Chapter Text
It felt like forever since they had descended into the cave, the fresh air of the early evening was an incredible relief. The sun was setting out over the sea, birds diving into the dappled waves to catch their dinner.
“Wait.” She paused, pulling Ben’s hand until he stopped. “I just want to look at this.”
He moved to stand behind her and hugged her against his chest, arms wrapping tightly around her. She kissed his forearm and held onto it lightly with her fingertips. Leaning back in his secure embrace, she took in the beautiful sight of the golden light dancing on the gentle waves that lapped against the shore.
“It’s almost as beautiful as you,” he remarked with wonder in his voice, kissing the top of her head in a way that made her whole body want to melt.
After a few quiet moments, she was more than eager to be kissed by him in many other places. She patted his arm gently and wiggled away, quickly grabbing his hand again to walk back to the estate.
“How do you think they got past the gate?” she wondered aloud.
“Your Grandfather probably gave the mayor access at some point. I should have checked, I’m sorry. I didn’t even think––”
“Hey,” she soothed him with a hand on his bicep. “You couldn't have possibly known. None of this is on you.”
He looked down at her as he used his thumbprint to open the gate to the estate proper. “Eventually I’ll forgive myself, but for now, the look in your eyes is all I need to keep going.”
She smiled warmly. “And what look is that?”
“You look at me like I’m the only person in the world that matters. Even though it’s not true,” he huffed a quiet laugh.
“Ben, it absolutely is true. Sure, I care about everyone, but don't even let me think about a world without you in it.”
He held the gate open with his free hand and leaned down to touch his forehead to hers in acknowledgment. She wrapped her slim fingers around his neck and leaned her head back to kiss his lips, her urgency to get him alone increasing with every passing second.
“Let’s go make sure everyone’s okay,” she whispered. “And then I’m keeping you captive in my room the rest of the night.”
“Nothing would make me happier,” he responded with a sly chuckle.
They made their way back to the house, hopeful, yet unsure of what they’d find.
To Rey’s relief, the staff were busily roaming the halls, cleaning up the debris of the earlier attack and straightening paintings and antiques. Finn and Poe came jogging over and regaled them with how they’d been locked in a closet for hours until suddenly, their captors simply just left. Garven had contacted the coast guard and Bazine and Phasma were already in custody.
Mrs. Kane fussed over her new guests and demanded they go to the room Tallie had already set up for them, so they could rest and celebrate their engagement.
“That goes for you two as well, love birds,” Mrs. Kane insisted. “Don’t come down til mid-morning tomorrow. If you’re hungry, ring the bell.”
“Don't you ever rest?” Ben joked.
“I will, boy. Now that the curse has lifted my days as the best cook you’ve ever had are limited. Enjoy it before I take my retirement on the Amalfi Coast,” she winked.
“I’ll pack your bags myself,” Rey insisted. “Thank you for everything, Mrs. Kane.”
“Don’t fuss, child. Go get to bed. Your bath is waiting.” Seeing the look on Rey’s face, she summoned her in for a hug. Rey had to bend down rather far to hug the tiny woman and felt a tear escape and trickle down her cheek.
Mrs. Kane patted her back. “Get to bed. We’ll discuss my severance and book my flights tomorrow,” she said with a hearty laugh. “I found Maurizio on Facebook and he’s still waiting for me,” she added with a delighted sigh as she puttered towards the kitchen.
“Shall we?” Ben extended his hand and led her to the elevator, which had already carried Finn and Poe upstairs and was slowly descending once more.
She took his hand, and enjoyed the ride up more than she ever had, now that she was snuggled into his chest as he played with her hair. When the elevator doors opened, he lifted her into his arms and carried her bridal style to her room, kicking the door in with one foot before urging her to tuck her head in and bringing her safely inside.
Ben carried her all the way into the ensuite bathroom and placed her gently on the floor in front of the tub. When she reached for the hem of her shirt, he stopped her.
“Let me,” he insisted, lifting her the fabric slowly up over her stomach and breasts, pulling it over her head as she raised her arms. He tossed it to the side and pulled each of her bra straps down, leaving kisses in their wake.
