The Royal (Game of Chance, #2)

by Susan Stoker

She stood there for a long moment, her head tilted back, a small smile on her face, as if feeling the sun on her skin was the highlight of her day. Cal was entranced. He hadn’t even said one word to the woman, and yet he could tell by the way she was enjoying the simple pleasure of the sun on her face that this was someone he wanted to know.

The longing, sorrow, and frustration he saw there spoke to him deeply. But as soon as he caught a glimpse of the emotions, they were gone, as was the woman. Cal’s heart beat fast in his chest. He wasn’t sure what had just happened, but he’d never felt quite like this before. He wasn’t a believer in love at first sight, like the sort found in fairy tales. Yes, he was a prince, but he wasn’t going to meet his Snow White, Cinderella, or Sleeping Beauty and fall madly in love at first glance. But . . . he couldn’t deny he’d never experienced a draw toward a woman like he’d felt with the enigmatic Juniper. It wasn’t just her looks, although her body was exactly what he preferred in his lovers. It was the peacefulness that exuded from her as she’d turned her face to the sun. An underlying strength as she serenely responded to the angry woman inside the house.

“Where do you sleep now?” he asked. “And if you tell me the attic, I’m not going to be happy.” June frowned. “I’m in the basement,” she admitted softly. Cal sighed and looked toward the sky as if trying to compose himself. “It’s not so bad. Sometimes I sleep in the sitting room in the winter, when it’s really cold. And it’s nice and cool down there in the summer, so that’s a plus.” “Right,” he said sarcastically. They stared at each other for another heartbeat before Cal abruptly stood. He held out his hand. “Come on, it’s cold out here, and you have to be tired.” June stared at his hand, then moved her gaze up to his face. “Be careful,” she whispered. “Carla can be ruthless when she wants something, and she has her mind set on being a princess. She’ll make my life hell just for talking to you.” “I have no intention of letting her get her claws into me,” Cal said calmly. He wiggled his fingers. “Come on, June, let me escort you inside.”

“The more I learn about you, June Rose, the more fascinated I become.”

“He was right, you know. No one in that lobby looked twice at him. Except you. And not only did you see him, you saw that he needed help, and you acted. And actually seemed to enjoy his company.” “Why wouldn’t I?” she asked a little defensively. “He’s old, not diseased.” “You like the elderly?” June’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Yes, why?” “I don’t know. Some people are uncomfortable around them.” “Well, that’s silly. They’re just people. And like you found out today, most have fascinating stories and histories to share, if we just stop long enough to listen. I think we could all learn a lot from our older generation, but most of the time, we’re too busy with our faces locked on our phones and other electronics, too busy going, going, going to stop and talk to them.” “I agree,” Cal said. His thumb barely brushed her lower lip.

“I shouldn’t have done that . . . but I’ve never been given a sweeter gift. You’re amazing, June. You’re the most giving person I’ve ever met. You’re tying me in knots after mere days, and I’m not sure if I should be scared out of my head or if I should tie you up, throw you into the cargo area of my Rolls, and spirit you off to some abandoned cabin to keep you for myself until the end of my days.”

“Why are you being so generous?” she whispered. “You don’t know?” he asked. She gave a small shake of her head. There was so much Cal wanted to say. So much he wanted to admit. But she’d run scared if he told her that he could easily imagine June as his future. That he could practically see his unborn children in her eyes. That after mere days, he already knew he’d become a shell of a man without her in his life. And he wouldn’t admit any of that, even if she was willing to hear it. He wasn’t good enough for her. Money and a title weren’t enough to hold this woman’s interest. To satisfy her huge personality. Her sunny disposition. He didn’t want to taint her. Hold her back. Drag her into his darkness. “Because you deserve so much more than you’ve gotten in life thus far,” Cal settled on saying. “So do you,” she said softly.

“Then there’s you . . . having fun, living life to the fullest, enjoying yourself . . . it was everything I never knew I was missing, and now that I do know, I can’t ever go back.”

“I’m going to make love to you, Juniper Rose. I’m going to do my best to ruin you for anyone else. I want to imprint myself on your body and in your psyche. Because I already know that’s what’ll happen to me. I want to be so deep inside you that you don’t know where I stop and you start. I pray my body won’t let me down, but if it does, I’ll still make sure you’re satisfied.”

“Courage. Bravery. Loyalty. Strength and a will that I can’t even imagine. You went through hell, and you’re still here. You’re a living, breathing example of how good can triumph over evil. I know you think your scars are a turnoff, but they’re not. Not for me.”

