I don’t own any of these images, their rights belong to their owners
Important – My MC is Viktoria Petit and my King Liam is called Istvan.
Rating – this chapter does go slightly NSFW.
Disclaimer – Characters are Pixelberry’s, sadly not mine (with the exception of Cassie and Giselle) – I don’t make any money from my fics, it’s just for fun.
@tmarie82 this whole fic started out as a ½ parter for you because you said you missed Drake and Cassie, and look what’s happened haha!! @umccall71 there’s a special nod to you in this chapter, you mentioned to me ages ago about our King & Queen having a couples massage. I always planned to work it into this fic, but it’s just took me a very long time to get here 😉
—
When the friends all congregated for brunch the next morning, there were more than a few sore heads. Hana wished she and Giselle hadn’t opened that final bottle of fizz in the hot tub, Drake was silently regretting mixing wine at dinner with all the whiskey afterwards and not taking advantage of last night to do that thing he’d been thinking so hard about, and Vik looked particularly green around the gills – unsurprising given that Istvan had to carry her in from the taxi… As she tore a croissant in half, Olivia declared loudly enough for Maxwell to hear that she was embarrassed to admit that she couldn’t remember the last time that she was so drunk, and how she had large chunks of the evening she couldn’t even remember… She saw the hurt look that crossed his face for just a split second, her conscience stabbing at her because she didn’t actually mean a word of it… She was crystal clear on the events of last night… In fact, she had lain awake in bed for hours last night after that tender, weird, but beautiful moment between them, analysing it: did she ‘like’ Maxwell? Why did that hug feel so natural? Why had she never thought about him like that before and now she couldn’t stop picturing his lips pressed against hers, his fingers running through her soft hair, gazing into his twinkling blue eyes through her thick lashes as she smiled into his kiss… But there was no way in hell she was going to let Maxwell Beaumont, or any of their friends for that matter, know that…
She plastered a smile on her pale face as she brightly asked all of her guests what their plans for the day were, she was going to have to take care of some business here, so the day would be essential their own… Cassie beamed at Olivia,
“Well, I wondered if there was a trail that Drake and I could take with Thor, after the drive here last night, he needs to stretch his legs.”
Olivia quirked an eyebrow at Drake’s pretty girlfriend, as she nodded in Drake’s direction,
“Is he not well behaved in the car?”
Cassie’s face scrunched momentarily as she tried to establish whether Olivia was messing with her. Olivia rolled her eyes then winked at Cassie,
“Of course, I’ll get one of the drivers to point you in the right direction, if you want, you can ask the resort team to put a hamper together for you? Make an afternoon of it?”
Drake sat silently sipping at a coffee, but taking in every word exchanged between Olivia and Cassie; maybe a picnic in deserted snowy woodland would be the perfect place… His hand shifted under the table, discrete patting his jeans pocket, just checking that precious item was still safe from where he’d collected it in his discarded clothing this morning, he was just lucky that he’d been up before Cassie or she’s have spotted it and ruined everything…
Istvan placed a large hand gently over Viktoria’s as he announced that they would be sampling the new resort spa today for complete rest and relaxation. Giselle wrapped a slender arm around Hana as she smiled at the group,
“Well, we are going to go out on the lake today, Hana has told me that the ice-skating in Lythikos is just wonderful, I can’t wait to get out there.”
Hana leaned softly into Giselle’s embrace as she nodded happily,
“Me either, if anyone else wants to join us, you’re more than welcome.”
Penelope perked up suddenly,
“That sounds like a lot of fun, I’d love to skate, only if I’m not intruding on your time together?”
Kiara nodded,
“Moi aussi… It sounds wonderful… Maxwell, what are your plans? Maxwell..?”
Maxwell’s head shot up on the second mention of his name, “Hmmm??” Penelope’s cheeks tinted as she quietly repeated Kiara’s question, “We’re all going to go ice skating, what are your plans today? You’re welcome to join if you would like to.” Maxwell’s eyebrows raised as he stuttered,
“O-oh.”
