Nine
“S
o what did my brothers talk to you about?”
Victoria’s fingertip circled the top of her wineglass as she eased forward in her seat. Stefan had taken her to her office, then afterward she wanted to show him a new restaurant that had opened. They were just having drinks and a dessert, but sometimes it was nice to get out of the house and enjoy society like a normal person—or as normal as one could be between her iconic family and her royal status.
With the outdoor seating and sunset in the distance, the ambiance screamed romance...even if a bodyguard was seated a few tables away trying to blend in.
Yeah, this was now her “normal” life.
Stefan shrugged. “Nothing much.”
Victoria glared at him across the intimate table. “You’re lying.”
His eyes came up to meet hers as he reached across and took her hand from her glass. He kissed her fingertips one at a time, and she relished the familiar shivers that crept over her body at his simple, yet passionate actions. But she wasn’t letting the question go.
“Stefan?”
Lacing his hand through hers, he smiled. “Yes?”
“You’ve never been a good liar, and all this charm isn’t working on me.”
He quirked a dark brow. “Oh, yeah? I guarantee your heart rate is up, and I know you want to kiss me because you’re watching my lips.”
Busted.
“I’m watching your lips because I’m waiting for the truth to emerge from them.” No way would she admit that he could do so little and turn her on. “Did Bronson get too protective?”
“We simply had a misunderstanding, and now we don’t,” Stefan said. “Men don’t stay upset like women. He just wanted to discuss something, and it’s over.”
Victoria would make a special trip to Bronson’s house. No way was she going to be sheltered or coddled by her brother.
“What was Anthony there for? Peacemaker?”
Stefan smiled. “He is quite a bit more laid back, yes?”
“He wasn’t when Charlotte left him,” Victoria replied. “I’d never seen a man so relentless on keeping his family together. He would’ve walked through hell for her.”
“I’d do the same for you.”
Victoria jerked at his automatic, non-hesitant response. Surely he wasn’t developing feelings for her...not like she had for him. God, if he ever found out she’d fallen in love with him their friendship would be strained. Right now, with the playful sex and always hanging out, they had a good thing. No way would she put this relationship in jeopardy by revealing her true feelings.
“Stefan...”
“I realize their marriage is quite different from ours,” he told her, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. “But you’re the one woman in my life that I would sacrifice anything for.”
This was the point in a conversation where some women would think this was a major confession of love...Victoria was not one of those women. She knew Stefan better than any other woman did. He was a charmer, a playboy, but most of all, he did love her. In the way all best friends love each other.
But the romantic in her, the smidgen of a sparkle that hadn’t been diminished by Alex, sighed and smiled internally at the idea that her husband would sacrifice anything for her.
“I’m ready to head home,” he said, giving her a look that she knew had nothing to do with friendship and everything to do with lust. “Why don’t you finish that drink.”
“Forget the drink,” she told him with a slight grin. “I have wine at home.”
She grabbed her bag off the back of the iron chair and stood at the same time he was there to help her from her seat. When she turned, their lips were a breath apart and Stefan sealed them together briefly but firmly, loaded with promise.
“We need to leave before I really give the media something to print,” he murmured against her mouth.
She swayed slightly and his warm, strong hand came around and settled firmly against her bare back where her summer dress dipped low. The heat from his touch did nothing to help her wave of dizziness brought on by pure desire.
She’d never had even a fraction of this passion with Alex. Mercy, she was in trouble.
“I’ve got you, Victoria. Always.”
The heat in his eyes made her wish this were more than a marriage of convenience or a businesslike arrangement. But she was too afraid to explore that deeper level of emotion until she could see just where they stood at the end of the six months.
With a smile, she nodded. “I’m ready.”
He led her from the cozy outdoor restaurant to the car that was waiting for them at the curb. Victoria’s driver had been replaced with one of Stefan’s guards, and the man instantly appeared, opened the door and let them into the backseat. As she slid across, her dress rode up high on her thigh. Stefan came in beside her and placed a hand over hers before she could pull the material down.
