The Prince’s GameA Mershano Empire Novel

by Lexi C. Foss

  “Tits is not my favorite word.” But the rest of his description left me feeling gooey inside, especially the part about my intellect and humor. That usually turned men off, not on.

  “Fantastic breasts, then.” He corrected. “With rosy nipples that melt in my mouth.”

  I shivered. “Melt?”

  “Yes.” He demonstrated through my dress, taking one nipple into his mouth and sucking hard. I arched into him, my fingers lacing through his thick hair. I wasn’t sure about my breasts, but my core was melting. That one touch soaked my panties right through.

  “They look rigid to me,” I told him when he latched on to the other breast. My dress was wet around the stiff peak. His hand went to my ass, gripping firmly as he sucked harder. “Jesus.”

  He bit my nipple, making me cry out. “Rigid maybe, but still melting, sweetheart.” He pulled my dress over my head and threw it, along with my strapless bra, on the ground. “And gorgeous.”

  His lips against my bare skin nearly toppled me to the floor. He was right. There was something to be said about delayed gratification. My skin was so sensitive from denying my desires over the last few weeks. I ached for him in places I didn’t know I could ache. The apex between my thighs throbbed, and my breasts felt heavy in his hands. He lapped at my nipples, shooting pleasure to every nerve ending.

  I hooked my thumbs in the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. He grinned up at me with those chocolate eyes before returning to my breasts, licking and nipping wherever he pleased. I ran my nails down his hard pecs to his rippled abs and followed the light dusting of hair to his belt buckle. “You brought a condom this time, right?”

  “No.” He suckled my breast, making me groan in pleasure and frustration, before clarifying. “I brought condoms—as in, plural.”

  “I was about to send you back to your room.”

  “Not a chance in hell.” He trailed kisses along my collarbone to my neck and up to my mouth. His tongue delved deep, exploring, and possessed me down to my toes. Each thrust was filled with an intent that left me breathless in his arms.

  “Foreplay is a fantastic pastime, but all these weeks of wanting you has driven me mad.” It was a growl against my lips. “I might be less than eloquent here, sweetheart.” His words were punctuated by a rip of lace, leaving me naked and exposed above him. I arched into his palm as it met my hot center. There were benefits to straddling a man in a chair, and easy access to my sweet spot was one of them.

  “You’re doing just fine,” I breathed, more than ready to escalate things between us. He plunged two fingers into me at once, eliciting a gasp from my throat. “Just fine,” I repeated as he sucked a nipple hard into his mouth.

  A fire burned deep within my lower abdomen. It ignited with our foreplay on the beach and burned throughout our date, waiting for this moment. A few passionate thrusts stroked the flames to a blaze that heated my veins. I loosened his belt and unbuttoned his pants. Lifting up onto my knees put my breasts level with his lips. He took full advantage, sucking a nipple into his mouth as I unzipped and pushed his pants down enough to free his member. He was without his boxer briefs tonight, no doubt knowing they wouldn’t be needed for long.

  “Condom?” I prompted on a pant as he worked me over with his hand and mouth. The hand cupping my ass went to the pocket of his jeans to pull out a wrapper. I took it from him and nearly fell when he switched breasts, dragging his teeth along the way. I gripped the back of the chair as he drove deep into me with those two clever fingers and twirled my tender nipple with his tongue. Fuck. His mouth was lethal.

  I caressed his cock with my free hand, while the other held the condom and helped me balance over his lap. His head fell back on a moan as I tightened my grip around his shaft and stroked him hard. Turnabout is fair play. I did it once more just to hear that sound again and ran my thumb over the head. It was drenched in pre-come, something that made me want to get on my knees and worship him with my mouth. I calmed my urge by licking the pad of my thumb. He looked up at me from under his lashes as I shuddered from his addictive taste. Smoky, salty, and all Evan.

  I released my death grip on the chair, ripped open the foil packet, and rolled it over his impressive member. It pulsed in my hand. I couldn’t wrap my fingers around his girth, but somehow he was going to fit inside of me. We’ll make this work.

