Behind Palace Doors (5 page)

He moved within her, slowly, then, when her hips rocked faster, he increased the pace.

She tore her lips from his. “Please.”

If she liked things fast and sweaty, they could very well kill each other before the six months were up because she was speaking his language.

Victoria gripped his shoulders, flung her head back and closed her eyes. That long column of her neck begged to be licked, savored. He nibbled his way up, then back down and nestled his face between her breasts.

“Stefan....”

Yeah, he knew. She was close, which was a relief because so was he. He normally prided himself on his stamina, but one touch from Victoria and he was ready to explode. He didn’t take the time or the energy to think that this had never happened before. There was something about his Tori....

Her legs tightened around his waist as her whole body stiffened. He grabbed her face, forced her to look at him and for the briefest of seconds, when their eyes met, he felt a twinge of something he didn’t recognize. But he certainly wasn’t taking the time to figure it out, not when he had a sexy, wild woman bucking in his arms, finding her release.

Capturing her lips while she came undone around him was all he wanted. His tongue slid in and out, mimicking their bodies. His own release built and before he knew it he, too, let go. He gave in to Victoria’s sweet body, allowing her to take him—her welcoming arms enveloping him and her soft words calming him.

Never had he experienced anything like this before. But he knew that the next several months with his best friend-turned-wife would be nothing if not life-altering.

And that epiphany scared the hell out of him.

* * *

Victoria sat in the oversize cozy leather chair in the palace theater waiting for the movie to start and eating from a tub of popcorn. Only moments ago the man beside her rocked her world in a way she hadn’t known possible, and now he pretended as if their giant step beyond friendship were perfectly normal.

After they’d nearly killed each other in a bout of heated, frenzied sex, she’d thrown on his tux shirt instead of her gown. He’d slipped back into his pants, leaving his gloriously tanned and tattooed chest bare. He nearly had a whole sleeve of tats on one sculpted arm. The swirls slid over his shoulder and stretched from his back over his pecs. And Victoria wanted to trace every line, every detail with her fingertip, then follow with her tongue.

God, he’d turned her into a sex fiend. Knowing Stefan, that had been his goal all along.

Who knew he had such...skills. Well, given the amount of women the paparazzi put him with over the years, she should’ve known, but she’d not thought of his hidden talents before. Shame that.

But she’d be thinking of them now. She had a feeling they would be in the forefront of her mind for quite some time. Would she ever get used to seeing, touching her best friend in such a way?

“So do we talk about this or just watch the movie?” she asked, reaching into the giant tub of popcorn he’d prepared.

He propped his feet upon the footrest of his own oversized leather chair and threw her a smile. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to just relax and watch the movie.”

Relax? After what had just happened? Her body was still trembling and her orgasm had stopped twenty minutes ago. Yeah, definite skills. But even through the climax-induced haze, she had to know what he was thinking. She didn’t care if that was too girly and mushy for him, she couldn’t just pretend this moment hadn’t changed her life.

“Do you feel different?” she asked, turning in her chair to face him.

A wicked grin spread across his handsome, devilish face. “Oh, yeah.”

With a playful swat on his arm, she laughed. “Stefan, be serious. We’re married and we just had sex.”

“Just sex?” he asked, quirking one black brow.

Images of how they must’ve looked slammed into her. His golden, toned body plastering hers against the wall as she arched into his touch. Her glorious Greek prince staking his claim, dominating her.

“Okay, so it was amazing sex,” she admitted as tingles continued to spread through her. “This isn’t going to be weird now, is it? Because I really can’t handle weird.”

“The way you were groaning earlier and the way you’re smiling now, I’d say you feel anything but weird.”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “You’re begging for compliments, aren’t you? I already said it was great sex. I just don’t want this to get uncomfortable between us.”

He reached out, grabbed her hand and squeezed. “I care for you just as much as I always have,” he assured her, all joking gone from his face. “You’re still my best friend, but I’ve discovered that my best friend has a kick-ass body that I can’t wait to take my time in savoring and getting to know better.”

