Arranged: A Masters and Mercenaries Novella

by Lexi Blake

  Okay. That was bad. Even he knew that particular tone in a woman’s voice, though he rarely heard it in Day’s. It meant he’d screwed up. Normally that tone of voice represented an off ramp, and after a few weeks with a woman, he tended to look for those.

  He didn’t want one with her. He liked her. They were friends and he was starting to think they should be something more. He wasn’t a child. He was twenty years old and maybe Shray wasn’t the only one who was thinking about settling down. Not right away. Not marriage anyway, but it would be nice to settle in with her and see where they could go. The truth was he was tired of models and actresses who had no idea who Stephen Hawking was. The playboy was tired and wanted his brainy girl.

  “What did I do wrong?”

  She stopped, hugging her books to her chest. “Nothing. I’m being exactly what I promised myself I wouldn’t be. I’m being a foolish girl. I have a unique chance to make something of myself and here I am mooning over a boy I can’t have. I’m sorry, Your Highness. I need to go.”

  He reached out, gripping her wrist gently. “Stop calling me that. Please call me Kash. I’m not my brother. I’m not destined for the throne. I’m nothing more than a young man trying to ask a lovely woman out for a date and screwing it up terribly.”

  Those gray eyes went wide. “A date?”

  There was something about the breathy way she said the word that let him know all would be well. He got to his knees in front of her, facing her so she could see how serious he was. “A date. It’s when a boy and a girl go out into the world and have fun.”

  Her eyes never left his, never shifted coyly away. It was one of the things he loved about her. Day took charge. “I’m not one of your fun-time girls, Kashmir. You should understand that about me. If you think I’m going to giggle and hook up and walk away happy I screwed around with a prince, you don’t know me at all.”

  He liked the strength in her voice. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do all these months. Get to know you. We’ve become friends. I would like to see if we could be more. Dayita, I know you think you’re nothing but a brain on two legs, but I see you as something more.”

  “More?” She stared at him as though trying to find the definition in her head.

  Yes, this was one of the things he needed her to understand. “You’re brilliant, but you’re also a woman. You treat all the men around you as if you couldn’t care less.”

  “I don’t think the men around me like me.”

  “I like you,” he said quickly, not willing to let a moment of misunderstanding pass. “I like who you are.”

  Her cheeks had flushed, a deep color coming to them. “They don’t think I’m especially feminine.”

  Because she knew what she wanted? He liked that most about her. “How do they know what femininity is? You’re a woman because your body is different, but I…I like your soul, too. You don’t have to be different with me. You can be exactly who you are and I’ll still like you.”

  “If this is some kind of game to you…” she began and he could see the shimmer of tears in her eyes.

  The last thing he wanted to do was ever make her cry. She was so strong. He wanted to add to that strength, never take from it. “It’s not a game. I like you, Day. Even better, I like me when I’m around you. Does that make sense? I like how I feel when you’re with me.”

  “How do I make you feel?”

  How to explain it? It was something he thought about a lot lately. He’d started to study it like a scientist would, considering all the angles, measuring his feelings versus others and coming up with the theory that Day was the right woman for him. “I feel peaceful around you. I feel secure.”

  He knew it was a risk. Some women would see that as unmanly. He should have talked about protecting her. He wanted to protect her from everything, but he’d never in his life felt like a woman wanted to protect him, too.

  She bit her bottom lip and seemed to think things over before she reached up and pulled the tie out of her hair, shaking it out. “Let me kiss you.”

  He stopped, his whole body going on high alert. His dick twitched in his slacks. When he’d proposed this little picnic, he’d known he was going to start to ease her into a more traditional male/female relationship, but he hadn’t expected this. He’d thought he would get her to go to a pub with him and they would have fun, and after three or four outings she might not even recognize as dates, he would kiss her.

  He should do it now. He should lean over and fist his hand in her hair and show her how masculine he could be.

  “Yes.” He stayed still because she hadn’t asked him to kiss her. She’d been clear and plain in her intent. She wanted to kiss him. She’d asked his permission as though he was something precious.

