Page 26 of Impossible Heir for the King

‘Actually, there was one small issue with that delivery.’

‘Oh?’

‘There was no underwear.’

The way his eyes widened she knew it had been an inadvertent mistake, not a deliberate strategy.‘What?’

‘It’s okay.’ She smiled blithely at his breathlessness. ‘I can use a bikini.’

He blinked.

‘But I didn’t tonight,’ she added.

His gaze tightened. ‘Are you telling me you’re wearing nothing underneath that flimsy dress?’

‘I figured you wouldn’t mind if you noticed. I assumed your lovers would be confident, sensual people but you seem to be blushing.’ But she was blushing more because he was looking at the dress as if he could tear it away with one movement. Which, to be fair, he probably could.

‘Maia.’ His bossy king voice emerged. ‘Don’t provoke me.’

She struggled to keep her gaze on him. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean I’ll prove the impact I have on you in the next second if you don’t stop trying to make me—’ He broke off and suddenly pushed back from the table to stand. ‘If you don’t want me to retaliate in kind, then I’d advise you to stop right now.’

Maia remained in place as he walked towards her. She wasn’t going to run away from him this time. But in truth, every muscle was locked so tight she couldn’t have moved even if she’d wanted to.

‘Or do youwantme to retaliate, Maia?’ he asked silkily. ‘Is that what this is? Because all you have to do is ask. But maybe you can’t quite bring yourself to do that yet. So maybe we change the communication. Maybe you just have to sayno, and I’ll stop. But maybe I’m not going to stop until you do.’

She stared up at him in shock as he cupped her jaw and his other hand lightly ran the length of her hair.

He leaned closer. ‘Just take, okay? I’ll give and you take.’

Wasthathow this was working? But he was right. It was a gift. Lush little kisses. So different to that passionate, out-of-control onslaught in the water this afternoon, but no less powerful. She melted into his strength and he suddenly bent her back, supporting her completely to then kiss her deeply. She moaned, feeling the passion run right through her. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted more. So much more that it terrified her.

‘Stop,’ she muttered desperately. ‘I need you to stop.’

He instantly did but even so she pushed him, straightening and turning swiftly away.

‘Maia.’ He grabbed her arm before she could escape. ‘Stop. Speak to me.’

‘And say what?’ Hurt bubbled up. ‘You proved you can make me want you in an instant. Can’t you be satisfied with that?’

‘That’s not—’ He drew a harsh breath and suddenly stepped back. ‘Go to bed, Maia,’ he said huskily. ‘Rest. You need it.’

As if that were ever going to happen now? Her body was wired. How had that become a conflagration of such heat and passion so quickly?

But he’d walked away so easily. He’d not tried to convince her to continue. Which was good, right?

No. It was irritating.

She went to her suite, glad of the open windows and whirring fans. She was too hot, too irritable, thinking too much to sleep. Besides, the bed was too big. Too still. She’d spent her life on the water, feeling the gentle swell of the sea. Sometimes the rough waves. Always in motion. She’d never once had an actual mattress. She felt stupid but it was too soft. And it made her think of things that weren’t going to bring any kind of peace to her over-imaginative mind. With a frustrated sigh she wrapped the silk robe more tightly around herself and went from her veranda to the hammock. She would cool down for a while in the light wind and listen to the waves.

It was an immediate comfort to lightly sway and stare up at the stars that were so familiar to her. She identified the constellations as a form of distraction, calming herself by remembering the generations of way-finders who’d traversed this ocean several times over—moving from island to island and finding freedom and prosperity.

She didn’t know how long she’d been out there but she heard footsteps approaching and lay still, hoping he wouldn’t see her. Of course she had no such luck.

‘It doesn’t matter how much you try to shrink yourself down, that robe is gleaming like a pearl in the moonlight.’ He expelled a frustrated puff as he leaned over to look her in the eyes. ‘What are youdoingout here?’

‘I’m not used to sleeping in a bed like that.’

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