Chills and excitement coursed through her at his promise. If he was this confident, than why was she letting fear spread through her? Why borrow trouble when she’d just had the most incredible sexual experience of her life?

“I think this marriage is going to be one of the wisest decisions we ever made,” she told him.

As the movie started on the screen, Stefan held on to her hand, occasionally stroking his thumb across her skin. The man had a tender side, and he wasn’t afraid to express himself. They’d held hands before, but holding them after being so intimate took on a whole new meaning.

If the next six months of their marriage were anything like tonight, she’d certainly think twice about walking away. She may just be queen of Galini Isle forever.

“You picked my favorite movie,” she told him as the title popped up on the screen. “You had this whole night planned, didn’t you?”

He shrugged and grinned. “I actually had the movie planned because I thought you’d want to get back some sense of normalcy after the circus today. The sex was just a major added bonus.”

“Oh, you have such pretty words,” she mocked with a heavy sigh. “Watch it, Stefan, I may not find it in my heart to leave you after six months.”

And while she was joking on the outside, inside her heart she feared she may have gotten in deeper than even she thought she would go.

Five

V
ictoria stood over the mahogany desk and sighed as she stared down at the scattered dress designs and random doodles. She’d started fresh sketches the day after her wedding and now, over a week later, she still wasn’t happy with the results.

Nothing compared to her own lavish gown...of which many replicas were already being made by designers who only wished they would have had the initial idea.

And while that dress was her absolute favorite, Victoria didn’t want to re-create it for resale. That unique design was hers, whether the marriage was real or not. She wanted to keep the gown special, but she would do others that were similar for future clients. And she knew she couldn’t stop other designers from trying to mimic her gown, but they still wouldn’t be the same. Hers was literally one of a kind.

Her thoughts circled back around to the “real” marriage. She didn’t know why she always put quotations around the word in her head. Her marriage to Stefan was as real as anyone else’s marriage. In fact, she’d bet her entire year’s salary that theirs was better than the majority of those living in Hollywood because she sincerely loved Stefan and would do anything for him...obviously a point she’d proven.

Not only did they share that bond and connection of their friendship, but the sexual chemistry was beyond amazing. Didn’t married couples complain that after they said “I do” the light burned out on the passion? Yeah, there was no dimming the desire in the bedroom here.

After their initial lovemaking in the theater—and their movie night—Stefan had brought her into his master suite where they’d playfully undressed each other once again and enjoyed the benefits of the sunken garden tub in his master bath.

If this was how the whole friends-with-benefits thing worked, no wonder so many people jumped on board. Six months of Stefan attending to her intimate needs hadn’t been part of the initial bargain, but it had become a surprising extra.

Unfortunately, her emotions were a jumbled mess. She had been stunned at what an attentive, passionate lover Stefan was, but when she started really thinking about their intimacy, she couldn’t help but feel they’d passed the point of no return. After this six months, if she chose to leave, could they actually go back to just being friends?

Victoria turned her focus back to the pencil sketches staring up at her. Before her wedding she would’ve loved these designs, but now that she was technically a princess—still an odd term to grasp when referring to herself—she wished for all of her future brides to feel the same on their special day.

She wanted to launch her Fairy-tale Collection with magnificent gowns that women would love just as much as the one she wore, and if she was going to start this, she needed to stop coming up with garbage.

Raking her hands through her hair, she groaned.

“Bad time?”

She spun in the direction of the door to find Stefan entering their bedroom. In the past she’d always appreciated his fine build, but now that she’d seen, tasted and touched every delicious inch, she had a whole new admiration for her sexy husband...a weird sensation to associate with Stefan, but surprisingly a very welcome one.

Would it be too taboo for the prince to walk around naked? A shame, really, to cover such a magnificent creature.

