“What is it that you do?” she said. “If you don’t mind me asking. Everyone here seems to be someone important. As a personal chef, I feel quite common.”
Katarina looked up at me, grinning. Your turn, her expression said. Good luck.
“I work for my family’s business,” I answered, uncomfortable with how close to the truth it was. “We have several high-profile assets and investments, but most of my job revolves around eliminating the competition.”
“And I’m a model,” Kat said proudly. “I have a feature in next month’s Vogue.”
Janet’s eyes widened. “I’ll have to look out for you!”
“Oh, do,” said Kat.
Janet downed the rest of her glass and looked at it mournfully. “I’m afraid I must fly, my dears. I’ve friends in here somewhere. Probably by the bar.”
“It was a pleasure,” I said.
Janet smiled and walked past us. Once she was out of view, Kat descended into a fit of giggles.
“I’ve always thought that if something was this fun it was probably a bad idea,” she said.
“All the best things are.” I jabbed my chin in the direction her sister disappeared. “Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?” she asked, trailing beside me as I cut through the middle of the floor. “At assassin school they taught me eight ways to kill a man with a high heel. Better not be trying anything funny.”
“I’ve had a drink, I’ve had a chat,” I said. “Now I’d like to have a dance with my wife.”
Kat had no sassy reply, and soon we plunged into the crowd of dancing couples. I turned her in my arms, placing one hand on the small of her waist and holding the other by my shoulder. Something hot flickered in her gaze and she put her hand on my arm.
I started leading her around the floor. Nothing complicated, just swaying and steps. This wasn’t the place to dazzle the crowd or my date with a Viennese Waltz or a Foxtrot.
“You’re surprisingly fleet-footed for a gangster thug,” Kat commented.
“Like I said, we’re a classy bunch.” I spun her, pulling her back a little closer this time.
“I suppose that only goes to show that anyone can surprise you,” she said breathlessly. “Even your husband.”
The space between our bodies was hot, fervently so. If there were other people on the dance floor, in the room, on the planet, I was unaware. All I could see was her. Smoldering golden eyes stared back at me, and her plump cherry lips stood out against the caramel of her skin, begging to be kissed.
I was no stranger to desire, but this was different. I wanted her like I’d never wanted any woman before, and I had since the first moment I talked to her. Primal instincts barged past my breeding and manners and urged me to claim her. To own her. To make her mine in every way. I didn’t know whether it was the light in her eyes, her dusky beauty, or the fire that laced each word from her lips. I only knew that if I went the night without tasting her, I’d shrivel into a husk of a man.
We danced slow, then fast, then slow again for what felt like hours, then escaped onto the balcony for some air. Janet found us again, her friends with her this time, and we played our game like experts.
The anonymity of the mask made me feel freer than I had in a long time, and I sensed Kat was feeling the same. We took the opportunity to indulge in a little mischief, sneaking into forbidden spaces and playing harmless pranks. Time seemed to flash by, and before I knew it the festivities began to draw to a close. I checked my watch while Kat went to the bathroom, noting that there was an hour left before the night was officially over.
Kat returned, and I took the opportunity to admire her from a distance as she approached. Her dress fit snugly, as if molded to her curves. The black gossamer parted at the side so that when she walked I got a mouthwatering glimpse of her toned leg.
“It looks like people are starting to clear out,” Kat said, stopping before me.
“We’ve got an hour before we’ll be kicked out officially, but there are plenty of after parties already on the run.”
She frowned. “Boo. For a while there it seemed like the night might last forever. Reality’s a bitch.”
“Now, now.” I caught her eye, grinning. “Don’t call it until it’s dead.”
“What should we do?” she asked, scanning the room. “We could steal some more hor d’oeurves from the kitchen. I could go for another of those mini pie things.”
“We could do that,” I said, nodding. “Or we could do something else.”
“Like what?”
