“The press?”
“I just got here and this would be even more fodder for the tabloids.” I bit my lip. “But it’s not just me, Alex. The papers would eat this up because it’s you. I mean, can you get in trouble for this?” I motioned between us.
“I’m a grown man, or hadn’t you noticed?”
“I noticed all right.” I smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed next to him while he put on his shoes. “I just don’t want to cause trouble for you.”
“People are going to be interested in us no matter what. That’s not going to change whether we’re together or not.” He looked at me seriously. “And there is no reason I would get in trouble over us.”
“Is there an us?” It sure felt like there was an us after last night. And this morning. And the shower.
“You told me you don’t do one-night stands.” He brushed some of the wet hair away from my face. “And while the sex is awesome, that’s not all I’m looking for either.”
“So, us.” I shook my head. “Alex, I—”
“Don’t make this complicated.” He frowned. “We can keep it quiet, see how it works.”
“Someone already knows.”
“There’s no getting around that. People are going to know; some people have to know.” He didn’t look happy about this plan and I felt guilty.
“Alex, it’s not that I don’t want people to know—it’s that I don’t want people to put pressure on us. I’ve been famous for a week and I already know that we would never get a break.” I grabbed his hand.
“I understand.” He stood up and pulled me with him. “Let’s go get some breakfast, I’m starved.”
We went downstairs and were met with the sound of voices in the kitchen. Alex laced his fingers through mine before lifting our hands to his mouth and kissing my knuckles. Whoever had picked up the clothes by the door had to know what had happened. Or at least had a good idea. There was no reason to try to hide it.
Chadwick was sitting at the island, a plate full of food in front of him while Margie moved about the kitchen. Margie was the first to spot us and smiled.
“Good morning, Samantha. Sir.” She dipped a quick curtsy. “I wasn’t sure what you like for breakfast so made a little of everything.”
Chadwick looked over his shoulder at us and smiled. “Good morning.”
I grabbed a plate off the island and picked out some food. “Thank you, Margie. You didn’t have to make breakfast.”
“I like to cook and I love that I have new people to cook for.” She smiled as she cut up some fruit. “Chadwick did tell me you enjoy fresh fruit for breakfast.”
“Thank you.” I sat next to Chadwick and he pushed a cup of coffee in my direction.
“Where’s the normally grumpy Samantha this morning? Is there a coffeepot in your room?” He took a bite of his toast and looked at me with innocent eyes.
“It’s a pretty morning.” I shrugged and sipped my coffee.
“A very pretty morning.” Alex sat across from me and smirked. I glared at him over my cup, but that just seemed to amuse him.
“Spring is definitely on its way,” Margie said. Her back was turned to us, so she didn’t notice the looks that were being passed around.
“I believe I heard some birds this morning,” Alex said as he ate his pancakes.
“I wonder when the bees will make an appearance,” Chadwick said thoughtfully. “Pollinate a few flowers and such.”
“Really?” I shot them both looks.
“Ignore them, Samantha.” Margie looked over her shoulder at us. “Do you think you’re the first people to fall into bed together? Or the first people that had a lot on the line?”
I closed my mouth and set down my cup. Alex cleared his throat and turned to look at the older woman. “I’m sorry if we’ve put you in an uncomfortable position, but this is something we would like to keep to ourselves if possible. The less people who know about us, the better.”
“Oh, I understand. That’s why I folded up your clothes and set them next to your room.”
“You had clothes all over the house?” Chadwick chuckled. “Jess would be very proud.”
“How did you know Alex was here?” I asked. He hadn’t seemed surprised in the least.
“His Land Rover is out front.” He shook his head and looked at Alex. “And Ned called me. I told him that I thought you had come over early to make sure Samantha was settled.”
“Thank you.” Alex nodded his head.
“Of course, I didn’t tell him that you were the one doing all the settling.”
“I’ve created a monster.” I groaned. Chadwick winked at me.
“I should have turned my phone on this morning, but didn’t want to deal with it yet.” Alex polished off his food.
“Why do you have to go to Paris?” I hadn’t asked him earlier. There had been more pressing things at hand.
“One of the head chairs was hospitalized last night and he was scheduled for a large appearance. They need me to cover for him this week.” He leaned back in his chair. “It’s mostly promotion.”
“Parties and fund-raisers?” I pushed the food around on my plate.
“There’s a gala and a few plaque unveilings.” He sighed. “Get used to the idea of unveiling plaques. You will lose count of how many you’ve done before this year is over.”
“Plaques?”
“To commemorate one thing or another.” He scratched at his chin. “For some people the monarchy is an outdated institution. We hold a little more sway than some of the other remaining royal households because we have retained ownership of the lands that made our country what it is. However, we do so much more than some people notice. We’re the ones sent to rally people for events, to congratulate someone on a job well done. In a time where real, honest successes often go unnoticed, we are the ones who make sure they don’t. If someone has spent fifty years of their life dedicating work to a charity or an important cause, we honor them. If the people feel they are being neglected by the government, they can petition us to bring their troubles to parliament.”
“Did you know that Lilaria is considered one of the happiest countries?” Chadwick asked me.
