Royal Baby

by Layla Valentine

  The funny thing was, I kind of wanted her to be the last. I knew it was soon to be thinking of forever, but I was a firm believer in fate. Had every door that had slammed shut in my face been leading up to this moment?

  Maybe not. Maybe it was too soon to tell. Or, hell, maybe I was as stupid as I felt. All the same, I wouldn’t be another disappointment in that sweet little woman’s life.

  I stepped towards my suitcase, rummaging around inside for the smaller case that I knew would be there. I took the thing on every con, mostly as a reminder of home. It was supposed to keep me grounded, but at that moment, it felt as if it were doing just the opposite.

  Poor old Paulie was stuck with his head in the clouds, with no hope of a cure.

  My hand landed on the metal shell of the case, and I smiled to myself as I yanked it out of my suitcase. I glanced at my watch, cursing myself for how long I’d been dawdling. I’d be lucky if she hadn’t given up on my return at this rate, and I had no idea what cabin she was staying in.

  Sure, if I lost track of her tonight, I could apologize the next day. But there was something about this night in particular that felt a bit more pressing.

  I tucked the metal case under my arm, darting out of my cabin and nearly forgetting to lock up in the process. I paused, closing the door behind me before bolting in the direction of the upper pool deck. The stars seemed especially bright at that moment, almost as if some mystical force were drawing them closer to Earth. Just for the time being. Just for that night. I felt caught in a frantic high, but God, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

  Nearly stumbling over my own feet, I ascended the stairs that led to the upper deck, and my heart felt as if it leaped into my throat as I spotted my little bird sitting at the edge of the pool. Her face was tilted skyward; her feet dipped into the artificially heated water of the pool. Curse myself for saying it, but I have to admit that I stood there for a few moments, just watching her.

  The party on the lower deck was beginning to wind down, and the music had died down along with it. I could make out the softest little hum as she swirled her feet in the water, a sound that could have shattered even the iciest of hearts.

  It took a minute, but I managed to gather my nerves enough to approach her once more. I moved carefully, as if a minor misstep would make her disappear, like a spirit. I cleared my throat, and she looked at me with a happy expression.

  “Paul! I was beginning to think that you’d ditched me. You’re lucky I’m a sucker for handsome men,” she teased, and I felt my cheeks grow warm.

  I wasn’t the sort of guy for mush in most situations, but damn was this girl sweet.

  “I’d never ditch you, lovely little lady.”

  Grinning, I took no small pleasure in the reddening of her cheeks. She averted her eyes shyly, and it was all I could do not to sweep her up in my arms and drag her off to my cabin. She turned her eyes back to me as I shifted towards a better lit area on the deck, setting down my case and popping the latch on it. She was curious, her eyes widening in disbelief as I withdrew a sword from it.

  “What are you, a pirate?” she asked in mock surprise.

  Ah, she was a feisty one. A woman after my own heart.

  “No, but I’m all about getting some good booty,” I retorted, biting back a bark of laughter when she snorted in the most unladylike fashion.

  “That’s so corny,” she murmured, shifting her body to watch me properly.

  I waved the sword dramatically, and the curiosity dancing in her eyes would have made a lesser man swoon. I liked to consider myself rather well fortified when it came to baby-doll eyes, but hell, I think anyone could tell I was falling hard for this chick.

  “What’s with the sword?” she inquired tentatively.

  “You said you wanted to see a real circus act, right? Well, I learned a few tricks traveling with a freak show a few years back. Sword swallowing, fire dancing…not to mention I can lift a good hundred pounds more than most men my size,” I said, bragging.

  She grinned, excitement radiating from her as she drew her feet out of the pool and stood up.

  “Now, you’ll have to stay way back with the fire dancing, little bird. Would hate to see you turned into fried chicken.”

  Smiling, I took more than my fair share of delight in her little pout. Her lips were so kissable, so soft and delectable, that I could only imagine what they’d look like wrapped around my…

  Hey now, Paulie. You’re getting way ahead of yourself.

