"Here are your chambers, love," Leo said, pushing the door open and waltzing through it.

Firelight illuminated the lush textiles covering the floor and windows, creating a cozy glow about the room. A large four-poster bed sat against one wall, and there was a sitting area off to the side with dusky-blue upholstered chairs.

Leo's townhome was appointed tastefully, and Scarlett could see herself living here comfortably.

She smiled. She thoroughly enjoyed their reception at Aston Manor, but now it was time for her to start her new life.

Leo strode to a door on the left wall of the chamber. "And here are my chambers." He jerked his head toward the door and then turned the knob on it, letting it swing open. "I haven't a clue about your living arrangements in your first marriage, but I do not  intend to sleep apart from you, Scarlett."

She shook her head. "My first marriage was different, Leo. I didn't love him. But I love you."

Leo smiled and leaned against the doorframe. "Say it again."

Scarlett walked further into the room, peeling off her gloves and laying them on the bed. She approached him, dragging a hand down the front of his black coat. "I love you, Leo," she purred.

Then she backed off. "I will call for Fallon to help me undress, and then I'll—"

Leo interrupted her, grabbing her hand and tugging her back to him. He trapped Scarlett against his chest, her back pressed against the warmth of him. "Are you really going to deprive me of the thing that I've been waiting all day to do?" he breathed into her ear from behind.

She laughed. "It's quite a complicated gown, Leo."

She could practically hear the frown in his voice. "Are you implying that I do not have the skills to remove clothes from my own wife?" A husky chuckle released from his lips and Scarlett felt herself melting into him. "I'll take that as a challenge."

He kissed the back of her neck, letting his lips trail down to the seam of her gown. Leo dipped a finger between the fabric and her skin, running it along the edge of the dress. She felt the gentle tug that told her he was beginning to undo it.

"Christ, there are a lot of buttons," he muttered.

Scarlett fought to suppress a smile before realizing he couldn't see her. So she grinned widely at her husband's charming attitude.

When he had gotten to the small of her back, Leo began to push the fabric down. Scarlett pulled her arms out of her sleeves. Then she heard him swear. "Damn it, how many layers are there, Scarlett?"

She heard his little growl of frustration and warned with mock seriousness, "Do not rip my wedding gown, Leo. I shall not forgive you."

"I want you naked and in my arms now." His gruff voice was Scarlett's undoing. He'd pulled her back to him, and Scarlett could feel his desire. It fueled her own.

"I probably could have been by now if you had simply allowed Fallon to do it," Scarlett tried to tease, but her words came out breathy.

Leo reapplied his efforts, thrusting the rest of her gown to the ground. Scarlett stepped out of it, and he tossed it onto her bed. "Fine," she relented in a lust-filled sigh. "I do not care about the rest."

"Thank god," Leo murmured. Her corset pressed tightly against her as he tugged at it, undoubtedly untying the stays. And then with one big yank, it fell off completely. The rest of the pieces of her attire were quickly and haphazardly shoved to the floor with no regard for their condition.

And then Scarlett was naked and in his arms, just like he'd wanted.

"That's better," Leo breathed as he picked her up in his arms and crossed the threshold into his own room, where the bed wasn't littered with her discarded clothes.

Leo placed Scarlett on top of his mattress and then pitched himself back against one of the bedposts. He bit his lip, looking at her. "Bloody hell, you're gorgeous." He raked a hand through his hair and took a shaky breath. "But damn if I'm not nervous."

Leo began to pace at the foot of the bed.

"Leo." Scarlett tried to soothe him.

"What happened last time..."

He trailed off.

"Is not going to happen again," Scarlett finished for him. "I've been feeling so much better lately. Come lay next to me. I'm cold."

It was a lie. Scarlett wasn't cold at all. Bare and in Leo's bed, she was heated by her craving for him. There was a fire warming the room behind her husband, and it only highlighted every striking feature on his face and every curved muscle of his body as he obeyed and began to undress.

When all that was left were his shirt and trousers, Scarlett leaned forward and took over. She hadn't been able to help herself. She understood now the satisfaction of being the one to peel the layers back and expose something beautiful. Leo kissed the top of her head as she finished unbuttoning his shirt, and then he wasted no time in throwing it to the floor with the rest of his clothes.

Climbing onto the bed, Leo found Scarlett's lips and kissed them. They fell together into the linens and pillows, wrapping their limbs around each other. Every inch of Leo's hard, hot body pressed into Scarlett as his lips captured hers over and over again.

"Are you still cold?" he whispered against her mouth.

"No," she rasped.

One of his hands began brushing upwards from her hips, taking expert care to hit every curve along the way. It was as if Scarlett was a sculpture, and he was molding her from clay.

But when his hand cupped her breast, and his fingers began to tease her nipple, Scarlett groaned and pulled away.

"No," she protested. "It's my turn to touch you." She laid her hand flat on his chest and then squeezed the muscle there lightly. "Last time you wouldn't let me," she breathed.

Leo lie back into the linens, looking up at her with a coy grin. His eyes urged her on, and Scarlett climbed over him. She pressed a hesitant kiss to his neck, appreciating the low murmur of approval that released from his lips when she did. Encouraged, Scarlett continued to graze her lips over the expanse of Leo's skin. The lower she got, the more ragged his breathing became.

When she lightly ran a finger up Leo's hardened length, he groaned her name. Then he repeated it, almost in a warning. "Scarlett..."

Her eyes flashed upward, meeting his as he watched her intently. "I've been wondering," she said lowly, "if I could do what you did to me." But she didn't wait for his reply before licking up the side of his shaft. Leo's eyes flared and darkened, his hips jerking in response to the intimate caress. Her lips curved against his soft skin there.

