Deciding she was too impatient to wait for Molly, Gabrielle pulled on a simple morning dress. Pink, of course, and one that she could easily put on herself. It was loose but flattering and needed no corset beneath it. A corset would take too long.
Going to the door, she opened it and found that the trail of petals continued out into the hallway. So she followed them.
As much as she liked waking up to have Felix beside her - or on top of her - and she'd expected to have that today, she had to admit that she was rather enjoying this too. A sense of romantic excitement was bubbling up inside of her, and, for the first time in a long time, she didn't try to talk herself out of it. She didn't try to brace herself for disappointment. Whatever Felix had planned at the end of this trail of rose petals, she was sure it was something wonderful.
The trail took her down the hall, down the stairs, and through the main hallway of the house. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Molly's daughters peering around the door to the servants' quarters, both of them giggling with their hands over their mouths. As soon as they saw her looking, they squeaked and hid, pulling the door shut. Gabrielle couldn't help but smile. Apparently the whole household was in on the secret.
Following the petals into the dining room, she came to an abrupt halt.
The dining room was awash in all shades of pink. Not a rose in sight, but every other kind of flower imaginable that came in pink, decorating every surface in the room. The centerpiece on the dining room table was an elaborate array of gorgeous pink orchids and lilies, the fragrance almost overwhelming as she stepped into the room. It reminiscent of the first truly romantic gesture he’d ever made, the pink flowers he’d covered the dining room table with for her back at his parents’ estate, but on a much grander, much larger scale. Every table was covered. They were hanging from the wall sconces, from the curtains over the windows, and even from the chandelier. Vines were wrapped around the chairs, adding extra ornamentation. Breakfast was served on the buffet, but in between every culinary display there were more flowers. The floor was awash in rose petals.
Beside the completely covered dining room table, Felix was standing, looking almost nervous.
"What is all this?" Gabrielle asked as wonder washed over her, slowly stepping towards him on the carpet of pink petals as her head swiveled, taking in the incredible decorations. As she approached, Felix held out his hand and she took it, her fingers wrapping around his, and then she squeaked in shock as he went down on one knee.
"This is the proposal I should have given you, the one you deserved," he said, his dark eyes serious. It didn't matter that they were already married, that the wedding had happened and they'd been man and wife for weeks, Gabrielle's heart started pounding madly, her eyes watering up as this man knelt before her. "Gabrielle, I love you. I love your fiery spirit, I love your sweet inner core, I love the way you challenge me and the way you fulfill me. My life would not be complete without you. Will you accept this proposal, to be my wife - my true wife, in every sense of the word - for me to love and to cherish for all the days of our lives?"
Too choked up to respond, tears sliding down cheeks which hurt from smiling too hard, Gabrielle nodded her head and threw herself at him.
******
Chuckling, Felix wrapped his arms around his wife, wavering a bit as her ecstatic assault nearly knocked him off balance.
This was the way things should have been done - the way they would have been done if he had courted her properly the first time. Granted, he was sure he would have gotten there eventually if she hadn't been so impetuous and impulsive, attempting to elope with a fortune hunter, but either way she deserved it.
Gently lowering himself to the floor to save his poor knee, Felix kept her cradled in his arms as she covered his face with kisses, ending with his lips. They pressed together, her tongue seeking his, her utter joy contagious.
When she pulled away, her eyes were still glistening with unshed tears, but there was no mistaking the happiness that practically emanated from her body.
"How on earth did you do all this?" she asked, waving her hand at the room.
"I called in a few favors," he said smugly. Fortunately for him, his wife was a heavy sleeper and his mother was extremely efficient. Despite the late hour that he'd sent his request, she'd rallied her favorite florists overnight to put this together - sending the bill to Felix of course. He'd been the one to arrange everything once it arrived, getting up at the crack of dawn to do so. His mother had also sent along a note saying could he please refrain from any further excessive public outbursts in the future. It wasn't too surprising that she'd already heard about last night, but he certainly hoped that would be the last time he had to drag his wife out of an event.
