✧A TEMPTING NOVEL✧

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***

The day following the outburst, Rhea hated to see that Alphard was scatterbrain to keep her both entertained and catered. They hadn't left the manor often, but the day seemed to go by so quick—And they had all their meals besides breakfast out in the town.

The wizarding world in Germany was considerably different than what Rhea had experienced, however when Alphard would make a comment about Diagon Alley, it took her a moment to understand it properly.

Which steamed from the fact that the only time she was allowed was with her mother in getting school supplies. Most of the time the seamstresses would come to the manor and make the measurements there.

Leaving Alphard to grumble how barbaric she had been treated in hiding off and away.

Rhea had really enjoyed their time out, and the bag of goodies seemed to be getting larger by the minute. But the small nicknacks that she showed interest in caused Alphard to place it in the basket before she could really decide if she wanted it or not.

But the action had made her laugh and thus he continued on that front.

Perhaps it was wrong for him to avoid the conversation, and doing that had pushed him to remain at a respectable distance until Rhea had sought for it. It was difficult sure, espeaclly when she slept back onto his chest.

While thankful for not being asked about what Walburga had said, it still didn't make his actions any less guilty for what transpired.

And after four days of constantly leaving the manor, Rhea sighed. "Alphard, I'm exhausted. If we explore everything on our first visit together, then what will we do the next time we come?"

"I don't think that's possible, love. But it's beautiful outside, would you like to go outside to—" His voice had paused in hearing the pattering of footsteps, and in seeing Becker with a parcel in his hand caused Rhea to giggle into her napkin.

A sound that would always cause Alphard's heart to flutter, no matter what.

"Master, Master...Parcel for you Master!" Rhea had eyed it over her curt sip of tea. "Well, that's a record, isn't it? It took her four days before reaching out." She said, and Alphard's shoulders hitched as he looked to the wax seal.

"It's not her, love. I promise you. Becker knows to toss those in the bin regardless." Rhea nodded as she stirred around her tea, eyeing the parcel in damnation.

Would this be their life?

Having to worry that every damn parcel is someone seeking out her husband's attention.

"How can I put your mind at ease?" He asked, and she smile regardless. "It is, and you don't have to distract me as you have been the past few days. I didn't come into this relationship completely unaware of how much of a bachelor you have been. I was more surprised at how confrontational they might be." Alphard sighed as he placed the parcel down.

"There's an issue with one of the purveyors, I'm sorry love. It shouldn't take too long. I swear it."
"It's alright, you warned me that when we're in Spain you'll probably need to do a few things. Besides, I wanted to paint before we leave Germany." The spark in Alphard's eyes widened and then it grew into a pout.

"I wanted to watch you paint." He said in a pure mumble, almost like a child. And thus she rolled her eyes.
"I'm not sure what I'll be painting yet, this is the boring part. And you're not allowed to peek until it's done."

He continued his pout but then sighed. "It shouldn't take more than an hour or two. But I might have to go in person."
"Ah, then perhaps I'll take a bath with the manor all by myself." She said with a smirk, not wanting to make it a punishment but it could definitely be perceived as such.

"Well, I'll hold off on that perhaps. I didn't realize it was an intimate gesture in sharing a bath."
"Absolutely anything could be intimate if you truly wanted it to be."
"That sounds very Slytherin of you, Alphard. So I'm going to read a bit, find some inspiration and you are going to get a bit of work done without pouting." It had sounded so simple but Alphard did not want to venture very far in the country, but seeing the flirtatious grin had been all he needed before wishing her a good day.

And it had, Rhea had finished another one of her healing manuals and started to plan what she had wanted to sketch. It was nearing lunch when she had received word from a frantic Betty who had a message from Alphard.

He wouldn't be coming back until after dinner, but she truly didn't mind. They had a full week and a half without interruption, his business was important and she always thrived in her time alone. After the constant entertainment and conversation back and forth, it was like a breath of fresh air.

Though when nine o'clock had started to roll around, Rhea had decided to spend the next half hour in the bath before calling it a night.

Alphard hadn't returned until much later that night, and Rhea was long in bed now—He had almost forgotten that he had someone that was waiting on him at home now that he was married.

He was thankful of course, that all had gone well and took a celebratory drink with the owner. But he was also at a loss on what Rhea might think that he hadn't followed up on his previous promise of returning after dinner.

While true, he was beyond after dinner.

