* * * *
Tristan gasped when the car stopped in front of a tiny diner along a deserted stretch of road. He also wouldn’t be far off the mark if he claimed the place looked old. The guards opened the doors on both side of the car, so he and Leonardo could get out. He beamed when Leonardo grabbed his hand before leading him into the diner. He was astounded when the old couple inside the restaurant greeted Leonardo with hugs and kisses on the cheeks. He gave an awkward smile to the couple when Leonardo gestured at him.
“Tony, Marsha, may I introduce you to Tristan Calliwell?”
“Hello—”
His greeting died in his throat when Tony and Marsha dragged him into their arms and proceeded to embrace him.
“It’s wonderful to meet you,” Tony said after releasing him while Marsha still had one arm around his waist. “Welcome to our humble diner.”
“Thank you, Tony, Marsha. I’m delighted to be here.”
After that, Marsha led him and Leonardo toward one of the tables next to the window while Tony simply told them he would return to the kitchen to get the food ready. Once he and Leonardo were seated, Marsha excused herself to assist her husband in the kitchen. He noticed the diner was empty, except for all the guards.
It still felt a bit strange to have so many guards protecting him while he was about to have dinner. The charity event didn’t count since there were many other people in the building. He could sort of ignore the guards’ presence back then. This empty diner wasn’t the same at all. He figured it might be due to the fact that he had never been surrounded by them in public. After all, he was inside the palace most of the time.
When he visited Thomas and Jacob in the past, his relationship with Leonardo was still under wraps, so he could move about at ease. He had a strong feeling that was going to change. He was certain Thomas and Jacob would have a lot of questions for him. They were already bombarding him with multiple text messages in a day ever since news of his relationship with Leonardo became public knowledge. They would be worse when they met him face-to-face.
“Don’t be fooled by what you see, babe. Most of the customers prefer to have their food delivered to them because the diner is too small. Also, I hope it’s all right for me to order in advance for us, but if you want something else, feel free to ask for it.”
“No, it’s fine. Anyway, the food must be delicious.”
“It’s phenomenal. Tony and Marsha used to work as chefs inside the palace.”
“Oh!”
Leonardo chuckled. “They retired about six years ago because they wanted to be closer to their grandchildren. Working in the palace may not be a good fit for everyone. Most people only have certain days off in a month. I don’t blame them for wanting to exit the palace. They miss their grandchildren very much. My parents gave them plenty of money as their retirement fund, though. Tony and Marsha could have enjoyed their golden years in peace, being surrounded by their grandchildren, but they told me they missed the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. Hence, they opened this small diner.”
“Do you come here often?”
“As often as I can make it. Elaine…shit! I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought her up on our date.”
Tristan shook his head. “She’s a part of your past. I don’t mind.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
Leonardo appeared to hesitate for a few seconds before speaking up. “Elaine has never been here. She prefers more upscale places. I once asked her if she wanted to accompany me, but she refused. Don’t misunderstand, though. She’s not all bad. She has her flaws and strengths just like everyone else.”
“I get it.”
Leonardo nodded. “Anyway, you used to work at a diner yourself. What was it like?”
“My employers were kind and fair. The diner is much larger than this one. It’s always crowded. It’s opened daily for breakfast from six o’clock onward until closing time at two in the morning.”
Leonardo seemed astonished. “You worked in shifts then?”
“Yeah. I prefer the breakfast shift or the one that leads all the way to closing hour. The patrons are much quieter.”
Leonardo snickered. “I bet. Most people are too tired to speak much in the morning.”
“Yeah, and they’re usually exhausted late at night after a full day of activities. Lunch shift is the worst. Not that the patrons are nasty. Most of them are nice, but you’ll have a few who are rather difficult to handle.”
Tristan continued to inform Leonardo about some of his experiences when he worked at the diner. Even when the food and drinks were placed on the table, the flow of conversation between him and Leonardo didn’t stop. He had to agree with Leonardo’s assessment of the quality of the food, though. It was phenomenal.
