by Sandra Cole
While laughing, he collapsed on the bed next to her and pulled her into a warm embrace. His nose sought her neck and buried himself into her skin, the feeling of his breath against her soothing her immediately. She giggled.
“That was beautiful, Nina,” he said.
“It was exactly what I needed,” she said.
“I agree,” he added.
She took a deep breath to level her breathing, beads of sweat decorating her forehead as the prince traced circles around her stomach.
“What should we do now?” she asked.
The prince sighed and rested his chin on her shoulder. She turned to look at him. Green eyes drank in her appearance, seeming to get lost in hers. He smiled drunkenly.
“We don't have to do anything, my love,” he replied.
“Really?” she asked.
“Of course not. We can lay here all night and order room service if you want,” he replied.
“I like the idea of the pool you mentioned earlier,” she admitted.
“Well, then we can do that,” he said.
She frowned while looking up at the ceiling.
“I don't have a swimsuit, Robin,” she said.
“So? I'll buy you one. Whatever one you want,” he said.
She smiled and turned her gaze to his.
“You don't have to do that,” she said.
“I know, but I want to,” he said with a grin.
Nina giggled.
“You're spoiling me,” she said. “And I think I like it.”
“Good. You should get used to me spoiling you. I want you to feel like a princess,” he said.
She giggled again.
“Well, it seems to be working,” she said.
“Let's get dressed, darling. We'll get you something to wear for dinner and then we'll have a swim,” he said. “How does that sound?”
“That sounds amazing.”
Chapter 14
After their brief shopping trip, Robin treated Nina to a complete make-over. Her new hair felt soft and fine between her fingers, flowing like a river over her bare shoulders. The dark green mermaid dress she was wearing sparkled under the dim light of the restaurant, glasses clinking around them as she stared across the table with a goofy grin.
“I feel fancier than usual,” she admitted.
“Is that such a bad thing?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“It's just something I'm not used to,” she replied.
“I have lived in the wealthy world for years. It's what I've been accustomed to. I don't know how else to live, honestly,” he admitted.
“So, if you were to ever lose your title, you wouldn't be able to adapt?” she asked.
“I've never thought about that. I have thought about having a family, about fulfilling my role as a potential future king, and about how I might help bring more peace to more countries,” he replied.
“I think those are noble goals, Robin,” she said.
“It would make the world a better place, no?” he posed.
She smiled.
“It would. I admire that about you,” she said.
“Nina, I should be quite frank. I've been searching for a long time for someone with whom I'm compatible,” he explained.
She set her champagne down on the table, gripping the cloth of her dress while her eyes began to widen.
“This search has come to an end today. I know my life wouldn't be complete without a fine woman such as yourself, someone who is grounded and quite obviously a hard worker. I think you would make an amazing leader,” he went on.
“Robin, what are you saying?” she asked, the edges of her mouth twitching.
“I'm saying the reason I'm trying to treat you like a princess—” he said as he reached into his suit jacket, “—is because I want to make you one.”
Nina gasped. Her hands covered her face as tears made their way down her cheeks, staring at the ruby sitting in the center of the miniature velvet box. Silence surrounded them as the prince awaited her response. He implored her with his eyes, his brows furrowing together.
“Yes!” she cried while reaching over the table. “Absolutely, yes!”
The vase in the center of the table fell over and spilled water everywhere, but the two disregarded it. Robin stood to embrace his new fiancé, laying kisses all over her face as the guests in the restaurant applauded their new engagement. When he pulled away, he carefully slid the beautiful ring over her finger and she smiled through tears as he leaned down to kiss her again.
After their embrace, she returned to her chair and started cleaning up the mess from the vase. A waiter quickly approached and insisted he clean up, congratulating the two on their engagement. When the mess was clean, she propped her elbows up on the table and rested her hand on her chin, smiling at her future husband sitting across the table.
“You're sneaky,” she whispered.
“You like it,” he responded.
She nodded.
“And now I've lost my appetite because of the excitement,” she admitted.
“Oh, darling. You should eat something before we head out to celebrate,” he said.
“Celebrate?” she asked.
“We should invite your friends and have them meet us somewhere downtown. A nice place that can accommodate for a large party,” he said.
“That sounds like a lovely idea,” she said.
“Invite your sister—or your friend—Allyah,” he said.
Nina closed her eyes slowly and lowered her head, opening them to look at the ring on her hand that was resting on the table.
“She was pretty upset with me earlier,” she said.
“What happened?” he asked, reaching over to take her hand.
“I made a mistake in the kitchen which I don't normally do because I was preoccupied with our lunch arrangement,” she replied. “And now I'm not sure if I still have a job.”
“That's silly. You two sounded like you were so close. It was no wonder you called her your sister,” he said.
“Well, of course. She's been there for me so many times,” she said.
“Then, call her. I'm sure she'll accept an apology, and I know she'll be happy about your good news,” he said.
Nina shrugged.
“I don't want to bother her,” she said.
