by Leslie North
Or had he meant it?
12
“What you’re describing is a total train wreck, Daisy, and I—” Catelyn paced the suite down the hall from the room she shared with Rami, trying to keep her heart rate under control. She deliberately slowed her steps. It wouldn’t do anybody any good if she ended up running in circles around the room. Plus, her dress was a revelation. Every time she caught a glimpse of it in the mirror she flushed with pride. “I don’t know what to do. Let me think.”
The moment she was past the mirror, though, reality set back in. Catelyn had spent a few days checking in every so often with Laura and Daisy on the phone, letting them run things back in New Jersey.
It was not working out.
“She’s saying she’s going to get on a plane, Cate.” Daisy’s voice was trembling. She was normally the most poised of the three of them, but the situation had her rattled. “What am I supposed to do to convince Marissa Keller that she can trust us after this?”
“Daisy, it’s not the end of the world if the venue won’t book.” Catelyn’s business instincts kicked in. “We put together a whole binder of alternates.”
“Yes, but she’s insisting on the Ashford Estate. She’s threatening to cancel our contract if we can’t get it.”
“I’ll make some calls first thing in the morning.” Catelyn raised a hand to her forehead, then remembered her freshly applied makeup. “I’ll take care of it. I’m sure, given all the increased publicity, that the Ashford Estate could make some scheduling rearrangements—”
“They won’t,” Daisy said, and Catelyn could practically see her shaking her head. “They won’t. The date she chose is booked by someone in the Rockford family.”
Catelyn hissed a breath through her teeth. “The Rockfords? Seriously?” She wracked her brain for some connection—any connection. “When did they book?”
“I—I didn’t ask,” Daisy said, and there was a shift in the background noise that made it sound as if she were going back inside from the street.
“If it’s a recent booking, maybe we can negotiate something. We’ll figure it out. And I’ll send a message to Marissa right now. Sound good?”
“Thank you,” Daisy said. “I know we should be able to handle this, but the amount of calls—”
“I totally get it. Was there anything else you needed?”
Daisy laughed. “You, back in the office. But this’ll have to do in the meantime.”
“I miss you guys,” Catelyn told her, and Daisy begged off the call. Piles of work, she said.
Catelyn was torn. On the one hand, she felt guilty and a little anxious. It was harder than she thought to work from Al-Dashalid, but she’d have to get over it and buckle down. The business needed her.
On the other hand…there was the dress.
Five of them had arrived from the dressmaker, and Catelyn had known instantly which one Rami would love the most. She’d sequestered herself in the guest suite earlier in the afternoon with a hairstylist and makeup artist—Adira had insisted on Catelyn using the palace staff—and had lingered over putting the dress on. The fabric was like a dream. Catelyn couldn’t stop running her hands over it, and she wanted Rami to run his hands over it, too. Preferably under it.
One more glance in the mirror, and she was ready to go.
Her heart beat harder on the way down the hall to the far larger and more sumptuous suite she and Rami shared. The way he’d looked at her at the dress fitting had been hot enough to melt glass. Now that she was actually wearing one of those dresses, she imagined those dark eyes would be hot enough to incinerate.
She pushed open the door, her pulse fluttering in her throat. The living room was empty, so she moved through to the walk-in closet and dressing area. The sight of Rami standing in front of the full-length mirror made her pause.
The set of his shoulders was all nervousness. His hands worked at his throat, tying his tie and then undoing it again. He mumbled something under his breath. Tied the tie. Untied it. His motions were choppy, and he let out an impatient sigh. This version of Rami reminded her of the man she’d met in Texas, who said the wrong things and never knew when to quit.
She hovered silently near the door, watching him tie his tie again. The man was so tense. He could really use a blowjob. She licked her bottom lip in anticipation of it. It would be deliciously dirty, to get down on her knees in front of Rami in this closet, in this dress.
