The Playful Prince

by Michelle M. Pillow

  Part of her wanted to kick herself for taking on another project, changing her plans from a much deserved trip of relaxation, and spending who knew how many months on a savage planet, collecting mud samples for analysis. She’d camped before, and she could easily do it again.

  Tori thought of Prince Quinn. He was only too happy to give his approval to her project. She had a feeling she would be seeing a lot more of the prince. Tori made her way down the long corridor. She knew the only thing that made the assignment bearable was that she wouldn’t be at the palace during her stay.

  “Doctor Elliot, this will be your room for the duration of your stay.”

  Tori frowned at the Var guard before stepping into the luxurious palace suite after him. The pack fell from her shoulder to land on the tile floor with a loud thud. She left it where it was, stepping forward to look around.

  Her lips parted, but no sound came out of her. She gazed up toward the ceiling. A large crystal chandelier hung beneath a dome of tinted glass. It would take five men, arms spread wide, just to make a ring around the fixture. The crystal shards hung down like raindrops, lighting the large oval room.

  The guard made his way around to the side wall. Tori closed her mouth and followed him with her tired eyes. The suite was just amazing.

  “Food simulator,” he stated, showing her where the button was hidden on the wall next to a long banner with the Var royal symbol of an upright wild cat. “I’m also to extend an invitation to you from the king that you may join everyone in the banquet hall for meals while you’re here if you prefer. Many in the palace choose to gather in the hall.”

  The guard, who made for an odd tour guide, looked at her expectantly. Tori nodded that she understood the invitation. A small smile lit his face, shining in the depths of his eyes. It was the same look all the Var guards had been giving her since her arrival. It was a look of open invitation.

  “Over here,” the guard continued, moving to where a purple velvet curtain hung from the ceiling. He stepped up on the platform and drew the curtain back. “You will find a bath.”

  Tori saw a large round tub surrounded by curtained windows. The velvet drapes could be drawn back for light or around the front and over the windows for privacy.

  “The ceiling light will keep it dimly lit within the curtains if you wish to have them drawn.”

  She again nodded at the guard. His eyes roamed down over her body and his expression glazed. Clearing her throat to get his attention off her breasts, she shot him an expectant look. The last thing she needed was this man picturing her in the bath. She was tired and just wanted to crash onto the nearest bed. She wanted darkness and a pillow. That was all. It was almost midnight, and the sunlight had only dwindled to a soft haze. She again glanced up at the ceiling.

  “The fireplace is lit by command,” the man said, passing by the large circular fireplace across from the front door. It was designed to heat the whole room at once. On the side of the room opposite the bath, were more purple curtains, which she guessed hid a bed. The guard stopped and, gesturing to the last set of curtains, confirmed her suspicion. “This is the bed. If you wish for darkness, all you have to do is draw the curtains around as they are now.”

  Tori again nodded. The man smiled at her, not moving from the room.

  “Navid, was it?” she asked.

  “Yes,” the guard grinned, gazing at her.

  “Thank you, Navid, for the tour.” Tori gave him an awkward smile.

  “Hmm, yes...oh, yes,” he said. “Very good. If you have need of anything at all, just ask Siren.”

  Navid made his way to the door. Tori moved to follow him, watching him bow as she closed the door behind him. She started to step back, stopped, and then locked the door for good measure.

  Without bothering to pick up her bag from the floor, she kicked off her shoes and walked toward the curtained bed. Her lab coat slipped from her arms and floated to the floor behind her. She didn’t bother to take off the black jumpsuit. This wouldn’t be the first time she slept in it. Struggling with the heavy purple velvet, she finally found an opening. Her eyes closed before she ever hit the soft, thick mattress. Large silk pillows surrounded her, and a moan escaped her lips as she relaxed against them.

  “Mm, finally. I thought you’d never get here.”

  Tori’s eyes popped open in surprise. She held perfectly still, not daring to believe her ears. A hand came from the darkness to skim across her stomach, shooting warm fire through her body, making her tingle with liquid awareness. She swatted the fingers back, and they stopped with little protest. Sitting up on the bed, she belatedly screamed and reached for the curtains.

