Forever is a mighty long time

[ROBERT SNOW]

Robert watched patiently from his seat on the couch, waiting for Cadence to come to him. For a long moment she just stood in the doorway and watched him like she was contemplating staying or going. Finally she caved and moved towards him, the soft clicking of her heels the only sound in the room. Even when she was close to him, she didn’t sit down. Was this her way of showing she was still defiant? Why was it constantly a power struggle between them even after she had given up her need for revenge? His patience was waning and the smile he wore faded away to an expectant look. She only stared at the ground. He could see the wheels turning in that lovely head of hers.

“I have my limits, Robert.” At last she spoke, and her tone and stance told him this wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation. He braced himself for the inevitable argument. “I have given myself to you wholly since I came back. I have pushed the limits of my comfort, bent over backwards to be what I knew you both wanted and expected. And I have done so willingly.” Was it really willingly if she was bitter about it now? He contemplated testing her because the statements irked him, but held his tongue for the moment. “Happily, even, knowing how much pleasure it brought you, how much pleasure it would bring me in return.” He didn’t take pleasure out of making her be something she wasn’t. Robert wanted Cadence to be her true self. There were moments when she would allow herself to loosen up, be in her natural state, but it wasn’t all the time. He had tried to show her with subtle hints and actions that he didn’t need her to pretend for him. Maybe it just needed to be said flat out. He watched her fists curl at her side and his brow furrowed unhappily. The crux of her argument was coming. “You know I love you. I’ve begrudgingly admitted it over and over, so why do you feel the need to legally tie me down? I’ve willingly handed control to you. Why must you insist on trapping me? Is that honestly the only way I can prove my loyalty?” The words stung. It was like he’d hurt her in asking her to marry him. With his heavy brow low over his icy eyes, Robert looked to the floor and tried to control his temper.

After a long pause, he pushed himself to his feet and brought his wounded and bitter gaze to hers, slowly closing the gap between them. “Is that what marriage to me would mean to you? That I caged you like a bird? Are you really that miserable when you picture yourself married to me?” Perhaps she hadn’t meant her words to come off so harsh, but they had cut him deeply. “I didn’t ask you to marry me because I wanted to trap you, Cadence. I’m not doing this to legally bind you to my side so I can have complete control over you. I have long since accepted that I cannot control you and the more I try, the more you rebel. My proposal has nothing to do with me controlling you.” His voice was rising as his temper did, his eyes blazing. “I asked you to marry me because I love you, Cadence. I thought I made that clear when I told you I want to make a life with you. If I’m ever going to have a family or someone to come home to, I want it to be you. I don’t care what you do or where you go when we’re married, just as long as I know where you are and that you are safe. I will make an entire wing of this house your own private space if that’s what you need.” He was towering over her now, looking down into her eyes and wondering how she had ever misconstrued what he wanted. Perhaps she didn’t know him as well as he thought. “But I won’t ask you to change yourself for me any further, if that’s what you wish. I thought asking you to be more affectionate and allowing me to be so was encouraging you to express yourself, not suppress yourself.” His eyes were now hurt once more. “I thought I was making it clear all of these months that I want you to be yourself, Cadence. You don’t have to change for me or pretend you are something you aren’t. You came to me to express how you felt about me. I didn’t force you to do that. But if you regret it now, I refuse to hold you back anymore. I will not be accused of caging you. I’ve had enough of your blame to last me a lifetime.” He was tired of constantly being the reason for everything that went wrong in her life. First she had accused him of killing her brother and destroying her family. Then it was his fault she had needed to run to Europe for nine months. Now he was expected to carry the burden of forcing her into a controlling, political marriage? How could she love him when he was forever the bad guy in her mind? It killed him to think that maybe all of her insistence that she loved him was nothing more than sweet, empty words.

