Page 13 of Twins for the Secret Prince (Even More Babies #8)

PIETER

A s Pieter dressed in casual clothes for his night out with Eva, he was as nervous as he could ever remember being going on dates as a teenager. In fact, he was even more nervous, because his feelings for Eva were stronger than anything he’d experienced in the past.

When she came to find him, she looked even more beautiful than usual. She was wearing her wavy black hair down in loose curls around her face. He’d never seen her wearing makeup before, but the light touch of mascara and lip stain accentuated her perfect features. In short, she looked stunning.

“You’re looking at me like that again,” Eva said by way of a greeting.

“I can’t help it. I was just about to tell you that you look gorgeous.”

“Thank you. You scrub up pretty well yourself.”

Pieter dropped his jaw and let it hang open for a moment. “I’m obviously still dreaming because I could swear you just said something nice to me.”

“I’ve said nice things to you before,” Eva replied. After a pause, she added, “Haven’t I?”

“No.” Pieter shook his head emphatically. “It’s all been mean and rude. But that’s okay because you did save my life.”

“I’m glad you haven’t forgotten that.”

“Never.” Pieter held out his arm for Eva. “Shall we?”

“We’re not walking out of here arm in arm. Not even as a joke.”

Pieter quickly withdrew his arm. “You’re right. That was my natural gallantry showing through.”

“Don’t let your natural gallantry get us both fired,” Eva said sternly.

“I hear you. But I’ve got to say, I like it when you tell me off. You’re like a sexy librarian.”

Eva’s eyes grew wide. “Pete, knock it off! I’m not kidding. If you’re not careful, you’re going to get us into trouble. Big trouble.”

“I apologize. I’ll control myself from now on.”

“Let’s get out of here,” Eva said, leading him to the nearest exit, and out into the parking area.

The second they drove off the base, Pieter saw her body relax. Her shoulders softened, and she rolled her head from side to side as though working out some kinks in her neck.

“So are you going to tell me where we’re going? Or is it a surprise?”

“There’s only one place to go,” Eva said, staring straight ahead at the road. “The roadhouse bar on the highway leading into town.”

“That’s it? There’s only one bar in the whole place?”

“There’s an inn with a bar area, but it’s small and mostly used by guests staying there. It’s pretty sleepy. Apart from that, there’s one restaurant and two coffee shops. So really, the roadhouse is the only place to go.”

Pieter had never been to a roadhouse before, so his only knowledge of what to expect came from what he’d seen in the movies. “And what do you like to do at the roadhouse?”

“Have a beer, play pool. That’s about all there is to do.”

As far as marketing pitches went, it wasn’t impressive, but Pieter was happy just to be out with Eva. There was a frisson of energy in the car, their chemistry making the air practically electric. He wondered if she felt it, too.

They didn’t talk after that. The only sound in the car was that of the windshield wipers working to clear the never-ending rain. After a few minutes, Pieter saw the glow of a neon sign up ahead, and soon after, Eva pulled into the parking lot beside the roadhouse.

“Shorty’s Roadhouse,” Pieter read aloud. “Very understated sign. Is that supposed to be a hat wearing a pair of boots?”

“It’s a dancing hat wearing a pair of boots,” Eva said matter-of-factly. “It used to throw a lasso around in the air, but the light bulbs all burned out and they still haven’t replaced them.”

“I can’t believe I don’t get to see that. I feel cheated,” Pieter said.

“I’m sure you’ll feel better if you buy me a beer,” Eva said, getting out of the car.

Inside, just a handful of people were sitting on bar stools, nursing drinks. They weren’t even trying to talk over the extremely loud music, just nodded their heads along to the beat. It was so loud Pieter felt the floorboards beneath his feet vibrating.

“It’s so romantic!” he yelled into Eva’s ear.

“The good news is we don’t have to talk to each other!” Eva shouted back.

Pieter bought two beers, and Eva led him to a room in the back of the bar where the music wasn’t quite as loud as in the front. But Pieter didn’t like what he saw standing in the center of the room.

“Is that what I think it is?” he asked.

“It sure is. Don’t tell me you’ve never seen one before.”

“Only in the movies,” he said truthfully.

A smile started on Eva’s lips. “Well then, tonight’s your lucky night.”

