The King, page 33
Right at that moment, Tabs came around the corner and stopped short. “What in the home cooked meal is happening here?”
I smiled at my brother. “He came to cook us dinner. Oh, and agents can date now, so you and I no longer have to hide our affair.”
Tab whooped and gave me a squeeze. “Finally. Are you ok that I still desperately crave the devil's eggplant though?”
I snorted a laugh as a reply. “Alas, me too. Two smart women like us, you would think we would make better choices.”
When she released me, I hesitated as I approached Gabe. He was sautéing vegetables in the wok. I didn't want to burn myself or interrupt, but if we were going to get back to where we'd been before, it had to start somewhere. So for the first time in over a year, I hugged my brother. Just wrapped my arms around him and held on tight.
40
Lachlan
I had never been over here before. I mean, yes, I had been in the offices, but the residence, no. My hands were sweating, and my heart was beating too fast. Thanks to Tabatha and Gabe, I knew where her room was. I just had no idea what to say.
Saint had done his best to give me advice. I wasn't sure if I should take that advice or not. It always seemed slightly dubious. As if in fact there was a booby trap waiting around the corner.
Tabatha had offered me some words, but they were mostly of the hurt her again and I will castrate you variety. Gabe was even less helpful. Surprisingly, now that he'd warmed to the idea that I made Saff happy, he tried smiling at me more.
Unfortunately for him, that often looked like a grimace or a baring of teeth. I was never sure. Once I contacted him to ask about trying to talk to her and grand gesture it up, he had told me where her room was and then chuckled to himself as he said good luck. And then, that's when it happened… His grimace sort of looked like a smile. Who knew?
I knocked on the door, and when she yanked it open in a huff, she didn't look like Saff. She looked, well, like bad girl Saff with her leather leggings and sparkly top that looked barely bigger than a handkerchief and was held together by an intricate pattern of strings. “Lock, what are you doing here?”
All I could do was stare. And something told me I knew bad girl Saff. “Where are you off to?”
She shifted uncomfortably on her feet. “Nowhere.”
She was coming to see us.
I knew that outfit now. In my mind, I’d seen it littered on the floor of my flat. This was what she'd worn on the night we met. She had been coming to see me.
Well, fuck that. I was not about to be out grand-gestured.
You're being ridiculous.
Maybe I was, but with the joint elation of knowing that she was also coming for me, it didn't really matter. But I wanted her to know.
“Well, I’m mostly here to tell you that I love you. I love your smile and the way you chuckle a little right before you kick my ass. It's so freaking hot. I love how you automatically think outside of the box, even if your ideas are outlandish. I love that you're always looking at another solution. I love that you always want to do the right thing. I love your dedication, not just to your family and friends but to keeping the world safe. I love that you're an amazing teacher.”
“Lock…”
“I love the way you keep your mother's memory alive. I love that you tell stories of both of your parents. I love that you have not let the grief and pain of their loss consume you. I love that when you have a goal in mind you will keep pushing toward it. I love everything about you, Saff. I know I don't remember everything about our first time, but we get the chance to actually be together now. I'd like the opportunity to start fresh. To take you on a date. It'll be nice and safe. At my flat. I'll cook, and then at the time of your curfew I will return you back to campus.”
Her lips twitched then. “In case you missed it, I’m twenty-two. I no longer have a curfew.”
I made my eyes comically wide. “But what will people think about my virtue?”
“When I’m done with you, you won't even miss it.”
I handed her the flowers I’d brought. Tulips. She took them with a smile and then placed them in a vase on the desk right by the door. I reached for her and she came willingly into my arms. My fingers teased the exposed expanse of bare skin. And goddamn, I wanted to hold tight and never let go.
She tilted her head back and met my gaze. “I love you, Lachlan.”
My heart squeezed, wanting to bust out of its confines at the joy of hearing her say she loved me. At the same time, my gut knotted tight as I waited for the but. One didn't come, though.
“Saff, I have loved you long before I even knew why. I might not fully remember the day we met, but the echoes of you are still there. So strong that I knew I knew you. You are clearly dressed to go out, so come to London with me. We’ll order food and dance in my living room and I’ll feed you cake. I'd like to redo your birthday night.”
She blinked rapidly. “This was not how this was supposed to go. I was supposed to turn up at your loft and seduce you. Instead, you've come here and made my heart so full.”
“That's not a bad thing is it?”
She shook her head. “Not a bad thing at all.”
Epilogue
Lachlan
I pulled my Tesla over directly in front of the house on Lancaster Road, completely surprised that I found a parking spot.
It was late afternoon, and the market had already closed for the day. Saff leaned back, her sunglasses on and a wide smile on her face.
