Maybe I should start with the paper he’d given me, but reading it would open doors I might not want to enter.
I kept the paper gripped tightly in my hand. “You mentioned an anniversary. We don’t have an anniversary. It’s more of a countdown—three hundred sixty-five days and done.”
His smile caught me unaware and had a soothing effect I had not expected. He’d bought the rights to me, yet he had barely touched me. It wasn’t anything I’d expected from a man who’d had his tongue down my throat in the VIP area of a club and fingers pressed against my most private parts. Thinking about that kiss and all the rest had me pressing my thighs together. I was surprised by the pulsating ache between my legs. I definitely wanted more of that.
He leaned close. “Infidelity no doubt has informed you as to who I am.”
“They have.”
“There will at some point be a media frenzy. You and I met in a club, and we’ve secretly been seeing each other ever since. Today is the first time we’re allowing others to see us in public. From here on out, as far as anyone is concerned, we’re officially a couple. It’s our five-month anniversary.”
“I see,” I said, shifting in my seat and leaning back. “I suppose there needs to be some backstory.”
“I prefer to keep things as close to the truth as possible.”
I lifted the glass, and the fizz of bubbles tickled my lips. My body vibrated with the remembrance of his touch and the way my insides had combusted beneath the magic of his fingers. Within moments, he’d had me unglued. I both yearned for more of that and feared it, too.
He watched my every move, and his gaze lingered on my lips longer than it should have. I took a small sip and held let the flavor of the champagne coat my tongue before swallowing it down.
“I don’t know what to say.”
He squeezed my hand. “We’ll have time to discuss things later. For now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight. I have a car arranged to take us to your brother. How long do your visits generally last?”
“It depends,” I admitted. “Freddy can be wildly unpredictable. He’s not going to take well to meeting a stranger.”
“It’s not my intention to insert myself on your visit with your brother,” he explained. “I’m here because you and I are seeing each other, which means I support the things that are important to you. In this case, your visit.” He lifted a finger. “I only asked how long because I didn’t know if I should wait or otherwise occupy myself for most of the day. This is important to you, but I’m eager to begin.”
To begin…
My chest seized. What is he expecting? Do I have that little say in how our relationship progresses?
“About that,” I said, my voice wavering with my fear.
He pointed to the paper. “Perhaps you should read that first.”
I unfolded the paper.
My sweet Rowan,
Breathe…and relax. I intend to respect your boundaries and take this slow. You know my desires, and I know a hint of yours, but this weekend is not the time to pursue them.
This is my pledge. Until we discuss what happened in that club, what brought us together and what pulled you away, you may expect me to conduct myself as a gentleman. All I ask is to discuss the fears you have, so we might navigate through them. Be open to the possibility between us, but be honest in everything you do. When you give your submission, know I will treasure it as the priceless gift it is.
Yours truly,
Richard
The note was nothing like what I’d thought it would be. My expectations had been much harsher, more demanding, more authoritative, more domineering. He spoke as if we’d entered a partnership instead of a contracted relationship where he held all the cards. I’d thought he’d sweep in, impose his rules, and force me to comply to his authority. In a few words, he’d laid my worries to rest while emphasizing his expectations. I folded the paper back into its small square and tightly held it to my chest.
Tipping my chin down, I said, “Thank you. I appreciate this more than you know.”
The kettledrum that had become my heart settled into an easier rhythm. Richard intended to work with me. Truthfully, his words touched my heart in more ways than one. They endeared me to him. They helped me trust his motives. Most of all, he’d earned my respect.
Not knowing what the rules were regarding Infidelity pairings, I’d thought I’d given up all my rights. Richard had shown me this was not the case at all. We were in this together, and that gave me all the breathing room I needed to relax.
“I mean every word,” he said. “Now, our flight is just a couple of hours, so how about we get to know each other a little bit better?”
With a shrug, I settled into my seat, making myself comfortable. There was literally nowhere to run this time, but I had no intention of going anywhere. “What do you have in mind?”
“How about a game? I call it Truth and a Lie. I tell you two things—one true, the other a lie. You do the same. We guess which is true.”
“Okay.” Easy enough.
His large hand encapsulated mine. “There is only one rule.”
“Yes?”
“These will be the last lies we tell each other. When the game ends, there will be no more lies, no half-truths, and no omissions of the truth. We pledge to be open and honest in every way, man to woman, and Dom to sub.”
My heart skipped a beat, and in that pause, a hollowness filled my chest. This wasn’t about a silly game. It was my first test. Swallowing against the lump in my throat, I gave a slow nod.
“I promise to try very hard to always tell you the truth,” I said.
“That’s not exactly what I meant,” he replied with a quirk of his brow.
“Well, it’s impossible to always tell the truth,” I asserted. “So, I can’t promise because that would be a lie. But I’ll try very hard not to lie.”
“Now, that is probably the most honest thing anyone has ever said. I accept with one condition.”
“What condition?”
“If you lie after our game, you accept the consequence and submit to my authority.”
