He laughs and shrugs. “They’re always so mean looking.”
“Like they smell something bad.”
“I know, it’s like they’re looking down on you.” He laughs and shakes his head. “I don’t know why. They all do it.”
“Must be the training.”
“Of course. The pretentiousness training they get.”
I smile and feel slightly more at ease. “How did you get in here anyway?” I ask him.
“Our rooms are connected,” he says. “Normally, we’d stay in the same room, but I thought you’d like this better.”
I nod but don’t respond. He’s right, I’m glad we have separate rooms, though I don’t know how long that’ll last. I know, sooner or later, he’s going to come into my bed. And I’m going to have to sleep with him.
I look at his handsome, grinning face, and it strikes me suddenly that I’m contractually obligated to have sex with this man. Not like that’s a bad thing, since my body reacts to him every time he’s near. But it’s totally strange to think that I’m bound by law to fuck a man who I really would fuck regardless.
“I hope you’ll be comfortable here,” he says to me. “This is your home now, princess.”
I bite my lower lip. “That’s so strange,” I admit. “I was cleaning this place yesterday.”
He smiles at me. “Funny how life can be.”
“And now I’ll be doing… what? Lying around all day, eating chocolates?”
“Is that what you think royalty does?”
I shrug a little. “You’re sure not cleaning your own toilets.”
He sighs but grins at me. “No, you won’t be eating chocolates all day. Although you can if you want, but please, I advise against it. You need to be in top physical shape for me, after all.”
I blush slightly at the implication, though we both know full well that we’ll be having sex soon. “So what then?”
“We’ll be meeting with people,” he says. “We’re going to change my reputation around here, and you’re going to help me. So no, you won’t be cleaning toilets, but you will be doing something much more difficult.”
“Is your reputation really so bad?” I ask, a bit nervous.
“Yes,” he says. “It really is.”
He laughs as I shake my head. “Then I don’t know if I can help.”
“Oh, you can,” he says. “Just make sure you’re ready to fulfill your end of the bargain.”
“I know what I agreed to,” I say simply.
“Do you?” He steps closer to me, and I feel my heart suddenly leap into my throat. “Are you really sure you understand it all?”
“Yes,” I say, though it comes out quieter than I expected.
“You’re mine now, Hazel,” he says. “Contractually, I can fuck you whenever and wherever I please, at least until I put a baby inside that pretty little body of yours. Do you get that?”
“Yes,” I say again, not backing down from him. I realize that I’m dripping wet at the thought of him taking me right here and now.
“Good,” he says. He steps close to me and tips my chin up toward him. Nolan is so much taller and larger than I am, he could easily destroy me if he wanted. And that makes me so excited. “But you’re my princess too. I won’t take anything you don’t want to willingly give me. Understand?”
“I understand,” I say to him.
“Good.” He releases my chin. “You look a little nervous, princess.”
“I’m not. This is just a lot to process.”
“Of course.” He steps away, a smile on his face, and I take a deep breath. “You’ve never been a member of a royal family before, have you?”
“Not even close,” I say.
“Well, tonight, you’ll get your first taste of it.” He walks back toward the bedroom door.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“We’re having dinner with some nobles that I know,” he says. “Call it a celebration, I guess.” He looks back at me with that cocky little smirk of his. “Take a look in the closet and pick something to wear. I’ll come get you in a few hours.” He disappears and I hear a door open and shut in the other room.
I walk over to the large wardrobe, not sure what he meant. I pull it open and inside are five dresses, each of them absolutely beautiful.
I pull one out and lay it gently on the bed. It’s long and dark with a flowing skirt and very subtle shimmering fabric around the low-cut top.
I’ve never owned a dress like it before in my life, let alone put one on my body. I stare at it, not sure what to think. There’s a closet full of these dresses, and they look like they’ll fit.