Charades: A Friends to Lovers Historical Romance

by Camilla Lee

  "Bring her with you next time!" Elis told him before he left.

  And so, now Royce and Elis were left alone.

  Royce started chatting about some of the issues he'd found on the estate, but Elis couldn't listen anymore.

  Everything inside of her was telling her to confess. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Royce beat her to it and asked.

  "Do you still love him?"

  "What?" Elis whipped her head to regard Royce. What was he about?

  "Francis. I couldn't help but feel you were withdrawn when he was talking about his wife." He commented.

  "Of course not!" She exclaimed. I was thinking about how to tell you the truth, you idiot! But she couldn't very well tell him that.

  Royce gave a noncommittal nod and stood up to leave.

  "Wait! Royce..." She needed to find the courage... it was now or never.

  He raised his eyebrows in question, and she took a deep breath.

  "I have something to tell you."

  He turned towards her and waited.

  "I..." She was suddenly at a loss of words. How did she go about telling him that they'd slept together, and he couldn't remember it? Would he even believe her? Suddenly she was faced with the possibility that he may not believe her. Who in their right mind would? So scared she was of that possibility that she blurted out something else.

  "I love you."

  Royce frowned at her.

  "I love you too, Elis. You know that."

  "No," She shook her head and took a step towards him. "I'm in love with you." She told him the truth she'd buried in her heart since their night together.

  "You... you're in love... with me?" He used his finger to point towards his chest, his face the picture of disbelief. His mouth seemed to want to form another reply, but he just looked confused. He hesitated before taking a step backward. He practically ran out of the room.

  Elis was left in shock. That's it, isn't it?

  "I ruined everything." She whispered to herself.

  CHAPTER 17

  Royce was reeling. Had Elis actually said she was in love with him? And he'd run away like a fool.

  In his own room, he closed the door and propped his back onto it. She had really said she loved him. He couldn't believe it.

  He'd imagined her say that so many times over the years, but now that she'd said it, what did he do? He'd run out on her.

  He took a deep breath.

  Truth to be told, he was scared. He was afraid that what she felt was just an illusion brought on by their proximity and the fact that he'd been by her side every waking moment of the day, taking care of her needs and those of the baby. He didn't dare to believe that she really felt that...

  "Royce! Open up!" Elis knocked at the door. His eyes widened in horror. Why is she here?

  "Royce!" Elis continued to bang on the door.

  "Forget I said anything, ok? I know you don't feel the same..." She trailed off, and Royce suddenly yanked the door open.

  "I don't feel the same? What are you talking about? Elis... I've been in love with you since we were kids." He confessed.

  Elis looked at him in horror.

  "What?"

  "To be honest, I never thought I'd have you... never dared to believe we could be anything more than friends. And when the opportunity arose to take care of you... I grasped it with both of my hands. I know I've been greedy. But I'll take you any way I can... that's how much I love you." Royce's words poured out of him, all the yearning, all the love he felt.

  Elis looked shocked at his sudden outburst. She didn't say anything for a second, and he was afraid he'd scared her off with the intensity of his feelings.

  "You fool!" She said before jumping on him. She clasped her hands behind his neck and brought her body flush against his.

  They stood like that for a moment before a clearly exasperated Elis added.

  "Kiss me, you fool!"

  With a smile, Royce did just that.

  His mouth settled on hers and slowly pried it open, tasting her.

  "Elis, my Elis." He whispered as he started trailing kisses all over his face.

  Elis's hands were suddenly everywhere, attacking his clothing and ripping some buttons in the process. He happily obliged her by taking it all off. They encountered some minor issues with her own dress, as it had way more buttons than his, but eventually, they figured it out.

  "I can't say I have any practice with this." Royce ruefully added.

  "None?" Elis raised an eyebrow, and Royce just shook his head. "You're the only one for me, Elis."

  Lifting her by the waist, he brought her to his bed, where he spread her on the white sheets.

