Kathryn Jensen - I Married A Prince

Before Thomas, there had been nurses, governesses, butlers and maids. His mother had died five years earlier, but in a puzzling way he missed her no more than he missed many of his old teachers. The queen often had been too busy to spend time with him. She’d certainly never told him in words that she loved him. He was an only child, so there had been no siblings to rival him for her affections. Love had, in short, never been an issue for him. He wasn’t even sure what it meant.

“Alli,” he breathed, still holding her arm. “Why do you have to be so difficult, so combative?”

“Me? I’m not being difficult at all, Prince Jacob.” She batted her lashes innocently at him. “I’ve come to say thank-you very much for the dress, but I don’t want or need it. I also want to tell you how much I appreciate your invite to this nifty party of yours. I’m enjoying myself immensely. The food is scrumptious, the wine seems a good year. I’d say I’m being totally agreeable.”

Her tongue was firmly embedded in her cheek. She was toying with him. Yet Jacob found it difficult to remain angry with her. He was almost overcome by the scent of her, by the electricity sizzling through the flesh of her slender arm, into his hand. The more controlled and reasonable her behavior, the crazier he felt.

“You want something,” he roared, looming over her. He felt powerful, yet helpless at the same time. “You aren’t that different from the others.”

Her cool glance rose to meet him. “I suppose I do want something. I’ll tell you what it is,” she whispered conspiratorially. “I’d give a king’s ransom for a decent ham sandwich right now. This stuff is tasty, but it would take a week of nibbling to satisfy a real appetite.”

“Knock it off, Alli. Just tell me what you’re after and we can quit playing games. It’s the kid, isn’t it? You want money for him. Fine. I won’t even argue the possibility that he might not be mine. If you need money, I’ll make sure you have it. But I don’t want a word of this leaked to the press or—” He broke off, silenced by the fury reflected in her features.

“You pompous, spoiled brat,” she hissed, attempting to shake him off. “I don’t believe I’ve ever met anyone as self-involved as you, Jacob von Whatever-you-are.”

He was astonished by her reaction. “I’m offering you any amount you name for a child I’ve never seen,” he objected. “I can’t even be certain he’s mine! I think that’s pretty damn generous, lady.”

“And that’s exactly why you’re all the things I just called you,” she snapped at him. “I don’t want your money, Jacob. I want you to go away and leave me and my son alone. The only reason I’m here is to avoid the cost of mailing your damn dress back to you.” She wrenched her arm out of his grasp. “Get out of my way. I want to leave now.”

He couldn’t ignore the determination in her eyes. And he couldn’t believe how sure of herself she sounded. Finally, he understood. She was asking for nothing from him but his absence. It was the first time in his life he’d met anyone who honestly had no intention of using him. Power, money, prestige by association, bragging rights for sleeping with him...She asked for none of those things. He didn’t know how to deal with her.

So he did what his body had been badgering him to do since she set foot on the Queen Elise. He intercepted her before she reached the steps, dragged her into his arms and kissed her possessively on the mouth. The kiss lengthened, softened, grew deliriously heady. Finally, he felt the tension ease out of her body. Her lips yielded sweetly and tremblingly opened to his.

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