“I’m furious. So damn angry that anyone felt they had the right to do this to you, I want to get on a plane and hunt them down.”

“Whatever. I’d do it for you if I could. But anger aside, when I look at you, see you in the light, I remember all the things you did to me last night. How your hands felt, your tongue, your cock buried deep inside my body. You turn me on more than anyone I’ve ever met, Cal. Your scars aren’t the sum of you; they’ve simply helped make you into the man you are today. A man who I want more than I want to breathe. A man who makes me smile. Who makes me feel safe. Who I trust. Who makes me want to put all my worries and fears aside and jump with him into the great unknown.”

Once again, he was surprised by her anger on his behalf. He genuinely believed that if she knew how to get to the men who’d hurt him, she’d go after them. They were long since dead, killed in the raid to free him and his friends, but her need for vengeance on his behalf felt . . . good.

“I’m so sorry, June. I’m sorry I freaked out. You were already everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner, and when the sex was so good, and I found myself craving it, craving you, every minute of every damn day, I panicked. I’m terrified of losing you. So I pushed you away to protect myself. It was a bloody awful thing to do . . . and it didn’t work anyway. The harder I pushed you away, the more desperately I wanted you.”

“I’m done keeping my distance. I love you, Juniper Rose. I want you with me. By my side. In my bed, in my life. I won’t be a bloody fool again. If you forgive me, I’ll be the best boyfriend you’ve ever had. I’ll make sure you don’t want anyone else, ever.”

“I love you, Cal. So much! I’ll make a horrible princess, but I’ll love you more than anyone ever has or ever could.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your body, Cal,” June told him fiercely. “You’re in better shape than probably eighty-five percent of the men in the world. You chop down trees, you work out, you hike.” She ran a hand down his chest, feeling the bumps and ridges as she went. “But I wouldn’t care if you had a beer belly and saggy boobs. You’d still be the man I love.”

“I love you,” he whispered. “I have no idea how I got through each day of the last few years without you to look forward to coming home to. I promise I’ll never give you a reason to doubt my love for you ever again. In the morning, we’ll move your stuff into this room, and you’ll sleep here, in my arms, our bed, every night going forward. Anything you want changed in the room, the house, the yard, we’ll do. We’ll get you a car, go shopping for clothes, upgrade the furniture if you want.” “Easy there, tiger,” June said with a laugh. “I don’t want or need anything.” “You have to want something,” Cal said with a frown. “I do. You,” she said. He stared at her for a beat before shaking his head. “Of all the women in the world, I managed to fall in love with the one who doesn’t care one whit about my money.” “You could be broke, and I’d still be head over heels for you,” she told him.

“Good. Because you’re mine. And I plan to give you so many gifts, you’ll be buried in them.” She sighed. “You’re going to go overboard, aren’t you?” “Definitely,” he answered. “All I want is you, Cal. You’re the best present I’ve ever gotten.”

“You know what Carlise told me today? I saw her before I left to get us lunch. She was there to see Chappy. She laughed and told me she was right, that she knew I’d find my Cinderella—and I did. I love you, June. You can’t leave me!” “My prince,” she said, then coughed. Blood sprayed from her lips, and Cal winced. Her eyes went to her own chest, where he was still putting as much pressure as he dared on her wounds. “Scar . . .” “We’ll get a plastic surgeon to fix it, so you’ll never know anything happened,” Cal told her. “I don’t care about a bloody scar. It doesn’t change anything between us.” But she shook her head. “Now . . . now you . . . know . . . how I feel about you,” she managed to get out, her words labored.

The scars didn’t define who he was. They told a story about what he’d survived. That was it. No more, no less. And if someone treated him differently because of them, that was their issue, not his.

“That scars aren’t ugly. They’re just a road map to our past. They tell others what we’ve survived. And we’re both survivors, you and I,” he told her. “We’ve been to hell and back, but nothing could keep us from finding each other.” “I love you,” she whispered. “And I love you,” he returned.

“Someone likes the idea of making a baby,” she teased. He didn’t like it—he loved it. June would be even more beautiful pregnant than she was right now. And he couldn’t wait to meet their baby. To watch her breastfeed, to see her holding their son or daughter. He wanted to experience it all. The crying, the rocking, the diaper changing. It was almost ridiculous how ready he was to be a dad. “I love you,” he whispered. “You have no idea how much.” “Of course, I do,” she retorted. “I cheated death, twice, to get back to you.”