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The dimly lit bedchamber was fairly cold as Anthony entered. He wondered if it was so on purpose? Did Kate prefer her chambers to be cold? He did not know. He had learned many things about her those past weeks, but this had not been part of it. Yet it was quite reassuring. He loved that there was more to learn about her; wished to know every detail of her life and mind and body.
They had tried spending every spare minute leading up to the wedding with one another: long walks through the park; morning rides and breakfast and dinner; every event that gave them an excuse to talk to one another. Yet it was not enough. Because until now, they had hardly ever been granted privacy.
They had still stolen themselves moments of privacy, however. Their short, secret meetings had kept them sane. But passionate kisses and tender love had been haunted by haste and caution.
“Don’t taint me too much, Lord Bridgerton,” Kate had teased him. “We are not married yet. I might still change my mind.”
They were married now, however. There was no reason to hide anymore. Their love did not have to be quick and silent. And Anthony had been longing for this very moment – the moment he could step inside her bedchambers as a married man; as her husband.
He had never spared his wedding night much thought before. He very much doubted there would have ever been such excitement rushing through his veins, had it been anyone but Kate. And that excitement was not weakened by their previous intimacy. Because he could never have enough of her. And because there was no reason for secrecy or caution any longer; no reason to be quick and quiet. This was new.
They had all the time in the world now. And for the first time, he was allowed to truly look at her.
And so he stood inside the cold bedchamber, staring at his wife – as beautiful as ever, wearing merely a nightgown as her thick waves of hair were falling across her shoulder.
My wife.
Words so absurd and wonderful, he could barely comprehend them. He could not take them for granted, not yet – perhaps, he never would.
Slowly, he walked towards her then – reaching out his hand, playing with a strand of her hair. He felt almost nervous, as ridiculous as it might be.
“Have I ever told you how beautiful your hair is?” he asked quietly.
“Not until now,” she replied with a smile.
It truly was beautiful. Yet, it also hid part of her face. So he brushed that strand behind her ear, looking at her dark eyes – glistening with a smile; glistening with the same anticipation that was rushing through his own body; and glistening with a desire that would be enough for his heart to never stop beating.
“Are you going to finally kiss me?” she asked, a small smirk on her lips.
He shook his head. “I just want to look at you for a moment.”
Her eyes shot to the floor then – flustered, but only for a second. Because Kate was too proud for that, and so her eyes met his again as she retorted, “Are you attempting patience, Lord Bridgerton? Surely, you do not merely wish to look at my face tonight.”
“No,” he replied, his voice almost a whisper. “I wish to look at all of you.”
She bit her lip then, her eyes not leaving his this time as she took a step back – still looking at him, slowly loosening the top of her nightgown, revealing her shoulders.
“Is this enough?” she teased him. “Or do you wish to see more?”
He knew that she wanted an answer – yet his silent stare must have been enough for her to continue lowering her dress. And slowly, she was revealing her round breasts as the fabric slid over her firm, dark nipples.
Anthony inhaled sharply as his body was tensing in anticipation and desire, longing to kiss every inch of her body. Yet he remained where he was, watching her quietly as she revealed more of what was already too familiar to him, but not familiar enough yet.
As the nightgown quietly fell onto the floor, it took everything in him stay still – to watch her in patience. He had touched and kissed her before, but he had never seen her like this – completely bare in front of him, her soft skin shining inside the warm light. His heart felt like it could burst any moment – and not just his heart.
Still, he needed to be patient; needed to relish this moment. And so he ignored his unbearably tight trousers as he walked towards her, slowly reaching out his hand, letting his fingers stroke across her sharp collarbone and down her chest. He traced the shape of her breast before gently letting his thumb brush across her firm nipple.
A quiet moan escaped Kate’s lips as he noticed a shiver rushing through her body – though most likely not from the cold.
His hand wandered lower, brushing along the curve of her hip as he knelt down in front of her.
Suddenly, he noticed a bump, recognising it as a small scar. He had not noticed that before.
“How did that happen?” he asked, letting his fingertips gently draw circles around it.
“Riding accident,” she breathed.
He smiled. “I have one too. On my thigh.”
“I would like to see it.”
He bit his lips then – his fingers wandering to where her hair began to grow, hiding what he was longing for the most.
