One Night Stand with a Prince: Oops! I Had His Baby!

Lust vs Reality

“Marry me.”

I couldn’t have heard him right. There was no way a man I barely knew had just asked me to marry him.

Except… he hadn’t asked, he’d demanded.

There was no love in his words, and even if he’d claimed to feel such an emotion, I would know he was lying. We knew nothing about one another.

“That wasn’t a question.” I stated, though my voice was softer than I had meant it to be due to the confusion and onslaught of emotions rifling through my mind at present. James blinked back at me as if I were losing my mind, and maybe I was. Perhaps all of this was simply a bad dream. I feel asleep on the couch after the excitement of the day, and this isn’t even the actual dinner but a nightmare.

But I knew that wasn’t true, there was no way I would have been able to make up all of this. I wasn’t that creative.

“Excuse me?” James asked with an air of superiority that had me griding my teeth in annoyance.

“You said you had a question for me, and yet the next words out of your mouth were a demand, not a question.” Pointing out the obvious had always been one of my strongest qualities, I needed it in my line of work, but in this instance, I knew I was antagonizing him.

“The sentiment is the same whatever form the words take.” He stated, leaning back in his chair and bringing one foot up to rest on his other leg. He was leaned back in his chair like a king looking down on his subjects, and the image both intrigued me and set my teeth on edge.

“But it’s not, one is a question, and one is a demand. One insinuates offering a choice and the other says you expect your way. Both very different scenarios that incite two different reactions in the other person.” I meant this as a set down, as a way to put him in his place, but instead the insufferable bastard was smiling, as if he were enjoying the nerve wracking effect he had on me.

“And what reaction are you feeling right now, Julianna?” There was my name on his lips again, his tongue rolling and caressing the syllables, suggesting at an intimacy between us that simply wasn’t there. But could it? Did I even want that kind of intimacy with him?

“I am insulted that you would demand I marry you.” Picking the menu back up, I attempted once more to hide behind it, escaping from the heat his stare tried to bring to life within me.

“Are you sure insulted is the right word? Your cheeks flush wonderfully whenever I appreciate your beauty and your breath catches when I say your name.” The sound of chair legs scarping across the floor put my defenses on high alert, but I refused to drop the menu. His footsteps seemed to echo like canon fire in the empty room, each one falling closer. Heat enveloped me, announcing his presence behind my chair. “Remember the electricity that sparked between us that night, the passion we shared in one another’s arms. We could have that again.”

“Marriage is more then lust.” I stated, but the words came out weak, his closeness making it hard for me to draw a full breath into my aching lungs. Though at this point my lungs weren’t the only body part aching for more.

“Marriages have been built with much less.” James whispered, his heated breath like fire on my skin as he leaned over me. His scent surrounded me, bringing back flashes of the night our son was conceived, spiced whisky and honey.

I needed distance between us, space that would allow me to breath without feeling like I was being smothered by his presence. Pushing my chair back from the table, uncaring if I hit him with it, I left the table, and James, behind and walked out onto the balcony. The cool night air helped center my mind and calm my racing heart, though I absently wished I’d grabbed my shawl.

Why was he doing this to me? Why was he playing with me? Was this entertaining for him? Pushing and pulling me around like a chess piece, watching as I stumbled through a game I hadn’t even realized we were playing. Was he so cruel as to play with me for his own entertainment? When I heard his shoes click on the balcony tile, I spun around and glared at him, throwing a hand up to keep him back.

“Just stop! This isn’t how tonight was supposed to go.” My voice broke on the last word, showing the weakness I was trying to keep hidden. As I glared at him, James’s eyes widened, tracing my face like he was truly seeing me for the first time. Or at least just realizing what he was putting me through. “I only wanted to tell you about Charles, perhaps bring up introducing you into his life if that was what you wanted.”

“Of course that’s what I want.” He answered immediately, pausing for a moment as he tried to figure out how to continue. “I apologize for how I’ve acted, I was upset and taking my revenge out on you with the way I knew I affected you.”

“Revenge? For what?” I gawked at him, shocked at the words that had left his overly sensual lips. The apology was a surprise, but learning he held anger towards me was astonishing. How could he be mad at me? I’d taken a shocking and unexpected event in my life, and I’d turned it into the greatest gift I’d ever received. “You blame me for what? Attempting to entrap you with a child? News flash, I never asked you for anything! I carried and birthed Charles all on my own, I didn’t need you then and I certainly don’t need you now. If you don’t want to be a father that is fine by me, we are doing just fine.”

