Reluctantly Royal

by Nichole Chase

“Not sure about anything?” The words fell from my mouth before I could rethink them.

  “I’m sure that I want to do what we just did again.” He ran his thumb over my bottom lip. “I’m sure that I want to go fishing with Marty again. That I want to spend more time with both of you.”

  His eyes traced my face, looking for something.

  “What do you want?” he asked.

  You, my mind screamed. I want you. But my mouth wouldn’t say the words. Instead I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him.

  His arm slid around my waist, tucking me against his body. I leaned into his kiss, trying to convey what I hadn’t been able to say aloud.

  Someone cleared their throat and I broke our kiss, but Max kept me pinned to his side.

  “Sorry to interrupt.” Cathy was looking anywhere but at us.

  “What do you want?” Max growled at his sister.

  “Well, we just thought you might want to eat dinner, but if you’re too busy, I’ll just let the others know . . .”

  “No, thank you. I’m starved.” I lifted my hand to my mouth. Well, I guess the cat was out of the bag.

  “Oh, thank God. I would hate to have interrupted and you weren’t hungry.” She motioned between us. “Because this could have been all awkward for no reason.”

  “Awkward is one word for it.” Max narrowed his eyes. “Annoying is another.”

  “Well, that’s one way of looking at it.” She backed away from the door. “I’m going to go. And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone what I saw. Not a soul. Except for Sam. Who will probably tell Alex. You know how they are. Yak, yak. No secrets.”

  “Get out of here.” Max kicked the door shut, but we could still hear her laughing as she walked down the hall.

  I turned to look at Max with wide eyes before busting out laughing. Max studied me with an amused expression. Running my hands through my hair, I took a deep breath.

  “Are you upset?” His eyes watched me carefully.

  “No.” I shook my head. “You asked me what I wanted earlier.”

  “Yes.” He touched my cheek and my eyes fluttered shut briefly.

  “I want to keep spending time with you. I want you to go fishing with Marty. I want to frame that picture you drew of me so I can always remember that I was the one that soothed you when you were upset.” I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. “And that’s a problem. Because I want there to be something between us. But what I want in life doesn’t add up for you. I want to sing on stage, on Broadway. I want to make people feel something, and that is the last thing you want.”

  Reaching down, he grabbed my hand and pulled it up to his lips. “That’s not something you need to worry about right now.”

  My heart stuttered in my chest. I wanted that to be true. “Good, because I have a lot of other things to worry about.”

  “No you don’t.” He tugged me against his chest.

  “Tomorrow is sort of scary.” I looked up at him, and my voice cracked. “I don’t know what to expect.”

  “Whatever comes, I’ll be there with you.” His green eyes stared down into mine. “You won’t be alone.”

  It had been a long time since I’d been willing to depend on someone else, to count on anyone else. In the last few years I’d been the person Granddad had leaned on; I’d reminded him to take his medicine, made sure the staff was getting him to his appointments. All of that from London while being a single mom and going to school. Thank God I hadn’t had to work a job too.

  “Okay,” I whispered.

  “Then let’s go eat.”

  He kept his fingers laced with mine as we walked through the house. Despite Cathy warning us to hurry up, we were the first people in the dining room. It was odd to sit at this huge, empty table full of food while everyone else finished what they were doing. It wasn’t that the silence was uncomfortable, but I couldn’t stop mulling over how things would end with Max. A mutual parting of ways? Slowly drifting apart? A fight? Would he wait until I was back to singing to decide it just didn’t work?

  “Wash your hands!” Samantha’s voice carried down the hallway. It was followed by stampeding feet and the slam of a door.

  I winced. “I hope he didn’t break anything.”

  “This house has survived countless children. I’m sure it can handle Marty.” Max chuckled, but his face took on a serious cast. “You look worried.”

  “Did you hear my child stampeding through your house? You should be worried.” I tried to shrug it off. Hopefully Marty hadn’t done much damage. I had enough to worry about.

  “I told you not to worry about tomorrow.” He rested his hand on top of mine.

  “I’m trying.” I smiled at him, a little relieved that he assumed it was about the will.

