Chapter 221: Chapter Two Hundred And Twenty One
A soft, contented sigh escaped Suzy’s lips as she burrowed deeper into her pillow, chasing the last traces of a pleasant dream. She yawned, stretching languidly beneath the warm duvet. But sothing was different this morning. The pillow... it slled distinctly, wonderfully, of Ryan. Of his familiar scent of sandalwood, old books, and the faint, crisp aroma of the outdoors.
"Am I missing him that much that I sll him every now and then?" she mumbled into the plush fabric, her eyes still closed. It had been weeks since she’d last seen him properly, his duties for the King keeping him at the palace, or so she’d been told. She snuggled further, inhaling deeply, a comforting warmth spreading through her. This pillow was remarkably... solid. And warm.
Then, a soft moan, not her own, vibrated through the "pillow" and into her ear.
Her eyes snapped open.
Soone was in her bed.
Panic, cold and sharp, lanced through her. Her heart leaped into her throat. This wasn’t her familiar, empty bed at the Chateau Valeré. This was an invasion. A man’s face, partially turned away, lay on the pillow beside her own, sleeping soundly. Dark hair, strong jawline...
Instinct took over. She scrambled backwards, a strangled gasp caught in her throat, until her back hit the ornate headboard. Then, she scread. A full-throated, terrified shriek that shattered the morning peace. "Ahhhh!!! Help!!! A robber! Guards! Help !"
Her hand fumbled for a weapon, finding only the offending pillow. She seized it and threw it with all her might at the sleeping intruder’s head.
"Wha—?!" The man jolted awake, sputtering, his eyes flying open in alarm as the pillow connected squarely with his face. He sat up, disoriented, running a hand through his tousled hair.
"Cassandra! Cassandra, calm down! It’s ! It’s ,Ryan!"
His voice, still thick with sleep but undeniably his, cut through her terror. She froze, her arm poised to grab a bedside lamp. Her breath hitched. She stared, truly stared, at the man now looking at her with a mixture of concern and sleepy confusion. The morning light filtering through the curtains illuminated his features – the weary lines around his eyes she knew so well, the way his hair fell across his forehead.
"Ryan?" she whispered, disbelief warring with dawning, overwhelming joy.
"Yes, darling, it’s ," he said gently, his voice laced with an apology. "I’m so sorry. I didn’t an to frighten you."
"Ryan!!!" The na burst from her in a sob of pure relief and happiness. All thoughts of robbers and danger vanished. She launched herself across the bed and into his arms, hugging him with a force that knocked the breath from him and sent them both tumbling back onto the mattress in a tangle of limbs and bedsheets, with her landing squarely on top of him.
He grunted good-naturedly, his arms instinctively wrapping around her, holding her tight. She buried her face in his neck, inhaling his scent – real this ti, not a dream, not a mory. Tears welled in her eyes. "You’re here! You’re really here!"
After a long mont, she released him from her fierce embrace, though she remained perched on his lap. Her expression shifted from elation to mock anger. She grabbed the nearest pillow – the one she’d assaulted him with – and gave him a surprisingly firm slap on the arm with it.
"Ouch!" Ryan yelped, feigning injury as he rubbed his arm. "What was that for?"
Suzy, still straddling him, glared down, though her eyes were shining with unshed tears of happiness. "You scared
half to death, you brute! I thought... I thought you were so nefarious villain who’d snuck into my bed to do unspeakable things!" Her lower lip trembled slightly. "I really thought I was in danger."
Ryan’s expression softened instantly. He reached out a hand, his touch feather-light as he gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her cheek, his thumb stroking her soft skin. "Oh, my love, I am so truly sorry," he murmured, his voice filled with genuine remorse. "I arrived very late, and you were sleeping so peacefully. I didn’t want to wake you. I just wanted to be near you. Scaring you was the last thing I intended."
Suzy leaned into his touch, her anger lting away as quickly as it had co. Her eyes searched his, seeing the exhaustion there, but also the deep affection that mirrored her own. "I missed you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "So much."
"And I, you," Ryan breathed, his gaze intense. His hands found her waist, his grip warm and reassuring. With a gentle movent, he shifted her, rolling them so that he was now on top, supporting his weight on his elbows as he looked down at her. "More than words can say, Cassandra." He lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss that spoke of longing, of relief, of weeks of pent-up emotion. It was tender at first, then deepened, becoming more passionate as they rediscovered each other.
Suzy’s hands went to his shirt, her fingers fumbling with the buttons, eager to feel his skin against hers. Ryan’s hand, anwhile, began a slow, delicious journey from her calf, up her leg, inching towards her inner thigh, sending shivers of anticipation through her. The world narrowed to just the two of them, lost in the rising tide of their mutual desire.
Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open with a crash, and Noah charged in, sword drawn, followed by two similarly ard guards. "Your Grace! Are you—?!"
They skidded to a halt, their eyes widening in unison as they took in the scene before them: the Duchess, disheveled and flushed, beneath the Duke, who was shirtless and clearly in a state of... engagent. The air crackled with a mixture of alarm, embarrassnt, and dawning realization.
Before any of the guards could stamr out an apology for their dramatic, and clearly mistid, interruption, Ryan, with remarkable speed, shifted from passionate lover to stern Duke. He propped himself up, though he didn’t move from his position over Suzy, and fixed the intruders with an icy glare.
"If the Duchess was truly in trouble," Ryan’s voice cut through the silence, dangerously quiet, "is this the pace at which you would deign to co to her aid? After her screams have echoed through half the chateau?"
Imdiately, the color drained from Noah’s face. He and the guards dropped to their knees, their swords clattering on the polished wooden floor. "Forgive us, Your Grace!" they chorused, their heads bowed low. "We heard the scream and ca as quickly as we could!" Noah added, his voice strained.
Ryan looked like he wanted to say a great deal more. He made to push himself fully off Suzy, clearly intending to deliver a harsh punishnt, but Suzy’s hand shot out and gently clasped his wrist. He looked down at her. She slowly shook her head, her large, expressive brown eyes pleading with him, a silent appeal for leniency. A tiny, almost imperceptible smile played on her lips as she saw him hesitate.
He sighed, the ducal anger visibly deflating under her soft gaze. He gave a curt nod. Suzy, seeing she’d won, offered him a genuine, radiant smile. She then looked towards the still-kneeling, terrified guards.
"You may leave," she said, her voice calm and gracious. "Thank you for your diligence. I am quite safe."
"Thank you, Your Grace! Our deepest apologies, Your Grace!" they stamred, scrambling to their feet, collecting their swords, and backing out of the room with a haste that almost made her laugh. Noah was the last to leave, offering another deep bow before discreetly closing the door.
Once they were alone again, Suzy turned her attention back to Ryan, her fingers gently caressing his face, tracing the line of his jaw. "Thank you for sparing them," she murmured. "They ant well, just a little... overzealous, perhaps." Her hands trailed down the back of his neck, her fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of his head, sending a pleasant shiver down his spine.
A low, slightly embarrassed groan rumbled in Ryan’s chest. He leaned down and captured her mouth again, his kisses more demanding this ti, fueled by the interruption and the renewed privacy. Suzy returned his kiss with equal fervor, her earlier fear and the brief codic interlude forgotten, replaced entirely by the overwhelming joy of having her husband ho, in her arms, where he belonged.
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