A Royal Pain: Paranormal Dating Agency (Otherworld Shifters Book 3)

by Godiva Glenn

  Alethea scrubbed a hand down her face and exhaled a breath of relief. “Okay. I probably should have seen that coming, actually.” She ran a hand through her hair. “As much as you enjoy researching, I guess you would’ve found me anyways. Hard to learn about a new city without stumbling upon the King who lives in it and runs the country.”

  “True.”

  “You don’t seem upset, though.” She put her forgotten ice cream on the nearby table and covered his hand with both of hers. “It’s okay to be.”

  “As I said, I could imagine reasons for you to keep your secret. And if I could imagine them, I believed that you had something in mind.”

  “I just wanted to see if you’d like me as a person. And I wanted to go on a date without wondering if you were using me for something.” She traced a fingertip up his forearm. “And I was tired of being a failure. I go on one lunch date with a guy, and if it doesn’t work out, the media acts like I got dumped by a fiancé or something.”

  “I would certainly never use you. As far as fae go, dryads aren’t politically inclined. Prism has two courts—absolute monarchs—and then there are lesser kingdoms within. But dryads have no side. Our loyalties are singular to our trees. Princess or not, I was always going to treat you the same,” he promised.

  “That’s the other thing. When I found out who you were, I got scared. Dating me isn’t usually quiet and secluded. It’s cameras and drama and rumor mills. I didn’t want to be responsible for turning your first weeks on Earth into a circus.”

  “I keep hearing that expression. I’ll have to look it up. But regardless, I don’t think anything can be so terrible if we are together.” Lacing his fingers with hers, he added, “I survived shopping.”

  “Well maybe it won’t even matter.” Her dark eyes slid away from his to scan the room. “I don’t think I’m cut out for this life.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  “What if we left? You aren’t really that tied down here, right? Can’t we just pick up and you can show me Prism?”

  The sudden change in direction left his head spinning. “Why would you want to do that?”

  “I’m tired of being under a magnifying glass and having all my flaws on display. I just want to be normal and insignificant.”

  He scoffed. “You aren’t meant to be insignificant. And running away won’t solve anything.” As he said the words, he wondered if what he’d done qualified as running away but put himself aside for the moment. “Besides, I can’t return to Prism. Ever.”

  “You can’t?”

  “All magic requires balance. For me to have this form, I had to give up what I had in Prism.”

  She cupped his jaw, her thumb stroking his cheek. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize.”

  “It was my consequence, and I accepted it,” he replied.

  “But you miss it.”

  He did. More than he thought he ever would. “If I hadn’t made the deal that I did, I would still be occupying the same small circle of land. And all I was doing was slowly dying.”

  “But your tree…”

  “It’s with me here.” He placed a hand over his chest. Thinking too long about the past would only open feelings he didn’t want to address tonight. Not when Alethea needed him. “Come on now. You still haven’t really told me what’s wrong. What happened tonight?”

  “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “I can try.”

  She bit her lip and her expression changed like she was having a conversation in her head.

  “Or you can continue with your ice cream,” he said glancing sidelong at the abandoned treat.

  Her head turned to the container, which was now melted along the top and sat in a pool of water on the table. “I just need some time to think.” Her shoulders slumped. “It was a silly idea to try and escape, anyways. I’d have probably lasted a day.”

  “You can stay here and think,” Blair offered. “As long as it takes.”

  “Or… We can head to one of my father’s many secluded island estates.”

  “Is that wise?”

  “I’ve done it before. For sanctioned vacations, usually. I really need to get away from everything, if only for a few days.”

  “I’d miss you.”

  “I said we.” She stroked the top of his hand. “A fun island escape adventure. What do you say? I have the perfect spot in mind. The master bedroom has a view of endless beach.”

  As much fun as that sounded, he didn’t want to be forward. Prism was a culture of free spirits and promiscuity, but Earth had stringent societal rules regarding courtship. He’d done his research. “I think perhaps it’s too early to be… co-habiting? Even for a temporary time period?”

