“How can I fire him when he did nothing wrong except fall in love with the wrong woman?”
She paused in her undressing, hands on her hips. “Are you still worried that I’m the wrong woman for you?”
He bracketed her with his arms against the sink, leaned forward and kissed her forehead, her nose, her mouth. “I cannot change who I am. My past and my mother’s actions are a part of me that cannot be changed, and yet…”
“Yes?”
“I cannot imagine you running away from anything. You’re the bravest woman I know.”
“Lots of things scare me, Nicholas. Like disappointing you.”
Nicholas reached into the shower and turned the water to warm. He shot her a rakish grin. “I think I’ll join you.”
She tugged open his shirt and licked her bottom lip. “Aren’t we presumptuous?”
“Tell me about the threat on your laptop,” he demanded, and she realized he must have read the message as he’d stepped through the office. In all the excitement over finding the secret passages and Natalie’s death, she’d forgotten about the threat against Nicholas and the demand for her to leave him.
Nicholas kept his tone easy, but his eyes narrowed. “When did that message arrive?”
“I’m not sure. I found it on my laptop right before Dimitri and Nikita made their surprise appearance.”
He unhooked her bra. “You weren’t going to try and leave me and my country out of some misplaced notion that you could save my life by agreeing to this preposterous demand?”
“I considered doing exactly that,” she told him truthfully, her voice hitching.
His hands cupped her breasts, his fingers flicking over her sensitive nipples, shooting a rush of pleasure straight to her toes. “But?”
“I can’t think when you do that.”
He nipped her neck, the tiny bites incredibly erotic. “It’s a new form of inquisition, one I’ve designed exclusively for you.”
“You mean for your wife?”
Hope flared in his eyes, and a promise that she wouldn’t regret her decision. “Does that mean—?”
“I love you enough to let you risk your neck.” With her fingertips, she skimmed a path over his shoulder and chest. “And I’m foolish enough to spend whatever time we have together as husband and wife.”
“It’s going to be a long time. A very long time.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” She tilted her head back. “I do have a condition.”
“I hope you want to marry soon. Tashya told me the Moldovans have agreed to return our crew and plane as a wedding present. We can marry immediately after the coronation ceremony. All the foreign dignitaries will already be here.”
She arched into him, sleek and content and very aware she wanted to make love to this man right now, in the royal shower. “Well, your need to hurry our engagement should strengthen my negotiating position considerably.”
He grinned. “I’m in a very good bargaining mood. I suppose you want to run my press corps?”
“Not exactly.”
“You want to see the crown jewels?”
She ran her hand up the inside of his thigh, lingering over the bulge there. “I’ve already seen them, and I want exclusive possession.”
“That can be arranged.” He laughed and slipped off her slacks, then his. He removed a condom from a cabinet. “What else?”
She plucked the condom from his fingers and tossed it aside. “Children. I want at least two, maybe three.”
“I’m ready.”
“I can feel that.” She snuggled in his arms and tugged his head down until they were nose to nose. “And you have to tell me you love me.”
“I do.”
“Say it.”
“I love you.”
NICHOLAS RESTRAINED HIS grin of happiness at the woman who had come to mean so much to him. Their fathers’ marriage contract had been a stroke of brilliance. Not only had Nicholas found a queen for his people, he’d found the queen of his heart.
“Can you tell me you love me at least once a day?”
“Twice on Sundays,” he agreed.
“Even if you have business on the other side of the world, I expect you to remember your promise.”
His pager beeped. He ignored it.
“Shouldn’t you answer that?”
He trailed his lips over her mouth, nibbling, teasing, taking. “The only business I’m interested in right now is you.”
Voice husky, eyes languid, she grinned at him. “What you’re interested in…is funny business.”
“That, too.” He opened the shower and the sluicing warm water felt cool compared to the heat radiating from his skin. He gathered her into his arms, sharing the spray, ready to share the rest of his life with her, share their children, share a lifetime of love.
Epilogue
Washington Herald
Royal Assassination Attempt Foiled
by Ericka Allen
…The final episode of the mystery of King Zared’s assassination ended today with the death of Natalie Belosova. High-level palace sources at the scene remain uncertain whether she accidentally fell from the palace tower or deliberately jumped. Her body was buried in a private ceremony.
The Vashmiran coronation of King Nicholas Zared II and his wedding to this reporter are scheduled for tomorrow. Keeping within the traditions of a true fairy tale, the royal couple plans to live happily ever after.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-4297-5
ROYAL TARGET
Copyright © 2002 by Hair Express Inc.
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*The Sutton Babies
†Hide and Seek
**The Crown Affair
Royal Target Page 19