Page 47 of Revelations of A Secret Princess

Because he hadn’t used a condom.

The realisation cramped his gut and foreboding feathered his spine.

Jake closed his eyes, silently cursing his loss of control. It had never happened before and he’d believed it never would. How had it happened? Because Caro Rivage was a sexy siren who drove men out of their minds?

He breathed deep, inhaling the smell of sex and woman. To his amazement, despite the shock of his dangerous behaviour, Jake found it arousing.

Was this how she’d got pregnant with Ariane? Driving some poor sod crazy with desire so he forgot to take basic precautions?

No. Jake wasn’t such a poor excuse for a man. He’d acted of his own volition. It had been his responsibility as much as Caro’s to think about safe sex. He’d failed. For the first time in his life he’d let his libido conquer common sense. He despised himself for that.

Drawing a deep breath, he withdrew, clenching his teeth and shutting his eyes at the tormenting friction against sensitive skin.

If he wasn’t careful he’d be ready to go another round with her and make exactly the same mistake. Even now he was tempted to forget everything but the need to bury himself in Caro’s lush body and take them both to heaven again.

Which was why his movements were quick as he yanked up his underwear and trousers. He didn’t trust his control when they were skin on skin.

Control? He grimaced. He had none around this woman.

The sooner he put a distance between them, the better. Sex with the enemy was a mistake. One she’d hope to exploit in her favour. Best he set her straight immediately. Jake opened his eyes and his mouth at the same time but what he saw stopped the scathing words he was trying to form.

Instead he cursed under his breath.

For Princess Carolina hadn’t moved. She sat, tiara at a tipsy angle in that dark red hair, cheeks hectic with a blush that spilled all the way down her throat and covered her trembling breasts. Her hands were clamped, white knuckled, to the edge of the carved wood where she perched and her shoulders bowed forward as if in defeat.

Despite the temptation of those perfect breasts, it was her expression that compelled his attention. Lines of pain gathered around her mouth and furrowed her forehead. Worse, glittering tear tracks spilled down both cheeks.

He’d hurt her.

She’d conned him and led him on. But he’d hurt her, and the sight of her pain made him feel wrong inside.

Caro closed her eyes, just for a second.Thenshe’d be strong. Then she’d pick herself up and face what had to be faced as she’d always done. Because there was no alternative. She was alone, always had been, with no champion but herself. She didn’t have the luxury of weakness.

But when she’d seen Jake grimace...

There’d been no mistaking his disgust, the shudder of distaste as he pulled away. Disgust at what he’d done. Disgust ather. Because she’d lied and because he’d given in to the raging need for sexual completion that had sprung up between them like a clawing beast.

There’d been nothing civilised about their coupling. It had been raw and intense, fulfilling a primitive need that was beyond her limited experience. Sex with her ex-boyfriend had been pleasant but not compulsive. Caro didn’t understand the desperate woman who’d invited, gloried in being shoved onto an antique chest and taken without finesse or preamble.

It didn’t matter. What mattered was that Caro had loved it. Had exulted in being ravished with such urgent thoroughness, eager for Jake in that visceral way as if she’d waited for him her entire life.

It had been glorious.He’dbeen glorious and made her feel special, strong,wonderful.

Until he realised what he’d done and hated himself. As he hated her. He’d stuffed himself back into his trousers so fast she guessed he feared she might touch him again. As if her touch tainted.

She recalled the ugly words he’d shot at her like bullets from a gun.

A great shudder built behind Caro’s ribs in the vicinity of her heart. It curled round to her spine then up to her skull and down to her pelvis. Finally, mastering herself, she swallowed, put her shoulders back and forced her eyes open.

To find a grey gaze surveying her with what looked like concern. Something skimmed her cheek. She jumped then realised it was Jake’s hand.

Caro leaned back. She should pull up her bodice, she realised as she registered her unfettered breasts and the discomfort of the boned bodice pushing them high. But her hands were too unsteady. Besides, he wasn’t looking at her bare breasts but her face.

‘You’re crying.’

‘Rubbish.’ She turned her head away and began to wrestle with her dress when gentle fingers brushed her cheek again and she felt the smear of wetness there.

Caro stilled. Blinked.

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