Page 134 of Modern Romance January 2025 1-4

The assurance did something funny to her insides. She had always seen the worst in her husband because of his volatile relationship with the king. It was easy to think him arrogant, rude, dismissive, discourteous and disrespectful, and those beliefs had shaped her whole attitude towards him. But like a crack forming under the pressure of a body of water, she felt something shift inside of her to see this side of him. To realise that he was respectful of women, that he was being—at least in this situation—respectful of her.

And she deserved that, she reminded herself forcibly. For whom she was, but also because of her determination to never be used and mistreated the way her father’s women had been.

‘Thank you,’ she murmured into the throbbing silence.

He shook his head dismissively. ‘This is not something you thank someone for, Rosalind. No one should ever pressure you into anything.’

Her chest hurt a little. She realised how much she liked hearing him say her name—her full name, which was unusual, because she’d been Rosie for as long as she could remember to just about everyone.

She took a step towards him then, compelled by an unabated need for him as well as pulled by something almost mystical, a hand at her back, metaphorically, seemed to guide her to him, and the moment their bodies collided, they were kissing once more, a tangle of limbs, fingers brushing flesh, mouths nipping and tasting, desperate need making them move fast. Sebastian lifted Rosie, this time cradling her against his chest and carrying her through the house to a room with a large bed in the centre and a stunning view of the ocean from windows on two sides of the room. She was conscious of the blinding blue beyond them, the line of the horizon where the ocean met the land of Cavalonia and then the sky above, the sun cutting a golden path through the room, lighting up the tiles as if with gold, and then she was conscious only of Sebastian, as he brought his body over hers, kissing her and parting her legs, teasing her with his arousal until she was incandescent with need for him.

He paused though, and on the threshold of entering her, broke away to grab a condom, which he unfurled on his length while staring down at her, his chest moving hard with each ragged breath.

‘But we—’ She frowned, thinking of the baby they’d discussed.

‘Not yet.’ He shook his head, and her insides seemed to roll. There was no time to analyse that, because with the protection in place, he was back, and this time, there was no hesitation. The same desperate hunger that had overtaken Rosie had slammed into Sebastian, and he thrust into her hard, with a guttural cry that filled the room. He stayed where he was, very still, filling her completely, then pushed up onto his elbow to stare into her eyes. ‘Okay?’ he asked, in a solicitous tone she hadn’t expected.

She nodded, incapable of speech. The pleasure she felt at being so totally possessed defied explanation or understanding. She knew only that she could easily become addicted to this feeling, and even in her desire-addled state, she knew she would have to guard against that.

‘You’re sure?’

‘God, yes, Sebastian, I’m sure. Please, just...please...’

He grinned then, and it was the sexiest grin she’d ever seen, enough to turn her blood to lava. She arched her back and he began to move, each shift of his hips changing his position, pleasuring her in new and different ways. Her hands ran over his back, cupped his bottom, held him, and as he moved, he kissed her, his tongue duelling with hers as he dominated her completely. Every sense she possessed was trained on him, aware of him, responding to him until she couldn’t think straight, wasn’t even conscious of anything but the sound of their bodies coming together and her cries filling the room.

Pleasure built and broke over and over again—it was as though he possessed some magical button that guaranteed her completion. She was almost hyperventilating with euphoria before he finally found his own release, his body shuddering with the force of his orgasm, before coming to rest on hers, his weight a welcome, heady sensation on its own.

They lay there for some time, with the light breeze from the ocean brushing over their naked bodies, their breathing fast at first and then slowing, but eventually, Sebastian pushed up onto his elbow and rolled to the side, facing Rosie.

‘Well,’ he drawled, reaching out a hand and tracing a line around her nipple with indolent possession. ‘That was a nice way to start the week.’

A week.She’d almost forgotten that they’d agreed to spend so long together.

And that he’d brought her to this island.

If she’d thought anything, it would have been how on earth they’d spend the time, but she found it hard to be worried about that.

‘You were right about me, you know,’ she said, tilting her face towards his.

He flicked her nipple, and she gasped, the pleasure like an arrow travelling through her bloodstream. ‘About what, in particular?’

‘It’s not...usually like that for me.’

‘Sex?’

Heat stained her cheeks. ‘Not that I have a lot of experience,’ she explained, not meeting his eyes. ‘But in the past, I suppose you could say I had a type, and it’s never been predicated on a need to...rip someone’s clothes off.’

‘Why not?’

But she wasn’t willing to discuss that. Her father’s affairs were something she’d had to process and make her peace with. She wasn’t sure she could adequately explain them to someone like Sebastian anyway, nor that he’d understand why she’d been so badly affected.

‘I was just more comfortable with that.’

‘With being bored?’

She rolled her eyes. ‘I didn’t say it was boring.’

‘Yes, you did. Just not in so many words.’

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