Royally Yours

by Amy Brent

  “I promise I’ll never hold anything back from you again. Even if it’s as small as me getting a hangnail at work. I want you to know everything. We’re in this thing together.”

  I reached out and took her hand across the table. “Allie, it’s alright. I trust you. I promise to never hold it over your head. You and Andrew, I mean. It wasn’t my place to judge or question. I love you, and we’re past it. We are so past it. I’m ready to focus on our future, not our past.”

  Allie smiled. I saw the beginnings of tears in the corners of her eyes. “I love you,” she whispered.

  I ran my thumb over the back of her hand. “I love you, too.”

  Allie sniffled and looked at the ceiling to get herself back under control. When she looked back at me, she was smiling. “It’s crazy to think of what life is going to look like now, don’t you think?”

  “How do you mean?” I asked. “As in, we’ll be keeping toothbrushes at each other’s places?”

  “Sure,” Allie said. “And having sleepovers all the time. Like the good old days, but better, because we’ll share a bed.”

  “And we’ll have lots of crazy sex.”

  “That too.” She giggled.

  “I was thinking,” I started, “that maybe you should have a drawer here. Or four. You know I don’t use half of mine. You can keep whatever you need to here.”

  She blinked. “Really?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You don’t think that would be, you know, moving a little fast?”

  “Do you?” I asked.

  She pursed her lips and then shook her head. “No, but I’m afraid of scaring you off.”

  “You won’t scare me off,” I told her. “I already told you. I’m in this one hundred percent. I want to be with you all the time. I want to build our foundation. I want to make up for missed time. We should have done this forever ago.”

  “I’m happy with the things we did in the past,” Allie said. “We have a good beginning story. It took us a while, sure, but it’s all worth it now. At least it’s worth it for me. The best things are worth waiting for. And you were definitely worth the wait.”

  “Except for that time I was an ass and read your diary and then behaved like an oversized man-child.”

  Allie exploded with laughter. “Yes, well, I could have done without that. But as I said. It makes a good story.”

  “A good story for you,” I mumbled. “I’m the one who looks like the idiot.”

  “Get used to it, muffin,” Allie teased.

  I rolled my eyes, and she laughed at me. I didn’t mind the teasing. In fact, I kind of liked it.

  When we finished eating, I cleared the table. Allie tried to convince me to let her do the dishes, but I refused. “You go get comfy on the couch. I’ll join you in a few. Open that box of treats and dig in.”

  Allie squeezed my shoulder and kissed my cheek before leaving me to scrub the pots from the pasta and our plates and cutlery. I smiled the whole time and didn’t realize it until I had turned the water off.

  I joined Allie on the couch. She was sitting curled up in the corner. I lifted up her legs and rested them on my lap. She shimmied down so she could rest her neck on the armrest. I began giving her a foot massage. She tried to get away at first. She had ticklish feet.

  “I’m not going to tickle you,” I said. “Relax.”

  She did. Soon, she was sighing happily, and I massaged her calves as well. “That feels so good,” she mumbled thickly. The wine was settling in, and so was the business of the day. “Is this what life is going to be like now?”

  “If I have any say in it, yes.”

  Allie smiled and closed her eyes.

  Chapter 34

  Allie

  I opened my eyes. Steven was watching me as his fingers worked my calves. What he was doing felt so good. No one had ever touched me like that. His hands moved up my calves and over the top of my thighs. I was wearing leggings, and he was working his way up to the waistband. Before he got there, he paused between my legs and rubbed me through the thin fabric.

  I was hot already. I licked my lips. He was watching me like there was nothing else in the room. I reached down and took the hem of my shirt. I pulled it off over my head. I reached behind my back and unclipped my bra.

  Steven leaned sideways and closed his lips over my right nipple. He tickled me with his tongue while his fingers continued to rub me. He was going to ruin my panties.

  I took his face in my hands and kissed him. I could taste the wine on his tongue. We kissed each other hungrily, our bodies intertwined. He inched upward, and I hooked one leg around his. He ran his hand over my hip and took hold of the top of my leggings. Then he started working them down.

  I was naked beneath him in no time. He removed his shirt, and I worked at his jeans, desperate to pull him free and feel him in my hand. He laughed when I failed to get the zipper down, and then he helped me. He took everything off, and we were naked on his couch.

  He lowered himself back down on top of me. His lips found mine, and his hand wandered back down to the heat between my legs. He touched me softly. I held onto his shoulders. Then he slid one of his fingers into me.

  My whole body was thrumming with excitement. He pressed another finger into my pussy. I held on to him tighter. He kissed me hard, his lips grinding against mine as he worked his fingers inside me.

  He wasn’t holding back. He wanted me to come. I was going to. I was sure he could feel it. I let go of his shoulders and lifted my hands over my head to clutch at the armrest behind my head. My nails scratched at the fabric. I let out a little whimper of pleasure as he curled his fingers inside me. Then he pressed up, hitting my G-spot, and thrust deep inside me once, twice, three times, until I came.