The rare day off. Well, a rare day for Saffron. Gabe was finally training her, and I was back in the King Media fold, at least as far as the rest of the world was concerned. I still worked at King Media, but I was and always would be a Rogue. My job was to be undercover in the real world. I usually went in once a week and occasionally on the odd mission. But even on days I wasn't on mission, I was always on campus just to see her.
If she couldn't get off campus, I was there. I’d already established I was completely unwilling to sleep apart from her unless she was out on a mission. It wasn't necessary, but I’d made it a rule.
“What are we doing here?” she asked. We'd already spent the day tooling around the South Bank and then Soho. Had lunch at one of the London Lords restaurants. It was a perfect day. “I think we’ve missed most of the market.”
I wrapped my hand over her knee, gently inching up the edge of her skirt. Saff just lifted a brow when I said, “We’re not here for the market.”
“Oh? Are we going to make out in the car like a couple of teenagers? I never got to do that. This would be a first for me. Are you going to make it fun?”
I leaned back and watched her as my hand navigated the rest of the way up her skirt. “I think we can arrange that. It’s almost sunset. The windows are mostly tinted. We can make this all sorts of fun.”
“On Lancaster Road? Shouldn't we be on Primrose Hill or something?”
I shook my head. “Nope. This place is special.”
“All right, I'll bite. Why is this place special?”
I swallowed hard. I didn't want to rush the moment. I wanted to savor everything about her expression. I was also terrified because what if she hated this? What if she hated the whole idea of it? I loved her. I knew she loved me. And yes, I had proposed.
But what if this idea seemed too big, too grand, too much?
She squirmed under my fingers that had halted right before they skimmed her knickers. “Don't tease me.”
I gave her a wicked grin. “Well, I'm not trying to tease you. I'm trying to work up the courage to tell you something.”
Her eyes went gravely serious. “No changing your mind, King. You’re stuck with me.”
I blinked at her, taking a moment to let her words set in. “Woman, are you mad?” I leaned forward, sliding my hand around her neck and tugging her forward. “I'm absolutely bonkers about you. I have big plans for putting many babies in that flawless figure of yours. I look forward to you training our children into badass agents. I want it all with you. Why would you think I had changed my mind?”
“Something has been on your mind, and you don't want to talk about it. Every time I even broach the subject that something might be wrong, you change the topic. What am I supposed to think?”
“All day you’ve been thinking I was trying to back out?”
She shrugged. “I don't know. You were taking the long way around something.”
Very deliberately, I slid her panties to the side and stroked over her clit. “So this morning in the shower, that was me not communicating?”
She ducked her head, giving me a shy smile. My cock immediately hardened at the memory of sliding into her arse. The way she begged me to come inside her, panting my name, asking me for everything that I had.
“Well, my arse is quite delectable.”
I leaned forward, brushing my lips over hers. “On that you will get zero argument from me. Matter of fact, I want to rain kisses on it later. But we're not done with this topic of conversation. What exactly did you think was happening this afternoon when we had lunch and strolled around the Victoria and Albert? And every two minutes I kept kissing you and telling you how much I love you?”
“My mind has been going wild trying to think of all the possibilities. You've just been laying on the romance thick and making me nervous.”
I stroked my thumb over her clit again, and she dragged in a shuddering gasp.
“Is this romance?”
She bit her bottom lip. “This is you making me crazy.”
I kissed her nose then. “It's both. Can't I show the love of my life what the perfect day off looks like?”
“You can. I can just tell that something is on your mind. And I wish you would tell me so I can worry about it with you.”
I sighed. “I don't want you to ruin my surprise.”
“What surprise?”
I shook my head as I stroked her again. “I'm going to demand an orgasm first.”
Her hips lifted off the seat. “I know it's been a little crazy with my schedule. But in my defense, I thought you were acting strange. Tell me what's going on.”
I kept my word and told her nothing until I slid two fingers inside her, her heat wrapping around me. A quick flick of my thumb over her clit made her place a hand on the dashboard and throw her head back, moaning my name.
When she started to come down, I withdrew my fingers and smoothed down her skirt as I put my fingers to my lips and licked them clean, my eyes on hers the whole time. “Okay, now that we've gotten you a little bit more relaxed, look up.”
Saff glanced up at the skyline that was now growing dusky. “I don't get it.”
“No. That way up.” I pointed at the window.
She glanced up at the bright pink house then the For Sale sign. She turned back to me.
“You didn't.”
I gave her a sheepish grin and a shrug. “No, I wanted you to see it first. But I'm ready to pull the trigger if you are.”
“But we have your place already.”
“No. That was my place with Charlie. And you obviously have a whole manor house.”
She shook her head. “No, that's Rogues Division. That has nothing to do with Saffron Abbot, soon-to-be King.”
