Affairs of State(37)
She chuckled, then carefully maneuvered them until she was on top. “You’re a hard man to resist.” That was the truth. You couldn’t say no to Simon. At least she couldn’t.
She leaned forward to kiss him, then her hair trailed over his chest as she rose and moved over him. His eyes closed and his face wore an expression of sheer bliss as she rode him. His hands wandered over her chest, enjoying the curve of her breasts and circling her waist. Then he deftly changed positions again and took back the lead.
Thoughts slipped away as he drove her deep into a world where worries didn’t exist. Nothing mattered but their two bodies, moving in sync, holding and clutching at each other, their breath mingling and their skin sticking together as they edged closer and closer to the inevitable climax.
Afterward they lay in each other’s arms, as countless other couples must have done over the years in this same grand chamber. Dukes, princes and earls, wives, mistresses and probably a few comely servant girls as well.
“What are we doing?” She breathed into his ear. It wasn’t the first time she’d voiced the thought aloud.
“We’re in the throes of a passionate romance,” he answered.
“You make things seem so simple.”
“Usually they are simple, and people go out of their way to make them complicated.”
“But how long can it go on for? You live here and I live in D.C. It’s silly.”
“It’s wonderful.” He stroked her hair, his eyes soft.
She exhaled slowly. “It is.”
“So we need to enjoy our passionate romance one day at a time and see where it takes us.”
“With the press breathing down our necks?”
He shrugged. “They’ll do what they want to do, regardless of what we want or hope for. I try to ignore them in general. Unless I need some PR for World Connect. Then I’m all smiles and pithy sound bites.” He grinned.
“I need to cultivate that attitude.” She rested her head on his broad chest. “They’re just doing their job. As you said before, they’re not likely to leave me alone any time soon because of the president being my father, so I might as well get used to them.”
“Good, because on Sunday we’re going to a charity polo match and there will be plenty of press there.” He had that mischievous look again.
“Uh-oh.”
“It’ll be fun. And you’ll get to meet my family.”
Anxiety spiked through her. “Your older brother and his wife?”
“They’re away on a tour of Australia, but you’ll meet my grandmother and assorted cousins, aunts and uncles. And my younger brother will be there.”
She swallowed, trying not to let her panic show. “Your grandmother…the queen?”
“Don’t be intimidated. She looks fierce from a distance but up close she’s very warm and easy to talk to.”
She blew out a breath. “I hope I won’t stutter like an idiot.”
“You are the last person on earth to feel flummoxed in the presence of royalty. Especially since you’re already sleeping with it.”
She chuckled. “There is that.” Then her gut churned. “Does the queen know? I mean, about us?”
“If she reads the papers she will.” He stroked her cheek. “Don’t worry. My family will love you. It will be fun.”
Fun. Ariella very much doubted that it would be fun. Intimidating, alarming, fraught with potential pitfalls? Yes. Fun? Not so much.
Either way, in less than two days, she’d find out.
Seven
Ariella tried everything she could think of to get out of attending the polo match. The Duke of Buckingham had officially hired them for the wedding so she really should be in London scouting out suppliers for the party. But, yes, it would be a Sunday and in England most things were closed on Sunday. She should get back to the U.S. and…well, yes, it would still be Sunday.
So on Sunday morning she found herself combing her hair with shaking hands.
Simon opened the door dividing their rooms and looked in. He smiled when he saw her. “Just checking that you haven’t climbed out the window.”
“What if they all hate me?”
“They’ll love you.” His ebullient confidence did nothing to soothe her frazzled nerves.
“I don’t know anything about polo.”