Page 24 of Royal Catch
I lift my chin. “I never wanted to be your queen. I came here for an inheritance. Why can’t we keep it simple with real prizes?”
He gives me a smug smile. “There are some who would sayIam the real prize.”
“I’m beginning to hate you a little, which is a shame because I had a real good fantasy going about you.”
The corners of his mouth curve up, flirting with a real smile. My stomach does a loop-de-loop, and I suddenly can’t remember why I was so mad I was ready to march out the door.
His eyes are dancing with good humor. “And am I naked in this fantasy?”
I shut my mouth, not wanting to dig myself a deeper hole. The vibe has shifted to a shimmering heat.You can’t have him.
His fingers trail lightly down my throat, and I swallow. “The virgin princess fantasizes about me.”
“It was metaphorical.”
His gaze is eating me up, dropping to my lips, my throat, my bare shoulder, back to my eyes. He’s close but not touching me, heat radiating off him. “Was it?”
He wants to kiss me again, and God help me, I want it too. What is it about this man that makes me forget myself? I’m usually in much better control.
I babble on. “I mean, yes, you were naked, but I really think that’s because I saw you that way, you know, in your bedroom briefs, not just for the bedroom, you probably have them on right now.” I cough, really trying not to look down. “And the metaphor part is that I secretly wanted to expose you as a way of…getting to know you better.” I’m breathless at the hot look in his eyes. “So we could be friends,” I finish unconvincingly. “An alliance of kingdoms would be most…” I trail off; even I’m not buying it.
Lust or escape, fight or flight. I’m caught in the crosshairs of primal instincts more powerful than I’ve ever felt before because…Gabriel. He seems aware of every ounce of lust I’m trying desperately not to unleash. Maybe because he’s equally in lust.
I take a deep breath and make one last attempt on Polly’s behalf before I do the right thing and make my escape. “Your Highness, I strongly suggest you skip the spiders in favor of another athletic event. Maybe a triathlon.” Like I could finish a triathlon. I don’t know what I’m saying.
He lifts a hand and pulls a lock of my hair. “Springy.” He strokes my hair, pushing it back over my shoulder, his fingers trailing lightly over my skin, drawing a hot shiver. “Call me Gabriel.”
“Gabriel,” I breathe. And then I run out of air because Gabriel Rourke is kissing me.
Our bodies slam together. We’re wild, consuming each other, clawing at each other. Insanity. My world spins, and I clutch his shoulders, Gabriel my only anchor.
He breaks the kiss long minutes later, both of us breathing heavily, and shifts, kissing his way roughly down the side of my neck, his teeth scraping against me. I am on fire.
“I’m a virgin,” I gasp out in a last desperate attempt to contain the fire.
He gives me a feral smile. “Then let me do what I normally do with virgins.” He scoops me up, cradled in his arms, carrying me to the sofa.
“You do virgins a lot?”
He doesn’t reply, merely sets me on my feet in front of the sofa and kisses me breathless again. His fingers expertly undo the back clasp and zip of my skirt, and it falls to my feet. He bites my lower lip gently before dropping to my feet and helping me step out of the skirt.
His gaze lifts, riveted on my leopard-print thong. What can I say? Leopards and I are simpatico. If they make it in leopard print, I want it.
“Racy for a virgin princess,” he murmurs, already sliding the thong off me. I step out of that too. He’s still fully dressed, and I like where this is going.
“No one would see my thong except my maid, and she understands me.”
I’m not sure if he’s buying it. Maybe he’s as far gone as I am, because then he pushes me down to the sofa, grabs me by the hips, and pulls me to the edge. He kneels in front of me, his large warm hands sliding up my inner thighs, spreading my legs wide open.
His gaze meets mine, a moment’s hesitation, his voice gravelly. “May I kiss you?”
“God, yes.”
And then he kisses me softly right there, x marks the spot, and the princess wins a prize.Fuck yes.I grab him by the hair and moan. Even a virgin princess would moan in this situation, I reassure myself.
And then there’s nothing but his hot hungry mouth expertly driving me up, up, up the heights I haven’t seen in way too long. It goes on and on, my moans loud and lusty. I couldn’t hold back if I wanted to. And then his fingers join the action, and I’m thrashing, overwhelmed. He clamps his hand on my hip, stilling me. The intensity ratchets up instantly, and I’mgone. I cry out as a monster orgasm rips through me, an explosion that leaves me trembling in the aftermath. He kisses my inner thigh and then nips it.
I laugh, giddy at the euphoric rush of pleasure. I hold his gorgeous face in both hands and give him a resounding kiss. “You rock, Gabriel Rourke.”
