Epoilogue

Marina allowed herself to be guided into her chambers, feeling the heat of his kisses on the back of her neck. "Aaron, don't you think that we should wait until the others have left?" She asked him breathlessly and shut her eyes, leaning the back of her head on his shoulder.

Growling in response, he brought his hands up to her chest, cupping her breasts firmly before pulling her back against his chest. "Adam can show them out, I said that I would help you out of this ridiculous dress, and that is exactly what I intend to do."

A wave of pleasure ran down her spine when he kicked the door shut behind them and squeezed her breasts. Everything else in the world seemed to fade away as his tongue caressed the nape of her neck.

"I have missed you so much Marina, there has not been a moment in the past few weeks where I have not dreamed of touching you again." He turned her around, looking her in the eyes before drawing her against his body.

His lips engulfed hers, searing his mouth with a fiery kiss when his tongue parted her lips. Every ounce of her resolve melted away as she collapsed into his arms like a puddle of water.

She wanted him, more than she had on the very first night. "Take me, Aaron, I do not want to wait any longer. I want you to make me yours."

Pulling away slightly as he dipped his head to kiss her neck, Aaron growled. "That is exactly what I intend todo, Kitten, now purr for me…"

Moaning softly, Marina raised her hands, cupping his strong fingers over her breasts as she pressed her buttocks firmly against his groin.

Moving his hands down her sides, Aaron proceeded to move to her back, unbuttoning her dress as he exposed the laces of her corset. "But first, I need to get you out of this ridiculous dress…" He moved his hands over her shoulders, allowing her garments to slip to the floor.

Stepping out of her dress, she stood before him in the fading light that filtered through a gap in the drapes. Her lips parted slightly with a silent moan when his eyes roamed over her figure, taking in the shape of her waist beneath the corset.

Reaching behind her back, she fumbled with the laces for a moment before feeling her breasts spring free. The corset dropped to the ground beside the dress, leaving her free to pull her chemise over her head.

"That is more like it," Aaron growled, coming forward as he immediately dipped his head, taking her hard nipple into his mouth.

Moans of pleasure filled the air when he dropped to his knees, kissing a path down her abdomen. "You do not know how long I have wanted to do this." He flicked his tongue over her hip before kissing his way down to her thighs.

Leaning her head back, she shut her eyes and savored the hot feeling of his tongue dancing over her skin as she continued the path. His head was buried between her thighs before too long as she sighed with release, wanting him to continue as the tip of his tongue found the little nub of pleasure.

"Aaron…" She could not help but bury her fingers in his hair as she pulled him closer, purring in delight as his tongue obliged.

"God, I love when you say that…"

"You like your own name?"

"Only when you say it, Kitten."

Reaching up, Aaron held her steady as he guided her leg over her shoulder, moving his head from side to side as he set to work.

Her body was trembling with pleasure when she reached behind, gripping the chair of her dresser for support.

His flicked back and forth in rhythmic, slow, motions, building an intensity in her core that threatened to explode.

She was just about ready to scream when he slowed his pace, drawing back after a final kiss. "Why did you stop?" She asked breathlessly, feeling a gush of cool air where his head had been.

Kissing the inside of her thigh, he slowly moved her leg from his shoulder and placed it back on the ground. "I want this moment to last a while longer. Don't worry. I will allow you to scream once I have had my fill of your purring." He came up straight, taking her into his arms as he kissed her lips.

The pressure of his arousal pressing against his breeches drove him insane as he lifted her in his arms, gripping her buttocks firmly as he carried her to the bed with her legs wrapped around his waist.

Placing her on the edge and laying her down, he took a step back and looked at her, keeping her gaze as he removed his shirt and stepped from his breeches.

Heat filled her cheeks as her eyes traveled down his body taking in the full extent of his arousal as her pulse raced.

"Now you will moan for me like you have never moaned before," he commanded her in a low tone as he hovered above her, positioning himself over her.

"I will do whatever you say, Aaron…." Her voice was barely audible above a whisper when he lowered his head and once again took her breast into his mouth. Her stomach knotted deliciously when his tongue swirled over the erect bud. Squirming beneath the onslaught when his fingers sought the patch between her thighs, she whimpered with pleasure.

"Do you remember what it feels like to have me inside of you?" He asked before moving to her other breast and suckling her nipple.

"Yes…" She was barely able to utter the word as moved his fingers down, dipping one just inside of her.

"Good." He responded in a deep voice before lowering himself onto her body and removing his fingers.

Marina was caught off guard when he suddenly gripped her waist, pulling her on top of him as he rolled in his back. Her thighs straddled his hips while his arousal pushed against her core.

"Let me show you how to make love." He held her gaze as he placed his hands on her hips, guiding her motions as he entered her with a single thrust.

Gasping with pleasure, Marina threw her head back, reveling in the sensation of her husband inside of her while her hair fell down her back in a waterfall of gold.

"Yes, good girl… just like that…" he moaned desperately as his hands guided her movements back and forth.

Looking down at him, Marina noted the look of pleasure on his face, urging her on as he shut his eyes. Her movements slowly picked up speed as she too began to whimper and gasp with pleasure.

Their movements became more and more frantic as she rocked back and forth, placing her hands behind her on his thighs for support.

"Marina…" Aaron growled louder this time as his hands left her hips, making their way up her body where they cupped her breasts and teased her nipples.

Moaning quickly turned to panting when the tension in her core began to build, threatening to release at any moment. "Aaron, I think I…." Her voice trailed off as she began to tremble, feeling every muscle in her body tighten in ecstasy.

"Oh, Marina!" Aaron's body suddenly stiffened, as he finished inside of her, filling her body with intense heat as she spiraled down from the orgasm that wracked her body.

