Chapter 18

Weeks passed and preparations for the wedding were in progress. It would be a small quiet affair with, just the two of them, Soames as witness and a Minister, an old family friend of Eric's. He would come in from Paris for the occasion.

Franchesca was delighted with the wedding gown Eric had them design for her in Paris. It was exquisite! She couldn't wait to wear it for him and walk down the staircase to meet him as his bride.

Soames was busy, too, lately planning the menu and the wedding cake. He would bake it and decorate it himself. He looked at it as a challenge for his culinary skills.

Eric had ordered himself a new suit for the occasion. A black evening suit. A long silk brocaded coat with a burgundy and gold tapestry vest. A white formal shirt. He had his ear pierced, too while he was in Paris and would sport a small gold ring in it.

He had the jeweler make matching platinum wedding bands for each of them, hers a thin band with delicate scrollwork, his, much wider but with the same scroll design and a pink amethyst stone in the middle with two tiny diamond chips on each side of the band to match the ring he gave her.

The air at the mansion was definitely filled with happiness and excitement at their upcoming nuptials.

She still slept in the master bedroom with him, but he would always leave her when the hour grew late. He always told her it was for her own comfort, to let her sleep in peace. She never questioned him about this while she was recovering, but now she felt well and was weaning herself off the laudanum. Which wasn't easy and she always felt she needed some now, to relax in order for her to get to sleep. Eric blamed himself for getting her addicted to it. He felt guilty about this and would fix her a small absinthe with a little melted sugar once in awhile to ease her cravings for the it. He would also give her brandy which seemed to help most nights.

One night they had had a hot love making session upstairs in the big canopy red velvet bed. He took her doggie style from behind. He was filled with lust for her and she wanted him just as badly. They fucked the night away. She went down on him, too. Oddly enough, it was the first time she had ever done this. He asked her to.

"Franchesca, my love, put your lips on me," he told her as he laid on his back holding his cock in his hand. She had never done this with anyone before and was quite shocked at the thought. "Here Franchesca... take it in your mouth... I need to feel your soft lips on it." he begged her.

She sat near him on the bed, her long hair flowing down on his legs. She lowered her mouth on him and licked the tip. Her eyes gazed up at him and he stared down into hers as she did this. It tasted slightly salty to her. She played on the tip of it with her tongue and tasted a tiny drop of his fluid that came out. He smiled at this. Then he closed his eyes at the feel of her on it.