The Prince’s Game_A Mershano Empire Novel

by Lexi C. Foss

  “Get to pick one of the final candidates. Yes.”

  “Okay, yeah, that’s fucked up.” They were taking overbearing in-laws to a whole new level.

  “Want to make any wagers on whether or not Amber will be that final pick?” His laugh wasn’t the deep one that made my toes curl, but a fake one that lacked humor. “The only choice I get is the one in the end, and even then it’s not a choice since I have to propose.”

  “In under two months,” I added. “An impossible amount of time to decide to marry someone.”

  He rolled onto his side with one arm tucked under his head. His blue shirt stretched across his pecs and his biceps. My hands itched to explore those hard muscles again, but without the shirt. It would be new territory for both of us. Even when he exposed my breasts to his lips, he left my tank top on. No wonder I was getting wet just looking at him. Almost a week of foreplay had me primed and ready for the next level, but the severity of our discussion left me hesitant to make a move.

  “My mother believes in love at first sight, while my father thinks I should bed each woman and make the best performer my wife.” His tone was chilling when he spoke about his dad.

  “Your father sounds like an ass.”

  “He is.”

  Right. Time to lighten the mood a little. “So, what’s on the agenda for our two-on-one date, my dear prince?” My sarcastic tone evoked a grin from him.

  “Other than kissing you senseless in front of Paul and the cameras, you mean?” My tummy fluttered at the words. His kissing me senseless was becoming one of my favorite activities. “We’re going to see some of New Orleans’s better haunts and then have a traditional Creole-style dinner. It’s a good way to end our time in the city. The next few episodes take place elsewhere.”

  “We’re going somewhere else for the next episode?” At his nod, I asked, “Where to?”

  “A surprise.” He reached out to snag my ankle, pulling one leg away from my chest. “I’m not sure how I feel about you dressing like this around Will. It probably gave him all sorts of sordid ideas.”

  “Dating or not, I can dress like this around whomever I want to. But in Will’s case, I didn’t know he was coming over until I found him on the couch.”

  He started massaging my foot, sending tingles up my right leg. Those clever fingers of his were created to please a woman, and I was more than happy to be on the receiving end of his attentions. “I would be a hypocrite to ask you not to dress that way around Will again.”

  “You would be.”

  “Can I admit that I hate the idea of Will seeing you like this? That I want you to only look this way for me?”

  My heart skipped a beat. “You can admit to anything you want.” It came out thick as I fought to swallow my emotions. They’re just words, Sarah. Don’t think too much into them.

  He tugged my other foot free and repeated the motions. I moaned as he found a pressure point. Being in various stilettos all week for filming was hell on my feet.

  “Mmm, I love that sound.”

  “And I love what you’re doing.” I relaxed into the pillowy heaven, closing my eyes in delight. The pads of his fingers worked their way to my ankle, massaging up to my calf as Evan moved up the bed. When he hit my thigh, I peeked at him. Those black pupils were dilated with an intent I knew all too well. He straddled my leg, settling one muscular thigh between mine and placed his hands on either side of my head.

  “Still love what I’m doing?”

  “I do.” I tugged at the hem of his shirt. “But I’d like this to come off tonight.”

  “Yeah? Are we renegotiating terms?”

  “No, you still owe me several bottles of wine.” He brought me the phone charger, but never the wine. “I’ll take the shirt instead.”

  “Not getting enough wine at the pool?”

  “I need my inhibitions down there.” I limited myself to three glasses each night. Just enough to take the edge off without feeling comfortable enough to speak my mind. A happy medium. “Shirt.”

  He brushed a lingering kiss over my mouth. “If I start removing clothes, it won’t stop there.”

  “Who says it has to?”

  “So we are renegotiating.” He went to his elbows on either side of my head and settled himself on top of me. “Okay. I’ll start by saying, I didn’t bring a condom.”

  16

  A New Level of Negotiations

  “We’re getting right to it, then.” I liked that. “I’m on birth control, and I was checked out by my doctor after my last relationship ended six months ago. I’m clean, but I still prefer safety over stupidity.”

