by Kit Kyndall
Fiona was scowling at her. “I needed to remind you that you’re an employee, and you have no business in this part of the castle at this time of day. You do physical therapy in the mornings with the prince. That’s all.”
Though Fiona was several inches taller than her, Harper squared her shoulders. “I know what my job is, and I don’t need the reminder.”
“Then do you need the reminder that you aren’t here to have an affair with him? I could hear you laughing in the hallway, and it’s obvious there’s more than medical care taking place between you.”
“It’s not your business.”
Fiona scowled again, moving just a step closer in an intimidating fashion. “Everything about this family is my business, and it’s my business to make it clear to you that you don’t belong. You’re just a commoner, and an American at that. You can’t be anything more to the prince than what you are.”
The reminder stung, and there was more truth to it than she wanted to admit, but she wasn’t about to think about it at the moment with Fiona watching her so closely. “I know exactly what I am to the prince, and I’m here to do my very best for him. I want to make sure he walks again, but that doesn’t mean I plan to walk down the aisle with him. So back off, please, Ms. Claremont.”
After a moment, Fiona took a deep breath and nodded before taking a step back. “Just so we understand each other than, Ms. Gaines.”
She didn’t bother with a response as she turned from the king’s assistant and made her way down the hallway, determined not to look back. She tried not to let the other woman’s words get to her, or to deflate the bubble of happiness in her that had formed that afternoon when she and Bennet had made their pact.
She wasn’t planning to marry the prince, and none of the issues Fiona had brought up mattered, did they? They were nowhere near that point, and should they reach it, would it really matter that she was a commoner? He was the youngest prince, and third in line for the throne, and she had a fairly respectable upper middle-class upbringing. It was rather like Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Well, maybe not, but either way, it was the least of her concerns at the moment. She had far more pressing matters to worry about, like ensuring she did her best to help Bennet walk again without allowing her personal feelings to interfere with his therapy, even as she let her personal feelings for him grow. It was a delicate balance, and there was no room to worry about Fiona Claremont’s concerns.
Chapter Seven
Having won a hint of capitulation from her, Bennet was determined to abide by the terms of their agreement. During the mornings, he yielded to her direction and put forth as much effort as he could to achieve results as quickly as possible. As a result, seven days after their first liaison in his room, he managed to take three steps with the assistance of the treadmill, though without the weight-bearing equipment. He was flush with success, though stymied in a different area.
Harper had clearly meant it when she said she didn’t have sex indiscriminately. They had spent hours together, and he was no closer to having her in his bed. It wasn’t as though he was forcing himself to go through the motions of getting to know her just so he could take her. He enjoyed the time they spent together pursuing a variety of activities, but he was frustrated by the lack of progress in a sensual direction.
“Are you even listening?”
Bennet blinked and looked down. They were in a quiet nook in the library, sprawled in a window seat surrounded by plush pillows. His back was against the wall, and she had stretched out across his lap, her head braced against his stomach as he ran his fingers lightly through her hair. She was reading from an open book, but he couldn’t remember the title. “Of course I am.”
She let out an inelegant snort that revealed her disbelief. “Okay, why did Sir Theovald go to the mountains?”
He had no idea, and he certainly had no patience for a reading test when his thoughts were elsewhere. On the other hand, he didn’t want her to move, and he feared she might if she stopped reading the book aloud. He chuckled as an idea came to him, and his hands curved around her breasts. “He went to the mountains because they were so tempting.”
She didn’t push him away. “He went to the mountains because that’s where he might find the secret passage to the Splendid Kingdom.”
“Of course,” he said with a hint of mocking as his hands moved tenderly over her breasts, squeezing and cradling them even as he resented the bra and cloth separating his hands from her flesh. “Have you read the story before?”
She shook her head, her eyes closed in obvious pleasure as he thumbed her nipples. It wasn’t the first time he had touched her like this in the last few days, but it was just as exciting as it had been the first time. He moved his hands downward, which elicited a small groan from her. “Theovald needs better access to the mountains.”
The sound she made was somewhere between a moan and a giggle as he slid the hem of her shirt up along with her bra to free her breasts. Once they were accessible, he cupped them again and continued his exploration. “Theovald really likes the mountains. They’re lush and firm, with just the right amount of jiggle.” He tapped the side of her breasts as he said it, watching her flesh bounce temptingly.
She sounded like she was strangling. “Those don’t sound like any mountains I’ve ever heard of.”
She was still able to form a coherent sentence, which meant he wasn’t doing his job. With a wicked grin, he twisted lightly on her right nipple as his left hand moved down her stomach. “Unfortunately, the entrance to the Splendid Kingdom isn’t in the mountains. He has to go farther south for that.” He slid his hand down slowly, giving her plenty of opportunity to refuse or push him away. She had yet to allow him this liberty, but today seemed like his lucky day. At least until he reached the snap and zipper on her denim shorts. They were proving difficult to conquer with one hand. “Theovald’s almost at the Splendid Kingdom, but he has to deal with the dreaded zipper beast first.”
