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For Sophie Beckett, she never expected her life to turn out this way, she never expected to be in this position but… here she was… no longer Beckett…
She was Sophia Bridgerton.
She had married Benedict. Regardless of her background, regardless of her Bastardy. He loved her and he had told her he wanted to marry her… and he had.
He had cried as she walked down the aisle in the Aubrey Hall parsonage, her hands clinging onto Simon as she walked down the aisle, desperately trying to fight back her own tears. She’d been through hell and back to get there. She’d struggled to accept herself, struggled to accept that maybe she was worth this, worth the love of this man, of this family… There were a lot of thoughts that made Sophie doubt her self worth, but the way Benedict had looked at her as they’d stared at each other, not breaking eye contact throughout the entire ceremony.
Green eyes meeting the Chocolate brown as the entire world dissolved around them and it was just the two of them. Their declaration and their vows to one another, their commitment before God and Country, making what they knew in their hearts, what they had known in their hearts from the moment they had met. It was now true. It was now official.
She was his.
He was hers.
Benedict had refused to let Sophie leave his side as they’d made their way around the reception. Even when she needed to use the washroom, he had to wait outside before escorting her back in. He’d introduced her to his aunts and uncles. Sophie had played with Edmund and the girls. Her life had changed in the last 4 days in a way Sophie could never have dreamed, she’d gone from being alone in the world, to having a family, a husband… and not just any husband. Her true love.
In her wedding dress she felt like a princess living out her fairytale ending, her happily ever after started here.
Benedict was eager to get away, he wanted away from the reception, it wasn’t that he didn’t love his family but he wanted time with his wife. He had barely spent 5 minutes with her before the wedding and everyone wanted to talk to them, so when Anthony had asked if he should call for the carriage, Benedict had jumped at the chance.
So they’d left early, their declarations of love, Sophie’s of love, safety and happiness as they’d settled in each other’s arms, a few hours' ride to their destination.
Simon and Daphne had given them the use of their seaside cottage for their honeymoon, at least a week of just each other’s company and Benedict couldn’t wait. He was thrilled to finally have Sophie to himself.
He’d been dreaming of this… of having her to himself for years, and though he hadn’t realised his lady in silver and Sophie had been the same woman… The reality was better than his dreams.
As the carriage came to a stop, Sophie gave a little stretch and breathy moan as she did so, which made Benedict smile down at her. He leaned and pressed a kiss to her temple “Mrs Bridgerton… it is time to wake up” he said softly.
“Are we here?” she asked with a yawn.
Benedict grinned “We are indeed my love”
“Oh how terribly rude of me… I slept most of the way here” she blushed at him
Benedict smirked “it’s not a problem my darling, I have also had a nap… But I am rather pleased you did sleep as I don’t intend to get much sleep done tonight” his eyes glittering with a wicked glimmer that made Sophie’s legs melt.
Sophie felt her entire face go beetroot as she sat up straight “really?”
Benedict nodded “oh yes”, he said brightly and as the carriage door opened he climbed out the carriage and helped his new wife down.
“Oh my. This is beautiful” Sophie said, looking around.
Benedict wrapped an arm around Sophie’s waist “Not as beautiful as our home I hope” he teased as he whispered in her ear which caused her to shiver.
“Nothing is as beautiful as My Cottage” she reassured him.
“Good” he grinned as he leaned down and scooped Sophie into his arms causing her to squeal.
“What are you doing??” she squeaked as, ignoring her, he made his way to the door. Simon and Daphne had told him of the layout of the cottage so he knew where he was going.
“Carrying my wife over the threshold” he grinned, pressing a kiss to her nose.
“But this is not our home!” she teased giggling.
“It is for the next week” he said solemnly, “now are you going to argue with your husband or let him do his marital duties and traditions and carry you?” he smirked.
Sophie giggled and shook her head “very well you silly man… you may carry me”
“Correct answer” he grinned “a good wife should always agree with her husband in all things should she not” he asked as he walked up the garden
“As long as he is not being preposterous and silly” she quipped back “but at present, I am inclined to let you have this one” she said as she rested her head into his chest
“You’re not arguing with your husband on his wedding day now are you?” he smirked
“It is my wedding day also” she said simply, flashing her enchanting smile at him.
Benedict leaned down, his arms carefully wrapped around his wife as he had one hand on the door, the other carefully holding her to him. “That it is…” he said as he kissed her soundly right there on the doorstep.
Breaking the kiss he swung the door open and walked into the house. As it wasn’t a long journey down to the coast from Aubrey Hall, they had not long eaten before they left and therefore Benedict had one destination on his mind… one destination only...
The bedroom.
Following the mental map he had in his mind he walked through the house with a purpose, Sophie giggling at the look of concentration on his face as he recalled where to go. He did not want to be disturbed and had instructed Daphne to let the staff have the afternoon off and return late in the evening for the morning duties and just to prepare a cold supper for them.
As he sung the door open to the master suite Sophie grinned at him “eagar are we husband dear?” she smirked.
Benedict grinned at her “for you my wife… always” he laughed as he carefully stood her on her feet.
“From the moment I saw you today, from the moment I turned and saw you… I just… I could not believe how lucky I am… how lucky I got… you’re everything I've ever needed” he said softly, his hands resting on her face.
Yes this was not a traditional wedding night… they had already been together as man and wife on 4 occasions before this… but something, something just felt different now it was legal, now they belonged to one another until death would they part… and Benedict knew in his bones that nothing but that would part them.
