14. Chapter 14
~LIAM~
“ S omeone could walk right up on us,” she whispers and then sighs when I lick along the ridge of her collarbone. Goose bumps break out across her flesh, begging for my tongue.
I’m happy to oblige.
We started out by taking a leisurely walk through the garden. It sits on the other side of the main house, and is one of Ellie’s favorite places, especially with the rose bushes and other flowers in full bloom. There are paths and benches to sit on, not to mention a beautiful water feature in the middle of the Aspen trees. Even I have to admit it’s a nice place to unwind.
Especially if I get to kiss the hell out of Ellie at the same time.
But that leisurely walk turned sexy when she gave me one coy look and drug her hand down my arm. That was all I could take.
Callum’s been here for three days, which means I haven’t had much alone time with Ellie in those seventy-two hours—something that is nothing short of pure torture. But he’s out on the boat today, and we finally have a few hours to ourselves.
“Aren’t there cameras over here?” she asks, glancing around.
“Of course,” I murmur, leaning in to lick her ear lobe. “But this happens to be another blind spot.”
“I don’t know that there should be so many blind spots in the security,” she says and steps to her left. “That just seems irresponsible. I thought you were better at your job than that.”
“Where you’re standing now isn’t a blind spot,” I inform her with a grin and reach out for her. “Get back here, smartass.”
I tug her to me and let my lips fall over hers, nipping playfully. She grips my shirt in her fists, holding on as I kiss her like my life depends on it.
Because there are moments, like right now, that it feels like it does depend on it. I can’t get enough of her. For a man who’s lived his entire adult life practicing patience and endurance, I don’t have any of those skills when it comes to Ellie.
I crave her.
She is my biggest weakness.
And I won’t have her here with me forever, so I’m indulging in every damn second I can.
I have my hand under her shirt, and my mouth on hers when we hear someone calling out.
“Ellie!”
She pulls out of my arms and stares up at me. “It’s Callum,” she whispers.
“He’s been interrupting us all week,” I grumble and take her hand when the voice gets louder and closer. “Come on.”
I pull her along after me, running away from Ellie’s brother. We’re both laughing and looking back, hoping he doesn’t see us playing an adult game of hide and seek.
We run all the way around the house and then back to Ellie’s apartment. We finally make it inside, both panting and out of breath, laughing with each other.
“That’s another first,” she says, leaning on the wall to catch her breath. “I’ve never run away from my brother before.”
“I bet you’ve also never almost gotten caught making out with your security detail.”
She pauses and tilts her head as if she has to give it some thought to remember. I reach out for her with a growl.
“Okay, you’ve got me there,” she says, giggling again as she shoves her sweet fingers into my hair. “I’ve never made out with any of my security before.”
“Damn right.” I hoist her over my shoulder and carry her up the stairs. She slaps my ass, so I return the favor, planting the palm of my hand on the round globe of her rear end.
“Ouch.” But she’s giggling, so she’s clearly not hurt in the least.
“You hit me first,” I remind her and set her down when I get to the top of the stairs. Before I can say anything else, someone knocks loudly down below.
“Ellie!”
“What’s his deal?” Ellie asks in exasperation. “Stay here. I’ll go answer it.”
I don’t like being out of eyesight of this woman, so I stand on the stairs and watch her go to the door, my weapon ready in case anything goes sideways.
She cracks the door. “What do you want? And why are you yelling like a lunatic?”
“Let’s go grab some lunch.”
“Really? That’s why you’re screaming bloody murder?”
“I’m hungry.”
“No.” She backs away and tries to shut the door, but Callum’s hand shoots out to stop her. “I’m busy, Callum.”
“Fine, then.” He sighs deeply, laying the guilt on thick.
“I thought you were out on the boat?” Ellie asks.
“They’re calling for an afternoon thunderstorm.”
Ellie nods in understanding. A storm caused Ellie and Nina’s boat accident last year.
