Gripping her hips, he lifted them, locked eyes with her, and said, “I’m not losing you again.” Lowering his body over hers, he nipped her neck and thrust into her hard. When he was fully sheathed inside her, they stilled, as if they both needed a second to register how fucking amazing they felt joined. “Jesus, Alicia.”
Never in his life had he felt such a need to possess a woman. No, not just any woman. Alicia. Always Alicia. Only Alicia.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, wiggling experimentally. Growling, he slammed his mouth down on hers, slipping his tongue inside her mouth at the same time as he pulled out of her and drove back in. And he didn’t pause, or hesitate, or freeze this time. There was no stopping the wave of desire she’d brought out in him, and nothing would stop him from making her scream his name over and over again until she couldn’t imagine a life where he wasn’t buried deep inside her body like this. Because he already couldn’t.
I need you, Alicia. Don’t go.
She was embedded on his heart, like a tattoo or a scar, and no amount of surgery would remove her. He slapped the side of her ass and moved his hips faster. Harder. She stiffened beneath him, her breath rushing into his mouth as she came.
He didn’t stop, though.
Didn’t claim his release.
Not until she came at least one more time, damn it.
She dug her nails into his back, crying out as he plunged even deeper, hitting the spot guaranteed to send her soaring again. “Oh my—gah. Stop.” She smacked his arm the second the words left her mouth. “Don’t stop. Don’t you dare—” Her body stiffened again, arching at the back, and she left off on a strangled moan. “Leo.”
He kissed her again, lifted her hips, and thrust once, twice, bam. He came explosively, the whole world stopping as the pleasure took over his mind and body, blocking out the pain of the day. Letting out a soft groan, he collapsed on the bed beside her, pulling her into his arms. Her breathing was as ragged as his, and she rested a hand on his heart. They lay like that silently for a while.
And he never wanted to move.
He’d pay big money to know what she was thinking. He wanted this with her. He hadn’t been sure before, but he needed her in his life.
But there was so much…
Right now, he had to focus his priorities, but it was tough with her so…
Damn it. He didn’t know what to do.
“This doesn’t have to change anything,” she said softly. “I feel you tensing up, and a million thoughts are probably going through your head, and you said a lot of stuff, but that’s all it was. It was just pretty words, and amazing sex. That’s it.”
And just like that, he remembered why he swore not to take her earlier. Because he’d known if he did, she would immediately brush it off as a quick fuck, like that night at the nightclub. In his grief, he’d given her the excuse to do so on a silver platter. He’d known she wasn’t ready, and that she didn’t want to want him.
He’d had a game plan. He hadn’t played by those rules.
And now he’d pay the price.
“If you say so,” he managed to get out, trying his best to stay calm.
“I do.” She played with his chest hair. “I mean, it was wonderful, and you’ll always be…special…to me. But you’re a king now, and with that comes responsibilities, and I don’t fit…I’m not one of them, you know? Once this is over, I’ll go back to America, and you’ll stay here and marry Princess whatever her name was, and run your country, and that’s just how it’s going to be.”
“You’ve got it all figured out already, haven’t you?” he asked, his voice hard because the way she summed up what this night was to him without even asking him what he felt for her pissed him the hell off. “You know how it all ends?”
“Well, yeah.” She rose on her elbow and stared at him, all soft lips, ruffled blond curls, and guarded blue eyes. He’d give anything to understand what the hell it was that ran through her mind that made her say things like this. “We both know what this was.”
“Oh?” He flexed his jaw, staring at the red spot on her neck where he’d nipped her a little too hard. “And what, exactly, is that?”
“I was trying to make you feel better. To comfort you.” She avoided his eyes, tracing a path on the blue comforter. “When my father died, I needed that, too. Comfort. I wanted to do that for you, for old time’s sake.”
In other words…
Tonight meant nothing to her.
And neither did he.
Swallowing hard, he shut his eyes, his father’s disapproving frown floating in front of his eyes like a reminder of all the ways he’d failed. He could have been in Greece with his father, spending time with him, and making him happy by meeting all those princesses his father had spoken of. Maybe he could have helped in some way, and his father would still be alive. But he’d been too busy chasing after Alicia…
Who clearly didn’t want to be caught.