Authors: JT Schultz
King Mario’s expression turned thoughtful and there was little doubt in Chloe’s mind he weighed the words she had spoken. “He changed and became a remarkable man upon his return home. I’m grateful for the introduction to your father. My son made a wonderful friendship and a wise business choice having your dad contact me―especially considering how desperately our country needed sugar. As you know, we export chocolates around the world.”
Damn it! I knew I was forgetting something.
“I have a buyer actually in Australia interested in importing some of your products. The buyer has an upscale department store chain and was looking for something not only suited to his clientele but slightly exotic. I recommended the company catering in the flavored truffles. I’m sorry I forgot to mention the call last night before the party, only I confess I became mildly distracted due to the events.” Her cheeks burned and she knew beyond doubt she blushed. “I will get on that first thing in the morning for you.”
The king came across as pleased and he nodded his head. “Sounds good, actually, you can discuss the details with Luc, he handles a lot of our exports.” His expression again turned thoughtful. “You two look happy.”
Luc cleared his throat. “I am. In fact I think I might stay on a little longer after you and my stepmother return to Cammarata.” He glanced to her father. “Of course, I wouldn’t want to impose.”
Her dad laughed and he shook his head. “Of course not Luc, our home is always open to you and your family.”
Chloe’s heart pumped a little faster over the knowledge Luc wanted more time with her, especially since she wasn’t ready to let him go yet. They had so much to catch up on still. A thought crossed her mind. “There is one thing I don’t understand, I mean other than a couple extra guards around the house, you don’t carry an entourage of security, I mean today Luc and I went around Beverly Hills without security.”
“It’s not as if we’re a popular country―unless of course, you’re a chocolate connoisseur. We keep things low key and leave pageantry to other countries.” He smiled. “Plus my son is rarely seen in public. No on
e would take him for royalty.”
Guilt flushed through Chloe and she winced. “Right, for the longest time I thought him to be a hermit crab.”
The movement of Luc’s shoulders next to her as he chuckled drew her attention to him. “That would be a pretty accurate description. I plan on changing that in the coming weeks and months.” His eyes sparked with desire and a slight sexual chemistry transferred between them. She glanced away and tried to ignore the fact she again blushed.
“The two of you have been gone all day. I hope you had a good time.”
Her lips curled into a smile and she glanced at her father. “Yes, it was good, how was the golf course?”
“Wonderful as always, close game, but Mario beat me.”
The king grinned and nodded. “There’s always tomorrow.” He rested his gaze on her. “Ella missed you both at dinner.”
I bet she did.
“Oh that’s too bad.” Her tone came out a tad less than sincere but she didn’t care. “I’ll be sure to see her tomorrow.” So she had just told a bold face lie and though guilt plagued her a bit, fear had her intending to stay as far away from Ella as possible. Her heart had already skipped a few beats at the thought of the creepy royal. “I’m actually tired; if there is no business to discuss I think I will head up to bed after I check my messages.”
“You have a good night.” Her father assured as she stood.
With thoughts of Ella shoved to the side yet again, she glanced to Luc. “I have to check my email. Come on up after you are done here and I will give you the information for the chocolate buyer, while I am thinking of it.”
He nodded and smiled and she longed to touch him, if anything to again remind herself he was real and everything hadn’t been a dream. “I’ll be up in a few minutes. I just want to talk to our fathers a minute.”
She smiled and her body had already started to relax. “Sounds good. Goodnight.” A sigh lifted her shoulders as she walked out of the room. The day had been incredible and with any luck, Luc would share her bed again and make the evening just as memorable.
Chloe woke and shifted her naked body beneath the covers. Rolling over, she opened her eyes and discovered Luc wasn’t in bed with her. Strange, she remembered him coming upstairs shortly after her and sliding into bed and making love to her. The sex had been incredible, better than the night before and definitely more heated and intense. Her body clenched at the memory of her orgasms and disappointment washed over her because he wasn’t in bed to give her an instant replay.
