The ceremony goes well and I relax into my new role as Countess as best I can.
When Max had kissed me he'd made me weak at the knees. It was so tender and gentle that I'd got lost in him until I heard the crowd jeering; making me blush and shattering the illusion that we were alone in that moment.
An hour or so later and we're sat at the head table enjoying our first drink as a married couple, the food is being served and Max grasps my hand under the table in such an innocent gesture that I can't help but return his squeeze and smile adoringly at him.
The drink is flowing freely and not long after that I begin to feel quite light headed and merry, I really start to enjoy myself and it surprises me.
So many people are approaching the table and giving us their congratulations and wedding gifts, I didn't even know that all of these people had been invited!
Max leans towards me and whispers conspiratorially in my ear "I think the people approve of their new Countess, and I can't say I blame them, wife" and my heart beats faster at his term of endearment...I like that he calls me that.
My god, when did that happen? When did I start to want his affection?
It shocks me but I'm enjoying myself far too much to care about why I feel like that.
Max stands and gestures to everyone that he intends to make a speech, the room falls silent instantly and I'm awed by the amount of influence he holds over people, including me.
I look up at him from my seat and find myself thanking god that I'm here with him, as he starts to talk, raising his glass.
"Thank you all for coming today; it truly is an honor to hold such good company on the day of our wedding." And he looks down at me smiling affectionately...I melt under his gaze and look away into the crowd trying to calm myself.
"Not long ago if you had told me that I would be sitting here on my wedding day, I would have laughed and said not bloody likely." And with that the crowd chuckles along with him.
He has the avid attention and affection of everyone in the room and it's easy to see why, he has such charisma.
"But I stand here today, knowing that I am the luckiest man alive. Cassandra has blessed me in so many ways... but the most important blessing she has bestowed upon me is trusting me to be her husband. She holds my heart in her hands and I wouldn't have it any other way. Cassandra..."and he looks down at me in my seat, reaching deep into my soul and speaking as if we're the only ones in the room before he continues "I vow to spend the rest of my life protecting you, doing my best to deserve you and above all else...loving you".
I hear a flurry of swoons coming from the door leading to the kitchens and turn to see all the maids wiping tears from their eyes. He raises his glass and gestures to the crowd. "To my wife"
"To the Countess!" shouts everyone in the hall and I feel myself about to burst from the range of emotions filling me.
I can't begin to describe how special Max makes me feel in this moment...it's the first time I've really thought that I could be happy and settled here with him.
Alexander rises from his seat next to Max and raises his own glass "To the Earl and his Countess!"
"To the Earl and his Countess!" echoes back at him as the entire hall toasts us.
I take a sip of my drink as Max sits and gestures for the food to be brought out to the front tables, the waiting maids burst into a frenzy of activity refilling goblets of drink and delivering platters of steaming hot food to each of the tables.
I spot Florence at the table directly in front of us and she smiles at me, I smile back but frown as I notice that the man at the table she's serving seems to be getting rather overhanded and is pawing at her backside.
She handles herself and tells him to stop but he's so drunk her request doesn't even register.
Before I know what's happening I hear the scrape of a chair and Alexander is at her side pulling her behind him as he squares up to the man.
The shock of the abrupt interruption makes the drunk idiot sober up fairly quickly and he stands, trying to apologise, but Alexander is seething.
I've never seen him like this and it's apparent in that moment that he has deeper feelings for Florence than I'd originally thought.
Max stands automatically, his body in attack mode ready to help Alexander as if they are in battle together again. He's ready to dish out punishment if necessary, I can tell by his stance and his clenched fists.
I rise slowly next to him, grasping his arm and gently squeezing, "Max...don't" and my words distract him from his battle stance. He relaxes immediately and turns to me, stroking my cheek delicately.
"Alex can handle himself. Don't worry for him."
"I don't... I worry for you" I mumble unsure of myself all of a sudden. Should I even have interrupted him when he was just being the Earl of the castle? I begin to regret my outspokenness but he can see my worry and kisses me fiercely before reluctantly breaking away.
"Cassie...I don't ever want you to feel as though you can't talk to me. Your opinions and thoughts are as important to me as my own."
And with that one reassurance I feel better, his words have so much power over me now, I couldn't stop this even if I wanted to.
