A/N: Will correct the errors another time. For now here's chapter 31!

The Thrill Of It All II

Wake Up Alone

Several days have passed since the heated fight between Naveen and Tiana and the two have avoided each other as much as possible. Tiana was on the verge of leaving altogether until Nagina talked her into staying for the ball, and then there was also Daniel who was having the time of life, also receiving two new chocolate lab pups as gifts from his father, the king himself. And it wasn't as if she didn't enjoy herself. It just wasn't with Naveen around.

"Madam?"

Tiana looked up from the cookbook she was reading to see a plump servant woman.

"Lady Nagina would like to see you," she said.

Tiana closed the book and rose fro the lounge chair. She was used to the woman's random meetings which is mostly about tonight's ball.

"Ah Tiana! Please come in!" Nagina greeted the younger woman with a hug and cheek to cheek kiss.

Tiana noticed all the dresses and material in the room before asking, "What's with everything? I thought you had a gown to wear at the ball."

"I do. This is for you," she smiled warmly.

"But I already have a gown in mind."

"I saw it and it's beautiful for galas, but this ball is to impress not only the guests but my son as well!"

Tiana rolled her eyes. "Your son is the last thing on my mind at the moment."

"You two are terrible liars! I see the way he looks at you and there is a lot of lust and love in them. The same with you."

"So how does this gown look?"

"Daphne please show Madame Tiana her gown," Nagina ordered, snapping her fingers.

The young girl pulled out a gold ball gown.

"Wow...," Tiana walked over to examine the gown. "Its beautiful...a little revealing in the back."

"You are still very young and your figure is beautiful. Flaunt what you have." Nagina tried to sway her hips making Tiana laugh.

"Well let me try this on before giving you an answer," Tiana said.

And as soon as she saw herself on the mirror after the change she stared in shock... "Wow...,"

Nagina raised her brows. "Is that good or bad?"

"Very good," Tiana twirled, surprised that she looked this amazing in the dress.

"You'll have every pair of eyes on you tonight," Nagina said with a sigh. "To have your tiny waist...we will have to get that part of the dress altered. The tighter the dress the better for the man you want to capture. Preferably my son of course!"

Tiana only shook her head.

()()()()

The ball began later that evening with all of the guests arriving in their fanciest attire, mostly all of them flashing off their jewelry and arrogance.

Naveen was surrounded by several of the princesses from the allied nations. All giggling at whatever jokes and compliments he's given them. While they were having a great time he was bored like at all his galas, but tried to make the best out of it. Especially with Tiana not being here.

One of the princess flashed their baby blue eyes at the young king while asking "Will you marry me and take my virginity?" She was clearly drunk.

Another princess laughed. "Your virginity was taken a long time ago, Nina! Does King Bradley of Lukushon ring a bell?"

"I'm still a virgin," Katina smiled at Naveen. "But there are other things that I can do for you," she bit the bottom of her lip.

Naveen had a little too much to drink already but was still sober enough to refuse the offers. "You should save that for a man who will love you."

"I can make you fall in love with me," flirted the princess.

"Oh can you?" Naveen asked, playing along.

She nodded and asked, "May we dance?" Thinking she had him wrapped around her finger.

Naveen laughed a little at the young naive woman. "I thought that I was suppose to ask that question."

"It's the thirties...," she smiled, taking his hand.

Tiana entered the room and of course the first person she spotted was Naveen dancing with another woman. She didn't have time to feel any jealousy due to another handsome gentleman approaching her.

"Excuse madam?"

Tiana looked up and softly smiled at the man. "Yes, sir?"

"I simply must bow at how beautiful you are," and he did just that. "When I noticed you in the room I stopped breathing."

Tiana frowned. "Are you alright?"

He smiled and extended his hand to her. "I will be if you do the honour of dancing with me?"

She glanced back at a dancing Naveen before nodding at the man, taking his hand.

"You are beautiful," the man complimented. "I hope that you are not married."

"I'm...not married," she said, remembering that she is now a widow. "Are you from here?"