  He pumped his fingers deep, leaving me panting against him, before removing his hand from between my legs. I felt bereft without him there, throbbing painfully with a need only he could satisfy. He wrapped a hand around my neck, pulling me down for a kiss that left no question as to what he wanted next. I wrapped my hand around his shaft and guided him to my entrance.

  “Slower,” he whispered when I flinched. Six months without sex left my lower half unaccustomed to a man of his girth. He more than filled me, stretching me to the point of discomfort. I paused, waiting for my body to adjust. He reached between us, pressing his thumb to my clit and massaging it in sensual circles that instantly rekindled the flame in my lower abdomen. I started to move, working him deeper.

  He moved forward so I could wrap my legs around him and take him all the way to the hilt. I buried my head in his neck as I acclimated. His cock was hot inside me and bigger than I anticipated, and I loved every thick inch of him. I lifted a little and pushed him back in, deep and hard.

  His body jolted beneath mine, a growl on his lips. “We’ll go at your pace this round, but I call next.”

  “Is that how we’re going to play?” I nipped his ear. “What if I want to call all the rounds?”

  “Not how this is going to work, sweetheart.” His abs tightened as he pulled back and thrust up hard into me. His thumb was still on my pleasure point, applying varying degrees of pressure. “We can go as gentle as you want, but then I’m taking you fast and hard.”

  I liked the sound of that. “Okay.”

  Using my legs around his waist, I found a rhythm that heightened the sensations building deep inside. He met my pace, thrusting into me and using his thumb to keep me on the edge of orgasm while he caught up. I grabbed his shoulders, intensifying the tempo as the fire burned hotter within me. His muscles were hard against mine, stroking my senses and spiraling me deeper into the well of desire.

  “Come for me, sweetheart.” He applied just the right amount of pressure with his thumb as he thrust deep into me. I exploded around him, warmth flooding my veins as my body shook from the force of it. His name came out on a scream torn from my throat. He buried his head against my shoulder and followed me into heaven with a deep groan. His orgasm was long, hard, and hot inside me.

  We came at the same time. That was new. From the way he clung to me, I wondered if it was new for him, too.

  I shuddered around him, shocked by the force of our shared pleasure. I’m so screwed. He kissed my neck, moving slowly up my throat to my lips. “Shower or bed, Sarah?”

  “I’m not tired.”

  His chuckle was hot against my lips. “I wasn’t talking about sleeping, sweetheart.” His cock, still hard, moved inside of me.

  “Oh.” Stamina was another one of those myths similar to the one about women having multiple orgasms. Evan proved the latter to be fact. I looked forward to a lesson on the other. Shower or bed? “Gentleman’s choice.”

  “Hmm, only one problem with that.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t plan to be a gentleman.” He stood with my legs still wrapped around his waist and kicked off his jeans. His tongue parted my lips, tangling with mine in a seductive dance that had my body clenching around his until my back hit the mattress. He pulled out of me slowly, dealing with the condom one-handed while kissing me soundly. His mouth left mine to start a path down to the juncture between my thighs.

  He wasted no time reacquainting himself with my most sensitive spot. His hand came down my stomach, holding my hips to the bed when I would have bucked against him, and he sucked my vulnerable flesh hard into his mouth. Pleasure erupted through my b
ody, mixing with pain as my body rushed to recover from the last orgasm. I cried out in confused bliss as he penetrated me with his tongue. My hands were in his hair, holding him to me and trying to pull him away at the same time. The assault was too much but felt amazing at the same time.

  I shook my head in wonder. “What are you doing to me?”

  “Properly fucking you.” A gush of wet heat flooded my thighs at the hot words spoken directly against my swollen nub. I squirmed beneath him, needing more and less of what he was doing. His palm against my belly was the only thing keeping me still.

  “Shouldn’t your cock be involved in the fucking part?” It came out breathy, almost like a plea. I felt empty without him, something that should have bothered me but didn’t. I wanted him too much to look into emotions right now.

