Page 51 of Royal Charmer
“But it’s so much more romantic that way,” she pouts.
I nip her lower lip. “Not one man on the planet would ever. He shouldn’t even be able to think of any word beyondfuckandmore, not if he’s passionate about a woman.”
She strokes my beard, looking thoughtful. “Next time will you narrate your experience of sex from your manly point of view?”
“No.”
I kiss her and then I can’t resist kissing her again, longer this time. I roll on top of her, nuzzling into her neck, breathing in her sexy flowery scent, needing her once again.
~ ~ ~
It’s Monday morning, and I’m heading for my official meeting at the bank with Jules. It’s the first time I’ve left Alice’s side since we arrived, and the strange thing is how much I resent having to leave her back at the hotel. She’s fine, happy even, because when I’m not introducing her to the pleasures previously only enjoyed in her imagination—and she has a fantastic erotic imagination—she’s been in a frenzy of writing. I’m trying to take it as a compliment that I’m endlessly inspiring, but I fear what I really am is a distraction from her main obsession, her book, whereas she is my main obsession. Hell. This was supposed to be a temporary arrangement for a specific purpose, which is almost finished, and I don’t want it to end. Not that I want to actually be engaged. I just want to enjoy her longer, see how it plays out. That might not even be an option because Alice is already talking about getting back to Villroy, finishing her overdue manuscript, and personally delivering it to her editor in New York City in her “glorious moment of triumph.” She’s mentioned her future triumphant return twice. Not once has she mentioned me in that future.
Maybe all I am is inspiration.
Maybe this is karma slapping me in the face for being so cavalier about the women in my life.
Maybe I’m in love.
I halt right there on the sidewalk. Is that what this is? This agitated state where nothing feels right unless she’s in my arms? This ishorrible. If that’s what this is, then I hate love, especially because I know she doesn’t love me back. If she did, she wouldn’t be so eager to get back to work and back to the US. She’d be finding ways to prolong our time together. How did I let myself fall for the one woman who has no interest in falling? Why did I pick someone so emotionally unavailable? I knew she was a mess coming off a botched engagement. It’s like I purposely sabotaged myself. Maybe I really do have a fear of commitment and this just proves it. I can only love someone who can’t love me back.
I scrub a hand over my face. Maybe I should tell her how I feel. Maybe it’s not just me. I turn and see the matching stone-faced expressions of my guards, Louis and Michael. They’re probably wondering why I’m just standing here on the sidewalk instead of going to my meeting. “I’m thinking,” I say, though neither of them voiced the question.
Louis inclines his head slightly. Michael remains impassive.
I turn back around and stride toward the bank. I’m here to do one job—secure a loan for Villroy. I’m the goddamn CFO. I can’t let myself get all caught up in the messy emotional swamp of a relationship I was trying to avoid in the first place.
It’s your own fault for seducing her.
No, she seduced me.
You crossed the line, and you know it. You have no one to blame but yourself.
I’m going insane, arguing with myself. I open the door to the bank and step inside, heading straight to the receptionist to let Jules know I’m here.
A few minutes later, I’m shown into his office and another man, David, joins us. David looks to be in his fifties with thinning brown hair and what may be a permanent frown, the lines etched deep into his face. He’s in charge of construction loans. Jules works on business loans, and I was not aware they were separate departments. It seems I’m not quite as close to the finish line as I’d thought. We need a construction loan to expand the manufacturing facilities, though it wouldn’t hurt to have extra capital to staff up as well.
After brief pleasantries, I hand over my proposal and go over the numbers, hoping they’ll see that our plan for Villroy’s new business venture is a relatively sure thing. We’ve already got an established fishing industry. We’re just taking what we have and shifting it into another product. The fishermen will still be involved, even still fishing, though for a different kind of catch. Local ingredients from the sea, including fish oil, sponges, and sea salt, will go into the manufacturing of a cosmetics line, which will be featured and sold at the day spa. We might even expand to selling the cosmetics on the larger global market. Plus there’s room for more construction on the flat plot of land by the spa, maybe an upscale seafood restaurant.
“Everything seems to be in order,” Jules says. “I think you’ve made a good case here.” He turns to David. “What do you think?”
David frowns and folds his hands on top of the round bulge of his stomach. “Jules, I know you have a friendship with the king of Villroy, which makes you partial to their cause, but I would like more information. I’d like to see what they’re doing over there.”
I jump in. “Of course, you’re welcome any time. A site visit is no problem. You’ll see the spa is nearly complete, and I can show you where we hope to expand the manufacturing.”
Jules and David have a quick chat about possible meeting times before landing on Wednesday.
“Wednesday is great,” I say, standing to shake their hands. They both stand to return the gesture. “Thank you for your confidence. I’m sure you’ll feel even better after visiting.”
“I’m sure we will,” Jules says with a smile. “How is your fiancée? Celeste was quite taken with her. Said she was a delight.”
My chest puffs out with pride. I chose well. Wait, I didn’t choose her. Anna set this whole thing up. I’m the only one who fell. That dampens my enthusiasm, tempering my voice. “She is a delight, thank you.”
“Will she be at the site visit?” Jules asks.
“I could ask her to join us.”
“Wonderful. I look forward to it.”
