Royal Arousal

by Lana Love

I glance at my unfinished painting, and then back at my phone. That club is certainly air conditioned and that alone is tempting right now, not to mention a free meal.

  Yes, I can meet you there in an hour. My finger hesitates over the Send icon, but I quickly tap it before I chicken out. I may not like him, but he is sexy to look at. And the money. I really need the money.

  “Oh, hello,” Gabriel’s voice says from behind me.

  Damn. I wanted to head to the bathroom so I could touch up my hair and make sure my makeup hadn’t melted off of my face. It’s not like I wear a lot of makeup, but there was no way I was coming to see Gabriel unless I looked my absolute best…and that means makeup.

  “Hi.”

  I gasp when I turn and see him. He’s dressed in a beautiful royal blue silk suit. A couple light hairs curl over the top of his unbuttoned white shirt, and I really want to unbutton the rest of his shirt and run my hand over his chest. He’s obviously not spent his day in a sweltering four-hundred square foot studio.

  Whoa. Sophie. Down girl!

  “Have you been here before?” He gestures his arm toward the elevator banks of the Obsidian Tower and we walk in that direction.

  “Ah, not really, no.” Certainly he wouldn’t be interested in the time I came here to sign up with a temp agency. This is the tallest building in Seattle and it’s mostly filled with vastly overpriced law firms, investment bankers, and well-funded tech startups. You don’t step foot in this skyscraper unless you are charging insane fees for your time or you have insane amounts of money to spend.

  Gabriel takes a longer look at me, then shakes his head slightly. “Yeah, that makes sense. You’re an art student, right? It follows this isn’t a place you’d be familiar with.”

  The elevator dings and he steps inside.

  “Excuse me?” I freeze and glare at him. He may be sexy as hell, but I’m not going to stand for being insulted. My dignity isn’t up for sale.

  He raises his hands quickly. “Look, I apologize. I didn’t mean to offend. I realized that an art student is unlikely to spend a lot of time in a corporate environment. Or maybe you have a second job?”

  I glare at him, before grudgingly accepting his apology and following him into the elevator.

  “No, I don’t. My life is art and working at the café. I don’t have time for anything else.”

  I take a step away from Gabriel. This is seeming to be the bad idea I thought it was and I don’t care how sexy he is or that he’s a freaking prince, I will not tolerate being insulted!

  “Look. I really do apologize. I have a healthy respect for the arts. In fact, the arts are why I’m in town. I’m not just here because I’m attending the gala, I’m here because my family is donating The Fugue to the museum.”

  My mouth falls open. “The Fugue? Are you joking? Please tell me you’re not joking. Can I have a private viewing?”

  “Of course. That’s easily arranged. We can see it after lunch, if you like. It’s just over at the penthouse.” He gives me a big smile and I nearly faint.

  “Oh my God, thank you!” Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m rushing at Gabriel and giving him an enormous hug. He hugs me back and pulls me closer to his body. When his groin presses against me, I swear I feel his cock hard and pressing against me.

  “Oh, sorry about that.” My cheeks burn with a blush and I keep stepping backwards until I reach the opposite wall of the mirrored elevator.

  “Nothing to be sorry about,” he says, coughing and looking away as the elevator doors open. “After you,” he gestures.

  We ride up in the elevator in silence, then walk into the foyer of the most beautiful dining room I’ve ever seen. The room isn’t garishly lavish, but linen tablecloths, live piano music, and the gentle murmur of conversations in here screams money.

  “Good afternoon, your highness. Your usual room is ready. If you’ll just follow me.” The maître d’ turns and leads us through a packed dining room filled with powerful local politicians, athletes, and the controversial founder of a local tech company. The amount of wealth in this room makes me dizzy. One day I’ll have money like this. I hope.

  I feel like a total fool in my pink dress – more than a few people are looking at me and I can see their mouths twitching with unlaughed laughs. I thought this was so pretty and classy, but everyone here is dressed in dark colors and the women are pushing around lettuce on their plates, like they don’t ever eat. I feel like a chubby tropical bird that’s flown into a black and white film.

