The Princess and the Player

by J Santiago

  “We need to get back to your room. The path is clear now, but we don’t have much time.”

  With those ominous words, Ele turned briefly to Tristan. “After your game,” she said.

  He nodded. Then, because he felt he somehow had Robert’s approval to do so, he cupped her cheek and kissed her hard. “After our win.”

  12

  24 June

  SeatGeek Stadium, Illinois

  Ele was perched on the edge of the seat, her eyes glued to Tristan as he dribbled down the pitch. He passed the ball, continuing his run, until the ball came back to his feet like it was on a tether. The cheers and applause from the stadium told her the people around her felt it too. Something special was going to happen. Tristan lofted the ball into the center of the pitch, and Rowan’s head flicked it, sending it past the keeper and into the back of the net. The crowd went wild, and the dignitaries in the box went wild with them. There were high fives and hugs. Although it was hot, the fans rooting for her country’s team waved blue-and-gold scarfs in the air.

  Tristan and Rowan met halfway between the goal and the sideline. Tristan leaped into the air, and Rowan caught him. The rest of the team followed, jumping on top of the two teammates until there was just a pile of men. When they disentangled from each other, Tristan and Rowan performed an elaborate handshake that seemed to excite the crowd even more.

  Ele’s eyes remained locked on Tristan Davenport because, in that moment, he wasn’t the man whose room she’d snuck into two nights ago. He wasn’t the guy she couldn’t stop thinking about. He was a footballer, a crowd-pleaser. It was disconcerting in a way she imagined Tristan experienced whenever she was in tiara mode. It was like she knew him but didn’t.

  The smile on his face was magnetic, and the star power was tangible. He didn’t belong to her like he had the last two times they were together. He belonged to the people in this crowd, her countrymen watching from home, his teammates. Separated by a field and a crowd, she thought it unlikely she even knew him.

  “Your Highness,” Robert said, nudging her.

  She looked over to him, and he nodded to the screen. Across the vast expanse of the stadium, on a screen larger than her hotel suite, was her own image. Her gaze had been fixed on the action below, but as she glanced up at herself, she saw a vast smile, sparkling eyes, a girl-next-door aura. Her navy-and-gold ensemble along with the sash across her chest set her apart from the other spectators, but her expression said she was basking in the glory of her team taking the lead in a deadlocked match. There wasn’t one shard of ice in the image. Because she had been trained, because her whole life had been about her position, she lifted her hand and waved.

  The crowd went crazy. The scarves twisted wildly in the air as those cheering for her country stayed on their feet in tribute. But Ele turned her eyes back to the men lining up on the pitch. Both teams had noticed the uptick in noise level and were staring up at the big screen. Then, Tristan turned his head and seemed to stare right at her. She knew he couldn’t see her, but his gaze caressed her all the same. The heat she was coming to associate with him shimmered through her, anticipation heating her blood.

  The whistle blew, and the moment was gone. Ele refocused on the match below, her eyes trained on Tristan. Before she knew it, the match was over, and the teams were meeting to shake hands. Her gaze never left Tristan as he moved among the men on the field below. It looked like he exchanged pleasantries with every member of the opposing team. When he met the officials in the center, he shook their hands, clapping each of them on the shoulder.

  He’s Mr. Congeniality.

  It was daunting, watching all of the energy he expended as he interacted with every person he encountered. He reminded her of Jamie with his ability to set people at ease and to walk away from them, knowing they had a smile on their faces. That type of gregarious behavior exhausted her. And intimidated her. Everyone loved him. And no one really liked her.

  So, why does he?

  She had to be way more trouble than was worth for him. Sneaking around for a shag didn’t seem like something he needed to do. She bet he could have any woman he wanted.

  “Are you ready?” Robert asked.

  The stadium was slowly emptying, and she was still sitting there.

  She glanced up at Robert and nodded. “Of course.”