I realise with stark clarity that I'm falling in love with him.
--------------------------------
It's getting late and I'm beginning to tire from all the dancing and drinking, I feel pretty tipsy but ecstatically happy with Max.
He sits at the head table watching me as I dance and I begin to slow my movements knowing that his attentions are solely on me; my confidence soaring with the drink.
His eyes don't move from mine and they drill into me with the promise of what will happen later tonight when he gets me alone.
I sway from side to side making love to him with my eyes and he leans toward Alexander saying something, who nods, and then rises abruptly stalking toward me.
He reaches me and pulls me in to his body, we grip each other without thought, he mouth falls to my ear and he murmurs "I want you, wife".
I pull back to get a good look at him, desire pools in my stomach as he strokes my side possessively.
I nod my consent and he leads me from the room discreetly as we head upstairs, away from the noise and distractions of the party.
I know what's coming and the thought of it doesn't scare me...it excites me...which only confuses me even more.
I should be terrified that this hunk of a caveman is leading me to his chambers with the intent of having his way with me.
I should be feeling a lot of things, but at this moment in time all I can think about is his body on mine and how much I need this and how much I need him.
God I'm so screwed.
We arrive in his room, or what I guess is now our room, and he closes the door turning to me slowly.
Its dark inside apart from the firelight and it bathes us in a romantic glow, ramping up my complete readiness for this moment.
He takes charge, stalking towards me and throwing his arms around me tightly, crushing me to his chest.
His lips crash into mine with desperation and I cling to him, trying to make sense of this new found togetherness and learning his body.
I can't stop myself.
I run my hands all through his hair and grasp his face, feeling his stubble tickle my palms and sighing into his mouth as our tongues entwine and tease each other.
God I'm so ready for this.
The drink's lowered all of my inhibitions and I'm practically climbing him like a spider monkey.
Before I know what's happening he's backed me up and gently pushes me onto the bed, I fall back into the blankets as he begins to strip off his clothes.
My jaw drops ... he's perfect in every way.
I bite my lip as I see piece by piece of his amazing body revealed, it's heart-stopping and I suck in a breath as he removes his trousers, freeing his hard cock.
He notices and smirks at me "Like what you see, Wife?" there's that nickname again and I love it.
It turns me the hell on.
There's something about knowing that I'm the only woman who he calls by that name, I'm his and he knows it.
He's such a man, muscly and authoritative – he's taking exactly what he wants and I find that so sexy.
"Yes I do, Husband" I say saucily, loving the sound of it coming from my mouth when talking to him. He looks at me, his eyes burning with desire and focusing, becoming all business again in a split second.
He pulls me up to a standing position and removes my veil delicately before lifting my dress up over my head, leaving me in just my shift as he spins me around to face the wall.
I shiver from the cold and he closes the distance between us, moulding his hard body against mine perfectly and prodding me in the back with his rock hard manhood.
He grips my hips roughly, and slowly, teasingly, lifts my shift up to my thighs but pauses, kissing my neck.
He's asking for permission...and I nod and hum my answer of approval, suddenly incapable of speech.
The shift slips delicately over my head, brushing my hair up into a messy frizz as it goes.
I'm naked and vulnerable and I feel the full weight of his stare boring into me even though I can't see his face.
The heat of his body is close and he huffs a ragged breath onto my neck as his contact returns, enveloping me in his warmth.
"So beautiful..." he murmurs into my skin as his kisses run up and down my shoulder and neck making me weak at the knees.
I rest my head back against his chest, enjoying his height and the feel of his roving hands all over my stomach and breasts.
He turns me in his arms and moves back out of my reach, simply looking at me again and making me feel very exposed.
My eyes fall to his amazing pecks and his chest that's moving slowly in and out, breathing steadily as he drinks in the sight of me in return; His eyes meet mine and all it takes is one look from him to make me feel treasured, he doesn't even have to speak a word for me to know what he's thinking.
"My god Cassie...you're so beautiful it hurts to look at you."
I sigh at his words and lift my hand pulling him to me, wanting his skin on mine right now and in the most intimate way.
I can't talk, I'm on autopilot, and all that matters now is that his body is on top of mine.
