Page 15 of Impossible Heir for the King

His jaw tensed. Why succeeding in angering him gave her small satisfaction she didn’t know. She’d never been this shrewish before. But then she’d never been impossibly pregnant and kidnapped by a king before either.

All Niko wanted was to do the right thing but it seemed no matter what he did or how he framed it, she found fault and flared up. And in turn, well, he was rapidly heading towards nuclear. Both the failure to soothe her and his response was unusual. He’d seen Pax’s report so he hadn’t been going into this situation completely blind and yet he’d still managed to blow it. Since when was he so lacking in charm? He convinced people to do his bidding all the damned time without having to actually order them.

Maia Flynn had lived all her life on a vessel that could sink at any time. Like some low-level casino cruise, they voyaged around the Pacific, taking passengers into international waters for illegal high-stakes gambling. Her father had been investigated several times but never charged. Certainly never convicted. Maia worked in the galley not just full-time, but literally every hour she was awake.

Didn’t she realise she never had to work again if she didn’t want to? That she would have all the riches of the world—that she could live a refined, relaxed life in the palace? Wasn’t that better than what she’d endured all her life so far?

So why had the thought of staying with him been so repellent that she’d felt forced to run away first thing this morning?

He’d never intended to throw the fact of her virginity in her face. He’d not even been going to bring it up. It was too personal. But inexplicably he’d gotten so mad at the mere sight of her, he’d snapped. There was no denying the veracity of the doctor’s finding—her immediate expression had confirmed it all. But he wasn’t about to tell her the other things the doctor had told him at the time. That he was ‘fine to sleep with her’—just to ‘be gentle and take it slow.’ Niko had furiously changed the topic. He did not need guidance on bedroom performance from a doctor. Besides which it was irrelevant because he was never going to be intimate with Maia Flynn. He would install her on his private holiday island with his most loyal servant in safety and she would want for nothing. Ever. He would make it so damn heavenly she’d never want to leave.

His long-dormant protective instincts had surged. He’d not realised they were so strong. This wasn’t only about the baby, this was about her. She had medical issues that hadn’t been diagnosed properly, and she’d not had the care she should have had. All that was going to change. Rest. No stress. Nutritious food. These things he could supply. He could make life more than good for her. This wouldn’t be anything like what had happened to his aunt. He could do a better job than his grandfather ever had. And he would damn well do a better job of looking after her than he had looked after his mother.

So seducing Maia wasn’t on that list. But awareness crackled and a wicked whisper constantly suggested he get closer. She was the one woman he shouldn’t touch. But for some unknown reason she was the one he wanted more than his next breath. It was such a cliché to want something simply because it wasn’t allowed. That’s all this was, right? The temptation of forbidden fruit.

Well, he would resist and dismiss that temptation. He would keep his distance and encourage her to accept what was going to happen. They would have a marriage of convenience, not intimacy, and she could have all the freedom she wanted out here. She would be alone while their names were still joined. But beyond that—

‘We need to press on,’ he said abruptly. ‘We have quite a way to go.’

As he put the boat into full power he saw a sparkle illuminate her midnight eyes. She clearly loved the water despite the lack of freedom on her father’s boat. Being out here in the sunlight, chasing the light winds, moving towards his favourite island, he too felt his mood and energy lift. So he stayed silent, unwilling to debate pointlessly with her about a future that was already settled.

As the sun rose higher she moved around the boat, first tidying the ropes into neater coils, then polishing with a soft cloth she’d found somewhere. As if she couldn’t rest. As if she didn’t know she didn’t have to work anymore.

‘You work on deck on your father’s boat?’ he couldn’t resist asking.

‘Only sometimes, when we don’t have guests. I’m not the best but I know the basics.’

‘And of course you have your sea-legs.’ He gave in to the temptation to tease. Just a little.

It was a mistake. She shot him a look and despite the distance between them on deck the atmosphere thickened and he felt her challenge as if it were an actual arm wrestle. In seconds he was so close to snatching her into his arms again. When she finally turned away he gritted his teeth and summoned every ounce of restraint he could.

Three hours later Maia stood at the stern keenly seeking more glimpses of the large wooden mansion through the lush palm trees. The sand was pale gold and powdery and in the blue depths below them she could see beautiful coral, colourful fish and her favourites, the turtles.

Her heart pounded as she realised a terrifying—tantalising—truth. ‘This is your private island.’

It was small and isolated. They would be alone and there would be no escape fromhim. And already there’d been that moment when he’d simply looked at her and she’d all but combusted on the spot. A wild feeling swept over her. She needed to get away not just from him but the dangerous direction of her own thoughts—the feeling that she would so easily succumb to the attraction that was so stupid. So inevitable.

‘Yes,’ he said.

She was glad he’d not berated her more and simply pushed on in silence. He’d surprised her with his boating skills. He knew what he was doing, where he was going. But of course this was literally his world. He’d radioed a couple of times and she’d no doubt they were being tracked. She’d grown hotter and hotter not from the sun but the more time she spent in his company.

‘I often swim from here,’ he added. ‘But I’ll get the inflatable for—’

‘I can swim,’ she snapped. ‘I’ll see you there.’

Before he could answer—or move—she stretched her arms wide and dived straight in. When she surfaced she heard a long string of cursing from the boat behind her but the instant hit of happiness at being in the ocean was too strong to be squished and she simply laughed. The journey had wrought a tension within that she could no longer stand. She adored the water. She was strong in it. Andfree. Now she swam like it was a race for gold—anticipation making adrenalin surge again. She was almost at the shore when she felt a tug on her leg. She recognised the firm grip. She’d been expecting it. Frankly she was pleased it had taken him as long as it had to catch her. She kicked out and put her feet down. This near to the beach the water was just above waist deep on her but on him—

She stared as he surfaced right beside her. He was bare-chested. He was also furious. But as that wasn’t uncommon it was the bare-chested bit that floored her.

‘There are rocks you could have hit when you dived in,’ he shouted. ‘Whymust you always challenge me, Maia?’

She was too busy absorbing the fact that he’d taken the time to strip to his briefs and still caught up to her to answer immediately. Then she was unable to do anything but stare at the swathes of smooth, copper-toned skin and the sharply defined muscles. She gazed at the stunning circular tattoo across his shoulder while another slid down his ribs to the side of his heart.

‘I don’t know,’ she breathed. But she felt more alive than she had in days, months, hell—years. Restless energy fired through her so powerfully that she was desperate to release it.

‘Don’t you?’

The water lapped and the smallest of waves impacted on her like a tsunami. She stumbled and fell against him.

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