mouth was on me and I cried out as he ran his tongue through my very wet folds.
He pressed a finger inside of me, sweeping my walls and I gripped the bedding, fisting it in my hands as he moved in and out, in and out.
“Oh!” I squeaked.
“That’s right, baby, let your body tell you what it wants.”
“Is this normal?” I panted out.
“Yeah, honey, it’s normal.”
His finger moved faster and faster, and he pressed a thumb on a spot that made my brain feel like fireworks were going off and then my body shook, and a warm thrill shot up my spine. “Oh!”
Before I could fully enjoy whatever, this was, Duke removed his clothes and I was suddenly petrified. “No.”
“No?”
“There is no way that’s going to fit!” I tried to do a crab crawl away from him, but he just chuckled, tugging me back to him.
“Trust me. I’ll be gentle.”
I forced myself to relax and he hovered over me again, kissing me gently. He ran his tongue over my collarbone and then slid his hand between my legs and palmed me until I started to grind against him.
“That’s right, baby,” he whispered, and then something very large pressed inside of me.
“Duke,” I whispered, scared of his size.
“Am I hurting you?”
I shook my head.
“It’s the fear of the unknown that has you nervous, baby. Let your body relax and do what it was made to do.” He pressed in a little further and I gripped his arms. “Too much?”
I shook my head and he went deeper.
“It’s gonna hurt here in a second,” he warned, and thrust deep.
The tearing of my innocence stung, and he kissed me, muffling my cry with his mouth.
“I’m so sorry, beautiful. That’s the worst part.”
Staying completely still, he rolled a nipple into a tight peak, and kissed me again, letting my body get used to his invasion as he worked it back into an erotic frenzy.
Before I knew it, my hips were arching into him and then he was moving.
Slowly at first, and then faster, until I was no longer scared, I was simply feeling. All of him. And it was magnificent.
He let out a grunt and then collapsed on top of me, rolling us onto our sides and pulling me into his arms. “How ya doin’?”
“I’m not sure,” I confessed.
He kissed me again and slid off the bed. “I’ll be right back.”
He returned with a washcloth and settled the warmth between my legs. This had me blushing all over again and he stroked my cheek. “Don’t be embarrassed.”
“No one has ever touched me like that.”
“I like that, Pearl. I like that you’re only mine. I’ll never take that for granted, and I’ll always take care of you.”
“I’m going to hold you to that, Duke.”
“Wouldn’t expect anything less.” He stroked my cheek. “This is just the beginning of our perfect life. You know that, right?”
“If it’s with you, yes.”
“Always with me, Pearl. Always.”
He doted on me for the rest of the night and I was sure the tenderness he showed was an indication of what was to come, and I couldn’t wait to make a life with him.
Forever.