  Her brow arched. “Co-habiting?”

  “I respect you,” he said firmly. It was imperative that she know he respected her, according to research.

  She searched his face with a conflicted expression on her own. Did I say it improperly?

  “I respect you too,” she said carefully. “Are you not comfortable with the idea of staying in a home with me? You can have your own room… though that sort of kills some of the purpose.”

  “I don’t want to rush the timelines for my sake, and I don’t want you to think I’m being casual.”

  She shifted on the couch, resting her elbow on an embroidered pillow. “I wasn’t aware we had a timeline.”

  “I studied them. You probably know them innately.”

  Pursing her lips, she held out her hand. “Could I see your phone?”

  He handed it over and she quickly swiped across the screen. He peeked over and saw her flicking through his search history, most of which had her name. “That’s…”

  “That’s something for another time. Trust me, if you want to know what’s going on in my life, the tabloids aren’t the place to start,” she muttered and continued to scroll.

  “I’m aware. They don’t portray you as half remarkable as you are.”

  She paused and gave him a cheeky grin. “Keep it up and see where that lands you… Yep. Here we go.” She flattened her palm, so they could both see the screen. “I assume you’re applying this article to us? ‘Chivalry in Today’s Modern Era of Feminism’ which is written by a man who seems stuck in the past?”

  “I thought chivalry was a good thing,” Blair pointed out.

  “Not when it’s telling you that—” She pointed out a section in the article, “—Women are confused and may make sexual advances long before they are ready, partially to test a man’s willpower. A respectful man should never degrade a woman by accepting offers to sleepover or have intercourse within the first two months or ten dates, whichever comes first.”

  “It’s wrong, then? The article?”

  She laughed. “Blair, this is nonsense. Relax. It won’t be just us. Vevina can come. My cousin Nikki will definitely be there. And probably Pavel—you’ll like him. Marie and Joseph, of course—it’s not like we’re shacking up.”

  “I don’t recognize half of those names.”

  She grabbed her melting ice cream and scooped the top layer of liquid into her mouth before shrugging. “Pavel is a failed date. Marie and Joseph are my standard guards. I’m sure you’ll recognize them. Joseph is the one who brought you home after our first date.”

  “Ah. And is this a thing humans do, then?”

  “It’s a very human thing to do. We’ll have drinks on the beach, someone will grill, or at least I hope someone knows how. It can be as romantic or platonic as we like.”

  He caught her words at the end and the hesitation in them. “If it’s not degrading you, I’d like it to be quite romantic.” An idea sparked in his mind. “Beach. I’ve never been down to it.”

  “I think you’ll like it. We didn’t get you trunks for swimming, so that’s something we’ll need.”

  “And then you’ll be in a swimsuit.” His eyes automatically roamed her body. “A bikini, perhaps?”

  She licked her spoon. “I’m not sure I’ve g
ot a bikini body. Besides, princesses wear tasteful one-pieces.”

  He stole the pint from her grasp. “I’m not swimming unless you’re in a bikini.”

  “Funny,” she said, reaching for the ice cream.

  He held it out of reach. “It’s a first, and I have an idea for how it goes. The bikini is a must.”

  She rolled her eyes, but he could sense her defeat. “We’ll see.”

  A dozen text chains later, plans were finalized. Success.

  Alethea tossed her phone onto the couch and wandered out to the balcony where Blair was on a call with Vevina. At the slide of the glass door, he turned around and flashed the pearly whites she was spoiled with seeing.

  His face lit up every time she came close. It was impossible to ignore. That he wore his heart so openly on his sleeve was both refreshing and daunting. She wanted to be that clear with him, but that level of raw vulnerability went against every grain of her.

  She had to protect her heart.