I brushed an escaped curl behind her ear. Her hair was black and silky, though she had styled it into a chignon for the occasion. I wondered if I’d ever get to see it down.
“There are dozens of empty rooms upstairs,” I said, dropping my voice just above a whisper. “I don’t think anyone would mind if we borrowed one for a little while.”
Her brow furrowed in question but then it dawned on her and her lips fell open just a little. She was testing my restraint and didn’t even know it. I had half a mind to slam her up against the wall right there. I might die if she turned me down, and it was the first time in a very long time that I worried about being rejected.
And then, mercy, lust flashed in her eyes. And something else. Daring. My cock swelled.
“Screw it,” she said. “I’ve been playing it safe for way too long.”
I smiled and took her hand, leading her through the remnants of the crowd toward the curving balustrade to the second floor. We weren’t supposed to be up there, but everyone was either too drunk or too distracted to realize. The security at these kinds of things was always less than one would expect.
Kat’s hand was soft and warm in mine. The simple touch of skin on skin whispered promises of pleasure for what was about to come, and I couldn’t wait.
The first room we tried was already occupied by a half-naked couple and a bottle of champagne. We tried the next, which was blessedly free. It was a storage room of sorts, with sheets covering the few pieces of furniture and dust stirring with each footstep. I guided Kat inside and closed the door. My heart hammered out gunshots inside my chest.
Kat faced me. The closed curtains glowed white from the street lamps, illuminating the room just enough that I could see every delicious inch of her. She turned her swan-like neck to look around the room and I could sense she was questioning her decision. It was real now.
“Hey,” I murmured, stepping up to her. I ran my thumb down her cheek to her chin, guiding her face up to look at me.
My gentleness surprised her. She blinked and opened her mouth, a question poised at the tip of her tongue. And then she discarded it and kissed me.
Her mouth was sweet and supple. I groaned with pleasure and dove in, sucking in her lip and tongue. She plastered her body against mine. My hands found her ass, squeezing. She was plump like ripe fruit. And, like ripe fruit, I hoped I’d soon be licking her off my fingers.
The kiss deepened, grew frantic. All her initial hesitation was gone. Her hands roamed my chest, pulling at my bow tie and unbuttoning my shirt to slip inside and caress my skin. Sparks of pleasure skittered down between my legs. My cock was almost uncomfortably hard, throbbing with need.
I dug my fingers into her hair and tipped her head back, kissing down her neck, biting, sucking on her velvet skin. She moaned softly and her body quivered.
This mystery woman was so perfect in every way that I wouldn’t be surprised if she suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke. The way she tasted, the way she responded to my touch, the way she made me feel from my balls to the marrow of my bones... It couldn’t be real, yet it felt more real than anything I’d ever known.
I pushed her back to the wall. The slit in her dress made it easy to hike up around her hips, and I pulled aside her silken panties and dove into her heat. Kat cried out in pleasure. She was soaking wet and my mouth watered.
I swirled my fingers over her clit as my other hand massaged her tit, squeezing in time with my min
istrations. Kat panted against the wall, half-lidded eyes watching me with heat. I held her gaze as I slipped a finger inside.
She was tight. Hot. The sensation of her inner walls against my finger made my cock jump. I slid another finger inside, stretching her, and Kat whimpered.
“That feels amazing,” she breathed.
“It’s going to feel even more amazing when my cock splits you open.” I twisted my fingers inside of her and nipped her throat. “I can’t wait to sink into your pretty little pussy, my beautiful Katarina.”
I’d fucked a lot in my life. Many women. Many times. One thing I hadn’t done, however, was role play. Never really appealed to me. This unintentional game was turning out to be the hottest fuck I’d ever had. This woman was my wife and I was going to cherish her like she was my wife, fuck her until she was breathless like she was my wife. Whatever happened afterward was too far ahead for me to see, but for now I submerged in the fantasy and breathed it in until I drowned.