  “Why did your last relationship end?”

  Not that it was relevant to our conversation, but . . . “He wanted me to give up my job and move to Seattle. I said no, and he had an issue with that.”

  “So you haven’t had sex in six months?”

  When put like that, it did sound like a long time. But I didn’t do one-night stands. I liked to know what I was getting into before taking a man to bed. “Roughly, yes. Your turn.”

  He smiled with his eyes. “It’s only been a month for me, but I’m clean, too. I ended my last relationship because of the show.”

  “How did she take the news about you leaving her for a dating show?”

  “I think she felt worse for me than she did for herself. We were never serious, just friends with certain benefits. Also, I always use a condom. So no sex tonight.”

  “I’m sure we can get creative.” I wasn’t ready for the final level, but I was ready for him to remove his shirt. It was only fair considering how acquainted he was with my breasts. I trailed my hand down his back and tugged at the hem of his shirt again. “Off.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He went to his knees and grabbed the shirt at the back of his neck to pull it over his head. The gorgeous wall of muscle he revealed was a masterpiece of smooth lines and tan skin. Whatever he was doing at the gym was working.

  I ran a finger along the happy trail of fine, dark hairs to his belt buckle. “I can work with this.”

  He slid my tank top up to my breasts and rose an eyebrow. I sat up and lifted my arms over my head in invitation. He tossed the fabric onto the floor beside his shirt and wrapped his hand around the back of my neck to stop me from lying back down. His lips met mine in a demanding kiss filled with pent-up lust that I returned full throttle. We were both panting when he moved his mouth to my neck and lower to my breasts.

  “A man could fall in love with these curves, Sarah.” He pushed me back onto the pillows before sucking a nipple deep into his mouth. I tangled the fingers of one of my hands in his hair while my opposite hand went to his shoulders.

  “And a woman could fall in love with your mouth.” I bowed off the bed as he swirled his tongue around my sensitive peak. If he didn’t bring me to orgasm tonight, we were going to exchange words. My underwear was soaked through to my shorts. I grabbed his ass, squeezed, and moved my hand to the front to undo his belt buckle. Those intense eyes met mine as he took my nipple between his teeth. The image nearly undid me. My thighs clamped tight around his leg. I needed more friction, and the jeans had to go.

  After unfastening his belt, I popped the button on his pants and slid the zipper down to reveal his navy blue boxer briefs. A sharp jerk on the fabric told him in no uncertain terms what I wanted. I was in tiny shorts; it was time he joined me. He took his time, licking my breast and suckling the other before lifting enough for me to pull down his jeans. I used my feet to push them off all the way and trembled when his bare thigh met my hot center.

  “Mmm, I like the way that feels,” he murmured, his lips returning to my neck. I rubbed against him, creating the friction I craved. His hands went to my hips to slow the movement and prolong the sensual torture. It set my veins on fire. I ran my nails down his back to the waistband of his boxers and trailed it around to the front. With his mouth on my neck and his thigh lodged between my legs, it left a gap between his lower abdomen and mine. I palmed
his thick cock through the thin fabric and loved the hiss he unleashed against my skin.

  “Impressive.” I stroked him through the blue cotton. All those delicious muscles along his abdomen tensed with his resulting shudder. I repeated the action and smiled when he pulled away from my neck. His irises reminded me of hot fudge. Yum.

  “You’re making me really regret that condom.” The deep growl in his voice went straight to my throbbing heat. I wanted to hear him say my name in that tone. I was turned on enough that it would probably make me come.

  He was up on his elbow again, making it easy for me to pull down his boxers. I went slow in case he wanted me to stop, but he didn’t move. His member sprung free and landed on my lower abdomen. The bead of liquid on the tip had me licking my lips. Oh, we would definitely be getting creative.

  “That look in your eyes . . .” He trailed off on a low hiss as I grasped him again. He was hot and heavy and so smooth against my palm. I marveled at his size. Impressive was an understatement. I pushed him onto his back, something that took little effort with my hand wrapped around his cock. He was at my mercy as my lips went to his neck and lower.

