Page 56 of Prince Cheating Charming

Delilah’s eyes don’t waver from mine, though, her lips twisting up with gentle teasing.

Thank fuck she forgave me.

I don’t want to know where I’d be without her.

She repeats the vows after me, her voice sweet and clear, and I clutch her hands so tightly.

Her love is the greatest gift I’ve ever been given.

After the ceremony, my wife peels off her sundress and heads for the bright blue waves.

“Wait for me,” I laugh, pulling off my T-shirt and unbuttoning my pants as fast as I can, my eyes on my wife’s polka-dot bikini, the way I want to grab her soft curves in my hands, pull her into my arms.

“Hurry up, Your Highness,” she calls back, and I stumble after her.

Catching up easily with my much longer legs, I grab my wife and swing her into my arms, loving how she smells like sun and sand, how her body curves around mine, her legs wrap around me.

I pull her into the water, letting the warm waves wash over us, and I kiss my bride, tears prickling at the corner of my eyes at the feel of her soft lips, the way she opens eagerly for me, the sweet taste of her tongue that sends heat pounding down to my cock.

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night covered in sweat, my heart pounding through my ribcage, because I had a nightmare that she did leave me, that she gave me exactly what I deserved. Sometimes my cheeks are wet with crying and I feel like I’m drowning, my lungs filling with the hopeless consequences of my own selfishness and stupidity, and then I’ll feel the brush of my wife’s thigh or the touch of her hand, and I’ll pull her convulsively toward me, almost crushing her in my arms, so relieved and thankful that she stayed.

When Delilah looks up at me it’s like looking into the sun itself, my bright, warm, loving Queen.

“You remember what you’ve been wanting to do for months now?” she whispers in my ear.

My heart leaps and I feel suddenly dizzy with joy.

“Are you sure?” I ask, one hand firmly around her waist, the other stroking her face.

“Yes,” she laughs, and her eyes dance.

“I’m ready to start trying for a baby.”

Delilah (one year after that)

One year later it’s the day of the Grand Unveiling of the new St. Constance mural and I’m nervous as we walk across the palace lawns to the chapel.

What if no one likes my paintings? What if they make people faint? I told Magnus we went too hard on the gore, I fret to myself. But he’s so bloodthirsty and painting a vengeful St. Constance is so fun. . .

“Is he getting too heavy?” my husband asks, holding his arms out for our 3-month-old baby.

Kissing his sweet milky head, I hand my sweet Peregrine to Alexander, watching with a joyful leap of my heart as his little toothless mouth breaks into a grin to see his father.

Alexander is an amazing dad, quick to change a dirty diaper, always ready to get up in the night, happy to bring me four-course meals as I breastfeed my sweet baby for hours on the couch.

My fears are quickly relieved when we arrive at the chapel. It’s full of Norjava elite, visiting dignitaries, and, naturally, my best friends.

“Long live the Queen!” Magnus carols as soon as he sees me and insists on everyone raising a glass to the mural and me.

“I had so much help,” I say, blushing. “You and Libby and Roger and Henner all helped!”

“Nonsense!” trumpets Magnus. “You were the mastermind behind it all. And I see you have brought your lesser-known husband, Mr. Delilah Levesque.”

Alexander only laughs.

“You’re right. My Queen is an angel on earth and a genius.”

The partying goes on for a long time, with delicious food and good friends, and Prince Peregrine gets passed from one set of happy, loving arms to another. Roger is playing a lullaby on a wooden flute as Peregrine bounces happily in Libby’s arms, and I take the opportunity to go look closely at my mural.

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