Shifter’s Baby (Alpha Fantasy Paranormal Billionaire Shifter BBW Romance) (104 page)

Chapter 8

            
 
Isobel awoke with a start. She had been dreaming that the town had been invaded by the highlander's. She sat up sharply and paused for a moment, her head still swimming with the horrific scenes of brutality. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

              “It was just a dream.” She told herself before throwing back the covers and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She had been so tired that she had done nothing more than kick off her shoes and climb under the quilt.

              Once she found her feet, Isobel slipped from the bed and glanced out of the window once again. Everything looked just the same as it had before she had gone to sleep. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting to see, but finding that nothing had changed was a relief. She slipped on her shoes. How long had she been asleep? It felt like forever, but it could just as well have been twenty minutes. Still, if she was rested, she owed it to Duncan to get back to work.

              Isobel straightened out the bed before opening the bedroom door and stepping out in to the short hallway. She could already hear the voices downstairs. The pub sounded busy. It wasn't unusual for business to pick up on a Friday, but from upstairs things sounded much busier than normal. She made her way downstairs. The hum of voices got louder as she came to the bottom of the stairs. Running her hands down the front of her skirt to rid herself of any unwanted wrinkles, Isobel took a deep breath and headed out to the bar.

              “Ah, lass, did ye sleep well?” Duncan asked, smiling at her as he poured a drink for one of the patrons.

              “Yes, thank ye.” She said, surveying the room. “It's busy down here, why didn't ye come and wake me?”

              “I can manage.” Duncan gave her a wink and placed the mug on the bar top.

              “What can I do to help?” She asked.

              “Well actually, lass. There's a young man come in lookin’ fer ye. Sat right over in the corner.” Duncan nodded his head to the far corner. Isobel glanced at the man and shook her head.

              “Who is it?” She asked. Duncan laughed.

              “Well I'll be damned if I know lass, he's lookin’ for ye not me.” He said.

              “Did he say what he wanted?” She asked. Duncan shook his head again.

              “Would ye like me to ask him?” He offered. Isobel shook her head.

              “No need, I'll ask him myself.” She said, already slipping out from behind the bar.

              The young man was handsome enough. Long dark hair and a thick beard. His green eyes glistened in the light of the lamp on his dim table. He seemed preoccupied with something in his hands but Isobel couldn't see what it was as she approached him.

              “I heard as ye was lookin’ fer me?” She said bluntly. The young man looked up at her, startled and then a soft smile spread across his lips.

              “Aye, lassie, I was.” He said. Isobel’s knees buckled and had she not had the table to catch herself on, she would have collapsed in a heap on the floor. Steadying herself with one hand, she stared at him, her eyes squinted. It couldn't be. It just wasn't possible. The young man stood up from the table, offering Isobel his hand. She took it and he helped her in to his seat. “The name is James Dunfield.” He said, keeping hold of her hand. Bringing it to his lips, he kissed it gently before dropping down on one knee. Opening his other hand, he revealed a small golden ring. “Isobel, I heard as how yer people do it is to get married an’ have a home of their own.” He said. Isobel looked in to his eyes, still not believing what was happening. “An’ while it isn't the way of my people to settle down, an’ while it isn't the way of my people to live in such a place as this…” His eyes searched her face, taking in her radiant, innocent beauty. “I can't bear the thought of a life without you.” He slipped the ring on to her finger gently. “Isobel, would ye be my wife?” He asked. A hush fell over the pub, but Isobel noticed nothing but the man who knelt before her.

              “Yes.” She said. She didn't have to think about it. She had thought of no one else since James had slipped out of her window that night. The pub erupted in to cheers and applause and Isobel tugged James’s hand to bring him up off his feet. As she stood up, the two embraced and she pressed her mouth to his ear. “How did you find me?” She whispered.

              “It's a small town.” James replied. “Besides, I had to ask ye father for ye hand, didn't I?” He pulled back and smiled at her broadly.

              “Are you sure this is what you want?” She asked, her heart about to beat out of her chest. James nodded.

              “Lassie, I wouldn't have it any other way. A gal like you canna live the life of a clans woman and me? Well, I canna live without ye. Ever since last night I canna get ye out of my head and no matter how I try, I canna imagine my life with anyone but ye.” He said. Isobel leaned in and kissed his lips gently, tasting the sweetness of his mouth.

              “But yer givin’ up everythin’ just to be here with me…” She said after pulling back. James smiled, his whole face lighting up as he shrugged his broad shoulders.

              “Lassie, I'd give up the whole world to sleep beside ye every night and to know that I can wake up beside ye each mornin’” he said.

Isobel’s heart soared as she looked down at the ring on her finger. She couldn't believe it, not only was the threat on Dunn Hill over, but a new life for her was about to begin. She couldn't have been happier.

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Prince Rupert

Stepbrother Romance

By: Lisa Cartwright


Copyright 2015 by Lisa Cartwright - All rights reserved.

In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.

Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.

