by Lola Gabriel
“You look like you’re having an awful time,” Fiona said, coming up to Ellery. “Is something wrong with the party?”
“Only the guest list,” Ellery grinned. “Seriously Fi, you’ve done a fabulous job.”
Ellery wasn’t just saying it because Fiona was her best friend. The party was a raging success. Her parents’ ballroom had been covered in soft white fairy lights, giving the room an almost ethereal glow. The walls had been draped with silver sheer fabric, adding to the sparkle. The music was lively and had people up dancing and the food and drink were all top notch. Ellery couldn’t have asked for a better party. It was just a shame her parents were ruining it for her by trying to parade her out like a show dog in the hopes of her meeting her one true mate.
“I take it none of the eligible bachelors have caught your eye, then?” Fiona grinned.
“Nope,” Ellery said. “And to be honest, I’m getting so fed up with making small talk over and over again. If it wasn’t for the fact that my parents would go ape shit, I think I’d sneak off to bed.”
“Here,” Fiona said, grabbing a red-colored cocktail off the tray of a passing waiter and holding it out to Ellery. “Have a couple of these and let your hair down and you’ll soon feel better.”
“Yeah,” Ellery said, sipping the fruity drink. “I might get sloppy drunk and then no one will even want to come and meet me.”
“It could work,” Fiona said. “Try and have fun, Ellery. I have a few things to sort out and then I’ll be back, okay?”
Ellery nodded and watched Fiona walking away. Max came and joined her as Fiona moved away.
“Sorry. I had to go to the bathroom,” he said.
“It’s fine. Surely you’re off duty tonight anyway? It’s a party, after all,” Ellery said.
“Nope,” Max said. “It’s events like these that often pose the most danger. Security at the gates tends to get a bit lax with the constant stream of guests.”
“Oh well, maybe tonight should be the night we put our plan into action, then. You know, my assassination?” Ellery grinned.
“Oh God, I thought you’d forgotten about that one,” Max laughed.
“To be honest, if my mom introduces me to one more eligible bachelor like she’s my pimp, I think I’d actually welcome being assassinated,” Ellery said with a laugh.
“That bad, huh?” Max said sympathetically.
“Worse,” Ellery grimaced. “Oh God, here she comes again.”
Ellery forced herself to smile as her mom approached her with a young man in tow.
“Ellery, this is Hamish. Hamish, this is my daughter, Ellery,” Freya said.
“Pleased to meet you, Ellery,” Hamish said, shaking Ellery’s hand.
“Likewise,” Ellery lied. An idea came to her and, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing, she turned and nodded to Max. “And this is my boyfriend, Max.”
Max’s eyes widened in surprise and Ellery had to bite down on her tongue to keep from laughing again as Max shook Hamish’s hand, clearly uncomfortable.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Someone is calling me,” Hamish said, pulling a cell phone out of his pocket even though it clearly wasn’t ringing.
Ellery let herself laugh then.
“Ellery, what on earth was that?” Freya demanded.
“That was me making myself unavailable,” Ellery said. “Look, I know you and Dad want me to find my one true mate, and believe me, I want that too. But not like this. Don’t you get it, Mom? When you force guys onto me like this, it just pisses me off, and to be honest, they all blend into one after a while. If my one true mate is here, then I’m more likely to overlook him completely on this conveyor belt you’ve got going on. If he’s here, I’ll find him. That’s the whole point of the enchantment, after all. Now will you please stop doing this and just relax and enjoy the party?”
“Well, I guess I hadn’t thought of it like that,” Freya admitted. “Fine. I’ll stop. Just enjoy your party.”
“Thank you,” Ellery breathed.
“Wait. Is this because you’re still thinking about Errol?” Freya said.
“Errol? Good God, no!” Ellery exclaimed.
“He can’t have been that bad,” Freya said. “I thought he would have been here tonight.”
“That’s pretty unlikely,” Ellery said. “See, things got pretty awkward between us when we finished our meal and Errol announced we should have sex and see if we clicked.”
“He did what?” Freya said, shocked.
“He propositioned me,” Ellery said. “I really can’t believe you thought there was any chance I would have found that creep attractive.”
“He seemed sweet,” Freya said. “I guess it was all an act. Maybe you’re right about this whole thing. Maybe we should just let you find your own mate.”
“Works for me,” Ellery grinned.
Freya moved back over to Faust and Ellery grinned at Max.
“I hope you didn’t mind being introduced as my boyfriend there,” she said.
“I’ve been described as much worse things,” Max said. “A heads-up might have been nice, though.”
“The idea just came to me in the moment,” Ellery said. “Do you feel like going out onto the patio before my mom changes her mind and comes back with someone else in tow?”
Max nodded and they headed across the room and went outside. The air was cooler out here and Ellery felt the night air cutting through her thin red dress. She shivered a little and Max slipped his jacket off and put it around her shoulders.
“Thanks,” she smiled, pushing her arms into the sleeves.
She realized it smelled like Max, a scent she liked very much, and she also realized that she had rather liked describing him as her boyfriend. Her core tightened and she felt a delicious tingle between her legs as she breathed in the scent of Max, and Ellery began to wonder if it was possible that Max was her one true mate.
