A shiver zapped straight to my balls. Fully naked, I climbed atop my wife and replaced her hand with my own. Like she said, she was soaked.
“Fuck,” I groaned, biting into her neck.
Tamara’s hand wrapped around my shaft and she squeezed. “I love how hard you get. Like a rock.” She rubbed me and I squeezed my eyes shut. “Fuck me, Alexander.”
“Yes, Princess.” I turned her over, arching her hips a little but otherwise holding her flat to the bed. The angle and her legs being closed made it hard to penetrate her at first, but it was all worth it the second I slid into her wet heat.
Tamara moaned into the pillow. I lay above her, supporting some of my weight on my forearms but otherwise pinning her to the bed. Our bodies rubbed against each other with every thrust, every slide of our hips, and I kissed her neck between panting breaths.
She held me tight, squeezing my shaft like a fist.
“You’re so deep,” she said hoarsely. “Oh my god, you’re so deep.”
I jerked my hips on the next thrust and she cried out. “You like me deep inside, baby?” I growled.
“Yes, yes, yes!”
I reached under her and started playing with her clit. Tamara was helpless and loved it, hands scrunched in the blanket. Her whimpers of pleasure were music to my ears.
I thought back to the first time we fucked, how I believed back then nothing would ever be as good. I never realized our explosive sexual chemistry would have more than one charge, no less an unlimited amount. Plus, how could you beat spontaneity like that?
But every time we fucked it was like the first time. The best time. My lust for this woman never dampened and being inside her felt like home.
Pressure built in my balls and I started to thrust harder, moving up further on my forearms to build more momentum. With the little bit of room that afforded, Tamara started thrusting back, moaning between breaths.
I licked the sweat from the back of her neck and sucked her throat. My body whirled with pleasure and I didn’t know how much longer I would last, but Tamara was close too. I could feel it in the way she strained, could hear it in the way she breathed.
And then, with a keening wail, Tamara clamped down on my cock.
My head exploded. I groaned and slammed inside one more time before releasing, electricity sizzling under my skin. For a moment, the world went black and white, and I struggled to catch my breath.
“Alex,” Tamara murmured.
“Yes?” I kissed her shoulder and rolled to the side, bundling her in my arms. She fit perfectly against my chest, chin tucked just under my collarbone.
She nuzzled against my chest and hummed with satisfaction, but didn’t speak right away. I ran my fingers down her back, sticky with sweat. I breathed in deep and my muscles turned to jelly against the mattress, perfectly relaxed.
When Tamara spoke, her voice crackled. “Our life is perfect, isn’t it?”
“An understatement.” I kissed the top of her head, pulse still thrumming from the sex. “Though I can think of one thing that would make it more perfect.”
She looked up at me, eyes golden pools in the dim light. “What’s that?”
I kissed the tip of her nose. “A baby.”
Tamara’s dark eyes sparkled and her lips tugged into a smile. “You know, my prince, I just can’t help but agree.”
Chapter 35
Epilogue
Three years later...
“Hank!” I skidded around the corner, socks sliding over the hardwood.
Hank didn’t have the same problem. The last I saw before he disappeared into the kitchen was his wagging tail. I vaulted after him, and Alex watched with an amused glint in his eye as I chased the mutt around the kitchen island.
“He never listens to me!” I huffed.
“He just likes to play with you.” Alex said.
On his lap, Beatrice giggled maniacally. She got that from her father.
“What are you laughing at? It’s your blanket I’m trying to retrieve.”
Hank ran toward the back door, but with nobody to open it for him, he was out of luck. With a victorious yell, I grabbed the blanket from his slobbery jaws and held it in the air.
“Look at that, Bea,” Alex said, bouncing her on his lap. “Mommy got your blanket back.”
I had, only it was coated in saliva. Bea pointed a finger. “Ew!”
Alex laughed and I nearly chuffed him. All the same, I couldn’t deny how funny the situation was, even if it meant struggling to catch my breath.
“Mr. and Mrs. Rainhall,” announced our butler, Gerry, stepping into the doorway. “You have guests.”
“Guests?” I asked, staring at Alex in confusion. Had he invited someone without telling me?
Just then, Jo forced her way into the kitchen. She never waited in the front room like she was supposed to, even though she knew how much it vexed poor Gerry.
“Hey sis!” She pulled me in a hug. “Why are you so out of breath?”
Tristan followed behind her with a little more shame, but smiling nonetheless.
Beatrice jumped down from Alex’s lap and launched herself at Tristan, squealing with delight. “Uncle Tristan! Uncle Tristan!”
He was so good with kids. I always wondered when the two of them would have one of their own, especially since Jo finished university a month ago.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked.
Jo pulled back from the hug. “Is it crazy to want to drop in on my sister and niece?”
I cocked a brow.
“Fine.” She laughed. “We’ve got good news.”
“Let’s go outside,” I said, catching Gerry’s eye. “Could you please bring us some lemonade on the patio?”
He nodded. “Right away, ma’am.”
I still wasn’t used to that. Not sure I ever would be.