“I can honestly say this has never been on my bucket list.”

“After tonight you can add it to your list and cross it off. We’re doing this.”

“Let me get this straight. You saved my life, only to have me killed here in the roadhouse.”

“I doubt it will kill you,” Eva answered. “It might give you a concussion. I’ve seen a few broken bones in my time, but that’s it.”

“Very reassuring,” Pieter said, wishing that he’d stayed at the base.

“Don’t worry. I’ll go first. Show you how it’s done.”

Eva walked over to a console next to the mechanical bull, dropped in some coins and then, in one deft motion, climbed up onto the hideous-looking thing.

She held on with one hand as it started to move — dipping up and down slowly at first, then tipping side to side as it picked up speed.

After a couple of minutes, the bull started to move faster, bucking and jerking like a thing possessed.

“Woohoo!” Eva yelled, waving her left arm in the air.

“Go, Eva!” Pieter shouted, hoping that she’d decide to stay on the bull all night so that he wouldn’t have to take a turn. “You’re really doing it!”

“Of course I am, this isn’t my first rodeo!” Eva yelled back. She was grinning, looking ecstatic and completely at home as she gracefully held on.

“Let’s see if you can start a new record for the longest time spent on a mechanical bull!” Pieter called out, pumping his fist in the air.

“Good try, but you’re up next,” Eva called back.

As the bull ground to a halt, Pieter gulped. Not only did he not want to get on the cursed machine, but he also really didn’t want to go flying off it in the first couple of minutes. Especially not after Eva’s impressive display.

“I forgot to tell you that I have a suspected groin injury,” he told her, grimacing. “I’m supposed to take it easy. Definitely no bull riding.”

Eva stared at him as though trying to decide if he was telling the truth. “Mechanical bulls are part of rehabilitation programs for groin injuries, so you’re in luck,” she said, smiling.

Pieter told himself just to get on the bull and give it his best. He had no idea what skills or muscles were required to ride well, but he would just have to go for it and hope his body could find the right positions, or balance, to keep him from looking like a complete fool.

He climbed up onto the bull and watched as Eva fed more coins into the machine.

Within seconds, he felt the bull start to move.

Even at a slow speed, Pieter felt he was fighting gravity and centrifugal force in a way that was more than uncomfortable.

Parts of his body were being pressed painfully into the metal saddle, and he was sure he’d never looked as ungraceful.

When the bull reached its peak speed, Pieter no longer cared what he looked like — he was too busy hanging on for dear life.

And then, suddenly, he wasn’t hanging on to anything; he was airborne.

He landed with a thud next to the bull, which was still bucking at a frenzied pace, even without a rider.

“Are you hurt?” Eva asked, her hand on his shoulder, her eyes full of concern.

“My pride is dead,” he groaned.

Eva let out a snort. “You should have seen yourself. You flew through the air like a crash test dummy!”

Pieter groaned again. “My groin injury has just become a full-blown medical emergency.”

Eva’s laughter bubbled up out of her. Pieter would have been happy that he’d made her laugh so hard, except for the fact that it was the mental image of him flying through the air that had done it.

“Okay, that’s enough,” he said. “Help me up into a chair.”

Pieter was too ashamed to look at Eva as she helped him, and once he was in the chair, he dipped his head onto the table.

“I’ll get you a drink to numb the pain,” Eva said, rubbing her arm across his back.

“It’s going to take more than beer,” Pieter said.

A minute later, Eva was back with a bottle of bourbon and two glasses. “Here’s your painkiller,” she said, pouring two large shots. She clinked her glass against his and said, “Bottoms up!”

Pieter took a large swig and then another. “Never mind painkiller. What just happened in this room was a total mood killer.”

Another laugh bubbled up out of Eva. “And just what do you think the mood was before it happened?”

“Well, whatever it was, it’s been decimated by the sight of me in failed stuntman mode.”

Pieter waited while Eva laughed again. “I’m sorry for laughing. Really,” she said. “It’s just— you looked priceless.”

“Well, I’m glad I provided the entertainment for the night, at least.”

“Pete, that was just the start. Drink up. I need you limber for what’s going to happen next.”

Pieter’s mood perked up. “Oh really? What’s happening next?”

Eva looked at her watch. “You’ll see in about fifteen minutes.”