She had always found him attractive and that certainly hadn’t changed. And hadn’t she been the one to say that the enchantment would direct her toward the one she was meant to be with? What if that was how Max had ended up as her bodyguard? What if it was the magic of the enchantment bringing them together?
She didn’t know if that was really possible, or if she was just clutching at straws, hoping that Max could be her mate. But either way, she was enjoying being in his company and as they chatted and laughed together, she found herself openly flirting with Max. And he was definitely flirting back with her. A touch on the arm here, a whispered word there.
By the time the last of the party guests had left, Ellery was almost sure Max was her one true mate. Almost. She was still aware that she could just be making something out of nothing. Whatever happened in the future, though, Ellery knew that she wanted Max tonight.
7
Max knew he was playing a dangerous game, flirting with Ellery throughout the party, but he couldn’t help it. From the moment he had seen her in the red ball gown she had chosen, he had been smitten. And when she had introduced him as her boyfriend, he had felt a warm glow inside of himself. Even though he told himself it didn’t mean anything, that Ellery had just said it to get rid of Hamish, he had still liked the way it felt to hear her say the words.
Up until tonight, Max had figured the attraction he felt to Ellery was very much a one-sided thing. But throughout the party, Ellery had flirted with him constantly and now he knew it went both ways. Ellery liked him too. Normally, Max would have made a move on a girl he felt so strongly about, especially when she had made it so blatantly clear that she was as into him as he was into her, but it was different with Ellery.
He was her bodyguard, not a potential love interest for her. He was here to do a job, nothing more, nothing less. It would be wrong on so many levels for him to kiss Ellery, although he ached to do it. He would be letting his own personal feelings get in the way of his work, and he could only imagine what Faust would do if he thought Max had any sort of feelings for Ellery.
Still, though, he flirted with her, laughed with her, and she even convinced him at one point to dance with her. He told himself it was just a bit of fun, harmless. That nothing would or could come of it.
When the last few guests started trickling out of the party, Max didn’t know whether he was relieved or gutted. He was gutted in one sense because it meant this magical night of fun and flirting had come to an end. Tomorrow, he figured things would go back to normal between him and Ellery. Friendly and nothing more. And he was relieved for the same reason. He didn’t think he could have stopped himself from taking Ellery in his arms and kissing those sensuous lips for much longer.
“It looks like we’re the last two standing,” Ellery smiled, looking around the ballroom, which was now empty except for the serving staff who had begun to clean up as the DJ packed away his equipment.
“Yeah,” Max agreed. “What happened to your parents?”
“Oh, they always slip away from these things early,” Ellery said. “Once they’ve shown their faces, they disappear. They’re not really party people.”
“They missed out on a great night,” Max said.
“They did,” Ellery said. “Considering at the start of the party, I couldn’t wait for it to be over, now I’m kind of upset everyone has gone. I had a really great time.”
“Good,” Max smiled. “Oh. And happy birthday, by the way.”
“Thanks,” Ellery grinned. “And it was a happy birthday. The best one in ages. I think it must have been the company.”
She looked deep into Max’s eyes as she said it and he had to look away, because he knew exactly what was going to happen if he didn’t.
“We should call it a night, then,” he said, knowing it sounded lame but not knowing how else to stop himself from getting carried away with Ellery.
“You can come to my quarters for a drink if you like,” Ellery said as they started walking across the ballroom.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Max said quickly.
“Oh,” Ellery said. “It’s just, I’m a little worried about going back there alone. You know, in case anyone has snuck into my rooms. It’s like you said, security gets a little bit lax at these events. I thought you might check it out for me.”
Max knew for a fact that Ellery didn’t think for a second that anyone had snuck into her rooms. But he also knew there was no way he could refuse such a request without looking like he was shirking his responsibilities to Ellery as her bodyguard.
“Sure. I’ll come and take a look around, but then I really must get back to my own quarters. I think I’ve had more than enough to drink for one night,” he said.
Ellery nodded her head.
“Okay, whatever you think,” she smiled.
They walked through the hallways and up the stairs. They weren’t touching, but Ellery was close enough to him that he could feel the heat coming off her skin as they walked, and he knew that if she so much as rubbed his arm now, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from taking her right there in the hallway. His cock was hard inside of his trousers and he hoped and prayed that it wasn’t obvious to Ellery. He was glad she had given him his jacket back once they went back inside and he pulled it closed, hiding his growing bulge.
They walked in silence now, a silence that felt heavy with promise, a silence dripping with desire. Max tried his best to ignore the feeling, to ignore his cock that was screaming for Ellery. It was almost impossible to do. It was like Ellery was a magnet, drawing him in and not letting him go.
They finally reached the door to Ellery’s quarters and Max turned to Ellery.
“You wait here. I’ll go in and check the coast is clear,” he said.
