Page 49 of A Royal Menace

She wraps her bare legs around my waist, locking her ankles behind me as she grips my hair in both fists and says, “No. Not anymore.”

I lift my head so I can meet her eyes. “Okay. We’ll keep this a secret for as long as you want.”

“Really?” she asks.

“Really. I want you to feel comfortable with this. And if keeping it to ourselves makes you more comfortable, I’m in. I’ll be your secret.”

“You make it sound like we’ll be doing this again,” she says, her tone breathy and filled with anticipation. “Is that what you want?”

“Yes,” I say firmly so there’s no question. “Is it what you want?”

She smiles brightly and nods. “Yes.”

“Good,” I say, then press a kiss to her lips. Pulling back, I arch a brow and add, “I want it right now, actually.”

“Me, too,” she says, and I grin at her before sliding down a foot, bringing my face even with her breasts.

I didn’t pay nearly enough attention to these beauties earlier, an oversight I plan to rectify.

Right now.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Callie

Emmett:Good morning!!

Me:Wow. Two exclamation points? Must really be a good one.

Me:Also, good morning!!!

Emmett:Hahaha. Now, who’s overusing the exclamation point?

Me:What can I say? I love Mondays.

Emmett:Really? You do? What happened to “Happy Monday” being an oxymoron?

Me:Well, I love THIS one, anyway.

Emmett:Me, too, actually. I had a really good weekend.

Me:So did I.

Emmett:Look at us out there, crushing life.

Me:#winning

Emmett:#killingit

Me:Have a great day, Emmett.

Emmett:You too, Elle.

Royal and I spent the whole weekend together, and honestly, I’m having a hard time walking straight this morning. It’s a good ache, though, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I can’t stop smiling, and not just because I had no less than eight orgasms this weekend. We just…fit together––mentally and emotionally, as well as physically––something I never would’ve guessed after being at odds with him for so long.

And now? Now I have to test my acting chops. I need to benormal. It was my idea to keep this new…dynamic between Royal and me a secret, so I can’t be the one to mess it up. And if I know Royal at all––which I think I do, now––it’ll be up to me to keep him in line with the plan, too. As much as I’ve come to enjoy his teasing, he needs to rein it in at work.

I pause and take a deep breath just outside the teacher’s lounge. Exhaling slowly, I square my shoulders, put on my game face, and step inside. My eyes immediately find Royal at his usual post by the coffee maker. As if he senses my presence, he turns toward me, a steaming mug in hand, his lips twitching like he’s trying to suppress a smile. Then he lifts the mug to his lips, his eyes searing into me like he’s trying to burn away every stitch of clothing I have on. I feel my cheeks heat as my steps falter, and one of Royal’s eyebrows arches upward.

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