Royally F*cked

by Ivy Blake

  “Well, I have to say I think I’m going to like Yoga,” I joked.

  Teagan smiled and snuggled closer to me, her head resting on my chest. She fit perfectly against me. And I hoped she would never be far away again. I thought I’d lost her once and he was damned sure to never let that happen again.

  “I think you are a fast learner, though I have never taught water yoga” Teagan said with a laugh. “I take it I have the job, right?”

  “Well, I am interviewing some other applicants, but I think you are definitely at the top of the list,” I said.

  Teagan slapped my chest playfully. I pulled her closer to me and kissed her deeply.

  “Why didn’t you return my calls?” I asked when we separated. I hoped I didn’t sound whiney, but I had to know what happened. Was she that good at playing hard to get?

  “I was at a yoga retreat in the woods for four days, and they took our phones,” Teagan said. A slight wave of relief washed over me. That makes complete sense. I should have figured it was something like that.

  “I guess that explains it. You had me a bit worried,” I said. “I thought I blew my chance with you.”

  “What? Why would you think that, Mr. Prince?” Teagan said with a giggle.

  I rolled his eyes. Busted.

  “I was wondering when you were going to bring that up,” he said.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” I let out a long sigh and pulled her body closer to mine.

  “Being prince has its advantages, and I love what I do for my country, but it does have its drawbacks. My personal life happens to be one of them. Do you know what it’s like to be with someone and to not know if they actually like you, or just the fact that you are ‘The Prince’? I wanted to go out and be an anonymous guy for once. I do that periodically. It usually doesn’t last long because someone recognizes me, but when I saw you and you told me you were American, I knew that you probably didn’t know who I was.”

  Teagan was quiet for a moment. I tried to look down to see if she looked upset, but she looked more like she was thinking. Finally, she spoke.

  “I can understand that, but what else did you lie to me about?”

  I was worried about this. Worried that she would think that everything I told her was a lie.

  “I do mountain climb. And I do love music. I am a songwriter, but I don’t play for anyone. If I ever did play for people, it would be like some kind of a sideshow.”

  “Why? If you have a passion or a talent, then you should go for it.”

  “It’s different when you are a prince. You are expected to adhere to a particular way of behaving. And playing guitar and singing in public is not really considered a royal activity.”

  “I guess that makes sense, but I still would love to hear you sometime.”

  I smiled. “Ok. I might play for you one day.”

  “That would be nice,” Teagan said. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

  “Deal,” I replied. “So, when did you find out who I was?”

  “I saw you on television. The whole marriage thing. I think that’s a pretty sucky way to do things. You deserve to be king. It’s your birthright. You shouldn’t have to be married to assume the throne.”

  A knot of worry formed in my stomach. Do I tell her that she is the one I would want to marry? I shook my head. Now was not the time. Maybe after we talked about things some more.

  “Thanks, but that is the way it’s going to be. I’ve spoken with my advisors and the Council has made up their minds, and the rule still stands.”

  Teagan kissed me softly and snuggled up closer to my chest. “I’m sorry,” she said.

  I could tell that she really meant it.

  And something about the way she said it told him that she really cared for me every bit as much as I cared for her.

  CHAPTER 17

  Teagan

  As I laid there with my head on Cort’s chest, listening to him tell me about how difficult his life was right now, I felt so sorry for him. The internal pain and struggle that he was going through was something I could hardly begin to fathom, but I wanted to. I wanted to know what made him tick, who he really was.

  But there was so much of himself that he kept hidden away. I supposed that was the way he’d been forced to live his whole life. He had to be two people all the time. There was the public face as part of the royal family, and then there was the private him. I felt like she was getting a small glimpse beneath the surface, but I wondered if I would ever know the real him.

  Would he ever actually let me in?

  “So, if you don’t get married by your birthday, then the crown goes to your uncle?” I asked. I’d done some research, and this was about all I’d been able to find out.

  “Yeah. The man is a total moron, and I know he will set our nation back several decades if he becomes king.”

  “That’s horrible,” I said. “And the council can’t see what a bad idea this is?”

  “They do. They are smart men who realize exactly what a bad idea it is, but they are also shrewd. With a king like my father and a king like I would be, the council knows that I will change things for the better. Our nation will continue to progress, but they want things to remain the old way.”

  “Why? Why are they so against change?”

  “They are against it because they want to remain in control. Even though my father is king, he has to constantly fight with the council to get things accomplished. Along with the council he has to fight with parliament. They both fight him at every turn. The council wants to stick to their old ways because that is how they see they rule. While parliament sees it as a way to keep the monarchy in check.”

  “What are you going to do?” I asked.

  I held her breath waiting for the answer. That was a dumb question. I knew the options were limited, but a part of me wanted to know where I stood. Yet, I was also terrified of the answer. What if he actually asked me to marry him? Would I say yes?

  “I don’t know,” Cort replied. His voice sounded full of strain and worry. It was the first time I’d ever actually heard him sound scared.

