Accidental Princess: A Hidden Kingdom Novel

by Lexi Whitlow

  I have a banana-cinnamon-coconut, and Ally has a pear-strawberry smoothie, flavored with hints of cardamom. The tastes are bright and sharp and sweet. I have the notion that this is what fun tastes like, as we walk along the sunny streets down to the beach.

  We finish our smoothies just as we get to the beach, tossing the cups in the recycling bins along the way. There’s a ton of people already here, which wasn’t unexpected. I automatically start to look for Andreas and it’s like a Where’s Waldo book trying to find one person among a sea of them.

  “This way,” Ally says, guiding me through the people so that we can get to the water line.

  We spread out our towels next to one another and take turn applying sunscreen to ourselves. Every man stares at her and I can only imagine what’s going to happen when Caelan sees her, if he even does. I don’t even know if they’re here, and the crowds are so thick that it’s hard to tell one body from another.

  But then I see Caelan coming out of the water holding a beat-up, red and blue surfboard. Far in the distance, I see someone that might or might not be Andreas. I hide my face, blushing, even though I can’t be entirely sure it’s him. I’m not entirely sure Caelan noticed us, but he keeps walking towards us until he’s standing under our umbrella, wet with salty water and smelling faintly of coconut.

  He and Ally start arguing immediately about something in European politics that I can barely understand. I’m tired, I’m nervous again, and my eyes are centered on the man that is most certainly Andreas. The more I look at him, the more I remember the way his body felt next to mine in the night, the way we moved together in tandem, like no one else existed in the world. He rides the crest of the wave—not perfectly—but it’s easy to see that his body cooperates when he tells it to. Where I’ve always been clumsy, he’s sculpted and graceful, and his eyes are centered on mine.

  Water drips from his muscular frame as he hoists the battered surfboard to his shoulder and walks over to our umbrella. He has the air of a high school athlete who’s just discovered his adult body—slightly gangly, like he’s only just grown into himself and figured out who he really is. I have the spark of a thought that I might never grow tired of watching him, but I’m sure that’s a lie my brain is telling me. One simply can’t feel such a thing after one day only.

  He walks up to stand next to Caelan, and my heart beats so loud I’m feel sure that everyone can hear it.

  “I was worried this board might break in half out there. I paid five Euros just to rent it, and I’m not sure it’s worth a single one,” Andreas says, looking down at me. His hair is curly from the salt water, hanging down over his eyebrows.

  “Don’t worry,” I say. “You did the best with what you had.”

  He laughs and puts the board down next to his brother’s. “I did, though my skills have taken a swan dive since we started spending more time back home.”

  “Is that so? You almost looked like a professional.” I lower my sunglasses and look at him. His green eyes are stormy today, gray and green and gold together. “Almost,” I repeat, smiling.

  “I wouldn’t want to be mistaken for a professional.” He laughs and leans down to place a chaste kiss on my lips. The scent of him, his nearness, all of it takes me back to hours ago, when I was with him, experiencing pleasure for what felt like the very first time.

  “Hey Andreas,” Ally says. “I would have said hello to Caelan, but he simply sat down and started telling me how wrong I was about job growth in the European Union.” She turns to him and casually puts a hand on his arm. “So hello, Caelan.”

  Andreas laughs and sits down next to me. I can feel the sea on him, and I close my eyes and imagine that wet, hot skin next to mine—what it might be like to take him inside of me in the dark on this same beach. A flush spreads over my body, and I can tell I’m getting wet again. I look up at Andreas, wondering if he can read what I’m thinking. From the look in his eyes, I can guess he has a pretty good idea.

  “Sounds like Ally’s familiar with the very key to your personality, brother,” Andreas says, his eyes not leaving mine.

  “And I’m fairly familiar with hers. Too smart for her own good and yet barely knowledgeable about Belgian trade practices.” He grins, and Ally starts laughing hard.

  “I’d bore my own pants off if I cared about that stuff as much as you do.”

