by Katie McCoy
“Good morning,” I repeated faintly.
Jax strolled over, towel-drying his hair. “Sleep OK?”
“Nope.” I smiled. “There was a man in my bed keeping me up all night.”
Jax chuckled. “That’s only fair, since there’s a woman in my bed keeping me up this morning.”
Way up.
I blushed. And even though I knew that we were just complicating things further, I didn’t care. If Jax wanted me, then I was going to embrace being wanted. It was real for now and that was all that mattered.
So I reached out and wrapped my hand around his cock.
“Fuck,” he groaned.
I loved it when he did that. So I made him do it again. By sliding my tongue across the head. He jerked in my hand, one of his hands coming up to the back of my head, as if to steady himself. His touch was light, but I felt his fingers tighten in my hair as I took him completely into my mouth.
“Oh baby,” he said between clenched teeth. “That feels so good.”
I smiled against his cock and began dragging my tongue along the base of it, following it with my hand, which was wrapped firmly around him. I wanted to make him lose control. And a few minutes later, he did exactly that, calling my name as he did.
Eventually we had to get out of bed. We gathered our clothes, which had been strewn around the room, and I found my phone, which had been discarded underneath my robe by the door.
I had a text message from Emmy.
Charlie and me are in London for the weekend. Want to pop over for a night or two and join us on the town?
I showed the text to Jax, who arched an eyebrow at me.
“Spending the weekend with a prince?” he laughed. “Sure, why not?”
I texted Emmy back saying that Jax and I would meet up with them that evening. We checked out of the hotel and were back on the road, heading towards London this time. As we approached the city center, I craned my neck eagerly, looking around at all the sights.
“You’ve never been to London before, have you?” Jax asked.
I shook my head. “This is my first trip to England. And I was too jet-lagged on the way in to notice anything but my hotel pillow—which was amazing, by the way.”
Jax grinned. “Well, you’ve got your very own tour guide right here. What do you want to see?”
My mind raced. There was Buckingham Palace, and the Tate Gallery, and the Thames . . . But then I paused. I could see that stuff with anyone. Today, I had Jax, and I wanted to savor every moment. “Show me your London,” I told him. “I want to see the parts of the city that mean something to you.”
Jax took me all over town. We went to his old neighborhood, where he’d stayed in a cramped townhouse with six other guys, and the drama school where he had studied theater. We even got a chance to poke our heads into the theater where he first performed. I could feel his excitement and energy as he showed me all of his favorite places.
“But I think this spot is probably my favorite,” he told me, his fingers laced with mine, as we walked down a winding, cobbled street. He stopped by an old-fashioned doorway and held open the door for me.
I stepped inside, and my jaw dropped. It was the most amazing bookstore I had ever seen. Narrow shelves crammed with books, stretching all the way to the uneven ceilings. The aisles seemed to duck and wind back through the warren of cozy rooms. It put the collection in Beauty and the Beast to shame, it was so cute.
“Well? Do you like it?” Jax asked.
I stared at him. Next to his naked body, this was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I didn’t have words to express that, so I just kissed him. Then I saw flashes, and I realized that we were being watched by a whole crowd of people outside.
“You’re Jax Hawthorne,” a young woman said through the doorway, her voice trembling with excitement. “Oh my God, I love all your movies!”
Jax gave her a polite smile. “Thank you so much,” he said, putting his arm around me.
“Could you sign my iPhone case?” some young guy asked, pushing inside towards Jax.
“Sure,” he said gamely, giving me an apologetic look before he accepted the sharpie from the guy.
As he did, I saw the rest of the group automatically fall into a queue, each person taking out something they clearly wanted Jax to sign, while also getting their phones ready for selfies.
I watched as Jax talked and posed with each person that approached him, treating them with respect and kindness. He could have so easily been a jerk to them, but then I remembered who I was dealing with. Jax wouldn’t have been a jerk to someone who he could have easily been if things had worked out differently. He had always been a fan of film, and he had his own favorite actors that he would have eagerly lined up to meet. And he clearly hadn’t forgotten that.
