34. Adelbert

Chapter thirty-four

Adelbert

I wake up with Florence's naked body curled around mine, her head on my shoulder, arm slung across my waist, and leg draped over my thigh. I glide my fingers through some strands of her pale blonde hair fanned out behind her, admiring how it glows in the morning light streaming in through the gap in my curtain. She looks utterly ethereal.

"Morning," Florence croaks and burrows into me. My heart swells at the move and I realize how natural it feels to have her in my bed, to wake up with her. I swallow around the unexpected lump in my throat.

"Morning, Liebling," I rasp back, lacing our fingers on my chest.

Florence beams up at me with bleary eyes and a strange sensation takes root deep in my gut, setting loose a swarm of butterflies.

She's pure radiant sunshine and I can't help but fall a bit deeper in love with her.

"I like waking up with you," Florence whispers and bites her lip. A faint pink stains her cheeks before she tries to duck her head.

I reach out with my mage hand and tip her chin up so she can see the truth in my eyes.

"I like having you in my bed. Waking up with you. Cooking with you. Living with you." And not knowing if it's appropriate to say it but needing to utter it regardless, I add, "And I really like fucking you."

Florence repositions herself onto her side so she can look at me more directly and I mirror her move.

"This is really fast, isn't it? Two days ago we were in Vegas and acting like polite acquaintances, and now we're here. Sleeping together. Are you still okay with everything that's happened?" she asks, and bites her lip.

I free her lip from her teeth and rub my thumb along the plump flesh, gathering my thoughts before I speak, not wanting to fuck up my explanation or hurt her ever again.

"Please bear with me as I try to explain this. I've been up for a while trying to logic my way through the past twenty-four hours, but I can't. Too many emotions. And for the first time in my life, I don't mean that in a negative sense."

I take a deep breath and rub at the back of my neck while Florence lies absolutely still, patiently waiting for me with a soft, encouraging smile. My heart hammers in my chest at the thought of saying this the wrong way and her misunderstanding me.

I sit up and card my fingers through my hair. Florence copies my move and drapes a sheet over her naked chest. Good thing too, or I'll get distracted by her lovely breasts and then have to lavish them with attention.

Florence reaches out her hand and grips my clammy one.

"Take your time. There's no rush."

My smile is faint but true, bolstered by her kindness.

"The moment I saw you in that storm, the moment I thought there was a chance of losing you, I let go of everything that was holding me back. You have to understand, from the first time I saw you on the island, you felt like mine. I never allowed myself to pursue anything that would be considered selfish or would take me off the course that has been set for my life. Relationships, love, those are—no, were —concepts meant for others. Not for me.

"Since you've moved into this house, I've had the opportunity to get to know you. Not as the person bonded to me by the fates, but as Florence—the amazing, caring, kind, funny, playful, thoughtful person that you are. With every moment spent together in the kitchen, and every conversation, I liked you more. And then there was the picnic."

I pause and inhale slowly through my nose and exhale my nerves with a loud sigh.

"It was like my brain shifted at that point, where I saw the potential of us being together. But I didn't—still kind of don't—feel good enough for you," I admit sheepishly.

"Baby—" Florence tries to interrupt, most probably to comfort or encourage, but I can't let her derail me from admitting my truth. It's time to come clean about it all.

"Hold on," I cut her off. "Let me get this out, Liebling. I think you deserve so much better than I can give you, but I want to try. I want to see you happy and I want to be the reason you are happy.

"Communicating is not my strong suit, as we have established," I say with a wince and rub at my chest. "I beg you to be patient with me. I have spent my whole life wearing a mask and suppressing my feelings. If I say anything that makes you upset, please tell me and give me the chance to fix it, knowing it was a mistake."

I shift so that I'm fully facing Florence and I lace our fingers together.

"I always feel like a dark cloud and you are the brightest ray of sunshine in this world. I don't want you to lose your shine because of me. But when I'm with you, it's like a weight gets lifted off my shoulders, like you somehow pierce through all of my layers and give me a chance to just be me. I like the way I feel when I'm with you and I want you to like the way you feel with me. Please give me a chance to make you happy."

"You know what?" Florence asks and moves to sit cross-legged, tucking the sheet under her arms before taking both my hands and looking me straight in the eyes, a righteous fire burning in her blue pools.

"What?" I ask nervously, my heart doing its best to beat out its way out of my chest.

"I wish you could see yourself the way I see you. It may feel like there's a cloud around you, but you aren't a cloud. To me, you're a rainbow. And on days when the cloud gets too heavy, I'll be your umbrella. There's no need to wear a mask around me. I like you cloudy, rainy, as well as the sunny version I got yesterday. I like you , Adelbert. You make me feel seen. I'm so used to taking a back seat to bigger personalities, and I'm totally fine with that because I don't like being the center of attention. But somehow, you make me feel important, like I matter, and you always listen to me."

Florence sits up straighter and squeezes my hands for emphasis. Her brows scrunch up with passion and her words ring with veracity.

"The way you make sure my mornings are perfect. The pastries. The sweaters. The teapot. Cooking dinner for me every night. All the conversations we've had over the months I've been here. The way you show me you care. All of that has added together to show me a version of you that you don't show the world. I feel incredibly lucky," Florence finishes fervidly.

"I'm the one who is feeling lucky," I admit. "Things between us have been building over a long time."

"They really have."

"I do have to say, though, I think the bond is facilitating certain aspects too."

