Page 32

Anna lay there, breathless as the itch of need began to spread beneath her skin. Julian was there once more, kissing and touching her, running his hand up her thigh beneath her nightgown.

It was quite peculiar, how she could never seem to get used to his touch. It always burned her skin and made her shiver in ways she liked and it went long before she began to pull Julian to her, each time he strayed too far for too long.

Unlike the last time when he had bound her hands to keep her from touching him, this time, it seemed she was allowed to do whatever she wanted. She ran her hands up and down his chest, fascinated to see how his muscles twitched beneath her fingertips.

He latched his lips to the underside of her jaw, mumbling awestruck compliments as he pulled her even closer to himself.

“You are… so incredibly beautiful,” he whispered at some point when he leaned back, pushing her nightgown off her body. “I cannot believe that you have let me have this – that you have let me have you like this. You are an exceptional dream, my dear.”

Julian’s gaze was incredibly warm, as though he had never seen her bare before and it made something churn uncomfortably in Anna’s stomach.

All of his mannerisms seemed different than usual tonight, and perhaps she might have wanted to revel in it before. However now, knowing the life ahead of her; the lonely days and nights that awaited her once this was over, made her frightened.

She recalled what he had made her say last time, and in a fit of desperation, she told him quietly,

“I am yours, Julian. Only yours, however, you wish to have me. I’ve been yours from the start.”

Julian stared at her in surprise, then he smiled, big and dangerous, spreading her legs apart, tutting when Anna tried to cover up herself.

“Don’t hide from me, pretty,” he scolded without any heat, pushing her hands away gently. “How am I supposed to worship you properly otherwise?”

“Perhaps by getting on with it already,” she whined, feeling more scared by the moment.

They hadn’t done anything yet, but she could feel her senses slipping so fast, threatening to lose her in pleasure already.

What if it ends and she can’t let go? What if she clings to him, pathetically begging him to stay, when she knows deep down that he has no intention of changing for her sake?

“I’m not in a hurry, so I see no reason you should be, either,” Julian replied.

Then he bent down and licked at her folds.

Anna let out a whine, her hands coming down to push at his head instinctively, only for her fingers to tangle in his locks as his tongue continued to explore her depths. Julian’s hands were braced beneath her buttocks, holding her hips up slightly so he conveniently lap at her like a man starved.

Perhaps it was because there was an intention that guided tonight’s meeting. Perhaps it was the feeling that Anna had rattling in her chest that threatened to smother her, but his actions felt more intense than usual, making her breaths shallow and her body pulled as taut as a bow.

Anna cried out when she found her release like that, with his tongue in her, shaking with little gasps as he lowered her back down. When his hands left her, she tried to reach for him but he was already leaning towards her, placing his lips over her sweetly.

“Are you ready?” he questioned quietly, lightly sinking his teeth into her lower lip.

Anna nodded, holding his face in her hands.

“Please. I need you now.”

Julian kissed her again, licking into her mouth hungrily.

“What my princess wants, she will have,” he promised, taking off his breeches.

And for the first time, Anna saw him bare before her. Julian was truly a marvel, with his strong, defined muscles and chiseled torso. When Anna’s gaze dropped lower as she admired his body, she couldn’t help but gasp at his member, the arousal within him evident in his girth.

Julian’s hands settled on the back of her thighs, and he slowly pushed her legs back towards her, speaking softly,

“It will hurt at first. If you feel it is too much tell me and I will stop.”

Anna nodded, and Julian’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, darkening as he let go of one of her legs to hold his manhood, guiding it between her folds.

“Breathe,” was all he told her before he pushed inside.

Julian hadn’t lied about it hurting. The pain was immense, knocking the air from Anna’s lungs and she gasped.

Julian stayed still, softly urging her to calm down as it faded into a strange intrusion.

The ache was still there moments later, but she also felt…

connected to Julian in a way she never thought was possible.

“I think – we can proceed. I am all right,” she told him eventually.

Julian studied her face for a second, and then he slipped out of her slightly, then pushed back in.

The intrusion still granted a foreign sensation that stole her breath, but the pain had been replaced with pleasure that gradually spread over every nerve within her.

Once Julian noticed she was truly fine, he increased his pace, thrusting faster and faster.

Anna felt so incredibly full, her mind pleasantly foggy as her husband pressed deeper inside her, a moan ripping out of her throat.

Shocked, she slapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide.

“No, love,” Julian frowned, sounding winded as he thrust in and pressed deeper as he leaned forward, causing her to arch her back off the bed lightly as he tugged her hand away. “You must let me hear you. I want to know how good you feel. If you are enjoying this as much as I am.”

Anna whined as he picked up his pace again, this time throwing caution to the wind and letting herself be as loud as her body demanded, reaching for Julian to pull him down for a kiss. Even with his lips on hers, his hips did not seize their movements, seemingly working faster and harder.

She could feel it, the slow build of tension within her, and she begged, eyes filling with tears,

“Please, Julian – please give me more. Give me more.”

Julian nodded, his teeth grazing her neck as he whispered to her skin,

“I will give you everything, my love. Everything you want.”

He was doing it so much, calling her love and filling her head with sweet nothings as though this was what they would have forever.

And Anna let herself believe it, just for that moment, wrapping her arms around him as the climax came for them both.

She could feel him spill his seed into her, instinctively wrapping her legs around his waist to keep him pressed into her still.

The sounds of flesh meeting flesh dulled, replaced by their collective gasps and groans.

When Julian kissed her again, he tasted of salt, their bodies damp and glistening together.

“Well done, love. You did very well,” he praised softly, patting her hair.

With the pleasure gone, clarity surfaced and she pushed Julian off of her, moving to get out of his bed.

“Do not ever call me that again. I do not want your lies or falsehoods. I’d rather you just left me be like you desire.”

Anna’s hands were shaking as she searched for her night dress, her hips feeling sore and bruised.

She wanted to be in bed with him, she wanted to revel in his warmth a little more. But she knew that if she let herself return, she would not survive his departure.

She couldn’t handle it, she could not watch him leave her again. And somehow, he consistently failed to understand that.

“Anna, wait – I thought you understood. I thought this was what you wanted –”

She whirled around and snapped, angry and hurt,

“I wanted a child because I thought you would want to stay and raise it with me. I wanted a family, with you. But all you’ve ever desired was your precious solitude. Enjoy it, then. I hope it makes you happy.”

She grabbed her dressing gown off the floor, put it on, and left the room, tears streaming down her face as her heart shattered.