by Lisa Lace
"Will we?" My voice sounded breathless, even to me.
He drew in a deep breath of his own and shifted in his seat. I imagined he was trying to restrain himself from taking me right here in the carriage.
"It has been a long time since we were intimate."
"It certainly has," I muttered to myself, then said aloud, "Indeed."
"I feel like I haven't been a proper husband to you." Well, if he was talking about fulfilling my sexual needs, then no, he definitely hadn't.
"I mean to rectify that tonight."
My heart started pounding. When we arrived at our house, he got down and helped me out.
"I'm going to take care of the hundinlark. Prepare yourself for me." Jesse leaned in to kiss me deeply before he headed toward the barns.
I scurried into the house and tried to get my dress off as quickly as possible.
JESSE
It was our four month anniversary today.
As I put the hundinlark in their stalls and started feeding them, I wondered if Annalee remembered. I unconsciously patted my pocket to make sure her present was still there. I hoped she liked it.
For a moment, I second-guessed myself. Maybe I should have gotten her a safer gift. I couldn't go wrong with a piece of jewelry. It had seemed perfect when I had seen it at the Bureau.
It was too late for a necklace, anyway. I would have to give her what I had and hope she liked it.
The hundinlark sensed my nervousness and snorted, stamping its foot. Even the animals could tell I was anxious. I was worrying too much.
My problem must be sexual frustration. I couldn't remember the last time I had Annalee. The past few months had been hectic. We barely had a moment alone together, and I felt like I was going insane. Sometimes I would catch a glimpse of cleavage or her ankle, and I would get hard. It was brutal, but the inns were full at this time of year, requiring us to share a room with Porter everywhere we went.
I had been looking forward to this night for a long time. I wondered if I would even last a few minutes. Maybe I could convince her to let off some steam first before we got to the main event. That would let me be a proper husband for her and make sure she came first. It would be embarrassing if I couldn't last for her, as if I were a teenager again.
I finished with the animals and hurried back to the house. It was silent and dark when I came through the front door. I carefully locked it behind me.
My heart sank. She was too tired to do anything tonight and had gone to bed early. I groaned. I felt like hitting the wall, but I didn't want my disappointment and frustration show. I dropped my head.
As my eyes looked down, the moonlight illuminated a piece of clothing on the floor. I bent down and saw that it was her dress. I picked it up. Why would she leave it here? Then I noticed her hood a couple of feet away and picked that up as well. Apparently her clothing was strewn all over the house. The next things I found was her stockings, followed by her shift.
My pulse started racing as I realized she had already shed her clothing, which meant when I found her...I continued to follow the trail of clothes, finding a corset at the bedroom door. I looked inside and saw a candle burning. Annalee lay on the bed, propped up by pillows…
She was completely naked.
I caught my breath, dropping the clothes I held onto the floor.
I had never seen anyone looking as beautiful as she did, gently illuminated by the candlelight. She looked nervous. I don't know why the most beautiful woman on the planet would be nervous, but I felt compelled to speak.
"Annalee." My voice came out strangled, and I cleared my throat, making an attempt to be a gentleman. All I wanted to do at that moment was to fuck her, take her, and make her mine. "You look lovely."
"Thank you," she said demurely. "Now do you think you could come over here and fuck me?"
I froze for a moment. It was still surprising to hear her swear. She had read my mind, and we both wanted the same things. I tore off my clothes and was beside her in an instant.
"I don't think I can be slow."
"Who says I want anything slow? I asked you to fuck me before I go insane with lust, didn't I?"
"Yes." I covered her lips with mine. I broke away for a moment. "Porter didn't give you any morelia, did he?"
"I don't need morelia, Jesse. I've got you."
ANNALEE
Jesse tasted sweet, and his mouth was hot. I wanted to devour him. It had been a long time since we had shared a kiss that was more passionate than a peck on the cheek. I had avoided contact with him because I knew there was no chance to fulfill my desires.
Now that we had the opportunity to indulge, I felt lust overtake me. I had stripped off my clothing and left it in a sensual trail on the floor, leading to me. I had never done anything like that before; it was like a strip-tease frozen in time.
I trembled as I waited for him, nude on the bed. The shivering was a combination of nerves and desire. Now that he was here in my arms, I felt my body begin to react. I couldn't believe we had waited for such a long time.
We were tangled together, legs twisted, arms tightly clutching each other, tongues dancing. The ache between my legs was as bad as it had been with the morelia. When his hand slid around to my breast and began gently massaging it, I started to groan.
He pulled away suddenly. I missed his lips, but not for long. They closed around one of my tight buds.
"Oh God," I breathed. "Yes."
He sucked violently and I arched up toward him, needing him to take more of me. He let go and focused on my other nipple. He licked around it, then blew on the wet skin, making me shiver. He kissed all the way around it, making me restless.
"Jesse." I pushed my breast toward him. He smiled and gave me what I needed. His scorching lips closed around the hardened nub, and I moaned, feeling wetness pooling between my legs.
I reached for him. His hard, smooth cock made me gasp.
"I need you inside me. Now."
