There’s definitely a storm coming.
“You need any help?” I ask the captain, who’s busy gathering the fabric of the sail and winding it around the horizontal boom sticking out from the mast.
“I’m fine!” he calls out, waving me toward the cabins behind me. “You should get back inside.”
Theo turns to look at us. When his eyes swing toward me, my breath catches. Darkness swirls in his gaze as it drops down my body, sending heat pooling in the pit of my stomach.
I know one thing for sure—he’s never looked at me like that before.
My nipples pucker. Is it his gaze causing that, or the cold sea air whipping around my body? My hair flies around my face as the Prince and I stare at each other from opposite sides of the yacht. My feet start moving before I realize what’s happening. I’m drawn to him, like he’s got a rope wrapped around my waist and he’s dragging me closer. Like I belong to him.
My heart pounds against my ribcage.
I ignore the captain’s shouts as he tells us to go inside. Wind whistles around my ears as I walk toward Theo, catching myself on any available railing as the boat heaves beneath me. The storm is approaching, but I only have eyes for the Prince.
I’m powerless to do anything but make my way toward him.
Theo’s deep, blue eyes darken as he watches me. His grip tightens on the railing behind him as his eyes drop the length of my body again.
I can’t take much more of this. I’ll either have to act on these urges or walk away from Theo forever.
Walking away forever would be the smart thing to do. Up until twelve hours ago, I’d have said it was the easier thing to do.
Now? I’m not so sure.
When I reach him, the Prince’s tongue slides out to lick his lips. Heat spatters across my face as a blush spreads over my cheeks. My insides are burning up.
“We should get inside,” he says, his voice a low growl. I feel his voice in the depths of my body, below the howling of the wind. The captain yells something behind us, but I don’t listen to a word of it.
My hangover has been stripped away by the wind. The smell of the sea air reminds me of Theo, and my eyes are stuck on his lips.
Does he feel this electricity between us? Has it always been there?
Theo shifts his weight, turning his back on the captain and sliding his gaze out to sea. The waves are getting higher, and the wind is whistling. The ocean is black.
“Looks like it’s going to be bad.”
Before I can answer, my ears register a panicked shout from the captain. I turn my head in time to see the boom swinging out of the captain’s grasp. Part of the sail is still unfurled, and a violent gust of wind has caught it. The other crew member leaps over to grab a rope, halting the swinging of the boom. The two of them shout again, struggling against the wind that threatens to rip the rope out of their grasp.
If the boom swings all the way around, it’ll come straight for us. A death trap. A hurtling metal rod, four inches in diameter, swinging at head-level toward the Prince and me.
My heart stops. The captain screams again, letting out a few inches of rope as he stumbles over the deck.
“Theo—” I gasp as the captain trips again, the other sailor struggling to regain control. I let out a sigh as the two of them grasp the rope together and start to reel the boom back in. The captain’s face is red with effort as the boat rocks in the waves.
The Prince’s eyes are still staring out to sea. Either he hasn’t heard the captain’s shouts, or he’s choosing to ignore them.
Figures.
Another thing about royalty? They’re not very good at following instructions.
My heart is still racing. Ever since I stepped outside and felt the power of Theo’s gaze, it’s been thumping uncomfortably.
This is different, though. I taste danger on my tongue. Electricity dances over my skin. We shouldn’t be out here on the deck.
“We should go inside,” I scream above the whip of the wind.
“In a minute,” Theo replies, leaning against the railing. “Look at the lightning!” A wave splashes against the side of the boat, dousing us both in salty water.
Then, I hear it.
Another scream from the captain.
I don’t have to look over my shoulder to hear the panic in his voice. He doesn’t need to say any words for me to know something’s very, very wrong.
I don’t have time to think. I can almost sense the long, metal boom coming whipping toward the Prince and me. I can feel it swinging toward us without needing to look.
