Reign A Romance Anthology - Nina Levine Page 0,254

want to kiss and suck my way down your delicious body, worshipping at your breasts, learning the curves and peaks of your body?"

My eyes drifted closed, my body leaning against the wall to hold up my now shaky legs.

"I'd count the freckles on your skin with kisses. Tally the marks and scars with fingers that want nothing more than to know every inch of you. I'd know which trail to follow by the guide of your breath, your sighs and moans my map. I'd find your centre, Kit. Opening you to me, dipping my head to lick my way to your clit, pressing my tongue against it and teasing you until you fall apart under me, your body liquid heat against my tongue."

"Jonathan…." I tried to find the words to tell him to stop. To continue. That this isn't what I wanted. That this is exactly what I needed.

You could have this. This could be yours.

"Are you touching yourself, Kit?"'

My breath caught. "N-no."

"Why not?"

Why not?

"Are you?"

His dark chuckle had my core clenching, my body desperate and aching to be filled. "Oh yeah."

I licked dry lips, attempting to summon courage to speak around the aching need. "Tell me."

"I'm thinking of your mouth and what you said earlier tonight, that you don't follow directions well. I'm wanting to see if that would change in the bedroom. If you'd let me order you down to suck my cock. If you'd let me push between your lips. If you'd lick and suck, and swallow."

I panted, my free hand fisting the fabric of my pyjama bottoms.

"Are you touching yourself, Kit?"

I couldn't speak, could only let out a small sound of denial.

"Touch yourself, my Queen. Tell me how it feels."

My hand slowly unclenched from the fabric, sliding up to the waist band. For a second I hesitated, desperately wanting to but fearing what this meant.

"I'm doing this because I want to," I told him, annoyed that my voice sounded breathy rather than commanding.

"Of that I have no doubt."

I moved to slide my fingers beneath the waist band, my body practically begging me to offer it relief.

A knock on the door halted me.

"Your Majesty? Are you awake? There's been an accident."

I froze, my body weeping with need, my brain attempting to kick back into gear.

"Jon, I have to go."

"Wait! I—"

I hung up on him, striding across to pull it open. Victoria stood on the other side, her hair messy with sleep.

"I'm sorry to wake you, ma'am, but there's been an accident. A cruise ship has—"

"I understand. Help me dress. And hurry."

12

Jonathan

St. Edman's Port

I strode into the command centre, a strange mix of anger, fear and concern roiling in my gut.

For all purposes I was still the party leader for another six hours, which meant when something went wrong during this strange election period, I was the one they called. Well, me and my opposition leader, Jane Beesley. During this caretaker period where no one party ruled, we could either elect to come to a consensus between us, or the Queen would intervene.

I suspected Kit would anyway.

"Jane," I greeted, holding my hand out to shake. Patrick trailed me, his fingers flying across his phone as he texted my deputy leader, filling her in on the situation.

"Jonathan." Jane shook my hand. "I'm sorry we're meeting like this."

"Yeah." I looked around the command centre, spotting Kit near the monitors listening intently as a man in uniform spoke. "I see our Queen is here."

"She was first on the scene and decided to take command until we could get here."

"How bad is it?"

Jane shook her head. "Cruise ship capsized off the coast. It's a small one— a domestic cruiser with about three hundred passengers and crew on board."

"Fuck."

"'Yeah. We expect it's primarily international tourists but until we can get the passenger logs, we're just waiting."

"Not that it matters. If they're in reach then we have a duty to assist."

She gave me an approving look. "In that we agree."

The next few hours flew by as decisions were made and assistance rendered.

I worked side-by-side with Jane and Kit, authorising funding, issuing emergency declarations, fielding interviews, and offering comfort to families watching.

We watched, each of us with bated breath as the navy operators cut into the belly of the ship and slowly, so freaking slowly, passengers began to emerge.

"Coffee?" Victoria asked, appearing with a cup in hand.

"Thanks." I took the offering gratefully. "What a night, huh?"

"It's certainly been illuminating, that's for sure." Her grin faded as she looked across to Kit who stood huddled with