Robyn Donald - The Royal House of Niroli - Innocent Mistresses - Expecting His Royal Baby / The Prince's Forbidden Virgin

And he could hardly wear jeans.

Nico’s lips curved briefly in amusement, but quickly flattened again. He had just entered the courtyard leading to the guest suite where Princess Anastasia was staying when he spotted the intruder. Some ragamuffin was sitting on the lip of the fountain dabbling her feet in the pool. ‘This area is closed to the public—’ He froze as she turned around.

‘Carrie …’ The shock hit him like a blow in the chest. What was his secretary doing here? ‘Carrie? Answer me.’ He was beginning to feel irritated. He hadn’t seen her for … how long? And she just turned up like this? Where had she been? What had happened to her? She had disappeared with no explanation at all. She hadn’t warned him, or worked her notice, or even troubled to send him a letter of resignation. Everyone in the office had missed her. He’d missed her. ‘Carrie, speak to me …’

As she stared at him events played fast forward behind his eyes. The night of the party … the devil on his back … his frustration at being forced to stand around making small talk.his gaze settling on Carrie … seeing her looking as uncomfortable as he felt and not half as good as he was at hiding it. He’d wanted to save her embarrassment and had ended up giving way to an urge that had been nagging at him since the first day they’d met. And he’d been surprised by her response—make that amazed. He’d always thought her a mouse, maybe because she had been such a calming influence in the office, going quietly about her duties, making no fuss. He had appreciated her for those very qualities, but that night had completely changed his perception of her.

‘Carrie, what’s wrong with you? Answer me …’ A rush of concern propelled him towards her, but then caution held him back. She looked tired, but today he was a prince and this was Niroli, and Carrie Evans was his secretary, or she had been once.

‘Why are you here?’ His surprise was replaced by suspicion as he ran through the possibilities in his mind. She’d come a long way to find him. Why? He’d never made her any promises. They’d been together one time, and that had been for sex. They both knew it. It could never be anything more and she’d been fine with it at the time.

She couldn’t breathe. Had she really imagined she was ready for this? The passion in Nico’s eyes reminded her of hot, steamy sex; he’d worn that same fierce, intent look then. She found him doubly intimidating dressed as a prince … doubly attractive because he was fresh from the shower, his hair still damply curling, his face already starting to darken with stubble. His cheekbones appeared carved in flint above his unforgiving mouth. How she longed to soften it….

‘Why are you here, Carrie?’ he repeated.

‘I came to see you, Nico.’ Planting her hands on the cold stone behind her she braced herself for disappointment.

‘You look exhausted.’

The concern growing in his eyes made something catch in her heart. ‘I have to talk to you … Could we go somewhere else?’ She glanced around the courtyard.

‘Why not here?’

‘Because I’d like to speak to you in private.’

Suspicion replaced the concern in his eyes. Nico’s reading of the situation was making her nervous. And then he glanced at his watch, a clear indication that he had somewhere else to be.

‘I can give you about ten minutes,’ he said.

Ten minutes.

Nico’s apartment at the palace was like nothing Carrie had ever seen before, not even in magazines. It was exquisite, delicate, refined and restrained. Classical music played softly in the background and candles flickered in silver sconces.

‘Well?’ he said, but she could see he was itching to get away and she needed his full attention.

He had to distance himself from her … he had to put physical distance between them so he couldn’t inhale her fragrant scent or feel the warmth of her body reaching out to him. Seeing her again had affected him far more than he had expected. What was it about the woman? She wasn’t beautiful. She had no skill at repartee. But even that made him smile, for he wasn’t noted for his small talk, either. She had a fabulous figure and glorious hair, but other than that she was plain. Even so, she touched him in some way he couldn’t name. She tempered him. Except in one way, of course. ‘Come on, Carrie,’ he prompted, conscious of time slipping by.

Nico was staying as far away from her as possible. She remained by the door wishing she hadn’t been so naïve, hadn’t misread the situation so badly. She could have sent him a solicitor’s letter, but now she was here she had to go through with it.

She walked deeper into the room and stopped just in front of him. He stiffened as if wondering what she was going to do next, and then a look she knew well came into his eyes.

‘Oh, I see,’ he murmured.

And then she was enfolded in his scent, in his warmth, in the sheer power of him, and all of it so blessedly familiar. He didn’t give her chance to speak or to breathe before teasing her lips with his tongue and his teeth, urging her in a low, rough voice to do all manner of wicked things. Parting her lips she drank him in, and was already scrambling up him by the time he backed her towards the wall. After vowing to resist him she was forced to accept there were some things reason had no power over, and this was one of them.

Her briefs came down in the same moment Nico freed himself. He paused briefly to make some comment about the sexy red lace. She only caught a glimpse of him, but it was enough to know he was engorged and magnificent. And she was ready. Cupping her buttocks, he helped her to lock her legs around his waist, and then thrust deep. Holding her weight as if it were nothing he forced her back against the wall, working efficiently, pounding rhythmically until she came, which was almost at once. She cried out so loud he was forced to put a hand over her mouth in case the servants heard her. Only Nico brought out this wild side in her nature and she bit him for his trouble. Snatching his hand away, he stared at it, looking in amazement at the teeth marks she had left. And then he laughed.

She laughed, too … softly, intimately, relishing the shared moment until he grew serious and, holding her gaze, very deliberately sank into her again.

It was more pleasure than she had ever known. Throwing back her head, she dragged in air. Nico was calmer and more controlled now and took his time.

‘Was that good?’ He eased out of her.

Good.

But moments after lowering her to her feet, he added, ‘Was that what you came for, Carrie?’

The remark was like a dash of cold water in her face. How could she have forgotten why she was here?

‘I take it that is why you came to Niroli?’ His lips tugged up in a cynical smile and he eased his shoulders as if he’d had a good workout. ‘You can use the bathroom off the corridor while I take a quick shower. When you’ve finished I’ll have someone show you out …’

The way she felt … failure didn’t even begin to cover it. She walked numbly in the direction he indicated and then stopped by the door, lacking the will to move until Nico left the room.

He paced up and down outside the bathroom door waiting for her to come out. What was keeping her?

He stepped back as she opened the door. She looked like a wraith. What had happened to Carrie since she had left the office? And what was coming next? He couldn’t help remembering her raunchy underwear. There was a whole lot more to this woman he wasn’t getting.

She glanced up and blushed as if she sensed his mood deteriorating. She was right to be worried. How she could she be so sexually charged one moment and so meek and mild the next? It was enough to make any man suspicious.