Page 39 of Craving a King

Kofi’s body flinches against mine. “I sent her to the palace to serve for a while. I think it’s best.”

I know why Kofi sent her away. She was deceitful and was the behind-the-scenes architect of our fight over Adom. No matter how relieved I am that I don’t have to deal with her snide comments or disapproving looks tonight, I can’t help but feel responsible for a family rift. Akua has taken care of Kofi his entire life. He’s known me all of a week. When I leave, he will need her. I wiggle out of his grasp and sit on the edge of the couch. I don’t face him.

“Kofi, please don’t send her away on account of me. She is so important to you. I’m sure her behavior was motivated by her love for you and not spite for me, even though I’m pretty sure she hates me.”

Kofi sits up on his elbow and reaches out to caress my hips and back. “Look at me.”

I turn around and he sits up, shifting beside me on the couch. “Whether Akua hates you or not is of no consequence to me or my decision. Please do not feel guilty. My choice to send Akua to the palace was a royal staffing decision. It wasn’t personal. She should not have lied. In my eyes, omission is lying. She is supposed to serve the king and protect the seat. Allowing my emotions to be incorrectly influenced was a failure to do her job. That is all.”

I know he’s lying to himself. Akua hurt him. I’d also like to believe that he cares about her hurting me, even though I just said the opposite. However, his stiff posture and disappointed eyes let me know this isn’t the time to discuss it. There is probably no point. Like earlier with me and Adom, his mind is made up. I stand and stretch.

“Well, I’m going to go and take a shower and start to get dressed for the evening. We only have two hours before it’s time to leave.”

Kofi stands also and takes my hand. “OK, your dress and anything else you may need is set up in your room. Mawuli had just finished steaming it when I called from the car. It was still in Kumasi and on its way out the door to you in Accra. We caught it just in time. Your hairstylist and makeup artist initially went to the Westin to help you dress—they will be here in an hour.”

I look at him and shake my head. “Kofi, you didn’t have to do that. I am capable of doing my hair and makeup. You have enough to coordinate without adding my beauty needs to the list.”

He steps forward and grabs me by my waist. I’m pulled into him and I don’t know if it’s his strong arms pulling me or an invisible gravitational pull I’m drawn into. His body feels like home. He kisses the inside of my ear and my body reacts. He starts to whisper, “I will take care of all your needs if you allow me.” He drops his right hand between my thighs and runs his hand over my damp center. “Why don’t we start with this obvious need between your legs?”

I laugh and try to gently push away. He keeps me close. “Kofi, we don’t have time. But tonight, you can fill every need my body has. Trust me, there are many,” I pant.

He rubs his face in my massive mess of curls before growling. “I want you so bad. I could bend you over this couch and take you like the ravenous lion I am right now.” He takes my hand and pushes it over the hard bulge that has grown between his legs. “He’s so ready for you, baby. Let me fill you up.”

My breathing speeds up and I reach up, kissing him in an attempt to control it. We stay connected for a moment before I pull away. It is literally one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.How does this man manage to make me want him so much?“Later,” I promise. “For now, I need to shower and prepare for the team you’ve hired to transform me tonight.”

Kofi sighs and takes my face in his hands. “Baby, it’s not a transformation. You’re perfect. It’s just a luxury for you to play with. You deserve to be pampered.” He grabs my hand. “Come, let’s both go and get started.”

Hand in hand, we head upstairs. Kofi drops me at my room with a chaste kiss to my forehead. I’m grateful because I don’t think I have the power to walk away from my body’s desire again. Once in the river room, I am greeted with a rack of lingerie. The silk La Perla pieces are delicate and sexy as hell. The card attached to the first teddy on the rack has my name scrawled in script on the envelope. I open it and read Kofi’s sweet note:All of this is yours. Just don’t get too attached; I plan to rip every piece of it off of you at some point. Love, Kofi.I smile at the note. When did he have time to do this?