And in stepping into the room, he cursed his drunken self for not being quieter. Thus he tip-toed into the bathroom and cleaned himself off from the tiresome day he experienced.

Though now it was worth the effort, as he could come in and receive the wholesome affection of his wife in bed.

Bending down, he had awoken her partially with a small kiss to her temple. Leaving her to pick her head up and offer a sleepy gaze towards him.

"I see you've taken up my pillow again?"

"Miss you." She mumbled back down, snuggling further into it. Yet Alphard had taken the small strides into sliding underneath her form and putting the covers better over the both of them.

"I missed you very much, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I'm sorry that I'm late."

"Eat."

"Hmm?"

"Eat dinner?" He frowned, had she not eaten anything? Had she attempted to wait for him?

"Did you eat dinner?" It earned him a nod and he laid in silence before piecing her question together. "Yes love, I ate dinner. Not to worry about me."

"Hmm. Love you." She mumbled again and his body chuckled, feeling up both her arms as she continued to shiver in delight. "I love you too, little goddess." The reaction had earned her a groan, all unintentional, and Alphard couldn't help himself but feel elated once more.

He was thankful there was still an attraction, what he wasn't so happy about—Was the sensation building up in his lower half that betrayed his unspoken promise of waiting for her to approach him first.

And while this was technically her pursuit, he couldn't take it entirely when she was half awake.

"Wait for morning darling, then I'll humor you the same." Their usual arrangement had caused him to sleep well on his back while Rhea would curl up on his side, but lately she took to laying fully on top of him. Though throughout the night she would find her way back to her pillow.

And he absolutely lived for it.

*

When morning arrived, Alphard had been the first to rise. He had managed to sleep peacefully, and so in recognition to his promise last night. He turned over to his wife's sleeping form and peppered her with kisses that trailed from her shoulder and cycled around her neck.

It hadn't taken that long before she had peeked an eye open and smiled in delight.

"Goodmorning to you too, Alfie." He couldn't tell what the switch from his full name to his nickname meant. "You haven't called me Atlas in a while, I suppose I need to channel him more often."

"It's a term of endearment and I—Well the last time I almost called you it." Alphard didn't understand what she was referring to, not until he caught the blush sparking straight to his ears. "Truly?"

She nodded, but she was far too exhausted to give much effort to her husband that he sighed when he realized her heart wasn't in it.

"Would you like to venture out today?" Her thinking face had sparked and she wondered.
"Later? I made a list of a few painting supplies that I was just going to have the elves get but—"
"Oh love, that is my favorite store...We'll go after lunch, how about that?" She nodded just as eagerly, and he kissed her temple before getting ready for the day.

"I have to draft a returning parcel, but otherwise I'm free today. Promise."
"Alphard?" He turned back to see her now sitting in the center of the bed, the comforter hiding her chest away from his sight as she looked partially cold.

"You are a busy man, that was an emergency and you cannot control that. Who am I to fault you when it's both your passion and your life's work going into these ventures?" He stood in the center of the room in pure awe, previous women he would entertain—That hadn't been deemed mistresses, would always cart him for his inability to put down his work when they wanted him to.

"How did I get so lucky with you, darling?" He ushered, completely breathless to her reminder and she simply smiled towards him with full-fledged honestly.

"And how did I get so lucky with you?"

True to his word, Alphard had indeed only needed to get a few things done, and then they could set off to the art store to fetch some needed supplies. She was speaking with one of the workers and sharing her project in hopes of getting a recommendation of what to get.

Course, that meant Alphard had to translate, but all was well in the end when she held a mountain of things in her basket.

After enjoying a walk in the park and a beautiful change in sensory, Rhea had asked if they could eat out—And who was Alphard to deny her that?

They were welcomed with ease in a gorgeous German restaurant, and while Rhea couldn't understand the better part of the menu. Alphard had slid closer to her in the booth and settled right beside one another instead of across.

Rhea was thoroughly excited to try a new culture of food, and so far she was favoring what he's recommended so far. "This is a lovely little place..." Rhea said taking a sip of her water and he chuckled.

"I know it's not the fanciest of them all, but it's family-owned and well...I'm in with the owner." "Is this one of your establishments?" He shyly nodded and she turned even giddier knowing that the places that Alphard funded weren't so over the top.

Though now it made sense as to what he meant by family-owned places.