  “Don’t worry, sweetheart.” Another deep lick. “My cock will be plenty involved.” His words vibrated my damp center, making me moan.

  Another orgasm was coming. I could feel it building in my belly, the embers burning hot and wild, awaiting release. Desire thickened my blood, sending my heart into overdrive. It pulsed all the way down to my clit, which had to be throbbing against his tongue. He pressed a kiss to my inner thigh and went to his knees to open another foil packet. He must have snagged the condoms from his jeans before dropping his pants to the floor. Talented man.

  He rolled the condom on slowly, stroking his member twice as he stared hotly at my exposed flesh. I widened my legs in an unspoken invitation to enter. I needed to feel him inside me again. We had a month left together. Might as well make the most of it.

  “You’re stunning, Sarah. Every time I see you, I can’t take my eyes off of you.” He lowered himself over me. “Let me know if this becomes too much.”

  “Right now it’s not enough.”

  His cock nudged my entrance. “I do love your mouth, Sarah.” He plunged into me, the sudden fullness forcing the air from my lungs. “And I love that sound.”

  I clung to his shoulders as he thrust hard and fast, just as he said he would. I couldn’t meet his pace. It overwhelmed my senses and coiled pleasure low in my abdomen. I wrapped my legs around his waist, granting him deeper access. He hit tender points I didn’t know existed, heightening the euphoria growing inside of me and taking me to new levels. I came undone at the seams, holding him tightly as he pushed me over the precipice into ecstasy. I cried out over and over until his lips covered mine.

  I was still shaking with aftershocks when his orgasm hit. My name fell from his tongue like an invocation as he shuddered from the impact. He kissed me long and hard, stealing the breath from my lungs. We were both panting when he released me, his lips trailing kisses along my jaw.

  “Wow.” Someone had to say it. As it was the foremost thought in my head, I thought it should be me.

  “Mmm.” He nuzzled my throat. “I’m not done with you yet, but I need at least thirty minutes to recover and some water.”

  “There’s water in the shower.” Not that I was anywhere near ready for his brand of ungentlemanly behavior again yet.

  “Yes, plenty of water in the shower.” He pulled out slowly, making me flinch. Walking is going to suck tomorrow. He ran his hands down to my hips and caressed my thighs. “Hot water is also good for sore muscles.”

  “Yeah, about that . . . I might need slow and steady for our next pace.”

  He grinned. “I can do that.”

  24

  No Terms, No Promises

  Hot lips against my neck stirred me from a dream that melted into reality as Evan’s insistent erection pressed into my backside. I moaned against him and allowed him to roll me onto my back. His leg slid between mine, hot against my bare skin, as his groin met my hip.

  Well, good morning to you, too. My tongue danced lazily with his as my hands explored his muscular back. His body was one I could explore for months on end and never grow bored. My deep-seated attraction concerned and thrilled me. He gave me pleasure I never knew existed and opened my eyes to a whole new world of emotion.

  Sex with Evan was better than I anticipated. He didn’t demand control, didn’t finish before I could get halfway there, and he didn’t ignore my body’s cues. His attentive strokes and knowing licks were those of a lover who knew his partner. He treated me as an equal in bed and wasn’t satisfied unless we were both pleased. I loved it and hated it. How could any other man compete with that?

  He eased up onto his elbows, his eyes intent on mine as we both caught our breath. The man knew how to deliver a good-morning kiss; that was for damn sure. “Mmm, I wish we could do this all day.”

  “We could,” I murmured. “Let the show catch us and cause a big scandal and then send everyone home. Paul would love it.” I was only half joking.

  His lips brushed my ear. “Only one problem with that, sweetheart.”

  “Yeah?” I swallowed as he placed an open-mouthed kiss against my neck. “And what’s that?”

  “I care too much about you to risk your integrity like that.” He nibbled my earlobe, making me shiver. “I could never hurt you in that way, Sarah.”

  “I don’t know how to interpret that.” Things between us were too complicated for a label. There was no term for a man dating and kissing other women as a charade while secretly fucking one of them behind closed doors. He wasn’t cheating because we weren’t dating, but last night took our relationship to a new level with unknown consequences and feelings.

