I stare at the buoy she pointed out. It’s near the castle grounds, and I know the lake like the back of my hand. I turn to Elle. “Are you… Have you ever noticed a runner over there in the mornings?”
She turns her head slowly to look at me, her eyes widening. “Is that you?”
I laugh. “You’re the rower?”
“I can’t believe I’ve been racing the freaking Prince of Farcliff every morning.” A giggle escapes Elle’s lips and she shakes her head. “Why do you do that? You can’t outrun me when I’m on the water.’
I grin, shrugging. “I like the way you toy with me. You make me think I’m winning just long enough to dash my hopes when you finally pull away.”
“Are you some sort of masochist?” She laughs and her blush deepens. “If I’d known it was you…”
“… then you wouldn’t have acted like yourself, which would be a shame. I like you as you are.”
Elle bites her lip, looking away and taking a sip of water. Her finger toys with the edge of the glass and smiles at me, shaking her head. “You’re not how I thought you’d be.”
“How did you think I’d be?” I ask.
“I’ve heard stories,” she says slowly. “About you… with women.”
“What kind of stories?”
Elle blushes again, and I fight the urge to crush my lips against hers. She shrugs, and I can feel the distance growing between us. “Stories of you… you know. You having sex and then demanding that the girls leave. A new girl every night. Models, actresses. That kind of thing. A player. Not really the type of guy that I would normally go for.”
“Yet you’re here.”
“Yet, I’m here,” she repeats with a tentative smile. “Despite all my better judgement.”
I lead her to the couch and we put our glasses down on the side table. I drape my arm across the back of the sofa as she crosses one long leg over the other. She rests her head on my arm and looks at me.
“So, what kind of guy would you normally go for?” I ask with a grin.
That makes Elle laugh. “I don’t know. I’m not exactly in high demand.”
“You are to me.”
She glances at me, frowning, as if she thinks I’m joking. I’m not. She’s the most gorgeous, perfect creature I’ve ever laid eyes on. I run my fingers over her jaw and kiss her softly. Elle leans into me, curling her fingers into my shirt and pulling me closer. I inhale her scent, her skin, her flavor. I drink her in and kiss her more deeply.
She pulls away, leaning her forehead against mine. “Why did you bring me here?”
“What do you mean?”
Elle backs away a little more, staring into my eyes. She tilts her head to the side and shrugs. “I mean, you probably have women crawling all over you. What’s your angle here? Why me?”
“My angle?” I scoff. “I can’t just be into you?”
“You’re the Prince of Farcliff, so no, you can’t just ‘be into me’. It doesn’t make sense.”
“I know who I am. Why wouldn’t it make sense for me to be into you? You’re the sexiest woman I’ve seen in my life. You’re constantly surprising me. Is it so unbelievable that I would actually enjoy spending time with you?”
“Kind of, yes.”
I pull away from her, frustrated.
She shakes her head. “Listen, I’ve seen pictures of your girlfriends. They look nothing like me. I don’t know, Charlie—Your Highness—I just… I have a lot going on now. It might not seem like much, but rowing is really important to me. I need to perform well, and when I’m around you…” She sucks in a breath. “I don’t know. You’re super hot, and funny, and charismatic. You’re literal royalty.”
Elle takes a deep breath and stares at the ceiling. I don’t really know how to react. This isn’t how women usually act around me. Usually, a girl would be all over me by now—not trying to talk herself out of it.
She swings those big, brown eyes toward me. “This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have come. I might just be the flavor of the month for you, but that’s not how I operate. I’m sorry to waste your time.”
Elle shifts her weight to get up.
“Wait, stop,” I shake my head.
“Thank you for everything. Last night was incredible, and this place is beautiful.”
“So, stay.”
“If I stay, I’ll notice more things about you that I like, and it’ll be that much harder when you get bored of me.”
“Who says I’m getting bored of you?”
Elle laughs. “Every article I’ve ever read about you. Your reputation ever since you were, what? Fifteen?”
“That was different.” Frustration bubbles up inside me. What happened when I was a teenager was different. Chaotic. Wrong.
We both stand. I want her to stay. I want to make her smile, and to know more about her. I want to talk to her and be around her—and then I want to fuck her brains out until the sun comes up.
“I’m from Grimdale, Your Highness. I don’t even know who my parents were. I’m only at Farcliff University because I have a rowing scholarship. Getting involved with you…” She shakes her head.
“What?”
“It’s a bad idea.” Elle sighs sadly before leaning toward me and brushing her lips against my cheek. “Thank you for bringing me up here. I don’t think I’m the right girl for you, but I appreciate the time you’ve spent with me. You’ve made me feel beautiful and sexy, and I can’t tell you how refreshing it’s been. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”
We stare at each other for a few seconds. She squeezes my hand and suddenly, panic starts to bubble up inside me. When she pulls away, I know she’s going to leave.
I can’t let her go. She’s the first woman that I actually want to be around. She’s the only person that I’ve actually wanted to talk to and cared about what she has to say. She makes me feel like she cares about me—not just my title. But Elle gathers her things and heads to the door as my heart starts to pound.