  I felt relief at his answer. I knew I thought I was in love with Cort. But was it really love? Or was it just the excitement of the fling? I still had a life in San Diego while he had a very important life here.

  If I did truly love him, was I ready for that life? Could I fathom becoming queen of a country I barely knew? Did I want that kind of responsibility? I would have to leave everything I knew and loved behind. My family, my friends, my job. All of that would stay in the States, and I would have to start a brand-new life here.

  Of course, I would have the resources at my fingertips to do anything I wanted and have my family and friends visit me whenever they liked, but I would have duties and responsibilities that I could not begin to understand. Cort had lived his whole life as a member of the royal family; I would be a total outsider, an immigrant from another country, and I would be stepping into a whole new world.

  I wanted to be with Cort more than anything, but I just wasn’t sure I could go through with it.

  I was afraid.

  I was afraid that I would fail in her duties, that I wasn’t strong enough to be that kind of a leader. It was all too much to think about, it was just too much to take in.

  I needed more time. And time was something Cort did not have.

  I tried to rest and breathe easy, enjoying the company of the man I loved, but there were now too many things weighing heavily on my mind. If he’d asked me right then to marry him, I knew that I would have to say no. Even if that did break both our hearts.

  It was the right decision. If Cort decided that he wanted to be king badly enough to choose a bride and make that kind of a rush decision, I had to say no and step back, while he chose someone else. It was heartbreaking to think about him being married to someone else, but there was far more at stake.

  “I just never knew that it would be so complicated,” Cort said. “I’ve known my whole li
fe that one day when my father stepped down as king, the duty would fall to me. I heard about this rule before now, but I never knew how firmly etched in stone it really was. I always figured it was just an old tradition and tradition can be swiftly changed. I can’t believe how wrong I was,” Cort said with a laugh.

  “If you’d known the whole time, would it have changed your situation? Have you ever been in love before? Was there anyone special enough in your life?” I asked.

  Cort paused a moment. Was he trying to think of the right answer to not hurt my feelings? Or was he really thinking about the question?

  Finally, he said, “No. There has been no one that I’ve ever loved like that. At least not until now.”

  I felt like the air had just been sucked out of the room and I forgot how to take in a breath. What was he saying?

  The silence in the room was deafening. My heartrate started to pick up. Was he talking about me? Was this all in my head? Am I reading too much into what Cort is saying?

  I had to break the silence, so I kissed Cort softly on the lips. As I started to pull back, Cort grabbed me tightly and pulled me close again. I felt as though electricity coursed through our lips and spread throughout my body. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck. When the kiss ended, he rested his forehead against mine and held my body close to his.

  “Wow, that felt amazing,” Cort said. “I’ve been looking forward to getting you back in my arms since the night we met.”

  I smiled, feeling the warmth spreading over her body.

  “Me too,” I whispered.

  “I want to take you out to dinner tonight,” Cort said.

  “Really? You aren’t afraid the paparazzi will be everywhere? Or maybe you enjoy that more than you let on?” I teased.

  Cort laughed. “I sometimes do, but tonight I just want us to have some alone time. The paparazzi might be around, but the restaurant I’m taking you to won’t allow them to come in or bother us. My family and I dine there often, as well as a lot of other celebrities. It will be fun.”

  “Ok,” I said. “That sounds awesome.”

  “Great,” Cort replied.

  “I guess I should leave now,” I said. “People are going to wonder why the yoga lesson is taking so long.”

  I started to get up, and Cort pulled me back to him.

  “Let them wonder,” he said with a naughty smile.

  He quickly lifted me back on top of him and pushed inside me before I even realized what was happening.

  It would be another forty-five minutes before I left.

  CHAPTER 18

  Cort

  “How is the pasta?”

  I watched as Teagan twirled a large clump of the fettuccine around her fork and took a big bite. I had rarely seen a girl eat like she did. She had a very healthy appetite, and she was not afraid to chow down. It was sexy. Most of the women I’d dated were always concerned with being totally prim and proper and afraid to touch much more than a salad. This was refreshing.

  “It’s wonderful,” Teagan said. She took a sip of her red wine.

  Noticing that her glass was almost empty, I took the liberty of refilling it.

  Teagan laughed. “You aren’t trying to get me drunk, are you?” Teagan asked.

  “Maybe,” I replied. “There is no sense letting the perfect wine go to waste.”

  “Merlot is my favorite,” Teagan said.

  “Mine too. I’ve never cared much for white wine,” I said.

  Teagan nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it feels like it’s missing that extra something.”

  I glanced around the restaurant. It was nice and quiet tonight, but busy enough to keep things interesting. The paparazzi had been just as wild as I’d expected when I arrived at the restaurant after picking up Teagan at her hotel. I hoped the vultures didn’t start stalking her there, but it was probably unavoidable. Besides, I figured she’d never really had the star treatment before and she might take a bit of a shine to it.

  Plus, I had something special planned tonight, and I doubted Teagan would be sleeping in her hotel. If all went well, anyway.