  Women threw themselves at him. They plopped themselves down in his lap and offered him all manner of sexual favors. Not once had anyone asked if they could kiss him. Certainly not in that strong tone that let him know he really should say yes because he would miss out on something if he didn’t.

  Her lips curled in a smile he’d never once seen from her. That smile was wicked and it got his cock hard as a freaking rock. He hadn’t touched her yet and he was erect and ready.

  She reached her hand up, fingertips brushing his skin. “Don’t move. Let me touch you. Let me learn you.”

  For Day, learning was serious. She studied him, her fingers moving along his jawline. She was studying him, assessing and categorizing him. It wasn’t a bad thing. No. Day wouldn’t find him wanting. Day viewed the world itself as something marvelous, something to explore.

  How would she explore him? The question made his body tighten, his whole being focus on her. The rest of the world seemed to fall away as Day leaned in and finally, finally brushed her lips against his.

  He felt a spark deep inside. Her hands moved up, sliding into his hair and twisting ever so slightly. His scalp tingled and his breath caught. She kissed him softly, the ease of her lips contrasting with the sharp tingle to his scalp. Her chest came up, rubbing against his, and he felt something he hadn’t before. He felt…wanted. Not for his royal position. Not for his money.

  For himself.

  She went up, as tall as she could get on her knees. He was sitting back and he found the way she towered over him incredibly sexy. He didn’t have to do a damn thing. Day was in control. She would take what she wanted and what she wanted was him.

  “Open your mouth for me. Let me in.”

  He found himself giving in, the whole moment spiraling out of control. It wasn’t what he’d meant to do, but that was all right. He didn’t have to decide. All he had to do was follow her path and she would lead him somewhere incredible.

  He was so hard he could barely breathe as her tongue slid along his. It didn’t matter that they were in a park. It wasn’t that crowded at this time of day. The River Cherwell was off to his right and there was a lovely copse of trees to his left they could go into when she wanted to fuck. Yeah, he would move the blanket, open his slacks, lay back and let her ride the hell out of him.

  He’d known it would be good.

  The thud thud of a helicopter broke through the intimacy of the moment. Damn it. They needed to go away. He leaned in, but she was already pulling back. Her face turned up to the sky.

  “I think they’re landing,” she shouted over the hard scream of the blades rotating.

  She leaned in as though to try to cover him.

  He wasn’t having that. Not for a second. He moved out from under her, placing his body over hers. He felt her stiffen but he wasn’t giving in.

  “Your Majesty!” A familiar figure moved toward him. His guard. Rai. He’d come with him all the way from Loa Mali. He’d left his family and spent the last four years of his life here, only short visits home connecting him with the ones he loved. Rai had been his steadfast companion, giving him space when he needed it, taking care of him when he got too wild.

  Why was Rai calling him “your majesty”? He stood, reachin
g down to help Day up. “What’s wrong?”

  Rai had a grim look on his face. “I have to get you to Heathrow, Your Majesty. There’s a plane waiting for you. Something’s happened at home. We need to go as soon as possible.”

  Kash shook his head. He wasn’t leaving in the middle of a semester. “I’ll call Dad. And what’s wrong with you? It’s ‘your highne…’”

  He stopped, the world shifting and twisting and turning until he couldn’t quite stand. Day was there, holding him up.

  There was only one reason to ever call him “your majesty.” No one should have called him that. Not ever in his life. It was what his people called the king and queen. Only ever the king and queen.

  “What happened to my father?” His gut twisted and he choked back a cry. “My brother?”

  Rai shook his head. “There was a car accident, Your Majesty. The king and your brother were caught in a storm. Your brother was driving and he lost control and went over a cliff. I’m so sorry.” He went down on one knee. “The king is dead. Long live the king.”

  King Kashmir.

  Day’s arms went around him, but now they were surrounded by guards. Rai had brought an army with him.

  Because he was no longer the spare. Because he was the last of the Kamdar line and he was king.

