Breathe | s.b | bridgerton

28

Carina's eyes fluttered open to the sun shining in through the window. Looking up to check on Simon, she found him sound asleep still, and took a moment just to just admire him. Admire the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with.
Overwhelmed by her love for her husband, Carina nuzzled her face into his chest, and took a deep breath in. Her hand inching upwards to cup his cheek and caress it.
The action made Simon wake up, as his eyes fluttered open, he was met with the sight of his wife, cuddled up to him, and he felt a smile creep up on his face involuntarily. "Morning, love." He whispered as his hands climbed to the back of Carina's head and he started playing with strands of her long hair.

Looking up and settling her chin on his chest, Carina muttered "Good morning" and looked as if she was lost deep in thought, a certain twinkle in her eye that Simon had witnessed and grown to love last night.
Smirking a bit at the effect he had on the woman he loved, he questioned as one of his hand snaked down to curl around her bare waist, "Whatever is the matter with you? You seem... lost in thoughts."
Blushing at being so blatantly obvious that Simon caught on so quick, Carina opened and closed her lips a couple times before noticing Simon focused on her lips.

That made her lose her shame and she put on a smirk of herself.
This was her husband after all, no need to act so coy with him. He knows, or would grow to know, all of her for the rest of their lives.
She retracted the hand that was cupping Simon's cheek and trailed it down to his torso ever so slowly as she whispered scandalously, "Nothing wrong with me, my dear. Just thinking how much I love the hoarse voice you have right after you wake up in the morning." As she finished, her hand had reached his stomach, laying flat and caressing the defined muscles there.

"Oh yeah?" Simon countered breathless, "Well I for one, adore all of you and everything you do, Mrs. Bassett. Makes me a madman." He said, leaning in to kiss her as his grip on her waist tightened and lowered a little so that his hand was resting on her lower back.
Just as their lips were about to meet, Carina let out a giggle and backed away, leaning up on forearms as she said, "None of that right now, sir! We must make haste or we will end up being late."
As she turned her back to him and sat up, Simon pulled her wrist that made her twist right back around and made her land on top of him again, her hands flat on his chest.

"The staff at Clyvedon can wait a few more minutes." He stated simply as he leaned in to kiss her. His tongue darting out instantly. Carina sank into his embrace as she got lost in her husband as his hand brought her closer.
Just as Simon began peppering kisses along her jaw, a knock sounded on the door, making Carina open her eyes as Simon completely ignored it.
"Your Grace? I am here to help you prepare for departure. We must leave soon." A man stated, probably Simon's assistant or helper.
"Simon!" Carina hissed as he ignored him yet again.

With a sigh, Simon retreated back and called out to the man, stating he would be out shortly and plopped down onto the matress unceremoniously. With a giggle, Carina landed a final kiss to his lips and sat up and Simon took that as an opportunity to study her. Carina was running her hands through her locks, trying to untangle them as her brown hair went cascading down her back in loose waves, finally in their natural form as they were free from the billions of clips restraining them.
Simon scoffed at the memory. He had taken down so many clips and pins from her head last night.
If he could, he would have Carina's hair free all the time. She looked so pretty with it falling down her back like that.

She had a rosy tint to her cheeks, one he wished he could see there forever. As the sheet fell off her due to her hands being busy in her head and pooled around her waist, Simon took notice of her bare back and side profile. He all but let out a groan at the site. Suddenly Carina turned around to face him and swatted lightly at his chest, "Simon! Get up. You are supposed to be out right now."
As his wife turned to face him, Simon felt a sudden rush of pride and love rise up in him as he saw her state.
Her neck and breasts were marked due to Simon's doing, a pretty shade of red and purple, and he could see the marks of his fingers digging into her hips.