I left him to his adoring crowd and drifted deeper into the bookshop. Browsing the shelves, I had to remind myself I had a weight limit on my bags, but I couldn’t resist picking out a few things, like a vintage hardcover of Pride and Prejudice and a collection of British short stories.
“Sorry.” Jax found me when he was finally done.
“I don’t mind,” I said, kissing his cheek. “I know it’s part of the job.”
He blinked at me, clearly surprised by my response.
“You’re amazing, you know that, right?” he asked, and I flushed.
“No, but feel free to keep saying it!”
We spent the whole day together, exploring museums and landmarks. Jax didn’t let go of my hand once. I was glad for it—I felt like I was floating on air, and the only thing that gave me any sense of reality was the touch of Jax’s hand against mine.
No one had ever made me feel the way that Jax did. Like I was desired. Adored. It was a powerful, heady feeling and I didn’t want it to go away.
It was all starting to feel very real—whatever this was between us—and I liked it. Something was changing, and if I was honest with myself, this wasn’t just a reckless, impulsive fling anymore. I wanted more from Jax—not just a pretend relationship. I wanted it to become something real, and I could only hope that he felt the same way.
I didn’t want to pretend anymore.
19
Penny
Since we were still wearing our clothes from the afternoon at Jax’s parents’ house, we stopped at Selfridges to get something new to wear to dinner. It was a super-luxurious department store, and Jax made sure I was pampered properly as he went to pick out a suit, and I was treated to a blowout, a manicure, and a brand-new dress with matching heels and accessories. Jax even had the concierge send our dirty clothes out to be dry-cleaned and delivered to our hotel in the countryside. By the time we arrived at the restaurant to meet Emmy and Charlie, we looked like a million bucks. Which was just as well, because I quickly realized that there was a huge difference between the movie-star treatment and the royal treatment. One was amazing. The other was out of this world.
We were escorted into the restaurant by a cadre of bodyguards, only to find the place empty—except for the table where Emmy and Charlie sat. Behind them was a row of waiters, clearly waiting just for us.
“Hey!” Emmy leapt up and came to hug us. “It’s so great to see you, Penny, and meet you, Jax.”
“You too,” he said, kissing her cheek.
I greeted Emmy warmly, then turned to greet one of the fricking princes of England. Charlie gave me a big smile and swept me up in a hug of his own, surprising me. He greeted Jax with a friendly slap on the shoulder.
“I love your movies, mate,” he said cheerfully. “Just absolutely love them.”
Jax looked at a little star-struck, but he quickly shook it off.
“Thank you,” he said graciously. “It’s an honor to meet you, Your Royal Highness.”
Emmy snickered, and Charlie shot her a look before giving a sheepish one to me and Jax.
“Just call me Charlie,” he said. “Your Royal Highness sounds so, so—”
“Obnoxious,” Emmy offered with a snort.
“Quiet, you,” Charlie shushed her. “It sounds so formal,” he finished.
I didn’t think it was possible not to feel formal around a member of the royal family, but once we had sat down and Charlie was telling the story about how he and Emmy met, I realized that I had completely forgotten his status and was instead simply enjoying a raunchy story about a guy and a girl.
“And there I was, in my sodding towel, when this beautiful creature walked into my life and blew it all to smithereens.”
Emmy gave him a fond smile. “Just the way you like it,” she said with a satisfied expression.
“You’re bloody right that’s the way I like it.” Charlie slung his arm around her. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
When Charlie and Emmy finally broke for air, the prince looked over at us.
“What about you?” he asked. “How did the two of you meet?”
I exchanged a look with Jax, trying to remember exactly what version of our story was public knowledge. I also felt bad lying to friends, even if a lot of what we had decided on was actually true.
“We met when we were kids,” Jax told Charlie. “I was visiting the States with my family over the winter holiday and Penny was visiting the shore with her family.” He shrugged. “There weren’t a lot of kids around so we spent most of our time together, playing games on the pier.”
