Cruel Legacy (Cruel 3)

She opened her baby blues and stared down at me with all the love and devotion in her eyes.

“Oh fuck,” I groaned. “Come with me, baby.”

She nodded. “So…close.”

And then I thrust once, twice more, and she unleashed on top of me. Her orgasm was a pin trigger on my own. I came with a grunt of pleasure and a wave of ecstasy that shot up into her. Her arms wrapped tight around my neck, and I held her against me like a lifeline.

We sat, pressed together, both panting and breathless for a minute. Then I gently released her back against the blanket and crashed down next to her. Our chests rose and fell together. Fully sated. No words even between us. Just that moment. Our breaths. As the sun disappeared and the stars finally lit up the night sky.

“Natalie,” I murmured.

She rolled onto her side to look at me. Her gaze was unfocused. Her smile lazy and dream-laden. “Hi.”

I chuckled and pressed a kiss to her plump lips. “Come to Paris with me this summer.”

She blinked. “Paris?”

“I have a conference, and then I thought we could stay in my flat until I have to come back to teach in the fall. Do all the things we didn’t get to do the first time we were there together. Find our park bench. The one where it all started. What do you say?”

“Yes,” she breathed. “Did you think I’d say anything else? Of course, I want to go to Paris with you.”

“Oh good, because I already bought the tickets.”

She laughed and bumped my shoulder. “Good thing I said yes.”

“It is because we’re leaving the day after your event.”

Her eyes widened. “The day after? You couldn’t have given me two days?”

“Uh-uh,” I said, pulling her flat against me. “You’ve been too stressed. I want to take you away and feed you macarons and walk the Seine with you and get lost in the gardens at Versailles and drink champagne straight from the vineyard. I want you to be so relaxed that novels spring from your fingertips, fully formed. Ones you love and ones you cherish, whether or not they are ones you want to publish. Or even actually do.”

“Wow, Penn, I think you drive a hard bargain,” she said. “This just sounds awful.”

“Did I mention the sex?” I asked with a deadly smirk. “There will be lots of it.”

“I suppose I can do that.” She grinned like a fool. “Macarons and champagne and novels and lots of sex. Living the Parisian life.”

“So, is that a yes?”

She jumped on top of me and plastered my face with kisses. “Yes, yes, yes. Yes, of course!”

I pressed my fingers up into her hair and pulled her mouth back down to mine. “I love you.” I brushed my nose against hers. “Now…how about that telescope?”

Her eyes widened with delight, and then she dragged me toward the behemoth I prayed I could actually operate.

Part V

King’s To You

Chapter 32

Natalie

“Natalie, honey, sugar cakes, sweetie pie,” Gregory said in distress, “you need to calm your tits before I calm them for you. I have everything under control. Which is why you and your little butterfly hired me. We have this set. All good to go, darling. Go to the spa and relax before you get wrinkles.”

I tried desperately not to roll my eyes at the party-planner, but damn, he made it difficult. “I’m fine. I’m not worried about wrinkles.”

“Everyone should worry about wrinkles. What moisturizer do you use?”

“Dear god, it doesn’t matter. I just want to get through my checklist.” I waved the sheet of paper in his face.

He snatched it out of my hand. “Check. Check. Check. Not happening anyway. On their way. Check. Check. Check. We’re good here.”

He tore the paper in half and then in half again. My eyes widened in shock.

“What the hell, Gregory?”

“You are clogging up my space,” he said, dramatically waving his hands.

Honestly, where the hell had Harmony gotten this guy?

“If you don’t believe in auras, you should. Yours is all over the fucking place.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My mother was following me around, even here. “I know plenty about auras. I just want to make sure that everything is ready.”

“Well, you had a look around. We went through your checklist. Now, please, baby doll, go get ready for the event and try to enjoy it. That’s why you hired me. I have it covered.”

He gave me a little push toward the exit, and I sighed. Maybe he was right. How much more could I do? I’d done it all ahead of time. And he was my day-of person. Even if he was obnoxious. If there were any fires from here on out, he would handle them. I hoped.

I bit my lip and then nodded. “Okay, okay. I’m going. Call me if you need anything.”