“You never asked me for anything?” He asked softly, his surprised expression melting away to one of anger as he stomped forward until there was mere feet between us. I tried to back away, but the railing of the balcony dug into my lower back, keeping me in place. “You never even told me! You never, even once, attempted to reach out and inform me I was to be a father. That I was a father!”

“I knew nothing about you to find you!” I screamed back, balling my fists at my side, anger now replacing the desire that had been pulsating through my body at his accusations. How dare he act as if I had tried hiding Charles from him. As if being a single mother had been my lifelong dream.

“What about the check? It had my name on it, it had my company’s name, address and phone number as well! You could have found me, one google search and my company website would have popped up!”

“I tore it up and burned the pieces.” Poking him in the chest, I advanced, taking a step forward for each one he took back. “After we had s*x, you handed me a check for five million dollars. Do you have any idea how that makes a woman feel? You just assumed I would want the world to know I’d slept with you, how conceited can one person be? I didn’t even know who you were, why would I want to tell the world to know about my biggest shame? Why would you think I’d want the entire world to know I’d been your w***e for a night?!”

“You were not my w***e, Julianna.” James stated, standing his ground once the shock of my rage began to recede. But instead of anger, he looked uncertain. Unsure how to proceed from here.

“You f*cked me, paid me off, and sent me on my way. How else would you describe what that makes me to you?”

“It makes you the woman I had always hoped I would find.” The soft words hung in the air between us, the tension so thick it held the bite in the air at bay.

“What?” I asked, completely confused at the turn in conversation. One minute we were screaming at each other, the next he was staring at me as if he saw the stars in my eyes.

“I’ve thought of you everyday sense that night.” He was stepping forward, closing the already short distance between us, his palm raising to cup my cheek and draw my gaze back to his when the heat in his eyes had me glancing away. “I mean it, Julianna, I’ve thought of no one else sense the night we spent together. I had never felt such attraction to another woman in my life, and certainly never met one who never left my mind.”

Closing my eyes I turned into his palm, relishing the heat of his skin and the soft scent that I would always recognize as his. This was insane. I still knew nothing of him, he knew nothing of me. But why did this feel so right? I’d never been one to believe in soul mates, and yet, he made me question everything I’d once believed whole heartedly.

“The more I learn about you, the surer I am that this is what I want. You are what I want. You and Charles. We can be a family, Julianna.”

“You don’t know me though; we know nothing about each other.” Before I could go on a tirade, a smile split his lips and placed a finger to my own.

“I know you, Julianna. You graduated high school at fifteen, graduated college before you were twenty. You are an only child whose parents are separated, and you’ve done everything in your life on your own. All your accomplishments are yours alone. You are ambitious, strong, careful, organized, compassionate and loving.” Watching him in utter amazement, I wasn’t sure if I should be impressed or creeped out by his dive into my life. Leaning closer, James pressed his forehead to mine, his warm breath drifting over my lips as he continued. “You are also beautiful, confident, and sexy as hell. Though I get the feeling you don’t do it on purpose. You’re innocent and scared of what is going on between us. I know you. Or at least enough about you to know we would suit one another.”

He was right in so much of what he’d said, especially in one part in particular. I feared this connection we seemed to have to one another. I was nervous of what this would mean for not only my heart, but for my son. For our son.

“You know an awful lot about me. It’s kind of creepy… stalker.” I teased him smiling when a deep chuckle vibrated through his chest. “How do you know so much about me? How did you find me?”

“I hired a private detective.” James answered, his free hand sliding to my waist, the sensation raised goosebumps along my skin.

“But why? What made you look for me?”

“I told you.” He whispered against my lips. “I’ve thought of little else then you for the past year, you have haunted my dreams and invaded my thoughts. The way you feel, the way you smell, the way you taste.” With an almost animalistic growl, James pressed his lips to mine, take my breath and every coherent thought in my mind.

How come one kiss affect someone so much. Heat blossomed through my body, licking through my veins, seeking more. My hands involuntarily moved to his chest, half of me wanting to push him away, but that side lost. Instead, my fingers gripped onto his jacket, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss. The hand that had been cupping my cheek slid into the silken strands of my hair, molding to my head and holding me in place as he ravaged my lips, while the hand that had rested on my hip slid around me, pressing into my lower back and pulling me flush against him.

What was I doing? Why was I letting him have his way with me, again? In the back of my mind, I knew I should push him away, tell him that his actions were inappropriate, and demand we discuss Charles and nothing else. But I couldn’t bring my body to obey my thoughts. I’d thought of him almost everyday sense that night as well, and I couldn’t deny the sparks that flew when we were in lose proximity. It was as if the universe its self were pushing us together, urging us to meld together and go up in ash and smoke.