It’ll hit the Prince before it hits me. We’ll be knocked unconscious, or worse. Tossed out to sea like two rag dolls, flying into the black waters toward our deaths.
At this moment, it doesn’t matter that Prince Theo is royalty. It doesn’t matter that there are years of history between us, or that forbidden desire has sparked to life inside me overnight.
All that matters is saving the Prince’s life.
If that boom swings over to us and hits him over the head, he’ll be thrown overboard with his skull cracked open.
I have a fraction of a second. Less.
I need to act.
The long metal boom rushes toward us as the captain lets out another shout, and I do the only thing I can think of. Throwing all my weight into it, I tackle Prince Theo to the ground.
Little old me, Cara Shoal of Argyle, throws my five-foot-four body against Prince Theo’s six-plus feet of brawn. I wrap my arms around his thick chest, pinning his arms to his sides. Putting all the weight of my desperation into the hit, I launch myself against him.
He yelps in surprise, falling backward just as the boom whizzes over our heads. It skims the top of my hair as we tumble to the ground, my chest crushing against the Prince’s as I land. A wheeze is pushed out of his lungs as pain rockets through my arms.
I’m pinned against him, with my arms stuck underneath his heavy body.
The boat rocks, and we tumble together toward the railing. His body rolls over mine as more panicked shouts sound. The captain screams something. I don’t hear a word of it.
The yacht heaves.
Theo and I roll.
The edge is only inches away, and the gap between the railing is too tall. We’re both going to go overboard.
5
Theo
I’d be lying if I said I’d never imagined my body on top of Cara’s. I spent the whole night plagued by sex dreams I had no right to have. Her arms pinned above her head. My lips ravishing hers. My cock buried deep inside her. Her soft, brown skin under my palm as her hands splay across my chest.
This is different, though.
It’s not so much wild, passionate sex as much as let’s try not to die.
The boom swings past our heads with so much velocity I know Cara just saved my life. I don’t have time to thank her, though, because I’m thrown onto my back by the rocking of the boat. Our bodies are wrapped around each other and we roll once more, closer and closer to the edge of the yacht.
Another wave tips the boat and I’m able to catch myself on the railing. I cage Cara’s body underneath mine before she can slip farther away, straining against the movement of the ocean as our boat is thrown around by the might of the storm.
Captain Withers yells something, finally getting the murderous boom under control. He locks it in place, leaning against the mast to catch his breath. The other crew member wraps the final bit of the sail around the boom and secures it with ropes.
I suck in a deep breath, dropping my eyes to Cara’s face. The terror in her eyes ices my veins. She puts her hands on my chest, shaking her head.
“That was scary.”
“Yeah.” I’m panting, my chest pressed against Cara’s.
I can’t deny that her body feels good under mine. My knee scrapes against the rough, non-slip surface of the boat’s deck, but I don’t mind the pain. It barely registers on my radar as adrenaline still dumps into my veins. Gulping down brea
ths, I slowly let my muscles relax and I loosen my hold on the railing post beside us.
Cara’s hand drifts up to my jaw, and she shakes her head. “That scared me, Theo. I thought you were going overboard.”
I don’t know what to answer. The yacht rocks underneath us, but I can mostly ignore it now. Another wave crashes on the edge of the boat, soaking us with cold water. It almost sizzles on my heated skin.
Cara’s eyes shine as she shakes her head from side to side, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth. My eyes follow the movement, and the adrenaline inside me starts changing to something else. Something hotter. More forbidden.
Desire.
I can feel her heart thumping. Her body pinned beneath mine. Her curves molded into my body. Her hands on my face.
“Sorry for tackling you,” she whispers.
“You saved my life.”
Cara’s lips drop open to answer, but the storm steals her words away. The boat rocks and my arm slips. I collapse on top of Cara, my head buried in her neck.
Is it wrong that even though there’s a storm raging around us, even though I almost died, even though I should be worried about getting inside and staying safe, the only thing I can think about is how good Cara Shoal smells?