I stand on my tiptoes to reach his mouth as he's standing at full height and plant a soft kiss on him as his warm arms wrap around me and mold my soft body into his rock hard one.
He kisses my neck, tickling a path down my throat with his sexy as sin stubble before we fall back onto the bed still grasping each other tightly.
I moan and grip his neck hard, wrapping my legs around him, his cock nudging my entrance teasingly.
My hips jut forward in instinct but he pulls his hips back, leaving me whimpering.
"No Cassie...I want to take my time with this...with you" He says leaning away from me, leaving me in a panting pile on the bed.
I mewl in response to his body leaving mine and beckon him to join me but he just sits on his haunches staring at me in all my naked glory as if frozen in time.
I begin to get frustrated as his lack of action; I'm not used to being admired for so long.
Modern men are so wham bam thank you mam.
Alec certainly was.
I cringe and internally berate myself for thinking of him right now and push my thoughts back into the present.
"Max, I need you...now" I moan wriggling on the bed, trying to keep the desperation from my voice.
He grunts in apparent approval and moves speedily over me, licking my breast and sucking my nipple before nibbling, making me cry out in pleasure.
I buck wildly having not expected the contact and sigh as he continues to work my body into a desperate frenzy.
He trails kisses down my stomach and thighs, running his hands down my sides and massaging as he goes, he's circling the area I want him in most and I'm gyrating my hips, desperately trying to get his head to where I need him.
He chuckles as I pull his hair and he begins kissing my inner thighs, working his way towards my waxed parts that are quickly becoming way too hairy for my liking; I hesitate and pull away slightly in embarrassment.
"No!" he barks through his sucking and kissing, pulling my hips tightly to his face like a crazed animal. He nuzzles me and moves fast, taking my clit into his hot wet mouth.
I arch my back in ecstasy and cry out in garbled noises that don't resemble any known language.
This feels so primal that words aren't needed.
God why did I ever question this?
He's doing things to my insides that no man has ever been able to do. He lifts one leg and hooks it over his shoulder leaving me completely exposed to his whim; he groans as he inserts his fingers into me deeply, still sucking hard at my centre.
I scream out in shock and he pulls his fingers from me "Shit, did I hurt you? Is this alright?"
"It's better than alright! God Max...don't stop" and his fingers slide back into to their rightful place, inside me, as he lowers his head again greedily.
I grab at his hair like a crazed woman, riding his face as hard as I can.
His free hand travels up my body and he palms my breast squeezing it gently, before rolling my nipple in between his expert fingers, making me shudder and suck in a harsh breath.
He's pleasuring my body so intensely that it's almost too much for me and I moan deeply, losing myself in all the sensations.
All coherent thought stops and my body takes over as he brings me to the edge of my release.
"Oh god Max!" I cry, feeling my release building inside me reaching its breaking point.
Pleasure explodes through me, travelling along my tightened stomach muscles and all the way down my thighs to the tips of my toes.
I cry out in euphoria and gasp air deep into my lungs trying to catch my breath.
His sucking turns to soft licks as I ride the last waves and his eyes look up to me, his hands stroking me everywhere he can reach, bridging the gap between us.
I pull him up to me and grasp his neck harshly as I kiss him with burning desire, putting all of my unspeakable emotions into it.
He leaves my lips long enough to kiss his way down my neck causing shivers all down my spine; I bite my lip, overwhelmed with all the sensations bombarding me.
"God I want you" he rasps in my ear wantonly.
"Then take me" I moan not caring about anything else in this moment.
His cock teases my slick entrance and he pushes into me gently, filling me inch by blissful inch. It feels like forever before he bottoms out inside me and we both pause as we absorb our feelings for each other and the delirium that our new closeness brings.
He presses his forehead to mine and we both breathe in and out slowly, my arms closing around his neck, letting him know this is what I want.
He throbs inside me and I gyrate my hips, trying desperately to get him to move, but instead he pulls out of me and sits back onto his legs, pulling me as he goes.
He lifts me by my hips as if I weigh nothing and lowers me onto his impressive cock hastily, making me gasp out loud.
We end up with me sitting on top of him and facing each other upright, our faces so close I can feel his harsh breaths on my lips.
He kisses me hard, showing me that he owns me in this moment.