“Hi,” she said softly from the door, watching in the mirror as his face lit up in a smile and then, a moment later, the delight reach his eyes as he registered her dress.
He turned away from the mirror, hands falling away from his tie. “Hi.”
Rami’s eyes burned into her. She wouldn’t be surprised if the dress caught fire, the way his gaze raked over it. He crossed the distance between them in an instant. Catelyn’s breath caught as he moved in, his easy dominance over the space at odds with the anxious way he’d been doing and undoing his tie.
A half step away, Rami looked down the length of her, dipping one finger beneath the neckline of her dress to feel the skin beneath. “This is a thousand times better than it looked in the store.”
“Well.” Catelyn reached up and pretended to flip her hair, though it was gathered in a sleek knot at the back of her head. “This one was made for me.”
“I was made for you.” The tone of Rami’s voice sent desire curving down the length of her, straight to the apex of her legs, and she felt her body react to him. No. A blow job was all wrong. Rami preferred to be in control—so she wouldn’t offer him oral sex. She would tempt him into giving it.
Catelyn bit her lip and looked up into Rami’s fine, regal features. She took a half step back.
“What’s this?” Rami narrowed his eyes.
“A surprise,” she said simply, then reached down for the hem of her dress. Inch by inch, she dragged it up to her waist, revealing a pair of jewel-blue panties that matched the color of her dress to perfection. They were an exquisite lace confection, and from the bulge at the front of Rami’s pants, he liked them. A lot.
“Are you trying to torture me?” He choked out. “Now I’ll have to sit at the party knowing those are underneath your dress.”
“If you feel that way—” Catelyn hooked her thumb in the waistband of the panties and tugged them off. “I won’t wear any at all.”
He stepped closer, a low growl escaping his lips, and Catelyn backed out of the dressing room and into the bedroom. She kept going, Rami stalking her, until her ass hit the bed. She hiked up her dress a little higher, exposing her bare pussy to him.
“There’s only one more thing I need for the party.”
“Only one?” Rami said, and then he was lifting her, perching her on the bed, and knocking her knees apart with one firm hand. She gasped at the cool air dancing between her legs. “God,” Rami commented, eyes fixed on that sensitive place. “You came in here on a mission.”
It was becoming difficult to wait like this, spread out on his bed. It was becoming more difficult to picture the end of this—when she signed the papers that would divorce them and that would be the end of it. Of the flirting, of the parties, of— Before she could think any more about it, Rami fell to his knees.
His breath on her pussy made her squirm with impatience. “Oh, please—” She clutched at the comforter on the bed as Rami’s low laughter filled the air. He kissed the inside of her thigh, then an inch closer, then another inch. “You’re very, very wicked,” she said through clenched teeth. “You are a wicked man, Rami, and I—”
“How wicked?”
He stole her answer out of her mouth when he licked up the length of her. The jolt of pleasure stole the air from her lungs. He licked again, strong and forceful, then gentle and soft, and Catelyn’s hips rocked back and forth of their own volition. Rami pinned her with his hands, holding her in place, and it only made her hotter as he swirled his tongue around her clit, sucking gently and then attacking it again with his tongue.
Just when she thought she might implode, he backed off, teasing her with little licks around her opening and then—when she couldn’t take it, when she said his name, when she begged—he devoured her again.
Catelyn arched back against the bed, pressing up into his mouth, and rode the wave of her first release.
But Rami wasn’t done with her yet.
Even while she shuddered beneath him, he did not relent, and soon she found her muscles tightening, the desire coiling low in her belly—and it unleashed itself again.
“Okay,” she gasped, barely able to force the word out, her body ringing with the pleasure. “Okay.”
“You never gave me an answer,” Rami said, standing up from between her legs, shoulders back, chin high.
“About what?” Catelyn panted on the bed and forced herself to sit upright. It took several deep breaths to get herself under control.
“How wicked I am.”