His eyes fluttered closed, and then his leg nudged between mine, spreading them. I felt him at my entrance. I spread wider, my whole body on fire. He pushed in, and I felt my heat surround him.
"Ann." My name came out of his lips sounding like a plea or a prayer. I wasn't sure which one. He gave a quick thrust and filled me completely.
We both lay together for a moment without moving, relishing in the sensation of joining again. When Jesse began to move inside of me, a small sound escaped my lips. He kissed me again, long and sweet, while he thrust in and out of my body. My orgasm built until I was right on the edge, my nipples brushing his hard chest as he moved. He was fucking me too slowly for what I needed right now.
"I need you to fuck me hard. Please," I begged. I was close. I needed him to push me over the edge.
He didn't say words but gave a hard, quick thrust that made me gasp.
"Yes. Like that." I pushed my hips toward him at the same time as he drove into me again.
Harder and faster, he pounded into me, and I felt him hitting the spot inside me that I had never noticed until we first made love. I was sure they heard my cries at the main house. I didn't care.
He bent his head and sucked my breast. That was enough to send me over the peak. I cried out and came, the climax shattering me and rocking my body with violent shudders. I held on tightly to Jesse. When I finally lay still, he plunged into me again, faster and faster until he froze and I felt him filling me with his seed.
I lay back, my bones feeling like water. I was so relaxed that I couldn't have moved if I tried.
"I love you, Annalee Beauchene," he whispered in my ear.
I remembered how I had thought my life was going to be. I guess life has a way of turning out differently than we expect.
Jesse pulled out, and I made a small sound of regret. He got out of bed. "I'll be back."
"I've heard that before."
"Really! Just a moment!" He returned almost immediately and jumped into bed. I snuggled up to him, melting into his body even
though his skin was cold.
"I have a gift for you," he said. "It's our four month anniversary today."
"It is?" I didn't realize it myself. I was surprised he had remembered and gotten me something.
"It's not much of a present, but I thought you might like it."
He brought out a small thing. It was hidden in his hand until he put it in my palm.
"My phone! Where did you get it?" I had never been more thankful for solar-powered batteries. I turned it on and scanned my retina to unlock it. I flipped through screen after screen. Everything was still there; no one had tampered with anything.
"The Bureau had it. I was there one day when they were going through the confiscated items. For most devices, they can't identify the proper owners, and they're either scrapped or sold. I was lucky to find yours."
I turned it off and tapped it again to wake it up. The lock screen showed the picture of Kyle and me.
"You should thank him." I pointed to my little friend's picture.
"What? Why? I've never seen that child before."
"He's the reason everything's as good as it is right now. Even though we came through some bad shit to get here."
He ran a finger down my nose. "It's over, Ann."
"Yeah," I said. "It felt great to go back to the dungeon and get Jemima out. She never thought I would come back for her."
I smiled warmly at the thought. We had gone to visit her a few times. I would always be thankful for how she had helped me. But Jesse wasn't thinking about Jemima. He stared at the little boy on the screen.
"That's the kid whose picture you promised to keep with you, isn't it."
I nodded.
"Well, then, thanks, little man, for bringing this beautiful woman into my bed and my life," he whispered, kissing my neck.
"Beautiful?" I pushed him away for a minute, ignoring what his kisses did to me. "I remember you thought I was distinctly plain when we first met."
"I don't know why." His kisses moved lower onto my collarbone. "I was a fool."
I pushed him away. "Do you honestly think I'm beautiful now?" I felt skeptical. I took his head in my hands and made him look at me. "I know you think I'm sexy, but that's not the same thing."
He looked at me in consternation. I wondered if he could understand why this was important to me.
"Annalee, your spirit is infectious. It shines through your skin and makes everything around you radiant. Your eyes sparkle, your smile lights up a room, and your curves are perfect. Whoever thought you plain didn't know anything about you."
"Really?" I asked. I wasn't fishing for compliments, but I still couldn't believe his change of heart, no matter how much I knew he loved me.
"You have something that makes people sit up and take notice. You don't even know it, do you? That's part of the charm."
He returned to kissing and made his way down between my breasts.
"Thank you," I said, setting my phone down on the bedside table. I would have time to reacquaint myself with it later.
Right now, my husband was kissing me. He loved me and thought I was beautiful. I realized how far I had come since my days on Earth. I had followed my heart instead of my head. I knew I never wanted to go back to the old me because I wanted to be here forever.
Chapter Twenty
ANNALEE
I walked into the house and saw Mrs. Boyko sweeping up. As I watched, she kicked open a small vent near the floor and pushed against a knot in the wooden paneling on the wall. A soft humming noise sounded through the house as all the dirt she had swept got sucked away into the vent.
"If I had known technology would make my life this easy, I would have joined the Underground a long time ago." she said.
I grinned, shifting the little girl resting against my hip to my other side so I wouldn't have to put her down. She was getting heavy.
"And how is my little angel?" said Mrs. Boyko, jiggling Charlotte's foot until she smiled and pressed her face shyly into my shoulder.
"She's much better now, thanks to you." "She doesn't have a fever anymore. It's a relief."
