Page 6 of His Unexpected Heir

“What’s wrong?”

“The key to my room is in the pocket of my other dress!” she gasped and looked back down the hallway in which they’d just come. “And that dress was taken to the laundry area of the palace!”

“That’s not good.” He stared down at her for a moment, then made a snap decision. “You will sleep in my suite,” he announced.

Astra’s head swiveled back to him. “I can’t sleep with you!”

He chuckled. “I’ll sleep on the couch. You can have the bed.”

Her eyes narrowed on him. “You have a couch?”

Antonio put a hand to the small of her back, nudging her towards his suite. “Yes, and I will be quite comfortable. Whereas you have been awake for at least forty hours now. You will sleep in the bed.”

“I don’t think…”

“Don’t think. Just sleep,” Antonio argued. He didn’t understand this ferocious need to protect Astra. He’d been with other women in the past, but none had created this need to protect and…and what? What was it about Astra that compelled him so?

She stopped. “Antonio, this isn’t a good idea.”

He turned, looking down at her. “Why? Because you don’t think you can control yourself around me? Are you going to…what’s that quaint American phrase?” He thought about it for a moment, then said, “Jump my bones?”

“No!” she gasped and a blush warmed her cheeks. Antonio thought her blush was charming, but didn’t say so. They were two feet from the door to his suite and he needed to get her settled before he did something that they both might regret.

Correction – Astra might regret anything that happened between them. But he wouldn’t. No, he would thoroughly enjoy every moment if she were to “jump his bones,” so to speak.

“Sleep is only a few feet away,” he pointed out, his voice lower. Huskier. Antonio hoped she didn’t recognize the new tone in his voice. Or more specifically, he hoped she didn’t recognize the reason for it.

He wanted her. Badly! But he would restrain himself from doing anything other than settle her into bed.

“Come, querida,” he urged, touching her arm. “You need sleep. I’m sure that your job isn’t over tomorrow. There is still the wedding breakfast to oversee.”

“You’re right,” she whispered, and he watched as her lips pressed together. Soft lips. Kissable lips.

“Besides, I doubt you could get into your quarters at this time of the night anyway. With this many guests in the palace, the guards are on high alert. They might not appreciate the idea of one of the staff members relinquishing the key to their room.” He unlocked the door to his suite and nudged her inside. “They frown upon security breaches, especially when there are so many guests here.”

Sighing, she followed him into his suite, then stopped dead to look around. “Wow! This is…very different than my room.” She moved deeper into the suite, looking around at the red and gold décor. The furniture was heavy and solid, very masculine. The windows, framed by red, silk curtains, looked out over a darkened courtyard. There was a red velvet sofa, a dining room table with six chairs, and a bar with snacks set out waiting for them.

“This is gorgeous!” she whispered, reverently. She turned in a slow circle, still taking it all in. “I wonder who decorated this,” she pondered aloud. “Probably someone who had just finished perusing the Kama Sutra.”

He laughed, but his amusement was more because of the blush at her quip than about the sensuality of the décor. “Would you like a drink?” he asked.

“No,” she whispered, turning to face him. “I’m fine.”

Tension crackled in the air between them. “I will get you something to sleep in.”

She opened her mouth to argue with him, but instead of speaking, she simply stared up at him.

Antonio normally prided himself on his self-control. He enjoyed making his mistresses squirm as he increased their pleasure to new heights. But there was something about Astra, something about the softness of her hair, which was falling out of the pins holding it on the back of her neck, or perhaps it was the soft, green color of her dress that made her skin look extra creamy.

Whatever the reason, Antonio was unable to stop himself from leaning forward, brushing his lips against hers.

And that was all it took to spark the fire that had been simmering between them ever since their first meeting several weeks ago.

After that initial soft brush of their lips, he pulled back, staring down at her. Antonio was just about to pull her into his arms when Astra lifted her hands, grabbing his shirt and jerking him towards her. He didn’t hesitate this time. There were no more soft touches. This was an inferno that was finally released from the confines of their control.

“Querida!” he groaned as he lifted her into his arms, unaware of her feet dangling several inches from the floor as he kissed her, his arms tight around her waist. He felt her arms wrap around his neck as her mouth opened, welcoming him. His tongue dove into her mouth, caressing, tasting, increasing the passion between them.

“Antonio!” she gasped when his hands moved down to cup her bottom, pressing her more firmly against him.

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