The Crown Affair

by Lucy King

  ‘I’m delighted you agree.’

  His mouth found hers and as he kissed her he stroked a hand down her body, over the damp triangle of curls at the juncture of her legs and slid a finger deep inside her.

  Laura gasped into his kiss and felt herself clench around him.

  ‘Unbelievable,’ he muttered against her mouth.

  ‘Incredible,’ she panted.

  ‘That, too.’

  As he stroked her waves of pleasure began to roll over her. Unable to resist, she lifted her hips and pressed herself harder against him. Her breathing shallowed. Sped up. A ball of tension swelled and tightened inside her. Her heart thundered.

  She felt Matt reach over, faintly heard the rustle of foil and then he was on top of her, pushing her knees even farther apart and driving into her.

  Laura groaned in desperation. Her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him farther inside her, and her hands tangled in his hair.

  With every thrust of his body, every scorching kiss, he pushed her higher. Mindless with need, Laura tilted her hips to take him deeper. She could feel the tension in him too, the focus, as he pounded harder and faster into her.

  And then just when she thought she couldn’t bear the clawing desperation any longer, he pulled out of her and drove into her one last time, deeper than he had ever before.

  Laura shattered. A tidal wave of pure pleasure crashed over her as her orgasm hit and rippled out along every single one of her nerve endings. A second later Matt let out a rough groan and collapsed on top of her.

  As she floated back down to earth she became aware of his heart thundering against hers, his breath harsh and fast against her neck, and something inside her chest squeezed.

  But before she could work out what it was Matt was propping himself up on his elbows to take his weight and lowering his head to give her a long slow devastating kiss that wiped her mind.

  ‘Like I said,’ he murmured, gazing down at her as he gave her a faint smile, ‘unbelievable.’

  Despite that thing in her chest squeezing even tighter, Laura couldn’t help a satisfied smile creeping across her face. Matt gently withdrew from her and rolled onto his back to deal with the condom, then pulled her on top of him and tugged the sheet up over them.

  ‘You know, I’ve never slept with a king before,’ she said, her gaze roaming over the lines of his face.

  ‘I should hope not,’ said Matt dryly. ‘Most of them are over sixty.’

  He trailed his hands over her back and she could feel her skin tingle. She folded her arms on his chest and rested her chin on her wrists. ‘How old are you?’

  ‘Thirty-three.’

  ‘Pretty young to become king.’

  ‘I guess.’

  ‘How did it all come about?’

  He frowned and the fingers creating havoc on her back stilled. ‘Do we have to discuss this now?’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because there are lots of other things we could be doing.’

  That was true, she thought, feeling him stirring against her abdomen and beginning to slide beneath the surface of the desire that was sweeping through her. It would be so easy to just give in. Especially with the way Matt’s hands had moved lower and were now stroking her bottom and sending tingles all the way round to her core.

  But she wanted to know about him. Had done for weeks, and to absolutely no avail. Matt was as chatty as a clam. Torquemada himself would have trouble getting Matt to open up, and God knew she was no Torquemada. But now, with him trapped beneath her, all relaxed and amenable and perhaps prepared to lower his guard a fraction, maybe she did have a chance. And who knew, it might be her only opportunity.

  Ruthlessly quashing the desire whipping through her, Laura called into service a hitherto dormant will of steel and reached behind her to remove his hands from her bottom. ‘Not right now,’ she said, placing them either side of his head and keeping them there with hers. ‘You know pretty much everything there is to know about me, yet I know virtually nothing about you.’

  Matt frowned. That wasn’t true, was it? She knew… Hmm. So maybe it was, but that was understandable. He was reserved. And why wouldn’t he be, what with journalists constantly hounding him for his life story?

  ‘So read the papers,’ he said.

  ‘But I have such a reliable source right here,’ she said, looking up at him from beneath her eyelashes and giving him a seductive smile.

  If he had any sense whatsoever he’d be levering himself up and heading back to his own room, because Matt didn’t do post-coital conversation. Or any conversation of a personal nature, for that matter.

