Grace woke to the sweet sounds of birds singing outside. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes to find herself in Annie's bed, the soft morning sunshine streaming through the window, washing the room in a warm golden light. It was the best sleep that she had enjoyed in weeks. Her anxiety over Rockefeller had melted away, knowing that there was an ocean separating them. The adrenaline from wedding had worn off. She felt calm and well rested. She looked over at her daughter snuggled next to her, still sleeping with a slight smile on her face. Grace felt a pang of guilt for not spending her wedding night with Oliver. She had not intended to fall asleep when she went to soothe Annie. She kissed the little head of wild red curls and tip toed out of her room. As she made her way down the hallway, she ran into Punjab and they exchanged a smile, "Good morning, Mrs. Warbucks." Of course he would know that she had spent the night in Annie's room.
"Good morning, Punjab. Will you please see to it that Annie is kept busy this morning?" She felt embarrassed asking this of him, but there was no way to keep secrets from the ever watchful bodyguard. She might as well use it to her advantage.
"Of course, Madame," he gave her a low bow, his face expressionless.
"Thank you," she said, picking up the skirt of her gown, heavy from the intricate beadwork.
She slipped into her new suite to find her husband asleep in their bed. She went to the bathroom and changed out of her wrinkled wedding gown into the short white nightgown that her sister had given to her. The feel of the cool silk sent goosebumps up and down her skin, giving her a little chill. Her nipples stood at attention, poking through the thin material. She glanced in the mirror and freshened up her make-up, running her hands through her hair to smooth her hair, rumpled from sleep. She took a deep breath; she was ready.
She pulled back the covers of the bed and laid down beside Oliver, who was snoring softly. She ran her hand along his cheek, prickly with morning stubble. His eyes fluttered sleepily open as she planted a kiss gently on his lips. He smiled to find her beside him.
"I'm terribly sorry, Oliver," she breathed when their kiss broke.
He placed her hand over his bare chest. "There's nothing for which to apologize, my dear. Now, where did we leave off?" he cocked an eyebrow and gave her a devilish grin.
He resumed kissing her, caressing her body all over through the soft fabric of the chemise. As their kissing became more passionate, he grabbed her bottom and pressed her body tightly against his. She could feel his excitement grow against her bare thigh. Of course, Grace was a well-educated woman. She understood sex in the theoretical, as it applied to biology. She remembered the clinical terms and crude anatomical diagrams in textbooks, but here before her laid a man of flesh and bone. It seemed surreal.
"Grace, if you want to slow down or stop at any point, just say the word. If you're in pain, please let me know. I don't want to hurt-" she interrupted him with a kiss.
"May I?" he indicated to her nightgown. She nodded with a look of total trust in her bright blue eyes. He pulled her nightgown over her head, revealing her smooth porcelain skin. She was laid bare before him, offering herself to him. He kissed down her neck, reaching her small pert teardrop breasts. He suckled at one while teasing the other with gentle pinches. She sighed to herself in contentment. He moved lower still, finding her damp patch of curls. She shivered as he gently traced her pink petals with his tongue, lapping at the nectar leaking down her thighs. He delicately slipped a finger inside and she let out a quiet gasp. The feeling was completely foreign to her: not painful, but unfamiliar. He found the thin membrane of her virginity and gave a silent prayer for her comfort. He inserted another finger into her wetness with difficulty and then began a slow rhythm, rubbing along the rigged upper walls.
"Mmmmmh, that feels wonderful," she murmured dreamily. He licked in a circular motion and thrust his fingers over and over, building up the heat inside of her. He could feel her relaxing, succumbing to his ministrations. Seeing her responding to his touch aroused him. His desire throbbed for attention, straining against the confines of his silk boxers.
Suddenly, her eyes flung wide open. "Oliver?" she whispered urgently. He increased the speed of his finger, rubbing over her tender button with his thumb.
"Shhhh. Let go, darling."
He felt a little pressure and then she clamped down on his fingers hard again and again. She grabbed her breasts, and arched her back as her pleasure took over. She lost all control in that moment. The experience of her first orgasm shocked her; the magnitude took her breath away. She knew that making love was pleasurable, but she didn't realize how the intense ecstasy would overtake her senses so completely. How could he possibly know secrets about her body that she didn't? She wanted to return the favor.
"Show me how to please you," she asked shyly, pulling his boxers down.
He guided her hand to his shaft and showed her how to stroke him. She was intimidated by the size. He was much larger than she had ever imagined. She was tentative at first, but she grew more confident as he groaned his pleasure and pumped along with the rhythm of her hand. It was the first time a woman had touched him in many years and he knew he wasn't going to last long.
"Grace, unless you want me to finish in your palm, you need to stop now," he chuckled and kissed her temple. Grace blushed.
He steadied himself over her parted legs. Every part of their bodies was touching. He rubbed himself up and down her glistening slit, teasing her.
"Take me, Oliver," she was so wet and ready for him.
It was all the encouragement he needed. He leaned in and kissed her, trying to distract her from the pain she felt as he pressed firmly but gently against her barrier. She winced and let in a sharp breath of air as he claimed her as his own.
"Are you alright? Do you want me to stop?" Oliver asked with concern. Every muscle in her body was tense beneath him.
"I'm alright. Just give me a moment," she said through gritted teeth, the searing pain emanating from her core. She felt as though she was being torn in two.
They laid perfectly still for a few minutes. Finally, she looked up at him and began to rock gradually. He eased out of her, then began thrusting shallowly. He wanted to give in and bury himself fully, taking her forcefully with animalistic force, but he exercised impressive control. Each movement was painstakingly slow, in an attempt to minimize her discomfort. He could feel her tight passage stretch to accommodate more of his length with each stroke. The pain was evaporating, leaving behind only pleasure. Grace wrapped her legs around her husband, pulling him further inside. She joined his rhythm, urging him on by grinding her hips against his. He began to push deeper into her, and she moaned as he explored deeper into her cavern.
"Oh God," she whispered softly with her eyes tightly shut. Oliver had never heard her use profanity, but this didn't sound obscene. "Oh God," she cried more loudly. It sounded reverent, like a prayer.
They screamed each other's names as they came in unison. Tears fell from Grace's eyes. She felt so whole, so connected to her husband. It was as though their souls had joined along with their bodies. Oliver continued to thrust gently as they both came down from their high, not wanting it to end. He finally rolled off of her, running his fingers through her hair, "You are the most amazing woman, Grace. Thank you for waiting for me. It's a gift that I'll always cherish."
She took his face in her hands, "Thank you for being so patient with me. That was more wonderful than I ever could have imagined."
They laid together in bed for a long time afterwards, enjoying their new-found intimacy. It was the beginning of a new and exciting journey of discovery for the newlyweds.