by A. C. Arthur
Nobody spoke until they were gone, at which time Landry immediately pushed her chair back and stood.
“I should leave,” she said.
“I’ll walk you to your room,” Roland offered.
Kris clenched his teeth and vowed to remain silent.
“No, thank you,” she told him and then looked at Roland apologetically. “I mean, I can make it on my own. Besides, I believe there might be a discussion here once I’m gone that you should be part of.”
Roland stood beside her then and lifted her hand to his mouth. “Very well, my dear. You win,” he said before kissing the back of her hand.
She smiled as she slipped her hand from his, then turned to say good-night with a nod to him and to Sam. When she was gone his brother and sister looked directly to him.
“We’re not canceling the ball and we’re ramping up security. I’ll say the same to Dad in the morning.” Having said that Kris pushed his chair back and stood as well. He walked out of the dining room without another word.
* * *
It was a nice evening to think, Landry thought as she walked along the palace grounds. In the early days of being on the island she would spend her evenings with a relaxing swim, alone. Until that one night when everything changed. She’d known it the morning she crept out of his room that things were going to be different. But Landry hadn’t realized how much so, not until now.
She’d slept with the crown prince. Not once, but over and over again, she’d spent hours in his bed, beneath him, on top of him, in the shower with him. Then, they would fall asleep in each other’s arms, as if they were a real couple. Sighing, she pushed her hair back from her face and looked up to the evening sky. Damn stars and tropical-scented air, that’s what had gotten her into trouble in the first place.
When she’d suggested that Kristian join her for some pizza it had only been to help him get through the scare of the accident. There’d been no thoughts to seduction or flirtation; she was certain of that fact. All she’d wanted was to make him feel better. Why, she still had no clue.
Why did it matter if Kristian DeSaunters looked happy or not? She shouldn’t feel sorry for the somber way in which he lived his life. It was none of her business. Yet, she’d made it her business, at least for the past few weeks she had.
Landry hadn’t lied to him, she had related to the fear he’d felt. When her father had fallen off a ladder and then again when he’d been rushed to the hospital with chest pains, she’d been terrified. So she knew what Kristian had been feeling that day. She knew and she’d tried to help.
Then why did she feel like she’d caused more harm? Because she probably had.
Malayka had met with her wedding coordinator today. They were interviewing caterers and entertainment for the reception. So Landry had time to herself. She stayed in her room in order to make calls and handle other business. She reviewed her finances and sent invoices to her accountant. After lunch she took a long nap and when she woke, caught up on some recent fashion articles.
She had not come out of her room all day.
That’s why she was there when the delivery came.
“I wasn’t expecting any shipments today,” she told the staff members that carried the half dozen boxes into her room.
“It is for you,” one of them had said before they both left her alone once more.
There was no name on the box and no cards attached to give a clue where or who they were from so she had no choice but to open one of them. Removing the lid and pushing aside the pastel-colored tissue paper Landry was momentarily speechless. It was a black-and-white blouse, an off-the-shoulder striped bell sleeve. After holding it up to survey it, Landry saw that there was another shirt in the box. This one, a very light tone of gray smocked-neck kimono cold-shoulder blouse. After pulling out all the tissue paper she was irritated to find there was still no card.
That meant she had to open another box, because surely if someone thought to send these to her, they’d at the very least want her to know who they were from.
There were two blouses in each box, a range of colors and styles, but all off-the-shoulder. Twelve of them. The room looked like there’d been a pastel explosion as she’d torn through each box looking for a card. She had found none.
As she stood there looking around and wondering what was going on, her cell phone chimed. It was a task finding the phone in the mess she’d created but eventually she did and saw that she had a text message.
I wanted to replace the top I ripped. I apologize. KRD
Landry read the message over again. He hadn’t actually ripped her blouse that first night they were together, but the way he’d tried to take it off had stretched it out of shape. She’d never said a word about it, never asked him to buy her another blouse to replace that one.
She read the text a third time and her lips spread into a smile. She hadn’t meant to, but there was a lightness in the pit of her stomach. A silly little rippling of pleasure at seeing his note and looking up at all those blouses.
Suddenly it became imperative to fold each blouse and lay them neatly in one of the drawers she was using. She broke the boxes down until they could be flattened and stacked on top of each other and found a bag in the bathroom that she could put all of the tissue paper into. In her travels throughout the palace she hadn’t seen any recycle bins, but she was certain the royal family was concerned with protecting the environment. After showering and dressing for dinner she intended to find out where they kept their recycling and then thank Kristian the moment she saw him in the dining room.
She would thank him and then she would tell him that what they were doing was over.
That plan changed later, when she had entered the dining room and felt the tension. Everyone had watched her as she made her way to the table, offering an apology and a smile. Prince Rafe barely looked up at Landry and Malayka shook her head as if that sole action would admonish Landry for all her wrongdoing. The woman had really started to go on a power trip. Sam had smiled at her in return and Roland stood to pull her chair out for her. Kristian had looked at her and then hurriedly turned away.