His eyes flitted to Olivia who was actively avoiding looking in his direction, suddenly she seemed to be terribly interested in her blood-red nail polish… Maxwell grinned at Penelope widely as he thanked her for her invite,
“I would love to join you ladies.”
Penelope squeezed Kiara’s hand under the table as she blushed and simpered… Olivia continued to focus sharply on her nails, angry at herself for the involuntary flip in her stomach as she’d felt his cornflower eyes bore into her then listened to Penelope fawn over him, ‘What the hell is going on with you Olivia? You’re a Nevrakis for pity’s sake. Pull yourself together!’
—
Viktoria lay on the massage table, the soothing spa music washing over her as she turned her head to look at Istvan, her cheek resting on her forearms. They’d spent the past couple of hours floating around the spa pool, drinking fruit-infused water between lazing in the Jacuzzi and relaxing in the sauna. The young queen couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear as she watched her husband disrobe and saunter across to his massage table; she still couldn’t believe her luck that he was all hers. As well as being the most kindhearted man she’d ever met, Viktoria turned to jello every time she caught a glimpse of his physique, even after almost a year of marriage. His broad shoulders rippled as she watched him bend to move the towel onto of the bed, her eyes moved south to his fitted swim shorts, perfectly displaying his tight little backside before her, God she could bite it… That thought was quickly interrupted as the masseuse knocked the door to inquire if they were ready. Istvan quickly slipped underneath the towel before inviting the ladies in to begin the couple’s ninety minute aromatherapy massage. He rested his head on his arms, mirroring his wife’s body language as he smiled happily and mouthed,
“I love you Vik.”
The women introduced themselves to the royal couple before having them choose the oils and scents for the session, Viktoria deciding on a combination of orange and tarragon, Istvan choosing the scents of jasmine and sandalwood. Istvan’s therapist smiled and whispered to the young King as she encouraged him to breathe deeply, inhaling the scents,
“If I’m not too bold Your Highness… You’ve both chosen oils and fragrances that specifically appeal the heart and, uh, sensuality…”
Istvan chuckled lowly, he was pretty sure that Viktoria had no more idea about the oils and their specific uses than he did, but wasn’t it amusing that they were so in-tune with one another and their desires…? The royal couple floated off into a blissful world of relaxation as the women rhythmically worked their muscles to release their stresses and tension, focusing on their backs and shoulders for over half an hour, then moving onto their thighs and calves. Viktoria particularly enjoyed the soothing feeling in her legs, her muscles so tight and strained from constantly wearing high heels: she felt like she’d died and gone to heaven! When they were told to turn, Istvan was so relaxed he was actually half asleep. The therapists continued to work their magic, finally spending the last 20 minutes on a face and scalp massage that left the royals floating on air. When the therapists whispered to the King and Queen that the treatment was over, neither Istvan nor Viktoria could quite believe that an hour and a half had passed so quickly. The ladies advised that they would leave to let the couple get changed and they would be waiting for them back at reception; they were to take their time, drink some water and continue to unwind without any disruptions to the relaxation process. Istvan thanked them profusely as they retreated towards the door heads bowed.
Viktoria turned her head back towards her husband as she smiled blithely at him,
“That was so wonderful. I don’t think I can get up Ist.”
Istvan rolled onto his side on the table, facing Viktoria, modestly adjusting the towel around him,
“It was wonderful wasn’t it? I didn’t realise how much tension I was carrying until all those knots came out…”
Viktoria giggled,
“Do my massages just not cut it Ist?”
