Standing in Marcus's arms, Rain knew there was nowhere she would rather be at this moment. His lips were soft against hers as he playfully kissed her. She loved this Marcus. This relaxed man who was happy to get into a strawberry fight with her. Take a bath with her. Confess his feelings—or some of them, at least—to her. But, strangely, she also loved the stoic Marcus. She could see why he held back. Could understand his hesitancy of letting go. She hesitated too, and no one could accuse her of being stingy with letting people know how she felt—whether good or bad. If she struggled to get the words out, how could she expect Marcus, who had never known love from his family the same way she had, to do so?

Marcus lifted his head to look at her, his eyes hooded. "How many kisses is that?" he asked. "Was that the ninth in the bath?"

Doing a quick count in her head, she nodded. "I think any further kiss today should still count as the same one."

After a moment's hesitation, he nodded. "That seems fair."

She wasn't ready for their game to stop. The deal was a great excuse to keep kissing, even if she knew that the number no longer mattered to her. She wanted all the kisses. She wanted Marcus. And she would tell him so as soon as she found the courage.

Leaning down, he grazed her ear with his lips. "Get into bed," he whispered. "You are far too distracting like this."

"Oh?" She stepped away from him with a smile, walking back towards the bed. Lifting her hands, she began unwrapping the towel as his eyes followed her every move. "What about now?"

His eyes darkened as she let the towel fall to the floor, his gaze travelling over her naked body, worshipping every inch. Her entire life she had been appreciated for her beauty, sometimes to the detriment of every other quality she may or may not possess. 'Rain is so beautiful.' 'Look at that lustrous hair.' 'Her skin is flawless.' There were times she had felt as if no one saw her as anything other than a beautiful woman. Not as a person. Just as a beauty. With no substance beyond her looks.

But not with Marcus. While she knew he found her attractive—especially right now—she had never once felt like it was the only thing about her he liked. When he courted her, he had been attentive. He'd asked her questions and actually cared about her answers. He might have pursued her for her dowry, but now that she could look beyond the hurt and the betrayal, she could finally see that there had been so much more. A man who only wanted her for the money would have plied her with compliments and flattery. Marcus had given her his undivided attention, not hollow words.

Unless she was completely mistaken. On a whim, she tilted her head slightly. "Marcus? You said you would have married me without the dowry. Why? What did you like about me? Was it my looks?"

A line appeared between his brows, as if he was struggling to make sense of her words. "Pardon?"

She lifted a shoulder in a dainty shrug. "I would like to know what you like about me."

His chest expanded as he drew in a deep breath. She supposed it might be unfair to ask the question while she was naked. But his distraction might also mean he was more likely to answer truthfully. Would he give her a list of her most appreciated features?

"Could you..." He cleared his throat. "Could you put something on? I am only a man, Rain. My senses are preoccupied."

"Perhaps you will be more truthful, then."

"I have never outright lied to you, and I never will." He took the steps separating them and lifted his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "It sounds silly... But you are the light in my life. The colours. Without you, my existence is dull. When I'm with you, everything is vibrant and alive. Including me. How could I ever let that go? I had to marry you."

His words were not what she had expected, and she had to swallow past the knot in her throat. "That's... I think that might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

He scoffed. "I find that difficult to believe. Men have waxed lyrical about your beauty. I am fairly certain I heard at least two men who had written sonnets about your loveliness."

"That's just it. That was all they cared about."

"I won't deny it. You are very..." His eyes darted down to her unclad body before coming back to hers. "Extremely beautiful. I am inordinately attracted to you. But your personality far outweighs your physical charms. Your laughter alone is enough to brighten any day."

"And you say you don't have a way with words," she muttered, glad her voice didn't waver from the emotions welling up inside her.

"Some things are easier to say than others," he admitted with a wry smile. "Now get into bed before I toss you in."

She giggled. "Not so fast. What about you?"

"I will join you in a moment." He made a face. "I should put on my trousers first."

"No." She hooked a finger under the edge of his towel. "Keep them off tonight."

"Rain... I don't know if that's a good idea."

Craning her neck to meet his eyes, she tried to ignore the wild fluttering in her abdomen. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. A combination of curiosity and unexpected confidence fuelled her words. "I want to explore you again."

His eyes widened, and he exhaled. "I don't—"

"Please?" she interrupted him.

He groaned. "I could never say no to you."

That was exactly what she was counting on. Rather pleased with herself, she climbed into bed and waited. Marcus gave her a dubious look before he dropped his towel to the floor and followed her, lying down on his back next to her. He was such a large man that even in his massive bed, he gave the impression of taking up most of the space. Moving a little closer to him, she repeated the steps she had taken the previous night. Only things were very different tonight. That his trousers were missing made everything... more real. And a little daunting.