“I didn’t.” I finished my coffee. I hadn’t really thought of the monarchy as offering support and guidance. Then again, as an American I hadn’t really spent a lot of time thinking about what a monarchy did. “It’s almost like you guys are the parents and the country is your child.”
“You’re part of that too.” Alex leaned forward.
“And you know how you can tell if there are good parents?” Chadwick asked.
“Happy children,” Margie said.
“Exactly.” Chadwick smiled.
Alex stood up and put his plate in the sink. I could tell from his face that it was time for him to leave but he didn’t want to. He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest, watching me as I finished my food.
“Have to go?”
“Unfortunately.” He pushed away from the counter and walked around the island. I stood up, intending to walk him out, but he pulled me into his arms and kissed me right there. It was a tender kiss that left me feeling breathless. So much for keeping things quiet. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay.” I looked up at him and couldn’t help the smile pulling at the corners of my mouth. So far I was kicking myself for having not given in sooner.
He pressed a kissed to the charm on my necklace before letting me go, then turned to smile at the cook. “Thank you for breakfast, Margie.”
“My pleasure, sir.”
“Chadwick, always good to see you.” Alex shook his hand.
“Have a safe trip.”
He pulled on his jacket as he left and my knees felt weak as I watched him go. I slid into my seat and sighed.
“You’re welcome.” Chadwick bit off a piece of toast and smiled at me.
“For what?”
“My pep talk. Maybe I should become a life coach.”
“Oh, good idea since you’re about to lose your current job.”
“Apparently your pleasant morning attitude left with Alex.” He shook his head.
“What are we doing today?” I sipped my coffee, ignoring him. “I’d like to see more of the property.”
“I’ve kept the next few days clear so you can take your time learning the area.”
“Great. I want to see the lake.”
After breakfast I headed out with Stanley to see the property. The lake was a short walk from the house, but long enough that I worried my dad might not make it.
“Do we have anything that would be able to carry my father here?” I stared out over the water. It was beautiful.
“Yes, we have a golf cart that can make the drive as long as there hasn’t been any bad weather.” Stanley put his hands on his hips. “We also have furniture that we can put up and leave once spring sets in.”
“That sounds good.” I walked along the edge of the water. The call of a hawk drew my attention up to the sky. The weather had cleared up a great deal and standing there in the sun with the birds flying overhead, I felt like I could finally breathe.
“The lake also runs along the prince’s estate.” Stanley pointed off in the distance. “I’m sure the land was divided in such a way that the original landowners could both have access to the water.”
I nodded my head. That made perfect sense. “What else is out here? Tell me about the land.”
“There are a few hiking trails and a running trail that circle the lake.” Stanley pointed out the entrance. “Jeanette runs in the early mornings and I walk the trails from time to time to make sure there haven’t been any problems.”
“That’s nice. I like to run when it’s not freezing out.” I picked up a small rock and ran my fingers over it.
“We also have horses. Most of the hiking trails are perfect for riding.”
“We have horses?” I looked over at him with a smile. “I haven’t ridden since I was a little girl.”
“Three. Let’s go check out the stables.”
The stables were tidy, and several grooms were tending to the horses. They all stopped what they were doing to bow while Stanley introduced them and I spent some time asking about their jobs. The horses themselves were gorgeous and one of the mares was with foal.
“How many other people work on the estate?” I asked as we walked through one of the gardens.
“We have ten full-time staff and five who work part time. Many of them only work on certain days or on rotation.”
“Wow. That many?” That was intimidating. Fifteen people coming in and out of my property all the time?
“Actually, we run on a very tight ship and those numbers include me and Margie. I was planning on hiring more people now that we have you in residence.” Stanley picked up a rake that had fallen over.
“Why do we need more people?”
“I’m sure you’ll be hosting dinners or fund-raisers.” Stanley stuck his hands in his pockets. “We’ll need more staff to keep up with the influx of people.”
“Dinners? Fund-raisers?” I laughed and rubbed my face.
“Eventually all this will feel normal.” Stanley laughed. “I have to admit, I’m looking forward to what all you do. I think this place is going to be much livelier from now on.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
We spent a lot of time going over the things that were done on a regular basis. It probably felt silly to him, but Stanley answered every question with as much explanation as possible. The more we walked around the property, the more I fell in love with it. There was so much history and one of my favorite parts of the whole place was a little area near a stone wall. The trees overlapped and I could see much of the property. There was a worn stone bench and I imagine it had been used by many over the years.
I checked out the cottage that would be Chadwick’s home and the garage. I took pictures as we walked. I couldn’t wait to send them to my dad and Jess. They were going to love it here. Cathy called to see how I was settling in and said she wanted to come visit next weekend. Once we had it figured out, I spent the rest of the day unpacking the boxes I’d brought with me and trying to make the place feel like home.
I was sitting on the floor in my room and sorting my books when my phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and smiled like an idiot when I realized it was Alex.
“Hello?”
“Miss me yet?”
“Nope.” I smiled.
“Liar.” He laughed.
“You should be studied for that giant ego of yours. It’s unhealthy.” I set a couple of books on a shelf I had cleared.
“I think it’s well deserved.”
