by Vivian Wood
Erik shrugs a shoulder. “Well, I see us living here, eventually. Assuming you don’t get tired of me first. I… I like spending time with you.”
I stare at him for a second, not sure I’m hearing him right.
No one has ever asked for me to spend more time with them before. No one has ever cared enough about me, not even my family. My mouth opens, but no words come out.
Erik makes a face, coming over and wrapping his arms around my waist. “I need you to say something, princess.”
I bob my head, burying my face against the solid wall of his chest. “Yes. Yes! I would love to live with you, Erik. I mean… more permanently than I do at the moment.”
He tips my chin up with a finger, kissing my lips. I kiss him back fiercely, really moved that he did all of this for me. He smiles against my lips.
“I’m glad you like it,” he whispers.
I break into a grin. “I love it… I really…. I love you, Erik.”
He freezes for a second. His expression is one of complete surprise. His hands tighten around my waist. “Oh, Annika…”
I bite my lip and blush. “I’m sorry. That kind of slipped out.”
He shakes his head. “Don’t apologize. I care about you too, Nika. More deeply than I can say.”
I bite my lower lip. “Yeah?”
He shakes his head and kisses me tenderly. “I do.”
I take a deep breath, feeling a little off-center. Does that mean that he loves me and just can’t say it aloud? Or am I being optimistic to think so?
Erik takes my hand, guiding me back to the bed. I sit down, enjoying how squishy that mattress is.
“I’ll be right back,” he says.
He returns with a huge silver tray and sets it between us on the bed. It’s been made up with a silver ice bucket with champagne chilling, a platter of French macarons and handmade chocolates, and two champagne flutes. And right in the center of all of it is a single pink cupcake with a candle, just waiting to be lit.
I grin as he sits down on the other side of the tray.
Erik pops the bottle of champagne and pours us each a glass. I pick up a pink macaron, nibbling it delicately. It’s sweet and light, made of almond flour and raspberry cream.
He holds up his glass to me. I pick mine up and clink it against his. He smiles.
“Happy birthday, Nika.”
I wiggle my eyebrows at him as I taste the champagne. “Thank you for doing all of this, Erik.”
His lips twitch. “It was nothing.” He takes a sip of his drink then looks at me. “Isn’t this the part where you tell me your goals, birthday girl?”
I shoot him a smirk. “My goals?”
“Yep.” He reaches over to the platter and touches the edge of the cupcake, taking just a little frosting off of it. Then he pops his finger in his mouth, smacking his lips appreciatively.
My lips twist. I sigh, tilting my head and leaning back on the bed. “I’m not sure. I…” Pausing, I bite my full lower lip. “If I weren’t a princess… if I could break away from the royal family, I would live a very different life.”
His eyebrows rise. He sets his glass on the floor and runs a couple of his fingers along the outside of my arm. “What would you do?”
I push out my cheek with my tongue. “I would probably focus on charity work? Maybe something with fashion… or maybe raise awareness for people with eating disorders? I don’t know. I would just be excited to go out without the paparazzi following me everywhere.”
His lips quirk. “Like this morning?”
I nod. “Exactly.”
He screws up his face for a second. “We could break away from the palace, you know.”
I give him a funny look. “What?”
He shrugs, looking down at the platter. “I’m just saying. You can do anything you want to do, if you are willing to pay the price.”
I give a half-hearted chuckle. “What about you? Where are you in this scenario? Because I don’t see you being Stellan’s secretary if you encourage his little sister to run off and become a former royal.”
He looks up at me suddenly, spearing me with his deep, serious gaze. “I don’t plan on being his secretary for much longer. Before all of this, I was trying to find the right time to tell him that I wanted to leave. Now, I have even more motivation to leave.”
I stare at him. My heart pounds. “Are you saying you would go with me if I made the jump?”
He nods. “I would. In a heartbeat.”