“Wait, Elle…”
She turns toward me, eyebrow arched.
“Don’t go.”
“I have to. I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I need to take care of myself. You don’t understand the effect you have on me, and knowing that this… thing between us is going nowhere just makes it that much harder to be around you.”
“It’s not going nowhere.”
“No?” Elle tilts her head, and I know she’s right. She’s from Grimdale, and I’m next in line for the throne.
I run my hands through my hair and take a deep breath. “I know I’m a dickhead to women, I know I have a bad reputation, but please stay. Please.”
I’ve never begged a woman for anything. Elle toys with the zipper of her jacket. “I can’t.” She won’t look at me.
“How are you going to get home?”
She shrugs. “I’ll walk.”
“Please, Elle. Don’t write me off so quickly.”
“I’m just trying to protect myself.”
“So am I.”
She frowns. I’ve never been honest about my past with anyone. I’ve never been this open with any woman—let alone a woman I only met the night before.
I take a deep breath. “Look, I know that I’m not exactly a poster boy for lasting relationships. I’ve been like this since…” I sigh, grimacing. “Well, things happened when I was younger. It… It’s been hard to get past them.”
Elle takes a step toward me, and the panic in my heart eases the slightest bit. “What do you mean?” Her head tilts to one side.
“Just… Give me a chance.”
“For what, Charlie?” She smiles sadly. “What is this?” She points between the two of us. “It can never be more than what it is right now, and that’s not enough for me. I may not have dozens of men lining up outside my door, but I need to have a bit of self-respect.”
“You do. Elle, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”
She laughs, shaking her head. “Laying it on a little thic
k, there, Prince.”
“I mean it. I’ve never met anyone like you.”
“Like what?”
“Someone who knows who they are and who treats me like a regular person. Someone who doesn’t just fall over themselves to get with me. Someone smart and gorgeous and athletic, and…” I trail off.
Elle’s eyes narrow as her lips curl upwards. “I never told you to stop.”
I grin, taking a step toward her. “Stay for dinner. I made guacamole for the first time ever for you. I saw you eating it at the party—and I’m not too humble to say that for a first effort, it’s damn good. Don’t make me eat it by myself.”
She bites her lip and her eyes flash. “Well… You didn’t mention there was guacamole involved. That changes things considerably.”
18
Elle
There’s a war going on inside me. My brain is telling me to leave, to protect myself, to walk away. My heart and my body are telling me to stay, woman, are you insane?! Why would you ever leave?
And, because I like living my life like it’s a slow-motion car crash destined to annihilate me, I decide to stay.
I know it’s a bad idea. This little relationship of ours is going nowhere. Even if the Prince says all the right things and makes me feel special, I know it’s going to end.
But that doesn’t mean it has to end right now, does it?
So, with a deep breath, I drop my purse and walk back toward the Prince. His face splits into a smile that melts my heart.
“Where’s this guac?” I ask before he can speak. “Let’s see what we’re dealing with here.”
Charlie laughs, scooping me up and spinning me in a circle. I love how easily he lifts me off the ground. The Prince nods to the kitchen. “This way, m’lady.”
I follow him and sit on a stool by the kitchen island as the Prince takes out an assortment of foods from the fridge. He lays it all out before me—spreads, dips, cheese, charcuterie. The works. I’m impressed.
With a flourish, he pulls the guacamole out of the fridge and presents it to me. “Madame.”
I take a chip between two fingers and dip it carefully into the guac. Our eyes meet and I grin.
When I taste it, I let out a deep, satisfied noise and nod in appreciation. “You did good, Charlie. This is decent guac. Did you really make it yourself?”
“Is that so surprising?”
“Yes,” I laugh. “Absolutely. Did you do all this?”
He grins. “Not everything, no. I had some help. But I did make the guac.”
“The guac is good.”
Charlie settles down on a stool beside me and lays his hand on my thigh. It immediately sends a zing of heat coursing through my veins. We eat in silence for a few moments until I turn to him.
“So, why do you do the whole ‘player’ thing? Why go out with so many women so publicly, if that’s not how you really see yourself?”
His face pinches. “I don’t know.”
“Not good enough,” I say, dipping into the guacamole again. “If you can make good dip, you can answer a simple question.”
“It’s not simple. You’re asking me why I am the way I am.”
“I don’t think being a womanizer is something to be proud of.”
“I’m not proud of it.”
“Could have fooled me.”
He inhales sharply and runs his hand through his hair. He’s done that a few times tonight, and I’m starting to like the way it makes him look. His face loses its sharp angles and for a moment—just an instant—I see another side of him. With his hair sticking up in all directions and his eyes focused inward, he looks like a different person.
Charlie sighs. “I’ve never told a soul about what I’m about to tell you, so, just… you know.”
“I won’t tell anyone.”
He nods. “When I was fifteen, I fell in love with one of my teachers.”
“The governess?”
