Chapter 14 Pleasure
As Alexander walked into his home that night with Mia by his side, the quiet hum of the city outside faded behind them. The warm light spilling from the hallway lamps cast a soft glow over the marble floors.
Mia turned to him the moment they entered the living room. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her cheek against his chest. The warmth of his body, the faint scent of his cologne, everything about him made her chest tighten.
She looked up at him with a faint smile and whispered, “I haven’t been this happy in so many years.”
Alexander looked down at her, a rare gentleness in his expression. His hand lifted and patted the back of her head, then slowly came to rest around her waist. “Give me the marriage certificate,” he said. “I’ll keep it safe for you.”
Mia blinked and reached into her bag. The crisp paper, the official document they had received from the courthouse only hours earlier, rustled slightly as she handed it to him.
Alexander’s lips curved faintly, satisfaction flickering in his eyes as he looked at the document.
“Anita?” he called out.
A few seconds later, Anita appeared from the kitchen, her steps quick, bowing her head slightly. “Yes, Mr. Graves?”
He handed the document to her. “Keep this in my safe.”
Anita nodded respectfully and took the document from him, walking away to carry out his command.
As soon as Anita disappeared down the hall, Alexander’s arms tightened around Mia, pulling her flush against him. His eyes darkened, the faint warmth from a moment ago replaced by something far more consuming.
“You know what that means, don’t you?” he murmured, his voice low against her ear. “There’s no way I’m ever letting you take it back. Not this paper, not this marriage… not me.”
He leaned back just enough to meet her gaze, that dangerous glint in his eyes softening only slightly.
Mia’s breath hitched. His words made her heart race for reasons she couldn’t explain.
Before she could respond, Alexander’s hand lifted, fingers brushing over her cheek as he cupped her face in his palm. His thumb traced her skin tenderly before he said, “I have a surprise for you.”
Mia blinked, stepping back slightly, her eyes widening. “A surprise?”
Alexander didn’t answer. Instead, he took her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers, leading her up the stairs to his bedroom. The moment he unlocked the door and stepped aside for her to enter, Mia froze in astonishment.
The entire room was transformed. Soft candlelight flickered on every surface, casting a golden glow across the walls. Fresh rose petals were scattered over the floor and the bed, their fragrance mingling with the faint scent of vanilla and jasmine that hung in the air.
The room looked like something pulled out of a fairytale.
Her fingers tightened unconsciously around his hand as her heart thumped nervously. ‘Is Mr. Graves… thinking that we’re going to spend the wedding night… together?’ she wondered, her pulse quickening. Even though they had grown close over the last few days, the thought still made her nervous.
Before she could say anything, Alexander wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her against his chest. His hands rested on her stomach as his thumbs brushed small, soothing circles over her dress.
Strangely, his touch didn’t make her tense—it calmed her instead. She found herself relaxing against him.
He leaned down slightly. “Since I made you happy today,” he said, tapping his cheek, “can I get a little reward?” His tone lowered, his voice soft and deep. “Just a small kiss?”
Mia’s cheeks flushed. She bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before rising on her toes and pressing her lips gently against his cheek.
Alexander’s hand clenched slightly at his side, the rush of happiness in his chest almost too much to contain. He looked down at her tenderly.
“I’ll put you to sleep,” he murmured softly. “I’ve arranged everything so you can rest well tonight. You haven’t been sleepwalking since you came here, have you?”
Mia smiled. “I haven’t, Mr. Graves. It’s like you’ve got magic in your fingers,” she said with a soft laugh. “Every time I fall asleep after your massage, I sleep straight through till morning. I haven’t sleepwalked even once since I came here.”
Alexander’s expression darkened slightly at her words, though he stayed silent.
‘How do I even tell you that I’m more disappointed than happy that you haven’t sleepwalked into my room once?
’ he thought bitterly. ‘You gave me an exciting hope… and then crushed it completely. But it’s alright.
Now, finally, you’ll be sleeping beside me every night. ’
He took her hand again and led her toward the bed. “How about you change your clothes first,” he suggested. “Then I’ll give you a massage, and you can sleep. You must be tired today.”
