I hated the part of Riley that reminded me of Blake, yet I pushed that thought away. They were two different people. We started to talk about our homes and I presented the proof that I’d lived in the same house for four years now in a safe and quiet part of New York state. Blake had only owned the two-bedroom for a month in a questionable part of the city after living in the smaller unit before that. The judge looked over her finances, asking her what else she spent her money on. There should have been plenty to move somewhere more secure.
I watched as Blake’s eyes flashed and she tried to save herself. It felt good to watch her backpedal. I looked over at Lucy as Blake continued. She sounded worse and worse as she spoke, and Liam grinned at me all the while.
The judge asked about any romantic relationships that we had. Liam went first, introducing Lucy as my fiancée. He explained how we ran into each other after not seeing one another for twelve years. He outlined how close we were in the past and the whirlwind relationship that we were enjoying now. The judge asked Blake about any relationships that she had, and she faltered when she stated that she was single. She was relying on the fact that custody often went to mothers.
The judge called Lucy and I forward to the stand, and we held hands as we walked. The air felt heavy as silence settled over the court room and he surveyed both of us, seeming to smile at her nervousness. He asked how long we’d been together and I told him, knowing that it wasn’t a mark against me. He asked how we met and Lucy laughed as she told him that she moved in next door to me. She attested that she knew Riley and how sweet of a little girl she was. She told him how happy and well-adjusted Riley was and how much I focused on her in my life with shining eyes.
The judge finally asked Lucy if she loved me. She looked at me as she licked her lips. “I have always loved Max, your honor. I am blessed to have this second chance with him as well as Riley. She’s the icing on the cake.”
The judge nodded and looked at me. “Very well. And you?”
“I have always loved Lucy as well, though I was too young and stupid to know that twelve years ago. Meeting her now was a shock, but I knew that she was it for me. Seeing how she is with Riley made me realize how much of a perfect fit she was in my life and I thank God every day for bringing me back to her.”
The proceedings were ending when Liam asked for permission to approach the judge. He carried a folder to him and handed it over. We all watched the man that was in control of my life for a few more minutes read it before he gave Liam a nod. He looked over the small court room for a moment before standing and looking right at me.
He left the room. Blake stood with her lawyer to leave as well, looking miserable. I watched as she left the building, hoping that I’d never see her again. She didn’t deserve her own daughter. I joined Liam and Lucy in the hallway and grinned at him as I pulled her into my arms for a tight hug, kissing her softly. I asked Liam what he gave the judge and he smirked as he told me he came across Blake’s criminal record, which included a DUI. I asked him why he didn’t bring that up right away, and he looked at both of us, telling me that he wanted to see us finally admit our feelings for each other.
We all left and I drove Lucy to my house, needing some quality time alone with her. I’d get Riley later and we’d do something together since I was certain that I’d won custody of her today. I unlocked the door and pulled Lucy through it, into my arms.
Lucy kissed me as she wrapped her legs around my body and I took us to my bed. It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders as I dropped her onto the bed and reached for the tie of her dress. Lucy helped me out of my suit and dropped to her knees to take me into her mouth. I reached for her wild curls. She was a beautiful woman, yet I could still see the girl that I knew all those years ago. I looked down, thankful for our second chance.
I moved her to her back, kissing her from her thighs to her mouth as she moaned my name. She was so hot and ready for me. I sucked on her nipples as I cupped her breasts. I could have sworn that her breasts were bigger as I drew her between my teeth and she let out a slow moan. “Max,” Lucy moaned as I moved to her lips and kissed her hungrily before sliding inside of her. We both cried out with feeling as I filled her perfect body. Lucy started moving with me and I realized that she’d been particularly eager with me as of late.
We rocked together as she wrapped herself around me, finding my lips as I continued to thrust into her. I was on the edge of coming when she tightened around me and screamed my name. I followed suit as she clawed my back and wept my name, coming hard right before I did.
We made love again before she dropped her face to my chest and laughed. “I have something to tell you, Max.”
“That you love me?” I asked as she looked at me with warm eyes before kissing my skin.
“That too, but I’m pregnant.” I pulled her closer as she laughed. “I’ve known for a week or so, but we had this court date and I wanted to focus on that. I was scared. I don’t know.”
I kissed her and slid my hand between us. “I’m so happy. We’re going to have a family. There’s no way the judge will give Blake custody of Riley. Still, though, I’ve been wanting to tell you that I love you for a while. Today was perfect.”
“It was,” she agreed as our lips met again.
Epilogue – Lucy
The decision came in a week and I hugged Max as he told me that Riley was ours. We were starting to go to hospital visits for the new baby and Riley couldn’t have been more excited once we told her about it.
We had a BBQ to celebrate everything a few weekends later. The neighbors and our parents came with plenty of food to go along with the meat that Max was grilling. I made an apple pie in his forgotten cast iron pan as well as some salads and Max smiled at me as he walked into the kitchen for a beer and the platter of chicken, tri-tip, and sausages.
