Page 5 of Regally Binding

“Does the photo include your face?” His voice was gruff, and it made her skin tingle. She added his voice to fantasies she didn’t need to be embracing. Her throat dried at the idea of sharing the image with him.

“No,” she replied quietly. “I never include my face, and I don’t normally send underwear pics, but my potential date asked, and he’s really hot, and he probably hasn’t replied because—”

“I don’t care how hot he is. I was asking for security reasons.” He refused to make eye contact, as if she wasn’t worth his attention. Seeds of anger threaded through her desire.

“Rude much?” Liss folded her arms and stared at a spot on the windscreen. Her skin heated, and she ran through everything she should say. Usually, with strangers and out of her comfort zone, she’d sink into the seat and hide away.

“And for the record,” he whispered in her ear before slowly looking her up and down. Liss clenched her thighs under his inspection. “If he hasn’t replied to an underwear picture within five minutes, he doesn’t fancy you.”

Again, she was reminded that he was too big for the back seat when the driver took a corner too quickly and his entire body pressed into hers. She avoided the need to release the moan tickling her tongue. Liss shifted, which made his thigh slide against hers. She stilled suddenly, processing his words. How dare he suggest the guy didn’t fancy her. But the statement gripped her fears about her Tinder match, who hadn’t appeared as keen as she hoped and bruised her further. Bear had no right to say that to her. She hissed, “He’s busy, and he’s working—”

“I don’t care what he’s doing.” Bear’s voice was like thick, sweet honey, and his breath as he leaned in close made the hairs on her skin rise. “Once, my fuck buddy sent me a photo of her in a couple of dresses. They weren’t fancy, but she wanted help to decide what to wear before seeing me. I excused myself from a meeting, feigning that it was an urgent work issue. Then I called her immediately and told her what I would do to her in my favourite of her dresses while she played with herself in the changing room. I only returned to my meeting when she came from my words. Her moaning climax made me hard as a rock. And I have a big rock.”

Oh shit. He’d seen her messages to Isla.

His dick juddered as if remembering, and Liss fisted her hands, sinking her nails into her palms. The pain from her nails in her skin and the silver ring that dug into her flesh was almost satisfying. Anger and arousal blistered as she imagined his thick London accent telling her to touch him while he stroked between her thighs. Liss shifted awkwardly in her seat.Don’t let him in your head.

Bear leaned in again, and his scent filled her once more. Her whole body quivered. Her fantasies were suddenly more vivid, filling with colour as she memorised every aspect of him. His full lips parted. “If your date hasn’t replied by now, then bin him off, because he doesn’t want you. And buy better underwear, because that must have been a shit photo for him not to respond even now.”

Anger won, and she snapped back, “Fuck off. I looked great. I’ll show you.”

“No, thanks and you’re not getting your phone back. Besides, the last thing I want is to see you like that.”

Liss reared away from him, but there wasn’t enough space. Her lips were tight, and her face burned.

“I’ve got to go, Sergio. My granddaughter is being a drama queen.” She hung up the phone and handed it to Bear. “Stop wriggling, Felicity,” her nana reprimanded, making the fire in Liss’s cheeks from Bear’s insult grow further. Her nana reached up to touch Liss’s hair. “And do something about your hair. You look like you work in a pub.”

Liss batted her hands away as her insides flamed. “I do work in a pub.”

“Yes, but not as a cleaner.”

Bear chuckled, and Liss glowered, but he smirked before mumbling something towards the window.

Liss rallied at Bear. “Is it ‘have a go at Liss’ day? And you still haven’t answered my questions. I don’t know where we’re going or why you’re talking to yourself, Mr. Meathead.”

“We’re here,” the suited stranger in the front passenger seat announced. Camera flashes penetrated the windows from outside the car as they slid through a set of gates, and the driver spoke to someone from his open window.

“Where’s h—” But she was cut off by the front passenger getting out and opening the door for her nana. Bear had said earlier that he needed her phone for security reasons, but she’d been too distracted by his body to ask what he meant.

Bear dived out his door before holding it for Liss. She huffed as she slid across the seat and climbed out. He offered her his hand, but she ignored it, instead sticking up her middle finger at him. At his chuckle, she barely resisted the temptation to claw out his eyes.

“The ladies are out of the car. We’re coming in now,” he said with a quiet grunt.

“Who are you talking to?” she snarled. Bear pointed to his earpiece with a roll of his eyes.

Everyone was rushing around the car, noises coming from all angles. Strangers walked out of what appeared to be an old building into the courtyard before them.

Questions about the past and present flooded her consciousness. Her ears pounded, and she planted her feet firmly on the ground. “I refuse to go anywhere until someone tells me what’s happening. I’ve had enough of being forced here and there. Someone tell me something, or I’m going back to my pub. And you”—Liss jabbed a digit at Bear—“you give me my bloody phone, or I’m coming for it myself.”

She reached into his jacket, but he wrapped his hands around her wrists with lightning-quick reflexes and pinned them mid-air. Her legs quaked, and her skin blistered as arousal filled her veins.Why does that do it for me?

“I will pick you up if I have to,” he grunted. “There’s very little stopping me from throwing you over my shoulder and taking you to the—”

“I can’t apologise enough,” a male voice called out in the classiest accent she’d ever heard. Even that couldn’t stop the heat burning between her thighs at the idea of being popped over Bear’s shoulder. It was so caveman, and yet fuck, it was hot. None of the preppy guys from her past would have considered it, let alone dared to do it. “The secrecy is all my fault, darling Felicity.”

Liss spun and gasped loudly. She was in the presence of King Archibald.

The King opened his arms, and a measured smile covered his face. “Please come in and have coffee with my family, Miss Granger, and I will explain everything. And security, unhand her. Felicity Granger is a princess now.”

---