Page 32 of The Duke’s Cursed Virgin (Cursed Brides #3)

Chapter Thirty-One

W hen the door to their bedchamber closed behind them, Sophia could hardly breathe. It was a new chapter for both of them. They shut themselves within, the air trembling with the same anticipation she felt.

Did he feel the same way?

Tonight would be different. They would finally make love with their hearts as well as their bodies. It was so quiet that all Sophia could hear was her pounding heart.

His eyes were on fire, and were definitely on her. They were intense, just like he was. This time, she knew she would feel more of him. There was a force that pulled her in, right from the beginning. After all, who went to strangers’ homes for midnight meals and trysts?

Could her heart take more of what he could give her?

Theo walked toward her, his shoes barely making any sound on the polished wood. He reached for her hands, gently but urgently.

“Sophia, are you certain?” he asked, every word sounding like a caress.

The question was loaded with meaning. Was she certain she wanted to make love? Was she certain she wanted to begin the rest of her life with him? This time, they would head on with awareness. No more doubts. No more secrets.

Her throat felt suddenly tight, and she knew that if she opened her mouth, the words would be soft and low. They had only begun to fully acknowledge the possibility of a shared future, one that was full of not just desire but also love.

“Yes. Of course, I am sure, Theo,” she whispered as she looked up at him with fond eyes.

Sophia realized that when one admitted love, one looked at things with fresher eyes. She saw not only the handsome man but also the noble and broken man beneath.

Theo stared back at her. She knew he was noting every slope and freckle, beauty, and blemish. He was taking everything in. When he crushed his lips to hers once more, she knew that they would be holding on until that end. The beautiful end.

Their lips knew each other’s angles and sighs, planes, and textures. They moved together as if in a graceful dance. While the kiss was fierce, it was also surprisingly tender.

Sophia knew this man would never hurt her. She held on to him, pulling at his coat as she tried to become one with him.

She’d missed him.

His tongue tangled with hers, raising the temperature of her blood and searing her soul. But it was the only thing that danced with her. His hands explored her, tangling in her hair, caressing her shoulders, and skimming down her back. He pulled her close, showing her just how well they fit together.

Two would become one.

They were married. They had been intimate before. But tonight was different. It was special. They were engaged in a more honest dance.

She whimpered when the evidence of his desire pressed between her legs, rocking into her and making her nerves explode even before they could tear their clothes off.

She moaned loudly, surprised by the strength of her yearning. It had been too long since she’d felt him inside her. Felt him become one with her, filling her and setting her on fire. Alone, she’d imagined his body on hers several times. However, nothing could prepare her for the reality of his touch.

“Sophia,” he groaned when they broke apart for air, their foreheads pressed against each other. “I am not letting you go again. That is a promise. No, a vow.”

“Then don’t,” she begged, closing her eyes with a mixture of joy and apprehension. She’d lost so much—she couldn’t bear to lose him. “Stay with me. Show me.”

Theo did, deftly unraveling her, one button and lace at a time. Opened. Loosened. Free.

When the dress was finally loose, she could hear the rustle of fabric and felt the whole thing pool around her feet. She was soon in nothing but her delicate white chemise, almost virginal and chaste before him.

Shyness took over when she opened her eyes and felt his dark gaze on her.

He wrapped a hand around her neck, squeezing a little. His other hand traced her collarbone before moving to the swell of her breasts.

“You are so beautiful, Sophia. I can’t believe you are giving me a chance,” he murmured softly, his voice breaking a little. “I wanted you—this love—for so long. I just kept denying it.”

Sophia could feel her cheeks flush, but she held his gaze. She held his gaze even when she tore off her chemise. She stood in front of him, fully naked and unashamed.

“Perfect. You look perfect. You were made just for me, Sophia,” he growled.

“It’s your turn,” she whispered, shocked by her voice. She sounded seductive, not quite the woman she had thought she was.

Her hands reached for his waistcoat. Slowly and deliberately, she undressed him.

Her palms rested against his hard chest, feeling his heartbeat. She traced his scars and rubbed his nipples with her thumbs. When he groaned, she looked up at him and saw that his eyes had turned black with desire. She licked her lips before she dragged her tongue over his stiff nipples.

“Oh, Sophia,” he groaned, reaching out to hold both of her wrists.

She pulled away from his grip, eager to continue exploring him.

“You have been through so much, Theo. Let me love you,” she said softly.

Sadness tainted some of her desire but did not overshadow it.

