Player's Princess (A Royal Sports Romance)(74)

My second peak is harder than my first, and I fall against him. He locks his arms around me and thrusts up, deep inside as I arch against his back, and I can feel him coming again, the tightness of his belly under me, the groans in my ear.

He rolls over and I lie on my stomach. He's still inside me. His thrusts are slow, gentle, his cock still rock hard. How can he keep going? I can barely move, my legs like jelly, my arms limp. I let my cheek fall on the blankets and look at the ocean as his breath tickles my face, as he whispers pledges and promises in my ear and takes my hands, threads his fingers through mine.

It feels like he f*cks me for hours this way, until I've lost all sense of time, of space, of my own name and who I am. My heart is like a shining star in my chest, too big to contain. When he grunts and finishes a third time inside me, he doesn't pull out but holds me, fills me, stays closer than close.

When I roll over and he lies on top of me and kisses me, I fall into a world of pure bliss, lazily stroking his sweaty body with my hands. I want to touch him everywhere and take my time to ensure there is not one spot I miss.

He kisses me over and over, our bodies entwined, until the sun begins to set. Only then do we sit up, together, and I fall against him.

The first tear burning down my cheek is soon joined by another, then another. I start to weep.

Jason gathers me up in his arms, walling me off from the world in his strength. I cling to him.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want to stop," I whimper. "You win. I'll give up anything to be with you. If they try to take me, I won't go. I love you."

He tenses. "Ana."

"Yes?"

"I love you too."

He kisses me, hard.

"I'm f*cking freezing. Can we go now?" he asks.

"I want more sex."

"After that if we go again, I really will run dry. We have more time. There will be lots more sex. Trust me."

I grin and stand up. Then I fall back down, and he catches me. I end up sitting on my butt to dress while Jason pulls on his clothes. When he offers me a hand and pulls me easily to my feet, I am steady enough to walk. He ends up balling up the blankets and carrying them with us.

Keeping my hands off him is nearly impossible. I suddenly feel free, liberated. I have to keep my feet on the ground or I'll float away.

The moon rides high by the time we get back in the car. I snuggle up against Jason right away and close my eyes, barely able to stay awake. I'm exhausted.

I don't want to sleep. I want to be awake every moment with him, but the motion of the car lulls me into a deep, dreamless sleep. Next I know, I'm waking up as we drive across the bridge, under the big lights. I sit up and yawn, and manage another five minutes of wakefulness before I doze off again.

When next we stop, it's at the house. He pulls the car in behind it.

I look at the poor stuffed shark.

"I can't take him. I can't sneak him back into my room."

Jason grins. "I'll keep him here. You'll see him soon enough. Can you come to my game tomorrow? It's a home game."

"Of course." I kiss his cheek. "Thank you. For everything."

"Love you, baby."

"I love you," I tell him again.

I remember I must put my hood up as he walks me home. It feels like I can fly up to my window. I have to calm myself before he boosts me over the fence. He waits until he sees me climb in the window before he waves and walks back.

I sit at the window and stare after him, sighing loudly with every breath. I slip out of my clothes and shake the sand out of my hair. That one would be difficult to explain.

Sitting on the bed, I ponder how I will deal with this. I have never successfully stood up to Mother before. She overrules me in everything, but this must end. Why must I suffer under some archaic rule? It's not the fourteenth century anymore. There is no reason I cannot marry anyone I want, or not marry anyone at all if I do not wish it.

She can understand, she must understand. If Thorlief tells me true, how can she let me suffer the same pain? If she tried so hard to prevent it, why would she inflict it? I know I can reason with her.

With Jason in my heart I can do anything.

I bathe quickly, avoiding anyone else, and return to my room with my hair still down. I put it in a simple ponytail to sleep and flop on the bed, utterly exhausted. I slept for hours in the car already, but my fatigue steals up on me like a pouncing cat.

I wake a few times in the night, but mostly sleep through. When I wake I feel full of possibility and excitement.

Rising, I dress for the day. The game will begin at three. I'll need to call Dee and plan for it. I could just continue the fiction that I am sick and use that to slip out unnoticed. Thorlief will surely help me.

It is him I expect when the knock comes at the door.

Instead, it is Bjorn. He walks in with two other guards, who stride into my room.

"Princess. You will come with us,” Bjorn says.

I glance at them. "Come with you where?"

"Home," he says.

The word slips into me and through me like a knife, and my heart freezes solid. I can't speak; my throat is too choked. He strides forward and hands me an iPad. I take it, like a machine might, my movements jaggy and uncoordinated.

I find myself looking at the front page of The Royal Exposé website. On the cover are two images. On the right side is Jason… with me, my hood down, plain as day. On the left is Jason walking out of a room….