Page 13 of The Reluctant Wife

"Don’t do it again." I pull my phone from my pocket and peruse the messages which have come in from the rest of the team.

"What the—" She sputters. "You… You… Dare tell me what I can and can’t do?"

"You’re under my protection. Which means, you follow my directions."

She freezes. I sense the shock radiating off of her. Guess no one’s ever spoken with such authority to her. She listened to her father’s command earlier, but I got the sense that was only because he issued it in the role of King. On a personal level, it’s clear she’s run rings around him and, likely, everyone else who she’s worked with over the years. But that stops now.

I need to keep the princess safe. The danger she’s in is too real. I need my wits about me to protect her. I cannot allow myself to give in to my attraction for her, as that will only compromise my judgement and endanger her. Besides, I don’t trust these feelings the princess elicits in me. I’ve never had them before, and damn, if that doesn’t make me feel… Guilty? Confused? Frustrated? I don't even know. It's just so… Unfamiliar.

I’m not someone to be taken in by big blue eyes, creamy skin, and lush curves that make her resemble a Rubenesque painting. As long as I don’t touch her again, don’t kiss her, don’t allow myself to be taken in by this electricity that sparks when we’re near each other, things should be okay.

I’ll be okay. I resist the urge to run my finger under the constricting collar of my button-down shirt; a uniform I was instructed to don to fit in with the rest of her detail, which I hate.

I’m not surprised when she scoffs, "Don’t forget, you work for me."

"I work for your father, actually." I turn to her. "And if I were to tell him I need to curtail your comings and goings until this threat has been neutralized, what do you think he’d say?"

She glowers at me. That little fold between her eyebrows is back, and it’s so fucking adorable. My fingers tingle to reach out and smooth it, so I shove my phone and my fingers into my pocket.

"Look, I don’t mean to come off all heavy-handed. It’s why I would have preferred to have a discussion with you, before jumping straight into being your detail, but your father insisted it was urgent."

"It doesn’t matter." She turns away and glances out the window, giving me a view of the column of her throat. Creamy unmarked skin which, I can confirm, feels as smooth as butter. And were I to push my nose into the hollow of her neck, would her scent be more intense there? My already erect cock extends further in anticipation. Fucking hell, I need to find my center, my composure. I need to push all thoughts of her out of my mind and get myself back in the game.

I roll my shoulders, draw in a few deep breaths, and when I feel more composed, I turn to her. "Please accept my apologies, Princess."

She turns slowly; there’s surprise on her features. "In my experience, most alpha males who admit they’re in the wrong—ifthey admit they’re in the wrong—don’t mean it. But apparently”—she looks into my eyes—“you do."

She thinks I’m an alpha male? Good. That means she knows what my expectations are when it comes to my woman. Not thatshe’smy woman. Jane was my woman... Or so I thought, until she betrayed me. Aura though... She’s my principal.A job.Someone I need to protect.

"The day I begin to believe I’m infallible is when it’ll cost me my life."

She blinks slowly. "You mean?—"

"My sole focus is to keep you safe. And I can do that better if I have your cooperation. It’s going to be much trickier if we’re constantly at loggerheads. And if that means?—"

"—if you have to apologize, you’ll do it to help you do your job well?" That glower in her eyes is back.

Damn, I’m botching this up again.I roll my shoulders. "I mean, I am sorry. I didn’t take the time to explain my approach and discuss the parameters with you, only?—"

"—I kissed you." She half laughs, then rubs at her temple. "I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean for things to get awkward between us."

"They’re not."

She surveys my features. "You mean it," she finally remarks in surprise.

"I’m aware of what it's like to be constantly under pressure. Living in an environment where you’re in the public eye, having to maintain an image while trying to be true to yourself, while also living up to your father’s expectations is not easy."

She shakes her head. "You surprise me."

"Because I have enough emotional intelligence to understand what it's like to spend most of your life under the microscope of public scrutiny."

She regards me with a quizzical expression. "I guess, I had you pegged as just muscle, but maybe, there’s more to you."

"I’msurethere’s more to you than meets the eye, Princess." Our gazes meet. The air between us spikes with heat. Her irises dilate. I have no doubt, if I were to touch her between her legs, she’d be damp and melting, and waiting for my cock. And if I licked her there, she’d be every bit as sweet, as evocative, as mysterious as the taste of her mouth promised.

Once more, my thigh muscles harden, my pants feel too fucking tight.

She leans in closer, but this time, I manage to pull my mind back to the task at hand. I hold out my palm. "Your phone."

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