  We enter a private dining room and I clench my jaw to prevent it from falling open. Two of the walls are floor-to-ceiling windows, with an unparalleled view of the city. A small square table is nestled in a corner, with a centerpiece of exotic flowers.

  This is fancier than anything I’ve ever experienced…and this is just lunch.

  “Did you enjoy your meal?” Gabriel passes his linen napkin carefully over his lips, even though there isn’t a trace of food on them.

  “It was wonderful, thank you.” After an hour over lunch, my perception of Gabriel is changing. Aside from the wealthy royal thing, he seems pretty normal. I’m not sure I like him, but I don’t loathe him as much as I did when we met.

  Truth be told, this lunch was the best meal I’ve had all year. Most of what I make at home is either frozen or purchased deeply on sale. It’s hard not to resent that Gabriel eats here often enough to have the staff know him and to have a private, luxurious dining room at his beck and call. There weren’t prices on the menu, but I’m guessing this meal cost more than the $300 I made last week at the coffee shop.

  “Excellent. Now, would you like to see the painting?”

  “Oh, yes, please!” Even though Gabriel is being polite and nice, I’m not sure I actually like him. Still, I’m absolutely not going to pass up a chance to see The Fugue up close and personal, just like I’m not going to pass up a chance to earn an easy hundred grand.

  “This is breathtaking,” I mumble, leaning even closer to the painting, so that I can examine the brush strokes.

  “It’s been in the family since Grappanzo painted it.”

  Gabriel’s voice almost sounds bored as he describes the most beautiful painting I’ve ever seen.

  “I’ve only ever seen pictures of this. I knew it was in a private collection, but I never found out which one.”

  “Yes, we try to keep parts of our lives private. It’s not easy, being under a microscope all the time.”

  I glance at Gabriel, wondering if he’s being disingenuous with me. Yet the look on his face is as if he’s revealed too much, like I caught him off guard. Interesting.

  “I can only–”

  My foot slips on the highly polished wood floor and suddenly I’m falling toward the painting. I reach out to try and grab something, anything, to stop me from destroying a priceless work of art, but it’s Gabriel who grabs me and pulls me up.

  “I’m so, so sorry,” I exclaim, my voice coming out in a trembling rush. “If you hadn’t been here…”

  “But I am here,” Gabriel says, his arms still holding me now that I’m standing upright again. “And so are you.”

  “Thank you.” Gabriel releases one arm from around my waist and spins me around so that I’m facing him. I look up into his blue eyes and my heart just stops. Up close, he’s more handsome. His hand gently pushes my hair back from my face, his finger tracing my skin from behind my ear and down the side of my neck. I shiver under his touch, my desire skyrocketing.

  He’s the enemy, I try to remind myself. No one as rich and handsome as Gabriel de Montmorency is worth my time. There’s no way I want to be another notch on his bed post. I’ve read about his exploits for years – he’s not the relationship type…and I’m not the one-night-stand type.

  “You are–”

  “I’m fine, thank you.” It’s not easy, especially with his full lips in front of my face, his mouth slightly parted, but I pull myself out of his arms.

  Gabriel’s face clouds and
he steps away, turning and walking across the massive living room. I watch his long, lean legs and curse myself for ending that moment. Because that was most definitely a moment. Yet there’s no way I could live with myself if I slept with him.

  “Right. So, to prepare for the gala. Do you know how to waltz?”

  I walk closer to him and sit down on the edge of a large sofa.

  “Not really, no. We did some dance classes in school, and waltz was one of them, but I wouldn’t say I’m particularly experienced with it.”

  “Then we need to fix that. There will be dancing at the gala and it will not do if you are not able to dance.” Gabriel pulls his phone out of his pocket and taps the screen a few times, then drops it back in his pocket. “My assistant will arrange some private lessons for us, and they will contact you with the details.”

  “Okay.” The atmosphere between us is changed, charged in a weird way. I may not be sure if I like him, but I liked him a lot better when he was being polite and friendly. Now, he seems cold and distant.

