Chapter Seven #3
They were careful not to talk too much about anything more serious or personal than likes, dislikes, surface subjects, and as soon as it seemed respectable, they would let the staff go for the evening, Caius would cook, or Poppy would—from her own limited repertoire—and then they would go to bed.
It was as if they’d made a tacit agreement to lean into indulging in this very traditional aspect of a very untraditional marriage.
This evening, they didn’t even make it to dinner. Poppy’s stomach gurgled and she turned her face into Caius’s chest. It rumbled under her cheek as he laughed.
‘Hungry?’
She lifted her head. ‘Well, I am eating for two, you know.’
‘Yes, you are.’ Caius put his hand on her bump. It had grown—even in these few days—almost as if it were flowering under the attention. Poppy pushed the ridiculous notion aside. She knew this could be a time for a growth spurt.
‘Are you going to find out the sex?’
Poppy tried not to love how much it felt to have Caius’s hand on her, over where their child grew. She was afraid that actually she was in serious danger of forgetting the boundaries around this marriage. Sex was turning everything hazy and rose-tinted.
‘I’m due my five-month scan in a couple of weeks. They can tell me—us—there. If you want to come.’
Caius shrugged minutely. ‘I don’t see why not. I do have to go back to New York for some meetings—maybe you could have it there?’
Poppy’s heart kicked up a notch as she asked carefully, ‘You want me to come?’
‘Why not? I presume it’ll be good for us to be seen together solidifying the fallacy that this is a fairy-tale royal union, after the honeymoon and news of the baby.’
Poppy hated how such cynicism tumbled from his mouth so easily. Especially when she was still tingling all over in the aftermath of making love.
She said, ‘As it’s just a scan, I’m sure my consultant here can set me up with someone there.’
‘Great.’
Poppy made a move to get out of the bed so she could put on some clothes and make some food but Caius wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back down. He loomed over her and said with a devilish grin, ‘I don’t think your appetite is fully whetted, is it?’
‘Caius,’ Poppy groaned, but that groan turned to a moan of need as soon as his mouth settled over hers and his hands traced her curves and squeezed her waist, before exploring further, down between her legs where her body told her and him exactly where her real hunger lay.
Returning to Valdere a couple of days later, Poppy felt as if a layer of skin had been removed. She could see the throngs of people waiting for them to land and disembark from the short journey across the lake and they were cheering and waving flags.
Her heart constricted. She felt as if she were betraying them when, really, every marriage in her ancestry had been some form of an arrangement.
Even though her father had been besotted with her mother, he’d wanted her because she was beautiful and glamorous and because he’d thought she’d help make Valdere seem more exciting, not because he’d really cared for her.
As the boat drew closer, Caius stood beside her and reached for her hand.
Poppy looked up at him. He was wearing a suit, top button of his shirt was open.
He looked casual but stylish. And sexy. Clotilde had come over earlier to help her get ready and she was wearing wide-legged trousers and a silk top in a matching colour, hair pulled back.
She no longer had to worry about hiding the bump and that was something of a relief because it really was growing.
When they disembarked, they were going to do a little walkabout. Caius let her go and they started on opposite sides of the street. It was a jolt to recognise that of course Caius didn’t need to be given any kind of instruction. He knew what to do. He’d been doing it since childhood, like her.
She loved meeting the people and recognised quite a few faces, accepting flowers and presents.
Everyone was so delighted that she was pregnant, there didn’t seem to be any kind of hint of snide gossip.
One little girl tugged on Poppy’s trousers and she bent down and the girl said, ‘Are you and the king like a real king and queen in a fairy tale?’
Poppy’s heart constricted. She’d been that little girl once, wishing her parents could be really in love. The little girl was too young to understand and Poppy mentally crossed her fingers as she said, ‘Of course we are.’
By the time she met Caius at the other end of the street leading away from the harbour her face was hurting from smiling. Caius took her hand and looked at her. ‘OK?’
Poppy tried not to let it fool her—his easy civility. She nodded. ‘Fine, feet are a bit sore.’
Caius made a gesture to the security and aides who’d met them and they were being ushered towards the car waiting for them. At the last moment someone from the crowd called out, ‘Bisou!’ Kiss!
Caius stopped and pulled Poppy close, he bent his head and she lifted her face but before he kissed her he said, ‘Just as well they can’t see into my mind right now, or they’d be very shocked by their new king’s lustful desires.’
Poppy’s insides clenched. It had been mere hours since they’d been entwined in bed and she needed him again. Could it be pregnancy hormones? she wondered a little desperately as his mouth met hers and the crowd cheered.
Back at the palace they were served lunch on a private terrace. An aide approached as they were having tea and coffee to inform Caius that his office had now been fully set up, and that Stephen needed to see Poppy for a briefing.
When the aide had gone, Poppy said, ‘I hope the office will be sufficient for your needs.’
‘Do you want to talk about my needs?’
Poppy glanced around in case staff were hovering. They seemed to be alone. It felt a lot more exposing to be back here at the palace, out of the bubble of the chateau. But not enough to care.
‘Caius…’
‘Yes?’
She looked at him and he was unrepentant.
So arrogant in his confidence. But not arrogant in the way she’d first assumed.
Her heart turned over at the cheeky but oh-so sexy look on his face, in his eyes.
The fact that he’d been using that same expression for years to charm the pants off countless women made Poppy feel prickly. ‘You’re insatiable.’
He shook his head. ‘I’ve never been this insatiable.’
And just like that Poppy’s prickliness dissolved like snow on a hot stone.
She was special. Was she? Right then she desperately wanted to believe she was special.
One of the staff came back to clean the table.
She saw the aide hovering nearby and said, ‘Actually, I’m quite tired, would you mind telling Stephen that I’m going for a quick nap before my meeting? ’
Caius stood up. ‘I’ll make sure you get to your room and that you’re not disturbed.’
The aide scurried off to pass on the message.
When Poppy got to her rooms and Caius shut the door behind them and locked it, Poppy was breathless.
She couldn’t help giggling. She felt as if she were playing truant.
This place had always been so serious, living under the dark cloud of her father’s disappointment, and for the first time she felt light-hearted.
Oh boy. She was in so much trouble already, because she knew it was second nature for Caius to be charming and seductive and mesmerising, but in this moment she didn’t care. She wanted him too badly.
She wrapped her arms around Caius’s neck. ‘Take me to bed, Caius.’
He lifted her up into his arms. ‘How can I disobey a direct order from my queen?’
For now, Poppy knew. While this intense absorption in each other lasted.
She just hoped that when it ended, she would still be intact.
At least she knew not to fall for him. Because for someone like her who’d survived the worst form of rejection, the rejection of a parent, she knew she wouldn’t survive it again.