Page 37 of Queen
“We’ve already made arrangements with Emily, and Kyrie will be supervising so she doesn’t come back with a whole new wardrobe,” Ella said in a dry tone.
Axel blinked. “Mom was in on this and she didn’t tell me?”
“I asked her not to,” said Sterling. “You know how fond she is of me.”
Axel flipped him off half-heartedly and climbed into the bed next to Ella. “I hope you’re not looking forward to the beach, because you’re not going to be leaving the hotel room often,” he warned her.
“He’s right,” Bishop agreed in a wry tone. “You sure you know what you’re getting into?”
Ella laughed, draping her arms around his neck to lean up to kiss him. “Funny, I was about to say the same thing to you guys.”
She wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Epilogue
When they finally made it to the beach house Sterling had rented for the whole week, Ella realized it was more like a mansion sitting on its own private beach. Of course, she wasn't going to complain.
As soon as the rental car pulled up to the gorgeous bungalow, she took a deep breath of the tropical air and let it out slowly. This place was like heaven. The fact that she had her three toms with her was all the more proof.
The inside of the house was just as impressive, with modern furnishings and kitchen that was fully stocked with the latest appliances. Ella opened the refrigerator only to find that Sterling had arranged for someone to stock it with delicious food so they wouldn't have to go out much during the week.
That was a good thing, considering she didn't have any plans of letting her guys go anywhere anytime soon.
Since Ella had become Empress, everything had been a blur, and this was the first chance they were all getting just to slow down and take a moment away from the colony. As much as she had come to love her home, and as much as she enjoyed the one-on-one time she had been able to get with each of the guys, there was definitely something to be said for having plenty of time to spend together.
The fact that Axel and Bishop were already bickering over how many square feet the house was suggested they might not have been quite as excited for the same reasons as her. Nonetheless, she was determined to make the week ahead the perfect honeymoon, and the destination Sterling had picked out went a long way toward that.
"What do you think?" he asked, coming up behind her.
Ella looked away from the glass balcony doors she had been gazing through, thinking about how nice the water looked and how much she wanted to run down there, take her shoes off and dip her feet into it.
"It's amazing," she said, turning to face him. She put her arms around his neck and leaned up, kissing him softly. As usual, the kiss turned into something much more, and as Sterling's hands roved her body, Ella found herself backing up toward the kitchen.
Her back hit the kitchen island, but she wouldn't allow the kiss to be broken. She already had his hair out of its tie, and her fingers were running through it, admiring the silken texture.
She’d wanted to take a tour of the house and maybe go out to the beach, but right now, all she wanted to do was get his clothes off. She once thought her complete infatuation with him and the others revolved around her heat, but now she knew better.
As Sterling's tongue entered her mouth, Ella's lips parted eagerly, and she started unbuttoning his shirt. He was the only one who wore a button-down shirt on the plane, but he looked as casually debonair as ever. She ran her fingertips across his muscular chest and down his torso until she found his waistband and unbuttoned his slacks. His hands were in her hair as he continued to kiss her, and he pulled her shirt up over her head easily.
Knowing he was just as intent as she was turned her on even more, and when he lifted her up onto the edge of the island counter, she let out a startled squeak.
Sterling just gave her a wicked smile in return, his hands running up the insides of her thighs and underneath her skirt. He traced the delicate lace of her panties before slipping a finger in, and she was already embarrassingly wet for him.
It only seemed to turn him on all the more, and when he kissed her, there was unmistakable hunger in his touch.
Ella gasped as Sterling slipped her panties off and buried his head between her thighs, beginning to lick and suck the way he did that drove her absolutely insane in a matter of seconds. When she heard footsteps on the stairs and the continuation of the argument between Bishop and Axel, she remembered they weren’t alone, but she couldn't bring herself to care enough to make him stop. It was clear he had no intention of doing so, either.
As Sterling’s tongue delved inside her, the unbidden moan on Ella's lips made the argument go silent. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw Axel and Bishop standing in the doorway, staring at them in a combination of curiosity and irritation.
"Oh, come on, we just got out of the car," Axel scolded.
Sterling finally came up for air, a devilish smirk on his lips. The sight of him licking them seductively made Ella's head spin. "You're just jealous I got to her first."
Axel snorted, but he didn't argue. He came into the kitchen, strutting over to take Ella into his arms and kissed her hard, as if trying to erase the memory of what Sterling had just done from her mind. It didn't, but it gave her imagination plenty of new material to work with.
Bishop came up behind her, running his fingers down her naked spine. She shivered at his touch, the way she always had, and as soon as he unhooked her bra, Axel's hands began to grope her breasts. Ella moaned into Axel’s mouth as he guided her back onto the counter. With her back flat against it, she felt vulnerable in a thrilling way. The three of them had her surrounded, watching her with predatory intent in their gazes.
The sight was enough to take Ella's breath away. She wanted them all in different ways, but together, they worked up an entirely different form of lust. She thought back to that time at the cabin when they had all been snowed in and tending to her heat, and the anticipation sent a surge of warmth through her body.
