Under The Moon And Stars

Chapter 22

The months passed slowly after Alexander's death, but eventually Evie found herself moving forward and learning life without him. Her children were doing well, which was always Evie's biggest concern. They missed their father and still cried from time to time but spent most of their time happy and playing as they always had.

Alexander's will had been very fair. All his children, with both Evie and Sarah, had been well taken care of and provided for. He'd also made certain that Evie and Sarah would never want for anything. Evie hadn't realized how wealthy they were until the will was read. Alexander might not have been a loyal husband, but he had been a good provider.

Now it was July and the cold rain of March had led to a beautiful spring and summer. Flowers were in full bloom, and the skies were clear and bright. Her children were in Surrey with her parents. Evie had been invited but she'd decided to stay in London. She needed some time for herself to think. She walked out to her garden and sat on the stone bench where she had cried in Natti's arms the day Alexander died. The weather was warm and Evie hated that custom dictated that she wear black. It wasn't comfortable in the summer air.

She touched the spot next to her where Natti had sat. Wonderful Natti who'd come to her in her darkest hour despite her rejection of him months prior. He hadn't asked for a thing. Just held her until she had no more tears left. As Evie stared at the few stars making their appearance in the twilight sky, she realized that although Natti had confessed his love to her, she hadn't returned it. She'd wanted to free him, convinced it was the right thing to do. But now she thought herself cruel. Alexander's death had shown her how quickly someone could be taken from you. Natti deserved to know how she felt and then decide if he still wanted her. Unfortunately, she was supposed to be in mourning for at least a year.

"Damn that," Evie muttered to herself. A lot could happen in a year. Alexander had taken her youth. She wasn't going to let him have another moment of her future. With that in mind Evie left the house. It was a decent walk to Natti's house, but it could be done. She also didn't want her servants to know where she was going. At least after sunset the streets and sidewalks were less crowded. The moon was bright in the sky, and the stars were shining by the time she reached Natti's home. She was shown into his house and told that he was outside walking the maze.

With determination she'd never felt before, she walked though his home, out the back door, and into the maze. There were plenty of turns and dead ends, but Evie figured Natti would most likely walk to the center and then out the back. She was right. Evie could see Natti strolling with his hands clasped behind his back as he walked through the archway that opened up into the center of the maze. There the stone walkway ended and the soft grass grew. The flower beds were in full bloom and their perfume mixed with the night's soft breeze.

Natti continued to stroll around in the grass when Evie called out his name. He turned and smiled when he saw her. But his smile turned to shock when Evie boldly walked towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling his head down to meet hers. "I love you, Natti. I've always loved you. And I always will love you."

Evie pressed her lips to his, kissing him with her entire heart. Natti quickly recovered from his shock and returned the kiss with equal fervor. He wrapped her in his arms, one hand holding her waist the other on the back of her head. Evie had never felt passion like this before. Not with Alexander and not with Eric. Something was different kissing Natti. It felt meant to be. He was made for her and her for him. No other man's arms had felt so right.

Natti lifted his head and looked into her eyes. "I love you too, Evie. I'll love you till my last breath." He kissed her again and she could feel the heat and desire radiating from both of them. She wanted him, and she wanted him now. It wasn't proper, but they had waited long enough. Evie let go of Natti long enough to begin undoing the buttons of his coat. He assisted her with it and then reached for the buttons of her dress. It was a back and forth with their clothing but finally they both stood completely naked before one another.

Evie suddenly became shy. She wanted Natti to think she was beautiful, but she wasn't 19 anymore. Natti was in better shape than she'd ever imagined. He was trim but solid. His shoulders were muscular with sculpted arms and legs. His slender waist had solid abs and he was just perfect. Natti could see her looking at him and could also see her subtle attempts to hide herself. He took her hands and pulled them away from her body. He looked her up and down in the moonlight. He took her chin in his hand so he could look into her blue eyes and said, "In all my life I have never seen anything more stunning and perfect than you are right now."

Their lips met again in a kiss that was slow and sensual. It was a kiss filled with both love and desire, and it was everything a kiss should be. Natti moved down to Evie's neck making her gasp. She threw her head back to allow Natti better access and he growled in response. They fell to their knees in the grass, Natti still kissing her neck and Evie running her hands through his hair. She could feel Natti's growing erection pushing into her belly. It felt larger than what she was used to, but she couldn't be certain. She'd been too shy to look. Eventually Evie's body was so overcome with desire that she couldn't hold herself up anymore and she collapsed to her back pulling Natti on top of her.

When Natti brought his lips back to hers his spectacles fell forward so Evie removed them and placed them next to her. She pulled Natti's head down to her for a long tender kiss. When Natti lifted his head again Evie noticed tears in his eyes. Before he could brush them away one escaped and fell onto Evie's cheek. "Natti what's wrong," she asked beginning to panic. "Have you changed your mind?"

"No Evie. Never." He wiped his eyes, but more tears appeared unshed. "I've just loved you for so long and I never thought...I'd given up hope...of ever being with you. You are the answer to every prayer, dream, and wish I've ever had." He kissed her lips so gently and softly that Evie felt overwhelmed with love.

