The Army Doc's Secret Princess

by Emily Forbes

  Her breaths were short and shallow too, her pupils large, as he bent his head and kissed her again.

  CHAPTER SIX

  VIKTORIA RAN HER hands under his shirt. She trailed her fingernails lightly over his skin and heard him moan. The room was in darkness but the curtains were open, letting the moonlight spill in. His room faced the ocean and, for once, Viktoria didn’t worry about the paparazzi. Cam’s house was secluded and private. She grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head, exposing his flat, toned stomach.

  He started to undo his belt but Viktoria stopped him.

  ‘Let me,’ she said. She undid his belt and snapped open the button on his trousers before sliding the zip down. She could feel the hard bulge of his erection pressing into her, straining to get free.

  Cam stepped out of his shoes, not bothering to untie the laces, as she pushed his trousers to the floor. They joined his shoes and shirt in an untidy heap. He was naked except for his underwear. Viktoria looked him over.

  He was glorious.

  He grinned at her and raised one eyebrow.

  In silent reply, she put one hand on his smooth, broad chest and pushed him backwards until the bed bumped the back of his knees and made him sit. It was his turn to wait for her now.

  She stepped back from the bed. Out of his reach. He could watch but he couldn’t touch. She wanted to tease him. She reached for the zip at the side of her dress and undid it slowly. She slipped one strap from her shoulder and then the other and let the dress fall to the floor. Cam’s eyes were dark grey now, as he watched and waited for her.

  She reached her hands behind her back and unhooked her bra, sliding it along her arms and dropping it to the floor. She lifted her hands to her hair, to the elastic band that fastened the end of her plait and started to pull it from her hair.

  ‘Wait. Let me do that.’ Cam’s voice was husky with desire. Lust coated his words, making them so heavy they barely made it past his lips.

  Viktoria dropped her hand, leaving her hair restrained.

  Cam reached up and his fingers rested at the nape of her neck before he flicked her plait over her left shoulder and pulled the elastic from her hair. He wound his fingers through her hair; loosening the plait, he spread her hair out, letting it fall over her shoulders.

  His touch was light as he slid her underwear from her hips. Viktoria trembled with desire as his fingers skimmed her thighs. She stood before him, completely naked, but she didn’t feel exposed. She felt powerful.

  He pulled her closer and kissed her belly. His lips were warm, and his touch set alight a flame that burned through her.

  He lifted her off her feet and she sat on his lap, her knees spread as she straddled him.

  He ran his right hand along her thigh, over her waist and her shoulder until his thumb came to rest on her jaw. It was warm and soft, his pressure gentle. He ran his thumb along the line of her jaw and then his thumb was replaced by his lips. He kissed her neck, her collarbone and the hollow at the base of her throat where her collarbones met.

  His fingers blazed a trail across her body that his mouth followed. Down from her throat to her sternum, over her breast to her nipple. His fingers flicked over the nipple, already peaked and hard. His mouth followed, covering it, sucking, licking and tasting.

  He flipped her onto her back, lying her on the bed.

  Moonlight danced across the ocean, streaming through the uncurtained windows, and fell across the bed. Her skin shone in the pale light.

  He opened a bedside drawer and retrieved a condom as Viktoria reached for his boxer shorts and pulled them from his waist.

  He was lying beside her now, and his fingers were stroking the inside of her thigh. She parted her legs and his fingers slid inside her, into her warm, moist centre. His thumb rolled over her most sensitive spot, making her gasp. He kissed her breast, sucking at her nipple as his thumb teased her. She arched her back, pushing her hips and breasts towards him, wanting more, letting him take her to a peak of desire.

  Still she wanted more. She needed more.

  She rolled towards him and pushed him flat onto his back. She sat up and straddled his hips again. His erection rose between them, trapped between their groins. Viktoria reached for the condom, and her breasts hung above his face. He lifted his head, taking her breast into his mouth once more. She closed her eyes as she gave herself up to the sensations shooting through her as his tongue flicked over her nipple. Every part of her responded to his touch. Her body came alive under his fingers and his lips and her skin burned where their bodies met.