He shook his head. "I'm a prince from the kingdom of Akiniyi. It's located on the East African coast. Perhaps I can take you there very soon."

"Perhaps," Tiana said, looking into the man's dark brown eyes. It was very obvious that the man was very attracted to her and she found him charming but didn't want to give him any ideas. "Just to let you know sir—

"Dejen," he answered, smiling.

Naveen was in the middle of his dance when he spotted Tiana and double took in on her beauty. The dress she wore fitted her like a leather glove her hair was in a tight bun with a gold rain drop headpiece making her look very much like a queen.

His queen.

"Stare hard enough and you'll be practically dancing with her," teased Katina. "I wonder what kingdom she's from?"

Naveen grew jealous while watching Tiana laugh at the prince's jokes. She looked to be really enjoying herself while he was bored at his own birthday celebration. Why was she even at his celebration?

"Naveen?"

"What! I mean, what it is?" Naveen recovered and glanced back over at Tiana. Making the princess pout.

"So what do you say?" Dejen asked Tiana.

"What do I say, what?" she raised a brow, already knowing what he was about to ask.

"About joining me in my home kingdom? I will show you the best of what Akiniyi has to offer including a night of infatuating bliss!"

"Dejen, you are a very good dancer but I won't be going to your kingdom anytime soon," Tiana said.

"It isn't as if I'm asking you to marry me," he smiled. "We could have some fun. We're young!"

"I'm going to have to decline," she said, shaking her head as the song ended.

He kissed her hand. "Then I will escort you back."

"Excuse me but I would like to dance with the lovely lady," spoke a red hair man.

Tiana was surprised and tired but accepted anyway...

Naveen watched as men after men asked for a dance all ranging from much older looking rulers, to the average and the traditionally storybook handsome princes.

But what made Naveen truly envious was the next man who wanted to dance with Tiana. Though he was boorish he just as confident and arrogant as the Maldonain king himself.

"If the little lady doesn't mind..." spoke the heavy voice man. "I would like for her to dance with me!"

Tiana thought that it was Naveen speaking to her so she and a very lanky prince from a kingdom she couldn't remember looked up at a very large and bulky man with an arrogant grin. "My name is Bradley, King of Lukushon!" he said with pride. "And I will shower you with every beautiful gift that money can buy if you will share a dance with me."

Disappointed that it wasn't the Maldonian king she raised a brow at the man making him boom in laughter.

"Do you not trust me, madam?" he bowed.

"I'm going to have to figure that out," Tiana said, taking his hand.

Naveen watched the two dance for a while and couldn't help but to feel jealous. Especially at how low the man's hand was on Tiana's exposed back.

"Really Bradley I told you that your hand is too low," Tiana said through the dance.

"No woman can resist me, and I know that you are enjoying every moment of this dance, baby," he began brushing his fingers over her exposed skin while flashing his pearly whites at her.

Tiana pulled away, feeling very uncomfortable. "I'm tired..." and began walking away from the man.

Bradley frowned, offended by her action. "Who do you think you are?" he followed her. "Come back here!"

"Bradley my friend!" Naveen stopped the boorish man with a hard pat on the back. "She isn't worth the chase."

The Lukushonian king wrinkled his nose. "What do you mean?"

"She's got a kid," Naveen told him.

Bradley wiggled his brows. "Oh, so she isn't fresh. Better opportunity to fulfill her!"

"And she's not a princess," he added, knowing the man and his preferences.

"Not a..." Bradley stopped now feeling embarrassed. "Then who the hell is she? Prancing around as if she's a royal! Look at her dancing with King Franco of Juphera!"

"She's what?" Naveen frowned, surprised to see her with another 'good looking' partner.

"I will have to admit. She is the best looking woman in here! And she's a peasant." he smirked. "I'll get one more dance from her once Franco is done with her. Then I'll show her how a REAL king handles peasants like her between the sheets!"

Naveen wanted to knock the man on his arrogant ass for the remark and for eying Tiana as if she were a piece of meat.

"Pardon me..." Bradley walked over to Tiana who was being escorted off the dance floor. "May I have one more dance madam. And I promise to behave this time."

