Epilogue #2
Leading her upstairs to the bedchamber they would now share as man and wife, he handed her a small, leather-bound book. “Read this to me,” he instructed, his dark eyes gleaming.
Phoebe raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering. “What sort of story would you have me read?” she asked as she thumbed through the pages of the book.
“Just you wait and see, my Duchess,” he replied, reclining on the chaise nearby. His posture relaxed and loose.
Phoebe placed the leather-bound book he gave her on a table, then crossed the room and retrieved her own journal.
Smiling at him, she flipped through a few pages from her most recent work until she found the one passage she wanted.
Her voice dropped to a gentle, intimate tone as she read aloud a brief, steamy passage.
Penelope could not look away from Prince Samuel. His eyes enchanted her. His presence overwhelmed her and with each breath she took, she fell further in love with him.
“Kiss me,” Penelope demanded. “Love me. Tell me I am the only woman who can make you complete.”
Every word carried the essence of her. Phoebe’s imagination and desire were laid bare, and Sebastian’s gaze locked onto hers, unblinking, and intensely focused.
The effect was immediate. Heat pooled low and heavy in her body, and the lusty desire that had hummed between them for months intensified.
Sebastian rose without a word. Phoebe only had time to close the book and toss it aside before her husband’s mouth crashed onto hers, feverish and demanding as she knew it would be.
Phoebe met his passion with as much intensity as he gave her as his hands cupped her face, his breath harsh between them.
It was almost animalistic, the way he did indeed devour her mouth, capturing her lips in his, gaining entry between them.
She gasped when he snagged her lower lip between his teeth, parting her further for him.
His tongue swept into her mouth as one of his hands slid down her dress, palming his way to her breast and fondling her roughly.
His kisses caressed her face, her lips, and her neck once again as the Duke tore off his jacket, discarding it right there without a care for its elegance.
Leaning down, he swept Phoebe up by the back of her thighs, taking her in his arms. She let out a sound of surprise, finding herself lifted off the carpet as he carried her across the room, never once letting up on his kisses.
She tugged at his hair, matching his fierceness, until they both lost their balance and toppled onto the bed.
Sebastian laughed loudly as if he were delighted by this maneuver. The sound of his glee made Phoebe’s heart flutter. Then, he was kissing her again, parting her lips with his tongue, and easing inside her mouth. She let her tongue tangle with his for a moment as his hands roamed her body.
His palms cupped her breasts, pushing them together as he moved his mouth from hers, trailing his way down to kiss between the mounds of her chest.
“These are delectable,” he muttered, curling his tongue around her hardened nipples.
And all the while, Phoebe’s core ached whenever she felt the brush of his length against her body as he moved.
As he lavished her breasts, Sebastian’s hand slid up her thigh. She giggled and squirmed when his fingers brushed right between her legs.
Phoebe gasped at the first press of his fingertips. He did not warn her as he entered, sliding a finger into her folds, already wet with arousal.
“You are soaked,” he muttered, licking and kissing his way back up to her mouth. His tongue flicked into her mouth, pulling back to meet her eyes. “I affect you this much?”
“Yes,” she breathed. “I crave you as much as you crave me.”
She moaned brokenly as he slid his finger into her again.
“I do love it when you tell me what you crave,” he cooed.
She gasped out as he spread her open, and pleasure worked its way through her body. “Oh, Sebastian. Please. Keep doing that—please.”
His laugh echoed into her mouth as he continued. “Now this… this is the kind of music I wish to create. Not on the piano, or any musical instrument. Only from you, my love.”
She moaned deeply when he curled the tip of his finger and moved faster. The warm, coiling sensation she had felt with him in the garden that night paled in comparison to what was exploding through her system now.
Something strong… powerful… built within her core and she waited for what came next.
Phoebe ran her hands through Sebastian’s auburn locks and pulled him closer.
Before she could soar right off the edge, he withdrew his finger.
“Look at me.”
And she did.
He braced himself over her, and she arched up, hating the sudden emptiness. He drew his finger down the length of her arm, before slowly helping her to a sitting position.
Her heart thrummed in her chest as his slowed down the momentum and peeled away all her garments. Before, they had been feeling and touching each other underneath her gown, over her stockings, and through the thin material of her chemise.
But once Sebastian was done with his ministrations, Phoebe was entirely exposed.
She looked at him expectantly. Sebastian rose and without using half the care he had while stripping her garments, he jerked his feet out of his boots, tore off his cravat and shirt, then yanked off his breeches.
When he was entirely naked, she gazed upon his glorious form and sighed deeply. His green eyes searched her face for a hint of hesitance, but there was none.
She was ready for him, had been ready for him for some time now.
“I love you, Phoebe Halshore,” he said as he gently coaxed her to lie back on the bed, then positioned his body so that he hovered right above her.