Her body shook under the force of her giggles, transmitting the vibrations to him. His cock was hard with need, but her giggles affected another part of him even more deeply. Warmth filled his chest, and he found it difficult to breathe for just a moment as he stared down at her. Her eyes were still closed, so he had an unobstructed view of her open and relaxed expression. The trust there took his breath away for a long moment, until he finally remembered how to exhale.
With renewed determination, he focused on the zipper after finally freeing the snap. He wasn’t able to get the zipper down all the way, but it afforded him enough room to slide his hand inside to cup her warm mound. “There’s the Splendid Kingdom.”
She just moaned and arched against him, clearly too caught up in her pleasure to engage in conversation. He slid his fingers up and down the outside contours before dipping two inside to test her wetness. She was clearly soaked and waiting for him, so he took advantage by pressing his fingers into her slick opening.
It was a bit awkward, but he managed to turn his thumb so that he could stroke her clit while thrusting his fingers in and out of her sheath. She moaned and arched against him, her movements uncoordinated and jerky. She was breathing heavily, and the rapid rise and fall of her chest was an enticing sight.
He stretched his arm to reach her left breast, which had been neglected for too long. He plucked expertly at the nipple while strumming her clit in the same rhythm and timing. Her sheath convulsed around his fingers, and the excess slickness coating his hand let him know she was close. A second later, a keening cry escaped her, and he quickly put his hand over her mouth in a gentle way to remind her to be quiet.
In his mind, they did nothing wrong, but he knew she was afraid of someone discovering the change in their relationship and reporting her to the licensing board. He didn’t want to cost her the career that meant so much to her, but there was no way he was giving her up either.
When she stopped shuddering, and her sheath relaxed around his fingers, he moved his
hand from her mouth while slowly withdrawing from her core.
It took her a moment for eyes to flutter open, and the sated expression she wore filled him with smug satisfaction, along with a surprising note of tenderness. It was an unusual combination he had never experienced before, and it was almost as satisfying as an orgasm of his own.
He grinned down at her. “What happens next in the book?”
Her voice sounded a little husky when she managed to speak a moment later. “He’s supposed to find the Splendid Kingdom so he can find the staff of power.” She licked her lips. “I think I know where it is.”
He hesitated before shaking his head. As much as he liked her hand and her mouth, he was determined to be inside her the next time she helped him come. “You should keep reading.”
She frowned. “Are you sure? You sound kind of grumpy. I know how to help you relax.” She rubbed her shoulders gently as she said it, which provided teasing friction against the head of his cock.
He might feel grumpy, but he made an effort to sound pleasant when he assured her, “I want you to continue reading. That can wait.”
Her eyes widened with surprise, and he tried to immerse himself in the knight’s quest. A few minutes later, when Theovald found the secret entrance to the Splendid Kingdom, he almost chuckled aloud. As entertaining as the book was, he was certain Theovald’s trip to the Splendid Kingdom couldn’t be nearly as exciting as his own had been, and the next time he visited, he planned to spend a long time exploring.
***
Bennet surprised Tucker the next morning by telling him he planned to join his siblings for breakfast. He hadn’t done that since before the accident, but he doubted the routine had changed. They usually gathered promptly at eight a.m. in the family dining room, which was far more intimate than the formal dining hall. Tucker assisted him as needed, but Bennet was pleased to find he was able to accomplish most tasks by himself.
A few minutes later, he parted from Tucker and wheeled down the hall to the service elevator. Normally used by staff, it had become his only way to move between floors. He almost groaned when he saw Letty as the door opened. It would be too rude to close the door and wait for the elevator to come back, so he forced a smile as he wheeled himself into the car. He’d been putting off facing her anyway, but it had to be done.
As soon as the doors closed, she turned to face him. He was certain she would have gotten closer if he’d indicated that was his wish, and the contents of the tray she held be damned. Instead, he tried to keep his expression friendly, but distant.
“You haven’t requested an afternoon aperitif recently, Your Highness.” She sounded hurt.
He let out a long sigh. “I know, and I should’ve made an attempt to explain that to you. Alcohol was interfering with my recovery.”
“Says the physical therapist,” she said with a sniff. “Why you listen to an American—”
“I listen because Harper knows what she’s doing, and she’s trying to help me.”
Letty blinked rapidly. “I’m just trying to help you too, Your Highness. I like to make you feel good.”
He sighed. “I know, and I appreciate that, but I never should’ve taken advantage of you. It was inappropriate, especially considering my position. I was weak, and it made me exploit your vulnerability. I owe you an apology for that.”
A tear sneaked down her cheek, and she looked down at him with sadness. “I see. I didn’t really expect anything more to come from it, but I suppose I had my fantasies.” She seemed embarrassed by the admission.
He reached out to pat her arm lightly, not wanting to disturb her hold on the tray. “There’s nothing wrong with fantasies, but I shouldn’t have encouraged it. I knew all along that I didn’t feel as strongly for you as you did me. You helped me through a rough time, and I repaid you by hurting you. I don’t know how to fix this, but I’d like to try.”