Tiana looked over at Naveen, in his Maldonian uniform. There were quite a few men in their nation's uniforms including Bradley but none could top the Maldonian king as the most handsomest in the room.

"Naveen," Katina approached him.

He looked at the princess and then back at Tiana who was leaving for the dance floor again.

Naveen grew furiously envious as well as protective of Tiana. Knowing how big of a womanizer Bradley was. All he cared about was Tiana's looks. To hell if she was royal or not.

The dance with Bradley wasn't as annoying as she expected and could see that Naveen was envious. It was in his body language. Jacques had a similar stance whenever he saw men around her. She didn't know whether to be concern for this trait if she and Naveen did have a relationship. Having to be concern if she made a wrong step with another man or look at him a certain way was overwhelming when she was married. It still felt strange that not even three years ago she would be in this position. Now as a singled woman she could go carefree if she wanted.

She knew that this would be her final dance of the night as she wanted to make it in time to send her son off to sleep. As of now, Daniel was the only man in her life and she didn't mind if it remained that way.

"I know that you aren't a princess or queen," Bradley smirked.

"Um. Okay?" Tiana was confused. "What made you think that I was one?"

"That dress for started. The headpiece also makes you look like a queen to your unusual beauty."

"Unusual beauty?" she raised a skeptical brow.

"Yes, I've never met or seen a woman as beautiful as you are." he ended the dance by dipping her. "It was love at first sight for me..." he puckered his lips.

Tiana could see that he wanted to kiss her so she quickly got out of his arms.

He smiled. "Would you like a drink?"

"Yes, thank you," Tiana looked back at Naveen who was keeping a watchful eye on her. She quickly looked away feeling cold all of a sudden.

"Sit and I'll be right back!" Bradley then grabbed two flukes of champagne but sneakily added a dust of powder into her drink. 'This aphrodisiac powder will have her all over me in minutes!' he thought as he handed her the drink.

Tiana sipped on the champagne. "Mmm. Very sweet. Thank you."

Naveen occasionally glanced over at Tiana annoying his dance partner.

"Do you have to keep looking at her?" Katina pouted.

Naveen didn't hear a word the woman said as he noticed Tiana's sudden behavior.

Bradley also noticed. "You look tired. I was about to leave. Perhaps my driver can take you to your destination?"

"Oh no I have to..." Tiana felt dizzy. "I should go." she lost her balance but Bradley caught her.

Tiana smiled up at him, rubbing her hands over his very hard and toned chest. "Thank you."

He deviously grinned at her. "The pleasure is all mine."

Tiana felt an arousing sensation between her legs yet felt no attraction for the man. "Bradley...," she breathe.

"Yes Tiana?" he noticed how close she was gtting to him and puckered his lips but to his disappointment she kissed him on the cheek.

"Good night," she quickly left the ballroom.

Bradley watched her for a second before following her, but was stopped by a guard. "You can't leave this room unless you are a resident or guest."

The king was disappointed for a second and quickly thought of a lie. "But I am a guest! Do you not know that King Naveen himself offered me a room at the palace!"

Naveen watched Tiana leave and was satisfied yet also jealous that out of all the men she danced with Tiana gave Bradley something as imitate as a kiss on the cheek. Already very tipsy he downed another glass of wine.

"Son, perhaps you should slow down with the wine. You're beginning to look like a drunken fool," Kabir said.

Naveen frowned and turned around to see his father standing before him. "Father?"

He nodded, stepping up to him. "I've been watching you watch her all night. Forgiveness is always the best way to end any situation."

Naveen ignored the man and took another glass of wine. "And forgetting is never an option."

"You're a fool," Kabir said. "Forgetting her tonight and not to mention that dress. Could you not get the hints and signs she threw to you?"

Naveen remained silent.

"Foolish boy," Kabir then left his son to stand by Nagina who sighed after what was shared to her.

"Look there Nagina!" Kabir noticed his son leaving the ballroom. "You think he's going to talk to her?"

"I can see him talking or...well, you know how our son can be when it comes to her," Nagina shared.