Wherever he would go Sophie would follow and vice versa… their love was a fairytale and he was living it.
Sophie smiled at him softly, leaning into his cheek “I missed you last night” she whispered into the room. “I did not sleep well without you next to me… I rather fear I will never sleep well without you next to me again” she admitted.
“We will never sleep apart… I can't bear to be apart from you Sophie. Last night was torture” Benedict said “I would have come back to the house but I rather feared my mother’s retribution if she realised”
Sophie giggled “I am sure that one of the footmen slept at my door… and my room had no window sadly”
“Well, never again… from this night onwards, I never want to part from you my darling beautiful wife… you are all mine and I wish to be the last thing you see before you sleep, the first thing you see when you wake…” he said as he took a step forward.
“Oh Benedict…” Sophie said, with a breathy happy sigh “sometimes, I am sure this is all a dream, some crazy fairytale my brain has made up to torment and tease me”
Benedict leant down and kissed her softly “this is not a dream Sophie… this is very… very real…” he said as he captured her lips in his, his hands wrapping carefully around her, as their lips moved together, it was soft and moist and hot and breathy, neither trying to win a battle but seeking union and closeness and the sharing of one breath, one sensation, one timeless and passionate moment.
“and this is better than any fairytale” He said softly against his lips, as he unfastened the few buttons at the top of her dress.
“This is better than any dream” he said again as he pressed a kiss to her collarbone, his fingers continuing to work their way down the buttons on her dress, he could feel the heat from her body radiating through the sheer fabric of her dress.
“Oh Benedict” she said, her legs turning to jelly as he spoke. His hands finding the bare skin of her back, she had forgone the Chemise, the cut of the dress for one did not allow but it was something that Kate has suggested and as Benedict let his hands move to her shoulders, to move the dress from her soft skin, pausing to press kisses to each new inch of soft skin he revealed, pressing his lips to her shoulder, lavishing his lips on her skin, licking and nipping as he moved.
Sophie was sure she was losing her mind at the sensation of his lips on her skin, heat was pooling in her stomach, her knees were barely holding her up and her knuckles were practically white against the fabric of his jacket as she clung on for dear life.
He smirked against her skin, he could feel her panting, her ragged breathing and he’d barely touched her, he could feel himself straining against his breeches, there would be time for other pleasure later but right now… he needed her… he needed to bury himself deep within his wife, and make love to her.
To make her his again, and to give himself to her… to start their forever properly.
He pushed the dress from her shoulders and steered it down her arms, and it pooled at her feet and besides her stockings and garter, she was completely bare to him. He groaned.
Sophie with her clothes on was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met… Sophie naked, and for his eyes only… well there were no words to describe the sheer perfection of the woman that was in front of him.
He was sure that Aphrodite herself would be jealous of the beauty that was before him. There is something so disarming about seeing Sophie naked, Benedict realises, he knows no one else has seen her… no one else will ever see her… She was all his.
There's a vulnerability in her eyes that he can't resist. He lets his eyes travel from her face to her collar bone, delicate in the semi-darkness, then to her breasts. Without a chemise or stays they sit lower, more natural, less close together, each so perfect and moulded to her form. Perfectly Sophie.
He let his hands cup her, as he returned his mouth to hers, giving her breasts a squeeze which caused her to gasp and moan into his lips.
He couldn’t take it anymore “Oh Sophie…” he groaned “you’re so perfect” he said as he carefully picked her up and laid her down on the bed. Her wedding coiffure falling out as he moved her, the simple plait, the way he loved her to wear her hair falling and making her look even more perfect as he stood up.
“You are rather more dressed than I am for this…” she said, in what she hoped was an attempt at a seductive sounding voice.
Benedict flashed her a lopsided grin “my thoughts exactly my love” he said as he began to divest himself of his clothing, his cravat, his jacket already rumpled from their ardour soon on the floor with Sophie’s dress. His shirt and waistcoat and he watched, never taking his eyes off Sophie as he began to unfasten his breeches.
He watched her lick her lips, the green of her eyes turning dark as she watched him. He was already rock hard. He’d been in a sorry state of affairs from the moment she fell asleep on his lap in the carriage.
As he sprung free from his breeches, kicking them off, he let Sophie’s eyes roam over him, taking in his appearance as he crawled back onto the bed. “You’re so beautiful” he said, leaning down to kiss her “my perfect fairytale princess, our fairytale… our happily ever after...”
Sophie shook her head as Benedict moved her legs apart, letting himself rest against her for the barest of seconds as she replied “this is much better than a fairytale… it’s real… and it is us and our forever starts here.”
Benedict felt a tear drip down his cheek as Sophie reached up to wipe it away. “I love you” he said softly as he fitted himself to her.
Then there was nothing but them, their love for one another, their absolute commitment and devotion, as they moved together, for the first time officially as Man and Wife, their hearts beating as one, their pleasure in each other rising together, their names whispered into the evening air, benedictions and prayer as their love for one another burned bright and hot.
They peaked together, gasping and declaring their love for each other as they settled down in the other’s arms, Benedict holding his wife close to him, their fingers entwined as he played with the two rings that would forever adorn her beautiful fingers. He was happier than he had ever been in his life. Murmuring their love for each other, neither would ever tire of hearing it… never tire of saying it...
This reality was better than any fairy tales but both of them were glad for the fairytale that brought them together.