by Eden O'Neill
Something to do…
I eyed him. “I mean, you could have asked anyone else out here. LJ, Jax, Knight, or any one of your friends?” And he wouldn’t have had to drag them at that, blackmail them.
“Could have,” he said, flashing those entirely too green irises at me. He fell to his back, tilting his chin up at the stars. “I chose you, though. Didn’t I?”
He chose me.
My gaze found the stars then too, not knowing what else to look at. Royal moved, and when I finally did look at him, he’d repositioned, lacing fingers across his wide chest.
He grinned. “Fuck, we used to get into so much shit out here. It helped that my cousin owned the place. He let us do whatever we wanted, ride tractors, eat corn dogs until we exploded, and just chill around here until after midnight.”
I smiled. “That all sounds amazing. Well, except for the corn dogs part.” He faced me, and I shrugged. “I’m vegan, don’t eat animal products.”
One would have thought I told him I was a cannibal with the way he looked at me.
He arched an eyebrow. “You’re for real with that? Like actually for real?”
I turned on my shoulder. “Yeah?”
His brow moved up a little before he stared ahead. “Interesting.”
“Interesting?”
He smiled a little. “Just interesting.”
Already having dealt with the world’s awe of my personal preference for my own damn diet, I shook my head. “So you dragged me all the way out here because you didn’t want to go by yourself, but also didn’t want to go with one of the bazillion and a half friends you have?”
“Sometimes, being around a ton of people at any given time is overrated.” He sounded dismissive about it. “Anyway, last time I took Jax, he wouldn’t shut the hell up. Then, I had LJ getting on Jax because he wouldn’t shut up, Knight on him because he was being drama.” He shook his head as if recalling the night. “Sometimes, you just want the quiet.”
“And the dog toys?”
“A peace offering. It’s no secret you don’t like me very much.”
Maybe if he’d given me a reason beyond threats and a cold exterior that could challenge my dad’s, that would have been different. He made people not like him—at least me.
I said nothing, gazing away.
“My turn for a question now, princess.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, Mr. Prinze.”
He chuckled. “Why the fuck are you vegan? I mean, how does that even work? How do you get your protein?”
A classic “omni” or omnivore question and one I was fully equipped to answer.
“There’s protein in everything you eat,” I said. “And do you have any idea how much factory farming affects the planet?”
He grinned to himself. “I’m sure you’re about to tell me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just know it’s bad, and I get plenty of protein.” I bunched up the blanket behind my head, making a pillow. “I also care about the planet and the animals, of course.”
“Of course.”
I eyed him. “Then, there’s the health benefits.” I’d lost him at this point, but chose to keep talking. I frowned. “I’m sure you saw the pictures of what I used to look like freshman year. Mira was flashing them around at that party, and that was before I changed my diet, FYI…”
I bit my lip, having spoken too much after recalling how he’d left Mira after clearly seeing those pictures. He’d looked so put off then.
Royal put me out of my misery by continuing to stare at the great wide above, and I stayed silent too.
“I did the see the pictures, princess,” he said after a while. “And I see you now. Same thing.”
Having no idea what he meant by that, I stared right at him, but to my surprise, he already had that cool stare of his on me. He dragged me in deep wherever he was, his hands folded together while he lounged on an arm. It was a loud and vibrant sound that pulled us both out of it, and Royal sat up, gazing into the truck cabin. He chuckled. “Was that the dog?”
It sounded again, and I got up. Sure enough, Hershey was on her side, snoring her little heart out, and I laughed too.
“You should hear her bark,” I said. “There’s a full-grown dog in that little body.”
“I’ll fucking say.” The bright lights from above touched his eyes, making them way too lustrous for their own good. They were as fiery as the stars above in the moonlight. He was a star and bigger than anything I could ever be. How was it someone as ordinary as my sister got wrapped up with a boy who basically ruled the world?
I think I was starting to see.
I was seeing him, and when he leaned forward, I didn’t pull away. I let him brush his lips against mine. I let him pinch my chin between two fingers and guide me into his taste. He fell away quickly, eyes on nothing but my burning lips as he tugged my hair close.
“I can’t.” The growl I actually heard in his voice, the groan to deny further intent. He pulled back. “You’re Paige’s sister, off-limits.”
He was Paige’s best friend, also off-limits. I stared at his lips. “What should we do about it?”
He smiled, leaning in. “See if it’s worth it?”
I nodded, tugging his shirt and crashing his lips against mine. He tasted like heaven and equal parts sin, his tongue delving into my mouth as he dove in for a better taste. He hovered above me, a body heavy with weight and muscle and my body humming with familiarity.
Especially when he slid a hand inside my jumper.
He’d undone the buttons so easily, his fingers rough against my quivering tummy. He stopped again then, the pads of his fingers chasing the line of my panties.
“I shouldn’t do this,” he said, retreating a little, but I noticed he didn’t remove his hand. He touched a thumb to my belly button. “If I have more, I’m going to want more.”
I wanted him to have more. Even more so since he stopped himself. I had a feeling he didn’t do that a lot.
