Page 12 of His Impossible Heir

“Everyone has to sacrifice. People who don’t have a lot of money might struggle with financial issues, but they still have the freedom to walk down the street whenever the urge strikes them.”

“You don’t have that freedom?”

“Not a chance. But I have a private plane and servants. I can’t visit any country whenever I want, but I don’t have to clean toilets.” He shrugged dismissively. “It’s a balance. Everything has pros and cons.”

“Sounds like you’re a bit more adept at calculating the pros and cons of complex issues than I am, so I’ll have to take your word for it.”

“You don’t want to know how it works in reality?”

She tightened her grip on his shoulder as he spun her again. Laughing, she felt as if she were dancing on a cloud.

“You’re beautiful when you laugh, Amanda,” he murmured.

Something melted within her and she smiled up at him. “I have to admit, tonight was much more…amazing than I’d anticipated. I’m very impressed with what you do and how you think, Your Highness.”

He lowered his head and she would have sworn that he was about to nip at her earlobe. Instead, she heard him whisper, “I thought I told you to call me by my first name.”

She smiled, shivering slightly. “Yeah, well, that was before I realized what a very important person you are.”

“I’m no more important than the next guy.”

“I doubt that.”

He shrugged dismissively. “To some people, I’m not important at all.”

“I’m guessing that everyone would consider you to be a very important person.”

“I think that you are…now alone with me, in a dark place.” His voice dropped further. “What are you going to do about that, Ms. Thomas?”

She laughed, feeling surprisingly daring. Looking around, Amanda realized that he’d led her out onto the wide, stone patio. The night was dark, but the lights from the ballroom’s windows shimmered onto the stones. Further out, she could see the trees and darkness, but she felt…safe with him.

Amanda slipped out of his arms, walking over to the decorative balustrade. Feeling brave, she leaned back against the support, turning to gaze up into his dark eyes. “I’m going to pretend I’m Cinderella tonight. I’m going to flirt with the handsome prince and enjoy every moment of tonight before my carriage turns back into a pumpkin.”

He stepped closer, his tall, muscular body blocking out the lights from the ballroom. “Would this add to your enjoyment?” he offered, but before Amanda could define what “this” might be, he took her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

She didn’t even consider hesitating. She went up on her toes, returning his kiss with interest. This man was…extraordinary! He made her feel special. And she knew that dozens, maybe hundreds, of other women had probably experienced this bliss in his arms, but she didn’t care. Not tonight! Tonight was…magical and all hers!

Daniesh pulled Amanda closer, her soft curves pressing against him and her even softer lips opening for him. He’d meant to give her just a small kiss, something to put a smile to her face. But she was so damn lovely and that dreamy, amazing smile urged him on.

For a brief moment, his gut warned him that kissing Amanda would be a bad thing. She was too beautiful, too soft, lovely, and innocent in the ways of his world. Plus, she was dangerous to him. To his self-control, which had already been tested tonight. Hell, his self-control had vanished the moment he’d seen her step out of the coat, revealing that stunning green dress.

His cynical nature had been silenced. When she’d smiled up at him with that starry-eyed happiness shining in those stunning eyes, he’d been unable to hold back. Touching her had become just as necessary as breathing. He’d known that his body language had been possessive all night, and he didn’t care.

Kissing her, feeling her body shift against his, blurred his common sense. In the back of his mind, Daniesh knew that Amanda wasn’t the kind who would appreciate a brief, meaningless fling. And Daniesh also knew that any sort of intimacy with her wouldn’t be brief, let alone meaningless. And because of his limitations, he should step away from Amanda. He should walk away and let her find someone who could give her the children and family that she deserved.

But the thought of her going to another man goaded him further. She opened her mouth to him and those soft, delicate fingers caressed the back of his neck. He wanted to roar with need and triumph. Instead, he literally lifted her up and carried her deeper into the shadows.

His hands skimmed over her back and waist, but the damn dress had some serious infrastructure. If he were thinking more clearly, he would have known that a strapless dress would need a great deal of strength in order to support Amanda’s magnificent breasts. However, as her lips moved against his and he felt her sweet tongue dancing with his own, he couldn’t think. Daniesh was in reaction mode now.

She moaned and the sound spurred his need higher. Pressing her back against the wall, he angled her head slightly, wanting to deepen the kiss, to devour her whole!

Sanity was a tricky thing to focus on when Amanda was in his arms, but a tiny bit of control returned when he heard voices. They weren’t close, but the fact that he and Amanda weren’t completely alone reminded him that being caught with a woman in his arms would be a bad thing.

Plus, Amanda deserved better! She deserved someone who could fulfill her dreams. He couldn’t be that man!

Reluctantly, Daniesh pulled away, but he couldn’t stop touching her. For a long, wonderful moment, he watched as she collected herself and licked her lips, almost as if she was savoring the taste of him. It took every ounce of self-control he had left to keep from kissing her again.

Then Daniesh felt her soft, sweet sigh and he groaned. The sound must have startled her because her eyes popped open. She stared up at him with shock and something he couldn’t quite define.

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