A Royal Disaster

by Jennifer Bonds

  “And you actually think that’s a good thing?” she said.

  Liam’s face hardened almost imperceptibly, the corners of his mouth going taut. She might not have noticed if they hadn’t spent so much time together, but she was starting to learn his tells. Oh, they were far more subtle than most, thanks to years of living in the spotlight, but he had them.

  “I apologize if I’ve overstepped. I’ll see myself out.”

  His words were stiff and formal and they gutted Lena, because she knew instantly that she’d hurt him, though it hadn’t been her intent. It occurred to her that while she was saddled with the kind of bad luck baggage that made her question everything, Liam wasn’t exactly free himself. The burden of his crown would be a strain not only on him but also the people in his life. On anyone who dared enter a relationship with him.

  Hadn’t she experienced it herself, albeit unwittingly?

  Ay bendito. He’d told her that his court was full of sycophantic backstabbers, and the one time he let himself be vulnerable, she turned it into a joke. Really, it was par for the course where she was concerned, because of course she’d fuck it up.

  But she could still fix it.

  Probably.

  Liam gave a curt nod and turned to go.

  “No,” she said, her voice wavering, despite the determination that swirled in her belly. “Don’t you dare do that.”

  Liam paused, his brows knit together in confusion. “Do what?”

  His words were cautious, but they gave Lena hope. “Don’t you dare apologize for kissing me.” She took a step toward him and he turned, once again meeting her eyes. His expression was guarded, but his eyes shone with that icy light she knew burned as hot as any flame. “Don’t ever apologize for kissing me.”

  This time, it was Liam who took a step forward, and it was all the encouragement Lena needed. Fuck her bad luck and the paps and every other shitty thing in her life. Liam was here and now and he wanted her. She wanted him, too, and she wasn’t going to deny herself this moment of happiness—no matter how fleeting.

  She launched herself at him, rising up on her toes to capture his mouth with hers. They connected in a tangle of arms and legs and lips, and the core of her being vibrated with anticipation at what was to come. She opened herself to Liam, savoring his cool peppermint breath as his tongue slid along hers, probing and thrusting with reckless abandon. His hands were tangled in her hair, and the pencil securing her updo clattered to the floor and rolled out of sight even as she splayed her fingers over his abs, cursing the EVA T-shirt that hid them.

  “We should go,” Liam panted between kisses, “to your office.”

  Lena started to argue and then thought better of it. She’d always wanted to do it on her desk.

  She nodded in agreement as Liam kissed his way down her neck, making her thighs quiver with need. Then he was grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the office, as if he couldn’t get her behind closed doors fast enough. She kicked the door shut behind her and when Liam turned to face her again, cupping her chin in his hand as he lowered his mouth to hers for a gentle kiss, she lost all sense of propriety.

  She needed this man inside her—now.

  Lena pushed him up against the back wall, ignoring the rattle of pottery as they crashed into the shelves. Then she grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling the soft cotton over his head as she lowered her mouth to his nipple, rolling it between her teeth. He let out a tortured groan and threw his head back, letting it rest against a shelf of clay banks.

  “Fuuuuck. Don’t stop, love.”

  Emboldened, Lena pressed her body to his, savoring the feel of his cock against her belly. He was long and thick and she wanted nothing more than to take him in her mouth and show him that not everyone wanted something from him.

  Some people enjoyed giving.

  She slid a hand between their bodies, letting her nails rake over the hard muscles of his abdomen—which were every bit as sinful as she’d imagined—before she made quick work of his belt. Next came his zipper, which she dragged down slowly, relishing the way the sound reverberated through the quiet space, the promise of pleasure imminent.

  Liam’s pants dropped to the floor, pooling unceremoniously around his ankles. Mouth watering, she took his cock in her hand, stroking the length of him through the soft, luxurious material of his boxers. Liam sucked in a breath that sounded a hell of a lot like approval, and Lena slipped her hand into his shorts, wrapping her fingers around his thick shaft.

  Thunk!

  Liam cursed a blue streak that would’ve made her Irish father blush, and Lena leaped back just in time to avoid getting clobbered by the clay bank that had fallen on his head. The bank hit the floor, shattering into a bazillion tiny pieces. Horrified, she slapped a hand over her mouth, gaze fixed on the top shelf where Jinx stood, eyes narrowed, flicking his tail in distaste.

  “Ay Dios mío. I’m so sorry.”

  “Did your cat just try to brain me?” Liam asked, rubbing his forehead where a red lump was quickly forming.

  “Um, yes,” Lena admitted before turning to scold Jinx. When she was through, she offered Liam an apologetic smile. “I swear he’s never done anything like that before.”

  Not the bodily injury part, anyway.

  “Not one word of this to Jack and Ethan.” He glared at Jinx, who leaped regally from the shelf to the desk as if his actions were beyond reproach. “Christ. They’d never let me live it down.”

  She could relate. It would be a long time before she forgave Jinx.

  Lena scooped up the cat, opened the office door, and evicted the little cockblocker. Her heart sank when she noticed Liam had regained his pants, which hung low on his hips, the button undone. “Why don’t you sit down and let me take a look at that?” she said, gesturing to his head.