I thrust my fingers in and out of Kat while circling my thumb over her clit, making her ready for me. I couldn’t wait much longer before I had her, and we couldn’t stay in here too long anyway. It was a shame that tonight would have to be a quickie. I could have spent hours exploring her body.
Kat scratched her nails down my chest and I groaned, hair standing on end. That was it. My resolve broke.
In one fluid motion, I turned Kat and pressed her front against the wall, pulling her hips back and up until her ass was on full display. It was round, perfect. I tore her panties down and fought with my pants until they were open enough to pull out my cock. It was fully engorged, vein sticking out angrily on the side. Kat looked back and saw it, mouth dropping open.
“I forgot how big your cock is,” she said, smiling slyly.
“I must not be fucking you right for you to forget such a thing.”
I rooted around in my pocket for a condom. I always carried one with me. I never knew when I might find use for one and the last thing I needed was a royal bastard scandal.
“Well,” she said. “I suppose you can make up for that now.”
I slid the condom down the length of me and brought my lips to Kat’s ear.
“Oh, Kitty Kat, this will be a fuck you’ll never forget,” I hissed, plunging my cock in to the hilt.
Kat moaned and her fingers scraped down the wall. It was music to my ears. I let her adjust for a moment and then pulled out, shoving back in again with even more force.
She gripped me perfectly. Her molten heat was heaven.
I groped her fiercely, squashing her tits in my hands, then slipping one hand down to her sex to rub her clit as I sawed in and out. Kat moaned my name, but not my real name. How I wished it could be my real name she was moaning. I would kill to hear it fall from those pretty lips in pleasure.
I kissed her neck, grunting and groaning as pleasure flooded my balls. I wouldn’t be able to last much longer. I’d been on edge all night with her, tingling from the very thought of her touch. Having her was overwhelming.
Her moans grew higher, more frantic.
“Oh, fuck,” she moaned. “Dennis, I’m cumming. Oh god, I’m cumming.”
I bit her neck. “Fuck yes, Kitty Kat. Cum on my cock.”
The next time I slammed in she came apart, gripping my cock with each pulse of her muscles. My eyes rolled to the back of my head and I released. The orgasm was intense, fire shooting straight from my cock into her. I fell forward against her, forehead bent into her shoulder as I tried to catch my breath.
A second later, Kat chuckled and turned. I lifted my head, feeling my mask jiggle on my face. I realized a moment too late the sensation was because the thing was loose.
I tried to stop it from falling but I was too slow, too drained from the sex. I managed to catch it as it fell toward the floor, but that didn’t stop her from seeing my face.
Kat’s eyes grew wide. She slapped a hand over her mouth.
“Oh my god!” she hissed in horror. “You’re...”
She didn’t finish her sentence. Before I could say a word, Kat pulled up her panties, pulled down her skirt, and pushed past me.
I hurriedly adjusted my pants. “Kat, wait!”
She didn’t reply, darting from the room like it was on fire.
Only moments before it had been.
Chapter 4
Tamara
My hands shook so much that the text I sent to my sister came out garbled, but the message was clear. We need to go. Now.
I didn’t linger in the hall in case Dennis came down after me. No, not Dennis. Alexander. Prince freaking Alexander.
What had I done?
The fresh air felt like heaven on my feverish skin. I hung behind a group of people still milling outside until I caught a glimpse of Jo’s auburn head bobbing out the door, then grabbed her and leapt into a taxi.
“What’s the rush?” Jo asked, settling into the backseat.
“Nothing,” I said, slamming the door shut. I let out a relieved sigh and gave the driver my address.
Jo’s cheeks were flushed with drink and a dreamy smile eclipsed her face. Apparently satisfied with my answer, she started telling me about her night.
“You would not believe how amazing this guy is, sis,” she said, sighing. “Tall, handsome, incredibly smart. He’s a little geeky even, which I love. His name’s Tristan and he’s the son of a duke. Can you believe that?”
“I can,” I said, tasting the irony.
