by Lynn, Sophia
He turned her hand and brought it to his lips, giving her palm a kiss.
“I don’t know what to say,” she said quietly. “I’m not an impulsive kind of person, so—”
“Neither am I. That was amazing and fun and unexpected, and it blew me away.”
She moved closer to him, their arms touching as they walked. “I agree.” A look of shock crossed her face. “I can’t believe we did that without protection. I just started a new birth control pill, and I’m, you know, safe.”
The same thoughts had crossed his mind. “As am I.”
She breathed out. “Oh, thank God.”
“Since that’s settled, how about a proper dinner? I’m starved, and I’d love for you to accompany me.”
She looked up at him, and for a moment, he thought she might decline. But the rumble of her stomach echoed through the air, making them both laugh. “Sounds lovely. Apparently, I’m starved, too.”
They walked in companionable silence to the palace, Sarah following easily beside him as he led her to her suite and stopped outside her door. “Grab your bag and come with me.”
She opened the door, and he followed her inside. On the edge of the bed sat her overnight bag, a pair of shoes tucked neatly underneath the bedframe. There was something impermanent about the sparsity of her things and how little of the room they took up. He barely knew her, but the thought of her being completely gone from here didn’t sit well with him. She gave him a curious backwards glance as she gathered her bag and silently followed him out, her hand slipping back into his as they made their way to his private wing.
Opening the double doors to his suite, William ushered her inside.
“Holy shit!” Her gasp was followed by a quick apology for swearing.
He grinned at her impulsive reaction, pleased that she found his intimate space appealing. He’d redone the rooms in modern lines, forgoing traditional antiques for modern Swedish furniture and a gray on gray color scheme. Bed linens and curtains in navy blue with geometric design broke up the space. It was his sanctuary. Taking her bag from her, he set it on his bed and led her to the en suite bathroom where a shower with dual showerhead awaited them. She spun as she walked inside, taking in the lofty space.
William couldn’t remember a time he’d felt so free to be himself, to take each moment as it came without first giving it enormous thought. Sarah made his soul rest easy. He could get used to this feeling. Opening the shower door, he turned on the dual heads, the spray coming down on him before he could make a clean exit. He slid off his glasses and set them aside. Shaking water from his hair with his fingers, he reached one hand to the hem of her t-shirt and lifted it. She raised her arms high as he whisked the shirt off, then made quick work of her bikini top. He followed suit with her shorts and bottoms until she stood beautifully naked before him. William’s flesh heated at the sleek, trim sight of her body.
“You’re amazingly lovely.” Stepping out of his swim trunks, he moved into her and cupped a hand behind her head, threading his fingers into her golden tresses. She moaned low and tipped her chin up for his kiss. William breathed into her before taking her soft, willing lips with his own. Kissing her until she was breathless, he moved them into the shower where he took his time kissing her mouth, her neck, her collarbone, his hands moving over her sleek form as he lathered her from head to toe.
“A girl could get used to this.” She leaned her head back as he worked his fingers over her scalp and through her hair.
William grazed kisses along her neck. “So could I. You taste delicious and feel incredible under my hands.”
Sarah turned into him, her hand going low, her palm wrapping around his erection. Slippery with suds, her hand made easy work up and down his length until he swelled with urgent need. With a growl, he pushed her back against the shower wall, spray washing over them on both sides. She hitched her legs around his waist as he lifted her and drove his cock home. Caressing her breasts, he thrust deep, her heady moans flaming his passion. He gently pinched her nipples as he thrust, her hips pushing against him with greedy little movements. She grabbed his jaw in one hand and turned him to align with her lips, crushing him with a wicked kiss, her tongue grinding against his as she uttered small moans of pleasure. The angle brought the length of his cock against her clit with each thrust. She grew slick, swollen, her cries more urgent. Nibbling her earlobe, William reached between them and stroked her sensitive nerves with two fingers.
“Christ!” she cried, her body clenching around him. Her orgasm sent him over the edge. Holding her around the waist, he withdrew and spilled his seed into the shower. Their foreheads pressed together as they grappled with their breathing. Slowly, he set her down. Her legs were shaking, and she gripped his shoulders until she was steady.
“William,” she breathed. “This seriously was not part of my interview plan. I promise.”
He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “You mean you didn’t come here to seduce me?”
She gave a light shrug. “I mean, let’s not pretend I didn’t think about it as soon as I laid eyes on you.”
He looked steadily into her eyes. “Same.”
They finished showering and dressed. Sarah towel dried her hair and let it shake free around her shoulders. She looked lovely in a simple, dark green sundress that dipped just enough between her breasts and hugged her curved waist. After applying some mascara and blush, she French braided her hair and slid silver earrings into her earlobes.
So simple, but so damn lovely.
William opted for dark jeans and a polo shirt, finger combing his hair and slipping his glasses on. No sense in being properly fancy for a simple meal. Besides, he liked not having to be so formal around Sarah.
He offered her his arm. “Shall we?”
“We shall.”
