Love in Fantasy (Skeleton Key) (17 page)

“This may be a little overwhelming but, I need you to listen with your heart and not your head, okay?” he petitions her earnestly. Too busy chanting to speak, she nods.

“I’m so in love with you, Piper. You consume my every thought, every dream. All I can think about is making love to you, marrying you, and starting a family with you. You’re mine already, even if you haven’t realized it. So, listen to your heart, baby, because I know, without a shadow of a doubt, it beats for me, just like mine does for you.”

“Wow,” she breathes. “You kiss a girl awake and then make a speech like that. How could she possibly turn you down? Of course, it certainly doesn’t hurt that you’re hot.” She grins even as she blushes from being so bold.

Wilder laughs and his lips quirk up into a crooked smile. “Baby, you’re one to talk. You’re a walking wet dream, and I have the feeling I’m going to be in a constant state of arousal for the rest of our lives.”

“I guess, I’ll have to spend the rest of my life with you so I can take care of this little problem then,” she says cheekily. Wilder throws his head back and laughs a full out belly laugh.

“I love you so fucking much.” He stands and holds out a hand to her. “Let me take you home, baby.
Our
home.” Piper takes his hand and steps into a life where fantasy has met reality.

Principles for orgasms seems like a fair trade

“F
ucking gorgeous,” I growl, burying my face in Pippa’s masses of long, almost black hair and inhaling her sweet jasmine scent. “Five nights, baby.” An evening breeze blows through the open doors to my terrace, cooling my heated skin.

“Wh—what?” She stumbles over her words, her breathing choppy, her sable eyes are glazed over with satisfaction. I may not be willing to fuck her until we are married, but it doesn’t mean I can’t make her come. As often and as hard as possible. There are few sights I crave more than seeing Pippa come. Lifting my head, I remove my hand from her slick pussy and bring my hand to my mouth.

I groan as her taste explodes on my tongue. I’d taken Pippa to dinner, then brought her back to our house to spend some uninterrupted time alone. I don’t know what I was thinking. I need to take her home. Now.

“Five nights, then you’re mine,” I answer her. There are still four sisters to work through, then I’ll be dragging her, kicking and screaming if need be, to a priest and tying her to me permanently. Then I’m going to take her to our home and make her scream in an entirely and much more enjoyable way.

“You sure are cocky, Oliver,” she mutters as she squirms in my lap, though, I notice she doesn’t try to get up.

“Confident, baby,” I say with a grin. I kiss her lips quick and hard, then help her stand, laughing when she looks as though she trying to decide whether to pout or be angry. Getting to my feet, I can’t resist pulling her back into my arms. “Why are you still fighting me, Pippa?” I’m determined to win her little game, but I’m curious why she’s still adamantly refusing to admit she wants me as much as I want her.

She mumbles something as she tries to break my hold, but I tense my muscles, keeping her caged in. “What was that, baby?” I can’t help grinning when she glowers at me.

“It’s the principle of the thing!” she snaps. I start laughing so hard I have to let her go so I can bend over, hands on my knees, trying to get in some air.

“You’re so fucking adorable,” I say when I can breathe again. “I appreciate your moral code, baby. But, in a few days, you’ll be trading those principles for orgasms.” I kiss her hard and fast on the mouth, then smirk. “You’re getting the better end of the deal. Wouldn’t you say?”

Spinning on her heel, she marches from the room, and it doesn’t escape my notice that she didn’t dispute my comments. I catch up to her by the door, still snickering, and place my hand on her lower back, leading her to the car.

It doesn’t take long to get to the palace and when we walk into the kitchen through a back door—once a servant’s entrance—we run into Pippa’s other twin sisters, Odette and Shelby. They are identical in every way except Shelby wears glasses and her eyes are more sea green as opposed to Odette’s darker grey-green ones. Even their hair is cut similarly, hanging straight to swish just above their shoulders. They are sitting at a table, deep in discussion and eating ice cream from the container. Pippa immediately grabs a spoon and plops down next to Shelby. She dips her spoon in for a big scoop of the chocolate and peanut butter dessert, even as she scrutinizes Odette.

“Man troubles?” she prods before sticking the utensil full of ice cream in her mouth.

Odette’s head drops to bang lightly against the table. “More like wicked step-mother troubles,” she groans. “Except it’s worse because it’s Dylan’s actual mother.” She sits back up and eats another bite of ice cream, her expression dark and angry.

“Is killing your mother-in-law considered matricide?” Pippa wonders aloud. I press my lips together to avoid laughing at my sweet Pippa. I’m standing off to the side, trying to remain inconspicuous as I listen.

I’m a little confused, though; I didn’t realize Odette was engaged. Are we going to be able to skip her? Wilhelm chooses that moment to be obnoxious as usual, vibrating like crazy in my pocket. Okay, maybe not.

“I’m not likely to find out, am I?” Odette laments. “She keeps trying to set him up with princess after princess. He refuses every time, but I’m worried she’s going to convince him one of these days.”

Ah, so Dylan needs a push. Wilhelm hums in agreement, and I start to watch for an opportunity to give her the key.

