Page 44 of Mistaken as His Royal Bride

‘Youthink?’

Maddi had her hands on her hips now. She reminded him of how she’d been that first evening she’d been here, when she’d thrown the phone out of the window. Magnificent and strong. Defiant.

He put his hands out. ‘Okay, I’m sorry. I definitely misread the situation. I just... I’m used to people wanting things from me.’

Maddi looked slightly less angry. She folded her arms across her chest, which only had the effect of pushing her breasts upwards. Ari valiantly kept his gaze up.

‘I guess I can understand that. You’re a wealthy man. A king. I know not everyone is...’

‘As pure as you?’ Ari supplied.

She looked at him and all the colour in her cheeks leached away, leaving her looking stricken.

He walked forward. ‘What is it? What did I say?’

She shook her head. ‘Nothing. I’m...fine. Look, I don’t want anything from you, Ari. All I want is for Princess Laia to get what she wants—which is not to become your wife.’

Ari ignored the bit about Princess Laia. He moved closer. ‘You’re lying, Maddi.’

She glared at him. She looked as if she wanted to stamp her foot.

‘What will it take to prove to you that I want nothing?’

Ari reached out and plucked the pin from her hair, making it tumble down around her shoulders, thick and wild. Understanding dawned in her eyes.

‘Okay, fine...there is something I want,’ she admitted grudgingly.

Every nerve in Ari’s body tingled at being so close to her but not touching her yet. ‘What’s that?’

She looked up at him and his control wavered dangerously. Did she have any idea how she was looking at him? With a provocative expression of hunger mixed with awe mixed with something else he couldn’t figure out.

She bit her lip for a second, and then she said in a rush, ‘I want to be touched by you. Kissed. Made love to.’

‘I want you, Maddi...more than I’ve ever wanted anyone else.’

She shook her head. ‘You don’t have to say that. I know what this is...you’ve made that very clear.’

But even if Ari had tried, he couldn’t have stopped the words spilling out. This woman made him utter things he’d never have dreamt of saying to anyone else before.

He reached out and trailed his fingers along her jaw. A delicate line. But strong. She quivered under his touch. He burned.

CHAPTER EIGHT

AMOMENTAGOMaddi had been so angry with this man and now... Now she was ready to dissolve in a pool of lust at his feet. If he hadn’t looked genuinely contrite for accusing her of being some sort of gold-digger she might not still be here. But she’d had the very real sense that whatever she’d said had triggered him into a response he’d given many times before.

With his other lovers.

Maddi pushed that toxic thought down. She was no different from them—she knew that. But right now she didn’t care, because she wanted him. Desperately. She wanted him to be her first lover.

When he’d joked that not everyone was as pure as her just now she’d nearly given herself away. Spectacularly. Would he know she was a virgin? Surely by now it wouldn’t be that obvious?

His hand dropped from her jaw and, without taking his eyes off her face, he undid his bow tie and drew it off, throwing it aside. He undid the top button of his shirt. She saw dark skin, a hint of hair.

She almost whimpered. But a sliver of doubt sneaked in like a cold breeze, dousing her feverish desire. More than a sliver. She wasn’t ready for a man like Aristedes. He had the wrong idea about her. He obviously thought she was experienced. A woman of the world. The kind of woman who would nonchalantly go to his room with him and be able to do things that would please him...

Because she would want to please him.

But how could she possibly please him?

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