“You two okay over there?” the captain calls out, slinging some ropes over a hook on the deck of the boat. I lift my head to look at him, giving him a weak smile and a thumbs up.
Before I can say anything, though, the ocean throws us another monstrous wave. Even the captain is thrown to the side, stumbling over his feet.
I’m not prepared for it.
I roll off Cara toward the edge of the boat. The railing has a huge gap in it, big enough for me to slip through—and that’s exactly what I do.
With the violent swell of the waves, the wind whipping around, and the water soaking the deck, I don’t stand a chance. I shout, my body sliding through the opening as waves crash below.
I’m dropping straight into the stormy ocean.
I’m going to drown. I already know it.
The last thing I’ll see is the terror on Cara’s face as I slip away from her, my arms flailing as I try in vain to grab onto one of the slippery metal railings.
Cara screams, the sound piercing my heart like an arrow. Her nails dig into my skin as my arms slip away from her, my legs already falling off the edge of the yacht.
“No!” she shouts, the sound ripped from her throat. I can hear the desperation in her scream. Adrenaline spikes my veins as fear pierces my stomach.
It’s too late.
I’m going to die.
I’m going overboard, and the storm will sweep me away. I’m already gone. The Kingdom will mourn me, and I’ll never fulfill my duty and purpose of becoming King.
But Cara’s arm wraps around my shoulder. I hear a pop, and pain shatters through my shoulder and chest. Agony rips through me as a scream tears through my throat. A thousand daggers stab at my shoulder as the muscles and tendons stretch and tear.
Pain is too kind a word for what’s happening in my body. Agony is too gentle. My legs swing as Cara holds onto my injured shoulder, causing another wave of pain to smash into me. Nausea roils in my stomach as my shoulder screams and throbs.
But I’m not in the water.
I’m not drowning.
With my free arm, I’m able to cling onto the railing post. Cara’s whimpering in pain, her arms wrapped around me as her nails dig into my skin. She shouts, wrapping her body around another post as she struggles to pull me up.
Pain rockets through my shoulder. I scream.
My grip on the railing weakens, and I slip a fraction of an inch. Cara cries out again, tightening her hold on my injured shoulder.
“Theo,” she screams, yelling into the wind.
Then, another set of hands. Rough, sea-hardened hands. Captain Withers pulls me onto the deck, dragging me halfway across its rough surface until the three of us collapse on the floor. Cara crawls over to me as I clutch my dislocated shoulder.
“Get the fuck inside,” the captain snaps, dragging himself up to his feet. He looks at my shoulder, registering the injury, but doesn’t change his command. “Go.”
Captain Withers helps Cara up as I struggle to my feet, finally listening to his instruction. As soon as we duck inside, I see the captain head toward the navigation center on top of the ship’s deck to point the vessel into the waves. As the yacht turns into the waves, the rocking lessens and I’m able to make my way below deck.
We’re too far away from shore to make it back, so we’ll have to survive the storm out in the open ocean.
As soon as the warmth of the interior hits me, my legs feel like jelly. I lean against the wall, forgetting that my arm is hanging unnaturally from my shoulder. Agony spears through me. I grimace.
Cara puts her arm around my waist and leads me to the back, where Alfred is cleaning up the remains of our uneaten breakfasts. His eyes widen when he sees us, his gaze dropping to my injured shoulder.
“Your Highness…”
“I think it’s dislocated,” I grunt.
Cara makes a noise, tears filling her eyes. Her lip trembles, but I don’t have time to say anything before the chef sits me down.
“This is going to hurt,” he warns. Grabbing a wooden spoon from a drawer, he hands it to me and motions to my mouth. “Bite down.”
My head is cloudy. I can’t think straight. I don’t understand what he’s telling me, but I do what he says anyway. I put the wooden spoon between my teeth as Cara shields her eyes.