“You would.” I laughed. “Aren’t you breaking some kind of dating rule? Like wait a full day before calling?”
“What can I say? I’m thinking about that shower and wishing I had stayed.”
My breath caught as an image of him covered in water flashed in my mind. “Well, I did warn you.”
“True.”
“Have you made it to Paris?”
“I’m here, have unveiled a plaque, finished a conference call, and am now back at my apartment.”
“You have an apartment there?” I was wishing I hadn’t wanted to keep our relationship quiet. I’d always wanted to visit Paris.
“I do. It’s in the seventh arrondissement.” I could hear him walking around. “I can see the Eiffel Tower from my bedroom.”
“Wow. I thought you’d have to stay at the Lilarian embassy.” I leaned back against my bed.
“I like having my own place. Then I don’t have to explain to anyone when I get up in the middle of the night for a glass of milk.”
“I have no idea how to respond to that.” My imagination went into overdrive at the thought of him walking around naked.
“I do. Come here and keep me warm.” His voice took on a serious tone.
“I just got here, Alex. And your sister is coming in a few days.” I chewed on my thumbnail.
“It’s for the best, I suppose. The press here can be vicious.” He sighed. “Not to mention you’re a blanket hog.”
“I am not!”
“And you make weird noises.”
“You said that was cute!” I laughed.
“And sexy.” He chuckled.
We talked for a while and he explained some of the internal workings of the FBT and I talked to him about the estate. We didn’t run out of things to talk about and it wasn’t until he got another call that we hung up. I couldn’t wait to talk to him again.
Royal Shopping Spree?
—Paris Post
The next day I convinced Chadwick and Margie to run to town with me. Becca came along just in case we needed her, but I felt like it was overkill. The good news was I didn’t have to dress up for something like this and no one was expecting me to show up.
We parked the car in one of the public lots and hit some of the local shops. I wanted to show my support of the family-run businesses, so I avoided the chain stores. When we entered a florist shop the woman inside seemed shocked. Chadwick was laughing to himself while the woman tried to hand me every bouquet I looked at. I ended up buying flowers for my room and a set for Chadwick, but only because I insisted on paying.
“Sheesh. I can’t remember the last time someone didn’t want me to pay for something.” I tucked the flowers under my arm and fiddled with my purse. “When I was eating macaroni and cheese in college, everyone wanted me to pay for things. But now that I have money, I have to force them to take it. I thought I was going to have to pull rank!”
“Don’t worry, there will be lots of people happy to take your cash.” Margie shook her head.
“Too right.” Chadwick shot me a look, obviously thinking about Jeremy from the zoo.
It was actually sort of fun to walk around the town. Some of the people didn’t know what to say and just stared at me while others talked nonstop. I wasn’t sure if that was because they were nervous or because they thought it might be their only chance to talk to me. Margie and Chadwick often stepped in to help me escape when that happened, but for the most part people seemed to understand I had other things to do.
At one point a young mother with a baby in a stroller stopped to welcome me to the town. Just when I was getting ready to go pay for the homemade bubble bath I was holding, she asked me to take a picture with the infant.
“Sure.” I smiled at the little girl and turned to face the mother’s phone for the picture when I felt something warm cover my arm. I didn’t say anything until she had gotten her pictures, but there was no hiding the wet spot on my jacket.
“Oh my Lord! Duchess, I’m so sorry. So sorry. Here, let me buy you a new coat.” The young woman handed me a towel from her diaper bag.
“It’s fine! Really, don’t worry about it.” I couldn’t help that a laugh bubbled up out of my throat. “My first picture with a baby and I get peed on. It’s pretty funny.”
“I’ve never been this embarrassed before in my life.” The young woman looked close to tears.
“Here, hand me the baby and take another one. When she grows up, you can use it as blackmail.”
She chuckled weakly. “Oh, no. I couldn’t do that to you.”
“Just send me an e-mail with the picture. My father will think it’s hilarious.” I held my arms out for the baby and made a silly face while Chadwick laughed. He gave her his e-mail address and she promised to e-mail it that night.
“What if that ends up in the papers?” Margie asked me.
“I don’t care. What’re they going to title that article? ‘Duchess Gets Peed On?’” I laughed. “Maybe it’ll make everyone realize I’m just human.”
“It was really sweet of you to make sure that mother didn’t feel so bad.”
“Meh. It was funny. I mean, who else would get peed on? It would only happen to me.” I shrugged out of my jacket and shirt in the dressing room of a nearby shop. “Or I’d be the mother whose baby peed on someone famous.”
“Still very nice of you.” She passed me a shirt over the door.
“Not really. I could have been upset or laughed it off.” I opened the door and walked out. “There was nothing to do for it at that point.”
The rest of the day went smoothly. We ate in a local pub, which I loved. For the first time since arriving in the country I felt like I was experiencing the real culture. People spoke a mix of English and Lilarian, often in the same sentence. I liked how birds were a common thread. They were painted on signs and featured on wind chimes.
The pub owner came over to introduce himself but didn’t stay. Most people smiled in our direction and apparently the story of the peepee picture was already starting to circulate. One of the waitresses was related to the baby and brought us a basket of chips.
