Still sleeping in the nude, to be specific. With her slender body, round, full hips, and perfect breasts, Ava looked like something out of a dream. Her body was so lovely, in fact, that I barely noticed the huge tattoo that marred her arm. I could only imagine what the king would say the first time he saw that.
“Rise and shine, Princess,” I said, stepping over to the curtains and pulling them open with a quick yank. The room filled with golden sunlight, a moan sounding from Ava as the light hit her.
“Huh?”
I turned to watch her roll over onto her stomach, displaying her gorgeous ass. It was still unbelievable to me that a woman that looked like her hadn’t been with a man other than me. Then again, maybe the average man was too intimidated to approach her.
She’d told me that the reason had been because she was so busy with work and school. I didn’t believe that for a second. If anything, her busyness wasn’t the reason she hadn’t found love, or even lust, but a good excuse for her to ignore the subject of romance altogether.
Ava opened her eyes slowly, her bright blues somehow even more luminous in the morning light. She rubbed them sleepily, sitting up slowly. When she realized what was going on, however, her eyes flashed with something like panic.
“Hey!” Ava’s hand shot toward the nearest pillow. She grabbed it and covered her body. “What the hell, Luc? Did you seriously just barge into my room?”
I grinned, crossing my arms and leaning back against the wall next to the window.
“Figured it’d be a fun way to get you up.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You know, just because we…did what we didlast night, doesn’t mean that you can pull a stunt like this.”
“But I did. And look! You’re up. Mission accomplished.”
“I’m up… for now. But maybe I’ll just go back to sleep, huh? You ask me, I deserve a little rest after my around-the-world trip.” With that, she plopped back onto the pillow. “Give me another hour. I promise I’ll be all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when youknockto check in on me.”
“We could do that,” I said. “Or I could get you up right now.”
“Huh?”
Without another word, I stepped over to the bed and grabbed onto her slim ankles.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Getting you out of bed.”
With a yank, I pulled Ava out from underneath the covers, the pillow she’d been holding dropping onto the ground.
“What the—!”
She didn’t have a chance to say any more than that. I pulled her onto her feet, the sunlight casting her body in a golden glow as she steadied herself.
“You asshole!” she said, reaching forward and slugging my shoulder. “Who do you think you are?”
“The man that’s going to stand here until you get in the shower. Now, go.”
She regarded me with an expression of bewilderment. But, seeming to understand that there was no getting out of it, Ava didn’t protest. Instead, she let out an annoyed whimper before stomping her foot and marching past me. As she did, I couldn’t help but take one more look at her perfect ass in motion as she disappeared into the bathroom.
Moments later, I heard the shower turn on. Part of me wanted to join her. But I held back.
After all, I’d already crossedwaytoo many lines. If Alaric ever found out it’d be the end of our friendship, for one. Not to mention the end of my career.And possibly my life.
But there was no taking back what had already started. Whatever was going to happen was already in motion. For better or for worse.
* * *
“Holy freakingcars!”
Ava’s voice echoed through the massive garage underneath the palace. The sight of the king’s personal fleet of cars was one that managed to impress every time I laid eyes on it.
The space was large, with rows of florescent lights over top of each car, giving it its own personal spotlight.