“We’ll see what we can do. This isn’t the time or place to be discussing our next sexcapade.”
“I suppose not,” he conceded.
I’d spoken with Ted this morning. He was eloping with Lady Irene tomorrow morning. He’d be back by the end of the week, at which time he’d promised to look into Gage’s background. Not that it’d matter by then, as once Ted was securely married to the love of his life, I could call off my engagement to the love of mine.
The palace had issued a press release stating how happy they were regarding the engagement, including a brief bio of Gage prepared by palace PR. The press was most intrigued by his status as a football player.
There was to be a large engagement party on Saturday night. For the sake of timing, I’d be wise to wait until early next week. These parties were expensive and lavish, and I would hate to waste the money by calling off the engagement prematurely. Selfish of me, I suppose.
“I want you to meet Claudia. She recently had a kidney transplant, her second. The first was rejected.”
Gage nodded grimly but said nothing else.
I stopped at the nurse’s station.
“How’s Claudia doing?” I asked one of the nurses I was most familiar with.
The nurse’s gaze darted down the hall and back to me. “She’s not doing so well, Your Highness.” I was still uncomfortable with the title. It didn’t seem to ring true, like I was playing a part in a play. I was just me, Alisa, college graduate, nice person, and owner of a wild streak.
“Please, call me Alisa,” I said for the hundredth time, knowing full well she wouldn’t. “What’s going on with her?” The knot in my stomach grew. I had a feeling, a bad premonition about Claudia, and had been both dreading and looking forward to this visit.
“It’s not going so well with the new kidney, but she’ll be happy to see you, ma’am. She’s in 622.”
“Thank you.”
Gage gave my hand a quick squeeze and together we ventured to the open doorway. Claudia lay in the hospital bed appearing ten times frailer than she had a week ago. Tubes were everywhere, and monitors were beeping. Her little face was pale and gaunt, and her breathing was labored.
I shot a glance at Gage. He was handling her obvious dire health like a trooper.
“Hi, Princess Alisa.” She managed a weak smile. I slid into the chair at the side of her bed and took her cold hand in mine. “Is that your fiancé? The American football player?”
The word had gotten around even to a sick girl in a hospital.
“Right on both counts.” Gage stepped forward and smiled his hundred-megawatt smile, that one that should be patented because it was so valuable. “Do you like football?”
She nodded. “I like how Americans play football. They knock each other down and stuff and don’t get in trouble for it.”
“Yeah, we do that. We Yankees are a strange bunch.”
She giggled, but the giggle was stopped abruptly by a coughing attack. I didn’t know whether to buzz for a nurse or what, but the attack stopped before I could make a decision.
Gage sat carefully on the edge of the bed. “Do you play any sports?”
“I did before I got sick. I played football, our version not American, but I wanted to play rugby. They wouldn’t let me because I was too little.”
“Ah, now rugby. There’s a sport I’d love to play.” Gage winked at her.
“You would?”
“Yeah. I would.”
“Maybe we could go to a rugby game together?” Her face was so full of hope I was certain Gage’s heart melted a little, as did mine.
“You work on getting better, and I’ll see what I can do to make that happen.” Gage was careful not to make promises, but he did give her hope. I squeezed his arm to thank him for such a small gesture. When he glanced down at me, his blue eyes seemed unusually bright.
The nurse bustled into the room, all bright and cheery. How someone worked with sick and dying kids day in and out but still maintained such a cheerful attitude, I’d never know. I couldn’t be that strong.
“It’s time for Claudia’s next appointment.”
“Do I have to go?” Claudia screwed up her face and frowned.
“Yes, honey, I’m sorry, but you must go. We’re going to make you better.”
“I don’t like it.” She was copping an attitude, but I took that as a good sign. She was feeling well enough to protest. Perhaps Gage and I had given her a little strength.
“I know, honey, but let’s get it over with.”
She sighed. “Will you come back and visit soon?”
