Keira's POV
When I was a little girl, I spent a lot of time playing roles that included being a princess, a high fashion model and a bride. I have been two of these things but never a princess. Daddy's princess, yes. He never failed to call me so. I don't know how many tiaras he bought me. I lost count. As much as my father was absent when I was younger, his love was always felt.
I remember the day I brought him a pink ring and I asked him to marry me. The smile on his handsome face was priceless. Mom was my maid of honor. Keith was a guest st the wedding. I remember looking into my father's sapphires and telling him that I'll love him forever. I slipped the pink ring on his smallest finger and we hugged. He told me he will be there to give me away on my wedding day.
He kept his promise when he gave me away to Jason. He isn't here today. My uncle gave me away and it did not feel as special as it felt with daddy.
I did not tell Theo I'll love him forever. He did not promise love. I promised commitment. He promised to protect and care for me. There's no love between us. But here we are, selling a fairytale at a high price.
His scent is close by. I felt the warmth of his jacket covering my bare shoulders. I'm reminded of the second time I met Nick. It was at a masquerade ball. We stepped outside and he covered me with his jacket. That jacket earned me a beating the next day.
I came back to my senses and noted the soft melody coming from inside the ball room. I turned my eyes to the handsome man gazing at me. "What's troubling you ma beaute?"
I turned to lean against the pillar. The cold cemented surface touched my bare back.
"I miss my parents... especially my father." I noted a sudden softness in his eyes.
"I miss my parents too. I mostly miss my mother. I wish she was here to see me marry the most beautiful woman in the world."
My cheeks grew tinted under his gaze.
"You flatter me too much Theo."
He glanced towards the open French doors before he stepped forward and ran the back of his hand over my cheek. "It's not flattery ma cherie. It's true. Don't you know how beautiful you are."
"Honestly, that's not how I see myself."
He brought his hands to hold my waist. He got closer to sandwich me between the pillar and his body.
"How do you see yourself?"
"My mother's friends had daughters and they were participating in beauty pageants. I was living a pretty ordinary life until she told me that I'm beautiful and I should use my beauty to get ahead in life. She signed me up for beauty pageants. I remember getting third place. She didn't speak to me on the way home. I was seated in the back seat of the car troubled by the silence. She later told me that I lost because I didn't try hard enough. Smile more, she said. Don't eat sweet things she said. Ballet, dance classes, music classes, beauty routines... it was alwas a way to make me prettier and prettier and I started winning. I was never happy. I did it for her. When I looked in the mirror I didn't see what she and everyone else saw. I saw a tired little girl who would rather be stuffing her face with burgers. I am still that tired little girl."
"She only wanted you shine."
"I didn't want to shine. I just wanted to be normal."
"But there's nothing normal about you. You are perfect."
He sounds just like her. If they were together they would gang up on me.
"Don't do that to me."
"I told you what I expect from you once you become Mrs Sinclair. You are not just my wife, you are a statement of beauty and fashion. Anything less will be underwhelming and a disappointment. I don't want you to be ordinary."
"Theo-"
He kissed my lips to silence me.
Nick never expected me to be perfect. He wanted me to be comfortable. He broke away gently.
"Let's not be rude to our guests Mrs Sinclair."
"Let's not be rude." I agreed.
*
"It was a beautiful wedding Mrs Sinclair."
The name is still sinking in.
Keira Charlotte Ballard
Keira Charlotte Burke
Keira Charlotte Sinclair.
KC seems to be the only constant. It will take me w moment before I respond to Mrs Sinclair.
She was a red head with dangerously beautiful green eyes. I suppose Theo looks more like his father than his mother. I don't know much about Vivienne Sinclair but I know Theo holds her in high regard. It seems high society did too.
"Thank you." I smiled at the young maid brushing my hair. Another one is massaging my feet after spending all day in six inch heels. My feet are killing me. A third one is massaging my hands. I'm not sure why but it feels nic to be pampered just this once.
It's late into the night, close to the a.m hours. The guests took some time before they all left. Theo went to his room. He didn't say anything. It's been an hour and I'm wondering if this marriage will remain on paper. I'm hoping so. I don't want my memories with Nick to be twinted with comparison.
Before Nick, I had no one to compare Jason with. I didn't even know the pleasure that comes from love making until I experienced Nickolas Bale. If Theo consumates this marriage, I won't b able to refrain from comparison.
"Should we prepare your bed for sleep or will you be going to monsieur?" The one massaging my hand asked.