  “We have to go.” Rai was back on his feet, nodding toward the helicopter.

  Kash felt himself being pulled away from Day, but there was nothing he could do. He had to go home. He glanced back, saw her standing there with tears in her eyes.

  And he knew the whole world had changed.

  Chapter One

  Present Day

  Miami, Florida

  Kash woke when the pillow beneath his head shifted. Confusion set in even as his head started to pound. His mouth was dry as the desert. Why was the bed moving?

  He wasn’t going to wake up this morning. There was no reason to. He was going to lie here and pretend he had absolutely nothing to do.

  In some ways it was true. He was fairly inconsequential recently.

  He groaned as he realized the pillow he’d been lying on wasn’t a pillow at all. It had been a woman’s hip, soft and warm.

  Where the hell was he?

  “That’s right, Your Majesty. Time to wakey, wakey,” a male voice said. “I’d offer you eggs and bakey, but I saw what you drank last night. We might want to hold off on the food for a while. Wish I could let you sleep this off, but I got orders.”

  The voice was familiar, but he struggled to attach a face. Whoever had invaded his bedroom was speaking English with a Western accent. Kash didn’t want to open his eyes. The world was far too bright. “Well, I’m the king so I can override any orders you’ve been given. Where is my guard? And who the hell are you?”

  “Yeah, I take my orders from Big Tag. I think he’s far scarier than you are. Especially right now.” More light invaded his previously darkened room. “That’s right, darling. You should get dressed. The king is thankful for your company last night. And your sister’s. And whoever the other lady was.”

  “Oh, good lord. Does he owe you cash?” An upper-crust British accent split the air and Kash did recognize that one. Simon Weston. And his partner, Jesse Murdoch, was the laconic Western guy.

  “They’re not hookers.” Why the hell was McKay-Taggart here?

  “Yes, we are,” a feminine voice said. “And we agreed on a thousand for each of us. Are you telling me we’re about to get stiffed?”

  “I’ll make sure you get everything he promised you and a bit more if you’ll please avoid the paparazzi outside,” Weston was saying. “If not, you’ll find I’m good at suing people. Your choice, ladies. Easy cash or a nice lawsuit. Jesse, would you please escort his majesty’s friends to the taxi that’s waiting for them?”

  “Sure thing, partner. You going to deal with our charge?” Murdoch asked.

  “Hopefully our charge isn’t about to vomit all over the hotel suite. Let management know that we’ll be leaving soon and will require a security escort off the grounds. Michael will be here with the limo and Boomer is watching to ensure none of those reporters get to this floor. I’ll have the king down in thirty minutes.”

  “We’ll be ready. Ladies, let’s get you home. You should probably put on some clothes…oh, huh. I didn’t know those counted as clothes. All right then.”

  The door closed and Kash forced himself to sit up. The room immediately started spinning, but he wasn’t going to give in. “Where is my guard? I don’t remember much about last night, but I do know I didn’t call McKay-Taggart. I certainly didn’t need you to rescue me from three lovely ladies.”

  Weston looked perfectly neat and clean in his three-piece suit with shiny loafers. He crossed the suite to where someone had brought in coffee service. He poured a cup and started back across the room. “One of them isn’t a hooker. One of them is a reporter and she’s about to discover that the film she took last night of your antics is going to go missing. Jesse’s quite excellent with sleight of hand.”

  He frowned. “A film?”

  “Some would call it pornography.” Weston placed the cup on the nightstand. “I’ll choose to call it a reality show that will never be aired. As for your guard, apparently he quit last night. He was fed up because he’d figured out who the lovely lady was, but you refused to listen. He called home and explained the situation and your mother hired us. You’re lucky you were here in Miami. If you’d been in Europe, you would be dealing with a cranky Aussie. I assure you I’m going to handle you with more care than he would. Well, unless you give me trouble.”

  Kash reached for the cup. Some of it was coming back to him. He’d fought with Rai. The man had been his personal guard for years, but lately they’d been squabbling like an old married couple. Rai knew him, knew how to deal with him even when he was a complete ass. Lately Rai kept getting on him, pointing out all the ways Kash was failing.