She stood up and took his tie in her hands, deftly undoing it one last time and tying it in an elegant knot at his neck. “You’re not wicked at all. You’re…you’re a prince.” She rose on tiptoe and kissed him, tasting her own sweetness on his lips. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Now, where did I put those panties…”
“It’s too late to find them now,” Rami said firmly. “It’s time for the party.” He tucked her hand into his elbow and led her out the door.
“Are you sure you can stand…knowing what I’m wearing?” Catelyn teased while they made their way down the hall.
“Are you sure you can stand knowing what I’ll do the next time we’re alone?”
Catelyn’s heart fluttered. “No,” she said, an irrepressible grin on her face. “No, I’m not sure at all.”
13
Catelyn stopped by a large mirror in the entryway of the palace ballroom, checking her hair one more time. It still, thank god, looked perfectly sleek—not at all as if she’d just been the recipient of two orgasms that had made her feel so good and loose she could have taken a nap.
“You look gorgeous,” Rami said simply, and offered his arm again.
The hum of voices came loudly through the door. It reminded Catelyn of all the wedding receptions she’d entered as a wedding planner. This would probably be roughly the same. Nobody was going to notice her, anyway. Not next to Rami.
Two attendants opened the doors for them, and they stepped through into the ballroom, a massive room filled with tables covered in pure white tablecloths. Flowers burst from crystal vases in the center of each table, and black-suited waiters moved among a crowd of people decked out in their finest.
But she’d been wrong.
The moment the doors closed behind them, it was as if a ripple went out through the party. Everyone turned to look.
It was nothing like entering a wedding reception, aside from the decorations. When people saw her in her all-black uniform at a reception, their eyes slid away, relegating her to a background character. This time, people looked at her openly.
She scanned the crowd. Some people gave her small smiles, some frowned at her—but all of them looked. Catelyn was used to entering large rooms like this, but a blush rose to her face. She’d felt so perfect before she stepped into the room. So elegant. So flawless. But that didn’t mean she felt that way beneath the surface. An uncomfortable shiver went down her spine. Her parents had worked hard to look perfect, too. But inevitably, they cracked under the pressure of keeping up the facade.
Catelyn felt that possibility pulsing underneath her skin as Rami gave a royal wave. It acted as a signal and people—most of them—tore their eyes away as they pushed on into the party.
Handshake after handshake. “It’s good to see you,” Rami said, over and over, and, “This is my wife, Catelyn,” and, “We’ll have to discuss that later, won’t we?” The more people they talked to, the more the light dancing in his eyes dulled. It was unpleasant, watching his shield come back up until finally he took his arm from her and left several inches of space between them.
Catelyn swallowed hard, looking for a familiar face. But she didn’t see anyone. Not Daya, not Adira…not even Issam. They were somewhere in the crowd, she was sure, but where?
Rami was taken aside by a man. “Kassim Abadi,” Rami said by way of introduction. “My wife, Catelyn.” His smile didn’t seem genuine. It was only meant, Catelyn knew, to smooth the way into the conversation.
“I hope you won’t mind if I claim a few minutes of your husband’s time,” Kassim said. “I have to speak with him about a rather urgent matter.”
It was always urgent, and Catelyn flashed a forgiving smile. The moment she turned away, she let it fall and stepped away into the crowd.
She stood alone, fuming. Rami had effectively abandoned her. He hadn’t even warned her that it would be like this. He was so attentive, so full of desire, when they were alone together, but here… At the thought of being in the bedroom with him, her mouth watered. She wanted more of it, despite how oblivious he was being. For a moment, watching the people swirl around her, she let the battle between her emotions rage. Wanting him. Hurting that he was hardly helping her to navigate this event.
Well, that was silly. Catelyn was a grown woman, and she didn’t need any man to tell her how to attend a party. She only wished he’d put more effort into it. Then again, there was a ticking clock on their relationship…
It was too much. She put the thought out of her mind and went to find a refreshment. A few minutes later, gripping a glass of sparkling water, she made her way to the head table.
