Page 97 of Duke, Actually

“Oh my god, Max,” she said again. “Oh!” He let one of the hands that was on her waist slide around and down, and he burrowed his thumb between her folds.

Her eyes went even wider, and she looked for a moment as if she, too, was having trouble holding back tears. But it must have been a trick of the sunlight, because suddenly she smiled, although to say “she smiled” did not begin to capture what was happening on her face as she grinned in what looked like a mixture of disbelief and joy. As she started coming, she started laughing. He went back to gripping her waist with both hands—tighter this time—said, “Hold on,” and allowed himself to buck his hips up, big, almost violent pumps that had her gasping through her continuing laughter and what looked like her continuing orgasm. One, two, three, and with a groan, he was joining her.

Afterward, they stared at each other. He was stunned. Dazed. But when she started to pull away, he snapped out of it and held onto the condom so she could peel herself away.

She flopped down on him, panting, and he was as stupidly pleased as a child being passed a note by a girl he had a crush on. Last time, at the palace, she’d lain down next to him but nottouching him. This time, she was draped over him as if this was a thing they did.

Well. That had been fucking glorious. He threaded his fingers through her still-damp hair and said, “We should have started doing this a long time ago.”

“No we shouldn’t have. This is perfect.”

“You mean you wouldn’t have been ready before?” Maybe she trulyhadbeen hung up on the fact that she’d still been legally married.

He regretted the question because it made her pull away. She laid on her back next to him, staring at the ceiling. “It’s more that being here feels like being on holiday from real life, you know?”

He wasn’t sure he liked that idea.

“But even though I don’t think we should have done this any sooner than we did, Idothink we should figure out when we can do it again.” She turned her head and blinded him with a smile.

He glanced at the clock on the nightstand over her shoulder. “I don’t see a way out of dinner with Leo and Marie. We can’t avoid them any more than we already have.”

“Yeah, I know. And really, I don’t want to.”

“Speak for yourself.”

“Well, they’re leaving in the morning.”

“Mmm. I’m counting the hours. We’ll see them off, and then you’reminefor four solid days.” Something flared in her eyes. She liked that notion. “We can lose the second room.” And there went the heat in her gaze. Shedidn’tlike that notion. “Or not.”

“I like to have my own space.”

“Of course.” He should have remembered her list. She didn’twant to feel like she was giving up things for a relationship. Not that this was a relationship. Unfortunately.

“I can pay for it, though.”

“No, no.” Somehow, he had talked her into this whole trip being his treat. After the private jet, it had been easier to convince her to accept gifts, but just because he would love nothing more than to spend the next four days in a room with her didn’t mean he should presume she felt the same. He would need to distract her, though, or the argument about who was paying for the room would ramp up.

He pounced on her and started kissing her neck. “How do you feel about doing it in restaurant bathrooms?”

“I am against it.”

“Really?”

“Yes! Gross!”

He performed a theatrical sigh. “Well, I shall simply have to hold out, then.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

The next day flew by in a haze of sightseeing and sex. After they got up and saw the royal couple off, they went right back to bed and stayed there for a good long time, followed by an afternoon spent exploring the city. They climbed the tower they’d skipped before, poked around in shops lining the pretty cobblestoned streets, and ate and drank until Dani was full to bursting. After a nap, they ordered an array of munchies from room service for dinner and dined outside on Max’s balcony, watching the sun set.

And now they were rolling around making out like teenagers on Max’s bed.

Damn, Max could kiss. Kissing Max made Dani realize how much she loved kissing for its own sake. They kissed for what felt like an hour, gradually losing their clothing but in unspoken agreement that they were in no hurry to move things along.

Dani wasn’t sure when she’d had so much fun. Well, that wasn’t true. She’d had this much fun in Riems, before Max’s parents got home.

Okay, no. This was more fun. Because of the sex. With Max.

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