It’s a moment I never want to relive.
“I came all this way to see you, and you’re really going to turn me down for lunch? Let’s try that diner in town. Ed’s. I could use an American burger.”
I can’t blame him there. Ed’s has the best food in town as far as I’m concerned.
She sighs and then shrugs a shoulder. “Okay. Give me fifteen to get ready, and I’ll meet you up at the house.”
“Brilliant.”
Callum finally leaves, and Ellie shuts the door with a cringe. “I’m sorry, but he’s right. He came a long way to see me.”
“It’s fine, sweetheart. I’ve had blue balls since your brother got to town, what’s a few more hours?”
She wrinkles her gorgeous little nose. “What are blue balls?”
I laugh and follow her back up to the kitchen. “It’s a painful condition when a man’s been turned on but has no relief.”
She rolls her eyes, making me grin. “Oh, please. I think you’ll live. Besides, my family will do that to you. I’ve been living with blue balls all of my adult life.”
I laugh and shake my head at her. “That’s not possible, babe.”
“Not from where I’m standing.”
“Okay, why did everyone keep Ed’s from me?” Ellie asks once we’re back in her apartment. She’s rubbing her hands over her full stomach. Since the storm passed, Callum decided to go back out on the boat for the rest of the afternoon with David, his personal security. “I’m stuffed. But it was absolutely delicious.”
“They’re the best in town,” I say in agreement. Not eating anything while on duty with Ellie was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. I don’t usually have a problem with watching those I’m guarding eat. I’m not a junk food junkie.
But Ed’s burgers are a different story altogether.
“You didn’t have any,” she says as if it’s just occurred to her.
“I was on duty,” I remind her.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“Starved, actually. I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”
She scowls. “Well, we could have ordered you something to go.”
I watch her for a long moment. “Has it never occurred to you before that the men who look after you don’t eat when you do?”
“Well, of course, they don’t. It’s just protocol because they’re working. But I suppose it’s never crossed my mind that they might be hungry. And that just makes me sound ghastly.”
“No, it makes you sound like a privileged woman who’s never had to think about those things. It doesn’t make you a bad person.”
“I’ve never had the kind of relationship with someone on my staff the way I do with you. And I’m not just talking about the sex, of course.” She smiles and then leans her head back on the couch, thinking it over. “I’ve always been friendly because I’m not a hag. Of course, I think of the staff as human beings.
“But they’re also employees. So, our relationships have always been professional ones.”
“Exactly,” I agree.
“It’s simply expected that when I’m in public being guarded, the security doesn’t eat or do anything but make sure the royal family is safe. Because that’s appropriate professionally.”
“I don’t disagree. I’m not complaining.”
“I know, but I guess I’m just now realizing how indulged I am. I take so much of it for granted because it’s all I’ve ever known. But you’re hungry, and Callum and I ate at your favorite restaurant. I wish you’d mentioned that you’d like to take a meal to go. I wouldn’t have found that inappropriate in the least. And I’m quite sure Callum would have felt the same way. We should order you some food right now.”
Do I want a burger? Yes. In fact, aside from Ellie herself, there doesn’t seem to be much at the moment that I want more.
“If we do that, we should order for the whole team on staff today,” I reply, watching her worry her bottom lip as she thinks it over.
“Oh, that’s a brilliant idea! We’ve done things like that in the past, and I think it’s a lovely way to show appreciation. Let’s do it. You go take everyone’s order, and we’ll go fetch it.”
“This is a fun side to you,” I mention as I stand and pull her to her feet. “You’re a sweet woman, Eleanor.”
“If I was that sweet, I would have thought to offer this when we were still there.”
“I would have refused it,” I reply and kiss her nose. “Because I was on duty.”
“Well, then, let’s get you a burger. But nothing for me because I can barely breathe.”
“Why don’t you come with me?”
She smiles brightly and slips her bare feet back into her sandals. “I’d love to.”
