When he pulls back, he’s no longer the haunted, tortured man he was mere seconds ago. He’s back to being the cocky, confident man I couldn’t help but fall in love with.
“What do you say we finish what we started earlier?” He waggles his brows, leering at my chest as he lasciviously licks his lips.
“Why, Your Highness…” I bring my mouth back toward his. “That may be the best idea you’ve had all day.”
Before I can utter a single syllable, Anderson jumps to his feet and scoops me into his arms. Laughter falls from my throat as he rushes me through the gardens and into the house, peppering kisses along my neck. My squeals of joy echo through the halls. I doubt anyone on the household staff has ever seen anything like this, considering their stunned expressions as we pass.
They’d better get used to it. Because I’m not going anywhere.
Chapter Ten
Anderson
I lower myself to the edge of the bed, pushing a few strands of Nora’s hair behind her ear, admiring her as she sleeps. I need to wake her up, but hate the idea of disturbing her. Not when these few quiet seconds may be the last she has for the foreseeable future.
Today, life as she knows it will change.
As if it didn’t change when she stepped off the plane yesterday and was bombarded by an angry mob who doesn’t think she’s good enough to marry their prince.
Now, in mere hours, my father will publicly announce his approval of our engagement, as well as our wedding in eight weeks.
Gone is the quiet life she once led. Her privacy…gone. Her independence…gone. Her ability to go to the local café for a coffee…gone.
From today forward, she will no longer be an unknown woman trying to make her way in the world. She’ll become Crown Prince Gabriel of Belmont’s fiancée. The future crown princess and queen consort.
I still question whether I’m worthy enough of everything she’s agreed to sacrifice for me — her home, her career, having her best friends at her side as she marries me. But I’ll make every effort to prove I am.
As if sensing my eyes on her, she stirs, rolling onto her back and meeting my gaze.
“Do you like watching me sleep or something?” she asks, her voice lazy.
“I just like looking at you.” I lower my lips to hers. “Can’t believe I’m the lucky bastard who gets to do that every day for the rest of my life.”
She moans into my kiss, her fingers raking through my hair. What I wouldn’t give to spend all day with Nora in bed. But that’s not our life anymore. It’s a new world for us, and it starts today.
Reluctantly, I pull back.
“You’re up early,” she comments, trailing her fingers down my suit-clad chest. “And already dressed?”
“It’s officially a workday for me. And your first day of work, too.”
She briefly closes her eyes, drawing in a deep breath. “We’re really doing this, aren’t we?”
I blow out a nervous laugh. “Unless you’ve had a change of heart.”
“Nah. I mean, maybe if you didn’t make me come… What was it? Three times last night?”
“Actually, four.”
She scrunches her brows. “Really?”
“I believe so.” I count off on my fingers. “First there was in bed with my tongue.”
“Right.”
“Then when you rode me.”
Her pupils dilate. “That was fucking intense.”
“Bloody right it was.” I chew on my lower lip, desire coiling in my stomach from the mere memory. “Then in the shower with my mouth again.”
“Exactly. And that was the last one. So three.”
I slowly shake my head. “Don’t even try to deny it, love. I felt you go again when I took you from behind right after that.”
“You just said it yourself. It was right after. So that very well could have been merely a continuation of the same orgasm. There must be a rule somewhere about how much time is required between orgasms to classify them as two separate events.”
Barking out a chuckle, I grab her exposed nipple between my thumb and forefinger. “Perhaps, but I’m claiming four. We can always test your theory later. See what kind of lapse in time is required.”
Her eyes flutter closed as her body warms under my touch. “I really like the sound of that.”
“As do I.” I cover her mouth with mine, continuing to tweak her nipple, and she whimpers into me. I deepen our kiss, my tongue swiping against hers for a moment before I pull back, dropping my hold on her and rising to my feet. “But for now, it’s going to have to wait.”
“Grrr…”
“Did you just…growl at me?”
She throws the covers off her body and stands. “Can you blame me? Yesterday afternoon, I was on the brink of a mind-blowing orgasm before you got called away. And now you’re getting me all worked up again just to walk away without so much as a quickie before we have to endure a day full of press conferences and media appearances. Does that about sum it up?” She places her hands on her hips in feigned irritation, not caring one bit she’s completely naked.
This is one of the many things I love about her. The way she’s so at ease around me that she has absolutely no problem walking around our apartment in barely any clothes. Or at least our old apartment. I doubt she’ll ever feel comfortable enough to do that here. Not with the risk of anyone stopping by at all hours of the day and night.
“Sounds about right.” I hook an arm around her waist, pulling her to me. “But think how great tonight will be.”
She tilts her head back and skims her lips against mine as she reaches for my crotch. “True, but think how amazing right now could be.” She moves from my lips to my neck, nibbling along my earlobe. “It would be a real shame if I had to put one of my vibrators to use when I have a perfectly good fiancé. I’d hate to have to ask the butler if he has a charging adaptor for Mr. Rolls.”
I pull back, brows furrowed. “Mr. Rolls?”
“Yeah. You know. The Rolls Royce of vibrators.”
Eyes flaming, I yank her harder into me and press my arousal against her. “You little vixen. Do you feel what you do to me? A minute ago, I was completely limp. Now, I can’t leave unless I relieve some of this…pressure.”
“Is that right?”
Her sultry voice sends a thrill down my spine, my hunger for her increasing with every heartbeat.
“You know it is.” I nip at her lower lip, eliciting a moan.
“Well, then…”
She pushes against me, freeing herself from my grasp. Swaying her hips, she walks over to the bed and gets on her hands and knees, facing away from me.
This woman constantly surprises me. When I don’t think she could possibly do anything else to steal my breath and remind me how damn lucky I am to have her, she proves me wrong. And it’s not because she’s more than eager to have a quick romp before breakfast. It’s because she trusts me enough to expose herself like this to me.
She glances over her shoulder, eyes dark with desire. “We don’t want you suffering from a case of blue balls, do we?”