His Fairy Tale Ending Read online

  * * * *

  Tristan folded most of his clothes and put them in a small suitcase. He also stowed his other personal belongings in his backpack. Thomas and Jacob were lying down on his bed and smirking at him as they watched him run around like a madman possessed.

  “Don’t you two have anything better to do?”

  Thomas chuckled at him. “Nope.”

  Jacob sat up and leered at him. “You’re so lucky. You get to live the dream, man.”

  He glanced at Jacob in bewilderment. “What?”

  “Princes Leonardo and Isaac are both so hot. I wouldn’t mind having sex with either one of them, separately or at the same time.”

  He snorted at Jacob. “Dude, I’m hired as the nanny for Princess Jacqueline and Prince Alexander. I’m not entering the palace for sex. Get your minds out of the gutter.”

  “A guy can dream, can’t he?” Thomas retorted. “So, tell us. Are Princes Leonardo and Isaac as hunky as they appear to be on TV?”

  “I almost never watched anything on TV in the past. You know that.”

  “But you’ve seen them on the screen at least once, right?” Jacob inquired.

  He shrugged and nodded. “A while back. They were much younger then.”

  “Okay. So?” Thomas persisted.

  He rolled his eyes at the two men. “They’re good-looking.”

  Jacob seemed really excited now. “What about their bodies? Hairy or smooth? Bulky or lean muscles?”

  He snickered. “I don’t know. They were fully-clothed earlier. Besides, I will never get the chance to see either of them shirtless. I’m the nanny for the twins, not the personal assistant for Princes Leonardo and Isaac.”

  Thomas winked at him. “Do you want to see them shirtless?”

  He wanted to deny it, but he would be lying. “Yeah.”

  Jacob guffawed and reached out for him to drag him onto the bed. “Who’s hotter?”

  He lay down between Thomas and Jacob as he thought about the princes. “Prince Leonardo. That man has a magnetic presence, a gorgeous smile, and he’s a loving father. There’s something sexy and appealing about a man like him.”

  “Ugh. I prefer Prince Isaac,” Thomas spoke up. “He’s young, rich, and handsome.”

  “I agree with Thomas,” Jacob said before giving Thomas a high-five. “You, my dear Tristan, always like the old man.”

  Tristan bristled in annoyance. “Prince Leonardo is not old. He’s thirty-three.”

  “Eight years older than you are and nine years older than Jacob and me. That’s almost ancient.”

  Tristan rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I still think Prince Leonardo is so much more attractive than Prince Isaac.”

  “That’s fine. You can keep the old dude. Thomas and I will go after his younger brother.”

  Tristan gave the other two men his middle-finger salute. “Stop daydreaming. I read an article online several months ago about the princes. Prince Leonardo has divorced his wife due to that infidelity scandal, and Prince Isaac is dating Vivian something-or-other. They’re straight men. There are plenty of gay men out there. Chasing after the straight men is stupid, pointless, and too much of a hassle.”

  Thomas waggled his eyebrows in a disturbing manner. “Prince Isaac may decide he’s bisexual after he has tried my blowjob skill.”

  Tristan cringed and shook his head. “Don’t ever do that again. Anyway, keep on dreaming. You won’t ever get your hands on Prince Isaac.”

  Jacob sighed. “I have a vivid imagination, my trusty right palm, and a bottle of lube.”

  Tristan laughed at Jacob. “Go back to your rooms and jerk off, guys. Leave me alone. I still have a few more items to pack.”

  Thomas got off the bed. “Fine. Just don’t forget about Jacob and me when you get married to Prince Leonardo. The man is bisexual. You know that, right?”

  He almost choked in surprise as he stared at Thomas in shock. “He is?”

  Jacob looked at him in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right? Have you been living under a rock? Prince Leonardo came out of the closet two years before he got married to his ex-wife. That was…seven years ago now. I think.”

  “Oh! I wasn’t aware of that. That was probably around the same time I left the orphanage. I was busy trying to get a job and a place to live.”