I head over to HQ with her, and when we walk through the door, Baxter and Bartlett are standing at the table. They nod at me, but when they see that Ellie’s with me, they both lower their heads and say, “ Your Highness.”
“We have a surprise for you,” Ellie says with a smile. “We’d like to buy you a late lunch. Would cheeseburgers from Ed’s Diner be okay with you?”
Both men raise their brows in surprise. “That would be fantastic,” Bartlett says.
“I’m starving,” Baxter adds and nods. “Thank you.”
“Just write down what you’d like, and Liam and I will go fetch it for you. It’s a small token of my appreciation for all you’ve done for me during my stay here. You always go above and beyond, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.”
Bartlett and Baxter both blush, making me laugh.
“Okay, okay, their heads are big enough. Write down what you want. We’ll be back soon.”
“Just tell me what you want,” Baxter says, reaching for a pen, “and I’ll call it in so it’s ready when you get there.”
“Good idea. Double cheeseburger, large fries, and a chocolate shake.”
“Me, too,” Baxter says.
“Three of those,” Bartlett adds. “And thank you, miss.”
“It’s entirely my pleasure.”
“I think you’re the favorite around here now,” I say several hours later, after the food was fetched and devoured, and Ellie and I are back in her apartment alone.
“I do so enjoy being the favorite,” she says with a smile. She’s texting on her phone. “Callum’s going to be out for a while. I don’t know what he’s up to, but he says he won’t be back for a couple of hours yet.”
She bats her eyelashes at me and covers my lap with her bare leg. I’m a sucker for Ellie in short-shorts.
Okay, I’m a sucker for Ellie period.
“Whatever shall we do with our time alone?” she asks.
“I guess we could play poker.”
She smirks. “Or, we could play poke her.”
I stare at her in surprise and then bust up laughing. “I can honestly say, I never expected something like that to come out of your sexy little mouth.”
“I can be clever.” She sniffs and boosts herself onto my lap, straddling me. “Why don’t we go back to our lessons? I know we made it to home base already, but there must be lessons in there we skipped over.”
“Several, actually.”
“Do tell.” She settles against me, and my cock immediately comes to life. Ellie’s grin is quick and full of satisfaction. “I’m all ears.”
“Well, we totally bypassed the oral lesson entirely.” I easily lift her and switch our positions, laying her on the couch and kneeling next to her. “It’s a very important one, too.”
“We need to cover that one.” She’s solemn as if it’s the most important thing in the world.
Princess Eleanor cracks me up.
I bend over and put my mouth on her nipple over her tank top, watching it pucker under the white cotton.
She’s not wearing a bra.
When Ellie’s in private, she doesn’t wear much, and it’s enough to drive a man to his knees.
I drag a finger down the center of her abdomen and flick her shorts open. Without being asked, she raises her hips, urging me to help her lower the denim down her legs, and toss them over my shoulder.
Since that first encounter, we’ve had sex a few more times, but I haven’t had her sprawled out before me like a feast since then.
It’s fucking ridiculous.
Ellie lowers a hand as if she’s suddenly shy, and I snatch it up, kiss her knuckles and smile at her.
“You’re gorgeous.”
“I’m quite exposed.”
I nod, letting my eyes travel the length of her. She’s in that white tank and nothing else, and I want to fucking devour her.
But I have to stick to the lesson at hand.
“Thank Christ for it. You’re a sight to behold, sweetheart.”
She licks her lips, bites her lower lip, and watches me as I lean in to press a kiss to her bare hip.
Her phone rings, but she shakes her head. “Ignore it.”
I take it slow, letting my lips journey over her thighs, her lower abdomen. Everywhere but what I want the most.
This is still new for her, though, and I’m going to ease her into it, even if it kills me in the process.
“Liam.”
And there it is, that throaty growl that sends my blood racing.
