Pregnant with a Royal Baby!

“That’s a lot of buttons.”

Holding her hair to the side, she said, “Exactly why I need help.”

He quickly undid three or four buttons, then she felt his fingers stall again.

“Getting tired, Your Majesty?”

“No. I’m fine.”

But his voice was pinched, strained.

Another two buttons popped through the loops.

“You’re not wearing a bra.”

“Didn’t want the straps to show through the lace.”

He said, “Ump.”

Another two buttons popped. Then two more. But when his fingers stalled again, she felt them skim along her skin. Not a lot, just a quick brush as if he couldn’t resist temptation.

When he got to the last buttons, the three just above her butt, his hands slowed. When the last button popped, she almost turned around, but something told her to be still. His fingers trailed up her spine until he reached the place where he could lay his hands on the sides of her waist. He grazed them along the indent to her hips, then back up again. When they reached her rib cage, they kept going, under her dress to her naked breasts.

Her breath caught. She wanted to tell him she was his. That she’d been his from the moment she laid eyes on him. But she knew this wasn’t as easy a decision for him as it was for her.

“You are temptation.”

She turned, letting the top of her dress fall as she did so. “I don’t intend to be.”

“Liar.”

She shrugged. “Maybe a little.” She raised her gaze to his. “But would it be so, so terrible to pretend you like me?”

He shook his head, as he lowered it to kiss her. Their mouths met tentatively, then she rose to her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his strongly, surely.

She might not get forever. But she wanted this two years enough that she was willing to reach out and take it.

He cupped his hand on the back of her head and dipped her down far enough that her dress slithered around her hips. When he brought her back up again, the dress fell to the floor.

“No panties, either?”

She stood before him totally naked. No lies. No pretense. When she whispered, “It was actually a very heavy dress.” He laughed.

Another woman might have worried, but Ginny smiled. Part of what he liked about her was her ability to make him laugh. She wasn’t surprised when he slid his arms around her back and knees, and carried her to the bed.

CHAPTER NINE

GINNY AWAKENED THE next morning with Dom’s arms wrapped around her waist. She squeezed her eyes shut, enjoying the sensation, then told herself she had to get her priorities in line before he woke up.

They hadn’t talked the night before. They’d had an amazing time, but they hadn’t spoken one word. She hadn’t been expecting words of love, but she knew making this marriage real hadn’t been what he wanted. Though she hadn’t actually seduced him, which had been her plan, he could still be upset that he hadn’t been able to resist the temptation of their chemistry.

She opened her eyes to find him staring down at her. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He searched her eyes. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

And pragmatic Dom was back.

So she smiled at him and stretched up to give him a kiss. “I do.”

“I’m serious about not wanting this to last and about us not getting emotionally involved with each other.”

“I hate to tell you, but I’m pretty sure raising a child together will more than get us emotionally involved.”

“I’m not talking about being friendly. I’m talking about being ridiculously dependent.”

Even as he spoke, he rose from the bed. With the fluidity and ease of a man comfortable with who he was, he stretched and reached for a robe.

She sat up, almost sorry he was covering all those wonderful muscles when he secured the belt around his waist.

He picked up the phone and, without dialing, said, “Bacon, eggs, bagels, croissants, and the usual fruit and juices.”

He hung up the phone and walked into the bathroom.

Ginny stared after him. The man really was accustomed to getting everything he wanted. But constantly seeing the evidence of it was a good reminder that he wasn’t going to be persuaded to do anything, be anything, other than what he wanted.

He came out of the bathroom, took off the robe and to her surprise climbed back into bed. He leaned against the headboard and reached down to catch her shoulders and bring her up beside him.

Bending to kiss her, he said, “We have about ten minutes before breakfast gets here. Any thoughts on what we should do?” The sexy, suggestive tone of his voice told her exactly what he wanted to do.

She laughed. “I think I need to eat and get my strength back.”