Alfred braces himself against the bench and yanks my arm back into place. It pops back into my shoulder joint with an uncomfortable snap, and for a brief second, I feel like I’m back to normal.
Then, the pain hits.
A wave of nausea rises inside me as a yell is ripped from my throat. The wooden spoon clatters to the floor as I grip my shoulder, agony making my eyes water. Tears stream down my cheeks as I inhale, clutching my weakened arm to my chest.
I can’t think about anything but the pain. Chef Alfred opens one of the cupboards, bracing himself against the movement of the ship. The sea is rough, even with the captain doing his best to weather the storm.
The chef pulls out a first aid kit and removes a sling, fitting it around my shoulder. Then, he cracks an ice pack open and nods to Cara.
“Hold that on his shoulder. I’ll get you some pain meds.”
Cara sits down beside me, her eyes full of tears as she holds the ice pack to my shoulder. I close my eyes, leaning my head against the back of the cushioned bench as I suck in a breath.
Cara’s floral, sweet scent filters through to me, clearing some of the pain from my head.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers.
I manage to crack open my eyelids and glance at her. “For what?”
“For doing this to you.”
I grimace through the pain in my shoulder, forcing a chuckle. Shaking my head, I lift my good arm up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
“That’s twice you’ve saved me,” I answer, staring into her deep, brown eyes. “First the boom, then going overboard.”
“And dislocated your shoulder in the process.”
“I’ll forgive that in exchange for my life.” A tired smile stretches over my lips. Cara strokes my cheek, her touch easing some of my pain.
Exhaustion starts to settle into my bones. The adrenaline is wearing off, and I barely have the strength to open my eyes when my chef-turned-medic hands me a few pain pills.
“Off to bed,” he commands.
I’m not used to being ordered around by my own staff, but I’m not in any position to argue.
Cara helps me to my feet, wrapping her arm around my waist to help lead me to the royal cabin where I spent the last night dreaming of her.
She fluffs my pillows and supports me as I lie down, smoothing the blankets over me. Deep frown lines are etched into her face.
When she stands up to leave, I catch her h
and to stop her.
“Stay.” My voice is gruff. I know I have no right to ask that of her, but I can’t stop myself. I don’t want her to leave.
Cara’s eyes widen. In the low light of the cabin, her brown hair throws off deep coppery glints, and I long to wrap my fingers around it. She sucks her lip between her teeth again, and heat floods through my core.
I beg her with my eyes. I need her here. I can’t stay stuck in this tiny cabin, with this boat rocking me from side to side, thinking of how I almost lost my life. I can’t stay here with nothing but my thoughts, remembering how perfect it felt to have Cara’s body underneath mine.
Because even though I almost died, even though she saved my life twice in less than five minutes, all I can think of is how much I’ll miss her when she’s gone.
“Please,” I say, my voice scratching against my throat. I’m not accustomed to asking. I’m not one to beg. People usually hurry to do what I want before I even know I want it.
But I’m begging now.
Cara inhales deeply, and finally relents. I throw the blanket up to let her crawl in beside me, and she snuggles into bed beside me.
My heart thumps as Cara’s head rests on my good shoulder. I put my arm around her, holding her close as we both let the yacht rock us from side to side.
She holds the ice pack to my injured shoulder, and I focus on the weight of her arm across my chest.
My limbs feel heavy, and my eyelids droop. I hold Cara’s body next to mine, relishing this moment. She might be gone in a few days, but right now, she’s here.
Over the next few weeks, everything will change. I’ll have more responsibilities as I step up and become King. I’ll be fulfilling the duties that I’ve been preparing to take on my entire life. There will be so much change, but I feel ready for it.
The only thing I’m not ready to deal with is Cara leaving.
As I drift off into exhausted sleep, the last thing I think of is how good it feels to have Cara sleeping by my side.
Royally Unexpected 2: An Accidental Pregnancy Collection (Surprise Baby Stories) Page 45