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

He seemed to be mulling it over, silence continuing between them for a long moment. She hated the way he made her wait as she'd done him. She remained somewhat patient as she stood though, her gaze following him as he finally made his way to his feet. It was hard not to feel small in his presence. Everything about him demanded respect, but she was defiant and would hold her ground. As he moved closer she had the overwhelming urge to step back, almost afraid of what his response might be, but alas she stayed put, standing her ground as she gazed up at him. “Is that what marriage to me would mean to you? That I caged you like a bird?" Wouldn't it?  Was he trying to play it off as if it were something different than it really was? "Are you really that miserable when you picture yourself married to me?” She suddenly frowned, her brows furrowing.  He was twisting her words.  It wasn't so much she was miserable at the idea of it, but the implications behind the decision in the first place!  In due time she accepted that it was the next step, but considering how quickly he wanted to make that leap told her his intentions were deeper than what was on the surface.

“I didn’t ask you to marry me because I wanted to trap you, Cadence. I’m not doing this to legally bind you to my side so I can have complete control over you. I have long since accepted that I cannot control you and the more I try, the more you rebel." It was true; the harder he tried to pin her down, the further he pushed her away.  It was only when she came willingly that things went more smoothly.  If he'd only discussed the option ahead of time, she might not have taken such offense to it!  "My proposal has nothing to do with me controlling you.” The anger in his tone was starting to seep out and she knew she'd crossed a line with him.  His eyes, though the color of ice, were on fire as they bore into hers, sending a chill down her spine.  “I asked you to marry me because I love you, Cadence. I thought I made that clear when I told you I want to make a life with you. If I’m ever going to have a family or someone to come home to, I want it to be you. I don’t care what you do or where you go when we’re married, just as long as I know where you are and that you are safe. I will make an entire wing of this house your own private space if that’s what you need.” More information that would have been helpful prior to him asking her to marry him, and the bitterness only worsened the angrier her got.  How could he possibly be upset with her? It had quite literally come out of nowhere! How could she not assume the very worst! If he weren't so completely upset, she might have believed him to be flying by the seat of his pants, but there was something so sincere in his aggression that told her he was genuinely upset by it all.  

“But I won’t ask you to change yourself for me any further, if that’s what you wish. I thought asking you to be more affectionate and allowing me to be so was encouraging you to express yourself, not suppress yourself.  I thought I was making it clear all of these months that I want you to be yourself, Cadence. You don’t have to change for me or pretend you are something you aren’t. You came to me to express how you felt about me. I didn’t force you to do that. But if you regret it now, I refuse to hold you back anymore. I will not be accused of caging you. I’ve had enough of your blame to last me a lifetime.” The last of his words struck a chord and she suddenly feared actually losing him.  Even as he swore he wasn't trapping her, he was still manipulating her.  There was always two options; Robert's way or no way at all.  Was he really so sick of her?  "You should have warned me." She snapped suddenly, her voice going up in pitch making her own emotion evident.  She hated that he could make her feel so much!  "Don't pretend our relationship isn't a cat and mouse game, Robert.  I wasn't foolish in thinking that perhaps your motives weren't entirely admirable!" She reminded.  It wasn't as if he always played by the rules. "And don't you twist my words!  I haven't been pretending to be anyone or anything.  It's not in my nature to openly show affection, but I've pushed myself to do it.  Those feelings were real even if I've had to force myself to show them!"  Her voice was growing louder with the anger behind her words. It all seemed like a terrible misunderstanding, one she wasn't sure how to come back from.  Her body trembled slightly with the overwhelming mixture of anger and hurt, and all she wanted to do was leave.  Simply looking at him made her angrier, but fear of never seeing him again kept her rooted, at least for the time being.  "Don't you turn this around on me." she warned, her body still so rigid, her hands still clenched into tight fists.  Lashing out would do nothing but make him angrier.  Besides, he was stronger and there was no way to make herself feel weaker than to have him hold her down.