"I didn't do much," she said. "Just applied some herbs, the same as my Granny used to give me. We don't need science for everything."
"You're right, of course." I kissed my daughter on the cheek. "In fact, that's why I came to see you.
"Oh?" She looked surprised and curious.
"I wondered if you could teach me what you know about herbs and plants. I'm interested in learning how to cure my children naturally."
"You only have one child." The woman looked at me accusingly.
"Damn. Jesse's going to be upset. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone yet."
"I would have guessed, dear. I won't say anything if you don't want me to."
I blushed. "Thank you. We'd like to tell people ourselves after I'm in my second trimester."
"Of course. Have you told your mother already?"
I stared down at the brilliantly clean floor while my daughter played with one of my braids. "I don't think I will." I stared off into the distance. "My mother's not too interested in my life these days."
Mrs. Boyko clucked a few times and patted me on the shoulder. I tried to think happy thoughts so I wouldn't look as hurt as I felt.
"I don't know her, but if what you say is true, she seems a foolish woman. She's missing out on a wonderful family and a special daughter."
That made me feel better. A smile broke out on my face.
"I suppose," I said. "I feel like Charlotte has a grandmother in you."
"Stop, Annalee! You'll make me start crying."
I gave her a hug, feeling a little close to tears myself.
"But what about your genetic grandchildren?"
"I try not to make that distinction. I don't talk about real or fake grandchildren. I have blood grandchildren and the grandchildren of my heart. Charlotte is not better or worse than the others."
"Do you have any pictures of them?" I wanted to take my mind off how sweet Mrs. Boyko was before I lost control and broke down into sobs.
She pulled out a computer and touched her thumb on the screen, opening the lock.
I put on my 'Technology Consultant' hat for a moment. "It would be easier if you used a retinal scan, Mrs. Boyko. We can set it up tomorrow evening when Jesse and I come over for Sunday dinner."
"Whatever you say, dear." After some fiddling, beautiful pictures for me to admire appeared on her screen. "I will come by at naptime every day and we can teaching you herbalism. I'm happy to share my knowledge with you, Annalee."
It was like I had found the mother I never had before. And there was life after teaching. I would discover another passion and interest in plant life. I couldn't wait to start my new studies.
I strolled out of the main homestead and into the yard, headed toward the guest house. Unofficially it was my home, and we would always refer to the building as the guest house.
When I reached our steps, I heard a carriage approach behind me. I turned and shaded my eyes from the sun. I saw the profile of Marsaline, the Queen of Yordbrook, poking her head out the window of the carriage.
Charlotte was sleeping in my arms, taking a nap. I hurried into the house and laid her in the middle of our big bed. Jesse's cousin was cleaning the kitchen. I asked her to listen in case Charlotte woke up. The young woman often watched my daughter when I needed a babysitter. I didn't mind leaving my daughter while Marigold was there.
I ran to meet Marsaline emerging from her conveyance.
"Marsaline!" I spoke without thinking and covered my mouth in embarrassment. "I apologize. I mean, your Majesty. Why have you graced us with your presence?"
She looked around to see if anyone was near enough to overhear us. When she had determined to her satisfaction that no one was, she answered me truthfully.
"I want to see him, Annalee."
Marsaline and Porter had been separated for some time. She had been busy, not only changing the laws about science and technology, but
also modifying the restrictions on who was eligible to marry royalty. Until they passed new legislation, Porter and Marsaline were pretending they barely knew each other.
"Come with me."
No one in the house had noticed the Queen's arrival. Her driver was rushing to put away the carriage. Without seeing the Queen or her transport, no one would know her whereabouts until she chose to reveal herself.
Porter had a retreat in the woods nearby. He kept himself busy running a technology import business and writing software. Once he had the opportunity, he found out he loved computers.
"How goes your work with the council?"
That was one of the problems with a monarchy combined with a representative democracy. The elected officials were resistant to any change, but Marsaline had royal blood. She was surprisingly effective in getting her way with things that were important to her.
"I believe we have reached an accord." She was barely paying attention to me, focusing on her search of the forest in front of us.
"It's finished? What about the other thing?"
"We can finally get married, if that's what you're implying. Marriage requires two people, however, and I need to find my fiance."
I checked off some boxes in my mental checklist. "What about Controller Kozel?" I wondered if she was still at large.
"We deported the former Controller, Annalee. You don't need to be afraid of her anymore."
I was surprised at how relieved I felt to hear those words. I had recurring nightmares she would find me and exact vengeance even though the Queen had removed her from the position. Now that I had confirmation of her departure, I felt myself relaxing.
In another minute, we were at Porter's quarters. It looked like a huntsman's lodge on the outside, but Porter redid the interior to his specifications. We saw him coming out the door.
His eyes were bright. "The computer said it was you, but I didn't believe it."
Jesse appeared behind him and my breath caught in my throat. I felt like he was only looking at me. He ran to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Part of me wanted to run away with him, but I couldn't stop my eyes from looking at the scene unfolding before us. I know I should have left. For some reason, I needed to see how the relationship between Porter and the Queen played out.