  I took a step away from her, setting out the props across the deck. As I began my routine, I felt my stomach tighten in the face of her less than objective interest. I started with the sword swallowing, which was always a hit with the ladies. They tended to like a man who flirted with danger, and well, I was more than willing to show that talent off.

  Her eyes widened as I grabbed my fire gear, consisting of one large hoop, two smaller ones, and a couple of rods. I planned to go the whole nine yards and show her what a real routine I could put together. I lit the props aflame and began to juggle the hoops, whirling them around my body while I traced the rods through the air to form intricate patterns.

  I was more than vaguely aware of the way Ella’s eyes traced my body, her thighs pressing close together as I increased the danger level. I felt the warmth of desire curl in my belly as her eyes fixed on my body, and I couldn’t deny that feeling her eyes so steadily upon me lit another fire, inside of me.

  I extinguished the fire dancing props, and she clapped enthusiastically. She drew her lip between her teeth, and her face flushed, though I couldn’t tell if it was from the heat of the flames, or something more…intimate. As I began to put away my props, she watched me carefully, closing the distance between us.

  “That was…amazing. Unlike anything I’ve ever seen before,” she murmured, and I smiled proudly.

  The way she was looking at me sent shivers down my spine, and I had to rein myself in before I grabbed her and had my way with her right there on the deck. Her mind seemed to be in a similar place, and I was confident she wouldn’t act on it, but if she wanted me, she’d have to say as much. I wanted to know for sure that she wanted me before I made my move. As much as I’d risked the con already, I couldn’t risk getting myself thrown off the ship for harassing the CEO’s daughter.

  “I thought it was only right that such a beautiful little bird should get to see something outside of her gilded cage,” I said, and her eyes flashed with sadness.

  She stepped closer to me, resting her hand on the swell of my bicep.

  “What I would give to escape my cage. Just for a night,” she whispered.

  I looked her in the eyes, seeing hunger, not unlike my own. It seemed like she was taking the bait—or maybe I was the one getting hooked. At that point, it was nearly impossible to tell.

  I moved to draw her closer, and she didn’t bother trying to hide her lust. Her eyes were dark with desire, almost pitch black in the darkness of the night. I hesitated, resting a hand on her hip before leaning in, closing the distance between us. Her eyes fluttered shut, and her lips pursed as she prepared to meet my lips with hers.

  I stopped a breath away from her mouth, exhaling a laugh against her skin. She squinted an eye open, and I couldn’t mask the utterly stupid and infatuated look I had on my face.

  “Are you going to kiss me or not, Mr. Drake?” she whispered, growing impatient.

  “That just depends on how bad you want it, sweetheart.”

  She breathed an exasperated sigh, and for a moment I was afraid I had pushed her too far. I suppose I shouldn’t have expected someone of her upbringing to lower herself to begging a smooch off of a carnie, but…

  Oh, Christ.

  My mind came to an abrupt stop as she tangled a hand in my hair, pulling me closer and pressing her lips to mine in a heated kiss. I moaned against her, and she flicked her sweet-tasting little tongue against my bottom lip.

  In that moment, I knew I was doomed. I lost myself to the
world inside our passionate little bubble, and the con was the last thing on my mind as our tongues brushed against each other. It felt like molten hot lava was forming in my gut, and I could feel myself growing hard just from her kiss.

  She drew away, glancing at my crotch with wide eyes. Then, she smiled wickedly, reaching down to cup me between the legs. I groaned, pressing into her touch. There was no way she was going to jerk me off on the upper deck; no way in hell.

  And, of course, as expected, all good things had to come to an end. Ella drew her hand away, stepping back and considering me with a sexy smile. I waited with bated breath, trying to calm my boner as I waited for her to bid me goodnight.

  “Come back to my room with me,” she ordered gently, much to my surprise.

  While I wasn’t the sort of man to be bossed around, I’d have been an idiot to deny her.