“Sally was so embarrassed, but she couldn’t get over how sweet you were.”
“I didn’t do anything special.” I shook my head.
Most of the people who came in would shoot me a look and then act like I wasn’t there. It was perfect. By the time we headed back to the house, I was tired but happy.
I worked with Stanley through the week to understand more about the running of a manor and found that it was as intimidating as I had thought it would be. Selene made a visit, but since my title hadn’t been officially reinstated, I couldn’t take on any of the local cases to present to parliament. I enjoyed her visit and found myself looking forward to working with her. She was a bright woman who loved her home.
Alex called every night and I found myself looking forward to his voice more each time. Despite the demands on his time, he never seemed frustrated or angry, even though I could hear how tired he was. He asked questions about the manor and how I was adjusting. When I told him about the baby incident he laughed so hard I thought he was going to snort.
“It’s not that funny!”
“Oh, that is priceless.” He chuckled. “And you thought the best thing to do would be to take another picture?”
“Yeah. I mean what else was there? Wave her off and leave her feeling horrible?” I shrugged my shoulders even though he couldn’t see me. “It was the first thing that popped into my mind. I was hoping it would make her laugh.”
“And has it shown up in the papers?”
“The local post contacted Chadwick and requested a copy. Apparently Sally, the mother, told them they needed my permission.” I laughed. “They were good sports about it.”
“That was right of her.” I could hear his voice growing thick.
“I think so.” I sighed. “Go to bed. You sound exhausted.”
“Sorry, today was incredibly long.”
“I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Good night.”
Later, after my shower, I plugged my phone in to charge and realized there was a text message from Alex.
Alex: Miss you.
I bit my lip for a second before responding.
ME: Miss you too.
By the time the weekend rolled around, I was itching to see him again. I had almost forgotten that Cathy was coming until she texted me Friday morning. Stanley and I were in the front yard discussing some of the fencing damaged by the last snowfall when she arrived. She was wearing jeans and boots, which was the first time I had seen her looking so relaxed.
She hopped out of the car with a package in her hands. Running straight to me, she threw her arms around my neck.
“Hey!” I hugged her back.
“You look good.” She pulled back to look at me. “I knew you’d feel better once you got out here.”
“I’m really starting to love it.” I took her inside and she handed me the package.
“Happy housewarming.”
“You didn’t need to get me anything.” I held it in my hands and examined the wrapping paper.
“Hush. You don’t go to a person’s new home without a gift!” She smiled at me. “Open it.”
I pulled the bow off and tore into the wrapping. Inside was a beautiful bird statue. I pulled it out and examined the detail. It was a merlin, small but fierce.
“It’s gorgeous.”
“It’s considered good luck. Most homes have a bird tucked somewhere. When I saw this was a merlin I had to get it.”
“Thank you. I love it.” I reached out and hugged her with my free arm. “Where should I put it?”
“A lot of people keep them in their kitchens or offices.” She shrugged. “But it doesn’t really matter.”
“I know just the place.” I led her upstairs and put it on the desk in the library. “Perfect.”
I showed her the house and told her about the few things I had decided to change. While I loved all the history, I wanted to make it feel a little more personal. Most of the things would be very small but would help me settle in.
I had invited Cathy for a pizza party, but I hadn’t known there wasn’t a pizza parlor anywhere nearby. Instead of ordering in I had bought all the ingredients and we were trying to figure out how to make pizza dough.
“You’ve never done this before?” She looked at me over a glass of wine.
“How hard can it be? A little flour, a little water, knead. We can do this.” I shrugged nonchalantly. “Grab the measuring cup.”
I had told Margie to take the night off, so it was just me and Cathy. She looked behind her at the cups on the counter and frowned. “How big?”
“What?”
“Which one do you want? There are four measuring cups here.”
“I don’t know.” I picked up the instructions and read over them. “Three-quarters of a cup.”
“These are in metric.” She laughed but handed me the right one. “Here.”
“I forgot about that.” I frowned. “I hope I don’t mess this up.”
Forty minutes later we were both covered in flour and giggling. The dough had been runny, so I had added more flour, but that hadn’t helped. Cathy was trying to scrape the sticky mess off the counter when the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it.” I grabbed a towel on my way and tried to scrub the mess from my hands. I pulled open the door and my heart thumped in my chest. Alex was standing on there with a small duffle bag and a huge smile.
“Hi.”
“I thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow night!” I smiled and stepped back so he could come in.
“I managed to get stuff done early, so hurried home.” He dropped his bag and walked toward me.
“Is that why you were so tired last night?” He had snored at one point, but when I told him about it, he denied it.
“Maybe.” He pulled the cloth out of my hands and threw it onto the entry way table. “It was worth it.”
His hands wrapped around my waist and I melted into him. When his lips slid over mine hungrily, I returned his kiss with fervor, devouring his taste. He growled against me and lifted me in his arms so that my feet didn’t touch the ground. There was no hesitation when he turned and started walking for the stairs.
“Now I know why you look so happy.” Cathy’s voice had me pulling my head away from Alex’s. “No, no. Don’t stop for me. I’ll just eat this nasty pizza all by myself.” The fake hurt in her voice made me roll my eyes. I looked over at her and laughed. There was flour all over her face and sticky dough clumped in her hair.
