by Tiana Cole
He smiled down at Amanda. “Do you think we should have just gone to Vegas?”
“I think your Mother is a piece of work,” she said kindly. “But she’s here now so I think this could be a good thing.” A wince marred her beautiful face and instantly worry set in.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing just my back from carrying these giants in my belly.”
He guided her to the sofa and rubbed her lower back as he’d been doing for the past week. “This seems like an unusual amount of back pain. Maybe we should stop at the hospital on our way to the wedding lunch?”
“Bite your tongue,” she smiled and it quickly turned to a moan as his hands kneaded her lower back. “You’re so good at that. Thank you.”
“Any excuse to get my hands on you.”
She laughed and laid her head on his shoulder. “The way this day is going, we’ll be too exhausted for wedding night activities.”
“Seems to me that’s how you got the back pain to start with,” Stefan added, his voice full of amusement.
Amanda looked at his brother with a smile. “I used to want a brother. Thanks for curing me of that.”
Stefan let loose a raucous laugh at her words and Alex’s heart swelled. He hadn’t heard his serious brother laugh like that in ages. “Too bad you’re stuck with me anyway. But hey I’ll also beat people up for you.” At her doubtful look he shrugged, “I’ll get my bodyguards to do it. Or my military.”
“It’s going to be really cool having a brother,” she winked.
“Let’s go baby brother. Elena said retouches and they’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
With a quick kiss he darted out the door with his brother. “Could this day get any stranger?”
“Don’t ask.”
Alex agreed with that. He just wanted to get married and crawl back into bed with his wife.
Chapter 20
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Amanda wished she could enjoy those words since she’d waited all her life to hear them. Only she couldn’t. The back pain she’d promised Alex he didn’t need to worry about was back and worse than ever. A dull ache low in her back persisted, making her smiles appear more like a pleasant wince.
“You okay?” Alex’s blue eyes searched her face with alarm. He gave her a quick kiss and held her face. “Talk to me Amanda.”
“It’s nothing Alex, just my back. This is our wedding day, let’s enjoy it.”
He kissed her again and held her close while they walked up the aisle. But instead of heading through the doors and into the mid-afternoon sunlight, he dragged her down a hall and into the wedding suite. “Sit,” he said unnecessarily since he was already helping her down. “Drink this,” he barked, shoving a bottle of water in her hands.
“Alex I’m fine, really. It’s the same back pain, it’s just a little worse today.”
He frowned down at her, still holding her bouquet. “Amanda back pain can be a sign of labor and maybe all the sex we’ve been having has helped you along.”
“Why are you looking so weird?”
He sighed. “Because you don’t seem to be worried about this at all and I’m going crazy trying to figure out if carrying you out of here on our wedding day will piss you off.”
She was…stunned. “Seriously?”
“Yes seriously, dammit!” He dropped down in front of her, warm hands stroking her thighs absently.
“Okay, let’s go.”
He stood. “Really?”
She nodded and gave him a barely there smile. “Yes and then we’ll go enjoy our wedding lunch. Okay?”
“Alright. Some wedding day, huh?”
She smiled up at her husband with tears in her eyes. “It was crazy and off-center and absolutely perfect Alex. We’re married now and that’s what matters.”
“No. What matters, Amanda, is that you and those babies are safe. Whether we’re married or not, you’re mine and I’m yours.”
Tears fell down her cheeks but she smiled through them. “Charmer.”
“For you, always.”
Epilogue
One year later
“This place is beautiful,” Amanda sighed as they deplaned, looking into clear blue skies and an impressively bright sun. Summer in Silmaña was a tropical oasis filled with colorful flowers and verdant trees and the soft scent of orchids. “I can see why you love it here.”
“Mama look!” Max pointed towards the crowd waiting below to welcome the newest royals to the family and the country.
She kissed his one year old cheek and helped him wave while Alex did the same with their other son, Stephen. “Hi,” they both called out, pulling smiles from everyone. Even the Queen.
A year had passed since she’d given birth to their sons, luckily not on her wedding day. While she’d been in labor all day without knowing it, her sons were as stubborn as their father and hadn’t bothered to make an appearance until the early morning hours of the following day. Now they were days away from their first birthday, which would be another royal affair hosted by grandma, or Queen Grandma as Amanda liked to call her.
“Don’t forget to stop for photos,” Alex reminded her. He was calm and in his element, having grown up around this. But they’d spent the twelve hour flight going over basic protocol which included how to handle the press. “Give them a few photos and they’ll leave you alone,” he told her, assuring her than Stefan and Elena were their real targets.
“I haven’t,” she winked, leaning over to kiss him above the boys’ head for a shot the cameras were sure to love. “I love you.”
“Love you back.” He flashed that killer smile that made her lose track of time. Luckily Max and Stephen were there, planting wet kisses on their parents because they hated being left out, and giving the photographers even better shots.
“Tell me the truth, how crazy will this be?”
He shrugged and avoided her gaze. “The wedding will be the craziest but Mother has taken care of most of it. We all need to get fitted for our wardrobes, and there will be plenty of clothes,” he warned.
