Page 43 of Impossible Heir for the King

‘I wish we hadn’t left the island so soon.’ He groaned.

In this second so did she. Sexual attraction was a storm—it was like being picked up by gale force winds and carried away with no control, no ability to decide her direction...but she was so glad he seemed to want her equally intensely. ‘I’m sorry too.’

‘No—’

‘Your Highness?’ a voice called from beyond the curtain.

Niko released her and smiled. ‘Let’s go meet the stars.’

He introduced her as his friend. She smiled—knowing enough from the stewards on her father’s boat to carry her through. She voiced her appreciation politely but genuinely to each performer. The woman in the blue dress was there with the dignitaries. Still staring.

But Niko had them out of there in record time.

Back at the palace it was as if they’d entered some sci-fi film in which every other human had vanished off the face of the earth.

‘I’m astonished there isn’t a welcome party waiting for you.’ She gazed around the vast emptiness in amazement.

He chuckled. ‘I requested that they give us privacy upon our return.’

‘Everyone really stares at you all of the time, don’t they?’

‘Perk of the job.’

She shot him a laughing glance. ‘I’m not feeling sorry for you.’

‘I never imagined for a second that you were.’ He angled his head. ‘You enjoyed it tonight?’

‘Very much, actually. The concert, that is. Not so much the staring. Did you notice the woman in the blue dress? She didn’t stop staring your way the entire night.’

‘Blue dress?’ He frowned, then suddenly froze as recognition jolted into his eyes. ‘Oh.’

‘Oh?’ She paused, reading awkwardness in his expression.

But then he swallowed and lifted his head. ‘She’s the partner of the bass player of that international band. We knew each other a few years ago when I was visiting New Zealand.’

She understood immediately. ‘You were intimate?’

‘Briefly.’

The blue-dress beauty was a former lover and while she might be someone else’s partner now, she clearly still had eyes for Niko. Again, Maia didn’t blame her.

But the blue-dress beauty was a woman Niko hadchosen. Maia wasn’t. She was literally a vessel. The fertile recipient of a shocking error. Fate had twisted them together in some Machiavellian amusement for reasons unknown. And Maia was wholly unsuitable to be his bride. ‘You should have told me earlier.’

‘So you could avoid her?’

Maia flicked her hair. ‘So I could swap notes.’

A half smile creased his mouth. ‘Jealous?’

‘No,’ she lied.

‘To be honest I’d forgotten she might be there. To be completely honest I’d forgottenher.’

‘Is that supposed to make me think more of you?’

‘You’re the only woman I’ll marry.’

She still wasn’t sure about that at all. ‘If I do marry you, it will only be because of a mistake.’

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