“Funny, huh? You don’t look much better,” Cathy pointed out.
I looked at Alex, who was still holding me off the ground, and realized I had rubbed flour on his face. “Oh no. I must look a mess!”
I wiggled and he set my feet back on the ground before kissing my nose. “I don’t care.”
“When did this happen?” Cathy leaned against the kitchen doorframe. “And I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
“Last weekend.” Alex watched as I retrieved my towel and wiped at my face.
“So your big plan worked.”
“Big plan?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Yes, it did.” He smiled, completely unbothered.
“Oh, it was a doozy.” She snorted. “Incredibly intricate and well thought out.”
“Is that so?” I looked from her to him.
“Stick around as much as possible until you gave in.” He shrugged.
“And it worked!” Cathy laughed.
I shook my head with a smile. It certainly had.
“Are you going to tell me why you’re covered in goop?” Alex reached out and scooped a chunk from my hair.
“Pizza party.” I led him to the kitchen.
“The pizza party from hell.” He whistled. “Margie is going to have a heart attack.”
I looked around and cringed. He was right—we had made a mess. “Yesh.”
“You’re lucky I’m a good cook.” He moved past me and went to work. I looked over at Cathy, who was nodding her head.
“Sit! Talk.” She patted one of the chairs at the island. “What happened?”
“Um.” This wasn’t really a talk I wanted to have with Alex’s sister, especially not when he was listening in. “I just realized I was being dense.”
“And what was your big clue?”
“Chadwick poked me.”
Cathy threw her head back and laughed. “I’ll have to remember that in case you decide to overthink things in the future.”
“I need to tell him thank you.” Alex winked at me over his shoulder. His hands were busy turning our sloppy mess into something familiar.
“I thought you left last weekend for Paris.” Cathy grabbed some of the cheese from a bowl on the island and popped it in her mouth.
“I did. I left the next morning.” Alex laughed while I blushed.
“Then you definitely owe Chadwick a thank-you.” She shook her head. “And I’m leaving after dinner.”
“But I invited you to stay the weekend!” I frowned.
“I have to go back in the morning anyway. And there’s no way I’m staying here while you two act like horny teenagers.” She winked at me. “I’ll stay at D’Lynsal tonight.”
“I can behave myself.” I frowned.
“I can’t.” Alex didn’t look up from what he was working on.
“Yech.” Cathy grimaced. “Really, it’s fine. You can make it up to me and come out with me in the city. I’m tired of it being a boys’ club.”
“Cathy, I hate clubs and bars.” I shook my head. “I’ll do anything else.”
“Please?” She looked up at me with her big eyes and I almost caved.
“Hey! Stop that! No anime eyes.”
Alex chuckled. “I thought Tabitha was still in town.”
My stomach clenched at the name of his ex and I had to stomp on the jealousy. Who cared if she was at the palace? Alex was here in my kitchen.
“It’s not the same. She’s all over her new boyfriend.”
“What about Kyle?” I narrowed my eyes. He was the person she normally went with to the clubs.
“That’s who I’m talking about.” Cathy frowned.
I reached over and grabbed her hand. No wonder she wanted someone to come out with her. It was obvious that even though she had thought she was being careful, she’d still ended up hurt.
“I just don’t want to stop doing things because it’s uncomfortable.” She sighed. “Besides, you’ll have Alex to keep the guys away.”
“Samantha and I are keeping this quiet for now.” I could see Alex’s shoulders tense.
“Why?” Cathy narrowed her eyes at me.
“I just don’t want the attention.” I shrugged. “Or the pressure.”
“We’re just taking our time.” Alex slipped the pizza into the oven before turning around.
“Oh.” Cathy’s mouth pulled to the side and I could see she thought it was a bad idea. “It won’t stay quiet forever.”
“We know.” Alex shot me a look.
After dinner I called Becca and asked her to drive Cathy to Alex’s home. Even though she’d only had one glass of wine, I didn’t like the idea of her making the trip. I took my time cleaning the kitchen because I didn’t want to leave a mess for Margie, but it took a lot of willpower. I wanted nothing more than to drag Alex up to my bedroom. I figured if I took care of it now I wouldn’t have to worry about getting to it in the morning.
I was wiping the island off when Alex moved behind me. He placed a hand on either side of me on the counter and nuzzled my neck, sending shivers over my body. When he pushed against me so I could feel how hard he was, my breathing picked up. He tugged my rubber band loose, letting my hair fall around my shoulders.
I leaned on the counter for traction so I could rub against him and was rewarded with a growl of pleasure. He pressed against me so I was almost bent over completely, his body bracketing mine. Pulling my hair to the side, he ran his lips over my neck and up to my ear.
“Are you expecting anyone else tonight?” His teeth tugged at my lobe.
“No.” The word came out on a groan as he ground against me.
“Good.” He slid his hand between me and the counter to undo my jeans. “Because I don’t think we’re going to make it upstairs.”
