Chapter 13 #2
"I am." She fiddled with her device and took a deep breath. "I did something foolish and am going to have to leave."
"Pardon?"
"I love my job," she rushed on to say. "It's just that I cannot stay here anymore. The prince..." She swallowed the lump inside her throat. "He... we..." She closed her eyes briefly. "We had sex!"
Queen Sofia was an expert in keeping her expression completely stoic after years of practice. She thanked God that she had years of experience. "I see. And based on that, you think you should leave?"
Antoinette stared at the woman in shock.
"I did the unthinkable. The unforgivable.
Surely you cannot condone what we did. What I did.
I should have known better. I should have been more firm in telling him to stay the hell away from me.
" She rose in agitation and started pacing.
"But I didn't. And now, oh God, now he wants.
.. he wants... I don't know what he wants, because I'm not his type. "
"Are you in love with my son?" the queen asked gently, interrupting the desperate flow of conversation.
"What?" Antoinette stopped abruptly, her eyes huge. "That's... that would be foolish. It would be insane. I'm not his type and I'm sure he's just having a fling. I don't have flings. I told him I was involved with someone and that did not make a difference."
"My dear, I'm still waiting on an answer."
She sat down heavily. "I can't be in love with him. It would make no sense. It would be one-sided and I cannot do that to myself again."
"Are you certain it is?" the woman asked her gently.
"What are you saying?"
Sofia leaned forward and folded her hands on the desk.
"I know my son and for the first time in his life, he's confused and out of sorts.
He has never been this way with a woman before.
" She smiled slightly. "Women pursue him, part of it is the way he looks and the fact that he's a prince.
He also has money, lots of it. Those details tend to attract the opposite sex.
He had a bad example through his father.
My husband was never a good father or husband, and he tried to mold our son into his own image. "
"To give an example, when Tomas was twelve, Eduardo's idea of turning him into a man was to bring in an escort to initiate him in the art of sex.
I was helpless to stop it, because his word was law and if I had voiced my objections, he would have banned me from seeing my son.
" Sofia firmed her lips. "The king's idea of manhood was to have as many women as possible, and he taught my son that.
He humiliated me at every turn. My son was witness to it and lost respect for me. I did nothing, I just took it."
She shook her head. "When the king died, I forced Tomas to talk to me and he vented. I just have to thank God that somehow he's different from his father." She leveled Antoinette with a look. "He's different. Ever since you came here, he's been different. You challenge him."
"You're the first woman who ever has. He's spoiled. Women pursue him, but since recently he has been taking a more active role in the running of the kingdom. He's staying put and that's on you."
"I..." Antoinette shook her head.
"I think he's in love with you."
Antoinette shook her head even as the hope soared. "No. He cannot be."
"Why?" Sofia smiled slightly. "Because as you termed it, you're not his type?
I was chosen to marry the king and had all the right requirements and that still did not make him love me.
I wanted more for my son and falling in love with someone like you has made me happy.
So, my dear, you can give up that idea of leaving.
I won't let you. Now," she added briskly, firmly declaring the discussion had ended.
"About the decorations. This is a very big event and we're going all out. "
********************
"Oh, for crying out loud!" She gripped the towel securely around her when she stepped into the room after her shower. "You cannot keep coming into my room as if you own it."
"It so happens I do. You look delightfully wet and absolutely adorable. You have tendrils of hair hanging down and curling on your neck. Why don't I dry you off?"
"Go away!" Stomping further into the room, she yanked out her nightgown drawer and chose one at random.
Completely ignoring him, she went into the closet, slammed the door shut and dragged on the thin blue silk.
"Great!" she huffed out softly. He was going to take the fact that she was wearing silk as an invitation.
Dragging the doors open, she marched into the room to see him propped up on the pillows, his hands supporting his head. He looked like a sultan, the smile curving his lips warm and inviting. "I told your mother I wanted to leave."
His smile became a frown as he continued to stare at her. "Why on earth would you say that?"
Plopping her hands on her hips, she was too busy sizzling to notice that his interest had turned from her face to the taut stretching of the material across her bosom. From where he was, he could clearly see the outline of her nipples.