"Scarlett," he choked. "I don't know—" He cut off, gasping as Scarlett took all of him in her mouth. He threw his head back against the pillows with a loud groan. Emboldened, Scarlett began to move her lips up and down until she settled on his head, sucking. She could feel him pulsing. She could taste his saltiness.

Scarlett had never felt more exhilarated.

"Love, I can't—" Leo struggled with his words. "You can't—" He squirmed as she swirled her tongue around him.

"Come here," he finally growled, and Scarlett relented, trying to contain a grin. She climbed back up to him, and he immediately hooked her around the waist, flipping her onto her back. He pinned her to the bed.

"It is very important to me that we consummate this marriage, so you need to stop driving me to my edge before I can do that." His lips tilted upward as Scarlett writhed in his grasp, suddenly unable to contain her eagerness now that he was crushing her with his demanding weight.

"Leo," she whimpered.

He kissed her gently as he nudged her legs apart. Bringing his head down to the side of her face, he whispered in her ear.

"I love you."

Then, he pushed himself into her, and Scarlett gasped at the way he fit so perfectly. She clawed at Leo's back, her fingers digging into his shoulder blades. He groaned but kept his head tucked into the crook of her neck, planting his lips along the curve of it as he rolled his hips against hers at a languid, measured pace.

Scarlett released her grip on him, letting her fingers trail down his arms until they fell on either side of her head, palms up. Leo grabbed them, intertwining his fingers with hers, pushing their hands deep into the pillows as he continued to fill her.

Leo groaned in her ear again, and his satisfaction only heightened hers. He made it seem like he was savoring every stroke, but Scarlett knew he was holding himself back, being careful with her body and soul. But she wasn't complaining, because every slow, deep thrust within her was like a brush with heaven.

And Scarlett never wanted to come back to earth.

****

Leo woke tangled in the coverlet. Scarlett's head was resting beneath his chin, her backside pressed along his front.

This was something he could get used to.

He'd imagined this moment before. It wasn't only that she was in his arms and his bed. It was that she was his wife.

Yesterday was undoubtedly the best day of Leo's life. Last night had been even better. And the relief he had when Scarlett's breathing hadn't been affected by their time spent in bed was palpable.

Why did it take him so goddamn long to figure out that he wanted to keep her forever? If he had come to his senses earlier, could they have gotten here earlier? Could they have gotten here without all the lies and secrets?

Leo wasn't sure. But there was no use continuing to ponder the fact, so he decided to appreciate the moment instead.

He carefully scooted back from Scarlett so he could appreciate it better. Or rather, appreciate her better. He took a finger and traced a lazy line down her back, admiring the smooth, creamy skin that peeked through the layers of raven hair.

There was a soft murmur, and he paused. He heard her quiet voice, muffled against the bedclothes. "Good morning, Leo."

He smiled and went back to caressing her back, letting his hands wander to cup her bottom. Leo grew hard watching himself touch her perfect curves. He didn't think he would ever not be affected by her.

He leaned down over her. "Good morning, wife."

Her lips curved in a smile and a satisfied little moan sounded in her throat. She arched her back, pressing herself further into his hand.

"It's my turn to touch again," he said on an exhale.

Scarlett didn't say anything, but her body wiggled a bit, and Leo liked to think it was in anticipation.

"So no one else has felt you this way?" Leo gave her bottom a light squeeze.

"No one," came her breathy reply.

He scooted closer to her, moving his hand around her front. Peering over her shoulder, Leo appreciated the new view as his fingers grazed her breast, toying with her nipples. He pinched one. A sharp intake of breath was quickly muffled as Scarlett rolled her face into the pillow for a moment. "What about like this?" he asked.

"No one else has touched me like this," she sighed, tilting her head back into Leo's shoulder.

Oh god, Leo liked this game a little bit too much.

He'd thought for so long that this woman had belonged to other men. And that would have been fine, as long as he was the one that had her now. But the knowledge that she had only ever wanted him was practically more than Leo could bear.

His hand moved lower then until his finger stroked her wetness. The slippery silkiness had Leo moaning. He rubbed and teased her sensitive flesh, switching between slow caresses and quick brushes until she was panting, her hand gripping the pillow beside her.

"And this?" His lips rubbed against her ear as he continued his query.

She gasped. "Just you, Leo. Only you."

"Only me," he groaned. "Only ever me, love. Understand?"

Leo withdrew his hand and chuckled at Scarlett's little mewl of protest. After sucking his fingers into his mouth to appreciate the taste of his wife, he slid his arm between her legs, lifting one so that it rested atop his own thigh. Leo angled his hips forward, adjusting himself. Last night had not been enough. It would never be enough for how much he wanted Scarlett.

He heard Scarlett inhale as she realized what he was doing, his erection teasing her entrance. Leo's fingers traveled back up to her breast, fondling them with wet, skilled fingers and enjoying the way her body responded to his touch.

"Only you, Leo," she repeated, and he pushed himself back into her warmth as she cried out.

"That's it, darling." He buried himself in her hair. "Take me all the way."

As he began to move, Scarlett reached up, bending her arm back to grab his hair. Leo could feel her fingers tangling in it, gripping the strands while she used him as leverage to pull at while she arched her back.

His hand traveled down her body, firmly holding her hips so he made sure they stayed tight to his.

"You're mine," he whispered fiercely. "And I'm yours."

Leo moaned Scarlett's name as he sheathed himself to the hilt. And then he did it over and over again until she came in his arms.

Leo decided it didn't really matter that it had taken him so long to realize that she was the only one he wanted. All that mattered now was that she was his.

Only his.