The Seduction Of Lady Constance (Returning Grooms #1)

Chapter 7

The stillness of the night settled over Southdale Hall, casting long shadows in the bedchamber where Constance stood by the window, her pulse quickening as she watched the darkness deepen outside. The sounds of the celebration had faded hours ago, replaced by a quiet that seemed to amplify the rapid beating of her heart. Her wedding gown lay draped over a chair, replaced by a silk robe that clung softly to her figure, but she still felt the weight of the day—the vows spoken, the expectations, and the moment that now lay before her.

She turned as the door opened and Vincent entered, closing it behind him with a soft click. He had already shed his formal coat, his white shirt loose at the collar, his hair tousled from the evening’s festivities. Yet there was an intensity in his gaze, a solemnity that spoke of the vows they had taken only hours before.

He crossed the room with a quiet determination, stopping just before her. "Constance," he said softly, reaching out to take her hand. His thumb traced small circles against her skin, the warmth of his touch calming the nervous flutter in her chest. "I made a promise to you today, and I intend to keep it."

Her breath hitched slightly as she looked up at him, the tenderness in his eyes cutting through her lingering doubts. "What promise is that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He stepped closer, his hand sliding up her arm to rest at her shoulder. "I vowed to be a true husband to you," he murmured, his voice steady. "To cherish you, to protect you, and to ensure that you never regret becoming my wife." He leaned in, his breath brushing against her temple as he added, "But more than that, I vowed to give you pleasure, Constance. To love you in a way that makes you feel cherished in every sense of the word."

A tremor ran through her as she met his gaze, the intensity of his words sinking in. She had told herself to keep her heart guarded, to treat this marriage as nothing more than a transaction. But here, in the quiet of the bedchamber, with Vincent’s eyes gazing at her with a promise she had not expected, she felt the walls she had built around herself begin to crumble.

"Vincent, I—" she started, but the rest of her words faltered as his hand moved to cradle her face, his thumb brushing gently across her cheek.

"Let me show you," he whispered, his voice low and coaxing. "Let me show you that this is more than just duty."

He kissed her then, softly at first, as though asking for her permission. But when she didn’t pull away, his kiss deepened, becoming more demanding, more insistent. Her pulse quickened as his arms wrapped around her, drawing her flush against him, and she responded with a fervor that surprised even herself.

Vincent’s hands roamed over the smooth fabric of her robe, finding the ties and slowly unfastening them until the silk slipped from her shoulders, pooling at her feet. His gaze traveled over her, the admiration in his eyes unmistakable as he took in the sight of her, bared to him. There was no hesitation in his touch as he cupped her breast, his thumb grazing over the sensitive peak, and she shivered at the sensation, her body awakening beneath his skilled hands.

She reached for him, her fingers fumbling with the buttons of his shirt in her haste to feel his skin against hers. As she pushed the fabric aside, revealing the hard planes of his chest, he groaned softly, and she felt a surge of boldness rise within her. She slid her hands over his bare skin, marveling at the warmth of him, the strength beneath her fingertips.

He guided her toward the bed, his kisses growing more urgent, more heated. As they fell back onto the soft sheets, his body covered hers, and she felt the weight of him settle over her, grounding her, steadying her. His mouth trailed a path down her neck, over the curve of her shoulder, his breath hot against her skin. Everywhere he touched, he left a trail of fire, and she arched into him, craving more.

When he finally entered her, it was with a slow, deliberate thrust that made her gasp, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she clung to him. The sensation was overwhelming—an exquisite mixture of pleasure and intimacy that seemed to bind them together in a way that was deeper than the vows they had spoken. As he moved within her, his gaze never left hers, and she saw in his eyes a promise that went beyond words—a promise to cherish her, to treasure her, to never let her feel anything less than adored.

Her body responded to him with a passion she hadn’t known she possessed, and as the tension built between them, she felt herself falling over the edge, her cries mingling with his as they found their release together. For a long moment, they lay entwined, their breathing heavy in the quiet of the room. He pressed a tender kiss to her brow, his hand stroking her hair as though to soothe her back to earth.

As the warmth of the afterglow settled over her, Constance felt a strange sense of peace. This man, whom she had married with the expectation of nothing more than practicality, had shown her a tenderness that touched the very depths of her guarded heart. Though she had not yet given herself permission to believe in love, she could not deny that tonight, he had given her something precious—something real.

Vincent pulled her closer, tucking her against his side, and she rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. "You need never doubt my devotion to you," he murmured, his fingers tracing patterns along her spine. "And I will not rest until you come to see that you are worthy of every happiness, Constance."

She closed her eyes, allowing herself to be enveloped by the warmth of his embrace. Perhaps it would take time for her to let down her defenses, to open herself fully to the possibilities that lay before them. But as she lay there in his arms, she felt a flicker of hope—hope that this marriage might become more than an arrangement, that it might transform into a union built not only on duty, but on affection, passion, and perhaps one day, love.

And for tonight, that flicker was enough.