"The night is still young." I smiled at her. I don't want th m thinking that Theo and I are only married on paper. We sold a fairytale today and we will sell a happy marriage too. His inheritance dep nds on it. "The three of you can go now. I'll be fine on my own."
The one massaging my feet moved away as well as the one massaging my hands. The one brushing my hair was tying it up when Theo walked in. With only one gesture of his eyes and head, they left us.
He has changed out of his tux. He is wearing checked pajama pants and a plain.
white t-shirt. Part of me wished he would stay in his room but it looks like he will consumate our marriage.
My throat feels very dry. I am as nervous I was after I married Jason. My mom was generous about the details of a wedding night but I was still nervous. I know what to expect but like it was with Nick the first time, I'm still nervous.
His blue eyes are firmly fixed on me. I got on my feet, tightening the silk rob around me while trying to hold eye contact.
"I didn't think you would come." I broke the silence.
He closed the doors behind him. "Are you not my wife? Are we not wed? Isn't it customary to consumate a marriage? You didn't think I would opt out, did you?"
So many questions to answer the only question I have asked. Maybe he thinks I'll resist this. I won't. I already made peace with the fact that Nick and I aren't getting back together. Theo cannot be my husband ifI deny him intimacy. I want this to feel like a real marriage and not another arranged one.
"How do I do this when there is no love between us?" I asked him.
He stalked my way with his hands in the pockets of his pants.
"Your heart doesn't need to love me, for you to enjoy intimacy ma beaute. I'm not Jason and I'll never be Nickolas. I'm your husband and I expect satisfaction from you. You can expect the same from me. Will it be your bed or mine?"
"I feel comfortable here." I answered as much as my throat feels dry.
I felt the warmth of his hands gently tagging the silk robe to fall off me. It fell smoothly to the floor. His blue eyes raked over me. "Just as beautiful as I expect." He moved to stand behind me, taking in the scent on my neck before resting his lips on my skin. I gasped out almost quietly. One of his arms circled the fullness of my breasts and the oth let my waist. He drew me back to enclose me on the possessiveness of his arms.
I already feel dazed from his kisses. I promised myself that I will not deny myself the feeling of pleasure. Nick is in the past. There's nothing left.
"Theo." I whispered as his lips tormented the sweet spot on my neck.
"Your scent is addictive." He filled his hands with my breasts. His fingers pinched the aroused tips playfully. "You are a dream come true. Please... kiss me so that I know this is real. Convince me that you are my wife... that you belong to me."
I turned around and held his handsome face in my hands. I stood on my toes as he bent his head and we kissed. The smoothness of his lips moved over mine tenderly. I expressed my commitment to him, assuring him that this is real.
When I broke away, he drew me towards the bed. "Please lie down." He told me.
Theo's POV
I'm not a morning person.
Getting out of bed in the morning takes a lot of effort. Even after, it takes an espresso to partly wake me up. As the day goes by, I start to become alive and it gets better into the night.
Last night was the best night but of my life. I got to make love to a beautiful woman. It felt like a dream, one I badly didn't want to wake up from. I had to when I climaxed and I couldn't go on anymore. But even after my sweetest dream came to be, I was still smiling and content for the moment.
It puzzles me that Nick would mess up something so beautiful. How could he let this one go?
I ate another chocolate covered strawberry. I don't even like sugar but if she's feeding it to me, why not?
"Theo!" She laughed when I licked and the chocolate off the tips of her fingers.
I can stop looking at her. She's my world. I hate that I'm admitting this so early on but she is. I can never tell her that. I already told her there will be no emotions involved yet I'm breaking my own rules a mere hours after our wedding.
"You look absolutely beautiful this morning ma cherie."
My hand rested on her bare back. She is seated on my lap, having breakfast with me. The other settled on her front. She is starting to show. Last night, I noticed it. It breaks my heart that he left her this way. Perhaps if she wasn't this way I would suggest that she bears me an heir. Will she agree to after she has Nick's?
"Thank you husband. You look devilishly dashing this morning!"
I smiled at her. She's making me feel a strange happiness that I have never had before. Is it safe to embrace this feeling? Will it last or will she eventually slip through my fingers and leave me heartbroken?
"Mrs Sinclair."
"Yes Mr Sinclair?"
"Nothing..." I chuckled. "I have always wanted to say that. Mrs Sinclair. Keira Charlotte Sinclair. Lovely."
She pressed a kiss on my forehead. She leaned on me. I sighed softly with nothing but satisfaction.
I have her.
She's mine now.