“Leave it,” he said, hitting the button to put up the soundproof one-way window divider. “I have the best idea.”
Oh, Lord.
As the guard brought the engine to life and pulled from the curb, Stefan turned on the intercom to tell the man to take his time heading back to Hollywood Hills.
An hour in the backseat of the limo with a man as seductive and sensual as Stefan? Victoria’s body hummed and tightened in anticipation.
When he clicked the button off, he turned, sliding his other hand up her thigh and pushing both sides of the dress to her hips.
“Convenient you wore a dress,” he murmured, staring down at her bare legs and the peek of yellow satin panties that were exposed. “Hate to waste this opportunity.”
As his hands squeezed her thighs, his lips captured hers. The wine they’d drank tasted so good on his tongue, intoxicating her to the point she didn’t care they were in the back of her car getting ready to have what she hoped was hot, wild sex.
When her hands came up around his neck, he eased back.
“Scoot down in the seat,” he whispered. “I want this to be all about you.”
And there was no woman in her right mind who would turn down an invitation like that.
Victoria did as he asked as he eased her legs farther apart. In his strong grasp, she felt the tug on her panties until she heard the material give way and tear.
“You owe me a pair of panties,” she joked.
As he settled onto the floor between her legs, he gazed up at her beneath heavy lids. Bright eyes pierced hers as he said, “I prefer you without them.”
With his wide shoulders holding her thighs apart, Victoria wondered if they were really doing this. Were they actually going to get intimate in the back of a car? And not only that, but this was far more personal than sex. Was Stefan taking their relationship to the next level? Obviously yes, but was he even aware of how personal this act was?
She didn’t care and couldn’t think anymore the second his finger slid over her, parting her a second before his mouth fixed on her.
Instinct had her sliding down even more. The way he made love to her with his mouth had her gripping his shoulders, the edge of the seat, the door handle, anything to keep from screaming at the overwhelming sensations rocketing through her.
In no time, her body quivered, bursts of pure bliss shooting through her. Stefan stayed with her until the last of her tremors ceased.
Reality hit her as he literally crawled back up her body. Those talented hands slid over her curves, and he took a seat next to her, lifting her up to settle on his lap. As he nestled her into the crook of his arm, she tucked her face against his warm neck.
“You’re not seriously going to try to hide the fact you’re completely turned on, are you?” she asked.
His soft chuckle vibrated against his hard chest. “Kind of hard to hide it, but I wanted this to be about you. We can continue at home if you’d like.”
Victoria lifted her head, wondering if Stefan realized how this moment, even though it was in the back of a car, had changed the course of their relationship. Did he get this intimate with all of his women? She closed her eyes briefly, trying to block out the instant mental images. If she had anything to say about it, he’d not be with any other woman ever again. He’d put the ball in her court at the end of the six months, and she was seriously considering staying, making him see just how this marriage could and should work for all the right reasons—which had absolutely nothing to do with his title.
But if she stayed, could she be a loyal, devoted queen and still design? She couldn’t give up her own goals to cater to his, but she wanted this marriage to work. There had to be a way.
* * *
Stefan stared down at Victoria. Holy hell. What had just happened? He’d meant to be giving, passionate, but something changed...something he couldn’t put his finger on. The way she looked at him with her face flushed and her lids heavy made him want to rip off both their clothes and satisfy her once again before finally relieving himself of this constant state of arousal he seemed to have around her lately.
“I want to make you happy, Stefan,” she told him, stroking her fingertip down his cheek and along his jawline.
Yeah, something definitely changed. She wasn’t smiling, wasn’t playful. Her words, her actions were from the heart.
Was she sinking more into this marriage than she should? Granted, he’d always wondered how they’d be together, but if she was falling for him, could he ever give her that deeper, loving, marital bond in return? He honestly didn’t think he had it in him.
God, he didn’t want to hurt her. Right now all he wanted was to enjoy the way they were living together. Why couldn’t that be enough?
“You’ve made me happy by helping me, Victoria.”
“You know I could never tell you no,” she replied, flashing him a sexy grin. “Besides, I’m getting what I want, too.”
