Reluctantly Royal

by Nichole Chase

  Once I laid him on the bed, Meredith pulled his shoes off and tucked him under the blanket. He had taken his jacket and tie off in the limo. She motioned for me to be quiet as we backed out of the room. With gentle hands she pulled his door shut and looked up at me.

  “Thank you.” She licked her lips. “I don’t know how I’ll repay you for all that you have done for my family.”

  Half a thought blossomed in my brain and I almost blurted out that she was family. She and Marty had inexplicably found a spot in what I considered mine. It was a tiny crowd, and the fact that they had slid into the select group so quickly was a bit scary.

  “I was glad to do it.” I tugged on a strand of hair that had slid out from behind her ear.

  “It means a lot.” She yawned and I chuckled.

  “I think you need a nap too.” I let go of her hair. “It’s been a long morning.”

  “Even longer for you.”

  I shrugged. I hadn’t wanted her to deal with a difficult father on the day she laid her grandfather to rest.

  Reaching out, she grabbed my hand and tugged me toward her. I cupped her cheek and looked down into her bright eyes.

  “Come with me.” She chewed on her lip. “You’re tired too. I can see it in your eyes.”

  She wasn’t suggesting sex. She was asking for something just as personal; to sleep with me. I couldn’t remember the last time I had slept with someone. Sex, I’d had plenty of sex. But I never stayed long afterward. And I certainly didn’t have girls staying at my house. This was blowing my comfort zones out of the water. Then again, the entire week had pushed me past all of my set boundaries.

  I studied her face and noted the nerves that made her eyebrows pull together, the way her teeth worked her bottom lip. This wasn’t something that had been easy for her to suggest.

  Taking her hand, I headed for my room.

  I opened the door and let her walk in ahead of me. Her eyes traveled around before she walked to my desk and picked up the drawing on top. It was the one I’d done of her the morning after my nightmare.

  I swallowed hard as her eyes traced the lines I’d drawn. For some reason it made me feel exposed. Could she see what I had felt while drawing her? After a minute she set the paper back down and walked toward the bed.

  She stepped out of one shoe before using her toe to help pry the other off. Reaching up, she undid her earrings and put them on the bedside table. There was something in the little things she did that kept me spellbound. Such simple things like taking off her shoes shouldn’t be exciting. But with her, everything was sexy. Even when she wasn’t intending to be.

  Clearing my throat, I slid my jacket off and hung it on the back of my desk chair. Kicking my shoes off, I undid the cuffs of my shirt before taking off my watch and setting it next to her earrings. I looked at the earrings for a minute, surprised by the amount of emotion that came from seeing her things sitting with mine.

  Like that was the way it had always been.

  “Could I borrow a shirt?” She looked at me from under heavy eyelashes.

  I opened one of the drawers of my dresser and fished out a shirt. She undid the zipper of her dress before sliding it off and hanging it over my jacket. As she walked toward me in nothing but a bra, barely-there panties, and garter belt, I had to mentally remind myself that we were napping. Feebly I held out the shirt I had taken from my dresser.

  With an amused smile, she took the shirt from me and slipped it over her head. Had my mouth been hanging open? Seeing her in that had been enough to make me forget my name.

  She sat down on the bed and undid her stockings before rolling them down her legs. Turning around, she crawled across the bed toward the pillows, providing me with a great view of her perfect ass. She pulled the blanket out and lay down, tucking her hands under her cheek while looking at me.

  I guess that meant it was my turn. Undoing the buttons of my shirt, I pulled it off and dropped it on the foot of the bed. I only hesitated for a moment before sliding my belt off and stepping out of my pants. I shifted so my body wouldn’t give away my reaction to her climb over the bed. I slipped under the blanket and she immediately closed the distance between us.

  Raising my arm, I let her tuck her lithe body close to mine and rest her head on my shoulder. Her delicate hand rested on my chest and I touched the tiny pearl ring on her middle finger.

  “That’s different.”

  “My granddad gave it to me when I had Marty.” Sleep laced her voice. “He stayed at the hospital the entire time.”