  “Well, then. I must apologize, but I need to cut our meeting short. I will see you soon, for the dance class.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you then.”

  I guess this is what it feels like to be dismissed.

  Chapter 4

  Gabriel

  It’s been years since I was nervous about a woman.

  The dance instructor, Stella, has Sophie come over and stand in front of me. Stella goes over the basics, then Sophie is in my arms. The studio is large and airy, with large windows and a highly polished wood floor.

  “It’s good to see you again.” Is it too much to hope that she’s not holding a grudge for me behaving like an ass after our kiss in the penthouse?

  Sophie glances up at me with her big green eyes and it’s clear she doesn’t believe me. My stomach tightens from nerves. It’s just dancing.

  “Uh. Thanks?” Her voice is abrupt. She cuts her eyes away from me, then stumbles as I lead her into a turn. “Sorry.” Her body tenses in my arms and I fight the desire to stroke her back, to try and relax her.

  “Sophie, relax,” Stella says, walking alongside us. “It’s a slow song, just go where Gabriel leads you.”

  A puff of laughter escapes from Sophie, but she does relax and she follows my lead without any new missteps. The studio is spacious, with large windows and a highly polished wood floor. Her red hair reflects in the wall mirrors and I watch us from all angles as we make a circuit of the studio.

  “Okay. That was good, now I’m going to show you some variations of footwork and a new turn.”

  The rest of the hour passes in a blur. Whenever we have to part, so that Stella can show us something, I hold onto Sophie just a little longer than necessary. Her sexy curves and creamy skin feel wonderful beneath my hands, and letting her go is surprisingly challenging. I wouldn’t mind having her in my arms for the rest of the day, not one bit.

  “You two are doing really well, very natural.” Stella smiles as she pulls her iPhone out of her jeans pocket and taps the screen. “Now how about you two put it all together and dance to music? I’ll leave you to it.”

  A classic Tchaikovsky waltz comes from the speakers and we begin to dance. Sophie relaxes a little and she’s a dream to dance with. I lead her into a turn and I stumble when her red hair sweeps across my face and the fruity scent of her shampoo fills my nose.

  “Who’s making mistakes now?” For a moment, I feel defensive when she mocks me. Then the next, I just laugh and spin her unexpectedly. I like that she treats me like a regular person, instead of falling at my feet and agreeing with me on everything.

  “Oh, very nice.” Even though I was trying to exact a moment of payback, she never loses her footwork.

  She scrunches her nose a little as she smiles, like she’s pleased, but not sure she wants to acknowledge a compliment from me. It’s not lost on me that I’m not her favorite person in the world.

  “Dancing with you is really the highlight of my day.”

  Sophie’s green eyes quickly cut up to mine, wide and full of surprise. This time, she does fumble and her soft, curvy body crashes into mine, and it feels like an unexpected gift.

  Oh. I could get used to this.

  As she starts to pull back, I tighten my grip. Leaning my head down to her ear, I whisper, “Feeling you against my body just made this a perfect day.”

  Sophie’s eyes flare and her mouth opens, but Stella’s interrupts her.

  “Stop talking! You won’t make mistakes if you focus on the dance, instead of gossiping!”

  We dance in silence and finish the song, without more mistakes. When Sophie abruptly pulls away from me, it hurts a part of me I didn’t know existed.

  “Alright,” Stella says, muting the music and striding over to us. “That was good. If you can practice before our next session, that would be great. And remember, less talking and more dancing.”

  Watching Sophie move to gather her things and leave, I’m not ready to say goodbye to her. “Care to practice more?”

  Glancing at the clock on the wall, Sophie hesitates. “I don’t really have time. I need to get back to my studio and paint.”

  “Ten minutes?” Please say yes.

  I can’t help smiling when she nods and walks back to me.

  “Wonderful! Just a moment and I’ll cue up some music.”

  Sophie’s body is tense when she steps back into my arms.

