Page 49 of Raul
He couldn’t even stomp around the room to work out his frustration. So he crutched over to the sofa and lowered himself to the spot where she had straddled him and come hard on his lap. Propping his foot on the cushion she had set on top of the pile of magazines, he let his head fall back and closed his eyes.
His lips curved into a smile as he remembered her comment that he was a good lover for a prince. It was so Erica. A little snarky but a genuine compliment. Or at least he chose to take it as one.
But what was truly great about the sex¬—other than the fact that she was hot as hell—was that she didn’t treat him like a prince. She didn’t put on a performance for him, as all too many women seemed to think they needed to do. And she didn’t expect him to be anything other than the man she was making love to. Their responses to each other were primitive and powerful and totally honest.
Somehow, he had known that’s how it would be with her.
Despite all her insistence on reminding him that he wasel principe,she brought a directness to their interactions. It was as though she had opened a door into his soul and let the mountain air blow through, scouring out the corners where the darkest cobwebs hung. Her fresh perspective made him reexamine parts of his life that he had thought were carved in stone, impossible to change.
But how did she feel about him? There was that lingering sense of connection and now the intimacy of exploring her body,but every time he thought they had gotten close, she seemed to put distance between them.
She was a puzzle that he would take great pleasure in solving.
In the meantime, he lifted his fingers—the ones that had been inside her—and inhaled the scent of her that lingered on them. His cock stirred, and he lost himself in erotic images of what they would do together when she returned.
Chapter 12
Erica leaned on the railing of an enclosure at the Centro de Investigación del Dragón de Caleva and watched a large male lizard lazing on the edge of a small lake, his brilliant teal skin glowing in the sunlight.
Why had she volunteered for this task when it was way outside her skill set?
She had managed to speak with all three of the possible suspects, using Raul’s cover story of wanting to incorporate eggshells into a wedding gift. One had been offended at the idea that he would sell anything related to the dragons. The second had explained that although it wasn’t illegal, it was a slippery slope that she wouldn’t want to start down. The third had apologized and told her that he would not to be able to help her. None of them seemed at all eager to earn some extra money.
She was going to disappoint Raul. She clenched her fists in frustration.
However, Raul had suggested that she loiter at the Dragon Center to see if anyone changed their mind. He found that people sometimes needed time to consider the angles and come to a different conclusion. Given his extensive experience in dealing with delicate negotiations, she figured he knew what he was talking about.
And now the prince strode to the front of her mind, something she had been trying to avoid since she had left him in the early hours of the morning. A spark of desire glimmered through her.
He had texted her earlier but kept it very generic—Really enjoyed our evening together—since her phone wasn’t secure. She had grinned from ear to ear. How many times did a princetext you to say he had great sex? At least, that was how she interpreted the message.
Because the sex had been great. It wasn’t just the sex, though. It was that connection he kept talking about, like they were on the same wavelength. That couldn’t be possible, given how different they were, but she felt an unexpected bond with him too.
She’d gone into it very aware that he was royalty, but it didn’t take long until all she cared about was that he made her feel extraordinary pleasure. His generosity in bed had surprised her since she had expected him to lie back and let her do the work. No, that wasn’t quite true, but she had thought he might be less concerned about her pleasure. Instead, he had proved that he knew his way around a woman’s body…or hers at least.
A flush skimmed over her skin as she remembered.
Even more, he had opened up to her with some of his deepest vulnerabilities. How could she not be drawn to a man who trusted her so deeply? He was seducing her in ways that had nothing to do with the powerful physical attraction she felt.
And that was very dangerous. He was royalty, and he would marry someone of equal status. His child would be the heir to Caleva’s throne, so he did not have the latitude of choice that Gabriel had or that even the king had with Queen Eve because it was his second marriage.
Erica was an employee of his family, which meant she was not even close to an appropriate match for him. If she wanted anything more than to enjoy the sex with him—for however long this fling lasted—she was in for a load of heartbreak.
“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?”
She jumped as a man’s voice came from beside her. Turning, she saw him gesture toward the Calevan dragon, and she heaved a sigh of relief that he hadn’t been reading her thoughts.
“Magnífico,”she agreed.
Her stocky, wide-shouldered companion wore a camouflage shirt and pants. His sandy hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she judged him to be in his forties.
“I’m Ricardo St. Germain.” He offered his hand and gripped hers firmly as they shook.
“Erica Ortiz. Do you work here?” His uniform said no, but she decided to play dumb.
“Non.I’m a park ranger, but our service works closely with the Dragon Center, so I’m here a lot.”
A flicker of movement caught her eyes, and she turned her attention back to the dragon enclosure. The big male had climbed off his rock and was headed for the lake. She expected him to lower his head to drink, but instead he waded in and took off across the surface, his tail undulating back and forth to propel him rapidly through the water. “They swim?”
