Chapter Eleven
Amelia
The next morning, things start to change. It’s not unexpected, both Tristan and I know things are going to change. We’ve lived in our own little bubble for the past week, but we both know we have to go back to the real world, and that starts now. It’s scary, knowing that our time together from now on, isn’t exactly going to be ours.
Tristan’s arm is wrapped around me, he’s breathing slowly into my ear, but I know he’s awake. The alarm went off a few minutes ago, waking us both up. The alarm to the first day of the rest of our lives. It’s what I’ve been calling it in my head since I woke up. There’s a feeling of doom in my body, things aren’t going to remain as easy and happy as they’ve been so far. “I don’t want to get out of this warm bed.” I stretch, turning over to face him.
Overnight his beard has grown in darker, and his eyes are lazy in their sleepiness. This is the first time I’ve caught Tristan this relaxed, and all I know is I want him this relaxed all the time. I love this look on him. It’s everything I’ve imagined he can be.
“I don’t either.” He clears his throat, tightening his arms around me.
His voice is deep with the same sleepiness his eyes hold. This is the Tristan I’m getting to know, the one that no one else does. Feeling closer to him than I ever have, I wrap my arms around his waist and burrow my head in his chest.
“How different will it be? After today?” My voice is small, exhibiting how much I hate to ask the question, how much I’m dreading what’s being placed before us. Having known this Tristan and being here with him, I don’t want anything else.
“Very. Extremely. I can’t begin to describe to you what the next few months will be like.” He pushes his fingers through my hair. “But I promise you, we’ll make this work.” He drops a kiss on my forehead. “I need you to be patient with me, and I’ll do my best to be the man you need me to be.”
The honesty in his voice, along with the kiss to my forehead is my undoing. “I believe you,” I whisper, caressing his jawline. “I don’t expect perfect, Tristan, because the world isn’t perfect. All I expect is your honesty and respect. “
“You already have it,” he sighs. “We’ve got to get up.”
“I know, it’s time to get out of our bubble and join the real world.”
Quietly we get up, me on one side, him on the other. There’s not much talking as I think we’re both trying to process what’s about to happen. We’re about to be thrust into the responsibilities of our assigned roles. I can feel and see Tristan start to become the person he is in front of other people, and I feel myself adapting a persona as well. Maybe this is how the two of us will handle the life we’re about to be pushed into.
There’s another part of me that wonders if this will also be our undoing. The thought clenches in my chest, and I refuse to let it take hold. If it doesn’t grow roots, it can’t thrive.
“We need to find a dress for you to wear to the charity function in two days,” Shannon tells me as we sit in the living room, samples of fabrics and colors spread out on the floor in front of us. She’s left me alone up until today, when she showed up in here, arms laden down with decisions for me to make.
The view keeps me calm as I see the ocean out before us. The day is overcast, but the water is calmer than it was yesterday. There’s no snow falling, and it looks like the wind is barely blowing. It’s the perfect back drop to what we’re doing. A mundane task that before now, I didn’t realize the significance of.
“I think I’d like a rich color this time. It’s at night, correct?”
“Yes.” She nods, flipping through a notebook at her side. “My notes say it begins at eight at night, so it’s going to be later than normal. We can go a bit more elegant if you want. Since it’s still cold out, I’d like to use dark colors, those go the best with your coloring.” She points to a few of the swatches spread out in front of us. I don’t necessarily love making decisions, but I’m grateful she makes it so easy.
Taking stock of what she’s pointed at, there’s a color that really catches my eye. “The royal blue is beautiful.”
“It is, and the top of the dress is all sparkles and cleavage.” Shannon gives me a smile. “It will look great on you.”
“Can we get that one to try on?” I point out a few of the others I’d like to try on, but the blue color keeps bringing me back. Almost the way my eyes find Tristan in a room. It’s got the same magnetic pull.