  Tori stumbled from the dark bed back to the floor. Turning, huffing in anger, she glared at Prince Quinn. At least, she convinced herself, it was anger that made her heart pound and her blood boil. The alternative was too unacceptable.

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded, hands on hips.

  “What?” the roguish prince shrugged. He grinned, sitting up on his elbows to lounge on the bed. His light brown hair was tousled erotically about his shoulders. His blue eyes beckoned her back to his side. She glanced at his strong hands, her stomach tingling where he’d dared to touch her. Every nerve inside her hummed with life, begging her to let him have his way. His tone was a low, seductive rumble in his chest. “You aren’t happy to see me, Doctor Elliot?”

  His easy tone infuriated her, more so since she found him incredibly sexy sitting atop the large sea of purple and gold silk. A sexy smile curled playfully on his lips, confident and sure. His chest was bare, toned, and oh-so-defined. A primal urge rose inside her to jump on top of him. Her body pulsed to life. His grin widened.

  “What—why would I be happy to see you?” Tori’s eyes widened in disbelief. Happy wasn’t exactly the word for what she was feeling at the moment. Her eyes again roamed down his long frame, hesitating at the obvious arousal between his thighs. It took everything in her to keep from panting like a fool and licking her lips.

  “Well, earlier, in the hallway—” he began, with a light, meaningful gesture.

  “Earlier, what?” Tori broke in. “Did you hear me say, hey, prince, come to my room later tonight? Meet me in the bed so we can get it on? I don’t think so, buddy.”

  Quinn laughed, an aggravatingly rich sound to her ears. She shivered again, her mouth dry. Sitting up, he gave a light shrug. “Well, not exactly with words, Doctor Elliot. It was more in the way you looked at me, stared really. In the way your body came alive with fragrant desire.”

  Tori’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. For the life of her, she couldn’t think of a single thing to say to that.

  The prince’s handsome features contorted into a pout, as he rose to his knees before her. “Come, Doctor Elliot, I didn’t get my physical. I need you to examine me to see if I’ve been contaminated.”

  Tori’s body lurched. Rampant desire filled her, rushing in her blood heating every corner of her body. Her stomach and thighs tightened in anticipation. She swallowed, fighting her body’s reaction to him. It would be so easy to jump on the bed and play his little game. Correction. It would be so fun to play his little game.

  “Ah, yes, that’s the smell I remember.” The prince took a deep breath, making a great show of sniffing the air before he motioned to the bed. “What do you say, doctor? How about a little pleasure play? Want to run those hands over my tight body and examine your patient? You look tense. Come, I’ll massage you instead. I’ll play doctor and you can be the patient.”

  His smile was altogether too lecherous. The tip of his tongue edged over the side of his full bottom lip. Her body lurched again, and again he seemed to smell her.

  Yes! Oh, yes! her mind screamed. Tori’s face turned red in mortification. She pointed to the door. “Get out!”

  “But—”

  “No, I don’t want to hear it. Get out. Where I come from, this is simply not acceptable behavior.” Tori jerked her finger at the door once more
and tapped her foot in annoyance, truthfully more annoyed by her reaction to him than by him. “In my culture if you want to get to know someone better, you ask them out on a proper date. You take them someplace nice—dinner, music, picnics, and plays—nice places to do nice, civilized things. You don’t just show up in their bed uninvited.”

  “Mm, briallen, is this place not nice?” Quinn’s voice neared an agonizingly mischievous pout. He came before her, taking a bold step as he lifted his hand to brush over her neck. “And, believe me, what I have in mind to do will be a very nice thing to do. I promise that you’ll enjoy yourself so much that you’ll be screaming out my name for more.”

  His touch was warm, his eyes just as much so. Heat, pure and intense, washed over her from his glancing fingers. Her lips parted for breath. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, as he held her transfixed with his bright blue eyes. He was really a handsome man with a kind, laughing face. His features weren’t too hard and defined, not like his brothers, but neither were they too soft. His body, on the other hand, was very defined, toned, gorgeous. It moved with relaxed grace, and she could easily see him lounging before a fire, as warm and comfortable to snuggle into as a thick blanket.

