Shy Queen in the Royal Spotlight

‘You are so hot,’ he said as he picked her up and carried her to his bed as if she weighed nothing. ‘I knew you were.’

She didn’t care what he knew, she just needed him closer. She needed more. ‘Alek.’

She pulled him down to her. She’d never been this close to anyone and she didn’t want it to end yet, not now she’d only just begun to discover him. Her hand slid up his chest, gingerly spreading her fingers to explore him.

‘You can touch me.’ He drew a shaking breath. ‘Anywhere you want. Anyhow.’

She realised he wanted her to touch him. As much as she wanted him to touch her. This was give and take. Desire and hunger. She slid her hand further and watched him tense with pleasure at her touch. And then all reticence fled and she was driven to discover more. She helped him out of his suit, relishing the slow revelation of his gorgeous body. She caressed every inch of his muscled beauty, pausing when she ran her fingers over a jagged scar on his rump—not wanting to hurt him but wondering what had happened. He smiled, pulling her closer, and she forgot her question in the heat and tease of his kisses. He’d locked her in a dungeon of desire—hidden deep inside the heart of the palace, she was a prisoner to the overwhelming lust he aroused.

‘Please,’ she whispered. Her throat was so dry the word hardly sounded.

‘Hester,’ he groaned. ‘I need you to tell me what you want me to do.’

‘I thought you didn’t like being told what to do?’ She shuddered as he slid his leg between hers.

‘I can make an exception for you.’ He gazed into her eyes, his hips grinding delightfully against hers in a slow, tormenting motion. ‘Do you want me to kiss you?’

‘Yes.’

So he did—so thoroughly and lushly that she arched, unable to resist the urges of her body. He kissed, not just her mouth, but her neck and her chest. He kissed, nipped and nibbled, working his way lower and lower, kissing parts of her that had never been kissed before.

‘Do you want me to touch you?’ he breathed huskily against her belly.

‘Yes.’

His hands swept over her—more and more intimately teasing and tormenting her until she writhed beneath him and even though he’d made her soar only minutes before, that empty ache inside was utterly unbearable.

And somehow he knew. He lifted himself up above her and looked directly, deeply into her eyes. ‘Do you want me inside you?’

She wanted everything. Most of all she didn’t want this good feeling to end. ‘Yes.’

But he didn’t smile. ‘You’re sure?’

‘This is like a dream, Alek. Just for tonight.’

‘A dream?’ He shook his head. ‘This isn’t a dream you can wake up from and take back, Hester.’

Her anger built. She’d not had this—not opened herself up to anyone—ever. And all she wanted was him. Now. And she didn’t want him to make her wait any longer. ‘Don’t say anything more,’ she moaned. ‘Don’t spoil it.’

He tensed.

‘And don’t stop,’ she demanded fiercely. ‘Yes. I want you.’

His smile spread across his face and then he kissed her again. Until she arched, until she moaned, until she couldn’t form words. For a moment he paused—vaguely she realised he was protecting them both—but then he was back, big and heavy against her, and she revelled in it. He slid his hand beneath her bottom and held her still enough for him to press close. She gasped as she felt his thickness sear into her.

‘Hester?’ he breathed.

‘Yes. Alek.’ She wanted this. Him.

As he pushed closer still she trembled. He was so big and so strong and she was suddenly overwhelmed. But he moved so slowly, so carefully and then he kissed her again—in that deep, lush way, as if he’d wanted nothing more in all his life than to kiss her. As if she were the very oxygen he needed to survive. That was when everything melted within her and he slid to the hilt, so they were as deeply connected as they could possibly be. Her need coalesced again into a cascading reaction of movement. He pushed her to follow his sweet, hard, slick rhythm—into a dance she’d never known, but discovered she could do so damn well with him. His breathing roughened as she clutched him back, as she understood more the give and take, the meet and retreat of this magic. Together they moved faster, deeper...until she cried out as he brought unbearable, beautiful pleasure down upon her. As he broke through every last one of her boundaries to meet her right there—where there was light and heat and sheer physical joy.

