His Little Wife

Chapter 23

I laid there that night unable to sleep. This time it wasn't because I was scared of what he might do to me. But because of what he said to me after we'd had sex for the first time.

'Anna, I love you.'

He loved me?

Me?

Love?

I couldn't get my head around it. When did that happen? I knew I'd developed feeling for this man, but love seemed a bit too soon, didn't it? We'd only been in each others lives for about a month and now he's in love with me?

Maybe I misheard? That had to be it. Maybe he said something else and for some reason that's what I thought he'd said?

After he said it to me he gave me a long and tender kiss before getting up and walking to the shower. It's like he knew I wasn't ready to say it back, so he didn't even give me a chance.

I just pretended to be asleep when he came back, completely lost for what to say to him. I hadn't thought about my feelings for him past me wanting to feel him inside me. I was too busy focusing on the wedding and the way he makes me wet just from looking at me. I didn't consider how I felt. Do I love him? I don't know. Maybe I could see myself getting there at some point. He's changed since I first met him. He's not the monster I thought he was. He's changed into someone I can see myself being with. I know what I felt when he said the words to me. It was an amazing feeling. I was happy. In that moment I was the happiest I can ever remember being. All be it I also felt anxious, thinking he'd expect something in return. But he didn't. That shows me he's changed. He gave me something with expecting anything in return... but now that I think about it, he's done that a lot. Apart from taking me from my family home to pay off the debt of my father, he has done nothing but give.

He gave me my art studio, a laptop and anything I asked for. He took me horse riding and even showed me how to defend myself. He also gave me the wedding of my dreams and now it became clear that all of that wasn't because he had to or because he felt obligated. It's because he wanted to and it made my heart ache for him.

I wish I could read his mind. To know what he was thinking. To know when this arrangement changed for him. Because it had changed for me. At some point in the last month the idea of running away just disappeared. I just didn't think about it anymore. I was happy and content living with this man, knowing I would be tied to him for the rest of my life.

I felt my brain slowly starting to melt as my mind ran backwards and forwards, thinking about it.
I kept looking at the clock, knowing the sun would soon come up and that I wouldn't get any sleep tonight. With an ache between my legs from loosing my virginity, I pinched my eyes shut, trying to force myself to sleep. But it didn't work.

A couple of hours after the sun started to peak through the curtains, Lucian started to stir from his slumber.

I rolled over and watched him as he slowly woke, peaking at me through his sleepy eyes.

'Morning.' He groaned, sending a shiver through my body.

How does he do that?

'Morning.' I smile back at him, despite being beyond tired.

'How long have you been up?' He asks after a yawn.

'Not long.' I lie.

'Liar.' He says, catching me out.

'Fine, I couldn't get to sleep.'

'Why? If you didn't like the bed or the room...'

'It's not that.' I cut him off.

'Then what?' He asks with a scowl on his face.

Do I ask him? What do I say? Maybe he didn't even remember saying it? Maybe he just got lost in the moment and it was just something that came out his mouth after sex and I've wasted a whole night overthinking?

'I meant it.' He tells me as if reading my mind.

'But... when?'

'When did I know?'

I nod my head, unable to speak.

'When you slapped me around the face' He laughed, with a slight blush on his cheeks.

'In the pool? Really?' I ask, pulling a grimace.

'Yeah. It's when I knew you wouldn't take any crap. All my life people have treated me differently because of who I am. Nobody dared to say no to me. Never did I think I would meet someone who treated me like a normal person. Someone who was willing to put me in my place... Until I met you.'

I narrow my eyes at him as I try to read him.

'You confuse me so much.' I tell him.

And then I realise...

'That was only like a week after we met?' I say out loud more to myself then to him.

'The heart wants what the heart wants.' He shrugs his shoulders at me.

'Well if I'd of known you liked me hitting you I might of done it a bit more.' I joke.

'Is that so?' He asks, grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me across the bed to him.

His lips land on mine before I can respond to his question and I feel all the worry from the previous night disappear as I melt into his body.

'How are you feeling? He mumbles against my lips as his hand creeps up my thigh.

'Sore.' I admit.

'Maybe I can help with that.' He says as he pushes me back against the bed, disappearing under the sheets.

I feel my thighs being pushed apart as he presses his face to my core. He plants light kisses up my centre before using his tongue to completely relax me.

Well if this is what married life is like then I'm definitely going to enjoy it.