The Rebel King

would have taken you for a coward.'

She stood where she was, studying him. the challenge ringing in her head. She was far from a coward, and confident enough of that fact not to feel a need to prove it. So why the quickening pulse and heightened senses, the thrum of excitement pounding deep in her belly and shivering across her skin? This is crazy. Definitely against the rules. Possibly even dangerous.

Why? Because she'd always loved risk. And hated rules.

Hands thrust deep in the pockets of the borrowed robe, she resumed her unhurried stroll toward the bed and its infuriating and intriguing occupant and stopped an arm's length from both. 'Okay, let's have it. The hint.'

He shook his head, eyelids half-closed. Sleepy tiger… 'Sorry, that still won't do. I'm afraid. In fact, you're going to have to come quite a lot closer.' He patted the blanket again.

'Oh, you can't be serious.' Rhia said. 'You can't actually think I'm going to get into bed with you.'

'Not into bed, darling-appealing as the idea may be. Just on will do. On me, actually. On top of the covers, of course- I did promise not to ravish you.'

'No, you didn't.'

'Didn't I? Oh, well, all right then. I do now. No ravishing- cross my heart.' He drew an X over one firm and dusky pec, then said drily. 'Anyway, I like to think if I were of a mind to ravish someone. I could manage to do so without resorting to such an idiotic plot.'

'Being ravished,' Rhia said darkly, 'is hardly my greatest fear, at the moment.'

'Really? How refreshing. What is, then?'

'Being made a fool of. I don't like being mocked, Donovan.'

His eyes and smile softened instantly. 'Oh.,my dear, that's the last thing I'd want to do to you, believe me. No-you wanted to know where we've met before, and I said I'd give you a hint. I'm about to do so, if you'll allow me, but you're going to have to trust me.'

'Trust you?' Rhia said that with a shivery little laugh. But she sat down on the edge of the bed-rather abruptly due to the fact that her legs were suddenly feeling uncommonly weak. Grumpy because of that, she muttered. 'Oh, why don't you just tell me? Save all this trouble.'

Nikolas chuckled. 'I could. I suppose, but this is so much more enjoyable. Now-if you could bring yourself to stretch out here…'

In spite of that weakness in her knees and a giddy, fluttery sensation in her stomach. Rhia had to admit she was enjoying herself, too. She didn't like to imagine what her handlers at the Lazlo Group would make of all this, but the truth was, she always had been allowed a considerable amount of latitude when it came to choosing her methods of operation. So long as those methods resulted in a successful mission, that is. If playing the lighthearted seduction game with Nikolas Donovan was what it took to get him back to Silvershire and into the arms of his royal biological father, then she was willing to make the sacrifice.

The odd thing was, she did trust him. Probably more than she trusted herself.

'On top of you, you said?' She turned, arranging herself first beside the long blanket-covered mound that was Nik's body, trying not to think about the part of that body that wasn't covered, the part that was giving off the intoxicating scent and sultry warmth of a clean, healthy man in waves that made her head swim. Catching and holding a breath, she eased her body carefully over and onto the mound. She lifted her head and looked down into those dusky gray eyes, and it was like looking into a very deep well. Fighting an unaccustomed wave of vertigo, she unstuck her tongue from the roof of her mouth and mumbled in a shivery voice. 'Like this?'

'Hmm…perfect. Lovely.' His voice vibrated against her chest. 'Now, then…are the bells ringing?'

Rhia uncrossed her eyes and shook her head. 'No…'

His sigh lifted her gently, and she felt an urge to grab hold of something and hold on. Something…like him.

'Then I'm afraid you're going to have to kiss me.'

Her head rocked back, clearing instantly. She let go a gust of breath. 'Kiss you! What are you trying-'

Nikolas lifted his head from the pillows and held his arms out wide. 'Look-I promised, crossed my heart. No ravishing, see? Arms way out here. I won't even-'

'Oh, just shut up.' Rhia said recklessly. She ducked her head and kissed him hard on the mouth. After a moment-a very brief moment-she raised her head and glared at him. 'Well? I still don't hear any bells.'

He gave a soft, dry snort. 'Yes, well, small wonder, with a peck like that. Try it again, luv, and this time put some… hmm, how shall I put it?…some sex into it.'

She closed her eyes; her heart thumped heavily against the place where her chest met his. 'Oh, God-please don't tell me we had a one-night stand. That's impossible. I know I'd have remembered-'

'As someone recently said, do shut up.' He lifted his head and his mouth found hers even before she knew she was bringing it down to his once more.

She had no idea how long it was before she raised her head again; she lost all sense of time. She lost all sense of space, too. She felt the world whirl around her; she was floating, weightless. She needed desperately to hold onto something, or better yet, to have something-strong, masculine arms- holding her. Electricity skated along her nerves; her hands clenched, fisted in the blanket, gathering it in greedy handfuls. Her heart rocked her body with each beat, like hammer blows.

Desperate for breath, she pulled away, finally, and found that her eyes now refused to focus. In a drunken voice she managed to mutter, 'What the hell was that?'

Nikolas's smile swam into her blurred line of vision, and his breath was soft on her lips as he whispered. 'Serendipity.'

She opened her mouth and a gasp burst from her throat, but that was all she had time for as his arms came around her and, with one deft and powerful twist of his body, he rolled her under him. Stunned, she looked up at the face suspended above her, the face filling up all her world with its chiseled jaw and patrician nose, its dark brow and brooding eyes, its beautifully sculpted mouth. That face. That mouth…

Memories flickered like lightning flashes; a clap of thunder shuddered through her. She whispered. 'Oh, my God, was that you?'

She'd never forgotten him, the man who'd saved her career that night. Possibly her life. She remembered every detail of the encounter, from the moment she'd vaulted over that balcony wall, not knowing what she'd find on the other side, knowing only it was bound to be better than staying where she was. The legitimate occupant of the room she'd been searching was known to be a dangerous man- and was evidently unpredictable, too. She hadn't expected him back for another fifteen minutes, at least.

When she heard the key card slick in and out of its slot, she hurled herself through the sliding door and onto the balcony, knowing it was only a temporary refuge. Even a blind man or a complete idiot would be able to tell in seconds the room had been searched- and Clive Harrington was no fool. A wife-beater, a child-stealer, a cheat, a liar and a mean-as-a-snake SOB, for sure, but not stupid. The balcony was the first place he'd look.

Rhia figured she had three choices: She could go up, down, or sideways. Since the balcony was fifteen floors up and she lacked both wings and climbing gear, that left only one choice, and she took it without hesitation. In roughly two seconds time she was pulling herself over the six-foot wall between her assignment 's balcony and the one next door and dropping down on the other side…

… Right on top of the unfortunate and unsuspecting person enjoying the view of the lights of Paris and the cool night air.

She didn't know what made her do it. She remembered looking down into his face- the face of a man, a young man…and handsome. More than handsome, if she'd had time to think about it. But…she remembered hearing the muffled cry of fury from the room next door, and realizing she had only seconds in which to save herself. And then she was kissing the strange man lying half-stunned beneath her, kissing him as if she'd done it…oh, many times before.

She remembered hearing Harrington's voice asking about her, then apologizing for the interruption, and feeling exhilarated…smug…clever. Somehow she'd done it-pulled it off. She was free