“You can count on it,” Gage said, answering for both of us.
I bent over and planted a kiss on her cheek. Gage did the same. We waved as we walked out the door. We didn’t talk much to each other as we visited other children on the floor. Gage was smiling and joking with the kids. He was a natural, and he’d make a great father someday.
Why was I thinking about Gage in that context? We were sex buddies, partners in crime. We were not permanent nor parent material. Not yet, anyway.
A few hours later, we left the hospital and got into the waiting car. I finally spoke what had been on my mind the entire visit.
“You’re really good with kids,” I said.
“I’ve had a lot of practice.” He stared straight ahead, unusually sober for him, most likely contemplating what he’d seen today.
“Do you have a lot of nieces and nephews?”
“Yeah. I’ve also been around a lot of kids because of football. I’ve volunteered to work with kids, and the team often visited hospitals and stuff.”
“Oh, I see.”
“We make a good team.”
“We do.” We’d made such a great team I’d envisioned us championing children’s causes and brightening sick kids’ days for years to come, but we didn’t have years, we had a week or less.
“Do you think she’ll make it?”
“I don’t know. The doctors gave her a fifty-fifty chance. She’s a fighter.”
Gage nodded. “I admire you for going there as often as you do. It’s tough seeing kids like that.”
“What I do is nothing compared to those nurses and doctors. They’re the real heroes.”
“I can only imagine the toll it would take on someone to work in a children’s cancer ward.”
“Me too. I couldn’t do it, but I certainly applaud the people who can.”
“Me too.”
We were silent for a long time, each lost in our own thoughts. Gage held my hand, and I leaned my head on his broad shoulder. Just being in his presence lifted my sagging spirits. He was a rock of strength and a solid shoulder to cry on. I’d never really noticed those traits in him before as our relationship had been all sex, and we hadn’t allowed ourselves to think beyond the physical. I’d discovered the last month in college that I enjoyed his company as much as his body.
“Ted will be married by the end of the week.” I blurted out what had been eating at me all day.
He frowned so deeply his brow furrowed and there were deep grooves at the corners of his mouth. “When do we call off our engagement?”
“No huge hurry,” I said casually. “Unless you want to do it sooner rather than later.”
“I can stay for another week and a half.”
“And we have that engagement party this Saturday night. I’d hate to ruin all the plans and waste all that effort that’s been put into it.” My statement didn’t make a lot of sense, but I didn’t care. Calling off the engagement now might save money and time in preparations, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I wanted to live this fantasy a little longer.
“I’m good with that.” Gage took my hand and squeezed it. “We still have that Green Room to properly christen.”
“Yes, we do, don’t we?”
That thought would get me through the rest of the day and long evening.
~~Gage~~
I was getting into royal life. The workout room was in
credible. The food was epic, and I had my own people. I’d never had people before, and I was enjoying the experience a little too much. I’d be the first to admit I was an attention slut, and I did love the attention too. I’d always been one to bask in the limelight, as was Alisa. For the next few days, we did a lot of public appearances, and our images were plastered all over the web. We’d personally picked where we’d be seen, as Alisa was passionate about raising the visibility of her causes, and I added a few of mine in there also. I wanted to showcase the plights of struggling farmers and head injuries in athletes. The farmer cause lifted a few brows, especially Alisa’s. I’d just shrugged and said food didn’t magically appear in grocery stores.
I could do without the constant presence of bodyguards outside the palace and many sets of eyes inside, though Alisa’s bodyguards and I had become buds. We bet on games, argued over what beer was best, and were dedicated to Alisa’s safety and happiness.
The other downside was the constant hounding by the media. A group followed us everywhere, shouting questions and taking photos. We were a hot item, and photos of us were worth money on the open market.
The princess and the football player.
We were big news. Huge.
Regardless, I was soaking up royal life in ways I’d never imagined I’d enjoy. Even Alisa’s father and grandfather warmed to me slightly. Not the stepmother, though. That woman didn’t have a warm bone in her scrawny body. She was the epitome of the evil stepmother.
