The Homecoming Bride

Chapter Twenty: You Belong To Me

CHAPTER SONG: "You Belong to Me" by Patsy Cline

*Lyrics from the song 'Smile' from the film 'Been So Long' written by Arthur Darvill from the 1998 play of the same name.

** Lyrics from the song "No Time to Die" written by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell

William Schofield, now a newly married man, opened his eyes to a calm grey morning, his sleepily blinking vision taking in the sight of the darkened honeymoon suite at the Imperial Grand Hotel as he remembered why he wasn't awakening in his family home like he normally would.

He was on his side, facing the large window leading to the outside balcony, blue morning light beaming through the closed curtains as he deduced that the sun wasn't shining with its invasive rays which he was grateful for.

Realizing he was only covered by the hotel bed-sheets and not wearing any clothes underneath, a small smile came to his face as he silently rolled around on his other side to see the reason why his body was fairly sore in the best of ways, his muscles blissfully aching in the aftermath of last night's exertions.

His Emmy laid beside him flat on her stomach, the ivory cotton sheet down to her waist to reveal her creamy skinned bare back, her head cushioned on the pillow with her tangled chocolate curls strewn all around her shoulders and her face in charming disarray as he remembered their rigorous and passionate lovemaking of their wedding night.

A small snore emitted from her nostrils as Will reached over and gently pushed her twisted curls away from her face so they wouldn't tickle her nose and disturb her.

He dared to scoot close to her and place a kiss on her forehead with only a feather light touch of his lips so as to not startle her. He tenderly wiped away a stain of leftover champagne at the corner of her rosebud mouth and he was tempted to kiss her lips as well, but he chivalrously settled for imprinting another kiss on her naked shoulder before he sat up from the pillows.

Emmy slightly stirred with a half-asleep moan and he carefully swung his legs over the edge of the mattress to stand up and stretch his exhausted body, feeling the cool air along his legs as he made his way to the washroom to relieve himself as nature called from drinking all that alcohol.

After he cleaned up and washed his hands as he wanted to keep the washroom pristine as he would be sharing it with his wife... he still could only partially believe that he was officially married to the woman he loved... he strode back over to the untidy bed and laid back on his side, his eyelids becoming heavy again as he looked at the clock on the bedside table, reading 7:30 in the morning.

It was still too early for a complimentary breakfast according to what the hotel staff had told them when they made their reservation for the honeymoon.

And knowing his Emmy, she would want to sleep as much as she could as she had honestly worn him out last night and he had reciprocated with his own sensual affections toward her of marital bonding as husband and wife.

He reached out again to pet his fingers through her silken tresses as he saw her begin to rouse on her pillow, her eyelashes fluttering as she started to awaken.

"Emmy... my love. Are you awake?" Will whispered gently as she grunted and moaned in her semi-conscious status.

He knew he was playfully taking a risk at facing her cantankerous wrath as she was not an early bird, so to speak.

"No...I'm not awake. I'm still sleeping. You wore me out, you naughty Englishman." Emmy slurred in a wearied tongue as she yawned ungracefully.

"I'm sorry, darling." Will smiled to himself as she blinked her eyes open, sliding his hands underneath her bare arms to pull her close so that she was almost on top of him. "But I'm not sorry..."