"It's… incredible," she said, looking up and around, seeming not to mind that she was seated on his lap on the floor. Felix didn't mind either, he was just enjoying watching the awe and wonder in her expression, seeing the way she was lit up from within. Then she looked back at him, an openness in her eyes that hadn't been there before, one that was shining with love. "Thank you."
"I just wish I'd done it sooner," he said. "I can be a bit slow. You'll have to learn to live with that."
Gabrielle giggled and kissed him. Pulling away again, she tilted her head to the side. "Does this mean you won't be spanking me anymore?"
"Of course not," he said, huffing a bit. His hands slid down her back and hips to cup her bottom. "If you're naughty, I will not hesitate to discipline you. And sometimes even when you're not, just because you like it." He leered at her, enjoying the blush on her cheeks as she sniffed haughtily and looked away from him again. Felix squeezed her bottom, making her squeal.
She lowered her lashes, peeking at him through them coquettishly. "Perhaps we should follow the petal trail back to the beginning."
"Perhaps we should." Grinning, Felix managed to get to his feet without relinquishing his grip on his wife. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her back up the stairs. Catching Taylor's eye on the way out of the dining room, Felix cleared his throat. "Taylor, could you please send our regrets to Lady Chambers, we'll be unable to make it to her ball this evening. Also, we're not at home. To anyone."
"Understood, sir," Taylor said, nodding his head. Despite himself, a grin kept breaking out on his narrow face as he watched the master carrying the mistress up to the bedchamber.
******
Gabrielle gasped with mock indignation as Felix pulled her over his lap. "You can't mean to spank me now!"
"Of course I can," said her irrepressible husband. "You and I both know very well that you like it."
Smack!
It was a light tap compared to the swats he'd given her last night, just enough to sting a bit before feeling more pleasurable. Gabrielle moaned, lifting her hips as he rubbed the spot immediately, making her feel hot and aroused in response.
Smack!
Rub.
She arched, practically purring like a cat in heat as Felix began to pepper her bottom with light swats, turning her creamy skin a blushing pink as he spanked and caressed her upturned bottom, teasing both of them. When his fingers rubbed over her little rosebud, she tensed.
"Sore, sweetheart?" he asked gently.
"Very," she said a bit ruefully. And then giggled as she felt him lean down and kiss her bottom cheek. "But I'm not sore all over..."
Felix chuckled. "I'm sure."
His fingers slid down to her pussy and pressed in, making her moan as he probed her wet haven.
Smack!
Smack!
The spanking started up again, this time as he continued to thrust his fingers in and out of her ready pussy, making her buck and wriggle as her passion grew, the sensations heightened by the heady mix. Gabrielle rubbed herself against him, feeling his hard cock slide against her stomach, and she pressed harder against it, urging him onward.
Her bottom was rosy and hot, but in a good way, her body aching to have more of him inside of h
er. Gabrielle reached back - not to cover her bottom, but to grip Felix's cock through his clothes. He groaned at the contact and suddenly she found herself being lifted up.
It was the work of a few moments to be rid of her simple dress, and only a few more moments before Felix was just as gloriously bare. He lay back on the bed, his cock jutting upwards out of its nest of dark curls, a single pearl of liquid on its tip. Feeling excessively naughty, Gabrielle leaned forward and licked it, making her husband growl as his hips jerks and he pulled her up towards him, arranging her to she straddled his body, her pussy hovering above his rampant erection.
Gabrielle moaned as she lowered herself onto him. This was only the second time he’d put her in this position and she’d forgotten how it made him feel almost impossibly large, as though he was stretching her to capacity. Although Felix liked to change their positions quite often, they rarely involved Gabrielle being on top of him in any manner. Today he seemed to content to let her move up and down his cock, playing idly with her breasts as she shuddered and rode him. His fingers pinched and twisted her nipples, giving her that little burst of pain that she craved and making her gasp as she thrust her breasts towards him.