The Prince winces. “Yeah,” he sighs. “Miss Charlotte Thorne. She was…” He gulps. “She was beautiful, and graceful, and she was interested in me. For a fifteen year old kid…”
“… that’s a big deal.”
“We started hooking up.” He swallows, playing with the edge of a napkin. “I thought I was in love.” Charlie glances at me and shakes his head. “I found her one day poking holes through my condoms with a needle.”
I gasp. “What? I never knew that. I just heard you had some illicit affair.”
He scoffs. “They didn’t print that in the tabloids, did they?”
I shake my head. “I just heard your father found out you were sleeping with her and threw her out.”
The Prince snorts. “He found out because I threw her out. She went mental. Smashed every glass in my room, threatened me with a broken bottle. It was messy.”
I sit there, not knowing what to say. “And you were fifteen? How old was she?”
He shrugs. “In her thirties, I think.”
“Whoa.”
The Prince sighs. “When my father found out what she was doing with the condoms, he got mad at me instead of her. Said I was irresponsible and not fit to be King. Told me I deserved to knock someone up and have to deal with the fallout.”
I put my hand on his arm and he glances over at me, his eyes full of pain. My heart goes out to him. I know what it’s like to have adults dismiss you. Lord knows I had to deal with my fair share of horrendous foster homes. But to hear that from your own father when all you need is support… That’s rough.
“Charlie,” I say softly. “You were a just kid. What she did was messed up. So wrong on so many levels. She was taking advantage of you.”
“I wanted it,” he says, shaking his head.
I take my hand and run it along his jaw until his eyes meet mine. I shake my head.
“You were a kid, Charlie. As much as you think you wanted it, it’s not right. She should be in jail. I can’t believe that wasn’t reported publicly—all the news reports only talked about how you were a sexed-up teenager who couldn’t control his hormones.”
“I thought we were in love, and she was just using me to get a leg up in these fucked-up royal politics.”
“She was taking advantage of you,” I repeat, more slowly this time. “Do you understand? It wasn’t your fault.”
He shakes his head. “I knew what I was doing.”
“You were a child.”
“I should have been more careful.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” I squeeze his arm, forcing him to look at me. My words seem to sink in and he takes a deep breath. His eyes get watery and he clears his throat, looking away. There’s so much about the Prince that I don’t know—so much about him that I’ll never know—but right now, I feel closer to him than I’ve ever felt to anyone before.
I run my hand over his back and lean my head on his shoulder.
“Do you really think that?” He asks softly. “That it wasn’t my fault?”
I pull away, looking him in the eye. “Well, judging by what you’ve told me—yes, absolutely. I really think that. She was a grown woman, and she was using you in the most horrible way just to get ahead.”
He nods, staring at the spread of food in front of us without moving. “I’ve never told anyone that before. Feels kind of good to get it off my chest.”
“It’s a lot to deal with.” I nudge his shoulder with mine. “No wonder you’re a womanizing scumbag, now.”
His eyes flash for a moment, and then his lips curl up ever so slightly. He chuckles, and I throw another guacamole-smothered chip in my mouth.
“You’ll pay for that comment,” he growls.
“You make decent guacamole, though, I’ll give you that.”
In one smooth motion, he wraps his thick, strong arms around my waist and hauls me over his shoulder. I yelp, giggling as the Prince carries me down the hallway to the back of the lodge. His arm clamps down over my legs and I hang there.
Kicking the bedroom door open with a grunt, th
e Prince marches inside and tosses me down onto the bed. He rips his shirt off over his head and my breath catches. His eyes are dark, his lips twisted into a sinful smile. My blood pumps thick and hot in my veins as my body heats up at the sight of him.
Tattooed, muscular, and bad-boy perfect.
Crawling up on top of me, Charlie brushes his cheek against mine. The Prince’s stubble scratches my skin as his breath tickles the base of my neck. He’s taken me from zero to a hundred in an instant, and my body wants more. I want his touch, his tongue, his hands. I want it all.
Charlie sinks down on top of me, sliding his fingers up my sides and sending delicious shivers through my body.
Faster than I can react, he takes my hands and pins them above my head. Holding them up there, he kisses me fiercely.
In the depths of my mind, I know this is a bad idea. Sleeping with him once was bad enough—but twice? I can already feel myself falling for him. Pathetic, maybe, but I’ve always been this way. I can’t help my feelings. I fall fast and I fall hard—and always at the worst possible time.
Even when I know it’ll end in heartbreak.
Every second that I spend with the Prince makes me fly higher and higher, and I already know it’ll make the crash back down to earth that much more painful.
But as Charlie lets out a soft growl and swipes his tongue into my mouth, claiming my lips and rolling his hips against mine, I’m not thinking about the inevitable fall. All I’m thinking of is his kiss, his body, his strength. I wrap my legs around his waist and let my desire take over, silencing my worries for now.
I can’t help it. At this moment, Prince Charlie of Farcliff is on top of me. He’s moaning into my mouth and holding me down like he owns me. He’s cupping my breast and ripping my shirt in half. His hard cock is pressed up against me, and I can’t think of anything else.
19
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