Page 26 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 5-8

Her grandmother’s antique Louis XVI armoire creaked as he leant against it, then crossed his arms over that magnificent chest and let out a chuckle—which was so husky it scraped against all her most sensitive spots.

He didn’t answer her for the longest time—making her wonder if he was trying to unnerve her.

‘Yeah,’ he finally replied. ‘Correct me if I’m wrong, but I kind of thought we got that straight downstairs. Isn’t that why you left with me?’

‘No... I...’ The denial choked off in her throat as he crossed his legs at the ankle—making the fabric of his trousers stretch over impressive thigh muscles—and drew her attention to the ridge in his pants.

I’ve been hard on and off ever since that damn corset comment.

She swallowed around the rock in her throat, which had also become wedged between her thighs. She forced her gaze back to his face. He was still watching her. Her nipples drew into tight peaks. Thank goodness, he couldn’t see that reaction thanks to her corset, although...

Stop thinking about the corset.

‘I just... I had to... I couldn’t.’ Her explanation got stuck behind the rock.

For goodness’ sake, Issy, spit it out.

‘I couldn’tnotleave with you. This is supposed to be our wedding night. We had to leave together, for appearances’ sake...’ she finished, which was mostly true, except—leaving with him had not been a hardship.

‘Right.’ His lips curved into a wry smile, as if he knew just how much she was lying to herself. ‘Which brings us back to my original question...’

‘I’m sorry, what was that?’ she asked, because her grasp of the conversation had become tenuous at best.

‘Do you want to go for a real wedding night to kick off this fake marriage in style?’

Ah yes...Thatquestion.

The rock wedged between her thighs grew to impossible proportions.

‘Because I’m thinking we deserve some light relief,’ he continued in that matter-of-fact tone, which made the rock pulse and glow. ‘After the eight-hour show we’ve just had to put on—not to mention the two months of crap we had to deal with to get to this point—don’t you?’

His gaze raked over her and the hot rock pounded.

She should say no. Encouraging a sexual relationship between them would be fraught with all sorts of problems. Problems she had considered insurmountable when they’d agreed to this marriage.

But even though she knew she should reject his suggestion, her tongue refused to cooperate. She was still struggling to give him an answer when Elsa, her lady’s maid, burst into the salon.

‘Your Majesty, would you like me to undress you now?’ the woman asked as she crossed the room, having failed to spot Travis leaning against the armoire.

‘Um...’ Isabelle began, tongue-tied all over again.

‘I don’t think so.’ Travis stepped in front of the maid, blocking her path. ‘Undressing Belle is my job now.’

Isabelle felt a burst of excitement at the commanding tone, but right behind it was embarrassment. Especially when Elsa’s mouth dropped open and she blushed.

‘I’m so sorry, Your Highness,’ Elsa said, addressing Travis, her tone horribly chastened.

Travis frowned at the maid. ‘Yeah, don’t call me that. Mr Lord will do just fine.’

She heard the impatient tone, and his contempt for the title bestowed on him by their marriage, and shame washed over her. Why was she allowing him to speak to her staff like that? She should never have allowed her duty to her throne and her subjects to be obscured by her foolish obsession with this man, who didn’t respect either.

‘It’s okay, Elsa,’ she began, determined to smooth over the awkwardness even though she needed Elsa’s help to get out of this dress. But when the woman began backing out of the room, Isabelle had no choice but to let her leave. ‘I’m sure His Highness and I can manage tonight,’ she added, before Elsa darted out of the door.

Suddenly, they were alone again. The visceral yearning was still there, but the sensual fog that had built up over the past hours had lifted.

‘Now where were we?’ he said, thrusting his fingers through his hair.

At the exact same moment she said, ‘That was uncalled for, frankly—’

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