  The moon was high in the starlit sky, it’s bold reflection wavering on the churning water below. Salty air blew through her loose hair and left a fine mist on her cheeks. As beautiful as this was, where she was taking Blair was even better.

  There would be no lingering city noise. No honking cars, no carrying shouts or loud music zooming by. They’d be on the beach, and she planned to spend every night holding his hand and walking up and down the sand and catching crabs trying to mate in the darkness.

  She slipped her arm around his waist and he glanced down, pausing mid-sentence for a moment before glancing up at the stars and carrying on with his conversation. The language of the fae was musical and mysterious. She’d studied language extensively in school, but of course, nothing she’d heard before even vaguely resembled what Blair spoke.

  “Vevina is in,” he said tucking his phone into his pocket. “It took some convincing. She’s quite ready to shed her human skin.”

  “We’ll have a party for her, then. A going away soiree.”

  Blair turned and dipped his head while cupping his hands around her face. “You’re too kind. You’ve never even met her.”

  “But it feels like we should meet. She’s your best friend.” And curiosity had continuously pricked at her. “I’d like to give her something nice to remember our little island by. Encourage her to visit often.”

  He kissed her forehead and released her. “It will be strange when she’s gone.”

  “I’ll help however I can.”

  “I’m sure I’ll need that help.” He brushed the tips of his fingers through her hair. “I’m constantly concerned that I’ll make a mistake.”

  “We all make mistakes. That’s the biggest part of being human. A vital part of how we grow. Those of us who never make them, well, I doubt they’re even truly living.”

  The corner of his mouth lifted. “I mean with you.”

  A tendril of cool breeze snaked around her and she shivered. Within a second his arms were around her, warming her. Dangerous may have been too innocent a word to describe him to Nikki. Yet calling him perfect hardly had the correct amount of explosive volatility. Her guards could anticipate her moves, but she’d never had a man who paid close enough attention.

  “I’ll tell you if you mess up with me. And then we’ll just go from there.”

  “How about a hint of what to do right now,” he said carefully. “Because you’re going to spend the night, and I could offer you my bed or we could share it. I know what I’d prefer, but I can’t tell if I’m being presumptive or reading you correctly.”

  A fair question. She’d assumed they’d snuggle and fall asleep together, though she knew that she wasn’t ready for sex, tempting as that was. But if Blair was asking about sleeping, he probably meant just that, no euphemism or assumptions.

  “It doesn’t have to be complicated.”

  “But I’ve never slept with anyone.” He laced his fingers with hers and stared at them. “Even for the earthier fae, none wanted to sleep at my roots, and I couldn’t pull them into my tree.”

  “Oh.”

  “I’ve never felt this before, what I feel for you. I can only guess and go by what little I’ve witnessed or heard in recollections when it comes to behavior.” He pressed his lips to the back of her hand. “But I can tell you what I’m thinking if you won’t slap me for it.”

  She swallowed, her throat dry because she could anticipate what he’d say. As he’d spoken he’d moved close. The evidence of his intended behavior was pressed to her thigh.

  “Tell me. How about if you just treat me like I’m from Prism?” The moment she said it, she regretted it. Not because she didn’t mean it, but because it revealed her hand. She knew how carefree the fae were. How open and sexual and non-judgmental.

  “I’d like to sleep with you. And it can be perfectly chaste—but first I’d like to touch you.” His hand gripped the small of her back and pulled her tight, forcing her to arch to look up at him. “Your red lips make me hungry somehow, and I’d like to taste you tonight. I can wait as long as you’d like to sink into your body, but just looking at you makes me ravenous.”

  There was a dark light to his eyes as if his lust had taken residence there. Maybe he was right. Maybe they were moving too fast, but she didn’t feel she could stop it. Momentum was pulling them along using desire and hope as bait.

  “We can do that,” she managed to say.

  She broke free of him to head inside but he yanked her back and lifted her easily up into his strong arms. No man had ever held her like this, cradled against his chest, and he didn’t even strain or joke about her weight.

