As you dressed in a beautiful white and silver gown, getting ready to go to the latest social gathering of the ton, your mind wandered to the moments you had shared with Lucius since he had agreed to your favor. Flashes of skin against skin, long ringed hands running up your body, long platinum hair, warm kisses and breathy moans flooded your mind, and it took everything in you not to sigh in pleasure aloud as your maid did your hair for the evening.

This would be your first outing since becoming intimate with Lucius, and you hoped with all of your heart he would be at the evening's gathering. Perhaps there was a chance you could both sneak away. Lucius hadn't confirmed if you'd be going back to his Manor at the same 10 o'clock time as you had the previous two nights, but you thought you might go crazy from longing if you couldn't see him tonight in any capacity.

Ever since being with him, it felt like you were in a constant state of arousal. He hadn't fully taken you yet as you had asked him to initially, and although you desperately wanted him to, you loved the fact that he was teaching you so many other things about sensuality and pleasure before doing the actual deed. He was the most amazing man you had ever known, in real life and in your novels.

Later that evening you arrived at the home of the Lord and Lady who were hosting the latest event. An extravagant dinner celebrating the bloom of Spring and Easter. You had mostly ignored the rest of your family, still giving your mother the cold shoulder, but you knew with a sinking heart that your betrothed Viscount would be at the dinner as well.

Grabbing the closest glass of champagne that you could, you immediately separated yourself from your family as you briefly mentioned something about 'going to mingle' under your breath; however your real purposes were avoiding the Viscount and also looking for the one man you so desperately wanted in every way. As you sipped on your champagne and made your way through the house, still not finding Lucius, you then made your way into the beautiful gardens which were blooming with hundreds of spring time flowers. Unfortunately that was where everyone was gathering anyways, since the extravagant dinner was going to be served inside of a large greenhouse, keeping with the theme of Springtime.

With a sigh you saw the old Viscount you had been trying to avoid already sitting at the table, your family already seated close by and a place setting with a name tag for you sat right next to the old man. Your betrothal had become public knowledge you assumed. You felt sick to your stomach, and right before you were about to turn around and leave without saying a word, the glow of a candlelight reflecting off of something bright caught your eye and you looked to the left to see Lucius sat at the far left hand side of the table, drink in hand, his silver eyes having already spotted you, a gorgeous small smile upon his lips as you caught his gaze. Your stomach fluttered with butterflies and your cheeks flushed happily, a smile appearing on your lips as well as you stared back at him, time seeming to stop and everyone else around you seeming to disappear. Almost as if you couldn't control your own body movements, you started moving towards where Lucius was sitting at the table, but all of a sudden you heard a chair to your right side be pulled out, and the old Viscount was calling out to you, "Over here dear," said the old Viscount. You looked with a cringe to your left and saw he had pulled out your chair for you at the table. You did everything you could to avoid your mother's gaze who was seated on the opposite side of the Viscount, but you could feel without even looking that she was staring daggers at you, making sure you were on the best behavior and not making a scene.

With a sigh, and one last look at Lucius, who was looking at the old Viscount with a cold stare like ice in his silver eyes, you made your way and sat down without a word. You would put up with this dinner, but afterwards you would find Lucius. There was no question about it.

Dinner was fabulous, although you barely thought about the food you were actually eating. You were slightly aware that your mother was bragging to the right side of the table about your upcoming wedding that you had done zero planning yourself for. All of her words, as well as the Viscount's, were just background noise to you though. For most of the dinner you had been discreetly looking to your left side to catch Lucius' eye throughout the meal. He was doing much the same, every time his gorgeous and piercing eyes met yours, you flushed with happiness and you exchanged stares of longing and small smiles throughout the meal. The candles throughout the greenhouse casting a beautiful glow off of his pale skin and hair; you wanted the man so badly, and all you wanted to do was get up from the table and run away to his Manor with him to be alone.

When he wasn't making eye contact with you, he was talking to the man next to him, the two of them often times in deep conversation. This was the same man you had seen him speak to at the garden party a week or two ago. It seemed as if this man was the only one of the ton who would actually speak to Lucius, besides yourself, and it angered you again to think that most of the ton barely spoke to Lucius, despite inviting him to their social gatherings. Lucius had been the only person to ever actually care about you, and now, after experiencing the pleasure that he gave to you, and the way he treated you so reverently, you couldn't wrap your head around why Lucius was treated so poorly amongst his peers.