On the plane he’d told her all about the different events, which included a ceremony where she was given her official title, as well as one for the boys. Then there would be the wedding and dozens of parties to ensure the citizens of Silmaña got the chance to meet the newest princess.
“Thank goodness I’m no longer breastfeeding.”
His gaze darkened as they got the boys settled in the back of the waiting car. “Indeed.”
That had been a week ago and as she stood near the back of the royal cathedral, Amanda couldn’t believe all that had happened over the past week. Here we go.
“Ready to go?” Stefan joined her with a smile. His offer to walk her down the aisle had touched her more than she could ever express to him, but he wouldn’t appreciate it if she had. One thing she’d learned in the past year was that Stefan did what needed to be done and refused any praise for doing so.
“You’re a good man Stefan. I’m glad you get to be my annoying brother.”
He smiled, looking almost as handsome as his brother. Only more clean cut. “My pleasure,” he told her and offered his arm.
She took a deep breath looking out over the church filled with thousands of guests which included the Vice President of the U.S. and the who’s who of Silmaña. But it was the beautifully decorated cathedral that captured her attention.
White flowers were everywhere as they were the Queen’s favorite, but she’d conceded to wildflowers on the aisle as Amanda’s one lone request. It was beautiful and letting the Queen plan it had bridged the final feet of the gap between them. Max and Stephen had done most of the work.
“Don’t forget to breathe.”
She smiled up at him, a move that sent cameras fluttering frantically. “Thanks.” They began the journey up the aisle which she estimated to be more than one hundred feet long since she could hardly make out Alex’s handsome face. He was little more
than a handsome man wearing the fancy version of his military uniform. Finally her hands were placed in Alex’s and she felt her tummy flutter.
“Hi beautiful.”
Smiling up into those blue eyes, so dark and velvety in this moment, she cupped his face. “Hey handsome.”
“Ready to get hitched again?”
She giggled, loving the way he’d gotten so comfortable using what he called Americanisms. “Most definitely.” The ceremony itself was beautiful, if long and tedious. But when it was over they were married again and headed back up the aisle to formally greet the citizens waiting outside the church. “That was insane!” Holding hands and waving to the crowd, she felt loved and happy and settled.
“I told you. Now we get to spend the next few weeks attending parties and drinking champagne.”
“And having tipsy sex in the palace?”
“I love the way your mind works. We should start a new initiative, encouraging guys to date and marry smart girls. You’re so pervy, I love it.”
“I’m sure the Queen would approve it in a heartbeat,” she said, accepting a politely royal peck on the lips.
“Appreciate what,” the Queen asked, holding the hands of two of her three grandchildren. “Never mind, take a son and hold them for more photos and then the rest of the family will join you. Then the party can begin.”
Amanda smiled, thinking it was no wonder royal families lived so long. All they did was attend parties. “Up,” both boys ordered at the same time, looking exactly like their father.
Surprisingly they behaved well throughout the hour long photo session, hardly getting cranky at all. Thanks to all the attention they received, she guessed.
By the time they arrived at the wedding ball the boys were fast asleep in room somewhere nearby with their cousin and a team of nannies. “Are you ready to dance the night away, Princess Amanda?”
“That depends. Are you my Prince Charming?”
He nodded and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close with that sexy smile that stole her breath. “And more,” he promised with a smug smile.
She had more than a year of experience to know that he meant every word. Alex was a masterful and creative lover, doing things to her that kept her body singing all day and all night. Even now, she shivered just thinking about it. “You know what I’ve always wanted to do Alex?”
A slow sultry smile spread across his face and she took the opportunity to caress his jaw since he recently shaved the scruff she’d grown to love over the past year.
Having two energetic infants to look after had made them both set aside unnecessary grooming habits, only his made him look even sexier. “What’s that, wife?”
“Have a hot quickie in a supply closet,” she told him as her face flushed red.
His gaze darkened and he stopped moving. “We can do that, although I must warn you the supply closets here are very well-appointed so I’ll do my best to make it hot and dirty enough to satisfy you.”
She shivered at his words. “Oh goody, I’ve been practicing my dirty talk." She leaned in and whispered what she wanted to do to him, using the most graphic words imaginable. Thank you erotic romance novels.
He groaned and took her hand, leading her down a dimly lit hall with about a dozen doors on either side. About halfway down the hall he stopped and smiled. “Here we are, a proper supply closet.” He pushed the door in she gasped.
The ‘supply closet’ was about the size of her apartment in Elite Academy faculty housing and filled with gorgeous white and gold linens from the floor to the ceiling. “This is a closet just for linens?”
He nodded, opening the first two buttons on his crisp white shirt. “If you prefer we can go to the one filled with crystal glasses and china.”
“No thank you. I think the linens will be kinder on my knees.”
He growled and pushed her inside the closet, locking the door behind them. “Don’t worry, I’ll just flip you around like I did on your birthday.”
