the Villainess they took for granted

Marian

The door closed behind them.

For several seconds, Marian simply remained in Adrian’s arms.

She could hear her own breathing.

Could feel the warmth of his body against hers.

Could feel the steady strength of the arms holding her.

This was real.

She had allowed herself to be carried here.

She had kissed him.

And now there was no ballroom, no music, no audience to make the moment feel like something that could still be explained away.

Marian looked at him.

Adrian’s expression had not softened.

If anything, his gaze seemed more intense now that they were alone.

She swallowed.

There was something she needed to understand.

She had been the one to end their engagement.

She had been the one to choose another man.

And now she had returned to Adrian.

What could she possibly expect from him?

That he would simply believe her because she had worn his earrings?

Because she had accepted his dance?

Because she had kissed him?

Perhaps that was enough for tonight.

But Marian knew Adrian.

He would want certainty.

And perhaps she wanted to give it to him.

She lowered her eyes.

There was only one thing she could think of that she had not already given him.

Something that could not be mistaken for politeness.

Something that could not be explained away as wanting the Emperor.

If Adrian wanted proof that she was serious, she would give it.

She looked back at him.

Her cheeks warmed.

She knew what she was thinking.

And she knew how foolish it might sound.

But she was not going to retreat simply because she was embarrassed.

She had chosen Adrian.

Now she had to show him that she meant it.

--

Adrian

Adrian watched her carefully.

He could see the thoughts moving across her face.

Nervousness.

Uncertainty.

Then something firmer.

Decision.

He knew that look.

Marian had made up her mind about something.

The question was what.

He had wanted her from the moment he held her on the dance floor.

That desire had not diminished now that they were alone.

If anything, it had become harder to control.

He wanted to kiss her again.

He wanted to feel her beneath his hands.

He wanted to forget every reason he had spent the last eighteen months keeping his distance.

But beneath the desire remained the question he had been asking all evening.

Why?

Why had Marian returned to him?

Why had she worn his earrings?

Why had she wanted his attention?

Why had she accepted his dance?

And now—

why had she kissed him?

Adrian stepped closer.

Marian didn’t move away.

His hand came to her waist.

He kissed her again.

This time she responded immediately.

Adrian felt her fingers curl into his coat.

He closed his eyes.

For a few moments, there was nothing else.

Then the thought returned.

Is this because she wants me?

Or because she wants what he can give her?

The uncertainty remained.

And perhaps it would remain even after tonight.

He knew that.

But he also knew something else.

He wanted her badly enough to accept the uncertainty for now.

He drew her closer.

Marian’s breath caught.

Adrian looked down at her.

”Look at me.”

She did.

Her cheeks were flushed.

Her eyes were bright.

He held her gaze.

There was no need for another question.

Whatever happened next, Marian would choose it herself.

And Adrian would see how much that choice was worth.

--

(Marian)

Marian felt the back of her legs hit the edge of the heavy bed.

She did not step back.

When Adrian’s hands moved to the back of her dress, her breath hitched.

The heavy silk of her gown gave way under his swift, practiced fingers, unhooking down her spine until the bodice loosened around her chest.

Then came the laces of her corset.

Adrian did not pull them with gentle patience.

His movements were tight. Controlled. Yet edged with a restless hunger that made Marian’s pulse leap in her throat.

As the stiff boning eased, her stay loosened, releasing her restricted breathing all at once.

The heavy fabric pooled down her hips, slipping over her skirts until she stood before him in nothing but her thin, white linen chemise.

Marian lowered her eyes, a deep flush burning across her cheeks and down her neck.

She had kissed him before.

She had held his hands.

But Adrian had never seen her like this.

He also had never looked at her with the raw, heavy intensity that darkened his eyes right now.

Her heart hammered against her ribs as Adrian reached out, his thick fingers hooking into the neckline of her chemise.

With a single, firm pull, he tore the thin fabric down her body, casting it aside.

He gripped her waist and gently guided her backward, laying her down onto the center of the bed.

The sight was a breathtaking, visual feast.

Her long, golden blond hair scattered across the dark velvet sheets like spun silk, framing her face in wild, radiant waves. Her porcelain skin was smooth, evenly toned, and flushed a delicate pink from the cool air and her own rising heat. Her chest heaved with every ragged breath she drew, her firm breasts rising and falling, the soft, pale curves topped by peak-hardened pink buds that seemed to openly tease him, practically begging for his mouth to take a bite.

Marian shivered under the sheer weight of his gaze, her hands instinctively moving to cover herself.

Adrian caught her wrists before she could.

He brought them up, pinning them firmly above her head against the mattress as he crowded over her.

”Don’t hide now,” he murmured, his voice low and dangerous.

Marian swallowed, her chest heaving even faster as she nodded softly.

She let her hands lie pinned.

She was nervous.

Her entire body was trembling with a mix of fear and an intense, overwhelming warmth that pulled deep in her stomach.

She let him look. She let him take.

--

To be continue