Page 11 of Club Royal: Calendar Collection

Robert

Robert put the last flower into the headband and stepped back, shaking his hands out and exhaling. “Done,” he said to no one.

He hadn’t wanted to get Finn and Naomi involved—they had enough to do covering the shop whilst he was doing this project—but he wasn’t sure he had much choice at that point. He was running out of time.

With a sigh, he pulled out his phone and dialled, tapping his painted nail on his arm as he waited for them to answer.

“What’s up, buttercup?” Naomi asked, her voice full of laughter.

“I need help,” he said.

“Oh, fucking finally! We’ll be there in a few minutes.” She ended the call, and Robert stared at the phone.

“I should fire her,” he muttered.

While he waited for her, he puttered around, placing the flowers in the cooler room at the back of the shop so they wouldn’t wither before the next day.

Then he started on the first arrangement, joining flower after flower onto the rope until it flowed with colour.

The idea behind the rope was that it would wind around the metal and wood fencing that lined the streets of the route. If it worked, it would look amazing.

“Reinforcements have arrived!”

Naomi’s voice rang through the shop, and Robert couldn’t help but smile. As much of a wiseass as she was, she was his best friend, and he would never wish to be without her. But then her words registered.

“Reinforcements? With an ‘S’?” he asked, leaving the flowers where they were and heading down the hallway. He stopped when he reached the back door. “What are you all doing here?”

“We were told reinforcements were needed,” his grandpa said, pushing his way through and hobbling down to the room. “Tell us where you want us, Robert.”

Robert glanced at his friends: Naomi, Finn, Liam, Troy, Jason, Christian, and Henry, his amazing husband.

Naomi and Finn had been on his Floresco journey since the beginning, and they knew him well—hence the number of workers.

Liam and Troy had become firm friends since they met at The Den, and Jason was another person who he had become friends with during his time at the BDSM club, and he was also Prince George’s best friend.

He’d recently found his partner, Darius, who was a bodyguard.

Prince Christian was Henry’s cousin, and undoubtedly, he offered his assistance.

As for his husband… Henry slipped his arms around his waist and kissed him softly, helping Robert to relax further. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Henry’s.

“Thank you.”

Henry chuckled. “Don’t thank me. Thank Naomi. She basically corralled people to help yesterday when she knew you were at your breaking point. You just took a little longer to reach it than she expected. I was ready to storm in last night, but she wouldn’t let me.”

Robert laughed. “Doesn’t surprise me. She’s a force to be reckoned with when she wants to be.”

Brushing the back of his hand across Robert’s cheek, Henry asked, “Why didn’t you ask for help sooner?”

He sighed. “Because I’m stubborn.”

“I knew that when I married you. Doesn’t make you a bad person.” He kissed him again. “Come on. Let’s get this done so you can sleep.”

Robert led the way to the workshop and shook his head when he saw everyone already at work. “Thank you, everyone.”

“You’re welcome. Now get your fingers dirty,” Grandpa said.

Robert smiled and settled in, explaining what his plan had been.

At one point, Naomi put some music on, and they interspersed the flower arranging with dancing and singing.

Within three hours, the rope flowers were done and waiting in the cooler room.

The group was a little worse for wear, with cuts, cramping hands and sneezing for those who found the scent overwhelming, but he couldn’t have done it without them.

He said goodbye to everyone except Henry and then wrapped his arms around him. “You really need to tell me when I’m being stubborn.”

Henry laughed. “Oh, I do, but you never hear me.”

Robert pouted. “You were supposed to just say, ‘I will’ and leave it at that.”

Grinning, Henry kissed him again, and Robert lost himself in the sensations bombarding him.

He could weather anything as long as Henry was by his side, and they’d already been through a lot to get to where they were.

Henry’s tongue had become a master in the months and years since they’d been together, and he loved how it could make his head spin.

“What plans do you have now?” he said after his breathing returned to normal.

“I have somewhere to be.”