Running her hands down his chest, she traced the muscles, the ridges and dips of his torso and midriff, enjoying the heat of his skin against her palms. The feel of his chest expanding as he breathed was calming. She could do this. Her gaze drifted to the exposed part of him that rested against his lower abdomen. When her hand dipped lower, she could see his chest seize to move, as if he had stopped breathing. Gingerly, she stretched her fingers out to stroke his rigid length. It was oddly soft to her touch, like silk draped around an iron rod.

Intrigued, she gripped it in a loose fist and moved her hand up and down. The sound of Marcus sucking air into his lungs instantly rewarded her. Oh, this would be fun. That she had this much power over a man his size was exhilarating. She continued stroking him, enjoying hearing his irregular breathing as she sped up or slowed down. A brief glance at his face confirmed that his eyes were closed, his face tense.

Leaning forward, she let her tongue dart out to touch the tip of him. He jerked away from the shock, his eyes flying open.

"Rain..." His voice sounded strangled. "That's... Don't... You don't need to—"

The rest of his sentence dissolved into a groan as she took him into her mouth and swirled her tongue around him. When she sucked gently, he muttered something under his breath she couldn't hear, but was fairly certain was a string of expletives. While she didn't really know what she was doing, she enjoyed exploring and experimenting to see what gave her the most response. Marcus's breathing was heavy, punctuated by moans and the odd blasphemy, his hands gripping the sheets, as she continued her ministrations.

She was just learning to take him deeper when his fingers dug into her hair and gently pulled her up. His mouth found hers for a passionate kiss.

"Enough," he growled against her. "I cannot take any more."

Emboldened by her success, she nipped at his lower lip. "But I am having so much fun..."

Another kiss silenced her, and Marcus took the opportunity to flip her around to her back, covering her with his body. Dragging his mouth over her neck and down towards her chest, he murmured, "My turn."

"Your turn? I think you've had plenty of time to—oh!" She moaned as he captured a nipple between his teeth. "To... to explore."

His hand fondled her other breast as he teased and sucked on her nipple. Heat travelled through her limbs from his touch, setting fire to her desire with every lick, every teasing nibble. When he lifted his head to look at her, the dark look in his eyes made her insides lurch with nervous excitement.

"Oh, but I have not explored nearly enough," he said with the hint of a smile curving his lips.

As if to prove his point, he dipped his head to kiss a trail down her stomach. His hands followed the curves of her ribs and waist, down along her hips, and when he placed a kiss on the top of her nether curls, she almost forgot to breathe. Nudging her knees apart, he lay down between them, his face ending up indecently close to where she both wanted him and was mortified to have him. Was this how he had felt when she attended to him? She didn't think he had been quite so embarrassed. This was so decadently wicked.

A soft kiss against the inside of her thigh stopped her rioting thoughts. Another kiss on the other thigh, and she thought she might snap from the anticipation. She felt his breath against her heated core a moment before his mouth descended on her. A long lick all the way from the bottom to the top, ending at her most sensitive spot, ripped a moan from her throat as her body burst into flames under his touch. This was unlike anything she had ever experienced or imagined. With his mouth and tongue, Marcus brought her higher and higher with every touch, every lick, every flick of his tongue.

She buried her hands in his soft hair as he continued pleasuring her, giving herself fully to him, trusting him. Her body was hot and heavy, wildfire spreading through every limb. Wrapping one arm around her thigh and waist, Marcus used the other to slide a finger inside her slick heat. The intrusion was both unexpected and electrifying. As he matched the movement of his hand with his tongue, her grip on his hair tightened, and she wasn't sure if she was trying to bring him closer or push him away. Pleasure built higher and higher to the point it was almost unbearable.

With the arm around her waist, Marcus tilted her hips slightly, gaining him a better angle, and her pleasure exploded with a loud moan. She might have cried out his name, she wasn't sure, as blinding bliss washed over her in relentless waves. He kept up his steady pace, prolonging her orgasm until she collapsed on the bed.

Looking rather pleased with himself, he came to rest next to her, his hand caressing her tenderly. He placed a kiss on the tip of her shoulder, and she gave him a tired smile. She'd never known this kind of tiredness. Every limb felt languid and heavy. And yet... something was missing. Turning her head, she met Marcus's gaze.

"What about the next step?" she asked quietly, oddly shy after what had just transpired.

His hand on her chest flexed, but he shook his head. "No. I made a vow. We agreed not to consummate the marriage until you know what you want."

"That's not quite right." She smiled teasingly. "We agreed to ten kisses. What happens after that is anyone's guess. And I believe that, technically, we are much beyond ten by now."

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he placed another kiss on her shoulder before looking back at her. "Be that as it may, but no matter how much I want to..." He groaned. "And you cannot imagine how much I want to—we are better off waiting. We cannot risk a child if you want to leave."

