Whenever-kobo (18 page)

“Don’t you know?”

I shook my head.

He moved his hands to cup my face. “Because you’re my destiny. Not a throne. Not Ireland. Not time. You.”

I threaded my nails into the back of his hair and rose on tiptoe to press against him. “And that makes you mine.”

“That makes you mine.” His mouth landed on my lips and the shock of sensation made me gasp. He gathered me closer and turned me, pressing my back to a cold column to adjust his angle. His lips were warm and he tasted like strawberries. Delicious.

He trailed kisses down my neck and back up to my ear. “For always. No matter the century.” He traced his fingertip over my jaw and tilted my chin for a second kiss. Warmth spread through me in anticipation. “Whenever it is.”

The sound of the grandfather clock chiming the top of the hour came through to my consciousness.

Callum closed his eyes. “Your family is due any moment.”

I swallowed. “Yes.” My voice came out husky and he grinned. I smiled back at him and took his hand, turning back to the house. My lips ached with the need to have him press his to mine in a real kiss. No more teasing.

“I suppose I should feed you now.”

“Yes.”

We passed through an ornate library and on this route I was struck by a family portrait on the wall. Callum and his two fair-haired parents.

“May I have one more moment?”

“Sure,” he said, his expression lighter than I’d ever seen it. He dropped into a wingback chair and pulled me to his lap. The weight of his hand fell to my leg. I dropped my hand to his and he turned his palm up, toying with my fingers.

“You know I don’t care about the prince thing, right?”

“I know.” He smiled. “You could have had King Mael. You could have kept what you suspected about Austin a secret. But you’re amazing and brave and wouldn’t do that. I love that. I’ve never seen that.”

I trembled and I didn’t feel brave, not here in this air-conditioned room that smelled of books and furniture polish. As well as I knew him, he was different now. I didn’t know if it was the security of his being home, the shock of his identity change, or simply the loss of any medieval sensibilities he’d had. “There’s no normal around you. There’s passion and excitement. Everything’s more intense. Everything’s electric and exhausting.”

“And addictive,” he murmured and pressed his lips straight to mine in a smooth gesture. My mouth parted and his tongue touched the edge of my teeth. Words left me and his hands slid around my waist. His tongue brushed mine, pressure and movement and waves. His kisses combined with his caressing fingers were amazing.

“Mmm.” I turned, straddling his legs. My skirt twisted, trapping me. I yanked impatiently at the hem so I could get closer. Callum cupped my face and kissed me deeper, drugging kisses unlike anything I’d ever felt. A kiss beyond countries, beyond centuries, beyond time. Gravity shifted as he rose with me in his arms, carrying me to the sofa. He lowered me to the cushion. My body broke contact with his briefly and I gasped. “Callum.”

He sank on top of me, no longer teasing and I sucked in a breath at the sensation. His lips found my neck and he gave a sucking bite. I jerked and reached down to pull his oxford shirt from the waistband of his trousers. I slid my hands underneath and glided them over the warmth of his back. My fingers widened and kneaded as they went up.

He undid the hook at the top the dress and yanked down the zipper.

My eyes popped open. I put my hand on his shoulders. “Callum.”

Callum released the zipper and touched his fingertips to my bared back. His eyes glittery, he searched my gaze.

The sensation. Fantastic. Magnetic. I reached up and kissed the side of his neck, and reached for the top button of his shirt.

Callum pulled back, his eyes unwavering and intent. Using the palms of his hands, he slid the dress off my shoulders and the fabric fell to my waist. His hands pressed flat against my back.

Holy crap. Shiver.

He bit down on the side of my neck and sucked.

I squirmed. Callum placed small kisses down to the top of my shoulder. I felt his teeth against my skin and the initial slide of my bra strap as he tugged it toward my arm, moving it down. He slid his palms from my waist to the back closure of my bra.

Voices. Voices came from outside the room, in the hallway.

Callum stilled his hands immediately. He sat up and sank against the opposite arm of the couch, throwing an arm across his eyes.

I rose on shaky legs and struggled to put my dress in order. I didn’t dare ask for help, not now, not when I knew what his hands on my skin felt like.

