Sighing deeply, he rubbed one hand over his dark hair. His gaze softened as he looked at her. A small smile lifted one side of his lips. “Sweetheart, you have to help me here. I don't know how to reconcile the woman I met in D.C. with the woman standing before me,” he motioned to her with his hands. “Jewels that cost more money than I make in a year are draped around your neck. The diamonds in your hair are so bright I need to wear shades when I look at you. The dress you're wearing probably costs more than the mortgage on my condo. And as you know, that shit ain't cheap.”
“But it’s a beautiful condo,” she whispered. And it really was. She loved Dexter’s place because he’d purchased it with money earned from doing a job he loved. It was close to Penn Quarter in the heart of Washington, D.C., and was the perfect little getaway for the two of them. And right now, she’d give almost anything to be back at his place, curled up on the couch, watching a movie and eating a slice of pizza.
“Raven, what happened to the girl Ifell in love with? The one who was happy to lounge around wearing old sweats and my Columbia University t-shirt?” Raising his hand to her face, his fingers hovered inches away from her jaw. Raven couldn't stop the reactionary tilt of her head, craving his touch, needing his caress.
“If only you could understand what’s happening. Why I had to come home. Iwant to tell you so much about what’s happening,” Raven whispered. There were things in motion that had to run their course. When she'd first arrived at her childhood home, determined to get over Dexter, her parents had been surprised. They hadn’t expected her to return home for another year. But now that she was here, it set other things in motion.
When they explained why her presence was so significant, she’d been floored. Her parents told her it was time that a formal announcement was made regarding her rightful claim to the throne. They weren't going anywhere for a long time if they could avoid it, but that didn’t matter right now. Raven's visibility was required, and as a result, so was the event happening tonight. Her strength and poise were needed to show the world around them just how strong the Abingdon Royal Family truly was.
"Then tell me so that Idounderstand. I want to help you with whatever you’re dealing with. Explain to me why this is happening. Why does it feel like my whole world is crumbling around me, and I can’t do anything to stop it?" His lips hovered close to hers as he leaned forward.
Dexter’s voice lulled her into a feeling of comfort. It was so easy to fall back into her life with him. Those times Dexter would cradle her in his arms and promise her everything would be okay as long as they were together. He has every reason to doubt her love for him right now, and she could understand the reasons why he felt that way. She'd broken his trust. Now she had to figure out how to get it back.
Gazing into his eyes, she tried to smile. "I'm happy you showed up. Ialways knew you were stubborn, but I had no idea just how much."
"I'm here to stay, Raven. Until the day you tell me you no longer want me, or no longer love me, I'm here by your side. Of course, when I walked in without a formal invitation, I thought the Royal Guards were going to kick my ass all the way back to America." They both laughed at his words. "Then, the craziest thing happened. Thomas stepped forward to vouch for me. Told the entrance guard that I was your special guest but that you’d forgotten to add me to the list."
Nodding, she smiled again. Thomas served as her lead bodyguard once she’d left home. When they had to do the security check at Dexter’s family home, Thomas had been the one leading the team. "He always did like you. Ithink he's been in your corner since day one." Grabbing his hand in hers, she stepped closer. Raven could see the gold fleckssurrounding his pupils. His forest green eyes were mesmerizing, pulling her in deeper under his spell, as they always had. "Let's get through tonight. I'll check with my father to see if we can set up a room for you here at the mansion. When do you need to return?"
"There’s no rush for me to get back. We have plenty of time to talk about us, and what happens now. So, yeah, I'm okay with waiting until tomorrow for us to talk. But I don't want to spend another night away from you," he cajoled. His palm gripped her face, pulling her closer. His lips pressed against hers and the sweet press of their kiss wrenched a moan from her throat.
“I don’t want to be away from you either. I’ve missed you.” Selfish didn’t begin to describe Raven’s behavior. They hadn’t even started to discuss the real issues standing between them. But even still, Raven couldn’t deny that she missed lying next to his tall, muscled form at night. Missed the feel of his thick cock stroking inside her body as he brought herto a screaming orgasm. Now if only she could last long enough not to fuck him in the middle of an event hosted by her parents at her family’s royal home.
The sound of the door opening caused them to break apart in a rush. Although, in reality, no one would be fooled by their efforts to appear nonchalant. Thomas stepped into the room before bowing to Raven. She hated that he still had to do that whenever he saw her, but also understood that formal protocol needed to be followed. He'd been her bodyguard, and friend, since she was sixteen. If anyone deserved a pass from doing all that dumbass bowing and scraping to her, it would be Thomas.
"Apologies, Princess. Your mother and father have requested your presence at the ceremony."
Raven schooled her features before glancing at Dexter. If he were in this for the long haul, then he needed to know the truth of what her world was all about. Nodding to Thomas, she began walking toward him and out the door. Time to put her game face on.
Now if the man blackmailing her family and trying to steal her father's throne would show his face. She was done with the games. It was time to fight for her family's future.
Pausing at the door, she turned to look at Dexter. Reaching out her hand to him, she smiled. “Coming?”
“Baby, you have no idea,” he said, before strolling over and grabbing her hand.
CHAPTER 4
Dexter
Sitting outside on the breakfast veranda, Dexter drank his second cup of morning coffee. The food was terrific, and he had the full belly to prove it. Every dish imaginable had been laid out for him. Uncertain if he should eat before the King and Queen made their way down, he hesitated. He was trying to make a good impression on her parents, and not show his family’s backwoods roots. He didn’t want to give them any reason to reject him or his claim on Raven.
Dexter knew Raven’s parents must have questions about him. When they returned to the event last night, all eyes were on them. People whispered about the two of them walking out together and returning later with hands intertwined. While her parents didn’t speak about him either way, he could feel her father’s keen gaze on him the entire night. He’d never been so damn nervous in his life, and he wasn’t the type of guy who let anything get to him. This was a new experience for him. Then again, he wasn’t the type of guy who met the parents of his girlfriends.
“Good morning, Dexter,” Raven announced her presence as she entered the space. She had a smile on her face as she strolled towards him.
Rising from his seat, Dexter reached his arms out, pulling her into a tight hug. Leaning his head down, he kissed her, capturing her lips in the type of good morning greeting he’d become used to when they were back home.
“I missed you last night,” he whispered after breaking the kiss.
Pulling out of his arms, she moved to the food laid out for them. “I missed you, too. How did you sleep?”
A frown covered his face. “Alone.”
Placing some food on a plate, she came and sat at the table next to him. Once he was again seated, she began speaking. “Remember, you asked for this.”
“Sweetheart, I assumed a lot of things when I got on that plane. The one thing I hadn’t counted on was sleeping away from you. Your father placed me in a room halfway across the damn country.” She laughed at him, shaking her head. He knew he was spoiled from sleeping with her every night. Dexter had gotten used to the feel of her soft body lying next to his. Her long legs wrapped around his as he held her tight throughout the night. The scent of cocoa butter wafting in the air as she released soft snores. No, the one thing he hadn’t expected was to be so far away from her.
“You’re lucky you got to stay. I thought my father was going to make you leave.” Reaching her hand across the table, she grabbed his, squeezing tight. “The important thing is that you’re here.”