  However his body wanted more of her. Much more. He wanted to watch her shatter in his arms again. Wanted to shatter in her arms.

  Hmm. Maybe he could dispense with a few facts and then turn his talents to persuading her to find another use for her mouth.

  ‘Fine,’ he said. ‘My favourite colour is blue.’ Cornflower blue, he thought, looking into her eyes and momentarily losing his train of thought. ‘My favourite food is chilli and I don’t have time for hobbies. Anything else?’

  Her eyebrows shot up. ‘Are you kidding?’ she said softly.

  ‘What do you want to know? Ask me anything.’ Whether he’d choose to answer was another matter entirely.

  Laura tilted her head on his chest. ‘OK,’ she said slowly. ‘Seeing as you’re such a novice at this sort of thing, we’ll start with my original question. How did you become king?’

  Matt relaxed. That was an easy enough question to answer. ‘Six months ago a Sassanian delegate showed up at my office and offered me the job.’

  ‘Just like that?’

  ‘Pretty much.’ It hadn’t been quite that simple. At first he’d almost summoned security to remove what he’d thought was a madman. But after the delegate had persuaded him to listen, Matt had wasted no time in accepting. His business was well established and so successful that it practically ran itself and, to be honest, he’d been getting a bit restless. The visit from the Sassanian delegate couldn’t have come along at a better time.

  ‘Did you know you were heir to the throne?’

  ‘Of course, but my family had been in exile so long we’d more or less forgotten about it.’

  ‘So what happened?’

  ‘They had a coup.’

  ‘Nasty.’

  Matt twined his fingers through hers and felt her shiver. ‘Actually, not too bad as coups go. It was bloodless. I think the country had come to the end of the road and everyone knew it. It had been in steady decline for years. It was socially, financially and morally bankrupt. Corruption was rife. It still is. Public services are virtually non-existent.’

  ‘And it’s down to you to sort it out?’

  ‘Sorting out problems is what I do.’

  ‘Handy.’ A smile curved her lips and Matt’s stomach tightened.

  ‘Not really,’ he said. ‘I was told I was the main reason why they voted to restore the monarchy.’

  Her eyes widened. ‘That sounds pretty drastic. Couldn’t they have just employed you as a consultant or something instead?’

  ‘They wouldn’t have been able to afford me. This way they get me for free.’

  ‘So cynical.’

  ‘I prefer realistic.’ At the look of affront in her eyes on his behalf, something inside him thawed. ‘But if it makes you feel better,’ he said, faintly bewildered by the feeling, ‘I believe they thought a figurehead would unite the country and restore confidence.’

  ‘So no pressure, then.’

  ‘Fortunately I thrive under pressure.’

  ‘What’s the plan?’

  ‘I cut out the dead wood and restructure the finances.’

  ‘Sounds simple.’

  Matt thought of all the problems he’d already encountered in the short time he’d been here. ‘It isn’t.’

  ‘How’s it going?’

  ‘Slowly.’

  ‘How does it feel?’

  ‘
Feel?’

  Laura nodded, watched a frown appear on his forehead and felt him tense. Matt clearly didn’t do feelings, at least not of the emotional kind. Well, that was tough, because she was on a roll, and frankly rather stunned by how much he’d divulged, even if it had been all fact based. No way was she giving up now.

  ‘How does what feel?’ he muttered.

  ‘The king thing.’

  ‘It doesn’t feel anything.’

  Matt’s expression shuttered but she carried on undeterred.

  ‘It must feel something,’ she said cajolingly. ‘I don’t know, exhilarating, nerve-racking, weighty… Maybe even a little bit scary?’

  Matt regarded her thoughtfully, his eyes unfathomable as he appeared to analyse the emotions she’d listed. ‘I guess it’s challenging,’ he said eventually.

  Challenging? ‘That’s it?’