"I have a feeling that'll be your reaction for the rest of them."
"Of course, and besides...Most of the time the food is much better in fancy establishments. And I'm not in the mood for a seven-course meal, I'm hungry." He cupped under her chin and pulled her forward for a kiss.

"And you're adorably cranky when you get hungry." Rhea blushed and grumbled that she wasn't. However it was soon dismissed as another figure approached them, but Rhea could tell outright that this was different than Greta.

"Oh wunderbar dich zu sehen!"
[Oh wonderful to see you!]

The kind woman had decreed and Alphard had risen to give her a greeting as well.
"Ingrid, das ist meine Frau - Rhea...I simply had to come and show her your excellent Schnitzel."
[Ingrid, this is my wife-Rhea...]

The woman's eyes sparkled wildly as she came forward. And it wasn't until Rhea was pulled into a hug that Rhea had realized that Ingrid was tearing up.

"Sche's zo peaudiful, Albhard! Zo kind looking." Rhea absolutely hated to be the center of the conversation and tried to duck away to hide her blush. But Ingrid continued to pinch her cheek and dote on them, but her accent was comforting, to say the least.

Not to mention she had brought out a few appetizers for Rhea to taste, and she hummed in delight and couldn't get enough!

By the time they had left the restaurant, Rhea was in a much kinder mood. That not all of Alphard's contacts were those he sought out relationships with. But that was aided by the fact that she had met both husband and wife.

In arriving home, Alpahrd had pulled her interlocked hand to his lips and kissed her gently with a wink. "Would you like a nightcap?"

"I um...I don't think I've had one before..." She said with a confused gaze.

"It's simply a glass of wine before bed, love."
"Oh! Yes, then that sounds perfect." She said and thus they had asked the elves to put away their new purchases while he led his little wife to the den.

The two were beautifully in sync and gauging in a heated conversation that Rhea could see he was passionate from the getgo from, and she couldn't help but find it both endearing and enlightening.

"Honestly—I don't see the damn point of it! Why condemn someone to such a life when it's not their fault to begin with?" How they had gotten on the topic of werewolves, she hadn't recalled.

But seeing him so defensive and determined was refreshing and she couldn't help but bite her lip. Usually she would share her thoughts as well, but for the last few minutes, she had remained silent for him to get a word in.

Sure she was paying attention to his points and all that—She squeezed her thighs in temptation.

"...So sorry about that. I get carried away in those sort of things, I've had to put it all under the table the donations I've made or else I'll never hear the end of it."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll come to learn these eventually, but placing my stance on something so trivial would come back to bite my arse. So I rather do my good silently." Rhea nodded, though leaned forward to place a kiss on his lips.

A light one. "I think it's still very noble of you."

He grinned that she was supportive, and just as he was about to dwell on the other communities he was looking to fix—He stalled a moment to look at her, she had taken to another glass of wine which wasn't typical.

"Are you alright love...?" She instantly nodded, but the way her nose twitched had caused a bit of a narrow gaze. "Rhe—"
"I'm alright, I took the alcohol out of it. I like the taste of it." She claimed, but that still didn't answer his initial question.

"I'll have a few bottles waiting for us in London then." And that had secured that last bit of her sanity as she sighed once more. "It's getting a little late, do you want to go to bed?" She asked, and he took a look at the clock and downed the rest of his glass.

Upon arriving to their bedroom, Rhea watched him retreating for to grab his nightwear. "I'm going to take a quick shower love, I'll join you in a moment." She perked her lips as the small devil on her shoulder was screaming for her to join him.

When he returned into the room with a towel rubbing the likes of his hair, he stopped in surprise to see Rhea dressed for bed simply sitting in the center of it.

Looking adoring as always.

"Love?" He questioned and it earned him a bitten lip, and he knew quite well what this meant. "Nothings wrong, I promise it's just—I don't know how to ask for—" He had come forward, tossing the towel to a lone chair and meeting to stand in between her parted legs. "For me?"

She nodded, searching his eyes as if she would ever find a denial in them.

"Ah...I understand it now. But for the sake of it all, you don't have to be afraid to ask. It's a part of a husband's duty to his wife."
"To have sex?" "There are other ways to receive pleasure without complete intercourse." Her interest sparked and she nodded.

"Would you like to explore those tonight?... If I knew this earlier—"
"I didn't have the courage to ask outright." He chuckled, shaking his head as his hands held her thighs before caressing her cheeks.

"I can certainly get a hint one way or another." She nodded and leaned upwards to catch his lips, though it felt like a taunt that he was smiling against the kiss.