  Caelan’s smile widens. “It looks like you already accomplished that, Allison. That suit doesn’t leave much to the imagination.”

  “Last I checked, you weren’t my father.”

  “Good thing, too,” Caelan replies. He looks ahead to the ocean like he’s trying to do anything except pay more attention to Ally’s body.

  Andreas cuts in before they can keep going at each other. “Ok guys, that’s enough. I was hoping I could talk you both—” He looks between me and Ally. “—into going out on the yacht with us.”

  “You have a yacht?” I ask. I don’t try to hide the surprise in my voice, because who the hell has a random yacht in Ibiza? I look between the two of them in amazement.

  “Well, it also belongs to my cousin. And like the villa, he gave us free reign.”

  Caelan audibly groans, but Andreas cuts him off.

  “I know he’d be fine with us using it. As would the whole family.”

  Ally laughs, “It must be nice to have such wealthy relatives.”

  Andreas just shrugs his shoulders, and Caelan apparently isn’t speaking anymore. Instead, he rolls his eyes and shrugs like he doesn’t give a damn one way or another about the yacht.

  “It has its perks,” Andreas says.

  “And what would we be doing on said yacht?” I question. I get the feeling that he isn’t used to girls questioning his motives, but he gives me that megawatt smile and I already know that my answer will be yes.

  “There’s a cool private beach a few miles from here. It’s got a pretty amazing spot for snorkeling.”

  Vacation, I remind myself. I look up at Andreas, imagining the feeling of swimming beside him. I think of how his lips tasted when they met mine. It almost doesn’t matter what he asks of us—I’m pretty sure I’d do whatever. It’s pretty clear that he’s not telling us everything about why they have a yacht or access to a villa, but for once in my life, I don’t particularly care. They’re not serial killers, and they’re probably not Sicilian mafia. And that’s enough for vacation.

  “You talked me into it. Count me in,” I say.

  Ally laughs. “Look who’s coming out of her shell.”

  “What do you say, Ally?” I give her a look.

  “Only if Caelan isn’t there.” She whacks him on the arm, and he falls back in the sand.

  “What did I do to deserve treatment like this?” he moans. “And Andreas—I don’t think it’s a great idea to go—”

  Andreas cuts him off, waving a hand. “Always the serious one. This is the one chance we’ve gotten to have fun in months. I think we should take it.”

  Caelan groans again.

  “Yeah, maybe you can stay here and be boring,” Ally says, looking out at the ocean and sighing herself. “And I might be happier soaking up some more sun.”

  I look over to Andreas and then back to Ally. “I think he might be included in the deal. Come on, we can get some exercise, see a beach without ten thousand people on it, and we get to ride on a yacht. I think I always wanted to ride on a yacht.” I wink so that she knows that I want her to agree, and she gives in.

  “I’d do anything for you, Frey. And if you want to go snorkeling, then we’re going snorkeling.”

  “You’re the best, Ally,” I say. I lean in and give her a sideways hug. I can tell she wants to whisper something to me, but I don’t give her the chance.

  I want—no, I need—this. Being with Andreas feels like sweet relief after so long with someone who didn’t really want me.

  “I know I am,” she says.

  “We just need to go return our boards and then we’re ready to go, does that work for
you girls?” Andreas asks.

  “Yeah, it works for us.”

  The two of them walk off, arguing about something. I watch as Caelan punches his brother on the arm, and they tussle before getting to the surf stand to drop off their boards.

  “I like Andreas,” Ally says. “But Caelan—”

  “He’s your one true knight in shining armor?”

  “He wishes. He drives me absolutely insane, but like, in a way that I also want to jump his bones.”

  We both crack up, and we’re still laughing when the two brothers come back for us—and we’re ready to start the adventure we were promised.

  6

  Andreas

  We take an Uber out to the marina where the yacht is moored. It’s a little different than the chauffeured rides we’re accustomed to, but everyone is laughing—and somehow, everything feels less empty. Less meaningless.

