Page 35 of Impossible Heir for the King

‘Better?’ he asked.

She nodded quietly. Not wanting to break the magic of his hold on her with even a word.

Ten hours later Niko was all but climbing out of his skin waiting for her to wake. He’d peeked in on her three times in the last twenty minutes and she’d been a picture of serenity, her glorious tresses smothering the pillow, her curves peeping from the sheet he’d covered her with. He was pleased she was resting well. Her pulse had picked up after they’d finished last night. He’d known it was a sort of over-stimulated anxiety, he’d felt something similar and the only thing he’d thought to do was simply hang on to her, like a life raft, as the inner storm passed. And it had for them both as she’d finally, fully relaxed in his arms.

He poured his second coffee of the day and rolled his shoulders, easing the tension building in there. She’d stunned him, beautiful Maia, with her uninhibited enjoyment of his touch. He just wanted more. Now.

Finally she appeared, wrapped in a silk robe like a present, and shot him a shy smile. ‘I slept in.’

‘In a bed and everything, well done.’

She shook her head. ‘No need to mock.’

He grinned and got the glass of pineapple juice from the fridge that he’d poured in readiness over an hour ago. He watched her drink it and then edged a croissant towards her.

‘Thank you.’ Her eyes softened.

She was too easy to please.

Him? Not so much. ‘Need anything else?’ he asked huskily.

She stared up at him, her midnight gaze mysterious, assessing. After a moment she set the half-eaten croissant down.

‘Yes,’ she breathed. ‘You.’

He hoisted her onto the counter and was buried deep in seconds because she was hot and ready and her uninhibited sighs only encouraged him to go faster, harder. He growled, relishing her energy, and then picked her up and took her back to his bed where she belonged.

But hours later he sighed regretfully and disentangled his limbs from hers. ‘I need to do some work. It shouldn’t take long.’

‘Go right ahead,’ she said airily. ‘I don’t need you to entertain me.’

‘Really?’ he turned and mocked, tugging her close just because he could. ‘You don’t need me to help you pass the time in a pleasurable way?’

He didn’t like to be so summarily dismissed. But the hitch in her breathing gave her away.

It wasn’t until the late afternoon that he finally managed to attempt paperwork. She whittled in the shade and he couldn’t stop himself watching her. He made it through about ten minutes before tossing the papers to the side and taking her to the pool to lose himself again in their sensual tangle.

He couldn’t get enough of her innate playfulness and spirited tease. There was such a lack of deference in her eyes. He relished her frank enjoyment. That she was his match in this was shockingly unexpected. But then she’d not had it before, had she—pleasure. Not much at all of any kind. It was one thing he could give her. Again and again and again until they were finally through it for good. Then they’d be at peace and could parent this child in a simple, rational arrangement.

‘How long does it take to get to the top of the hill?’ she asked the next morning.

‘Too long for you today,’ he said. ‘We’d need to take supplies.’

‘But are there waterfalls?’

‘There are and you can explore them another time when you’re more...’

‘More what?’ She faced him. ‘I’m not weak. Niko. I get bad period pain. I thought I might struggle to get pregnant. Apparently that’s not the case. Yes, I have some bad moments. But most of the time I’m perfectly fine.’

‘You get faint,’ he pointed out.

‘Land legs,’ she said.

‘Not all the time.’

She stared at him for a second then sighed. ‘I get breathless around you. That’s what that is.’

Her confession did something funny to his heart and he tried to make light of it. ‘Honesty, Maia?’

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