“And you stayed in touch all these years?” Charlie asked, popping the olive from his martini into his mouth.
Jax looked at me and smiled. “Not exactly. We wrote to each other at first, but eventually we fell out of touch. Then, I got lucky and ran into her in a bar in New York City a few weeks ago. Swept her off her feet and convinced her to come visit the UK with me.”
“You didn’t exactly sweep me off my feet,” I teased.
“No?” he teased right back. “I’m pretty sure you would have fallen on your sweet little ass if I hadn’t caught you in the bar. You and heels are a menace. To your balance and my heart-rate.”
Jax’s gaze was hot, as if he was imagining those shoes—my blue sparkly heels—right now. As if he was imagining me wearing them. And nothing else.
I blushed.
“Do you live in New York?” Charlie asked me, and I appreciated that he chose to ignore that Jax seemed intent on blatantly mentally undressing me. Not that I really minded.
“I do,” I said. “For a few years now. I love it.”
“Her apartment is the size of a postage stamp,” Jax added.
“It’s part of the charm of living in the city,” I protested. “Besides, not all of us are movie stars.”
“Emmy mentioned that you were helping her out with her clothing line,” Charlie continued
“She’s helping me with all the numbers and money,” Emmy added, before grinning at me. “I think that’s the technical term for that, right?”
I laughed. “Yep. Numbers and money—that’s what I do.”
“It’s been so helpful,” Emmy told Charlie. “But she refuses to let me pay her.”
I waved a hand. “It’s fun,” I argued. “And you’re a friend.”
“But she’s thinking about starting her own consultancy,” Jax piped up.
I flushed. It sounded so official. “I don’t know about that.”
“You should!” Emmy exclaimed. Even Charlie nodded.
“I know plenty of people in New York who would be interested in working with someone as smart as you.” Charlie said.
“See?” Jax gave me a look. “It’s decided. Once this is all over, you’re going solo.”
Over.
I remembered in a rush that my “contract” only covered the time during production. What would happen with Jax and I after that was anyone’s guess.
“How much longer do you have left to work on the movie?” Emmy asked, and I realized what he meant.
“A few more weeks,” Jax replied. “If we don’t have any weather delays.”
Charlie snorted. “It’s England, mate. I wouldn’t bet on that.”
After dinner, the four of us headed to a favorite club of Charlie’s. The combination of his fame and Jax’s star power meant that everyone turned to stare at us when we entered, but I guess I was starting to get used to the attention, because I just focused on Emmy and our group, and tried to ignore everyone else.
“Drinks?” Jax asked, and then he and Charlie headed to the bar—where they were immediately mobbed.
“Is that normal?” I asked Emmy. “Getting used to this insanity?”
She laughed. “I suppose so,” she responded. “You have to, or you’ll go totally crazy.” She pulled me off to a corner table that was reserved for us, away from the prying eyes of everyone who seemed to be watching us.
“OK,” she said, once we had sat down. “Spill,” she ordered. “Because I’m pretty sure that things between you and Jax have changed since I last saw you.”
I flushed.
“Is it that obvious?”
“That he’s crazy about you?” Emmy scoffed. “Uh, yeah, it’s pretty obvious.”
“Well,” I hesitated. “We have . . . let our relationship progress.”
“The fake one or the real one?” Emmy wanted to know.
“I can’t tell the difference between the two,” I confessed. “I like him, and I think he likes me.”
“He definitely likes you,” Emmy confirmed. “He seems totally smitten, and I’m pretty sure that he’s only biding his time until he can drag you off into some dark corner and have his wicked way with you.” She paused. “Not that I have any experience with anything like that.”
I laughed. “I don’t know what’s happening between us, but I’m trying to just be open to it. To be brave and bold and not overthink it.” I took a deep breath. “I want to have fun.”
“And it looks like you are,” Emmy said.
