Page 73 of Reluctantly Rogue

She smiles. “We should do that, right? Since this is all so wrong between us?”

She says ‘so wrong’ with just a touch of sarcasm and I find myself stepping forward. “It is wrong.”

“Well, wrong isn’t really accurate. It’s complicated, sure. But we’re not breaking any moral rules. Or any laws. Nothing like that.”

This isnotgood. I need her on my side here. I need her to be in agreement that us not being involved beyond friends is the right thing to do.

Because I’m not sure I’m strong enough to do this alone.

“The king would never let me have you.”

Her eyes widen. And there’s heat there. She runs her tongue over her bottom lip. “The king isn’t here.”

“You’re asking me to have a fling with you while we’re here?” I ask her bluntly. “Where the king won’t know?”

“Well, I thought?—”

“No.”

“Jonah—”

“No,” I say more firmly. I take another step closer and now anyone walking by will know that we are not just casual acquaintances. “Because I won’t want to give you up.”

“Oh.” She says it softly. Almost as if she’s touched by it.

And I have to know… “What are you thinking right now?”

“How nice it is to be wanted.”

My chest tightens suddenly and almost painfully. I wasn’t expecting that. “You…” I have to clear my throat. “You have to know you are.”

“I feel…appreciated,” she says. “Often. I feel needed, too. The king, other members of his advisory groups, citizens, my family, all make me feel important. It’s not that. But wanted, like this, the way you make me feel, is very new. Very unique.”

Well, fuck.

I want this for her. I want her to feel wanted. Beyond her job and the things she’s given up and is willing to give up for other people, the things she’s capable of doing, I want her to feel wanted just as she is.

I lift my hand, cup her face, and lean in.

Our lips meet and I take the moment to kiss her. Sweetly. At least as sweetly as I’m capable of kissing this woman when even her smile across a room can set me on fire. I slide my hand down her side and over her hip, finally feeling the silk of this damned dress, warmed by her body underneath.

I give her hip a squeeze and lift my head. “You were supposed to turn, so I only kissed your cheek.”

“I forgot,” she says softly, her breath warm against my lips.

“No, you didn’t.”

“No, I didn’t. I didn’t want to turn away from you.”

My heart squeezes. I press my lips quickly to hers again, unable to resist, then I step back. “You have to go back to your table.”

She nods. “To talk about Canada and the energy project.”

And I feel myself nodding. Because I don’t give a fuck if the rest of her conversation with James Hill is about business. She’s not falling for him.

And I’m far too happy about that.

Chapter15

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