He reached behind her and unclasped her bra expertly, and she let it slide slowly down her arms to the floor. Leaning into her, he braced one hand on the back of her neck and the other on her lower back. She let herself melt into his embrace as he took one rapidly hardening nipple into his mouth. He kissed it gently, swirling his tongue around the peak before rubbing his nose across her chest to the other side.
“So perfect,” he murmured against her goosebump-pebbled skin.
He dropped to his knees, licking the underside of her breast before taking another nipple in his mouth and giving the same luxurious treatment. It was only a slight distraction from his hands, which were now simultaneously working to remove her shorts and panties.
His gentleness transitioned into the roughness of urgency as he spread her legs with one hand and held her upright with the other, immediately parting her folds with his tongue. She gasped and grasped at his hair and shoulders for balance, knowing that if she did start to fall, he would always catch her. He gave her long licks punctuated by short, greedy sucks to her clit until she whimpered and mewled, her legs turning to jelly.
He paused briefly to dip his hands in the filled bathtub and washed them in the sudsy water before drying them on a folded towel perched on a nearby bench.
“What are you- oh, ” she started to ask as he inserted two clean fingers into her already dripping pussy, resuming the clever movements of his tongue.
Her toes curled into the soft bath mat beneath her feet as he hooked a leg over his shoulder to give him easier access. He groaned as she clenched around his fingers.
“Making you come for the first time tonight. After your bath, as many times as you can stand.”
“My bath?” She whimpered as he curled his fingers inside and fucked her gently as his tongue cascaded across her sensitive clit. “Our bath,” she insisted. “ Fuck.”
“Come for me, sweet Rey. Incredible Rey.”
His lips and tongue and fingers were a dream unlike any they’d shared. It didn’t take much convincing for her exhausted body to give into his loving ministrations. She cried out, folding forward as he gripped her legs and thighs for balance, greedily lapping up her come as it gushed over his swollen pink lips.
With a few gentle kisses to her quivering center, he lowered her leg and stood up as she swayed on her feet, biting her lip as she watched him undress. He whipped off his shirt then picked her up, lowering her body gently into the bath.
“Get in here now,” she beckoned him with a crooked finger as she surrendered to the hot, luxurious water, scented with lavender.
Soon enough, he was naked and settling in behind her, displacing some of the water so it splashed over the sides of the tub. Luckily, the antique claw-footed basin was more than big enough for the both of them. She closed her eyes and leaned back on his chest, enjoying the feeling of their wet slippery skin meeting under the water. His legs surrounded hers and he immediately took to covering a washcloth with soap. He swiped it gently across her neck and collarbone and down over her breasts and stomach. He then took care to lift each of her arms and lather those before allowing her to sink down further and let the suds melt away.
“Lean forward, I’ll wash your back and then your hair,” he requested and she was more than happy to comply. Starting to completely relax and surrender to the bliss of her post-orgasmic glow. She loved the feeling of his hands cleansing her of the events of the day.
Ben’s strong fingers kneaded shampoo into her scalp and he took his time soaping every strand. Then he took a pitcher and filled it at the spout, warm water washing her clean before he applied the conditioner.
It felt so good, and she had never felt so cared for. It had been years and years since anyone had washed her hair. Since she was a child.
Suddenly, the tender act brought everything that had just happened, and perhaps more than that, flooding to the surface.
All of her grief.
What she had lost.
What she could still lose.
“Hey, hey,” he soothed her, pulling her hair back over her shoulder and bringing her closer to his chest to hold her as she sobbed in his arms. “You’re safe now.” He kissed her temple and rocked her beneath the water, his big strong body holding her fast and tight. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Promise?” she sniffed, her chest still shaking as she tried to swallow the sadness that rose up and threatened to take her back down with it.
“I'll be with you, always, if you’ll have me,” he reassured her.
She straightened up a bit and he loosened his grip so she could turn towards him. “Of course I’ll have you,” she replied, flabbergasted. “I love you so much.” She started crying again.
“I love you too, more than you can ever imagine.” He cupped her face, kissing the tears on her already wet cheeks. “Let’s finish rinsing your hair and get you to bed.”
“Okay,” she whimpered, hugging her knees as he rinsed the conditioner out and combed her hair with his fingers.
