Against the Odds

“Daddy!”

Harry looked smiled wide as he stepped into the living room and saw Emma perched in a chair and playing on her iPad. She was all ready to go in the pretty pink formal dress that she would be wearing that evening. Her long blonde hair was pulled half-up, half-down so it would stay out of her face, but still looked age appropriate.

“Hello my darling Emma,” he chuckled as he finished fastening his cufflinks before walking over to her and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You look beautiful, Princess.”

“Thank you, Dad,” she beamed back up at him.

“You’re welcome. I do have a question though. Why on earth are you sitting on a towel?”

Emma sighed and rolled her eyes. “Miss Anna said she was going to have a…antsy attack if I got any more dog hair on my dress.”

“An antsy attack?” Harry’s brows knitted together in confusion. “An anxiety attack?”

“That’s what I said,” Emma said pointedly, growing even more dramatic. “He’s not even here right now. He’s visiting with Zuko. How can I possibly get that much hair on my dress?”

Harry couldn’t help but laugh. “I don’t know Em, but I guess staying right there on that towel and not giving Anna an antsy attack is probably the right thing to do. Now, where is your mum?”

“Right here…”

Harry spun at her voice and his eyes widened as he took her in. Her dress – much less formal but no less beautiful than the one she had worn that morning – was white and with delicate silver and sequin details over it, making her almost sparkle where the late evening sun hit it through the windows. Her hair was down and fell down her back in loose, soft curls and she wore the prettiest smile he knew he’d ever seen in his life – happy, content, and full of love.

“You look…stunning, Alexandra. Absolutely stunning,” he beamed as he moved to her.

“Thank you.” She flushed slightly at his compliment and at the way he was looking at her as he moved to stand in front of her. Her eyes cast down for a moment before turning back up to his as her hands moved to his tuxedo jacket, her fingers sliding down the lapels. “You look mighty fine tonight yourself, Captain.”

Harry’s smile grew the tiniest bit smug before he bent and kissed her, his lips running softly back and forth over hers softly.

“Are you guys going to kiss all the time now that you’re married?” Emma called out from behind them, a dramatic sigh following her words.

Harry and Alex both laughed and then answered in complete unison.

“Yes!”

**********

It wasn’t very long before it was time to leave their home again, back to Buckingham Palace for the second time that day. They all wore wide smiles as they stepped out into the twilight of the early evening and then slid into the waiting Jaguar that immediately pulled smoothly towards the gates and out onto the London streets. There was much less fanfare when they pulled through the gates of Buckingham Palace this time, though there were still small crowds of people waiting out there, hoping to catch a glimpse of the new family as they arrived.

When they pulled to a stop, their doors were immediately pulled open and they stepped out quickly, the air of excitement and of celebration evident in the air around them. And there was Melanie – looking remarkably upbeat though Alex knew she had been up well before dawn – waiting at the top of the steps, ready to escort Harry, Alex, and Emma to the beautiful reception that awaited them.

“The weather was amazingly perfect all day,” Melanie said, glancing towards Alex with a wide smile as they walked. “We were able to put everything together exactly how we planned.”

“Wonderful,” Alex nodded, her eyes dancing with excitement.

They walked through the palace, moving through the halls with all their portraits, passing the throne room where William and Kate had held their reception, where Harry and Alex would have held theirs had the weather been bad. And then they were stepping up to the doors that led out to the expansive green lawn behind the palace. The doors had been propped open to allow the guests to move quickly through as they arrived and as they stepped through them, they were afforded with a perfect view of the setup on the lawn below.

When Alex had originally brought up the idea of an outdoor reception to Harry, he had genuinely loved it, but wasn’t quite sure how they would make it work. The lawn at Buckhouse was an obvious choice, but there were initial worries about privacy; the press would likely go to any measure it could to snap photos of the event. There was of course, a no fly zone above the Palace that was always in effect, but even that wasn’t a guarantee that somebody wouldn’t be crazy enough to try to fly a helicopter in to get aerial photos. So, a very private agreement was struck with the press. Harry and Alex would agree to release a set of five photos to the press from the reception within the month at no cost, and none of the media outlets would release details of the party to the public nor try in any way to get photos. If any photos that were not released by the couple made it into the media, the deal would be off and legal action would swiftly follow.