“Listen, Nina. You only have a handful of good people who come into your life and make a difference. She sounds like she's one of those people. Don't let the distance grow between you,” he advised.
Nina smiled while looking at their intertwined hands, running her fingers over the textured skin of his knuckles.
“You're right,” she admitted. “I'll call her when we're finished eating.”
“That's the spirit,” he said while sitting back.
When they pulled away, the waiter approached and took their order, making sure to bring them a new table cloth that was no longer soaked in champagne and water. A new bottle of champagne was brought to them as well, free of charge, and set in ice next to their table. The rest of their dinner was spent making jokes and laughing loudly, eliciting some stares from nearby tables.
Nina ignored it. She was having far too much fun to care about what anyone else thought. Though they were being particularly loud, it was the most happiness she had ever felt in her life. She felt open and free, utterly beautiful and unhinged, and she wasn't going to let anything get in the way of that.
After dinner, they retreated back to the prince's room and sat on the bed. Nina procured her phone from her bag and started scrolling through her contacts, sending a mass text inviting a number of people to meet them at one of the more upscale bars downtown. The last person on her list was Allyah.
The phone rang for a few minutes and then clicked, Nina holding her breath as Allyah responded:
“Hello?”
“Hey, girl,” Nina said carefully. “How are you?”
“Hey...” Allyah whispered. “I thought you wouldn't call.”
&nb
sp; “Why would you think that?” Nina asked.
“Well, we were a bit heated earlier,” Allyah replied.
“Yeah, I guess we were,” Nina whispered. “But that's over with now.”
“That's true. I'm sorry I got so angry with you. That kitchen makes me frustrated sometimes,” Allyah said.
“I understand. I'm not worried about it. I know you care about my work and my performance, so I get why you reacted that way,” Nina said.
“I'm glad you understand. This is why you're one of my best workers,” Allyah said.
“I like to think we're more than just co-workers,” Nina said, rubbing the fabric of her dress.
“I think that as well, Nina. I think you're one of my best friends,” Allyah said.
Nina smiled.
“I'm glad you think that,” she said. “Because I do have amazing news and I need you to be with me when we go out to celebrate.”
“What's that?” Allyah asked.
“I'm engaged,” Nina replied.
A squeal came from the other end of the phone and Nina held it away from her ear while cringing.
“Seriously?! He proposed?” she asked excitedly.
“Yes, he did! You have to come to Night Circle. We're going to celebrate. I need you there with me,” Nina replied. “And you need to see this ring.”
She looked at Robin who smiled warmly.
“Of course, I'll be there! Give me some time to get ready. What are we wearing? Fancy stuff?” Allyah asked.
“Whatever you want. Fancy is fine,” Nina replied.
“What are you wearing?” Allyah asked.
“A mermaid gown,” Nina replied.
“Okay, so I have to wear something really nice. Got it,” Allyah said jokingly.
Nina laughed.
“I'll see you soon,” she said.
“Thirty minutes, tops,” Allyah claimed before the line clicked.
Nina set her phone down on the bed, looking over at the man who was changing her world by the minute.
“What?” he asked after a few minutes.
She shook her head.
“You're just amazing,” she said. “Everything you do surprises me.”
“I'm glad you're enjoying it,” he said.
“Who said I was enjoying it?” she joked.
The prince leaned over with a mischievous grin and pinned her to the bed, laying kisses all over her collar bone and breasts. She giggled and pushed his head.
“Don't get us started on round two. We're expected somewhere,” she said.
“You don't think we have time for one more?” he teased.
His hand rested gently over her stomach, massaging it through her dress.
“Robin, you're a beast,” she giggled. “But I think we can manage.”
With a grin, she lifted the hem of her dress up and guided his hand down to her feminine portal where his fingers began to dance. She cupped his face and rested her lips on his, enjoying the sensation of his pushing his fingers inside. Everything felt like it was falling into perfect harmony. She embraced him as he pleased her, moans slowly taking over the silence of the room.
They rolled across the bed, bodies tangled together in ecstatic bliss as their moans rose up to the ceiling. Hands dipped down into secret places and elicited moans as mouths collided. A phone rang in the corner, but the two happily ignored the noise. Their eyes were focused only on each other, pupils dilating to take in every bit of the other. Skin crackled with desire and eyes fluttered as they remained entwined, the reality surrounding them melting to reveal only them embracing.
And in that moment, they became one.
THE END
Special Bonus Full-Length Stories
We have included 7 special bonus full-length novellas and short storiesfrom various romance genres for your reading pleasure.
= Bonus Book 1 of 7 =
Two Wolves of Winter’s Lake
The thing that Lara Forbes loved most about visiting her family’s cabin in Winter’s Lake, Colorado, wasn’t the peace and quiet, or the abundant wildlife, or even the majestic view of the Rocky Mountains. No, the thing that Lara liked best about Winter’s Lake was the absolute, utter lack of cell phone service.
