LukeSince we were both single, it was inappropriate for me to pick Saanvi up. So, we met at the restaurant. It was nice to be alone in the back of the car, mentally preparing for an evening with a stranger. Even though Mother and Father had a successful arranged marriage, the idea was archaic to me. If I was going to spend the rest of my life with someone, they needed to be someone I could tolerate on my own without anyone else interfering.I arrived early enough to secure our table and gather myself before meeting her.The restaurant was exclusive enough that no one approached me, but I noticed heads did turn when I sat down. I ignored their stares, already feeling the weight of Mother’s persistence in the back of my head. I had a sense that she would wait up for me and want every minute detailed to her when I arrived home.Deep inside, I hoped that I had something to tell her. Distracting myself with another woman would surely help me get over Sophia. It was all I wanted, even thou

SophiaI narrowed my eyes. Carrie was nice, but she was, at the very least, a reporter. I wanted to believe she was genuinely interested in me, but I couldn’t reveal too much too quickly. Falling in love with a subject of a story wasn’t something that reporters did while expecting to keep their jobs.“What was the story?” she asked.“The king of Qatar was stepping down from the throne,” I said, trying to keep emotion from my voice. Even though I hadn’t known Erol that long, his loss still affected me. In the end, he was a kind man to Luke and me, accepting us as a couple. “I was sent to England to interview the prince.”“And what happened?” she asked. I stared at my hands. The buried feelings about Luke resurfaced, filling me with guilt and dread for the rash decisions I had made throughout our relationship. Pushing through them, I said, “We came to an arrangement.”“You and the prince?”“Yes,” I said. “I traveled to Qatar with him so that I could secure the interview.”Carrie leaned

Luke“Sure,” she said. “Let’s sit over here.”We sat on the oversized brown suede couch nestled in the corner of the room, facing a small flat-screen television. Before I met her, she worked a lot. I imagined a big screen wasn’t at the top of her list of priorities. I vowed that whatever she wanted for the rest of her life, I would give it to her. She had an opportunity to have it all, but she needed to be the one to make that choice.“Do you want something to drink?” she asked.I shook my head. Water wasn’t going to quench my thirst for her.I wasn’t sure where to start with everything. There was no segue into what I needed to say.“How is being the king?” she asked, saving me from starting the conversation.“It’s different,” I said, settling into the couch. After my long journey and Sophia not throwing me out of her apartment, my body started to relax.She flipped her hair over her shoulder and pulled her legs under her. “I can imagine.”“How about you?” I asked.“Everything is stat

SophiaScrambling off the couch, I sprinted into my bedroom and kicked off my pants. Now only in my underwear, I locked eyes on my target. My suitcase was still on the floor next to my closet, and I pulled out the three condoms I had left. Having them didn’t feel awkward, now that I had someone to use them with.Luke entered my bedroom wearing only his boxer briefs. They fit him so well that they didn’t leave much to the imagination when it came to his arousal. He was hard and ready for me.He strode over to me, every inch the man that I needed and loved. He took the condom from my hands, and the rest fell to the floor.“I want you to do it,” he said.“Me?”“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I want to make sure you want this.”“I do,” I said.“Show me.”He pulled down his underwear, and he sprang free.Wrapping my hand around him, I stroked his length. He was so hard for me that my panties got even wetter than they already were.He ripped the wrapper open with his teeth and held it o

LukeI opened my mouth to say something, but her eyes went wide, and she shook her head. “I’m not asking for any money,” she said before I could open my mouth. “I decided to find you. I don’t want you to think I need you like that.”“I don’t,” I said, cutting her off. I didn’t plan on letting her ever want for anything for the rest of her life. She would get upset if I offered to reimburse her travels to find me, but with me, she would never have to worry about money ever again.“Tell me more about being king,” she said, changing the subject. Sophia was an independent woman, and my offering to take care of her wasn’t in her plan. “Is it what you hoped for?”“I never hoped for this,” I said. “I spent most of my adult life avoiding it.”I enjoyed living in England and having my own life. Now, I was chained to the throne for the rest of my life. I never took the decision lightly, but since it was so soon after accepting taking the throne, my previous life still lingered in the back of my