Happily Ever After: A Romance Collection

by Amelia Wilde

  “Sexy MacCallam Lockwood Tate,” I say with a sigh.

  He chuckles, “What was that?” His hand covers my lower back.

  “I was thinking how I never think of you as a prince.”

  His cheek rests against the top of my head. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

  “I’m sorry—I don’t mean it as a bad thing…”

  “Don’t apologize.” Stepping back, he lifts my face, looking deep into my eyes. “I like that you see me as a man first. You’re not looking for anything. You don’t have an agenda.”

  My voice is quiet, serious. “I couldn’t.”

  I never expected MacCallum Lockwood Tate. Even if I had, I would never have been prepared for him. He came straight out of left field and caught me totally off guard… and I’ve fallen for him so hard.

  His expression changes, it turns focused and burning with intensity. Stepping back, he flicks his tie undone before moving to the cuffs of his white shirt. From there he starts on the front buttons.

  “Take off that dress.” It’s a low order that starts my insides buzzing.

  For a second, I’m transfixed, watching as he unfastens his clothes. Then I think of all the dirty things we can do in a hot tub.

  “This is vaguely familiar,” I tease.

  “Dress. Off.” It’s a little louder, a little more stern, and all my teasing fades into lust.

  I reach behind my neck to loosen the tie. My top falls to my waist, and our night in the Paris Hotel burns in my memory. I shiver watching him catch the bottom of his shirt and pull it over his head, leaving his thick hair a sexy mess.

  “All the way,” he commands. “I want to see that pussy.”

  “So bossy, MacCallum,” I sigh.

  He’s in front of me in only black trousers, and the lines along his torso and stomach deepen in the dim light. Dark eyes hold me, waiting for me to obey.

  This time I’m wearing panties, but when my dress hits the floor, it’s possibly even hotter than if I weren’t. I’m standing in heels and a matching nude-lace lingerie set I picked up as we passed through Agent Provocateur this morning. My hair is in soft waves around my shoulders, skimming my nipples like in his fantasy.

  A hiss of air passes through his teeth, and he steps forward, running a finger along the black lines of the lace flowers. His touch is electric, heightening all the sensations humming under my skin.

  “Let me see them,” he says.

  Reaching up, I slide my fingertips along the edge of the lace, pulling the bra cups down so my hardened nipples peek over the tops. Large hands immediately close over my breasts, cupping and squeezing them.

  “You are so damn sexy.”

  It’s my turn now. I trace my fingers along the lines of his chest, sliding my thumbs over his hardened nipples, loving that he’s as turned on as I am. Dragging them lower, I watch as his skin tenses in the wake of my nails. I cup the erection straining in his pants, moving my hand up and down the rigid length. I love the way he moans as I tease him.

  “What do you want?” I lift my mouth so my lips just graze his skin as they move, my fingers tracing his cock.

  “All of you,” he rasps. “In every way.”

  Stepping back, I unfasten my bra, so it falls away. I walk past him to the side of the Jacuzzi tub and reach up to shut off the water. The position arches my back, and I look over my shoulder at him, ass up.

  He doesn’t waste a moment removing the last of his clothes. In two steps, he’s behind me, jerking my panties down my hips.

  “Oh, god,” I gasp, gripping the step for balance. My knee bends, and I brace myself on the padded leather as he holds my hip, running his cock along my slit, dipping it inside only a bit before sliding it forward to tease my clit.

  “Cal… oh, yes,” I moan, my fingers cutting into the leather.

  In one quick thrust, he’s inside. We both groan loudly as he stretches me, holding my hips a moment while we regain our bearings. He leans forward, over my back, to speak in my ear, and my body lights up like a torch.

  “I’m going to fuck you so hard.” He gives me a rough thrust, and I gasp. My hand flies forward to brace us against the side of the tub. “Then I’m going to do it again.”

  Another deep thrust, and my thighs tremble. He bites the top of my shoulder and a moan slips from my throat. He does it again, faster, going deeper.

  “Cal…” I whisper, my eyes squeezed shut. The sensations rocketing through my stomach and core are overwhelming.

