His Duchess [Completed]

Chapter 41- Second Chances [E]

They will finish what they have always started but never finished...soon enough.  With absolute certainty, without a shadow of a doubt, she was going to be his wife very, very soon whether she agreed willing or not.  He's waited long enough. 

He kissed her parted lips softly and pulled back slightly to look down at her. Annie opened her lust filled eyes, gripping Julien's head in her small hands. "If I don't stop now, you will never forgive me later."

Pecking her lips again, and again, Julien reluctantly sat fully up, pulling her alongside him. During their passionate make-out, Annies dress twisted around her waist, leaving her sexy silky underwear exposed. Julien's gaze stayed fixed there until Annie realized what caught his attention and quickly rearranged herself, a deep blush forming on her cheeks. 

Admiring the beauty of her innocence and naiveté, he grinned, sending her a knowing wink as she looked away in embarrassment. Julien threw his head back and laughed, wrapping an arm around her, squeezing her to his side.  "Don't be shy, I'll be seeing everything soon enough..." He whispered seductively near Annie's ear. "All this innocence will be mine."  Trailing his heated gaze up and down her body. 

Her mouth hung open at his bluntness.   Narrowing his eyes down to her inviting lips, Julien pecked her open mouth, pulled her up into the crook of his arm while supporting her weight, and directed them out the bedroom towards the balcony. 

She did not know how to respond, embarrassed at his bold remarks.   Frowning to herself at the lack control she executed and feeling the lingering remains of desire circulating in her blood, she should not have let things escalate. It was the burning fuel to her lack of control on more than one occasion.    But she missed his touch, kisses, his smooth British voice so much, she gladly welcomed his lovemaking.

All Annie desperately wanted was to hold him and never let go, in fear he may disappear.  Half of her feared that this was not real, that she will awaken finding it a twisted dream.  And the other half was sucking up all his attention and love like a wilted flower soaking up water.  It had been too long.  Every time she remembered her heart involuntarily ached. 

Speechless and still too dazed, too shocked, too numb to feel real joy, it would take some time for her emotions to settle down which bounced inside in her like a game of ping pong. The only thing she was sure of, the only thing she knew she needed was him to hold her and never let go.

Julien pulled out a chair and seated her at the vast table full of food.  "A penny for your thoughts?"  He asked, raising an eyebrow while he watched her intently, removing the covers off the various dishes.  Annie blinked several times, never realizing she zoned out until he interrupted her with the same line he asked her the first time they kissed that day in his office.  It brought a soft smile to her face.

"My thoughts are going to cost you a lot more than a penny..."  Replying exactly the same way she did before, not so long ago.

Julien chuckled and nodded his head knowingly. 

"Touché."  He says with a trace of a smile. "Now let us eat." Eyeing her speculatively.

It was difficult to eat when she had no appetite. She hadn't been eating well, bits and pieces, just enough to keep her going throughout the day. Now looking down at the colorful dishes made her stomach tighten. Annie bit her lip uneasily. She caught Julien watching her with narrowed eyes.