‘And how is that?’
‘Totally. Uncontrollably. With every part of me.’
‘And I love you back like that and more. More, Kassie, you understand? So much more.’
He swept her into his arms and there was nothing between them but love and joy. In between breathless, urgent kisses they stumbled to her little bedroom and the narrow bed. He eyed it cautiously.
‘Too small?’ she teased.
‘Perfect,’ he argued. ‘You’ll have to cling to me.’
He drew her down on top of him, stripping her as he went.
‘I like it when you cling to me. When you sigh...’ He kissed her again. ‘When you can’t stop yourself from wanting me.’
‘I never could...’ she promised. ‘From the moment we met.’
‘I ache to give you everything,’ he muttered, desperately, tenderly grinding into her. ‘To love you.’
The completion she felt at that moment was so profound that more tears spilled even as she smiled at him. Entwined, they knew the magic they made together was too good to be restrained for long...
He cradled her close afterwards, his voice low. ‘I came to the hospital this morning because I couldn’t wait any longer. I saw you before you saw me and you looked so happy that I left before speaking with you.’
She heard the remnants of his hurt, understood his vulnerability was still real, and her heart warmed at knowing how deeply he felt about her.
‘I’d been to see the head of the prosthetics department to get support for participating in that research project.’
‘Oh, that’s great.’ He sat up and looked down into her face. ‘Did you get it?’
‘Yes—and they’re really keen for me to work on other projects with them too. I should have spoken up sooner.’
‘It’s never too late.’ He drew her closer with a happy sigh. ‘That’s wonderful.’ He stroked her arms. ‘You’ll keep working there after we’re married...?’
She smiled. ‘I’d like to...’
‘Of course. I’m proud of what you do.’
‘But sometimes I’d like to travel with you...to do some of the things you do...’
‘We’ll work it out,’ he promised. ‘We’ll find some kind of balance.’
‘Do you suppose that poor pizza delivery guy is still waiting at the door?’ She suddenly sat up.
He laughed and stood, grabbing a towel to wrap around his waist. ‘I’ll go get it.’
‘Like that?’ she shrieked, appalled. ‘There might be photographers out there.’
‘I’ll be sure to show my best side.’ He kissed her swiftly, with an arrogant laugh at her expression. ‘I’m with you now—now and always—and I don’t give a damn who knows.’
EPILOGUE
Six months later
‘SHE’S BEAUTIFUL.’ KASSIE looked down at the tiny baby nestled in her sister-in-law’s arms. ‘Just so beautiful.’
‘She’s tiny.’ Giorgos leaned over her shoulder and put on his resting frowny face. ‘Too tiny. She looks like she could break easily. How long until she gets bigger?’
‘Giorgos...’ Kassie smiled and injected a warning tone into her voice.
‘My brother is a marshmallow.’ Princess Eleni, currently suffused in a maternal glow, wasn’t hearing a bad word about anyone.
‘Rest easy.’ Damon patted his brother-in-law on the shoulder. ‘I’ve got this.’
Giorgos sighed. ‘I know...’ He looked again at the petite baby and smiled. ‘She’s adorable.’
Damon and Eleni had decided their baby should be born in Palisades, so they’d returned to the palace for the last few months before she was due. In a couple of days they’d fly to Damon’s private island, to spend time alone and bond together, but they’d just had a personal photo taken, to share with the public, with sweet Princess Antonia only a few hours old.
‘You have to admit she is tiny,’ Giorgos muttered as he walked with Kassie down the corridor towards their own apartments.
‘And that scares you?’
‘I’m not afraid to admit that she makes me feel vulnerable. I want to take care of her.’
‘Hmm...’ Kassie walked ahead of him into the suite. ‘You might need to get used to that.’
‘Get used to what?’ Giorgos shut the door with a definite click.
Kassie turned to face him. She knew not to underestimate the blandness of his query. ‘Being around tiny little people who take a few years to grow to their full size.’
He walked towards her slowly, his eyes intent on her. ‘What are you telling me?’
‘You’re a smart man—you know what I’m telling you.’ She backed up against the wall.
His eyes flickered. Dangerous.
‘I thought you wanted to wait a while,’ he said in a soft voice. ‘We’ve only been married three months.’
Three months since that insanely massive wedding, with most of the world watching.
While they had created their own traditions, there were some things Giorgos had wanted to do in keeping with his position. Not because it was what had always been done, but because he’d wanted the world to know how proud he was to take her as his wife. That had meant an enormous state ceremony, with all the trimmings.