We visited Claudia two more times, and the brave little girl was holding her own.
We still hadn’t made it into the Green Room, but I had plans for after the engagement party. Besides, Alisa had sneaked into my room two more nights this week. I’d rather have her there every night, but we were playing with fire on that one. Of course, we both loved playing with fire, but we were tempering our tendencies for the sake of impressing the royal family with our worthiness. She was still very new to being a princess, and I was wading through the murky swamp of my role as her intended.
So far, so good. I’d managed to allay any suspicions about my background and charmed just about everyone I could charm.
On Saturday afternoon, we took lunch in the garden. Alisa excused the staff, leaving us alone. Looking at Alisa, so beautiful and regal in her flowery dress, I was struck by the realization I did not want to end this. Not now. Not ever.
I loved her. I wanted to be with her. After we finished our last bite—because who was I to waste good food?—I took both her hands in mine and said the words that had been on my mind since she’d proposed this crazy fake engagement.
“We don’t have to call off the engagement.” My tone was casual, as if I were discussing whether or not we should have cucumbers in our salad. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of cucumbers, but I was a big fan of Princess Alisa, and my future happiness depended on her response. I held my breath. My entire body was paralyzed with fear she’d reject me. If she did, I’d never be the same. I’d break in ways that could never be repaired.
Both her perfectly shaped brows shot upward in surprise. “We discussed this. We’ll wait until next week.”
“I’m talking about beyond next week.”
“How far beyond?” She studied me warily and clutched my hands in hers.
“However long we want. I’m thinking a few months or more or who knows?” I was dancing around the truth. I didn’t want to end this ever. Even though the horror of a permanent relationship with a female struck fear deep in my soul, I wanted to try with her.
“If this goes too long, the wedding preparations will be too far down the road. I can’t allow such an expense to happen when I know we’re not going through with the wedding.”
“So we refuse to set a date for the wedding. They can’t prepare without a date.”
“Try telling that to my grandmother. She’s a bulldozer.”
I looked deep into her eyes in an attempt to convey feelings I had no words for. Alisa stared back, but her eyes were more like deer in the headlights than deeply in love.
“You said we made a good team.” There was a note of desperation in my voice.
“We do, but you have football, and I have my commitments here. How would we work that out long term?”
“Lis, part-time with you is better than full-time with anyone else. We live in Seattle during the season and here during the off-season.”
She nodded, somewhat calmed by my response, and thoughtful.
“I love you.” My impulsive declaration shouldn’t have been a surprise to her, yet her eyes widened, and she blinked several times. I pulled her hands to mine and planted a gentle kiss on each one. She watched me as I did so.
Silence reigned as we gazed into each other’s eyes like two lovesick fools in a Hallmark movie. She’d captured my heart and reeled it in. I was hooked on her and on a possible life with her.
“I’m in love with you, Gage.” Her blue eyes shone with sincerity and the most powerful emotion known to man.
My heart soared like an eagle catching a good tailwind and gliding through the sky. I grinned ear to ear and squeezed her hands. She laughed with absolute joy, and I joined in.
“You do? You love me?”
“Of course I love you. I’ve loved you since the day we met.”
“And had crazy, wild sex in the closet of the frat.”
“I knew you were the guy for me, but how far do we take this?”
“We take it as far as we both want it to go. Let’s try the dual country thing. See how it all works out. We don’t have to make any decisions right this minute.”
“Okay, I can do that. I have to get the family’s blessing to live in Seattle part of the year.”
“What if they don’t give it?”
“I’ll do it anyway.” Alisa laughed out loud, sounding so much like the Alisa I’d known in college, who did anything she wanted to do. The same girl I’d do anything for.
Chapter 22—The Green Room
~~Alisa~~
Princesses don’t get drunk, they get tipsy.
I was definitely on the drunk side of tipsy.
