Page 51 of Pregnant With His Majesty's Heir

‘Yes to marriage, Aurélie.’

She stilled. He heard her sigh. He was tempted to use his hands and mouth to tease her into submission but this was important. Instead he waited, willing her to see sense.

‘I...’

‘Yes?’ He couldn’t help himself; he planted his hand at her waist, his fingers spanning her ribcage, sliding along smooth, warm skin.

‘It would be disastrous. A huge scandal.’

‘I didn’t take you for a coward, Aurélie. I don’t care about scandal. I care about you and the baby. About us.’

He waited, throat dry and pulse too fast.

Then she sighed. ‘On one condition.’

Even now she didn’t make this simple. How easy he’d had it with previous lovers, who’d agreed with whatever he wanted. But that was one of the things that set Aurélie apart. She was her own woman. He liked that. Most of the time.

‘Name it.’

‘We don’t announce it yet. I need time to prepare.’

‘Agreed.’ He knew, better than most, how taxing the transition to royalty could be. For Aurélie, brought up in another country, not knowing Vallort or him very well, it was much more difficult. She was right, the fallout when the press discovered he was marrying his pregnant lover—

‘Then yes.’

She didn’t sound like a woman who’d agreed to the deal of a lifetime. Wealth, status, hot sex, a stable home for their child...

Lucien leaned over her shoulder, turning her face up with his fingers. Their eyes met and emotion smacked him low in the belly. Aurélie didn’t look feisty or argumentative. She looked lost, those big eyes anxious in her pale face.

Tenderness welled up within him. A need to reassure. He wanted to tell her he’d stand by her through whatever came, but didn’t want to dwell on anything that would increase her doubts. For she was right, there were tough times ahead.

‘Thank you, Aurélie. You honour me.’

Her crooked smile carved a trench through his gut. She still had doubts and he hated seeing her worried.

‘Then distract me from what I’ve agreed to. Make love to me, Lucien.’

As if he needed urging.

He made to pull away and settle above her, but she shook her head. ‘Like this.’

Lucien pressed his mouth to her shoulder. ‘Any way you want, Aurélie.’

‘Is that a promise?’ Laughter lurked in her eyes. And was that excitement? The sombre mood dissipated as abruptly as it had descended.

‘Count on it.’ Slowly, he settled against her back, thigh between her legs, parting them. He nudged the slick folds waiting for him. Thinking about it blasted his willpower to smithereens. Especially as, before he could do it himself, her slim hand was there, guiding him, and he had to bite back a growl of warning.

Was it the feel of their almost joined bodies that threatened to send him over the edge? Or the new understanding they shared? Even simply watching the erotic excitement flush Aurélie’s skin made this special.

Whatever the reason, taking this slow was going to be more difficult than ever. They’d barely started but Lucien knew this for the best sex of his life. So far.

Slowly, every muscle straining at the effort at control, he pushed up into honeyed heat.

Aurélie’s eyelashes fluttered and her mouth opened on a sigh of satisfaction that spurred him on. Inching forward, drawing out the sensations, Lucien felt the enormity of the moment. Joining himself with the woman who’d be his mate for life.

‘More.’ She licked her lips and he pushed the rest of the way in a hard, uncontrolled thrust, stars exploding across his vision.

Lucien shut his eyes, searching for restraint. Maybe if he focused on the new laws waiting for his consent... Or the intricacies of the new trade deal.

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