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“I have never been more certain of anything,” Anna whispered, and drew him down to her.

What followed unfolded slowly, as they learned of each other slowly. She gasped as his hand found the curve of her waist and he grunted after he had removed his shirt and she ran her hand down his chiseled chest. She found some satisfaction in being right, in awe of how his muscles rippled and tensed up beneath her touch.

He pushed her nightgown up, until he could slip it off her completely, and then he went still, his fiery eyes taking in every inch of her. It took a lot of courage to stay still for him and the compliment she was rewarded with made her feel all the more grateful she had.

“You are remarkable,” he murmured, low, as though the words had escaped him before he could decide whether he meant to say them aloud.

Anna felt the admission settle somewhere deep within her, more affecting, somehow, than anything that had come before it.

Under the candlelight, everything seemed softer, especially as he kissed her deeply, his hands gripping her waist before sliding down to cup her breasts, his teeth teasingly leaving little nibbles and bites down her jaw and neck moments later. He littered kisses down her chest, then took one of her nipples into his mouth.

Anna arched against him with a moan, gasping when his fingers slid from his waist to rest between her legs, as he began to stroke her. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before, the flames of the desire burning her up as his fingers worked her nub and his teeth pulled on her nipple.

“Your Grace –” she gasped, coming apart by the seams.

“I do not want you to call me that right now,” he said against her lips. “Call me by my name.”

She shook her head and his fingers started to increase the intensity and speed with which they touched her and she just could not handle much more if it.

“H-Hudson, please –”

He smirked against her neck and held her as she crumbled beneath him, her body tensing up greatly as she reached the precipice of her pleasure.

Once she had calmed slightly, she felt him move and settle between her legs, his hands pulling her closer to him by her hips, before he pressed the tip of his member to her entrance.

“Are you ready?” he asked, his voice as gentle as ever.

She nodded, allowing her eyes to trace his form until she saw exactly what he intended to put in her.

“I – wait – I don’t think it will –”

“Take a deep breath, Anna. It’ll hurt at first, but I promise you will be all right,” he assured.

To his credit, Hudson waited until she had given her consent before he pressed into her. The air in her lungs fled as pain stunned her body, causing her to tense up. Hudson winced and leaned down, pressing little, soft kisses on her face and lips, his actions far too intimate to be disregarded as simple concern.

“Relax,” he whispered against her mouth.

She did, allowing him to pull out and push back into her with a fluid movement. Sparks of pleasure went up and down her spine, and she must have made a sound that encouraged him because he continued his movements in earnest, thrusting in and out of her rapidly.

Anna rested her hands on his shoulders, watching his muscles twitch and ripple as he pressed deeper into her. She had never imagined it would feel this way, so overwhelming in the best sense, taking away her ability to think of much else besides how good she felt.

“You are so beautiful, like this,” Hudson grunted, picking up the pace again. “So free and open about how you feel. I could watch you like this, all night.”

Anna blushed, feeling the edge return once more, settling at the base of her stomach like a knot.

“Hudson, please – I can’t –”

“I know,” he mumbled, pulling her closer so his thrusts could hit even deeper.

It didn’t take long before she climaxed, harder than she had before. She threw her head back and screamed, clinging to his shoulders so hard she was certain her nails might have made an impression on his shoulder.

“Ah – Anna, not so hard –” Hudson winced as she felt the warmth of his seed spill into her.

The sensation was strange but not unwelcome; however, it seemed that Hudson had other thoughts because he pulled out of her immediately with a panicked look.

“Is something wrong?” Anna questioned, feeling rather drained.

He rested his eyes on her again and shook his head, bundling his shirt into a ball and using it to wipe her down.