  “Let me pleasure you, Doctor Elliot. Say yes to me. Let me make love to you right here on this bed.” His mouth drew closer. “Or the bath, the floor, the couch, wherever and however you wish it.”

  “No,” she whispered, weak. His mouth hovered close to hers for a moment. Her eyes began to drift closed, waiting in anticipation for that contact.

  “Oh, very well, Doctor Elliot.” Quinn moved his hand away and stepped back. She closed her eyes, as she stood before him, panting for breath. A heavy sigh left him. “Get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow. We can discuss this more then.”

  A small sound of strangled disappointment came from the back of her throat. Her lips moved in protest, but he had already turned around and was walking toward the door. She couldn’t help it as her eyes dipped over the strong line of his spine to his firm butt. This man was just too much.

  “There’s nothing to discuss, Your...Prince…liness,” she managed after a long pause, too long a pause.

  “Good night, Doctor. Sweet dreams and may they be of me, naked and thrusting above you.” Quinn’s fingers lifted to wave at her, and he chuckled softly. Without a backward glance, he left her alone.

  “Oh my,” Tori said softly, feeling as if her body was on fire. She was almost too afraid to move so she stood frozen to her spot. His touch had done something to her, something that made her body tighten and throb in all the right places. Her breasts tingled and ached. The muscles of her sex clenched together. One brush of his fingers and she was brought close to an orgasm. Breathless, she panted, “Oh, my. What in the world was that?”

  Tori slowly crawled onto the bed. The silk felt good on her skin and before she stopped to think, she’d stripped down naked on top of it. Her fingers roamed over her body, tweaking and pinching her overly responsive length. Closing her eyes, she thought of Quinn. His sexy blue gaze danced before her, and she couldn’t help but conjure the image of his tight body above hers, thrusting inside her, as she tweaked her fingers over her nipples. She held onto the image of him, reaching between her thighs to stroke her tender flesh.

  With a little help from her fingers, she came to a climax against her hand. Her head turned, and she bit the pillow next to her to keep from crying out. Even though she’d met release, she felt empty deep inside and wanting more, much more. When the tremors subsided, and her body lay temporarily sated, all she could think to whisper was, “Oh, my.”

  7

  “Excuse me, what do you mean they canceled our trip into the forest?” Tori placed her hands on her hip and looked at the guard. This day wasn’t going as planned. “Has something happened? The king told us we could leave today. We are ready to leave today. I don’t understand. If there has been an accident, I need to get out there to contain it.”

  Tori frowned at the guard. She’d spent only one night in the palace and the whole of the morning packing her supplies, doing her best not to run into Prince Quinn before she left. She didn’t wish to “discuss” anything with him. That man was more complication than any woman needed, especially a woman like her who had more than two brain cells in her head.

  To her shame, she dreamed of the prince the night before, and it hadn’t been completely innocent. Okay, there was nothing innocent about what they’d been doing in her mind, or in what positions they’d been doing them in. Tori swallowed down the blush the memory brought to her cheeks. She was never, ever, ever telling a soul about that one. Some things were better left taken to the grave.

  “I have all of my supplies readied,” she said needlessly, motioning to the crates behind her.

  “There’s no accident,” the guard said in a low tone. He smiled at her, causing her frown to deepen. Every time one of the Var men looked at her, she felt like a piece of meat about to be pounced upon. “Today is a day of celebration, not work. No one will be traveling from the palace until tomorrow, perhaps the next day if the celebration is done right. A guard cannot be spared to guide you.”

  “What celebration?” Tori asked.

  “I heard the king is getting married,” Simon offered at her side.

  Grant and Vitto came up behind the older scientist. They didn’t look ready to go. It was clear someone had already told them of the change of plans. Tori bit her lip in irritation. She was in charge, not these bozos! She would definitely be having a talk with someone to point that little fact out. Shivering, she realized that someone was probably Quinn.

