Page 68 of Sophie's Ruin
“I love you,” he said, cupping my cheek.
A shuddering exhale left me before my breathing evened out, along with my heartbeat. A feeling of peace descended on me, wrapping me in its warm embrace. Everything was as it should be. I was in Henry’s arms, and we were in love. I was exactly where I belonged.
My pulse quickened as my gaze dropped to his mouth. Desire crashed into me, and I had to swallow to relieve the sudden dryness in my throat. Forcing my gaze back up to Henry’s, I found him watching me, his eyes hooded.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, his voice thicker, richer.
“I’m thinking you need to rest,” I forced myself to say, but the words came out low and husky.
“Liar,” Henry whispered with a teasing smile.
“I can wait,” I lied, squeezing my thighs to tame the throbbing ache between my legs.
“And what if I can’t?” His daring smile grew. “Will you deny me?”
“No. Never. I will never deny you,” I assured him.
“Prove it,” he rasped, his eyes turning several shades darker.
“You’re injured…”
“I can handle it.”
He pulled me into the bed, and I planted my knees on either side of his hips to straddle him. A harsh groan left him when I did, the rough sound igniting my blood. I rolled my hips against him, gasping when I felt him hard against my core.
“You would never deny me?” he ground out, grasping my thighs to pull me closer to him. “Are you sure you want to be making a promise like that? We have a very long life ahead of us.”
“And I can’t wait to spend every moment of it with you,” I said as I lowered my head to claim his mouth.
To my surprise, he stopped me before I could kiss him. Fisting my hair at the nape of my neck, he held me in place, moving away a few inches so he could peer at my face.
“Truly?” he asked, as a strange expression settled into his features.
“Yes,” I told him, staring into his eyes. The raw vulnerability I’d witnessed before had returned.
“Then…will you marry me?” he asked, his voice hoarse with emotion.
“Yes.” The word flew from my lips. I didn’t need to think about it. I was as sure as I’d ever been of anything in my life. Saying yes felt natural, like breathing. The easiest answer I’d ever had to give.
“Yes?” he whispered, his eyes wide and glistening with tears.
“Yes!” I exclaimed, as a startled laugh burst out of me.
I couldn’t believe I’d gone from having the lowest point of my life to this pure moment of utter happiness and bliss in a matter of a few hours. The feeling was surreal, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it because Henry kissed me, stealing my breath away. His lips and tongue moved over mine with burning fervor as if he was trying to pour all his love into the kiss to show me how happy he was I’d said yes. Before long, he was tearing at my clothes while I fumbled with his pants. I was trying to be careful with his chest, but he didn’t seem to care, his movements hungry and desperate. He wanted to claim, to take what was his, and I let him. For he was mine, too, and soon I would take him as my husband for all eternity.
After Henry had made love to me, wringing out every last drop of pleasure, he’d fallen into a deep sleep, his large body wrapped around mine as if he’d wanted to ensure I’d never leave the bed. I didn’t want to leave, but there was something I needed to do, so I carefully untangled his heavy limbs from around me and slipped out of his hold. He stirred but didn’t wake, which told me he was still on the long road to recovery. I left the bed and picked up my pants and tunic that Henry had cast to the floor a few hours earlier. I shrugged the clothes on and lingered by the bed, fighting the urge to crawl back into it to stay with Henry.
Exhaustion pulled at my bones. It wasn’t just the physical exertion, but also the emotional one. All my resources were depleted, and it felt like I could sleep for days, wrapped in Henry’s arms. Or perhaps I just wanted to sleep for a long time because I secretly hoped that once I woke up, the horrible acts I’d committed would be a thing of the past. That I, along with everyone else, would be able to forget what I’d done. I couldn’t run away from it though. I would have to live with it, but I refused to let the shadows of the past hold me back from enjoying my future with Henry. My mind made up, I left the bedside and walked to the vanity, where I quickly dragged a brush through my tousled hair before slipping from the room.
Fighting the heaviness in my sore muscles, I set off to a run in the direction of the Black Forest. I only had an hour at most before sunrise, and glimmering would be faster, but I didn’t dare use my magic, fearful that the darkness would latch on to me again and drag me back to its side. So, I ran, darting through the woods until I reached the clearing where Celeste’s cottage sat, bathed in the glow of the moon.
“I’ve been expecting you,” the witch said, when I skidded to a halt by the front porch, my chest rising and falling rapidly.
“Of course you have,” I said simply, once my breathing evened out.
“Sit with me.” Celeste pointed to the chair next to hers.
With a nod, I lowered into the rickety piece of furniture. We sat in silence for a few minutes as I let myself relax, my gaze gliding over the forest before me.