Friends and business. That’s what this had to be...no matter what flutter he thought he felt in his chest earlier. The emotion had to be ignored. Victoria was too important to him to risk their bond on something as questionable as love.
As the driver wound his way up the Hollywood Hills, Victoria sat nestled against his side. He loved the familiar lavender scent that always surrounded her and the sexy way she would sigh as she crossed her legs and curved her body more into his. And now that he knew she wore nothing beneath that dress, well,
sexy
was a vast understatement.
He would let her show him her appreciation when they returned home. For now he needed to come to grips with the fact that he didn’t want to get too involved in this marriage on a foundation he couldn’t control, but when he’d taken their lovemaking to another level only moments ago, he’d done just that.
And he had no one to blame but himself.
Ten
V
ictoria’s smile never faltered, and they’d been serving meals to homeless veterans for the past two hours. Her beauty radiated throughout the entire gymnasium of the old school where the Vets chatted and tried to capture a piece of her time.
He didn’t blame them. Victoria was so easy to talk to, so easy to be around—the crowd would’ve never known that minutes before they’d come in she was nervous about fulfilling her first royal duty. He’d told her to be herself because she was a natural.
As she put the group at ease with her thankfulness for their services and the occasional gentle hug, Stefan continued to refill plates and cups. He let her use her charm on the room, and all the while the cameras were eating this up and proving to the world that she was the perfect woman for this position.
“Sir.” Hector came up behind him and whispered, “The cameraman would like you to stay closer to Victoria so he can capture your charity work together. That was the point of the visit.”
Stefan glanced around the room of men and women who had given their all for their country...something Stefan could relate to. Guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders.
“I’m not here for a photo op, Hector.” Stefan turned to face his assistant and lowered his voice. “I’m here to assist these people and show them that my wife and I care about them. I don’t give a damn about the photographer. If he wants a good shot and story, tell him to take pictures of all these people who have been forgotten.”
Hector folded his hands in front of him. “Sir, the whole reason for coming was to showcase your role as your country’s leader and so the world could see you and Victoria as a united front.”
Stefan sighed. “We are a united front, Hector. Tell the photographer he can nab a picture of us when we’re done. We’ll pose for one then. Until that point, we are here to help, not for some show for the world so they just
think
we are helping.”
Hector nodded with a slight bow and walked off. When Stefan turned back with the pitcher of tea, an elderly man wearing a navy hat with his ship’s name embroidered across the top was looking at him with tears in his eyes.
“Thank you,” the man said.
Stefan looked down at the elderly man, who had scarred hands and a weathered face. “Nothing to thank me for, sir. I’m the one who needs to thank you.”
The man used the edge of the table and the back of his chair to come to his feet. Stefan stepped back to give him room.
“I’ve never met royalty before, sir,” the man said. “It is an honor to have you and your beautiful wife here. And for you two to be so caring...well, it just touches an old guy like me to know there are still people who give a damn.”
Stefan held out his hand, waited for the man to shake it. “What’s your name?”
“Lieutenant Raymond Waits,” he replied, straightening his shoulders.
“I will personally see to it that this shelter is funded for as long as possible.” Stefan would make it happen no matter what. “I will also make sure my wife and I schedule a stop here twice a year when we are in the States.”
The handshake quickly turned to an embrace as Raymond put his free arm around Stefan. He hadn’t meant to get on a soapbox, but dammit, he understood loyalty to a country, and these vets deserved respect and love.
“Now, I better get back to refilling drinks or you’ll be my only friend here,” Stefan said when the vet pulled back, trying to look away as if embarrassed by the tears in his eyes.
Raymond nodded, taking his seat. As Stefan moved on, he glanced up to see Victoria watching him from across the room, and he didn’t miss the moisture that had gathered in her own eyes. Obviously she’d seen the emotional moment.
Stefan smiled and winked at her, trying to lighten the mood because the last thing he wanted was for her to believe he was some sort of hero. He was just doing what was right.