She glanced at the clock to discover the time shortly after four in the morning. A faint glow came from the office area and she sat up. Her attention fell to the floor and noticed Luc’s jeans and shirt. Wherever he went he hadn’t gone far and she slipped from beneath the covers, climbed out of bed and grabbed her robe from the back of the bathroom door. She slipped the short black satin on and tied the belt as she walked toward the office. The door ajar, she peeked in, right away her gaze fell on Luc’s large muscled frame and perfectly defined body. With his back to her, she studied the ripple of his broad shoulders and smooth tanned skin running down to where he narrowed at the waist, his silk boxer shorts hung on his hips and powerful legs with contoured shape made him completely delectable.
“I’m not interrupting am I?”
Turning, Luc grinned. “No, I came to check my email, and then started looking at some of the books. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, not at all, I told you this afternoon while we were out I’d share my office.” She eased into the room and crossed the floor toward him.
He glanced at the bookcase that lined the wall behind her desk then smiled as she drew near him. “Interesting collection of reading material.”
“I have a variety of interests and I kept up with my Italian after you left.”
True, Italian was only one of the so called romantic languages, but considering who her teacher had been and her feelings for him,
it became forever her favorite language and the only one she’d taken the time to learn. “Wow, barely any accent. I must say I’m even more impressed.”
With a toss of her head she grinned. “I had an excellent teacher, which reminds me, I finally understand what you used to mutter under your breath and that is pretty bad language
even for a frog.”
He threw his head back and laughed before reaching out and pulling her close to him. Strong arms circled around her waist and his gaze raked over her face under the pale glow from the computer monitor and the moonlight cascading in from the window. “And so the reprimand begins.”
“No,” she giggled. “I have a few clients that take forever to get documents to me and non-disclosure agreements. You should hear me cuss when I hang up with them and I have the other party on hold on the other line waiting to scream at me why things weren’t done yesterday.”
“
You have a temper? I always suspected and had seen glimpses of it when you fought with your sisters.” His lips brushed against her mouth sending a wave of heat over her body and he chuckled. “I heard a nasty rumor you cut Stella’s hair when you thought I’d met a terrible demise by her hands.”
The husky whisper of his tone only ignited her body further. Thinking back all those years ago, she had to admit she had been pretty upset at the time. “I had a lot of rage over you suddenly going missing. I would almost apologize to her now that I know the truth, but I’m not, since it balances out for the other grief she put me through since then.”
His hands splayed her back ad his expression turned thoughtful. “Having you in my arms is more than I could have ever dreamed.”
The words he spoke
and the sincerity they carried, not only touched her heart --they reached her soul. Stretching up, she longed to kiss his lips. Her mouth claimed his in heat and passion. Immediately, Luc’s mouth responded, first covering her lips then running his tongue over her lower lip until her mouth parted and hungered for his taste. Her hands reached for the soft silk of his boxer shorts. Luc groaned as her hand teased his hardened need through the fabric.
“
Careful,
il mio cuore
, this will be over before it’s even begun.”
Large hands shoved up the satin of her robe and caressed her bare flesh. Her inner walls pulsed, growing heavy with lust. Gently, he lifted her and sat her at the edge of the desk. His hands gently ran over her then slid a finger inside the wet folds, encouraging her arousal he slowly worked his finger in and out, increasing her need ever more. His hand cupped her head and wrapped around the length of her hair while his mouth lowered to hers and covered her lips in a hot kiss. Her mouth parted in a small moan from the pleasure of his touch and the heat of his kiss. The velvety smoothness teased her lip before entering her mouth and deepening the kiss. His finger picked up speed and her tongue entwined with his. Another groan escaped her as pressure built across her belly. His thumb grazed over her clit and her body begged for more. Instead of continuing to pleasure her, Luc slowly lifted his head from hers. He released his hold on her head and slipped his finger from the wetness between her legs.
He tugged down his underwear. She desperately wanted his hard length inside where his finger had been. His powerful, well muscled frame stepped in closer to where she sat and his hands captured her behind the knees and drew her toward him. The tip of his erection teased her sensitive folds then pressed in. He hissed as he filled her completely. Chloe gasped from his size, still not used to his thickness. He waited for her to adjust then worked his strokes in out of her with practiced ease, building the pressure across her abdomen.
