AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay,” she said, wondering what he meant by the public eye. There was nothing online about the personal lives of the Royals. “And behind closed doors, I can do whatever?”
“Yes, you will share the space with me and accompany me in my travels and some of the meetings.” It was like an edict, and his tone annoyed her further.
She took a small step toward him and whispered, “And if I choose to be butt naked in the shared space, that’s acceptable?”
Something passed in his eyes, and she knew she had finally managed to surprise him. He leaned in, his mouth to her ear, and said, “Very much acceptable, and I will enjoy it too. By no means will it be an invitation for intimacy unless you ask for it.”
She gasped as a shudder passed through her. She quickly stepped away from him and, in the process, stepped on the skirt behind her, causing her to lose her footing. She threw her hand out and grabbed onto his jacket for support just as he wrapped his arm around her waist, her body pressed against his. “A stunt like this will in no form or shape be considered an open invitation for intimacy.” He scoffed.
She let out a growl, annoyed by her body going into overdrive with his proximity. New sensations swarmed as she stepped away from him, her chin held high. “I don’t need any attention from you.”
“Good. Let’s get married then!”
“I guess.” She rolled her eyes, knowing she had no choice.
“Be sure to remember that you and I met at your friend’s wedding and fell for each other.” He winked, making her jittery all over. It wasn’t just his words but everything about him that made her high strung. How did he have such an effect on her?
What the heck did she just get into? A royal friggin’ contract?
Chapter 4
Later that evening, she sat next to the guy who would soon be her husband according to traditional ceremony. To her utter surprise, she enjoyed getting dressed in the beautiful outfit the royal family had gifted her. She had worn one of her mom’s sarees for her sister’s ceremony, which was an hour before she tied the knot, and soon after, she changed for hers.
“What if I want to travel to another city by myself?” she asked, leaning close to him as he followed the ritual.
He didn’t respond immediately, but before he could, her sister gently tugged her elbow and growled, “Cut the chatter. Be a bit bride-like, will you?”
Sanjana looked up to find her mother glaring at her. It was not the first time she was warned not to disturb the groom as he performed the rituals. But she was getting antsy by the minute. She wanted her questions answered sooner rather than later.
She sat quietly, sulking when he patted her hand and said, “Later, I will answer all your questions.”
Somewhat satisfied by his words, she put on the shy-bride act for her mother’s sake. She was so close to achieving her goal of becoming an airline pilot and wondered if she could get away from time to time to log in her hours over the next year.
If only she had had enough time to read the contract. And another question popped into her head. “When did you create the contract? Before or after I ran away? What if I was a willing bride?” Her voice was a whisper and hoped it would not be heard over the priest’s voice.
“Sanjana… shut up,” her sister hissed in the background. Not wanting to get into trouble, she silenced her uncontrollable need to know everything in his head.
A short while later, he leaned closer and whispered, “Tonight, I promise to answer all your questions.”
*****
“Hey, there you are… what would you like to drink?” His voice was casual as he walked toward the balcony, where she was slumped on the lounge chair overlooking the private pool. It was a couple of hours after they were married, and she still didn’t know how she made it to their suite with her dress weighing her down.
“Nothing. I want to get out of this dress, and I was told only my new husband could help me take it off,” she grumbled. She had begged the women who accompanied her to the suite to help her with the dress but only got giggles in response before they left her alone.
She heard him chuckle before he sat on the chair across from her. “I guess that’s me.” He was still wearing part of his traditional outfit but without the turban, and he looked stunning. His messy hair only added to his sex appeal.
“I still don’t get why I’m here, but I’m too tired to even ask you the questions I want to.” It felt like she was on the inside of a punching bag. “I can’t even move with this dress.”
“I can help, but you need to ask according to the contract.” He had a wicked smile on his face like he knew she had no choice but to ask him for help.
“Fine, you can help me with the dress, and while you’re at it, please help me to the bathroom so I can shower. I had no idea what I was thinking when I decided to enjoy this view,” she said, looking at the swimming pool below, which was only accessible from their suite.
He stood up and stretched, letting out a grunt. The feral sound made her tremble inside, and she ignored it as a bodily reaction to being around such a handsome man. The fact that she had not been on a single date with a guy didn’t help her nerves. But what surprised her was the deep attraction she felt toward her new husband.
“You should get some sleep.” With those famous words, before she realized what was happening, he scooped her into his arms and lifted her off the lounge as if she weighed nothing, even with the heavy dress she had on.
A squeal escaped her as her mind scrambled to adjust to the situation and act accordingly. She wrapped one arm around his neck for an anchor as he walked to the large bathroom. However casual of a front she was putting on, she was a mess inside, just from the man’s proximity. “Great! I didn’t need to walk because I would have crawled instead.”