  His grip on my waist is like iron. His thrusts become faster, relentless and punishing. He’s hitting me so hard my feet rock forward onto my tiptoes. One hand slides around, and his long fingers taunt my clit.

  “Come,” he groans. “Come for me.”

  I’m clenching and gasping as he moves in a rhythm faster, provoking the orgasm spiking my veins. He’s never been like this. The Playboy Prince is gone, and instead this conqueror has me, taking what he wants.

  He kisses my back, and the scruff of his beard clenches my insides, causing him to groan. “I want you to know I’ve been here. I want you to feel me wherever you go.”

  “Oh, god… Yes!” I fumble my hand to cover his moving swiftly between my legs as my vision darkens, my brain scrambles.

  I brace against the wall of the Jacuzzi as he blows my mind. Then all at once, he starts to jerk, groaning and pulsing. My insides break, and I come with a ragged cry. He continues rocking us as the sensations flutter and ripple through my legs, into the arches of my feet.

  We move slower. I’m trembling, and he’s pulsing above me, sliding his warm hands down the length of my back. I want to curl into his arms. I want him to hold me as I hold him. I want to wrap my arms around his neck and never leave. I want to bask in this afterglow, forgetting everything and pretending I can keep this beautiful man, this beautiful dream.

  He slowly pulls out, and I feel the traces of cum on my thighs from an orgasm I can’t wrap my mind around. Turning to on the padded leather step, he pulls me onto his lap.

  My knees are bent, and my cheek is against his skin. We’re breathing hard, still coming down, and he slides his hand gently down my hair. Turning my face, I kiss his neck. My heart feels shattered yet whole. He stormed in and took it, and I don’t know if I’ll ever get it back. He’s right. No matter where I go, I’ll remember this night. I’ll remember how I gave him everything.

  The hand that was stroking my hair moves around to my chin, and he lifts my face. Without a word, he kisses me so deeply. My mouth opens readily, and our tongues slide together. It’s warm, tasting, bonding and urgent. Tears heat my closed eyes, and I reach up to hold him, to wrap my arms around his neck, as we communicate in a way words can’t capture.

  His lips chase mine, kissing me over and over, nipping my top lip and moving higher to my closed eyes. I’m sure he can taste the salty tears there, hiding behind my lids. He kisses my forehead and then holds me in a long embrace.

  Moments slip by as we luxuriate in this closeness, as we let our hearts join with each other’s. It’s only a little while before he moves us slowly to stand.

  “Here,” he says, reaching for a soft white cloth and dipping it in the water. Squeezing the excess, he hands it to me then touches my cheek.

  Our eyes hold for a moment, and it’s so electric, so intense, I have to blink away for fear I’ll say something I can’t take back. He clears his throat, reaching again for the water as I use the cloth to clean myself.

  “It isn’t hot anymore,” he says, and I hear the drain. “I’ll have to refill it.”

  “I wish we could swim in the ocean.” I think of the warm salt water swirling around our naked bodies.

  Stepping down, he’s in front of me again, placing his palm against my cheek. “We could go back to Occitan.”

  I slide my hand over his, and our eyes meet in that incredible swirl of emotion. A loud, staccato banging from the door breaks it all. I squeal and jump back, dropping the cloth.

  “Who�
��s in there? Open this door!” An angry male voice shouts from the outside.

  Panic hits me, and I step into my filmy panties, pulling them quickly over my hips. “I thought you said nobody was staying here!”

  “I guess I was wrong,” Cal says, grabbing his boxer briefs.

  My bra is on in record time, and I’m reaching for my dress when the banging starts again, more violently.

  The entire door vibrates from it, and Cal laughs as he steps into his trousers. “I wonder who it could be.”

  A noise like metal scraping against the knob is next. It’s a sound I remember so well from the days when Ava and I used to sneak into boathouses to hide from the rain. They’re coming in!

  Instinct kicks in, and my dress is over my head in a flash. I scoop my shoes and clutch off the floor and dash up the leather steps, pushing the narrow window sideways and open. Cal’s voice barely registers in my ears before I jump.