  Standing, Robert and Michael closed ranks around her, walking at a clip. They entered the VIP elevator and descended into an underground parking lot. As they stepped out, two Range Rovers idled. Quickly, Robert helped Ele into the SUV and followed her in. Within sixty seconds of stepping from the elevator, they were driving away.

  “Robert?” Ele asked, even as she stared dazedly out the window.

  “Ma’am?”

  “Are you going to yell at me soon? The suspense is killing me.”

  Robert chuckled. “No, ma’am.”

  “Why?”

  “Did you think I didn’t know?”

  Ele’s head snapped around, her gaze locking with Robert’s. “What?”

  “You thought I didn’t know? What kind of security guard would I be if I didn’t know you’d snuck out?”

  “Well, if you knew, then I didn’t really sneak out, did I?” she said, chagrined.

  “No.”

  Ele crossed her arms over her chest and scowled. “How did you know?”

  “There were all sorts of clues.”

  She merely cocked a brow at him.

  “First, when does Princess Juliana ever come to your room?”

  Ele wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t really think about that.”

  “Obviously.” He winked at her. “Your sister has about two inches on you.”

  “I was moving fast.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Two inches is two inches.”

  “So, if you knew, why didn’t you stop me?”

  Robert rubbed his jaw. He’d been her personal bodyguard for seven years, and Ele knew his tells. Rubbing his jaw was his way of buying time. Usually, when he wasn’t sure he wanted to weigh in on something or upset her, he would hit pause. Like now.

  He finally shrugged, his internal struggle decided. “You were feeling brave enough to leave without an escort. You haven’t been compelled to do that since I’ve been with you. I knew there was nothing unsafe about where you were going. So, I just made sure you got there, undetected and unhurt. Without you knowing I was there.”

  Ele couldn’t speak for a moment, her brain a jumble of emotions and thoughts. Only those close to her knew what she and her team orchestrated on a daily basis to help her feel safe. But what she wanted most was to be brave and unencumbered by the worry and fear she carried with her every day. It shouldn’t have surprised her that Robert sensed some burgeoning resolve in her. But it did.

  The motorcade slowed to a stop in front of the hotel lobby doors. Robert alighted from the car, and after a visual check, he nodded to Ele. She stepped out and moved into the lobby with Michael in front of her and Robert behind. They arrived at her suite moments later. Robert completed a cursory check on the room and then let her come in from the foyer.

  “Wine, Your Highness?” Millie asked from the bar as Ele dropped her clutch on the side table and headed in Millie’s direction.

  “Yes, please.” Ele claimed her glass from Millie and then walked into the living room.

  Robert followed her, and Millie remained.

  “Is there anything else, Your Highness?” Robert asked.

  She’d been ready to let it go, but since Robert was feeling talkative, Ele nodded.

  Robert waited patiently as Ele deliberated on what to say.

  “You like him,” she stated.

  Robert maintained eye contact with her but didn’t answer. There was nothing to say. She already knew the answer to her non-question. He definitely liked Tristan.

  “Why?”

  Robert glanced at Millie. Their gazes met, and some silent communication passed between them.

  Robert cleared his throat. “H
e pulls you out.”

  Ele looked back and forth between two of the people closest to her. It was obvious they were in accord on this.

  “He gets you out of your head. And he does it effortlessly.”

  Ele thought about that. It was true, of course. Maybe she was less afraid because her head was filled with thoughts of Tristan and what he made her feel and what he made her want to do. She tried not to think about it often, but she had to be a burden to the people around her. She saw it in Jamie sometimes, and now, without some of the constant stress of making sure Ele was okay, Robert and Millie looked more relaxed. She hated being a problem, and not for the first time, she wished things were different, that her past were different, and even if she couldn’t go back and change what had happened, she wished she could learn how to deal with it.

  “I need a phone,” she said suddenly. “I know I’ve never wanted one before. But I want one now.”

  Robert nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “What’s his code?” she asked boldly.