"Are you laughing at me?" She said with a bit of a pout and he shook his head with pure honesty. "I could never, I was just thinking of New Years."
"Oh, that was lovely—Regardless of what was happening at that time." After another conjoined kiss or two, Rhea had moved back further into the bed for him to place his knee.

"Is...Is there anything I can do for you?" He stilled instantly, and nearly cursed as that sentence alone had summoned him to his length. And her encouraging smile had nearly knocked him over. "I'm not sure that's for tonight love, it's—"
"But I'm clueless! And you've always made sure that I'm enjoying myself. Please?" He groaned and pulled away, standing back on two feet and she began to sit back up.

"Rhea..."

"Well then could I...Could I try what the book mentioned?" He was nearly a moment away from hyperventilating. The mere thought was giving him the same amount of pleasure—More so in the thought, that Rhea wanted to do it.

"Whatever it is your plotting, I'll adore it regardless." His words had left her blinking up towards him, and then they settled down to knotted drawstring. Which was much easier than a belt as she found out.

Upon untightening it, his length had sprung out from underneath and she nearly felt her cheeks burn from how naughty the book's influence had managed to bend her actions.

But her wonder was eating her alive that she gripped it lightly and gave an experimental rub—Much like the book instructed. In gazing up to see if Alphard could coach her through what was happening, she was pleasantly surprised to see that he was struggling to keep himself contained.

Better yet, his head was leaned back towards the ceiling.

"Fuck—Rhea, you continue to surprise me, love." She had hardly done much considering she had taken to stroking the entirety and altering between quickly and slowly. However when she had taken the step forward to place herself on her knees, Alphard couldn't get a word in before his voice had been replaced by a groan at how wonderfully grand it felt to begin her mouth.

Whatever she was doing, whatever pattern she was following. Alphard hadn't had this much pleasure coursing through him since he was first discovering himself. Better yet—It took him a moment to recall that this was her first attempt.

His addiction had nearly caused him to wait until the last moment before he released. That is when he had lightly caressed her cheeks to pull away, and she looked up towards him in a bit of panic.

"W-what—"
"Perfect love, utterly perfect. But if you continue on that path this night will end earlier than I would like." In aiding her back to her feet, it wasn't difficult to find themselves bare and underneath the covers.

Rhea could never get used to the first thrust he would enact, it always left her breathless and unaware of what is around them. They were well past the comfortable level of keeping any bit of clothing on.
She preferred it actually, though lately she's made it a habit to put panties back on before they fall asleep.

"Let go love—That's it, we're—" Her moan had echoed throughout the room and Alphard hadn't lost his rhythm and even going further in tempo to connect his hips to her shaking ones. A out of breath laugh had followed as her hands scratched up a fair majority of his back as she tried to hold onto him tighter.

Being high on pleasure and emotion had left her tearful once more, realizing how much time had passed between them both...Especially how his hair semi-damp hair was tickling the better part of her chest as he dived in return to her neck to tease and nip at.

"Alfie—"

"You're so responsive love, let me hear you—It's just you and I." A small giggle had played at her lips, and would've continued if he didn't usher a rushed thrush to excentuate his point.

Rhea couldn't understand why it felt so different, had the time and small bit of distance between them both had raised the tension?
Had so little time passing caused a inner craving?
Rhea couldn't be sure, all she knew in that moment was she never wanted it to end and she couldn't wait to explore further.

Her cries of pleasure were cheering Alphard on, however, his final verse had left him both thriving and worn out. Upon falling onto the pillow beside her, the two were bare and breathless towards the ceiling—One that Rhea was pleasantly familiar with as she chanted up to it the better part of the night.

Once Alphard had managed to calm his beating heart and aching lungs, he reached for her hand and kissed just beneath her wedding band. Leaving her to laugh once more into the air. "I underestimated the book..." He whispered, letting his eyes close for a moment to transfer himself back to the moments where she was—

"Well...I sort of erm—Winged it." She said, turning onto her side to get a better view of him and his reaction. Which he could only wipe his hands down the better part of his face, times like this he looked youthful as he laughed.

"E-excuse my awful pun but—Are you laughing? Did I do it wrong, oh goodness please stop—" Rhea had pulled herself up to his side and nearly pleaded with him to stop. But he simply silenced her worries with a kiss.

