“What are you thinking?” Alex asked as he put down his glass.
“I’m wondering what would happen if I did marry Henry.”
“What?” he asked as he stood. “Not two minutes ago this was a ridiculous request, and now you’re actually considering it?”
She stood again, meeting him face-to-face. “If it helps you and Valleria, why not?”
“Holy hell, Arianna. You deserve to marry for love, not convenience.”
Arianna shook her head. “I’ll never marry for love, so I might as well marry for convenience.”
“You deserve better than that.”
No, I don’t. “It’s my choice.”
“Not this one. You know Papa will not agree to this.”
“He will after I’ve talked to him about it.”
Alex ran impatient hands through his hair. “Why the hell are you doing this?”
“I’m not ‘doing’ anything. I was just considering it.”
Alex gripped her shoulders. “Don’t feel you have to sacrifice yourself for me or Valleria. Is this about what happened in the past?”
She shrugged away his hands and stepped back as a chill swept across her features. “The past doesn’t have anything to do with this.”
“It has everything to do with this, I think. You need to move past it.”
“I have.”
“You haven’t. You think we don’t notice it? The family is well aware of it, I assure you.”
“Leave me be, Alex. It’s my life. While you may not like Henry, you respect his position as a ruler.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because if you didn’t, you would have punched Henry in the face and gotten us thrown out of the palace entirely when he made his request. Since that didn’t happen, I’m assuming you restrained yourself.”
Alex grunted but didn’t deny it. “That still doesn’t mean I want my little sister to marry him. I’m only giving him the smallest benefit of the doubt as it is. If Henry were the second son instead of Finn, well, he would find himself with a busted lip and a swollen eye.”
“Look, let’s just calm down. Why don’t we both try to get some sleep and talk about it in the morning?”
“Papa’s waiting for my call.”
“So, call him. Tell him the truth, and tell him how I felt about it.”
“He would never agree to anything like this over the phone. He’ll want to come here to speak with you in person if you decide to go through with this.”
“He can’t come here; his anniversary party is in a few days. He can speak to me then, although, if I want to go through with it, I will.”
“Ari, I just don’t know.”
She gave his arm a squeeze. “Do me a favor? Talk to Rebecca before you talk to Papa. She may be able to give you another female perspective on this.”
Alex softened at the mention of his fiancée’s name, as Arianna meant him to. “Yes, all right. God, I miss her. Has it only been a day since I’ve seen her?”
“It’s been less than a day, though I bet you both were video messaging earlier, weren’t you?”
Alex smiled but didn’t deny it. “Can’t you see, Ari? What I have with Rebecca, that’s what I want you to have.”
Arianna’s face hardened again. “That’s not in the cards for me, Alex, and I don’t think you’re surprised to realize that.” Before he could respond, she continued. “Please, Alex? Trust me enough to know my own mind.”
Alex pursed his lips, then nodded. “We’ll talk in the morning.”
“Sounds good,” she said as she led him to the door.
He paused in the doorway to look at her. “Think long and hard about this, Ari. Marriage should be forever, whether you’re royal or not. I know you, even though you don’t think I do. Once you make a commitment, you stick with it.”
“Some might see that as an admirable trait.”
“Not if you’re making the wrong choice in the beginning. I don’t want you to be sad or regretful later on.”
As she once was, she knew he was thinking. “I said I’d think about it and I will.”
Alex nodded and strode out. Arianna spent a few moments watching him walk away, his confident steps receding down the hall, then she turned back and locked the door. She went to pick up her dress from the bed and, as soon as she fingered the silk, she remembered Finn and the dress slid from her fingers.
Her gaze shot towards the wall where she had found such pleasure and where he may still be hiding behind the closed door. Could he hear anything? Had he heard anything?
She walked slowly over and ran her hands over the wall until she found the small button. Instead of knocking, she decided to open the door herself. She pressed the button and then gasped as the door opened.
No one was behind it.
Even while relief swept through her, so did disappointment. She shut the door, then moved a small table in front of it, just in case. While her body would have been glad to meet his lips again, her mind needed to focus on other matters.
***
Finn finally made it back to his room. Only growing up in the palace had given him the time needed to learn all of the hidden passageways through the palace, though he doubted Henry had used his time the same way. Tonight, he found his time and effort dedicated to the task well spent.
Finn shut the door behind him and pressed another button to lock it. His brows furrowed as he realized he had not mentioned the locking button to Arianna. It was clear that she and Alex needed to discuss something, and the palace walls were thin enough that he could hear them if he’d strained to. Finn wasn’t that sort of man, even if the knowledge might help him one day, so he’d given up and walked away.
