Epilogue
Anna wondered how her husband knew that she wanted a grand gesture, proof that he loved her, but only briefly.
She wanted to thank him, to tell him that it was all she wanted him to do since the moment he returned, but each time she opened her mouth, she was distracted by how light she felt in his arms, and how he was looking at her like she was the most desirable and womanly thing to ever exist.
Before her thoughts could linger too long, she felt herself being laid on her bedcovers and her mind blanked completely. She fought to keep her wits about her, for she wished to remember everything and be an active participant.
“I love you,” he said for a second time, “I love you, Anna, and I should have told you before. I was simply–”
She hushed him gently, running her fingers through his hair.
“I know,” she assured him. “There will be time for us to mend all of that, and to talk things through. For now, I want you to show me just how you feel.”
“As you wish,” he whispered, taking her hands and slowly removing her gloves.
Piece by piece, he stripped her bare. Her necklace was gently removed, but when he came to her wedding ring, he simply kissed it.
When she was left in her gown alone, she softly flipped her onto her stomach, and she smiled into her pillow as she felt him unlace her corsets.
There was a deftness to it, and also a longing that she had always wanted him to reciprocate.
Once he was done, he stood back for a moment as he gave her a look of both admiration and satisfaction.
As before, she did not hide her body from him. She was his, wholly and utterly his, and she knew that he would continue to earn such trust. He continued to gaze upon her for a moment, and then he remembered what he was supposed to be doing with himself and removed his shirt.
As he stepped away from the bed, she admired his physique in turn. It was no surprise that he could carry her and move her as he pleased, and do so easily. Had she not known how gentle he was with her, she would have been intimidated.
And, when he removed the rest of his clothing, she remembered just why she was intimidated after all. He returned to her, kissing her passionately, which she reciprocated with enthusiasm.
“I feared losing you,” he whispered when they broke apart. “I will never let myself come that close to it before righting myself again. I will be a better man for you, Anna.”
“You talk far too much,” she giggled. “Is that not what you once said to me?”
“Said,” he agreed, his lips against her neck, “and thought several times over, but I want nothing more than to hear that pretty voice of yours now.”
That was enough for her to let a moan leave her lips.
“Just like that,” he chuckled, moving down her body and leaving soft kisses on each part he passed.
Anna was at war with herself, relishing each touch he gave her but also desperate for more.
She knew how divine he made her feel when it escalated, and she craved it while also wanting to prolong it.
She could not decide what she wanted, but she did not need to; Spencer knew her better than she knew herself, and when she saw how much he was enjoying himself, she could not deprive him of what he clearly wanted too.
“I do not know how long I can hold myself back for,” he said at last, and her heart soared.
“You need not do so at all,” she said quickly. “I am ready for you, I assure you.”
With a half-grin, he deftly moved his cool fingertips between her legs, feeling the proof of her assertion in an instant.
She blushed at how quickly he had affected her, knowing that he reveled in it.
Without a word, he moved down to her legs, his mouth closing around her so quickly that she had to clamp her hand over her mouth to control herself.
In spite of his claim, he seemingly took no issue in taking his time with her, his tongue exploring her with a desperation that she had never expected could be possible.
She felt her thighs tremble, leading to him holding her still.
All that she could do was whimper as she writhed beneath him, silently pleading with him to continue further, but also not to stop.
She was trying to keep her composure, but then she remembered his promise; he would ensure that she would build to another climax if that was what she wanted.
And so, she let herself go, and he did not stop after that.
It was evident that he was going to continue until he was also satisfied, and she was more than happy for him to do so.
When he did pull away, she wondered if he had even more in mind for her, and there was almost a sense of relief when she felt him at her entrance again.
He took her hand in his, placing it beside her face as she felt his weight press her into the bed.
“I love you,” he repeated as he pushed forward, using his other hand to brush a stray curl from her face. “I love you more than anything in the world, Anna.”
Anna waited for the discomfort to come, but she was already adjusting to his size.
Even so, when he was halfway inside her, she jolted, shivering.
He was moving agonizingly slowly, and it only made her need him more.
Part of her wondered if that was why he was taking his time, for she did not know why else he would continue to deprive himself too.