  The boat is on smaller on the yacht scale as far as size, but when we started leasing it it two summers ago, Caelan and I didn’t want to have something that was an obvious beacon for who we are. Since Bellecoaste is landlocked and we don’t have much of a navy or sea presence, we jump at any chance we get to enjoy the open waters.

  Once we’re all aboard, the stewardess brings us each a cocktail and we lounge on the upper deck to watch the coastline go by as we make our way to the private beach. I’ve been snorkeling there before and it’s always something I enjoy doing.

  I look over to Freya as she’s laid back in her lounger with her eyes closed. “What are you thinking?”

  She looks over at me with her hand over her eyes to help block the sun. “I’m just happy that I decided to come on this vacation.” She smiles, and something deep in my chest clenches. Something fiercely protective, almost animal. I try to push the very feeling of it away, but I can’t. After a moment, it subsides, and I feel a little bit more normal.

  “Was there a chance that you weren’t going to enjoy it?”

  “A little bit. When things with Kirk went south, I didn’t really feel like doing anything, let alone go on vacation so far away. If it wasn’t for Ally pushing me to leave town, then I might have stayed. She’s the outgoing one, and I’m more of a by-the-book kind of girl. Honestly, I’m glad you said things went how they did last night because that was uncharacteristic of me. I don’t really want to have a one-night stand.”

  Caelan pulls his sunglasses down to the tip of his nose. “Wait. You offered him a one-night stand and Andreas said no?” He puts the back of his hand up against my forehead and acts like he’s taking my temperature. “Sad news, brother. I think you’re coming down with something. You might not have much time left on this earth.”

  Leave it to my brother to act like an ass and make things harder for me. “Contrary to popular belief, I am a gentleman, and some things are worth waiting for.” I wink at Freya as I say it and her smile gets a little bigger.

  Caelan is right. It’s been years since I’ve spent any time on a woman, let alone any kind of relationship. I remind myself that this is a simple summer trip, and the delights of Freya’s presence are likely ephemeral.

  I won’t be seeing her for long, so I need to banish any other thoughts—and enjoy the time we’re given.

  For two hours, I swim next to Freya, pointing out the different brightly colored fish and coral in the hidden alcove near the beach—the private beach that apparently only they know about. Yet another strange thing, I think. My pulse quickens when I wonder if she’s ever heard our names, if she’s familiar with the obscure royalty of the hidden kingdoms of Europe. The people of Ibiza are becoming aware of us two eligible bachelors, if the papparrazzi stalking me the other day were any indication.

  But all is calm and silent as we swim.

  Beneath the water, she reaches for me and holds my hand. I turn to her, spotting her mask through mine. The vision of her beautiful face is skewed through the water, but she smiles, and that I can see clearly. Here, in the water, time doesn’t seem to exist. It’s both lightning quick and utterly endless, stretching on like eternity before us. My pulse slows, everything slows, and somehow we’re done and on land, our skin wrinkled and glowing from the ocean water.

  “Your hair looks wild,” I say, taking a wet lock and pushing it behind her ear. I’m usually not one for tender gestures, but something about her wild curls matted against her olive skin make me want to touch her, to feel a small part of her all over again

  “Yeah, well, I don’t usually go snorkeling with strange men in the middle of a Tuesday.” She pauses. “I actually haven’t been to the ocean—like not on a vacation—in years. I went out to the Isle of Skye in Scotland when I started university, but you can’t really swim off the coast.”

  “Might get abducted by selkies, or the stray boggart.” I try to put on a Scottish accent, and she laughs. I remember my nanny telling me about the mythical creatures in Northern England and Scotland—and when I finally went there, the cold, misty feeling of the place made it all seem true. I can see Freya there. It’s a suitable place for a creature as rare as she is.

  “Yeah that’s true. I could very easily get abducted,” she says, smiling. “And the water is cold and rocky. There are beaches there people go to all the time. I just haven’t been.”

  “This area of the world is different,” I say, leaning back on my towel. “Same continent, I suppose. I do love Scotland—but it’s more of a castle-viewing destination and less of a place where you lie back in the sand and eat sandwiches.”