His hand slipped into my pants and I moaned with desire. Pressed between him and the counter, I had nothing to do but enjoy the attention. My breaths were coming in pants and my knees were starting to feel weak. I moved my hips so that I was rubbing against him and he groaned deep in his throat.
“I really like those jeans.” He leaned forward to press a kiss to my neck. His free hand gripped my hip as he moved in a slow rhythm.
When he pulled away from me, I made a sound of disappointment. Thankfully he was just giving himself a little room and yanked my jeans down to my ankles. I gasped and started to turn, but he kept a hand on my back so I couldn’t see what he was doing. When I heard the zipper of his pants, my breathing picked up and I wasn’t sure if it was in nervousness or anticipation.
He moved his hands over my ass in appreciation, squeezing gently. I’d never been taken like this and I didn’t know what to expect. When he reached around to massage me again, I groaned loudly. I was putty in his hands, weak with wanting.
“Is this okay?” He pressed against me so that I could feel the heat of his erection.
I nodded my head, unable to find my voice. His fingers continued to rub me until I was slick with need. He pushed at my opening and my breath caught. I froze and had to take a deep breath.
“Samantha?” I could hear the strain in his words.
“I’m okay.” My voice sounded raspy so I swallowed and tried again. “I want you.”
He pressed against me again, but this time didn’t stop. Slowly he slid inch by inch inside me until I could feel his balls pressed against my swollen mound. He groaned something in Lilarian and I took a deep breath. It was different, but good. From this angle he filled me completely.
When he pulled back out, I gasped and then whimpered with his reentry. Soon my hips were rocking with him and I was moaning against the counter, my hot breath leaving little clouds of condensation on the cold stone.
“Alex.” I groaned his name loudly as his thrusts sped up.
“I missed you.” He slammed into me and I could feel the orgasm building to its peak. His thrusts came faster and faster until words were impossible. With one final push, he jerked inside of me and pleasure exploded over my body. My legs shook weakly and my breath came out in heavy pants.
“Missed you, too.”
A Prince on the Streets, a Freak in the Sheets?
—The Gossip Crown
The next morning I woke up to the sound of Alex’s gentle snoring. I opened my eyes to see him still sound asleep. I didn’t want to wake him because I knew he was exhausted after his week in Paris. I couldn’t believe he had worked so hard just so he could come back early.
I studied the planes of his face as he slept, committing them to memory. I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of looking at him. What had surprised me over the last month had been how much I loved just being with him. I hadn’t thought it would be possible to feel so comfortable with Alex, but I was quickly finding that I didn’t know how I had lived so long without him. My phone beeped on the nightstand and I carefully dislodged his arm so I could turn to see who was calling.
When I realized it was my dad I rolled off the bed and tiptoed out of the room.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Sam.” He sounded tired and I tried to figure out what time it was back home, but my mind was too foggy to do the math. I knew it was way too early for a phone call.
“What’s wrong, Dad?” I went to the library and grabbed one of the blankets off the small sofa.
“The doctor wants me to push back my trip.”
“Why?” I chewed on my nail, waiting for the bad news. There was no way it could be anything else.
“There was no change in the scan and they’ve put me on a different medicine.” He sounded so tired it made my heart clench.
“Then we need to get you over here even sooner.”
“I want to wait. The medicine makes me feel pretty bad.” He sighed. “They said it would take a little while for me to get used to it.”
“Dad, why can’t they try something else?” I shook my head angrily. “That’s crazy! They need to change it.” He didn’t say anything for a while and I listened to his labored breathing. “Dad?”
“This is the best thing for me right now. Even Dr. Bielefeld thinks so.”
“You’ve spoken to Dr. Bielefeld?” That made me feel better. “Is he working with your doctors in the States?”
“Yes. They contacted him when they got the scans back. I’ve spoken to him several times now.” His voice was so strained.
“What are you doing up so early? You sound terrible.”
“Gee, thanks, honey.” He chuckled and for just a moment sounded like his normal self.
“I’m serious. Why are calling me so early?”
“I wanted to catch you before your day started. I know how busy you are and didn’t want to interrupt anything later.”
“What does the medicine do? I mean, what’s making you feel so bad?”
“Just makes me sick to my stomach.” He sighed. “And I have a hard time sleeping.”
“I’ll come home.” I rubbed at my cheek. “Chadwick can get me a flight tonight or tomorrow.”
“Absolutely not,” he snapped. I froze, surprised, because he wasn’t one to raise his voice. “I’m coming there, remember?” His voice softened. “I just need to let the medicine get into my system good.”
“I want to be there. I wouldn’t have left if I’d known.”
“I know.” His tone made my eyebrows pull together. “It’s okay. I didn’t mean to upset you, but I knew you’d want to know.”
“Why didn’t Patricia tell me? I talked to her yesterday.”
“I wanted to tell you.” He heaved a sigh. “I knew you would be upset.”
“Damn right, I’m upset.”
“Don’t be. It’s just part of the deal. Hey, do you have any pictures of Patricia’s room? She was asking me about it yesterday.”
“I can take some. I think she’ll like it.” I stood up and paced the length of the library. “Nice change of subject there. I’m still worried.”