“I can’t wait to see him again. He said he’s going to take me on his boat down the river to see the sights. Don’t you think that’s the most romantic thing?”
I grunted in acknowledgement, mind whirring. How was I supposed to process the fact that I’d just had sex with a prince? Amazing sex. Phenomenal sex. The kind of sex you know you’re going to be thinking about when you’re old and gray.
No wonder he looked familiar. How had I not seen it earlier? Prince Alexander’s face was plastered on almost every tabloid in the country. His exploits with partying and women were so well-documented that someone who was a complete stranger moments before became somebody I knew an awful lot about. And now, I was just another of his conquests.
“Hey!” Jo waved her hand in front of my face. “I’m talking to you.”
I shook myself out of it. “Sorry. I’m distracted.”
“What happened in there? Is everything okay?”
I sighed and looked anxiously at the taxi driver. “I can’t tell you here,” I said. “Once we get home we’ll talk about it. I’m okay though.”
“Okay...” A troubled expression darkened her face, but we were close to my flat.
I wondered how Jo would react. She would probably think it was the best thing since sliced bread and demand to know why I left in such a hurry. But she’d never had her life unstitched and examined, thread by thread, by the public. She didn’t know how it felt to have her personal business broadcast to the world, or how it felt to be made a fool of. I’d been run over by the media circus before and I wasn’t keen for a repeat. If anybody found out that Prince Alexander and I had sex, the resulting explosion of news would knock me out. I couldn’t handle that. Not again.
The cabbie stopped at my flat and after I paid him, I darted toward my front door. I knew we hadn’t been followed but I still felt antsy and wouldn’t calm until I reached the safety of my home.
Inside, I dropped my stuff by the door and bee-lined for the kitchen. Jo followed me, stumbling a little.
“What happened, Tam-tam? You’re starting to freak me out.”
I grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge and two glasses, pouring us each one. She waited patiently until I handed her a glass.
I took a gulp of mine. How to say it? Best just to get it out.
“What I’m about to say, you can’t tell anyone Jo.” I leveled my gaze with hers. “I mean it. Not a single soul.”
She crossed her heart. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
I believe
d her. She might be an annoying little sister at times, but I could always rely on her not to break my confidence.
“That guy tonight, the one I was with,” I said. I stopped and took another drink. “Well, I had sex with him.”
“And that’s why you’re so freaked out?”
I shook my head.
“I’m freaked out because I found out afterward that he wasn’t just any guy. He was Prince Alexander.”
Jo’s face fell flat for a minute as she processed, then her eyes grew wide as saucers. “The Prince Alexander?”
I nodded grimly. “He said he wasn’t supposed to be there so we used fake names. I had no idea.”
“Nope. Can’t be.” Jo shook her head, jogging toward her bedroom and coming back a second later with her laptop. “That’s impossible. What are the chances of running into a prince in disguise and having sex with him?”
“It doesn’t matter what the odds are,” I replied. “It happened.”
Jo tapped on her keyboard and then turned the screen toward me. She’d Googled images of the prince.
He looked different in the pictures from the way I’d last seen him—a curl of hair over his brow, face so close I could see the shadow of stubble on his chin, eyes glinting. Still, it was him.
“No doubt in my mind.” I poked the screen. “I just had sex with that guy.”
I gulped another mouthful of wine. Jo put her laptop down and did the same.
“Let’s go to the couch,” she suggested.
I nodded and followed her, and we both plunked down on the couch.
“I wish I could live your life,” Jo said.
“This isn’t a good thing, Jo.” I stared blankly ahead, grinding my teeth. “One false move and I could have had my face splashed all over the tabloids and nasty things written about me.”
“But you didn’t make any false moves. You screwed a prince and got away scot free.” She patted my arm. “And all I got was the son of a duke.”
I chuckled and went to take another sip of wine, when a flash of gold caught my eye.
Oh. Fuck.
Royal Engagement Page 3
