Chapter 36

"We will mend each other… together," he said softly, gazing at her.

"Together," she replied, unable to contain her delight, her relief, her love for this man who had risked everything to save her.

"As for your parents and Vanessa, you will leave all of that to me," he said mysteriously, not wishing to divulge anything else.

"What are you thinking?" she asked curiously. She didn't want to ruin her good mood by thinking about them although she knew that she would have to do so eventually. "I honestly don't want to see them ever again. Just Adeline."

"Is that what you want?" he asked tenderly.

"Yes," she nodded. "I don't want to have them near me any longer."

"I understand," he said. "But we cannot allow this cruelty on the part of your sister to go unpunished. And I have just the right thing."

"What?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. She trusted him more than anyone else.

"You will see for yourself tomorrow," he told her even more mysteriously this time. He took her hands into his own. "You need to rest now."

She decided not to ask any more questions. That didn't matter right now. There were more important things she wanted to tell him, to show him. She smiled at him mischievously. "But James… I'm not tired."

He smiled with equal playfulness. She loved it when he did that. "You're not?"

"No," she said, nearing him. His scent awakened a million little goosebumps which ran down her spine, evoking a pleasant sensation.

"Penelope, you don't have to do anything you aren't ready for," he said tenderly with a voice filled with love. "We have all the time in the world, and I told you, I will wait forever for you if I have to."

"But James… I don't want you to wait forever," she said, blushing softly. "In fact, I don't want you to wait a moment longer…"

Upon those words, she couldn't control herself any longer. She wanted him so much that no words would ever be able to describe it. She crashed her lips against his with all the pent-up desire inside of her. She wasn't ashamed of her feelings or of showing them. Nor was she nervous.

Without breaking their kiss, he clamped on her waist, lifting her up so that they were both standing. Gently, he took off her gown, and it pooled around her feet. Her undergarments were relieved of their duty with equal precision as his fingers swept over her with skill.

She tried to do the same for him, her fingers searching for the buttons of his trousers. She fumbled, unable to find them, when he pulled his lips away from hers, looking at her. He was smiling in such a way that it made her knees weak.

This man was her husband. He was hers, and she was his. There was no one between them, and there would never be.

He gently placed his own fingers over hers, leading her toward the buttons she had been searching for. Slowly, she undid them one at a time until his trousers dropped to the floor. His shirt fell off him with equal ease and a little help from him. Now, they were both standing before each other, completely naked. His stare was sheer desire, and she wanted to drown in those beautiful eyes of his.

"I have been thinking about you, like this, more times than I can count," he admitted in a heavy whisper. His voice awakened a mountain of desire inside of her.

Gently, his hand took her breast, cupping it. His finger grazed against her pebbled nipple, and a sudden tidal wave of pleasure washed over her. "You feel so soft, so tender…" he continued, caressing her.

She couldn't imagine that someone else's touch could ever be so delightful, so utterly titillating. She closed her eyes, relishing the moment.

He gently led her back to the bed, laying her down comfortably. He towered over her, his mouth traveling down her neck, leaving a trail of wet kisses. When his tongue found her nipple, the forbidden place between her thighs exploded in heat.

"You taste so delicious, my sweet Penelope…"

"Oh…" she moaned softly in response, closing her eyes, allowing the sensation to completely wash over her.

His lips were on her breasts, his tongue lashing over her nipple. Then, he sucked on it. She could hear that wet suction. She could feel that heat, not only where his lips were touching her but all over her body. Without thinking, she reached for his hair, gripping a handful of it. His other hand slid down her stomach, his fingers gently grazing against the inside of her thighs.

Although it was dark and there was only one candle in the corner illuminating their silhouettes, everything exploded into colors. His touch made her see stars. His touch made her explode with desire, with pleasure. His lips focused on her breast, lavishing it with attention, while his fingers caressed her tender mound. Everything about her was on flame. Her body, her soul, her mind. Everything.

She closed her eyes when his lips tugged gently on her nipple, sucking, his teeth nipping at it only enough to sting for a moment then his lips tenderly soothed the ache. His hot breath warmed her naked skin, claiming her as his for all time.

His finger started to circle over her wet flesh, and she gasped, arching her back, spreading her legs to allow him to touch her more, better, harder, and faster. She felt as if she had known his touch all her life. She had just been waiting for him to find her. And now, he had.

