Chapter 42
When we arrived home, Ingrid ran headlong into Alexandra’s arms. Unexpectedly, she hugged me shortly after. The girls were happy we returned. In the interim, they told school stories. I realised I missed them, too—especially little Ingrid. It was nice to be back.
Despite my threats, Celeste remained in the Queen’s quarters.
“This is unacceptable,” I said.
Alexandra, confused, asked, “Why did she not vacate, Lord William? She was told to do so.”
“The timeline was tricky. The new apartments were unsuitable. Work must be done. The Prime Minister will need to approve the money.”
“And you,” Celeste said, “will need to ask him. You didn’t ask.”
“I didn’t know,” Alexandra said.
She made herself smaller.
I hated this. She balled up and disappeared into herself, frightened of Celeste’s wrath.
“I am sure they are fine for now,” I said.
“I cannot navigate the bath. I have a bad hip. I require a larger shower,” Celeste protested.
“Why was none of this brought to our attention, Lord William?”
“Sir, you were not around long. And, either way, these are decisions which must be made by Her Majesty.”
“We speak united on this issue?—”
“It is nice you think that, Rick,” Celeste said. “But it’s not your place.”
Alexandra squeezed my hand. “We do. Rick has my best interest in mind, and we do need space and privacy. We will get none with the adjoining room that I share with Asti. We’re married. We live in a bloody palace, but have no space.”
“Well, I was set to move into a bank of rooms in the other wing. You see how you like it.”
“Put us there then,” Alexandra said. “Until the Dowager Queen can remedy her current situation. Moving back into my old quarters is unacceptable.”
“It will take time, ma’am,” Lord William sighed.
“Fine, then let’s find a way to make a move to more suitable accommodations,” I insisted.
“I think it will be fine down there. You have the second-best bank of rooms,” Celeste said. “But all you do is whinge.”
“Grand-Mama, I share a bathroom and a sitting room with Astrid. Rick and I need personal space. We’re a married couple. And his clothes won’t even fit in my wardrobe.”
“Perhaps you all can stick to your current arrangement?”
“That is unsuitable!” Alexandra livened.
“Why’s that?”
“You know why! We won’t be sleeping in separate rooms like teenagers.”
I nodded in agreement. “Do you want grandchildren, Celeste?”
“Very much, yes. But given that the two of you were so cold as of late, I didn’t think that would phase her.”
“Do not make assumptions about what we do or don’t do,” Alexandra said. “I can assure you we need the space and Astrid doesn’t want to be aware of our goings-on. We’re newlyweds, after all.”
She might have well said we were fucking like rabbits—which we were—but it was in the politest way possible. I rubbed Alexandra’s back. She found her voice. I tried not to talk over her. Undermining her was the worst thing I could do.
“I am retiring to our ridiculous, unacceptable quarters!” Alexandra grabbed my hand and led me down the hall towards her room.
We made it there, weary from a delayed flight from Paris. Fortunately, neither of us was particularly daunted.
“I want you right now,” she said. “This is a ridiculous arrangement, and I am sorry, but we haven’t gotten up to no good yet today.”
“You can say we haven’t fucked, baby. It’s okay to be direct.”
“You adore my euphemisms. You think they are inventive.”
I chuckled. “I adore everything about you right now, but I want you to tell me what you want.”
She blushed.
“Tell me or I won’t do anything,” I said.
She kissed me, whispering, “I want you to go down on me.”
“You want me to eat you out?”
She nodded.
“I’d like that, too, Lex.”
We got naked like it was second nature. By now, I knew every inch of her. I knew how to make her cum fast and hard. She loved it and I yearned to break her walls down. She’d turn into jelly, unable to speak.
She was already wet as I kissed her. My fingers toyed with her clit. She shivered and grabbed my hand, pushing my fingers inside.
“You’re greedy, Alexandra.” I pulled back.
“Please.”
“Please what?”
“Lick my…”
“What?”
She wouldn’t say it. I ran my finger up and down her inner thighs, teasing.
“My pussy,” she finally said. “Get down there and lick my pussy.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I obliged, disappearing between her legs.
The thing I loved about eating her out was how fast she went from zero to sixty. And, working with my fingers and tongue, I could make her cum even faster.
“Mer, mer, mer,” she groaned, gently thrusting her hip towards my face.
More, more, more. Alexandra spoke some of her mother’s native Dansk, but the fact that she invoked a phrase I understood well at this moment made me want to lose it. I did oblige her.
“Oh, fuck, yes, yes!”
She came with an aggressive growl. Her fingers gripped my hair hard. Her legs quaked. She lay there still. I loved this version of her—the woman who came undone with a simple stroke of my tongue. This woman would now do whatever I asked of her. However, I didn’t get to bask in it long because I realised we had an audience.
There was a knock on the bathroom door. Alexandra and her sister shared a bathroom—each with their own door.
“Alex, can you please keep it down? I’m in here with the little girls,” Astrid said.
“God! Sorry!” Alexandra said. “I will… we will… keep it down.”
I kissed my way back up, towering over her now.
“We must be good,” Alexandra whispered.
I kissed her. “Yes, we must.”
There was then a second knock.
“Ma’am it’s—” a maid entered.
I turned to see her there. I didn’t dare move and expose Alexandra’s entire naked body to the woman. I couldn’t believe she walked in without an invitation. True to form, she turned away from us, allowing us to duck under the covers.
“I apologise, Your Majesty, Your Highness. The Dowager Queen told me you would like to begin your evening with dinner in your room. I brought you some drinks?—”
“We did not order such things,” Alexandra said, annoyed. “We shall take our dinner in the dining room—alone, thank you.”
“Of course, ma’am. It will be ready shortly.”
She left. Alexandra looked at me. We burst into a fit of laughter.
“She saw your entire bum,” Alexandra giggled.
“She did, yeah. Oh well.”
“She should thank you. It’s rather nice.” Alexandra kissed me. “Well, so much for privacy. I will miss our time abroad.”
“Let’s go to Lundhavn,” I said. “We have no plans for the weekend. Visit my parents. And we can bring the girls.”
“Really?” Alexandra asked.
“Yeah. Let’s get away from here. Make the old bag angry.”
“You would take all four of us to Blavenberg?”
“Ja,” I laughed. “It’s good for them to travel. I consider it an essential experience. They should get out more. I promised to help with that.”
“Mmm,” she sighed. “I love you. You are a good person in the end.”
“I love that you think that. Can you please tell my father? Might improve things with him?”
“I think seeing us happy has improved things with him already. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
“Right about now it is,” I agreed. “Baby, we should get dressed for dinner.”
“It will hold,” Alexandra said. “I am happy to have time with you right now.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah,” she bit her lip. “I think I’m going to blow you before dinner as a thank you.”
“Who am I to refuse you then?” I laughed.
I was pretty sure I deserved nothing but was glad to be indebted to her and the girls. It made me feel useful and drove me to do better. I loved her more than she comprehended. She made me happy.