Istvan’s eyes widened as he tried to backtrack,
“No my love, your massages are just wonderful, but…”
Viktoria giggled as she shifted up the bed to a sitting position, towel swirled around her frame,
“I should take a course…”
Istvan’s eyes traveled down his wife’s dainty frame, her dark mussed up hair, her beautiful smile, her shimmering oily collarbone, with just a subtle hint of cleavage peaking out of the towel: she was perfect and he would never get enough of her. Viktoria hopped down from the massage table, dropping the towel covering her inadvertently as she did so. She tutted as she moved around the massage table to retrieve the white bathrobes that had been left, one for her and one for Istvan. Istvan watched her body closely as she moved, her slim waist and curvy hips accentuated by her bright blue bikini bottoms, he could feel a heat coming over him as she turned to face him, trying to hand him his robe as she fiddled with the tie on hers. Istvan leaned up on one elbow as she stepped closer, grinning devilishly as his wife thrust the robe towards him. In a flash Istvan knocked it from her grasp and using the tie of Viktoria’s robe to yank her towards him as she let out a little squeak as he showered her exposed stomach and the valley between her breasts in hot kisses. Overwhelmed by her husband’s sudden ardor, Viktoria’s robe slipped off the shoulders, pooling at her feet on the floor,
“Istvan!”
She gasped as his hands roamed over her near-naked body,
“What’s gotten into you?”
Istvan gripped Viktoria’s hips, pulling her on top of him onto the massage table as he continued to rain down kisses on her body, the scent of the oils on her skin so sensual in the dimly lit room. Viktoria’s palms smoothed over the hard planes of his torso as she chewed on her lip, sitting up, looking down at her handsome husband, feeling his arousal pressed against her sensitive skin,
“Istvan, the therapists are only down the corridor, they’re expecting us out there in two minutes…”
Istvan cupped his wife’s cheek in his hands pulling her face down to taste her lips,
“Well, in that case, we better be quick and quiet, my beautiful girl…”
Viktoria opened her mouth to object, but her better judgement was quickly overruled at the sensation of Istvan’s hips grinding beneath her, a strangled groan was all that left her lips as she gave into what her body so much badly…
—
The King and Queen lay snuggled together on the massage table breathing hard, coming down from their shared high, Viktoria was staring deep into Istvan’s piercing blue eyes, her hand cupping his cheek, gently stroking with her thumb,
“You know you’re everything to me, don’t you?”
Istvan placed a tender kiss on the end of his wife’s button nose and placed her free hand on his glistening dark skin, covering his beating heart,
“And you to me, my love.”
A few minutes later Viktoria sighed,
“We better get out of here before those ladies come back looking for us…”
Istvan nodded reluctantly, drawing his wife close for one final loving kiss before helping her slip down from the table to retriever her robe. Istvan secured the tie on his robe as he took Viktoria’s hand to exit the treatment room,
“Thank you my love, this has been an absolutely perfect weekend. I think we needed some complete downtime, don’t you?”
Viktoria nodded happily as she leaned into her husband’s strong frame,
“I totally agree. This has been good for the soul Istvan.”
They were pulled from their reverie by the sound of one of the therapists clearing her throat,
“Hello Your Majesties… I trust the treatment was enjoyable for you both?”
Viktoria’s cheeks flushed as Istvan smoothly replied,
“Yes it was divine, we actually dozed off for a while afterwards… I do hope we didn’t keep you late for any other clients this afternoon?”
Viktoria could have sworn that the therapist smirked as she shook her head,
“No, no, Your Highness, when you’d made the spa reservations, Duchess Olivia had specifically requested that we block some extra time around your treatments to ensure that you and Queen Viktoria had as much relaxation time and privacy as you needed…”
Viktoria thanked the woman profusely as Istvan chuckled.
—
Cassie bumped Drake lightly with her hip,
“Hey, Mr Walker, have you fallen out with me…?”
Drake snapped out of his daydream,
“Huh?? N-no?? Why would I have fallen out with you??”