  He kept his hand on mine, even as everyone filled into the room talking animatedly. No one blinked an eye at us, not even Marty. He was too busy describing the birds he had seen.

  “It was huge. Like half the size of me!” He held his hand up from the floor to demonstrate.

  “They let you hold a bird that big?” I looked over his head at Alex.

  “She’s a sweetheart,” Alex assured me. “Wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

  “And I fed her a whole rat!” Marty tugged on my arm.

  I leveled my gaze on the heir to the throne. “Not a fly, huh?”

  “Rats are different.” He cringed.

  “He was actually really great with the birds.” Sam reached out and touched my arm. “Very calm and patient.”

  “Thank you for letting him go with you.”

  “He livens the place up. You should bring him around more often.” Sam threw me a sly smile. “We’d always be happy to babysit.”

  “Um, I’m not a baby.” Marty pursed his lips.

  “Excuse me, kid sit.” Sam ruffled his hair.

  “Actually, are you busy tomorrow?” Max asked as he pulled a seat out for me.

  “I’ve got to go to Rousseau tomorrow. Did you need me to watch Marty?” She smiled at my son.

  “I can call our nanny. Don’t worry about it.” I shook my head. “We’ve disrupted your schedules enough already.”

  “I wouldn’t mind. He can keep me company while I take care of a few things.” Sam smiled at me. “Really. It would be no trouble.”

  “Please, Mom?” Marty grabbed my arm.

  Sending my rambunctious six-year-old with a busy, pregnant princess didn’t seem like the best idea. I looked at Max and then back at Marty.

  “She’ll have Chadwick with her. It’s not like she would be chasing him around.” Max shrugged.

  “We’ll be fine. It’ll be a good practice run for Chadwick.” Sam laughed.

  “Marty can be a handful.” I frowned.

  “I’m just going to sign some papers and then we can go fishing.” Sam smirked. “Unlike some people, I actually know how to fish.”

  “Hey. I know how to fish.” Max lifted his fork and pointed at her. “It’s just been a while since I did it.”

  “Right.” Sam shook her head. “The point is, you’re busy tomorrow and I’m not.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah! I miss being outside. I haven’t been out for anything fun in a while.” She dug into her food. “I’m getting antsy.”

  “That’s true. She gets crabby when she’s been stuck doing desk work for too long,” Cathy added.

  “If you’re sure.”

  “Absolutely.” She nodded her head. “Please let me take him with me? It’ll be nice to have the company. Chadwick refuses to fish.”

  Cathy snorted. “He loves to fish. Just not with you.”

  “What?” Sam looked startled.

  “He fishes when he goes on vacation. I’ve seen the pictures of him and Daniel.” Cathy took a sip from her water glass. “Deep-sea fishing.”

  “You’re kidding.” Sam’s eyebrows were creeping up toward her hairline. “He refuses to fish with me.”

  “That’s because you are competitive.” Alex walked i
nto the room and kissed his wife on top of the head.

  “So?” She scrunched up her nose.

  “It’s not relaxing to go fishing with you. It’s a competition.” Alex sat down in an empty chair.

  “That’ll be good for Marty.” I bumped him with my elbow. “He’s all about winning at things.”

  “It’s on!” Sam winked at my son and he blushed.

  If I’d been forced to guess what a dinner with the royal family would be like, I would have thought it would be formal, punctuated with talk about politics and serious issues. I would have been very wrong. It was as if there was an unspoken rule to leave work at the door. The only time they talked about serious issues was if it involved something they were passionate about.

  I didn’t do a lot of talking. Partly because I was exhausted, but also because I was enthralled watching how this family worked. If I didn’t know better, I would think they were a normal family getting together for a weekly dinner. Cathy asked about Max’s art show in London, Max teased Alex about carrying a diaper bag, and Sam asked my opinion about the nursery.

  “Did you co-sleep? I’m scared I’ll squish her.” Sam sighed. “Alex’s family all co-slept when they were little. He thinks I’m silly.”

