One Night with the Marquess Extended Epilogue

Extended Epilogue

Seven Years Later

Courtney picked up a flower and held it to her nose, breathing in the fragrance. She smiled to herself thinking of this day seven years ago when he asked her to marry him.

“What is making you so happy?” She felt his arms going around her waist and leaned back into his chest, still smiling.

“Seven years ago, on this day, you asked me to marry you,” she said quietly. His hands tightened around her waist.

“Oh, I did not realize that was today.”

She turned in his arms putting her own around his neck, as she smiled up at him. “Are you still waiting for me to leave, or do you believe that I am going to stay now?”

He put his hand to her slightly distended belly, “Well, considering that you are to have my third child, I think you are stuck with me.”

Her smile became a grin, “I think so too.”

He swooped down and lips with his, kissing her passionately.

“Oh no, they are at it again, Emma. I swear they complain that we are love birds, but they literally take the cake,” Sin said from a few yards away, where he was still lounging on the picnic blanket, a piece of grass in his mouth.

Emma, who was lying against his shoulder, smiled. “It is not a competition you know.” She waved a hand at Courtney and Nicholas, “You may resume kissing if you wish.”

Courtney laughed, letting her arms slide down from Nicholas’ neck to cradle his elbows. “No, Edward is right. We do love to tease you when you lose yourselves in each other’s eyes. But the children will be back from feeding the ducks any minute. I, for one, do not want any more tiresome questions about why I like to eat Papa’s mouth.”

All four adults laughed, remembering the inquisitiveness of Courtney and Nicholas’ first-born daughter, Sarah, who was prone to asking awkward questions, of any adult in her vicinity. Just in time, they heard the high piping voices of their children, in loud conversation as they returned with their governess from feeding the ducks on the lake.

Nicholas helped Courtney to sit back down on the blankets. “Would you like some more cake, my love?” he asked gesturing toward the half-eaten confection.

Courtney shook her head, “Not just at the moment. Besides, I think Alexander said something about saving the rest for when he came back from feeding the ducks. He would be crushed if I ate it.”

Nicholas shook his head, “That boy eats like a grown man. It is a wonder he is still so thin.”

“It is because he eats and then runs for hours,” Sin said tiredly. “Soon we shall have to lock him in an enclosure just to keep him contained.”

Emma giggled. “He would find a way out. Such a resourceful little boy.”

“A menace is what he is,” Sin retorted.

“The way Andrew follows him around so worshipfully; I fear for our future,” Nicholas said.

“We just must resolve to keep them apart, once they are of an age.” Sin reiterated not for the first time.

Courtney just shook her head but did not say anything as the children rounded the corner and came running back toward the picnic blanket. Emma and Edward’s twins, Alexander, and Sophia, were a little older than Courtney and Nicholas’ children, Andrew, and Sarah. Andrew had been a difficult pregnancy for Courtney, and she took a long time to recover. Nicholas was worried about the third pregnancy, but Courtney was convinced that it would be all right.

The sun was beginning to set so they packed up the picnic and prepared to return to their respective homes. While they were in London, the Sinclairs and the Bighavens tended to spend a lot of time together, preferring each other ‘s company to socializing with the Beau monde.

More often than not, they were joined by Thomas and Amelia, though the latter couple preferred to spend time at Thomas’ family seat in the countryside with Aunt Pippa. Amelia liked the wide-open spaces, and relative freedom compared to London. She preferred to throw house parties, for her eclectic group of friends and family rather than come to London.

Nicholas would also have preferred to stay at his family seat, but due to Courtney’s previously difficult pregnancy, he preferred to be in London where they had access to more advanced medical care throughout the course of her pregnancy.

They arrived home to find that Anastasia was also just coming in from afternoon tea with her friends. She had managed to find her own community in London, and it was really growing into her own. Her relationship with Nicholas grew less stiff with time, but he was still not wholly comfortable in letting his guard down around her.

“Good evening, Mother. And how was your day?” he asked politely.

She smiled breezily, “It was very good. Your solicitor contacted me about Robbins’ land in Massachusetts. They tell me they have managed to sell it and that I am to split the money with Amelia. I do not want it, and Amelia said she does not either. Do you have any ideas what we can do with it?”

“Well, perhaps you can help other women like yourself who need to escape from impossible situations but do not have the means.”

She inclined her head to the side, “That is a wonderful idea, Nicholas. I do not know what the Ton might think of it. They may accuse me of trying to break up marriages.”

