How to Catch a Prince

by Ana Ashley

  "Come, baby. We'd better get back before the room gets trashed," Kris said. "There's too much unresolved sexual tension in there, and I think your parents won't appreciate the amount of testosterone currently in the air."

  I laughed and took Kris's hand and followed him back inside. All the cars in the driveway were gone, so at some point, the family had left us. God, I loved them.

  We opened the door to witness the strangest standoff.

  James and Sergei were staring at each other like they wanted to cut each other's heads off. Connor was standing in front of James, seemingly trying to stop any fighting from happening. He was struggling to keep James back because despite looking as strong as each other, James was a trained army officer. Poor Rory was trying to keep Sergei back and failing miserably. In fact, it looked like Sergei was trying to protect Rory from being the victim of a potential punch.

  Kris and I exchanged a look. We were going to need reinforcements if the guys didn't back down.

  The one useless talent I had came in handy in that moment. I put my hands to my mouth and whistled so loud everybody jumped back.

  "You have superpowers," Kris said in my ear. "You have no idea how hot for you I am right now."

  "Kris. Focus."

  "Uh-huh."

  I rolled my eyes at Kris.

  "Sit down," I ordered, and within seconds, the two sofas were occupied. James and Connor on one, and Sergei and Rory on the other. I didn't miss how uncomfortable Connor and Rory looked, so I said they didn't have to stay. They both jumped at the chance to leave the room.

  "Right. I believe we have some shit to work through," I said. Kris had an amused grin as he crossed his arms and watched me taking charge of the situation.

  "Sergei, I'm Kris's boyfriend, Charlie." I extended my hand. Sergei took it but looked at Kris rather than at me.

  "What are you doing here, Sergei?" Kris asked.

  "The press has been hounding me nonstop since those photos were leaked. Someone named Ceecee Bloomfield got hold of my email somehow and said you were here and that you were with another man."

  "Okay, one story at a time," Kris said. "How the hell did you let yourself be photographed with a bunch of rent boys and drugs?"

  Kris sounded like he was struggling to contain his anger with Sergei.

  "It was a setup. After you broke up with me, I went to stay with a friend. He said we should go to this party with his friend and chill. I didn't know what kind of party it was."

  "Surely the drugs would give it away?" Kris said, deadpan.

  "There were no drugs that I remember. I think my drink was laced with something because all I remember was that I wasn't having any fun, and all I could think about was you. The next thing I remember we were both back at my friend's house the next day feeling like death warmed up. Then those photos came out."

  "Why didn't you say something?"

  "I was embarrassed that I'd brought so much shame to your family and my mom. I thought it would go away."

  "Oh, Sergei." Kris sighed.

  I felt sorry for the man. Loving Kris was so easy, and if nothing else, I sympathized with Sergei's feelings because I also didn't want to think of a future without Kris.

  "I have an idea," I said. "How about we offer Ceecee the scoop on this. If she hasn't left yet, we can have her interview you and write the piece as we want her to. After all, she owes us that much."

  Kris and Sergei agreed, so we called Connor back to the living room and asked him to call Ceecee. For a few hot minutes, I didn’t think she was going to pick up the phone, but when she did, I took the cellphone from my brother and spoke to her myself.

  Initially, Ceecee didn't want to do it, but I convinced her by accepting her apology and encouraging her to use the boost to find another job for a different publication.

  Since she was basically scooping herself, her editor-in-chief agreed to stop the publication of the other article and replaced it with the interview, especially as they included photos of the happy couple too.

  Carl was also on board and agreed it was a good way to wrap everything up.

  The most important thing was that the press still didn't know Kris's exact location, so even if they swarmed the area after the interview came out, it wouldn't mess up Hannah and Ellie's wedding.

  "You're smart and beautiful," Kris said into my lips as soon as we got back to the apartments later in the afternoon. Sergei was going to stay with James, and they'd promised they wouldn't kill each other. I'd asked why they hated each other so much, to which Kris had replied that they didn't, they were good friends, but when it came to protecting his friends and family, James was like a bull in a china store.