“So have you, my darling,” he said as he pressed a kiss to her palm and traced the pulse in her wrist with his tongue. “Together we are stronger. Aren’t we, my love?”

“Yes,” she hissed.

Something ignited when they pressed against each other. His body was magnificent; hard against her soft curves, impressing upon her his strength and control.

What undid her, however, was the way he looked at her.

Had he looked at her like that before? Yes, he had, but she was too blind to see. Too insecure to believe that someone would want her beyond the bedroom.

Theo did not have to ask. He knew what he wanted and acknowledged what she needed. He lifted her easily into his arms and laid her down gently on the bed. He immediately joined her, nudging her thighs apart to settle between them.

When he teased her entrance with his manhood, she let out a whimper.

“Please,” she begged, not quite knowing what she was begging for. His mouth. His body. His hard length. All of them.

Of course, it would be all of them.

“Tell me what you want,” he murmured against her neck as he placed open-mouthed kisses on it.

“You,” she gasped as she felt him slide against her most sensitive part once more. He was a tease, and he knew it. “Just you, Theo.”

Sophia clutched at his shoulders as he continued teasing her, the tip of his hard manhood grazing her nub each time. He was not unaffected either. A low growl escaped his throat as his lips descended to her breasts. Hot breath made her shiver with need, and her core was on fire as soon as he latched on a nipple.

“Like that. Oh, please,” she moaned, clutching at his long hair.

She pressed him against her breasts as she arched her back to offer him more.

“You taste so good,” he said as he teased her nipples with the tip of his tongue. Feathery at times, hard at times. The changes in pressure drove her to madness. “But it is not enough, is it?”

It isn’t. They both knew it. They felt more of it as his fingers slid lower, testing her wet and hot seam. A finger slipped in, moved in and out as she gasped some more. She was drowning, and she loved it.

“Theo,” she cried when two fingers went in deep and stroked a part of her that she did not know how to appease.

“Do you like that? You look flushed and beautiful, Sophia. I like how wet and hot you are for me,” he said.

Then, he slipped the fingers wet from her desire into his mouth and sucked hard. The sight made Sophia’s toes curl.

“You know I’ve got you, darling,” he promised, his voice rough with desire, as he positioned his shaft by her entrance. “Are you ready?”

“Yes! Yes, I’m ready!” she screamed.

Then, he entered her. A brief sting followed the weeks of separation, yet it quickly dissolved as his presence sparked waves of pleasure throughout her body.

At first, his movements were tentative as he tried to find the rhythm they were used to. Then, his thrusts quickened. To keep some semblance of control, she held onto his back. Each thrust rubbed against her bundle of nerves and filled her completely. Waves of pleasure washed over her as they moved together.

Theo was relentless and insatiable, but so was she. He rode her hard, and she took every thrust, gripping his buttocks to push him deeper. It was not just her body that was laid bare. Her heart and soul were also stripped open.

Laid between them were trust and the relief of letting go. Even her mind sparked with pleasure as he rocked into her more deeply with each stroke.

“Theo,” she whimpered, her body pulsing around him as she felt the beginnings of her release.

He was so close, too, his rhythm faltering. Unafraid, he followed her over the edge, pounding into her even as she clenched around him. She screamed as another strong wave of pleasure washed over her. Then, he followed, shocked by his powerful climax.

With the other women, there was so much talk about contraception and other forms of protection. There were worries about illnesses and pregnancies. With Sophia, there was complete trust.

Theo’s body shuddered as he struggled to recover after his release. He pressed his face into her neck, inhaling her scent.

Silence enveloped them, broken only by their labored breathing and the soft rustle of sheets. It was a melody to his ears, as much as her moans and sighs—like intoxicating notes that lingered in his mind. The mere thought of them stirred him anew.

Sophia settled in the crook of his arm after some squirming. He looked into her eyes, searching for answers to questions that bothered him.

“Sophia, please promise me something,” he said.

“What is it?” She sounded sleepy and tired, but also incredibly sated.

“Promise me that you’ll never leave me again,” he said.

He knew he had asked this of her not too long ago, in different words but the same feeling, but he could not help it.

“I promise,” she said, nodding tearfully. “However, you must not push me away. My heart can’t take it either.”

“You are mine, Sophia, and I am yours. Forever,” he vowed.

Then, he kissed her. It was a chaste kiss this time, lips pressing hard on lips, but it made his heart soar. It made him think he could do anything.