Fifteen minutes later, they were back in the noisy front area of the roadhouse, which had filled up with people while Pieter was having his run-in with the mechanical bull. Before Eva told him what was up, he knew from the exaggerated Western costumes that people had come to dance.

Sure enough, the line-dancing caller welcomed everyone and invited them to take up their positions. Pieter made a beeline for the back row, wanting to be as inconspicuous as possible. Eva stood beside him.

“You can’t hide forever,” she said in his ear. “There’s a lot of spinning and turning in these dances. This is bound to be the front row at some point.”

“That’s just wonderful,” Pieter said sarcastically. “That’s exactly what my ego needs right now — more bruising.”

“Maybe this will be your roadhouse sport.” Eva laughed.

But it definitely wasn’t. Pieter felt like he had ten feet, all of them moving in a direction other than that in which they should be moving.

Eva managed to gracefully sidestep him for the first few songs until Pieter attempted a kick-spin move, which he executed in the wrong direction and with such momentum that he ended up kicking Eva hard in the shin.

“Son of a—” she yelled, rubbing her shin. “Ouch!”

“I’m so sorry!” Pieter bent to rub her shin, too. “I didn’t mean to.”

Eva shuffled away from the line, and Pieter followed her. “Well, there goes the end of my dream of getting the MVD trophy tonight.”

“MVD?” Pieter yelled over the music.

“Most valuable dancer,” Eva said miserably.

“I am sorry. Have you won the trophy before?”

“Pete, I’m pulling your pickle,” Eva said, eyes twinkling. “There’s no such thing as the MVD trophy. And even if there was, they definitely wouldn’t give it to me.”

“Why not? You were the best dancer out there tonight.”

“You’ve had too much to drink. Or maybe you do have a concussion after all. Or maybe both.”

“Maybe. But I know what I know, and that is that you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. And the bravest. And the strongest. And the only one who’s ever really dared to pull my pickle.”

Eva burst out laughing.

“…If that means what I think it means,” he said hesitantly.

“Don’t people pull your pickle where you come from?”

“Nobody has ever pulled my pickle, or talked about pulling it, for that matter.”

“Well, then it’s about time that someone pulled it.”

Pieter took another swig of his bourbon. “I’ve kind of lost the thread of what we were talking about here.”

“You were saying I’m the most amazing woman you’ve ever met.”

“Oh, right. Yes, I was. And it’s true. No one holds a candle to you, Eva.”

“You’ve had a lot to drink. You should try telling me this when you’re sober.”

“But you won’t let me. You won’t even let me look at you at the base.”

“It’s too dangerous, Pete. If we get caught, that’s it for the pair of us.”

“I know. You’re right.”

They stared into each other’s eyes for what felt to Pieter like hours. It was a wonderful luxury, staring at Eva without having to look away.

“You know, you’re not the only one who’s had too much to drink tonight,” she said finally.

“I know — nearly everyone in this place is hammered. You have to be to do the dancing. And the bull. Especially the bull.”

“I’ve had way too much to drink to even think about driving back to base,” Eva said, leaning toward him.

“So we’ll be hitchhiking back?”

“This place has some rooms,” Eva said, her voice husky.

“Oh, right,” Pieter said, his heart thumping. “Wait — are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?”

“No one else from the base is here. No eyes are on us. We could stay here and get back at first light.”

Eva took charge from that point on. She got them a room, one that thrummed with the thumping base from the bar below, but by that point, neither of them cared.

She undressed Pieter slowly, taking her time to run her hands over every inch of his body.

Then she followed suit with her tongue, and lips.

As she planted tiny kisses all over his skin, Pieter moaned softly.

She undressed slowly, making a tantalizing show of it for Pieter.

He tried to touch her, but she gently pushed his hands away, forcing him to take in every bit of her with only his eyes.

The waiting was equal parts wonderful and agonizing.

He wanted to savor every second of their time together, but his body cried out to be reunited with hers.

When at last she guided him inside her, they both called out with the sheer pleasure of it.

It took only minutes for them both to climax.

For the next few hours, they took turns controlling the pace, giving and taking pleasure from each other.

When they were finally too exhausted to continue, they wrapped their arms and legs around each other and fell into a deep, satisfied sleep.