  Robert didn’t even attempt to hide his smile this time. A slight blush pinked his cheeks, and Ele bit her lip, attempting to hold back her grin.

  “Robert?”

  Another throat-clearing before he looked helplessly at Millie. Millie merely shook her head, indicating he was on his own.

  Then, he rubbed his jaw. “Doctor Thaw.”

  Millie’s lips twitched, and Robert ducked his head, clearly embarrassed. But Ele, who had a hard time laughing at herself, actually found it funny. She giggled, completely unlike Princess Eleanor. Her hand flew to her mouth as she attempted to swallow the sound. Millie and Robert, as surprised as she was, cracked up. The three of them stood there, in the hotel suite living room, laughing.

  When a knock sounded on the door, they sobered.

  Robert nodded to Ele and turned to leave. As he crossed into the foyer, he looked over his shoulder and said, “I think the doctor makes house calls.”

  His comment sent Ele and Millie into another peal of laughter.

  That was how Tristan found them a moment later when he walked in. With a quick look of dismissal from Ele, Millie ducked out of the room.

  Ele didn’t even check her response to him. She flew across the room and hurtled herself into his arms. Belatedly, she thought she must have looked exactly like he had when he crossed the field to Rowan.

  He lifted her off her feet and spun her once. Then, his mouth was on hers. She opened immediately, her tongue thrusting into his. She kissed him with all of the enthusiasm she’d experienced at the match. His arm tightened around her waist as his other hand reached up to tangle in her hair. They kissed like everything was right in the world and they were celebrating. It was ravenous and wild. Tristan loosened his arm, and Ele slid down his body, never taking her mouth from his. He began walking, moving her backward. He pulled away from her but not before giving her a closed-mouth peck.

  “I can’t believe you were at the match today,” he said, the vibration of his words moving against her mouth, like he needed to speak but didn’t want to give up on the kiss.

  “It was amazing,” she said breathlessly. “You were amazing.”

  He continued walking, and she trusted him enough to let him lead her even though she couldn’t see where he was going. She knew though.

  “I don’t want to play another match without you there. The thought of you in the crowd”—he kissed her again, long and deep—“it was such a high.”

  The backs of her knees hit the bed, and he came down on top of her as she fell back onto it. He ran his lips along her neck and then pushed her shirt aside, so he could feast on her collarbone. They’d been together twice, and she already knew he loved that spot on her body. He nipped and kissed, and then he was above her again. Her eyes popped open, and he smiled wide.

  “I was so proud of you today. Seeing you there, looking completely at ease. You have to promise me you will try to come to the rest of the games.”

  Without any second thought, she answered, “I promise.” There was no tightening in her chest, no panicked heat, no shortness of breath. “If I’m able to, I’ll be there.”

  “That’s my girl.” He stared down at her, the look familiar. “We’re through to the knockout stage. The win today puts us through even if we lose our next game. Which we won’t. So,” he said, drawing out the word, “you are stuck with me for at least another week.”

  Then, he kissed her, but her heart dropped. Her mind whirled with the implications of what he’d said. The only time she was guaranteed with him was this right here. As long as the team won, Ele and Tristan could continue to be together.

  An urgency descended between them, and the speed with which Tristan undressed her underlined the end of his patience. He pushed her shirt from her shoulders, popped the clasp on her bra, and pulled her panties and slacks off in one motion. His hand found her nipple and rolled it between his fingers. Her body loosened with his touch, and her legs, already cradling his, fell further open in invitation. He pushed up to his knees and stared down at her, one hand still toying with her breast. There was both tenderness and hunger in his gaze. He leaned forward and pressed a hard kiss on her mouth before he moved away from her to disrobe. He pulled his T-shirt over his head, and Ele watched, transfixed, as his toned torso flashed. All his lean muscles and taut skin made her fingers itch. He moved away to divest himself of his pants. When he was gloriously naked in front of her, he leaned down and braced his hands on either side of her head.

