Michelle Celmer - The King's Convenient Bride / The Illegitimate Prince's Baby - The King's Convenient Bride

Oh, boy, here we go again.

“It wouldn’t be proper.”

“ Proper is also highly overrated. Besides, I make the rules. And I hereby decree that, from this day forward, you are to wear your hair down.”

She might have been offended if she thought for a second that he was serious about the royal decree thing. Besides, he was standing so close that the testosterone he was giving off was beginning to short-circuit her brain.

He cupped the side of her face, traced her features with his thumb. Her cheek, her brow, the corner of her mouth. Her internal thermometer shot up another ten degrees and her knees started to feel soft and squishy. She knew it would be best to stop him, but they had connected emotionally today. Physical affection just seemed like the natural next step.

Maybe a bit too natural.

His eyes searched her face. “You’re beautiful, you know.”

She took in a deep breath. “Your Highness, I suspect you’re trying to seduce me.”

“If I am, it seems to be working.” His thumb brushed her cheek. “You’re blushing.”

She didn’t have a snappy comeback for that one. And, oh, how she wanted to touch him. To put her hands on his chest and feel his heart beating, feel the warmth of his skin through his shirt. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair, across his face, feel the faint shadow of stubble on his cheeks.

He brushed his fingers across her cheek. “Your skin feels warm here.”

Probably because her blood was hovering just below the boiling point.

He stroked lower, down her chin and throat, his eyes following the path of his hand. Then lower still, just above the swell of her breasts. It was a move so intimate and sexually charged, and wonderful , that she went weak all over. With desire and fear and curiosity.

He lifted his eyes to hers. “And here.”

“Phillip—”

“I know, I’m breaking the no-touching rule.” He caressed the uppermost swell of her breasts with the tips of his fingers and her knees nearly buckled with the new, erotic sensation. “But as king, I make my own rules.” He leaned in closer, until his mouth was only inches from hers. “And nothing is going to stop me from kissing you.”

Well then, there wasn’t much point in telling him no, was there? Besides, what harm could one kiss do? A real kiss this time. How far could it go, out here in the woods?

“Just one kiss,” she told him, as though his demand even required a response.

He cupped her cheek and mini explosions of sensation detonated under her skin.

She was getting that weak, dizzy feeling again. “Then we stop.”

His other hand slipped through her hair to cradle the back of her head. He lowered his head and she lifted hers to meet him, her eyes slipping closed. Then their lips touched, barely more than a brush, and time seemed to stand still. It was just her lips and his lips, their breath mingling.

It was unbelievably wonderful. So sweet and gentle, as though she were a delicate piece of china he thought he might break. And while her head was telling her it was time to pull away, time to stop, her heart was telling her just a little longer. Because sweet and gentle wasn’t enough for her this time. She wanted more.

Which was why, when Phillip deepened the kiss, when she felt his tongue tease the seam of her lips, she didn’t do or say a thing to stop him. And when she gave in, opened up to him, the kiss went from sweet to simmering in the span of a heartbeat.

He tunneled his fingers through her hair, drew her against the length of his long, solid frame. She couldn’t help but put her arms around him, flatten her hands against the ropes of muscle in his back. It seemed as though her entire body, from the tips of her toes to the crown of her scalp, came alive with brand-new and intense sensations. And there was an ache, real and intense, building deep within her. A clawing need to be touched, in a way that no man had ever touched her before.

It was exhilarating and terrifying, and more wonderful than she could have ever imagined.

As though reading her mind, Phillip let one hand slide down her back to cup her behind. He drew her against him, and she could feel that he was just as aroused as she was. And instead of feeling wary or afraid, she felt a need for more. And she longed for the day when she didn’t have to tell him no.

Unfortunately, that was not today.

She broke the kiss and pressed her forehead against his shirt, felt that his heart was thumping as hard and fast as her own. And said the only thing she could think to say. “Wow.”

A chuckle rumbled through his chest. “Thank you.”

She looked up at him, saw that he was smiling. “It’s not completely obvious that I have zero experience when it comes to this sort of thing?”

“A little, maybe. But I think that’s what I like about you.”

“That I’m inexperienced?” She thought men liked women who knew how to please them.

“That you’re not afraid to admit it. That you embrace your values, not lean on them. You have no idea how rare that is.” He touched her cheek. “Although, I fear your honesty might get you into trouble one of these days.”

“My father always told me, nothing bad can come from telling the truth.”

“In that case, he would have been very proud of you.”

She felt the beginnings of tears prickle in her eyes and laid her head back against his chest, so he wouldn’t see. “You think so?”

“I do.”

He could really be quite sweet. When he wanted to.

“They’re bound to be wondering where we’ve disappeared to,” he said. “We should get back before they dispatch a search party.”

Though she would be content to stand here all day, wrapped up in his strong arms, just the two of them, she knew he was right. And as she backed away, she took heart in the fact that today had brought them one step closer to the ideal future that she knew they would have together. Things were falling right into place.

“Let’s go,” she said.

He reached out and took her hand, laced his fingers through hers and led her out of the woods.

“By the way, I wanted to ask you about something.” She told him about the woman who had been staring at her Monday. “She wasn’t in any of the profiles. I thought maybe you’d know who she was.”

He shrugged. “There were so many people there.”

“She would be hard to miss. Long, dark hair, very beautiful. And she never took her eyes off us.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

She couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t being honest with her. He’d been by her side the entire day. Surely he would have noticed someone staring. Wouldn’t he? Or maybe, people stared at him all the time.

Besides, what reason did he have to lie? She was probably just being paranoid again.

The walk back to the palace went far too quickly, and when they reached the steps, Phillip’s valet was waiting for them.

“An urgent call from the prime minister, sir.”

“I’ll take it in my office,” Phillip told him, then turned to Hannah. “I enjoyed our walk.”

He was wearing one of those secret, just-between-us smiles, and it made her feel warm all over.

“Me, too.”

“We should do it again soon.”

She had a feeling he wasn’t talking about the walking part. “I’d like that.”

As he started to walk away, Hannah called after him.

“Phillip.”

He stopped and turned to her.

“Would you have dinner with me tonight?”

There was a slight hesitation before he said, “I can’t.”

No explanation, no excuses. No apology.

The sting of disappointment was quick and sharp. Can’t, or won’t? she couldn’t help but wonder as he turned and walked away. Why, after they’d had such a good time together, would he not want to be with her? It didn’t make sense.