By the time they needed to leave to get across town to the library for a fund-raiser, Stefan had already discussed the funding with Hector, who was putting a plan into motion. Now this is what being powerful was all about. Why have such control if you couldn’t use it for the greater good?
They posed for just a few pictures with some of the soldiers and promised to return. Stefan hated that a piece of his heart was left with this group of remarkable men and women. He wanted to rule his country while keeping his emotions in check, not tear up when he came across charity cases.
Victoria swiped tears away as they headed to their waiting car. Once settled inside, he pulled her against his side and sighed.
“You okay?” he asked.
“You’re amazing.” She sniffed. “I don’t care if the media portrays you as a bad boy, Stefan. I know the truth, and you’ve just revealed it to a room full of thankful vets.”
He didn’t want to be commended for doing what was right and good. “I wish I could do more,” he said honestly. “But we’ll do what we can where we can.”
Tori reached up, cupping his cheek, and shifted to face him. “You’re one amazing king, Stefan.”
She touched her lips to his, briefly, tenderly. But he didn’t want gentle, he wanted hard, fast. Now. He wanted to feel her beneath him, feel her come undone around him.
His hand slid up her bare thigh and her breath caught.
“Didn’t we just do this the other day?” she asked, smiling against his mouth.
“Glad I could make an impression,” he murmured. “But I plan on torturing you until we get to the library. It is across town, you know. I may even continue for the ride home afterward.”
She slid a hand up over his denim-clad leg and cupped him. “Torture can be a two-way street, you know.”
“I’m counting on it.”
As his mouth captured hers again, his hand snaked up beneath her dress. When his fingertip traveled along the edge of her lacy panties, her legs parted. Yeah, he wanted what she was offering, but foreplay was so much fun, and he wanted to relish these next few moments of driving her wild. He’d always considered himself a giving lover, but with Victoria he wanted to focus on her and her pleasure. Everything about touching her, kissing her was so much more arousing than seeking a fast release.
Her palm slid up and down over the zipper of his jeans...a zipper that was becoming increasingly painful.
He tore his lips from hers. “Tori, you’re way too good at this game.”
When she put both hands on his shoulders and slid to the floor between his legs, he swallowed hard. “Way too good,” he repeated.
And thankfully he’d put the divider up between them and the driver because she was reciprocating the favor he’d given her a few days ago.
How was he ever going to get over all of this if she chose to leave?
* * *
Victoria couldn’t stop smiling. Finally, she’d managed to take control, shut Stefan up and make him lose his mind all at once. Yeah, she was pretty proud of herself.
The ride to the library and then home was quite memorable...for both of them.
As they walked up the brick steps toward her front door, a car pulling into the circular drive had her turning back to see who the visitor was.
Her heart stopped, her body tensing at the unwelcome guest.
No. This couldn’t be happening. What was he doing here?
“Victoria?” Stefan touched her arm. “Who is it?”
Before she could answer, the car came to a stop and Alex unfolded himself from the two-door red sports car.
“I’ll talk to him,” Stefan told her, jaw clenching. “You can go inside.”
Victoria held up a hand and shook her head. “No, you go on in.”
“Like hell,” she heard him mutter as she descended the steps to see what her ex could possibly want.
Victoria didn’t want to play the alpha male drama game so she ignored Stefan’s remark. All she cared about now was why Alex had showed up here like he still had a right to.
“Victoria,” he greeted her as she came to the base of the steps. “You look beautiful as always.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she thanked God that seeing him did absolutely nothing for her.
“What are you doing here, Alex?”
His eyes darted over her shoulder, then back. “Can we talk privately?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Stefan asked from behind her.
Victoria turned, gave him the silent “shut up” look, and turned back to Alex. “Whatever you want to say, say it so Stefan and I can go inside.”
For the first time in his life Alex looked uncomfortable. Once again his eyes darted from Stefan to Victoria, and she knew he wasn’t going to say anything as long as Stefan was around. This bulldog stare down could go on all night, and she had other plans, which involved her husband getting naked and staying that way for a long time. She wasn’t going to let her ex who destroyed her ruin her evening or her life.