She watched his face as he spoke. His beautiful, handsome, stubborn face. She loved how willing he was to give her anything she wanted. Not an annulment—that was outside of his power—but she suspected he would give her the moon if he could. He might not say the words, but the more time she spent with him, the more certain she felt that he did care for her.

"Marcus," she said softly, and he fell silent. Turning to her side so she could look directly at him, she put her hand on his cheek. "I am not leaving."

His eyes widened, and his lips parted, but no sound came.

"We cannot have an annulment," she continued. "That is fine. I no longer want one. These last weeks with you have changed my perception of a lot of things. We got off to a poor start, but I think we can salvage things. As long as we're honest with each other."

"You're..." His hand came up to cup her cheek. "You're staying?"

She smiled. "I am. Let's make this marriage work."

Marcus's mouth captured hers in a fervent kiss, and before she had time to react, he had her on her back with his body covering hers. Her desire instantly rekindled as he kissed her deeply. Thoroughly. His kisses were wild and untamed, as if he had relinquished some of that iron control he usually exerted. Liquid heat travelled through her to the spot between her thighs as a fire raged in her body.

As of their own volition, her legs parted and Marcus settled between them, his hard length pressing against her like it had done the previous night through his trousers. She gasped as he ground his hips, his hardness rubbing against her and sending sparks of pleasure to the very pit of her stomach. Moving against him, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, she wanted more. She wanted him. All of him.

"Marcus," she gasped as he nudged against her sensitive spot. "Please."

Lifting his head, he stared down at her, his eyes dark with desire. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." If he didn't make her his soon, she might burst. A thought struck her. "Will... Will it hurt?"

"It might," he admitted. "Since it's your first time. But the more... prepared you are, the easier it will be."

She nodded. She certainly felt prepared. Her body was on fire, and she shifted underneath him, making him groan. His head dropped to rest in the nook between her neck and shoulder, his hot breath against her skin.

"You feel so good," he grunted. "I will try to be gentle, but I... I'm quite—"

"Big?"

He let out a chuckle that reverberated between their bodies. "I suppose, but I was going to say excited."

"Oh." Her cheeks flushed, but her embarrassment evaporated when Marcus placed a teasing kiss on her neck before biting gently. "Oh!"

His hand slid between them, stroking her intimately as he continued kissing, licking, and biting her neck. Her fingers dug into the muscles of his back and she moaned as he stoked the fire higher with every touch, every kiss. He lifted his head to look at her as he adjusted slightly, and she could feel him pressing against her. When he hesitated, she nodded slightly, and with a smooth move, he pushed forwards. She gasped as he entered her. It felt different, but not unpleasant. Not in the least.

She wriggled a little to get more comfortable, making him groan.

"That wasn't so bad," she said. "I expected it to be a lot worse."

Marcus leaned his forehead against hers while obviously struggling to hold back a laugh. "Darling," he whispered. "That's just the tip."

Well, that was disconcerting. She shifted again. Marcus closed his eyes for a moment, breathing through his nose. When he pulled back slightly, she felt hollow without him, but a moment later he came back, pushing further than before. She winced as the feeling of being filled, stretched, bordered on painful.

"Are you all right?" Marcus asked, watching her carefully.

"Yes." It wasn't a lie. As soon as she had a moment to adjust, the uncomfortable feeling was replaced by something else entirely, and when he pulled back again to slide back inside, she gasped as the friction sent pleasure coursing through her.

Marcus groaned as he continued his measured movements, his breath coming in quick bursts as he took care not to hurt her. She moaned against his lips as she held onto him as her excitement built again. Wanting him closer, she wrapped her legs around his waist, and with a curse, he entered her fully. The shock stilled her for a moment.

"I'm sorry," he said hoarsely. "Are you hurting?"

She shook her head. There was no pain. Maybe a mild discomfort, but it was quickly replaced by pleasure as Marcus began moving again. With every thrust, he brought her higher and higher while he captured her moans with his kisses. With his hands, he gripped her hips and angled them in such a way that her pleasure intensified, and she soon shattered beneath him, her legs and arms clinging onto him as her world exploded in white-hot flames. Marcus followed shortly after, burying himself in her with a grunt.

He collapsed on the bed next to her, and they lay next to each other, their arms and legs touching, as their breathing calmed and their hearts stopped racing. Marcus's fingers drew patterns in her palm as she lay with her eyes closed, enjoying the quiet of the moment. She didn't think she could move even if she tried. Her legs felt weak and powerless. Her body spent.

Tilting her head, she looked at Marcus next to her. He had his arm over his face, his chest rising and falling.

"I cannot believe I waited two years to experience this," she said.

His arm fell to his side as he turned his head to look at her. His lips twitched. Then he laughed. Rolling over to kiss her, he smiled. "Darling, I'm just glad you decided to stay with me."

She huffed. "But we missed out on so much!"

He kissed her again, softly and tenderly. "We will make up for it," he said with a wink. "Now that you're staying, we have a lot of time to make up for."