We spilled out onto the concrete, warm from hours spent drinking in the late summer sun. The air was thick with the smell of hydrangeas and freshly mown grass, and honey bees buzzed around the flowerbeds and gave the afternoon a lazy feel.
Bea and Hank immediately raced onto the lawn, playing some sort of game of tag that only they knew the rules of, and the adults settled onto the furniture just as Gerry came out with our lemonade.
“What’s new with you two lovebirds, then?” asked Alexander.
Tristan opened his mouth but Jo spoke over him. “We’re going on a trip!” she said. “We’re going to backpack around Europe for a month since we didn’t get to have a long honeymoon.”
“That’s a great idea,” I said. “When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow.” Jo sipped her lemonade and sighed.
“So soon?” I asked. “What’s the rush?”
“It’s got to do with the big news.” Sunlight danced in her irises and made her skin glow. “I’m pregnant.”
I shot up out of my chair and wrapped Jo in a tight hug. “That’s incredible! I’m so excited for you!”
“I know!” she squealed.
“Have you told Mom and Dad yet?” I released her and took my seat, vibrating with energy.
Jo shook her head. “We’re having dinner with them tonight.”
“They’re going to be thrilled,” Alex said.
I laughed. “No kidding. I bet they’ll be glad they moved here.” An idea popped in my head. “Hey! Why don’t you invite them here for dinner? We could have a barbecue, make a thing of it.” I smiled shyly. “I’ve got some news too.”
Alexander whipped his head to look at me, eyes wide. I had his full attention.
“What’s that?” Jo asked.
I patted my belly. “I’m pregnant too.”
Jo screamed but I barely heard her since Alex threw his chair back and raced over to pull me into his arms. My chair clattered to the ground.
He kissed me, softly at first, but with more pressure the more the news sank in. We were having another baby. I could barely believe it still.
“I love you,” Alex said, setti
ng me on my feet.
Jo and Tristan were staring at us, holding hands and smiling. It was a good thing we were outside, because I found it hard to believe our house could contain this much happiness without the roof bursting off.
“Why don’t we invite Edward, Clarissa and Victoria?” I asked.
Alex’s eyes lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. “Maybe my dad will be available too. We could tell them all at once.”
I held his face, my grinning threatening to tear my face apart. “I would love that.”
Alex kissed me, and he tasted of sunlight and honey blossoms. He tasted of home and safety.
Our family was royal. We lived in the public eye and performed our duties, fulfilling obligations set by a thousand years of monarchy, but we were more than that.
We were a family.
Sometimes we wore crowns, but most of the time we were a close-knit, down-to-earth group who always looked out for each other.
Princess of Nowhere came to a natural conclusion after three seasons, and even though I’d been swamped with offers I’d decided that would be the natural conclusion of my acting career too. At least for now. The gossip magazines didn’t understand why, but I didn’t care what they thought. This was what I wanted.
Alexander. Beatrice. Mom and Dad. Jo. The charities. They were my entire life, and I liked it that way. Whatever I’d been looking for pursuing acting, I’d found with them.
Princess of Nowhere was in my past. I was a princess of somewhere now, and it felt good.
Protecting Her Heart
CHANCE CARTER
Chapter 1
“I’m glad that shit head is finally out of your life,” Luke said, taking a long swig from his beer.
The bar was hopping tonight. There were plenty of dolled-up women hanging around hoping to meet their future husbands, swarmed by an equal number of horny blokes hoping to get laid.
“Thanks for coming out with me tonight. I wasn’t sure whether I should be celebrating or grieving,” Emma said quietly, shrugging her shoulders.
“Definitely celebrating,” Luke said, holding his glass up toward her, “Cheers!”
Emma grinned at him and clinked her wine glass against his beer mug. She could always count on Luke to keep it real. Ever since high school he had been the only one she could count on to tell her the truth, no matter what it was. Sometimes he would be diplomatic, but mainly he would just tell her like it was, throwing tactfulness out the window.
A leggy blonde sauntered by, flashing Luke her sexy smile. He nodded at her and chuckled, a cheeky grin playing on his full lips. He was sexy, a Gerard Butler type, the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. More importantly, he had swagger. As good looking as he was, it was his mischievous confidence that drew the ladies to him. He was both charming and naughty, a bad boy with a romantic streak and a healthy libido, an irresistible combination. Emma was the only woman immune to his charms, which was probably why they were the best of friends. She knew him well, probably better than anyone else.
She shook her head, rolling her eyes at him. Luke looked at her with mock innocence and flashed her another one of his famous smiles. She balled up her napkin and threw it at him but he snagged it out of the air before it could hit him. He smirked at her, proud of his lightning-fast reflexes.
“What?” he offered flirtatiously, shrugging his broad shoulders.
“God, you’re such a whore,” Emma said, taking another sip of her wine.
“You know I only have eyes for you, Mimi,” he teased, kissing the air in her direction.
Mimi was the nickname Luke had given her when they were fourteen, and for some reason, he never outgrew it. She didn’t mind though. In fact, she kind of liked it. He used to tease her and say that Mimi was her alter ego, the playful side of herself that she kept hidden from everyone but him.