And to put it simply, Fleet Street was so thrilled that they were to be given photos from the reception – an absolute first – that they agreed instantly.

It was a big chance that they were taking, but it was one they both felt would be worth it to be able to have the party they really wanted.

“Oh wow,” Alex murmured as they stood at the top of the steps and she took in the view. The large white tent had been erected on the lawn and they could hear the low key big band style music floating out from inside of it. There were tall, round tables set around the path that led to the tent that Alex knew had been used not long before during the cocktail hour. There were tall trees spaced among the tables that were strung with white lights, casting a lovely glow in the area and Alex could just imagine her friend and family walking and standing among them not long before, laughing and talking while they waited for them to arrive. “This is amazing, Melanie.”

“I simply followed your instructions,” Melanie waved a hand as they made their way down the steps to the path. They had taken portions of what was normally used for dance floor in outdoor receptions and constructed the path, making it easy for the ladies in heels to walk on. It was covered in white carpet and also lined with candles, creating that glow again effect that Alex loved so much.

“It’s wonderful, Melanie. Thank you,” Harry said sincerely, not only loving what he had seen so far but loving the look on Alex’s face as she looked around.

“Is there really dancing inside the tent?” Emma asked, getting to what she really wanted to know.

“There is a great big dance floor inside and a band and even better, everyone we love,” Harry grinned.

“Yes there is,” Melanie nodded as they reached the entrance to the tent. “And they’re waiting on you. Are you ready?”

“Absolutely,” Alex smiled, more than a little thrilled to get inside and spend time with her friends and family.

Melanie reached for the small microphone attached to the earpiece she wore, alerting someone inside to their arrival. Within seconds the music coming from inside died out and she heard someone take the microphone, announcing that they were there.

As soon as they stepped into the tent, Alex was sure she was going to cry.

She had known this would be different than any other part of the day, that this part of the day was just for them and the people they knew and loved best. But she wasn’t prepared to see them all at once. She simply wasn’t ready for the emotional hit of seeing everyone with big smiles on their faces as they clapped and cheered for her and Harry and Emma as they walked further into the room. She wasn’t prepared for the feeling that almost all of the support that had been handed to them in last two years came from the people standing in the candlelit, warm, intimate space that had been created for them.

Harry’s hand squeezed hers and she turned her eyes to him, blinking back the tears that had threatened as it all washed over her. He winked at her and she couldn’t help but laugh, knowing he could read her like a book and was doing his best to bring her back to center by injecting some humor into the moment.

They stopped for just a moment when Alex spotted the table where Mike, Donna, and Molly were and leaned in point Emma off in that direction. And then, in a moment that was one of the few she had gotten dreamy over in the months before the wedding, she stepped onto the dance floor hand in hand with Harry for their first dance as man and wife.

Picking the song had been easy; one of the easiest parts of the planning process really. There was no question from either of them what it would be. It was the first song they had danced to together on their very first date in her apartment so long ago. They had kissed for the first time during that dance, during that song.

So when the very first notes filled the air around them and Harry pulled her close to him, she went, her eyes shining with love. Her hands moved to him, one sliding around his neck and the other to his chest where he covered it warmly with his.

“Alexandra…” he whispered, his lips curling up as he did so.

“Hmmm?” she leaned into him as he began to sway.

His lips twitched and his eyes danced and she knew; he was up to something. “Surprise, love.”

And before she had time to ask him just what in the world he was talking about, a voice over the microphone let her in on the surprise for him.

“Ladies and gentleman, here to sing Harry and Alexandra’s first dance song, a very special guest, Mr. Michael Buble.”

“What?!” Alex gasped. Her gaze swung from Harry’s over to the stage and her heart positively jumped into her throat as she watched the dashing gentleman appear on stage, a wide smile on his face as he began to sing the words to the beautiful song. The room erupted into cheers and Alex didn’t even try to stop the tears that sprang into her eyes. “Oh my God. Harry!” she breathed as she turned her eyes back to his. “How in the world…”

“I may be a married man, but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve, love,” he said with a smirk of a smile.