He cleaned himself efficiently as the water slowly drained out of the tub and stood to wrap a towel around his waist and hold one for her to step into. After bundling her up and grabbing another towel to dry her hair. She leaned into his care and embraced it, and tried not to think anymore about what she could have lost that day.
As he scooped her up once more, she wondered how someone could be so strong after all he’d been through, but she was grateful to have him. She was stronger than she’d ever believed possible, but with him, she could be vulnerable too.
After he laid her on the bed, he went to her dresser to grab her things. She huffed a tiny, quiet laugh, remembering her vow to tease him for stealing her underwear. Another time.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Come to bed,” she replied. “I don’t need pajamas.”
He whipped around and quirked an eyebrow before letting his towel drop to the floor.
She giggled as he stampeded towards the bed and crawled on his hands and knees towards her, quickly covering her body with his. He pulled her towel apart so their skin could meet once more.
With gentle kisses, he made his way down her body.
“Ben, you don’t have to—”
“No I want to,” he murmured against her skin, spreading her legs apart and hooking them over his shoulders, his wide palms covering her thighs as he licked her once more. She moaned as he slowly dipped his tongue inside of her before sliding it up her slit and swirling it around her clit.
“Please,” she whimpered, the word cut off by a squeal as he sucked.
“Please what, sweetheart,” he teased in between swipes of his tongue. “You want my fingers?”
“No, you,” she breathed, curling her fingers into his hair. “Need you inside me.”
Placing wet kisses on her inner thigh, he lowered her legs down to the bed, before moving upwards to hover over her body. “You look so beautiful right now,” he praised, trailing a single finger from her collarbone down to her navel. He then fisted his thick, hard shaft and gave it a few pumps before sliding his head between her soaked folds.
“Ben,” she admonished him for teasing her, reaching up to grasp his shoulders and urge him closer as she canted her hips upward.
“Trust me, I don’t want to wait either,” he smiled as he pushed inside of her, steadying both hands on the bed and lowering himself down to his elbows. She moaned as he quickly slipped all the way in. “Fuck, Rey, you feel so good.”
Wrapping her legs around his waist, she curled her arms around the back of his neck and kissed desperately along his throat and jaw. He stayed still as she squirmed beneath him, eager for movement.
“Please, Ben. I need you so badly. I thought we’d never—”
I thought we’d never have this again.
“I know,” he kissed her temple, then her cheek, and then opened his mouth to hers as his hips began thrusting, his cock pulling out in a long, teasing slide before delving all the way back in. “But I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere.”
A single tear coalesced at the corner of her eye and she swallowed a tiny sob, pressing her lips to the curve of his shoulder as he moved, not wanting to let the day’s events take this joy away from her.
She relished the soft smacking sounds of their wet centers colliding over and over again, the way it felt like he should always be there, like she wasn’t complete without him. His thumbs stroked her cheeks softly as they kissed, and when they finally took a breath, he kept his forehead pressed to hers. Her heels dug into his lower back and her nails scratched lightly as she clung to him, holding on, never wanting to let go.
“I love you,” she whispered between his lips as he swallowed her words and they became a part of him.
“I love you so much,” he whispered back, into her ear, lips at her lobe now, the sweetest sound.
Words turned into ecstatic cries as they both neared their peaks and he moved faster, more desperately. Ben reached a hand down to cup her ass and pulled her closer, rolling her on top of him until he landed on his back. She planted her palms firmly on his chest and let his hands guide her hips as she rocked into him faster and faster.
They both began to glow warmly and her eyes widened, blue finding blue.
“That’s it. Come for me beautiful girl,” he marveled with wide eyes, bringing a thumb down to circle her clit. “Come apart for me. My incredible Rey.”
She shivered at his words, the tension coiling deep in her core as she continued to rocked herself against him, feeling so full, so content, her orgasm just within reach, her skin glowing brighter.
A beautiful gold-hued cloud of stardust swirled around them. Light meeting light. Shimmering black sparkles were threaded throughout, a reminder of what they both were capable of, but only to remind them of what they chose instead.
Light and love.
A feeling of complete ecstasy and contentment washed over her, shuddering through her very soul. Ben followed closely behind her, pulling her down to lay flat against him as he filled her with everything he had. He grasped her shoulders, hugging her tight against him until he was spent.
