by Jenny Frame
“No, I don’t mind. You’re right. The attacker didn’t frighten me as much—it was her. She has this hold over me…inside…and I can’t shake free. I haven’t told anyone this or been able to explain. You know the way someone can frighten you or make you walk on eggshells around them with just a look, and not lay a hand on you?”
Lex nodded. “I’ve never felt that but I understand what you mean, and I know what it is to be afraid.”
Roza tilted her head and gazed at her questioningly. “What could possibly make a big, strong person like you afraid?”
Lex gulped hard and rubbed her thumb over the tattoo on her wrist. “That’s a story for another day. I better clean these things up.”
“Let me help you.” Roza helped her clear the dishes and take them through to the kitchen.
As they packed them in the dishwasher, Roza said, “You said you were quite different at weekends. Since you’re like a monk Monday to Friday, what do you do for fun?”
“I go rock climbing and go to a kickboxing club—that’s where the gym comes in. I need to constantly work on my upper body strength at the gym for both.”
Roza gazed longingly at Lex’s shoulder and biceps muscles proudly displayed in the tight designer T-shirt that clung to them. “I can see that.” She so wanted to lean forward and kiss Lex then. Normally she wasn’t shy about using her body and assets in order to get what she wanted, but this was different. Lex was different. She appeared to be immune to her charms and that saddened her. “I’ve never done anything like that. At school I always managed to have a stomach ache whenever we had to do those sorts of things. Where do you do your climbing?”
“When I’m in London, I go to this fantastic climbing centre, but when I’m visiting my parents, I can do real climbing, or go hiking and camping.”
Roza rolled her eyes. “Oh, you’d get on so well with Her Majesty. George adores hiking, sailing, all that tough stuff.”
Lex quirked an eyebrow. “I take it you’re not as keen on the outdoors then, Your Royal Highness?”
“You’re right. I prefer to hike around designer clothes shops.”
“My sister tells me you are a style icon,” Lex said.
“Oh, I don’t know about that. I enjoy beautiful clothes, and I try to wear all the up-and-coming designers in Denbourg. I learned early on if I wear something, the fashion writers cover it and the public buy from them.” Lex just smiled at her and she realized that might have sounded bad. “I’m not trying to be big-headed or anything. If I’m going to be splashed all over the world’s press, I might as well publicize young designers in the industry.”
“No, you’re right. It’s not just charities that need promotion nationally and internationally. I think that’s a good way to use the publicity you get.”
Roza thought this was the perfect opportunity to bring up an idea that had been bouncing around her head. “Can I ask you something, Lex—about work, I mean?”
Lex leaned against the kitchen worktop and crossed her arms. “Absolutely. Ask away.”
Roza couldn’t stop herself drinking in Lex’s solid, confident form. The way her jeans hung around her hips made her weak at the knees. Come on. Get it together.
She closed her eyes for a few seconds to try and centre herself. “I wanted to get your permission to work on a little project I’ve been thinking about, to help the charity. I’ll still be your personal tea girl and do all the other tasks you want me to learn.”
“Tea girl?” Lex raised an eyebrow.
“You know what I mean. So can I work on my secret project?”
“Why do you need my permission?”
Roza felt like playing Lex and took a step towards her. “Because you’re in charge.”
Lex took a step forward to match hers so they were now close. Roza saw something in Lex’s eyes then, the hint of interest she had crudely tried to elicit in their first few weeks together.
“Oh? I’m in charge? Who are you and what have you done with Princess Rozala?”
“This is the real Princess Rozala.”
Lex leaned forward and Roza licked her lips as she inched towards her. Roza’s heart thudded and the butterflies in her stomach flapped their wings excitedly.
She’s going to kiss…
They jumped apart quickly when Major Ravn knocked at the kitchen door. “The car is ready when you are, Your Royal Highness. You wanted to be back at St James’s Palace by five.”
Roza felt her cheeks grow warm and Lex turned away quickly. “I’m coming, Ravn. Just give me five minutes.”
