by Lexie Davis
Aleo stroked her back with the tips of his fingers. “Tell me about yourself.”
“No.”
He chuckled. “You really like that word, don’t you?”
“No more than you do.” She stood and walked over to the bathtub. After checking the temperature of the water, she stepped inside the tub.
He watched her a moment before getting up to join her.
She pinched her nose and dipped beneath the water. “You want to give me a bath?”
He stared at her. “Not really.”
She smoothed her hair away from her face. “Then go away.”
He laughed and scooted the little stool beside the bathtub with his foot. Hell, he’d never given anyone a bath in his life. Sitting on the stool, he reached for a clean washrag and dipped it in the water. Piper watched him, giving him a puzzled look.
“You are the only person in the world that can say the king gave them a bath.” He smoothed some soap onto the rag and began washing her body.
She watched him, not quite relaxing enough to trust him. Self-consciousness filled him, making him wonder if what he was doing was right. Was there a proper way for a woman to bathe? Was it different than men?
“Why is the king giving me a bath?”
He didn’t have an answer. It felt more natural than to stay in his bed away from her. He wanted to be with her. It was an unusual reaction for him and something he’d never done before. Instead of answering her question, he draped the washcloth on the side of the tub. “After your bath, I want you on my bed with your legs spread.”
He stood, half-hard from touching her. She glanced at his cock before she finally met his eyes.
“I’m more than a hole to sink your cock into.”
He bent down, propped himself up on the edges of the bathtub while he put his face in hers. “Yes. You are. I plan to lick that juicy cunt until all that attitude disappears, too. Then I’ll make you say my name while I fuck you. You won’t forget who’s been inside you tomorrow, Piper. Memories of me will be branded inside your head, and you’ll get wet just thinking about what I’ll do to your body next.”
She fidgeted in the water, and he smiled. “Take your bath. Then get on the bed and spread your legs for me.”
He moved away from her.
“Where are you going?”
“To get some nourishment for us. It’s going to be a fucking long night, and we need to keep our strength.” He grabbed his dressing robe and left the room to find a servant.
When he came back, Piper was finger-combing her hair at the end of the bed. He had a plate of food and a bottle of wine for them and set it on the table beside the bed. She looked so damn beautiful that he stopped mid-stride to stare. Something about her always caught his attention. It didn’t matter what she was doing. Clothed, she was alluring enough, if not defiant. Naked, she was fucking mouthwatering and completely vulnerable.
Piper glanced over at him and then back at the bed. She crawled onto the soft mattress, naked, and turned to face him. Spreading her legs, she laid back, arching her back as her fingers slipped along her slit. Boldly, she met his gaze and parted herself for him with two fingers.
“Is this what you wanted?”
Aleo stared at her pink pussy. “Yes.”
She stroked her clit with one hand, while using the other to squeeze her breast. The last thing he expected Piper to do was put on a show for him. He folded his arms over his chest, watching the little minx work.
“You don’t act like you want it.” She stroked her clit a few times before sliding her middle finger inside her and bringing it to her lips to suck clean.
Aleo scratched the stubble growing on his chin. Everything she did made him hard. That was her power over him. He could control himself for the most part, but he couldn’t control his reaction to her. His cock had a mind of its own, and it fucking loved it when Piper teased.
He closed the distance between them and leaned over her for a kiss. Surprisingly, she wrapped her arms around his neck as he devoured her mouth, kissing her like his life depended on it. She felt so good beneath him. Right. All the bullshit about mating ceased to matter with her. He could never take a mate now because all he wanted was this woman.
“No biting or slapping?” He dragged his mouth away from hers. “You’re giving me complete compliance?”
She lay back, smiling up at him. “You only annoy me when you talk. It’s far easier for us to get along with your tongue inside my pussy.”
“I knew there was a catch.” He glanced down at her. “I wish I could say that it mattered, but it doesn’t.”