  Chapter Seven

  Ella

  The moment I laid eyes on Paul Drake, I knew I wanted him. When the opportunity presented itself, I’d have been a fool not to take him to my room.

  His chest shone with sweat from his fire performance, and I wanted nothing more than to press my body against his and get covered in it. He was primed and ready for me to enjoy, so I took him by the hand, trying not to be distracted by how large his bulge was. Size wasn’t that important to me, but my insides stirred at his obvious girth.

  He grinned as I led him down the steps, away from the upper deck. I wondered when he would come back and fetch his supplies, because they seemed to be the last thing on his mind.

  The warmth between my legs was growing increasingly difficult to ignore, and while I knew it was foolhardy to bring a strange man back to my room, I couldn’t find it within myself to leave him behind. My body craved him as much as he seemed to want me.

  The alcohol was still making my head a little fuzzy, but I wasn’t going to stop and put an end to this almost magical moment. Maybe it was the booze talking, but for a moment it felt as if this were meant to be. What were the odds of happening across him on the upper deck? What were the odds of a handsome stranger going to such lengths just to see me smile?

  I mean, the fire show alone was already enough to make me wet, but when our lips met, I knew it was game over.

  Or, maybe the game had just begun. I wasn’t sure who had seduced whom at this point, though it barely mattered. My number one concern was getting Paul out of those tight shorts.

  We raced through the lower deck of the ship, not bothering to keep our footfalls soft. His smile was nothing short of infectious, and I found myself bubbling with laughter as we all but stumbled towards my room.

  When we got there, I shushed him while trying to swallow my giggles. My mother was in the next cabin, and though I held no false pretenses about trying to muffle my cries of ecstasy deep into the night, it wouldn’t do for her to rush out of her room and catch me before we could even get started.

  I unlocked my door frantically, grabbing him by the front of his shorts and dragging him inside. He cackled as soon as the door was closed, and I pressed my lips to him to silence him. We continued to snicker into the kiss until I drew away and shot him a look.

  “What’s so funny, Paul?” I asked, though I had the vaguest of ideas.

  “I never could have expected it to go this well,” he replied.

  I rolled my eyes, pulling him towards my bed.

  “Well, you’d better make the best of it and hope I don’t come to my senses. I’m not the sort of girl to offer my booty to any old swashbuckler.”

  I grinned, and he matched my smile, reaching down to grab me by my ass.

  “Oh, I didn’t know booty was on the table,” he whispered into my ear, and I felt shivers course through my body.

  I’d never felt such pure need in my life. It didn’t feel like I was initiating sex with a stranger, it felt like puzzle pieces falling into their correct place after years of being stuck.

  He kissed me, and I swear it felt as if a fire had set alight inside of me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, dragging him to the king-sized bed in the middle of the room. He stumbled along with me, making no effort to resist my pull.

  I scooted back on the bed, and he watched me with hunger in his eyes. I reached down to unbutton my blouse, trying to make a sexy little show of it, but realizing I probably just looked drunk and clumsy. He didn’t seem to mind, however, all too eager to take over.

  His fingers deftly worked my buttons, pulling each one free until I was able to shrug the garment off entirely. He fixed his eyes on the mounds of my breasts, and I smiled as I reached around my back to release them from the confines of my bra. He seemed to salivate at the sight of them, and I felt my face grow warm at the sheer hunger reflected in his eyes.

  “You’re beautiful,” he murmured, and I was certain my face was as red as a tomato at that point.

  “You’re not so bad yourself,” I purred, pressing him back against the bed. He didn’t seem like the type to let a woman take control, but I was surprised when he indulged me and lay flat on his back.

  I shifted on top of him, leaning down to ghost my lips over his pulse. He shuddered at the contact, tangling a hand in my hair and encouraging the movements of my mouth. The salt of his sweat-soaked skin was all too tempting in my passion-fueled haze, and I traced my tongue down the column of his throat.