Finn stripped as he walked across the room, tossing his clothes heedlessly in his wake. He paused in the doorway to his bathroom, gently pushing off his tight boxers over his stiff cock. Finn didn’t think he’d ever been this hard before. Even spending several minutes walking through secret palace halls hadn’t diminished it. There was only one way to release his tension now.
Though he usually preferred a bath to set his mood, this time he walked to the tall, spacious, glass-encased shower. He turned the water to blistering hot and stepped under the spray, letting the streams pummel his tense body. He ran his capable fingers through his hair, which was even darker now that it was wet. Water sluiced down his body, over his hair-strewn, toned chest and over his cock, which twitched in anticipation.
Finn lathered up his hands with soap, then groaned as his hand circled his cock. Bracing himself against the tiled wall with the other hand, his feet spread shoulder length apart, he started.
His hand smoothed slowly over his cock and he pictured himself thrusting inside Arianna’s body. Her body, which he just knew would be tight and hot, would fit around him like a glove. He would take her bare, skin against skin, when he could. It would drive him mad. It was driving him mad.
His hand reached down to tease his balls, and his foot slipped slightly. His milky seed leaked through the tip of his cock. He imagined Arianna’s plump lips covering the head, her talented tongue licking him clean.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Princess,” he said, as if she were there with him. He thought of reality next, not unfulfilled dreams. He remembered the way her curves had looked in soft lace; the way her nipple had puckered willingly under his lips; the way her body had reacted to every single kiss he had dropped along her silky skin.
He groaned, a guttural noise that he’d never made before. He remembered the way her shaved pussy had tasted in his mouth, a taste he knew he’d never grow tired of or forget. He imagined thrusting inside her again, and his body imitated the movements of his dream.
It was only a few moments later when the orgasm took over and he cried out her name. His cock shot long bursts of his seed into the shower and he slammed his fist against the cool tiles until he was spent.
He’d just had the most explosive orgasm of his life, and he’d had it with just the
thought of a woman. Of one woman. Of Arianna.
Finn kneeled down in the shower, exhaustion overtaking him. He let the water beat down over him, washing him clean. He and Arianna would talk in the morning. He needed her. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt it deep down in his bones. He’d never really had anyone care about him - truly care about him - since his parents were killed in a car accident years ago. Henry never cared for him.
Could Arianna?
He wasn’t good enough for her, but he had to try. He didn’t want to let her go.
As the water began to cool slightly, Finn stood and pushed back his wet hair as he shut off the water. He stepped out of the shower into a room filled with steam and secrets. He flicked a towel off a nearby rack and ran it carelessly over his body, and rubbed his hair dry.
He threw the towel down and walked back to the bedroom, completely nude. He walked past his clothes, scattered all over the floor; he would pick it all up in the morning. For now, he slipped under his covers, and knew he would dream of her again. His Princess.
Chapter 6
Arianna was ready when the expected knock came on her door the next morning. Dressed in a simple skirt suit of rust orange to match the season, she opened the door to find Alex very upset.
“What’s wrong?” she asked as fear slashed through her. “Has something happened? Rebecca?”
Alex took her hands and shook his head. “No, nothing like that. I’m sorry if I worried you.”
“Thank Goodness.” Arianna let out a sigh of relief. Alex gave her hands another squeeze before letting go to step inside. “Well, whatever is the matter?”
“Come sit down.” He led her to same chairs they’d sat in the night before. In the bright light of morning, she didn’t blush nearly as much thinking of what she and Finn had done against the wall nearby. She realized after a restless night’s sleep that last night was an aberration, and it was one she could not repeat, no matter how sexy Finn was, nor how free she had felt last night.
“I spoke with Papa this morning,” he said after they sat down. “He’s concerned.”
Arianna had seen this coming. “About the proposal?”
“More about your possible acceptance to it.”
Arianna looked down at her hands, which were folded demurely in her lap, before meeting Alex’s eyes again. “Would it really be so terrible if I accepted it?”
“Would you be happy with him? Could you be happy with him?”
“What’s happiness anyway?” she asked rhetorically with a sigh. “Look, wouldn’t it worse if I didn’t accept him? Don’t we need his help?”
“We do, but not at the expense of your future.”
“That’s exactly right. It’s my future, not yours.”
“You know Papa won’t agree to anything until he meets Henry, and speaks with you in person.”
“So, what does that mean?”
“That means that we’ll only be staying another day or two, and that Henry will likely come to Valleria.”
Would Finn come with them as well? It didn’t matter what he did, she reminded herself. “All right. Do I need to speak with Papa then?”