  "Royce?" Elis asked, a little hesitantly.

  "Let me look at you, sweet. I want to engrave this in my mind." His eyes roved over her figure, over her full breasts and creamy thighs. His gaze was hungry as it settled on the apex of her thighs, where her quim lay hidden. He might have never had a woman, but he'd read enough erotic texts to know how to give pleasure. For that was all he wanted to do. To show his Elis infinite pleasure so that she'd never leave his arms.

  The bed sank under his weight as he stalked towards her, intent on touching her, tasting her everywhere. She wasn't shy, her eyes glazed with desire. For a moment, he remembered that she'd done this before... with someone that wasn't him. But he had to throw that thought away. She was here with him now, and that was all that mattered.

  "Oh, Royce!" She moaned when his mouth settled on her nipple. His hands cupped her waist, caressing her and going lower, until they settled on her buttocks.

  "I love you, Elis. I'd give you the world if I could." He rasped, his teeth nibbling at the sensitive flesh. "For now, I'll just settle on giving you heaven." He trailed open-mouthed kisses down her taut stomach, going lower and lower until he reached her center. He tried to remember what he'd read, and using his tongue, he licked and suckled until Elis was thrashing in his arms. Her hands were in his hair, and she was urging him on. Satisfied that he was doing this right, he continued his ministrations, focusing on her nub and taking it into his mouth.

  "Royce!" Elis panted, and soon her hands tightened on his scalp, her body quivering with the intensity of her climax.

  Royce placed one last kiss on her belly before coming up and taking her mouth once more. Elis shoved him playfully until he was on his back, and she was on top of him. She continued to kiss him, her tongue lapping at his mouth, tasting herself on his lips. Then, suddenly, she went lower, doing the same thing he'd done to her. She kissed his nipples, and his body jerked at the new sensation. He hadn't known that men were sensitive in that area too. But Elis went even lower, down his stomach and towards that part of him that screamed for her attention.

  She wrapped her tiny hand around his cock, her fingers barely meeting around his girth. He groaned at the assault of sensations. She seemed to regard it for a moment, as if unsure of what to do. He used his own hand to show her how to touch him, up and down, from base to tip. Her touch grew bolder as her finger brushed the tip of his cock before lowering her head and giving it a kiss, swiping the moisture leaking from the head with her tongue. His hips bucked, and it was all the encouragement for her to continue using her tongue on him.

  "Lord, Elis, what are you doing to me?" He groaned when she opened her mouth and drew him in, sucking the head. The sensations were too much for Royce, and he didn't think he would be able to last anymore.

  "Stop." He said on a pained note and helped her up.

  "Why? Was I doing it wrong?" She frowned, and Royce kissed her forehead.

  "No, sweets, but when I come, I want to spill my seed inside of you." Elis blushed at his words.

  Royce turned her around and settled between her thighs, his hand seeking her face for a sweet caress.

  "I love you, Elis." He said as he took his cock and positioned it at her entrance. He thrust inside, ever so slowly, not wanting to hurt her.

  "I love you too, Royce." Elis took his head
in her hands and placed a swift kiss on his lips before she angled her hips so that he slipped wholly inside of her. They both gasped.

  "You feel so good, love." He started moving in and out of her at her steady pace.

  "Faster, Royce." Elis wrapped her legs behind his back. He picked up speed, pistoning in and out of her until he felt his climax nearing.

  With unpracticed moves, he slipped his hand between their bodies and found her nub, touching her so that they could both find bliss together.

  One stroke. Two strokes. And he came, her channel spasming around him.

  Royce collapsed on top of Elis, and she held tightly onto him.

  "My Elis..." He murmured.

  He rolled them over so that Elis could rest her head on top of him.

  "Was that... was that good for you?" He finally dared to ask, afraid that he had not been on par with her former lover.

  "Oh, Royce. It was marvelous. So much better than the first time." She sighed, a dreamy expression on her face.

  "First time?" He frowned at her words.

