Chapter 289

I looked at Nicholas and totally froze.

Here I was, in such a revealing swimsuit, pressed up against the window, trying to get Julian’s attention. I could imagine what Nicholas might think, and none of it would do well to quell the jealous wolf within him that was seemingly ready to jump anytime Julian and I were together.

“Why are you dressed like that?” he demanded. The wolf was in his voice, making it deeper and rougher than usual.

Panicked, I tried to explain what happened as quickly as I could.

“Bridget spilled red wine on my outfit, so I rushed to change. But when I opened my suitcase, someone had exploded some red paint balls in my luggage. Everything’s ruined. The housekeeper already took my clothes so this was the only thing I had left and I thought if I could just get someone’s attention they could –”

“Prince Nicholas?” a waiter called. “Are you in here, Sir? Your drink is ready.”

The waiter was coming around the door. I desperately searched for a place to hide, but this room was sparser than the others. It was a library or something, with bookcases built into two of the four walls.

There were two tall backed chairs, but they were on the other side of the room. I’d have to rush and dive but there wasn’t time!

Fortunately, while I was in my panic, Nicholas maintained a much clearer head. He stormed straight toward the entrance and blocked the way and the view with his body.

“I’ll have the drink outside,” Nicholas told the waiter. “Please take it there for me and I will come get it in a moment.”

“Very well, sir,” the waiter said, and turned away. Slowly, I heard the sound of his footsteps disappearing.

When he was safely gone, Nicholas turned his attention back to me. His eyes were dark, feral almost as he dragged his gaze down the length of my mostly exposed body.

“Nick, I…” I didn’t know what to say. This was all unfortunate. I hadn’t planned any of it. And I certainly hadn’t expected to be standing here in this outfit, trying to hide from everyone.

Whatever words I might have fumbled out of my mouth were lost as Nicholas rushed toward me and scooped me up into his arms.

“Nick?”

“Someone else will see you like this,” he growled. Holding me in a bridal carry, he walked out of that library and down the hallway to the stairs. On the second floor, he moved with a practiced ease toward a bedroom and kicked open the door.

The head housekeeper had said that the rooms hadn’t been finished being assigned yet, but the one Nicholas chose already had his things inside.

Perhaps this was his personal room whenever the royal family came to stay here. It would make sense for each of the royal family to maintain their own rooms, rather than be shuffled around like the guests would need to be.

With the door closed behind us, Nicholas slowly lowered me down onto my feet. I was standing in the middle of the bedroom, my feet cool on the tile floor. Nicholas, despite having lowered me, did not move away. Instead, he stared down at me from his six foot stature.

That angle let him look directly down at my breasts. Not that much was hidden from a forward angle view, but from the top, he could likely see even more. And he looked. I watched him. Those molten gold eyes stared openly at the curves of my breasts. His fingers twitched where his hands hung at his sides.

His face was drawn, his mouth a tight line. Was he holding himself back? Should that be my indication to leave? Why were we even here?

“If you can get Veronica for me –” I began to say. I was sure she would lend me some clothes, but I just needed to ask her.

“No,” he said.

I snapped my mouth closed and looked up at him. “Nick?”

Nicholas’s hands had curled even more, into fists now.

Maybe I should go. Of course, I wanted him, especially with him looking at me like he was, like he wanted to eat me whole.

But he was with Bridget now. It wouldn’t be right. It wouldn’t.

“If you don’t want me to touch you,” Nicholas said, “Go into the bathroom there.” He tilted his head toward an on suite bathroom with a door. “Go in there now, close the door. I will understand and go get Veronica for you.”

I swallowed hard. A choice. Leave, preserve my dignity, but deny myself the feel of Nicholas’s touch.

God, I knew the choice I should make. Especially if Nicholas was trying to make things work with Bridget, as she had said so blatantly so many times.

Yet never once had I heard those words from Nicholas himself.

I should go. Staying will feel amazing in the moment, but it would only hurt me in the long run. Nicholas and I couldn’t be together, regardless of whether or not he was with Bridget right at this moment.

I should go and not fantasize about those strong hands grabbing my breasts. I shouldn’t think about falling onto this bed behind me with Nicholas on top of me.

I should just go.

Instead, I lifted my chin. “And if I stay?”

That was my answer. I couldn’t help myself. With Nicholas, I had no self-control. I would do anything to have him, to feel him, to love him.

His eyes impossibly darken farther, alighting a fire within me. With how slim this bikini is, I had no doubt that he could smell my desire in the air.

So he surged forward, wrapped his arms around me, and yanked me toward him. Our chests pressed hard together as his mouth descended over mine.

It had been too long since I had tasted his mouth, his lips, his tongue. I indulged now, taking my fill. This could be the last time. I was not about to miss this chance.

Nicholas lowered his hands were he squeezed and cupped the mostly-bare globes of my ass. Slowly, gently, he lowered me down onto the bed and crawled on top of me, all without breaking the kiss.

When our kiss did end, he immediately lowered himself down, kissing along the column of my throat, then over my collarbones.

Those tiny triangles of my bikini were so easily pushed to the side, and Nicholas closed his mouth over my bare nipple. I arched my back at once, overwhelmed by the sudden stimulation. His mouth was so hot, and his wicked tongue was trailing insistent circles over my sensitive bud.

I combed my fingers through his hair and held on for dear life.

A warmth blossomed and bloomed within my chest. I did my best to ignore it, knowing no good could come of it, despite how wonderful it felt. Any growing attachment to Nicholas was foolish and would only end in heartbreak for me.

Nicholas lapped at my nipple while cupping and squeezing my other breast with his strong hand. His thumb brushed that nipple through the fabric of the swimsuit.

I moaned. I cried his name. I writhed beneath him.

And he continued tasting and touching me until I couldn’t even do that.

Somehow, all of Nicholas’s clothes and the rest of my skimpy swimsuit ended up on the floor, and Nicholas and I rutted against each other like we had when we had dated all those years ago.

Nicholas’s thigh was slotted between my legs. His dick was pressing into the edge of my hipbone.

We grinded and begged and panted our way to mutual pleasure.

And as I came with his name on my lips, I knew only he could make me feel this complete.