“Let me go get all the dresses and then we’ll try everything on in the sewing room.” She gets up from where we’ve been sitting. “We’ve got someone here to make alterations if they’re needed. Whatever you do, don’t eat lunch before we get these tried on, they’ll give us the wrong fit. This needs to be perfect.”
My stomach growls as she mentions lunch. Looking down at my watch, I see that it’s past lunch and at this point I may as well wait for dinner. Walking to the kitchen, I grab a cold bottle of water, drinking it to help fight off the hunger pains. I haven’t seen Tristan since this morning, and I’m missing him. He’s been behind closed doors with his team while I’ve been working with Shannon.
“Okay, we’re ready. Let’s get these dresses tried on, and then we can talk about hair and makeup for the event.”
“Sounds good.” I give her a smile to cover just how tired I am, knowing we still have several hours before we’ll be finished.
Three hours later, I have a dress, a hairstyle, shoes, and makeup planned for the event. As I’m leaving the sewing room, which I have a feeling will be aptly nicknamed the beauty room before all is said and done, I take a left and head up the stairs, wanting to change before I find something to eat. My stomach grumbles so loudly I’m surprised no one hears it.
I still haven’t seen Tristan since we woke up, and I’m wondering where he is, but I can’t hear any other movement in the house. After being with people for most of the day, I enjoy the quiet. Making so many decisions will have to become something I get used to. As I make it to the next landing, someone creeps up behind me, putting a hand over my mouth. “Don’t scream, Parker’s looking for me, but I’m making my getaway.”
Hearing Tristan’s playful, deep, voice in my ear, makes me smile widely as I turn to face him. “Your secret is safe with me, where should we go?”
“The bedroom?” He wears a salacious smile on his face.
“Tristan?” We hear Parker’s voice as he ascends the stairs.
“Quick!” Tristan throws me over his shoulder as he takes the steps at a fast pace. “We’re retiring for the night, Parker, catch up with you in the morning.” He closes the door with his foot and engaging the lock.
He sets me down in front of him, sighing as he leans his head against the door. “This day…” he groans. “I don’t think I’ve ever hated a day back to work more than I hate this one. So many decisions.” He rolls his neck on his shoulders.
“I feel the exact same way you do, I still haven’t eaten lunch,” I moan, holding my stomach with my hands. “I’m so hungry.”
“Here’s what we’re going to do.” Tristan pushes off the door. “We’re going to order some food to be delivered up here, we’re going to take our showers, watch some TV, and lock out the world. Because damn,” he shakes his head,“I didn’t expect to be thrown into the deep end today, I thought they’d at least ease in,” He runs a hand through his hair.
“I feel the exact same way.”
“So, Lia, what do you want for dinner tonight?” he asks as he picks up the phone, ready to dial the kitchen.
“Whatever you want, get me the same. I need a shower.” I head for the bathroom, ready to wash the day off my skin.
As I’m stepping in, the door opens, Tristan coming over the threshold. He’s naked as he stares at me. “The food will be here in an hour. I think we can find a way to pass the time, don’t you?”
I nod, dropping the towel I’ve wrapped around my body, opening the door. His eyes travel my body as mine travel
his. “I can think of a few ideas.”
In seconds he’s where I am picking me up, holding me against the wet wall as his lips go for my neck. Laughing, I wrap my arm and legs around him. To be close to him is exactly what I’ve needed all day. And if this turns out to be our nighttime routine? Favorite part of the day ever.
Chapter Twelve
Tristan
“Tristan!” Amelia giggles as I grasp her around the waist, cupping her bare ass in my hands as we exit the shower. I’ve never had this kind of playfulness with anyone else. Her giggle is like balm to a scrape on my soul.
“Don’t act like five minutes ago I didn’t have my face buried between your thighs.” I move my hand around her to the front of her body, slipping my finger right where my tongue was.