“Oh, of that I have no doubt,” she laughed, shaking her head at him before her eyes grew soft and she pressed closer. “I can’t believe it…” She turned her gaze to the crooning man on stage once more and then back to him. “You just…made this even more perfect than it already was.”

“All I wanted was for you to have exactly the look on your face that you have right now. You look so happy,” he said in a low, husky voice that made her breath hitch.

“You have no idea, Sussex,” she leaned in a bit closer, her eyes dancing as she spoke their new name.

“I have a little idea,” he whispered, bending down to kiss her lightly. “Now dance with me, wife.”

She laughed and nodded and let him spin her out and then pull her back, his arms moving around her once more and holding her tight to him; both of them beyond happy as they finished out their first dance as husband and wife.

When their dance was over, as much as Harry didn’t want to, he let her slide from his arms as her father stepped out to the dance floor and she moved over to him with a grin for their father/daughter dance. Once again, Michael Buble’s voice filled the room again as Mike spun his only daughter around the dance floor, beaming down at her with pride as he did so.

The song that Alex and Mike were dancing to was just winding down when Harry took a deep breath and made his way over to Emma, his heart beating faster at her bright smile when she saw him coming towards her. He crouched down in front of her when he reached her, finding her big blue eyes with his.

“Princess Emma Rose, would you please do me the honor of this dance?”

Her eyes brightened and her smile pulled wider. “Really?”

“Of course, sweet girl,” he nodded. “I would love it very much.”

“Me too,” she nodded quickly, placed her hand in his when he stood, and she stood proud and tall as he led them out to the dance floor to dance their first official dance as father and daughter.

*************

William cleared his throat and pulled the microphone to his lips, his eyes scanning the room and a smirk of a smile on his face as he prepared to give the speech that Harry had done for him four years before at his own wedding. “My wife, Catherine, actually met Alexandra here before I did when Harry brought Alex and her lovely daughter Emma to our home for dinner. I was away in Angelsey for work, but our father and Catherine were excited to meet the woman who seemed to have lit up Harry’s life since he’d first met her. After they left that evening, Catherine – in her infinite competitiveness – called me and immediately bet me a hundred pounds that Harry had met his match in Alexandra and Emma.” He stopped to chuckle as light laughter went through the room and even a few ‘awwws’ could be heard floating up from the tables, bringing a smile to both Alex and Harry’s faces and a proud grin from Kate’s face as she winked over at them. “Now,” Will continued, “It’s pretty much tradition in our house that if one of us makes a bet, the other one bets the other way…”

“Hey!” Harry called out jokingly, laughing as he raised his free hand in the air in a ‘what gives’ type of motion.

“But,” William said with a pointed look to Harry that only brought more laughter from the room. “The thing is that my wife – and I can’t believe I’m actually going to say this out loud – is almost always right. And in this case, even though I bet against her, I knew she was. And I’m so incredibly glad she was.”

Alex swiped at tears in her eyes and Harry squeezed her hand, his eyes meeting hers with a smile while William paused for a moment and turned to address them directly.

“Alex, it’s rare to meet someone with a heart as big as Harry’s. He shared that particular trait with our mother and I knew very early on that you share that with him as well, and that’s what makes you two so good for each other.”

Harry smiled softly at Alex and pulled her hand to his lips for a kiss while she mouthed a silent thank you at William with trembling lips.

“And that’s why I can say without a doubt that she would have loved you and Emma, just like all of us did from the time we met both of you.” He stopped and took a deep breath and swallowed. Everyone could see the emotion the moment evoked and Alex was sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. “Everyone knows our mother’s famous words, ‘If you find someone you love in life, you must hold on to it.’ Though they were said publicly, both Harry and I always treasured them and believed in them. I found that person with Catherine and I have no doubt that Harry found that person with not only Alex, but with Emma as well. So,” he picked up his glass of champagne and turned to the crowd with a bright smile, the emotion fading into happiness. “Let us toast to Harry, Alexandra, and Emma.”

“To Harry, Alexandra, and Emma,” the room echoed as glasses of champagne were tipped up to lips around the tables.

