The Princess and the Prepper

by Barbara Elsborg

  “I should have tried that long ago.” Though if she had, she suspected he might have really hurt her in return.

  She sat with his family, Grant’s hand still holding hers, the hamburger and fries she’d wanted in front of her—and she couldn’t eat a thing.

  Grant wondered if Lili’s heart was hammering as fast as his. He wanted to whisk her to his cabin, into his bed, back into his heart—not that she’d ever left it. She’s not married. She’s mine. He kept repeating the sentences in his head, but he still couldn’t believe it. Then doubt crept in. Maybe all she wanted was to get away from that asshole. She didn’t need to be tied down to another guy. But then she looked at him and all his doubts dissolved into mist.

  He became aware she was talking to his parents and his brother while he sat staring at her like a lovelorn fool.

  “Earth calling Grant. Come in, Grant,” said his brother and clicked his fingers against his head. “Houston, we have a problem. Communications are down.”

  “Shut up,” Grant mumbled and tugged Lili to her feet. “We need to go now.”

  James laughed but a look from his mother snipped the sound off mid-chortle.

  “Come for dinner tomorrow,” said his mother. “I’ll call you. Answer your phone.”

  He was desperate to get Lili out of there. Who the hell knew what his mother and brother had been saying about him while his brain was trying to persuade his cock to stay calm.

  His stomach fluttered with anxiety when Lili went to the restroom, but she came back with a big smile on her face. He helped her on with her coat, picked up his own from by the door, and then as they were ready to step out into the night, he turned to face the room.

  “Thank you, all of you,” he said.

  “Welcome home, Grant,” someone shouted, and though he’d been back for a year, he knew exactly what that meant.

  As he opened the door of his SUV, Jake North pulled up at his side and the trunk opened on his car. He got out and moved to the rear of his vehicle. “He’s back at Maggie’s. He won’t be going anywhere tonight. His SUV won’t start. I’ll make sure he leaves tomorrow.” He lifted a suitcase out of the trunk. “Though you might be needing this.”

  “Oh, thank you,” Lili said.

  He took the case from Jake and put it in his SUV. “Did you arrange for the problem with the road?”

  “What problem? Road’s been clear all day.”

  Grant let out a choked laugh. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  He helped Lili into the SUV and climbed in the driver’s side. Once he had the engine running and the interior heating, he reached for her hand.

  “I’m sorry. I should have never let you go.”

  “You thought I was married.”

  “I still shouldn’t have let you go.”

  She smiled.

  “Want to live with me for a while and make sure you want me?” he asked.

  “Maybe you won’t want me.”

  He laughed as he pulled onto the highway. “I can’t live without you.”

  “You have remembered I can’t make coffee, I break stuff, I’m useless at peeling potatoes, I—”

  “But I want my napkins in the shape of flowers, I’d like to learn how to speak to heads of state and royalty, just in case, and most important, I need you warming my bed.”

  “You could get an electric blanket.”

  “And what happens when the electricity’s out? Nope, I really need you. You’re top of all my prepping lists.”

  She chuckled.

  He kept reminding himself to slow down, there was no rush. The last thing he wanted to happen was an accident or to get stuck in the snow, even with the emergency pack in place. He was relieved when he pulled up outside the cabin, too impatient to get them both inside to put away the SUV.

  He lifted her case from the back. As he and Lili approached the cabin, they saw Shadow sitting outside the door. The wolf bounded over and jumped up at them, licking his face and then Lili’s.

  “What’s gotten into you?” Grant asked.

  “He’s happy to see us.”

  Shadow wagged his tail and they both laughed.

  “Want to come inside, wolf?” he asked but Shadow bounded off into the trees.

  “Places to go, wolves to see, spots to pee on,” Lili said.

  When they were inside in the warm and the door was closed and locked, Grant exhaled. He helped Lili off with her coat, removed his own, and hung them up. He sat her down to take off her boots and put them on the mat with his. She stood in the middle of the cabin and his heart swelled so much, he couldn’t inflate his lungs.