He pushed her thighs wide and kissed along the flat expanse of her belly. She liked provoking a reaction out of him, and he knew it. If she really was indifferent toward him then he wouldn’t waste his time. Instead, she liked to push him. Any other person would have different consequences for going against him like she did, but he was fairly certain that Piper could do anything she wanted to him without real consequence. She knew how far she could push him, too. It was what made her different.
And he liked it a lot.
He buried his face in her pussy, and she arched against him, reaching out to hold him to her while he licked and sucked at her juicy cunt. There were few things he liked better than eating a woman out, but the fact that he had Piper before him, begging him, made it better than any time before. He licked and sucked her wet slit, loving how she rocked her hips against him, forcing his attention to where she wanted him to go. He gave her that freedom for a moment before pressing his hands on her inner thighs and holding her down.
“Do you want me to tie you to the bed?” He glanced up at her. “Stay still.”
Piper swallowed hard as he returned his mouth to her cunt. Hell, he didn’t expect her to obey him. That was half the fun of fucking her. Soft little gasps came from her lips as she held still, letting him do whatever the hell he wanted. He inserted two fingers inside her, working the tiny hole to drive her closer and closer to madness. She dug her fingers into the sheets beneath her, soft little whimpers leaving her throat as he continued to torture her.
He loved it.
“I can’t do this,” she dropped her head back. “I need…”
“What?” he asked, pulling back from her. He let her clit go with a pop and stared down into her eyes. “What do you need?”
She panted, each breath rushing from her plump lips as she stared at him. He waited patiently, gently stroking her clit with his finger. It was a matter of wills. Piper didn’t beg, and neither did he.
“You know exactly what I need.”
He smirked. “I want to hear you say it, though.”
Frustration filled her beautiful face as she contemplated what she wanted to do. He could do this all night with her. Eat her pussy. Make her come. Make her beg. Give her his cock. Repeat. Hell, he wanted to do it all night. He wanted to do it for all eternity.
“I want your cock.” She didn’t quite meet his eyes when she said it.
“What?” He moved over her so that he could stare into her eyes. “I didn’t hear you.”
He rubbed the tip of his dick against her clit. Piper’s sharp intake of breath was music to his ears. He loved it when he had her full attention. She was stubborn and sassy, but there were little moments when she let her guard down and allowed herself to be needy and vulnerable. Those were the moments he cherished with her.
She leaned forward and bit his earlobe. “I want your cock,” she whispered. “Now.”
“No.” He grinned. “Get on your hands and knees.”
She stared at him. “No?”
“No.” He moved away from her. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Piper scoffed. “Fuck you.”
He grabbed her, flipping her to her stomach. She liked to fight him, and he liked it, too. Holding her arms behind her back, he moved in between her legs. She struggled a moment before he clutched her hair in his hand, tugging her head back.
“You’re so
fucking gorgeous when you fight me.”
Piper scowled. “Kiss my ass.”
“I will.” To prove his point, he leaned forward and kissed her bare cheek before scraping his teeth along the fleshy skin. She sucked in a breath, jerking as he bit her.
Instead of drawing it out any longer, he pushed his cock inside her, clutching her hands at the small of her back. He loved her tight pussy. Loved the way it gripped him and clenched around him every time he pushed inside her. Piper let out a low moan as she closed her eyes, resting her face against the mattress.
“Is this what you want?” he asked, pumping his hips against her.
“Yes,” she gasped. “Fuck, yes.”
He slapped her ass with his free hand before grabbing her hair again and pulling her head back so that he could kiss her. Rough fucking wasn’t for everyone, but he sure as hell enjoyed it with her. She could take what he gave her and give him more. She squeezed him inside her, and Aleo groaned into her mouth. He knew within the very depths of his soul that there was no going back after this. He wanted her, and there was nothing anyone could do about that.
“Do you like my big cock fucking you, Piper?” he asked. “Is that why you came here today? To finish what we started?”