  She lifted herself clear of Cam, pulling her breast from his lips as she opened the condom. Air flowed over her nipple, the cool temperature contrasting with the heat of his mouth as she rolled the condom onto him. Her fingers encircled his shaft as she smoothed out the sheath.

  She placed her hands either side of his head and kept her eyes on his face as she lifted herself up and took him inside her. His eyelids closed and she watched him breathe in deeply as her flesh encased him, joining them together.

  She filled herself with his length before lifting her weight from him and letting him take control. His thumbs were on the front of her hips, his fingers behind her pelvis as he guided her up and down, matching her rhythm to his thrusts, each movement bringing her closer to climax.

  She liked this position. She liked being able to watch him, she liked being able to see him getting closer and closer to release. His eyes were closed, his lips were parted, his breathing was rapid and shallow, his thrusts getting faster.

  She spread her knees, letting him in deeper inside her until she had taken all of him. Her body was flooded with heat. Every nerve ending was crying out for his touch. ‘Now, Cam. Now.’

  He opened his eyes and his grey gaze locked with hers as he took her to the top of the peak.

  Her body started to quiver, and she watched him as he too shuddered. He closed his eyes, threw his head back and thrust into her, claiming her as they climaxed together.

  When they were spent, she lay on him, covering his body with hers. Their skin felt warm and flushed from their effort and they were both panting as he wrapped his arms around her back, holding her to him. She could feel his heart beating under her chest. She could feel it as its rhythm slowed, gradually returning to normal.

  They lay in silence as Viktoria resisted the urge to drift off to sleep. She knew she should get out of bed, get ready to leave. She would have to arrange for the hotel car to pick her up soon, but she wanted to stay in Cam’s bed for a little longer.

  Not for the first time, she wished she could experience dating like a normal person. As Cam offered to fetch them both a drink and got out of bed she lay there and imagined what it would be like to be able to spend the night. To not have to check in with Brigitta. To not have someone having to know her whereabouts at all times.

  Perhaps she should have told Cam who she was, she thought. Perhaps she should have explained herself to him. Maybe then it wouldn’t seem so odd that she was almost running for the door. That she couldn’t stay the night.

  She rolled over and sat up and noticed a photo frame lying face down on the other bedside table. They must have knocked it over while they made love. She reached out to stand it back up, looking at the photograph out of curiosity.

  It was a photo of Cam with his arm around a woman with dark hair. Viktoria initially thought it was Skye but, when she looked again, she realised it wasn’t.

  She felt slightly queasy, a sensation she recognised as fear and jealousy running through her veins and making her nauseous. She hadn’t seen any other personal photographs or mementos on display in his house. Was this Gemma in the photo? Why was she in the only photograph in his house and why was it beside his bed? She must be important but why hadn’t he mentioned her? And why was the photograph lying down? Was he hiding something?

  Vikto
ria was sitting up in bed when Cam returned to his room. She was bare-chested but her golden hair fell over her shoulders. The sheet was tangled around her waist and she reminded him of a mermaid perched on a rock. She looked beautiful and he wished he could ask her to stay the night, but he knew that would invite questions from Skye in the morning. Questions he wasn’t ready to answer.

  He put the glasses of water on the bedside table and then noticed Viktoria was holding something. A photo frame. The picture of him with Gemma.

  ‘What are you doing?’ he asked, his tone more abrupt than he’d intended.

  Viktoria looked up at him. Her blue eyes were wide in her face. ‘Who is this?’

  ‘Gemma.’

  ‘Is Gemma your girlfriend?’

  ‘No.’ He took the photo from her and put it back on the table. He turned it away from the bed. ‘My fiancée.’

  ‘Mon Dieu!’ Viktoria sat back, putting some space between them. ‘You did not think to mention that you are engaged?’

  ‘I was engaged. Gemma is dead.’