She closes her eyes, tilting her head back. A moan is torn from her throat. The sound going directly to my cock. A small smile lifts the side of her mouth. “I’m not, I’m just saying we should probably get dressed for when the food gets here.
“What if I don’t want you dressed.” I let my eyes travel her body appreciatively.
“You want me to eat naked?”
“I want you to eat however you choose to.” I sober up from my playful banter before. “I want you to be in charge of what you want to do. Don’t let me or anyone influence you. It’s important to me that you keep your strong personality. Don’t let me change that, and don’t let the title change it either. Your personality will be one of your greatest gifts to this country.”
“You seem like you know a thing or two about this.” She disentangles herself from me, wrapping a towel around her body.
With her body hidden from me, I admire the elegant, soft slope of her neck. The way her hair flows over her shoulders, the wet strands sticking to her back.
I watch quietly as she goes over to the vanity, using some sort of wipes to wash her face. After that, she puts a cream on her fingertips, smoothing it over her face and neck. Intrigued, I give her my full attention. This is the type of relationship I’ve never had. Where we shared the important daily stuff with one another. In the back of my mind, I always knew any woman who was with me would be with me because of who am I. Maybe I thought it was easier to wait until the decision was made for me. Either way, I can say I’m extremely happy with the choice that was made. Amelia has been a surprise and a delight in every way.
“I do.” I go over to where she’s putting that stuff on her face, lifting myself up on the vanity to sit while she does whatever it is she’s doing. Looking down at my hands, I shrug, trying to make this seem a lot less than what it is. “My mom,” I start, stop, and then start again. “She had a personality a lot like yours. She wanted me to be a regular kid and experience things for myself. I’ve done things and gone places that my ancestors never even thought of. Like eating McDonald’s and going to Disney.” I grin when she gasps.
“They didn’t eat at McDonald’s?”
“No, and it’s the biggest fast food chain in the world. According to my mom, when they married, my dad had never done his own grocery shopping.”
She finishes rubbing the lotion on her face. “I can’t imagine not knowing how to grocery shop.”
“I’ll let you in on a secret,” I whisper as I hop down from where I was sitting. “I’m the first one to have a debit and credit card. None of the previous kings before me did. They either carried cash, or it was bought on the paper credit system, and ledgers were settled at the end of each month. It was a big deal when I made my first purchase with the card. It wasn’t like they had the press there, but they wanted to. My mom wouldn’t allow it.”
“That seems so archaic.” We make our way back to the bedroom, her still wrapped in the towel. Me in one around my waist.
“A lot of the ways that are considered proper, are archaic. I plan to turn the monarchy on its ear in a few months. We’re in the age of the internet, and women doing things they’ve never been allowed to do before. People marrying who’ve never been allowed to marry. I don’t want Haldonia to get left behind the rest of the world.” I blow out a breath I’ve been holding as we stand facing one another. “I fear if we don’t make changes and keep up, we’ll not be seen as a good place to visit or live. It’s important to me, that we keep up with our history, but still make progressive strides.”
“I’ll be there by your side, each step of the way.” She gives me a bright smile, one that I know will help me make it through the difficult days we have ahead. Changing an old rule system isn’t easy, but I want my legacy to be that of an innovator, of a man who didn’t listen to what I should do. I want to do what’s right. That’s what my mother would have wanted. This is the only way I have left to honor her, and that’s what I want to do.
“Good, that’s exactly where I want you.” I wrap my hand around her neck, dragging her in for a kiss. It’s only been a few moments, but I need to feel her again, want to be as close to her as I can. “But you’re right, we really should get dressed before our food gets here. Did you even bring lounge clothes?” I can’t recall her having them in her suitcases when they were unpacked.
Her face blushes bright. “No, my parents were sure you’d be so formal that I’d never be able to wear them again. The only thing I have are day-to-day clothes and pajamas.”
“Surely your brother knew better?”
She grins. “Nobody listens to him, least of all me.”