That wasn’t out of the ordinary. Since they’d been sleeping together, Kristian had made a concerted effort not to talk to her too much during dinners. A part of her had wanted to be angry about that fact, actually about the whole arrangement. Only she didn’t remember agreeing to an affair with him. All she’d remembered was how her body had instantly heated at his touch, how his kisses wiped all coherent thoughts from her mind. It had been so good these past weeks and at the same time so very wrong.
Well, tonight, that was going to come to an end. After receiving those blouses from him this afternoon, Landry’s mind had been made up. The very next time Kristian sent her one of his private messages, she was going to tell him it was over.
Now, after that tension-filled dinner, a lovely fragrance drew her down a stone pathway to where she could see large trees. A garden, she surmised and continued walking in that direction. Plants and flowers weren’t really her thing, but the scents were enticing, almost soothing as she moved through the passageways. In daylight she presumed this garden would be gorgeous with the variety of flowers she saw and the neatly trimmed greenery. At this time of night everything was cast in a dull haze, but still, the effect of this seemingly endless path was breathtaking.
In the distance she could hear water, a slow trickle that added to this serene atmosphere. Landry walked toward the sound until she came to a clearing with expertly cut trees jutting high up into the sky and ponds lining the open area. Grass paths separated the ponds into neat squares, lily pads floating in each. It was gorgeous. Landry walked around one before kneeling and touching her fingers to the water.
“You love the water, don’t you?”
She looked up to see Kristian standing on the other side of the pond, h
is hands tucked into his pant pockets, the action pushing his suit jacket back.
Flicking the water off her fingers as she came to stand, Landry shrugged. “It’s relaxing.”
“I guess,” was his somber response.
He looked regal. No matter what he did or said that royal air which surrounded him like a cloak could not be dismissed. It had Landry standing straighter, keeping eye contact and for once in her life making a valiant attempt to monitor her words. She had something to say to him and she’d rehearsed it in her mind for the past couple of hours. Still, when she spoke something totally different slipped out.
“What do you do to relax, Kristian?”
He stared for a few moments, as if he might not answer her at all. On several occasions when they’d been together she would do most of the talking. He would do most of the contemplating. She realized now that there were usually more questions than answers. That’s what he did, she decided. He thought about each response, made sure what he said was exactly what he wanted to say. She’d have to learn that trick one of these days.
“I like to read,” he replied finally.
He started to walk along one side of the pond and Landry followed by walking along the other side.
“What do you read?”
“Mythology. Folklore. History,” he replied as casually as reciting the alphabet, instead of actually revealing something personal about himself.
“No romance or erotica?” she asked with a chuckle.
He remained quiet and she clasped her hands behind her back. She would definitely need much more practice in thinking about what she said before saying it.
“My mother used to read to me at night. Fairy tales that were filled with romance and sentiment. I learned very fast that the real world was nothing like a fairy tale and that romance and sentiment were not meant for a prince.”
His words were cynical and sad. But Landry knew better than to voice those thoughts.
“I’m not a huge fan of fairy tales either,” she stated. “But for different reasons than you, I suppose.”
His reply came quicker this time. “Tell me your reasons.”
They came to a grassy spot and Landry noted that all she had to do was take a few steps to her left and they would be standing side by side. Kristian continued to walk and so did she.
“Snow White was poisoned by an evil jealous queen and remained at death’s door, until a prince came along and saved the day. As a result of yet another evil woman and her father’s tyrannical ways, Sleeping Beauty also ended up in a death slumber, until, guess what? Another prince came around and saved her too.” She shook her head and continued, “Cinderella inherited a castle and land but was forced to work like a slave because of an evil woman and her daughters. Until—”
“A prince came along and saved her as well,” Kristian finished. “I see where you’re going with this.”
He chuckled lightly and Landry smiled.
“I’m just sayin’ young girls can do without growing up believing that they need a man to ‘save’ them,” she added. They could also do without almost falling for a man they had no business even thinking about.
“You would probably end up saving the man,” he said, more seriously this time.
Landry shrugged again. “More shocking things have happened,” she quipped.
“I’m not in a position to be saved.”
“You create your own circumstances, control your own destiny. It doesn’t have to be prewritten. Unless you want it to be.”
Again, she probably should not have said that to him, and yet, a part of her wondered if Kristian was reaching out for someone to save him. What if he did feel trapped by his title, by this gorgeous island and all that came with it? There could be less appealing trappings, she thought.
They came to the end of the path where those same tall trees that lined the sides of the walkway crossed over and formed a wall. In front of that wall were two stone benches. Kristian took long strides until he turned and sat on one. Extending an arm he said quietly, “Come here.”
Landry walked to him without thinking of whether or not she should. His legs were parted and when she took his hand, he pulled her down to sit on his lap.
