The King’s Innocent Bride

“I won’t lie to you, Kate. There are many women who want to marry me.” Her face scrunches up in distaste, but I press on. I want to get this out there so there won’t ever be confusion on the subject again. “They want my title, want to be queen and have a cushy life.”

“I don’t care about any of that,” she cuts in.

She’s telling me something I already know. She’s too sweet for that. She’s not a user. “I know.” I kiss the end of her nose, watching her face soften for me. “You want what I want. Love. A family. All of it.”

“I’d like that more than anything in the whole world. To just be happy.”

“If you let me, I’ll give you that. Let me prove it. Don’t fight it.”

Chapter Eleven

Kate

I slide my hands up his chest and wrap my arms around his neck. I want that, too, but I’m scared of grabbing onto it and it being ripped away from me. I’m not sure I could live through that. I’ve lost so much in my life already.

“We have a month until the wedding,” he tells me, and my mouth drops open in shock.

“Our wedding?” I squeak out. He hasn’t even asked me to marry him. It wasn’t even five minutes ago I was trying to get away from him as fast as possible. Now he’s saying we’re getting married? That would explain all the wedding stuff in his office…

“Yes, our wedding.” The vibrations from his rumbled words make me giggle. “Give me this month to let you see that this is real. That I’m in this and there is no one else.”

I have nothing to lose and I want this so badly. “I didn’t like being jealous,” I blurt out. This is a big part of what’s still holding me back. I’ve never been stingy with anything in my life, but with him the idea hurts bone deep.

“I don’t like the feeling either. You’re not alone in that, princess. I’m fighting my own jealousy. But trust me, there is only you for me.”

“Why are you jealous? I’ve never even been on a date before. You were my first kiss,” I tell him. My cheeks feeling warm at my admission. How can someone with no experience keep his attention? He’s a king. An experienced, sophisticated ruler. I have no clue what I’m doing. I still can’t believe that he put his face between my thighs. My center contracts as I think about it. I want to do it again.

He digs his erection into me. “Don’t remind me how untouched you are. You have no idea what that does to me.” Pure hunger shows in his eyes. “I get jealous because I want to keep you that way. Only for me. I don’t like other men even looking at you. Did you not notice how my men kept their distance from you?”

I had. “I thought they just didn’t want to touch me because I was the mistress. That they thought I was gross or something.” I look down, hating to admit that.

“Don’t you call yourself that again,” he snaps.

I raise my head in shock.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I don’t like anyone—even you—talking about you in that way. They avoided touching you because they knew it would be the last thing they ever touched.”

“Oh,” I say breathlessly. That should probably freak me out, but oddly it does something else to me. I lean in and place my lips on his, wanting to be closer to him.

“I only want to be yours. I don’t want anyone else knowing me the way I want you to know me,” I whisper against his mouth, feeling a little shy about my admission. His mouth takes mine in a deep kiss. I feel my back come up against a wall as one of his hands slides up my dress and I wrap my legs tightly around him.

“I’m the only one who touches this.” His slides his fingers across my center. I feel myself grow wet with need.

“Yes, only you.” I try to push myself more into his hand, needing the same relief he gave me earlier.

“Fuck, you’re soaked for it,” he rumbles. “Were you running around the castle like this? Your pussy begging for attention?” There is a touch of anger to his words. His jealousy turns me on even more.

“Maybe you should have been here when I woke up. Then that wouldn’t have happened,” I tease back. He nips at my neck, and I gasp in pleasure.

“I won’t make that mistake again,” he grits into my ear. The power in his voice sends a delicious chill down my body.

When his hand leaves me, I cry out. “James! No!”

“You call me your king when I have you like this,” he tells me. My eyes lock with his. I like that. My king.