After the last forty-eight hours, she never wanted to use her phone again.
Lara could feel the tension drain out of her shoulders the very moment her little Honda Civic crested the Continental Divide and the bars on her phone completely disappeared. She would be staying up in Winter’s Lake for at least a week, maybe more, and was overjoyed at the prospect of being cut off from the outside world.
The day was overcast and the forest dark as Lara drove the last winding stretch of highway down into the small mountain town of Winter’s Lake. It was late September and the wind had a sharp bite. Autumn always came more quickly to the mountains, something Lara always managed to forget. When she was a little girl, her parents would always remember to pack her warm clothing and make sure she was bundled up properly for the mountain weather, but Lara had trouble remember to do such adult things on her own. It was always hard to imagine that a bright sunny day in the mountains could quickly turn into a freezing cold night.
Of course, Lara was a bit out of practice packing for mountain weather. She hadn’t been up to the cabin since her parents had passed away almost five years ago. A rental agency had been happy to take care of it, and Lara was more than happy to allow them to manage the property… and send her the checks.
She vaguely wondered what the property looked like. Was that ugly green plaid sofa still in front of the fireplace? Was the wreath of antlers still hanging on the wall near the door? Did her old room still have bunk beds or had the management company replaced them with a more renter-friendly full or queen?
As she steered the car down the winding driveway and the house came into view, Lara found the sight to be refreshingly familiar: same rickety wooden porch with sagging Adirondack chairs, same crooked stone chimney, same gnarled pine tree looming over the north side of the house.
What was not the same, however, was the rusted brown jeep parked under the pine tree and the tall, muscular man perched on the roof, his sandy hair falling over his face as he bent to align his hammer with a nail.
No, the last time Lara had been up to the cabin, there definitely hadn’t been a handsome man in the mix. If this is an added perk from the property management company, Lara thought, then I am definitely on board.
The tires of Lara’s car crunched on the gravel driveway and the man looked up, his hair falling away to reveal a finely chiseled face. He squinted at the car for a moment, and then broke into a smile and a wave.
Lara waved back as she pulled her car alongside the Jeep.
“Hi there,” she shouted, stepping out of the car and letting the door slam behind her.
“Afternoon,” the man shouted back at her, still smiling. He looked around for a moment, appearing almost puzzled and it took Lara a couple of moments to understand why. There was no ladder near the roof.
“Do you need help–?” she began, but the man was in motion before she finished her sentence. With one quick leap, he launched himself off the roof, into the twisted old pine and clambered swiftly down the trunk.
“Wow, that’s something you don’t see in LA,” Lara muttered to herself. Los Angeles had its share of diversity and eccentricity, but Lara had never before witnessed an honest-to-god, tree scaling mountain man.
The man landed lightly on the ground, soft puffs of dirt rising around his worn brown leather work boots, and he strode towards Lara, hand outstretched and a friendly grin spread across his handsome face.
“You must be Ms. Forbes,” he said, his grin widening. “We always thought you were a myth around these parts.”
Lara placed her small hand in his large, calloused one and was greeted with a hearty handshake. Yet another difference from LA, where formal introductions seemed to involve either a disinterested nod or a falsely enthusiastic hug. Genuine handshake
s were about as rare as finding a man on your roof.
Winter’s Lake was already proving to be a refreshing change, and she’d only been within town limits for approximately five minutes.
“Hi,” Lara answered back, hoping her smile was as genuine as the man’s. “I am Lara Forbes, and I do actually exist.”
“Wow, looks like I lost a bet back at the office,” he replied.
“You bet that I didn’t exist?” Lara asked, raising one eyebrow.
“Nah,” the man replied, “I bet that you wouldn’t be this pretty.” His soft brown eyes widened as the words left his mouth. “Ah, that came out wrong—” The man tried to explain, but Lara just laughed.
“No, it’s fine,” she said. “I get it. Single lady owns an old family cabin deep in the woods, everyone expects her to be a spinster or a cat lady.”
The man shrugged and scratched the base of his neck with one rough hand. “Okay, this is not going the way I’d hoped.” He paused, then reached his hand out again. “Killian Donaldson,” he said, more formally than before. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Forbes.”
“It’s Lara, just Lara,” she said, returning the handshake yet again. It was as firm as the first one. Lara would be fine if they entered into an endless loop of introductions and handshakes, provided that meant she could keep touching Killian’s strong hand.
Bret had hands like cold, dead fish, she thought, then banished the thought from her mind. The entire point of this trip was to forget Bret. She couldn’t let him ruin this nice moment with the handsome tree man, she wouldn’t.
Killian was talking again and Lara gratefully let her attention wander away from her absent boyfriend (ex-boyfriend?) and back to the present.
“So, Lara, how long has it been since you’ve been up to Winter’s Lake?” Killian asked as he popped her trunk and began removing her luggage.
“Oh, god, I’m not even sure,” she said. “It’s been ages, I think. Five, maybe ten years? You don’t need to get my bags, actually—”