The King's Surprise Bride: A Royal Wedding Novella (Royal Weddings Book 2)

by Vivien Vale

  I dig quickly through it, wanting to text Dante. Needing to know what the day has in store for us.

  Just as my hand wraps around the phone, another knock sounds at the door.

  Curious, I make a beeline for it. Dante?

  Another bellman greets me instead, his eyes roving appreciatively over the dark green of my gown.

  “Your car is here, Mrs. Walsh.” he informs me, a polite smile affixed to his face.

  “My car?”

  “Yes. I’ve been instructed to escort you to it.”

  I laugh, a sound of pure joy.

  “Well, by all means,” I say, gesturing at the hall.

  He leads the way quickly, guiding me through the hotel and back towards the lobby. When we reach it, he proceeds outside, only stopping once I have full view of the limo waiting there.

  “Your car,” he repeats.

  “Thank you!” I call, already rushing past him.

  My heart flutters in my chest, knowing who likely sits in the vehicle.

  I throw the door back unceremoniously, my eyes finding him immediately.

  “Dante!”

  “Do you like your dress?” he asks.

  I let my eyes wander the length of him, taking in his appearance. His suit is immaculate, clearly expensive, his tie fit with tones that match my own clothes.

  “I love it,” I say, throwing myself into the car and onto his lap.

  My lips meet his with an audible smack, my hands reaching out to hold him.

  “I can tell,” he laughs once we pull apart. “You look beautiful, Nicole.”

  I grin. Right now, more than ever, I do feel beautiful.

  “Where are we going?” I ask, looking around at the richly appointed limo.

  He rolls his eyes. “What, and ruin the surprise now?”

  He reaches over, pulling my door shut. “No way,” he teases.

  Before I can ask again, the car begins to roll, whisking us off to wherever Dante has planned. I relax into the soft leather of the seat, content to find out when we get there.

  Several minutes later, we arrive at our destination.

  Albiubagio, the sign reads. Clearly a high-class restaurant.

  “After you,” he says, gesturing.

  I get out quickly, shoes clacking against the asphalt.

  He follows behind, allowing me to lead our way inside.

  The restaurant is gorgeous, my eyes drawn immediately to the chandelier lighting the room. Through the windows, I spot a view of the canal. Soft music greets us—Luciano, of course, pouring from the speakers that line the ceiling.

  I glance around, noticing for the first time how empty the space is.

  “Dante, I don’t think they’re open.”

  His smile grows wider. “Oh, they’re open.”

  He leads us to a table, flowers decorating the center of it.

  “You didn’t,” I say, already feeling certain that he did.

  “Oh, yes. It’s just me and you today.”

  The gesture warms my heart.

  “I love it,” I say, meeting his eyes with sincerity.

  “I thought you might.”

  A waiter comes into the room, his eyes finding us immediately.

  “Welcome to our restaurant,” he says, each word heavily accented.

  “Hello,” Dante and I say in unison.

  “I see it’s a very special day,” he continues, his eyes twinkling. “Do we know what we’ll be having, or shall I bring you a menu?”

  Dante looks askance at me, one eyebrow raised in question.

  I feel a rush at his glance. A sudden overwhelming comfort seems to wash over me. For the first time in my life, I realize that I don’t mind someone making a decision for me.

  Not if it’s Dante. I trust him completely.

  “Why don’t you order for us?” I say, catching the twitch of his lips in response.

  “Sure,” he says. “Why don’t I?”

  Sometime later, I finish my food with a small moan, the last bite every bit as good as the first.

  “This was amazing, Dante. Really, the best lunch I’ve had…maybe ever.”

  “Thanking me already?” he asks. “Honey, we’re just getting started.”

  I can’t even respond before he takes a final gulp of his wine, standing quickly to extend his hand to me.

  “Are you ready to see what’s next?”

  I laugh loudly, standing as well. “Lead the way.”