He was completely entranced by the site, feeling overprotective. Right then Simon knew he liked seeing his Carina marked as his. Only his. Only he could do the things to her that he did, only he could love her. And Simon found strange comfort in the fact.
He just knew he would enjoy marking her all the time.
Noticing his gaze straying over her neck and hips, Carina snapped her fingers and called out his name.
Simon swiftly replied, "Hmm... I just- I love seeing you like this. Knowing everyone who sees you will know you're mine." He said with a grin.

Not liking the statement with his mischievous smile one bit, Carina stood up and rushed to the vanity, completely disregarding her naked form, "Oh Simon what did you do?!" She exclaimed.
As she looked in the mirror, she let out a scandalised gasp, making Simon laugh at her. Turning red in the face, Carina swiftly turned around and called out, "Simon Basset! How dare you! I'm going to be so embarrassed. Everyone would know!"
Simon let out a chuckle as he walked to her, after pulling his pants up his legs.

"Well love, sorry to tell you this but I think you did a fairly wonderful job telling everyone that already with your cries of my name." He said with amusement as Carina gasped out in horror, "oh no I didn't..."
"You surely did, love. I'm pretty sure the entirety of the establishment knows."
Carina just stared at him open mouthed as he closed the distance between them, put his hands on her shoulder and turned her around to face the mirror. His hands snaked in from behind as his head settled on her shoulder, "Also, I think it looks pretty. I like seeing them on you. And don't fret about the noises. Everyone would know what we did regardless. It was our wedding night, love. On our honeymoon. Even if nothing happened, they would assume it did."

Carina blushed as she let out a resigned, "well I suppose you are right." Her hands settled on top of Simon's around her waist and she leaned back into him, "Also, I think they look pretty too." She whispered hesitantly, her face as red as a tomato. Simon's eyes widened as his smile inched higher on his face, "Yeah?" he confirmed as Carina hummed and continued, "They make me feel loved, appreciated. Just knowing these marks are the symbol of our love for each other. Also, you look absolutely dashing with yours." Carina chuckles as she tilted her head up sideways to make eye contact with Simon , glancing down to his own lighter and smaller marks on his neck. "At least now I know the other women will know you are taken and think twice." Simon stands up straight and stretches his neck in confusion.

A smile grew on his face upon noticing what his wife was talking about.
A couple tiny red splotches, almost blending in with his skin, stood proudly on the length of his neck, almost like mosquito bites. He reaches a hand across to trace the marks with his fingers, pride rushing through his chest, feeling like warm honey. His eyes then flit down to his arm that he had raised and he snapped his eyes away from the mirror, looking down at his arm in real life, letting out a low whistle that confused Carina. She followed his gaze and noticed half moon shaped indents all over his biceps, making her breath get stuck in her throat.
Blushing bright red, Carina let out an embarrassed sound, diverting the attention by gripping Simon's forearms and turning him around.

"You should really find a shirt to wear Simon. You are late! Let us leave, come on," she said in a high pitched voice as Simon turned around and twisted his head to retort, "You aren't even dressed yet love. And look, all I will say is I love when you get like-" Simon stopped in his tracks as he finally landed his gaze on his wife's slack jaw, stopping the joking comment leaving his mouth. "Carina? What are yo-" his eyes flit past her to the mirror behind her and he finally saw what she was looking at.
Him.
She was looking at him, or more specifically, his back, where littered his angry raised skin, looking like long cat scratches, all over his back. "Did I do those?" Carina asked incredulously. "Yes, and I love you all the more for that." Simon whispered as he turned around and gave Carina a kiss.

After some more teasing remarks, Carina pushed Simon to get dressed and get out of the room as she stalked over to her belongings and chose a simple dress, comfortable to travel, yet just heavy enough to make a good impression as the new duchess. As Simon and Carina got in the carriage, Simon couldn't keep his hands off of her, leaving little pecks on her head, cuddling, and kissing her all the time. And Carina didn't really mind. It helped her take her mind off of those worrying thoughts about her new responsibilities and roles.

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Author's note:

A filler chapter but all is good cause i personally think the story can be wrapped up soon, just one more chapter, maybe two or three and then the epilogue! Enjoy!