Unwrap the Truth

by Ali Parker

  “Scoot up,” he said without removing his mouth from my breast.

  I slid backward, and he crawled onto the bed with me. He switched to the other breast while his free hand moved lower. He drew a line with his finger down my middle and stopped when he reached the top of my panties. His finger curved along the edge of the hem before he pushed himself inside.

  I gasped as he entered me. He slid in so quickly. His thumb rubbed my clit, and before I knew it, I was climbing higher, unable to breathe properly. I panted as Luke covered my mouth with his and his tongue darted inside of my mouth. He massaged my tongue with his, and my ears started to ring.

  I was on the precipice of orgasm when he started to slow down.

  “No, no,” I moaned.

  “Patience,” he said with a smirk. He pulled my panties off and tossed them off the bed before ripping open the foil packet and rolling the condom down his length.

  I moved closer to him and opened my legs, inviting him inside.

  He took the invite and slowly entered me. I drew in a breath, which was quickly extinguished by his lips.

  He moved inside of me, and we quickly found our rhythm. Streaks of heat ignited in every spot that he touched me. His hands roamed my body as much as mine did his. I found the peaks and valleys of his muscles, and I committed them to memory.

  Even though I knew Luke hadn’t had a girlfriend for some time, he knew exactly how to make me feel good. He was a tease, too. He’d build me up until I was close and then slow down, drawing out the anticipation of my climax.

  I nipped him on the shoulder, silently warning him that soon, I was going to take it for myself.

  He slowed down enough that he could kiss me. His lips were soft and gentle, as if this were our first kiss.

  The moment he broke away from the kiss, the race was on. He picked up his pace as if he’d also had enough of his stalling. I didn’t plan on letting him get away from me anytime soon, so I knew there would be more to come. I made a mental note to see how he liked to be teased.

  All thoughts were extinguished from my mind as he hammered into my sweet spot over and over. My chin reached for the ceiling as I tried to contain myself. Luke grunted the most animalistic sound I’d ever heard from him.

  He thrusted into me over and over until I reached my peak. I dug my nails into his back as he rode me up and over my climax and then all the way down. I felt the moment that he came, and I wanted to do it all over again to see the pleasure on his face again.

  I bucked my hips to milk every ounce out of him before he pulled out of me and dropped to my side.

  I twined my legs around him and kissed him again. We stayed like that for some time, kissing and touching each other.

  “That was…” Luke said and then licked his lips.

  “Good?” I helped.

  “Better than good,” he said. “I was going to say unexpected.”

  “Rarely do I go from kissing a guy to that,” I said. “I mean, I don’t kiss a lot of guys—” I shut up before I ruined the moment.

  He chuckled and took my hand in his, grazing his lips over my knuckles.

  Luke adjusted himself so that I was lying on his arm. His finger traced around my stomach and up to my breasts. I closed my eyes, intensifying the feeling of his skin against mine.

  I thought back to earlier in the evening and why I’d come back into his room to begin with.

  Fluttering open my eyes, I glanced up at him. “Sorry about before.”

  “You’re sorry?” he asked.

  “Not about this,” I said, touching his hand. “With your mother, I mean. I didn’t want to make things uncomfortable for everyone.”

  He grunted. “Don’t worry about her. I’ll handle it.”

  “You will?” I asked.

  “Of course,” he said. “This is where I want to be, and my mother is going to have to get used to it.”

  I curled up with him, a grin plastered on my face. Closing my eyes, I listened to Luke’s breathing become heavy before the both of us drifted off to sleep.

  11

  Luke

  Waking up to the sound of Sophia’s heavy and slow breathing was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard. Turning my head gently so that I didn’t wake her, I watched her eyes flutter as she slept. A lock of hair split her face in two, and I had the urge to move it away and fully see her angelic face.

  But I wanted to preserve her in her peaceful state. Sophia didn’t need to wake early to another day facing my father’s death and my mother’s grimace. She’d given me more than I bargained for last night, and she deserved some rest before waking.

  Getting out of the bed, I pulled my arm out from under her and flexed my fingers. Most of my arm was in the pins and needles stage of waking up, but it was a minor inconvenience after a night of bliss.

  The thought of more nights like this in our future made me smile. While Sophia was in my life, she would always come to bed with me, even if just to sleep.

  I pulled on a pair of pants and a shirt before scribbling a quick note to Sophia and placing it on my pillow. I wanted no confusion about my intentions with her. I wasn’t the type to sneak away, but I wanted to see how my father was doing.

  The hallways were bustling with activity when I made it out of my bedroom. I quickly moved past the servants, hyper-aware of them. I felt like a new man after being with Sophia. My head was clear, and I knew what I had to do next.

  * * *

  Entering my father’s room, I was surprised to see him awake and sitting up. He looked as if someone had helped him shower or bathe, either last night or this morning. Color had returned to his cheeks. He was sipping water from a glass when I arrived.

  “Good morning, Luke,” he chirped.

  “I see someone got a good night’s sleep,” I said.

  “I’m not sure about that, but I feel more energetic today.”

