Meal Fit for a Queen

LIANA

I must have fallen asleep on our journey home because I wake surrounded by the puffy duvet and all of our pillows that smell deliciously of my scent mixed with Lucian’s. I smile and roll onto my side, pulling Lucian’s pillow into a hug.

~“Baby? Are you awake?”~

~“Mhmm,”~ I hum back in my mind and feel Lucian smile.

~“Dinner is on. Come down when you’re ready.”~ I smile, agreeing internally, and lift myself from the bed’s soft embrace. I still feel a little stiff, but other than that I’ve healed up nicely.

Pulling on my fuzzy robe, I tie it securely before stepping into my slippers. I glance at the mirror and pull my wild hair up above my head into a messed-up bun. Lucian never minds how I look. My complexion is healthy and pink again and I look well rested. I must have really needed that sleep.

Opening the door, I jump slightly to see Zeke standing beside it proudly.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better, thank you… Wha—?”

He points to a pin fastened to the collar of his jacket. “The king has given me a permanent position here at the palace… You’re looking at your new personal guard.” He smiles with pride. “And Lucian has also arranged for my grandmother to have round-the-clock care and medication for her pain…”

I reach up on my tiptoes and pull him into a hug.

“Thank you. For protecting me. I know it wasn’t easy.”

“It’s easier when you love someone,” he murmurs quietly.

“Zeke…” I sigh regretfully.

“Don’t worry, Liana. If anything, it makes me better at my new job. I won’t let anything happen to you. Besides…Lucian promised he would kill me if I ever laid a hand on you.” He chuckles and I smile despite myself.

“Yep, sounds like him,” I say with a rueful laugh.

Zeke accompanies me down the stairs, and I’m surprised by how easy and natural things feel between us after all that we’ve been through.

As we enter the kitchen, my eyes widen at the sight of Lucian, who is, remarkably, cooking for ~himself~.

“Don’t act so surprised, beautiful. I know how to survive,” Lucian says, making me laugh as I walk toward the island.

I look over my shoulder to Zeke who smiles and nods once before closing the door behind me.

I sit down on a stool at the island and Lucian turns around from the stove.

“I have cooked or raw,” he says with a raised brow. I look back to the closed door and smile, shaking my head. Zeke has mentioned my “nesting” while I was with him, then.

“Depends what it is,” I throw back with a smirk.

Heading to the fridge, Lucian opens the door—and I almost burst out laughing as I gape at its contents.

He managed to fit a deer’s hind leg in there.

I put my hand over my mouth to hide my laughter, but my stomach does rumble at the sight.

“I’ll take the leg and some of those veggies,” I say with a wink.

Hoisting out the leg, he lays it on the countertop in front of me and does an overly flamboyant bow.

“My queen,” he jokes and I smile, digging in as I watch him continue to finish off cooking the vegetables and a couple of steaks for himself.

I’m halfway through once he dishes up and comes to sit beside me. I abandon the leg for a moment and tuck in to some of the vegetables. Lucian, of course, finishes eating within minutes and sits patiently, watching me.

I tentatively pick up the leg again and look at him from the side of my eye.

“Don’t worry angel. You carry on.”

I smile at his words and start gnawing at the leg. He smiles back and settles in to admire me devouring it. “You’re so damn beautiful,” he mumbles in complete awe.

I finish and clean my face of any stray blood smears while Lucian clears up. I look up out of the window to the full moon still high in the sky and feel the warmth that spreads through my stomach. With a sigh, I close my eyes as the feeling expands. It’s nothing like the pain I endured in the hut; it’s a low simmer of heat that is actually extremely comfortable.

I hear Lucian moving around the kitchen. After a moment, he comes up behind me, wraps his arms around me, and holds me close. He nuzzles his face into my neck, inhaling deeply. “You smell so good…”

I hum quietly in response, relishing the feel of his hands gently kneading at my muscles and stroking over my body.

I pull open my robe a little so his fingertips can skim my inner thighs, and he sighs, relaxing.

“Baby, you sure you’re well enough?”

“Yes,” I sigh in a contented breath.

“We can wait…” he whispers, but I shake my head.

Reaching around me, he hooks an arm under my knees and carefully lifts me into his arms.

When he opens the door, Zeke is gone, likely to retire for the evening. I’m glad, because I know guilt would have hit me hard if he’d seen me right now.

As Lucian carries me up the stairs, I tuck myself into him, drawing in his sweet scent.

***

Kicking the door closed behind us, Lucian gently places me down in the center of our bed and peppers my legs with soft kisses that make me tingle all over. Untying my robe, I let it fall open so he can move up my body slowly.

“I don’t know what I’d have done if I lost you,” he murmurs against my skin. I smile sadly, feeling the tug on his heart.

“I’m here now.” I moan slightly as he reaches the apex of my thigh. He smiles against my skin and moves up me to look down at my face.

“And for that, I am more grateful than I can say, my love.” Leaning down he tentatively presses his lips to mine in a deep, savoring kiss. “I love you,” he whispers into my mouth.

“I love you, Lucian,” I whisper back. The warmth in my body spreads and I gasp.

“Mmm, I love that sound.” He groans and breaks his body away a little to push off his clothes before coming back to me. Holding himself in a fist, he positions himself at my entrance and I wrap my thighs around his waist as he sinks into me, agonizingly slowly. I bow off the bed with the fullness.

“Agh!” I whine, and Lucian smiles into the crook of my neck and pumps his hips in a leisurely rhythm, winding me slowly to the edge. I whimper as it closes in, and Lucian hisses through his gritted teeth.

“Come for me, Princess, nice and gently.”

I whine and claw at his back as my own arches off the bed, and my breath turns into quick, shallow pants—until my body lets go.

“Fuck, Goddess, you’re perfect, my angel.”

“Lucian, I’m ready.”

He slows his pace and looks down into my eyes. “You sure, baby?” he pants, and I nod.

“Yes, Lucian, please. I want this.”

His breath rushes out of his lungs and he buries his face in my neck once more, nipping and sucking at me gently. He chokes a little and his weight-bearing arm trembles with the build.

“Fuck! Agh! Liana.”

I feel his warmth pour into me, and he clings onto my body, emptying himself as deep as he can bury. Slowly, he eases out of me and sits back on his knees, taking hold of my ankles and holding them up in the air.

I giggle and stare at him dumbfounded. “What are you doing?”

He smirks, trying not to laugh. “Stop laughing, you’ll push me out.”

I force myself to stop, but I can’t suppress my smile. After a few minutes, he lets my legs down and comes to lie beside me, pulling me into his arms.

“My queen,” he murmurs against the top of my head, giving me a kiss.

“My king.” I smile and nuzzle into his chest, letting myself drift off happily.