[ROBERT SNOW]

For a long moment, Cadence simply glared at Robert though he could have sworn he saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. “You should have warned me.” The way she snapped the words told him she was starting to see his side of things. That always made her so irritated. “Don’t pretend our relationship isn’t a cat and mouse game, Robert. I wasn’t foolish in thinking that perhaps your motives weren’t entirely admirable!” He sighed heavily through his nose, annoyed that she was holding onto her perception that he was the bad guy. With Cadence he was a completely different man! She should have known better than to make such negative assumptions about his motives! He opened his mouth to say so, but Cadence cut him off. “And don’t you twist my words! I haven’t been pretending to be anyone or anything. It’s not in my nature to openly show affection, but I’ve pushed myself to do it. Those feelings were real even if I’ve had to force myself to show them!” Robert didn’t think he’d ever heard Cadence actually shout at him before and while he wanted to refute what she was saying, he knew it would only make this argument bitterer. Of course Cadence loved him—it would be cruel to question otherwise. He may have been cruel with others, but he refused to be that way with Cadence. She was actually beginning to shake with the ferocity of her emotion and it drove some of the anger from Robert. “Don’t you turn this around on me.” Robert gave a heavy sigh and rubbed his hand over his face to wipe away his frustration.

“Cadence, this has been turned around on you since I proposed. It’s up to you whether you want to marry me or not. And I admit again that I should have discussed this with you sooner.” His eyes came back to hers, searching her face for her reaction. For now all he could see was her anger and trepidation at the whole situation. “I’m not going to pretend that our relationship has been a cat and mouse game. We took turns playing both roles. In the beginning, that’s how I wanted it to be. It drew me to you. But it’s different now. I have grown tired of that game. I don’t want us to constantly be chasing each other anymore.” Though Cadence was still tense and Robert was sure she still wanted to hit him, he lifted his hand and pushed some of her golden hair behind her ear. When he was certain she wouldn’t maim him, he rested his hand lightly against her cheek. “You caught me, Cadence. And I know I’ve caught you as well. Now I want the world to know. And it’s not because I want to keep you in a cage. It’s because I love you and I want you to be beside me always.” His hand slipped from her cheek just as his free one reached for her hand. He took the other as well, keeping her gaze locked on his. “And I want you to know me better than anyone. Evidently this is something I need to work on since you presumed the worst from my intentions.” His mouth quirked up on one side in a very small half smile. Now his brow furrowed again, however, and he looked down at his hands clasping hers with a disturbed frown. “I want to prove to you that I am more than the calculating, ruthless Gargoyle that I am to the rest of the world. You are the only one that I want to see the gentler side of me.” His eyes met hers again, his face bordering on pained. In truth, it hurt him that she still couldn’t see the difference in his interaction with the outside world and with her. Who he was with her…that was a man no one else saw and he wanted her to truly see him.

“The proposal still stands. What’s yours is yours and what is mine can also be yours.” She looked uncertain and Robert raised his eyebrows curiously. “Unless you have any other concerns. Just tell me what I have to do to convince you to be my wife.” He would promise her the moon if it would get him a yes.

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

“Cadence, this has been turned around on you since I proposed. It’s up to you whether you want to marry me or not. And I admit again that I should have discussed this with you sooner.” Her lips pressed into a thin line as she watched him carefully. Had it been turned on her this whole time? “I’m not going to pretend that our relationship has been a cat and mouse game. We took turns playing both roles. In the beginning, that’s how I wanted it to be. It drew me to you. But it’s different now. I have grown tired of that game. I don’t want us to constantly be chasing each other anymore.” It was what finally drew her back to him, those games. It was the fear of losing them in the first place that had drove her away. She liked how unsure everything was. She liked being able to drive him completely mad with her defiance. She had also enjoyed the months free of it all with him, though. It had been somewhat pleasant not fighting the way they used to, though it had never completely disappeared. She could still drive him crazy, and did so as often as she dared. Robert wasn't without his wrath either, and she was sure he enjoyed getting her fired up as well only to put her back into her place. The difference was the lack of resentment now. He was probably enjoying doing so now; putting her back in her place.