Beneath her, his hips rolled, lifting her and grinding against her. He tormented her nipples, using them to direct her when he desired, and otherwise just rousing her excitement even higher. But it wasn't until she rode herself to her own orgasm that he truly took control. As Gabrielle cried out in ecstasy
, Felix flipped her onto her back and began to pound into her, making her scream as the intense assault overloaded her senses and sent her reeling. He took her hard and fast, leaving her sobbing as her orgasm went on longer and took her much higher than she could manage.
When he finally thrust home, emptying himself into her, Gabrielle clung to him, her legs wrapping around his body and holding him there as he pulsed inside of her, leaving her body humming in breathless perfection.
******
They didn't leave the house for two days. They talked, made love, ate, made love again, planned a trip around the Continent – including Greece in their itinerary – for after the Season was over, made love yet again, and barely left their room. In fact, he was fairly sure that the staff were placing bets as to when they would finally make their way downstairs again. Even their meals were sent up on trays, which Molly ferried back and forth for them. They pleasured each other in every way imaginable and shut out the world.
Felix would have happily kept them barricaded away for longer, but Gabrielle wanted to go to the ball at the Manchesters’. If he'd thought about it, he'd have realized there was no question of her attending their ball; Arabella was playing hostess for her brother and she would desire her friends’ attendance. It was just as well, Taylor's stalwart defense of the front door was starting to crumble under Felix's mother's insistence. The butler had passed on the message that she was going to come in the house sooner or later if Felix and Gabrielle didn't come out.
For the sake of Taylor's nerves, they would have had to leave soon anyway.
Gabrielle had dressed carefully for the evening in a dark green gown trimmed with dark pink. The clean lines of the dress made her look very modest and ladylike, which should help to counter any gossip that they'd created two days ago. Although, he wouldn't be leaving that to chance. Nothing short of a stampede of horses would pry him from her side tonight, and even that might not do the trick.
Whispers followed them into the ballroom, but Felix ignored them. He smiled down at Gabrielle, happy to see that she didn’t appear to be paying them any attention either. Of course, the besotted look he gave her only increased the whispers. The ton did love to talk. The most hidebound and influential were pleased to see that the youngest Hood son had his wife well under control. Such a scene they'd caused, but considering her dance partners, no one could blame his reaction. Then again, they were quite smugly sure that it had all been a ploy on her part - after all, even tamed rakes were notoriously hard to manage. But see how he watched over her now? See how possessively he behaved? They nodded their heads sagely, pleased to see that the two were a good match. The Viscountess' youngest had done well, and they hoped her other two sons would follow their brother's lead.
Philip and Cordelia arrived not long after, and Felix felt himself tense a little. He tried to keep it hidden as his friends made their way to them, but at his side he could feel Gabrielle stiffen slightly as well as her stepmother approached. Cordelia was lovely in an amber gown decorated with bronze lace, garnets in gold at her throat and in her hair. As they approached, Felix put his fingers atop Gabrielle's on his forearm and squeezed them gently. When she looked up at him, he gave her a reassuring smile, trying to show her with his eyes that she had nothing to feel concerned about.
The greetings were a little stilted, Felix feeling rather awkward as he tried to keep his friendly tone with Cordelia without it becoming overly friendly in his wife's eyes. He felt Gabrielle relax as he settled back at her side, taking her hand and wrapping it back around his arm, then holding it there. If he could keep her content with such small gestures and touches then he would concentrate on that.
"I'm so glad you've ventured out again," Cordelia said, smiling at both of them, although her gaze eventually landed on Felix. He smiled back a little uncomfortably. Now that he was more aware, he could understand Gabrielle's jealousy. While he realized that Gabrielle herself made Cordelia feel uncomfortable and so she tended to focus her gaze on him instead of her stepdaughter, such an action could be interpreted incorrectly. "I hope neither of you were ill."