Yet he pulled back, standing up again. He looked at her as he took a step backwards, beginning to undress himself.
It was not as pretty or sensual, as he was still fully dressed. Yet Kate’s eyes were fixated on him, watching every single movement: how he knelt down to take off his boots; how he unbuttoned his vest with shaking hands; how he pulled of his shirt, and then his trousers and pants – throwing it all aside as he stood in front of her, naked and vulnerable.
The room was not cold anymore. His face was burning as she stared at him – her eyes wandering down his body, and with a smile, back up to his face.
“Seems like you are not as patient as you pretend to be.”
He chuckled. “I assure you, I’m as patient as I can be with you.”
“Well … I am not.”
And with that, she went towards him – pushing her hand into his hair, leaning forward as he was already expecting her fierce lips.
Yet she halted right in front of him, a smirk on her lips, “But I can try to be, if you wish.”
Suddenly, he gasped when he felt her cold fingers brush along his erection. His body began to tremble as she knelt down in front of him, her hair falling into her face with the tip of her tongue sliding along his sensitive skin.
“God…” he moaned, grabbing her hair. She was right – he was not truly patient. Yet he wanted to be. And so he pulled her back up, kissing her eagerly, as if that could in any way relieve his desperate need.
Her arms wrapped around him then, and Anthony could not remember the room ever feeling cold. He was certain they must burst into flames at any given moment.
And so he was guiding her towards the bed then as she followed his movements, lying down on her back. He joined her a second later – kissing her lips again so desperately, as if his heart needed them to continue beating.
His hands were wandering across her body again – lower and lower until finally, he reached the spot between her legs, warm and wet. His fingers slid inside of her with ease and Kate gasped into his mouth.
“Anthony!”
He pulled back, watching her as his he began to move. Loud moans of pleasure were filling the air and she closed her eyes, a smile appearing on Anthony’s face. Was there anything as beautiful? He had not heard her like this before – loud and without restraint.
There was no need to keep quiet anymore. And he wished to hear it again and again.
So his fingers continued moving in and out, as his lips were wandering between her breasts and down her stomach. She parted her legs for him, her body trembling in desperate need as she rolled her hips against the palm of his hand. When his tongue finally found her, she cried out – her hand back in his hair, grabbing him so tight, it might almost hurt. Yet he did not care; only yearned to taste her.
But he was not granted that for long.
She pulled his head up again – looking at him with desire and longing.
“I need you,” she breathed. “All of you.”
And he was more than happy to oblige.
He pushed himself up again – kissing her as he rolled onto his back, pulling her with him. He grabbed her hips as she sat up, staring down at him with a smile, biting her lips.
He inhaled sharply when she took him inside with an ease he had not expected. He barely had time to register what had happened – but within the blink of an eye, any patience had vanished. All sense of reality was lost as he could only feel her warm touch wrapped around him; her sweet moans and alluring scent soaring through the air.
Moans and cries might have left his lips as well, yet he could not say. All he felt were his hands digging into the skin at her hips, staring at her face lost in pleasure and desperation, trying to remain calm – trying to stay at the edge for as long as possible; to hold onto a feeling that was so wonderful and damnable at the same time.
Yet there was no patience for Kate.
Her nails were clawing into his chest as her eyes closed again, crying out as her body began to shake in such a beautiful loss of control he had never seen on her before. And as he realised that there was no turning back for her, he let go himself – for the first time, staying inside of her as their bodies began to tense as the same time, holding onto one another for all eternity.
All strength left him then as relief washed through his veins. Kate fell on top of him – her hair in his face, breathing heavily.
Silence had never felt so wonderful.
They were still intertwined as he brushed her hair aside, marvelling at her face. She gave him a tired smile.
“Sorry for ruining your attempt at patience,” she whispered.
He chuckled then. “You know the wonderful part about marriage?” She shook her head as his thumb brushed across her flushed cheek. “We can do this as often as we like.”
She laughed quietly then as her hands wandered into his hair, leaning closer to kiss him gently.
It was true. Anthony had always believed patience to be reserved for a few lucky people, who had all the time in the world. But patience was more vulnerable, when there was no time left. It becomes quite insignificant in the face of eternity. And eternity it was.