"If he is a lot like me then I say he will do both," Kabir smiled.

Nagina laughed. "A chip off the old block husband?"

"Mmhm." he nodded.

()()()()

Tiana unzipped the gown, letting it fall onto the floor and sighed in relief after kicking off her heels. All the dancing made her so exhausted that when she landed on the soft bed she almost fell asleep with her slip remaining on. That was until she had a sudden urge to be touched again.

She would occasionally get those erotic feelings. Especially after not having any intimacy for over a year, and like the other times she would brush it off, but this time it felt much stronger and wondered if alcohol played a factor because her vision was suddenly coming to a blur on and off after the last drink with Bradley.

Hard tapping at her doors broke her muse and she figured that it was one of the maids who would come to her room to pick up any empty plates or ask her a million questions about the ball. Instead she saw the silhouette of a man who almost stumbled into the room before locking her doors.

She stood up, crossing her arms over her chest. "Who are you? And why are you in my room?"

The man's glossy eyes roamed her figure before taking her in his arms and pressing his mouth on hers.

Tiana could taste the sweet wine from his tongue and accepted his wild kisses, but she didn't know who this man was and as aroused as she was at the moment she was also terrified because she had no control of her feelings.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!" Tiana tried to get out of his hold.

"Why did you have to run off show me up tonight?" he whispered.

"What?" Tiana raised her brows. "Show you up? Who are you?" she felt uncomfortable in his tight hold. "You're hurting me." and gasped when his lips began sucking on her neck. She let out a moan. "No...stop it..." she breathe.

The strong man pulled from the kiss and pushed her back on the bed.

Tiana's body was hunger with want and hated that she was turned on by his rough actions. He ripped her slip, exposing her breasts.

He easily unbuttoned his uniform and pulling off his under shirts before joining her back in bed.

Tiana felt strange as the dizziness returned. It was almost as if she was drugged and memories of how Jacques drugged her at the beginning of their marriage came hitting her.

"No, stop it!" she mumbled, now terrified.

The man took a hold of her hands, pinning them above her head on the bed. His mouth took her breast, tongue flicking and sucking her nipple

"Mmm...," Tiana closed her eyes, and gasped when feeling him enter her roughly. She instantly opened eyes, her vision foggy and voice was silenced with another kiss. She panted with each thrust and position before finally hearing him whisper, "I love you" into her ear.

Tiana exhaled, feeling her build up and soon his strong seeds shooting inside of her. After a break they continued throughout the night before blacking out sexual exhaustion.

()()()()

When Tiana woke up earlier the next morning she could feel her back pressed against someone's front. Her heart beat increased as she could only remember vivid moments of what happened after she undressed lastnight. Could she have slept with Bradley who was the last man she saw? She shut her eyes tightly, suppressing the tears that threatened to fall out. This would put the nail in the coffin to her romantic relationship with Naveen now. And she knew that Bradley's 'I love yous' weren't sincere just as his 'love at first sight' claim.

"What have I done?" she sat up in a panic.

Just then a groan and an arm rested over her covered lap.

A brown coloured arm.

Her eyes widened as she recognized the arm. "Naveen?" she asked. Her heart beat increased with releif

"Yes Tiana," he answered with a grin before his eyes shot wide open. "Tiana?" He got up, looking around. "What am I during in your room...?" He also looked down at his toned chest before noticing them both naked in bed. Tiana was a bit modest with the blankets covering her breasts. "Did we...have sex?"

"Yes we did," Tiana answered.

"I see...," He got out of the bed, naked and all, looking for his clothes.

Tiana watched him pull up his trousers, grabbing his under shirt before asking, "What are you doing?"

"This was a mistake," he said.

"A mi-mistake?" Tiana was hurt by the comment.

Naveen didn't say another word as he rushed out of the room, slamming the door.

Tiana sat in disbelief as her eyes watered. Everything about last night was a blur until she remembered him whispering 'I love you' against her ear. She closed her eyes as the tears ran down her cheeks.

"A mistake," she repeated, wiping away her tears. Now regretting her optimism of a future with herself and Naveen.