Charmed By The Mountain Prince(28)

And also the way she marched into the bar so confidently and kissed me without a second thought.

“We do brew it, right here. It’s nice to know Prince Garrick’s wife appreciates local brew.”

“Well, back home in Elexia we didn’t have beer. Rum punch, that was our brew. Fresh coconuts filled with tar-barreled rum. Trouble with a capital T.” Iris smiles and flashes her bright eyes at him, and I swear to God, Kurt blushes.

Kurt, a man who has sworn off women for over a decade. Kurt, who stands behind this bar with an apron stretched across his beer belly. Smitten with Iris in a matter of minutes.

“Sounds like my kind of party.” Kurt claps his hand against the bar. “You two shouldn’t be here. Go have yourselves a tropical honeymoon in paradise, drinking rum out of coconuts. What I wouldn’t give for that.” He gives Iris a wink before heading back to the kitchen.

“He’s a keeper,” Iris says, watching the kitchen door swing shut behind Kurt.

I nod, appreciating that she immediately warmed to Kurt. I wasn’t sure if my princess would be able to handle a greasy pub. The fact that she isn’t put off by it gives me another reason to see her as something other than the typical royalty I anticipated when my parents told me they’d chosen my bride.

Iris is pretty down to earth. She didn’t show up here wearing designer clothes or carrying fancy luggage. And the fact that she had to come because her father was bankrupt reminds me that she probably isn’t accustomed to the finer things in life.

Which is good, considering what I’ve been offering her is one step up from an outhouse.

She’s still here. She didn’t flee the country or insist on an annulment. She isn’t the high-maintenance girl I pegged her for.

“What?” she asks. “Why are you looking at me like that?’

I shrug, slightly embarrassed with how much I’m thinking about her. “So,” I begin, wanting to change the subject. “You were talking about me around town, is that right?” I lean closer so our shoulders touch.

“Are you fishing for compliments?” Iris smirks.

“Maybe I am. Is that so bad? Because, to be honest, I don’t get too many compliments when I’m around my family. So the idea of my wife liking what she sees, I swear to God it gets me hard just thinking about it.”

“Oh, Prince Garrick has a bruised ego? Not enough attention from his mommy and daddy?” Iris’s eyes raise, her smile widens. Teasing. Trouble.

“I don’t need my parents to make me feel better.”

“Oh?” Iris bites her bottom lip. “And what would make you feel better, husband?”

I shake my head, knowing she’s up to no good. And I’m fucking loving every second of this flirtation. Iris seems to bring out a playful side of me that no one else does. “I know exactly what would make me feel better.”

My mouth is on hers in an instant. She’s hot and charged, and I’m horny as hell. I had a taste of her last night and I want another. And seeing her in those boots and this heavy coat—I can see, in some small way, her concession. No way would she have bought those clothes if she planned on leaving any time soon.

Her mouth parts, and my tongue finds hers. I sink into the kiss, pulling her into my lap, my hand on her waist,

My cock hard as fuck.

“I want you so bad,” I growl in her ear.

“Oh yeah?” she moans, nibbling at my ear in return. “I want you too, Garrick. I keep thinking about last night.” She sighs, her eyes full of desire.

“Princess, I can’t wait.” I take her hand, leading her to the back of the bar. I need to touch her skin, take all of her. “I need you. Now.”

“Garrick, will someone see?” She turns her head, knowing the rest of the bar is watching our every move. Welcome to being a royal fucking couple.

“Do you care if someone sees?”

She smiles, shaking her head and pressing her hand against my chest. “Take me somewhere, Garrick. Let me finish what I didn’t get to do last night.”

I moan, adjusting myself in my pants, and grab her hand. Electricity shoots between us with that simple touch.

I lead her down a stairwell, out of the public eye, and pull her into a bathroom.





17





Locking the door behind us, Garrick flicks on the lights. We’re both breathing heavily, and I can’t seem to keep my hands off him. Seeing him in the bar reminded me just how much I want to be in this man’s presence.

It doesn’t take long before my hands are on his belt buckle, taking it off and whipping the leather to the floor. He has my back against the wall, and it reminds me of the night before, in his childhood bedroom, when he took my virginity. When he made me a woman.