“I thought about you today,” he said, his gaze focused ahead, his arm going around her waist.
She swallowed hard, trying to adjust to the quick jolt of heat that soared through her body at their proximity.
“I thought of you while I was in meetings. When I rode along the winding roads in the car. As I dressed for dinner. When you came into the dining room, I tried not to stare at you. The entire time Malayka talked and when the sweetness of the dessert tickled the back of my throat. I cannot seem to stop thinking about you.”
His voice was still quiet, the sound of the ocean in the distance, almost louder than his words. Yet, Landry had heard each one and she’d tensed as if she were naked in front of a ballroom full of people. His words were raw and...what really shocked her, honest.
“I thought of you when I sat in my room today. I tried to work but I couldn’t forget where I was, whose house this is or the way back to your room. None of those things are what I should be thinking while I’m here.”
They were quiet, because Landry did not know what he was going to say next. All she knew was that as his arm tightened around her waist, she leaned in closer to the wall of his chest. It was warm there, comfortable, easy.
“I said before that you weren’t supposed to be here. Nowhere in the plan for my life did an American woman appear. Then I opened that folder and your picture stared back at me. You’ve been here,” he said, lifting his free hand to tap a finger against his temple, “ever since that day. Stuck in my mind and then for the past weeks, in my arms. I don’t know why, but I like that. I like it a lot.”
That hand came down from his face to cup her jaw, turning her so that she was now staring directly into his eyes. “I like it a lot,” he repeated.
“I like it too,” she whispered as he pulled her in even closer. In her mind she heard her words replay and a part of her wanted to scream. She did not like being his dirty little secret. Her body, on the other hand, loved it.
Their lips touched lightly, slowly, once and then again. The third time his were parted. She knew they would be and she was ready. Their tongues touched lightly, sweetly. They touched again and twirled around in an enticing motion. His hand slipped around her neck to cup the back of her head, tilting it so that she would fall deeper into the kiss. Her hands moved up the lapels of his jacket, feeling the rise and fall of his muscled chest beneath, until she wrapped her arms around his neck. With an arm still around her waist, he pulled her even closer against him, their breathing growing quicker, louder.
* * *
Kris kissed her as if his next breath depended on their contact. His fingers tingled as they moved over the curve of her buttocks and the warm skin at the nape of her neck. She smelled like flowers, or was it the air surrounding them? He couldn’t tell, all he knew was that he enjoyed it very much.
He’d liked how she had looked when she walked into the dining room. The simple, yet alluring, style of the dress that looked like a white dress shirt, belted at the waist, showing off her knees and legs. Her hair was pulled back from her face, held together by some sort of band. She’d taken his breath away without even trying.
Finding her here in his mother’s garden had been a shock and for a moment he’d felt like it was an intrusion. Tonight he’d wanted to be alone, to gather his thoughts on what was going on in his mind. Then he’d watched her touch that water and he’d wanted her hands on him. He needed her on him, right now.
With a groan of resistance, Kris tore his mouth away. He kept his gaze on hers, watching the way the growing passion had filled her eyes and his fervent kisses left her lips plump and delectable. Reachi
ng into his back pocket he pulled out his wallet and retrieved a condom. Her gaze didn’t waver but he knew she was certain of what he was doing. Setting his wallet on the bench beside them, he handed her the condom and then planted his hands around her waist and lifted her up into his lap. She moved in conjunction with his every thought. Turning to face him as she ripped the condom package open, setting the paper on the bench beside his wallet as she straddled his lap.
Kris undid his pants and released his erection. She eased the condom down on his length. He cupped her face in his palms, pulling her down so that he could have her lips again. This kiss was hungry, a taking that said all the words neither of them decided to speak. She was moving, pushing at her dress. He continued to kiss her, but let his hands fall down to her legs. He loved the feel of her skin and dragged his hands slowly up her legs, hating to stop the contact. When he felt the hem of her panties he moved farther until his palms were now cupping her bottom. He squeezed both cheeks loving the sexy purring sounds she made in response. When she circled her hips it was Kris’s turn to make noise. He groaned with pleasure and before he could stop himself, he grabbed the material of her panties and ripped them off.
His fingers trembled as they moved between her legs to feel the already wet and plump folds.
“Kristian,” she whispered when he touched her there.
He sucked her tongue deeper into his mouth as he pressed his fingers slowly inside her. At the feel of her honeyed walls contracting around his fingers, Kris’s body went into overdrive. He pulled those fingers quickly from her and held on to her hips, lifting her until she could come down quickly over his length.
It was sexy as hell, the way she slithered down onto him, her tongue still moving erotically in his mouth. Kris held her tighter, gritting his teeth at the pleasure of being fully ensconced in her heat. His thrusts came quickly after that. She tore her mouth away from his, breathing heavily as she arched her back and circled her hips to match his rhythm.