Finally the dinner ended, and guests were invited for more champagne and to walk around the gardens which were beautifully lit with torches. Not even waiting for the Viscount to help you up out of your seat, you stood up from your chair, caught Lucius' eye briefly, and made your way out into the gardens.

The gardens were packed with the dinner guests, and you got annoyed a bit. Usually an empty garden was where you would meet Lucius, but since tonight the gardens were rather busy, you began to make your way to the empty home.

Sure enough, the house was completely empty, all of the guests and the servants out in the gardens enjoying the rest of the Spring evening. Only a few candles in the grand chandelier overhead were lit, and the house was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Maybe you had made a mistake thinking Lucius would know to go to the empty house instead of the gardens, but only after a few minutes of waiting in silence, you heard the sound of footsteps coming into the tiled entry way. Your heart brightened and you smiled happily seeing Lucius' tall body come into view, looking gorgeous as ever in a deep green suit, his hair pulled back, and his smoldering gaze devouring you as he made it over to you in 3 long strides of his long legs.

"I hoped you would know to find me here," you said breathlessly as you stepped in close to him, looking up at him with adoration.

"I know us," he smirked. "Where the people are, we go the opposite direction."

You laughed quietly, knowing it was true, and then Lucius quickly took your hand and led you to the right, going into the first door which led into a small but cozy study, the curtains were already luckily drawn and Lucius closed the door softly behind you both, not daring to make too much sound.

The moment the door was closed you practically grabbed Lucius, your hands finding your way to his broad shoulders, your body pressed up against his as you leaned in to kiss him as if your life depended on it. Lucius matched your own fervor, groaning out in apparent approval of your need for him, one of his hands gripping you behind your neck, the other gripping your waist hard, pressing you against him, before sliding his hand down to gently squeeze your bum in his hands.

As you both kissed, your tongues exploring the others', it felt as if your bodies were trying to melt into the others' with how intense you both were going at each other, as you both tried to keep your moans of pleasure to a quieter level.

After a bit you had to gasp for a breath of air, your forehead leaning against Lucius', both of your hands still gripping each other. It was extremely intense and your heart was racing and your head felt light headed, but you loved it. "I needed this so bad," you sighed out, "I need you," you said looking up into Lucius' eyes, almost as if pleading. Your core throbbed and clenched around nothing, and you wanted him to finally take you. "Please," you said in a whisper so quiet, it was almost meant for yourself. "I know darling," Lucius said breathing just as hard. His eyes closed briefly, as if thinking. "But it can't be here. I will have you in my bed, or nowhere at all," he practically growled.

Your thighs clenched together, hearing about his plan to finally bed you properly, and it didn't help that you felt his hard erection pressing up against you from where your bodies were currently so close together.

"I need you," you said again as you practically writhed against him. "And you'll have me angel," he soothed as one of his hands caressed your cheek, causing your eyes to flutter shut and your core to yet again throb in need. "It…it doesn't hurt…but my…it feels rather…" you couldn't bring yourself to say it, your cheeks hot with a blush. So instead you looked down as if indicating to your core, "I need more of you…"

Lucius seemed to know exactly what you were trying to say, "I know my love…I ache for you too," he said as his member throbbed in longing again at his own words. Yes that was the perfect word to describe what you felt. Aching.

You couldn't help but kiss him passionately, not only from having him confirm himself what you were feeling and always making you feel safe and comfortable to tell him anything, but because he had called you 'his love.' You knew it could just be a pet name, as he had a lot of those for you, but hearing him call you that did something else to you…did something to your heart. And it both amazed and terrified you to feel the things you were feeling right now for him. You both continued passionately kissing, the room itself growing warm with the heat that was radiating off of you both. You continued trying to writhe yourself against him, wanting to feel the hard length of his erection press up against your aching core, and without hesitation Lucius slightly put his leg between your legs so that you could rub up against his own upper thigh. You felt completely shameless in that moment as you rubbed on him, sighing out wantonly as his kisses went from your lips to the sensitive skin of your neck where he kissed and nipped, deep groans emanating from his chest at feeling you move on his leg.