Alex shook his head. “He wants you to take these days to spend time with Henry, and I agree. I know it will be difficult, since he and I will be in meetings most of the day, but use the evenings to your advantage.”
“I can do that. I had planned to do as much anyway.”
“We also want you to spend some time exploring the country and meeting the people. If you really want to do this, you’ll need the country’s acceptance.”
“I’ll try my best.”
Alex reached over and squeezed her hand. “Take care, Ari. Henry does not strike me as the type of man who believes in divorce, and I’m already having my people check on the marriage and divorce laws of Brazenbourg. You have a long life ahead of you, God willing, and that is a very long time to be unhappy.”
Didn’t she know it? “Thanks, Alex. I promise to consider everything carefully.”
He gave her hand another squeeze and then let go as he stood. “Shall we get on to breakfast, then?”
“Yes. They must be waiting for us.”
“Then let them wait,” he said easily, as he escorted her through the halls. They both remained silent on their way to the dining room, easily lost in their own thoughts. As they the scents of toast and coffee grew stronger, Arianna focused on the task ahead of her. She put a small smile on her face just as they rounded the corner into the room, and prepared to greet Henry.
However, the first face her eyes found were Finn’s.
Though he had a smile on his beautiful face, his green eyes bored into hers as he stood to greet them. “Alex, Princess. Please have a seat. Henry should be with us shortly.”
“Of course,” Alex said easily as he held out Arianna’s chair for her, which was inconveniently situated next to Finn.
“Did everyone sleep well?” Finn asked them both as he took his seat again, though his gaze stayed on Arianna.
“Very well, thank you,” Alex said as he took his own seat across the small table.
“And you, Princess? Were you quite comfortable last night? Is there anything you need?”
Arianna was proud of herself for not squirming under his gaze. “I was quite comfortable, thank you. I don’t require anything else,” she said as she moved to pour some coffee.
“Allow me,” Finn said and took the pot from her. When their hands grazed each other’s, she felt the same spark she had felt last night. Focus, she reminded herself.
“Ah, you’re here. Very good,” Henry said as he entered the room and took a seat at the head of the table between Alex and Arianna. “I do apologize for being late.”
“We’ve only just arrived ourselves, Henry, so no need to worry,” Arianna said with a small smile.
Henry returned a clumsy smile of his own before he gestured for some nearby staff to serve him. It struck Arianna as interesting that Finn easily served himself and others at the table, but Henry didn’t even seem to think of it.
“What are your plans for today, Arianna?” Henry asked as they settled into breakfast.
“I would love to see some of your country. Is there someone who could arrange an impromptu tour for me? Nothing formal, I assure you.”
“Of course we can easily accommodate you. If your brother and I were not in meetings most of the day, I would be honored to show you around myself.”
Arianna smiled brightly. “That is very kind of you.”
“Of course, in my absence, I can easily arrange a tour guide.”
“I would also be happy to take you around my country, Princess,” Finn said casually, though the intense expression in his eyes betrayed him.
Arianna’s smile faltered slightly before she recovered. A whole day with just the two of them? “That is a very kind offer. However, I couldn’t take you away from your duties.”
Henry scoffed. “Finn doesn’t do much of anything, do you, Finn?”
Finn’s eyes narrowed but, with a tight smile, he said, “It would be my pleasure to show you our country, Princess.” He turned to look directly at her, and she found herself falling into a pool of bright green again. “Will you allow me to escort you?”
“Yes,” she said without thinking. She cleared her throat. “Thank you.”
“Excellent,” Finn said. “We can leave after breakfast. While you do look stunning in that outfit, Princess, you may want to change into some more comfortable clothes.”
“Finn,” Henry scowled in warning.
“It’s all right,” Arianna said, ever the mediator. “Finn is right to suggest more comfortable clothing. Sightseeing and heels do not often mix,” she ended with a smile.
Henry nodded, though she could tell he didn’t really understand what she meant. “You’ll have to tell me over dinner what you thought about Brazenbourg.”
“Of course, though I’m sure I’ll love it.” She exchanged a glance with Alex, who lips were pursed
. She knew Alex was reserving judgement, but she could tell he was itching to say something anyway. Arianna pushed back from the table and stood. Alex and Finn immediately stood as well, but Henry took a moment longer to follow. “I think I will go up and get ready.”
“Do you need an escort back to your room?” Finn asked.
Her body wanted to say yes, but her practicality won out. “No, thank you. I’ll just ask one of the guards.”
Arianna & Finn (Royals of Valleria #3) Page 6