They posed for just a few pictures with some of the soldiers and promised to return. Stefan hated that a piece of his heart was left with this group of remarkable men and women. He wanted to rule his country while keeping his emotions in check, not tear up when he came across charity cases.
Victoria swiped tears away as they headed to their waiting car. Once settled inside, he pulled her against his side and sighed.
“You okay?” he asked.
“You’re amazing.” She sniffed. “I don’t care if the media portrays you as a bad boy, Stefan. I know the truth, and you’ve just revealed it to a room full of thankful vets.”
He didn’t want to be commended for doing what was right and good. “I wish I could do more,” he said honestly. “But we’ll do what we can where we can.”
Tori reached up, cupping his cheek, and shifted to face him. “You’re one amazing king, Stefan.”
She touched her lips to his, briefly, tenderly. But he didn’t want gentle, he wanted hard, fast. Now. He wanted to feel her beneath him, feel her come undone around him.
His hand slid up her bare thigh and her breath caught.
“Didn’t we just do this the other day?” she asked, smiling against his mouth.
“Glad I could make an impression,” he murmured. “But I plan on torturing you until we get to the library. It is across town, you know. I may even continue for the ride home afterward.”
She slid a hand up over his denim-clad leg and cupped him. “Torture can be a two-way street, you know.”
“I’m counting on it.”
As his mouth captured hers again, his hand snaked up beneath her dress. When his fingertip traveled along the edge of her lacy panties, her legs parted. Yeah, he wanted what she was offering, but foreplay was so much fun, and he wanted to relish these next few moments of driving her wild. He’d always considered himself a giving lover, but with Victoria he wanted to focus on her and her pleasure. Everything about touching her, kissing her was so much more arousing than seeking a fast release.
Her palm slid up and down over the zipper of his jeans...a zipper that was becoming increasingly painful.
He tore his lips from hers. “Tori, you’re way too good at this game.”
When she put both hands on his shoulders and slid to the floor between his legs, he swallowed hard. “Way too good,” he repeated.
And thankfully he’d put the divider up between them and the driver because she was reciprocating the favor he’d given her a few days ago.
How was he ever going to get over all of this if she chose to leave?
* * *
Victoria couldn’t stop smiling. Finally, she’d managed to take control, shut Stefan up and make him lose his mind all at once. Yeah, she was pretty proud of herself.
The ride to the library and then home was quite memorable...for both of them.
As they walked up the brick steps toward her front door, a car pulling into the circular drive had her turning back to see who the visitor was.
Her heart stopped, her body tensing at the unwelcome guest.
No. This couldn’t be happening. What was he doing here?
“Victoria?” Stefan touched her arm. “Who is it?”
Before she could answer, the car came to a stop and Alex unfolded himself from the two-door red sports car.
“I’ll talk to him,” Stefan told her, jaw clenching. “You can go inside.”
Victoria held up a hand and shook her head. “No, you go on in.”
“Like hell,” she heard him mutter as she descended the steps to see what her ex could possibly want.
Victoria didn’t want to play the alpha male drama game so she ignored Stefan’s remark. All she cared about now was why Alex had showed up here like he still had a right to.
“Victoria,” he greeted her as she came to the base of the steps. “You look beautiful as always.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she thanked God that seeing him did absolutely nothing for her.
“What are you doing here, Alex?”
His eyes darted over her shoulder, then back. “Can we talk privately?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Stefan asked from behind her.
Victoria turned, gave him the silent “shut up” look, and turned back to Alex. “Whatever you want to say, say it so Stefan and I can go inside.”
For the first time in his life Alex looked uncomfortable. Once again his eyes darted from Stefan to Victoria, and she knew he wasn’t going to say anything as long as Stefan was around. This bulldog stare down could go on all night, and she had other plans, which involved her husband getting naked and staying that way for a long time. She wasn’t going to let her ex who destroyed her ruin her evening or her life.