Mia nodded before stepping away from him and slipping into the bathroom.
A few minutes later, she returned, dressed in a soft nightdress, a long cotton piece with delicate flowers tracing the high neckline, the fabric brushing past her knees.
The pastel yellow shade made her look almost ethereal.
A faint scent of soap and warm water lingered around her, and her damp hair fell loosely around her face, framing her features.
Alexander had also changed. He was now wearing dark trousers and a loose gray T-shirt that hung over his broad shoulders casually, giving him a more relaxed look.
She hesitated, then asked curiously, “Mr. Graves… I saw that my clothes were already in the closet?”
Alexander looked at her with a slight smile. “I moved everything here,” he said. “Since we’re married now, isn’t it right that you and I sleep together?”
Her face flushed instantly, a pink warmth spreading across her cheeks. She lowered her gaze and gave a small nod before quietly approaching the bed.
Alexander reached out and helped her sit down on the bed.
His fingers moved in slow, expert motions, pressing softly into her skin.
The soft scent of the massage oil filled the room as his touch moved in slow, circular motions.
Mia’s eyelids grew heavy with every passing second.
The tension in her body melted away beneath his steady hands until her breathing slowed, calm and even.
When Alexander finally looked down, she was already asleep.
Alexander looked down at her, his expression softening.
He brushed a strand of hair from her face, feeling its silkiness between his fingers, and carefully laid her fully on the bed.
Then he knelt beside her, his gaze tracing every delicate curve of her sleeping face—the slope of her cheek, the softness of her lips, the faint rise and fall of her chest. Each detail made his chest ache with longing.
Her hair was scattered across the pillow, catching the candlelight, and the faint shine of massage oil on her exposed shoulder glimmered like liquid warmth. He swallowed, heart tightening, as he watched her breathe calmly, unaware of him, and felt a magnetic pull he couldn’t resist.
“Finally, you’re sleeping in my bed,” he murmured, his voice low and husky, vibrating with unspoken desire. “My wife.” The words pressed against his chest like a weight, every syllable stirring a deep ache he could hardly contain.
He leaned closer, brushing another stray lock of hair from her face, and this time, he let his lips meet hers.
A soft, stolen kiss—gentle, probing, full of longing.
His lips parted hers slowly, teasing the tip of her tongue before sliding out and then returning to capture her lower lip between his, sucking lightly with tender strokes.
He traced it with his tongue, exploring, circling, each movement slow and deliberate.
Her lips were soft, and the warmth of her mouth made his pulse spike.
He moved from her lower lip to her upper, lingering, tracing the swell of it with gentle flicks of his tongue, pressing, teasing, before drawing back just enough to catch a soft gasp against his own lips.
The kiss was a slow, aching rhythm, lips gliding, tongues tracing, breaths mingling, each second building the tension between them.
“The only thing I want to steal in this world,” he whispered against her lips, warm breath brushing them, “are your kisses.”
He shifted slightly, sliding down beside her with a careful fluidity, letting the heat of his body press against hers.
She stirred unconsciously, turning toward him, her head resting lightly on his shoulder.
His arm immediately slid beneath her head, pulling her closer to press her body into his chest. The other hand moved to her waist, fingers curling over her side, holding her snug against him.
Unable to resist, he leaned closer, lips barely grazing hers before his tongue flicked out, tasting her again, teasing with slow strokes.
When he pulled back slightly, his eyes flicked down to the delicate line of her neck, and he leaned in to kiss the hollow just above her collarbone.
His tongue traced the soft curve, gliding lightly over her skin, then teasing along the side of her throat.
He paused, pressing his lips there and letting them linger, marking her subtly.
The moment he saw the faint imprint he’d left, something dark and feral sparked in him.
His tongue darted faster, more eagerly, tracing tiny circles over the warm skin, exploring every sensitive spot he could find.
He nipped gently along the edge of her collarbone, sucking lightly before moving lower, then circling back, tasting himself on her skin.
Each mark he left made him desperate for more; he wanted to see, to feel, to claim every inch.