I let my hand glide up her inner thigh and brush over her slick opening. When she arches her body in invitation, I spread her legs and settle in to blow her damn mind.
Her head shoots up, and she stares down at me in absolute wonder as I lick her hot slit from her clit to her soaked opening.
She tastes like heaven. And the noises she makes? Those breathy, high-pitched moans of ecstasy make my already hard cock strain against my zipper even more.
I rub the tip of my nose over her clit, and when I push one finger inside of her, she explodes spectacularly, riding out an orgasm that she’s likely never experienced before.
Her nipples strain against her tank.
Her hips gyrate, wanting more and more from me.
When she calms down, licks her lips once more, and looks at me with hot blue eyes, I know that I’ve completely lost my heart to this woman.
She’s everything I never knew I needed, and never thought I’d have in my life. Even if it is only for thirty days.
It’s a hell of a lot more than I deserve.
“My turn,” she says, reaching for me. She turns on her side and pulls me over to her so I’m next to her head. “I don’t really know what I’m doing, but I’m doing it all the same.”
All she has to do is touch me, and I lose my cool.
She unfastens my jeans, and I push them down my hips so my cock bobs toward her, thick and heavy.
“Like this.” I take her hand in mine and wrap it around the shaft, showing her how I like to be touched. I let go, and she continues, watching in fascination as the skin stretches and moves with her hand.
She leans closer and tentatively sticks her tongue out, gently brushing it over the very tip. I have to fist my hands and count to twenty to keep from coming too soon.
My God, her hands are magical.
Bolder now, she wraps those pink lips around the head and, as if she were born for this, she starts to massage me with her mouth. Her hand works me, and it’s the sexiest sight I’ve ever seen in my fucking life.
“El, you have to stop, babe.”
She shakes her head and lowers her brows into a frown. She’s not stopping.
“I don’t want to come in your mouth.”
She hums, and that’s all it takes. I can’t hold back. Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t gag or recoil in disgust. She smiles in satisfaction, and to my complete surprise, she swallows.
It’s her first time doing that, and she swallows?
“You should have stopped.”
“Why?”
“Because I came in your mouth. What if you didn’t like it?”
“Well, now I know. It wasn’t the best thing to happen in my life, but it wasn’t gross either. And it was quite fun to make you lose control like that. We’ll be doing that again.”
I laugh and tuck myself away as my phone rings.
“Someone’s trying to reach us,” I say, pulling my phone out of my pants, frowning at the display.
It’s London.
“Cunningham.”
“This is Bernard.” The king’s personal security. “The princess’s presence is being requested by tomorrow evening.”
“I’ll have her there.”
I hang up and glance at Ellie. She’s still pink from her orgasm.
“I have to take you home tomorrow.”
She scowls. “But I’m not supposed to leave for several days yet.”
“I have orders,” I reply, already feeling the bubble Ellie and I have lived in for the past three weeks bursting around me. “I’d better get over to HQ and pack a bag and brief my men. We’ll leave tomorrow morning.”
“I’m calling my father,” she says, pulling on her shorts. “Something must be wrong.”
I watch her for a moment and then cup her face in my hands and kiss her hard. Then I pull back and smile at her, even though my chest already hurts. “I’ll come back down in a couple of hours. Don’t go anywhere, okay?”
“Okay.”
I hurry down the stairs and just step outside when I realize that I didn’t zip up. I do that and turn around to find Callum right behind me.
Fuck.
His eyebrows climb.
“So. What’s going on here?”
I shake my head and move to walk past him, but his voice stops me.
“Liam.”
I turn to Ellie’s brother. “You know what, man? If you have questions, I suggest you ask your sister. I don’t know what she’s ready for you to know. What I will tell you is that it’s nothing that isn’t consensual.”
“Be careful,” he warns as I walk away. “You’re about to go to the palace, and we still have guillotines around there somewhere.”
I wave over my shoulder and keep walking. Callum obviously knows that we’re headed back to London.