I shifted in my seat because he could only mean one thing by that comment.
“I intend to explore what began between us,” he said.
My throat closed in because this was anything but a game. “And if you lie to me?”
“I will never lie to you, and that is my word not only as a prince, but also as your Dom. Now, do you want to go first, or shall I?”
My lips twisted, but there was no way I would begin his game of questions and answers. “You go first.”
He kicked his ankle over his knee, affecting the perfect posture of ease. In contrast, I leaned forward and pressed my hands between my knees where I could wring my fingers together.
“Okay, two statements. One is the truth, and one is a lie.”
“And if I guess the truth?”
His lips twisted and bowed into a smile. I loved the way his eyes twinkled, like he was getting away with something.
“If you guess correctly, you get to kiss the back of my hand. I get to do the same. Guess wrong, and no kiss.”
“That’s it? A kiss to the back of your hand?”
He glanced down the aisle. “I thought that would be more appropriate for such a public place. If you’d rather, we can tally up the numbers and change the location of the kisses?” His left brow arched, but his gaze narrowed to my lap.
That sounded dangerous.
“Um, back of the hand, it is.” I waved for him to begin. “Lay it on me.”
“I was born a prince, and someday, I’ll be king.” He brushed off a speck of lint from his trousers and crossed his arms. The bulge of his biceps filled out the fabric of his oxford, and the shirt stretched across a powerful chest. He glanced down, letting me know he’d caught my stare and then flicked his gaze to my heated cheeks.
“Well, I already know you’re a prince and second in line, which means the other one is a lie.�
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“My brother, Edmund, is eight years older and will be king. Your turn,” he said.
“Okay…”
“Wait.” He offered his hand, turning it palm down.
I leaned down and brushed my lips against his skin. That fractional contact brought the taste of him flooding back to my senses. Dark, powerful, a little salty, he tasted decadent. I drew back with a sharp inhale, surprised by my reaction. He glanced at his knuckle and pressed it to his mouth.
“I have a metro card,” I said, “and I love riding the subway.”
He laughed at this and grabbed my hand. Holding a light grip, he pressed his lips to my knuckles. Unlike me, he lingered, eyes closed, while he took a deep inhale. The heat of his lips had my pulse pounding and heat building at my neck.
“There’s no way you enjoy riding the subway,” he said.
“Fair enough,” I said as he pulled away. Rubbing where his lips had touched, I was no longer certain this little game was such a good idea.
“My turn,” he said. “I remember the taste of you on my lips, and I want to taste you again.”
My brows pulled together with this one because I hadn’t been able to get the memory of his taste out of my head since that night at Club Infinity.
He arched a brow. “That one shouldn’t be so difficult.”
“I remember exactly how you taste. I can’t believe you don’t remember how I—”
He leaned over, turning my chin, and swept in for a kiss. The warmth of his lips brushed against mine, and his tongue pressed forward. “Mmm,” he said.
Soft and gentle, that kiss had been nothing like the rough and punishing kiss from the club, but the tenderness of his touch couldn’t have been more damaging. I leaned into him and parted my lips, letting our kiss deepen. It was with some surprise when he pulled away.
Glancing up and down the aisle, he gave a slight shake of his head. “Sadly, more of that must wait for a private place, but now, I remember what heaven tastes like.”
I ran my fingers over my lips, tracing the path of his tongue, needing more and terrified by the depth of that desire.
“Your turn,” he said.
“But I never answered…”
“Your turn,” he insisted.
“Okay.” I struggled to find something easy. “I’m the second born as well, and I have an intense fear of snakes.”
He pulled a face. “That’s random.”
“I felt you needed a challenge.”
“Well, I know you’re a twin, but that’s the extent of it. I have a fifty-fifty shot with that one. I’m going with an intense fear of snakes as the truth.”
He reached out to take my hand, but I pulled back from him.
“Freddy was born first.”
“So, snakes?”
“I wouldn’t say I loved them, but Freddy is fascinated by them. We shared a room together until he moved out, which means I had snakes for roommates.”
“I find that surprising. It’s kind of cool to be dating a girl who likes snakes.”
“I tolerate them, but I am an expert snake-handler.”
“This isn’t such a bad game, is it?” he said. “Think of all the things we can learn.”
“Well, it’s your turn.”
“I prefer cats to dogs, and when I was young, I had a pet bunny who was my best friend.”
“Hmm…now, I’m thinking, if I were British, I should know all the intimate details of your life. I prefer cats to dogs, but I’m thinking a little prince and his bunny is rather funny, so I’m going with the bunny as being true. Please tell me you like cats because I’ve been wanting one for years, and New York isn’t the best place for dogs.”
“I’m allergic to cats,” he said with an apologetic face. “I’m sorry, but we won’t be getting a cat.”
My heart did another of those thudding things because he spoke of our cohabitation as if it were a done deal. Yet again, I was reminded of exactly what I’d agreed to when signing with Infidelity.