  “He loved you two very much.” I continued to trace the delicate ring.

  “I miss him,” she mumbled.

  “That’s natural.” I turned my face so I could kiss her head. “It’ll get better.”

  “Promise?” Her voice was so soft I almost didn’t hear her.

  “It takes time.” I sighed. “But yes, I promise.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You don’t have to thank me.” I closed my eyes and listened to her breathing. As it slowed, I shifted on my pillow and threw my arm over my head. For a minute I wasn’t sure if I would be able to sleep, but as I listened to her breathing, I found mine matching hers, and before I knew it I was asleep.

  I must’ve been more tired than I’d realized because it wasn’t until I tried to roll over that I remembered someone was in the bed with me. Meredith’s leg was draped over mine; the T-shirt she had borrowed had ridden up to expose a delectable amount of flesh. My eyes scanned her face as her breath tickled my skin.

  Her red hair was spread out around her head like a halo of fire. Her dark eyelashes rested against her cheeks. Delicate fingers twitched on my chest as she dreamed, and I wondered what she was seeing.

  “You’re doing it again.” Her voice surprised me. I hadn’t realized she’d woken up. Her eyes were still closed but her breathing had hitched.

  “What?”

  “Staring.” She opened her eyes with a small smile.

  “It’s not my fault.” I tilted her chin up so that I could see her eyes clearly. “You’re worth staring at.”

  “Is that why you drew me?” She cocked an eyebrow.

  “I had a nightmare.” I watched her face, noting the way her eyes crinkled in the corners.

  She scrunched up her nose. “That’s not exactly a compliment.”

  “From the time my father died, I’ve had a recurring nightmare.” I swallowed. “When it happens, the only thing that helps is drawing. For some reason the other morning when it happened, it was your face that made me feel better.”

  She reached up and traced my cheek with her fingers. Sitting up, she looked down at me for a minute before pulling my borrowed shirt up and over her head. The black of her bra and panties contrasted sharply with her fair skin. Shaking her hair out, she looked down at me, her eyes full of emotion.

  My pulse sped up as she sat up on her knees and ran her hands down my chest before sliding them back up to my shoulders. Lowering her mouth, she brought her lips to mine in a butterfly-soft kiss. When her tongue traced my bottom lip, I had to grip the sheets to keep from trying to take control. There was something special about having her take the lead. Plus it was fucking sexy to know that she wanted me. I could get used to waking up this way.

  She shifted so that she was straddling me and I let myself rest my hands on her waist. I needed to touch her, even though I sensed it was important that she was initiating this and that she was in control. Her kiss deepened, her tongue tangling with mine, and my brain fought to stay calm. Red hair curtained our faces as she kissed me senseless, narrowing my world until it was just the two of us.

  My hands moved of their own accord, along her ribs, over her shoulders, until I traced the straps of her bra. With delicate fingers I slid the straps down her arms before running my hands up over her neck so I could cup her jaw. She sighed into my mouth, her fingers on my shoulders tightening.

  Sitting up, she reached behind her, undoing the bra and exposing her pert bre
asts to my attention. Unable to resist the temptation, I sat up on one elbow and caught a pink peak with my mouth. She gasped and let her head fall back while she tangled her fingers in my hair. Her skin was creamy and smooth and I couldn’t get enough of it. With my free hand I cupped her other breast, gently rolling the nipple between my fingers while I devoured the first tantalizing peak.

  Her moan resonated through my body and I pushed up so that I was in a sitting position. I shifted her so that my shaft was pressed against her hot center, and gripped her ass with my hands. Yanking on my hair, she lifted my face so that she could kiss me. Her mouth was hungry and demanding, her soft lips firm as she took what she wanted.

  When her hips shifted, rubbing against me, I groaned. I ran my hands over her lithe body, across the smooth skin of her back, and pulled at the clasp of her garter belt. As I fumbled with the hooks, she let go of my hair and reached around to help me undo the hooks. Grabbing her hands, I kept them pinned behind her back while I feasted on her flesh. I ran my lips over her neck and scraped my teeth along her collarbone, eliciting a shiver.