“If I wanted a big cock, I could get one. I don’t need you for that.”
“No?” He shoved into her hard. “You just wanted to free your father?”
“Yes,” she hissed.
“Liar.” He let her arms go and dragged her hips so that her ass was in the air for him. “You wanted my cock from the first time we met.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” She gasped as the tip of his dick bumped against her G-spot. Her pussy spasmed around him as she closed her eyes, a silent cry lodged in her throat. She looked so damn beautiful when he made her come. So fucking perfect.
Her orgasm caused his, and Aleo found himself collapsing on top of her, wrapping his arms around her tiny body while he breathed her in. Neither one of them seemed to have a care in the world, and it felt fucking great.
Sometime later, Aleo moved off her and sat up to open the wine bottle. Piper didn’t move, and he couldn’t resist leaning over to kiss the small of her back.
“Eat with me.”
She groaned and pushed up from the mattress. “Don’t let what I’m about to say go to your head.”
He reached for the plate of food he’d brought in earlier. “Okay.”
“Thank you for taking care of that mess with my dad.” She didn’t quite meet his eyes as she reached for a roll. “I didn’t know what else to do. The royal guard laughed at me when I tried to get them to let him loose. I was angry when I came here. I shouldn’t have attacked you. I’m sorry.”
Aleo reached for her and pulled her between his legs. “You’re forgiven.”
He pressed a kiss to her sweaty temple. Red marks covered her inner thighs from his scratchy beard, and he couldn’t deny that he liked the look of it. Aleo lifted a piece of meat from the plate and held it to her lips.
“Is this another first? The king feeding someone?” She took the food he offered and almost smiled at him.
He nibbled along her cheek. “Yes.”
Piper smoothed her hand along his calf. “Why me? You know we can’t be together.”
Whenever he wanted to do something, yet didn’t want to give a reason why, he stated, “King’s orders.” Piper felt like that to him. There was no reason for why he wanted her. She was different. She made him smile. She teased him. She fought with him. She loved him like Aleo only dreamed a woman should. Why not Piper, was his question.
“I rather enjoy doing what I want.” He looped his arm around her body so that his hand rest against her stomach. “The fact that you’re human doesn’t change that.”
“Do you ever shift?” she asked, dropping her head back against his shoulder to look at him.
“Yes.” He pressed his lips to her cheek. “If there’s something for formality or if I feel threatened or offended. I protect what is mine, there’s no question about that.”
“Would you protect me?” Piper asked. “You said I’m yours.”
He kissed her shoulder. “That’s a complicated question with an even more complicated answer.”
She lifted a piece of meat to his lips. He took the bite, letting the room fall into silence. How did he change the rules? Piper was his, that was true. He could mate with a woman in the kingdom, but his heart would never be hers. Hell, he didn’t know when it happened, but over the course of the past two years, the feisty brunette that kept him on his toes had won him over.
Chapter Six
Piper stretched, yawning, as she woke from one of the best sleeps she’d ever had. She opened her eyes and turned to her left, bumping into a large, warm body. For a second, she couldn’t remember what happened the night before. She squeezed her thighs together, and all the memories came flooding in.
Aleo groaned in his sleep, draping his arm over her body. She’d actually slept with the king. Lifting his arm, she tried to push him away. Instead, he pulled her closer.
“Sir, there is a situation going on with the shaman to perform the ceremony.” Keenan stepped into the room and stopped when he saw Piper in the king’s bed. “Uh…”
Aleo groaned and sat up. “I’m sure someone else can take care of it.”
Piper glanced around the room, clutching the blanket to her chest. The thin garment she wore hung off a chair on the opposite side of the room. There was no way she was standing, naked, in front of Keenan to grab it.
“Perhaps.” Keenan stared at her. “Uh, sir, I must warn you about what others may think of this.”
“I’m aware.” Aleo rubbed a hand over his face. “Take care of the shaman problem.”