“I love you, Sebastian Halshore,” she echoed as she wound her arms around his neck and pulled him downward so that his hips touched hers.
And as he kissed her again, he pushed himself into her. It was slow at first, and Phoebe’s hips jumped, as if trying to take more of him. It was as though he was splitting her apart and replacing the space with unbridled pleasure, and Phoebe could only cry out with desire.
He was so large as he positioned himself over her. She laced her fingers through his hair to pull him nearer. Her body writhed as he slid in fully, and she felt every inch of his length. Her insides fluttered around him as Sebastian slowly, tenderly seated himself inside her.
Phoebe lifted her head enough to kiss his throat, suckling at the skin there in a bid to distract herself while she adjusted. Her breaths came out in harsh gaps as Sebastian stilled.
“Yes,” she moaned, lifting her hips to gain more friction. “Please… more.”
He grinned at her as he leaned down to kiss her.
He moved his hips, sliding out of her and then right back in.
When he sheathed himself back in her, it was with tenderness, reverence.
His thrusts were slow, languid, sensual, and she greedily took everything he gave; moans spilling freely from her mouth.
Sebastian moved with purpose, both inside her and around her body.
His mouth drifted from her lips to her neck, to her shoulders.
He lavished kisses along the underside of her arm as their hips moved in tandem.
He slid his hands up her waist and cupped her breasts again, fondling them to the point of sensitivity.
And all the while, Phoebe kept her eyes on her husband as pleasure washed over her in waves, drowning her deliciously in pure desire.
He sped up, his hips meeting hers in hard pounds as he chased his desire within her. As if it was buried so deeply, he had to search for it thoroughly.
Phoebe loved it, craved it, welcomed it, and thought she would never feel truly sated after this.
She would always seek him. She would never be content with remaining empty after feeling how full he made her.
“S-Sebastian,” she gasped. “I am—I am nearing—Oh, don’t stop, please don’t stop.” Her words caught and died on her tongue as her husband kept thrusting in her.
Sweat shimmered over his muscles, his powerful shoulders, and dampened the hair at the base of his neck. His own moans spilled into her mouth as he pulled her face up to his, and kissed her deeply.
“Come with me,” he told her.
“Sebastian,” she gasped. “Sebastian—This… It feels so good. Please don’t stop.”
He hit a place within her core that had her seeing stars, and Phoebe cried out in pleasure, while Sebastian’s length twitched in response.
“Come,” he ordered. “Find your pleasure with me.”
He slid his fingers through hers, locking her in the same held position but the slide of his skin against hers made her feel closer to him. He thrust harder, several more times, and Phoebe’s back arched in pleasure as she crested that edge.
“Sebastian!” she cried, soaring through desire.
Her moans spilled into the dark room, and she climaxed, only for him to follow her into oblivion.
“Phoebe,” he gasped. “Heavens—Phoebe.”
His seed spilled into her, and they joined in pleasure that broke the night.
When they were both exhausted and finished, Sebastian pulled out and released her hands. His breaths were loud and heavy in the otherwise quiet night. He rolled off her and collapsed next to Phoebe in bed.
Her body shuddered with the aftermath of her climax, and she yearned to go to him, to be encased within those powerfully thick arms.
He answered her call without ever needing to hear her say the words. Right then, Sebastian pulled her close, embracing her, and they lay tangled in each other’s arms, breaths shallow, hearts hammering in tandem.
Phoebe rested her head against Sebastian’s chest, feeling the steady thrum beneath her ear.
“I love you,” she whispered tenderly.
“I love you,” he murmured in return, pressing a gentle kiss to the crown of her head.
Minutes stretched into a quiet, contented eternity. Phoebe lifted her neck to stretch it and felt the silver pendant she wore dangling between her breasts.
“I never needed a ring,” she said softly. “This is far more precious than any jewel could be. And you are far more precious to me than anything else in this world.”
Sebastian’s lips found hers once more, sealing the sentiment with a slow, reverent kiss.
“Does this mean you do not like the ring I gave you today?” He reached for her hand, and she shivered when he stroked the slim gold band which encircled her ring finger.
She chuckled. “The ring is so beautiful, Sebastian. But this moment… this connection between us… it means more than all the riches and tokens combined.”
“Yes,” Sebastian mumbled as he nuzzled his nose against hers. “So long as we have each other, we will always be rich, indeed. And tonight is only the very beginning of our journey together, wife of mine,” he whispered against her mouth.
They remained entwined as the morning sunlight shifted. The house remained quiet around them. And Phoebe and Sebastian rested with full and unburdened hearts beating in sync.
The trials of the past, the masks, the distance… all faded into memory.
And Phoebe knew that, in each other, they had found home, passion, and a love that would endure.
The End?