In Name Only

Chapter Four: The Beginning & the End

She couldn't reach his room fast enough, practically shoving the guards out of the way and bursting through the doors and letting them fall shut behind her.

He froze, his chest bare and his trousers partially undone as he turned towards her.

"Paul," she breathed, relief flooding her veins and fueling her movements so she rushed towards him and threw her arms around without the slightest bit of hesitation or forethought.

He murmured her name, his hands finding the small of her back as he held her against him.

Suddenly remembering herself, Irulan pushed on his shoulders gently, intending to ease herself away from him, her cheeks flushed.

"I'm sorry," she told him awkwardly. "I heard you were covered in blood, and I just—"

"It wasn't mine," he said softly, sliding one hand up to cup her cheek, lifting her face up towards his. "Irulan," he whispered, smiling at her the way that he always did as of late.

And then he was leaning down and pressing his lips to hers, kissing her sweetly. It was still electrifying, somehow, and she nearly moaned at the feel of him so close to her.

"I was scared, too," he breathed against her lips. "I was terrified of something happening to you or our children."

Our. He said our.

She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. Funny how he had the tendency to inhibit those abilities within her.

He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I don't expect anything to come from me telling you this," Paul began softly, "but I must tell you: I love you. I love you, and I want you to know that I do. Even if you don't want me anymore, don't love me anymore, I want you to know how much you mean to me."

Her heart stuttered inside of her chest. There was... there was sincerity in his eyes, she hoped —she prayed—, and perhaps...

Just a test. A small test. She was no Truthsayer, nor could she read the emotions of others like a book the way many Bene Gesserit could, but perhaps if she focused very hard, she could tell if what he said was true.

"I do still love you," she told him quietly. "I never stopped."

Joy exploded out of him, pure and unadulterated, and wave after wave of love and longing and the same desperate, aching desire she felt for him.

"Truly, Irulan?" he pleaded, sounding so, so hopeful. "Truly?"

He's telling the truth, she thought in awe. He's being honest. He loves me. He is in love with me.

In response, she rid herself completely of the walls around her emotions, letting him feel her the way she felt him.

"Do you believe me?"  Paul breathed. "Please say you believe me, my love. Please."

She nodded, smiling and sliding her hands over his collarbones and around his shoulders. "I can feel it."

He beamed and clutched her to him, kissing her again. She giggled, sliding her hands into his hair and kissing him back.

Before long, she was nude atop his blankets with his head buried between her thighs, fingers thrusting and curling inside of her as he swirled his tongue over her clit.

"I'm going to make you cum a thousand times over, wife," he swore, his breath hot on her skin. "I'm going to make you quiver and scream and beg."

"Paul," she whined, lifting her pelvis towards him. "Please, I need you."

"I know you do, darling," her husband murmured with a gentle bite to her inner thigh, rubbing her clit with his thumb and pumping his fingers in and out of her. "But you're going to cum for me first. I've waited over a year to taste you again, you realize."