Robert tried not to be upset about not being able to spend the rest of the afternoon with him, but he couldn’t begrudge him his princely duties. “Where are you heading to?”

“Our bed,” he said and grabbed Robert’s thighs, lifting him clear off the floor. Robert squealed and clung to him, having not expected it.

“Shame we have to drive there.”

“I can carry you to the car, at least.”

Robert laughed and held on tightly as his husband carried him, a lot more successfully than he expected him to with their height differences, to the car.

He had to put him down to lock the door to Floresco and then again when they got to the car, but he did it, and Robert could tell Henry was happy with the result.

Once he was settled into the front seat and Henry closed his door, Robert smiled to himself.

He was so lucky to have snagged Henry when he did.

Not because he was a prince, though some people would believe that was the best prize of all, but because he was such a good man and cared so much about the people around him.

Henry had only taken to driving recently when they got tired of having people drive them everywhere, and although Henry’s mother wasn’t keen on the idea, she allowed them on a trial period.

They were adults, so technically, they could do whatever they wanted, but they could understand how worried she was about not having people there to help them.

They did agree to have bodyguards with them if they were going anywhere but Floresco and Bagshot Park, so she had reluctantly agreed.

When they arrived at Bagshot Park, the home they shared with Henry’s family, Henry grabbed his hand and tugged him towards their wing of the house. Robert laughed and jogged along with him. And after the door closed behind them, Robert pushed Henry against it, ravaging his mouth.

“I feel like it’s been ages since we’ve had time for this,” Henry said, pulling at Robert’s clothing.

Robert laughed. “Yeah, all of, what, twelve hours? Didn’t you bring me to my knees this morning before I left?”

“Well, yes. But it’s not enough. It’s never enough.”

And Henry proved, once again, why they were perfect for each other and sank to his knees like the pup he was.

Henry

When the May Day celebrations started, he could see Robert’s enthusiasm.

From what he’d detailed, these festivals were something he had always enjoyed, maybe because it was flower-related.

But whatever the reason, his excitement was contagious, and the music and laughter that followed were everything he could ever have wanted.

A few of his family had decided to join in, and once the May Queen and Princesses had passed, stopping and curtseying to them, looking beautiful and adorable, Robert stood.

“I’m going to dance. Anyone joining me?”

No one answered, so he pouted and flounced off.

Henry rose to his feet so he could see him as he picked up a ribbon for the pole and waited between two little girls for the music to change.

And when it did, and Robert weaved between the other dancers, he shone as brightly as the sun shining down on them that day.

The dance continued until the ribbons had wound around and made a pretty design on the pole, and then Robert came back, breathless, flushed and happy.

“Did you see that? That pattern was brilliant. Whoever comes up with them is amazing.”

He dropped onto the blanket they’d spread across the space they’d chosen for themselves and grabbed a drink. Henry slipped behind him, stretching his legs on either side of him and pulling him back against his chest when he’d chosen his drink.

“You were amazing.”

Robert beamed at him. “Will you do the next one with me?”

The idea of dancing in front of people scared the life out of him, but for Robert, he’d do anything, so he nodded. The smile Robert rewarded him with was enough payment.

“He’s got two left feet, remember?” George said, throwing a piece of fruit towards them. Robert caught it before it could do any damage, but Henry glared at him.

“Maybe, but at least I’m willing to try, Prince George.” Henry stood, brushing himself off. “I bet none of you can do it better.”

He purposefully taunted them, knowing they could never back down from something like that, not without losing face. He hid his smile when George stood.

“Fine. I’ll show you.”

“We’ll all do it,” Douglas announced.

“What?” Mav said, staring up at his husband. “I never agreed to dance.”

“You are now.” Douglas grabbed his hands and pulled him to his feet. “Come on, Freddie, Damon. You, too, Christian.”

One by one, the rest of his family stood, and when the announcement came for the Sutcliffes to come to the pole, everyone looked at him. He held up his hands. “Not me.” He glanced at Robert, who waited at the pole with a huge smile on his face.

