Page 21 of Forbidden

“What if it wasn’t the king, but his wife? What if she couldn’t have children?” Her desire was waning. She wasn’t going to cry. No way. If this was the end, then she’d take what he wanted to give her and pleasure him in return, but she would leave. She would not tie him into a marriage that could not produce an heir to a thousand-year heritage.

Kahn stopped the slow play of his fingers. “Anna, love. What are you trying to say?”

“You know what I’m getting at.” She shoved him away, but he only leaned into her.

“Why is this bothering you? It does not even apply.”

“Of course it does! Kahn, let me up.”

“No. Not until you say what is in your heart, Anna.”

“Can’t you tell?” she asked, almost bitterly. “You seem to have a pretty good grasp on this thing between us. Tell me what I’m thinking.”

“All right.” Kahn didn’t move an inch. His face became blank as he looked intently at her. “You think to leave me because you can’t have children. You think that tradition will ultimately be more important to my people than the happiness of their future king. You think --” He paused, capturing her chin and turning it back to him when she looked away. “You think that I will become bitter or dissatisfied because I will not father a child to ascend the throne when I give it up.”

“Okay. So you summed that up nicely.”

“Have you learned nothing about me?” he said softly, and Anna caught the hurt in him.

“I know you love me, Kahn. But this is serious stuff.”

“First of all, if it had been that important to me, I could have fixed your reproductive system when you were injured upon your arrival here. I could also have had the doctor repair the problem that made you have a difficult delivery of Alex in the first place.”

Anna sucked in a breath. “Really?”

“Oh yes. In fact, the doctor at Medical suggested it but I told him not to. If you want that procedure done, it is up to you. But it will be because youwantmore children, not because you think Ineedthem.” Kahn raised a hand to her mouth when she would have spoken. “Secondly --” His fingers, meant to silence, turned caressing as his gaze lingered on her lips. “I already have a son to take the throne so there is really no need of any of this discussion.”

Anna stilled, truly puzzled. “You never mentioned you had children.”

“I do. He’s a little over two years old, though he has the mind and body of a five-month-old.”

The breath rushed into Anna’s lungs as she stared, not daring to believe what she was hearing. “What?” she whispered.

“Perhaps you’ve met him. His name is Alex and his mother is a hellcat when it comes to his safety so I know nothing will happen to him. If you choose not to become fertile again, I see no reason you should have to.”

Tears overflowed her eyes as she flung her arms around Kahn. He was accepting Alex as his. But what of the Gothe’maran people?

“They will gladly accept him. You’ll see. Everything unfolds as the Universe intends. They will accept him and love him.”

The fingers Kahn had in her anus slid almost free only to be reinserted with a third. His thumb on her clit resumed its lazy circles. “Now. Where were we?”

?* * *

For the first time since he met her, Kahn felt Anna give herself fully into his care and he was determined he wouldn’t let her down again. Starting right now. He would love her good and proper this time.

His head dipped to her cunt once again and he tasted her, pulling gently at her engorged clit. The fingers he had embedded within her slid free and he crawled up her body to press his full weight on her. His hand fisted in her hair and he searched her face. “Tell me you want this union, Anna.”

“Yes. I want you.”

“Now and forever?”

“Always,” she breathed.

It only took a swift tug of his breeches and his cock slid free. He rolled off her to his side, maneuvering her so that she rested her back against his chest. Positioning himself at the slick entrance to her pussy, he paused once again.

“Tell me you love me.” It was not a request or a question. He demanded her love.

She smiled. “With all my heart, forbidden or not, I love you with everything that I am.”

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