"Yes sweet girl," he soothed, causing you to whimper.

"Lucius," you sighed out as you slowly halted your movements against him. If you didn't stop now you would embarrassingly come on his leg from humping him alone, although deep down you knew he would love that and encourage it. With a knowing smirk, Lucius kissed you tenderly one last time and took your hand to lead you over to a love seat that was across from a rich mahogany desk.

"Come here," he said as he sat down and opened his arms. You sighed out happily, your body still trying to calm down, and sat against him, your head and back leaning comfortably against his chest. Something so comforting, that you wanted nothing more than to have moments like these forever. A thought that caused your heart to pang again with a sadness you couldn't describe.

Sitting together, you both didn't have to say anything, being together was enough, but you wanted to know more about this amazing man and so you asked a few questions which had been on your mind.

"Who is that man that you often talk to?" You asked him, as you held his hand in yours and admired his rings as he began to talk to you.

"Ah that is Lord Valery, perhaps the only man to really speak to me since my return to the ton. He's 'new money,' so he doesn't quite care about the gossip and the ways of the old crowd…we often talk about different business ventures we could potentially invest in. It's good to have a partner in business again."

"Why though Lucius?" You asked as your hand grasped his own and brought it to your chest over your heart. "Why are the others so rude to you? You are the greatest man I have ever met…I don't understand…"

You heard Lucius sigh and he kissed the top of your head as if in appreciation. "Ah…I have felt shame to really talk about it…but you have confided in me and have trusted me so I will do the same…" he hesitated, as if embarrassed.

You turned around then so that you could look at him in the eyes, you wanted him to know you were there for him just as he was there for you. "You can tell me anything, Lucius" you said sincerely.

He brought your conjoined hands to his lips and kissed the top of your hand softly, a relieved small smile on his face. "The most painful time of my life happened about five or six years ago now. My wife, at the time, had been spending more and more of her days in France, staying at her family's countryside chateau, she had told me…" he said, his silver eyes growing a bit darker as he spoke about his past. "One such instance, I had decided that I would surprise her and spend the summer there myself…when I got to France and made it to her family's chateau they had looked at me rather confused and said she hadn't been there."

You looked at Lucius now, starting to understand where this story was going and it hurt your heart to see him have to recollect this.

He continued "I went immediately back to the Manor and waited for her next return. When she eventually came home, I confronted her…" his jaw clenched a bit, clearly trying to hold back his hurt. "She barely even hesitated before she admitted that she had taken a lover in France, and had been staying with him, not with her family…had she had decided her life back in France was better and more exciting….not that I could blame her however…after all we were a match put together because of our family's wants…we had never been in love, but I was fond of her and her of me," he sighed out, "or so I thought."

He paused a bit to contemplate more and then continued on. "The part that hurt the most though was that she demanded the divorce be kept secret and her affair. I understood her need for discretion, and being a man of my word, I honored her desire to keep things private, but you know the way of the ton…the way of gossip…when my wife disappeared without a trace, and with the divorce not being public, others started spreading nasty rumors. The worst being that I had killed my wife and that is why she was gone without a trace."

You shook your head out of anger. Your own mother had been gossiping about him when he had returned to society those few weeks ago…had mentioned something about his wife disappearing. Meanwhile, the real story was that he had been a gentleman and had covered up her affair and her betrayal. He was innocent in this whole scenario.

"I left for these past years because the rumors became too much and I lost more and more friends…or people I had once considered friends. No one had cared to even ask how I was…or what had really happened. I decided being alone and away from society would be better…and to be honest it was, but I knew I couldn't leave the Manor alone for any longer. I had a staff that depended on me and without being there it would fall into ruin. Plus I had heard of the newly appointed Lord Valery and not only saw a potential new business partner, but also possibly a new friend who wouldn't care about the gossip that the 'old money' liked to spew."

"But why do you keep getting invited to these society gatherings and balls, if they hate you so much?" You asked curiously, "Not that I mind of course, quite the contrary" you smiled.