  The water is like ice when I plunge into the sea. It’s such a familiar memory, I don’t even think as I kick hard, pumping my arms and swimming away from the luxury yacht as fast as I can. Another splash is behind me, and I swim harder. I don’t know if they’ll try to catch me, but I have to get away!

  The second swimmer is stronger than I am, faster, and he’s beside me in a few strokes, catching me and pulling me up. We’ve managed to swim around another yacht, and now we’re hidden in the darkness.

  “Wait for me,” Cal chokes on a laugh, spitting out water and breathing loudly. I can’t stop shaking, and he’s laughing more, again spitting water as he holds my arm.

  “You fucking jumped out the window!” he cries.

  We’re both dog paddling and the fear and adrenaline that flooded my mind are surging away, leaving my muscles spent and weak. What the hell did I just do?

  “That guy,” I gasp, spitting out salt water. “He scared me!”

  “And you fucking jumped out the window?” Cal laughs again. “Jesus, Zee, I never know what the hell you’ll do next!”

  “I-I guess I panicked.” My stomach cramps, and I’m exhausted all of a sudden.

  He pulls me against his bare chest and wraps his arms around me. “You’re shaking so hard,” he says softly, running his hand up and down my back. “It’s okay. Nothing’s going to happen to you. Remember the part about how I’m a prince?”

  I can’t answer. I only hold him. My shoes are gone. I must’ve dropped them as I swam away. I still have my clutch, although I’m sure everything in it is ruined. Thank goodness for Lifeproof phone cases. I’m pretty confident Reggie won’t be replacing any more of our things.

  “I want to go… Back to the hotel.” I almost said home. Where the hell would that be anymore? “Will you take me to my hotel?”

  He leans back and smiles. “Sure, my little gypsy.” Then he laughs again. “I swear, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were something out of Oliver Twist.”

  If only he knew. We paddle to one of the long concrete piers. A metal ladder leads out of the water, and we hold it, catching our breath before we climb.

  “Sorry,” I manage. “I’m not used to being caught breaking the law.”

  Once we’re standing on the pier, I survey our appearance. My dress is soaked, and I’m barefoot. Cal is only in his soaked black tuxedo pants. He runs his hands back and forth through his hair, leaving it messy and cute, and his eyes are sparkling like his white smile.

  Shaking my head, I open my clutch, turning it to the side so all the water can pour out. “I guess my credit card will still work.” Lifting out my phone, I press the button and it lights up. “This case just paid for itself.”

  He’s watching me, that amused expression firmly in place. “What are you doing?”

  “Trying to figure out how we’ll get back to my hotel.” Looking up, I see we’re on the far end of the marina. “We can probably walk.”

  “Hajib is with the car in the parking lot.” He points to where we boarded the yacht just a few hours earlier.”

  We wait for a moment, watching the elegant guests leaving the boat in pairs, walking slowly to the waiting cars. A little break occurs every few minutes, but the photographers are still hanging around as are a few of the spectators.

  “You’re right,” he says, glancing down at his pants. “We should probably skip the car. If those photographers catch us, it’ll be all over the Internet.”

  Reaching up, I squeeze the water out of my hair. I try to do the same with my dress, but I’m pretty much stuck looking like a drowned rat. We start to walk, hanging close to the shadow of the tree line. Every few steps, I hit a sharp rock and do a little skip and yelp.

  Ten paces more, and Cal stops and catches my shoulder. “Hop on.”

  He turns his bare back to me, and I hold up my hands.

  “It’s okay, I can manage. My feet are just… out of practice.”

  “Get on,” he says impatiently. “I’ve been wanting to toss you on my back since the night you twisted your ankle.”

  Snorting a laugh, I take his shoulder and hop on, wiggling to a comfortable position as he slips his hands under my thighs. He’s moving faster, heading away from the crowd at the pier.

  “That night seems so long ago,” I say, resting my chin on his neck, inhaling his warm man-scent mixed with the fresh, briny air. “It’s strange to think I was supposed to be with Rowan.”

  “Supposed to be?” His voice isn’t angry, more curious, and I decide to take a chance…

  “Reggie wanted me to meet him.”