Her scream filled the air as every muscle in her body suddenly jolted, sending waves of pleasure throughout. Collapsing on top of him, she panted for breath while he moved the strands of her hair from her face.

"I so love it when you come for me, Kitten," he gently whispered against the top of her head.

The hard feeling of his warm muscles beneath her cheek, brought a warm sense of safety to her being. She relaxed completely and allowed him to move her to the side, carefully positioning her body against his.

"Are you happy?" He asked her softly, pressing a gentle kiss against her forehead.

Opening her eyes with a bright smile, Marina looked at him. "Happier than anyone has a right to be."

His eyes filled with sorrow again, making her heart ache unexpectedly. "I am so sorry, Marina, I thought that I was protecting you, but I did not realize that I was only protecting myself and hurting you in the process. Can you ever forgive me for being so selfish?"

Lifting her hand, she stroked his cheek. "There is nothing to forgive anymore. I too was foolish, thinking that I could stay away from you and be content with things when I knew that my very breath called to you. I may not have said it in my menagerie, but I love you, Aaron. I love you ever so much that I felt as if I would die for thelove of you."

Surprise filled his eyes as Aaron looked at her.

"Do you not believe me?"

He shook his head and buried his face in the nape of her neck. "I am a monster, Marina. How could you love anyone who is as scarred as I am?"

"Because you are my scarred duke. I would not want to have anyone else as my husband. As stubborn, pig-headed, and difficult as you are, you are mine. Scars and all." She ran the tips of her fingers over his scars, feeling as if her chest would burst with love.

Drawing her closer, Aaron kissed her passionately, searching the inside of her mouth with his warm tongue.

She felt almost breathless when he let her go, allowing her to fall back onto the pillow as he propped himself up beside her on his elbow.

"I thank God every day that you came into my life. I still remember the look of fiery determination in your eyes when you stormed into the room, demanding satisfaction."

Bubbly laughter escaped her throat, filling the air with brightness. "And I can still recall the look of utter panic in your eyes when you saw all of my animals. I thought for sure that you would turn around and leave!"

"I almost did." Aron's laughter mingled with hers for the very first time, making her see him in an entirely different light.

"I am glad that you decided to go through with the arrangement. I could not imagine myself being happier with anyone else. Even if my bird has a foul mouth."

Rolling his eyes, Aaron tilted his head back before pinching the bridge of his nose between his finger and thumb. "About that bloody bird, I think you should know now that Adam has taught him a few new words."

"What kind of words?" Marina propped herself up with both of her elbows behind her back.

Sighing heavily, Aaron once again shook his head. "Let's just say that we should start looking for a new butler. I do not think that ours will be staying on for much longer. You will soon hear the words that I am referring to."

Frowning for a moment, Marina cocked her head to the side before laughing at her husband's exasperated expression. "You know, in a strange way, the only legacy that the late Baron of Wallace has left us is Henry's penchant for bad words. It seems quite poetic considering the fact that he hated all of my animals."

"I never thought that I would say this, but I think there is at least one thing that the late baron and I had in common." He raised his eyebrows at her.

Suppressing her laughter, Marina reached out and cupped his cheek, falling back down when he deepened the kiss. Their tongues tangled together, each fighting for dominance until she yielded to him and pulled back with a soft sigh.

"On a serious note, I will start ordering the glass for your little menagerie before will begin plans on the bigger one." He looked at her with so much love that it felt as if her heart would burst.

"Don't, you can save the glass for the bigger one, I want that one to stay exactly as it is now. It is exactly like our love, perfect in all of its imperfect ways, and who knows? Perhaps Adam and Isolde would want to get married there soon. It is the sight of their declaration."

Taking her hand in his, Adam kissed her palm, lingering for a moment before pressing it against his cheek. "Thank you for accepting me and my family exactly as I am. Any other woman would have pulled up her nose at the idea of her brother-in-law marrying her former maid."

Marina could not help but smile as the warmth of his cheek seeped into her palm. "I want you to remember this feeling when I come home with stray dogs and cats."

Narrowing his eyes for a moment, Aaron glared at her. "Why do I get the feeling that you were waiting for the right moment to slip that in?"

"Because this has all been an ingenious plan to trap you. I knew from the very moment that I stormed into your drawing room that you would give in to my every whim if I made you fall in love with me."

Lunging forward, Aaron began to tickle her sides, making her scream with laughter as she as she tried her best to fight him off.

"Are you sure that you want to make me melt to your every whim, Your Grace?" He laughed heartily as she turned red in the face.

"I yield, I yield!" She lost her breath before he finally stopped.

Giving her a moment to regain her composure, Aaron allowed his eyes to wonder over her naked body before settling on her abdomen where the tiniest hint of a bump had begun to form. "Do you think that it is a girl or a boy?"

"What do you want it to be?" She asked him softly, placing her hand over his.

A dreamy look came into his eyes as he slowly moved his hand back and forth. "I would like a boy. A strapping young lad to carry on the family name. I could teach him how to hun… not kill any animals because it means so much to his mother." He corrected quickly.

Pursing her lips in bemusement, Marina waited for him to continue.

"But then again, having a sweet young girl would be just as big of a blessing, as long as she is just as kind and caring as her mother." He sighed so deeply that Marina felt like kissing him all over again.

"I think it is fine to wish for both, whatever this baby will be, I know that I want another one with you soon after. And after that one, I want us to try for another. And after that child is born, I think we should only stop when our hair is turning grey."

"Why stop then?" Aaron teased her and gently tickled her side once again.

"I love you Aaron, my scarred duke."

"I love you too, my absolutely perfect wife."

The End?