  In her mind, there was a soft sigh like something settling. The walls that she had erected to keep other men out were never much of a barrier against Blair, but now she knew they had dissolved entirely. He had her.

  Goosebumps lifted along Alethea’s arms, but she didn’t feel any chill. Blair’s gaze was a hot fire flickering over her nearly naked body. She scooted further onto the mattress then reached back to unclasp her bra. He stood at the edge of the bed, jaw clenched and face rapt with attention.

  “Will you only watch?” she asked, and tossed the lacy pink bra aside, holding her hand aloft to teasingly hide her breasts.

  He bent over, hands fisting the blanket beneath her. “I once told you that I kept my calm by remaining focused on a single thing.”

  “Yes. Me.” How could I forget?

  He licked his lips. “But now I’m overwhelmed with you.” The bed shook as he joined her on it in a slow crawl. His fingertips grazed her ankle and swept up, tickling her calf. “I don’t know where to look. Where to touch. I want to cover you entirely with myself.”

  Just like that, another shiver swept over her, hardening her nipples and making her drop her hands to her sides. She drank in his eyes as he saw what she’d hidden. The look on his face made her quake with need.

  “I would like to see you, too.” She leaned forward, but before she could even catch the collar of his shirt, he grasped her wrist, stopping her.

  “Not yet. If we do that, I won’t be able to focus.” He said firmly. He kissed her hand. “If you touch me, if you even look at my body with those hungry eyes, I’ll be undone.”

  “But…”

  “Tonight won’t be our only night, Alethea,” he purred.

  The way her name slid past his lips, uttered with that magical accent, made her give in. He held her arm still, and looking at it, she arched a brow. Not rough enough to hurt, but firm enough to remind her that he was strong.

  “I guess I have no choice,” she teased.

  “I can hold you down,” he said carefully. “If I have to. If you’d like.”

  She glanced away, not to be coy but because admitting that yes, she definitely would like that, brought a wave of shyness.

  It didn’t matter. He turned her face back with gentle fingers on her jaw and kissed her. His tongue slid against hers as he pressed his entire body against her, lowering her to lay down an
d be pinned beneath him.

  A wave of blissful dizziness set over her as his hips settled between her legs, pressing the hard length of him against her sensitive parts. For the first time, she noticed every detail of him. He tasted like spice, but he smelled intoxicating in a way she didn’t understand. Almost sweet, but she’d never identify it as floral for it was too masculine.

  Blair’s scent was raw and earthy like nothing she’d ever experienced. Mystical and addictive. She breathed him in as he owned her mouth, every sliver of his kind and restrained composure burning away to reveal him as the dominant man he truly was.

  She dug her fingers through his thick hair, scratching his scalp in fevered desperation for more of him as their tongues danced and battled. He pulled away, muttering under his breath, words she didn’t comprehend.

  “What?”

  “You’re too much,” he chuckled and kissed her bottom lip before sucking it between his teeth. He bit down for a moment then released her. “I don’t know how long it will take to discover everything about you.”

  “Certainly more than a night.”

  He nodded and brushed his lips across her jaw, planting kisses while he shifted over her. His hands, which had remained clutching the blanket during their kiss, now came alive. He stroked her side, his touch warm and gentle, and all the while tickled her neck with delicate nips and licks. They’d barely begun, and she already knew he would be an amazing lover. Even though it had been years since he last touched someone, he didn’t rush straight through. That patience surprised her, as she would certainly be frenzied were the tables turned.

  For her, it had been almost a year. That was enough to have her chomping at the bit, so to speak. Blair’s lingering seduction drove her up the wall, but she wasn’t going to complain.

  Sliding down her body, his mouth found her breasts. He took an ample globe into his hand and massaged it, squeezing the tip between his fingers. He watched himself touching her with the sort of keen attention one may expect from a predator hunting prey.