I hold the door and let Alexis proceed me into our shared bedroom.

Tonight, when she temporarily disappeared from the party, an emotion I’ve yet to put a name to, taunted me. Initially, I figured it was just residual worry about her being in danger while at the museum she’s putting together, but when she returned and the indecipherable tangle of emotions changed, shoved aside by the need to throw her over my shoulder, caveman style, and haul her home, I realized it was something more.

Somehow, Alexis has become important. If I’m honest with myself – and I always try to be – she's become the single most important thing in my life. It’s a realization that shakes me to my very core. I don’t know what to do about it.

Alexis hits a switch, flooding the room with light, and turns to face me.

A half smile plays around her mouth. “Lucas, tonight was-”

I kick the door closed, its heavy thud trapping her words in her throat. Her eyes lock with mine as I reach up and undo my tie, pulling the black silk free of my collar with deliberate slowness.

Alexis swallows, her chest heaving. I know she wants me as badly as I want her.

I shrug out of my coat and toss it in the general direction of a nearby chair, before reaching for the top button of my shirt.

“Come here. Now.”

Right now I need to feel her sweet little body even more than I need to draw my next breath.

Alexis walks into my arms, her eyes wide with anticipation.

Without preamble, I crush her mouth with mine, staking my claim on her, reminding her that I’m her husband. Her familiar tastes soothes me – even as the fire within me burns white hot. My arms come around her, crushing her to me, wedding her curves to my edges.

Her hands come up, her fingers tangling in my hair, encouraging me, both with her touch and the sweet sound of her moans. I bend her back over my arm, supporting her as my mouth moves to her throat. The sweet scent of strawberries, a fragrance that I’ll forever connect to Alexis, envelopes me as I move lower, finding the firm curve of her breasts.

I nip and nuzzle her breasts, loving how even through the fabric of her borrowed dress, my touch turns her on. The strength goes out of her knees and she sags against me.

I sweep one arm under her leg and lift her. My mouth continues to play with her as I carry her to our enormous bed and sit on the side, Alexis draped across my lap. Her sweet ass wriggles against my cock as my fingers find the zipper on the back of her borrowed dress and pull it down, exposing her cream-colored skin.

A quick shove, a giggle from Alexis, and a flip, and the dress lies in a silken puddle on the floor, Alexis pinned on the mattress beneath me.

My mouth explores her breasts, nipping and teasing them. Her back arches with each touch, and broken, pleasured moans break free from her lips. Her head thrashes against the pillow, her nails dig deep lines into my back.

I kick out of my trousers and free her of the thin scrap of panties that barely cover her pussy.

“Beautiful,” I growl against her skin. And she’s mine. All mine.

The primordial thought races across my brain followed by the instinct to brand her with my body, staking my claim.

My hands skim her body, exploiting weeks of knowledge of all her most sensual spots, thrilling in the way each brush of my hand against her skin, causes her to buck and yell. Each sound of feminine pleasure sends a fresh wave of blood surging to my cock until I’m afraid I’m going to explode.

Well, I am. Just not that way.

I reach between her legs, spreading them before finding her clit and rolling it between my fingers. Her legs spasm and she screams a response.

Mercy, everyone in the castle probably heard that. But I couldn’t care less. Everyone in this castle needs to know what my woman means to me.

I rise above her. My hips settle between her thighs. My hands curl around her hips, holding her still as I slowly penetrate her.

Her pussy clamps down on my cock and she captures my mouth in a fierce kiss.

I move faster and she’s with me, stroke for stroke, her body urging me on.

“Oh God,” I groan as pressure builds. I’m so close to losing control but I don’t want to. This feels so good, so right, I want it to continue for the rest of time.

Alexis bucks and twists beneath me. Her hands are everywhere, in my hair, stroking my belly, clawing at my back.

“Can’t … hold … on much … longer.”

She shatters around me. The force of her orgasm, triggering my own.

I short out, or maybe just black out. All I know is that one moment, I’m in the middle of the most intense climax of my life, and the next I’m laying on my side caught in a warm afterglow that feels just as good as the actual act did.

It’s addictive.

Alexis rolls into me, burrowing against my chest, while her body shakes with the aftershocks of her orgasm. I stroke her hair, soothing her.

After a few minutes, she stills, the last of the tension drains from her muscles and I hear the soft sigh that always signals she’s tumbling into sleep.

My own eyes droop in response. My breathing evens out and my consciousness dims as I drift towards sleep. I’m almost there when Alexis stirs in my arms.

“Lucas,” she whispers. Her hand moves against my chest, feeling the slow steady rhythm of my breathing. “Lucas, are you awake?”

I consider responding, but it seems like too much effort.

She puts her mouth close to my ear.

“Lucas,” she repeats, her voice no louder than a playful summer wind. “I know you don’t feel the same way, but I need to say this. I – I love you.” She pauses, her throat seeming to clench, before she continues.

“I just needed to say it, just this one time.”