She remained stuff as a hand crept to her cheek, brushing a strand of hair away and tucking it behind her ear before letting the hand remain cupped around the curve of her face. She didn't lean into him, though a part of her wanted to. His hand was so strong, rough.. a strange mixture of warm and cold and smelling heavily of, well, him. “You caught me, Cadence. And I know I’ve caught you as well." She gulped, gazing into those icy eyes, unable to deny his words. "Now I want the world to know. And it’s not because I want to keep you in a cage. It’s because I love you and I want you to be beside me always.” Her tension lifted some, her body going more soft as she let herself succumb to him. Those heavy hands she loved so dearly slipped down into her own. She allowed him to hold her, not letting her eyes leave his.

“And I want you to know me better than anyone. Evidently this is something I need to work on since you presumed the worst from my intentions.” Though he smiled ever so slightly, she didn't return the sentiment. She wasn't amused by his words, skeptical still. Would she ever stop assuming the worst? It was hard to say. When his brows furrowed she wondered if he somehow knew what she was thinking, her own brows mimicking his. “I want to prove to you that I am more than the calculating, ruthless Gargoyle that I am to the rest of the world. You are the only one that I want to see the gentler side of me.” She loved the ruthless, calculating gargoyle he was. He went silent a moment and she wanted to tell him how much she loved that side of him, but she knew he didn't want to hear that. He wanted her to know him as no one else did, and though she wanted that as well she didn't like the idea of him being one person for the world and for her someone completely different. He had to know that wasn't the man she'd fell for.

“The proposal still stands. What’s yours is yours and what is mine can also be yours. Unless you have any other concerns. Just tell me what I have to do to convince you to be my wife.” She was silent a moment her gaze slipping down to his lips, torso and finally their hands clasped together. She didn't know hat to say anymore. She wasn't sure how to fix this, or what she really wanted. It almost seemed as though they wanted different things, yet still the same. "I didn't fall in love with a gentle man." She reminded, her gaze slipping back to his, her body far less tense now. "I'd like to have the gentler side of you, but I'm not willing to completely give up the calculating, ruthless gargoyle the rest of the world knows." It was her turn to slip a hand up to his cheek, gazing at him with sleepy eyes. "That is, after all, the man who won me over." She took a step closer, her hand slipping to his neck. She toyed with the lobe of his ear affectionately as she took another small step closer, their bodies nearly pressed together. "I wonder if you might be kind enough to propose to me once more?"

[ROBERT SNOW]

Again they stood in silence, Robert regarding the beauty in front of him as she considered his words. It was a lot to put on her shoulders—the weight of his future happiness rested on her. If Cadence refused him, he had no choice but to ask her again. He wanted a family to continue the illustrious Snow line and Cadence was the only woman he could see himself having any interest in for the rest of his days. If she cast him aside, he didn’t think he’d ever find another woman to satisfy him. Finally her eyes came back to his. “I didn’t fall in love with a gentle man.” His brow furrowed slightly. “I’d like to have the gentler side of you, but I’m not willing to completely give up the calculating, ruthless gargoyle the rest of the world knows.” Those words built hunger for her in the pit of his stomach. Her hand came to his cheek, drawing him closer to her as he imagined the ways he could still give her some of the ruthless man he could be. “That is, after all, the man who won me over.” As her hand slipped to his neck, her fingers playing with the lobe of his ear, Robert dropped her other hand and allowed both of his to hold her waist. “I’m sure you haven’t seen the last of him. I haven’t changed that much,” he teased in a soft rumble. His humor was slowly coming back to him, but only because Cadence’s rage was once more tamed for the moment.

“I wonder if you might be kind enough to propose to me once more?” Robert’s heart gave a thrilled throb in his chest, the small smile on his lips disappearing. Was she going to give him an answer this time? He gazed into her eyes as he hesitated. The moment that hesitation wore off, however, he reached up to take her hand from his neck. He brought the hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently while holding her gaze. Finally he dropped her hand and moved around her. The ring was sitting safely on his dresser and he took up the small box with no small amount of trepidation. This was it. Cadence was going to tell him just how convincing he could be. He made his way back to Cadence and stepped close. Instead of kneeling, this time he pressed as close to her as he could without holding her, using both hands to support the tiny box. His forehead leaned down and touched Cadence’s gently, keeping his icy blue eyes on the green of her own.