When they were alone again, Roza turned to Lex. “I’m sorry, I have to go. Perri is taking me out to the theatre tonight, but I’ve had a wonderful afternoon.”
“You are very welcome, Your Royal Highness.”
She had the feeling Lex was using her title to put some distance between them. Time to leave.
Chapter Nine
Since the day they’d nearly kissed at Lex’s house, Roza had noticed that as much as they were becoming friends, Lex always kept a distance between them. Whenever Roza would try to get closer, or touch Lex innocently, she pulled away and found an excuse to put distance between them.
Roza was quite certain they were attracted to each other, but why Lex didn’t want to show it, she had no idea. Whether Roza was ready to move on was another matter. The strange thing was, many weeks into her job at Timmy’s, Roza still didn’t know anything about Lex’s love life, but Lex and the rest of news-reading world knew all about hers.
Lex had given her the task of monitoring the charity’s social media, and she was working on her super-secret project. She had used all of her contacts with the rich and famous to raise some much needed money, plus she had organized a party at a top London club where there would be a dinner and charity auction for all her VIP friends. She nearly had everything she needed to present Lex with a portfolio of donors, donations, and party details.
She was just waiting on one more donor getting back in touch, a big media mogul, to complete her plan. Roza rechecked her figures on the computer screen, and rubbed her hands together with excitement. “I can’t wait to see Lex’s face. She’s going to be so happy with me.”
The satisfaction of doing good for others was exhilarating, and something she wanted to continue on with. Maybe I can get involved with some Denbourg charities when I get home. Gussy would like that.
Roza looked at the time: three thirty. Lex had been out at a meeting for the afternoon and the time seemed to drag without her there. She was just about to go and seek out Conrad’s company when Lex came in the door.
Her heart soared and she rose to her feet to go and meet Lex as she struggled with a tray of hot drinks, her briefcase, and some packages.
“I thought I’d bring in coffee,” Lex said, handing the tray of drinks to Roza while putting her packages and case on the desk. “Yours is on the left.”
“Great, I could do with a pick-me-up.” Roza looked at the takeaway cup and it was marked as a mocha, extra shot, with a dash of hazelnut and chocolate shavings. “You remembered.”
Lex’s smile gave Roza the urge to kiss her and run her hands through Lex’s short hair.
“Of course I remembered, Princess. I listen to everything you say.”
Roza gulped hard and tried to think of something to say that didn’t involve kiss me or touch me, but she was at a loss. No one had ever listened to her like Lex did. She was usually someone to be placated, or kept happy, or out of trouble, but never listened to.
“Did you have a fun meeting?” Roza managed to say.
“Planning and building meetings are never fun. How about you?”
“It’s been fun doing the social media output, and I was working on my super-secret project.”
“Great, I can’t wait to hear all about it. Oh…” Lex picked up one of the bags she had brought and handed it to her. “I was looking for a taxi and I walked past this little exclusive-looking chocolatiers. So I went in and got you something
.”
Roza put down her coffee and gingerly took the iconic gold and black bag from a famous London haute chocolatier. She couldn’t quite believe Lex had done something so sweet. “You bought them for me?”
Lex hung her suit jacket over her chair and came to lean on the front of her desk. “Of course, you love chocolate. Open them then.”
Roza slid out a silver box tied with a ribbon. The chocolates were packaged in the shape of a jewellery box and she knew from personal experience that inside were four sliding drawers filled with delicious and very expensive chocolates. These were not the kind of thing you’d normally bring back with coffee to go.
“You shouldn’t have bought me these,” Roza said.
“Why? Does Major Ravn not allow you to accept gifts of sweets and chocolates? Do you need your royal taste tester to try them first?” Lex joked.
“Very funny. I think after the alley incident, Ravn considers you part of the keep-Roza-out-of-trouble team. No, I know how expensive these are. You didn’t have to do that for me.”
“I know I didn’t, but I did, so eat and enjoy them.”