  Fingers twined in my hair, encouraging me to continue my exploration of his body. I traced the defined lines of his abdomen with my tongue, loving the way they rippled beneath my touch. He was lost to my seductive will, those hypnotic eyes watching as I marked a direct path to his groin. When I hit the base of his shaft, he looked torn between taking over control and letting me continue my exploration. Not willing to give him back the reins yet, I licked him from base to head and took him into my mouth. His groan went straight to my core. It was pure masculine pleasure, and it set my pace.

  The taste of him hit the back of my throat, and I loved it. Sweet, salty, and all male. I worked my mouth lower and cupped his heavy sack with my hand to add to the sensation. His pupils dilated with each suck and pull, his hand tightening in my hair. I owned him in this moment. His body undulated beneath me as I undid him with my lips running up and down his thick arousal. I swirled my tongue around the head before taking him deep.

  “Keep doing that and I’ll come.” A warning and a promise tied up in that growly voice I was starting to love. I repeated the action, my way of telling him that what I wanted was for him to come. “Fuck.”

  His fingers had a death grip on my hair, his forearms straining, as he gave in to the sensations and thrust into my mouth. He hit the back of my throat with each move. I encouraged him to continue, sucking hard while fondling his tightening balls. Wrapping my free hand around the base of his shaft tilted him over the edge. His seed shot into my mouth in hot spurts, spilling over my tongue and down my throat. I wasn’t one for swallowing, but his taste was addictive. The way he repeated my name as he came had me sucking him dry, devouring every last drop. I had to squeeze my legs together to keep from coming myself. Jesus. This attraction between us was borderline lethal.

  He shook as I released him from my mouth. The hand in my hair didn’t loosen, his muscles too tense. I started to crawl up the bed to lie beside him, when he flipped me onto my back and took my mouth with a fierceness that left me breathless. My shorts disappeared with my panties as his tongue dominated mine. He was taking back control. Fine by me.

  “My turn.” He nipped my lower lip before moving to my breasts and lower. His tongue licked a similar path along my abdomen but took a detour to my hip. He traced the crease along the top of my thigh. The stubble from his five o’clock shadow scattered goosebumps down my legs.

  “I approve,” he whispered, noting my Brazilian wax. I kept minimal hair down there as a personal preference, but it was also a benefit for this. His tongue parted my folds, licking me up to my clit and down to spear me deep. My body trembled with unveiled need, already on the verge of climax from that thorough touch alone.

  I wanted to prolong the sensation, experience everything his mouth had to offer, but I knew I wouldn’t last that long. I told him as much, evoking a smile against my inner thigh.

  “Then it’s a good thing women can have multiple orgasms.” I was convinced from experience that it was a myth, but I was more than willing to let him try. “I’ll take the edge off so we can begin properly.” He took my sensitive bud in his mouth and suckled, sending me into a climax that touched every nerve. I screamed his name, not caring at all who might hear me. My hands were in his hair, holding him between my legs, as I recovered with a few lasting shudders.

  “Feel better?” he asked against my damp flesh.

  “Yes.” An understatement. I felt lighter than air.

  “Good. Then I’ll get started.” He gave another long lick before thrusting his tongue deep inside. I arched into him, unable to handle the sensual onslaught. He placed a hand on my lower abdomen, forcing me back to the bed as his other hand joined his mouth. One finger entered me, making me feel fuller than I should be.

  “Evan . . .” It was part plea, part surprise as the bundle of nerves started tightening again in my lower abdomen. It was too soon. My body wasn’t ready. I was still shaking from my last orgasm, but another was building under his tongue. He licked around my tender nub, careful not to touch me there. The brief passes left me aching for him and tightened my nipples. This cannot be happening. He added a second finger, eliciting a deep moan from my throat. Heat spread from my core to my limbs and cheeks. I tightened my hold in his hair, unable to articulate how he was making me feel.