Alex and Harry both stood from their seats and moved to hug William before he moved back to his seat. Harry grinned as he wrapped his arms around his brother, slapping him on the back a few times and murmuring humored thanks into his ear. Alex leaned in to receive kisses on her cheeks from Will and then hugged him tight, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed as she thanked him sincerely for his kind words, letting him know just how much it really meant to her.

And then it was Harry’s father’s turn to give a toast. And as Charles stepped up to the microphone, looking every bit as sophisticated as Alex knew he was, she suspected that she hadn’t seen the last of her tears for the night. And when he began to speak, she knew he was right.

“My son, Henry, has always known exactly what he wanted in life. He’s always demonstrated his determination to have those things in a big way; his charity work and the way he’s excelled in the military are two shining examples of that. But, in his personal life – as it can happen in this life we lead – what he wanted wasn’t so easy to come by.” Charles smiled, warm and full of emotion, before he turned towards them. “Until he met Alexandra.”

Harry’s eyes swung to Alex’s and she smiled softly and tilted her head at him, her heart touched by the words as much as she knew his was.

“And in the years that have passed since Alexandra and Emma came into his life, I’ve watched Harry simply grab onto everything he’s ever wanted and hold onto it for dear life,” Charles continued. “I’ve watched him mold his life around them so that they were protected as much as he could possibly keep them protected. I’ve watched him as he brought them into the crazy life we lead with so much pride. I’ve watched him really become the man he wanted to be. And I think, though today we watched Harry become a husband to Alexandra, over the past two and a half years what we’ve also been watching is Harry becoming a father to the beautiful, smart, sweet little girl sitting next to him as well.”

Harry couldn’t help the tears that sprang into his eyes at that. Emma turned to look at him with a smile on her face and he immediately smiled back and leaned down to kiss the top of her head, bringing clapping and cheers from around the room.

“And so,” Charles continued, raising his glass in the air. “To Harry, for being absolutely the man everyone always knew you were. And to Alexandra and Emma, for loving my son much and being the family he always wanted. Here, here!”

“Here, Here!” The crowd echoed.

“Thank you, Charles,” Alex whispered when he stepped over to them and bent to kiss her cheeks. “That means so much to me.”

“Oh my darling girl, I meant every word. We’re so glad to have you and Emma in the family,” Charles chuckled. He gave her a fatherly hug before moving to Harry, kissing his cheeks and then wrapping him in a much less formal hug than many people would ever get to see before moving on to Emma. He laughed as Emma properly kissed his cheeks and then wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug as she thanked her Papa Charles.

And then, Alex immediately felt the tears spring forward when her own father stepped up to the microphone, looking so very handsome in his tuxedo and a small paper in his hands so he would remember to say everything he wanted to.

“Forgive me, I’m a bit nervous here,” Mike said as he cleared his throat, bringing a soft laugh from Alex, who rarely saw her dad nervous. “When Alex was growing up in Texas, there were two things she always wanted in life. The first one started at age three, and that was a personal ambition to wear her favorite cowgirl boots twenty four hours a day.”

The crowd erupted into laughter and Alex flushed and shook her head, laughing along with them. Harry grinned at her and threw her a wink, loving the humor her dad brought into the moment.

“Convincing her that she could absolutely not wear them at bath time was a…harrowing experience…” Mike chuckled as a murmur of laughter moved through the guests again before continuing. “We finally managed to convince her, but there was absolutely no way that she was going to be told that she couldn’t wear them to sleep. And so she did.”

Alex’s smile pulled wide and she nodded, her faint memories of that time bringing warmth to her as her dad told the story.

“And the second,” Mike said, growing a bit more serious. “Started when she was fourteen. And that was to move to London. We’d learned by that point that when Alex wanted something, she went for it full force. And so, we supported her and helped her do what she needed to do to make that dream a reality and when she graduated high school, she moved to London.” His eyes shifted to Alex then, growing soft and shining with love and pride. “And then she met someone. And she loved him. With that same determination she always had, she married him and began to build a life with him.” Mike’s eyes grew a bit teary and Alex felt the lump in her throat too. Harry squeezed her hand in his, giving her his silent support. “And then she lost him. To be honest, we weren’t sure at first if we hadn’t lost Alexandra too. But the miracle of it all was that she was carrying this little baby, something that John had left her with that gave her everything she needed to move on and to thrive. And in the years to come she really did; she thrived as a mother and she thrived with the way she found to help people who had been what she’d been through.”