I frown. “And what would our future look like together? How would we live?” I scrunch up my nose. “I imagine that I would receive some sort of stipend from the royal family but— “
“We don’t have to worry about money,” he says, tilting his head at me. “I have enough. I mean, it’s nothing like the kind of money that the royal family has. But it’ll do. I can take care of you for the rest of our lives, Nika.”
I narrow my gaze. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to take care of me.”
He shrugs. “It’s just money. I would rather spend it on making a life with you than anything else.”
I bite my lip and frown at him for a few seconds, taking it all in. My heart lurches in my chest. “You’re serious? You would break off from my family if I agreed to go?”
He trails his touch along my arm, nodding. “Yes.”
I scoot around to be close enough to kiss his gorgeous lips. For a minute, we just explore each other’s mouths, languorously kissing. When I finally open my eyes and look into his face, my heart is so full that I can’t help but grin.
He smirks. “How should I read that? Is that a yes?”
I nod, biting my lip. “I would be a fool to say no. I’m not promising anything, but… I will leave if you’re propping me up.”
“I can’t think of anything better.” Erik pauses, his brow wrinkling. “We should wait until after Stellan’s wedding to make any announcements. Right?”
“Yes. That would be the polite thing to do.” Reaching up to his sideburn, I run my fingers through the short hair that I find there. “It would be even more polite to wait until after he gets back from his honeymoon.”
He pulls a face. “It would be polite, yes. But I don’t want to wait that long. Do you?”
My lips twitch. I kiss his lip for a second before shaking my head. “No.”
Erik moves closer, kissing me more deeply. We get lost in the moment and I sigh breathily as he starts to brush his lips against my collarbone…
29
Erik
Annika is looking at me like a fucking angel. I can’t not touch her. I put the tray of food on the floor and pull her closer. She moans with this breathy little voice that makes me wild and crazy.
Shaken to my very core, I drag my thumb across her lower lip, then follow the caress with the press of my lips against hers. She responds immediately, ravenous for my touch.
Fuck.
Echoing her sentiment with an appetite all my own, I bend her backward, trailing kisses down her neck. I grab her by the waist and bring her down to the floor, spreading her thighs and bringing us together. My mouth descends upon hers, hungry and demanding.
She opens her mouth and her thighs for me, drawing me in without a second of hesitation. Her hands slip around my neck, fingernails lightly scoring the flesh of my shoulders. I palm one of her breasts, then pinch her nipple, drawing a cry from her lips.
I trail kisses down her jaw, skipping over her neck, and bend down to nuzzle the space between her breasts. I feel her legs wrap around me, her heels digging into the backs of my legs, pulling me as close as possible.
I reach down and hike her pretty dress up, finding her bare underneath. I groan as I rip off her dress, kissing her exposed breasts. I know I’m not being delicate with her, but I’m too entranced to care.
She doesn’t seem to mind, her head thrown back. She’s making these little oh sounds that are killing me, every second I’m not inside her.
Fuck. I need to have her,
right this second.
She kisses me, and I bite her lower lip. She grabs my head and bites me on the neck, which I swear makes my cock pulse.
“Talk dirty to me again,” she whispers. Her words are another turn on.
“Fuck!” I grit out. “You are such a bad girl, princess.”
I squeeze one of her breasts hard, and she gasps.
“Bad enough to get punished?” she whispers.
“Ohhh fuck,” I say, pushing her down against the floor. I look at her for a second, searching her face. “You don’t really want that.”
She struggles under me, trying to push me off. “Maybe I do.”
I bring my hand up to her neck, fitting my fingers around the slim white column of her neck. I apply just a little bit of pressure, making her gasp and writhe beneath me. When I release her, she tries to pull me closer for a kiss. I allow it for a moment, but then I pull back. There is much more I want to do to her.
I move back, kneeling on the ground. I strip off my own jeans and T-shirt.
Her eyes are immediately drawn to my cock, which jumps at the attention she pays it. She looks up at me, biting her lip.