“The food is incredible, right?” Leonardo asked with a teasing wink when Tristan groaned in amazement for the sixth time in a row.
Tristan grinned at Leonardo. “Yeah. I never knew a simple burger could taste like this. Holy crap!”
Leonardo chuckled at him. “Five-star quality?”
“I’d give the food a thousand stars if I could.”
Leonardo snorted. “I’m glad you seem to enjoy everything.”
“Absolutely.”
“Wait until Tony or Marsha brings out the chocolate cake.”
His eyes widened. “It tastes even better?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Damn.”
When dinner ended, he and Leonardo spent a little time chatting with Tony and Marsha. He liked the old couple, and he wished he and Leonardo could have stayed longer. However, he was aware that it wasn’t possible. He had the twins to take care of early tomorrow morning while Leonardo would be busy with his multiple appointments. He and Leonardo bade farewell to Tony and Marsha before leaving the diner. It was one of the best dates he ever had, and he hoped to return someday soon.
Not that he wouldn’t enjoy visiting other places with Leonardo. He would be more than satisfied no matter where they were as long as they were together. He was relieved everything went smoothly during the date. There were no unexpected surprises to ruin it, and he was thankful. What made the date even better was the journey back to the palace. Leonardo held on to his hand for the entire drive back. It was the perfect ending for the evening to a wonderful date, and he couldn’t wait for the next one.
Chapter 13
Leonardo was anxious. His hands trembled a little as he checked on the table in the dining room located in his wing of the palace. It wasn’t his first dinner with Tristan. It certainly wasn’t his first date with Tristan, but he had a lot at stake tonight. He wanted it to be romantic and memorable. Unfortunately, contrary to all the adorable stories about charming princes and beautiful princesses in the books most people seemed to be enamored with, a real-life prince like him was very far from the cookie-cutter image of what a fairy tale prince was supposed to be.
His palms were sweaty. He didn’t think he knew the right words to say to Tristan to impress his lover. He had to stop himself multiple times from sniffing at his armpits and his breath to make sure everything was fresh and nothing smelled horrible. Fairy tales were stupid, make-believe stories. Nothing was easy about love. He was feeling like a wreck on the verge of a nervous breakdown as he tried to remember if he missed anything important.
“Come on, Leo,” he muttered to himself. “You and Tristan have been together for almost six months now. You love him. He loves you. Everything is going to be just fine.”
He had a tough time believing his own pep talk, though. He wanted the surprise dinner to go off without a hitch, but he was terrified something would go wrong at the last minute. He was so lost in his own fear that he almost missed Tristan making his way into the dining room.
“Leo, is everything okay?”
He jumped a little in surprise before rushing toward Tristan and tugging his lover toward the dining table. He pulled the chair out and pushed it back in at the right moment, so Tristan co
uld be comfortably seated on it. He grabbed the bouquet of purple roses from his seat and handed it to Tristan, who beamed at him before thanking him. Then he approached the center of the table. He let out a short, hollow chuckle of embarrassment as he tried to light the candles with the lighter, but he failed the first two times. His hand was too unsteady. Fortunately, he succeeded on the third attempt.
“How…how do you like the flowers?” he asked after returning to his seat.
“They’re beautiful. I love them. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, babe.”
“What’s the occasion?”
He blushed, but he was proud he managed to remain calm. “It’s our six-month anniversary. I thought the flowers would make a nice gesture.”
“Oh, I…thank you. I appreciate them.”
“You’re welcome,” he responded automatically. “Again.”
The two of them laughed. It helped him regain control of his emotions. As the servers brought the food out, he glanced across the table at Tristan. He still found it hard to believe sometimes that someone as gorgeous as Tristan was willing to be with him. He might be a prince, but he was also a man who had two kids from a previous failed marriage and some other emotional baggage. Most people would have run away.