  Thomas snickered at him. “Only you, Tristan. You’re too focused on working at the diner. You need to lighten up and have some fun while you’re young.”

  He shrugged. “I want to have my own diner someday. You both know that.”

  Jacob smirked at him. “Just marry Prince Leonardo, and you won’t ever have to work for the rest of your life.”

  “Ha! Ha! Funny. Get out of my bedroom, you heathens. Leave me in peace to pack my stuff.”

  Thomas and Jacob chuckled as they left him alone. They might tease him a lot, but he loved them both almost as if the three of them were siblings. He was going to miss them when he was in the palace. Not that he wasn’t excited at the prospect of working there. He might get to learn new cooking and baking skills from the chefs. It had nothing to do with the fact that he would be sleeping in close proximity to the gorgeous future King of Gefrington. He wasn’t thinking about that. Not at all.

  Chapter 4

  Leonardo nodded once in a while as he half-listened to Miriam, the Royal Secretary, droning on about the list of meetings he would be attending with some members of the government. He didn’t bother to give Miriam his full attention because he knew his itinerary by heart. In fact, he remembered his various schedules of the week just fine. He wasn’t old and senile yet.

  “…meeting with the members of Parliament…blah, blah, blah…opening ceremony for the new wing at the hospital to house the increasing number of pediatric patients…blah, blah, blah…”

  At the present moment, he was much more interested in the joyful sound of his children as they played catch and tag with Tristan in the garden, which was located right next to his office. Their laughter was like a balm to his aching heart. It made him even more certain that hiring Tristan less than a week ago was one of the best moves he had ever made.

  Not that he left everything to chance. He had told Susan, the Head of Security at the palace, to expedite the background checks on Tristan. He was relieved and secretly ecstatic when Susan came through with the results a few hours after he had made the snappy decision to employ Tristan. Tristan’s past was squeaky clean. The only thing that caused Leonardo some irritation was the knowledge that Tristan had dated a banker named Michael for slightly more than a year.

  He was aware he had no right to feel that way at all, but he couldn’t help himself. He didn’t like to imagine anyone else kissing or touching Tristan in a sexual manner. There was something alluring and enticing about Tristan that managed to worm its way into his every pore. It was a terrible idea, but he yearned to possess Tristan’s heart, body, and soul. He could tell Tristan didn’t have ample self-awareness to realize how beautiful he truly was.

  He loved Tristan’s violet eyes very much, but even more than that, he was obsessed with the ease at which the younger man succeeded in snatching the hearts of his twins. He was more than a little jealous sometimes when Jacqueline and Alexander couldn’t stop telling him about how much fun Tristan was. It felt as if they loved Tristan more than him. Even his parents and Isaac were beginning to notice how attached the twins were to Tristan.

  He blushed when he noticed the total silence in his office. Miriam stared at him expectantly. “Is there anything else?”

  Miriam shook her head. “No, Your Royal Highness. I will be back in exactly one hour to remind you to get ready for your first appointment at eleven.”

  “Thank you, Miriam. I appreciate that.”

  Miriam bowed at him. “I’m only performing my duty, Your Highness.”

  Miriam made her way to the door and exited the office, leaving him alone with some peace and quiet. He gritted his teeth when his dick started hardening in his slacks at the sight of Tris
tan jumping and running around in the garden. He couldn’t avert his eyes from Tristan’s perky ass. It was a mouth-watering view. He clenched his fists at the sides of his legs and groaned when his cock throbbed over and over again.

  It had been too long since he enjoyed any sort of sexual intimacy with another warm and willing body. His right hand had started to get boring the first month after Elaine had left the palace. Ever since then, he would jerk himself off in order to take the edge off. The pleasure was fleeting, but he didn’t have any other options. He was too preoccupied with his duties and businesses, not to mention the fallout of Elaine’s infidelity and his concerns about the impact the divorce would have on his twins, to worry about his libido much.