  "I think you're the smart one," I said, pulling Kris's shirt out of his slacks and reaching for the warm skin and taut muscles of his back.

  "Why's that?"

  "You picked me."

  Kris lifted me up and carried me to his bed. "I did pick you."

  We laughed.

  "Now, why don't we get rid of these stupid clothes," I said.

  "See? Smart."

  The last time we'd been together, it had been quick, dirty, and slightly dangerous considering what I now knew, but this time we had all night and a soft bed.

  "God, Charlie, you have no idea how much I've wanted to touch you like this again," Kris said as he removed my shirt and ran his hands over my chest.

  His hands were warm, and his touch was soft, almost reverent. I didn't want that. Slow, yes, soft? Fuck no. I wanted hard. I wanted to feel everything Kris had to give.

  "Stop treating me like a doll and remove my pants already," I demanded.

  "Oh, I love bossy Charlie," Kris said, pressing his palm on my erection over my pants, eliciting a frustrated moan. "I fucking loved when you took charge earlier."

  He undid the button and pulled the zipper down too slowly.

  "I'll take charge again if you don't get to it."

  Kris's smile made me shiver with anticipation. When he took my cock in his mouth and sucked all the way down to my trimmed hairs, I nearly saw stars.

  "Fuck, oh fuck, Kris."

  "I love it when you call my name, baby. Will you still call my name when I'm buried deep inside you?" Kris said as he trailed kisses up my chest until he was feasting on my mouth.

  "Why don't you grab a condom and find out?"

  I missed Kris's mouth as soon as he stopped kissing me.

  Kris jumped out of bed and removed his clothes quickly. I did the same, taking off my pants all the way as well as my underwear so I was fully naked.

  I stroked myself, putting on a show for Kris, who tripped over his own feet in the rush to get back to bed.

  "Shit," Kris said. "I don't have any condoms."

  23

  Kris

  What a time to realize I hadn't brought any condoms with me. Fuck. As it was, I'd been lucky to have the one in my wallet the other day.

  "My toiletry bag. My bathroom," Charlie said.

  It took me a moment to hear what Charlie had said because the sight of him stroking his cock slowly enough to just take the edge off was keeping all of my blood flowing south of my chest.

  When it did sink in, I ran to Charlie's bathroom, but not before stubbing my little toe on one of the legs of Charlie's bed.

  "Shit. Fuck. Fuck." I hobbled over to the bathroom, my toe throbbing.

  "You okay in there?" Charlie called from the other room.

  I took a couple of condoms and the small bottle of lube from the bag and ran back to Charlie, this time avoiding another collision with any kind of furniture.

  "Were you hoping to get lucky?" I asked as I resumed my exploration of Charlie's lush white skin.

  "Uh-huh. I run into princes all the time; don't you know? Gotta be prepared."

  "Oh really?" I loved this sassy, confident version of Charlie. Who was I kidding? I loved all versions of Charlie, and I couldn't be happier that we were together now, and I'd be able to get to know all of Charlie.

&
nbsp; The Charlie under me now was sexy, demanding, and very much in need of relief, so I suited up and made sure he was carefully prepared to take in my length.

  "Are you ready, baby?"

  "Yes, fuck, yes please," Charlie begged.

  I had intended on starting slow, but my body took over my mind when I was finally inside Charlie. It felt too good, too right.

  Every move in and out of Charlie was hell and heaven combined. I flittered between the two until I felt the familiar point of no return. I wrapped my hand around Charlie's cock and stroked in synchrony with his own moves.

  "Kris, oh yes…like that. Oh fuck, I'm gonna—"

  I swallowed Charlie's cries with my mouth, and as we came almost at the same time, I couldn't think of a single thing other than Charlie. Charlie was everything.

  When we were both drunk on love and lying in bed with limbs wrapped around each other, I smiled to myself. How naive to think not having sex would stop us from falling for each other.

