Chapter 34

Lucy and I had classes on campus around the same time, so we met up afterward and drove together to the palace. She was coming over to try on the designs I had partially constructed, so that I could fit them to her and work out some of the final touches.

I don’t think I have ever seen anyone so excited before in my life.

Lucy was elated and wide-eyed, exclaiming over everything as I walked her through the palace to my and Nolan’s wing.

And she might have been just as thrilled about the fitting, too. Everything I handed her was “beautiful,” “gorgeous,” or “perfect.”

We worked on the green gown all afternoon. I had the base layer almost finished, so we fit that to her first. Then we played around with some diffserent fabrics layered over the skirt.

Lucy was a good sport, and a good model. She had a good idea, too, for an extra cinch I wound up sewing into the skirt of the gown. It brought the hemline up a few inches on one side, giving it a cute, asymmetrical twist, and flattered her hourglass figure like nobody’s business.

I told her all about my environmental design concept. She loved it.

“What do you think,” she asked, staring into the trifold mirror, “about adding a layer of tulle under the skirt?” She was wearing the green gown and turned to show me some different angles. “It would make it fancier, more like a ball gown.”

I liked the idea. But I’d have to get some more fabric before we could bring it to life.

Lucy stayed for dinner, then I had one of our cars drive her home.

It was a good thing I got so much work done with Lucy, because I had a date with Nolan late that night.

A fencing date. We had decided late nights could be a good time for him to give me more lessons, since we were both so busy all the time, him with work and me with school and the contest.

He got there before me and was already gearing up by the time I was walking in.

“You’re a minute late, Princess,” Nolan said.

His tone was flat, but I looked up and saw that he was smiling a little.

“I’m so sorry, Your Highness,” I answered coyly. “Are you going to punish me?”

“I might have to,” he said. He put his neutral, princely face back on. “But we’ll start with the lesson, first.”

I got geared up and met him on the fencing strip.

He called, “En Garde!” and we set ourselves into position.

We started with a little more choreography. We practiced the moves he taught me in our first lesson — advancing, retreating, engaging our swords.

We took a water break about an hour in.

“Let’s do something else,” I said. “Enough with the beginner stuff.”

He glowered at me. “Do you remember what I told you last time? This is a serious sport, and you need to take it seriously.”

“I am taking it seriously,” I quipped back. “You know that I am. I’m doing everything you tell me to.”

“Alright,” he said. “What is it you want to do?”

I shrugged. “What I see you doing with the guys you practice with.”

“Those guys,” he said, “have been fencing for years.”

“Okay, so take it easy on me, but just show me how it’s done. Please. Just for fun.”

He went back to the strip without another word, but I knew I had won him over.

Once we were both geared back up and in position, he guided me through the basics of how to attack an opponent.

After we ran through the moves twice over, I said, “Let’s just try one.”

We sparred for several minutes. He made a few aggressive attacks, and I was able to fend him off each time.

He did take it very easy on me. That’s for sure.

But I still don’t think he expected me to score a point on him.

And I did.

He threw his mask off after I made the winning touch. He was laughing.

“You never stop surprising me,” he said, walking over to get a sip of water.

“I was good, right?” I said, pulling my mask off and following him.

He chugged down some water then looked at me, wiping his mouth.

“Yes,” he said, “you were very good.”

I looked him in the eye and saw a little bit of his darkness stirring behind them.

He wanted me.

I felt like playing with him a little.

I took my gear off and tossed it into a pile, then walked over to him and snatched the water glass out of his hand. I drank it dry then pushed it into his chest.

“Mmm,” I said, and I licked my lips.

He took the glass from me and stood still, towering over me with a dark smile curling at just the edges of his mouth.

I bent over and took off my shoes. I watched his eyes roving over my body.

His big, strong chest started heaving as his breathing quickened.

I was wearing leggings and a thin white t-shirt with a sports bra on underneath. Everything was wet with sweat and clung to my skin. I started pulling my shirt up slowly.

Nolan took a slow step toward me.

I paced backward away from him. The shirt came off over my head and I dropped it to the ground.

I knew that the prince worked very hard to keep the beast inside him tightly controlled.

I wanted to tease that beast.

See if I could make it break free.

“I think it might be about time,” I said, “for you to give me my punishment now.”

I heard a low, primal growl coming from his throat. I smiled and pressed my back up against the wall, bracing myself.

Then he was on me in an instant.

He grabbed the front of my bra with both hands and ripped it right in half, then tore the pieces away.

He kissed me hard and ran one hand through my hair, pulling on it hard to jerk my head to the side. Then he kissed and bit my neck, sending shivers down the length of my body.

I guided his other hand between my thighs. He felt how wet I was and growled again, louder now. I felt him start to get hard.

He put both hands inside the waistband of my leggings and pulled them down to the ground. Then he picked me up and threw me against the wall, pinning me to it with his own body pressed hard up against mine.

The impact almost knocked the wind out of me.

He wrapped my legs around his waist and put his hand in between them, pushing a few of his big fingers deep inside of me. I almost screamed with pleasure, but I was still trying to catch my breath and it came out as only a desperate gasp.

He pulled his fingers out and lifted the hand to his mouth, still cradling my hips in his other hand and pressing me hard into the wall. He dipped one finger into his mouth and sucked it clean.