If one didn’t know he was a prince, they’d never guess from his attire. Though he did look mighty fine in his black T-shirt stretched over his broad shoulders and faded, designer jeans, it was the baseball cap pulled low to shield his face that captured her attention. Not often had she seen him in a hat, but he wore it well. And while he may look very American with his ensemble, he was every bit the Greek god she knew him to be.

“Perfect timing, actually.” She turned away from her ghastly drawings and leaned back on the desk. “What’s up?”

Those long legs ate up the space between them, and he rested a hip beside hers on the desk. “Well, I’m in the honeymoon phase and my wife is working. The tradition in my country is that these two weeks are for the husband and wife to get to know each other.”

Wife.
She didn’t know if she’d ever get used to that term coming from Stefan’s lips...especially when referring to her.

Victoria laughed. “I’m pretty sure we know each other quite well.”

He reached around, fingering through her designs. “Still drawing random sketches?” he asked.

“Yeah. It’s always easier to concentrate when I’m doodling and just let my mind relax.”

He lifted a torn piece of scratch paper. “This looks like my family crest, but...are those initials?”

Victoria nodded. “I intertwined our initials together. Silly, isn’t it?”

“Amazing how you’re so extremely talented and still hard on yourself.”

He took her hands in his and flashed a wicked smile. “Let’s get out of here. Go down to the beach or have a picnic. Want to go for a ride on my new bike?”

“Is that a double entendre?” she asked, smiling. “How about we take a ride on the bike to the beach for a picnic?”

“And you’ll lay off work the rest of the day?” he asked.

She watched him, those taut muscles beneath his shirt, the way the hat shielded those cobalt-colored eyes. As his best friend she hadn’t been able to deny him anything, so as his wife and lover she definitely couldn’t say no.

“Just today,” she promised. “I really do need to get this line started, and these designs are crap right now.”

Stefan pulled her up as he stood. “All the more reason you need a break. I know how you get when you’re frustrated. Nothing will make you happy until you take a breather, refocus and come back to it. Besides, you’re not sleeping well and I know it’s because of work.”

She jerked back. “How do you know I’m not sleeping well?”

“Because you normally snore like a train,” he laughed. “All you’ve been doing lately is tossing and turning.”

“I do not snore,” she told him with a tilt of her chin. “You’re lying.”

He hugged her closer and nuzzled her neck. “Maybe I’m not wearing you out enough before bed.”

The familiar masculine aroma that she always associated with him enveloped her. Amazing how their time apart didn’t hinder his knowledge of how she worked. They may not see each other in person as often as she would’ve liked, but he still knew every layer to her. Even more so now since they’d slept together.

“If you want to ride my bike, in any form of the term, let me offer myself to your services.”

Victoria laughed, smacking his shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re willing to sacrifice yourself for my work.”

With a loud smack, he kissed her on the lips. “Anything for my new bride.”

“Let me change and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

His hand snaked up her shirt, his thumb skimming the edge of her lacy bra. “Do you need help changing?”

His touch affected her in ways she’d never known before, and she had to assume the chills and instant erotic pleasure that came from his fingertips stemmed from their playful, yet intense lovemaking.

“What I need is for you to get that picnic lunch prepared so we can go,” she told him, swatting his hand away and taking a step back.

He shoved his hands in his jean pockets and smiled... Oh, the things that smile did to her insides, touching places she had thought dead since her exploited and humiliating breakup months ago.

She had known Stefan would be there to help her through the tough time, she just never imagined it would be with their clothes off.

Every time she thought of how fast, how thrilling their new relationship was, nerves settled low in her belly. She was already getting too comfortable and she hadn’t even put a dent in this six-month period.

Even though he’d given her control in the end, she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d tire of her, physically, by then and if he’d be eager to get back to his old, playboy ways.

“I already had my chef prepare the food,” he told her. “How soon can you be ready?”

“I’m just going to throw on some jeans and a tank.”