“Don’t be.” I heard him moving and realized that he must be in his bed. “I’m going to try to sleep. I’ll call you soon.”
“I miss you.” I took a deep breath.
“Miss you too, baby.”
I hung up the phone and stared out the library window for a minute. Having Dad so far away broke my heart. Especially with everything else going on. Taking a deep breath, I decided I’d call Dr. Bielefeld on Monday morning to see if we had any options for getting here sooner. And if there weren’t, I’d blow everything else off to get home.
Using the blanket as a wrap, I tiptoed back down the hall to my room. Alex hadn’t moved, so I climbed back into bed and curled around him. His mouth pulled up into a smile and he wrapped an arm around my waist.
“Good morning.”
“Morning.” I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent.
“Everything okay?” He shifted so he could see my face.
“Dad called. His scan wasn’t good and they’ve changed his medicine.” I took a deep breath. “He wants to wait to come over, see if his body can get used to the medicine first. It makes him sick.”
“We could get a flight and go to him.”
I looked up at him, my heart bouncing a little. The fact that he had included himself in the plans made me warm all over. Brushing my fingers over his face, I kissed him softly.
“What’s that for?” He looked down into my eyes.
“For being you.” I cuddled closer to him. “He doesn’t want me to go over there. I think he’s worried that if I do, he won’t ever get to come here.”
“Is it that bad?” He rubbed a hand over my hair.
“He didn’t say so, but I’m worried. I’m going to call the doctor on Monday and see what he thinks.” I sighed. “Dad sounded really rough.”
“Why don’t we do something fun today? Take your mind off it until Monday.” He propped himself up on his elbow.
“What do you have in mind?”
“Come to D’Lynsal and I’ll introduce you to my birds.” He raised an eyebrow. “Spend a little time outside. It’s supposed to be nice today.”
“That sounds great.” I sat up and turned to look at him. “Can we go now?”
“Sure.”
D’Lynsal manor was less than an hour from Rousseau. I fiddled with the radio as we drove, amused by the wide range of music. Alex played tour guide and pointed out some of the local landmarks we passed. Becca and Duvall were in a car behind us, which helped make it feel like it was just us.
When we pulled up to D’Lynsal, Alex waved at the gate guard and we were let in. If I had thought Rousseau was breathtaking, it was nothing compared to Alex’s home. Instead of a house that looked a bit like a castle, this was an actual castle.
“Wow.” I leaned forward in my seat as we pulled up. A turret along one of the corners had arched windows and a flag flying on top. Much like Rousseau, there was a circle driveway with a garden in the center. Unlike the home that was now mine, there were a lot of extra buildings nearby.
“What’s that building?” I pointed at the one closest to the house.
“The people who work here have rooms.” He parked at the front door. “Then there are a few storage buildings and work sheds. The stables are behind the house.”
A butler opened the front door for us with a bow. I realized that here would be a lot more people who might possibly sell us out to the press. I stepped away from the hand Alex had on my back and smiled at the people who greeted us. I tried to ignore the look Alex shot me and focused on seeing everything around me.
The house was amazing. The stone walls from outside were also inside and I was reminded of a fancy hunting lodge. Where my home was large, I could still find all the rooms with a quick search. Here, I had no idea where a kitchen would be, much less a bathroom. I stood in the grand room and turned in a circle, taking it all in. Alex watched me as I surveyed the splendor that was his life.
“You grew up here?”
“We have a few other places, but most of my childhood was spent here and the palace.” He motioned for me to follow him up a large staircase. “There is a smaller family area upstairs. These areas are more like a pass-through for us, unless we’re having a special event.”
I thought about the tiny house I had lived in with my mother before she married my dad. The house we had moved into together was larger and newer, but still nothing fancy. Despite all the family portraits hanging along the wall, it felt impersonal and I couldn’t imagine being a child here.
“I bet you never got to watch TV with dinner.”
“Not true. My grandmother used to let us eat with those little tables in front of the sofa.” He smiled at me over his shoulder. “She was addicted to The Price is Right.”
“You guys get The Price is Right here?” I laughed.
“I think they were reruns, but she didn’t care.”
He showed me the family room upstairs and the small kitchen. There was a separate TV room, which amused me. In the States the family room was typically where everyone gathered to watch shows or movies. When he showed me his room, I was ready to be wowed. He opened the door and stepped inside. There was a large four-poster bed along one wall, but the rest of the room felt very modern.
“I’m jealous.” I looked around.
“Why?”
“There’s not a stitch of wallpaper in here.”
He laughed and pulled me toward the bathroom. “Wait until you see the tub.”
“That’s a pool.” He was right. I coveted the tub.
He laughed as we left his room and headed outside. I was so excited to see his birds I practically jogged down the stairs. He led me around the stables, which housed ten horses, and around to the mews. The cages were much more elegant than what I’d worked with at school, but it was familiar all the same.
The hawks were gorgeous. Alex retrieved gloves for us and brought me a bird.
“What’s her name?” I looked over her feathers and feet.
“Tweety.”
I looked over at him and smiled. “Tweety?”
“Remember the little boy you met the first night? Leo?”
“Ah. He named Tweety?”
“I named her Talon, he disagreed. You can see who won.”