  He grasps my hand firmly, nodding to the server as we make our exit. The limo, still waiting near the entrance, roars to life at our approach.

  “I guess you’re not telling me where we’re going this time either,” I say, sliding into the seat.

  “I guess not,” he smirks.

  “Fine, fine. I trust you.”

  “Do you?” he asks, a severity to his voice that wasn’t there before.

  “Absolutely.” I lean in, kissing him firmly. “More than anyone.”

  He answers by pulling me close, his arm heavy and comforting around me. “Good.”

  The limo pulls away, driving us to our next destination.

  I stare out the window, eyes tracking the scenery around us. My mind races, wondering what Dante has planned next.

  When the car finally comes to a stop, I can’t believe where we are.

  I gasp softly, head spinning to find Dante, excitement dancing in my eyes.

  “The Teatro dell’ Opera di Roma? You’re kidding me!”

  “Excited?” he asks, knowing full well that I am.

  “Yes!” I say anyway. “I can’t believe it.”

  “Well, believe it.”

  He places a quick kiss on my lips, exiting the car and leaving me to follow.

  The theater seems to glow in front of us, making me feel every bit the moth drawn to the light.

  “We better hurry,” he says, taking my hand. “Don’t wanna miss the beginning. They are doing your favorite opera, after all.”

  Again, I’m caught completely off guard by this man.

  I open my mouth to speak, discovering that there are no words. Instead, I squeeze his hand harder, emotions welling up within me.

  Quickly, we make our way inside.

  I feel overcome with excitement, more so than I have since I was a kid.

  My entire life, I’ve wanted to come here. To see this stage and sit in these seats. Now it’s finally happening, and once again I have Dante to thank.

  “How did you know?” I ask as we hurry up the stairs.

  “You said so. In Venice, remember? This is the reason I wanted to take you to Rome.”

  “I can’t believe you remembered.”

  “Of course I did.”

  He guides me out of the stairwell, leading me towards a curtain not far away.

  With a flourish, he pulls the fabric aside, revealing a section of the balcony clearly reserved for us.

  “Dante…” I whisper, feeling in awe of him.

  We sit just as the lights turn down, the show beginning as if it was waiting for our arrival.

  Dante reaches into his coat, pulling out two small sets of golden binoculars. He passes one to me before holding the other to his face for my approval.

  “They look great.” I giggle.

  He nods once, taking the compliment seriously, before turning to the stage.

  I follow his actions, putting my own binoculars to my eyes.

  The show is beginning, music rising up around us. It seems to crash against the walls, echoing through the theater with an authenticity no technology can match.

  I turn, my eyes drawing back to Dante.

  Years I’ve wanted to sit here.

  I have dreamed of this place more often than I’d like to admit.

  Now, that I’m finally here though, I can’t seem to keep my eyes off of the man next to me.

  I find him looking at me as well, binoculars still pressed to his eyes.

  His lips twitch, pulling into a smile that makes my heart skip a beat.


  He skims his eyes down the length of me, over-exaggerating the movement so that I can’t miss his meaning.

  I feel my own eyes scanning him, my breathing growing short.

  With a force of will, I pull my eyes back to the stage, trying hard to focus on the scene playing out there.

  My teeth find my bottom lip, biting down hard in an attempt to keep my attention in one place.

  Still, I feel my control wavering, my head turning, seemingly of its own volition.

  I’m not at all surprised to find Dante still staring at me, all pretense of humor now gone from his face.

  His eyes sear into me, seeming bottomless in the dim lighting.

  I feel my body scooting closer to his, pulled to him like a magnet. The force at work between us is just like that—it’s scientific, difficult to explain and impossible to resist.

  The opera continues below us, now an afterthought to the emotions raging in my mind.

  It’s a shame, really.

  I finally get to this opera, and it looks like I’ll be missing it.

  Dante

  My cock is rock hard, and I mentally thank my earlier self for having the foresight to get a private balcony.