  Her eyes snapped open.

  "Royce... I have something to tell you. But please, don't be mad."

  "What is it?"

  She took a deep breath and confessed.

  "I don't even know how to say this... the night of your party when I came to celebrate. We slept together." She was biting her lip, awaiting his reaction.

  "What do you mean we slept together?"

  "We made love... and then you didn't remember the following day, so I didn't say anything because I was afraid of ruining our friendship... and I didn't want you to marry me out of a misguided sense of honor."

  "Wait." Royce suddenly lifted himself up so he could look at her better.

  "You mean this is not the first time we've been together?"

  Elis shook her head slightly.

  "I'm so sorry I kept this from you, but I really didn't think you loved me... I didn't want you to be shackled with me just because of that."

  "And the fellow...?" He trailed off.

  "There was never anyone else." She admitted, lowering her gaze.

  "Then the baby you're carrying... It's mine?"

  "Yes. I'm so, so sorry. You have no idea. I didn't think I'd get pregnant. And then I didn't want to force you to take responsibility for something you didn't even remember." She started telling him all about that night and how she was guilty of taking advantage of him when he'd tried to stop her.

  "Are you mad at me? Please don't be mad at me." Elis burrowed her face in the crook of his neck, and he felt the wetness of her tears.

  "Shh, dear. I'm not mad."

  "Promise?" She whispered.

  "Promise. I'm maybe a little frustrated that you didn't tell me, but you have no idea how happy I am that it's my child you're carrying." His arms tightened around her.

  "I love you, Royce, I truly do. I think I've loved you forever, but I was too stubborn to realize it."

  "Ah, my dear Elis. It doesn't matter anymore, does it? We're married, we've consummated the marriage, and we have a baby on the way. I'd say things turned out better than I would have ever dared hope."

  "Love you." She said again as she started peppering kisses all over his face.

  "Love you more." Royce challenged and started tickling her.

  Elis giggled and launched her own attack.

  Indeed, Royce could never be mad at Elis. He might have been a little put out by the time they'd spent apart, each masking their feelings for the other's sake.

  But they were together now, and he'd never been happier.

  EPILOGUE

  "An animal!" Miranda, their ten-year-old daughter, exclaimed. Elis nodded vigorously at the assessment and proceeded to make a show of licking her paws.

  "A cat! It's a cat!" Elijah, their youngest, proclaimed, stepping in front of his sister and trying to steal the attention.

  Miranda, not being one to lose at anything, shot him daggers from her eyes before tackling him.

  "Easy children." Royce interrupted, coming inside the drawing-room with Hayden, their six-year-old who was clutching a book to his chest.

  To distract Miranda from the game, Elijah ran towards Hayden, stealing his book and making for the veranda doors. Hayden's eyes widened like two saucers before bursting into tears.

  At the sound of his sobs, Elis stopped what she was doing and dashed to Hayden's side, taking him into her arms and comforting him. Out of all their children, Hayden was the most sensitive one. He was also slightly different than the others, with an uncanny capacity for learning and memorization.

  "Shh, dear. It's ok. Let me get you another book." Elis lifted him in her arms, and giving Royce a knowing look, she took Hayden towards the library to provide him with something else to focus on.

  Royce shook his head at his children's antics and followed them outside, watching out for them so they wouldn't hurt themselves.

  They were now in the garden, running around and laughing.

  "He's calm now?" Royce asked his wife as she leaned into him.

  "Uhm. He's already forgotten about the other book." Elis responded, turning her gaze towards her other children.

  "I think we've done well, love," Royce whispered as he kissed her head.

  "We have." Elis agreed, and with a knowing smile, she took Royce's hand and placed it on her belly.

  He whipped his head towards her, his eyes wide.

  "Another one?"

  Elis nodded.

  Without any preliminaries, Royce swooped her in his arms, twirling her around.

  "Love you, dear. So much."

  Elis purred in his embrace. "Me too, Royce, me too."

  THE END