“Addictive,” he said again. He rose, moved to the sideboard and poured water from a crystal carafe. He took a drink and carried the glass over to me, holding the rim to my mouth. The press of the cool hardness against my lips made me long for his mouth again. The warmth. The flexibility. He tilted the drink. I swallowed, but didn’t take it from his hand, fearing my shaking fingers would give me away. He put the glass down and tucked in his shirt, doing up the buttons I’d undone. I watched the small motions with a compulsive fascination.

“Should I apologize?” His Irish accent lilted up on the end of the question.

I blinked. “No, this room’s not very private.”

“Should I tell everyone to leave?” He grinned.

I bit the side of my thumb and smiled.

Callum took a step nearer. “People always think princes get whatever they want.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll let you in on a little secret.”

“Yeah?”

He dropped a kiss on my shoulder. “We do.”

“I’m going to have to set you straight about that.”

More noises came from the corridor and I turned my head.

“One more moment.” Callum lifted the lid of another crystal container on the sideboard and held something out to me—a small, silver foil wrapped triangle of chocolate. A Kiss. A milk chocolate kiss. I gasped and reached for the offering.

He pulled his hand out of range and tugged me against him.

“Callum.”

He unwrapped the candy and placed it against my mouth. My eyelids closed. Bliss. The chocolate melted on my tongue, brief, sweet, temporary.

Callum groaned and stepped back. He took my hand and tugged me toward the door. “Come along. We leave now before I can’t leave you.”

“But.”

“I can feed you breakfast, maybe meet your family.”

My family. I moved with quick steps toward the door and Callum laughed behind me.

We entered the room and saw the same people who’d been there earlier: Callum’s parents, Lisette and Austin. Lisette and his parents had clearly finished and were sipping tea while Austin was working on a full plate of food, probably seconds. I said, “Anyone here yet?”

“Nope,” Austin said.

Oh.

Callum moved to his chair and I grabbed a dish and went to the buffet.

The amount of food on offer seemed almost extreme after the last three days. The options varied: normal American stuff: bacon, orange juice, fruit, pancakes, oatmeal, eggs; and weird European breakfast stuff: white sausages, tomatoes, mushroom caps, crepes, and hot tea.

I took a pancake, scooped whipped cream over the top and drizzled syrup in a swirl pattern. I carried my plate over to the seat by Callum, across from Austin.

At the first bite, I closed my eyes. Maple syrup. Hail Canada. Wow. Yum. Opening my eyes, I caught Callum’s dark blue gaze and couldn’t move until he looked away. I took a sip of my juice and tried not to get too freaked out at this new power he had over me. I needed to work on my defenses because this guy was too used to getting his own way as it was. I forced myself to take another bite.

“Can you pass the salt?” Austin said. His lack of royal awe impressed me.

Callum waved a server off, lifted the salt and pepper shakers and extended them across the table.

Austin reached eager fingers out and widened his weird icy eyes.

Callum stilled. The peppermill fell from his grip, spilling black sprinkles on the white tablecloth. He paled and turned to me. “I do see it.”

I didn’t know what to say. My fork clinked as it fell from my grip to the china plate.

Austin kept eating, clueless.

A man dressed in a butler’s uniform came in. “We’ve word your families are arriving. May we move you to reception?”

Austin shoved his chair back and rose with a “Whoop.” He jumped up and strode straight for the door. “Which way?”

“Follow me, sir.”

Lisette followed.

I stood too, but hovered by my chair.

Callum wore a calm expression, and his eyes hid what he was thinking. “Go see your family.”

My family. Eagerness rushed through me. Even after all we’d been through, it didn’t feel real that my family could be here. Not in a foreign country. I squeezed Callum’s shoulder and scurried from the room, catching up to the other two, midway down the hall.

Austin’s long strides passed the servant’s. “Which way?” he asked again.

The servant allowed a small grin and pointed to double doors at the end of the hallway. From that point on, we ran.

The three of us burst through the doors and drew to a halt.

An older man stood there along with a dark-haired guy about our age. Both wore suits and ties.

Lisette rushed to them. “Grand-père. Philippe.” Her face crumpled and she clung to the two men who could only be her grandfather and brother.

I had a clear view of the older man. He blinked against teary eyes and patted Lisette’s shoulder. “There. There.
Mon petit
. All is well now.”