“I don’t understand,” Pippa interjects. “It’s not like you aren’t a ‘real’ princess. What’s her problem?”

Odette shrugs. “Who the hell knows? I obviously don’t meet her standards.”

Shelby rubs a hand soothingly over her back. “Maybe there is some way to convince her you are what she wants for Dylan.”

Returning her head to the table, Odette groans. “Like what? Cut myself and show her my blue blood? She’d let me bleed out while she picks out a wedding dress for the bride she handpicked.”

Shelby sighs and gets up to clean up their mess, noticing me for the first time. “Hey Oliver,” she greets me with a smile.

“Shelby,” I return warmly. “It’s nice to see you. Are you home for a while?” Shelby was an underwater archeologist. She’s skipped several grades as a child, graduating with a Masters in Maritime Archaeology at twenty years old. The last year and a half, she’d been on an exploratory expedition, basically modern day treasure hunting.

“Yeah, I’m spending a few weeks working with museums here and in the surrounding countries, getting the items we salvaged into the right exhibits,” she explains. I wonder vaguely how that was going to work when it came time for her fantasy. However, since it was clearly Odette’s turn, it isn’t worth pondering. I mentally shrug; Wilhelm’s running this reality version of
Love Connection
anyway.

“Well, I’m sure your sisters are excited to have you home as long as they can.” I stroll over to Pippa and lean down to give her a lingering kiss on the lips. When I pull back, her cheeks are flaming red and her sisters are smiling broadly at us. “I’ll see you tomorrow, baby. I’m going to come by around noon and take you to lunch,” I inform her. Pippa nods, still a little hazy from my kiss, it seems. It is such a huge turn on that I can affect her like this.

Looking around, I don’t see a bag near Odette and her dress has no pockets. I’m stumped for a moment, then wonder if I should just give it to her. Wilhelm seems to approve of this plan, so I take the long way around the table to kiss the cheeks of each sister. I press the key into Odette’s hand. “Keep this hidden. It belongs to you tonight. Trust me,” I whisper. She gives me a peculiar look and I simply nod at her before taking my leave.

I go home and fall onto the couch, lying on my back and staring at the ceiling.
Five fucking nights.

Meanwhile. . .

Odette’s Fantasy

O
dette says goodnight to her sisters and leaves for her apartment near her old college campus. The whole way, she keeps the odd key from Oliver clutched in her fist. She didn’t know what to make of it, but for some unknown reason, when he’d put the key in her hand, she felt as though it belonged there. What was it he said? It belonged to her tonight? It was a unique key, like nothing she’d ever seen before, made of thick glass, and two “teeth” protruding from the skeleton head. Well, perhaps it would take her mind off of her troubles.

She’d met Dylan in college when she was a freshman, and he was a junior. They’d been dating since then, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he was the only man for her. He’d never directly asked her to marry him, but he’d constantly talked about “their” future together. As though there wasn’t another option but to spend it together.

She first met the old queen at his graduation, it was the first time Odette had been faced with this woman’s sort of attitude. Odette felt like a bug under her shoe, although, it was in a very passive aggressive way. Dylan hadn’t been completely oblivious to it; she was cunning and she knew how to get her digs in without him realizing it had even happened.

Odette and Dylan had planned to spend the summer together in his country, at a small cottage by the sea since he wasn’t expected to ascend to the throne for a few years. The queen had been pissed, but Dylan firmly informed her they were going ahead with their plans. She’d been an occasional annoyance over the few months Odette spent there, but for the most part, it was pretty idyllic, and it was difficult to return home at the end of it.

They’d decided on a long distance relationship while Odette finished up school. She’d busted her ass to get done with her double degree in International Relations and Business a year early. After she’d graduated, she’d expected to move right away. But, Dylan had been cagey about it and encouraged her to take her time. When they were together, he was every bit her Dylan, but she fretted every time he or she left from a visit to each other. She’d gone to him less and less frequently, not willing to put up with his mother for fear she’d be thrown in a dungeon for assaulting the queen.

Pulling into her parking lot, she is forced to drive to the very back to the only open spaces. After shutting the car off, Odette sighs and looks down at the key. What this object could do to help her was a mystery and more than likely, the answer was nothing. She tosses the key into her purse, gets out of the car and freezes in complete shock when the skies open up and start pouring down rain. By the time the use of her faculties returns and she sprints to her building and up the stairs to her door, she is soaked through. Her reflection in the window next to her door confirms she looks exactly as she feels—like a drowned rat.

“Aaaaargh!” she screams. This is a fitting end to her shitty day. Rooting through her purse, she finds her house keys and tried to unlock her door. It doesn’t work.
Really? Going to kick me when I’m down?
Pushing her wet hair out of her face, she drops her purse to the ground in front of her and bends down to look directly at the lock as she tries the key again. Same result. She’s standing on a little, covered walkway, but the rain is fierce and the angle is still pelting her with sheets of water. Lightning illuminates the area all around her and thunder booms, causing her to jump. Her nerves are a jumble so she doesn’t notice the vibrating and glowing object in her purse.