"I love my job. It's diverse and highly interesting. I get to make autonomous decisions and am respected for the work I do. I don't want to leave, but you're making it impossible."
"By constantly invading your room?" He reluctantly tore his gaze away from her bosom. But it was no use, he was already powerless to stop the desire coursing through his body.
"By making me think..." She bit her lip and refused to continue.
"By making you what?" he persisted, his eyes on her face. She had the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that he suspected what she'd been about to say.
"Nothing."
He sat up and swung his legs off the bed.
Antoinette had to force herself to remain where she was.
"That I feel something for you?" His deep voice was soft, his hands rubbing her arms. "That I've tried to deny it so many times, but I'm in love with you?
" Her eyes went wide as she stared at him.
"That you're the first woman I've ever said that to? "
He drew her in, inexorable, his eyes still on hers. "That I cannot see myself without you in my life? It's all true."
"No." She shook her head wildly, causing the loose topknot to tumble over her shoulders. "Don't do this to me," she pleaded.
"I'm not him." He zeroed in on her fears immediately. "I promise to be faithful..."
"You cannot promise that! Look at you and look at me. You're a prince, while I..." She shook her head again. "I don't believe in fairytales, and this is not fantasy. I'm no princess..."
"You're mine." His hands tightened on her arms. "I won't let you leave and it's going to take time proving to you that I mean every word.
" He tilted her face up, eyes searching each feature.
"Come to bed with me and let me prove to you that I need you.
" He drew her towards the bed. Before she could climb in, he removed her nightgown and then his robe.
"I'll be spending the night and every night in your arms from now on." He turned her to face him, his hands cupping her cheeks.
"Tomas..."
"I love the way you say my name," he whispered hoarsely, lips brushing against hers.
"It does all sorts of things to my insides.
" He nibbled on her bottom lip and sent her senses soaring.
"I never planned on you, Senorita Carter.
" He kissed the sting away, before tracing the curve of her lip with the tip of his tongue. "You just happened."
He parted her lips with his tongue, kissing lightly, tangling with hers and then retreating slowly, erotically, firing her blood even more.
"You took me by surprise. Yanked the rug out from under me and I am still floored.
" His mouth drifted to her neck, the enchanting curve, then the hollow of her throat.
He nipped at the skin above her breast, causing her to arch towards him.
He teased the nipple, first bathing it with his tongue and then blowing on it.
The sensation was exquisite. Her fingers clutched at him as she turned her body towards his.
Her hands wandered freely for the first time over wide shoulders, before exploring the crisp dark hairs covering a muscled chest. He flinched reflexively when she touched his nipples and went stiff when she ducked her head to use her tongue.
His gasp fired her confidence, causing her to become bolder. When she started to drift further down, he choked out a laugh and pushed her back on the pillows.
"I cannot take much more," he whispered hoarsely. He murmured some words in Spanish, sending shivers straight into her belly.
"Please."
"Soon," he assured her. "I love the feel of your skin, the taste of you that lingers in my mouth." He punctuated each word with a kiss, until he was taking little bites from her stomach. When he ventured further down, the shock and embarrassment had her clutching at him to make him stop.
"No. I..." She broke off with a strangled cry when he touched his tongue to the sensitive flesh.
Deciding that he wanted desperately to be part of her, he rose and covered her body with his.
Sinking into the moist tightness, he felt as if he was free flying.
Her arms came around him, holding him tight.
Her body arched in response to his measured stroke.
Her fingers slid from his shoulders to the corded muscles of his neck and gripped the dense thickness of his hair.
"Tomas."
"Mi amor," he whispered thickly. "I'm yours. Indubitably yours." Before she could respond, he closed his mouth over hers. Her body quickened, her nipples so tight, they ached. She was no longer able to deny what was happening between them. What was happening with her?
With a cry of surrender, she gave into the exquisite torment of him buried deep inside her.
The climax exploded between them, causing them to cling to each other as their bodies shuddered in response.
With his lips still buried against hers, Tomas felt the wonderful sensation coursing through his body again and again as if it would go on forever.