As I enter the closet to drop my bag and strip for my shower, I see the gorgeous dress he commissioned for me hanging up and glittering from every angle. Beneath the dress is a cache of designer heels for me to choose from. Then I notice a new vanity that wasn’t in the closet when I left Bonbiri three days ago. On the vanity are various expensive French perfumes and an expensive clutch shaped like a crown. This man is pure class.

I decide I can’t wait until after the ball—I need to feel him now. It must be all the pretty shoes. I take a look at my phone and confirm I have 45 minutes before the stylists arrive. I leave my room and knock on his bedroom door. He doesn’t answer, but I hear the shower running and decide to go in. I strip my clothes off piece by piece as I make my way to his bathroom. I’m completely naked by the time I see his towering chocolate frame in the shower. His back is away from me and my eyes follow his strong shoulders and broad back to the perfect ass. It’s tight and being held in place by two very muscular thighs. I imagine my tongue tracing every hill and valley that creates his body’s landscape.

I approach the shower and open the door slowly. He turns and grabs me like he was expecting me. Immediately, picks me up in his arms and I wrap my legs around his waist.. We kiss and he eases my legs from around his body. As my feet touch the wet title floor of the shower, he kneels before me, parts my knees, and dips his head between my thighs to lick my slick, sweet center. He gives me one, then two, and a third strong lick before biting down on my throbbing clit. My head rolls back against the shower wall in perfect pleasure, and you can hear my moans over the rushing shower water.

He gently backs me into the shower glass door and lines his massive manhood to my opening. He knocks into me with a grunt that is pure need. He kisses my neck and places his arms around my waist to keep my body in place. He pulls all the way out and then fills me up again in long slow strokes until I’m bursting all over him. Once my shakes of pleasure start, he slams into me with reckless abandon, chasing his release with singular focus.

“God, Ella, I’m going to come.” He tries to slow his pace, but it’s no use. “Come with me,” he growls before he places his mouth around my right nipple. He sucks and tugs at my breast while he continues to ride his wave of ecstasy. His grunts become pleads for me to come with him, and I can’t refuse a king. We come. Hard. Together.

Kofi sets me down to stand and turns to shut the shower off. “Wait here,” he commands before walking to the large bathtub on the opposite side of the bathroom. He fills it with water and oils before coming to the shower and taking my hand. He leads me to the edge of the tub before releasing my hand and stepping into the steaming hot water. We don’t have much time but I’m happy to sit with him as long as we can. Plus, standing under the shower gave me a bit of a chill. He takes a seat against the back of the tub and reaches for me to join him. He pulls me down and sits me on his lap before kissing and bathing every inch of me. After a few minutes, we hear the knock on the door telling us my beauty team has arrived.

“Let’s just skip the ball,” he muses. “We can stay here, and I will make you jollof rice and feed you until you’re satisfied. Then we can do some dancing of our own…naked.”

I chuckle and stand to get out of the tub. I don’t face him until I’m completely out of the water. If I looked at him while I was still in his lap, I might have agreed to his alternate evening plans. “As good as that sounds, I think you’d be noticed if you were missing from the biggest Ashanti event of the year.” I cock my head to the side and look at him with mirth. “I don’t want to be known as the American that kidnapped the king.”

He laughs as he exits the tub. “Very well, then. As long as you know I will skip the ball for you. Just say the word.” He opens a linen closet and comes out with a fluffy robe. He beckons me to come closer and he wraps me in it before kissing the top of my head. “Here, go greet your team. I will meet you downstairs in an hour.” He kisses me like he doesn’t want me to go. “I’ll miss you until then.”

I walk out of his room knowing yet again that I’m completely caught up. My heart is in the hands of a king.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Festivities

Kofi

Ido not usually wear a tuxedo to official events.

Whether I’m meeting with Western dignitaries or other African nation heads, I’m generally in my official regalia of kente cloth. The regalia is to be worn alone with nothing else except royal neck and head ornaments. However, tonight is different. This black Tom Ford suit is the perfect complement to the Akwasidae festival ball tonight. The ball has only been around for five years. I instituted it as my own twist on the state dinner Western nations have. We host it in Accra instead of Kumasi, and it has become the hottest ticket in West Africa over the years.

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