Aleo stood from the bed, nude, and grabbed a dressing robe from the hook on the wall. He pulled it on and tied the sash as Keenan left the room.
“I’m assuming my servant status is complete.”
He stared at her. “It is. You’re free to go.”
She nodded. Pointing at her dress, she said, “Will you please hand me that?”
He turned and grabbed it, holding it out to her. Piper took it and pulled it over her head. She blushed at the memories of the previous night. She couldn’t move without recalling the way Aleo filled her, the way he took control over her body and made her ache for him.
Piper stood next to the bed and glanced over at Aleo’s grimace. “What’s wrong?”
“You need something else to wear. That dress is too revealing.”
Piper glanced down. Her nipples beaded beneath the thin fabric the longer he stared at them. Beard burn marred the skin of her breasts and thighs, and it took an extreme amount of effort to keep from reaching out to touch the sensitive areas.
“I’ll have someone bring you something,” he said finally. He walked to the door and yelled at one of his servants.
“It’s really okay.” Piper walked around the bed. “The less people who know what happened the better.”
Aleo didn’t say anything. She could only imagine how it looked to the outside. A woman was about to mate with the man for life, and he’d just spent the night before with another lover. She swallowed hard. It made sense to leave before anyone else woke up.
“Uh, I’m going to go.” She walked toward the door. “Good luck with the matching ceremony. I hope you get the woman you want.”
He smiled. It was an arrogant smirk that had her skin warming. Something about his expression said that he’d already had the woman he wanted, and the thought made her blush. What happened was in the past. There was nothing she could do to change it.
She escaped out the door and took the nearest stairwell to let herself out of the castle. The matching ceremony had twice as many people attending since the families had come to support their daughters. She did her best to keep from being noticed by anyone.
Before she could make it out of the castle, one of Aleo’s guards grabbed her arm and pulled her into
a nearby room. She jerked away from him, glaring at him for touching her.
“The king wants you to be present during the ceremony.”
“Why?”
“King’s orders.” The guard shrugged. “You can wait in the throne room with the rest of the women.”
If she left anyway, he’d send out a squad to hunt her down. Why did he want her to watch him get mated to another woman? She walked toward the throne room before choosing instead to head out the side door of the castle when the guards weren’t looking. There was no reason to stay. Last night had been foolish, but she didn’t regret it. Maybe Aleo was right. She wanted to rectify their unfinished business before he mated another female. Whatever it was, Piper knew it had ended, and she had to find a way to move on.
Shifters filled the castle grounds each hoping that their pick was chosen. Piper did her best to make her way through the crowded area before someone stopped her.
“What on earth is a human doing at the matching ceremony?” A young lion shifter held out his arm, his eyes pinched as he stared at her. His question drew the attention of his friends, who all circled around her.
“I had business with the king, and now it’s over.” She shoved at his arm. “Let me pass.”
He grabbed her and pulled her to him. “No human will ever take the place of a female lion shifter. I don’t care how good the pussy is under that skirt.”
Someone touched her thigh and she tugged her dress down. “Let me go.”
He sneered at her and shoved her toward a female in his group. “She’s trying to steal your place, Tasha.”
The woman shoved her to the ground, causing her to fall back in a puddle. The cold water splashed her legs and butt, soaking her thin dress with mud. Piper struggled to move as the female shifted, her fangs exposed as she growled.
“Uh-oh. What is a little human female like you going to do to a shifter?” one of the guys mocked.
The female pounced, and Piper scrambled away, an entire audience staring as the lioness came after her. She had no defenses. She had no weapons. The female swiped her nails along Pipers dress, and she screamed as she ran. Fear pumped through her veins as harsh and cold as the mud coating the backs of her legs. The tips of the female’s nails scratched the surface of Piper’s back, the burn aching the more she ran. Sweat stung the scratches, and her legs and feet ached from running so fast.
