Crown Jewels (Off-Limits Romance #1)(69)

“But then…the apps. You taught yourself to make them. Amazing.”

“It’s not unusual,” he says coolly.

“It’s not? How many successful apps do you think there are, Liam?”

“Between two and three dozen, at a given time.”

I shift in the water. “Did it take you long? To teach yourself?”

He shrugs. “It’s just math.”

I snort. “I can do math. I can’t make apps.”

“Are you trying to make me feel better about not being able to read?” Maybe I look surprised, because he lifts his eyebrows.

I spend half a heartbeat fumbling for a reply before settling on a lame-ass, “No.”

He splashes his face with water. He spends so long massaging his temples, water dripping off his chin, hand covering his face, I realize he’s embarrassed…or upset.

“I can’t swallow pills.”

He looks up—clearly confused.

“Well, I mean, I can. There’s nothing wrong with my throat. But I’m scared to. I got choked on a vitamin when I was a little kid and ever since then, I just…don’t do pills. Also, you were my first Big O in years. It helped me get my mojo back.”

His eyebrows arch, and I’m not sure how to read his face. He gives me a skeptical look, and I figure he’s going to ask about the orgasm. Instead he says, “Are you telling me these things to make me feel better, Lucy?”

I feel my face flush. “Did it work?”

He laughs, and it’s a helpless kind of laugh. “That’s nice of you,” he says as he scoots closer to me. His hands run up my forearms, light and gentle. “Why are you so nice?” he whispers.

“I don’t know. Because you are? I’m just reciprocating.”

His lips find mine, and before I know it, I’m reciprocating that as well.

He sits me on the tub’s side and kneels between my legs, licking my pussy with so much zeal, my cries echo off the walls. When he’s finished, he picks me up and carries me to his bed, where he tucks me in and stands there, naked, dripping, staring at me.

“I don’t make a habit of this,” he says quietly.

“Of screwing around with women who don’t reciprocate? Because I gladly will…”

His lips twitch. “Of letting women in my bed.”

I snort, and his hand closes around one of the thick bed posts. “I mean my bed. Here in my room.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s mine.”

“Not big on sharing?” I ask.

“No.” His lips form a thin line. He tilts his head, regarding me. “Did you plan this, Lucy?”

“Did I plan what? My dramatic bedroom coup?”

He swallows. Shakes his head. He gathers his hair into his hand. I see his shoulders rise a little as he takes a bigger breath.

“You’re putting me off-balance.” He snatches the covers off me, his eyes perusing my body in a way that can only be described as proprietary.

“Same to you, Liam.”

“Never Prince Liam,” he murmurs, trailing a finger down the outside of my thigh. “Why not?” His eyes hold mine.

“Because you’re not a prince. You aren’t. Your blood is. Your position is. I’m not a ‘first world’ female, or inherently a television star.” I push up on my elbow. “Punish me if you will, Prince Liam, but you’re not your title any more than I’m a credit at the end of Rhodes of Concord. You’re just a guy.” I reach for his bare chest. My fingers brush his abs. “A really hot guy. One I like. But you’re just Liam to me. I don’t do reverence.” I walk my fingers down his happy trail. “Not unless this—” my fingers close around his cock— “is what you’re wanting me to revere.”

I watch his eyes glaze over. I’m just starting to stroke him when there’s a knock at the door.

“Shit.” With my hand still around his cock, he tosses the covers to me and struts toward the door.

“You’re—”

He pulls a robe off the back of the door and looks over his shoulders with arched brows.

“Not naked now,” I whisper.

He grins as he slips into it, then pulls the door open.

A woman stands there, holding two dresses. I notice that her eyes never veer toward me as she says something to Liam in French. I always sucked at French, so I don’t know what it was.

He says something back. I think I recognize the words “thank you” before she goes, and he closes the door.

“That red…” I smile and nod at the dress in his right hand. “Totally you.”

“I thought so.”

He lies them on the bed beside me. “Not sure if any of these will work.”

“Are they my size?”

“Are you a six?”

“How did you know?”

He gives me a crooked smile. “You’d have to ask a real prince. I’m just Liam, remember?”

“Seriously.” I sit fully up and run my fingers over the red dress. “Tell me how.”

“I called for them the night you got here. It’s something I do for my female cousins and anyone who will be here for a while.”