  Then his free hand closed over my wrists on the armrest. My forearms dug into the edge, but I ignored the pain. He fucked me harder with his fingers. He moved in and out and then played with my G-spot once more. I moaned.

  He straightened above me and took his fingers out of my pussy. Then he gripped his cock and didn’t hesitate to shove it deep inside me. I cried out as he filled me up and pressed against the walls of my pussy. He was still holding my wrists down. I liked being powerless beneath him, letting him have all the control. I trusted him more than I trusted myself.

  He rocked above me, his hips moving back and forth. It was ecstasy.

  “Yes,” I breathed, feeling a second orgasm coming on.

  He didn’t change his rhythm. He kept his pace, moving in and out, angling upward at the end of each thrust to hit my G-spot.

  Then I came. I squirmed beneath him as the pleasure became too intense. He still held me down and kept fucking me. It was delightful.

  When he had fucked me to the point where I could barely move beneath him, he pulled out of me. He tugged me upward with him and dropped down on the couch so that he was sitting. He guided me to sit on top of his cock.

  He slid up into me. I hung my head back. I felt every part of him deep in my pussy. This was as close as I could ever get to him. There was nothing better than having his cock inside me.

  He had me bounce up and down on him. While I did, he rubbed my clit with his thumb. I caressed my breasts. My skin felt on fire. I was electric. I never wanted the moment to end. He made me feel whole.

  He pulled me down to him so he could kiss my lips. He rained kisses over my jaw, nibbled my earlobe, and then kissed all the way down my throat and chest until he reached my breasts. He sucked and nipped them and made sure to give each of them equal attention. My nipples were hard and sensitive. I ran my fingers through his hair and held his face to my chest.

  He pulled away and looked up at me. He put his hands on my thighs and held me down. The way his eyes were glinting told me I should prepare myself. I leaned back and rested my hands on his knees. A smirk played across his lips.

  Then he bucked beneath me with ferocious speed. His cock slid all the way in and all the way out of me. I threw my head back and braced m
yself on his legs as he fucked me. One of his hands grabbed my breast. Then he held my neck. It wasn’t tight enough to cut off my air, but it sent a thrill through me anyway. His fingers played with my lips as he held my throat.

  His thrusts grew more forceful. I felt my orgasm rushing over me. I squeezed his knees. A little cry escaped me when I came. It tore through me and left me feeling weak and light. Steven seemed to sense this.

  He wrapped his arms around me and stood. His cock was still inside me. He walked with me to his bedroom and lay me down on his bed. Then he tapped my hip to get me to roll onto my stomach. I got on my knees for him.

  “No,” he said, “as you were.”

  Confused, I went flat on my belly as he directed. I looked up at him over my shoulder and wiggled my ass for him. He grabbed it in both hands and squeezed it. I watched him play. He had loved my ass as long as I knew him.

  He climbed on top of me, bracing himself on his hands on either side of my shoulders. I looked up at him. I had to crane my neck. He kissed me upside down. Then his cock was sliding between my thighs and slipping inside me.

  This angle was heavenly. I tried to keep kissing him, but I was breathless in seconds as he pulled all the way out of me and then pushed back in over and over. The angle and the sensation of him gliding between my thighs made it impossible for me to keep it together. I bowed my head and pressed my forehead down on the mattress.

  Steven lowered himself above me and kissed my shoulders and spine. His breath was hot on my skin. I shuddered beneath him. His cock was bigger. I moaned. I bit the sheets.

  Steven groaned above me. He was close too.

  “Come on, baby,” I whispered. “I’m going to come.”

  Steven shook. Then he went into overdrive. He fucked me harder and faster. I stifled my cry with the blankets. Steven went to his knees on top of me and held my shoulders as he fucked me. He had never gotten so deep before.

  My orgasm shook me to my core. I gasped beneath him and quivered as he pumped me full of his cum. He stayed inside me and kissed my back and shoulders some more. I giggled and rested my cheek on the mattress.

  “Nothing prettier than a well-fucked woman,” Steven cooed in my ear.

  I laughed, and he got off me. He cleaned himself up and came back to bed. I curled up beside him, and he pulled the blankets over my shoulders. Then he put one hand on my hips and drew me closer to him.

  His cock was pressed against my lower back. I wiggled my butt for him, and he chuckled in my ear. “Don’t be a tease,” he said.

  “But it’s fun.”

  “I’ll show you what fun looks like in the morning.”

  “Oh, yeah?” I asked, tucking my feet between his calves.

  “Yep. You just close those pretty eyes of yours and wait.

  “Okay,” I whispered, doing what I was told and closing my eyes.

  I was exhausted. I knew I was going to fall asleep in seconds. Before it took hold of me, I closed my hand over his on my hip. “Goodnight,” I said. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” he said before kissing my cheek and nuzzling his chin in his favorite spot between my neck and shoulder. “Have a good sleep.”

  I would. I was quite certain that I would never have a bad sleep again—especially not if Steven were sleeping next to me.

  Epilogue

  Steven

  It had been nine months since I told Allie that I wanted to be a couple. Nine months of going to bed happy, waking up excited to kiss her, and feeling grateful for what I had and had nearly lost.

