by Ember Casey
He grins. “It will be exceedingly easy, Elle. We only have to behave ourselves for the time being. And we’ll need to attend the state dinner in a few months. Nothing could be simpler.”
“Uh, lots of things could be simpler, Leo. What happens at this state dinner?”
“Nothing to concern yourself over, Elle. It’s the same as any other dinner. Only with slightly more decorum. And we’ll be expected to dance, though not with each other. As my guest, you would be expected to dance with my father and with Andrew at minimum. It’s nothing to concern yourself over—it’s three months from now—”
“Fuck, no.” I shake my head. “I don’t think you understand, Leo. I have zero ability to dance. And there’s no way in hell—”
He touches my elbow and motions with his head for us to begin walking down the hallway. He glances over at me as we walk and his voice is hushed. “Elle, please don’t take offense at this. We may use whatever language we like when we’re in our chambers—” He clears his throat. “When you are in your chambers. But when we are walking through the palace, it would likely be for the best—especially after what my father has said—if we were to be a bit more…mannerly.”
“Got it. No f-words in the hallways.” My stomach twists with some combination of fear and shame. And there’s a voice in my head telling me it is never going to be any better than this. That I’m always going to be the foul-mouthed outsider.
He nods, giving me a small smile. “I should show you to your room. I’m sure you’re tired.”
“I…am.” I’m not sure what’s going on here—I guess I had assumed we would be sharing a room, but maybe this has something to do with what happened last night on the plane.
I can only open my mouth to ask before Leo continues.
“I would like you to meet my mother tonight. Though meeting at dinner would hardly be appropriate. My father will be there, and I doubt he would appreciate me bringing a guest without an invitation. Perhaps afterward, though.” He glances over at me. “My sister is here, and I’m sure she’d also be delighted to meet you.” He clears his throat. “And of course, there’s Andrew. I’m not sure you’ve been properly introduced to him, either.”
I haven’t. And I don’t want to be. If the members of the Royal Family are the same kinds of assholes as Leo’s father, I’m not sure I want to meet any of them.
We walk for what seems like at least a mile through the corridors of the palace. Leo must be lost in thought or something because he’s not saying anything to me. He’s not pointing out any of the rooms we’re passing—he’s just walking next to me in silence.
We climb another flight of stairs and I can’t take the silence any longer. “What is it, Leo?”
He stops walking, turning to me. “What is what?”
“You haven’t said a word to me since you told me to stop swearing in the hallways. You haven’t told me anything about any of these paintings…“ I motion to one of the portraits on the wall near us. “Who is this?”
He grins. “That is my tenth great-grandfather. And you should be happy our bloodline seems to have ridded itself of his ears. I know I am.” He extends his elbow to me, waiting for me to take it. “Come, your suite is not much further. And mine is just down the hallway from yours.”
“Is that really…necessary?”
He frowns, his brow furrowing. “Is what necessary?”
“Separate…rooms. I appreciate the offer. But—”
“Elle.” He smiles. “I’ll not have you sleeping on the chaise in my drawing room should another disagreement arise—and considering our history, one almost certainly will. I think you’ll be more comfortable having your own space, particularly considering the extended arrangements—”
My eyebrows rise and I can’t help but interrupt. “Extended…what?”
His smile falls a bit. “I only meant that considering you’ll be residing here now, you’ll want your own space. We’ll be free to spend as much time together as we like, of course, and I hope you’ll choose to spend the majority of your time with me.” He shrugs. “I think it may be more appropriate if you have your own suite. Of course, if you wish to invite me in, I would be more than happy to—”
“What the hell are you talking about, Leo?” I drop my voice. “And you should be happy I didn’t say ‘what the fuck’ because I was definitely thinking it.”
He frowns and the line between his brows deepens. “Elle, I thought you understood my father’s request—”
“I understood that he is your father and that he was making ridiculous demands of you. But all I understood of your little agreement was that you have to keep your ass out of trouble and that I have to go to some bullshit dinner and dance. I never agreed to anything more than that—”
“Elle.” His eyes narrow. “Did you not understand that I was willing to give all of this up for you?” He motions with his hand. “I was willing to give up everything I know for you.”
“And I appreciate that, Leo. I mean, I…” I’m not sure I should let him risk everything for me—his entire future—when there’s no guarantee any of this will work out. There’s so much more to think about than what we might want—there’s a whole country to consider. I love that he is willing to give all this up, though I’m not sure I could ever admit that out loud. I’m just not sure he should give it all up—not for me. Not for this. Whatever this is.
“I…” I can’t think of what to say to him that isn’t going to make me sound like an ungrateful bitch. “I…I guess I thought I would be returning to the States and going back to work. Going to my interview and everything. I mean, I didn’t hear anything about me having to live here—”
“And how would that work, Elle? How would I stay out of the tabloids if I’m there—”
“Oh, I don’t think you’ve seen this place in Oklahoma. I mean, there are only two thousand people there—it isn’t like it’s a hub of journalistic activity, Leo.”
