Page 21 of Scandalized by My Prince
She glanced up at him and felt his sincerity. He did want to understand, and she’d dismissed him out of habit. Aubriella took a deep breath and tried to describe it. “When I let my shields down, I feel everything from everyone around me. Sometimes, when they are particularly strong, they can cross over from enormous distances.” She paused a moment. “Would you like ademonstration?”
He nodded. “If you think itwouldhelp.”
She closed her eyes and lowered her shield a fraction, reaching out to him. His emotions were a mixture of hope, disbelief, and… Her eyes flew open and she met his gaze. That couldn’t have been right. She tilted her head and studied him. “Youloveme?”
“What?” He stood up and knocked the table over in his haste to put distance between them. “That’sridiculous…
No man wanted to have feelings he wasn’t sure of himself thrown at him. Aubriella should have thought better of it, but they’d surprised her so much she couldn’t stop herself. What was she going to do now? He would close himself off to her, and she might not get anywhere with him. Perhaps if she gave him something to focus on other than that particular blunder, he’d let it go. “What if I told you something even moreoutlandish?”
“I think we have had enough surprises for one night,don’tyou?”
Her heart was breaking inside of her chest. She’d fucked up good this time. “I know you have more questions. How about I give some of them to you freely, and if you still don’t want to talk anymore, I’ll leavequietly.”
Killian had been pacing the room like a caged tiger. She couldn’t stand seeing him so uncertain. He froze at her words and ordered, “You’re not going anywhere. You leave this room, and I’ll hunt you down and bring you back inseconds.”
She smiled and crossed over to him. With each step she took, she unbuttoned the top of her dress. When she reached him, it was completely undone, allowing her to push it over her shoulders. Killian stared down at her as her dress pooled at her ankles. Every decision she made led her to this moment withthisman.
“What are you doing?” His voice was hoarse and filled with an indefinableemotion.
“Giving you something words can’t,” she replied. “Please…”
After that, no other words were necessary. He yanked her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around him and reveled in the desire flowing over them. A million sensations tingled across her skin, almost overwhelming her. Her breath hitched for a moment as she tried to regain control of her emotions. Killian lifted her and carried her toward the bed. He set her down on the floor in front of it and tore off her shift. His gaze raked over her naked flesh, and she blushed as pink as he thought she would. Fire spread through her belly and he’d barelytouchedher.
When his mouth covered one of her nipples, her moans echoed through the room. He brought one of his hands to cup her mound. He skimmed her clit with his finger, and he pushed another deep inside of her. How had she gone her entire life and never felt anything like this before. Emotions were her thing, but this—it was indescribable. She wanted to beg him to give her more. As soon as she thought she couldn’t take more, he proved her wrong. Her moans of pleasure filled the room as she experienced her firstclimax.
She should have found someone to give her this sooner, but then she’d never have found Killian. Aubriella couldn’t imagine doing this with anyone other than him. Killian picked her up and set her on the bed and removed all of his clothing. He joined her moments later, settling between her thighs. His cock was hard and thick as he pressed himself inside of her. It burned with each movement. Aubriella wrapped her legs around his waist and met every one of his thrusts. She scraped her nails across his back as her peak started to buildagain.
Killian kissed her everywhere, her cheek, her lips, down the side of her neck. He whispered words of love and lust. Each one bringing her even closer to the edge, and when her orgasm hit, the world went black and she opened her mouth to cry out, but the world went black. For the first time in her life she was overloaded withemotion.
Killian’s climaxhit the same time Aubriella’s had. He’d never felt anything like it, and he didn’t think he ever would again. When she’d blurted that he loved her, it had scared him. Love was the one thing he hadn’t thought he’d find and never wanted to. He hadn’t realized it, but somehow in the short time he’d been with Aubriella, he had fallen hard for her. This little sprite of a woman had buried herself inside his heart and not let go. It didn’t matter anymore what her secrets were. She owned hisheart.
He rolled off of her and pulled her next to him. “Lass,”hesaid.
Silence echoed back and fear filled him. Had he hurt her? He sat up and stared down at Aubriella. Her eyes were open, but her face was blank. Why wasn’t she reacting? He brought his hand up to brush herhairaway.
“Aubriella,” he said trying to rein in his panic. “What’swrong?”
She didn’t even blink. He placed his hand over her heart and felt it beating rapidly against his palm. Why was she so quiet? What had he donetoher?
“No,” he said desperately. He was on the brink of shaking her when she finally blinked. Her eyes were still unfocused, but he took the movement as a sign. What had she said before? She was an empath and felt emotions stronger thananyoneelse.
“Darling,” he said, kissing her head. “You were right. I do love you and I’m so sorry my first instinct was to push you away. Please don’t leave me now. I’d neversurviveit.”
She blinked again and her lips twitched. Was she trying to smile? Her tongue darted out and she swiped it across them. He breathed a sigh of relief at the movement. She brought her hand up to cup his cheek, but still hadn’t spoken. What was she trying totellhim?
“I didn’t tell you my biggest secret,” he said. “When you asked if the former earl was my father I started to panic. I didn’t think anyone realized I was a bastard. But my biggest shame is who myfatheris.”
“Who?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but heunderstoodit.
“The prince regent,” he said disgustedly. “My mother was one of the Queen’s ladies. She lived at court and caught Prinny’s eye. When she ended up pregnant, the king arranged her marriage to the earl. She was the Duke of Blackbourne’s daughter, and the scandal would have been too great for themtorisk.”
Aubriella chuckled lightly. “I always knew you were a realprince.”
He scowled. “I’m nothing of the sort. I’m a bastard and shouldn’t have been given the former earl’s title. Odessa is his daughter in truth though. No one questions it because my coloring was too similar to the oldman’s.”
“Consider it a blessing,” she said. “Some things were meant to be. Your mother was better off married to him, and you’re here for both of them. Don’t you think it’s time to stop feeling guilty for circumstances beyond your control? You didn’t ask for anyofthis.”
She was right, but he loathed to admit it. “Iknow.”