  “You taste amazing, Sarah.” He closed his lips over my clit. Rather than it being too much, it was exactly what I needed, pushing me closer to the edge. He tongued the sensitive flesh with a skill few men possessed. I was in sensual heaven, but it was the look in his eyes that sent me spiraling into a second orgasm. They were so penetrating and aroused that I had no choice but to fall apart. He was enjoying this almost as much as I was.

  The explosion was so intense I couldn’t scream his name. I was aflame with sensation, my body stilling under the impact. This was the myth, and dear God, was it worth the wait. It went on and on, locking my limbs and stopping my heart. Pleasure vibrated through every pore, spilling out of me in waves that took over my very being. By the time it subsided, I was so exhausted I couldn’t move. I lay beneath him as he kissed his way up my body. My self-gratification was thick on his tongue as he took my mouth in a gentle mating, his palm on my cheek.

  17

  Marriage Complex

  “I don’t want to move,” he murmured against my lips. “I might stay here all night, just like this.”

  “After that? You can do whatever you want.”

  His chuckle vibrated my chest. “I’m glad you approve.”

  “I more than approve. Consider that our new negotiation level.”

  His dimples flashed. “I guess I’m bringing condoms next time.”

  “I don’t know. I enjoyed our creativity tonight and wouldn’t mind repeating it.” Over and over and over again.

  He rolled to the side, pulling me with him. One arm went under my head while the other wrapped around my waist. I shivered when he pressed his leg between mine, locking us intimately together. He likes to cuddle. Good to know.

  “I’m up for repeating all of that and more whenever you want, Miss Summers.”

  “Every night for the next few weeks works well with my schedule.”

  “Two months of spending every night with you? I think I can handle that. But you should know, Sarah, I’m in danger of falling in love with your mouth. It felt amazing wrapped around my cock.”

  “Yeah? I have similar feelings toward your tongue.”

  “Then we’re on the same page.” He ran his tongue along my bottom lip before taking my mouth in another deep kiss. “I’m definitely staying tonight.”

  “I’m not arguing.”

  “Good.” He disentangled himself and leaned away to grab his jeans. It was the opposite of what I expected. When he faced me again, jeans in hand, he laughed. “You’re adorable when you frown.”

  “I thought y
ou were staying.” There was nothing funny about him saying one thing and doing another.

  “I’m glad the thought of my leaving upsets you.” He kissed me on the nose, deepening my scowl. He pulled his phone from the pocket of his pants and threw the offending fabric to the floor. “I need to set an alarm to get out of here before everyone wakes up.”

  “That wasn’t funny.”

  “It wasn’t meant to be.” He finished keying a time into his phone, set it on the nightstand, and then flicked off the lights. “But it was cute.”

  It wasn’t cute at all. It was a telling reaction that burned inside. “I’m not a fan of men who say one thing and do another.”

  “You’ll never have to worry about that with me.” He placed my head on his shoulder as he wrapped both arms around me and entangled our legs. “I mean what I say, Sarah. It’s a promise to you I’ll never break.”

  “I’ll hold you to that.” I was relying on his word just by staying here. The contract was my security blanket, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t fight me over it one day. Yet, there wasn’t an inkling of doubt in my decision. I wasn’t one to trust easily, but something about him struck a chord deep within me. On some foreign level, I felt like I knew him despite our short time together. And wasn’t that terrifying?

  “So serious.” He kissed my forehead, his lips brushing the frown lines there. “What’s the story here? Someone obviously went back on his word.”

  “Who hasn’t? Most recently, my ex told me my job was important, until it wasn’t convenient for him anymore.” I was still bitter about that one. “Before that, I dated a guy who told me he admired my career aspirations and then dumped me a month later because I wasn’t giving him enough of my time.”

  “Sounds like you dated a lot of men who didn’t understand your life goals.”

  “I was more than up front with them about it, just as I’ve been with you. When it comes down to it, most men feel their own careers are more important. I’m considered selfish when I put mine before having a family, and that’s not just the male population talking there. I get equal, if not more, flack from women who don’t understand why I’m still single.” How can a pretty girl like you not be married? If I heard that question one more time, I could not be held liable for my reaction.