I dampened my lips, then wet his, urging him not to stop with flicks of my tongue. He covered me, pinning me under the stars, and I felt every ounce of him. I’d done this before with another boy who I thought loved me. I thought he showed me love, but realized in the end, he just wanted my body and nothing more. What’s horrible was I think I knew that back then. I did but was so desperate for something outside of myself I didn’t care. I let him use me because there was a sadness inside me I just wanted to go away. I took my mom’s death pretty hard, and even though I stayed behind and didn’t leave like Paige and my dad, I used another coping mechanism. I used a boy’s false love not to feel anything.
I didn’t do that now. I wanted to feel this, every touch and caress of Royal’s skin a burn to my longing flesh. I wanted him. I wanted to feel him and wouldn’t escape this. He’d been the first guy I’d been with since a horrible mistake I allowed to come into my life.
“Em… fuck.” The shortening of my name didn’t come from nowhere. This boy knew my sister, and through her, he might have known me. He did know me. He knew how I liked to be touched, kissed, as he worked my jumper off me, then later my panties and bra. He placed his hard body between my legs, and I tugged his shirt away, beautiful skin bare and tan in the wide moonlight. He was perfect, gorgeous, and I kissed his chest, watching as he guided me up to his mouth.
His groan was feral, and he didn’t give me another second to change my mind before he undid his pants and grabbed a condom from his jeans. Perhaps he was past that point. I think we both were. Now that I had more, I wasn’t going to not have it.
The ache came the moment he pressed himself between my legs, all of this a long time for me, and the way he moved, so slow and intentional with his care, I had a feeling he thought it’d been the first time for me. I appreciated that since it had been a while, whimpering as he paced his powerful hips so slowly. He kissed me to make it easier, pulling the blanket around us and keeping me warm. I gripped his shoulder blades as I crested the high, and it didn’t
take long for him to join me.
He grunted and his entire body shook as he squeezed my body to give the last bit of himself. He had complete ecstasy in his eyes as he opened them, and caging my face, he didn’t leave. He kissed me again, fooling me real good.
He made me feel like I was the only one.
Fifteen
Little yips tugged me awake, tiny dog barks as they sounded above. Second came the sun, heat and a firm arm around my waist. It brought me close, possessive and warm as I was pulled back into a bare chest. A sheet of unyielding muscle surrounded me, Royal’s hold so, so tight. We stayed out all night…
Shit.
I rose up, a groan beside me. Royal had been so curled up on me he hadn’t been prepared for such a quick exit. He pressed palms to his eyes, blinking and looking like Sleeping fucking Beauty’s prince. I mean, what the fuck? Who looks that good right when they wake up?
God, I was in so much shit if my dad woke up and I wasn’t home.
“Royal, we have to go,” I urged, rooting around the blanket for my underwear. “My dad’s going to kill me.”
“Hmm?” he moaned, looking so stinking cute for such a hard-ass. He also had a hard ass, one I had a good view of since I moved the blanket away. He rose up. “What time is it?”
It didn’t matter what time it was. It was morning, and I had a curfew. “My dad’s seriously going to lose his shit if he realizes I’m not home. He gave me a curfew, and he’s frickin’ serious about it.”
“Okay, okay.” He was up now, on his arm and looking at me. Staring for a while, a mischievous gleam in his green eyes, he finally decided to help me when he found my bra.
I ripped it away. “Stop playing around—”
“I’m not, princess.” He brought me close, kissing me with a full kiss. He drew me in with firm hands, shutting down my reserve. He grinned against my lips. “I’m just wishing you good morning.”
He wished me good morning again when he brought his impressive wingspan around me, and it was Hershey yipping inside the truck to finally make him stop. Even still, he didn’t pull away, getting two handfuls of my bare bottom. “Better?” he asked, that gleam back.
Actually, yes. At least temporarily. I smiled a little. “I fucking hate you.”
“No, you don’t.” He flicked my nose. “But we can pretend.” Letting me go, he both found and gave me my underwear, finally reaching for his own clothes and getting his own self together after I urged him.
“It’s okay, girl. We’re leaving,” I soothed my dog through the window. Seeing me, Hershey got on her hind legs, wagging her tail. I reached in, giving her a good pet before putting on the rest of my clothes.
“It’s only six. Maybe you’ll be okay.” Royal sat on his haunches, bare from the waist up as he gazed at his cell phone with squinting eyes. With the way his jeans slouched low on his hips he definitely didn’t have anything on underneath.
Hot damn.
My life flashed before my eyes not just due to potential repercussions from my dad, but from my sister who probably wouldn’t be too happy to know I screwed her best friend. I probably wouldn’t be if it’d been the other way around. I pushed hair out of my face. “We shouldn’t have slept together. Paige?”
“It’s too late for that now, princess.” He pushed his cell phone into his back pocket before reaching down and shrugged his shirt on. He danced blond eyebrows at me. “Don’t you think?”
He gave me a kiss after that with another one of his stupidly cute grins. I hadn’t found them cute before this morning, more so annoying.
What the hell is this boy doing to me?
I knew exactly what he was doing and he did too when he hopped off the truck bed. Landing on boots, he lifted hands for me, twirling me like a damsel before placing me down.
