Acting Royal #Wattys2017

22

ZAYN

The sound of the sides of the tent flapping loudly woke him up. He was still tangled up in Jenny's arms from the night before. He raised his head and looked through the gap in the tent out across the desert in front of him. Something looked off. The sun, the light, the way the shadows were moving, it was almost as if it was already midday. But it couldn't be. It better not be. It was his birthday ball tonight and it was starting at around 5pm and they still had to get back to the palace and get ready. He would probably need to start greeting people as they started to arrive, probably within the hour even.

He sat up a little more and realized that waking up like this, with her by his side, was the best birthday present he'd ever had. He reached for his watch on the bedside table, and raised it to his sleepily eyes.

"Shit!" He bolted upright causing Jenny to spring to life.

"What? Is everything okay...? What's?" She looked around the room with half closed eyes. It was adorable.

"Guess what time it is?" Zayn asked.

She shook her head and yawned.

"Twelve."

"What?" Jenny's eyes widened. "We slept in that late?"

"Must have been all the vigorous activities last night." Zayn pushed her down and climbed on top of her playfully, holding her wrists above her head and trapping her beneath him. She smiled up at him. "Now that's what I want to see on my birthday."

"It's your...Oh yes, of course it is. Sorry, I'm still half asleep. Happy birthday."

He let her wrist go, leaned down and placed his elbows on either side of her head, bringing his face all the way up to hers. "Do you still remember what your birthday presents to me are?" He planted a soft kiss on her cheek. It had a crisscrossing crease across it from sleeping. He felt her nod against his face.

"Wear the necklace." she whispered. "And the lingerie."

"And?" He still felt a little awkward saying it out loud and would rather have her say it.

"Let you draw me."

He lifted himself off his elbows and stared down at her. "I think I'm looking forward to the last one the most. But we're running very late, and we have to get back to the palace so I can perform my royal duties."

JENNY

A couple of hours later, Jenny found herself back in her room and alone once more. She took her shoes off and a cascade of sand fell to the floor. She bent down and tried to pick it up, but it was so fine that it ran through the gaps between her fingers. She flattened it with the palm of her hand and without thinking about it, found her finger tracing the shape of a heart in the sand on the floor.

"Oh God!" Why was she drawing hearts in the sand? She quickly flicked the sand away and stood up. She had to get ready for tonight, and she had no idea what to expect. Zayn had briefed her on the basics; lots of hand shaking, and mundane small talk with royals and dignitaries, he'd said. She got the distinct impression that this party was not being thrown for Zayn at all. The fact that it was his birthday was totally irrelevant, it was just an excuse for his father, the King, to host a large event bringing all his business colleagues and allies together for an evening. This was an evening of politics, not of partying. And Amir would also be there. No doubt he would also be shaking hands and making small talk, Jenny wondered if he gave other people the creeps as much as he gave her? She wasn't looking forward to seeing him, or the king for that matter.

But Zayn on the other hand...

Her heart had been pounding double time since arriving back with him after the night they'd shared together in the desert. His face had been on a constant loop in her head and his words had been playing on repeat... my angel. No one had ever called her that before, and it made her want to draw hearts in the sand.

Jenny finally got dressed into the gown that she and Rana had bought. She was wearing the lingerie that Zayn had insisted she wear and was now ready for the last touch. She opened the velvet box and pulled out the necklace. It glinted in the sunlight and when she moved it around, it casted rainbow splashes of light across the ceiling and floor. She slipped it around her neck and fastened the latch.

She stood in front of the mirror and hardly recognized herself. The old Jenny had faded away as she'd put on the priceless necklace. She looked the part. She looked like a princess and right now, she wanted to find her prince.

ZAYN

Zayn was finding it very hard to concentrate. He was shaking hands with dignitaries, wealthy businessmen, sheiks, local movie stars and the odd member of the European royal family. They'd all come here for his birthday. He wasn't a fool to think that this was really for him. No birthday had ever really been for him. Birthdays were a chance for his parents to make social connections, strengthen political ties and make business deals for billions while eating oysters.

But he was smiling and graciously accepting presents, and congratulations on both his birthday, and his engagement. But his mind was only focused on one thing, and she wasn't there yet.

He tried to imagine what she would look like coming down the staircase wearing that necklace. He hoped she would be wearing the lingerie too. He'd chosen it very carefully, it wasn't nearly the most expensive piece in the shop, or the best crafted thing either. In fact, it had been one of the most plain and simple pieces there. There was nothing shiny or flashy about it, it was elegant and totally understated. And it was perfect for her.

All the other woman he'd bought lingerie for he'd bought something elaborate, sexy, leathery, colorful. But she didn't need that- in fact, she didn't need anything that would overwhelm her natural beauty. She needed something that faded into the background, and let her body be the star of the show.

But he also needed to stop thinking about her like that, because the images of her in the underwear were about to cause him a real, big embarrassment...

"Hi..."A sultry voice cooed behind him. He turned knowing exactly who it was and it was trouble. Duchess Sophia, trouble. Killer body, pitch black hair, green eyes, legs that went on for miles, big firm tits, great ass, blow-job lips...

Well, that's what he'd thought about her when he'd bent her over and fucked her in a hotel room in Monte Carlo a few months ago anyway.

"Hi." He said nervously. The last thing he wanted was for Jenny to come down the stairs and see him talking to a woman that he'd slept with

"So you never did call me back..." Her tone had a lashing of anger to it.

"Sorry. I got busy." This was his standard response usually.

"I heard. So busy you found yourself a fiancé. That was quick." She said mockingly.

"Well, when you know, you know." He smiled politely.

She scoffed at his comment and then moved in closer, 'accidentally; brushing his hand against his crotch. She leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"Do you want to meet up a little later?" She ended the sentence with a tiny little moan.

He pulled away quickly. "No. Sorry. I'm engaged."

She laughed. It wasn't pleasant. "Oh please. Like that's going to stop you."

Zayn pushed her away again as she made another approach.

"Stop it Sophia."

"That's not what you said to me in Monte Carlo."

"It's different now. Please." He turned his back on her and walked away, he heard her storm off behind him. And then, as if perfectly timed, he looked up and there she was walking down the stairs...