His thick solid length picked up speed and rocked in deeper with every buck of his hips
. Her need for release buckled as her back eased down and laid across the desk. Her body met his with every thrust and pleasure continued to work through her, enticing a moan. Finally, the pressure broke and her shoulders lifted off the smooth cool wood surface of her desk. Her body trembled and her walls tightened around his solid length.
Luc tossed his head back in a feral groan and thrust into her hard then increased his grip behind her knees. “God! Chloe!” he groaned as he climaxed and emptied inside her in fast thick pulses.
All the emotion from her body and soul seeped into her blood.
“I love you,” his breath ran ragged and through lazy eyes, she could make out the faint glistening of sweat on his defined and perfectly ridged abdominal muscles.
The heartbeats continued to beat hard against her ribcage as she tried to regain air into her lungs. Her heart and mind became one. “I love you too. I think I always have.”
His hold tightened on her and she knew no matter what heaven or hell brought, she would love Luc until her last breath of life left her body.
The next morning Chloe radiated beauty as Luc stepped into the office area adjacent to her room. “Man, you’re beautiful.”
She glanced up over her monitor and smiled. “You’re just saying that because you love me.” When she stood he couldn’t help but notice her long, tanned legs tucked under a short skirt and it took every ounce of control not to slip his hands beneath, remove her thong and have another round with her on the desk. Last night had been every man’s fantasy then holding her while she slept, feeling her warm body curled into him reached new heights, and became more than any man could ever want, a woman next to him who truly loved him. He had no doubt Chloe loved him unconditionally.
A heated gaze worked over him and she smiled. “You look good
. Areyou off on business?”
His lips curved into a grin. “No, actually, I have a couple errands and hoped the chauffeur would be able to take me.”
She tilted her head to the side and her long dark hair fell in a ripple of waves over her shoulder. “You can take the Maserati if you want. I have an extra set of keys with a keyless entry.”
Touched by her offer, he knew she wanted him comfortable. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her. “I would appreciate that, I have the addresses of where I am going so I can enter them into the navigation as easily as giving them to a chauffeur.” He studied her face and grinned. “Besides, I enjoy driving the car. You have exceptional taste Ms. Starling.”
A giggle left her full lips, drawing his attention to their softness. “Yes, especially where you’re concerned.”
He lowered his head and her eyes closed with the flutter of her long black lashes. The soft curves of her body eased into him as his mouth claimed hers. The kiss had started sweet, but the second their lips made contact desire flamed his skin
to life beneath his clothes. Lifting his head, he thought better of letting the kiss continue knowing he would want her again. He couldn’t get enough of her.
“I was enjoying that,” she whispered and stared at him through her thick lashes.
“So was I, more than I should if I plan on taking care of some matters instead of taking you back to bed.”
Her full mouth curled at the edges and he longed to kiss her again. “Were you always a rogue?”
He chuckled over her comment, then his smile faded and he remembered how he hid his face from the world and let the palace be his prison with the exception of the occasional business meeting and never in public. “When I was younger I certainly had a penchant for nice looking cars and nicer looking women. Part of who I was died when I became cursed as a frog.” His chest tightened at the memories of how alone and isolated he became after leaving Chloe. “When I returned home my mother had died and my father married Ella. The understanding I have is that it was only weeks after my mother’s death.” He worked his hands up her back. “Now, I’m a different man and have you again in my life. I would go through those years alone in the castle all over again if in the end I would have you to hold and cherish like I do now.”
“You do have me and I don’t want you alone. Actually…” She glanced away and inhaled a nervous breath before meeting his eyes again. “I love you, Luc and want to be with you.”
Her words couldn’t have made him any happier. He wanted her too and that’s why he had to leave her now and get on with his errands. “I promise I’ll hurry back, but I might be gone for most of the day. However I’ll make up for my absence to you tonight.”
She nodded then stretched up and briefly kissed his lips. “I plan to hold you to that.” Her words left her lips in a sultry whisper and the urge to undress her and have her became almost overwhelming. “Let me get you my keys.”