"No, just taking some time to ourselves," he said, looking away from Cordelia and back down at his wife. Gabrielle beamed up at him as he lifted her hand to his lips to kiss it, before securing her fingers on his arm again. "Being out in the country I grew far too used to having Gabrielle's attention all day every day, I'm afraid the adjustment to London has been rather hard to bear."
Philip chuckled, his blue eyes sparkling. "Don't let him monopolize all your time," he said to Gabrielle, his tone serious. "His ego doesn't need daily feeding. Once a week is more than often enough."
"We take turns," Gabrielle said impishly, smiling up at Philip.
A crease appeared on Cordelia's face as she looked back and forth between Felix and Gabrielle, before she smiled again, but a question remained in her eyes.
The conversation shifted as Cordelia complimented Gabrielle's dress. Smiling serenely, Gabrielle did the same in return. By the time the orchestra was tuning up, preparing for a waltz if Felix's ears were correct, Cordelia seemed satisfied but confused with the change in her stepdaughter. A few times Felix had to stop himself from being overly familiar with Cordelia, but he focused on Gabrielle and her growing confidence in the conversation and practiced being a better husband. He and Philip also handily intercepted remarks both ladies made that could have instigated a disagreement without their intervention.
Still, it gave him hope that eventually the ladies would find a way to have a relationship without any acrimony. Tonight was a good start.
The first strains of the waltz began.
"If you'll excuse us," he said to Philip and Cordelia before turning to Gabrielle. "My love, would you like to dance?"
Ignoring Cordelia's murmur of surprise and approval at his endearment for Gabrielle, Felix bowed over his wife's hand. She smiled at him, cheeks flushed with pleasure.
"Yes, please."
******
Gabrielle was so happy they'd come out tonight. Not just to support Arabella - who was dancing with Lord Braden and looking patently bored by it in between glaring daggers at her eldest brother, who was dancing with the rather shrill Miss Clara Daringwell - but because she could now see that Felix had meant every word that he'd said. His friendship with her stepmother was still intact, but with a slight barrier that hadn't been there before.
Part of her felt a little guilty, knowing she was the cause of the barrier, but she was also relieved.
<
br /> It wasn't as though his personality had undergone a huge change, an outside observer probably wouldn't notice a thing, but to her the difference was tangible. His focus was on her. Even when he wasn't looking at her, she could feel how attuned he was to her rather than Cordelia. And when he spoke with Cordelia, he no longer seemed quite so adoring. Just friendly. She could live with that.
He pulled her close as they waltzed, his hand almost scandalously low on her back, his thigh deftly parting hers with every whirling step. Looking up at him with shining eyes, Gabrielle felt her heart soar.
"Thank you," she whispered, just loudly enough to be heard over the music.
Felix raised one dark eyebrow. "For what?"
"For everything."
A smile quirked his lips and she got the distinct impression that he desperately wanted to kiss her, middle of the dance floor or not.
"No, thank you, sweetheart."
She giggled. "For what?"
"For being my everything."
It was no surprise to their friends when they left the Manchester ball early, although in a much more dignified fashion then they'd departed the Waverlys'. Cuddled up to her husband in the carriage, Gabrielle could only smile as she reflected on the strange turns of her life, and the joyful realization of her own unanticipated, personal, happily ever after.
Epilogue
"Are you trying to hide behind a fern?"
Benedict's amused voice made Isaac wince.
Isaac was the Duke of Manchester, one of the most influential voices in the government, an imposing figure in any room due to his great height and broad shoulders, and yes… he had been reduced to hiding behind a fern at a house party.
"Possibly," he muttered, turning to face his brother. Impeccably clothed although slightly rumpled, Benedict smirked at him. They'd been at the house party for two days and, as far as Isaac knew, his brother had already found a feminine distraction in the person of Lady Wallis, who was attending the party without her husband. No doubt that explained the state of Benedict's attire, since normally he was as perfectly pressed and presentable as Isaac was.
Gabrielle's Discipline (Bridal Discipline Book 3) Page 28