Ellery nodded and Max opened the door. He swept his eyes around her living room. No one lurked anywhere. He moved through the rooms, switching on lights. Her bathroom, her kitchen, and her little library room were all clear. There was only one room left to check. Ellery’s bedroom. Max felt strange about going in there, especially the way he was feeling right now, but he knew he had to. If there was anyone waiting to ambush Ellery here, that was where they would most likely be and he didn’t fancy trying to explain to Faust that he had searched the premises except for Ellery’s bedroom because it felt weird. Plus, he would never forgive himself if anything happened to Ellery because he didn’t do a thorough enough job.
Steeling himself, he pushed open the door and flicked on the light. His eyes were drawn to Ellery’s huge king bed, and for a second, he imagined the pair of them on the bed, writhing together, naked, their sweaty limbs entangled in each other. He blinked the image away and turned to leave the room. It was all clear. Ellery would be safe here tonight.
As Max turned, he came face to face with Ellery. She had ignored his instruction to wait outside of the rooms. And now she was almost close enough to touch. The feeling of lust in the air was back, and it was heavier than ever. Max cleared his throat and went to step forward, but Ellery smiled at him, freezing him on the spot for a second in her beauty.
“I thought you were never going to come in here,” she said, and then she reached behind herself and opened the zipper of her dress. She let it slide from her arms and down her body until it pooled at her ankles, leaving her standing in only her bra and panties.
Max gasped and swallowed audibly as he looked at Ellery, almost naked and completely beautiful. He made a tortured groaning sound as Ellery took a step toward him, and he knew then, job or no job, he couldn’t resist her any longer. He stepped forward, closing the gap between them, and their lips found each other’s, their hands moving all over each other’s bodies as they kissed hungrily.
Max’s hands moved over Ellery’s skin, caressing her, loving the silky softness of her. He ran his hands over her back and unhooked her bra. She pulled her arms away from him long enough for it to drop to the ground and then she began to push his jacket off his shoulders and pull his tie loose. They broke apart from their kiss so Ellery could pull the tie over his head and then they came back together, their lips locking, their tongues finding each other.
As Ellery began to work on Max’s shirt buttons, he brought his hands to the front of her body, caressing her breasts and massaging her nipples between his fingers. She moaned into his mouth as her nipples became hard points under his hands.
She moaned again as he moved his hands down her sides and over her hips, cupping her ass. She opened the last button of his shirt and pulled it off him, bringing his hands away from her body for a second. She ran her hands over his pecs, over his abs, and she moaned softly again and then he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against him.
Her hands moved lower, opening his trousers and pushing them down, his boxer shorts following close behind. She pushed them to his mid-thighs, and they fell further, gathering around his ankles as Ellery’s fist enclosed his erection.
She moved her fist up and down, sending sparks of pleasure flooding out through Max’s body. As she worked him, he pulled his mouth from hers, kissing down her chest and taking one of her breasts into his mouth. He sucked on her breast, flicking his tongue over her still hard nipple, and then he pushed one hand into her panties, stroking her clit with his fingers.
Ellery moaned, her hand still working him. He knew he had to stop her because he could feel his climax building up inside of himself and there was no way he was cutting this short. When he climaxed, he would be inside of Ellery’s warm, wet center.
He reached down and grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand away from his cock, wrapping her arm around his back. He kept working her clit as he released her breast from his mouth and moved to the other one. Ellery clung to him, her head going back as he brought her to an orgasm. He felt her clit pulsing beneath his fingers as she called his name, digging her nails into his back as her body went rigid against him.
The feel of Ellery’s orgasm against his fingers and the rush of warm liquid that ran from her as she screamed his name almost pushed Max over the edge and he bit down on
his tongue, concentrating on the stinging pain, holding himself back.
He pulled his fingers away from Ellery’s clit and grabbed her hips, moving her closer to her bed as they kissed again. Ellery wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pushing her mouth tighter against his as they moved. He reached the bed and turned, pushing Ellery gently onto her back on the mattress. She shuffled backwards, getting into place on the mattress. He paused, kicking off his shoes and socks and then stepping out of his trousers and boxer shorts.
Max clambered onto the bed, glancing down at Ellery’s spread legs, her glistening center. God, he wanted her. She reached for him, pulling him down on top of her, and they kissed again. Max kissed her deeply, wanting to consume her, wanting to taste her kiss forever. He reached down and grabbed his cock, lining it up with Ellery’s core, and then he pushed himself into her.
He pulled his lips back from hers, moaning in pleasure as he felt how tight she was around him. He filled her all of the way up, loving the way she gasped as he entered her. He began to move his hips, thrusting into Ellery, and she moved beneath him, thrusting along with him, pushing him inside of her deeper and deeper.
As Max moved inside of Ellery, he looked down into her eyes, and he felt something shift inside of him as their eyes locked. In that moment, Max knew this was more than just lust, more than just a one-night stand. He knew in that moment that he had found his one true mate, something he had never allowed himself to even dream could happen to him.
He kept moving inside of Ellery, knowing he would never be able to let her go after this, but knowing he had to. He intended to make this night a night they would never forget, because he couldn’t help but doubt himself, couldn’t help but think that Ellery wasn’t feeling this too. It couldn’t really be the start of the sacred bond, could it? Things like that just didn’t happen to normal guys like him.