Releasing his hold on her, his gaze fell again to her bookcase and he stepped closer to the titles he had examined the night before. “You certainly have a lot of books on witchcraft and dream analysis.”
Her movement stopped by her desk and she blinked at him. “I still have bad dreams and a natural curiosity about things unexplained.” An undercurrent in her tone led him to believe she had left something out.
“Just a curiosity?” he remembered the bad dream she’d experienced one night when she was younger and something about the event and the fact she’d had others since left him unsettled. He couldn’t explain why, but something sent his senses on alert.
Chloe lowered her head and glanced away. “You know I like to broaden my horizons and am constantly learning.”
The thought intrigued him, but so did the fact she didn’t say those words while looking him in the eyes. There definitely was more to her dreams than she was letting on. He would have to ask her more about the subject later. “Apparently from what my father said we are dressing for dinner tonight.”
She lifted her purse of the desk then reached inside and withdrew the keys. “Trust my mother to
make a production out of a simple meal.”
His fingers grazed the soft skin of her hand as he removed the keys. “You’re so down to earth despite the money and the car―and of course your sisters.”
“Yes how can we forget the wicked blonde bimbos? I swear they get nastier with age.” Chloe held elegance and grace, but he already could tell she still carried the down to earth attitude from her youth.
Part of him wished he didn’t have to leave her today, but his errands held a great deal of importance. He darted a glance to her necklace then lifted his gaze to again meet her o
wn. “You are incredible, despite everything you have gone through and how badly you must have hurt over the years. I marvel at how you don’t carry the jadedness of your sisters. You outclass them in every way. You always did.”
“I
try; being like them is the last thing I wanted. I couldn’t handle becoming something I detested.” Her words left her in a whisper then she smiled as she closed the distance between them. “I have work, to do here and I don’t want to keep you.”
“
The sooner I leave, the sooner I can get back here and be with you.” He again ran his hand over her back then carried his caress lower to the firmness of the flesh beneath her skirt. His groin tightened slightly.
“Well then, get going and have a good day. Call me if you need anything or the navigation leads you astray.” She stretched up and kissed his lips. When she eased back, her gaze fell to his scar and she smiled, meeting his gaze. “I love you.”
Hearing the words leave her mouth increased the beat of his heart and he grinned, thinking of what he had planned for her. “I love you.” He stepped around her and winked. “Be good and play nice with Ella.”
“Yeah right, she’s as friendly as a rattlesnake.”
Luciano couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, you might have a point but please, Chloe try and play nice.”
As he walked to the door, the echo of her shoes on the wood of the floor reached his ears. “Yeah, nice all right, starting with a stake through her heart. Doubt she has one though.”
Though she mumbled the words under her breath, he’d definitely heard them and worried a slight bit. Chloe was naturally sweet, except where his stepmother was concerne
d
;
then the love of his life turned cold and lethal. Where did such a fear and hatred stem from? He knew Chloe ten times better than Ella and only one question repeated in his mind as he thought of the love loss between the two women and his stepmother’s dislike for the girl, now a lady, who had saved him from death and a curse.
Why?
Smoothing her hands over the dark blue velour evening dress, Chloe studied her reflection in the mirror. The dress had been a perfect choice considering how much Luc loved her in any shade of blue. The off the shoulder style of the gown dipped in the front sufficient to be sexy but not low enough to induce scandal. Instinctively, her hand touched the necklace hanging around her neck and her stomach fluttered. All these years she had worn a gift from Luc, the notion more than any girlhood fantasy could allow. The pendent and chain were perfect, especially considering they were from a prince. In so many ways he h
ad always been hers―even if only her heart.
She turned away from the mirror and wondered if Luc had come back yet from his day. Almost positive she’d heard the Maserati come back earlier she walked over to the large window in her bedroom and noticed the ve
hicle parked on the large circular drive.
Odd, Luc hadn’t come up to see her but she also knew he’d had a busy day. She did hide away for a big chunk of the day in her office and ventured out only when she knew her mother and the queen left to go shopping.