  He was being harsh, but he had finally stopped thinking about Gemma constantly since he’d begun spending time with Viktoria and that knowledge made him feel guilty. He didn’t deserve to forget. Gemma deserved to be remembered.

  ‘Pardon,’ she said as she glanced at the back of the frame.

  Cam knew the photo had been lying down. He knew she must have picked it up out of curiosity and he wasn’t sure if she was apologising for prying or for his loss.

  ‘Was it recent?’ she asked.

  ‘Two years ago.’

  ‘Two years?’ She paused and he could almost see the wheels turning in her mind. ‘Your incident was two years ago, yes?’

  Cam nodded. He knew what she was asking. ‘Gemma was in the chopper too.’

  ‘She was with you? She was in the army also?’

  Cam could see the hurt in her eyes, and he knew he had been unnecessarily abrasive. It wasn’t Viktoria’s fault that he felt guilty.

  ‘She was a pilot,’ he said as he tried to make amends. He couldn’t fix things for Gemma, but he had no reason to hurt Viktoria in the process. She had done nothing wrong. ‘I joined the army because of her. I wanted to be with her. But I got her killed.’

  ‘How do you figure that?’

  ‘Gemma was one of only a handful of female pilots in the army. She loved to fly, and it was a great job. It took her all over the world but it took her away from me so I joined the medical corps so we could be together.’

  ‘That does not make the crash your fault.’

  He sat on the edge of the bed as he replied. ‘On the day of the incident Gemma was on a rostered day off—she wasn’t supposed to be flying—but one of the other pilots was sick. Gemma volunteered to cover his shift. She knew someone had to do it. She had a strong sense of duty and she also loved to fly. She told me there wasn’t much point in having a day off if I was working. She thought she might as well work too. She wasn’t supposed to be in the chopper that day.’

  ‘If you had not been working would she have flown anyway?’

  ‘She was rostered off. I would have been able to convince her to spend the day with me. Someone else could have taken over the roster. She volunteered because of me. She was only there because of me.’

  ‘You told me the chopper was shot down. You had nothing to do with that. It was not your fault and I cannot imagine it was Gemma’s either.’

  ‘There was speculation that she was flying too high. Choppers tend to fly low, to keep out of sight, below the radar. It seemed as though the defence force were blaming Gemma. But it shouldn’t have mattered. She should have been able to fly at any height. We were a medevac unit, well-marked. There was no mistaking us.’

  Cam was quiet after that. Those memories were obviously hurting him, but Viktoria didn’t know how to make things better.

  She had been worried that he hadn’t got over Gemma and was having trouble moving on, but learning that Gemma was dead, had been dead for two years, made her even more concerned. He hadn’t let go. Which made her wonder what he was doing with her.

  His friends had told her Cam didn’t date. Had that been a warning that she’d ignored? Was she just a fling?

  She couldn’t be upset about that. After all, that was all she’d wanted too—one last adventure before she got married. She hadn’t meant to get so invested.

  She needed to stop obsessing, she thought as she let herself into the penthouse, and just enjoy the next few days. She liked him—really liked him—but they had a few days together, not a future.

  ‘Good morning.’ Cam bent down and kissed his sister’s cheek. The sun was only just over the horizon, but Skye was already sitting outside by the pool nursing a cup of tea. It was a glorious morning, blue sky and not a breath of wind. Sydney had turned on spectacular weather for the Legion’s Games and today was looking to be no exception. ‘You’re up early.’

  ‘It’s hard to sleep in when I feel like I constantly need to go to the toilet. This baby’s favourite position seems to be lying on my bladder.’

  ‘You sure you really need a cup of tea as well?’

  ‘I need something; I’m exhausted. I can’t wait for this baby to arrive.’

  ‘You know all first-time mothers say that and then they realise that a good night’s sleep is just as impossible to get after the baby is born?’

  ‘I know, people keep warning me, but it’ll be nice to stop waddling and to be able to see my toes again.’