  “Ready to go for a walk around the palace grounds?” I asked him with a smile.

  He chuckled. “Not quite.” He eyed me for a second. “You seem to be in a good mood this morning, as well. Did things turn around between you and your mother?”

  I frowned. I bet Mother hadn’t informed him about the confrontation between her and Sophia the night before. That was typical of her. But this wasn’t the time to discuss that. I didn’t want any unnecessary strain on Father. Mother was my problem, and I would deal with her.

  “Not exactly,” I said.

  Father attempted to lift the tray from his lap, but I stood up and grabbed it for him, placing it on the side table. “My mother was the same way, you know,” he said.

  “She was?” I asked. “I thought you two were an arranged marriage?”

  “Yes, but my mother wanted someone else for me.”

  “She did? I had no idea.”

  Father grinned, and I saw a flash of him as a younger man, like me, rebelling against his parents while he could. “My father and I agreed that Gia was the best choice for me. My mother was hurt that I didn’t consult her before the marriage was already arranged. She gave your mother a tough time in the early days.”

  I sat back in my chair, completely surprised that my mother might have experienced the same discomfort that she pressed upon Sophia. I knew our situations were different since Sophia was from America, but Mother knew how it felt to be disapproved of, yet she continued to do it to the one woman I wanted to be with.

  “How long did that last?” I asked.

  Father sighed. “It would have gone on until my mother took her last breath, but at some point, I had to put a stop to it.”

  “You said something to her?”

  “I did,” he said. “It was the hardest conversation I ever had. Looking back, I know she was only trying to preserve my happiness. I had to show her that I wanted to be with your mother. It was my choice, and she had to accept it or lose me.”

  I wasn’t sure if now was the right time for me to say something like that to my own mother, but it did give me a few ideas.
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br />   “I don’t want you to stick around here while I’m shackled to the bed,” Father said. “Go back to England and check on the company.”

  “I don’t mind,” I said.

  “I do mind,” he said. “Everyone is too worried about me. I feel okay. And you have a big decision to make. I want you to clear your head before you make it.”

  I knew he was talking about taking over as king, but he didn’t say the words. Since returning this week, he hadn’t hounded me about it. Did he already know what I was going to do? He had always said I would make the right choice. Was this him allowing me to do so?

  “I’ll still be here when you get back,” he said.

  I swallowed. I didn’t know that for sure, but he was right that some business matters needed to be dealt with. I’d left England too quickly when I found out Father was sick. I had a lot to do while I was there. The sooner I left, the sooner I could return. “Okay.”

  Father took my hand, and I held it between both of mine.

  “I love you, son,” he said. “You know I only want what is best for you, right?”

  “I know,” I said, kissing the top of his hand. “I know.”

  * * *

  I stayed with Father for a little while longer until enough time had passed that I knew Sophia would be awake. I’d written in the note where I would be, but I wanted to see her and let her know about the change in plans. I wanted to be on a plane as soon as possible so that Sophia could escape Mother’s wrath and I would be able to return as quickly as possible.

  On the way to my chambers, I ran into my mother in the hallway. She was speaking with one of the servants but shooed the young man away when she saw me coming.

  “Have you seen your father this morning?” she asked me.

  “Yes,” I said. “He looks well.”

  Mother sighed. “I’ve been so busy this morning that I haven’t been able to check in for more than a few minutes. I thought he looked well, too. I wonder if this will turn around for him.”

  “It’s all we can hope,” I said. “I wanted to tell you that Sophia and I are leaving today.”

  Mother groaned. “Not again! That little snake keeps taking you away from us. Doesn’t she realize that we need to be a family right now?”

  I stepped closer to my mother and dropped my head toward her. “If you would get off your issues with Sophia for a second, I would tell you that Father requested I go back to check on the company.”

  “He did?” she asked, pressing her hand to her chest.

  “He did,” I said. “And when I return next weekend, it will be with Sophia.”

  “Luke, I don’t think—”

  “Stop it, Mother,” I spat.

  She clamped her lips together.

  “I love her,” I said. “Sophia is the one that I’m going to be with, and there is nothing that you can say or do to stop it.”

  “If you would just listen,” she said. “She isn’t the person you think she is.”

  “I know exactly who she is,” I said. “Picture the situation from the other side.” I wanted to remind her of how my grandmother felt about her without revealing that Father had told me the story. I didn’t know if she knew that he was the one who had handled the situation in their past, but I was going to handle this one, and she was going to listen. “Sophia is trying hard to get on your good side, and she’s a pretty terrific person if you bothered to get to know her.”

  Mother crossed her arms like a petulant child.

  “You’re going to have to accept it one way or another,” I said, hoping she understood the threat. I wasn’t sure if I could ever tell her she would lose me over Sophia. Mother was stubborn, but she was also hurting right now. Projecting her anger on Sophia might have been her way of coping with Father. I wanted her to understand that I was serious about Sophia, but I wasn’t about to leave on bad terms.

  I kissed Mother on the cheek and said, “I love you. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Goodbye, Luke,” she said coldly as I passed her.