“Dad…” Alex whispered, wiping at the tears that had slipped from her eyes.

“Then she met Harry,” Mike continued, his smiled widening. “And when my wife and I met Harry, we knew. It was so easy to see that without a doubt he loved her and he loved our granddaughter. Like Harry’s father said, he protected them fiercely and we knew he always would. And now, we are so proud to have him in our family because we know that not only will he be a wonderful husband to my little girl, but that he’s already an amazing father to Alex’s little girl. To Harry and Alex,” he said with a proud smile as he raised his glass.

“To Harry and Alex,” the crowd echoed, applause joining the cheers as everyone drank from their glasses.

************** The reception had gone by in what seemed like a flash. Between the dinner, speeches, dancing, and the many glasses of champagne they’d consumed, before she knew it, it was over. Before she knew it, she and Harry were kissing Emma goodnight and sending her off with her parents for the evening. And then, Harry had gathered her hand in his, his eyes warm and knowing, and they had run laughing through the two lines of their friends and family, gathered on either side of the path leading from the tent back up to the palace with sparklers in their hand. There were cheers and whoops and catcalls as they made their way down the path and then up the steps and it made her cheeks flush and Harry’s grin pull into a smug, smirk of a grin.

Once they made it inside and were walking down the palace hallways towards their room for the night, the pace slowed a bit. They were tired and tipsy and more than a little giddy.

And alone.

For the first time all day, they were alone with each other and they wanted to savor that.

When they reached the room, their alone time ended – but only for a few minutes. There were people there to collect Alex’s dress and so, while she was pulled carefully from the dress and shown where all of their things had been unpacked, Harry showered. When he stepped out she stepped in, just to rinse off quickly before she went to bed with her husband.

“My husband,” Alex whispered as she pulled the clip from her hair and let it fall in long waves down her back, turning to glance in the full length mirror on the wall of the bathroom as she did. She couldn’t help but smile at her reflection, at the reaction that she knew Harry would have to the silk and lace number she had chosen so very carefully for this moment.

She took a deep breath at the thought and felt butterflies in her stomach, though not from nerves, but from excitement. Sure, she had been making love with Harry for years; she knew his body and he knew hers, she knew exactly how it would feel when his hands caressed her skin. She could feel the exact heat of his lips pressing into her just from memories alone. And she knew the exact sensations her body felt every time he pressed himself deep inside of her. And though she knew that those sensations wouldn’t change now that he was her husband, it still felt new and exciting and special to her; to know that she was about to make love with her husband.

She took one more breath and smoothed her hands down the sides of her delicate nightgown, and then turned to open the door, more than ready to be with Harry. And she found him immediately, just as he set down the glass of champagne he had been pouring and his eyes lifted to hers. He was still dressed in his pants and his tuxedo shirt, though he had removed his bowtie, undone the buttons at his neck, rolled up his sleeves, and she thought he looked incredibly sexy.

“Jesus Alexandra,” he breathed, his entire body stalling as his eyes ran over her, taking in the way the satin clung to her in all the places he was desperate to touch and the way the lace revealed just enough to make him aching to see more. “You look...fucking stunning.”

“Thank you,” she smiled softly, her cheeks flushing with his words as she moved toward him, unable to keep herself away any longer. “Is one of those for me?” she asked, nodding towards the glasses sitting on the table.

“Yes,” he nodded, regretfully having to pull his eyes away from her – even if it was just for a second – to reach for the glasses he had poured. He handed one to her and then stepped closer to her. His free hand found the curve of her waist and pulled her gently against him, unable to help the smile on his face as he did so. “I wanted to make a toast to my new wife.”

Alex’s smile turned smug. “That’s me.”

“It is,” Harry nodded and laughed. He bent down to kiss her lips softly and then drew up straight and held his glass up to her. When she did the same he took a deep breath and then with bright, happy eyes he began to speak, his voice deep and soft and reverent.