Leonardo didn’t speak much throughout dinner, but they didn’t spend the entire meal eating in silence. They chatted just enough that dinner didn’t turn into an awkward situation. Most of their conversation revolved around Jacqueline and Alexander, and how they fared in school now that it was back in session. However, as the meal drew to a close, he grew apprehensive once again. He actually had another purpose to the meal, and he couldn’t be certain of Tristan’s reaction. He couldn’t stand the suspense for much longer, though. Once the servers cleared the table, he was aware he only had a few minutes to carry out his plan. He grabbed the folder he hid behind his back on the chair and passed it over to the Tristan.
“What’s this? Another gift?”
Tristan winked at him, but he was too anxious about his lover’s reaction to enjoy the light teasing.
“Babe, I know you’ve been worrying about your status, especially after you read all the things about us online and in the media. Some people are supportive of us, though. They actually like the idea of the two of us being together.”
Tristan blushed. “True. I know that, but—”
Leonardo raised up one hand to interrupt Tristan’s response. “Just read the first page in that folder. It contains the summary of all the details you can read at leisure some other time. Isaac and I have been working on gathering all the information as fast as we can, but it takes us a while to complete everything.”
Tristan nodded. He watched as Tristan opened the folder and began to read the first page in it. He knew the content because he was the one who summarized everything. Now, he had to wait for Tristan to absorb all the information. He wasn’t surprised when Tristan stared at him in shock.
“Is this…is this true?” Tristan asked while pointing at the first page of the various documents inside the folder.
“Yeah.” He smiled at Tristan, but it faded away when he noticed his lover didn’t seem delighted at all. “Babe, I’m sorry. I thought you’d be over the moon after knowing about your family.”
“I am, but I’m also very astounded by everything.”
“Oh, I see. Well, can I tell you something?”
“Of course.”
“I spoke to your mother.” It was obvious to him Tristan was stunned upon hearing that, but he was relieved his lover wasn’t furious at him. “I wasn’t trying to be nosy. I needed her to confirm everything before I gave that folder to you. I didn’t want to raise your hopes up just in case she’s not the one who gave birth to you or she doesn’t want to…I mean…”
Tristan shrugged. “You can say it, Leo.”
“Well, just in case she doesn’t want to acknowledge you.”
“What did she tell you?”
Leonardo attempted to gauge how Tristan felt at the moment, but he couldn’t be certain. Tristan’s expression was flat. “She wants to meet you, but only if you agree to it.”
“I…I need to think about it.”
“Absolutely. Just take your time.”
No other word was exchanged between the two of them. Dessert was consumed in relative silence. It wasn’t tense, but it wasn’t light-hearted either. Leonardo was relieved when the meal eventually came to an end.
“Leo.”
“Yeah, babe?”
“Will you…will you make love to me?”
“What? Babe, I’ll always want to make love to you, but you’re not in the right frame of mind at the moment. I—”
“Please. I want to forget about everything else. Help me to do that.”
A part of Leonardo was reluctant, but everything else was more than eager to get a move on. His dick was certainly up and ready.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He got up from his chair and walked toward Tristan. He reached out for his lover and smiled before leading Tristan toward his bedroom. He was determined to give Tristan whatever he needed. Not that it was a hardship to him. He would derive just as much pleasure from Tristan. However, he was going to make sure Tristan had one of the best nights of his life, and that was a promise he intended to keep.
* * * *
Tristan lay down on the bed as Leonardo hovered over him. They were both naked. He was feeling vulnerable in more ways than one. He could have requested for Leonardo to hug him as he drifted off into dreamland, but he had a strong feeling it wouldn’t be enough. He had too many things on his mind. He was certain he needed a powerful distraction to allow him ample time to calm down, and the only thing he could think of was for Leonardo to make love to him.
He inhaled and exhaled in a slow rhythmic pattern as Leonardo pressed gentle kisses onto his forehead, over his eyes, and all the way down to his lips. He ran his fingers down Leonardo’s muscled back as his lover proceeded to lick his way down his neck before biting and lapping at his erect nipples one right after the other. He whined when Leonardo licked his way up to the sensitive spot right underneath his underarm on the right side. His dick strained harder, so he arched his hips up in an effort to rub himself against Leonardo’s body, but his lover moved up higher.