  Lili reached for his hand and kissed the tip of each of his fingers. It would have made him instantly hard had he not already been hard as iron. He put his hands on her waist, bent his head to hers, and kissed her, loving the way she melted against him. While he kissed her, he inched up the back of her dress, gathering the material in his hands until—damn.

  “No panties?” he whispered against her mouth.

  “Oh no, did I forget to put them on?”

  He laughed. “That’s what you were doing in the restroom?”

  Hands spread on her butt, he kissed her forehead, her nose, her eyes, and Lili’s breathing turned noisy and ragged. He trailed his tongue around the shell of her ear, licked and nipped and sucked, and at the same time stroked the cheeks of her backside, drawing circles. Lili’s hands were all over the place, clutching his arms, pulling at the waist of his pants, clenching around his shirt while she panted into his shoulder.

  “Oh God, oh God, oh God.” She gasped over and over, rocking into him, grinding herself against his increasingly claustrophobic cock.

  He pulled back and stared into her wild violet eyes. Her pupils were dilated; her lips were swollen. He felt three words bubbling up his throat. Too soon, don’t scare her. But he couldn’t stop them leaving his mouth.

  “I love you.”

  Lili’s eyes widened and then her face tensed as she unraveled with a cry. He held her tight as she trembled against him and he smiled against her cheek.

  “Don’t…be…so…smug.” She panted.

  “I’m not.” He smiled harder.

  “You’re laughing.”

  “I’m not.” But he was close to it. “Is that all I have to do to make you come? Tell you I love you?”

  “It wasn’t that. It was licking my ear.”

  He did laugh then.

  “Hey, I can make you come that fast,” she said.

  “I know.”

  “But not by licking your ear or by telling you I love you.”

  His heart hammered. He pulled her close, his hands still on her butt. “Maybe you could. Want to try?”

  She pressed her lips against his ear, breathed against him, and his cock jerked. She ran the tip of her tongue around the rim of his ear and heat raced along his veins.

  “I love you,” Lili whispered.

  His throat seemed to close. He’d thought no one would ever say that to him again.

  “Did you come?” she asked.

  His cock renewed its battle with the zipper. “No. I think you need to keep trying.”

  “I love you, I love you, I love you,” she said in an increasingly loud voice.

  He whisked her up into his arms while she was still saying it and carried her into the bedroom. Moments later, they were naked and in his bed. He pressed his lips to hers and swallowed her words. She was cute, she was funny, and she was his. Grant slipped a finger deep inside her and speared her mouth with his tongue in the same rhythm. His thumb settled on her clit, and he rubbed it as he continued to fuck her with his finger.

  Grant kissed his way down her body, pressed his face between her legs, and swallowed her cream. Precum surged and his balls tingled as his head fogged with desire. As he sucked at her clit, Lili came again, her hips arching, her fingers yanking at his hair. He wanted to keep doing this to her all night, but his cock had other ideas. He reached for a co
ndom from the drawer and slipped it on.

  He rolled onto his back and lifted Lili over him. “You have to learn to be a cowgirl if you’re going to live in Wyoming.”

  “Where’s my whip? Ooh, and spurs.”

  “Another time. I’m getting desperate.”

  His fingers settled around her hips, and Lili positioned his cock against her folds. As she lowered herself on to him, Grant arched his hips to push into her. One long, slow slide into her tight heat until he was buried up to his balls. She clenched her muscles around him, and the feeling almost blew off the top of his head. When she began to move up and down, he let out a long sigh. His fingers strayed to her hard nipples and played with them. He lifted his head and licked each of them in turn, feeling his cock twitch inside her.