Stefan rolled his eyes. “You are a fashion designer. You never ‘throw on’ anything. You’ll go to the closet and think about it, try something on, discard it and start over.”

Offended that he’d hit the nail on the head, she folded her arms over her chest. “For your information, I know exactly what I’m going to wear.”

He quirked a brow and tilted his head. “Really? Then I’ll just wait.”

In her mind she went through everything she’d brought from the States. She hadn’t had all of her things shipped since they were returning to L.A. after the two-week honeymoon period was over, so her options were limited.

“You’re just waiting to see me naked,” she joked, heading to her walk-in closet.

“An added perk,” he agreed. “But I want to see you get ready as fast as you claim you can. This will be a first.”

Victoria eyed her selection. If they were riding a bike, she would need pants, so she grabbed her favorite pair of designer jeans. Her eyes roamed up to the top rack of clothes where she’d hung her shirts. A little sleeveless emerald-green wrap shirt caught her eye—perfect. Sexy, cool and comfortable. She glanced to the shoe rack at the end of the closet and grabbed her gold strappy sandals. Not bike material, but perfect for the picnic and beach.

“Voilà,” she announced, holding her items up in the air as she came from the closet, then stopped.

The man was lying across the bed wearing nothing but tattoos and a grin. He’d taken off his hat, too, leaving his hair messy and those cobalt eyes, beneath heavy lids, staring across the room at her.

“You don’t fight fair,” she told him, trying to remain in place and not attack her husband like some overeager teenager.

“Fighting wasn’t on my mind at all.” He laced his hands behind his head, forcing his muscles to flex beautifully beneath his tats. “Looks like you still need to undress.”

Check and mate. And by the smirk on his face, he knew he had her. He’d played this scene perfectly.

How could she turn down such a blatant invitation? Even with their short time frame looming in her mind, she couldn’t deny herself giving and receiving his pleasure.

She tossed her items to the floor, not caring where they landed. In a slow, what she hoped was sexy, striptease, she loosened the ties on her shirt and flung it off to the side, as well.

“Since I’m being rushed, I may need some help,” she told him, sliding her thumbs into her jeans and sending them to puddle at her feet. She stepped out and smiled when his eyes roamed over her body...twice. “You want the job?”

“Sure, I’ll help by getting you out of these.”

He came to stand, all six-foot-plus glorious inches of him. He was beautifully tanned, magnificent and, for now, he was hers.

“Being with you like this should be awkward.” She reached out, tracing his family’s crest he had tattooed over his heart. “But it’s not. I’m amazed how comfortable I’ve been being intimate with you.”

“You’re not going to want to leave me at the end of this six months,” he joked, sliding the strap of her bra down one arm.

She reached around, unhooking the unwanted garment, and smiled. “Maybe not. We may just like being married to each other. This is the best relationship I’ve ever been in.”

“You’re just saying that to get me into bed,” he told her, his hands coming up to cup her breasts.

“Yes, because it is so hard to get you naked and horny.” She laughed.

The corners of his mouth kicked up at the same time he scooped her up and tossed her onto the bed. She bounced once before he was on her, pinning her hands above her head.

“I don’t know why, but that smart mouth of yours has always been one of the things I love most about you.”

She knew he loved her the way best friends loved each other, but when he said it like that, especially now that they were practically naked, the words sounded a bit more intimate and almost...awkward. She so did not want awkwardness to enter into this marriage or friendship. She enjoyed this friends-with-benefits arrangement they had. Her heart couldn’t handle any more.

“You’re thinking,” he murmured, looking down. “None of that here. Work and everything else stays out of this bed.”

She smiled, knowing he was the proverbial “fun guy,” but he also knew when to be serious and when to work. The media had just caught him mostly in those “fun guy” moments.

But she knew the man beneath the playboy persona.

“Not thinking right now is perfect,” she told him, looping her arms around his neck. “Marrying you was good for my creative mind.”

He laughed. “Let me show you how creative I can be.”