He's so much deeper this way and I stay still in this position for what feels like a long time as I acclimatise to his intrusion, breathing deeply and steadily. He doesn't move either, somehow sensing that I need this time.
I whimper and he takes it as a sign that I'm ready for him to move. He grips my neck hard with one hand and wraps his other arm around my waist, holding my hips completely still he thrusts into me with no tenderness.
This has become about owning each other. My legs lock behind his back and my arms are draped around his neck letting him have full control.
"Fuck Cassie...you feel like heaven"
"Max...god...don't stop" and he doesn't; thrusting into me hard, again and again, claiming my body as his.
"Uh, Fuck" he moans.
He works us both into a frenzy, my mouth and throat dry from my heavy breathing and I moan into his mouth as he kisses me passionately.
My body shivers with my imminent orgasm and Max feels the subtle change in me instantly. His thrusting turns frantic and he's slamming into me, hitting rock bottom every time, making me scream out.
"Come with me, Max!" I cry out, desperate for that closeness and my words prove his undoing as we both spiral down into a heavenly release in perfect unison; shaking and panting from the aftermath of our lovemaking.
I don't move off of him immediately, enjoying the feeling of fullness and being joined to him in such an intimate way.
When I'd come I'd wrapped my arms around his neck tightly and tucked my head next to his, biting his shoulder and forgetting everything else other than the amazing things he was making me feel.
I lean back from him, suddenly sober and aware of myself and pull in a shocked breath at my teeth marks marring his beautiful skin.
"God...I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me" I say sheepishly, feeling awful for what will likely turn into a bruise on my husband's heavenly body.
"Don't apologise my love...Never apologise for that" he says shaking his head lightly, his eyes turning to molten lava and focusing on mine with such intensity, as his breathing begins to return to normal.
He smiles and begins to stroke up and down my back, gently with his rough hands.
I lean toward his mouth wanting to prolong our closeness and plant a soft kiss on his lips which he reciprocates passionately, making my stomach do flips.
He lowers me to the bed gently and pulls out of me, both of us wincing at the feeling of separation.
Lying next to me he turns onto his side and I do the same feeling suddenly very aware of my nakedness and trying to cover myself.
His hand reaches for my face and tucks my hair behind my ear "Are you alright? I didn't hurt you did I?" and I giggle as I think back to how only seconds ago I was riding him and screaming like a banshee. "What's so funny?" he laughs with me.
"No you didn't hurt me. That was...amazing"
"I'm glad you think so Wife" he smiles with pride, moving his hand down to my hip stroking me firmly and possessively.
"I like it when you call me that" I admit sheepishly.
"Well that's just as well" he smirks "as I intend to keep calling you wife for a very long time."
He teases and he climbs on top of me swiftly, stifling my giggles with kisses.
------------------------------------
I lie quite still enjoying the view as he stands and walks to the table with a bowl and jug of water on top of it.
The light from the fire highlights his physique and I blatantly stare at his perfect broad muscular back, narrowing to his waist.
My eyes continue their downward journey drinking in his divine bum and athletic thighs – it's clear that all of his battle training has paid off massively, he's mouthwatering.
My head is still fuzzy from the drink and I'm starting to yawn as he retreats to the bed with a wash cloth for me, but as I reach for it he shakes his head and begins to clean me himself. He takes such care doing it it's as if he paying tribute to my body and it's so erotic. My heart melts at his gesture.
He drops the cloth to the floor and pulls the covers over us, spooning me. I relax into his back and feel myself drifting off before being awoken by him whispering in my ear "Thank you Cassie".
I turn in his arms and look up at him in sleepy puzzlement "What for?"
"For agreeing to be my wife"
"I should be the one thanking you Max...You're...well you're saving my life"
"No...it's you who's saving mine. I've been alone for so long now that I'd resigned myself to a life without love... until you."
I'm dumbstruck by his words; I can see in his eyes that he's deadly serious. He's so romantic that I nearly burst.
I reach for him and bring my face to his, kissing him deeply, trying desperately to show him my indescribable feelings – but it's not enough and I rise up, lifting my leg to straddle him.
I ride him slowly as the fire dies down leaving us in the dark, but neither of us feels the cold as I show him my love, without speaking any words.