The stardust shimmered in the air before it faded and disappeared, leaving wisps of white smoke in their wake, like fireworks trailing through the night sky.
And then, it was just the two of them, their hearts beating in unison, breaths slowing. Soft kisses. More I love yous.
They soon fell into a quiet sleep, too exhausted to conjure a dreamscape, though they were not alone in either world, nor would they ever be again.
🌊🌊🌊
When they awoke, Rey was wrapped tightly in Ben’s arms, just like yesterday, almost as if they were repeating it somehow. His nose was buried in her hair, his heavy breaths tickling her scalp as he clung to her, limbs wrapped like tentacles around her so she could barely move.
She kissed the forearm beneath her chin and wiggled in his embrace, huffing a quiet laugh as she felt him harden against her backside. He murmured and shifted a bit, only slightly loosening his vice grip, but enough for her to brace a hand on the bed and grind her ass back on him until he stood at full attention.
“Rey,” he whispered against the sensitive spot under her ear, nuzzling into her hair as his tongue found her earlobe. When he nipped it with his teeth and grasped both of her breasts in one hand, sliding his fully hard cock against her, she knew she was done for.
Suddenly very awake, Ben rolled her onto her stomach and pulled her hips in the air with both hands. Her cheek was pressed against the sheets and her hands were splayed flat on either side of her head. She learned just how awake he was as he began feasting on her already dripping cunt, a mixture of fresh arousal and the remnants of last night's orgasms still sticky on her inner thighs. If she could form a coherent thought at all, she might feel a little self conscious about being splayed wide, ass up on the bed with bright morning light streaming through the curtains they never closed last night.
For a moment, she stilled, thinking some yet unknown danger might be just around the corner. Sensing her body tensing up, Ben rubbed a hand over her lower back and trailed his fingernails down the backs of her thighs until she relaxed. His mouth never left her center, and she nearly yelped as his tongue delved inside of her.
“Ben, please. Just—”
“Just what?” he asked slyly as he tucked a hand between her legs and teased her clit as he continued to lick her sopping folds.
“I—ungh—can you just put it in? P-please?” she stammered incoherently as he coaxed even more pleasure out of her with the combination of his mouth and hands.
“Mmm, but you taste so good,” he insisted, inserting two fingers into her soft opening and planting a wet sloppy kiss on her lower back.
“Hrrngh,” she groaned into the sheets as he crooked his fingers downward, massaging the sensitive bundle of nerves inside her as his other hand traced up and down her back in heavy strokes before planting on her shoulder. She could feel the soft skin of his cockhead nudge the back of her thigh and leave a smear of pre-cum as his thick length bobbed in anticipation.
“I just want you to be nice and ready for me. I don’t know how long I’m gonna last, sweetheart,” he warned, holding fast to her shoulder as he slipped his fingers out and circled the thick pads of them over her clit.
He leaned forward and kissed her spine. “So beautiful like this. Love watching you come apart.”
“Mm. M’gonna come!” She wailed a bit as he increased the pace, letting go of her shoulder to fuck her with his fingers as he continued working her sensitive nub. Slick sounds filled the room as she neared her climax, already clenching her abdomen, her back arching as she neared the top of the rollercoaster of her ecstasy.
“That’s it. Good girl. Let go and come for me now,”
“Fuck!” she screamed, fisting the sheets as she shuddered out her pleasure. He let out a prideful laugh as she gushed over his fingers.
“Incredible,” he remarked with wonder as he fisted himself and slid the head of his cock through her slit. She whimpered at the touch as he slowly notched himself, letting just the tip enter her. He braced his hands on both her shoulders.
“Tease,” she whined.
“I just wish you could see how beautifully you open up for me. How good it looks when I slip inside you.”
“Feels so good,” she echoed his sentiment dreamily. “Please.”
“Rey,” he winced as he slipped further inside by way of pulling down on her shoulders. It wasn’t long before he was fully sheathed, yet still tentative in his movements as he began gentle thrusts in and out.
Their lovemaking had been desperate, the urgency forged by their shared stress and potentially impending doom. Then, a balm of relief after the battle they had fought, when they both needed confirmation that they were still fully alive.
Now they had all the time in the world.