“To the girl who wanted to bathe and sleep in her cowboy boots when she was little…”

“Cowgirl boots,” she corrected with playfully narrowed eyes

“Cowgirl boots,” he chuckled, humoring her before continuing. “To the brave young women who left everything she’d ever known in Texas to come to London. To the young woman who was braver than most in the face of tragedy…”

“Harry…” she whispered, her eyes softening at his words. “Come on…”

“Shhhh,” he shook his head. “I worked hard on this love. Let me have my moment.”

She laughed softly and then sighed and nodded her head, motioning for him to continue.

“To the beautiful, amazing mother who brought Emma into this world…” He couldn’t help the proud smile that moved across his face with his words. “To the smart, witty woman who founded an organization where she helped so many people…”

“You’re not supposed to be making me cry tonight,” she warned, her voice shaky with emotion.

He smirked and then then his free arm slid around her, pulling her tighter to him. His eyes grew just a touch darker and his voice took on a deeper, sexier tone. “To the sassy, sexy woman who caught my eye…” His eyes danced as her lips curled up at his words. “To the warm, wonderful, sweet, soulful woman who captured my heart…” Her head tipped to the side and she bit her lip, loving the sweet words he was giving her. And his head dipped closer to hers, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. “To the mother of my children…all of them…” Her cheeks flushed pink and she nodded slowly. “To the woman who married me today…”

“Oh, now that was incredibly easy to do,” she murmured. He smiled wide and her fingers moved to trace the lines around his eyes she loved.

“And finally,” he whispered and then took a deep breath. “To the woman who I’m about to spend the next ten days making moan my name.”

“Harry!” she laughed, playfully smacking at his shoulder. She shook her head up at him. “And you were doing so good there for a minute.”

He laughed and wagged his eyebrows at her, making her giggle as he raised his glass to her. “To my wife.”

“To me,” Alex grinned as they clinked their glasses together. They both pulled their glasses to their lips, their gazes holding as they drank. “Delicious,” she murmured, her eyes sparkling as she watched her husband’s lips twist up on one side.

“Mhhmm,” he nodded. Without ever letting go of his hold on her, he reached over and set his glass on the table and then took hers and did the same. And then, because he was desperate to kiss her – to really kiss her – he did just that. He wrapped both of his arms around her, folded her warm body into his, tilted his head over hers, and finally captured her lips with his.

Alex moaned when his mouth covered hers and his tongue tipped out against her lips. She opened her mouth under his instantly and sank into the kiss. Her hands slid to the front of his shirt, her fingers immediately beginning to work on the buttons, opening them in a slow line down his chest.

“Harry,” she breathed against his lips as she untucked the bottom of his shirt from his pants and finished the last two buttons.

“Baby,” he groaned when her hot hands met his chest and she pushed the two sides of his shirt apart.

“Take me to bed…” Her eyes opened slowly and he found her already looking down at her, his blue eyes deep and dark with the building passion between them. “I want my husband to make love to me.”

His lips pulled into a soft smile at her words and then he bent and scooped her up into his arms, his heart starting to beat a fast pattern as her arms wove around his neck and he began to walk them over to the large, plush bed in the middle of the room.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said softly as they reached the bed. She smiled at his words, loving how he made sure she knew he thought those so. “You are…” he continued as he tipped her from his arms and onto the bed on her feet so that she was standing tall above him. His eyes traveled down her, taking every bit inch of her in. His hands moved to her hips, his fingers hot through the satin and lace, and he held her stead as he leaned forward and pressed a warm kiss to the small of her stomach just below her belly button.

“Harry…” she gasped. Her hands moved up into his hair, pulling him and his hot mouth closer to her.

His hands slid down her legs to her ankles while he pressed kisses across her stomach to her right hip. “You take my breath away...” His eyes turned up to hers as his fingers tipped up under her nightgown and met the smooth skin of her legs. “Today in the Abbey, tonight while you danced with me, just now when you stepped out in this ridiculously sexy number you’re wearing…” His lips pulled into a smirk when her smile turned smug and his hands pushed even higher, moving slowly up over her knees to her thighs.

“I’m glad you like it,” she said, her fingers playing in the soft hair on the back of his neck.