And finally, when she couldn’t actually move, when her body was so wrung out, so limp from that tornado of ecstasy, a small smile curved his gorgeous lips. He rolled but pulled her close, draping her soft body over his. And he kissed her again—a sweet intimacy she was still so unused to, and still so desperately hungry for. So hungry, in fact, that it took only one long, lush kiss to stir her hips into that primal circling dance again.

‘Oh, Hester,’ he muttered and swept his hands down her yearning body. ‘You’re magnificent.’

CHAPTER EIGHT

ALEK RESTED ON his side, watching her sleep—half impatient, half fascinated—until she finally stirred. Her gaze skittered away from his as she sat up. For the first time in his life he was unsure how to handle the morning after.

‘Sorry I slept in.’ She slithered from the bed and swiftly reached for the robe lying across the nearby chair. ‘I had an amazing time. Thank you.’

Amazing? She had no idea what amazing was. But he supposed it was better than her telling him it had been ‘fine’.

‘No regrets?’ He pushed for more than this awkward politeness from her.

‘I don’t think it would be right to regret something that felt that good.’ She belted his favourite robe tightly around her waist, hiding her perfection from him again. ‘I’ll go back to my room now.’

‘You don’t have to,’ he said huskily, rubbing a sore spot he felt in his chest.

Ordinarily he’d be relieved to have a lover leave him with such little fuss, but he wanted Hester to stay. But every ounce of her shy reserve had returned.

‘I know...but I...um...’ She drew breath. ‘My clothes are in there.’ She silently sped from the room—as if she daren’t leave a mark or a sound.

And he just let her.

He stared into the blank space. Breaking through her shell had been difficult and this morning it had just bounced back into place. Maybe she needed some time alone to process what had happened? Honestly, maybe he did too. Maybe letting her leave now might mean she’d be comfortable coming back soon.

Just this once.

That was what she’d whispered last night and if he were being sensible, that was how he’d leave this. But he rubbed his chest again as the reality of the situation hit hard. His sexual attraction to her hadn’t been assuaged but exacerbated. Worse was his burgeoning curiosity about everything else about her. He wanted to understand it all—her bag and her box and the books she’d not kept. Why did she have so few belongings?

And the emptiness of his bedroom hurt. Suddenly he hated that she’d walked out on him. That he’d made it so easy for her to be able to. He should have stopped her. He should have seduced her. He should have stripped back her protective prickles again and found that hot, sweet pleasure with her.

He gazed out of the window, noting the blazing sun and blue sky. Personal temptation stirred harder. He’d just married for his country—didn’t he deserve a few moments of private time?

He phoned his assistant, Marc. ‘I know we have meetings this morning, but I plan to take Hester to the stud this afternoon. Make the arrangements.’

‘Sir?’

‘Two nights,’ he repeated. ‘Make the arrangements.’

A minute later he knocked on the door of her apartment and turned the handle. ‘Hester?’

She’d not locked it and he found her in the centre of her loung

e, that wooden box in her hand. He watched as she awkwardly secured the loose lid in place with two thick rubber bands.

‘Sorry,’ she apologised and put the box on a nearby table. ‘How can I help?’

He disliked her deferential attitude and the reminder of that ‘contract’ between them. Hadn’t they moved past that last night?

‘Come breakfast with me by the pool,’ he invited. ‘Then I have a few meetings, but this afternoon we’re taking a trip. You’ll need to pack enough for a couple of days.’

‘A trip?’ Hester could hardly bring herself to look at him; all she could think of was what they’d done last night. All night. How good he’d made her feel. ‘I thought we had to stay in the city to oversee the coronation plans and practise everything a million times.’ She doggedly tried to focus on their responsibilities. ‘Do I really have to kneel before you all by myself?’

‘All citizens of Triscari do, but especially the King’s wife.’

‘It’s a wonder you don’t want me to lie prostrate on the floor,’ she grumbled.