I nodded. “I know. I wanted something that was ours. And I saw this house was on the market. It's got five bedrooms, so lots of room for us to grow into It. It's been remodeled, so it's contemporary style, but the exterior is Victorian. It's got a terrace and a roof garden. Enormous bay windows. A spa bathroom that you will probably vanish into.”
She glanced up at the house in awe. “Lachlan King, you surprise me.”
“I hope I keep surprising you. Come on, let's go take a look at it.”
I went around to her side of the car, opened her door for her, and took her hand to help her out. As we jogged up the steps, I kept her hand in mine, letting her warmth seep into me. And for once, I felt like I had a home. A real one. She saw me for exactly who I was.
When we reached the top step, I pressed the code the realtor had given me and we stepped inside.
The foyer was brightly lit with contemporary art on the walls. And Saff was already grinning ear to ear. She belonged here. This was home. Room by room we went, holding hands, planning what pieces of furniture we could put where, what we would need to buy. The fantasy was taking us over.
When we stepped into the master bathroom, both of our phones rang with an audible notification. That special ringtone that we knew all too well.
Our notifications were promptly followed by a ring to my phone. I answered immediately and put it on speaker. It was Gabe, my soon-to-be brother-in-law. “What's up, Gabe? What's the matter?”
Gabe's voice was unusually grave. “It’s Saint. He's been hit by a car bomb.”
To be continued in The Saint…
* * *
Click here to get your exclusive bonus epilogue for The King!
Thank you for reading THE KING, book 1 in the Gentlemen Rogues Series. I hope you’re ready for a wild ride, the Rogues just get sexier from here!
* * *
How did I end up on the auction block at this charity event you ask? I made a deal with the devil that’s how. But you d what you gotta do.
And if this little auction will help me find my mother, then I’ll do it.
But when the door opens and I meet the man who’s won me, It’s not who I expect and the devil has come to collect his due.
* * *
Read about Kaya and Saint in ——>THE SAINT!
* * *
WHILE YOU WAIT, dive in to Ariel and Tristan’s story with The Prince Duet:
I’ve been a prince in exile, but I’m finally going home, tarnished crown and all. This time, I won’t let anyone keep me away…Not Ariel, the woman I left behind. Not the killer on my tail. Hell, not even my cousin—the king—can stop me…
* * *
➜ Yes, you can pick up Return of the Prince and To Love a Prince now!
“…a dramatic, suspenseful and amazing read that you just can't put down. I loved it!”———Goodreads Reviewer
Can’t get enough royals? Meet a cocky, billionaire prince that goes undercover in Cheeky Royal!
* * *
He’s a prince with a secret to protect. The last distraction he can afford is his gorgeous as sin new neighbor.
* * *
His secrets could get them killed, but still, he can’t stay away…
Read Cheeky Royal Now!
Turn the page for an excerpt from Cheeky Royal…
* * *
UPCOMING BOOKS
* * *
THE SAINT
THE ROOK
THE SPY
THE VILLAIN
Also from Nana Malone
Cheeky Royal
“You make a really good model. I’m sure dozens of artists have volunteered to paint you before.”
He shook his head. “Not that I can recall. Why? Are you offering?”
* * *
I grinned. “I usually do nudes.” Why did I say that? It wasn’t true. Because you’re hoping he’ll volunteer as tribute.
* * *
He shrugged then reached behind his back and pulled his shirt up, tugged it free, and tossed it aside. “How is this for nude?”
* * *
Fuck. Me. I stared for a moment, mouth open and looking like an idiot. Then, well, I snapped a picture. Okay fine, I snapped several. “Uh, that’s a start.”
* * *
He ran a hand through his hair and tussled it, so I snapped several of that. These were romance-cover gold. Getting into it, he started posing for me, making silly faces. I got closer to him, snapping more close-ups of his face. That incredible face.
* * *
Then suddenly he went deadly serious again, the intensity in his eyes going harder somehow, sharper. Like a razor. “You look nervous. I thought you said you were used to nudes.”
* * *
I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “Yeah, at school whenever we had a model, they were always nude. I got used to it.”
* * *
He narrowed his gaze. “Are you sure about that?”
Shit. He could tell. “Yeah, I am. It’s just a human form. Male. Female. No big deal.”
* * *
His lopsided grin flashed, and my stomach flipped. Stupid traitorous body…and damn him for being so damn good looking. I tried to keep the lens centered on his face, but I had to get several of his abs, for you know…research.
But when his hand rubbed over his stomach and then slid to the button on his jeans, I gasped, “What are you doing?”
“Well, you said you were used doing nudes. Will that make you more comfortable as a photographer?”
* * *
I swallowed again, unable to answer, wanting to know what he was doing, how far he would go. And how far would I go?
* * *
The button popped, and I swallowed the sawdust in my mouth. I snapped a picture of his hands.
_preview.jpg)