  “Yeah, all guests are expected to attend the feast.” Grant rubbed his hands together, throwing out a careless, pretty boy smile at her. It’s how he looked at everyone, so she ignored it. Turning to Vitto, he chuckled, “I heard they have a harem full of beautiful women who’ll be attending.”

  Vitto grinned but said nothing. Tori turned to glare at him.

  “What?” Vitto demanded, lifting his hands up like a scolded child. His lip jutting out in a pout, he asked, “What did I do? Grant said it.”

  “Hey,” Grant pushed Vitto in the side. Then shrugging, he laughed, “It’s true, though. They do have a harem. They said the women are lonely since the old king died and are looking for...er...manly comfort.”

  Vitto laughed. Even Simon’s ears seemed to perk up.

  Tori sighed. Under her breath, she muttered to the ceiling, “They’ve sent me children. I asked for scientists, and they gave me children.”

  “Hey, we’re all adults,” Grant defended, knowing Tori was only teasing them. They’d spent a lot of time together, and he felt more like a sibling than a colleague. “Listen, I’ve been frozen in an ice block for only the gods remember how many months with only just you guys.” Tori lifted a brow, and he quickly added, “Sorry, Elliot, but you don’t count ’cause you turned me down. Now, I’m counting you as a guy because of it. Unless of course you’d like to reconsider my very tempting offer?”

  “I don’t want to hear this,” Vitto protested.

  Tori made a gagging motion at Grant and he shrugged.

  “Your loss, baby cakes,” Grant answered, unhampered. Vitto slugged him lightly in the shoulder.

  “I know you didn’t just call me baby cakes,” Tori grimaced, trying to hide her laughter.

  “What? Me? No, sweet cheeks, I’d never be so disrespectful. You’re lead scientist on this expedition, and we all know that order must be maintained at all times, right, love button?” Grant grinned. Her mouth opened, and he hurried before she could interject. “We’ve been working incredibly hard and we all deserve a little S and M, Doctor Elliot, sir, ma’am. I know I could use some.”

  “Don’t you mean R and R?” Vitto asked, chuckling.

  “Oh, yeah,” Grant laughed good-naturedly and shrugged. “That’s the one. So easy to get them confused. But, I’m sure Elliot here knows all about that, don’t ya, Elliot?”

  “R an
d R?”

  Tori froze. Prince Quinn would have to show himself at that moment. She glanced around, wondering if she could duck out gracefully before he saw her. Too late. His eyes were directly on her face. She colored slightly.

  “Prince Quinn,” Tori acknowledge politely, professionally, when he didn’t look away from her.

  “Doctor Elliot,” Quinn returned, not so professional.

  A strange silence came over the group as he stared. Her mind chose that moment to recall the vividness of her dreams and the details of his naked chest as he knelt playfully on her bed. Her cheeks tried to flame with embarrassment, but she swallowed it down, doing her best to remain professional and calm. Her heart sped in her chest, racing to be free. What was it about this man that sent her senses over the edge? She cleared her throat uncomfortably. Vitto stepped next to her, standing a little too close as if to protect her.

  “R and R. Rest and relaxation,” Vitto offered with a smile. “It’s what we say when we need a much deserved break from work.”

  “Ah, and S and M?” Quinn inquired, glancing back to Tori.

  “Sleep and m...” Tori faltered. She couldn’t think of anything. She looked desperately to Grant, but he just shrugged and offered no help. “Ma-massages.”

  Quinn’s mouth opened. Vitto shot his hand forward in offering.

  “Hi, I don’t believe we’ve met. Everyone calls me Vitto. This is Doctor Grant, ignore anything he says, none of it is true. We’re not actually sure he’s a real doctor, but we let him come along anyway. And this distinguished gentleman is Doctor Simon Martens.”

  Quinn nodded politely at them all, grinning at the lively introduction. “So, did I hear you gentlemen speaking of our harem?”

  Tori paled, mildly disgusted. She rolled her eyes. Worse than the harem was the fact that the prince had heard their entire conversation. She was sure she was going to be sick, right after she killed Grant.

  Grant cleared his throat, “Yeah, I’m sorry—”