“You’re stupid,” I told him. “And you’re going to get me killed.”
“Not if we hurry.” He nudged me before going to the driver’s side, and as soon as I opened the door, my puppy launched out, making me giggle when she licked my face.
“Don’t worry. We’re going home—”
I turned upon a rustle in the corn maze, and with the way the breeze moved the long stalks, I actually thought I may have seen something in there. Royal tapped two short honks, making both me and Hershey freak the fuck out when we jumped. I turned, and he had an arm rested on the wheel, the truck running.
“This chariot ain’t going to wait forever, Em,” he said, wagging his eyebrows. “Get your ass in here before I change my mind about getting you back.”
Why did I have to like it so much when he called me Em?
Groaning, I braced my puppy as I slid inside. Royal went double time back to our cars, but I didn’t think it mattered how fast he went. If my dad was up, I was most assuredly dead.
*
Royal didn’t have to follow me home to make sure I got in okay, but since he did, I gave him the job of puppy handler, sliding him keys so he could put Hershey in the guesthouse. If I went inside my dad’s house having stayed out all night and with living, breathing contraband I was as good as annihilated. His car was in the garage when I pulled in and on quick time, I didn’t check to see if Royal got Hershey in the guesthouse okay before going in through the garage. I assumed the best.
“Have you lost your goddamn mind? Staying out all night? What were you thinking?”
Turned out, I should have assumed the worst, peeling my bag off in the house’s entryway. My dad was coming down the stairs, his path directly in the line of where the garage door opened to the house.
Fuck me.
Dad stepped down a stair, the epitome of rage flashing across his face. “Well? What do you have to say for yourself—”
“She was with me, sir, and I apologize. I lost track of time.”
My back shot up, and when I turned, Royal was behind me, sans dog and with my keys in his hands. He followed me through the garage.
What the hell did he think he was doing?
“You know how I can be,” he said, shocking the hell out of me. He flashed a smile. “We were just hanging out at the pumpkin patch like Paige and I used to.”
He had to have a death wish, the only logical explanation he could possibly have for coming into my dad’s house and standing up to him. I had visions of shotguns and a wild-eyed father pursing a reckless boy for taking his daughter’s honor.
Not an older man who closed his lips.
But that’s exactly what my dad did, the man completely silent as Royal stepped into his house and stared at him full on. In fact, the pair stared at each other so long I exchanged a glance between them both, and eventually, Dad worked a hand through his hair.
“I didn’t know she was with you,” he said, my jaw dropping. What the fuck? Dad nodded. “Just don’t make a habit of it, all right?”
I seriously felt like I was having an out-of-body experience, Royal standing up to my dad and my dad just taking it like he didn’t get off chiding me whenever he had the opportunity. Sometimes, I believed he actually got joy from it he’d done it so much in the past.
“Of course, Mr. Lindquist.” Royal’s nod was firm. “Definitely won’t.”
Dad bobbed his head twice in acknowledgment again before closing his robe tight and retreating up the stairs. He went about his business, leaving the pair of us.
“Do you need a ride to school?” Royal asked simply like he didn’t just shrink my father down to size. He gave me the keys to the guesthouse. “Hershey’s all settled and has breakfast.”
My lips parting, I shook my head. “I need to shower and eat.”
“Right. Well, I’ll see you at school, then.” He started to walk off, the front door this time like none of what just happened was a thing at all.
“What was all that about?” I touched his arm, making him turn. “Do you have the magic touch or something when it comes to my dad?” Yeah, he had a history with my dad and Paige being her friend, but that was too weird.
He shrugged. “He�
��s never had a problem with me.” I guess not and I released him, but not before he took hold of me. He brought me under one arm, pinching my chin. “I’ll see you at school, princess.”
He let me go with that, heading to the front door, and all I had left to do then, I guess, was shower.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Complications
So something happened with Royal, and I wouldn’t be a very good person unless I said something. Actually, I feel like a horrible person and terrible sister. I came down here for you and that’s still true, but like I said, something happened, so brace yourself…
I kissed him, okay? All right, I more than kissed him. We hooked up, and before you say what I think you’re going to say, this isn’t like it was before. Royal isn’t Dean, and I don’t think he’s using me. In fact, he didn’t want to do it at all. Neither of us did, and really, because of you. We care about you, but he did this thing at his cousin’s pumpkin patch. It was a really sweet thing with some dogs and dog toys, and it made me feel like he wasn’t so bad. Of course, that’s not the only reason I slept with him. I think he might secretly be a great person, which would explain a lot. It’d explain him and you. He told me about some of the things you used to do and the trouble you got into, and I think I’m starting to understand now. He was your person like you were mine, and I think you might have been his too for him. He said you were there for him, and why am I not surprised? He also told me the reason you left. That girl you mentioned the summer before last? P, why didn’t you tell me what was going on? Don’t worry. Royal didn’t go into details, but I wished you would have. We’re here for you, both Royal and I, and if you come back, just know you’re needed and you’re loved. I need you, P, and it’s okay to need others and not just be the backbone for me and your friends. It’s okay to be weak, and it’s okay to be vulnerable as long as you don’t let it get you down. You taught me that.