That wasn’t far from the truth. Emma was a serious person by nature, always worried about what people thought. She was afraid to share her opinions, rock the boat, or put herself first, a perpetual people-pleaser. Not a surprise really that her narcissistic ex had been drawn to her, or why she stayed married to him for ten fucking years.
Luke, on the other hand, was the only one she could truly be herself with. In fact, he wouldn’t put up with anything less. To say he hated her ex-husband was an understatement. He despised him.
“Yeah, yeah. I know I’m cramping your style. Speaking of which, you gave up a hot date to come out with me tonight, didn’t you?” she mused.
“Don’t worry about it. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Let me see those damn divorce papers,” he said, confidently gesturing for her to hand them over.
Emma took them out of her purse and placed them into his waiting hand, a relieved look on her pretty face. He quickly glanced at them and shook his head, as if he couldn’t believe it was finally over.
“Thank fucking god,” he chortled, tossing it back across the table. “You need to frame that shit. Hang it up like a fucking reward...a well-earned diploma from the university of hard knocks.”
“That’s actually not a bad idea,” she agreed lightly.
They sat in comfortable silence, both of them enjoying the loud music and sipping their drinks. There were a lot of handsome men in the bar and Emma wondered what it would be like to go home with one of them and fuck him just for the sake of fucking. She quietly chided herself, embarrassed by her thoughts. Her ex had trained her well to dismiss her desires.
She only had two lovers in her life and one of them had been her husband. The other had been the boy who took her virginity, Jonas Reid. She was sixteen at the time, convinced she was madly in love. His dad was a school teacher from Wellington, New Zealand, working on an exchange program at their high school for a semester.
Sadly, Jonas was only around for a year, just long enough for her to fall for him. Their love affair had been quick and intense, just like the sex. Truthfully, she was more drawn to his accent than anything else. Every time he said anything in that Kiwi cadence, it made her panties wet. Luke used to tease her about that. He said that accents and gin were like panty-remover for her. He wasn’t wrong about that.
Emma was restless. She had spent years in a loveless marriage, always trying to meet his impossibly high standards, but never able to draw more than harsh criticism and endless emotional abuse from him. She tried to please him, constantly shifting and adjusting her behavior to match his moods, but to no avail. He was never happy. He would string her along with moments of kindness, raising her hopes and then quickly knock her down when she let down her walls. His affection was only offered with strings attached.
Their relationship had been a twisted dance, a dark and desperate tango that kept her forever shackled and confused, destroying her confidence and fragile self-esteem piece by piece. Her friendship with Luke was like a beacon, a bright light guiding her out of a very dark tunnel. He refused to give up on her, patiently dropping those reassuring bread crumbs so she could finally navigate her way home. She would forever be grateful to him for always being there, and more importantly, for not giving up on her. She trusted him completely.
Of course, Andrew hated Luke and tried to dismantle their friendship, much in the same way he alienated all of her friends from her. Luke didn’t buy into his bullshit. He really was the caretaker of their friendship, keeping close tabs on her and making sure that they stayed connected and ensuring they got together at least once every few months. They had to do so behind Andrew’s back, of course, but those moments with Luke were the only thing that kept her from losing herself completely, so it was well worth the risk.
She lived vicariously through her friend. He was the complete antithesis of who she was, free-spirited and sexual, bold and fearless. He had a variety of tastes and a huge appetite for sex. She loved hearing the stories about his exotic sexual adventures and hung on every naughty word. His explicit tales excited her, made her hot and curious and kept her desires alive.
Her own sex life was bla
nd, predictable and uninspiring. Andrew was not very imaginative and the few times she had tried to spice up their sex life he would shame her mercilessly, making her feel embarrassed and dirty. As time went on she just kept her desires to herself, locked up tight, safe from the light and from Andrew’s stern judgement.
The only time she explored her fantasies was when she was alone. Spurned on by Luke’s sexy stories, she would imagine herself in his shoes, acting out every erotic scene, bringing herself to one explosive orgasm after another, always after Andrew was sleeping, under the safety of her covers.
She envied Luke. She wanted to be him, no restraints, no shame, no apologies. She was tired of playing it safe all the time. There was nothing holding her back now except her own inexperience, and of course, her lack of confidence. She wished that she was as adventurous and assertive as he was, but over time she had grown scared of her own shadow.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Luke said, pulling her out of her memories.
Emma smiled at him thoughtfully, considering what she should share with him, and just how much. He offered her an encouraging wink as if to say ‘bring it on, baby’. She chuckled and shook her head slowly.
She started to tell him but struggled to find the words. “To be honest with you Luke, I’m...um...I want...I am feeling...”
“Horny?” he said playfully, pulling no punches.
He always had a way of knowing exactly what she was thinking but was too afraid to say. She felt the blush rising to her face, her cheeks quickly turning a warm shade of pink.
“Jesus, Luke,” she stammered, laughing off her embarrassment.
“What? You’re not horny?” he teased, his words flirtatious and bawdy.
“I didn’t say that...,” she purred, “I am...horny, but couldn’t you find a more tasteful way to say it?”
“Amorous, lustful, on the prowl?” he gently taunted, sitting forward in his seat, as though the conversation just became very interesting.
Billionaire's Playmate Page 42
