Crown Prince's Bought Bride

She staggered out of the bathroom, her every sense screaming at the thought of returning to the dinner party. She wasn’t ready for another episode of the Charlotte and Remi show. Wasn’t ready to look into Remi’s eyes and wonder if Margot was right. And, worse, wonder if he’d hate her even more for the secret growing into steady reality in her heart.

Spotting a large archway, she headed towards it. It opened up onto a terrace edged with a thick stone balustrade, beyond which lay an endless sweep of immaculate lawn.

Resting her elbows on the stone, Maddie took a deep breath—which immediately evaporated when the space between her shoulders began to tingle.

Awareness raced down her spine, relentlessly engulfing her whole body. The intensity of it shocked her into immobility, which was perhaps a blessing—because she didn’t want to face her husband. The man who would soon gain another label—the father of her child.

Nor did she wish to face the undeniable fact that, despite the turbulence of their coming together, her feelings had only deepened unrelentingly, without regard to her anguish. Even more desperately, she didn’t want him to take one look at her and know everything.

‘Are you avoiding me, Maddie, or did you simply take a wrong turn when returning to me?’ he rasped tautly.

She stayed facing forward, her frantic gaze fixed on the horizon as he prowled closer.

‘I needed a breather from all that cloying fawning and shameless matchmaking. You should’ve warned me properly that I was going to spend the evening being insulted,’ she said, her hands tightening around her clutch bag.

‘You insisted you were ready to play at the deep end. I simply gave you the chance.’

His voice was close enough for her to feel his breath on her nape. To draw that fleeting contact into her being.

‘Well, thanks for the lesson. I’ll be suitably armed next time.’

‘Turn around, Maddie. Have the courtesy to look at me when you address me,’ he commanded tersely.

Praying that her last ounce of composure held, she swung around, felt a strand of hair escape its knot and slide against her cheek as she forced herself to meet his incisive gaze.

‘Where exactly is Charlotte on your list? She is on the list, isn’t she? She must be near the top if Margot refuses to acknowledge the wedding ring on my finger. Or do they all know this marriage is a sham?’

His face hardened. ‘Keep your voice down.’

Her heart twisted. ‘That’s all you have to say?’

‘No. I have a lot more to say. But this isn’t the time or place.’

He closed the gap between them and lifted his hand as if to touch the lock of escaped hair. But at the last moment his fist tightened and dropped.

Gut-wrenching anguish gripped her. ‘Will it ever be?’ she asked tremulously.

He took another step closer. Her breath strangled in her throat as his hands caged her against the balustrade.

His chest brushed hers. Maddie’s nipples tightened. For an unshakeable moment they simply stared at each other, wrapped in a fraught little cocoon.

The tinkle of laughter and conversation from the party faded away. Her vision was filled with only Remi. When his head started to descend she stopped breathing, shameless anticipation holding her in place.

For the briefest moment another emotion shifted the savage hunger on his face. Powerful and visceral enough to make her flinch.

It was the same expression she’d witnessed yesterday, when he’d helped her from the helicopter, and again after her exchange with the Queen. It continued to blaze down at her as he slid one hand around her waist, tugged her into the hard column of his body.

With a will of their own her hands rose to his chest, splayed over hard muscle. Untamed hunger charged through his eyes, and with a groan he swooped and captured her mouth with his.

Deep, thorough and devastating, he explored her mouth with suppressed ferocity. In a rush of surrender she shamelessly parted her lips beneath his, let his tongue sweep over her lower lip in a blatant tasting that drew a moan from deep inside her.

Her belly grew hot and heavy with desire, and she gripped his nape and held on tight.

With a rough sound he slid his tongue into her mouth, his breathing harsh as he adjusted his stance until there was no mistaking his level of arousal.

Maddie’s whole body rippled with desire-soaked tremors. As if her reaction triggered his, his kiss deepened, his hand trailing up to boldly cup her heavy breast. With a helpless moan she pushed against him, nipped his bottom lip with her teeth. He exhaled harshly, muttering a charged curse against her lips.

She was so caught up in the kiss, in him, that it took a moment to notice that he’d stiffened.