  ‘That’s it.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘Don’t sound so disappointed,’ he said, a smile tugging at his mouth. ‘You know how much I like challenges.’

  ‘Oh, I do,’ said Laura, her eyes darkening and her breathing shallowing for a second before she remembered what she was supposed to be doing and giving herself a quick shake. ‘So what have you done with your business?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Well, presumably you can’t run a business and run a country.’

  ‘I still have it. I’ve simply taken a step back.’

  ‘Until you decide what you want to do with it?’

  ‘Quite,’ he said non-committally.

  ‘And what are you going to do about your house?’

  ‘Which one?’

  ‘How many do you have?’

  ‘A few.’

  Naturally. ‘I mean the one in Little Somerford.’

  ‘I’m not going to do anything about it.’

  ‘Oh.’ She frowned. ‘What?’

  ‘Well, I know it’s your house and it’s really none of my business, but it does seem a shame to leave such a lovely house empty and neglected.’

  She felt his heart thump. ‘It’s not neglected. A gardener goes in twice a week and I employ a part-time caretaker.’

  ‘OK,’ said Laura, nibbling on her lip and ignoring the feeling she might be treading on eggshells. ‘Maybe neglected isn’t quite the right word. Unloved would be better.’

  ‘Unloved?’ He frowned. ‘It’s a house. It doesn’t need to be loved.’

  She gasped and gave him a quick smile. ‘Wash your mouth out. All buildings deserve to be loved. How long have you had it?’

  ‘Eight years.’

  ‘And how much time have you spent there?’

  ‘Not a lot.’

  ‘That would explain the emotional neglect.’

  His expression tightened. ‘I’m busy.’

  ‘That’s no excuse.’ Laura sniffed. ‘I bet you wouldn’t let one of your businesses slide into neglect.’

  ‘True. But then I’m not looking to make a profit on the house.’

  ‘Just as well. You know,’ she mused, ‘if I owned something like that I wouldn’t be able to stay away.’

  ‘Unfortunately I don’t have that luxury,’ he murmured, his gaze dropping to her mouth.

  ‘It breaks my heart to see something like that drifting into decline. If you’re not going to maintain it, and if you’re hardly ever there, what’s the point of having it?’

  Matt lifted his gaze. ‘I like having it.’

  Her eyes widened. ‘It’s a status symbol?’

  His eyes went bleak and Laura’s heart squeezed. ‘If you like,’ he said.

  ‘Oh, the poor thing,’ she murmured. ‘No wonder it was so lonely.’

  ‘Lonely?’ His tone suggested he thought she was nuts.

  ‘Yes, lonely. A house like that should be alive. Filled with laughter and activity and a family. There should be hordes of children running all over the place.’

  He tensed and she sensed barriers springing up all around him. ‘Perhaps.’

  ‘Do you have any family?’

  ‘Not much. I’m an only child. My father died of cancer when I was sixteen. My mother lives in London.’

  ‘Don’t you get lonely?’

  He froze beneath her. ‘No,’ he said gruffly. ‘I’m better off alone.’

  Her chest tightened at the bleak look that haunted his eyes. ‘That’s sad,’ she said softly.

  And then he rolled over, trapping her beneath him and Laura’s heart began to thump and her breath began to quicken. ‘So make it better,’ he muttered, lowering his head and covering her mouth with his.

  Matt watched Laura sleeping. Stared at the fingers of moonlight turning her blond hair to silver and listened as her breath whispered across his chest.

  And with every rise of her breasts, every fall, every soft breath he felt another tiny strand of his carefully controlled life unravel.

  Dammit, how could he have been so careless? What was it about Laura that had him lowering his guard and revealing so much about himself like that?

  He didn’t do feelings. Hadn’t done for years. He didn’t need her making him question decisions he’d made years ago. So why was he?

  Why did she have him suddenly doubting his role on Sassania? His belief he was better off alone? And what was all that nonsense about his house needing to be loved?

