Page 43 of Royal Darling
“Was it?”
“He didn’t say as much, but then he kissed me.” My fingers go to my lips, remembering my first kiss, the gentleness of it, the hesitation, the long gaze of question, the sure answer. “And I kissed him back. He pulled away, apologized, and said it would never happen again.”
“But it did.”
“Yes. The attraction was impossible to ignore. It became our secret.” I play with a lock of my hair. “He did love me. We were together that whole school year, but when it was time to return to Villroy for the summer, he said goodbye. He quit his job and went back to France. He said he couldn’t guard me properly when his heart was involved, and he knew we had no future. I was engaged to a future sultan, and he was a commoner.”
“If you loved him, why didn’t you break it off with your fiancé and go after him?”
I smooth a wrinkle out of my dress, considering how to answer. I don’t want to sound coldhearted. Sometimes I wonder if I let Adam go too easily. I go with the hard truth. “Because I knew Adam was right. We had no future. I believed I needed to follow the path prescribed for me by long tradition, marry for the benefit of the kingdom. Adam offered no benefit to the kingdom.”
“Other than love.” His eyes narrow. “And here I was thinking you were so high and mighty, so much better than me. You’re worse than I am. Total arsehole.”
I leap to my feet and jab a finger at him. “How dare you! I shared with you from the heart!”
He slowly rises to his feet and draws close, his breath fanning over my lips, his voice a husky growl. “You deserve someone like me.”
I blink, unsure what he means, my heart thundering. Is he insulting me or coming on to me?
12
Emma
His hand wraps around my hair, giving a sharp tug that forces my head back and makes me gasp. His mouth covers mine, his tongue thrusting inside, and I have my answer. Lust like I’ve never felt before rushes through me, and I wrap my arms around his neck. He’s devouring me and I love it. His hands go to the hem of my dress, and he hikes it up past my waist.
He trails open-mouthed kisses along my jaw to the sensitive spot under my ear, his teeth scraping against me, drawing a hot shiver. “I hate this old-lady dress,” he whispers in my ear. “Can I take it off and toss it in the rubbish?”
I’m both mortified and immensely pleased. My wardrobe is old lady. I turn. “Do the zipper for me.”
He zips it down in one quick move, pushing it off my shoulders and down my arms. I turn and the dress drops, pooling at my feet. I kick it away.
His gaze drops to my modest white bra and matching knickers. “Emma,” he growls, his arms wrapping around my waist. He nuzzles into my neck, and my nerve endings light up, my breath coming harder. “So proper, so posh. I need to dirty you up.”
“Yes,” I breathe. I want to know what he knows, join him in the raw joy of sex. Adam was always so careful with me, so conscious of my place in the royal family and his place.
He unhooks the bra, tosses it away, and cups my breasts with both hands. “Hiding these beauties under that proper dress. It’s a crime.”
“I need a new wardrobe.”
His eyes meet mine. “No more hiding, Emma.” His hands glide down my sides, his thumbs hooking in the sides of my knickers. He pulls them down to my ankles. I am so ready for this. It’s beenyears. He kneels at my feet, helps me out of them, and then his hands slide up the backs of my legs to cup my bottom. He kisses my hip reverently, softly, before shifting to press a kiss to the other hip. I slide a hand into his hair, surprised at his tenderness. I’d hoped for more aggression.
“Kiss me,” I order, giving his hair a small tug, urging him to his feet.
He leans forward and kisses my sex. I jolt as his tongue darts out, flicking rapidly over me. Jesus. My knees go weak. So long, it’s been so long since I’ve been touched like this.
He looks up at me. “Have you done this before?”
“Yes.”
“Did you like it?”
Seriously?“No, I hated it.”
He laughs and rises to his feet in one smooth motion. He kisses me and bites my lower lip, shocking me with the stinging pleasure. “Then I won’t disturb your precious.” He takes me by the hand and draws me toward the bed.
That’s it? No more foreplay?
“I was joking,” I protest. “Please do disturb.”