Lucius smiled softly, but then grimaced, "Money of course," he said flatly. "These people…my people…will say that they hate me or don't trust me or invent stories about me, but they keep me around in case they need my money. The one thing that they cannot deny about me is that I am good at business and wealthy, and that is all that matters to them at the end of the day…and perhaps that was even how I felt at one point in my life, but after being betrayed and after being alone for so long, I realized that there are more important things in life," he said as he cupped your cheek sweetly again, as if he perhaps meant what you two were sharing.

"I'm so sorry Lucius…" was all you could think to say as you squeezed his hand which was still in your own. You couldn't even imagine the loneliness he must have felt.

"Don't be darling," he said squeezing your own hand back. "Meeting you has been…a rather pleasurable surprise since coming back, and one that makes it all the worth while," he said with a wicked smirk. "The moment I first saw you in that garden, I knew you were different, in the best way."

You smiled and blushed. You both did have an instant connection when you had met. You had both sought shelter away from the noise of society and you both never had fit in it seemed. "I've always felt different," you admitted. "But you saw me for the real me and never judged me for it."

"And you've never judged me," he said as his silver eyes shined brightly as he looked at you.

For a while the two of you just sat in silence, looking into each other's eyes, both of your souls feeling so light as you confided in each other and trusted in each other. Finally you spoke, having to tell him what you were feeling. "I've always dreamed of something like this," you said as you placed your hand on his hand which was still cupping your cheek sweetly.

Lucius smiled gorgeously, causing your heart to beat quicker. "I must admit darling, that I have never felt feelings like this before…" he said his brow furrowing a bit as he studied your face, mostly your eyes and lips. "I feel such a need and an intensity when I'm around you, it's intoxicating."

"Yes," you said your head nodding slightly in agreement, not able to help it as your head moved in so that your lips were just hovering over his.

Lucius moved the last inch closer to seal the kiss, his tongue immediately entering your mouth and ravishing you, causing your toes to curl in your shoes and your skin to tingle all over.

Despite having just had a more serious conversation, you couldn't help it as you fell back into the haze of passion and sexual tension, especially after hearing him tell you he had never had feelings like this before. It emboldened you and made you feel even deeper in your connection with the wonderful man.

You kissed Lucius back, trying to ravish him as much as he was doing to you. You moved on the loveseat then, so that you could straddle Lucius where he sat, your lips never leaving his as you boldly moved to how you wanted on top of him. You heard that sexy, deep moan in his chest that he did whenever you did something that particularly aroused him, and his hands immediately came to grab your bum where you sat on him. "Look at you, you wicked thing," he said with a smirk as he pulled away to look up into your eyes.

You couldn't help but smirk back, as your hands gripped his shoulders as your hips began moving on their own accord, rubbing your damp core against him, his manhood already starting to grow iron hard beneath you where you writhed on him.

"Mmmm," he groaned as you rubbed against him, the smirk never leaving his lips. "You know what you want don't you sweet girl?"

"Yes," you panted as your forehead rested against his own. "I want you so bad," you said breathlessly as your hips continued moving.

"And I you," he said deeply, his grip on your bum growing a bit tighter as he rubbed and massaged as you moved on him.

Your moans became louder and louder and you couldn't help the "please" that escaped from your lips desperately.

Lucius moved his hips up, causing delicious friction against your own movements, your eyes practically rolling back into your head. "You know I can't deny you when you plead with me my love," he said as one of his hands went from grasping your bum to gripping your thigh and then moving a bit higher up under the bunched up hem of your gown so that his fingers were hovering over your wet, heated core.

You were practically whimpering at this point, needing him so bad. "Tomorrow night," he said his silver eyes piercing into yours, his pupils blown with lust. "I promise."

"Lucius," was the last coherent thing you could say before you felt his fingers on your clit, and within seconds of him rubbing, you moved your head in so that your mouth could rest on his shoulders as you came hard, your moans luckily absorbing into where your mouth was on his shoulder so that your bliss was muffled. Your whole body was shuddering and you felt him throbbing beneath you where you straddled him, but ever the gentleman both of his hands were now rubbing soothing lines on your back as you calmed down from your orgasm.

You lifted your head up so that your forehead was now against his own, "Tomorrow," was all you could think to say, the only thought that swirled around in your lust addled brain.

"Tomorrow," his deep voice confirmed as he held you safely and securely and passionately in his arms.