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Raithe squeezed his eyes shut. He’d needed her to say that. Deep down, he’d always felt that he’d failed his first wife and he couldn’t fail Charlie too.
“Sweetheart,” he groaned as he slid deeper inside her. “I need you so much.”
She peppered kisses along his face, her hands combing through his hair. He pushed up against her maidenhead and with a quick thrust, broke it open.
She stiffened, her legs and arms tightening as she ceased her trail of kisses. It was his turn to brush back her hair, murmuring soft words of comfort as her body adjusted. Charlie was his. His to love, worship, care for the rest of his life. “I love you,” he murmured against her ear.
“I love you too,” she answered, relaxing in his arms.
He slowly slid back out of her and then back in watching her face. He never wanted to hurt her. She gave him a small smile, her body relaxing further. “That was far more pleasant.”
He kept the pace languid despite the tension building inside him. He held her close as her hips arched toward his, meeting his thrusts.
That was when he quickened the pace. Her arms tightened as she panted, calling out his name. “Raithe.”
He loved the sound on her lips and he gave her a long hard kiss before he lifted to look down in his eyes. “Say it again.”
Her breath fluttered. “Raithe.”
His own finish was roaring nearer, but he held off, wanting her to finish first.
She stiffened, crying out his name again and then Raithe couldn’t hold back another moment. He shuddered out his climax, holding Charlie tight to his chest.
They lay locked together for long minutes before Charlie stroked back his hair. “I can’t believe we just made love.”
He chuckled. He could believe it. He’d been dreaming of this very moment for months. Her dark hair lay in a silky mass, fanned out across the bed. He stroked his fingers through the strands, kissing her cheek, the column of her neck. “You’re going to have to get used to it, I’m afraid. Now that I’ve got you in my bed, I don’t know that I’ll ever let you out.”
She giggled, sliding her hands along his back. “You, my lord, are in my bed.”
He laughed then, rising from the bed and crossing the room. She propped up on her elbows as she watched him. “Where are you going?”
“To lock the door,” he answered, crossing to the French doors that led out onto the balcony. “We can’t have any surprise visitors tonight.”
“No?” she asked, giving him a devilish smile.
The lock sounded with a resounding click. “I’m not even close to done with you, my lady.”
Epilogue
Two months later…
* * *
Raithe stared down into the eyes of his bride as they stood in the Seabridge Gate church. The lovely little chapel sat at the very end of the town common. Despite the summer heat, the morning air was refreshing as the doors stood open wide.
Just in the pews, sat Mr. Moorish, his five daughters, and their new husbands.
Cassandra was also there, beaming a smile at her friend, her new husband with his arm wrapped possessively about her shoulders. Raithe grinned. He had to confess, he had not seen that match coming.
“Do you, Lord Balstead, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” The vicar asked, his words pulling Raithe back to the present, back to his bride.
He couldn’t wait another moment. The past two months had been torture. They’d been able to find a few stolen hours to be together but not nearly enough for his liking. “I do.”
Charlie squeezed his hands. “And do you, Lady Charlotte Summerset, take this man to be your husband?”
“I do,” she said, her smile only growing wider.
The vicar’s words flowed over him until he announced, “You may kiss your bride.”