  Then, I reached down between us, undoing the single button on his shorts and sliding them down. He raised his hips obligingly, and I looped my fingers in the waistband of his boxer briefs as I pulled, exposing him in one fell swoop.

  His flesh was hot to the touch, precum trickling down from the head of his member. I wrapped my hand around his length, gauging his size. He was bigger than any other man I’d ever been with, and his girth swelled in my hand, his pulse throbbing against my palm.

  “Ella,” he murmured, jerking his hips.

  Unable to wait a moment longer, I slipped off my pants and panties, and ran to my suitcase to retrieve a condom—thankful that I kept one in there, just in case. Only a few seconds had passed before I resumed my position on top of him and slipped the condom over his length.

  Before I could think to stop myself, I found myself shifting on top of him, pressing the head of his cock against my entrance. I steeled myself, knowing I was likely to be tighter than usual since it had been some time since my last…encounter. He rested his hands on my hips, gently guiding me down onto him.

  “Slow, slow,” I stammered out, feeling his bulbous tip spread me wide. I drew my lip between my teeth, my breasts heaving.

  “I just want you so badly,” my lover murmured, his eyes shining with something I hadn’t seen in any man I’d slept with before. Paul looked excited beyond the mere act of sex; he looked thrilled to be with me, specifically.

  Swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat, I leaned in to press our lips together as I lowered myself further on his length. His breath hitched, and I dug my nails into his shoulders as he filled me up.

  Just when I was certain that I couldn’t bear to take his entire length, our hips pressed flush together. His body trembled, and it was evident that it was taking all of his self-control not to slam into me.

  “Oh, Paul,” I moaned against his lips, lifting my hips until I was nearly off of him entirely.

  Slowly, tortuously, I shifted down again, enjoying the feel of his throbbing cock brushing against my inner walls. I clenched experimentally around him, and he cried out desperately.

  “Ella! Please, can I…” He trailed off, moving as if to shift our positions.

  I hesitated for the briefest of moments before allowing him to press me back against the sheets. He was still inside me, and the movement sent jolts of pleasure through all of my nerve endings.

  “Guess you can only let me take charge for so long,” I teased breathlessly, and he quirked his lips in a smile.

  “It wouldn’t be right for my little bird to be doing all of the work.” Paul grinned. “Is this okay?” he added, and my
heart clenched. No man had ever asked if I was enjoying myself before. I was just part of their pleasure, it had never mattered if I’d gotten off.

  “You feel amazing. God, Paul…just take me,” I breathed.

  He seemed to need no further instruction, moving in and out of me slowly at first, before quickly picking up the pace. His hips slapped against mine with almost bruising force, and I couldn’t swallow the moans that spilled past my lips.

  I dragged my nails down his back, reaching my peak more quickly than I ever had before. Paul seemed to be holding out well enough, but as I contracted around him, waves of ecstasy crashing all around me, he fell into an orgasm of his own. We held each other for a minute, feeling our bodies release together in time, panting and gasping.

  For a long moment, we simply basked in the afterglow. But I knew my mother would be checking in on me in the morning, and the last thing I wanted her to see was me curled up with a tattooed circus performer. I looked at him, not wanting to ask him to go, but feeling as if I had no other choice.

  He seemed to take the cue, shifting out of bed and grabbing his shorts, hesitating a moment before leaning in to capture my lips in a kiss. It was chaste, a simple press of skin on skin, but it meant more than a much deeper kiss could have at that moment.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, birdie,” he said warmly.

  “It’s a date,” I told him.

  I smiled, watching as he moved towards the door, slipping through it silently.

  Left alone, I was tired and spent. I thought I should likely feel some measure of regret for what had happened, but I simply couldn’t make myself care. The time I’d spent with Paul was the freest I’d ever felt in my life. It was a glimpse into a life I wasn’t slated for, but could find a way of grasping if I worked hard enough for it. He was the opposite of the sort of man my mother would set me up with, but perhaps that’s what made him so appealing.

  All the same, I had never felt such a pleasant ache after screwing around with a guy.