Keeping My Prince Charming (Finding My Prince Charming 3)

“Okay.” I nodded, but I didn’t really want him to go. I wanted him to explain to me what he was talking about. I wanted to know what these men wanted of me or from me. I stood there for a few seconds just studying my hands. I could barely believe that I was in this situation. It was surreal and also exhilarating.

“Hello.” A deep sensual voice spoke from in front of me and I looked up. It was Prince Stephan, and his blue eyes looked warm and inviting.

“Hello,” I said almost shyly as I stood there. Why had he come up to talk to me? I looked to see if Xavier was close by, but he had disappeared into the crowd.

“Can I show you around?”

“Around?”

“My palace.” He smiled and placed his hand in front of me. “I can show you the rooms that no one else gets to see.”

“I shouldn’t. I’m waiting on someone.”

“It won’t take long.” He cocked his head. “I think you’ll find it quite exciting.”

“I… I guess, sure,” I said and bit my lower lip as I immediately regretted agreeing to go with this man I’d just met.

“Good.” He smiled and his hand was warm and soft as it grazed my arm. “Let me show you around. I like to make sure all my guests are well taken care of.” His eyes fell to my breasts and he licked his lips slightly as he looked back into my face. My heart skipped a beat at the expression of lust in his eyes. I followed behind him like a lamb, not sure what I was doing, but feeling like I was being led to my slaughter.

Chapter Seven

Xavier

I heard a couple of the local girls whispering and giggling behind me as I waited to collect the two glasses of wine. One of them was a bit more confident than the rest and she whispered a little bit louder, hoping I would hear her and turn around. I knew the deal and I wasn’t interested. I didn’t have any interest in checking out any of their goods. I didn’t have time for a fling. Not this time. And I didn’t want one, either. The only woman I wanted was Lola. Though I knew they didn’t care about that. In fact, they would see it as an even bigger challenge. Sleeping with a prince was one thing, but sleeping with a prince who was in love with another sweetened the deal to these women. It was another part of my world that I found distasteful.

“He’s so dreamy,” one of the girls sighed to her friend, and I hid a smile as I looked back and made eye contact with the girl: a cute redhead. If she only knew the truth. I was anything but dreamy. I turned back around and frowned to myself as I realized that I’d lost sight of Lola. I’d allowed myself to get distracted at the wrong time. I didn’t know where she was. Who was after her? Who would be the first one to test her? I wanted to slam my fist against the wall. The games had started and already they had the upper hand. I looked around the room quickly to see if I could find her, but she was nowhere to be seen. And then I saw Stephan, hurrying up the stairs with a smile on his face, and I knew. It had started. And suddenly I was afraid. I was afraid that I was going to lose, and in that moment I wished that I’d never brought Lola here with me.

Chapter Eight

Lola

Heart beating fast. Check.

Temperature rising. Check.

Sexy man in front of me. Check.

Mind racing in fear. Check.

And then he said my name: slowly, deeply, softly, enjoying the taste of it as it slipped from his lips.

“Lola.” He said my name again and I froze.

This prince—this stranger—knew my name. I knew his name was Stephan because he’d been speaking to everyone at the front of the room. He was obviously the man of the night. He’d not been introduced to me, though. We’d not even been in the same vicinity until this moment. He hadn’t even glanced at me, except for that one moment when he was speaking. That one moment that Xavier had said was a direct challenge to him. I shivered in the cool room. My resolve was leaving me. I wasn’t sure that I was ready for this game that had seemed so easy when arriving at the palace. Xavier had tried to warn me that it wouldn’t be easy. That this was a dark world. I hadn’t realized what he meant, but now I did. It wasn’t just dark because of the people I was with. It was dark because of my feelings as well. Stephan smiled at me, his eyes looking at my lips for a few seconds before looking back into my eyes.

“Lola is such a beautiful name,” he said in his beautiful, melodic voice, his German accent somehow sounding more sexy than guttural.

I froze as I stared at him, wondering what was going to happen next. Who was this man? I’d never met him before this night, but he knew my name and his eyes were staring into mine with a fiery, passionate look. I swallowed hard as I wondered what he knew, how he knew, if he knew everything that was going on. Even more worrying to me was the wonder of what he wanted. I took a step back, wanting to leave, and then he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me toward him.

“Kiss me,” he commanded, and this time his words were hard and impatient. I shivered as I felt his body pressed against mine intimately. He was turned on and that made me happy and powerful, for some inexplicable reason. I closed my eyes and leaned forward, ready to taste him, wanting to know who he was, but then I pulled back, my brain overcoming the shroud of lust that filled me every time I gazed at him. He was too handsome for his own good. Too sexy. He had too much charm and I shook my head slightly, feeling embarrassed that I’d gotten caught up in the moment so easily.

“How do you know my name?” I stared up at him with wide eyes. And I knew my expression showed my surprise when he chuckled.