Betrothed: To the People’s Prince

And she knew…

‘They woke you up,’ she said, stunned.

‘They were worried.’

‘I couldn’t get my dress off and they contacted you?’

‘It looked like…’

‘I don’t even want to think what it looked like,’ she managed. ‘Don’t you dare grin.’

‘I wouldn’t dare.’ But he was grinning.

‘Are you sleeping in the palace?’

‘For the time being.’

‘Where’s Christa?’

‘With my mother.’

She stared at him blankly. He gazed back, his laughter fading.

‘You really are worried about me,’ she whispered.

‘We really are, Princess.’

‘Don’t call me that.’ She was close to hysterics, she thought. She was close to…

‘Hey, it’s not all bad.’

‘Isn’t it?’

‘It’s not.’ His hands caught her shoulders and held. He was looking down at her, his dark eyes fathomless. ‘Thena…’

‘Don’t.’

‘Don’t what?’

‘I don’t know,’ she muttered, totally bewildered, backing away from his hold. ‘Just unfasten this slip, will you? I’m ready to rip it but the fashion house that lent it to me would have forty fits. Besides,’ she added honestly, ‘I tried and it wouldn’t. Why aren’t you wearing a sword?’

‘A sword?’

‘To slice the thing open.’

‘You want me to slice your underclothes off with a sword?’ he said cautiously. ‘I don’t know. It sounds a bit… cavalier…’

‘You’re laughing.’

‘I’m not laughing.’

‘Just get it off,’ she said, and then looked at his face and thought uh-oh. The royal command wouldn’t work here. This was Nikos and he always had been one for trouble.

‘Please,’ she said before he could make another wisecrack. ‘Can you unfasten it?’

‘A sword would be more fun. Will you wait until I find one?’

‘No! Just unlace me.’

‘Okay, Princess,’ he said and smiled again. ‘I could never resist a damsel in distress. Even without my sword I’ll rescue you. Come here.’

‘N…No.’

‘Sorry?’

But other sensations were surfacing here. Something about the night, the lateness. Something about how damned sexy he looked-laconic, strong and sure, dressed how she’d always known him, battered clothes, a bit unkempt. Gorgeous.

‘I…I think I’ve changed my mind,’ she stammered. ‘Can you call the housekeeper?’

‘You don’t think I can unlace you?’

‘I don’t know if I trust you.’

‘That’s a harsh thing to say.’

She bit her lip. But she was right. She’d thought she’d known this man as well as she’d known herself. One nine-year-old daughter had put paid to that trust.

But still. This was only lacing. She trusted him enough for lacing, she conceded.

‘Okay,’ she said begrudgingly and his smile broadened. It was a killer smile. It was a smile to melt a woman’s heart.

‘Good. But if we’re talking undressing here…Let’s make doubly sure we lose our audience.’

He flicked the light switch. The chandelier disappeared into darkness. The only light remaining was the fire’s soft glow in the grate. It hadn’t been tended for hours so it was now a bed of soft-glowing coals.

It was hard to see anything by. It was hard to see Nikos by.

But she knew what he looked like. He’d been her friend for ever. He’d been her lover as well, for just a short, sweet time, but that loving had been a natural and wonderful extension of their friendship.

She hadn’t forgotten any of it.

So here he was, her Nikos, in her darkened bedroom. Moving towards her with intent.

She should order him out. But it was as if this was meant, a part of who she was.

She looked up at him in the dim light, not backing away, knowing what was intended, knowing also that his intent matched hers. Knowing he knew it.

She stood, simply waiting. Simply wanting.

He took her in his arms-and he kissed her.

She froze, for a whole three seconds, while her mouth registered his touch, while her body registered his feel, while she realised what was happening and that she wanted it as much as he did.

She should push him away. If she was sensible…

But the sensible part of her was no longer connected to who she was.

For she was suddenly the Athena of ten years ago. Athena in Nikos’s arms. Half of the Thena and Nikos partnership, forged when they’d been eight years old, broken but now magically come back together.

It was as if two parts of a whole had finally rejoined, fusing, so the white noise disappeared, the voices muted that said this was crazy, dangerous, stupid…

This wasn’t stupid. This was Nikos. This was his body against hers, his mouth on hers, his hands holding her tight, tighter…Nikos, making the night disappear.

He was pulling her so close she felt she was sinking into him. Maybe part of her was, and it was sinking back where it belonged.

Crazy, crazy, crazy.

She didn’t care.

Her breasts were on fire where they were touching his body, and the fire was spreading. Heat was building, starting low, moving upward, flooding her body with fierce, hot want.

Nikos.

His tongue was in her mouth, exploring, searching and she felt herself stagger. It didn’t matter, for his big hands were holding her, cradling her against him, allowing no chance of her falling away from him.

She was his woman. His mouth said it. His hands said it.

Nikos, Nikos, Nikos.

She was surrendering to him. She wanted him so much. Nikos…

But then, cruelly, outside intruded. The radio at his belt crackled into life. ‘You okay, boss?’ It was a gruff request, full of concern.

He had to respond. She knew he did.

He pulled away with a muttered oath. ‘Dammit, I should have…You’re distracting me, woman.’

‘Is that my fault?’ she demanded, even managing to sound indignant, and he grinned. There were electric charges going off everywhere here, zinging around in the darkness like fireflies. She felt light and hot and wonderful.

She hated the voice on the radio.

‘It’s okay, Zak, just a wardrobe malfunction,’ he said into the radio and there was a moment’s static-filled silence.

Then…‘You want some help fixing it, boss?’

‘I believe we have the situation…in hand,’ Nikos said, and the look he gave her was pure need. The zinging started all over again, filling the room with wonder.