The sound of dishes rattling brought me crashing back to earth. Jerking back, I forced my arms to push him away, breaking the kiss and our contact once I turned out of his arms and moved to the far side of the balcony. I needed distance, much more than this, but for now, it would have to do. Looking towards the glass windows separating the small balcony from the private dining room, I saw two of the serving staff setting covered dishes on the table. Neither looked towards the balcony where James and I stood, instead keeping their eyes downcast. The man had a knowing smirk on his lips, while the woman was blushing profusely.

Glancing at James I was relieved to see he was gripping the balcony railing for balance while he took deep, measured breaths. It made me feel incredibly sexy that I could have that kind of effect on such a powerful man. He must have felt my gaze on him, because his head snapped up and our eyes met, sparks flying, knocking the chill from air.

“We hadn’t ordered yet.” My voice was so low and sultry I almost didn’t recognize myself.

“I placed our order when I called to tell them I was coming.” As he stood, he adjusted his pants and ran his hands down the front of his coat to smooth the wrinkles my fingers had caused. Just like that he was proper and ready to go, except for that fire in his eyes, that would take longer to extinguish. Without another word James offered me his arm, and after smoothing my hair, my heels clicked across the floor as placed my hand on his and walked with him back the table.

“You ordered for me?” C*cking an eyebrow as he held my chair out or me again.

“I simply got us both the chefs special for the night.” With a shrug he slipped into his own chair and took the cover from his plate, his eyes closed as he took a deep breath, savoring the delicious aroma of tomato sauce, fresh pasta, and cheese. When his eyelids fluttered open those mind numbing blue orbs locked onto to my gaze.

“Does it smell good?” I managed to choke out, grabbing my glass of water for a hasty sip.

“Not as good as you.” He quipped back. God, I was going to burn to ash before the night was over if we didn’t change the subject immediately.

“I thought there was supposed to be a salad for the first course?” I asked, looking at the hot dishes in question.

“It was on the table when we arrived, seeing as how we got distracted, they took it away when they brought in the main course.”

“Oh, okay. So, you know everything about me, does that mean you’ve seen photos of Charles?” Our son was a safe subject, and I needed a safe subject while my body regulated, and my mind grappled with its morals. Whisking the cover from my dish, I moaned in delight at the delicious scent of homemade ravioli. This was going to be the most exquisite meal of my life.

“Make a sound like that again and I can promise you that I will be bending you over this table… or the balcony railing. I’m not particular to either.” I gulped down more water as my cheeks began to burn. He simply couldn’t let me gain my wits, the a*ss. “Yes, I’ve seen photos of Charles, though it’s not the same as seeing him with my own eyes.” There was longing in his words, he wanted to meet his son.

Emotions began to war in my heart and mind. I wanted Charles to know his father, but I also didn’t know if I could ever let my child go, even for a short time to visit his father. I’d had him all to myself since he began to form, and now I would have to share him.

“Why did you suggest we get married?” Picking up my fork, I speared one of the squares of ravioli, blowing on it before popping it in my mouth, a satisfied moan escaping my lips as the delicious flavors burst along my taste buds. He was staring at me again, and the heat in his eyes told me exactly what he was thinking, but thankfully he didn’t elaborate, instead keeping to the subject at hand.

“Because I was serious.” James answered in between a bite of his own dinner, lifting his napkin to pat his lips before continuing. His every action was so proper. “We share a child, and as my firstborn son he is entitled to my entire legacy if I should pass.”

“You speak as if my little prince will take over as CEO before his first birthday.” I joked, spearing another cheese-filled square. James coughing and sputtering on his sip of water had me staring at him anxiously, worried about what had happened. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Why did you call him a prince?” The way he was staring at me said he felt the answer to this question was important, but I couldn’t understand why an innocent nickname would upset him so much.

“It’s what me and Lucy, my friend, call Charles. Our little prince.” Eyeing his sigh of relief and nervous fingering of his tie, I felt as if he were hiding something. “Why? Is there something wrong with our little nickname? Is it not okay in your country?”

“No, it isn’t that at all. I’m honestly not sure how to even tell you this.” After a deep breath and gulping down the rest of his flute of champagne, James put his fork down and looked me straight in the eye. “I’m not just James Kingston, my full name is James Alexander Devon Michael Kingston, Prince of Lenova.”