  I stared at the ring pinched between my thumb and forefinger. I knew she would love it. It had a sparkling band of diamonds and one round halo diamond in the middle. The band had an elegant twist in it that made it stand out to me when I saw it in the display case.

  I sighed and put it back in the ring box, and then tucked it into my pocket. My stomach was a tight knot of nerves. I had been waiting for this day for a while, and now that the time was nearly upon me, I felt like I might throw up.

  Melissa appeared with Chance by her side. The two of them had been seeing each other for the last two months—something Allie and I loved to joke about. “Okay, Steven,” she said, “everything is all set to go. The band has the song. The dancers are all in place at their tables. They’ll make sure the floor is open when the song is about to start.”

  “Okay,” I said, rubbing my hands together. “I think I’m ready. She just needs to get here.”

  “She’s punctual. She should be here any minute. Chance and I are going to go sit at our table out of sight. We don’t want to risk her seeing us too early. It could blow the whole thing,” Melissa said.

  “Right,” I said. “Thanks again for all of this. I couldn’t have pulled it off without you.”

  “I know,” Melissa said with a smile and small shrug. “You’re welcome. Don’t mess it up!”

  “I’ll try,” I mumbled as Melissa and Chance left me on my own to take their seats. I went to my table. It was right up along the dance floor so that Allie would have a front row seat to the show.

  In less than half an hour, I was going to propose to my girlfriend. In less than half an hour, I could have a fiancée.

  Allie arrived looking as beautiful as ever. She was wearing a floor length summer dress and a cardigan. Her hair was curled and half up. Her lips were pink, and her eyes were lined. She smiled when she saw me and kissed me before sitting down across from me.

  “I never knew this place was here,” she said, looking around and taking in the cool little Greek tavern.

  The ceiling was decorated with plants that were so dense you couldn’t see through them. The plants hosted hundreds of colorful lights that gave the place a warm, cozy glow. The tables each had mismatching lace tablecloths draped across them. A single candle burned on each surface. The band in the corner started playing an instrumental romance ballad.

  “It’s nice. Do you like it?” I asked, glad she was happy about the location. I didn’t want to propose in a place she didn’t like.

  “Yeah. I hope the food is good,” she said, looking down at the menu.

  “I’m sure it is. I’ve only heard good things about it.”

  “Great, what are you going to order?” she asked, pointing at the menu. “The pasta sounds good—”

  She was cut off when the band switched to a livelier song. Allie blinked and looked up, startled by how loud the music had suddenly become.

  An older couple stood from their seats and went to the middle of the dance floor. Allie watched in rapture as they started to tango. She clapped her hands together and looked at me excitedly. “This place is awesome!”

  I grinned.

  Another couple got up to join the first. They walked the same steps. Allie was in awe that they knew the same dance. When three more couples got up and started dancing, she was enthralled.

  Then the music changed. Allie looked around as more people got out of their seats. Suddenly the dance floor was nearly full, and everyone on it was performing the same routine.

  Allie kicked my shin under the table and leaned over. “I bet someone is about to get proposed to!” she cried. “Let’s try to guess who it is!” Then she spotted Chance and Melissa at the back of the dance floor. “Hang on, is that Melissa?”

  I stood up.

  Allie’s eyes followed me as I stepped onto the dance floor. Her seat was only four feet away from me. I stood there like an idiot for a minute until one of the dancers tapped me on the shoulder. Then, all at once, I jumped into the routine. Allie watched me with her mouth hanging open as I danced.

  The song was close to ending. The big moment was only thirty seconds away. I could feel the weight of the ring box in my pocket like it weighed fifty pounds. I was aware of Allie’s eyes on me as she pieced together what was happening. Once the shock wore off, she started smiling. She pressed her hands to her cheeks as she laughed and watched the routine.

  Fifteen more seconds.

  Allie was cl
apping her hands and tapping her feet to the rhythm of the music. More people were getting out of their chairs to join the dance for the grand finale. I thought I saw the hint of a tear in the corner of her eye.

  She was a smart girl. She probably knew what was coming.

  Five more seconds.

  Allie’s eyes were on me. I mouthed that I loved her. She mouthed it back.

  The song ended. I went to my knee in front of her. The whole place lapsed into complete silence.

  “Allie Wright, you are and always have been the girl of my dreams,” I said. Allie was already crying. Her nose was pink. Her bottom lip was trembling. Her hands were shaking. I kept going, afraid that if I stopped, I would never get through it. “The last nine months have been the best months of my life. I want every day to be a day I wake up to you. I want to spend my life with you. I want to prove to you each and every day how special you are if you’ll let me. Allie, will you marry me?” As I popped the question, I pulled the ring box out of pocket and popped it open. The diamond caught the colorful lights above and seemed to glow within the box.

  Allie launched herself out of her chair and threw her arms around me. “Yes, Steven, of course!” She sobbed into my shoulder. “I can’t believe this! This was magical. The dancing—how did you know?” She pulled away, and I pulled her down to sit on my knee.