“You don't have to be gentle,” she said, crooking one eye open despite how relaxed and sated she felt. She could almost fall asleep, or he could wake her up even more.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he remarked, revealing his potential.
“You won’t,” she reassured him. “I’m not a fragile flower, remember?”
“You’re right. You’re not. You’re so strong. My warrior.” He praised her, picking up the pace of his movements, so much she could hear the sounds as he fucked into her faster, more roughly.
Her adrenaline began to spike, and she raised herself up on her elbows to brace for the increasing impact of his thrusts. “Ben, that’s so good, don’t stop.”
“Yeah, you like that?” He reached up and grabbed a fistfull of her hair and pulled it back, just hard enough to send a thrill through her.
“Yeah, I like it. Harder,” she urged him along. “Fuck me, Ben.”
“Jesus Christ, baby,” he marveled, surprised, but not hesitant as he wrapped his other hand around her throat and pulled her back against his body. “You like when I fuck you nice and hard? You like bouncing on my cock?”
“Yes, yes! I love it,” she nearly growled, her fingers scrabbling against his forearm for leverage as he held her tightly by the hair and neck, mercilessly pistoning his hips.
“Fuck, I’m gonna come,” he grunted, pulling her head back to press sloppy kisses along her jaw, his other hand leaving her throat to grasp desperately at her breasts as he began to lose control.
She was getting used to their glow by now, and the shimmering particles that spun around them in a dynamic swirling tornado of sparks and light.
She was the sun and he was the moon. He reflected her light, and gave her a reason to burn and sparkle.
“Come inside me, please,” she begged, relishing the tight pull of her scalp as his hand roamed her body, finding her clit and tracing messy circles over it.
“Come on my cock, wanna feel it. Come with me. Fuck.”
She shattered around him as he spilled inside of her, relinquishing his grasp on her main to wrap his arms around her and hold her tightly against him. She felt each pulse of his cum as she clenched around him, falling limp against his chest.
“Fuck, I love you so much,” he murmured against her skin, the glow receding with each fervent press of his lips.
He pulled her back down onto the bed with him, resuming his barnacle-like hold on her, stroking her hair back from her face as he slipped out.
“That was really nice. I liked that a lot,” she gushed, running a fingernail along the forearm clenched tightly across her chest.
“I liked it a lot too,” he agreed, kissing her temple. “It wasn’t too rough?”
“No, it was perfect,” she quickly reassured him. “I like the soft stuff too. I don’t know. I just—” she struggled to put words to it.
“I get it. We just fought for our lives for two days. Our bodies are adjusting to not being constantly in danger I think.”
“I think that’s it. Like we’re safe now, but we can play, and still have that excitement without, ya know, life or death battle.”
He chuckled, his breath warming the skin of her shoulder. “I’d choose this over that every time.”
She turned her head to look back at him and he leaned back a bit. “But what if we could still, ya know. Do what we do in dreams? But instead we just have crazy sex?”
“Oh?” he raised an eyebrow and playfully thrust his hips against her. “What did you have in mind?”
Her cheeks flushed a bit at being put on the spot. “I don’t know. Like, maybe that first time in the dream, when I couldn’t move. That was pretty hot. I liked being at your mercy.”
Ben squirmed a bit behind her, his cock twitching against her backside.
“Mmhmm, continue,” he insisted in a sly tone.
She pursed her lips as she continued. “When I was younger and you were the stable boy, I used to fantasize about kissing you in those stables.”
“I think we shared that fantasy,” he laughed. “If I’d only known.”
“Damn,” she replied. “And when you were the poolboy, and you used to stare at me in my bikini? I’d get all hot and bothered.”
“Damn, another L for young Ben.”
“And when I ran away the other night? Part of me wish you had chased me down. And I wouldn’t have minded being caught.”
“Fuck. Am I that oblivious?” he said. “I wanted to give you space. I knew it was a lot for you.”
“No, no. It was the right thing to do. I’m glad we talked and that our first time was super romantic.”
“Me too,” he smiled.
“But now, we can do whatever we want.”
“When do we start?” he grinned, thrusting his hips again. “I’m almost ready.”
“Mmm, I am feeling a little sleepy, and vulnerable,” she cooed, looking up at him through her lashes. “Anyone could just take advantage of me.”
“God damn, you’re killing me.”