In that moment, tears sprang into Evie's eyes as well. She wanted Natti to feel all the love she had for him. "Natti, I love you too. I wish I had realized it sooner. But I didn't recognize it. I couldn't recognize it for the love it was because the truth is I never fell in love with you. I've just always been in love with you. You are my heart Natti, and you will be for as long as I am on this earth."

Their declarations created a frenzy between them, and they began kissing with abandon. Evie held his head as Natti kissed her lips and cheeks back down to her neck. Evie smiled and moaned with desire as he kissed and lightly sucked on her neck. But he moved lower to her collarbone before kissing straight down her chest until his lips were directly between both of her breasts.

He put a hand on each breast and gently ran his thumbs over her nipples as he continued to kiss down to her belly. When he moved back up her body, he kept his hand on right breast and took the nipple of her left into his mouth. It drove Evie wild and she bucked underneath him arching her back and moaning with all-consuming lust. Natti suckled her nipple and flicked it with his tongue before moving to the other one. "Ohhhh," Evie groaned out before she started panting. "I need you, Natti. And I've needed you for so long. Please, make me yours and only yours forever."

Natti moaned at her words. He positioned himself between her legs and Evie opened them wide. Natti reached down to place his shaft at her entrance. He pushed just the tip inside. "I've always been yours Evie," he panted pushing in just a bit more. "And tonight you are mine." He pushed hard and fast burying himself to the hilt. Evie gasped in pleasure and shock. It had been a long time since Evie had last had sex and she knew she would most likely be a little tight. But what she hadn't expected was Natti filling her more than she had ever been before, forcing her body to stretch to accommodate his size. Natti was breathing heavily but didn't move, giving her that time to adjust. He kissed her eyes, her cheeks and her lips while keeping himself buried inside her.

It didn't take long though before Evie could feel her desire building once again. She began gently rolling her hips and Natti pulled out just slightly before pushing back in. He started with small slow thrusts, his lips on hers, and their bodies pressed tightly together. They both rolled and gyrated their hips, moving in perfect rhythm with one another. Evie realized that in all the years she'd shared intimacy with others, she'd never made love. But tonight under the moon and stars she and Natti declared their love with both their words and bodies. It was as though they were two halves that fit together perfectly, making them both whole.

As their lust continued to build so did the pace of their bodies until Natti was driving into her hard and fast. His strokes became long, pulling out to the head and plunging back to the hilt. "Mmmm, Oh Natti. Yes, my love. Yes. Ohhhh." Evie's entire body and mind were overcome with love and desire for Natti. Sharing her body had never felt like this before. It was more. So much more than she had ever known.

Natti pounded into her relentlessly bringing them both closer to euphoria. Evie wrapped her legs around his back and pulled his lips back to hers. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, and he sucked on it greedily. Evie could feel her climax building, taking her higher and higher. She desperately reached for it, tightening her entire body in anticipation. She was so close. She squeezed her muscles around his cock and taking his face in her hands and looking into his eyes Evie breathed out, "I love you," before she broke. Waves of pleasure crashed over her, the tidal wave bearing down on her body as it exploded like she had never thought possible. She screamed out his name into the night sky as her throbbing and aching body shattered into a million pieces. Natti reached his peak the same moment she reached hers. He slammed into her releasing his seed deeper in her body than any man ever had and calling her name as she screamed his.

He collapsed on top of her for only a moment before, worried about hurting her, he rolled to his side and pulled her to him. Together they snuggled in the hot, summer night air, watching the stars and the full moon. They kissed and grazed their fingers over one another. Evie wanted nothing more than to remain out there in the soft grass in the arms of the man she loved beyond reason and probably would have if Natti hadn't eventually reminded her that his staff knew where they both were. For the sake of her reputation she should probably be getting home. Evie sighed but agreed.

They got dressed still exchanging kisses and touches. Evie glanced down at his manhood and realized she'd been correct. Even flaccid it was longer and thicker than Alexander's or Eric's. She was surprised and impressed she'd been able to take all of it. Once dressed they made their way out of the maze and through the house. But when Natti discovered that she'd walked there, he insisted on her taking his carriage home. Evie was surprised but delighted when Natti climbed in with her. They kissed the entire way back to Evie's house. When the carriage stopped, they pulled away, both looking longingly at one another.

Evie suddenly felt overwhelmed with panic. The night had been pure magic, and she was terrified of it ending. What if something was different in the morning? She wanted to cling to Natti, keep him with her forever. She didn't want to say goodbye and go to her bed alone. Natti sensed her panic, always so aware of her every feeling and emotion. He held her hands and gave them a reassuring squeeze. "It's only for a few short hours, Evie. I'll come back after breakfast. We have much to discuss and plan." Evie nodded but worry was still clear in her eyes. Natti kissed her, long and deep, before gently cradling her face in his hands. "I'll see you soon, my love. Get some rest and don't worry." Natti opened the carriage door, climbing out before assisting Evie. He gave her hand one last squeeze before releasing her. Evie walked up to her door and turned around to see Natti watching her, making sure she got inside safely before he headed home. She smiled and walked through the door, wondering how in her lifetime she had ever believed that she'd loved anyone else.