  "Things are going to get tough, Charlie," I said, needing to bring us back to reality and hating myself because I had to, "but I'm going to be with you every step of the way, okay?"

  "Okay," Charlie said, clearly struggling to stay awake.

  "Charlie?"

  "Hmm?"

  I smiled against Charlie's hair. I'd wait and ask tomorrow.

  "Sleep, baby."

  I couldn't remember a night when I'd slept so soundly as I did when I had Charlie in my arms using me as his own personal pillow.

  How would it be when we had to be away from each other? I couldn't bear to think of it, but I knew it would happen. I couldn't just uproot Charlie to Lydovia. He had a family, a job, a roommate, and a life that, until this week, didn't include me.

  Charlie stirred in my arms like a real-life déjà vu from a few nights before, except this time, I was free to touch him in any way I wanted, and to wake him up with sweet kisses.

  "Hmm, I vote for waking up like this every day for the rest of my life," Charlie said as I trailed a path of open kisses all the way down Charlie's chest.

  "I'll hold you to that."

  I came back up to meet Charlie's eager mouth.

  "You tease," he said, bucking his hips against mine to show me exactly how far south I should have gone.

  "I wanted to ask you a question last night," I said.

  "What question? I'm sorry, did I fall asleep on you?"

  "No, I chickened out and let you fall asleep."

  "I blame you for wearing me out," Charlie teased. "So, what was this question?"

  I'd brought up the topic, but I still felt put on the spot.

  "I wanted to ask if you'd ever consider living with me in Lydovia."

  Charlie sat up, narrowly missing head-butting me and sending me over the other side of the bed and onto the floor.

  "What?"

  My heart sank. I knew it was a stretch; after all, we'd just met. Our relationship was unexpected, but despite not having any doubts about Charlie's feelings for me, I still couldn't expect Charlie to want to relocate to a different country so we could be together.

  I felt like I could be sick. The thought of not seeing Charlie all the time floored me.

  "I don't know," Charlie said. "I mean, I want to be with you, but I guess I hadn't given any thought as to where that would be."

  "I know and I'm sorry. You still haven't been given the full brief on what it's like to date a royal."

  I lay back on the bed, and Charlie followed me, resting his head on my chest. I ran my fingers through Charlie's red hair.

  "Wait, are you going to be king one day?"

  "No, Aleksandra is older than me, so she'll be queen once she marries her fiancé, Phillip."

  "Oh my god, I forgot there's more of you." Charlie's voice sounded panicked.

  "What do you mean?"

  "Royal people. How am I going to fit in? I'm only a store manager."

  "Hey, hey, look at me." I put my hand on Charlie's chin to tilt his head up. "Everybody is going to love you. You're an amazing person, and you're talented. Do you have any idea how many people will want drawings made by you once they see how stunning your work is?"

  "Really?"

  "Yes, baby. I might even have to do a royal decree restricting how many hours you can work in the day so I get you to myself."

  Charlie chuckled. "I could draw for a living?"

  "You won't need to do anything for a living, Charlie, but you can draw for pleasure, and if you want to make a living from it, you can do that too."

  Charlie looked like he was considering it.

  "How about my family?"

  "They will be welcome at the palace any time they want and for as long as they want to stay. There's enough space, that's for sure."

  Charlie straddled my hips and kissed me.

  "Thank you for thinking of them. I meant that. I wouldn't see much of them. I rarely see them as it is, and I've been promising myself that things would change and I'd go home more often."

  "Is there an airport near Chester Falls?"

  "Yeah, there's a small one. I don't think it does international flights, though."

  "Maybe not, but it'll do private flights. After all, it'll be an honor for the airport to have the prince of Lydovia and his boyfriend use their facilities for their private aircraft."

  Charlie's eyes opened wide.

  "You have a private jet?"

  "I do."

  "Man, this is going to take some adjusting."

  "I'll be with you every step of the way."