He led them from his suite and out a private back entrance. It wasn’t often that he entertained women overnight in his suite, but when he did, discretion was the utmost importance. Aside from his desire to keep his private life private, he didn’t know how Sarah’s peers would react if word got out that she was spotted leaving the king’s private residence after dark. He didn’t want their carefree tryst to endanger her position, or her reputation.
They strolled down a cobblestone walk that was beautifully lit with overhead lamps along the way.
“The palace grounds boast two five-star restaurants, which serve those who live here, guests, and others who make special arrangement to take meals here. One serves amazing pasta, the other, seafood. Do you have a preference?”
“After all that physical activity? Pasta!” She gave his arm a little squeeze.
“Excellent choice.”
They veered to the left and walked along a brick-paved road beneath arched lamp posts to an unassuming stone building with a large, black door. William opened it for her and ushered her in. The hostess approached and dropped a tablet she’d been holding when she spied the king.
“King Ravenshire!” She curtseyed. “I wasn’t aware of your arrival this evening, sir. Please let me—”
“I’m unannounced. Any table will do.”
The young woman looked dumbstruck, as if she simply didn’t know what to do. “Any table, my king?”
“Yes.”
She gave another curtsey and hurried to the back of the room. They followed, and William watched as Sarah took the place in. The restaurant was simply decorated in blue and white check, the palace emblem on every table cloth. The tables were old, well-polished, yet showed modest signs of wear. Small arched windows with iron cross beams decorated the walls, while the floor had been made from cool cobblestone and patched with brick. The interior was small, intimate. Cozy.
He pulled a seat out for her at the table, thanking the hostess as they sat.
“This is one of the oldest buildings on the grounds. It’s known for its remarkable charm.”
“It’s like something out of The Hobbit.”
A waiter in a blue shirt and black ves
t silently appeared, opened a bottle of wine, and poured them each a glass. With a bow, he left as quietly as he’d arrived. Next, a basket of bread and a plate of cheese and olives were set before them.
“Pasta Bolognese with parmesan for the lady and myself,” William ordered with a smile. The waiter remained speechless, simply bowing again, and disappeared.
Sarah looked awed.
“So, Sarah, tell me how you acquired an interest in my water project?”
She took a sip of her wine, her face brightening as she tasted it. “My father was an oceanographer. He filmed for a conservation organization and even had a piece in National Geographic. His early footage of pollution along our beaches and sitting on the bottom of the ocean helped spark the movement we’re in the middle of today. Forty years ago, people didn’t think we had a problem. But when something as simple as clean drinking water has escaped entire civilized communities, people started to pay attention.”
“Did you accompany him on his work?”
“Sometimes, yes. I learned to dive at an early age. Learned to drive the boat. But it wasn’t until my high school had to start offering bottled water because contaminants had gotten into the water supply that I really became passionate about journalism. The contaminants were man made, and it took months before the water was safe to drink again. I knew then that this is what I wanted to do when I grew up.”
He toasted her with a raise of his glass. “Future is lucky to have you.”
She toasted him back. “I feel like I’m the one being interviewed.”
Their meals arrived, and they leisurely ate and finished off the bottle of wine and a second basket of bread. Nearly everyone else had left by the time they finished. The waiter made efficient work of clearing their table and setting a pot of tea, fragile looking cups, and an assortment of baklava before them.
William watched her pick up a dainty, flaky piece. It dripped with honey. He leaned slightly toward her, wishing he could be the one offering the treat. But he didn’t want to ruin her reputation, and rumors would definitely spread if the remaining few diners saw him hand feeding her.
A bit of honey got on her fingers, and she caught him staring as she licked it off.
“Sarah,” he heard himself say. “I’m going to be very sad when your week in Brixton is over.”
She chewed slowly, and he internally chastised himself for bringing it up. For a man who was never impulsive, he’d been doing a lot of that lately.
“Me, too.”
“I admire your dedication to your work and the passion you bring to my water project. It’s good to know I have you as an ally in my corner. Not to mention, I find you fascinating.”
Her cheeks pinked, and she looked as if she were lost for words. “This whole thing has been a dream come true. Thank you for a whirlwind past twenty-four hours.”
“Our time isn’t up yet. Let’s do twenty-four more and then another after that.”
“Yes! Let’s do that. I want every second I can have with you.”
William rose, and when she did the same, he gestured with an open hand towards the exit before quietly murmuring too low for others to overhear, “Then what do you say we have a proper dessert back at my suite?”
He waited until they’d gone outside and cloaked themselves in darkness before pulling her in for a passionate kiss. Her body melted into his, exactly the way he loved. Digging her fingers into his hair as she feasted on his lips, she broke away and took a shuddering breath.
“Let’s hurry back, William. I’m starving for that dessert.”
She didn’t have to ask him twice.
Chapter Seven
Sarah
Half the week flew by without her even realizing it.