Eleni and Damon had supported her in those terrifying few minutes before she’d had to walk into the country’s cathedral, packed with aristocracy, people and news cameras, and not trip her way up that endless aisle with everyone watching.
But she’d locked eyes with Giorgos and her nerves had evaporated. He’d grinned at her, and the whisper of a wink had been a giveaway flash of roguishness. And then his eyes had filled with pure emotion.
The video of that moment had gone viral—made into romantic memes shared millions of times. Suddenly the world had realised that the supposedly ‘serious’ King not only had a sense of humour, he had a soul, and their love story endlessly dominated the global media.
Fortunately they’d been able to escape to the Summer House for a blissfully private honeymoon.
‘And I thought you were on board with that.’ She chuckled happily. ‘But, no, you’ve just had to go ahead and be dictatorial and bossy and decide everything for everyone, like the arrogant autocrat that you are.’
‘It takes two to tango,’ he noted. ‘So it can’t all be my fault.’
‘No.’ She nodded in agreement. ‘And apparently two can become three.’
He inhaled deeply. ‘Are you telling me you’re pregnant?’ His words were little above a whisper.
‘Are you telling me you’re finally listening?’ she teased back breathily.
‘Are you telling me you don’t think I’ve already noticed?’
‘Oh, please.’ She paused, frowning as his smug look grew. ‘Are you telling me you knew already?’
‘Your breasts are fuller...you’ve been a little more tired than usual. And your period is late.’
He was that observant?
She pouted. ‘You think you know everything about me.’
‘No. I think I don’t know you nearly well enough. I can’t wait to watch you become a mother. I can’t wait to watch you do everything.’ He shivered. ‘It’s been hell, holding off on summoning the doctor to check you over.’
‘The doctor already has checked me over,’ she reassured him. ‘I knew you’d instantly worry, but you don’t need to. I’m in perfect health.’ She leaned towards him provocatively. ‘Apparently I’m in top physical condition.’
‘I knew that too,’ he growled. ‘You tease me too much.’
‘You love me for it.’ She batted her lashes.
‘You do it because you love the way I retaliate.’
He suddenly reached for her.
‘And look where that’s got me.’ She yelped as he pulled her close. ‘Happy,’ she assured him, meeting
the hunger in his kiss. ‘So unbelievably happy. And terrified. And excited. I can’t believe it!’ She laughed with pure, unadulterated delight.
But his smile had gone as tension and intention gripped his muscles. ‘I need you. Right now.’
‘Yes.’ She wound her arms around his neck, eager to offer the security she knew he sought—of knowing that she was strong and well and happy.
He tugged up her red skirt, knowing just how to draw that desperate response from her. ‘Need to feel you,’ he groaned as he drove home. ‘I’m weak over you.’
She shook her head. Weak was the last thing this man was.
‘I never knew I could be this happy.’ She cupped his face as she met him, their passion coalescing. ‘This fulfilled.’
Their connection blew her away—so constant, so complete.
‘Me neither,’ he confessed. ‘I love you.’
And he didn’t just tell her—he showed her. Over and over again. And in the end Kassie couldn’t smile for kissing her King, her lover, her everything.
* * * * *
If you enjoyed The King’s Captive Virgin you’re sure to enjoy these other stories by Natalie Anderson!
Princess’s Pregnancy Secret
Claiming His Convenient Fiancée
The Forgotten Gallo Bride
The Mistress That Tamed De Santis
Available now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from A Ring to Take His Revenge by Pippa Roscoe.
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A Ring to Take His Revenge
by Pippa Roscoe
PROLOGUE
London...
ANTONIO ARCURI GESTURED for the petite brunette to slide into the limousine ahead of him. He might be accustomed to ushering women he’d only just met into his chauffeur-driven town car, but not when it was business. Never when it was business.
Yet there had been no other option. His morning meeting had run unacceptably late, and now he could neither cancel this last interview for a new PA nor be late for his meeting with the other two members of the Winners’ Circle—the racing syndicate he co-owned.
Antonio had been waiting almost a year to see his closest friends Dimitri and Danyl, his brothers in more ways than blood could ever account for. So he had been forced to multi-task. And Antonio hated nothing more than having his hand forced.
So far, the brunette—Ms Guilham—had yet even to raise an eyebrow at the somewhat unusual relocation of their meeting, which boded well. The way that she struggled with the wayward hemline of her skirt as it rose up over toned, creamy thighs the moment she sat back on the plush leather seat did not. The hemline that when she was standing bordered on the overly conservative was now a sincerely unwanted distraction.