We decided to keep his current house. It had four bedrooms we could work with for now and it was in a perfect place for our kids. We were in the process of moving my things over from the apartment, though Violet assured us that she wasn’t going to be renting it out any longer. Since I came here with so little furniture, I sold what was in a storage unit and we kept Max’s things.
The party ran late into the night, with kids swimming, adults drinking and talking, and music playing through the air. I sipped my sparkling water and watched it all happen, happy beyond belief.
Once everyone started drifting home for the night and we tucked an exhausted Riley into bed, he took me back outside. I looked at him as he surveyed the yard, messy with play and the party. He licked his lips and looked back at me. “This is the best day of my life,” he told me. I agreed and nodded. “I want this for the rest of my life, Lucy. I want this with you.” He dropped to the grass on one knee as I gasped. “Will you marry me?”
“I already said yes,” I told him as I showed him my ring finger.
“I know, but I want to do this for real. I want you to know how much I love you and want to marry you,” he said as he pulled something out of his pocket. “I bought that ring with court in mind – it looked like you. I want you to keep it somewhere. But I bought this new ring for Lucy, the love of my life.” He opened the box and I saw another ring of small diamonds with a square stone as the focal point and a matching diamond band. It had a vintage look to it. I smiled at him as he reached for my left hand.
“This is so me,” I agreed as I kissed him softly. “I love you.”
“I love you. We’re setting a wedding date soon. I’m sick of waiting,” he told me and I laughed. We switched rings and made our way back into the house, locking the door and going to the bedroom so he could prove to me how much he loved me.
*****
THE END
The Prince's Virgin
Description
I’m the heir to the throne.
According to custom, I have to pick my bride during a festival.
A festival where women compete for my attention.
Seriously, how outd
ated.
Besides, all I can think about is the girl I’ve been talking to online, anonymously.
The one who disclosed all of her dirty little secrets to me.
She just sent me a new message.
She’s been chosen for the festival.
She has to come.
It’s the law.
Now all I have to do is figure out which of my willing subjects she is.
You know what’s also the law?
She’ll have to spend two whole days and two whole nights with me. It’s the official trial period.
She’s never been touched before.
I’ll claim every inch of her body.
I’ll order her to carry out all of her dirty fantasies.
And then, once the two days are over, I’m gone.
But what if I don’t want to go? What if she’s the one leaving?
Chapter One - Ella
It was an ordinary morning. Like every Tuesday, I had gone to class in the morning and then had lunch with my friend Gretchen. We’d been friends since we were children, but now that we were both studying law, we hardly had time to see each other. That semester, neither of us had afternoon classes on Tuesdays, so we’d started weekly lunches to catch up and take a break from studying.
That Tuesday was no different. We’d even had the same waitress we’d had the week before. The cafe and the streets were quiet, like usual. The only interesting news in town was that invitations to the Crown Prince’s Festival would be arriving at selected households, but I wasn’t at all interested in receiving one.
Gretchen was, though. She talked all through lunch about the invitations, the prince, and how exciting it would be to be chosen.
“You don’t know anything about him. You don’t know what he looks like, or what he’s like,” I said, chiding. Gretchen had always been a dreamer, impulsive and reckless. She was beautiful, too, beautiful and graceful and confident, even bold. She’d started kissing boys when she was twelve years old. Some of them were still in love with her, following her around Ladoria like lost puppies.
“He’s a prince, Ella. Does it matter?” Gretchen asked. She laughed and sipped her lemonade, looking at me like I was missing something important.
“Could you really marry someone if they were awful?” I asked, wrinkling my nose. Gretchen shook her head at me, eyes sparkling.
“Only if it would make me royalty,” Gretchen said. “I’ve always wanted to be royalty.”
“You’re terrible,” I said, teasing.
“You’re really not at all interested? Everyone knows Prince Tristan is gorgeous,” Gretchen said, laughing again.
“No one actually knows that. Neither of us knows anyone who has actually seen him,” I pointed out.
“He’s gorgeous, and I bet he knows how to treat a girl right,” Gretchen said, winking and making me blush. I shook my head, not wanting to talk about princes or festivals or sex with Gretchen. She liked to tease me sometimes about being uptight and inexperienced. She didn’t know the thoughts I had, the images that raced through my mind, the conversations I’d been having with a strange man online. I couldn’t tell her. I didn’t want anyone to know, even my best friend. I let her do most of the talking for the rest of lunch.
At home later that afternoon, I began my studying. I had four chapters to read and an outline to make before I would let myself take a break. I was hoping that the man I’d been talking to would be online during my break. Lately, I’d been using conversations with him as rewards to myself, treats to look forward to after long days of classes, studies, and helping my family. I wasn’t thinking of anything but him and the readings in front of me. Even with all of Gretchen’s talk, I had completely forgotten about the prince and his festival.
So when my mother ran into my bedroom with a large envelope and an excited look on her face, it took me a minute to figure out what was happening. Then I saw the corner of the envelope, with the glossy Ladoria royal seal in the corner, and my heart sank.
“Ella, you’ve been chosen!” my mother exclaimed, handing me the letter.