Her body shook at the memory of that and her skin heated. Loving this man for the rest of her life didn’t seem like enough time, but she would take whatever time she had and love him with everything she had. “You always know how to make the holidays special,” she told him and lowered the zipper on his pants.
“I plan to make every day of our lives special because you’re special and I love you.” So far he’d lived up to that promise, often surprising her with breakfast in bed or silly little romantic gestures to get her through the day. He’d even bought a bigger house for the family and the houses on either side for the ever present security team.
She smiled and hiked up her dress, showing him her other surprise. They rarely got to behave so naughty back in Elite because the town was small and there were parents everywhere. All the time.
“Good god, woman!”
She smiled again and took hold of him, stroking the hot hard flesh. “You like?”
“Hell yes.” Then he proceeded to show her just how much he liked it, love it and couldn’t get enough of it.
They came together fast and rough, full of passion and excitement. Amanda knew it would always be like this, because they were both determined to cherish this second chance they’d been given.
Always and forever.
The End.
Thank you for reading!
AND IF YOU HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE...
Turn the page to read: “The Accidental Bride” by Tiana Cole
The Accidental Bride
CHAPTER ONE
Waking in a strange room, disoriented, James Andrews struggled to open his eyes. The air in the dark room was like a thick, heavy, fog that lay on him like a blanket. He was drenched in sweat and his heart beat with the effort. Painfully, slowly, he fought to find his way to consciousness from the pit he was in. It seemed like he’d been walking through this layer of darkness for a long time.
What happened?
He wanted to remember. He needed to remember, but his recollections were fragmented and useless. Only a vague, rather dim memory told him that he wasn’t at home.
Shaking off the pain in his head, he took stock. The room was a lavish hotel room, with heavy drapes drawn, making it impossible to know if it was night or day. He remembered that he’d come to Las Vegas. He’d come to meet Shen Liang and talk business.
Some business this was, that had his head thick and fuzzy, his eyes stuck shut and his mouth full of cotton.
And then there was the girl.
He was aware of her, but it took time for the idea to become real and penetrate his fogged brain and register. He was in his hotel room, in bed with a naked woman. Her soft breathing told him she still slept. The bed reeked of sweat and the odors of sex. He ran his eyes over this lithe dark woman, taking her in.
The sight of her very sexy body didn’t arouse him, partly because the incredible throbbing of his head blocked out almost everything else, and because, through that pain, he realized he was drained dry—sexually. He’d obviously enjoyed himself with her more than once, and not all that long ago.
Too bad he couldn’t remember most of the night.
His gaze still lingered on the naked surprise next him. She slept peacefully, sprawled out on her stomach, legs slightly apart. The vision helped his eyes to focus and he tried to recall who she was and where he’d met her. After a time he looked around his room, hoping to find clues—about what had happened and who she was. The state of the place startled him. It had the hallmarks of the site of some kind of wild party. His clothes, the suit and shirt he’d been wearing, were scattered over the floor, and mixed in with a dress, panties, and a bra. A pair of high heels sat akimbo in the chair by the dresser. By the door, a room service cart stacked with empty plates and a wine bucket, with a champagne bottle turned upside down in it, suggested a celebration.
A fastidious person under normal circumstances, James found the disorder almost as jarring as the presence of the naked woman he couldn’t even remember meeting.
Clearly he’d had a wild night. The question was, just how wild had it been?
I think you had a bit to drink last night, Jimmy boy. Too much.
The way his head felt now, he considered himself lucky to wake to find just one woman in his bed. He had to have been out of control. One woman was bad enough. On the other hand, this one seemed to be quite a girl. At least there was that. He’d lost his mind, but his judgment about women had remained functional. That was some small comfort.
Now came the chore of finding out exactly what had happened, what events had gotten them there, into this bed together. As a man of means, he was supposed to be careful about entanglements.
He needed to find out exactly what he’d gotten himself into. If he’d been smart, or lucky, then this might just be the inevitable result of two people who’d been having a good time. Looking at her, he assumed they did have a very good time. How could they not, especially with a body like that?
Painfully he clawed his way back to the here and now, digging his way through the shock of the situation. A hangover on this scale was something new. He wasn’t normally a party animal and wasn’t in Las Vegas for what most people called a good time. No, he was here for important business.
He excelled at business, at negotiating deals. Interacting with people one on one, getting to know them, finding out what made them tick was his forte, not parties. He had no taste for the stupid chit chat that took place when strangers or casual acquaintances were put together and fed too much booze. Excessive use of alcohol, drugs, anything that clouded his judgment, dulled his senses in any way, made him edgy and off guard. He’d tried pot once and hated the way it made him lose focus.
Being well known, especially for being rich, had its drawbacks. His face had been bandied about online and in magazines too often because of the high-profile business deals he’d been involved with. Sometimes he was involved with celebrities, as investors, or those who lent their high-profile credentials to some enterprise.
So far, he’d found being involved with them beyond that point always seemed to have unpleasant consequences. He’d even had women want to sleep with him just because he was seen with a particular movie star. Star fucking by proxy. It was all too weird.
