When Corina woke early in the morning, she felt the warmth of the Duke's body against her own. Somehow, during the night, Alexander had ended up on his stomach with his head on her chest. He had one leg between hers, and his free hand rested on her hip.
He had fallen asleep in this position, and it made Corina incredibly happy. She didn't care what anyone would think if they were to walk into her bedchamber at the moment. She didn't care that he was practically lying on her. She only cared that her future husband was sleeping peacefully.
Corina wondered if this was how she'd spend every night with her husband. It made her feel calm and content. Her body relaxed against his, and her head rested on the pillow.
Alexander opened his eyes and looked at her. He lifted his head, rested his chin against her chest, and smiled at her.
"Good morning, wifey."
Corina smiled brightly at the sight of the Duke's brown eyes looking at her so lovingly. She ran her fingers through his brown hair.
Alexander blushed as his eyes fell upon hers. She was beautiful. She had her long hair splayed across the pillows, her bright blue eyes glistening as she looked at him. "You are the most beautiful creature in this universe," he whispered. "I am truly blessed."
Corina smiled as a soft laugh escaped her lips. "Thank you, hubby," she responded, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his lips.
Alexander had a hint of pink on his cheeks. Inexplicably, he found himself in a position almost directly above her. Although it was somewhat embarrassing, Corina didn't seem to mind. He was comfortable enough to allow himself to relax in her arms.
Corina pulled away and looked down at him. She giggled and kissed his forehead, saying, "I was unaware that you were the type of man who enjoyed cuddling."
The duke laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly to his chest, holding her closely in his arms. "I'll hold you any chance I get."
The princess' body felt warm in the duke's arms. She smiled and nuzzled against his chest, closing her eyes. "Thank you. You make me very happy, Alexander," she whispered, hugging him tighter.
Alexander nuzzled his face against her neck, eliciting a giggle from the princess. He smiled and pressed a few brief kisses to her skin. He closed his eyes, letting himself relax completely against her. "I've never been so happy before."
Corina laughed. She looked into his eyes with a warm smile. "It's the same for me," she admitted, stroking the side of his face, then leaning down to kiss him. "You make me the happiest woman on this planet."
Alexander's lips curled into a grin as he felt her lips brush against his own. He let out a low moan, pressing a tender kiss to her lips, their noses rubbed gently.
Corina giggled, kissing him back, feeling their noses rubbing again. "I really do enjoy this time with you."
She kissed his forehead, then his eyelids, his cheekbones, and then his neck. He let out a soft moan, feeling the warmth of her mouth against his neck. His hand gently trailed along the curve of her spine, then down to the small of her back.
He shivered at her touch, goosebumps spreading across his skin as a shiver traveled down his spine. She ran her fingers along his spine, feeling each bump as she went.
"That feels nice," he said as he smiled and leaned up, looking down into her eyes. "Do you like when I touch your back?"
Corina nodded her head.
Slowly, he pressed his lips against hers. The kiss was different than the soft, tender kisses he had been showering with since the night before. The kiss lingered, and he felt their lips firmly meet, her mouth parting as he kissed her deep.
"You taste delicious," he mumbled against her mouth as their kiss ended. He held her face with both of his hands as he kissed her again.
She let out a small gasp as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip. "Your lips are so soft," he whispered.
Alexander gently nibbled on her lips before pulling away from the kiss. His heart pounded in his chest, and his breathing quickened. He felt his body growing harder as his arousal increased, making the Duke wonder if he had gone too far. He didn't much care - he could deal with a little discomfort.
With a smile on her lips, Corina pulled back and looked into his eyes. Her cheeks flushed with heat. "Thank you, hubby," she smiled as her body shuddered.
Alexander smiled, then moved to sit on the side of the bed. He adjusted his shirt and sighed contently. "Corina, you're going with Nadine and Jeffery to the tailor today, correct? The tailor will be designing your wedding dress."
"Oh yes," Corina responded with a nod, a smile spreading across her face. "I can't wait!"
"You look so happy. It's pleasing to see. It also makes me feel happy."
"Maybe I'll be beautiful enough for you with the right dress!" She hummed excitedly.
Alexander turned to her. His cheeks turned pink as his eyes met hers. "I already think you're beautiful."
Corina looked up to meet the man's gaze, then let her eyes roam his body. She blushed, her lips parting as her body felt flushed and her breathing quickened. "Thank you," she whispered as her eyelashes fluttered, feeling her heart pounding.
The duke blushed, his body trembled as he felt the princess' eyes upon him. He reached for her hand, placing a chaste kiss on the top before rising to his feet. "I will see you soon."
Corina's eyes sparkled, then she looked away. "Okay," she said softly as she turned back to face him, giving a small smile.
As he stood, he squeezed her hand. He leaned forward to kiss her cheek. "Thank you for everything," he said as his eyes lingered upon hers. "You truly make me happier than anyone ever could."
With that, he turned on his heel and exited the bedroom. Corina felt her chest swell with pride at his words. Her heart pounded loudly as she thought about how happy he had made her and how happy he made her feel in that moment. She thought of the things that would bring her the most joy and smiled, a soft giggle escaping her lips.
Alexander sighed heavily. "That was very intimate," he chuckled nervously as he stood in the hall, running his fingers back through his brown locks.
A blush had been tainting his cheeks as he walked to his office to attend to his duties. He felt he was an incredibly lucky man, and he needed to be careful. He didn't want her to think he was a playboy—he very much wasn't. His attraction to her had much more to do with her cute personality, playfulness, and kind heart than with her body, but it all combined with her beauty and the way she looked at him made his body yearn for intimacy.
Alexander never wanted her to believe that's all he saw in her.
Corina had closed the door behind Alexander, then pressed her back against it, feeling a deep longing for his embrace, even after such a brief separation. She closed her eyes tightly as she rested against the wooden door. She tried to catch her breath and calm her racing heart.
She opened her eyes. She lowered her gaze to the ground, her thoughts lingering on the man she had been spending time with. She bit down on her lip to suppress her giggles, as a wide smile spread across her face.
She shook her head, trying to regain control over herself. "You're acting so weird!" she said as she scolded herself, the corners of her lips curling into a smile as she felt her heart skip a beat. "Get a hold of yourself!"
She let out a deep sigh before stepping away from the door. She quickly made her way to the bathroom and prepared herself for the day ahead of her.
Corina tilted her head. The book on the vanity caught her attention. She wanted to look through it some more. If they hadn't been fully clothed, she would have thought the moment they just shared would have been the sex dance she was warned about.
"No, no," she mumbled to herself as she picked up the book. "I need to study the material. I'm still confused. I'll look at it until Nadine comes to get me."
With those thoughts, the princess sat at the vanity, reading the pages of the book.
When her gaze came across an image of a woman's privates, I'm great detail, her eyes went wide.
"W-What?!"
Corina's hands trembled. Something clicked in the moment—something that made her begin to question everything she thought she knew about herself.