  Her breathing increased, which made her chest rise and fall in front of my face. Unable to help myself, I caught one peak with my teeth, teasing it with my tongue while she wiggled on top of me. The feel of her hips pressing against mine drove me over the edge. I let go of her hands, which went straight back to my head, where they fisted tightly in my hair. Ripping her garter belt off, I threw it on the floor before rolling over so that she was on her back.

  She looked up at me with hooded eyes before reaching for the band of my underwear. I sat up on my knees and helped her slide them off, closing my eyes when she wrapped her hand around me. She shifted so that she was on her knees, before leaning forward and pressing her lips to my head. Her warm, moist mouth slid over my dick in wet strokes, causing me to moan. Wanting to see her, I gathered her hair on the top of her head and out of the way. I watched as she sucked and licked me, her gorgeous eyes turned up at me.

  When my hips began to move, I groaned. It was too good, too perfect. If I let her go on, I was going to lose it. When I tugged on her hair gently, she shifted back up so that I could capture her mouth with mine. Sliding my hands down over the curve of her back, I slid her panties down so that she could kick them off.

  She pushed on my shoulders so that I was forced to sit down. With a determined look, she crawled onto my lap and grasped my shaft.

  “I want you, Max.” She positioned me at her opening before letting gravity do its job.

  I groaned loudly; her slick excitement was almost too much to take. When she began to move, rocking against me, my head fell back and I groaned.

  “Watch me, Max.” Leaning forward, she caught my ear with her teeth. “I want you to see me.”

  “Fuck,” I whispered in Lilarian. “You feel so good. So wet. For me.”

  “For you.” She groaned, her hips picking up the pace. “Look at me. I want to see what I make you feel.”

  I opened my eyes and met her stare. She made me feel a lot of things. Could she see what she had done to me? She had changed my life in a matter of days. Would she be able to see that I had fallen in love with her?

  The reality of that thought shot through my system like lightning. I loved this woman. Sometime when I wasn’t paying attention, she had become mine. Did she know that? Would she object?

  The tempo of her movements increased, her breasts rising and falling with each breath.

  I fisted my hand in the hair at the base of her neck and pressed my forehead to hers.

  “You’re going to make me come, sweet Meredith.” My Meredith. “You’re too much, too fucking perfect.”

  She picked up her pace, her soft moans of pleasure rocking me closer to my edge.

  “Max.” She gasped my name as her eyes went wide. Her body jerked against mine as pleasure slammed into her, but not once did she close her eyes. Watching her topple over the peak of orgasm finished me. My body shook as an orgasm so intense I thought it would shatter me rocked through my body.

  She watched me with heavily lidded eyes as I unraveled beneath her. I pressed my lips to her, kissing her softly, the tips of our tongues coming together in a gentle dance as we reveled in the pleasure our bodies had experienced.

  Three simple words sat on the tip of my tongue when she pulled back to look at me. Her eyes were full of heat and pleasure. Instead, I wrapped an arm around her waist and buried my face in her chest. The need I felt to tell her—to try and keep her forever—scared me. She had busted all of my boundaries and walls without trying.

  I had to figure out how I was going to keep her.

  FIFTEEN

  I WAS DONE FOR. The battle was over, if it had ever begun. I’d lost my heart to a prince. And I hadn’t exactly been sitting around waiting for a prince to show up. I’d thought I didn’t need anyone; I didn’t need anyone. But I wanted him. All of him.

  I wanted what I had seen in his eyes just a moment ago.

  “Max . . .” I closed my mouth. Could I say it? The words that would leave me open for even more pain? How had I done this to myself again? And what was I going to do about it?

  “You’re gorgeous, Meredith.” He lifted his head and looked into my eyes. “Every single inch of you is perfect. I could spend an eternity studying every nook and cranny.”

  “Well, I think you’ve gotten a good head start.” I lifted myself off him and lay down on the bed. Feigning nonchalance, I stretched and watched as his eyes traveled over my body.