“Patience, baby.”
He huffed out his breath and nodded. He tried to lie still on the bed as Leonardo scooted down lower, bypassing his cock and balls and giving tender nips and bites all over his inner thighs. He held his breath in anticipation as Leonardo licked closer toward his ass. He wasn’t disappointed. He moaned in relief when he felt Leonardo’s tongue lapping on his hole. It was such an incredible sensation that he attempted to push his ass right against Leonardo’s lips, but his lover stopped him from doing so.
“Leo, please,” he cried out as he gripped tighter onto Leonardo’s hair.
Leonardo glanced up and smirked at him. “Tell me what you want, babe.”
“I…I don’t know. Everything. Just…just do something.”
Leonardo chortled softly. “I am. You have to be more specific.”
“Lick my balls.”
“Just your balls?”
“And suck my dick.”
“Will you feed me your cum?”
He glared at Leonardo in annoyance. “Yes. Anything you want.”
Leonardo chuckled. “Your wish is my command, babe.”
Tristan wanted to snort in response at the cheesiness of Leonardo’s declaration, but it turned into a startled groan when his lover started to lick and play with his balls like a starving man suckling on a lollipop. The feeling was so intense that Leonardo had to hold him down onto the bed. Otherwise, he would be bucking up and down like a wild horse.
“Suck…suck me dry.”
Leonardo stopped and climbed up over him. “You need to provide a clearer instruction, babe.”
He wrapped his thighs around Leonardo and did his best to
drag his lover down onto him, but the man refused to budge.
“Give it up and save your strength. I have more muscles than you, babe. I’m not going to move until you tell me exactly what I want to hear coming out from your beautiful lips.”
He gritted his teeth and obliged. “I want you to suck my fucking cock. Then I want you to fuck my ass and mark me with your cum.”
Leonardo’s breath hitched for a moment before responding to him. “I will do as you ask.”
For the next few minutes, Tristan couldn’t stop whimpering in relief as Leonardo swallowed his dick all the way down to the base. It was as if Leonardo was trying to suck out all the cum out from his balls. His cock was enveloped in the moistest, tightest mouth ever. Not that he had any basis for comparison. Leonardo was the only man he had ever been sexually intimate with, but he had no interest in anyone else. He grabbed the bedsheet on both sides of his legs and clenched his fists tightly as he felt his control slipping away. He wanted to hold back for a little bit longer, but it was a losing battle. One hard suction on his dick from Leonardo, and he lost it. He screamed out loud as he climaxed deep inside Leonardo’s mouth.
He had no idea how long he drifted in and out from the incredible afterglow. The next time he regained his full consciousness, Leonardo was kissing him. He could taste his cum inside Leonardo’s mouth as their lips and tongues licked against each other. His orgasm helped him to relax, though. Leonardo was able to thrust most of his cock straight into his ass in one smooth stroke. However, it was impossible for him not to feel any pain. He might not be an experienced man sex-wise, but Leonardo’s dick was much larger in size in comparison to most men. He choked and scrambled not to panic as Leonardo kept pushing into him. The penetration hurt like hell, but he knew it would be temporary.
“Shit…”
“Don’t squeeze your ass, babe. Try to inhale deeper and let me in.”
He nodded and did as Leonardo instructed. It took him a while to succeed, so he heaved out a sigh of joy when he felt Leonardo’s thick pubic hair rubbing against his ass. He was certain Leonardo’s cock was all the way inside him. He grinned at Leonardo, who returned the gesture, before they embraced and kissed each other. He was so engrossed in their passionate kisses that he had no idea when Leonardo started moving in and out. He could feel every inch of Leonardo’s thick and generous cock. It was warm, and it filled him up. He couldn’t stop the groan that rumbled from deep within his throat when Leonardo managed to hit the perfect spot inside him.
His Fairy Tale Ending Page 10