  “I didn’t really have much choice.” I shrugged. I’d been lucky to have a bed at all. My father had kicked me out as soon as he found out I was pregnant. I’d lived with my granddad until I could stand on my own two feet. “There are things you can buy to help with that. Little beds that go on your bed so you can’t roll over and hurt him. Or bassinets that go right next to the bed.”

  “It must’ve been very difficult.” Sam looked at me with compassion-filled eyes. “But what an amazing job you’ve done.”

  “Thank you.”

  By the time dinner was finished, I could barely hold my eyes open. Marty was leaning against me, his little fingers wrapped around my arm as he fought to stay awake.

  “Come on, big guy.” Max stood up from his seat and swooped Marty into his arms. “I think it’s time for bed.”

  “I just need ’nother nap,” Marty mumbled into Max’s shoulder.

  “Sure.” Max smiled at me over my son’s shoulder. “You look tired too.”

  “Gee, that’s what every woman wants to hear.” I raised an eyebrow.

  “Come on. I’ll tuck you in.” Max held a hand out to me with a mischievous smile.

  “What did he say he was going to do to her?” Sam mock-whispered loudly.

  “Tuck. He said he was going to tuck her in,” Cathy answered in a stage whisper.

  “Ah.” Sam nodded her head. “I thought he said f—”

  “Cut them some slack, ladies.” Alex didn’t bother to hide his smile.

  “You guys are a riot.” I shook my head. “Pay back is a b— not good.” I shot a look at Marty and changed my phrase.

  “Ignore them.” Max rolled his eyes. “Come on.”

  “Good night.” I took Max’s hand and let him pull me from the room.

  He didn’t say anything as he took us up the stairs and to Marty’s room. He set Marty down on the edge of the bed and undid his shoes. My heart did something funny as I watched him. The tender way he pulled the shoes off and talked quietly to Marty made my mind spin. I swallowed hard and tried to keep my emotions in check. To keep myself from staring I went to the dresser and pulled out a pair of pajamas.

  “Brush your teeth, buddy.”

  “But I’m so tired.” Marty fell back on the bed and covered his face with his arm. “I don’t wanna.”

  “Marty,” I said his name in warning.

  “Please? I can just brush them twice as much in the morning.”

  “You could be done if you’d stop arguing with me.” I put my hands on my hips. “And change into your pajamas.”

  “Okay.” Sighing, he slid off the bed like he was a puddle of goo and grabbed the checkered pants and T-shirt. “I’m going.”

  I raised an eyebrow.

  “Ma’am. Yes, ma’am. I’m going now.” Marty hurried to the bathroom and pulled the door shut.

  “That’s kind of hot.” Max stood up and I could feel his eyes run over my body.

  “What?” I wrinkled my nose.

  “The whole ‘mom’ thing. It’s sexy when you get all bossy.” He walked toward me. “You tap your foot and put your hands on your hips. Very hot.”

  “You’ve lost your mind.” I let go of my hips and shook my head.

  “I think you’re right.” He narrowed his eyes. “But I’m okay with it.”

  “Are you sure?” I swallowed.

  He put a hand on my waist and tilted my chin so that I was looking up at him.

  “Yes.” His eyes were serious as they studied my face. Leaning forward, his lips brushed mine in a gentle caress.

  “Oh. Ew.” Marty’s voice cut through the room.

  Max leaned back from me, his eyes twinkling in the low light.

  “Teeth brushed?” I stepped away from Max and looked at my son. He was climbing into his bed.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I walked over and kissed his head and tucked the blanket around his little form.

  “Good night, little man.”

  “ ’Night, Mom.” He yawned. “ ’Night, Max.”

  “Good night, buddy.” Max lowered his voice and hit the light switch by the door. “Have fun tomorrow.”

  I made my way through the room carefully and out into the hallway where Max was waiting.

  “Your turn.” He nodded toward my door.

  “You really don’t have to tuck me in.” I smiled at him. “I doubt I’ll be able to fall asleep anyway.”

  “I could help with that too.” His fingers wrapped around my wrist and tugged me after him.