Rey feigned a yawn. “Just gonna take a nap okay? Just an innocent little snooze,” she teased playfully, wiggling her bottom against his rapidly growing hard-on.
🌊🌊🌊
“You’ve been a bad little princess,” Ben spoke from across the room.
Rey found herself splayed out on a large canopy bed. The room was dark and lit by a crackling fire that illuminated the richly embroidered tapestries lining the stone walls.
Her hands and feet were bound by an unseen force and her bosom heaved beneath her corset and fine silk gown. Her hair was softly curled and voluminous, splayed out on the pillow. She struggled against her imaginary restraints.
“Please m’lord. Don’t hurt me. I’m just an innocent maiden.”
“Oh, I intend quite the opposite. But I will take what is mine.”
With a flick of his wrist, her beautiful gown split down the middle and was torn away, leaving her in just the corset and dressing gown.
“Please, no! I’m so frightened.”
“You should be,” he threatened, taking long confident strides across the room towards the bed.
With another flick of his fingers, she was lifted off the downy bedding, and her corset began to unlace itself, the ribbons unfurling behind her back as her gown fell away and was magically tossed to the floor.
Her dressing gown inched up her thighs, slowly, the fabric softly teasing her skin as he lowered her back onto the bed. Her arms and legs were still frozen, as if she were bound by tight restraints. She was spread wide, her chest heaving, unsure of what would happen next.
Ben slowly removed his clothing, piece by piece, each one forming a pile with her ruined gown. She licked her lips in anticipation, feeling herself grow wetter by the second. Her flimsy dressing gown climbed higher, her center tingling at the exposure and the taut separation of her legs.
Finally, he stood fully nude at the foot of the bed, admiring his prey.
His palms glowed as he conducted her body like a symphony. She felt his tongue, fingers and cock all at once, even as he stood in front of her not touching her at all. His magic licked her clit, massaged her g-spot and teased her forbidden hole before fucking her senseless, until she was nearly frothing at the mouth, writhing but barely able to move an inch.
“Fuck fuck fuck!” she screamed as she came apart, her breaths ragged and her heart thumping in her chest. “How? Wha--”
“Fair maiden, that is but only the beginning.”
He crawled onto the bed and split her dressing gown in two, leaving her creamy skin exposed to him. Her nipples tightened against the chilled castle air and her skin pebbled in waves as his warm body covered hers.
Ben kissed her everywhere but her mouth, making her crane her neck as she watched him descend and warm her dripping cunt with his actual tongue this time.
Her eyes rolled in the back of her head as he coaxed another little death out of her and climbed back up, slotting himself and sliding home without a word.
As she whimpered, he held a hand fast over her mouth. “I can make it so you can’t speak, but let’s see if you can be a good little princess. Don’t want your ladies in waiting to come running and have everyone in the court find out you’re nothing but a whore.”
She whimpered into his palm, simultaneously thrilled and impressed by his acting skills. She already felt herself building towards another orgasm.
He kept her immobilized, stroking her hair and watching her reverently as he filled her again and again, his mean veneer starting to slip as his pleasure built. Their eyes remained locked and only when they came in unison did he finally kiss her, shuddering and shaking as he gave her everything he had left.
“Fuck, Rey. You’re so good,” he whispered in her ear, releasing her limbs from his invisible prison and rubbing her arms and legs as she curled into a ball against him. “Was that okay?”
“It was perfect,” she smiled into his chest before placing a soft kiss on the soft patch of hair between his pecs.
She leaned back to peer up at him and smiled. “What’s next?”
He laughed heartily and kissed her forehead. “You pick.”
🌊🌊🌊
Rey stood on the balcony, looking out at the sea. It had been days since she’d seen the stable boy and though she wasn’t allowed to speak to him, she missed at least catching the occasional glimpse of his long dark hair, those ears poking out. His thick eyelashes and mole-dotted cheeks that blushed when she walked in on him brushing her horse’s coat.
And then, like magic he appeared on the beach, riding a gorgeous stallion with a hay-colored mane. Only he wasn’t a boy. He was a beautiful grown man, proud and muscular, wearing nothing but black riding pants and a haughty expression as if daring the world to challenge his existence. His hair was wet and so was the mane of his horse, as if they had both emerged from the ocean. Symbiotic creatures, both beautiful and powerful in their own way.