Settling into the seat beside her, Antonio studied Emma Guilham from the corner of his eye. She was petite. Beautiful, he conceded, then filed and discarded the fact. Whether a future PA of his was attractive or not was irrelevant. At least she had finally stopped fidgeting with her skirt.
The limousine pulled away from the dark underground parking area of his London office, emerged into pale wintry sunlight...and into busy central London traffic. He cursed silently and resisted the urge to glance at his watch. He knew what time it was and he was cutting it fine.
‘Your driver should take St James’s and then Pall Mall. Christmas and Regent Street don’t mix well.’
She locked her hazel eyes on his and Antonio felt a sudden start in his chest. Her gaze held no desperate eagerness to please, no fevered excitement, nor the sensual assessment he often felt when women looked at him. He knew he was attractive and took full advantage of the fact—though never with his employees.
But, most importantly, there was no pretence in her eyes. And that was both unusual and—to him—invaluable.
Compared to the three other interviewees he’d met, she was, on paper, the least impressive. At barely twenty-two, Emma Guilham was young. But while the other candidates had varied in age from late twenties to early fifties, she currently seemed the least flappable. He didn’t need to look at her CV. His quick mind recalled all the pertinent information and he proceeded with the interview for the position of his new PA.
‘You graduated with your International Business Studies degree from SOAS after attaining four A levels. You can type one hundred and twenty words per minute, you like travelling and reading,’ he stated, somewhat disconcerted to see the hazel flecks in her eyes transition into sea-green foam. ‘You are hardworking—a fact repeatedly attested to by the CFO of my London office, where you have been working full-time for the past few months, and part-time for the year before that. At the same time finishing your degree—another thing my CFO repeatedly emphasised.’
A quick nod of the head was Emma’s only reaction, which drew a frown to his forehead. Usually candidates like to expound on their virtues when he raised the opportunity to do so. He left a second, a breath of space for her to speak, but she remained silent.
‘The position is in New York. I deal in high-stakes, highly confidential business acquisition and I expect long hours, absolute focus and complete discretion. Both in business matters and personal. I am not always present in the New York office, but your presence will be required there full-time.’
‘Of course.’
He continued to watch for the smallest change in expression. She had yet to display the excitement or even the badly supressed shock and awe that he had so irritatingly witnessed through the previous interviews.
‘You don’t seem to be engaging with this interview, Ms Guilham.’ He had no patience for time-wasters. And he had no need for a ‘yes’ woman, but still. This was...unique.
‘You have yet to ask me a question, Mr Arcuri,’ she said, with no trace of accusation or offence in her tone. ‘May I speak plainly?’ she asked, and he gestured for her to do so with a swift swipe of his hand.
‘Mr Arcuri, I have attended three preliminary interviews for this position—one with UK HR, one with North American HR, and one with your previous PA. I am under no illusions as to my limited experience in comparison to more seasoned applicants, and can only conclude that your willingness to squeeze me in to your “commute” is a gracious courtesy. It is one that I appreciate.’
At this, the brunette rapped on the window to talk to the driver.
‘Left here, then second right,’ she said, before turning her gaze back to him. ‘I believe at this point your choice comes down to personality.
And as far as you’re concerned, as my future boss, I don’t have one. You want someone to live and breathe Arcuri Enterprises? That I can do. You want someone to handle an international diary? I can do it with my eyes closed. You want someone to bar the way and dissolve anything that might prevent your valuable time from being spent as you wish? I’m the one you want. Anything else your background checks can uncover or you don’t need to know. I want to work for you because you’re the best. It’s that simple.’
The limousine glided to a stop outside the grand building of the Asquith Club in London just as Antonio was digesting the rather impressive and somewhat surprising speech that had filled the car.
Ms Guilham smiled, not unkindly.
Antonio felt a small smile pull at the edges of his lips in response.
‘I have one question, Ms Guilham.’
‘Yes?’
‘If you were stranded on a desert island and you were allowed one item, what would it be?’
Antonio had heard many different answers to the question over the years. Mozart’s music, the complete works of Shakespeare, a piano. But he’d only ever heard her answer once before. It was the one he had given himself.
‘A satellite phone.’
He nodded, betraying nothing.
‘Mr Arcuri, thank you for the opportunity to speak with you. I shall look forward to hearing from HR and hope that you have an enjoyable lunch. I’ll see myself back to the office.’
With that Emma Guilham left Antonio sitting in the car, feeling stunned for the first time in some while. And he wasn’t the only one, considering the way his driver was currently watching Emma’s departure with something like awe.
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