SophiaI couldn’t believe that Luke wanted me to stay in his room. The gesture felt intimate, and I surprised myself by how ready and willing I was to stay with him. I worried that his mother would have a fit, but the way that Luke commanded the conversation with her earlier made me think that his father’s illness had changed him. I was glad that I wasn’t the one to bring about that change in him. In a way, I felt as if he would blame me for knowing first, even though I stumbled upon it accidentally.Watching Luke as he walked next to me, his shoulders were relaxed yet pushed back into a perfect posture. He looked more like royalty than ever. Over the last weekend we had been here, he was relaxed and ready to defend our relationship. This Luke had the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders, and I wondered if he had accepted the role of king yet. Would it be appropriate for me to ask? It wasn’t time to be shy with him when my job was on the line.I thought he would tell me, but maybe h
Sophia“You’re welcome,” I said. “Not that it did much good. They all found out anyway.”“My dear, I’ve been fighting this illness for a long time,” he said. “I’m an old man, and I’m tired of fighting. You couldn’t have prevented that.”“Why didn’t you say something sooner?”He sighed. “Pride, I suppose. I should have said something, but there’s no changing the past. That’s something I will have to bear.”“Are you going to tell Luke that I knew?” I asked. I didn’t think he had a reason to suspect our relationship was fake, but I couldn’t be too careful.“No,” he said. “He is happy with you.”I twined my fingers together in my lap. It was strange having approval from one of Luke’s parents. I wanted to know more. “You think so?” Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I pressed my hands against them.“My dear,” Erol said with a smile. It lit up his face. “I’m out of touch with the dating world, but I know love when I see it. Luke’s mother and I didn’t experience it until later on, but I do recogn
LukeSeeing Father smiling at Sophia when I returned with the water made my heart skip a beat. Even though I hadn’t directly said I was going to take the throne, knowing he was happy about who I’d chosen to be my partner—for real this time—gave me a sense of calm that I hadn’t had before Sophia showed up.I took her hand as we walked through the hallway, squeezing it. She had turned my life upside down, and I couldn’t imagine having anyone else by my side during this trying time.“I thought we were going to the dining room?” Sophia asked as I led her down another hallway, not in the direction of the central stairwell.“We’re going to get Abir,” I said. “He’s holed himself in his room for several days. It’s time for him to join the living and say goodbye to his father.”“He’s grieving,” Sophia said.I gritted my teeth. “Father isn’t dead yet. Abir might get a pass to complain for a little while, but he needs to step up and be the man that Father thinks he is, or he’ll regret it.”“Isn’
LukeI was surprised that the dining room was empty when we arrived. I had expected Mother to be there, waiting to show how disappointed she was with Sophia and me. At least we’d get a break from that. Sophia and Abir liked each other, so I looked forward to having a pleasant conversation between the three of us. Maybe Mother had changed her tune. I didn’t expect her to welcome Sophia with open arms after hearing how she honestly felt, but being cordial would have sufficed.“It’s just us?” Sophia asked.“I guess so,” I said, pushing her chair in behind her.“I don’t mind her,” Sophia said quickly. “I wish she didn’t mind me, though. Should we tell them about us?”“That doesn’t matter anymore. We’re together now. We don’t need to reveal any of our previous lies. I foresee Mother using that to her advantage and upsetting Father.”Sophia nodded. “Good point.”Abir came in a few moments later as the first course arrived. One of the servants rushed out to get another plate for my brother.
SophiaLuke’s warm lips touched mine, and my entire body exploded with ripples of pleasure. My nipples pressed against my bra, and before I knew it, I threw my arms around his shoulders and kissed him back. His tentative mouth turned hungry and so did mine. He slipped his tongue into my mouth, and I moaned into his.I regretted not kissing him sooner. He was like a glass of water after I’d been wandering in the desert. He quenched my thirst, but I wanted more.His hands reached up and moved through my hair, sending tingling feelings running down my body and spreading warmth throughout my midsection.He pulled away from me, holding my face in his hands. His eyes were heavy, and he panted slightly. He licked his lips, and my gaze fell on those delicious pillows. How I wanted to rest in them for the remainder of my life.“Sophia,” he said. “Are you sure you want to do this?”I answered him by untucking his shirt from his pants and tugging at the hem.He grinned, and the dampness between
SophiaLuke returned to me seconds later with the foil packet. He tossed it onto the bed next to me and coaxed me into a sitting position. He lifted my shirt over my head and unclasped my bra. The material fell off my chest, exposing me completely to Luke. He kissed one of my breasts while kneading the other. My head lolled back as his tongue circled the most sensitive part of my body. Well, at least, my upper body.“Scoot up,” he said without removing his mouth from my breast.I slid backward, and he crawled onto the bed with me. He switched to the other breast while his free hand moved lower. He drew a line with his finger down my middle and stopped when he reached the top of my panties. His finger curved along the edge of the hem before he pushed himself inside.I gasped as he entered me. He slid in so quickly. His thumb rubbed my clit, and before I knew it, I was climbing higher, unable to breathe properly. I panted as Luke covered my mouth with his and his tongue darted inside of
LukeWaking up to the sound of Sophia’s heavy and slow breathing was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard. Turning my head gently so that I didn’t wake her, I watched her eyes flutter as she slept. A lock of hair split her face in two, and I had the urge to move it away and fully see her angelic face.But I wanted to preserve her in her peaceful state. Sophia didn’t need to wake early to another day facing my father’s death and my mother’s grimace. She’d given me more than I bargained for last night, and she deserved some rest before waking.Getting out of the bed, I pulled my arm out from under her and flexed my fingers. Most of my arm was in the pins and needles stage of waking up, but it was a minor inconvenience after a night of bliss.The thought of more nights like this in our future made me smile. While Sophia was in my life, she would always come to bed with me, even if just to sleep.I pulled on a pair of pants and a shirt before scribbling a quick note to Sophia and placing it
Luke“I do mind,” he said. “Everyone is too worried about me. I feel okay. And you have a big decision to make. I want you to clear your head before you make it.”I knew he was talking about taking over as king, but he didn’t say the words. Since returning this week, he hadn’t hounded me about it. Did he already know what I was going to do? He had always said I would make the right choice. Was this him allowing me to do so?“I’ll still be here when you get back,” he said.I swallowed. I didn’t know that for sure, but he was right that some business matters needed to be dealt with. I’d left England too quickly when I found out Father was sick. I had a lot to do while I was there. The sooner I left, the sooner I could return. “Okay.”Father took my hand, and I held it between both of mine.“I love you, son,” he said. “You know I only want what is best for you, right?”“I know,” I said, kissing the back of his hand. “I know.”***I stayed with Father for a little while longer until enoug