“I love you too,” she moaned as they moved. “It is quite all right, I can take it.”
“Thank God,” he groaned, losing his composure and taking her in one fluid motion.
Once again, he paused, allowing her to overcome the dazed feeling that washed over her. He filled her completely, and he seemed to preemptively cover her mouth slightly in case she was too loud, only to pull it away again.
“Ignore that,” he instructed. “I wish to hear you.”
He did not wait as long as he had the first time before moving, and Anna could only assume that it was because he could not control himself.
It made her feel all the more desired, which in turn made her more aroused.
He thrusted in long strokes, pinning her in place as he took her.
Their faces were close to one another, and he gave her long kisses as he moved.
He kept a steady rhythm, and Anna knew that soon it would give way, which would mean that he was close.
“You are divine,” he muttered in her ear, followed by an expletive as he slammed his hand against the headboard.
Once he had steadied himself, he used his fingertips to trace lines up and down her torso, finally settling on her breasts. He rolled his palm over them, squeezing them gently, and once again Anna felt a pressure building in her stomach.
Even though he was taking pains to be gentle with her, she felt ravaged. It was the most incredible feeling, and yet as much as she wanted it to continue, she wanted the divine feeling she had when it came to an end.
She knew that there was no use in trying to decide what she wanted, and she was better off letting herself feel as she did without anticipation, but it was difficult to do so when she knew what was to come.
“Please,” she begged. “I cannot last much longer. Please, Spencer.”
“What is it?” he teased. “What do you want from me, Dear?”
“You know what I want,” she whimpered, and he tutted.
“Use your words. You know I like to hear them.”
“I want you to– I want you to climax.”
“There you are.”
With that, he put her legs firmly around his waist and grew rougher with her, his rhythm giving way, which made Anna lose herself.
And yet, as she crumbled around him, she felt herself be rebuilt again.
It was everything that she had imagined when she would lie alone at night, something she knew would never happen again.
He was home, and he was not going anywhere without her, which meant a lifetime of feeling like the most beautiful woman, the most loved, and the most pleasured. The thought of it, along with him taking her face gently in his hand, was enough for her to come entirely undone.
“Spencer!” she gasped, the tension releasing as she cried out against his chest.
“Oh, Anna,” he groaned, suddenly pausing. “If you tighten like that, I will–”
Another groan followed, and once more she felt the delicious pulsing feeling that he gave her as he released, and she was desperate for him not to withdraw. She felt empty without him, but as he pulled out, he held her close, surrounding her with his warmth.
“Did it hurt that time?” he asked. “I did not mean to handle you so roughly there, but I could not help myself. You felt too good for me to hold back.”
“That was my favorite part,” she countered, “and no, you did not hurt me. I should like to think that you will never do that again.”
“I will do all that I can to make it so,” he nodded as they settled into the covers. “I want you to be happy, Anna. I know that it may not have always felt that way, but it is the truth.”
“I know. I think a part of me has always known. As misguided as you were, I know that you were trying to do what you thought was best.”
“I was,” he assured her. “I have made so many mistakes, and I cannot claim that I will never make another, but I will always tell you what I plan to do. I will always come to you first.”
And that,” she said warmly as she kissed him, “is all that I ask of you. Well, that and that you give me such pleasure as that more.”
“Consider it done.”
Anna could feel herself falling asleep, even though she wanted to speak with her husband more.
She wanted to ask him so many things, to know just what had led to him being so afraid of telling her the truth and what had made him change his mind at last, but they were in a moment of pure bliss, and she wished to remain in it.
She did not need to know everything, not when they would have the rest of their lives to learn everything about one another.
“You are shivering,” he whispered in her ear, pulling her closer.
“Am I? Or are you simply looking for an excuse?”
“Can it not be both?”
She could hear him drifting off just as she was, and the happiness in her heart as she followed him was purer than she had ever thought possible.
In that moment, she was not the Duchess of Wutherton, nor was she a loud young lady who insisted on saying precisely what was on her mind and tempting scandal. She was simply Anna Madden, the happiest wife in the country, and that was more than she could have asked for.
And, with her husband’s arms tightly wrapped around her, she knew that that was all she truly had to be.
The End?