Page 41 of Pregnant With His Majesty's Heir

Still she avoided his eyes. ‘We shouldn’t. We can’t...’

Lucien had spent the last two months hemmed in by restrictions and expectations. By everything he was supposed to do and not supposed to do, including who he was expected to marry. He’d had enough. Last night he’d ripped free, creating an international incident in the process. He had no intention of letting Aurélie play coy now.

‘Wecanand we definitelywill. That’s a promise.’

He turned her head up, forcing her to meet his gaze. She didn’t try to pull away. Instead her pupils dilated and her lips parted and Lucien felt his soul sing as he tilted his head down and took her mouth.

Yes. This.

One touch of lips on lips and it was like flame to tinder-dry kindling. Lucien almost heard the whoosh of ignition as restraint exploded and their mouths clung.

He moved, angling his head for better access, and found her already shifting to accommodate him.

His arm tightened around her waist, hauling her up against him. His other hand was in her hair, relearning the silky texture, tugging free the band that held it back, so a froth of soft waves tickled him.

Lucien’s eyes shut, the better to concentrate on searing delight.

Aurélie’s hands went to his shoulders, clinging as if to ensure he didn’t let her go. She had nothing to worry about. He had no intention of stopping.

Lucien kissed her deeply, lapping up the taste of her, exulting in the ravenous demands of her tongue tangling with his. Swallowing the little humming sounds of appreciation and encouragement she made.

She was so enthusiastic, so attuned to him, he was already hard.

So much for her pretence she didn’t want him. She pressed her lithe body up against his as if nothing mattered but the need to touch and be touched.

His arm dropped from her waist so he could cup her buttocks and pull her closer.

It was as if he’d flicked a switch. Aurélie bucked her hips against him and Lucien saw stars as all the blood rushed to his groin. She ground her lower body against him, emitting a sound somewhere between a groan and a purr. That felt so good. So incredibly good he needed more. Now!

Breathing ragged, hands soldered to her eager body, he opened his eyes enough to scan the room.

Right behind her was a sofa. Long enough to take his tall frame and roomy enough for the pair of them.

But Lucien wanted more than a quick tumble before someone bustled in to collect the tray. He wanted Aurélie, all of her, and he wanted privacy.

Still with his mouth locked on Aurélie’s, he bent, sliding his arms around her, and hoisted her up against his chest.

‘What are you—?’

‘What do you think? I’m taking you to bed.’

She didn’t utter a word of protest. Instead her eyes took on a glow that matched the fire in his belly.

At last she’d given up on denial. The clutch of her fingers around the back of his neck betrayed urgency. Her breasts rose and fell quickly as if she couldn’t suck in enough oxygen. He knew the feeling. His lungs laboured, not from effort but anticipation.

He was heading for the staircase to his private suite when he heard a sound behind him. A sharp rap on the outer door and the sound of someone clearing their throat.

Silently Lucien cursed. Every muscle stiffened and his jaw gritted. How often in childhood had he heard that sound? Inevitably it had been Henri, the family’s ultra-discreet major-domo, come to inform the King of some urgent interruption that would drag Uncle Joseph, groaning, away from his family and back to work.

Lucien knew he could trust implicitly in Henri’s discretion. He also knew that he’d never interrupt unless it was vital. He was incredibly protective of the royal family’s privacy. In some ways he was like a family member.

Lucien had hoped to carve out a few hours of privacy with Aurélie, but he’d been kidding himself. Today he’d dropped a grenade into the well-oiled machinery of government and international diplomacy and the consequences had been cataclysmic.

Soon, though. Soon he’d have Aurélie to himself. He vowed it.

The knock came again.

With a superhuman effort he turned and lowered Aurélie so she stood beside him. He wrapped his arm around her, holding her close when she wobbled. He pressed his lips to her hair, whispering words of reassurance.

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