  Once inside my room, he turned me loose and closed the door. As he walked toward me, his eyes ran over my body, and my heart started to beat faster. He began to undo the buttons of his shirt as he walked toward me, and I didn’t waste any time pulling my dress off. If I was only going to have Max for a little while, then I wasn’t going to let any moment with him escape. His eyes stayed fixated on mine and he brushed my hair over my shoulders.

  Tilting my head back, he kissed me. His lips were soft but hungry as he explored my mouth. His hands traced the lines of my body with just his fingertips. The feel of his hands on my skin elicited goose bumps, and I shivered. He chuckled, a deep masculine sound that sent my body into overdrive. When his lips left mine to trail down my neck I let my eyes close.

  Pulling me closer, he swept me up into his arms and I squeaked in surprise.

  “You’re a tiny thing.” He looked down into my eyes as he crossed the floor to the bed.

  “Maybe you’re just unnaturally large.” I raised an eyebrow.

  “Now, that’s what every man wants to hear.” His smile made me giggle.

  He set me on the bed so that my legs were hanging over the edge. Kneeling in front of me, he slid my legs apart so that he could move close enough to kiss me. His hands grazed my breasts and moved down to grasp my hips, his thumbs tracing circles just inside my thighs.

  Leaving my mouth, he trailed kisses over my body until his warm breath spread over my warm center. He looked up at me with a small smile before pressing his warm mouth to my skin. I sucked in a deep breath of air when his tongue darted out to trace along me. Long, slow strokes sent bursts of pleasure over my body.

  Falling back on the bed, I closed my eyes and reached down to tangle my fingers in his hair. He shifted my legs so that they were thrown over his shoulders, giving him better access. My body bucked under his delicate attention, and his hands gripped my hips to keep me in place.

  When the end came it hit me like lightning. I cried out before biting my lip as pleasure exploded over my body in wave after wave. Kissing my throbbing center delicately, he untangled himself from my legs and crawled onto the bed, pulling me up to the pillows.

  I turned to him, ready to repay the favor, but he stopped me.
/>   “Tonight was about you.” He kissed my forehead. “Get some sleep.”

  He pulled the blanket out from underneath us, lay back and held his arm out to me.

  I looked at him for a minute before doing as he suggested. His arm wrapped around my shoulders and he kissed my head. I’d never slept with a man before. Not even Marty’s father. That had been all quick tumbles in a car or hasty, quiet meetings in dark places. I wasn’t sure what had prompted me to ask him to take a nap with me earlier. My heart had been heavy and sore; I’d just wanted someone to hold me. No, not just someone. I’d wanted Max to hold me.

  And now here we were again. Curled up against each other as our breathing seemed to match. He reached out and ran his hand along my hip before pulling my leg up over his. His hand stayed on my knee while his thumb rubbed small circles against my skin.

  I’m not sure when it happened, but I fell asleep. I had been prepared to spend the night stressing over what would happen at the reading of the will. Instead I spent the night in the arms of the man I loved. Too bad he didn’t know it and I was too scared to tell him.

  When I woke up, Max was snoring gently in my ear, and I didn’t try to hide my satisfied smile. A girl could get used to waking up next to a man who looked like Max. I sat up on my elbow and looked around the room. The alarm clock blinking next to the bed said I didn’t have long before I had to leave.

  “Good morning.” His voice rumbled beside me and I turned to look at him.

  “Good morning.” I leaned back so that I was propped up on one elbow.

  “How’d you sleep?” He reached up and tucked some of my hair behind my ear.

  “Good.” Leaning down, I kissed him softly. “How about you?”

  “Like a log.” His eyes ran over the bits of me that were exposed by the blanket. “I especially like waking up next to a gorgeous, naked redhead.”

  “Down, boy.” I put my hand on his chest and lowered my eyelashes. “I’ve got to get ready.”

  “Go take a shower. I’ll get Marty dressed.” He looked up at me with warm eyes.

  “Are you looking for brownie points?” I smiled at him. “Because you’re definitely on the right road.”

  “Mission accomplished.” He leaned up and kissed my nose before yanking the blanket away from me. “Now go get clean.”