He nods and rubs his chin. “I see. And no one there has a mobile phone? You can guarantee no one there will be willing to sell a photograph of the two of us to a celebrity news website? And that once they do, there won’t be a lineup of vehicles outside your front door again?” He shakes his head. “Elle, I have considerably more experience in dealing with the paparazzi than you. I’m sure we both remember what happened when we were trapped in your home in Los Angeles.”
“Well, I have to go to work, Leo. I have a mortgage to pay—the renter I have in my house is only paying about half of what the mortgage costs. And I have my student loans to pay. And as much as I’d like to tell you I’ve saved all the billions I’ve made as a temporary worker, the hospital bills for all the babies in Rio de Campo added up. I—”
“I’ll see you’re repaid every cent of what you spent to provide appropriate medical care in Rio de Campo, Elle—”
“That isn’t what I was trying to say at all, Leo. I’m only saying that I need to work. And I don’t just need to—I want to.”
He nods and looks into my eyes. “And you shall, if that is your wish. I’m sure there are clinics here where you may volunteer your time—”
“Leo, I know this is difficult for you to understand, but the whole volunteering aspect of, you know, volunteering…”
He gives me a small shrug, and I can see he doesn’t understand what I’m trying to say.
“I’m a doctor, Leo. A physician. It’s what I was put on earth to do—it means everything to me. I can’t just give it up. I’d be giving up a piece of my soul if I did—”
“And as I said, I’m happy to help you find a place in Montovia to utilize your skills. I’m not asking you to give up your vocation, Elle, only to volunteer instead—”
“Leo, volunteer work does not pay the bills—it doesn’t pay anything. And I have a lot of them—bills, I mean. And no savings. I can’t just give up three months of my life to learn how to be—fuck. I don’t even know what it is you want me to be.”
He presses his lips toget
her for a moment, his gaze never leaving mine. “If you need money, Elle, you only need ask.”
I lift a brow. “Leo, I will never ask you or anyone else for money. That is not what I was saying.” I let out a long breath and cross my arms over my chest. “What I am saying is that I only agreed to a weekend with you. Not three months. Actually, I agreed to a date. The date turned into an evening that turned into a weekend and now… Three months is not a realistic time commitment for me. I have a job interview in less than two days. I need to be there—the odds are pretty high that I’ll start work there this week as long as I don’t drop an f-bomb. And actually, they’re pretty high even if I do…” Unlike here.
He’s silent for a moment. “I suppose I can’t force you to do anything, Elle. And I did say I was willing to give up my title for you. My position in line for the crown is of little importance to me. As soon as Andrew has a child, my title means nothing, anyway.” He nods, pressing his lips together again. “Yes, fine. I’ll show you to your room and I’ll return to my father and explain that this agreement will not work after all. I’ll ask that he allow us the opportunity to stay until tomorrow, though. That should at least afford me the time to say farewell to my mother—”
“Leo…” My stomach twists with the same guilt it has since we arrived in Montovia. “I don’t—”
He shakes his head, smiling. “Elle, I’ve asked too much of you already. And if you’ll allow me, I’ll return to Oklahoma with you. I can take up residence near you, at least for a time.” His grin widens. “And I’ve always wanted to have a cowboy hat.”
I laugh. “No, Leo. I already told you I’m not going to let you give everything up for me. It’s…ridiculous. It’s a terrible decision—you don’t even know if things are going to work out between us. I mean, we argue. We fight. We disagree on almost everything. And we have this whole cultural thing—”
“Elle, I’ve already told you my reasoning. I’ve already revealed my feelings to you. It is my understanding that love transcends any disagreements we may have. And to be perfectly honest, part of the reason I love you is your willingness to disagree with me. You’re unlike any woman I’ve ever met.”
I can’t deny the euphoria I feel at hearing his words, though I could never admit it to him. Something about knowing he’s willing to give up his world for me is doing something to my insides that I’m not sure I even want to admit to myself… I’m just sure I’m going to do something to fuck this up for both of us.
My hands fall to my hips. “You love me because I argue with you? Because we disagree? That makes no sense at all, Leo. I think you might—”
He grins again and reaches out to take my hand into his. “This is exactly what I’m talking about, Elle. Your willingness to tell me when I’m being ridiculous. When I’m being inappropriate or disrespectful—I don’t think you can appreciate how much I’ve been allowed to get away with in my life. Until I met you.”
“Well, you are being ridiculous, especially if you’re willing to give all this up for someone like me—”
“And of course, we need to work on your inability to accept that you are worth this palace, my title, my claim to the throne, every penny I have, and so much more, Elle.”
My brow furrows. “Why do you say things like that, Leo? Why do you do that? You make it almost impossible for me to hate you when you say those things. You make it almost impossible for me to do anything but…” Love you.
Fuck, no. Not saying that. Not now. I know I said it before, but I’m still not sure I meant it. And if I say it now, it opens up another can of worms I know can never be closed.
He smiles, almost as though he can read my mind. Almost like he heard the words anyway, even though I’m doing everything I can to hide my feelings at the moment.
He glances behind him. There isn’t anyone around us, but he seems a bit suspicious. He turns back to me. “We should take this conversation to your suite.” His voice drops. “You’ve heard the expression the walls have ears?” He nods. “Our walls also have eyes.”