He didn’t seem to notice my little hiccup because he continued on, “I’m definitely a dog lover. I grew up with wolfhounds as a kid, which was kind of funny, considering I carried a bunny with me almost everywhere when I was little.”
“The dogs never tried to eat the bunny?”
“No, they were actually really good friends,” he said with a chuckle.
“I take it, there’s no bunny in your life now?”
I loved the richness of his laughter. The warmth of it wrapped around my insecurities and soothed the rough edges. He put his entire being into his smile, and that made it easy to relax. Relax but not let down my guard. Richard intended to devour me—of that, I had no doubt. I hadn’t decided if I would allow it, but I felt he might take that choice from me. Odd, how that excited me even more.
“No bunny. No pets at all. My dogs are back home.”
Ah, right. Him living in England was going to be a problem.
“Maybe this was a mistake. I was pretty clear about needing to finish my degree. If you’re in England—”
He reached for my hand and rubbed the skin over my knuckles. “I have every intention for you to succeed in all your goals.”
“But—”
“I might be a Prince of England, but my presence in England is not required. That is for my mother, the Queen, and my brother, the Prince of Wales. I’m afforded great freedom in my comings and goings. I have a place in New York.”
“They mentioned a passport.”
“There will be times when I need you to travel with me but never at the expense of your studies. Trust me, I’m enjoying New York very much and even more now that you’ll be by my side.”
“Is that where I’ll be?”
“For now.”
“And later?”
“We’ll discuss what comes next.”
Chapter 16: Push
Richard
What came next were fantasies of Rowan on her knees, my cock sliding between her lips, and other more decadent things. Things that a Prince of England would never engage in because, if ever brought to light, those actions would generate a scandal, making that blow-job incident a tiny blip of indiscretion.
One day, I hoped she would choose to take to her knees. Her submission wasn’t something I would force, but I aspired to entering a realm where we willingly chose our roles.
“As I said, there’s much to discuss.” I shifted the topic of our conversation. “Before we begin, there’s a matter of nondisclosure.”
There was little we could discuss within the confines of the plane. The first-class cabin remained empty, except for us. This had much to do with my request and Infidelity’s help in orchestrating this first meeting.
I pulled my briefcase out and flicked open the latches. Infidelity had their contracts and nondisclosure agreements, but my lawyers had even tighter restrictions for Miss Rowan Cartwright.
“You’ve signed the NDA from Infidelity, but I require even more discretion. You must understand the delicate situation this places upon the Crown.”
She took the manila envelope and cradled it in her lap. “I’m not a stranger to such things, but I have a question.”
I gave an imperious sweep of my hand. “Of course.”
“What exactly do you expect this relationship to be?”
“In terms of…”
Her gaze flicked through the cabin. The flight attendant was absent, passing out refreshments in coach. Rowan and I were blissfully alone. This presented many opportunities. She looked uncertain.
I gripped her hand. “Are you asking about defining roles?”
Her nod informed me I was on track.
“I see us as a dominant man and a submissive woman interested in seeing where those character traits might take us.” I kissed the backs of her knuckles, needing her to know I valued her as a person. “You’re a smart woman with aspirations and desires for a better future. I respect and support your dreams. It’s my intent for us to become something uniquely us
, but at the end of our time, we’ll head separate ways. I’ll return to my duties, and you’ll pursue your career. This is a unique opportunity to explore our innermost desires. We do that with trust and with the utmost discretion.” I gestured to the papers in her lap. “It’s why we sign legal agreements. Because, no matter what our hearts want, the realities of life rule our actions. I need the protections granted by your signature, just as you need mine.”
“It’s one big game of pretend?” She gave a sigh.
I cupped her cheek and turned her to face me. “If that’s what you think, you’ve misread my intent.”
“How is that?”
“Expiration date or not, what develops between us will be real to me.”
“I don’t even know what this is.”
“It’s nothing more or less than you agreeing to be mine.”
Her glance down at the envelope told me she still wasn’t convinced. I looked down the aisle again. Our flight attendant’s attention was occupied with handing out drinks along with packets of nuts and salty pretzels.
“Maybe we should begin with why you ran off the night we met.”
Thoughts of exactly what we’d been about to do at Club Infinity filled my mind and hardened my cock. Rowan had an otherworldly ability, it seemed, to keep me in a constant state of arousal. If I didn’t seek some relief, I was going to climb the walls.
Her soft laugh caught me off guard. “It was this actually.”
“This?”
“I met you the day I signed with Infidelity. That contract felt like a death sentence, and I needed one night all to myself.”
“A death sentence?”
She flicked her hair over her shoulder and looked at me with those amazing, soul-sundering eyes. “Like the death of my soul. You said to be truthful. Desperation drove me to Infidelity. It came at a cost, and I regretted it the moment I signed, but there was no other option.”
“The cost of your soul?”
She squeezed her knees together and wrung her fingers, a tell of her nervousness. “At the time, that’s how it felt. Club Infinity was my way of blowing off steam. I wanted to forget what I’d done, if only for a night.”
The Fidelity World- Nondisclosure Page 9