  “The show complicates things.” His lips were on my throat, kissing a path to my collarbone. “I’m not one for relationships, but I’m tempted with you. I like you more than I should.” He moved lower, taking the sheet with him to reveal my breasts. “I’m nowhere near done seeing where this goes. No terms. No promises. Can you handle that, Sarah?”

  “How far does it go on camera?” I hadn’t seen him do anything beyond kissing, but I usually looked away before it could go any further. “With the other girls, I mean.”

  He pulled my nipple into his mouth, tugging almost painfully. I shivered beneath him, my fingers winding in his hair on instinct. We were talking about him making out with other women, and I was still melting for him. Seriously fucked up.

  “Kissing with light petting is as far as I’ve let it go, but the only one I want to kiss is you, Sarah. There’s a difference between the two.”

  Maybe, but his kissing other women made me ill regardless of his intent or desire to do so. “Will the show demand more over the next few weeks?”

  “Yes, but I reserve the right to refuse.” He rested his chin between my breasts and stared up at me. “Do you want me to refuse them, Sarah? To be exclusive to you?”

  “That would qualify as a term, and your fulfilling it would be a promise.”

  “True, but can you admit that you want me to be exclusive?”

  “I shouldn’t have to, Evan. You already know I do.”

  His dimples made a brief appearance. “You’ve never acknowledged it out loud.”

  “Because it’s futile when you’re dating all these other women. To request it is unfair, even if it’s what I want.”

  He studied me, those dark eyes intelligent and perceptive. “I have no desire to bed anyone from the show other than you. There will be a time when Paul will want me to at the very least pretend to take one or two of you to bed, and I will do it only to appease him and make this look real, but you have my word that you will be the only woman I truly take to bed. I might kiss them and fondle them as directed, but it holds no enticement over me. Not compared to you.”

  “That sounded suspiciously like a promise, Evan.”

  “Yes, but carefully worded as truth instead.” His grin was short-lived. “I know this is complicated, and all I can give you are my words, Sarah. You know where I stand on marriage and why, so I can’t promise you forever, but I can give you all of me now for as long as you’ll have me.”

  “How did this become such a serious conversation?” We were doing so well last night, enjoying the m
oment and forgetting all about the show and our inevitable end. “I want to hide under the bed.”

  He bit my nipple, making me yelp. “I want an answer, Miss Summers.”

  “You didn’t ask me a question, Mister Mershano.”

  “It was implied.” Another nibble followed by an open-mouthed kiss on my breast that made my toes curl. “Can you handle this or not?”

  “I wouldn’t have slept with you last night if I couldn’t handle it.” His talented tongue was making me breathy.

  “Still not a definitive answer.” He peppered kisses up my neck and settled his lower half between my legs. I was caged in by his biceps, his forearms resting on either side of my head. “Can we continue down this path, or do you need me to pull back? Tell me, Sarah.”

  “For someone who isn’t into relationships, you sure ask a lot of questions.”

  “And for someone who craves fidelity, you sure do know how to dance around the answers.” He tugged my lower lip between his teeth and let it snap back. “Communication is the key to all relationships, whether they be business, personal, or otherwise. It’s the foundation of trust, Miss Summers, and I require that and honesty between us. Talk to me.”

  “I prefer us not talking.” That was an honest answer that earned me an arched eyebrow in response. “Fine. I want to continue exploring things between us, and I’m not crazy about the potential for you to sleep with the other women on the show. Is that what you want me to admit? Statements that should be common sense?”

  “Yes, because although obvious to you, they are not entirely clear to me. Whether you realize it or not, you hide your emotions quite well behind that wall of sarcasm.”

  “It’s the only way I can protect myself.”

  “Because you assume I’ll hurt you?”

  “There’s no assumption about it.” It was fact. Seeing him with Amber and the others made me sick. Charade or not, seeing the man I was falling for flirt openly with women and kiss them didn’t yield happy results.