  “So I have.” He chuckled. Lying down on his side next to me, he trailed his fingers along my stomach and over the curve of my hip. “But there’s a lot more I still want to do to you.”

  My heart sped up at that thought. “What do you have in mind?”

  “I’d rather show you than tell you.” His deep, masculine chuckle sent a wave of goose bumps over my body. “Hm. Looks like you approve of that idea.”

  “I’m not opposed—”

  “Mom!” Marty’s voice sounded from the hallway and I sat up straight, grabbing for the blankets.

  Max hopped out of the bed and tossed me my dress. I pulled it on over my head and almost jumped out of my skin when I felt Max’s fingers sliding the zipper up.

  “Just a minute!” I called to stall Marty.

  “Are you in Max’s room?” Marty knocked on the door.

  I glanced over my shoulder and shoved my hair out of my face. Max was pulling on his pants, his shirt already in place, and nodded at me.

  “I’m here.” I opened the door and looked down at my son.

  “I couldn’t find you.” His eyes were accusing.

  “I’m sorry.” I looked back at Max. “I was talking with Max and we didn’t want to wake you up.”

  I cringed. I never lied to Marty. Well, except about Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, but those didn’t count. And technically there had been some talking. Some very . . . interesting talking.

  “Oh.” Marty’s gaze shifted past me toward Max. “Were you sleeping?”

  “Yes.” Max nodded his head decisively. “We were sleeping.”

  “I thought you were talking.” Marty narrowed his eyes.

  “We fell asleep while talking,” I rushed to clarify.

  “Okay.” He wasn’t convinced. I didn’t blame him. Max and I looked guiltier than a couple of kids found at make-out point.

  “What did you need, sweetie?” Out of the corner of my eye I noticed my panties on the floor next to the desk and kicked them out of sight.

  “I wanted to know if I could go feed the birds, but Alex said I had to let you know where I was first.” He looked up at me with big eyes. “Can I go? I’ll be fast so we won’t be late for dinner. Please?”

  I scanned the room, searching for a clock. It was late afternoon and almost time for dinner.

  “Have you eaten anything?”

  “I had some fruit.” He smiled up at me.

  “Grab your jacket. It’s getting cold at night right now.�
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  “Woo-hoo!” He tore out of the room.

  “Your brother will take good care of him, right?” I looked back over at where Max was sitting on the bed. “He’s not going to have his eyeballs pecked out or anything, right?”

  Max chuckled and stood up. “Marty is in the safest of hands.”

  “Has he ever watched kids Marty’s age?” I let my hands fall to my sides as he walked toward me.

  “Alex is the favorite of all the cousins.” He tilted my face up toward his. “We have a very large family. Lots of little ones running around all the time.”

  “Why aren’t you the favorite?” He had such an affinity with Marty, I couldn’t imagine him not getting along with all of his cousins.

  He shrugged uncomfortably. “I suppose I never really tried.”

  “Were you scared of them?” I laughed, but his frown stopped me. “But you’re so good with Marty.”

  “Alex has always wanted kids.” His eyebrows drew together. “And they just gravitated to him.”

  “Huh.” I studied his face. “So you don’t want kids.”

  “No.” He frowned. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  I cringed inwardly. He didn’t want children? I was a single mother. Marty was my world. But he wasn’t sure. Had something happened to change his mind? Had we changed his mind?

  “Don’t look at me like that.” He reached out and tugged on my hair.

  “What has you waffling?” I knew better than to put on an act. Somehow Max saw right through me. Instead I chewed on my lip.

  He opened his mouth and then closed it. Mr. Confident looked nervous. “I don’t know.”

  “Huh.”

  “Don’t do that.” He stroked my cheek.

  “What?”

  “ ‘Huh’ me.” He shook his head. “It’s what Cathy and Sam do when they think they know something I don’t.”

  “Are they usually right?” I raised my eyebrow.

  “That’s not the point.” He smiled. “The point is that I’m . . . I’m not sure what I want anymore.”