I snickered. Remembering how Alex had looked with the kids that night convinced me Leo hadn’t had to put up much of a fight.
“Want to take them out?” He closed the mew and stepped out with his own hawk. “Tweety and Sylvester work together really well.”
“By all means.” I looked at Tweety. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
We spent hours out with the birds and I could have stayed longer. There was something spectacular about watching the birds fly, their wings spread as they rode the currents and searched for game.
“My father loved birds.” Alex watched as the birds swept the area. “I can’t remember a time when we didn’t own any.”
“There’s a freedom that comes with flying.” I looked over at him.
“Exactly. Nothing ties them down unless they want it to.” He looked over at me. “I think that’s part of the reason he was so fond of them. They could go wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted.”
“Did he feel trapped?”
“No more than anyone feels trapped.” He shrugged. “Everyone is tied down in some way. Work, family, medical problems. It’s what you make of it. That’s why it’s so important to surround yourself with the things that make you happy. If you have a bad day at work but get to come home to a woman you love or your favorite hobby, the rest doesn’t matter as much.”
I thought about what he was saying as I watched the birds. Was that why he had kept after me even though I tried to keep him at arm’s length?
Someone with food actually drove a small golf-cart-type vehicle out to where we were when lunchtime came around, so after seeing to the birds we spent some time enjoying the warmer weather while we ate. He told me about his family and described holidays with nobles running around. It was obvious that his family was much closer with some of the nobles than others, but there was still a very tight-knit feel.
“Do any of the nobles have regular jobs? Or do you all focus on royal tasks?” I tucked my legs under me on the blanket that had been spread out and picked up a carrot.
“A lot of us have jobs on the side. Daniel has a degree in marketing, but he uses it more for the family than anything else. I believe he does take on contract work from time to time. When not drunk, Kyle is working on a business degree, but I have no idea if he’ll ever use it. Mother doesn’t send him on assignments for the crown, so it would be best if he figures out something to do with his life.”
“What about Cathy? She’s starting school soon.”
“Cathy is going for a history degree. She’s wanted to work in a museum since she was little.” He leaned back on the blanket and looked up at the sky. “The problem is that she’ll never be able to have a full-time job.”
“Why not?” I lay down next to him but kept my distance. His hand snaked out and wrapped around my fingers.
“She’s too close to the throne. Until I have children, Max and Cathy are the next heirs and are required to speak for the crown.”
“That’s such a foreign thought to me. It’s like you guys aren’t real people, just objects.” I frowned. “What about after you have kids? Will she be able to take a job then? And Max is away at school now. Will he be able to do anything with his degree?”
“She might, but will most likely find a charity to focus on. The crown can’t keep up with every single thing required of them and the other nobles are counted on to help. Max and Cathy will always be a part of the day-to-day operations of the monarchy. Going to school is just a chance for us to live a little before we are immersed in the running of things.” He turned his head and looked at me. “There are lots of perks, though. It’s not all work. We don’t have to worry about as much as the English royal family, which means we’re not as spread thin.”
“Will I have to do things for the queen?” I knew I had responsibilities to the Rousseau village, but hadn’t thought about much more than that.
“It depends. She tends to pick and choose carefully.” He smiled. “I think it’s reasonable to assume she’ll have some things you’d be perfect for.”
“Hm.” I looked back up at the clouds and wondered if that would change if our relationship did go public. When I thought about all the people who would follow my every move it made me nauseous. Alex was worth it. More than worth it, but it was still something I was going to need to ease into. And there was a big part of me that worried what we had might not last. Then I’d be left to pick up the pieces of my very publicly broken heart.
“You’ve got a while before you have to worry about it. She can’t ask you to take on any official duties until you’ve gone through the reinstatement ceremony.” He squeezed my fingers.
“Good to know.” I started to pull my hand away, but he tightened his grip.
“Samantha, you don’t have to worry about people here. They won’t say anything.” He rolled over to his side and propped his head up. “Most of the employees here are generational. Their families have worked for my family for years. In a lot of ways they’re like extended family.”
I bit my lip and looked up at him. “I’m making this difficult. I know it. But…”
“You’re scared.” He cupped my cheek. “I do understand. I’m willing to wait until you’re ready, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“Doesn’t it bother you?” I frowned. “That people will speculate about us?”
“People always speculate about couples.” He laughed.
“But not on the front page of the papers!”
“That’ll calm down. Eventually they’ll find something else to focus on.” He shrugged.
“I’m just not used to it.” I sighed. “I’ll get there. I promise.”
Slowly, so that I had time to move, he leaned forward and brushed his lips across mine. My body’s response to him was immediate and I forgot about who might be watching. He continued to tease me with feather-soft kisses until I nipped at his bottom lip. That did the trick and he deepened our kiss. I ran my hands through his hair, enjoying how warm it felt on my fingers.
When he finally pulled away, I snuggled close to him and he chuckled. “I should kiss you more often. It makes you much more agreeable.”
“Shut it and cuddle me.”
The rest of the weekend was spent with the birds or learning more about the area. Alex was good at keeping me distracted, but the closer it came to Monday, the more anxious I became.