  Charlie got up and reached for my hand.

  "Come on, we have some regular people stuff to do today, such as attending a regular wedding, and we need a shower."

  I laughed.

  "Baby, your family is anything but regular. This is going to be the best wedding ever."

  "Come on, let's get dirty and clean all in one go," Charlie said, strutting to the bathroom.

  I was well on board with that idea too.

  Hannah looked beautiful as she walked down the aisle toward Ellie, who stood under a wooden arch decorated with purple wisterias. I recognized the look they exchanged as they laced their fingers together in front of the officiant. It was the same look I'd seen in the drawing Charlie had done, and the look I saw in Charlie's eyes every time we were together.

  We'd arrived early at the venue so Charlie could present Hannah and Ellie with his wedding gift, a drawing he'd done of two girls holding a book that made the shape of a heart. In true Charlie style, the edges of the girls were slightly blurred so the heart stood out, but there was no mistaking their faces. He'd told me he'd drawn a representation of Hannah and Ellie and how they got together after Ellie started working at Bookmarked.

  I put my hand behind Charlie's chair to pull him closer, and he naturally gravitated toward me. The hand he'd placed on my leg would have been a little more dangerous if I hadn't been totally worn out from our pre-shower, during-shower, and post-shower activities. I giggled.

  "Why are you giggling like a schoolgirl?" Charlie asked quietly.

  "Nothing," I said innocently before stealing a kiss.

  Charlie's mom was looking at us adoringly and waved. I missed my mom so much, but I was happy Caroline had enough mom in her to love all her children and their significant halves. I knew that much after the lecture she'd given me right before she'd told me that both James and Sergei were welcome at the wedding too.

  Rory sat on the same row of chairs as us. We nodded at each other in acknowledgment. I now saw the underlying sadness in his demeanor. The Rory I'd met initially was an act. I wasn't sure why Rory didn't come out, considering he had such loving and accepting examples all around him.

  "Hey," Charlie whispered. "Have you seen how Sergei looks at Rory?"

  I had noticed. Sergei had always had a weakness for smaller guys and had complained I wasn't small enough to be thrown around in bed. Who knew, maybe my childhood friend would have his own happy ever after if Rory ever looked u
p long enough to notice Sergei's eyes on him.

  Connor was something else altogether, and I didn't quite know what to make of him. On the surface, he was a confident man who had his life together, despite the Ceecee issues, but there was something else too.

  Maybe, like me, Connor had for too long portrayed the role of a perfect human being. It was only a matter of time until one cracked and a new person resurfaced, and my new role in the family was to make sure his younger brother was around enough to be there for him.

  After the ceremony, the family and guests were busy taking photos with the brides, so once Charlie and I had had ours taken, Charlie asked me to follow him. We went past the marquee where the reception would be held and kept going until we reached a path.

  "Olly told me how to get here," Charlie said as we kept walking until I started to recognize the river. "Remember when we met Aunt Gina that first day? She'd come this way to the lake. The Old Mill is farther down that way." Charlie pointed.

  I saw the steps where we'd had our cookies and coffee and…

  "That's our tree," Kris said,

  "Yes. Come look."

  We left the path again toward the tree where we'd given in fully to our attraction for the first time.

  "The rain didn't wash everything away," Charlie said with a beaming smile.

  "What do you mean?"

  I didn't have to wait long to find out because I could see it. There was a circle of seedlings breaking through the soil next to the tree. Inside the circle, there was nothing but soil. That's where we'd sat and scattered the seeds together around our shape as we'd leaned against the tree.

  "How is that possible? We only planted them a few days ago."

  "The rain. Everything is possible when it rains," Charlie said, and I wholeheartedly agreed.

  We stepped into our circle, being careful not to step on top of the seedlings. I leaned against the tree and wrapped my arms around Charlie.

  "We have our own made-to-measure spot."

  "We do."

  I kissed Charlie.

  "Kris?"

  "Hmm?"

  "I never answered your question."