For a while, the two of them dozed in bed. It was a relief not to have to worry about the time Sophia had to leave. This time, everyone knew about them.

They were a married couple, and they could stay in bed for as long as they wished.

Sophia woke up with Theo’s hands gripping her hips. His fingers dug into her flesh with a possessiveness he had not shown before.

“I want you again, Sophia,” he said, his voice rough with want.

“Anything you want, Theo,” she whispered, feeling her belly tighten with need. “Anything.”

Earlier, Theo did not stop until they were both completely sated. But she still felt lost. She wanted him again and again. Yet, she did not fear any interdependence.

Theo flipped her onto her stomach. She hummed in anticipation, wiggling her buttocks teasingly. In one swift motion, his body was over hers. His weight pressed her into the mattress. She could feel his chest on her back. The position made her feel more vulnerable, but she liked it.

He was already hard and eager, poised against her entrance. She whimpered with impatience and desire as she arched her back to meet him. His manhood brushed against her wet seam.

“Yes, please. Oh, like that. Don’t make me wait,” she panted.

All shame had left her. All she knew was that she wanted what he had to give.

Theo did not like making his wife wait. With one deliberate thrust, he was home. Feeling him entering her from behind was exquisite, and Sophia loved every moment of it. He even felt larger at this angle, filling her and leaving her and filling her again.

“God, Sophia!” he panted. “You are perfect. So tight around me.”

Soon, she could no longer speak or think. She was under his spell—the spell of their bodies conversing. She was all sensation now, focused on him moving in and out of her. The deep and unhurried thrusts teased her until she thought she would explode. He controlled the movement, gripping her waist hard as he continued the slow rhythm.

“Ah!” she screamed in frustration and pleasure.

She wanted it faster and harder, but she also did not want it to end. It was like building one block over another with good balance. Build and build, but not explode.

“Theo. Faster, please. Harder,” she pleaded.

“You’re still so polite when begging for what you want,” he rasped, letting out a low chuckle. “I am afraid to be done with you. I want to savor every movement. There. Can you feel that? I am deep inside you, nudging the pleasure out of you.”

His words thrilled her even as he continued torturing her with his slow pace. Impatiently, she pushed back to take more of him. He was stronger, though, and steadier, gripping her harder and taking control of the speed and the rhythm.

“Mine! You are mine, Sophia!” he declared with unbridled passion. Then, he reached for her nub. “You feel this? This is mine, too. Feel me pinch it, roll it while I make love to you.”

“It’s yours,” she gasped, still struggling to get the rhythm she wanted.

One hand moved up her body to cup a breast. He thrust as if to test how much it would bounce in his hand. Then, he squeezed her flesh and rubbed her nipples, his hands working faster than his hips.

Sophia had become a mindless spoonful of jelly. Sensations overwhelmed her. Fingers stroking her bundle of nerves. The other hand squeezing her breast while Theo’s cock moved in and out of her. This time, he slammed into her each time, harder and faster just like she wanted.

Something seemed to explode in her head. She squeezed her eyes shut against everything to feel more of Theo. They were one, truly one.

“I-I’m going to come,” she warned in a trembling voice.

“Hold it, my love,” he commanded in a voice that was both firm and gentle. The hand between her legs retreated to her hip, while the one on her breast continued to squeeze. He slowed down his onslaught again, making her sob in frustration. “We will finish together.”

Holding back was sweet torture as Theo slammed in and out of her again. Sophia bit her lower lip in an effort to delay the inevitable. So close. In. Gasp. Out. No! In. Groan. Out. Please. Then, the rhythm sped up again, pushing her over the edge. His fingers strummed her nipple like the strings of a violin.

“Please, Theo!” she begged. “I can’t—I can’t anymore.”

No words came from him, but he increased the pace even more. His fingers were back on her nub. They were now playing with it over and over again.

“Now, Sophia,” he commanded in a loud growl that made her think of a pack of wolves. “Come.”

She thought herself blinded, for all was darkness as her vision blurred and her body trembled with the force of her release. She tightened around him, drawing him closer, urging him to the very depths as he filled her completely, lost in the moment.

Theo moaned in triumph, almost making her laugh at his enthusiasm. He was still inside her when she burst into a fit of giggles.

“No more secrets?” she asked, arching an eyebrow at him, even as he gently pulled out of her.

“No more, my love. I ask the same of you,” he said, watching her earnestly.

They exchanged vows that were stronger and more honest than the ones they made at the altar.

This time, they only had each other, and it was enough.