  “Right,” Cal nods, surprising me. “He thought you might be a solution to Ro’s problems.”

  That’s news to me! “What are you talking about?”

  He does a little exhale. “The economy has been bad—unemployment is up, oil prices are down, tourist spending is down. Reggie thought the money from your uncle’s oil reserves could be a new source of revenue for the country.”

  “Oh,” I say, quietly, my lips pressing into a frown.

  That story doesn’t get me off the hook, it only plays into the con Reggie was running—the con I knew about when I stepped out of that town car at the Royal Sports Club all those nights ago.

  “I’m sorry,” Cal’s voice is quiet. “Marrying for political or economic advantage is a longstanding tradition in the monarchy.”

  Tilting my head to the side, I study his profile. He’s frowning, but it only sharpens his square jaw, making him look even more attractive.

  “You don’t have to apologize. You killed any interest I had in your brother when you came to my bedroom that night.”

  He exhales a little laugh and glances over to me. “After the day we’d spent, I wasn’t about to let Ro have you.”

  My heart fills with so much joy. Nothing I can do will stop it, and I know it’s only going to be so painful in the end. He slows walking. We’re back at the Fairmont, and I slip off his back. It’s quiet and the traffic is slow. We’re standing in the moonlight on the beach facing each other. I know somewhere Ava is with Rowan.

  “Would you like to come up?” My voice is quiet.

  His handsome smile splits his cheeks. “Do you have to ask?”

  Instinctively, I know I should be trying to detach. I should be putting distance between us, not pulling him closer. I should be guarding my heart and thinking of self-preservation.

  I don’t. I take his hand, leading us slowly to the back entrance. I find my door card and let us in, leading him to the elevator and ultimately my room so we can spend another night together. As long as he’s here and we’re in this same place, I just can’t stay away.

  22

  Trapped

  Rowan

  The engine roars as I blast through the straight. With a sharp downshift, I slow the pace so I can take the first curve. It’s a nonstop pattern of trying to cover as much ground as possible in the straights, followed by dropping almost to a crawl in the hairpin turns. My speed fluctuates from nearly four hundred kilometers per hour to all the way down to sixt
y.

  Still, I grew up running this track. It’s the only race I’ve ever cared about. It’s ridiculously hard and only included in the circuit because of how old and challenging it is, and it’s right here in my own backyard. Winning has been a personal goal as long as I’ve been able to drive, and this year I’ll do it.

  Plunging into the tunnel, I’m blinded by the sudden darkness. Blinking fast, I hold the wheel steady, doing my best to avoid any swerving at this speed. Just as fast, I’m blasting into white-hot sunlight. More fast blinking, trying to see. Dirt on my visor annoys me, and I reach up to tear off the thin cover. I’ll have three more tear-offs in the actual race.

  “Keep it steady. You’re doing great.” Cal is in my ear, coaching me through the laps.

  I ease off, preparing for the final hairpin, dropping to a crawl as my arms do a one-eighty turning the wheel. At last, I’m out. It’s a straight shot to the finish line, and I shift then jam the accelerator to the floor to make up all the time I just lost.

  “Keep going… Almost there…” The tension in my brother’s voice grows as the black and white checks fly past me. “You did it!” he shouts. “It’s the best qualifying time today!”

  I’m breathing hard, my muscles loose as I coast into the pit area where Cal and my crew are waiting, cheering. Once I’ve stopped, I pull off the helmet, and Cal grabs my arm, giving it a rough shake.

  “That’s pole position, depending on Patel.”

  My jaw tightens as I bite back a fuck. I know the race will come down to the two of us, and I’m hoping to be pole sitter, the most favorable spot on the starting grid.

  “It’s okay,” Cal says with a laugh, leaning closer to my ear. “I’ve been watching him practice. He’s braking too much this year. Either it’s a new car or he’s distracted.”

  “The course is nothing but hazards. I’d forgotten how much we have to ride them.”

  We’re walking back to the stands, waving and nodding thanks to the cheering spectators and fellow drivers watching from the sides of the track.

  “Doesn’t matter. Your speed is the best a driver could hope for. I don’t see him overtaking you.”