She hadn’t meant to gasp at the majestic sight of him, nor had she expected him to hear it, but both he and the horse’s necks snapped to face her.
She gave a shy wave and Ben dismounted his horse, petting its flanks before leading it up the beach towards the estate.
She snapped her fingers and a rope ladder unfurled over the balcony down to the beach one story below. Ben tied the horse’s lead to a post and climbed slowly, watching her intently as he ascended. His expression was stony and impassive, but she could see the curiosity in his eyes.
But they didn’t need words.
Reaching out her hand, she beckoned him to come inside the open french doors that led to her rooms. But he shook his head no and pulled her into his arms, cupping his large hand over her face and pulling her in for a deep, slow, methodical kiss. The kind of kiss that took you to another plane of existence, curling your toes and making you hold on tight lest you swoon and fall to the ground.
His skin was hot to the touch under her palms, cold from clutching the stone balcony. He slipped her silk robe off of her shoulders and it fluttered to the marble tiles beneath their feet. She stood in her short lace-trimmed silk nighty, blue-green like the sea. He flipped her around in his arms and slid a hand under the skirt, tracing a strong finger over the gusset of her panties, already soaked for him in this new dream.
He directed her to the railing and she braced her forearms on the smooth marble as he lifted her dress and hooked his fingers in her panties, sliding them effortlessly down her legs.
“Anyone can see us here. We’ll get in trouble,” she halfheartedly protested.
“Let them see who you belong to,” he responded defiantly. “Scream my name until it echoes across the sea.”
Within a blink, he was spreading her legs apart with his knee and fisting his length, positioning himself at her entrance.
“Hard or soft Mistress Reyna?” he asked as a formality, fully knowing the answer.
“Don’t hold back.”
“As you wish,” he replied, grasping both of her hips and thrusting all the way in. He slipped out nearly all the way, rubbing circles with his thumbs on her lower back, sliding on the silk above her exposed ass.
Just as she was about to beg him to move, he slammed all the way back in, stealing her breath away and leaving a desperate wail in its place.
“That’s it,” he praised. “Good girl. Nice and loud. Tell the whole island who’s fucking you.”
“Ben!” she shouted as he drove in again and again. Her knuckles whitened as she grasped the slim stone railing, taking deep lungfuls of sea air, watching the birds fly free over the sun-dappled surf.
“Good fucking girl, Rey.”
She bowed her head down as she bore his thrusts, and savored every inch of him gliding in and out, a perfect fit, her perfect match.
He covered her hands with his, his glow amplifying hers as his thumbs stroked her own.
This time they both cried out, bliss overtaking them, winding and curling through their veins.
He scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to her bed and crawled in beside her.
“Was that good?”
“It was everything.”
“You’re my everything,” he cooed in her ear before kissing her lips. “Sleep now, darling.”
🌊🌊🌊
The morning had been exhausting for them both, but they awoke closer to lunch to Mrs. Kane rapping on the door and laughing with Tallie about how she was always right.
Ben retrieved the silver domed trays and set them out on the bed.
“You don’t have to wait on me, you know.”
“It’s my job Miss Reyna, is it not?”
She sat up and wrapped the sheets around herself tighter. She didn’t want that anymore.
“Ben, you’re fired,” she spoke tentatively, her voice cracking.
He laughed. “Don’t be silly.”
“No. The curse is broken. You’re free now. Come to London with me. We’ll figure out what to do with this place.”
He paused arranging silverware to regard her thoughtfully. “Rey, that’s kind of why I want to stay. This place is a major source of natural power. It’s valuable.”
She bit her lip. “I know it’s just—”
“You’re not serious about letting go of it now, are you? What if it fell into the wrong hands? And what about the staff? They’re free but they will start to age now, and we can’t really be sure what that means yet. Knowing Garven and Wedge they’ll probably want to stay. They never cared much for modern life anyway, or their families are already gone and they have nowhere else to go. It’s just—it’s not that easy to walk away. There’s a lot to consider.”
She felt a bit chastened, but still determined. “Okay, what about your parents? Aren’t they career demons? We could ask them to find someone trustworthy to take care of it, keep it safe. You deserve a break Ben, and so does everyone else on this island.”