  Matt’s heart hardened and he told himself not to be so absurd. His role on Sassania was clear. He liked being alone. And just because he hadn’t ever got round to sorting out the house he’d bought intending to live in it with a wife and family, it didn’t mean anything.

  Laura and her pseudo-psychiatry could take a hike. He really didn’t need it. He was fine the way he was.

  So why did he find himself wanting to tell her more?

  Matt’s heart thudded and his blood ran cold. Feeling highly unsettled, he eased himself from beneath her arm, swung his legs over the bed and got up. He pulled on his clothes and ran his hands through his hair.

  Staring down at her as her mouth twitched in her sleep, he fought the urge to throw his clothes off and get back into bed with her, and picked up his shoes.

  That kind of thinking led to madness.

  He needed time to regroup. Regain some sort of control and decide what the hell to do about everything.

  Work was the solution, he thought, heading to the door and sanity. Work was always the solution. And as neither Laura nor the attraction he seemed to have to her showed any signs of going away, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to put some physical distance between them.

  There was bound to be a conference going on about something somewhere in the world.

  Laura felt sunshine prick her eyes, gingerly opened them and then grinned and stretched.

  Wow. What a night. Every muscle in her body ached with a delicious kind of languor. In between acquainting herself with every inch of him and vice versa she’d lost count of the number of orgasms she’d had.

  But the spectacular sex aside, what was giving her an even warmer glow this morning was the fact that Matt had opened up. Just a crack, but far more than she’d thought he would have done.

  OK, so she’d asked the questions, and he hadn’t volunteered much that she hadn’t asked, but to be honest she hadn’t expected him to venture anything at all. But he had and the balance in their relationship was definitely moving in her direction. Which was progress.

  Laura froze mid-stretch and her heart lurched. Hang on a second? Progress? What was that all about? Since when had progress mattered? And since when did she and Matt have a relationship? The last thing she wanted was a relationship. She and Matt weren’t about relationships and progress, were they? No. They were just about sex. With any luck lots of it.

  In fact she might just remind him of that very thing right now.

  Fizzing all over with desire, Laura rolled over, fully expecting to slam up against the hard warm naked body of Matt, but instead met nothing but cool air.

  Oh. Desire vanished as sh
e sat up and felt the pillow that still bore the indentation of his head. Cold. Hmm. So much for embarking on a raging affair right now. Matt’s absence did not bode well for a long leisurely start to the day.

  Nor did the note she suddenly spied on the bedside table. Clutching the sheet and wrapping it beneath her arms, she rolled over, picked it up and then fell back against the pillows.

  Gone to Athens. Didn’t want to wake you.

  Laura read the note twice. Not that she needed to when the message was perfectly clear, but the first time she’d got a bit distracted admiring his handwriting and remembering the feel of his hands on her body.

  But when she read it a second time the bottom fell out of her stomach and disappointment flooded through her.

  Gone to Athens? Laura didn’t know what to think. Matt hadn’t mentioned anything about a trip so what on earth was he doing in Athens? Especially when they’d scheduled a meeting for this afternoon to discuss the budget for the restoration work.

  And why hadn’t he wanted to wake her? She wouldn’t have minded. Surely he hadn’t had to leave so suddenly there hadn’t been time for a quick goodbye. Surely she was worth more than eight words, one apostrophe and two full stops.

  And after what they’d shared she deserved a kiss at the very least.

  Laura’s throat tightened as the note slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the bed. That wasn’t fair. She wasn’t forgettable. She wasn’t dispensable. And she wasn’t going to have another man walk all over her.

  CHAPTER TEN

  SO MUCH for assuming that out of sight out of mind might actually work, thought Matt grimly, striding along the corridor to his suite and scowling. Attending the conference in Athens had been a complete waste of time in that respect.

  From a professional point of view it couldn’t have gone better. He’d networked, held discussions and drawn up agreements.

  People had congratulated him on his new role and he’d been able to answer their questions about his plans for the country, for the first time feeling confident that he knew what he was talking about.