Page 9 of Impossible Heir for the King

She was stunned he was thinking of the child’s well-being so efficiently already. But as she stared, she absorbed his calmness and slowly that half smile compelled her. Suppressing her embarrassment she put her hand in his. She knew to him it meant nothing. He was used to touch. Butshewasn’t and it took everything in her not to shiver when he carefully clasped her hand.

He rubbed the ointment onto her wrist with soft strokes. Maia stared at his long fingers as he rhythmically soothed the grazed skin and she tensed, desperate not to tremble in response. He was more gentle than she’d ever have expected and the sensations stirring within her were too intimate.

‘I’m sorry you were hurt,’ he said huskily after a few moments. ‘It was the last thing I wanted to happen.’

‘That was my best knife,’ she muttered awkwardly. ‘But I can get it when I go back.’

He glanced up briefly before focusing on her wrist again. The starkness of this situation became clear.

Was sheevergoing to go back? Her lungs tightened. No more staying below deck on her feet for hours, making snacks for gambling guests. But she would be stuckhereinstead. With this man. As his bride.

His touch suddenly sizzled and she swiftly pulled her hand free.

He sat still, silent, apparently all understanding and patience.

Shehad to do better. Thinking quickly, she quelled the tremble in her hands enough to lift the uncapped tube he’d placed beside her on the sofa and took a dab of ointment. Then she held her hand out for his.

She heard him catch his breath but she didn’t lift her gaze to meet his eyes. She had no hope of compelling him with a look the way he had her. If she looked at him she would lose courage and she needed to show her equality to him in this. Here and now at least.

His hesitation was momentary before he put his hand in hers. It was so much bigger and she rested it in her lap. She lightly stroked the fleshy base of his thumb, smearing the fresh-smelling ointment over the part where her teeth had left a faint mark.

‘I meant to hurt you,’ she admitted softly.

‘I know,’ he said. ‘I don’t blame you. I would have done the same.’

She stared at the strong hand that dwarfed both of hers, seeing the smooth copper tone of his skin, the neatly trimmed nails. It was beautiful hand—like the rest of him. And it was heavy. It held such power.

‘I understand why you did what you did.’ She finally glanced up and braved those brown eyes that saw so much. ‘Still think you could have just called ahead.’

‘Would that really have been wise?’

She couldn’t stand the hint of sympathy in his expression. He thought he knew things about her. But he knew nothing.

His hand was warm on her lap. But this tenderness wasn’t real and the instinct to reject its blossoming facade burned. But before she could say anything more he lifted his fingers and touched her lower lip ever so gently, tripling the sense of intimacy.

‘I’m sorry about this too,’ he muttered.

Her lips throbbed at his touch and sent a searing shot of desire all the way to her belly. But she kept looking into his eyes. ‘You silenced me.’

‘Yes.’ His hand dropped. ‘I had no choice.’

No choice but to take awayherchoices. And he was going to do it again, wasn’t he? Sorry or not, he was still going to do it.

‘There are always choices,’ she argued. ‘Can’t you just make a proclamation of some kind? To make the baby your heir without us having to... You’re theking.’

Didn’t he have all the power?

‘And not even a king can change some things,’ he said. ‘There can be no question of my child’s validity. Their rights. What’s happened is not this baby’s fault and they’ll not suffer anything adverse because of it. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect them from any possible harm.’

Would he protect them even from their own mother if he considered her to be a threat? Maia felt his conviction and understood. She could be within his circle. Or she could be on the outside. That was the only ‘choice’ that was hers. He held all the cards. The child would be born here and be the new heir to Piri-nu.

But Maia had protective instincts of her own. This was a child she’d not been sure she’d ever be able to have. So she too would do whatever was required to protect her or him from any possible harm.

Being separated from a mother caused harm.

Having one’s life completely controlled caused harm.

So she needed to buy time to think everything through. To make her own plans.

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