“You don’t worry enough.”
“Life is too short to worry,” he says. “In fact, I have something that might ease your anxiety.”
“That is not going to help my anxiety,” I say, laughing as he walks to the bed and starts to climb on top of me. I push playfully at his chest. “You’re going to get us in trouble. That doesn’t help me feel less anxious.”
“No?” he asks, bringing his mouth to a spot just below my ear. A chill runs up my spine at his touch, my body immediately sensitive.
“Definitely not.”
“Then I must not be doing it right,” he says, trailing kisses down the side of my neck before his warm mouth finds my breast. He presses his tongue against my nipple, and it hardens immediately at the sensation. “Oh, and by the way, you should make sure to forget your panties under your skirt at the charity event tonight.”
Heat surges through my body at the thought of being with Albie again at a public event. “No vibrators this time,” I whisper.
Albie’s hand finds its way between my legs, and he murmurs his approval at my wetness. Of course, that shouldn’t be surprising to him. He has an uncanny ability to turn me on with a mere glance, to evoke a response from my body with a word. “I can promise there won’t be any vibrators, luv,” he says.
He slides easily inside me and I let my eyes close for just a moment, savoring the feeling of his bare cock, the coolness of his metal piercing before it warms with my heat. “No vibrator means you have something else up your sleeve,” I say, my words punctuated with sharp intakes of breath as he thrusts slowly.
“I’m not sure what you mean, luv,” he says, the trace of a smile on his lips. “I’m offended that you think I’d do something inappropriate to you at your own charity event.”
“I’m…” I start, but lose track of what I’m saying as he thrusts deeply inside me, sending waves of pleasure rushing through me.
“What, luv?” he asks, his eyes on mine as he does it again, his movements slow.
“I…can’t remember.” Whatever I was going to say doesn’t matter, not when he’s doing what he’s doing with his cock.
“Good,” he says. “Rendering you speechless is the best part of my day.”
And that’s what he does. He fucks me slowly and leisurely, like he has nowhere else to go and as if there’s no one else in the world but us. He fucks me tenderly, his mouth on mine, his tongue exploring me like it’s the first time he’s kissed me.
And when I’m close to the edge, just about to crash over, I think this is what it’s like to be comfortable with someone.
This is what it means to be at ease, to be able to let go.
This is happiness.
Afterward, I breathe in Albie’s scent, trying to etch it on my brain. Because, I know, without a doubt, that this is too comfortable.
I’m too happy, holed up in my own little world with Albie, sneaking around underneath everyone’s noses. And happiness like that, the kind I have right now, is fleeting. It doesn’t last.
What’s happening with Albie can’t last. Our parents will be married by the Fall. And by the Fall, Albie and I have to be over.
I’ve known it all along. Except now, it suddenly makes me sad.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Albie
“Where’s Belle?” Alex walks toward me in her blue cocktail dress with a champagne glass in her hand, seemingly oblivious to the glare of Max, who stands beside Noah a few yards away on the other side of the room.
“I haven’t seen her in a while,” I lie.
A while.
I left her room not more than fifteen minutes ago, after sufficiently disheveling her. She was way too irresistible to keep my hands off, wearing a black cocktail dress with a flirty skirt, almost ready to come down for the event.
Tonight is a cocktail party, informal compared to most of the parties that are hosted at the palace. We’re supposed to be minimizing public events, but this was Belle’s idea. She wanted to raise funds for an organization affiliated with the local children’s hospital where she’s been volunteering, one that grants wishes to kids with terminal cancer.
I almost feel badly about debauching her right before the party. Almost, but not quite.
I can still taste her on my lips.
“I’m sure,” Alex snorts. “The two of you have been pretty cozy lately.”
I raise my eyebrows at my nosy sister. “Is Finn here tonight?” I ask pointedly.
Alex rolls her eyes. “I made sure he was left off the list,” she says. “He’s been on my nerves.”
“Good. He’s a bad influence.”