“You knew I would, Alexandra,” he grinned. His fingers pushed higher as the air thickened between them. Alex’s eyes grew heavier and her breathing grew shallow as he pulled her into a pool of desire. And then finally, the fingers of his right hand met the soft crease at the top of her thigh and then moved inward, sliding gently but purposefully into her warm, wet center.

She moaned at the feel of him there and he groaned at just how aroused her body was already for him. Spurred on by that and unable to help himself, he reached for the hem of her nightgown with his freehand and pushed it up to her hips, exposing her to him. And before she realized what was about to happen, his head dipped and his tongue tipped out against her folds.

“Oh!” she cried out, her head tipping back and her eyes sliding shut as he lapped against her – warm and wet and wonderful.

“Alex…you taste…” he murmured against her, the vibrations of his voice sending a shudder rolling through Alex.

And Alex was caught in the strangest of places. She loved his mouth on her; the way his lips and tongue stroked magic against her and made the entire world fade around her. But right then – on this night – she wanted more than that. She wanted him inside of her, she wanted his weight pressing into her; she wanted to look into his eyes while they loved each other in that way they had that no words could ever do justice to.

“Harry,” she called down to him, tugging at his hair to bring his attention to her. She smiled softly when his eyes rose to meet hers and one of her hands smooth down to his cheek, cupping it with her fingers as she sank down to her knees on the bed so she was face to face with him. “I want you so much…” she said, her voice soft and sweet. Her hands moved to push at his shirt and she slid it from his shoulders and down his arms, letting it fall to the floor without another thought. “I want you to be naked with me,” she continued, her fingers moving further south to the waist band of his pants. She watched his lips part and his breath hitch as she quickly unbuttoned and unzipped him and then pushed his pants over his hips, leaving him standing in just his boxers before her. “I want you inside of me…please…”

He groaned and, because he wanted exactly the same thing that she did, he moved to action. His arms moved around her and his lips took hers in a deep, passionate kiss.

The rest of their clothing was removed between breathless kisses; his boxers joined his pants and shirt on the floor and her nightgown was swept off and tossed to the side without another though. And then, with his lips still firmly attached to hers, Harry moved onto the bed with Alex in his arms. He held her naked, flushed body against his as he moved her up to the pillows at the top of the bed, smiling down at her as he lowered her onto the bed and moved in above her. Her arms moved around his neck, her fingers sinking into the red mess of his hair as her legs parted to make room for him. He reached for one of her hands and pulled it above her head, threading his fingers through hers as he pressed it into the mattress.

“I want you so badly…I want to be inside of you…” he breathed, repeating her words back to her as he moved forward, pressing the tip of his length against her. He groaned at the contact and she whimpered as her hips arched up, wanting more. And because Harry would give his wife anything and everything she wanted, he nodded and then with a warm, soft smile he dropped his lips to hers and just as his tongue dipped into her mouth to find hers, he pressed forward, slowly burying himself all the way inside of his wife.

“Oh…” Alex moaned at the feeling that pulsed through her when he sank inside of her. She pulled her hand from where his held it to the bed and then moved her arms and legs around him, him as close as she possibly could in that moment.

“Alex,” he groaned. His lips moved from hers to kiss a hot line down her just as he pulled out and pressed in again. “You feel so good, baby.”

“Harry…” she whimpered, her eyes opening and her hands moving into his hair and pulling his face back to her. “Please, please…love me.”

“Oh Alexandra,” he breathed as he moved out and in again, bringing a shudder from her and a groan from him. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life doing exactly that.”

His lips took hers again in a deep, passionate kiss as his body worshiped hers, moving above her in a slow, deep rhythm that took her breath away; that threated to take him down before he was ready.

They moved together, loving each other while they moaned and groaned and called out each other’s names in passion. She clung to him, her hands everywhere that they could be while his lips pressed into every bit of skin that they could reach.

When the end came; when Alex felt tears press into her eyes as she unraveled around him with a moan and a cry, Harry was right there with her. His hands buried in her hair and his lips found hers as he came apart, giving everything he had to the woman wrapped around him.

The woman who loved him.

The woman who had given him everything he ever wanted.

The woman who was his wife.

The woman who was his everything.