  I’d been wrestling with a decision all day long, ever since the fantastic afternoon I’d spent with Teagan in the gym. The lovemaking, just being together, and the conversation that just flowed so perfectly between us. It was like nothing I had ever experienced.

  I’d hinted at my plans when we were together. She was asking me about my past love and how I felt about her and his situation. I had to give her credit that she was probing in a very roundabout way. The woman was tremendously smart. That was one of the things I loved most about her.

  Now that I thought about it, I knew that I was going to ask Teagan to be his wife the moment I saw her standing in the gym. There was no way around it; I loved her. I knew that my feelings had nothing to do with the stipulation I was facing if he wanted to succeed his father and become king. That would be an added bonus of course, but I wanted to marry Teagan either way.

  I was nervous as hell about what she would say. What would she think? It was pretty obvious that she would wonder how I really felt and if I was asking her to marry me just because of his situation. I would have to convince her that my love for her was real and I had no ulterior motives whatsoever. I just wanted to be with her. I truly honestly did. I would give up everything to be with her if that was what it took to convince her.

  If I had to, I would renounce his family and his title.

  “I have to admit, this is the nicest meal I’ve ever had,” Teagan said.

  “Really? Well, I think you should get used to it,” I replied with a smile.

  Teagan blushed. “Oh, I’m sure you will be tired of me soon enough,” she teased.

  “That’s impossible,” I said. Teagan locked eyes with him, and I hoped she could tell that I was dead serious about that.

  “What was it like dating as a teenager for you? I imagine it must have been hard, being with people your own age. Did you go to regular school?”

  “I did,” I said. “I didn’t have to. I could have just studied with tutors, but I wanted to experience a normal childhood. And for the most part, I did. I mean, when you are six years old your peers don’t care that you are a prince. They don’t really even get what that means. And by the time they did understand, I was just one of them, so it wasn’t really weird.”

  “That’s awesome,” Teagan said.

  “Yeah, it was difficult though because the hours of a regular school day cut into my other training. When I was old enough, I basically had to start sitting in on meetings and learning about what it means to be prince and what my duties would one day be. But I still think I made the right decision.”

  “I can’t even begin to imagine what that must have been like.”

  I smiled and took a bite of my steak. It was cooked to perfection.

  I glanced over at Teagan and watched her eating her pasta. She dribbled a bit on her chin. Before she could wipe it off with her napkin, I swiped it with my finger and tasted it, bringing it up to his mouth slowly.

  “That’s delicious,” I said.

  “I know, right?” Teagan replied.

  “I meant you.”

  Teagan smiled. “That was smooth.”

  “I know,” I agreed. “I have skills.”

  “I have a few sexy moves too,” Teagan said. She had a naughty look in her eye and I felt my pants get a little tighter.

  Suddenly her hand was on my cock, pushing gently against it, making it harder in between her fingers.

  I inhaled slowly allowing the sensation to move through me, trying not to draw attention to myself, even while I wanted to release a pent-up moan. Her hand started to move up and down my shaft, pressing just firm enough and teasing me. Teagan was giggling as quietly as she could, but she was massively enjoying herself.

  “Well, this is not fair,” I said with a smile.

  “Oh, this is not a game baby,” Teagan said.

  Baby. It sounded so sexy when she called me that, t
hose syllables floating off her beautiful lips. I loved the affection behind it.

  I moved my hips forward slightly, increasing the pressure. It felt so good to have her small, dainty fingers moving against my cock. And added to that, she was now licking her lips discreetly, and giving me the “fuck me” eyes.

  I wondered if I could get away with the same. I casually moved my hand under the table and glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention. I wouldn’t underestimate some paparazzo being disguised as a waiter just to take some indiscriminate pictures of the prince. I didn’t notice anyone, but if they were there, they were going to get more than they bargained for tonight.

  I slid my hand swiftly up Teagan’s legs and right under her skirt. The look of shock on her face was priceless, especially the moment my fingers pressed against her clit. I could feel a bit of moisture through the fabric on my fingers as I moved them slightly. I felt my pants get tighter and I adjusted myself slightly underneath the table.

  I needed to find someplace to take her.

  “Wow, now who isn’t playing by the rules,” Teagan said.

  “I think we are inventing the game as we go,” I replied.

  My hand was working its way harder against her, feeding her lust. I could see the desire growing wild in her beautiful eyes.

  Then she pulled a game changer.

  Teagan carefully reached under the table. I wasn’t sure what she was up to until I felt her panties sliding past his fingers and moving down her thighs. With the pressure, my fingers were now sliding into the sweet, succulent wetness between her smooth, sexy thighs.

  Teagan inhaled deeply, her face showing the expression of a woman who was being turned on past the point of no return. I was going to satisfy that lust soon; she didn’t have to worry about that. But I was going to play around and have some fun first.

  She was now moving against his hand, adjusting her body so my fingers would enter her at just the right spot. At the same time, she was pushing against my rock-hard cock, and I felt that he might blow at any moment, but he didn’t want to finish yet. I did not want to finish here.