  Act II of La Traviata has started, but I’m no longer in the mood to watch it. How I’ve made it this far without ripping Nicole’s dress and freeing those perky tits is beyond me. I must be a fucking saint in the self-control department.

  My intentions were pure when we came here. I wanted to give her the experience of a lifetime, the opportunity to see one of Verdi’s operas in one of the most famous opera houses in the country.

  Instead, my eyes kept drifting to her, looking so fucking appetizing in that dress. Picking that particular dress out of the others was mistake number one.

  Now I just want to see it pooled by her feet on the floor.

  I can’t keep my fucking eyes off her, and the desire is overtaking me.

  I’ve never fucked in an opera house, but hey—there’s a first time for everything, right?

  All of my attention is focused solely on Nicole, who’s giving me her best come hither look. I’ll be damned if it’s not working. The proof is clearly showing in my pants.

  Sitting side by side is no longer good enough for me. I take her hand and put it on my rock hard bulge. Leaning over, I whisper into her ear.

  “Look what you fucking do to me.”

  A coy grin spreads across her face, and I’m momentarily blown away.

  She’s gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous.

  I don’t know what I did in a past life to deserve her, but whatever it was, it must’ve been fucking fantastic. I have to thank Ryan the next time I see him. Thanks to him being the royal douche he is and deserting his fiancé on their wedding day, I found the best woman to walk this planet.

  The sparkles on her dress play well against Nicole’s eyes. She’s glowing—a vision of pure fucking perfection.

  “So what do you propose I do about it?” She squeezes my cock and rubs her hand up and down its length, using her fingers to stroke it firmly.

  “You vixen, you,” my voice comes out a growl, which is quite fitting because I’m about to fucking devour her. Opera or no opera.

  “Hmm…I do think you’ve mistaken me for someone el—”

  I cut her off with a passionate kiss, wasting no time thrusting my tongue into her mouth.

  Cupping the back of her head, I pull her closer. She eagerly meets my kiss, rubbing my cock harder through the thin fabric of my tuxedo pants.

  I groan against her lips. “Fuck, Nicole…”

  I grab her bottom lip between my teeth, flicking my tongue over it before capturing her mouth again. My kisses are relentless, the passion consuming me from the inside out.

  As our tongues tangle, I slip one hand inside the front of her dress, groping her tit and pinching her nipple. When she gasps, I pinch harder.

  Sliding the fabric to the side, I lean down and take her nipple in my mouth while lowering myself to my knees.

  Her hand tangles in my hair, and her nails lightly graze my scalp, sending a shiver through my body. Nobody has ever made me feel this good from a single touch.

  All the more reason I’m glad she’s mine.

  I lean up and kiss her, letting my lips linger for a brief second, then drag my tongue down her neck. My hand is pushing her dress up, exposing her legs.

  I work my way down, nipping her collarbone and teasing her nipples before I drop to her legs. She lets out a sultry moan as I kiss the inside of her thigh and slowly make my way up, swirling my tongue around her soft, supple skin.

  When I nip her, she thrusts her hips so that her pussy is right in front of me.

  “Darling, you’re gonna make me come in my pants if you keep doing that.”

  I’m not even kidding. My cock is now throbbing, begging to be released from its confines. Her moans might just be enough to drive me over the edge.

  Soon, fella, soon.

  I use both hands to spread her legs further open, teasing her with my thumb before burying my face in her pussy. Her lacy black underwear is driving me insane just looking at them.

  She’s a sly one, alright. Classy on the outside, hella sexy under the clothes.

  I lick her clit through the lace, pushing hard with my tongue. I nibble and suck at her lovebud, which hardens and swells as I move my tongue against it.

  I cup her ass, shifting her hips forward to get a better angle.

  Using one finger, I pull her panties to the side, immediately slipping my finger inside. Her pussy’s so wet that her juices are running down the palm of my hand, telling me just how turned on she is.