  “You have sandwiches?” She grins and wiggles an eyebrow in my direction.

  “Of course. We picked some up by the surf stand. We’re not savages.”

  She laughs hard as I clumsily retrieve a dented cooler from the yacht and pull out ten different kinds of sandwiches and several different varieties of beer, wine, and soda.

  “Wasn’t sure what you girls liked.” I stop and pick up a baguette with pork and apple slaw, mixed with something that looks like a delicious, ripe brie. “You’re not a vegetarian, are you?” I give her a mock-suspicious look.

  “Not in the least. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I’m here partly to experience the cuisine. And the cuisine involves plenty of meat.”

  I toss her the saran-wrapped food, and she catches it. Soon, the only sounds that can be heard on our section of deserted beach are the crackle of crusty bread and the pop of gourmet soda bottles and beers. Freya eats delicately, savoring each bite. She alternates between her sandwich and the crisps I brought with us, and every so often takes a drink of cream soda. I like watching her. I can’t help it.

  Underwater, our connection felt surreal. She moved with athletic grace, an ability she probably doesn’t often use. I was reminded of the feeling of her body against mine—and I want it again, even now, simply watching her lips as she eats.

  When Ally finishes eating, she taps Freya on the arm. “I scraped my elbow out there pretty bad. Caelan is going to take me to get the first aid kit.”

  “Another request. Glad to come to your aid, m’lady,” Caelan says, bowing mockingly.

  Ally rolls her eyes, but Caelan hops up and takes her arm, leading her back to the boat.

  “Those two,” I say.

  “They bicker worse than my mom and dad,” Freya says, laughing. “I swear.”

  “Caelan normally doesn’t think about anyone but himself—and our family, I guess. He actually got up to help her.”

  “Hm, yeah,” Freya says thoughtfully. “But Ally seems a little… conflicted about him.”

  “He’s a little conflicted about everything. Match made in heaven.”

  I lean in and kiss Ally’s lips again, tenderly this time. My hand raises to her hair, brushing it away from her neck. And my fingers travel down to her breast, my thumb seeking out her nipple and bringing it to stiffness beneath the damp, clinging fabric of her bikini top.

  “Not here,” she mumbles, but there’s a soft moan in her voice.

  I stand up and offer my han
d to Freya. “Then, come on.”

  She looks confused but gets up without saying anything.

  I can still hear Ally and Caelan arguing all the way from the yacht. The beach is deserted except for us and their voices carry pretty easily. Hopefully they’ll stay occupied for just a little bit longer.

  I find a big enough tree to hide us and I back Freya up against it. I lift her legs around my waist and get a big handful of her perfect ass.

  She grins. “So this is what you were in such a hurry for?” When she says it, she has her arms around me and pulls me close.

  “Time is limited, and I was about to go crazy if I didn’t get my hands on your ass soon,” I explain and lean in to kiss her. It’s fast and searing in its intensity. She takes my breath away; I can’t even think straight when she’s this close.

  I kiss her lips, her chin, and down her neck. I lick her nipple through her bikini top and she moans, lifting her arms to untie the top. Her ass might have caught my eye earlier, but right now her breasts look so perfect, like they’re just waiting for me to cup and caress them.

  So, I do. Freya’s skin is so soft and creamy, a tan line forming where her suit was. I go back to kissing as I run my thumb along her pert nipple. I tease it until it’s as hard as a rock and then lean down to suck and nibble at it. I feel myself growing hard against her. I want to taste her, feel my cock thrusting inside of her, own her pussy and her ass, have her milk me dry—all at once.

  She grinds against me, her head falling back against the tree trunk as I move to the other nipple. I take a mental picture of her because she’s so beautiful and completely open to me, for me.

  She unhooks her top the rest of the way and tosses it to the ground. “Then do it here.”

  I raise an eyebrow. “I’ll do exactly what I want with you, right here. Right now.”