Roza clasped the box to her chest and said, “Only if you share one with me.”
“I don’t eat sugar, you know that. I can’t remember the last time I ate any sweets or a chocolate bar.”
Roza had an intense craving to play with Lex. She sauntered over and placed the chocolates on her desk. “Oh come on, Ms. King. You can’t be so puritanical all the time.” She ran a fingernail slowly along Lex’s tie. “Sometimes you’ve got to give in to pleasure.”
Lex immediately stiffened, and her jaw visibly tightened. “What do you want from me, Princess?”
Kiss me and make love to me on your desk, she thought, but said, “Taste the chocolate with me. Come on, break one little rule. For me?”
“I might as well. I break all sorts of rules when it comes to you.” Lex sighed.
Roza felt like she had won some sort of victory. She quickly opened the first drawer in the box and took out two squares of tasting chocolate wrapped in foil.
“Now to appreciate the fabulousness of chocolate, you have to taste it like a fine wine, slowly and with consideration.”
“I don’t like slowly,” Lex said with a low tone that surprised and excited Roza.
She had a sudden flash in her mind of Lex lifting her onto the desk and pushing past her underwear and inside her fast and without preamble.
“You can’t take something special like this fast. Watch me.”
Lex shifted her position on the desk and loosened her tie as Roza’s teasing began to make heat spread throughout her body. What she had thought would be a simple little gift had only served to amplify the attraction between them. She watched Roza slowly open the foil to reveal a dark chocolate.
“You have to use all your senses to achieve the most pleasure. First, you smell.” Roza brought the chocolate to her nose, closed her eyes, and inhaled. “Each chocolate has a different aroma, fruity, spicy, hmm…this one is deep and spicy.”
Lex’s breathing rate increased and she couldn’t take her eyes from Roza as she experienced what was clearly unadulterated pleasure.
Roza opened her eyes to meet Lex’s and said, “The next sense is sound.” Roza broke the chocolate square in half. “A good quality chocolate will have a good snap. Did you hear it?”
Lex nodded, unable to speak and caught in Roza’s haze of seduction.
“Then there’s touch. Rub the chocolate between your thumb and forefinger and it should start to melt slowly.”
Roza took Lex’s hand and placed her fingers on top of hers so she could feel Roza’s fingers rubbing the chocolate, but it wasn’t chocolate Lex was imagining rubbing.
Lex had not experienced such an erotic scene in her life. She wanted Roza and wanted her now.
“Eat it,” Lex blurted out. She couldn’t wait for the payoff of watching Roza enjoy the chocolate. The anticipation was killing her. She was so aroused that she felt the hunger tingle in her stomach, a feeling she hadn’t had to control in a very long time.
“Patience. You can’t just eat it. It needs to be savoured,” Roza replied.
Lex pulled her hand back and gripped the edge of the desk in desperation, in an effort to stop herself from grasping Roza and kissing her.
Roza held her gaze, drawing out the moment as long as possible, before saying, “Now the best bit.”
Lex didn’t breathe, she couldn’t breathe. The anticipation was killing her, and all to watch Roza eat one piece of chocolate. It would have sounded ridiculous to her under any other circumstances, but in this sensual, passion-filled fog that hung between them, that piece of chocolate going between Roza’s lips was her sole focus.
“You place a square under your tongue, and let it melt…slowly.” Roza took a square and popped it under her tongue. Lex groaned in frustration and, finally losing control, grasped Roza’s hips and turned her against the desk.
Roza’s eyes went wide with surprise and Lex took the second square from her hand and popped it in her own mouth, and started to chew immediately.
She couldn’t stop herself from wanting to taste what Roza did straight away.
Roza hummed in pleasure.
Oh God, thought Lex. She hadn’t wanted someone so much in a long, long time. The hungry feeling was low in her stomach and growing stronger with each passing second.
“It tastes good, doesn’t it?” Roza asked in a breathy voice.