  There’s something to be said about doing this in public. What it is, I don’t know, but I’m sure there’s something witty.

  “Dante,” she moans my name.

  It’s never sounded more beautiful than when she cries it at the height of her ecstasy. I should tell her to be quiet so that nobody hears her, but that would just be denying myself even more fun.

  I lap up her juices and prod at her opening with my tongue before gliding it up to her clit, doing lazy circles and occasionally pushing down on it.

  Her hands are now working overtime on my head, gripping me tightly as she moans.

  Sempre Libera is playing in the background, but the only sounds I clearly hear are the huffs and puffs coming from Nicole.

  When she starts moving her hips, I can tell she’s getting close. Not wanting her to hit her release so soon, I decide to tease her a little.

  My tongue skirts around her clit, tasting and sucking on her lips.

  “Please…” she whispers, and I can’t help but look up at her.

  Our eyes connect, and I can see hers are glimmering with tears.

  “Feels that good, huh?” I smile at her.

  “Yes, please…please don’t stop.”

  “As my wife wishes.”

  My wife.

  I still get a kick out of saying that. I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving the sound of those words. I know I’ll never stop loving her.

  I go back to lightly flicking my tongue against her clit. Back and forth, up and down, fast and slow. Her hips start moving in time with my tongue, her hands gripping the back of my head tightly.

  Pushing two fingers in, I curl them against her G-spot, simulating her both inside and outside. I can feel her pussy walls clenching around my fingers, and I know she’s close to the edge.

  Hell, I’m close to the edge, and this isn’t my number.

  Deciding now is the perfect time to let her go—after all the crescendo is just about here—I flick my tongue relentlessly, focusing solely on her lovebud.

  Just as the song reaches its finish, so does she, and I can feel the tremors rocking through her.

  My tongue keeps moving as she shudders and tries to push me away.

  “Dante, please…oh my gooood!”

  I pull back and look up at her. “That was good, huh?”

  She’
s breathing hard, giving me an incredulous look that I can’t help but find super fucking alluring.

  Now it’s my turn.

  Freeing my cock from my pants, I can feel the pre-cum soaking the tip.

  She gives me a look that says Really? We’re doing this here?

  That look quickly dissolves into something more carnal as I smack my cock against her pussy. I rub it back and forth against her wetness, letting the tip enter just a little bit then pulling it back out. This draws frustrated groans from Nicole.

  “Now, Dante!” She bucks her hips forward.

  She sure changed her tune fast.

  I love the flushed look on her face as she’s in the throes of desire. I couldn’t be happier that she’s mine.

  Smiling my most roguish smile, I look her in the eyes as I plunge in deep.

  Nicole

  His cock is grazing my pussy, and all I want is for him to put it in already.

  But Dante, being the tease he is, is pulling out again already.

  “Dante…please…just do it…” I moan, finding it difficult to string a coherent sentence together.

  But apparently he’s got his own agenda and just rubs his throbbing cock back and forth.

  He’s a tease. A real tease.

  “You’re killing me…” I whisper huskily against his lips.

  “Death by orgasm?” he chuckles against my mouth. “I can’t recall ever having heard of such a case in the news. And trust me, it would have made the news.”

  Seriously? What the fuck was he babbling on about?

  All I want is to feel that juicy delicious bit of meat in me. I’m trying absolutely everything to help him delve into me again. He needs to fill the void in my pulsing pussy.

  Only he can do that. And I’m not talking about his fingers or his tongue.

  I want his cock.

  I lift my hips, balancing my ass on the chair to avoid toppling over. With our history, that’s definitely not out of the realm of possibilities.

  The last thing we need is an usher rushing into the room because of a loud clatter. We’d likely be banned from all of Rome. It must be too much for him to bear, because he takes me by surprise when he thrusts all the way in at once.

  Finally.

  “Ah!” I gasp, rising to meet him.

  He grabs me by the waist and flips our position so that now I’m straddling him.