"Yeah? Like what do you think?"

"I think it enhances our connection. Once we acted on our feelings, things moved much faster than they would have for couples without these bonds. It has happened with the other bonded pairs, like Sadie and Everett, too."

"That's true. I know you warned everyone not to have any physical touch in case it strengthens the bond. Looks like all that research was very accurate. There's no way Dede would've just moved in with someone like a week after they met, but with Everett, she said it all felt very natural."

"This is what I want you to understand, Liebling. The bond might be expediting our relationship, but I fell for you all on my own. Without physical contact. Without the bond influencing me. Over months of conversations and getting to know you as the lovely person you are."

I reach over and touch the symbol on her side, tracing the sun, moon, and star aligned over each other, the twin to my marking.

"You know, in my family's culture, it's customary to get a tattoo of the family crest when you are appointed as a professor at Alberad for the first time. For the males, anyway. I have avoided thinking about branding myself with a daily reminder of my responsibilities for so long. When this fated mark showed up on my body, it felt like just another burden I have to carry, another choice taken from me."

Florence's empathy is so sharp that it pierces through my mental barriers for a second before I reinforce them again.

"But know, I would choose you over Alberad." I enunciate each word carefully, making sure she understands the weight of the statement.

Florence sucks in a breath, her eyes wide and pulse hammering in her throat.

"Me?"

"You, Florence Everly. You've opened my eyes to so many new things and new possibilities. For the first time, I'm thinking about what my life could look like if I made choices for myself. For us . And I'd like to. I don't know what life could be like with me, or what kind of options I have in terms of work if I'm not following the expected life path that's been laid out for me, but it's something I would like to give some consideration to." Hesitating for a second, I add cautiously, "That is, if you would be interested in exploring such options with me?"

Florence frames my face with her hands, her eyes misty but bright.

"Adelbert Alberad, you are so much more than your name and your legacy. You are a beautiful male, inside and out, and I think I'd just about follow you anywhere. Despite our initial challenges and misunderstandings, I really like living here with you. The forest feels like home and it calls to me on some deeper level, if that makes any sense. I'd never ask you to give anything up for me, so if you want to stay, I'll stay. If you want to go, I'll go. Together."

"You mean that?"

"Why would I not mean it?"

"No strings? No conditions?"

"Baby, come on. It's me." Then Florence does the unthinkable—she straddles my waist and starts tickling me all over. Every inch she can reach gets tickled until I'm a squirming, laughing mess underneath her and her joyous laughter fills the air.

Chest heaving and with a genuine smile stretching across my face, my hands still on Florence's hips. We pause the tickle fight and she props her hands on my bare chest. The air grows thick between us as we just take each other in.

"I love you, Florence."

"I love you too, Adelbert."

"Now guide my cock into your sweet pussy so I can show you how much."

Smile turning wicked, Florence shifts back until my cock is wedged against her wet pussy. She pushes against my chest, wordlessly demanding I stay down while she does the work. I happily oblige her.

Florence rubs herself against my hard length, desperately searching for friction, and letting out little whimpers every time she rolls her hips and the head of my cock hits her clit.

"Do you like that, Liebling? Do you like taking your pleasure while torturing me with this dripping pussy?" I ask Florence, trying to keep my composure and not come undone by the sight and feel of her.

Florence looks magnificent, like a queen on a throne ready to be worshiped, and worship I shall.

"Yes," Florence pants. "This cock is mine. I'll ride it how I want to."

I groan as her warm, soaked core glides smoothly over my cock and my grip tightens on her hips, fingers digging deliciously into her flesh. Watching my woman take charge of her body as well as mine is the sexiest thing I've ever seen.

"All yours. Take what you want, Liebling," I grit out.

Florence is a sight to behold with her head thrown back, hips rocking, and long golden hair swaying behind her.

When her strength starts to wane, I take over, gripping her hips and grinding her against my throbbing cock at the same pace she set.

"Baby, I'm so close," Florence whines. "Don't stop."

"Never," I hiss between clenched teeth. "I'll give my greedy woman exactly what she needs."

I reach for her tits with my mage hand and tweak her nipples, making Florence's whimpers turn into desperate mewling. She closes her eyes and her back arches and I know she's one pinch away from fully flying over the edge.

I angle Florence's hips slightly at just the right time and, with a choked grunt, drive my cock up into her slick pussy.

"Adelbert!" My name escapes from her on a strangled sob. Her thighs shake and eyes roll back as her climax rushes through her body.

Florence pulses around my cock, squeezing me so tight I think I might come instantly. But my focus remains on bringing her pleasure, so I keep pounding into her, hitting her G-spot with every thrust, determined to make her come again.

Flipping us over, I drive into her with complete abandon, spurred on by her moans and the way she's clawing at my back.

I need to be closer to her, connected to her, consumed by her.

The sound of my name falling from Florence's lips keeps me present, my heart beating wildly and my breathing ragged.

This time, when Florence comes, she drags me with her. My grunts mingle with her screams as I shoot my release into her pussy and she flutters around my cock, milking every drop from me.

My arms give out and I roll us to the side as waves of pleasure continue to rack my body and Florence trembles with hers. Bodies limp, I hold her close while our rapid breathing comes down.

We lie there in each other's arms for a long time, whispering sweet nothings, exchanging gentle caresses, brushing sticky hair from foreheads, and bathing in our newly declared love until hunger summons us from our bubble.