  Now that the dust was more settled, he found himself attracted to the male nanny, who was hired to care for his twins and not him. He heaved out a soft sigh as he attempted to compose himself. When he felt ready, he made his way out into the garden through the bulletproof-glass sliding door. A surge of joy coursed through him when Jacqueline and Alexander rushed toward him the moment they spotted him. He bent down on one knee and hugged them both as they chattered on about the fun they had with Tristan.

  He glanced up at Tristan, who smiled at him. It took every ounce of his self-control not to walk toward Tristan and kiss the man with all the desperation and longing burning deep in his guts. Instead, he nodded at his twins and answered them whenever it was appropriate. He was forcing himself to focus on his children so hard that he was startled by Tristan’s abrupt presence right behind the twins. He gazed up at Tristan and cocked his eyebrow. It took a while for Tristan to understand that he was waiting for the proper greeting.

  Tristan bowed at him, and he nodded in return. “Your Highness.”

  “Hello, Tristan. Are you settling in all right at the palace?”

  “I am, Your Highness.”

  He turned toward Jacqueline and Alexander. “The two of you may be on your summer break, but you shouldn’t forget how to greet me properly.”

  The twins bowed to him at the same time. After that, Jacqueline tapped on his right arm. “Tristan will be teaching us how to make the chocolate cupcakes later this afternoon. Will you be home then?”

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Jackie, but I have a few meetings to attend. I promise I’ll be back in time to taste all of the delicious cupcakes, though.”

  Alexander grinned and embraced him. “It’s okay, Dad. Tristan told us we can keep one or two just for you.”

  He ruffled his son’s hair with as much affection as possible. Alexander had always been more attached to him than Jacqueline. Then again, he was grooming his daughter to take over the monarchy someday, so that was partially his fault. Nevertheless, he was proud she was independent and strong. He just wished she could be more unreserved with him. Most of the time, he had zero clue as to what was going on inside her head, unlike Alexander, who was like an open book to him.

  “I’ll be proud to taste all the chocolate cupcakes you both will bake for me.” After that, he got up on his feet and smiled at Tristan. “How are you enjoying life at the palace so far?”

  “It has been amazing, Your Highness, but I have a question.”

  “Let’s hear it then.”

  “Are Jacqueline and Alexander allowed to invite their friends over for a visit?”

  He inhaled deeply before responding. “Yes and no. Anyone who isn’t a member of the Gefrington royal family and wishes to enter the palace has to be vetted by the security. I’m sure you noticed that most of the guards aren’t allowed into the private wings where I, my parents, Isaac, and the twins reside. That’s because most of them don’t stay at the palace. It will be too much of a hassle to check on them all the time, so the policy is to disallow the guards from coming into the private wings unless there’s an emergency. The other employees live in the employee section of the palace. Even so, not all of them have access to every area within the palace itself. You’re the only exception. You’re housed in my wing of the palace because you’re taking care of the twins.”

  He didn’t bother to inform Tristan that Helen wasn’t given the same privilege. Besides, he enjoyed the knowledge that Tristan was sleeping somewhere close to him. He was attracted to Tristan, and he wished that he could get the chance to go out on a date with the younger man. Unfortunately, he had yet to come up with a suitable way of asking.

  “I understand. What about younger relatives from other branches of the family? I’m aware the queen has two younger brothers who are married and with grandchildren of their own. Can they enter the palace?”

  He nodded. “They have access to the palace, but they can’t make it their home. Only the reigning monarch and his or her direct family are permitted to stay.”

  Tristan’s eyes widened. “Oh! Does that mean Prince Isaac has to leave the palace when you ascend to the throne?”

  He shrugged. “That’s the way it has always been. The moment my coronation ceremony is over with, Isaac has to move out. He owns several residences all over Gefrington and in some other parts of the world. He will be fine.”

  Tristan eyed the twins. “That implies that someday the twins…”

  He smiled at Tristan. “Just because they live in separate places, it doesn’t mean they won’t still be close to each other. Anyway, I’ll ask my cousins if my nephews and nieces can stop by the palace for a visit soon. I’m sure all the children will be glad to gather in the palace once again. It has been a while.”

  “That’s a splendid idea. Thank you, Your Highness.”