I’ve heard him say that a time or two and hearing her confirm it makes me laugh.
“Maybe I have something you can wear.” I wink, keeping a bit of the playfulness in our interaction.
“I swear to God, Tristan. If you pull some other woman’s clothes out of your drawers, I’m going to be very upset.”
The chuckle breaks from my chest and out of my mouth. I still don’t expect her to be funny, but she keeps surprising me. “There’s that feisty spirit I like.” I dig through, looking for some older clothes, from when I was smaller. “But I do assure you.” I pull out a pair of sweatpants that have seen better days, but at least have a drawstring on them, and a t-shirt, handing them to her. “These are mine. From when I was younger. They should at least not fall off your body. They’re from before I started going to the gym.” I slightly flex for her, causing her to giggle again.
“These are yours?” she asks, reaching for the clothes. “I’ve never worn a man’s clothes before.” She tilts her head to the side. “Although I have to admit I always dreamed of being that woman who wore her lover’s button-down shirt after they heated up the sheets.”
“Tell me more, Lia.” I’m all ears. It just so happens I’m wearing a button-down to the dinner we’re going to. I can make all of her dreams come true, and she has no idea.
“No,” she giggles. “I can’t reveal all my secrets. It’s just a little fantasy I had. You know that I’m in that sort of relationship where I can wear a man’s clothes. I’m sure lots of women have worn yours.”
She gets quiet, quickly dropping the towel and getting dressed. I do the same, but as she goes to turn away from me, I grab her around the wrist, stopping her from retreating. Sliding my hand down, I let our fingers entwine. “You’re the first, Lia.”
“Really?”
If I’m not mistaken there are tears in her eyes as she asks me the question. This moment. It feels huge between the two of us, and I’m scared whatever I say won’t be right. I think about lying to her, making up some crazy situation, but in the end, I go with the truth. “Really. You’re the first to do a lot of things with me, Lia. I don’t take that lightly. I never wanted to give another woman parts of me that I knew would only be for my wife.”
We’re staring at each other when there’s a knock on the door. “That’ll be our food. Be right back.”
A few hours later, we’re lying in bed, the TV is on, but neither of us is watching it. I’ve got her wrapped in my arms and she’s got her legs wrapped around mine. We’re both tired, both have our guards down. She’s been halfway drifting off for
the past fifteen minutes and I’m not far behind.
“Thank you for tonight,” I whisper into her ear as she snuggles closer to me. My arms tighten around her, not wanting to let her go. She makes a sound, digging her head a little deeper into my shoulder.
Her voice is heavy with sleep. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t talk about my mother to people, I don’t discuss the other women I’ve had in my life, and typically a stressful day is finished with a glass of Scotch and an empty room. That room becomes filled with thoughts that make me doubt every decision I’ve ever made. You changed that, tonight.”
She sighs, burying her head in my chest. “I didn’t do anything.”
“No,” I speak quietly, as I drift off, tightening my arms around her. “That’s where you’re wrong. You did everything.”
Chapter Thirteen
Tristan
“I’ve been thinking about what you said,” she grins up at me. “That your mother had always wanted you to be normal. She didn’t want you to grow up spoiled. With her you had the experiences that most considered mundane, but you loved.”
I think back to the conversation we had. She paid more attention than I gave her credit for. “Yeah, I did love those things.” It goes without saying the mundane was gone after she died. Dad did his best to keep up appearances, but it wasn’t easy.
“So I want to give you something you’ve probably never had. I would wager it’s also something your Mom would love for you to experience,” she holds out her hand. “Will you trust me?”
Trust has been hard for me to give. Not because I’m unwilling, but because so many people have proven they don’t deserve it. Lia though, she deserves anything I can give her. Even though we aren’t married yet, I already feel like she’s my partner in crime. “I trust you,” I reach my hand out to grasp hers.
Royal Rebel: A Royal Romance (The Haldonia Monarchy Book 1) Page 7