Sarah stretched, so cozy in William’s oversized bed that she could barely bring herself to move. The sound of water running said he was still in the shower. She was tempted to join him, but they’d been up half the night making love, and he’d promised her an audience with some key players in his water initiative for interviews. The more information she could gather for her article, the better. She’d already drafted out the skeleton of the article, so she’d have something to present to her boss when she returned. Excited by the opportunity to gather more information, she got out of bed and hurriedly dressed in a pants suit with a white scoop neck blouse beneath. She stepped into the bathroom just in time to see William getting out of the shower. The strength of his body made her insides quiver, and she had more than half a mind to toss him right back into bed.
But he was a king, and he had a full schedule today. He’d already warned her that he’d introduce her to his team and then take his leave for the rest of the day. For the first time since she’d arrived, she’d be on her own without William. The past few days, they’d taken their breakfast at a small café on the grounds, and she’d worked quietly in his office while he had done the same. They’d gone mostly unbothered, an oddity he’d assured her. He’d asked for a breather the past couple of days; had rescheduled most things and asked his family to give him a wide berth. But now it was time to get back to his full duties.
He towel-dried his hair and wrapped the plush towel around his hips. “We’ll be going down for breakfast promptly. I hate to rush you, but are you ready?”
“Going down for breakfast?” She looked in the vanity mirror and applied her mascara.
“Yes, with my family.”
Sarah startled, a nervous tremor coursing through her. “Your family?”
“We normally have the morning meal together each day, unless something pressing has come up. Like you and I having too much fun to have eggs Benedict with my mother.”
She knew he was jesting, but she couldn’t take it lightly. His mother? Nausea churned in her middle, and she sat on the bench before the vanity.
“Surely you don’t want me to accompany you to a family breakfast? I’ll go to the café like a good little reporter and leave you to it.”
“Nonsense.” William’s voice left no room for argument. “They’ll be delighted to meet you.”
“But…why? I’m just a reporter.”
His lips went tight, his eyebrows knitting as if he were having an internal argument with himself. She finished putting on her makeup, though her hand was trembling. He moved behind her, his hands smoothing her hair behind her neck. Their eyes caught in the mirror.
“You’re very much more than just a reporter, Sarah.” He kissed the top of her head and padded into the bedroom. “You’re my guest. And my friend whom I wish to accompany me to breakfast.”
He wasn’t a man who was told no, probably ever. If he wanted her to dine with him, she had no choice. He was the king, and she was on his turf. No matter the fact that she’d shared the past four nights in his bed. It didn’t mean anything beyond a bit of fun. This was fun, all of it. But it wasn’t permanent. It couldn’t last. Just think, if a real relationship did come of this, she’d have to change her entire life. She’d have to live here in Brixton, leave a job she loved, and all her old coworkers she’d come to adore. She’d have to give up her goals of being a national reporter to support William’s endeavors as king.
He was waiting for some sort of answer from her about breakfast. He slipped into pressed trousers and a white undershirt, giving her a little glance. She walked over to him and pulled the sides of his silver dress shirt together, slowly fastening the buttons.
“Fine, I’ll have breakfast with you. I’ll meet your family. I really can’t tell you no anyway, can I?” Her voice dropped. “You’re the king.”
He took her wrists and kissed her knuckles, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “I’ll be sure to use all that power that to my full advantage. Starting with, I don’t want you to wear underwear to breakfast. You can’t say no, remember?”
She laughed and pushed away from him to help button his shirt. “Seriously, William? You want me all improper when I meet your mother?”
His hand slid down the curve of her back and beneath the waist
band of her slacks to cup her ass. He made an appreciative sound. “I’ve changed my mind. This thong you have on will do just fine.”
A slight rap on the door made Sarah jump. Before she could turn around, the door cracked and then opened. Florence stepped in. William quickly withdrew his hand from Sarah’s rear end, but it was clear the older woman had already seen. Sarah spun and smoothed the front of her clothes, wishing she could sink into a black hole and never come out.
Whatever Florence was thinking, she hid it well. Her face was pleasantly blank, her hands crossed over a leather portfolio in front of her. “Your Highness, your mother requests that you arrive a bit before the morning meal to go over these papers with her.”
William’s expression was professional, but the twinkle of amusement sparked in his eyes. He seemed completely unbothered that he and Sarah had just been caught in a compromising position. From the nightstand beside the bed, his cellphone began to ring. He moved to answer it, then pulling it from his ear, held up two fingers to get Florence’s attention.
“I need to take this. Florence, show Ms. Jones to the dining room please. She’ll be joining us for breakfast, and please tell my mother I’ll be there shortly.”
Florence gave a curt nod, then gestured toward the door. Sarah mentally composed herself and exited into the hallway. She half expected a bitter lecture from the older woman, but she remained silent until they reached the top of the stairway.
“Well, this explains why your bed has been untouched since your arrival.”
Sarah bristled and gripped the bannister so hard her knuckles went white. Was she supposed to respond, or simply stand there while she got grilled for her bad behavior? She didn’t feel guilty about her affair with William, though she knew she probably should. She also didn’t feel her relationship to him entitled her to anything, either, which would be hard for anyone close to him to believe. They’d view her as the American reporter out to make a name for herself by screwing the king.