Her eyes were back to blinking rapidly, and there were no more tears escaping. She straightened her shoulders, and her expression became professional. “There’s nothing to fix, Your Highness. You never made promises, and I truly didn’t expect you to. It was just a faint hope. I’d like to forget all about it, if that’s acceptable?”
He offered her a tentative smile. “That is acceptable, if you’re certain?” At her nod, he added, “If you need help with anything though, or if there is something I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to seek me out. I sincerely mean that.”
She gave him a soft smile, and then uttered words that shocked him. “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
He stiffened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Letty smiled, her grin widening. “Of course you don’t, sir.” The elevator dinged at that moment, and the door opened. She took a step out before pausing to look back at him. “She’s clearly good for you, Bennet.” With those words, she continued down the hallway.
He followed behind her more slowly, mulling over her words. The moment had gone better than he’d expected, and Letty was clearly a gracious woman, but she was obviously a romantic too. How could she jump to the assumption that he was in love with Harper? It was absurd. He liked and respected her. Of course he was attracted to her, but that was nothing like love. He couldn’t possibly be in love with her after having known her for less than two weeks. Still, if it helped Letty accept the situation, he supposed there was no reason to argue or continue asserting that she had misread something.
He wheeled into the family dining room a moment later, finding his siblings arranged around the table as he’d expected. Barret sat at the head of the table, just as he had done every day since their father had passed away twenty-two years ago. Sabrina was on the right, and Asher was on the left.
His seat waited for him at the opposite end of the table, which was a small affair with only four chairs. Someone had thoughtfully removed the ornate wooden dining chair he typically used, as though he came by to have breakfast with them every morning.
He was slightly ashamed that he hadn’t bothered with the ritual since his accident, preferring to play hermit in his room rather than face them all. He didn’t want their sympathy, and he hadn’t been able to handle the reminder of how his life had been and should’ve continued to be, if it hadn’t been for his racecar crashing into the wall during a practice run.
Barret was the first to break the silence as he nodded at Bennet. “Good morning, Bennet. It’s good to see you up and about.”
He flinched slightly at the words, as though he’d been a bedridden invalid. Technically, that might be true, but he didn’t like the reminder—especially since he had wallowed in the state until Harper came, refusing to deal with the situation and pinning all his hopes on the appointment with Dr. Rhodes.
He just nodded at his brother as he slid into his spot at the table. “Good morning, Barret, Sabrina, and Asher.” He nodded at them in turn as he smoothed the napkin over his lap and waited for Letty to serve them. It was awkward to him when she put his plate in front of him, but she did it with consummate ease. “I’m surprised you have a plate for me. You weren’t expecting me, were you?” He didn’t see how they could be, since it had been a spur of the moment decision on his part to join them.
Barret shrugged. “We have a plate delivered every morning in hopes that you’ll join us, Bennet. If you don’t, it’s sent on to your room.”
He nodded, squirming slightly in the chair as he realized the lengths his siblings had gone to in order to ensure he felt welcome when he finally bothered to join them again.
“How is your recovery?” asked Sabrina. Her blonde hair was elegantly coiffed, and she already wore a gold morning suit that perfectly complemented her green eyes that were so much like Barret’s.
He shrugged a shoulder. “Harper thinks I’m doing well. I took a couple of steps by myself yesterday, and Tucker tells me I no longer need to take the corticosteroids. They’ve decompressed my spine as much as they will, and he’s pleased with the progress.”
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“That’s amazing,” said Asher. He had the same purple-blue eyes and just about the same shade of hair as Bennet, leading people to sometimes assume they were twins despite the fact Bennet was two years younger, and Asher had at least twenty pounds more solid muscle mass.
“I’m kind of surprised myself. Before Harper came, I didn’t think I was going to get anywhere.”
“Are you still planning to go to Switzerland soon?” asked Barret.
Bennet looked at his brother, really looked at him, and realized Barret appeared to have aged a few years in just the last few weeks. There was more silver at the temples threading through his dark brown hair, and that there was even a hint of gray appearing in his neatly trimmed beard. There were more lines on his face, and he seemed to have lost a bit of weight.
Heavy lies the head that wears the crown. The words swirled through his head, along with a flicker of regret. Had his condition burdened Barret so greatly, or was there more to it? Was it the usual responsibilities of the kingdom weighing him down, or was there something more?
Bennet was nonplussed to realize he had no idea. He was the younger prince in the family, and with being third in line to a throne he had no desire to own, he’d taken little interest in the politics of the country, or even the day-to-day necessities of keeping it running. Instead, he had pursued whatever passion moved him at the moment, with the latest being racecar driving.
As always, Bennet had pursued what he wanted, and Barret had supported him, both financially and emotionally. His brother was only thirty-nine, but he had shouldered the burden of the kingdom for the past twenty-two years, though Sabrina’s mother had survived a year past the King, so she must have provided some support.
Still, for twenty-one years, Barret had been in charge of everything, and Bennet had been content to let him be. He made a mental note to talk to his brother about how he might help at a more appropriate time. At the moment, he just answered the question his brother had posed. “My appointment’s in three weeks. Harper’s ensuring I’m at maximum potential to have the best opportunity for the treatment to work.”
