Chapter 169

“I don’t know if I can find the mood to fool around right now,” I said.

“I guess I can see that,” he replied. “How about this? Give me five minutes to try, and we’ll see if we find the mood. If not, I’ll leave you alone while you shower and get ready. But I honestly think you could use to do something besides sit and think too hard about the possibilities.”

I beckoned him over to the bed, fished my laptop out, and stashed it back in its permanent hiding spot so that we wouldn’t crush it under the pillows and forget about it and leave it where our guards could see. While I was getting more and more comfortable with them, I still didn’t trust them with those pieces of myself. I still couldn’t be sure that they wouldn’t run and tattle to the palace or the Palace Press Panel.

At this point, I was relatively sure that they were not to sabotage us. But I didn’t know where their loyalties lay and how far they would stretch in our favor.

Charles drew me onto the bed and lay down on his back. Pulling me against him, he pressed small kisses across my forehead and down my nose to the tip. At the same time, he ran his hands across the outside of my shirt, stopping at my nipples to tweak and massage. He then cupped my breasts before tracing the curve of my hip, drawing his hand across my waist and back up to start again.

I closed my eyes and focused on the feeling of his caresses. After a couple more passes, he massaged up, taking my shirt up in his fingers, and he wiggled down, pulling the fabric of my bra out of the way and taking my nipple in his mouth. He sucked, wrapping his tongue around the little knob of flesh until it stood upright. He pulled a sigh from me as he grazed gently with his teeth.

“I thought as much,” he murmured.

He continued to work my nipple with his tongue and lips, at the same time, running his hand down inside my pants, slipping a finger between my lower lips, and caressing the little knob of sensitive skin down there.

I sighed and parted my legs, inviting him to stimulate me.

And as the heat in my belly grew, I reached down and gripped his cock through his pants. I wrapped my fingers around the firm pole of flesh. I rubbed at him the way he rubbed at me through his clothing.

After a moment, he reached down and unzipped his pants. I wiggled my pants out of the way, and he did the same.

“I would love to stay and take a lot of time on this,” he murmured between kisses, “but we also have to have time for you to shower and get dressed before we broadcast you. We’ll be quick, but I’ll make sure you join me in pleasure.”

True to his word, he made love to me, paying close attention to the sounds and motions I made so that his thrusts kept me in time with him and drew me to pleasure quickly. I dug my fingers into his back and pressed my hips to his, arching my back and groaning out my orgasm as he panted and gasped, finishing with his face to my shoulder.

His hips between mine jerked as his body released pulse after pulse of cum. He kissed me deeply once more.

“Now, go take a shower,” he said. “Believe it or not, we’re down to just twenty minutes before you go live.”

I hurried into the shower, taking time to wash quickly. Then, rather than drying my hair, I combed it back and put it in an intricate twist, pinning it up on top of my head in something that looked professional, even wet.

No one would have any idea that I had just showered. And I’d rather spend the time on my makeup.

With less than a minute to spare, I sat down in the living room, positioning myself with the wall and a simple piece of art behind me so as to look as professional as possible. The window on my computer screen went live, and the reporters held up fingers, counting down 3, 2, 1.

I pushed my mic, turning it on, and greeted the reporter.

“Greetings, Elena Laurentia. It’s a pleasure to have you on the air.”

“Hello, Mr. Estrella. Thank you for having me.”

“You’ve been all over the news today for the second time in just a couple of weeks,” the reporter started without a preamble. “Unfortunately, rather than being the hero that broke further corruption rings within the government, this time, the news is somewhat less than flattering. I understand we have an exclusive with you regarding this development?”

I nodded. “I really appreciate the chance to tell the story in my own words,” I said. “Because they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Yet context is everything. And a picture in the wrong context can be grossly misleading.”

“Then you’re implying these pictures were taken out of context?” the reporter clarified.

“Absolutely.” I held up the pieces of paper sitting on the table beside me. “Just this afternoon, I went with my bodyguard and had blood work done. It turns out the two of us were drugged with tranquilizers. We were left in that compromising position by an unknown attacker.”

“That is quite disturbing,” the reporter said. “Have you spoken with the police yet to try and track down this attacker?”

I shook my head. “Not yet. My own memories of the attack are not particularly helpful, as the drugs left me without memories of the whole incident. The last thing I remember was arriving at the club in question for an exclusive interview with Anthony Bellweatherabout my role in exposing government corruption. But after arriving at the club, I have no further memories. So when I do go to the police, the investigation is going to have to start there.”

“I would imagine that you have plenty of enemies after all of the work that you’ve done recently.”

I nodded. “Yes. Since summer, I seem to be collecting a fair amount of enemies. It never goes well when one brings down powerful people. That being said, as of yet, I’m not out to accuse anyone, only to clear my name and say that those pictures of what looks like poor behavior weren’t some slight against my boyfriend, Charles Rafe, his company, my work, my employer, or anyone else. I was simply in that venue trying to do my job. And I was the one taken advantage of.”

The reporter nodded. “Do you have anything else you’d like to say to the public about this matter?” he asked. “I want to make sure you feel heard.”

“Only that I want the public to have full confidence in me as a reporter and, for all of the shareholders, investors, and clients of Rafe Media to have full confidence in Charles Rafe. Neither of us engaged in any irresponsible practices at all. We’re simply trying to do our best for the nation of Orlune and avoid the people that we may have angered along the way.”

The reporter nodded. “I’m sure both your fans and followers, along with those involved with Rafe Media, will be glad to hear…” He paused and made a slight face. “I’m sorry. That makes it sound like they’re happy to hear of your misfortune. I’m sure they won’t be, but I’m sure they will be relieved to hear that you are still on their side.” He corrected his wording.

I nodded. “I’m always on the side of truth. And I promise to bring that in my personal life as well as in my reporting so that the public can always trust anything that I put out there.”

“And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen,” he said. “What we thought would be the conclusion to breaking news turns out to be its own breaking news. And we will keep you posted on developments as this goes forward.”