Cassie subtly arched an eyebrow at her partner,
“Sweetie you haven’t said a word for the past twenty-five minutes… I know you’re the strong and silent type, but…”
Drake wiped his hand across his mouth as he apologised to Cassie, telling her that he had things on his mind, he placed a soft kiss into her hair and smiled warmly at her… Cassie shrugged her shoulders and returned his smile as he shook his head when she asked him if it was anything he wanted to talk about; if he wanted to talk he’d come to her when he was ready. She’d learned the way Drake operated by now, everything was ‘in his own time’… She let go of Drake’s hand and bent down to make a snowball, whistling Thor then launching the snowball as far as she could. The big muscular husky took off after the snowball at speed, stopping abruptly and looking totally bewildered as it disappeared. Drake stood there smiling and shaking his head as Cassie asked the dog in a high silly voice,
“Where is it?? Where did it go Thor? Get it!!”
Prompting the husky to start barking and digging where the snowball had landed… Drake chuckled,
“You’re so mean Cassie… Look how confused he is…”
Cassie poked her tongue out at Drake good-naturedly before she called Thor back and gave him a dog treat to help him forget the missing snowball…
The couple continue to walk the woodland path, snow crunching beneath their feet. There was no one for miles around. It was a beautifully clear crisp day set under a blue-grey sky. The trees held snow on their branches and the grass was covered; it sparkled like diamonds as the weak sunlight caught it. As they continued to head in the direction provided by Olivia’s driver, Cassie had her cellphone out, snapping pics of the dog as he frolicked around.
Drake had fallen quiet once more, he couldn’t have an inner monologue and hold a proper conversation with Cass at the same time:
’ ‘Cassandra, you are the most wonderful woman I have ever met…’ – Lame.’
’ ‘Cassie, you know how much I love you, well I was wondering if, uh… Boring.’
’ ‘I love you Cassie, would you do me the honour of being…’ How many movies had a proposal scene like that…? So unoriginal Walker.’
‘Jesus Christ Drake, you want to marry the girl! Why can’t you work out how to ask her? This is hopeless. You know who’s great at this sort of thing? Istvan. What would Istvan say? Probably something ridiculously romantic about how he couldn’t picture his life without her. Urgh… You’re just torturing yourself now… Stop it! It’ll come to you…’
Cassie squeaked excitedly as they rounded a corer and came up on the clearing that Olivia’s driver had told them about. There was a picnic table in the middle of the clearing with a large wicker hamper laid on top and as they got closer he realised there was a bottle of fizz and a fire all set up ready to light as well as warm blankets to huddle together in. It was a beautiful scene. Drake hadn’t expected anything quite like this when Olivia had said the resort team would take the hamper to the clearing for them to save them carrying it on their walk. He’d just expected something simple but peaceful. But this was so romantic. It was intimate. It was the perfect spot… Drake stood behind Cassie, wrapping his strong arms around her shoulders, kissing her cheek,
“Do you like it, baby?”
Cassie twisted in Drake’s embrace to find his lips to give him a sweet kiss,
“I loooove it. It’s breathtaking Drake!”
Drake felt his heart stop as he looked into Cassie’s clear green eyes, he wanted her more than anything to say yes, but could he get the question out…? He opened his mouth,
“Cassie?”
The bubbly little nurse nodded at him, encouraging him to speak.
‘I love you. You make me so happy. You make life… You… You’re everything… Marry me baby? Marry me?’
Drake’s throat seized and he lost his nerve completely as the words failed him,
“Would you like to eat first, or have some wine by the fire, then eat?”
Oblivious to what had just materialised, Cassie tapped her lips with her index finger,
“Hmmmmm, decisions, decisions… Why don’t we have a couple of drinks first? What do you think?”
Drake nodded hastily,
“Heh, drinks then…”
He rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. Today just wasn’t the day for this. He needed to concentrate on just having a nice afternoon with his girl and their dog.