  This was going to impress her. How long had he lasted? A couple of minutes? He pleaded with his balls to hang on, and took deep breaths. Lili stared into his eyes, and he forgot to breathe at all. He gritted his teeth as he fought for control. Lili’s muscles tightened around his cock as she pushed down and did the same as she pulled back. It was impossible to do anything but let her take him on the journey. His head ached, his balls throbbed, and then Lili shifted into another gear. The tight, rhythmic contractions around his cock as she came dragged him with her. The rush of release overwhelmed his body, sprinting from the back of his head down his spine to trigger his balls and the moment she whispered, “I love you,” he exploded into her.

  Lili collapsed onto him and he wrapped his arms around her, held her tight, and panted into her hair as their hearts battered their chests. He’d been afraid to risk loving again, to risk losing what he loved. His stomach churned at the thought of how he might have missed this chance. His life had been endless winter, and Lili offered endless summer.

  He wanted to give her the world because she’d given it back to him.

  Chapter Nine

  Grant woke the moment Lili reached for him.

  “Not again. I’m worn out,” he mumbled with a laugh. “Oh, okay then.” His fingers slipped to her breast.

  “There’s someone at the door,” she said.

  “Shadow. He can wait.”

  “It’s not Shadow unless he’s learned how to knock.”

  He groaned and rolled out of bed. He pulled on his pants and shirt and dragged his fingers through his hair.

  “What if it’s Dieter?” She shuffled out of bed and pulled on a shirt. “I’ll come with you.”

  The banging started again.

  “Stay right where you are,” Grant said.

  Lili followed him into the other room, and he turned to glare at her. She peeked through the window.

  “That’s not the vehicle Dieter rented,” she said.

  Grant opened the door and Lili gasped at his side. A middle-aged man with silver hair stood there, a woolen coat hanging on his shoulders. Behind him and next to a black Suburban stood a guy in a chauffeur’s uniform.

  “Can I help you?” Grant asked.

  “Hello, Papa,” Lili said and Grant let out a quiet groan.

  “Hello, Liliane.”

  “Would you like to come in?” he asked. Oh God, Lili’s only wearing my shirt. No panties. Her hair is mussed, her lips kiss-swollen. Her father is going to kill me.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  Grant turned to Lili and mouthed “clothes” before he stood aside to let the guy in.

  “Does your driver want to come in, too?” Grant asked.

  “He can sit in the car.”

  He closed the door and saw Lili disappear into the bedroom, dragging her case.

  “Can I take your coat?” he asked.

  The guy handed it over, and Grant hung it over his.

  “Would you like a coffee? Er…or tea?”

  “Coffee would be very nice, thank you.”

  Oh God, what do I say? This man knew what they’d been doing, and his daughter was a princess. Shit. Was he a frickin’ king or something?

  Grant messed around with the coffeemaker, and Lili burst out of the bedroom dressed in gray pants and a blue sweater.

  “Would you like a coffee, Lili?” Grant asked.

  “Yes, please.” She stood in front of her father, and Grant saw her arms twitching as if she wanted to hug him.

  Do it.

  As Lili threw herself at her father, Grant exhaled. She wrapped her arms around the guy and pressed her head against his chest.

  Hug her back.

  When he saw the man’s arms creep around Lili and hold her, Grant smiled.

  “What are you doing here?” Lili tugged her father to sit next to her on the couch.

  “I seem to be on a wild goose chase. I came to stop you marrying Dieter.”

  He liked her father already. Just as long as he didn’t have some prince lined up for his princess.

  “But you and Mama wanted me to go out with him.”

  “Go out with him—yes. Marry him—no. Well, your mother thought differently, but Dieter’s not right for you. I was most concerned when I heard that he’d hit you.”

  Concerned? Not fucking furious? And your damn wife said Lili deserved it.

  “Dieter is greedy for money, power, and for my company. He’s good at his job. His single-minded determination to get what he wants is useful in business deals but not when he isn’t able to change that behavior in his private life. I thought you might be a leveling influence on him and that he might be good for you. It was a mistake. I’m relieved I’ve arrived in time to stop it being an expensive mistake. And I’m not talking about money.”

  Lili reached out for his hand and held it. Grant carried three coffees over and put them on a low table.