“Cadence…” he began, his voice the soft roll of thunder. Holding up the box between them, he flipped the top back easily. The ring inside was just as beautiful in the dim light of his bedroom as it had been in the mood lighting of the restaurant. This close to her eyes, there was no way she could mask her sincerity from him. He wouldn’t wonder at her true feelings about all of this. “Will you marry me?”

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

The look he gave her spoke volumes as she gazed back up into those icy eyes of his. His hand came to hers, pulling it from his neck and bringing it to his lips. Her eyes stayed trained on him as those lips, so capable of making a grown man cry at a moments notice, brushed tenderly against her knuckles. It wasn't until he let her hand go and moved around her that she realized she'd been holding her breath. She could tell he was coming back and stood there, her chest gently heaving as she considered what he was about to ask. Again.

In a moment Robert was before her again, standing close to her and she tilted her head to watch him once more, admiring the strong lines of his jaw, the creases around his eyes, and the way his stubbly hair pushed through his tough skin. She didn't dare look away as his forehead came to hers, knowing what he was holding between them. It was as if she was afraid to see how beautiful the ring was, how it might sway the way she reacted.

“Cadence…” His voice was like thunder rolling in over the ocean; serene but strangely dangerous. She felt him moving the box, but still refused to look down, watching him intently as he seemed to build the courage to ask her once more. “Will you marry me?” Had she been a less serious woman, she might have said no simply to toy with him, but that wasn't Cadence. Nor was she the type of woman to cry and gush with an choking Yes! She was something all together different.

"Yes." It was spoken softly, barely above a whisper as she kept her gaze locked with his, her head nodding slightly against his. "Yes, Robert." She pulled her head back enough to look comfortably down at the ring. He really did know what she liked.. She hesitated a moment before bringing her hand up for him to slip the ring on, her heart suddenly pounding. Was she really so easily swayed? After days of hating him, did he really have so much power over her that he could make her simply bend at his will? She knew he did.. she knew in the end she would do anything for him, even marry him.

She watched him slide the ring onto her finger before looking back up at him. Though she didn't say it out loud, her eyes were clear in their emotion. She loved him; she was happy. Mostly. Cadence lifted her hands to his face, seeing the shimmering diamond easily in this lighting as her hands cupped his cheeks, bringing her face closer to his while drawing him down. "I want the wing, though." She whispered against his lips before finally kissing him.

[ROBERT SNOW]

“Yes.” Robert’s heart skipped, pounding in his ears so that he wasn’t quite sure he had heard Cadence right. She nodded against his forehead and relief flooded through him. “Yes, Robert.” He smiled wide. That was the way he had hoped to hear it the other night. He knew she wouldn’t squeal and jump up and down, gasping and crying in the ridiculous way that some women did. That was never the kind of woman he wanted to be with. It was the softness of her voice and the way she held his gaze that told him she truly wanted this. He plucked the ring from the box before sliding the black velvet container into his pocket. She lifted her hand and he took hold of it gently. The ring was a perfect fit and slid right into place on her left ring finger. It really had been made for her.

Their eyes met and he knew how happy she was. Elated didn’t even touch the way he felt. Her hands came to his cheeks and he had never adored their gentle touch more. She was going to be his wife. His arms came around her waist and it was hard to believe he held his future in one embrace. Slowly he leaned down, keeping his eyes on hers even as she shut them. “I want the wing, though.” He chuckled into her lips as they finally pressed to his, drawing his icy eyes closed. Their kiss started gentle but quickly escalated to a deep, passionate show of his complete love for her. He pressed her body into his as tightly as he could, one hand slipping up her back to firmly curl around a fistful of her golden hair. “As you wish, my dear.” His voice rolled low and soft over her lips before he devoured her mouth again. They had been so frustrated with each other less than an hour ago, yet one would never know it now. Robert looked forward to a lifetime of this complicated love, as infuriating as it could be.