Austin and I moved to the sideboard, staring at the crystal decanters, sharing silent disappointment that our families weren’t here yet.

I swallowed. “My family said they were boarding with yours. They’ll be here.”

Austin nodded. “Yeah, I’m ready for that. Could use some TexMex and need to hit the gym.”

“Yeah.” I glanced back at Lisette. Seeing her with her family made my stomach ache and I wanted my family here with an intense homesickness I hadn’t felt since my first sleepover.

Lisette called us over with a happy sounding voice and introduced us to her grandfather and her brother who was at university in France. While talking to them, Lisette’s own voice took on a hint of a French accent and it made me wonder how long they’d lived there.

Her brother Philippe had brown hair, brown eyes, and pale skin. His gaze held some type of French contempt. “This is the girl who caused our Lisette such problems?” His French accent was heavy and annoying.

“No. No.” Lisette put her hand on her brother’s arm. “She’s very brave and helped make sure everyone was safe.”

“But this speech? This speech she gave to stir up the trouble?” Philippe shrugged and waved his hands. “Was it for the money? Or was it the attention? I am sorry, my girl, we know our family.”

“Philippe!” Lisette said, and flushed deeply. “Not everyone is after our money.”

Austin snorted. “Hayley shot-gunned that speech. Epic-ass failure.”

Philippe muttered something in French. And for the first time since time-traveling, I couldn’t understand foreign-sounding words. I stared right at him. “Sorry, I don’t speak French.”

“I shall translate,” Philippe said.

“No,” Lisette said sharply. “Hayley’s speech was a science talk on DNA not an exposé. She didn’t know about any royal scandal.”

Philippe waved his hand in the air, a very French-looking gesture. “The result is the same. Scandal. A threat to you.” He turned and faced me, his brown eyes deep. “We will pay no hush money.” He turned to Lisette. “You were not here. When the press asks, you were shopping in Paris and visiting me at University. Some new Chanel for you, eh?”

“Philippe,” Lisette said, “I don’t need any Chanel.” She paused and her eyes drifted upwards. “Well, maybe we could get some Chanel.”

Philippe grinned at her expression. He had a redeeming quality. He loved his sister.

“But I’m not embarrassed about being involved in this,” Lisette said. “None of it was our fault.”

“You don’t understand.” Philippe sat straighter and got more wound up. “They swabbed Grand-père’s mouth for the DNA and the others. Then they took your glasses from the decathlon. They will know who the prince is or isn’t. The scandal will be huge. The Wentworth labs can only keep this so quiet. Your name falls out now.” He waved his hand in the air. “
Voila
.”

Lisette wrapped her arms around her waist. Austin grinned and the old man assessed the situation with an intent gaze.

“You think we did not run a background check? That we don’t know about your life?” Philippe asked me. “Your report says you have an interest in the Ivy League education. That’s not reachable on your Papa’s salary.”

My life. Our small familiar house with modern convenience filled with family that loved me and supported me had been so far out of reach these past few days I could see it with whole new appreciation. “My life’s great.” I said the words with complete sincerity and eyed Philippe carefully. “I’ll get everything I want, and I’ll get it on my own.”

Austin laughed and I elbowed him. “I’m going to be valedictorian,” I said, “You read that, didn’t you?”

“Don’t count me out, Hayley,” Austin said.

Philippe tilted his chin and leaned so far forward he braced his fists on the coffee table. “Someone that smart would look at other means to fund her tuition.”

I leaned forward, duplicating the gesture, and met him eye to eye. “How someone as sweet as Lisette has a brother like you is the true mystery of genetics.”

With my words, the room reacted: Lisette covered her mouth. Her grandfather got up and paced.

“Hayley!” Mom exclaimed from the door. She sounded reproachful and desperately joyful at the same time, like Mom. I jumped up and ran to her, my heart racing, my grin unstoppable.

Dad wrapped his arms around both of us. “There. There. There’s my girl.”

I felt secure. I felt home. I felt safe. I wiped at my cheeks. “The boys?”

“They’re getting a snack,” Mom said through her own smile.

Austin’s parents came in behind us. His dad clapped him on the shoulder and then hugged him, and his mom cried and held them both. They came over and hugged me next and my parents did the same to Austin.