  His mouth met hers for a fierce kiss. Against her lips, he said, “Turn over.”

  Ele melted right there. He stood up and waited, watching her. Flames of desire licked up her body, and she could have combusted.

  “Now, Your Highness,” he whispered with a wicked smirk.

  Ele flipped and squirmed, exposed in a way she’d never been before. He moved her hair aside, gathering it and pushing it over her shoulder so it fanned out beside her. His mouth met the nape of her neck, where he pressed an open-mouthed kiss before he ran his nose down the length of her spine. His hands landed on her hips, his thumbs in the center of her back. In a move so quick that it was surprising, he pulled her up, her hands and knees automatically flying out but he caught her as he positioned her.

  “This is going to be quick.” He was behind her and then over her, his voice in her ear. “Probably hard. But I’ll make it up to you later. I promise.”

  She wanted to be resistant. Some part of her wanted to change the dynamic. But the other part of her—the part that seemed to come out to play when Tristan was around—well, that part gushed hot and wet. She heard the condom wrapper tear. Before she could process anything or brace herself, Tristan’s arm wrapped around her stomach, and he thrust into her.

  “Tristan!” she gasped.

  His lips were on her neck again. “I need you.” He shuddered above her but stopped moving, allowing her time to get used to his invasion.

  His hand spread wide, pressing into her belly, holding her, steadying her. Then, he pulled out and pushed in again. He bit down, where her shoulder met her neck and a very unprincesslike sound tore from her throat. Tristan’s hand on her stomach tightened. He seemed content to stay completely molded to her, but Ele needed him to move. She arched her back and pressed into him.

  “What do you need, E?” he said, flexing his hips.

  “That,” she grunted.

  She felt his smile against her neck.

  “What’s that?” he teased. “I want you to tell me exactly what you want, exactly how you want it.”

  Ele dropped her head, knowing she couldn’t do what he was asking. Her face suffused with heat as she blushed. His hand drifted up from her stomach, caressing her breast, making her body answer for her.

  “Yes, that,” she managed to huff.

  He let go of her breast and pulled away from her back. His hands gripped her hips, and he eased almost all of the way out of her. She moving backward, chasing him. But he stilled her with h
is hands.

  She whimpered in disappointment.

  “I’m not going far, love,” Tristan said. His hips snapped forward, filling her and she moaned. “Is this what you want?”

  “Yes.”

  He actually chuckled.

  How can he laugh at a time like this?

  “I’ve got you,” he said before he slammed back into her as his urgency and impatience seemed to overtake his need for gentleness.

  Her whole body responded to him, to his pace, to his hold on her. As his cock slid inside of her and his thighs flexed against the backs of her legs, his fingers dug into her hips, and every muscle in her body clenched. Tristan moved in and out of her, hitting places inside her body she hadn’t even known existed. Ele gasped and then moaned, unable to control anything her body was doing. He was like a magician, weaving a spell around her and through her. Like incantations, he talked, telling her every way he wanted to touch her and how he wanted her to touch him. And while his body continued to pound into hers, it was his words—his beautiful words—pushing her over the edge.

  She dropped onto the bed, gasping, her limbs unable to hold her. Tristan followed her down, his arms holding most of his weight. His nose landed in her hair before he slid his arm under her and rolled them.

  If she only had a week, it would suck.

  If she only had a week, she would make the most of it.

  But damn, she wanted to keep him for longer.

  13

  28 June

  The Michigan Inn

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Ele whispered as her hand slid down the line of her slim-cut yellow dress. She turned to Beatrix. “Do I look like a giant pencil in this?”

  Beatrix sputtered, partly offended, partly amused. “Have I ever dressed you in something questionable?”

  “Well, there was that one time with the flowers—”

  “Don’t finish that statement, Your Highness.”

  Ele cracked up, remembering the dress that might have been made out of the draperies from the palace. “You have to admit …”