  “You can relax, you know. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  Sophie opens her pretty mouth to respond, but I quickly turn her, intentionally spinning her slightly off the beat of the music, so that she falls into my chest again.

  “Oh!” Her green eyes flare as she looks up at me.

  “I’ve got you,” I say, running my hand down her back and to her waist, pulling her closer to me.

  The light in her eyes changes and a smile quirks at Sophie’s lips. “Oh really now. Are you sure this,” she pauses, sliding her left hand from my shoulder and up the back of my neck, “is safe?”

  With my face an inch from hers, I feel the quickening in her breath. With her chest gorgeously pressed against mine, I can feel her heart thumping beneath her blouse. We’ve stopped dancing, but we’re swaying to the music that is floating around us.

  “I didn’t say that I was safe…”

  I lower my mouth to Sophie’s and kiss her. In a split second, her body relaxes and her fingers weave through my hair and pull my head closer to hers. When she opens her mouth and teases me with her tongue, it’s a struggle to keep control. Kissing her is freefall into pleasure as our kiss deepens and Sophie moans into my mouth.

  When she pulls away from me, a growl rises up inside of me. I need her, all of her, now.

  “This is…” Sophie pulls away slightly, though her eyes have a blatant hunger in them that mirrors my own. “I should…I really should go.”

  Sophie’s hard nipples are poking through her blouse and the passion of her kiss makes it clear that she’s just as attracted to me as I am to her. Her eyes follow mine and she blushes and turns away from me.

  The urge to bundle her up and ravish her back at my penthouse is overwhelming. A vision of spending a weekend…no, a week…in bed with Sophie, discovering where she’s ticklish, what kinds of touches make her giggle, moan, scream… There’s nothing more powerful than what I feel for Sophie.

  Yet a voice in my head tells me to slow down, not to rush this. I barely know her, but I can’t even put into words how compelling she is. She’s not like the other girls I’ve dated. I like that she challenges me. I like that she’s not impressed with my title and my family heritage.

  Sophie is special.

  There is enough time between now and the gala for me to win her over. I watch the glorious curves of her lips and legs as she rushes out of the dance studio. I drop my hand and rub my painfully hard cock. It’s going to be a while before I can leave the studio.

  I’m going to win her over if it’s the only thing I do
. To hell with what my father thinks of Americans.

  Sophie will be mine.

  Chapter 5

  Sophie

  Oh, I really want that one…but it’s not on the Happy Hour menu.” I frown, then order the drink that’s cheaper.

  “One day,” Maggie says, her voice loud. The bar is filled with corporate types who work in the Obsidian Tower and wear clothing that costs more than I pay in rent each month. Even in my best black dress, which I’ve had since my sophomore year of college, I’m way, way underdressed. “One day, when I graduate and am making all the fucking money with my MBA, I will buy all the drinks and buy all your art so that you’re fabulously wealthy, too!”

  “I love you for that, you know,” I say, reaching across the table and grabbing her hand. The thing is, I know she will. Maggie is the biggest champion for anyone she loves. And for some crazy reason, she’s my best friend and she loves me.

  “Only the best for you, my dear. Only the best! Now tell me about Gabriel! Has he kissed you yet?”

  I take a long drink of my cocktail, then look the other way.

  “You minx! I knew it!” Maggie leans over, an eager smile on her face. “You must tell me all, and I mean all, the details.”

  A warm rush runs through me as I remember being in his arms and kissing him.

  “It was after the dance class…”

  “I knew it! You look all floaty and dreamy right now. That must have been some kiss!”

  “Yeah,” I sigh, “it was. And, as I’ll have you know, I kissed him back. I wanted him more than anything – and you know I’m not like that. But it was…it was like something took over my body and my senses, and I flirted with him and…”

  “And you just said yes.” Maggie raises her glass up to me in a toast. “Here’s to you. I hope you get some…extra work benefits with this gig.”

  “If only,” I clink my glass with hers and look away. “I mean, it felt good. Really, really good. Like you know how I told you about sculpting clay and the wonder of shaping something with your hands? It was like that, like he knew just how to touch me.”