When the rest of them saw Robert, they cursed, knowing there was no way they could back out now their performance had been announced to the visitors.

“You suck,” Freddie whispered as he passed.

Henry grinned and joined them on the walk to the pole. Robert pointed to a ribbon for each of them, and once he was happy with where they all were, he took the space in front of Henry.

“I love you,” Robert said, smiling his way.

“I love you more.”

“I’ll give you that one today because I know how much you hate this.”

The music started, and Robert nodded when it was time for them to start moving.

From the start, it was a disaster. George went over instead of under, and Christian dropped his ribbon at one point, missing his turn.

Then Damon tripped over his own feet and knocked into Eddie.

Both were laughing too much to get up, but the dance continued.

The joy on Robert’s face and the faces of the people in the wings was priceless. For once, the princes weren’t the posh, upper class, never made mistakes royal family, and instead, they were the same as everyone else. Willing to make mistakes and laugh about it.

When the song ended, the royal family bowed to the applause they received, and several of them hobbled off to sit down. Henry wrapped his arms around Robert.

“Did you enjoy that?”

“It was great. You?”

“Watching you was the best bit.”

Robert laughed, throwing his head back. “You’re so sentimental.”

“I’m allowed to be.” He kissed him, uncaring of whoever watched or took pictures of them. He was past caring because he wanted the world to know he loved this man.

They spent the rest of the afternoon watching the festivities and joining in occasionally, though none of them attempted the Maypole dancing again. The sun shone all day, and when they were all tired and happy and full of food and drink, they headed home.

Even after satiating himself in Robert the previous day, he felt an overwhelming need for him again.

Could his hormones be out of sync for some reason?

How had his need for Robert only grown in the time they’d been together instead of reducing?

Luckily, Robert didn’t seem to care, and so, as soon as they were inside their suite again, Henry was on him.

But just before they got to the first button, a knock sounded loudly behind Robert, and they froze, staring at each other.

Henry took a breath. “Who is it?”

“Me,” his mother said, and Henry bowed his head and took several deep breaths again before stepping back and adjusting himself. Robert kissed him and disappeared into the bedroom. Henry opened the door and smiled.

“Good afternoon, Mother.” He kissed her cheek. “What can I do for you?”

She came into the room and glanced around before focusing on him. “I saw you on the TV today.” He tensed, wondering what she had to say about it. “You looked good. Happy.”

“I am happy, Mother. You know that.”

She waved him away. “I know, but sometimes, it’s nice to see it in different circumstances. You all looked so happy. So content. It’s all I ever wished for you, but for a while, I did wonder if you would all get it. But I’m so happy you have.”

Henry wrapped his arms around her, and she clung to him. “There’s no taking it away from us now, Mother.”

She chuckled wetly and pulled back, patting his cheek. “I’m glad. Anyway, get back to your evening. I’m sure you’re worn out after that poor performance.” She exited the suite, closing the door quicker than he could voice a retort, and he laughed. He’d learnt from the best.

“She’s got a wit that could burn anyone she wanted to,” Robert said as he emerged from their room.

“And you wonder where we all get it from,” Henry joked.

Robert rested his hands against his chest and slid them upwards until they linked around his neck. “Did you have a good time today?”

“I had a wonderful time. Did you?”

“Yes. It made all the hours working on those flowers worth it. Everything looked beautiful.”

“As did you. Mother said we looked great there today. She saw it on TV.”

Robert gasped and let go of him, grabbing his phone instead. He pressed a few times, scrolled and pressed again before grinning. “They have the entire thing on video.”

Henry sighed. “That does not surprise me, though I wished they didn’t. That’ll follow me around forever.”

“Us. It’ll follow us around forever.” He grinned.

“Yeah, and you don’t care one bit.”

Robert shook his head. “Nu-huh. Not one ounce.” He set the video going, and Henry watched over his shoulder.

There, in a bright colourful display, was him and his family dancing around the Maypole, and it made his cheeks ache because on every single one of their faces was a smile.

No, he didn’t mind one bit about that video, either.

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