  Walking toward my chambers, I wondered if that had been the best time to tell Mother I loved Sophia. I wanted Sophia to be the first one to hear it from my lips, but with Mother’s attitude, I couldn’t help it. She had to know that I would do anything for Sophia, and I wanted her to experience this new chapter in my life with me.

  I had previously told my parents that I loved Sophia last weekend to convince them that Sophia and I were a real couple. But now that Sophia and I had confessed our feelings, the words took on a whole new meaning. I felt different by saying them. Lighter. As if I could conquer the world.

  I had never felt for anyone like I did for Sophia. Were we ready for that step in our relationship? Would telling her make her run away or into my arms?

  12

  Sophia

  Rolling over, on the verge of dream and wake, I reached my hand out and felt the cool side of the bed, void of anyone other than me.

  Lazily opening my eyes, my suspicions were confirmed. Last night hadn’t been a dream, but the sexy man who I had made love to was nowhere to be found.

  I grabbed the note on the pillow next to me and cracked my eyes open against the sunlight streaming in through the window to decipher the words.

  “Went to see my father. Be back soon.” Luke’s handwriting was fit for a king; it was neat enough that it could have been typed. Most of the male reporters I knew had trouble reading their hieroglyphic scribbles after an interview. That was why I always recorded an interview, along with jotting down notes.

  I stretched my arms over my head, feeling the small ache in my lower back from the fantastic sex last night. Even with the stiffness, my body was refreshed and ready for the day.

  Last night, I had taken it to another level with Luke. He had only intended to kiss me, but I had a lot of pent-up sexual frustration when it came to him. And as far as I knew, he did too.

  I grinned madly as I sat up in bed and scooted off the mattress, padding over to the bathroom across the room. I didn’t care that I was still naked. I felt free after what we’d done together. If Luke walked in right now, I would challenge him to round two.

  Being with him like that helped me forget—at least for a little while—the reason I was at the palace to begin with. My article. At the moment, I still had no specific story to tell. The moment I arrived, it had been all about Luke and me reuniting and coming back to where we had been before the conversation with his mother at the banquet and finding out his father was ill.

  I was letting my emotions take over again. So as I showered, I allowed the hot stream of water to wash over me and clear my head. Luke was different than any man I had ever met. He was kind, intelligent, and sexy. He had a lot of turmoil inside of him, and somehow, that drew me in as well. I wanted to make his life as easy as possible after he’d given so much to me.

  But I also had a deadline to meet, and I wasn’t about to lose my job, never mind the promotion, because of a man. I was sure I could find something to dig up that wouldn’t compromise our relationship.

  After showering, I dressed and headed out to find Luke. I wanted to see Erol as well. His approval of my relationship with Luke meant a lot. While I wasn’t sure where our futures would take us, at least Erol knew that his son was happy right now. I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize a dying man’s happiness, but Luke and I needed to talk about everything. I debated on telling him about the article. He had already known and accepted the fact that I was writing an article about him and his father when we met, but I also didn’t want to rely on his money and power to find me a story. I had to do this on my own.

  Walking down the hallways of the palace, I allowed my mind to wander. I couldn’t imagine growing up in such a grand place. The servants moved quickly down the hallways, carrying supplies throughout the massive house. They were so efficient that I rarely saw them doing work, only scurrying between jobs. But my room had always been pristine when I came back to it, and I doubted coming back to Luke’s room lat
er would be any different.

  I was about to round a corner when I heard two voices coming from the hallway containing Erol’s chambers.

  I slowed my pace as I recognized Luke’s voice. The other speaker was clearly his mother. I noted her grunts at whatever it was he said.

  Not wanting to reveal myself—and make another mistake with eavesdropping—I stopped and was about to turn around when Luke said, “I love her. Sophia is the one that I am going to be with, and there is nothing that you can say or do to stop it.”

  My heart leaped into my throat, and I clamped a hand over my mouth. Hearing him say those words with such ferocity made me realize that he wasn’t trying to convince her of our fake relationship anymore. He meant it.

  I didn’t hear his mother’s response but I assumed it was dismissive. I turned around and practically sprinted toward his bedroom.

  Little did he know that I had come looking for him. He would come back to the room sometime, and I could pretend I had never left. I could also act like I didn’t hear him confess his love for me. Luke hadn’t said the words to my face, and I wondered if today was going to be that day.

  Love was such a strong word, and it meant commitment. He seemed so adamant to convince his mother of his feelings for me.

  After last night, our bond had grown, but into love? I wasn’t sure if it happened that quickly.

  For me, there was a significant difference between having feelings for someone and loving them. Especially in such a short amount of time.

  Did I love him in return? If today was the day he revealed his feelings to me, what would I say back?

  Inside Luke’s room, I wasn’t sure what to do while waiting for him. If he was having a private discussion with his mother over me, then I couldn’t go back out there and pretend I hadn’t heard anything.

  To keep my hands busy, I made the bed and straightened up the room. Our clothes were thrown on the floor, and at that moment, I was glad I came back. If the servants came into the room with it looking like this, they would know what happened between us last night.