Man, Oh, Man!

*Isla*

I sit on the edge of the bed for a few minutes after Poppy leaves, contemplating what to do. She’s turned the bathtub on, so I know I have to go into the bathroom eventually or else the tub will overflow.

I want to take a bath. It sounds luxurious. I can’t remember the last time I did anything like that for myself. For the last few years, everything I’ve done has been for my family.

But… the idea of taking my clothes off and soaking in the tub in this amazing room seems frightening and foolish.

All of this has to be a mistake, and when they find out about it, shouldn’t I at least be dressed?

Still, if I take a quick bath, maybe I can be in and out before Poppy returns. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about this castle it’s that it is huge.

Setting my bag down on the chest at the end of the bed, I head into the bathroom and take my clothes off, hanging my wet, dirty clothes on a hook on the door, embarrassed by my old underwear and bra that doesn’t really fit me correctly. I decide to leave the door open a crack so I can hear if Poppy comes back in.

I turn the bathtub off and notice there are hair clips on the sink, so I grab a few. I want to wash my hair, but then I plan to clip it up out of the way so I can be sure to wash well.

The moment my feet touch the warm water, I feel a soothing sensation ripple through my body. I’m not sure what Poppy put in this water, but it feels amazing. I sink into it and my whole body relaxes. Not only does it smell wonderful—like roses and lavender—but it wraps around my body like a warm blanket.

I may never get out of this tub.

Remembering I was going to try to hurry, I sink down and wash my hair, using the bottles of floral smelling shampoos and conditioners on the side of the tub, I scrub my hair and my scalp before clipping my hair up out of the way and using the body wash and a soft sponge to wash myself off. Once I’m sure I’m clean from head to toe, I sink back into the water, telling myself I’m just going to soak for a minute and then I’ll get out.

I must’ve dozed off because when I open my eyes later, the water is a bit cooler, and I realize I’d been asleep.

But then I also realize that what had woken me was the sound of the door opening in my bedroom.

I sit up quickly, remembering that I had that robe but not remembering exactly where it is. I see a pile of towels nearby.

“Poppy, is that you?” I call, praying it is just the housekeeper coming back with the clothes she’d gone to find for me.

“No.”

I get my answer when a deep, rumbling voice answers my question. I inhale sharply and hold it for a second. There is a man in my room—and I am naked.

Quickly, I get out of the tub, drying off as best I can. At least my hair is dry. I am frantic, and clearly, I am not thinking straight. I wrap the towel around myself, thanking the Moon Goddess that it’s so huge that it will wrap all the way around me and then some, and then walk out to see who he is.

I stick my head out first, and he is just standing there, his hands on his hips, near my bed.

He is gorgeous. My breath catches in my throat, and I stand there, wide-eyed, glad he’s not looking directly at me while I fight to get control of my racing heart.

He’s tall, at least six foot four, with dark brown hair and eyes that glow like emeralds. His broad shoulders are ripped beneath the white button-down shirt he’s wearing, and he looks to be nothing but lean muscle. Visions of what lies beneath his clothing come to mind, but I can’t let them linger because I am aware that I am still naked.

His eyes land on me then, and they widen slightly, as if he’s just realized he’s interrupting my bath. Since he is clearly someone important, I rush out, holding my towel tight. “I’m sorry, sir,” I say. “Poppy is getting me something acceptable to wear, but if I’m in the wrong room….

“No, no,” he says. “You’re not.” He looks me up and down, but he doesn’t let his eyes dawdle on the part of me that’s covered with the towel like some men would do.

I expect him to say more, but when he doesn’t, I just stand there for a moment before I realize. “I… have a robe.”

He nods. “Good.”

I assume that means I should get it, so I rush back into the bathroom and see where Poppy has placed it. I drop the towel and put the robe on, tying it tightly and running back out through the partially ajar door.

When I’m back in the bedroom, I still don’t know what to say to him, and he seems to be a man of few words.

“I wanted to see if you were all right,” he finally says, his voice a low rumble that makes my body tingle.

“Oh, yes. I’m well, thank you,” I say, wondering if perhaps he works for Beta Seth. Perhaps Beta Seth couldn’t come.

He nods. “I heard about Mrs. Worsthingshorethinshire striking you.”

“Yes, sir,” I say, my hand going to my face. Is he here to investigate that incident? I withdraw my hand and clench the robe closed.

“She won’t bother you again.” His hands are shoved deep into his pockets, and he seems very sure of himself.

I can’t help but feel bad about the entire situation. “Thank you,” I say, but I still feel bad for her.

He picks up on that. “Are you bothered by her being let go?”

“Oh, uh… it’s just… she was fired because of me.” My eyes are glued to the ground near his expensive leather loafers.

“No,” he corrects me. “She was fired for striking a guest in the face. That’s completely unacceptable.”

He has a point. “Yes, sir,” I say. I lift my head a bit and look him in the face, and I can’t help but notice his eyes are scrutinizing me now. I wish I knew what he was thinking. We are so far apart. I want to be closer to him. I want to breathe him in and wrap his scent around me. If I were closer, perhaps his hand might accidentally brush my skin….

“Well, I should go. I just wanted to check on you. If you need anything, I’m sure Poppy will get it for you.”

“Yes, sir,” I say. “Thank you.” I manage to smile at him, but I am not very confident, not that I doubt Poppy, but I still don’t know why I am there.

He takes a step backward, toward the door, but before he can turn to go, the door comes flying open, and Poppy bursts through. “I’m back!” she announces. “And boy have I got some beautiful outfits for you! You're never going to—Oh! Your Majesty!” Immediately she drops the dresses on a chair by the door and bows low to the ground.