Victoria spun back around and walked up a few steps to Stefan before whispering, “Give me five minutes. He’s harmless and he won’t talk if you’re glaring at him like my bodyguard.”
“He hurt you, Victoria. He has no right being here.”
Funny how Stefan wasn’t being territorial. He was upset because Alex had broken her. God, her heart melted even more. Did he have any idea how romantic, how sexy that was?
Stefan eyed her and she was positive he was going to argue, but he leaned forward, kissed her slightly and said, “He can’t touch you now.”
Stefan turned and walked up the steps into the house, leaving Victoria even more stunned. But she couldn’t think right now about all the amazing ways Stefan was showing her love. He may not even know it yet, but he was falling for her.
It ticked her off that her ex stood behind her. She was supposed to be seducing her husband, showing him just how good they were together. Instead she was dealing with the one man who’d used her, cut her down in public and tossed her aside as if she were useless.
Shoulders back, head held high, she faced him once again and met him at the bottom of the steps. Stefan was right; Alex couldn’t hurt her again. She refused to let him have an ounce of control in her life anymore. She took pride in the fact she was stronger now, thanks to Stefan.
“You have five minutes,” she told him, resuming her stance and crossing her arms.
“I made a mistake.” He took a step toward her, reached out to touch her shoulder, and Victoria jerked back. “Please, Tori.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. First of all, I’m married.”
Alex shoved his hand back in his pocket. “You don’t love him like you did me.”
Victoria smiled. “You’re absolutely right. What I feel for Stefan is completely different. I would do anything at all for him. I’ve never felt so appreciated and treasured as I do with him.”
“Is that the money and title talking?”
Before her mind could process what she was doing she found her open palm connecting with the side of his face.
“I will not defend myself to anyone, especially you,” she told him, rubbing her thumb over her stinging hand. “Now get out of my sight before I let Stefan come back out and settle this in a very old-fashioned, clichéd way.”
She didn’t need to tell Alex what that was. Any man would know.
He rubbed the side of his cheek. “I didn’t come to argue with you. I wanted to know if your marriage was for real, and I just couldn’t imagine you fell in love with someone that fast and married. I mean, you always told me you two were only friends.”
“We
were
always friends. Now I realize that Stefan was the only man for me. And this marriage is more real than anything you and I ever shared.”
She didn’t wait for him to respond. Victoria pivoted on her heel and marched up the steps, running smack into a hard, familiar chest, instantly enveloped by a scent she’d come to associate with her husband.
Strong hands wrapped around her biceps and pulled her flush with his body.
“It’s okay,” Stefan whispered. “I’ve got you.”
He walked her into the house and she realized tears were streaming down her cheeks. Had he heard everything? Fear and worry took the place of the anger she’d felt only moments ago. She didn’t want him to know how she felt yet. She couldn’t chance ruining their relationship.
Any and every feeling she had for Stefan totally overshadowed anything she’d ever had for Alex.
“We need complete privacy,” Stefan murmured.
“Yes, Your Highness,” one of the guards stationed inside the door replied.
Stefan swept Victoria up into his arms and she settled her face against his neck. Alex’s presence had awakened something in her, something she thought she’d never feel again. Love. But not love for her ex. No, she was utterly and completely in love with the man who carried her, the man who knew when to let silence express his care for her, the man who showed his tender, compassionate side at the shelter only an hour ago. The man who’d taken such joy in pleasuring her, in the bedroom and out.
Her husband. She knew she’d fallen for him, but this moment solidified the fact she was completely in love. And perhaps she’d been in love with her best friend since they met. On some level she knew that to be true. But now she knew without a doubt that she loved him wholeheartedly and without any reservations.
He’d given her the control over the end of their marriage and, to be honest, she wanted to make this relationship permanent. And not just permanent because they were friends and they got along in bed, but permanent because she knew Prince Stefan Alexander was her soul mate.
And Fate had given her the chance to see just how a marriage, a love life should be. Now she just had to show Stefan.