Page 46 of A Royal Menace

My jumbled, erratic thoughts cut off as my car door swings open. I whip my head to the left to see Royal there, bending over to meet my eyes with a concerned expression.

“Are you okay?” he asks. “I can go, if that’s what you want.”

“Is that whatyouwant?” tumbles from my lips before I can stop it.

Royal shakes his head. “No. Definitely not.”

He holds out a hand, palm up, and I stare at it for a beat before taking it. Royal helps me from the car, then holds onto my fingers as he closes the door behind me. He releases me then, and I barely have time to feel the twinge of disappointment before his hand presses against the small of my back.

Heat gushes through me at that simple touch, and I breathe in a stuttering breath as he leads me to the entrance of my apartment building. I use my key to unlock the door, and he pulls it open with his free hand before guiding me inside. My apartment is on the first floor, and we’re silent as we walk down the hallway to my door.

I unlock it, push the door open, and step inside first, flicking on the lights and setting my bag and keys down on the table against the wall. I don’t look back, but I hear the door click closed. I’m breathing harder now, all alone with Royal, and the air is weirdly charged with a strange sort of electricity.

My body quakes when I hear the deadbolt slide home. I squeeze my eyes closed for two seconds, then open them and take a fortifying breath before leading the way into the kitchen. I can feel Royal behind me, but I don’t turn to look at him. I stop in the middle of the kitchen and blink, my face heating in what I can only assume is a very noticeable blush.

Oh, shit. Oh, shit, oh, shit, oh shit.

“Callie? What’s wrong?” Royal murmurs in soft tones, and I spin around to face him with a pained expression.

“I don’t have any booze.”

“What?” he asks, his head tilting slightly as he studies me.

“I invited you here for a nightcap, and I don’t have any liquor to serve you,” I say, my words laced with embarrassment.

Royals head drops, and I hear a quiet chuckle vibrate in his chest before he peers at me from beneath his eyelashes. One corner of his mouth turns up, and he moves toward me with slow, measured steps.

“Well, what should we do, instead?” he asks, his voice a thick deep rumble that skates down my spine.

Oh, God. Say something, Callie. Something smart and coy. Anything.

But my tongue refuses to cooperate while my feet take on a life of their own, moving me backward as he stalks forward. I bump into the counter behind me, and my eyes flare wide. Royal freezes, his chest expanding as his expression fills with a mix of worry and remorse.

“Shit, Callie. I’m sorry. I’m making you uncomfortable. I read this all wrong. I should go.”

“Wait,” I all but shout as he starts to turn.

“No,” he says. “This was my mistake. I thought…it doesn’t matter what I thought. I’m just really sorry, and I hope––”

His words cut off as I slam into his chest. My hands circle around his neck, and I press my mouth to his before I can overthink it. Royal freezes for a mere second, then groans as his arms cinch around my waist, holding me tightly against him. He takes over the kiss, tilting his head to deepen it while coaxing my mouth open with his tongue.

Tiny explosions burst inside me, heating me from the inside out while Royal teases my tongue with his, luring it out and into his mouth so he can suck it lightly. His hands curve over my assand apply a delicious pressure, pulling me in so I can feel his growing erection pressing against my abdomen.

Royal Manning is a really good fucking kisser.

I tighten my grip on his neck when he suddenly lifts me. My legs curl around his waist, and since I’m wearing a dress, the hard bulge in his jeans presses directly against my center. I grind against it slightly, and Royal moans into my mouth, the sound shooting straight to my core.

Royal kisses me even harder as he spins and starts to walk. His head tilts further to the side as he continues to ravage my mouth, and I open my eyes to see him watching where he’s going as he carries me to the short hall that leads to my bedroom.

His eyes meet mine, and he stops, breaking off the kiss to stare at me for a moment before asking, “Is this what you want? We can stop if you––”

“Yes,” I say firmly, cutting off his offer before he can finish uttering it. “I want this, Royal. I wantyou.”

His nostrils flare with those last three words, then he’s kissing me again as he starts to move. Before I know it, Royal is setting me on my feet. He continues to kiss me as his hands peel my denim jacket off my shoulders and down my arms until it drops to the floor. Then his mouth breaks away to press hot kisses to my neck and shoulder as one finger slips beneath the strap of my dress to push it down my shoulder, clearing a path for his lips.

Heat flashes through me with every harsh breath I take, my body coming alive like it hasn’t in…I can’t remember how long. My core clenches as Royal groans, his hands curving over my hips while his mouth connects with mine once more. Hot and demanding, his kisses ravage my mouth as my fingers tangle in his hair.

His fingers slip beneath the hem of my dress to tickle my thighs, making me shiver. I break off our kiss to take a deepbreath, and when I open my eyes, Royal is watching me with a questioning expression as he slowly slides his fingers upward, taking the dress with them. My head bobs in a jerky motion as I release his hair and lift my arms. His smile is filled with sunshine as he bunches the material in his fists and pulls it upward slowly like he’s trying to savor every inch of revealed skin.

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