You would think being the daughter of a Duchess I would be used to being almost royalty, but these days almost no one seems to think royal people matter. Which I was okay with. I had just finished college, and I was content to sit around and ride my horses, go sailing and spend time volunteering at the orphanages. Then my mother had to ruin my life plans. She met a man, who wasn't so bad, but then the bad news came along.

I met him. Prince Rupert Ferdinand Markham. The third. Oh, he gets really upset if you forget the third. He's next in line for the throne of this small island off of Greece. My mother intends to marry his father, and didn't even ask me how I felt about becoming a Princess. I was perfectly happy to live in England as the daughter of a Duchess. I was the prim and proper kind of girl, at least on the surface. This Prince had his tongue pierced and when he met me, he had insinuated things he could do with his tongue that would have made a seasoned prostitute blush. I swear he delighted in torturing me. He had spent the entire weekend following me around, trying to talk to me and wouldn't take a hint when I wanted him to get lost.

I had no piercings, no tattoos. I wore pink, my skirts always went to my knees, I wore sensible pumps and I had been trained to do makeup so it was subtle and flattering to my features. There was nothing wrong with dressing the way I did. He had called me a fuddy-duddy. Who even uses those words in polite society?

I cannot believe I am about to become his step-sister. He really needs to stop flirting with me, it's highly inappropriate. My mother is sending me out to the house for him to show me around and get us settled. I hate that she's making me leave my precious England for this small island that relies on tourists to keep it afloat. It's not even like a real kingdom.

Whatever, if Rupert's dad makes my mum happy, then I guess I'll find a way to co-exist peacefully with him. Assuming he keeps his tongue to himself. I won't be held responsible for what I do next if he tries to kiss me again.

I've lost many nights sleep over this so-called Prince. More like a misbehaved heathen who has no manners, and his father finds his antics amusing. He is tall, dark and handsome; with eyes that are so blue they remind me of the sea. But that's beside the point.

Who needs blue eyes and a silver tongue like the devil when the man's a womanizer, a Prince to boot, and about to be my step brother? It's just wrong. I can't let myself go there. My mother would be so embarrassed. Or, at least I think she would be, I haven't quite told her yet about my conversations with Rupert. I feel like a teenager sneaking away to be with a boy in a janitor's closet every time I get around him. He makes my heart pound and my palms sweaty and he starts whispering about how his tongue-stud has a button to turn it to a vibrating toy and I walked out on him with knees like jelly when I pictured his tongue touching delicate, exciting places with that long metal stick of his.

I hate that man. He made me lose sleep, he made my palms sweat, and I can't stop thinking of what would happen if I ended up alone with him. It would be absolutely indecent.

Maybe the sex would be amazing, but what about the scandal? The risk of a broken heart? A man like him doesn't pick a woman to keep her. He trades her in for the next new toy and I'm just the shiny object who won't give him what he wants.

He's made it his mission to conquer me and my mother just threw me to the lion's den.

"Thank you Lara for going and staying there. This will look good for the King and his son." My mother was staring at me packing my bags and I sighed. I really needed to fess up about Rupert and my growing obsession with him and his tongue ring.

"Mom, I hope this man makes you happy. But after the wedding, I think I'll be returning to Europe. I have a flat, and I know you told me to lease it, but I think I want to live here." I tried to break it to her gently.

"Why? It will look better for us as a new family if you are there in support of us."

"Mom, Rupert's going to be my new step brother, the chemistry between us will create a scandal that will embarrass you and the King. Believe me when I say it's better if I don't stay." It sort of just spewed out, not exactly how I intended it. Her eyes got all big and then she started to laugh.

My mom threw her arms around my shoulder and squeezed me. "Honey, you are grown adults. If you think there's a romance brewing there, I can see why you'd be attracted. If I was twenty years younger I might be chasing after his son instead of the King myself. The apple didn't fall far from the tree with that one. But Rupert's a good man too. If you like him, I won't be offended by you seeing where it goes."

"Mom! He's going to be my step-brother, which just will look so wrong to so many people." I tried to point out; I was not expecting her to encourage me to go after Rupert. My mind was officially boggled.

"Honey, you were not raised together; you didn't even meet for the first time until after we announced our engagement. No one is going to care, at least not much if you two get involved. There are no blood relations." My mom was logical, I'd give her that.

"So you don't really mind?" I asked her cautiously, my stomach clenched as I pictured stroking my hands on his face, his tongue ring touching my skin and I shivered and closed my eyes for a moment to take a deep breath.

"Honey, if Rupert were to make you as happy as his father is making me, why would I deny you that same happiness?"

"Happiness isn't exactly what I was worried about." I muttered, but then I changed the subject. My mom was clearly on team Rupert, and didn't seem to care about the repercussions of what that man could do to me, or my heart.

What he could do to my body was an entirely different matter, and that's where I was in hot water. I
wanted
him to do it. He was all wrong for me. When I boarded the plane to go to the estate, I had a few hours to sit there and think about how everything could possibly go wrong and tried to steel myself against the inevitable.