To her relief, she found Adira sitting there, waiting for the dinner service to begin. She smiled up at Catelyn and patted the seat next to her. “You look…overheated,” Adira said. “Is it too hot in here?”
“No,” Catelyn said, trying and failing to force a smile onto her face. “Just…on my own.”
Adira narrowed her eyes. “Is Rami neglecting you?”
“I wouldn’t call it that,” Catelyn said, trying to feel out the situation. “I knew when I married him that he would be busy with official events. I just didn’t realize that it would come so soon.”
“It’s never-ending,” agreed Adira. “Are you prepared for your speech?”
Catelyn’s stomach flip-flopped. She’d nearly forgotten about the speech she was set to make after dinner—her first statement as a member of the royal family. “Yes and no,” answered Catelyn.
Adira’s eyes went wide. “Surely you have the language prepared…”
“Yes, the speech is all set.” Catelyn looked out over the groups of people coming together and pulling apart. She watched as Rami made his way toward the table. He stopped to talk to people three times. Catelyn could see that whatever he was saying, it wasn’t the right thing. One woman, once his back was turned, raised her eyebrows at the woman standing next to her, she shrugged.
At the head table, Rami sat down directly across from Catelyn. In his eyes she saw only a flicker of the lust that had consumed him not long ago. He held her gaze for a long heartbeat before Zafir appeared next to him, putting his hand on his shoulder.
Rami’s father didn’t seem to notice that anything was amiss, and he certainly didn’t encourage Rami to sit with Catelyn.
The dinner service began, and Catelyn could hardly enjoy it. The food was as rich and sumptuous as ever, but to her it was tasteless. Rami spent the entire meal talking with his father in hushed voices.
She was starting to sweat beneath her dress. Catelyn had spent hours the night before practicing a few remarks in Rami’s language, and then her plan was to deliver the rest of her speech in English. After that, Rami was going to offer up a toast.
She put down her fork with a sharp ting against her plate.
“Are you all right?” asked Adira, her voice low.
“Completely,” Catelyn lied. Her heart pounded. She didn’t want this version of Rami, who ignored her, who rattled off too many statements in every conversation, who had retreated so fully into his royal persona tha
t she hardly recognized the man who had pounced on her in his dressing room.
Maybe this was how it always was.
Maybe, in fact, it was a blessing that they would only have to spend a year together.
And in that case—
“Rami.” Her voice was sharper than she’d intended, and he looked at her, startled. “I need to speak with you for a moment.”
Her husband stood up immediately, and they walked on opposite sides of the table to a more secluded alcove at the side of the ballroom.
“What is it?” She could practically see the wheels in his head turning.
“I don’t feel comfortable making the speech,” she said bluntly. “I think you should be the one to do it.”
“What?” Lightning flashed in his eyes. “Catelyn, we agreed on this—it’s already been planned. It’s part of your royal duties while we’re married.”
The mention stabbed at her heart, and the sharp pain of it rendered her speechless. She turned her head, throat going tight, and swallowed hard. Then she faced him again. “I’m not making the speech. You’ll have to do it on your own.”
Rami gave her a long look. “What’s this about?”
“I don’t—I don’t want to get up in front of this crowd.” She fought to keep her voice even. “I don’t know anyone here, other than your family, and I—I just think you should do this.” She lifted her chin.
Rami’s face softened. “I’ve been awful, haven’t I?”
The gentle tone of his voice made her own heart melt. “Yes. You’ve been—I don’t recognize you, like this.” Heat rose to her cheeks. “I miss you. The you that did…all those things in the bedroom.”
He cracked a grin. “It makes perfect sense.” Rami stepped forward and put a hand on her waist, drawing her close. He leaned down to press a kiss to her cheekbone. “This isn’t your country. It’s mine. I shouldn’t have tried to force you into a public role when you weren’t ready for it.”