He put his hands on his hips and stared daggers into the floor.
His parents. He’d never spoken of them except in front of Grandfather.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to upset you.”
“No no, it’s fine,” he waved his hand reassuringly and sat down on the bed. “I just haven’t talked to them in a long time. They felt betrayed when I chose to stay and work for your Grandfather, knowing the kind of man he was. But it was always my intention to break the curse and free Mrs. Kane, Garven, and the others. Joining him was the only way I felt I could do that. They just didn’t understand.”
Rey inched forward and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Do you think it would be good to reach out to them now that you’ve succeeded?”
“I don’t know if they’ll accept me even now. We don’t have the best track record. We’ve said a lot of hurtful shit to each other.”
She could hear the pain in his voice. And she had no leg to stand on when it came to familial harmony. “Anakin, was he your mother’s father? Wouldn’t she want to know that you finished what he started? That you won? I bet she’d be really proud of you, Ben. That it wasn’t all for nothing. I wish I could see my dad again. Tell him the same.”
Ben looked up at her, his eyes glistening. “I’m so sorry about your father. I promise, I would have stopped it if I’d known.”
“I know you would have,” she smiled, reaching up to palm his cheek. “There’s no rush. I’m sorry to have pressured you in any way.”
“It’s okay. You probably want to start your life, you probably didn’t expect to get saddled with all this.”
“I mean, yeah. When I first came here I couldn’t wait to leave. I was considering grad school, and I still want to go, of course. But when I met you, and everything happened, I began to see myself really staying here for good. I guess part of me wants to feel normal again, even though I’m proud of what I am. But maybe that’s not realistic.”
“No, it’s understandable. If you want to go back to London, I’ll understand.” He looked down and fiddled with a clothesline napkin.
“Benjamin Solo, are you insinuating I would go anywhere without you?” She clapped her hand over his knee. “Are you out of your mind?”
He huffed a quiet laugh and continued fiddling.
“I’ll also have you know that Mrs. Kane and Garven and Wedge and Tallie, they all mean the world to me. I’ll make sure they're taken care of. Aside from the estate I still have the trust. I’ll send Mrs. Kane to the Amalfi Coast and buy her a love bungalow with Maurizio.”
He looked up at her, this time with hope in his eyes. “You’d do that?”
“Honestly, I’m offended that you’re surprised,” she crossed her arms.
“No, no I’m not surprised because it’s you. I’m just relieved. I've carried this burden alone for so long. I’m not used to having help.”
“You’re not alone, remember?”
“I remember,” he grinned, relief continuing to soften his features. “And I know we’re pretty much soulmates, but we’re still getting to know each other. I promise to never think anything less of you again. I’m sorry.”
“I’m working on forgiving you,” she teased playfully.
“How can I make it up to you?” he asked sincerely, pulling a metal dome off a plate and spearing a forkful of scrambled eggs.
“Mmm, breakfast is a start,” she smiled as he lifted the fork to her lips and she took a perfectly seasoned bite.
“And after?”
Rey smiled mischievously.
🌊🌊🌊
Rey walked speedily through the rapidly darkening forest, her red hooded cape trailing behind her, her heavy basket laden with goodies for the sweet old lady whose cabin was just up ahead. She could have sworn she heard twigs crack, and she couldn't take any chances with the sunlight fading fast.
The trees began to take on ominous forms and owls hooted their evening song. She heard a branch snap again and paused, whipping around to ascertain the source.
“Hmm, almost made it,” a deep voice growled from beyond the shadows. “Maybe you still can, if you run.”
“You’ll never catch me!” she shouted at the mysterious man’s voice as she made her way to the cabin, so close and yet so far.
She looked back over her shoulder and shrieked as she caught a glimpse of him slowly emerging from the treeline. Tall, and menacing, eyes glowing.
“No!” she screamed, trying to free her cape from where it had snagged on a sharp outcropping of a fallen log. “Please!”
“You can’t run from the big bad wolf,” he responded with a sinister tone.
Rey smiled and awaited her desired fate, the first of many they would dream up together.
He was her perfect everything, her soulmate, her equal. He was everything she ever needed and more.
She was finally the Queen and he was her King.
And they lived happily ever after.