“Oh,” I said, not knowing what else to say. My mother loved old customs and royalty. When I was young, she’d told me story after story about princes and princesses, about courtship and old fashioned romance. I did not want to disappoint her, but the festival hardly seemed romantic to me.
“Just think, you could marry the crown prince!” my mother said, clasping her hands excitedly. She looked wistful, and I felt uneasy in the pit of my stomach. When she was a little girl, her oldest sister, my Aunt Sophia, had been selected for a festival, the one for Prince Tristan’s father. Aunt Sophia always said the whole thing had been silly, but my mother had been jealous, wishing she could get dressed up for a chance to be selected by a prince.
“I will be one of many girls there,” I said, shaking my head. I did not want her to get her hopes up. Aunt Sophia had said that at her festival, she was one of fifty girls and that she’d never seen the prince at all. I was sure the room would be filled with girls like Gretchen, beautiful, confident, and worldly.
“I need to go make a special dinner to celebrate,” my mother said. She looked to be daydreaming, lost in her own romantic tale. I watched her go, shaking my head.
I pushed my studying aside, not sure I could focus on it after the news. I ran my fingers over the letter, wishing I could just stay home instead, not sure how to go through with the festival. It was not up to me, though. As I well knew from my law studies, and as the letter reminded me in tiny script at the bottom, all girls chosen must attend the festival or they and their families would be thrown in prison. It was an outdated law, but one no one had ever seen fit to change. I sighed and opened my laptop.
I had barely been online for a minute when he messaged me, and I smiled, in spite of everything. Since meeting on Facebook, Frederick and I had only talked over the computer. He did not even know my real name, but I felt closer to him than to anyone else I had ever known. I had told him things no one else knew, things I could not say out loud but that felt safe to type. I had never been with a man, but my mind was always filled with desires and fantasies. I’d told Frederick about them, every erotic detail, and he had listened. He did not judge me or make me feel silly or ashamed. Instead, he encouraged me. He was kind and clever and funny, and I was in love with him. It was another reason I was not interested in the prince’s festival. I was already in love with a man. How could I take the chance, no matter how small, of marrying another?
I just got big news, I typed, looking back at the letter on my desk.
What is it? he replied. I knew it was ridiculous, but seeing the familiar small navy blue font he used in the messenger made me feel a little better.
I’ve been selected for the Crown Prince’s Festival, I said. From the kitchen, I could hear my mother humming to herself, one of those old love songs she liked so much.
Really? he replied.
Really. I wish I hadn’t been. I don’t want to go, but it’s the law, I said, glad I could tell someone how I really felt about it, sure that my mother, my family, and my friends would not really understand.
I’m sure you’ll be the sexiest, the most beautiful, and the most fascinating girl there, he replied, making me blush. I shook my head. He didn’t even know what I looked like. My entire profile was fake. He knew so much but so little about me. It was probably part of why I felt so safe around him.
I’ll just be happy when it’s over, I said. It was just a day, I thought. One day, and then I could go back to my normal life, my studies, my family, and Frederick.
Maybe something good will come of it, he said. I smiled. Frederick always made me smile.
Maybe. Tell me about your day? I said, changing the subject. I told myself if I pushed it out of my head, I wouldn't feel so sick and nervous. I couldn’t shake it, though, and no matter how much Frederick made me laugh and blush, I couldn’t get the festival out of my head.
Chapter Two - Tristan
> Meetings were always the worst part of the day, and this one was worse than usual. I was so bored I felt itchy like even my skin wanted no part of this. I sighed loudly, crossing my arms and scrolling through my phone as my event manager droned on, filling me in on details I was supposed to care about but didn’t.
“The girls will then perform a dance,” the event manager said. “They will still not be able to see you.”
“Thrilling,” I said dryly. I never cared for events, for engagements I had to keep, parties I had to attend, rooms full of people my parents had hand-selected. It was all so outdated, not my style. This festival only increased that feeling.
“Sir, this festival will help you choose a bride. It is important to the future of the country,” the event planner said, giving me a pleading look. He was older, his face red and round. He was the third planner I’d spoken to this week about the festival. I’d given up trying to learn their names or figure out why they cared so much about whom I married.
“I don’t need all this. I don’t have any trouble getting girls to dance for me all on my own,” I said. The whole thing was ridiculous, the idea that I needed an elaborate festival to get a girl to fall for me, like I couldn’t just walk through town and pick one, couldn’t go to a bar like a normal guy and come home with the prettiest girl there. I wasn’t actually allowed to do that, of course, but I’d done it more than once anyway. A prince can’t stay locked in a castle all the time.
“This is for life, not a night,” the event planner said. He sounded reprimanding and I scowled at his tone and his words. I had no interest in a wife. Not right now, anyway. I had heard people say, while I was at bars pretending to fit in, that the festival was unfair and terrible. Beautiful girls who took university classes and didn’t care for royalty talked about the festival with disgust in their tone. I honestly didn’t blame them. In fact, I agreed.
Hot Boss: An Office Romance Page 62