Confusion washes over me as he shakes his head and turns to walk out. “You can get up, Poppy,” he says as she lifts her head.

“You know my name?” Poppy asks.

“Yes, of course I know your name, Poppy. Everyone knows your name.” He opens the door to walk out.

She says, “Thank you, Alpha King Maddox.”

And the world starts to go black as I feel like I’m going to pass out.

***

*Maddox*

I need air.

I need to think.

I need to get away from… that woman.

It’s a good thing that Poppy came into the room when she did, or else… I’m not sure what might’ve happened, but it might’ve gotten heated very quickly.

I walk down the hallway the short distance to my own rooms, dragging my hand down my face as I go. I know I shouldn’t have even stopped there on my way to my room to get ready for my dinner with the visiting Alpha, but curiosity got the better of me.

The urge to see her for myself overwhelmed me, so I made a stop.

Part of me is very glad that I did, but the other part of me wishes that I had just let it be….

I had no idea she was going to be in the bathtub when I walked in.

Then, she’d scurried out, dripping wet, her pale skin glistening with water droplets, the scent of rosewater enticing me to step closer.

Her hair, golden curls, pulled up on top of her head in the back, were damp and not secured all the way. Ringlets framed her beautiful face as she stood there, wide-eyed, her sapphire eyes staring at me, trying to determine what I was doing there.

Her luscious lips, slightly parted, were so plump and perfect, I could imagine what they must taste like. I wanted to step across the room and take her bottom lip between my teeth. I could have lifted her tiny body up onto the bed, the towel sliding onto the floor as my hands wandered all over her body.

She had no idea that when she went into the bathroom to put on that robe she’d left the door slightly ajar, and in the mirror, I’d seen her perfect backside reflected in the mirror, the curve of her breast, her erect nipple….

I pulled the door open to my room, my erection straining against my pants and headed straight for my

shower, turning the water to cold. I knew I’d be thinking about the girl, Isla, all through dinner.

If the Alpha’s daughter, whatever the f*ck her name was, threw herself at me again, I might have to take her up on the offer only to get rid of the enormous hard on I’ve got growing in my pants just thinking about her.

I’ve got to get her off of my mind.

Undressing, I jump into the shower and let the cold water wash away the stiffness in my groin. I try to think about the work I need to do, the conversations that need to be had with Alpha Jordan and others. If I think about work, maybe I won’t think about the girl.

I should be used to not thinking about women I don’t want to think about.

Flashes of Rebecca’s beautiful face flicker before my eyes, and I push them away as I have been doing for years.

Ever since that fateful night.

Since then, I’ve been with lots of women, mostly to drown the pain of losing her, but none of them have meant a thing to me. I definitely haven’t had any issues with getting them off of my mind.

Isla’s bright blue eyes come to mind, and I have to wonder if she just might be different.

I turn the water so that it’s a tad colder and stand beneath it a bit longer before I finally get out and get dressed for dinner.

When I’m dressed in a suit with a jade green tie that’s nearly the color of my eyes, my hair is styled, and I’m ready to go, I take a moment to stand in front of the mirror and wonder why I even have these formal dinners.

“Why can’t we just retire these dinners and make them a thing of the past?” I ask myself aloud. I hate them so much….

But visitors to the castle like them, so we continue to have them.

And we, theoretically, get a lot of work done at them….

A knock at the door alerts me that Seth is there to collect me. I grumble a bit before I say, “Yeah,” and he sticks his head in.

“Ready?” he calls.

“No,” I say.

He looks around my room. “Why don’t you ever turn on a lamp?” he asks.

Rather than answering the question, I reply, “Why don’t you ever mind your own business?” and walk to the door.

We head down the hall together, past Isla’s room, and I take a deep breath as we go.

I smell rosewater, and my pants begin to tighten.

It seems I can’t do anything to escape the allure of the woman, no matter what I do. I will just have to keep my mind on something else.

In the dining room, most of the guests are waiting for us to arrive so that we can be seated. It is my duty to be the last to get there.

Before we take our seats, Alpha Jordan comes over, two women accompanied him.

“Alpha Maddox, you remember my wife, Luna Elaine?”

“Yes, of course.” I force a smile at the older brunette on his left arm. “Good evening,” I say to her.

“Good evening, Your Majesty,” she says to me. “Thank you for inviting us.”

I nod, and since Seth is standing right next to me, I manage to say, “Thank you for coming.”

“And this is our daughter, Zabrina.” He turns and gestures to a young woman on his right.

The blonde who steps forward is tall and thin, with far too much makeup on. Her bright purple dress is very sparkly, and she has on large earrings that match. When she smiles and bats her eyelashes, I feel like I must be looking at the fakest, most spoiled Alpha’s daughter in all the land.

“Hello,” I say as she offers me her hand, but not to shake… to kiss.

“Hello, Your Majesty,” she says as I stare at the back of her fingers.

I do not feel like pressing her hand to my lips, but an image of Isla’s mouth comes to mind. That… I’d like to press to my lips…. I take Zabrina’s thin hand and twist it, giving it a good shake before I let it go. Her eyes widen as she is shocked at my behavior, but I am the king, and I’ll do as I wish.

“Shall we be seated?” Seth says, stifling a laugh.

“Yes, let’s do.” I walk to my seat, and everyone else does as well. I wait for everyone else, and we pull our chairs out and sit down.

I am ready to get this dinner over with. Unfortunately, there will just be another one tomorrow.