Avoiding Ella had become a new hobby. Not only did the woman give her chills but the royal pain in the ass didn’t hide her dislike for Chloe, which made being near her more than unnerving.
The woman is
downright creepy, queen or not. What was Mario thinking?
With a heavy sigh she decided he hadn’t been and grief had clouded his better judgment. She crossed the hardwood floor of her room then through the hall and down the stairs toward the drawing room where her father had mentioned everyone would gather before dinner. Apparently, her sisters would be coming tonight. The thought formed a knot in her stomach and she didn’t think she could stomach Georgina and her husband
, Ronald, arguing. What had her father been thinking? She stepped deeper into the room and discovered no one there yet, except the one person, she wanted to avoid.
A slow deliberate smile, lacking all sincerity crossed Ella’s face, the gesture bordered on a demonic look.
Not good, not good at all.
Her icy blue gaze raked over Chloe and she stepped closer. “Chloe, don’t we look lovely, trying to impress someone?” Her gaze darted to the necklace around her neck and her eyes narrowed.
“No.” Gratifying the queen with an explanation wasn’t high on her list, but she could humor the bitchy royal with an answer―as nicely as possible. “I always dress up when my father tells me dinner will be formal, contrary to what you may personally think of me, he and my mother did raise me with some class.” Her tone held disdain despite her best efforts. She hadn’t planned to cross into snotty, but the woman in front of her induced the tendency with such ease. “Why would you care, Ella, what I do?”
“I dislike you more with every passing moment and I warned you to keep your distance, but you sure didn’t waste anytime falling into bed with Luciano. Do you really think you’re so different from the other women he’s shared his evenings? He’ll use you for nothing more than sex then toss you away like a soiled tissue. He knows you’re nothing more than a slut and you’ve done little to prove otherwise.”
Ella’s words cut quick down to her soul. “You’re lying to compensate for what a miserable person you are.” Chloe’s proverbial claws came out and politeness fell by the way side. “You couldn’t possibly understand what I share with Luc, nor is it any of your business.”
The queen’s expression hardened. “You little tramp.”
“Call me what you like, but I’m not crazy about you, anymore than you are of me. Only, unlike you, I can tell you why my ill regard runs deep.”
“
I’d watch your tongue.” Her tone carried venom and though slightly frightening Chloe continued on.
Enough is enough.
“You’ve shown nothing but dislike for me from the first time you’ve stepped into my family’s home, so don’t try and say the reason you're so hateful toward me is because of Luc.” Her lips tugged into a smile and despite being afraid of the queen, her confidence grew. “Telling me that my intentions toward your stepson are what soil your opinion of me just proves that you are as terrible at lying as you are at being sincere.”
“I have every reason to hate you.” Her voice held a near cackle and Chloe’s heart picked up pace. The woman had a knack for going from scary to frightening in record time.
She darted a sideways glance to the door hoping Luc, her father, hell even her sisters would be a relief from the woman who chilled her blood. She inched backward, struggling to find her voice and her fleeting confidence as the queen stepped toward her. “Tell me what I did so wrong?”
“No, I’m not going to make things that easy on you, but…” Her expression took on an evil look and terror cooled Chloe’s blood even further. “So help me, I will promise you one thing. If my stepson ever touches you again, if you insist on having a relationship with him, I’ll kill him and not think twice about the ramifications.”
“That’s a little drastic don’t you think?” She begrudged the fact her voice carried the fear from her heart.
“I won’t stop there, Chloe. I
will
destroy your family and make sure none of them survive. As I recall the last time I made the threat to a family it didn’t work out so good for the Czar of the country I aided in that demise.”
The words seemed odd but for some reason she couldn’t help think of a certain family in 1917. Chloe shook the thoughts off and decided she would check Russian history later.
“Stay away from Luciano or suffer the consequences and live with the knowledge you were responsible for his death and your family’s destruction.” Her last words left her mouth with so much venom Chloe swore her heart would stop beating. “One last thing, if you tell anyone of this conversation I will see to it your worst nightmares become a frightening reality.”