“Yes.” Lex was in a kind of turmoil. She felt out of control. Her needs were taking control and she couldn’t afford to let that happen. Get out. Take a breath. “I need to take a few minutes. Enjoy your chocolate.”
She turned and walked out of the office, never looking back. As she passed her PA, she said, “I’ll be upstairs, Conrad. I won’t be long.”
*
Bea walked into George’s dressing room just as Cammy was helping George on with her suit jacket. Bea never lost the excitement she felt every time she looked at her partner. She was gorgeous, and had a special something that made Bea weak at the knees.
“Your Majesty.” Cammy stopped what she was doing and bowed.
Cammy was not in her uniform this evening, as she and George were attending a European football final at Wembley Stadium in London, although she was still dressed very smartly in a three-piece suit with her concealed weapon under her jacket.
“Looking smart, Captain. Lali is in the drawing room if you want to see her before you go.”
Cammy grinned from ear to ear. She asked George, “Is there anything else you need, ma’am, before we go?”
George picked up her aftershave from the dressing table and splashed it on. “No. We’ve got bags of time. Go and talk to Lali.”
Cammy bowed to them both and left.
Bea walked into George’s arms, slipping her hands underneath her jacket. “Mmm, I love the way you smell,” Bea said.
George kissed her head and let out a breath. “I’ve missed you this afternoon. Where was your appointment?”
Bea tensed up. “Oh, it was a nutrition specialist Lali has been seeing. I thought I could speak to her about what I should be eating and drinking to keep my energy up. You know?”
George looked into her eyes seriously. “Are you feeling tired? You’ve taken on a lot recently.”
She had to get George to stop worrying about something that wasn’t there. “No, I just thought it never hurts to look at your diet and nutrition. Anyway, I missed you so much too, but I won’t miss being with you tonight watching football. Besides it’s girls’ night.”
George chuckled. “I know. Luckily Cammy and I can always find something to occupy ourselves with on girls’ night.”
“So what film are you watching tonight?” George asked.
“The new one with Story St. John. It’s not out for another month, so we get first look.”
Being Queen and Queen Consort had its perks. The film distributors always made new films available to t
hem when requested.
George narrowed her eyes and gave her a look of mock annoyance. “Uh-huh. Story St. John? What a happy coincidence. She has a film coming out just in time for girls’ night.”
“She plays a hunky soldier in it, I’m told,” Bea said with a smirk.
“I’m sure. What kind of name is Story anyway?”
Bea giggled and smoothed her hands across George’s chest. “Don’t be jealous. You are my hunky soldier and sailor, Bully.”
Story St. John, one of Hollywood’s top action heroes who was also a lesbian, had danced with Bea at a big Hollywood bash on their American trip. The lusted-after star had tried to gently push the boundaries of propriety and flirt with Bea, to George’s annoyance. Since then Bea had softly teased George about her.
George surprised her by taking off her jacket and draping it over the chair, and advanced on her with a dangerous smile and a look of want in her eyes. Bea’s heart started to beat fast as she walked backwards and came to a stop against the wall, just inches away from one of the large forward facing windows of Buckingham Palace.
“What are you up to, Bully? You’ve got an engagement, and I’ve got guests arriving.”
George boxed her in against the wall, and whispered in her ear, “I think you need to remember who makes you moan, who makes you groan, and who makes you come, while you watch your movie.”
“What if someone comes in?” Bea said.
George popped the button on Bea’s jeans. “They’ll knock first.”
Bea looked to the side and they were inches from the window that faced out onto the Royal Mall, which was always busy with tourists. “What if someone sees us? The tourists or—oh God.”
George didn’t hesitate to slide her fingers into Bea’s sex. “Mrs. Buckingham, you’re awfully wet for someone who thinks this is a bad idea.”
“I’m always wet for you, Bully.” She pulled George into a kiss and groaned into her mouth as George’s fingers skilfully rubbed her clit. Bea jumped in fright when she heard footsteps coming towards the door that connected to the hall. The fear of being caught was frightening but thrilling. “Go inside, please.”