“Can I taste you?” she asks quietly, seeming unsure.
God, could Nika be any sexier? I reach down and stroke my cock with one hand, nodding. Her eyes twinkle a bit, and she pushes herself up on the bed. “I have been dreaming about your taste...”
She reaches out, brushing her hand along my length. I grit my teeth as pre-cum leaks from the tip of my cock.
“If you insist,” I say, amused. She presses her free hand against my chest, turning me onto my back. I go willingly, trying not to flutter my eyes closed as she moves down, kissing as she goes.
When Nika circles her wet tongue around the head of my cock, I can’t breathe for a second.
“Like this?” she asks, looking up at me. She shifts so that she’s on her knees.
“That’s… perfect. Jesus, you’re hot when you’re on your knees like that.”
Swallowing, I look down at her heart-shaped face. Her pouty lips part as I guide my cock to her mouth. The second I touch my cock to her lips, the sensitive head probing the wet heat of her mouth, I have to close my eyes for a moment.
My dick twitches, and it takes everything in me not to just bury myself in her hot mouth. I imagine how I would do it. How good it would feel just to put my hand in her hair, to let go and fuck her mouth and throat.
But no. I open my eyes again, breathing hard. She’s looking up at me, her lips on the very tip of my dick, her eyes telling me that she trusts me. I have to remember that.
“Open your mouth a little, and stick out your tongue,” I encourage her, pressing the blunt head against her lips.
She does, rolling out the velvety tip of her tongue. It caresses the head of my cock and sends tiny lightning bolts of electricity down to my feet. My toes curl.
“Fuuuuuuck,” I whisper. She nudges my hand out of the way, closing her little fist around my cock. I put my hand into her hair as she sinks her mouth down on my dick.
She starts to work her head forward and back, fucking me oh so slowly. I groan as she picks up the pace a little, closing my eyes and leaning my head back.
Usually when I’m fucking a girl’s pussy, I’m in a position of complete control. I can stop or slow down as often as I want, which helps me to keep from blowing my load before I’m ready. Even with throat-fucking, I am in control more than I am now.
And control is something I desperately need to have, especially now. Especially with Nika.
I can’t scare her off of going down by grabbing her and fucking her throat. And as much as I’d like to cum in her mouth, I know that I can’t. It’s too much.
“Fuckkkk,” I hiss. Her mouth feels incredible, it’s going to be hard to restrain myself. “Okay, okay. You have to stop, otherwise I’m going to finish in your mouth.”
I gently grab her face and push her back. She sits back on her heels, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand.
“You taste good,” she says, her eyes scanning my face. She licks her lips. For a second, my eyes are on her mouth, watching her tongue.
Yeah, I would’ve finished there without a problem.
“Your mouth is incredible.” I pin her onto her back. “I just didn’t want to come in there, when there are so many other places that call my name.”
She giggles for a second. I grab her knees and force them apart, leaning down to kiss her breasts. Then I go straight for her pussy, spreading it with two fingers, and licking her clit.
Nika cries out and buries her hands in my hair, her back bowing. I trace figure eights around her clit and dip my tongue into her pussy, loving the scent and taste of her. Just as she gets worked up, her juices flowing, I press her knees up and lick my way around the tiny pucker of her ass.
“Oooh!” she cries, startled.
I kiss and lick it for a second, penetrating her ass with the tip of my tongue. Then I break away, kissing her inner thighs, kissing and biting her breasts.
“I want you to touch yourself again,” I whisper in her ear. “While I’m taking you from behind, I want you to make yourself come.”
She nods eagerly, and I flip her over. She braces herself on her knees and elbows, showing her pretty pussy and ass to me. I grasp my cock, pressing the head to her entrance.
“Touch yourself,” I order. She reaches under her body and starts to play with her clit.
I plunge inside her and hear her gasp. She feels so hot and so tight that I have to go slow, otherwise I’ll come right away.