Pressing his hand into the small of her back, Robert led her to the bed with measured, sure steps, never taking his lips from hers. Their tongues danced against each other and Robert lost himself to the rhythm. Only when he was standing next to the bed did he pull his mouth from hers to kiss back along her jaw, nipping gently from time to time. He dragged his lips along until they reached her ear, pressing against it as his fingers at her back slowly slid forward to her belly and up. “This house is now yours too, Cadence. We can discuss plans for changing it now…” His hand traveled over her breast until his fingers found the buttons of her blouse. He plucked them free one by one. “Or we can discuss it later.” The button between her breasts came free and he let his fingers trail between her cleavage lightly, teasing her. “That’s up to you…”

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

His chuckle told her the wing was hers as he'd stated earlier and she allowed his kiss, her hands creeping to his neck and holding him close. She could feel the cool metal on her finger, so alien to her now with its sleek weight. Robert pulled her tighter into him and she didn't fight his affections, all but going limp in his arms and allowing him to do as he wished. She supposed he deserved a compliant fiance after the trouble she put him through to even get a yes out of her. “As you wish, my dear.” She smiled lightly before letting herself get absorbed by his mouth once more.

Robert wasn't rough as he led her to the bed, her stomach twisting with the familiar excitement of what was to come. She kissed him harder when her calves hit the soft mattress, pushing her body into his. A soft whimper left her lips as he pulled his own away, kissing up her jaw, using his teeth to draw a soft, raspy breath from her. Her heart pounded as she became hyper aware of the way his hands trailed down her back and around towards her stomach, her breath quickening as he toyed with her. “This house is now yours too, Cadence." She bit her lip and let her eyes slip shut. She was to move in. She knew it already, but something about hearing it made her almost sad. She'd have her own space though, which would have to be good enough.

"We can discuss plans for changing it now…” His fingers tugged at each individual button, so accustomed to undressing her this way that he barely seemed to touch the small pieces of plastic before they gave away, as if they were afraid of his touch. She swallowed hard which he didn't know how to play her so thoroughly. “Or we can discuss it later.” The answer, to most, seemed obvious. Cadence wasn't most, though. His finger slid down her cleavage and her body instinctually heaved her chest up to feel it longer. “That’s up to you…” Her own hands slipped free from his neck and scraped down his chest, undoing the tie he'd done probably moments before she'd arrived. "We've wasted so much time already." Her voice sounded almost sad as she tugged the knot free, dragging the long piece of fabric out from his collar and letting it slip to the ground like a coiling snake. "I'd like to hear what you have in mind before adding my own input." She offered coyly, her own fingers dancing down his shirt and pulling each button loose. She turned her head until her mischievous eyes met his, her nose nuzzling against that of the man she loved. "Unless you would like me to begin?"

[ROBERT SNOW]

Cadence’s hands slid from around Robert’s neck, trailing down his chest seductively before they grasped his tie. Even if he’d known Cadence would surprise him before work, he probably would have knotted the silken accessory around his neck. There was always something so sexy about the way Cadence slowly tugged it loose. “We’ve wasted so much time already.” The sad, pouty way she said it was a good indication that she was teasing him. It only stoked the fire building in his stomach. His piercing eyes were glued to her face as she peeled the tie free and let it coil on the floor. “I’d like to hear what you have in mind before adding my own input.” Her nimble fingers plucked at each button of his shirt, pushing him further from desire to pure need to have her. His own hands found the button of her pants, freeing it before slipping down to the zipper. Their eyes met as her nose nuzzled his coyly. “Unless you would like me to begin?” His smile was sly as he let his fingers slip over her belly, gently gliding up her torso.

“For the record, the delay in planning could have been avoided if you had simply given into me sooner.” It was clear he was only playfully scolding her. The woman had said yes and he didn’t care anymore how long it had taken. Dragging his hands all the way up to her shoulders, he slowly slipped her blouse from her arms as he held her gaze. “I was thinking we could start by giving you a retreat in the corner room of the east wing. It looks out over the bay.” His nose brushed over hers as his hands scraped down her now bared back until they rested on the perfect rise of her shapely ass. “It has the most windows of any of the upstairs rooms. You could make it an office or a library—whatever you want.” He squeezed her butt hard before sliding his hands over her waist to push her pants down over her hips. She in turn pushed his shirt from his shoulders and the cool air reminded him just how hot she had gotten him already. Burying a hand in her hair, his mouth was rough as it came to hers again. Their kiss was deep and hungry while Robert wrapped his free arm around Cadence and nudged her back to the bed.