“Ah.” I’m sure he’s talking about Stephan, the weasely little man who serves as King Edmund’s valet, and probably many other people like him I haven’t met yet.
He nods again, extending his elbow to me. “Come. Your room is just down here.” He motions down the hallway with his other hand.
I place my hand on his arm and allow him to lead me to the entrance of my room.
He opens the door and motions me in.
I step through the doorway into the sitting room. I have no idea what the official names of these rooms are, but this one is like a little living room. A sofa and a couple of chairs are positioned around a fireplace on one side of the room. On the other side is a writing desk and another door—I imagine that one leads to the bedroom.
I turn back to speak to Leo, but he’s standing on the other side of the doorway.
He smiles. “I’ll let you settle in. Should you need anything, there are phones in each room. Simply pick one up and someone will see to your every need.” He motions with his arm. “Your things should be in the dressing room through there. I took the liberty of having Matthias choose some additional clothing in your size that will be appropriate for the remainder of the weekend. If you need anything else, though, don’t hesitate—”
“You’re not coming in?”
His gaze drops to the floor for a moment before returning to mine. “I would never presume, Elle, that my presence is requested—”
I walk back to the doorway, closing the space between us in a few steps. I stand in front of him and look up into his eyes for a long moment.
“Your presence is requested.” I reach up and place my hands on either side of his face, pulling his head down to my level.
And then I kiss him.
Leo
I slide my arms around her, pulling her hard against my body. The tension has been building all day, and from the way she kisses me—from the way she wraps her arms around my neck—I can tell her desire is just as strong. Whatever reservations she had before are gone. Without taking her lips away from mine, she takes a few steps backward, pulling me fully into the room. I reach behind me and grab the door, pulling it shut as I stumble forward with her.
We have a lot of time to make up for. That’s all I can think about as I kiss her. I can’t believe my foolishness lost me three months with this woman. How the hell did I stay away for so long?
Her tongue slips along my bottom lip, and need throbs through me. My fingers dig into her back, and I feel myself starting to lose control. With much effort, I pull my mouth away from hers.
“Elle,” I say, and my voice is so rough I hardly recognize it. “Are you certain?”
Her eyes are dark and heavy-lidded as she looks up at me. Her mouth is already swollen from my kisses.
“Yes,” she whispers as she pulls my face back down to hers.
She doesn’t need to tell me twice. She’s here. She’s mine. And we have a chance to make this work. Now I want nothing more than to make up for all the time we’ve lost.
She seems to have a similar idea. She’s already tugging at my shirt, and my fingers move to the buttons of her blouse. I want to feel her bare skin beneath my hands. I want to have her again and again until I forget my own name.
Our shirts are on the ground. Her bra goes next, and I slide my hands up over her bare breasts. She moans and fumbles for my belt.
I want her more now than I did even three months ago. That never happens—normally my interest in a woman wanes with time, but not with Elle. Is this what love does? I feel mad. Frenzied. Desperate to be closer to her—and afraid I’ll never be close enough.
She has my belt undone. My hands drop to her pants, one undoing her zipper while the other moves around behind her, sliding over the lush curve of her bottom. Meanwhile, our lips are still pressed together, our tongues tangling as if neither of us can get enough of the taste of the other.
I should get her to the bed before this g
oes any further, I think. But the thought of pausing even for a second, even to take her somewhere more comfortable, seems completely unreasonable. The sofa, then. But even that seems so far away—too far.
I pull back. She makes a little sound of protest, but I ignore it, instead letting my lips trail across her cheek, her jaw, and down her neck. Her hands move to my hair as my mouth continues to dance down her body. Over her collarbone. Down her chest. Across the slope of her breast. She gasps when I take her nipple in my mouth, but I don’t stay there long. I move still lower, dropping to my knees in front of her as my lips trail down her stomach. When I reach her pants, I pull them down her hips. My tongue circles her bellybutton as I push them down her legs. I can already smell her arousal—almost taste it—but though part of me wants to bury my face between her legs, her hands are tugging at my hair, trying to pull me back up.
“Not now,” she whispers. “I… I just need you.”
On another occasion, I would take great pleasure in torturing her, in bringing her to the brink and back while she begged me to take her. But there will be time for that later. Right now, we both need the same thing.
I rise, sliding my hands up her body as I do. My mouth finds hers again, and I pull her against me, wanting to feel the entire length of her. She’s completely naked now, and once again I’m stunned by how exquisite she is. My cock strains against my pants—why are my blasted pants still on?—and I can’t wait any longer.
I slide my hands around her hips, thinking to lift her, to carry her those few meters to the sofa. But instead, I find myself lowering her to the ground, placing her on her back on the plush carpet.
I tear my mouth away from hers again. Her eyes open as I look down at her. She’s beautiful. Her hair is spread out around her head, the color warm and rich even against the fine, bright threads of the carpet. Her skin is flushed, her eyes bright. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
And she’s mine. She’s here in Montovia with me. Trying to tug my face back down to hers.