“Yeah,” I smiled. “I really am.”
Across the room, I watched Jax and Charlie talking to someone I didn’t know, but who Jax was obviously extremely excited to talk to. I couldn’t help grinning at his unabashed excitement—the way he looked both boyish and hot as hell. I wanted to do exactly what Emmy had mentioned—drag him off into some dark corner and have my wicked way with him.
And there really wasn’t any reason that I couldn’t make that happen.
Emmy must have seen the lusty gleam in my eye because she gave me a smile.
“Shall we go get our men?” she asked. “And call it an evening?”
“Mmmhmm,” I managed, rising from my seat.
My entire body hummed with anticipation as Emmy and I wove through the crowd headed towards the guys. I wanted Jax, and I wanted him badly.
It had never been this way before. Not with anyone. And I loved it. I didn’t want it to end.
“Hey.” Some greasy-haired man in a too-tight shirt stepped directly in our path. “You’re that girl,” he slurred, spilling his drink on his jeans.
“Excuse us,” I tried, but he had his attention focused on Emmy.
“You’re that American bird,” he said. “The one who’s shagging the prince.”
“Let go of me,” she told him firmly. He had latched his hand onto Emmy’s arm, and she tried to shake it off, but he had a firm grip.
I glanced across the room, looking for the guys, but I had lost sight of them in the crowd.
“I’ve seen your tits,” the guy was telling Emmy. “Or at least most of them. Nice rack, babe.”
“Hey!” I stepped between them. “Back the hell off!”
“Come on.” The guy leered at us. “Let’s see them again.”
Emmy went pale, and I remembered the tabloid scandal from a few months ago, when her skeezy ex leaked their photos online. “Leave her alone,” I told him, putting my hands to his chest and shoving, hard.
“Don’t be such a bitch,” he slurred at me, grabbing—
Then, suddenly, he was on the ground. It took me a moment to realize that Jax was at my side, his fists up. He had p
unched the guy and sent him flying.
“Are you OK?” Jax asked, turning to me and taking my face in his hands.
I managed to nod, barely able to focus on anything as lights from cameras went off around us.
“Let’s get out of here,” Charlie ordered, and his bodyguards surrounded us, escorting us through the crowd . The four of us were hustled into a town car, which quickly sped away from the club.
“Is everyone OK?” Charlie asked, his arms wrapped protectively around Emmy, who seemed a little shaken by the incident.
I still wasn’t even sure what had happened, but I nodded, grateful that Jax had come to our rescue. Apparently, Charlie felt the same way, because he insisted on setting us up for the night. Before the car took him and Emmy home, it dropped Jax and I off at an insanely posh hotel.
“My treat,” Charlie told us. “Thanks for taking care of my girl.”
Inside, neither of us said anything until we were alone in the room. It was hands down the most beautiful hotel room I had ever seen, with its own glittering chandelier and an amazing view of the city, but I didn’t care about that. I just cared about Jax.
“I can’t believe you punched that guy in the face.”
“I’m sorry,” Jax sighed, looking conflicted. “I just couldn’t stand to see him put his hands on you.”
“What? No! Don’t apologize. It was hot,” I grinned.
Jax relaxed. “He was touching you without your permission.” He brushed my hair back from my face. “No one does that to my girl.” He leaned towards me and kissed my cheek. Then he kissed my neck, dropping each kiss lower.
I pulled back.
“Your girl?” I asked, my heart beating a mile a minute.
“Yeah.” Jax slid his hands down to my hips, pulling me tight against his own. I could feel the hard, thick ridge of his cock through his jeans. His eyes caught mine, searching. “You’re mine, aren’t you?”
I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“I’m yours,” I murmured, drawing him in for a kiss.
It started out slow and sweet, but quickly escalated as our tongues tangled together and our clothes began to hit the floor. Before I could shed my lace thong, Jax had hoisted me into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist. He was completely naked, his cock pressing against my opening, the thin lace our only barrier.