In moments he had his beautiful fiancée laid out beneath him on his bed, resting his hips against hers. He pulled his mouth away just enough to continue in his soft, deep rumble against her lips. “From there you can make the three or four surrounding rooms whatever you want them to be. Money won’t be a concern.” One hand stayed buried in her hair, propping him up as the other felt its way over her bra and down her stomach until he was groping along the soft skin of her thigh. He kissed and nipped over her chin and down her jaw until he had his mouth against her ear once more. “How does that sound?”

[CADENCE HIGGINS]

Cadence preferred things to be harsh and rough, but there was no denying the way she felt when his fingers gently crept up her body. Chills shot down her spine as he transmitted his heat into her, sparking her need for her further. “For the record, the delay in planning could have been avoided if you had simply given into me sooner.” Her lips pouted almost playfully, fighting back the urge to grin instead. "What fun is that?" She asked as her fingers undid the last of his buttons, her stormy eyes intent on his still as she gazed up at him. He pushed her shirt from her shoulders, the silky material flitting to the ground like a fallen moth. “I was thinking we could start by giving you a retreat in the corner room of the east wing. It looks out over the bay.” She felt almost excited and somewhat disappointed. Her stomach twisted at the thought, knowing her life with Robert meant she might never see that bay in the sunlight. Still, it was beautiful in the night and she was grateful he would give her one of the better rooms for her own. Her body leaned into his, her hands slipping up his bare torso, the hairs on his chest tickling her palms as they came to his shoulders, her nose nuzzling his gently. “It has the most windows of any of the upstairs rooms. You could make it an office or a library—whatever you want.” His hands squeezed her rear and she took a sharp intake of breath, clenching her backside but giving no other indication that he'd touched her so aggressively. The harder he had to work for a reaction, the better it would be for her.

"Hmm.." She hummed in response to his offering, not letting on that she was pleased with it. "That might work." She offered, unimpressed. Robert's hands pushed her pants down past her hips and she in turn freed his torso from the confines of his shirt which had been hanging loosely over his shoulders anyway. His hand slipped into her long, sandy hair and held her in place as his mouth came to hers. She wasn't convinced she could put the charade on for long. She wanted him. Needed him, really. She didn't need to think on it for long as he nudged her backwards. She'd been in the room enough to be able to navigate it with her eyes closed; he wanted her horizontal and she was more than willing to oblige him.

“From there you can make the three or four surrounding rooms whatever you want them to be. Money won’t be a concern.” She arched her back as she got comfortable beneath him, adjusting her body to contour to his perfectly. His hand sent chills down her spine as it moved along the curve of her body, landing only inches from her heat which yearned for his touch after going without for so long. She'd become far too dependent on him, though a surprisingly large part didn't care. She'd agreed to marry the man after all. She willingly admitted to loving him. Cadence felt her lips part, soft, raspy breaths leaving as he nipped his way to her ear, a fresh chill spreading down her back as he breathed gently into the canal. “How does that sound?” She pulled her shoulders up into a soft shrug, turning her head slightly to grab his eye. There were two directions she could take this; agree and be the compliant dove he wanted her to be, or continue to make things difficult for herself by being her typical pain in the ass self.

"Only three or four?" She asked raising a brow slightly as if his offering were meager at best. It was more than generous, she was the first to recognize that, but giving in so easily wasn't her style, and he wouldn't expect it to be. "Five." She had to fight the grin that dared to spread over her lips, her eyes giving her away as they so often did, alight with amusement. Cadence brought her hand to his face, caressing his cheek gently before running a thumb over his bottom lip. "I suppose five might sound just fine." She pulled his lip down with the pad of her thumb before tracing it down over his chin. "Don't you?" Her tone bordered somewhere between coy and innocent, an interesting sound coming from her.