  Shit. Rai had found out about Lia. Shit. Shit. Shit. Someone had told Rai about the fact that Lia had once been in his bed. Years before she’d married Rai. It had meant nothing to either one of them. It had been one night of pleasure and he hadn’t seen her again. Fuck, he’d meant to go to the grave with that secret.

  “Damn it. I certainly didn’t mean to fire anyone. Is he still here in Miami?”

  He needed to talk to Rai. He had to put things right. There was also the added problem that if he didn’t have an approved guard, he would be forced to go home. Kash had come to Miami to attend a meeting with a company that claimed it could help protect the pipeline that brought Loa Mali’s oil to the refineries. His country spent millions to ensure the drilling they did left their natural resources and the beauty of their island untouched.

  Until such time as Kash found a way to get rid of fossil fuels altogether. That was the ultimate goal, to find a way to free the world from its dependence on oil. Well, and then to license the technology and make an enormous amount of money, but first and foremost it was about the science.

  He’d been close. So close when an asshole rabid former CIA agent had blown up his fucking lab and killed several of his best engineers. Good men and women who were trying to help the world and now they were gone.

  Their research had only survived because of Simon Weston’s boss. Ian Taggart and his wife, Charlotte, had saved Kash, too. So he owed them.

  And damn, but he owed Rai.

  “He’s already gone home.” Weston sank into a chair beside the big bed. “Your mother has hired him to work a position that allows him to stay in Loa Mali most of the time. Apparently he’s recently married and wants more time with his wife.”

  Guilt swamped him. Since that CIA bastard had ruined years of Kash’s work, he’d dragged Rai around the globe, partying and pretending to enjoy life. The last few years had been one long sinkhole he couldn’t seem to come out of.

  He was even tired of sex. Not that he was going to let anyone know that. He had a reputation to uphold. A bad, horrible, playboy reputat
ion.

  “That’s good for Rai. I need a younger guard anyway. I need one who can keep up with me. Rai has become an old man. All he cares about is his job and his wife.”

  “Yes, how boring of him.”

  Kash nodded. “I’m glad you see that. I offered him a world of travel and to be surrounded by the most beautiful of all women. He gives me lectures on how I should settle down. He tells me my liver will die soon. My liver is as strong as I am. My liver is a bull.”

  “Well, I do suspect you’re full of bullshit, as my cousins would say. You should think about getting dressed. Our plane leaves in two hours. I need to get you out of here. The paparazzi will be swarming the place by now.”

  The coffee was starting to work. He was vaguely beginning to remember that Rai had called him an idiot. That hadn’t been polite of him. He could remember Rai’s dark eyes rolling and him saying something about how he’d given up, how he’d become everything his father would have detested.

  Rai had been so sanctimonious. Then his own guilt had caused him to hit the bottle hard. It was why he’d brought those women to his room even though he’d figured out one of them wasn’t a well-paid call girl.

  Still, he was fairly certain he’d performed admirably, and what was one more sex tape? Why did everyone overreact?

  “Don’t worry about the paparazzi. They’re perfectly harmless. How many do you expect? Five? Prince Harry’s in New York. Most of the royal watchers will be after him. He’s only shown his willy off a few times. Mine is everywhere. The Internet is awash in my beauty. The upside of that is the paps merely want a picture of me smiling and then they’ll leave me alone.” He stood up, feeling infinitely better.

  Rai had poked his personal buttons, but Kash had behaved abominably. He needed to get Rai on the phone and apologize. The truth was he had neglected his research for the last few years. It was a setback and nothing more.

  And the last several months had been particularly bad, and he blamed the Taggarts. He’d hosted the wedding of the youngest Taggart and it had left him feeling restless. Being around all those happy families had done something terrible to him. It had made him wonder if he wasn’t missing something. Those smiling men with their women and children had caused him to wonder if his life wasn’t a bit on the shallow side.