  First aid trumped sex every day of the week.

  “It’ll be fine,” he said, touching the lump gingerly. “Just smarts a bit.”

  Ignoring his protest, she pulled out the old leather desk chair and waited. After a beat, he lowered himself gracefully onto the rolling death trap and Lena leaned in close to check the damage, doing her best to ignore his heated stare and focus on the swelling lump on his head.

  The cut didn’t look too bad, but explaining the goose egg on his head was going to be another matter entirely.

  She could only imagine what the press would say.

  “Give me just a sec,” she said, glancing around. “I’m pretty sure we’ve got a first aid kit around here somewhere.”

  “Forget about the first aid kit,” Liam said, slipping an arm around her waist and pulling her down onto his lap so that she was straddling him, her thighs spread wide. “I’d much rather get back to the business at hand.”

  “And what business would that be?” Lena asked, arching a brow and praying he couldn’t hear her heart slamming against her rib cage.

  “Pleasure.”

  …

  Liam shifted Elena’s hips, sliding her closer so that their bodies were flush. He wanted her to feel his growing erection, because despite Jinx’s best efforts, he still wanted her just as desperately as he had five minutes ago. Hell, maybe the cat had done them a favor. They’d been going at each other in a blind frenzy, but now that he had his wits about him, he was determined to take it slow.

  To give Elena every bit of pleasure he could lavish on her body.

  She certainly deserved it. He’d had nearly two weeks to think about how he’d worship her body, and now that the time had finally come, he wouldn’t rush it. He would explore every curve, taste every inch, and bury himself so deep in her hot, wet pussy that she’d forget her own name, the stupid curse, and all the other bullshit he’d brought into her life.

  She just had to say the word.

  “Elena.” Her name was a low, raspy plea, as if it had been dragged up from the depth
s of his soul. She stared at him, utterly still, her body laced with tension. “I’ve been fantasizing about this since the moment we met,” he admitted, squeezing her hips and kneading the tender flesh with his thumbs. Her hips rocked in response, gliding up the length of his cock and creating a tortuous friction that ripped a groan from his throat. “I’ve dreamed of fucking you on this desk so many times I lost count, but you have to want it, too.” He paused. “Do you want it?”

  “Yes.”

  The whispered reply wasn’t nearly good enough. She had to be sure, had to want it as badly as he did because once they did this, there would be no turning back. “Say it, Elena. Tell me exactly what it is you want.”

  Her nostrils flared. She tossed her dark hair over her shoulders and planted her hands on his chest. “I want you to fuck me, Liam. I’ve wanted it since the moment you first trespassed on my property, and I’m tired of fighting it.” She rolled her hips deliberately, and this time he could see the certainty flash in her eyes. “I want your lips, your hands, your cock. I need to feel every inch of you inside me.”

  It was the sexiest damn consent he’d ever heard, and he could no more deny her request than he could deny the desire that pulsed through his body.

  She leaned forward, as if to kiss him, and took his lower lip between her teeth, biting down gently before releasing it. “And unlike that bank over there,” she said, nodding toward the mess on the floor, “I’m not going to break.”

  Bloody fucking hell.

  He hadn’t pegged Elena for a dirty talker. His dick grew painfully hard at her words, and it was all he could do not to throw her down on the desk and bury himself between her thighs.

  “You, Elena Murphy, are full of surprises,” he said, drawing a steadying breath. “The very best kind.”

  In reply, she leaned forward and kissed him, her tongue invading his mouth as she ran her fingers over his jawline. When she tilted her head to get a better angle, deepening the kiss, he skimmed his hands up her torso and alongside her breasts. They were full and heavy and he splayed his fingers, letting his thumbs brush lightly across her hardened nipples. Then he slid his hands back down and grabbed the hem of her T-shirt, quickly yanking it up and over her head to reveal a sheer lace bra that did nothing to hide the rosy peaks below.

  He unhooked the bra and tossed it to the floor as he took her right nipple in his mouth, lavishing it with his tongue as he explored her breasts with his hands, memorizing every silky inch of her. Elena arched her back and sighed, encouraging him to continue his exploration even as she tangled her fingers in his hair. Her skin was as soft and creamy as he’d imagined, and the scent of lavender clung to her like morning dew. He licked and sucked and nipped his way from her right breast to the left, unable to satisfy his hunger.

  When he took the trail of kisses north, devouring the flesh of her shoulder and neck, he discovered a ticklish spot behind her left ear. Elena squealed and quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. He hated to break it to her, but she could scream as loud as she wanted. Jack and Ethan had most certainly guessed what they were up to and likely didn’t give a damn.

  Gripping Elena’s hips, he lifted her from his lap and onto the edge of the desk. It was hard to believe such a tiny body could contain such a large personality, but it was one of the things he liked best about her, and not just because he’d discovered she liked to talk dirty during sex.

  When he reached for the waistband of her leggings, Elena lifted her ass so he could pull them down over her thighs. He took her underwear too, leaving her completely naked and vulnerable before him.

  “This seems a bit unfair,” she said, eying his pants. “Off with them.”