Everything about this moment was thrilling. It was beyond exciting. His finger pressed on her swollen bud, creating friction and pressure, while his tongue continued to dance over her nipple, and at that moment, she exploded. Warmth spread throughout her entire body as her she tensed, able to hear her own heart beating inside of her chest. She moaned loudly, gripping at him, keeping him close, only to unclench and allow the tremors to pass through her.

He raised his head to kiss her gently. She was still breathing heavily when she felt his finger probing her below. He slid it into her only a little, making her moan with pleasure.

"I will be gentle," she heard him say.

She smiled, gazing at him lovingly. "I cannot imagine you being anything else…"

As she looked at him, words were beyond her. She never felt so much love inside of her for anyone as she did for him. And she knew that he felt the same way. He gently kissed her, withdrawing her finger, but she felt something else. She wrapped her hands around him, keeping him close, as if he might disappear if she blinked for too long.

He slowly pushed into her, little by little. She bit her lip as he pulled away, looking at her, watching her reactions. He slid into her more and more, as pain mixed with pleasure. His hips dug into her, and instead of withdrawing, she arched toward him, wanting more, never wanting him to stop. When he was inside of her fully, her breath was gone. His lips were on hers again, and they moved in a shared rhythm, one body following another.

Their kiss deepened. It became more frantic, more passionate as he continued to slide into her. She gripped at him, her hips moving in unison with his. She sucked on his mouth, doing everything that crossed her mind without even thinking about it. All she could do was follow her body, her instinct, and her raw need for this man. He pressed his fingers against her bud, causing even more friction, playing her as if she were the finest instrument, and he, a virtuoso.

Then, at the same time, their bodies reacted. Divine pleasure washed over her as he thrust deeper every time, remaining lodged inside of her for just a moment. He groaned loudly, closing his eyes then falling down onto her, their foreheads pressed to each other while they were both breathing heavily.

He slumped onto the bed next to her, immediately reaching for her and pulling her into an embrace. She watched his chest rise and lower, completely enamored by him.

"Are you all right?" he asked tenderly. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," she shook her head on the verge of tears. "You could never hurt me, James. Never."

Penelope nestled against James' chest, her fingers tracing the lines of his muscles with a featherlight touch. He held her close, his hand gently stroking her hair, their breathing in sync. The silence between them was comfortable, a testament to the deep connection they shared.

"I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you," she heard him whisper.

"You didn't lose me, James," she whispered back, turning to him and cupping his cheek. "And you never will."

James leaned down to capture her lips in a gentle kiss, pouring all his love and gratitude into the embrace. When they finally parted, he rested his forehead against hers, both of them savoring the closeness of their bodies and the quiet comfort of their shared breaths.

They lay there for a while longer, wrapped in the warmth of their love and the quiet certainty of their future together. When she turned to him again, she realized that he had fallen asleep. She smiled, listening to the sound of his heart beating and his steady breaths. It brought her so much joy.

Still, this perfect moment had a dark cloud over it. She would need to face Vanessa. She couldn't even begin to comprehend what that confrontation would be like. She was certain that her parents would take Vanessa's side. After all, that was how it had always been. Vanessa was the golden child, and she could do no wrong.

Now, Penelope decided that she would no longer endure such torment on the part of her family. She finally knew that it was not her fault. It had never been her fault although they made her feel as if it were. She was deserving of love just like everyone else. She was not the black sheep of the family. They merely never accepted her as their daughter, and she suffered horribly for it.

Finally, that torment and suffering had come to an end. She didn't need them any longer. No. She didn't want them any longer. The only person in that family whom she truly loved was Adeline. She was nothing like their parents, nothing like Vanessa, and Penelope had vowed to herself that she would help Adeline in every way she could so that she would never suffer the same fate as she.

Although she was afraid and nervous, Penelope knew one thing. She had James by her side. And with him, no one would ever be able to harm her again.

With that knowledge, she nestled even closer to him, pressing her hand to his chest, exactly where his heart was. In that tender moment, nothing else mattered but the undeniable truth of their connection. Their bond was unbreakable. She was certain of that now. And so was he.

She glanced at him once again, smiling, her heart full of joy. She closed her eyes and finally drifted off to sleep.