"My little goddess, you did beautifully—I stopped you because there is only so much a man can take before the night is over." He had turned his gaze back down towards her and once she understood, her face lit up in recognition to what he was getting at.

"So it was alright?" She said in such a soft voice that he couldn't help but chuckle once more. "If I didn't know much better love, I would've assumed you've done it before."
"But I haven't!"
"Then you're a natural, or very in tune with myself—Which I cannot help but adore. Though that's very selfish of me." It was finally that she joined in his laughter.

"I do have a question though...Before you go to sleep—"
"Oh we're not sleeping yet love, I'm just giving you another few moments to recuperate." The mere idea of going once more had caused her to curl into his side.

"I think I need a nap first." He hummed, rubbing the likes of her bare back and thriving that he had already caused her to bite her lip. "What is your question, little goddess?"

"It's embarrassing..." She claimed, the mixture of her honesty and humbleness was still a reminder of how different she was than the other women he was with.

Usually a night like this would've ended when he said it would, kicking the witch out or moving to this room himself. He didn't tell Rhea that he never dared place a mistress or witch in the master bedroom.

"How about I share something as equally as embarrassing?"

"O-okay...Would you feel bad if I had a request?" This had now caught his attention outright, turning towards her and latching his chin to her shoulder—His eyes glistening at the thought of what she could be interested in.

"Feel bad?... Rhea, you rightly made a fantasy of mine come true. What is it you wish to happen?" She bit her lip and then tried to hide away. "There is no need to be shameful on what you want to happen, we both have our pleasure points...Would it be easier if you wrote it down?"
"I don't know the name of it, it was in the book I mention on New Years and I told you—Oh forget I said anything!" The way she had titled her head forward to connect her forehead to his was adorable to say the least. But now his curiosity would not be sedated until she shared her desires.

"You've been holding out for three months love, perhaps I should just list the bunch that I know...Are you interested in venturing outside the bedroom?" Rhea's eyes widened, but not in the way it would if her thoughts were called out on. But he smirked regardless.

"Goodness Alphard, that's—"
"Perfectly acceptable, and rather daring to say the least. But we'll wait a good bit before trying that?"
"I—I don't know..." He kissed her cheek regardless.

"Alright...I could help you learn more about what you favor in terms of touching. Where the points of pleasure could be reached..." Rhea nodded in that regard, she did want to learn—It was the nature of a Ravenclaw regardless.

"I would like to, s-since you know what you fancy."
"No love, this is new for me as well. Every partner is different—Though I'll take great pride in knowing that I'm your partner for life." She smiled with delight for both the lesson and the idea of her husband being entirely hers.

And being his all the same.

"But...That is not what you were interested in, is it?... Let me see, what else is in that book of yours?" He questioned, though it was more for himself than her.

This had him fall back into his pillow as he tried to run through the options. "Would you tell me if I figured it out?"
Her nod hadn't been helpful, but it did confirm that if he had hit the mark that she'd be honest.

"Not to shame any future fantasies of yours, but it wouldn't be chapter thirty-eight from that novel?" Rhea had turned for a moment to reach over to her nightstand to flip through it, and after reading through the few sentences she could hardly stand to look at the book let alone her husband.

Thus she had hid in the pages and away.

"Do you want it to be thirty-eight?" She said with a single eye peeking out in his direction and he shrugged his shoulders. "It requires trust—It steams off of trust. I do not think we are there just yet love, especially if you cannot state what you want outright."

"It confused me more or less, so that's probably for the better...Here, it's this one." Alphard had eagerly taken hold of the binds of the book and read the chapter in its entirety before turning to her.

"This is what prompted your dream of me?... Oh darling."
"Please don't laugh again! It was just a thought that I—"
"Nonsense love, and it'll make a great time before I can pleasure you once again...Were you set on getting that nap in love?" She nodded her head rather guilty, but she was thoroughly exhausted from their last love session that he caught the first wave of being tired on her face.

Followed by a small yawn that she tried to hide.

"We have the rest of our lives, rest love—Tomorrow we'll experiment." Alphard had watched as she'd fallen asleep with a small smile etched on her face.

Which only caused Alphard's heart to soar further.

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Date Posted: 10/29/2021

Time: 2:13 AM

Words: 4777

Extra-long chapter for the new couple.
Are you interested in more explicit scenes or is fade to black more of your style?

Let me know, I'm curious!

 
I've jotted down some future chapter ideas but I'd love to know what you all would like to see!

Until next time:)