  ‘You won’t be looking at your toes once you’re cuddling your baby.’

  ‘Fair point.’ Skye laughed. ‘Now, why don’t you make yourself useful and bring us some breakfast? I’ve cut up some fruit; it’s in the fridge.’

  Cam made himself a coffee and carried it back to the table on a tray with fruit, bowls and yoghurt.

  ‘So you’re in a good mood,’ she said as he pushed the newspaper and Skye’s tablet out of the way, making room for the tray.

  He was in a good mood. He had enjoyed last night and even talking about Gemma hadn’t dampened his spirits. It had felt good to tell Viktoria about her. The honesty made him feel less guilty. He enjoyed Viktoria’s company and that was okay. It was nothing to apologise for.

  ‘Does it have anything to do with where you were last night?’ Skye asked.

  ‘Sorry, I forgot you were coming.’

  ‘That’s okay. I have a key. So...where were you? Are you going to give me the goss?’

  ‘I was out with Viktoria.’

  ‘You went out with her again?’

  ‘Yes.’ Cam hesitated. ‘I thought you’d be pleased that I wanted to see someone more than once. That I’m moving forward.’

  ‘I am,’ Skye said as she speared a piece of mango with her fork. ‘Is it serious?’

  ‘Why would you ask that? I’ve only known her a few days.’

  ‘You brought her to our house, Cam. You haven’t introduced Dave and me to any girl in two years. Not since Gemma.’

  Cam hadn’t thought about Gemma constantly for several days but now that he was finally able to have a moment’s peace from his thoughts, her name kept coming up. But he didn’t feel quite the same intense emotion of guilt and shame.

  ‘It’s not serious.’

  Viktoria was the first woman in two years that he’d wanted to spend time with but that didn’t make it serious.

  She was the first woman in two years who had been able to distract him for long enough to make him forget about what had happened. She was different to Gemma. Gemma was non-stop, hyperactive, a type A personality. She had challenged him and pushed him but never given him a moment’s peace. Since the incident all he wanted was peace. He needed calm and Viktoria brought the calm, but she was only in Australia for another few days.

  It wasn’t serious. He figured he could safely spe
nd as much time with her as he liked—as they both liked—because he knew there was a limit and that suited him perfectly. He wasn’t ready to open himself up to another serious relationship.

  ‘Oh. Okay.’

  ‘What does that tone mean?’ Cam asked.

  ‘Nothing. I’m just not sure if that’s good or bad.’

  He frowned. ‘Why?’

  ‘Has she told you much about herself?’ Skye asked as she reached for her tablet.

  ‘What’s going on?’ His sister’s behaviour was making him nervous.

  ‘I just wondered how much you know about her.’

  ‘Why? What have you heard?’

  ‘I haven’t heard anything, but I’ve read some things. Von Grasburg. That’s her surname, correct?’ Skye tapped on the screen.

  ‘Yes.’ His good mood was beginning to evaporate, replaced by doubts. What was Skye getting at? ‘What’s this all about?’

  ‘I thought she looked familiar the other day, but it wasn’t until after you left that the penny dropped.’

  ‘What penny? You’re not making any sense.’

  ‘Did she tell you she is an internationally recognised horse rider? She’s represented Berggrun in cross-country eventing and has won some major medals. That’s why she looked familiar.’

  Skye was horse-mad. Cam wasn’t surprised that she recognised Viktoria, but he didn’t see why that information was relevant. ‘No, I didn’t know that. What does that matter?’

  ‘You know Berggrun is a principality, right?’

  ‘Yes.’ That he did know.

  ‘Well, it was bugging me that she looked familiar, so I searched her on the internet, and it mentions her international eventing medals but those aren’t the first articles that pops up about her. The first one that comes up is a link to the royal family of Berggrun. Apparently, her father is the Prince.’ Skye paused. ‘Viktoria is a princess.’

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ‘DON’T BE RIDICULOUS. She’s not a princess.’

  ‘I beg to differ.’