  “All in due time,” he promised, spreading her thighs and taking her left foot in his hands. He massaged the arch of her foot, earning a soft moan of satisfaction as he worked his way up her leg, stopping just short of her sex. Then he switched to the other leg, peppering kisses along the inside of her thigh as he kneaded his way north.

  Elena wriggled on the desk, biting her lower lip. He hadn’t even touched her pussy, but she was already wet, her folds slick under the bright lights of the office. Enough fucking around. He needed to touch her, taste her, please her. He hooked her knees over his shoulders, and her thighs trembled, but she watched as he dipped his head and gave one long, torturous lick up her center.

  She made a sound halfway between a moan and a hum and it reverberated through his body like a shot. He was so goddamn hard it was all he could do not to stroke himself.

  But this was about Elena’s pleasure, so he dipped his head again, this time gently circling her clit with his tongue. She arched her back, giving him better access, and he increased the pressure, brushing kisses on her most intimate parts and working her with his tongue. Her hips began to rock in earnest and he slipped a finger inside, hooking it back toward her clit as he pushed her toward climax.

  “Ay bendito,” Elena cried. “That feels…que rico. I’m going to come.”

  Thank Christ. The pressure at the base of his spine was almost unbearable, his cock straining for release as he stroked her with increasing fervor, desperate to feel her come on his tongue, to hear her cry his name.

  Elena didn’t disappoint—could never disappoint—and she cried his name as the orgasm rocked her body, her muscles clenching and convulsing around him as she rode out the aftershocks.

  Liam pulled a condom from his wallet and unzipped his pants, letting them fall to the floor as he tore open the packet and rolled the latex over his cock. His balls were throbbing, and he knew he wouldn’t last long. He pulled Elena back to the edge of the desk and positioned himself at her opening.

  She curled one hand behind his neck and drew him in for a kiss, her lips moving over his languidly as her free hand stroked his abdomen, exploring every ridge and dip as if committing them to memory. His nerves were on fire, and every gentle caress was its own sweet hell.

  When he thrust into her, seating himself to the hilt with one smooth motion, she cried out, throwing her head back so that her dark hair spilled over her shoulders in waves. And in that moment of reckless abandon, she was fucking beautiful.

  The most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

  “Christ,” he panted, sweat trickling down his brow. “You’re so fucking tight.”

  “It’s been a while,” Elena said, meeting his gaze and rocking her hips slowly. In the full light of the office, there was no room for modesty, but she didn’t seem to mind. There was no shyness, no worry. Just the intimacy of the act itself, which seemed to grow as they locked eyes, bodies moving in unison as they took pleasure from each other.

  When she increased the pace, raking her nails down his back, he gave up any pretense of taking it slow. They had too much chemistry, and after weeks of ignoring the simmering tension between them, it was impossible to hold back. Their hips crashed together as they raced toward oblivion and this time, when Elena spiraled over the edge, he was right behind her, his vision blurring as the intense orgasm sent shockwaves rippling through his body.

  Is Willena Leveling Up?

  Willena was spotted getting cozy at East Village Art and guys… We’re. Here. For. It. Who’d have thought, right? We’re the first to admit we were skeptical. After all, MEM is toting some serious baggage, but one look at the pics from Willena’s community outreach class and even our stone-cold hearts felt the thaw. (Seriously, how cute are they with all those little rug rats?)

  Rumor has it HRH (America’s favorite royal) has been a good influence on MEM, encouraging her to embrace the community and exorcise her demons through philanthropic and charitable endeavors. Sources close to the couple have been tight-lipped (douchey exes notwithstanding), but we have to believe this is a sign things are getting serious between HRH and MEM.

  After all, it’s no secret that any princess worth her tiara has a list of charitable works as long as her misog
ynistic hemline. (Sorry ladies, but I think we can all agree that mandating knee-length skirts for royals is so last century.) MEM may have some catching up to do (and hemlines to lower), but we have a feeling with HRH at her side, pedigree won’t be an issue (even if she is a decade too late for a proper society debut).

  The real question is, what’s next for the happy couple? And can their budding romance withstand the pressure of the crown? We always hedge our bets, but we’re pulling for Willena (and not just because we want invites to the royal wedding)!

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lena hung up the phone and did a happy dance. News of Liam’s visit to the studio—and his participation in the after-school program—had spread like wildfire, thanks to Fin. He’d put out an honest-to-God press release after the event, and the phone had been ringing off the hook ever since. Lena had signed up so many new students, she’d lost track, although she was definitely going to sit down this afternoon and run the numbers.

  EVA had to be in the black again. Or would be soon.

  The studio had even managed to book several events, most of which had been bridal or bachelorette parties, but there had also been a few corporate team-building activities and birthday parties sprinkled in.

  For the first time in, well, forever, Lena was starting to think things might actually work out. Despite all the craptastic events of the last couple of weeks (and, yes, okay, her entire life), things were finally going her way.

  For now, at least.

  No.

  She wasn’t going to let doubt and fear spoil her good mood. The studio was back on track, the press had stopped referring to her as Mad Eyes Murphy, and she hadn’t received a single one-star review in three days. Three!