I got to their house, which wasn't exactly a castle, but mansion or large estate wasn't quite the right word for it either. The maids showed me in and helped me take my luggage.

Prince Percy was Rupert's pet cat. This evil little fluff ball that reminded me of the cat from Cinderella. He was lazy and fat and just had this evil look and was constantly underfoot trying to trip anyone who wasn't looking where they stepped. He seemed to delight in trying to make the maids fall down the stairs.

"Good morning Lara," Rupert said as he came down the steps to greet me. He put his arm through mine and pulled me away from the house before I could even stop him.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked him, my nerves felt like a live wire.

"I got a new horse; I thought you'd want to see it." He told me and dragged me out to the barn behind the back of the house. I was wearing pink high heels and had on a light pink suit that hugged every curve. I was not dressed to go out to a muddy barn with animals and get dirty. Not that I minded getting dirty, but that's what jeans and boots were for, not heels and skirts.

"I'm not exactly dressed to go see a horse." I told him and raised a brow when he halted and turned to look at me.

"The horse won't care what you're wearing, and if you want to be that picky, you can just take it off here and leave it." He leered at me and looked down into my face taking a step closer so I could feel his hot breath on my skin. "I don't mind for a second if you go into a dark barn with me in just your under garments."

"I'm not taking my clothes off!" I blinked at him in shock, although the idea of our bodies intertwined in the hay in the back of the barn had me thinking thoughts that I had no business thinking about.

"Stop being such a prude and come see the new horse I bought." He tugged on my hand and basically gave me no choice. I followed him and his enthusiasm was engaging even though I was trying to distance myself.

I stepped into the barn and was immediately assaulted by the smell of horse flesh, leather and oils, and manure. Normally I didn't mind, but the idea of getting it on my clothes had me slightly shuddering. I wasn't a wuss, really. But this was a three hundred dollar pair of pink shoes. No one wants to ruin them with poop of any kind.

"Come on Lara, stop walking so prissy and keep up." Rupert told me and looked over his shoulder at how slow and carefully I was walking through the halls of the barn.

"Keep your knickers on," I growled at him and tried to catch up to him. Walking over to the stall, I was surprised to see the horse wasn't very big. It was a pretty horse and was munching on hay.

"I got her for you." Rupert whispered in my ear and stepped behind me, putting both arms on either side of the stall so I couldn't get away.

"What?" I said, confused.

"Your mom said you loved to ride horses. She's a sweet girl, mellow, well trained; I thought you'd like to ride with me sometime so I got her for you." Rupert told me.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I plan on moving back to England after the wedding." I told him, turning to look up at him I was still getting over the shock that he'd drug me out here to see a horse that he was intending to give to me. I didn't understand why he'd give me a horse.

"Lara, why are you playing so hard to get?" Rupert asked me and tilted his head to the side and looked down at me. For once the boyish charm was nowhere to be seen and he looked genuinely confused.

"I'm not playing anything. I just think it's safer if I stay back where I came from after our parents are officially married. I wasn't trying to become a Princess, and being attracted to my step brother isn't exactly... well its taboo." I told him and sighed, apparently I had to spell it out for him.

"You're not my sister yet." Rupert told me, and before I could predict what he was going to do, he lowered his head and he kissed me.

My toes curled. I gasped and backed up until my back hit the stall door and he pressed himself against me, before I could stop myself I had wrapped my arms around his neck and shut my eyes. Kissing back with all this pent up sexual tension I'd felt since I met him, I let myself melt against him. I knew I shouldn't do it, but when his tongue was in my mouth stroking against mine and I could feel his tongue barbell rub against my lips I was lost.

That one tiny little piece of metal broke my reserves. I could picture him using it on other places and I lost all sense of reason. I knew better, but with Rupert, I couldn't hold on to my morals or behavior. He brought out a hussy in me that I didn't even know I had inside.

Moaning I laced my fingers through his hair and pressed him harder against me. When his hand went up my shirt to cup one of my breasts through my lace bra, I hissed out a breath. His fingers weren't soft. They were rough like someone who did hard labor during the daytime. It felt erotic against my soft, delicate skin.

He pressed a knee between my legs and started hiking up my skirt. When his other hand came between my legs and started stroking me through my panties, I could feel myself grow damp and I heard him let out a quiet moan into my mouth as he worked his fingers under the silk of my underwear to touch my flesh directly.

This was so wrong; anyone could walk in here and see us at any moment. This wasn't how a lady should be acting, and yet, I didn't care. I just didn't want him to stop touching me.

Rupert pulled back and looked at me for a minute, I felt momentarily rejected and wondered if this was all a game to him and he'd decided it was too easy and wasn't fun for him. I was about to lash out at him, feeling embarrassed and hurt when a slow smile spread on his face and he took my hand and pulled me down the barn hall. I could barely keep up with his long stride in my heels. He slid open a storage room off the back and pulled me inside. Locking the door from the inside, he turned to look down at me.

"I figured you might want a little bit of privacy." He told me and I stopped him when he went to take my jacket off.