Gage was highly buzzed and the life of the party, entertaining our peers with his escapades as a football player. I stood at his side, proud he was mine, even if that claim was probably temporary. For now, I allowed myself to pretend we’d be starting a life together. The women envied me, and the men wanted to be Gage’s friend. I’d seen this very phenomenon in college, but I hadn’t expected this high-brow crowd to be no different than a bunch of college kids.
The engagement party was the hottest ticket in this town in ages. Everyone who was anyone wanted to meet us. A few select members of the local press were allowed to document the event as long as they kept a discreet distance from the happy couple.
Gage stuck by my side the entire night. We danced, we laughed, we teased each other with naughty promises of what we’d do together in the Green Room.
The night wore on, and the guests began to dissipate. Gage leaned down to whisper in my ear, “It’s well past midnight, Cinderella.”
“I’m the princess, so that would make you Cinderella.” I glanced at his big feet. “You appear to have lost both your glasses slippers.”
“More likely shattered them trying to squeeze them onto my big toe.”
“That is a big toe you have.” I wasn’t looking at his feet.
“You have a foot fetish?”
“I might. Depending on the feet.”
He grinned at me, his eyes alight with lust. “The Green Room is calling.”
I glanced around. The king, queen, my father, and stepmother had all retired for the evening over an hour ago. Some of the younger crowd were still going strong, fueled by free booze and who knew what else. We wouldn’t be chastised for leaving the party too early if we ducked out now.
“The Green Room it is.”
“Finally. My dick has been begging for a little action all night. Just seeing you in that dress—”
&nbs
p; “You like?”
“I fucking love.” His hungry gaze raked down my body, and I shivered with anticipation. Those burning blue eyes lingered on my ample cleavage courtesy of a push-up bra and almost-scandalously low-cut evening gown.
Gage put a hand on my elbow and guided me to the double doors of the huge ballroom. I gratefully leaned on him because I doubted I was walking all that straight.
We snuck down the maze of corridors, getting lost twice, until we came to the door of the Green Room. Gage pushed open the heavy door and paused. We stood in the doorway of the dark room, allowing our eyes to adjust. I looked over my shoulder, grateful Giles was nowhere to be found.
Gage pulled me inside and shut the door. There was an old skeleton-type key, and he turned it in the lock, then faced me. His grin was feral, and my heart was beating wildly as I briefly imagined what we’d do next.
“Did you bring condoms?” I asked breathlessly.
“As many as would fit in my pockets.”
“Good man.” I placed my hand on his fly and unbuckled his belt and slid his pants down his legs. I knelt before him, pushed his underwear down his thighs, and took the tip of his cock in my mouth. Gage groaned and dug his fingers into the back of my head. He exerted pressure, and I gave in, taking him deeper into my mouth until he was at the back of my throat. He began to thrust in and out. With each thrust, I managed to take him deeper, loving the taste of him.
“I’m fucking going to come,” he panted. His fingers tightened in my scalp, and his dick twitched inside my mouth. His body shuddered as I held on to his bare ass while he came inside my mouth. He pulled out slowly, and I swallowed, all the while gazing up at him. He stared down at me, his eyes glazed.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful.”
I didn’t answer but licked off his cock. Before I could finish, he’d pulled me to my feet.
“Get naked. Now.”
I didn’t argue with him as I stripped off my clothes, and he removed the rest of his. We made out naked on the couch with Gage toying with me until I came.
It didn’t take long for him to be hard again. Gage’s stamina had been legendary around Tyee. Before he’d met me, he’d been known to have several conquests a night. After me, I’d never heard those particular rumors again. I liked to think he hadn’t been with another woman since me, but to think a virile man such as Gage wouldn’t indulge himself when a hot female threw it in his face was stupid. Gage loved sex, and so did I. Yet I hadn’t been with anyone since Gage and I had become fuck buddies my junior year of college, and I’d been as legendary as Gage in the casual sex department.
Tackled in Seattle Page 16
