Page 59 of Mistaken as His Royal Bride

He led her into the bathroom and reached inside the shower, turning it on. He stepped in, pulling Maddi with him. They were drenched in seconds and surrounded in steam.

Feeling bold, Maddi pressed close and reached up. Twining her arms around Ari’s neck and kissing him. Finding his tongue and biting it. His hands rested on her hips, and then he let one drift down between her legs, sliding his fingers between her thighs and making a sound deep in his throat when he could feel for himself how ready she was.

Maddi was trembling now. She dislodged Ari’s hand, because he was going to push her over the edge before she was ready and he did that so easily. She desperately needed to feel some sense of control, and she knew it wasn’t just about this moment.

She pressed kisses along his neck and then down further, to his chest...his nipples, biting gently and then soothing him with her tongue, making him clasp her head and pull it back.

‘What are you doing?’

She shook her head and continued to kiss her way down his body until she knelt at his feet. A supplicant. But powerful. She took his erection in her hand and heard his indrawn breath.

‘Maddi...you don’t have to—’

She put her mouth around him, cutting off his words. He tensed. She explored him, tasting every inch of his quivering flesh. She hadn’t even realised that he’d turned off the shower. That his hands were curled into fists at his sides to stop himself from stopping her.

It was completely instinctive. This need to pleasure him in a way that would make him crazy. She looked up and almost stopped when she saw the feral look on his face.

When he spoke he was hoarse. ‘Maddi, if you don’t stop—’

She didn’t stop. She kept going until his whole body went still and, with a curse, he lost all control and his hips jerked with his orgasm.

Maddi stood up and Ari opened his eyes. He looked dazed. He was almost slumped back against the glass wall.

‘Who are you...?’ he said, almost to himself.

He reached out and pushed some of her hair back over her shoulder. For a crazy moment Maddi felt like Delilah with Samson, but Ari’s strength soon returned. He stood up and turned the water back on. He turned Maddi so she was facing the glass. Their reflections looked back at her.

‘Put up your hands.’

She did so, her whole body tingling with anticipation. First, Ari soaped her whole body, with particular attention to between her legs. Maddi was squirming, but Ari held her hips fast. He stepped up behind her. She could feel his total recovery and wanted to curse his virility. Of course he wasn’t going to let her have her moment of control.

He cupped her breasts and trapped her nipples between his fingers. She spread her fingers wide on the glass, back arching, pressing into him. She could feel him taking himself in his hand and pressing the head of his erection against her slick body, sliding between her legs.

‘Bend down a little,’ he instructed.

Maddi did, and Ari thrust into her in one smooth, cataclysmic movement. He bent over her and squeezed her breasts as he moved in and out. Water and steam enveloped them. Maddi was half crazed, pushing back against Ari, silently begging formore...harder.

It was fast and furious. Maddi’s body clenched tight and then exploded into an ocean of pleasure. Ari extricated himself from Maddi’s embrace and she let out a little sound as her sensitised muscles released him. She was barely aware of him taking his own release safely, under the powerful spray of water. Once again showing that he had more presence of mind than she did.

Ari bundled her into a towel and dried her. Then he carried her to the bed and she passed out in a haze of lingering pleasure and satisfaction.

She woke at some point later to find herself cocooned in Ari’s embrace, her bottom snugly against his growing erection and his hand on her breast.

She moved against him and silently, only stopping for him to put on protection, they made love again as furiously as before...as if they were being driven by all the silent voices around them whispering that this couldn’t possibly last...

CHAPTER ELEVEN

MADDIWOKEFEELINGDISORIENTATED. The bed was empty, but only the faintest trails of dawn lightened the sky outside. She lay there for a moment, orientating herself. There had been an edge to their lovemaking last night. An edge that hadn’t been there before... As if they’d both been aware that time was running out and...

Maddi didn’t even want to think about it.

But you have to. This is getting ridiculous. Unsupportable.

She sat up, pulling the sheet around her. A chill breeze skated over her skin even though there was no window or door open. She got out of the bed and pulled on a robe, went looking for Ari.

Had she heard a phone ringing a while ago? Had she heard Ari’s voice, low and deep? Was that what had woken her? Maybe she’d been dreaming.

He was in his informal living room, standing watching a news channel.

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