“Indeed. You must be very discreet.”

She smiled at him, “Thank you for the idea, Nicholas. I shall think further on it.”

“If you need any help, you know I am here.”

She squeezed his arm. “I know that. Now go to your wife. She was rubbing her back as she went up the stairs. I am sure she could do with a nice massage.”

Nicholas’ jaw dropped, “Mother! I am sure you should not be saying such things to your son about his wife.”

She gave him an innocent look. “All I am saying is that you should go and rub your wife’s back as she is in pain.”

He snorted. “All right. Good evening mother. Go and say goodnight to your grandchildren. I am sure they would love you to read them a story.”

“Do not worry,” she said tongue in cheek, “we shan’t disturb you.”

Nicholas rolled his eyes and shook his head as he climbed the stairs to their chambers. His mother could be so mischievous at times. He could see where Amelia got it from.

Courtney was lying on their bed, her eyes closed. He went and sat beside her, cupping her cheek with concern. “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” her eyes fluttered open, “I was just waiting for you. I thought we might celebrate our proposal anniversary.”

He grinned. “All right, but first take off all your clothes.”

She cocked an eyebrow at him, “So fast? Not even a kiss first?”

He laughed, “I want to give you a massage. Mother said you were rubbing your back as you came up the stairs.”

“I was. Feeling a bit tired.”

“All right so take off your clothes and let me relax you.”

“If you do that, I warn you I might fall asleep.”

“I shall take my chances.”

With a laugh, she sat up and let him divest her of her gown and petticoat. She lay back down, her blonde hair lying all around her head like a halo. He went to the bedside table and extracted a bottle of lavender oil.

“Turn onto your side,” he said and watched her slide around until her back was to him, the curves of her body as familiar to him now as his own, yet he still felt himself stir in excitement and anticipation.

He poured some oil onto his hand and rubbed it so it was warm before spreading it on her back. He rubbed it into her skin, enjoying touching her in this way, reveling in the soft, warm smoothness of her skin, so different from his own. He bent down and kissed the hollow of her back, just overwhelmed with affection.

She moaned in approval, smiling slightly as she lay unmoving, letting him do whatever he wanted. He ran a hand down her back and over the curve of her bottom before closing it around her upper thigh and kneading her flesh. He pushed her legs apart and drizzled more oil on her skin before rubbing and kneading it into her skin.

She groaned in encouragement as his hands moved all over her flesh, his fist digging into the soft flesh of her upper back, trying to remove all the kinks before he rubbed her skin softly, kneading her shoulders and depositing kisses everywhere he touched.

“Turn around,” he said hoarsely and she did so eagerly, letting him take her breasts in his hands, squeezing them before he closed his mouth over her nipple and suckled deeply amid her moans. She arched her back, her hands seeking him out, urging him closer.

“I am not finished.” He teased as he went lower, depositing a kiss on her belly button before rubbing her belly. He kissed all around her tiny bump before licking lower until he was circling her wet warm tightness. He stuck his tongue into her core, using it to brush against her sensitive nub and feeling it swell beneath his ministrations.

She cried out hips jerking, pushing herself deeper into his mouth. He smiled adding his fingers to the mix, as he scissored her insides.

“Do not make me wait please,” she begged.

“Your wish is my command,” he murmured into her flesh, as he moved upwards along her body. Pushing his breeches down, he surged into her, even as they kissed frantically. She was so soft and wet and open that he had no problem thrusting deep, until his balls were cradled at her entrance.

He pistoned into her again and again, groaning into her ear as he took her without reservation, possessing her body and soul. She wrapped her legs around his waist, crying out in ecstasy with every thrust, every grind, every hit on her sensitive flesh. Her cries drove him mad, and he held her legs up, his rhythmic thrusts becoming erratic and wild as passion took over.

Drops of sweat fell upon her breasts from his face as he worked, his hips jerking and grinding, trying to split her in two like the ripest, juiciest peach.

She grabbed onto his sweaty shoulders, nails digging into his flesh as her eyes closed, her head thrown back, her body convulsed, tightening its hold on him as if begging him to flood her with his juices.

Not one to say no to her, he let himself go, his body shaking as he emptied himself into her. They both collapsed on the bed, panting frantically.

“Why… does it… get better… every time?” she asked between pants.

He smiled and kissed the back of her neck. “Because I love you more than the time before.”

She smiled, turning into his embrace, and kissing him on the nose. “You just might be right about that, because I love you more too.”

The End