“Oh my god,” she gasps. “Erik, your cock feels so good.”
I grab her hips and use them as leverage while I fuck her, working my cock in and out of her pussy. She begins to tighten her innermost muscles even more as she plays with her clit. I focus, closing my eyes, and try to hit her g-spot every time I thrust.
Finally, she bursts, coming with a shout. I speed up as soon as I feel her begin to spasm, letting myself pound into her like a jackhammer. She cries out my name, which has never sounded better.
I feel my cock start to twitch and pulse as I drive home again and again. I feel like I’m coming like a fucking fountain, her pussy milking my cock for everything it’s worth.
“Fuck!” I shout. “God damn, Nika.”
We collapse in a sweaty, laughing pile. I kiss the side of her face and she beams at me. “You know what I want now?”
“I hope it’s a cupcake,” I say, still catching my breath.
She looks at me for a long second. “That’s exactly right, Erik.”
I laugh and roll over to grab the cupcake from the floor. And we enjoy it together, savoring the moment.
30
Erik
"We are almost there. Just a little further."
With my hands over Nika's eyes I walk behind her a few more steps. I look up at the soaring factory ceiling above me, wetting my lips. It's bright in here, everything is painted white. The stainless steel machinery in the center of the room makes surprisingly little noise. Just a gentle whirring sound, mostly.
"Are we there yet? I'm dying to know where you brought me. My birthday was a week ago…" she reminds me.
I nibble at her ear and laugh. "Okay, okay. You can look now."
I pull my hands away, dropping them to her shoulders. She looks around with wide eyes, inhaling fragrant wafts of toffee-scented air. She looks at me with a surprised little grin. "Are we at the factory where they make toffee?"
I give her a slow grin. "Yup. We're here to see how the toffee is made and to try some of their test flavors. I called ahead a few weeks ago and they said that today would be the perfect day to come and visit."
She squeals, hugging me hard. "Oh my God. I had no idea that you had this plan! Thank you, thank you, thank you…"
She hugs me one more time then pulls away, grabbing my dark green plaid button up shirt by the hem and towing me along. We are all alone on the factory floor, walking to the
left of machines that make the toffee. Just in front of us is the one that stirs the melted sugary goodness. As we walk down the catwalk a little further, I can see that the candy is poured into little molds and cooled down by yet another machine. We keep heading around the outside of the factory line. We look through a clear plexiglass windows at a spot where the candy is freed from the molds and dropped straight into the shiny gold wrappers. Annika looks up at me, taking my hand and squeezing it hard.
"I can't believe you did this for me."
I smile. "It wasn't that big of a deal. I only had to name drop the royal palace once."
Nika grins. "Still. I wouldn't have even thought of this. I didn't realize that I wanted to come here but now that I've been, I don't know if I ever want to leave. Why go anywhere else?"
I slide an arm around her, pulling her closer as we continue walking. Spotting a gray-haired gentleman in a hairnet and a white laboratory jacket, I nod towards him. "I think that man is waiting for us."
Nika looks like I've just told her that she's going to get to fly to the moon or something. "Is this the part where we get to taste the weird flavors of toffee?"
I grin at her. "I think so."
She makes a little fist, pumping it in the air. "Yes…"
We head down to meet the man waiting for us, who introduces himself as Noah, the factory manager. We might be here on a lark, but Noah is all business right now. He has a face like a weathered apple and if he has ever felt joy, it isn't readily apparent.
"If you will just follow me this way, I can show you to the room where I have all the samples laid out for you to try."
He hustles us into a brightly lit room with a giant metal table. On the table are two dozen samples, laid out neatly and labeled. I follow Nika's lead and wait patiently as she tries different flavors of toffee out.
Banana, coffee, butter rum, maple, vanilla, raspberry… So on and so forth.
I drift along in her wake as she samples each flavor, excitedly offering half of whatever she has just tasted to me.