  He chuckled. “It’s your idea, Tristan.”

  Tristan laughed. “True, but I don’t have the power to make that happen.”

  He beamed at Tristan while the kids were now running around the garden, continuing with whatever games they were playing earlier before he interrupted them. “I should be thanking you, Tristan.”

  “I’m simply doing my job, Your Highness. I’m grateful for the opportunity. I’m able to learn a thing or two from the chefs in the palace.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes. I’ve always wanted to own a diner someday. This is such a wonderful and educational experience. The cooks at the previous diner I worked at could only teach me so much before they ran out of recipes in their repertoire.”

  He laughed. “I’m glad to hear that.”

  “Besides, the twins are well-behaved so far. I’m having a fantastic time.”

  He was still grinning at Tristan when the crazy idea hit him. “Would you like to have dinner with me later? My final appointment will be completed by five at the latest.”

  “That will be great, Your Highness. I will make sure that the twins are ready—”

  “No,” he blurted out louder than he meant to. He ignored the heat creeping up his neck and cheeks and succumbed to the impulse of reaching out for Tristan’s hands. “I want to have dinner with you. Just the two of us. Then we can have the chocolate cupcakes with the twins after dinner is over.”

  He noted the shock in Tristan’s expression, but he wasn’t going to back down. He was aware he might be moving too fast, but he had to do it before he lost the courage. He waited with bated breath as Tristan continued to stare at him in silence. After what felt like an eternity, Tristan stopped gaping at him.

  “I…I’d be honored, Your Highness.”

  “Since we will be going out on a date, please call me Leo.”

  “Sure, Your…I mean, Leo.”

  His dick twitched inside his pants. Hearing Tristan called him by his first name sounded so sensual and arousing. He was probably biased because he was deeply infatuated with Tristan. However, he didn’t bother giving that any further thought. He clasped Tristan’s hands in one of his own while gently caressing the younger man’s cheek with his other hand. He knew he was moving too fast, but he couldn’t stop himself. He had been dying to touch Tristan in a more intimate manner for a week now.

  He pulled away after a minute or so, but it was difficult. It was all he
could do not to drag Tristan into his arms right then and there. He didn’t want to frighten the man away. He was determined to have more patience even if it killed him. He would date Tristan properly. If everything worked out after a few dates, he and Tristan might get to know each other better. Much better, and preferably with the two of them naked on the bed.

  * * * *

  Tristan found it almost impossible to concentrate for the rest of the day. Fortunately, the twins had their afternoon naps for an hour or so right after lunch. He was thankful for the reprieve. He needed the time to gather his thoughts and regain a little bit of his self-control. He couldn’t believe his good fortune. He would be having a dinner date with Prince Leonardo later. Living in such a close proximity to the prince was torturous.

  Prince Leonardo was attractive, but now that he was privy to some of the prince’s activities and daily habits, Tristan’s infatuation grew much deeper. He liked the fact that Prince Leonardo was polite and kind to all the employees at the palace. He also loved the prince’s tenderness with Jacqueline and Alexander. No matter how exhausted the prince was at the end of the day, the man never missed out on bedtime reading with the twins.

  He was even aroused at the sight of Prince Leonardo being all sweaty after a vigorous session at the private gym in the palace. Moreover, nothing prepared him for the view of the prince’s muscular body as the man wore a skimpy and tight pair of swimming trunks, which left almost nothing to his imagination. He had to gulp in admiration as the prince’s muscles bulged and moved as the man walked toward the swimming pool almost every morning from the bedroom without bothering to put on a bathrobe over that sinful body.

  Not that Tristan was a slouch in the body department. He was lean and athletic enough. He knew some people would consider him as being quite desirable, but he looked nothing like Prince Leonardo. He didn’t have millions of people clamoring for his attention. He had one ex-boyfriend, Michael, but they never proceeded to much more than an extended make-out session with each other. He hadn’t been ready to have sex all the way with Michael. He thought that might’ve been the reason why Michael dumped him after one year together. He could possibly end up as a virgin for the rest of his life.