—
It turned out that Giselle was as skilled a skater as Hana. Maxwell watched on, his heart full at the sight of his sweet friend Hana, so free and in love; he never knew she could look so joyous and radiant. The women held hands as they zipped around the lake together, Hana’s head thrown back laughing as Giselle spun her around and around on the ice, melting into one another’s arms and happy, loving kisses, like they were out on the ice alone, the rest of the world was just background noise. Penelope and Kiara skated towards Maxwell, one taking each hand and leading him out to the ice; Kiara smiled at Maxwell,
“They are a beautiful couple, non?”
Maxwell squeezed Kiara’s gloved hand tightly as he nodded,
“Hana deserves the best.”
Kiara smiled,
“She certainly does. As do you Maxwell… No special someone sharing your life…?”
Maxwell swallowed hard, a vision of porcelain skin, green eyes and scarlet hair flashing through his memory. Penelope shot Kiara a look that said ‘Drop It’ as she interrupted,
“Oh! That looks like a hot drinks stall at the far side of the lake? Oh I wonder if they have any mulled cider? Should we investigate?”
Maxwell nodded his head quickly, happy for the awkward conversation to terminate… Kiara smiled,
“You two go ahead, I’ll see if Hana and Giselle want anything, I will catch up…”
She skated backwards towards the couple, watching Penny and Maxwell skate off, still hand-in-hand…
—
Olivia had finished the work she needed to take care of, and was heading out towards the lake, ice-skates in hand, just as Istvan and Viktoria exited the car bringing them back from the resort spa. Olivia grinned at Istvan, he’d obviously had a great afternoon, it was written all over his face… She couldn’t resist teasing them both, Istvan didn’t care, but she never failed to get a rise out of Viktoria…
“Afternoon McFriskys. Did we enjoy the delights of the Lythikos Destination Spa?”
Viktoria shot her a glance, choosing to take the high-road and ignore the nickname,
“It was amazing Olivia, the resort really is top class. Thank you for inviting us this weekend, it’s been really nice to just spends some, um, quality time together.”
Olivia’s lips curved into a smile and her big green eyes sparkled as she questioned her friend,
“No problem, you can give me some feedback, it would be very helpful… The massage was good?”
Viktoria nodded enthusiastically,
“Wonderful.”
Olivia smirked,
“Therapists do a good job?”
Istvan smiled at Olivia,
“Absolutely, got a load of knots out of my shoulders.”
Olivia pursed her lips,
“Excellent. Excellent. Massage tables comfortable enough?”
Istvan smiled,
“Very…”
Viktoria’s eyes bugged out as Istvan wrapped one arm around her waist. Olivia looked at Istvan innocently,
“Would you say they are spacious?”
The King raised an eyebrow at the Duchess as he nodded,
“Where are you going with this Liv?”
Olivia held her hands up passively,
“Nowhere, I just want to make sure that the spa is top notch Istvan… Professional interest. Vik are you ok? You look a little flushed?”
The queen shrugged off the question as Istvan tried not to giggle; his wife was the least discrete person he’d ever met, and he found it absolutely adorable. Istvan smiled at Olivia, pointing at her skates,
“We are going to change then we will join you at the lake.”
Olivia waved toward the Lodges,
“Go ahead, I’ll wait, we can go together.”
Istvan grinned as he ushered his wife towards their lodge, both turning back to face Olivia as she shouted behind them,
“Congratulations… For being the first Terry Robe Club Members at the Lythikos Spa…”
Viktoria screwed up her nose and looked from her friend to her husband and back again,
“What’s that?”
Olivia smirked,
“Google it…”
—
Viktoria, Istvan and Olivia arrived together at the lake, just in time for Olivia to see Kiara with Giselle and Hana, whilst Maxwell and Penelope skated towards the drinks vendor, hand in hand. Olivia felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach, her eyes stung as she watched the way Penelope smiled up at Maxwell, all dewy eyes and fuzzy pom-poms… She screamed internally: Why did she care???
—
TBC – VP 💖