  “I won’t sack him. Not yet. But he knows he’s on borrowed time.”

  Grant clenched his fists. The guy cared more about money than his daughter’s welfare?

  “I didn’t know,” her father said in a quiet voice. “Your mother let something slip, but I wish you’d told me before.”

  “No one listened.”

  “You should have made me.”

  She gave Grant a shy smile. “I’m just learning how to stand up for myself. But Dieter needs counseling.”

  He needs a fist in the gut.

  “Now, are you forgetting your manners, Liliane?”

  She gasped. “I’m so sorry. Papa, this is Grant Thomas Houston. Grant, this is my father, Prince Wilhelm Ludwig Anton Joseph zu Saxe Melckenburghausen.”

  Grant stood and offered his hand. Her father rose and shook it—and nearly broke his fingers. He looked into Grant’s eyes and Grant got the message. Hurt my daughter and you’ll be sorry.

  “Would you step outside a moment?” her father asked him.

  “Sure.” Oh shit, is that chauffeur going to beat the crap out of me?

  “What are you going to do?” Lili asked.

  “I want to have a private word with Mr. Houston.”

  She hesitated and then nodded. “Can I make you some pancakes?”

  “That would be delightful.” Her father smiled at her.

  Grant handed the guy his coat and slipped his own on. Her father wasn’t smiling when they faced each other outside.

  “What are your intentions toward my daughter?”

  “I’d like your permission to marry her.”

  “Would you? And what will you do if I say no?”

  “Marry her anyway, if she’ll have me.” Go on. Hit me. Get it over with. “I might not be as good at business as Dieter, but I’m a better man. I’d never hurt Lili. I’d put her first in my life, which is where she should have been in yours. That bastard hit her. How could you not know?”

  “You’re right. I should have known. I’ve not been…a good father.”

  “Be one now and fire Dieter. What’s more important? Money or Lili?”

  The guy actually smiled. “That’s what I was waiting to hear. You’re perfect for my daughter. I’m delighted that you want to marry her, though I ask one condition.”

  “
What?”

  “Wait three months before you ask her. You both need to be sure you know what you’re letting yourself in for.”

  That seemed reasonable to Grant. “Agreed.”

  “Now, shall we eat Lili’s pancakes?”

  The smell of burning was obvious the moment Grant opened the door. Lili had set the table and made the napkin flowers and as they sat down, she put two pancakes on each plate. The top looked a little brown but when Grant lifted one, it was black underneath.

  “Are they okay?” Lili asked.

  “They look delicious,” Grant said and tipped a large amount of maple syrup onto his plate.

  Her father took only a little.

  “You might need a touch more,” Grant said.

  “Ah, yes.”

  They both ate every bite, and every bite was pretty bad.

  “Great,” Grant said.

  “Delicious,” her father added.

  “I’m not going home,” Lili blurted out.

  Her father regarded her steadily. “Shall I open up a bank account for you in town?”

  “I can support myself someday, once I’m given the chance.”

  “I can support her.” Grant bristled.

  “Grant’s a writer. He’s had five thrillers published.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  And Grant realized this guy had checked him out, that he knew about Serena and their daughter, knew that he’d holed away up here for a year.

  “I’m going to stay in town for a few days. I might as well see the business we’re quoting for. Dieter knows to leave you alone. You don’t need to worry about him. I don’t believe he’ll be working for me much longer.”

  “Thank you, Papa. You could come one evening and I could cook a meal.”

  Grant almost smiled at the fleeting look of panic on her father’s face.

  “How about you two join me in town?” her father asked.

  “Good idea,” Grant said.

  “Keep your phone charged, Lili.”

  “Yes, Papa.”

  “Don’t forget to wrap up warm.”

  “No, Papa.”

  He rose to his feet, shook Grant’s hand, and pulled Lili into his arms.

  “You are the most precious thing in the world to me,” he whispered. “I should have told you before. I should have made more time for you. You don’t need a man like me. You need a man like this one.” He kissed her and was gone.