Harlequin Presents--June 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Dani Collins

  Nikolai surged back to his feet, pulling her into his body, rubbing against her with no evidence of reluctance. His hands cupped both her breasts and squeezed. The air in her lungs left her in a whoosh and though she gulped in air, Nataliya couldn’t catch her breath.

  Not with the way he touched her.

  No hesitation, no excessive gentleness. He played with her breasts while she mapped his body with her hands.

  She tilted her head and then they were kissing again, the hunger between them voracious and unabated. They kept kissing and touching until they fell together on the bed, their bodies pressed so tightly together she could feel every nuance of the ridge of his erection against her stomach.

  He rolled them and she spread her legs, encouraging him to shift so his steel hardness rubbed against her clitoris.

  She tilted up, seeking more stimulation, but it wasn’t enough.

  He reached down and pressed a finger inside her.

  Pleasure rolled over her, her womb contracting in a moment of ecstasy unlike any she’d ever felt on her own. He pushed upward with his finger, hitting that spot inside so rich with nerve endings. Her climax crested again and she screamed, the sound swallowed by his mouth.

  He caressed her through the ecstasy, but even though she’d just had the most intense orgasm of her life, her body was craving more.

  And he gave it to her.

  Nikolai pushed her thighs just a little wider and pressed inside, stretching swollen and slick flesh with his rigid erection.

  “Yes!” she cried out, the sensation of him inside her absolutely perfect.

  The pain of him pushing through her virginal barrier was masked by the incredible sensual pleasure racking her body. Clearly trusting her to know what she wanted, he set a hard and fast rhythm. She tilted her pelvis upward, matching his movements, demanding more with her body.

  Their bodies grew slick with sweat, their breaths mingling in panted pleasure and the ecstasy built again.

  “Come for me,” he demanded as he pistoned into her body with unfettered passion.

  “You come for me,” she gasped back.

  Everything inside her contracted in a rictus of pleasure so strong she could not even scream. His body went rigid and Nikolai tossed his head back, a primal shout coming from deep in his chest.

  Every little move of his body triggered aftershocks of pleasure in hers. His groans said he was experiencing the same.

  “That was amazing,” she said with panting breaths.

  He didn’t reply with words, but kissed her, his lips soft and perfect against hers in the aftermath of such a primal loving.

  She didn’t know how long they remained connected like that.

  But eventually Nikolai rolled off her, his arm going around her waist. “I suppose you want to take a shower.”

  “I do?” she asked, having no thought of doing so.

  “We are all sweaty.”

  “So?” Sex was supposed to be messy, wasn’t it?

  “You don’t mind?”

  “Do you?” she asked, really not wanting to move, even for a shower.

  “No.” He nuzzled into her shoulder. “I love that you smell like both of us together.”

  “How primitive of you,” she teased.

  He went to shift away from her but she followed, leaning forward to kiss his muscular chest. “I like it too. Let’s be throwbacks together.”

  The rigidity that had come over his body relaxed. “You do?”

  “Hmm mmm.” She snuggled into her new husband. “Thank you.”

  “For?” he asked, like he didn’t want to misunderstand.

  “Listening to me. For treating me like a woman and not just a princess.”

  “I will always try to listen to you.”

  Even his promises were perfect. He knew he couldn’t promise to always get it right. Only to try.

  “And I will always try to listen to you.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  NIKOLAI AND NATALIYA lay together for a while, pressed together from chest to hip and Nataliya reveled in the intimacy of it.

  But they had been on sexual edge for too long and the desire between them inevitably built again.

  This time, he was gentle and teasing, showing her just how much pleasure he could bring to her body with a slow buildup. She returned his touches, learning what made him moan, what made him give that contented growl that said she was connecting to him more than sensually.

  She wanted to be on top during their coupling this time and he let her without hesitation. Nataliya brought them both to another culmination of pleasure and collapsed onto him after.

  Eventually, they did make it to the bath, where she learned the slide of naked bodies in the water could be terribly arousing.

  The sun was rising over the glacier out the huge wall of windows when she and Nikolai finally settled into sleep, their bodies entwined.

  They slept away the morning, but rose to have lunch together. The entire side of the chalet facing the glacier seemed to be made of windows, so the dining room overlooked the incredible view just as the master bedroom did.

  “This place is amazing.”

  “It is our personal getaway.”

  “You mean the family doesn’t use it?” she asked in surprise before dishing some more fruit onto her plate.

  She was ravenous.

  “Not without my permission and with rare exception, I do not give it. The people of Mirrus can visit the glacier from the other side of the chasm.”

  “Aren’t tourists allowed?”

  “No. The park is owned by the royal family and only open to the people of Mirrus.”

  Conservation was a big thing on the island, so she wasn’t surprised. “But the chalet is yours, not the royal family’s?”

  “Yes.” He placed another fluffy pancake on her plate, seeming to enjoy watching her eat so enthusiastically. “It is a retreat for the King.”

  Nataliya looked around herself with satisfaction. “It’s the perfect honeymoon destination.” It afforded the privacy that would be lacking in their daily life and she was really happy to know they had this retreat to come to when they needed it.

  “I’m so glad you think so.”

  Something about the way he said it gave Nataliya pause.

  “Didn’t Queen Tiana like it?”

  “She never came. Nature was not her thing.”

  “But it’s so beautiful.”

  “Tiana had no interest in seeing the glacier. She refused to go anywhere she could not be entertained.”

  “You two weren’t very well suited.” Nataliya sucked in her breath and nearly bit her tongue in her chagrin saying something like that. “I’m sorry. It’s not my place to judge your past relationship.”

  But he wasn’t offended. Nikolai’s smile was approving and warm. “If not you, then who?” He sipped his coffee. Black, no sugar or cream. So not how Nataliya enjoyed the bitter elixir. “You are right. Once we were married, I realized how little in common I had with my wife.”

  “That must have been hard, but still, you loved each other.” And Nataliya was just realizing how very much she wanted that emotion from him.

  “Love?” he mused. “I thought I did, but now I’m not so sure. She had me sexually enthralled. She was enthralled by the idea of being a queen.”

  “I’m sure she loved you.” How could Queen Tiana have felt anything else for this amazing man?

  “Are you? I am not.” He didn’t sound like he was bothered by that fact.

  But she knew he had to be. She remembered how he’d been with Queen Tiana. Whatever he thought now, Nikolai had loved the other woman. And while that hurt Nataliya a little, she recognized that their marriage would probably be a much happier one.

  Nikolai asked, remembered pain reflected in his steely gray
eyes, “If she loved me, would she have gone skiing on that dangerous slope, knowing she was pregnant with my child?”

  “She was very athletic,” Nataliya offered. “Her sports acumen was renowned.”

  Queen Tiana had been known for her skiing prowess as well as her skydiving feats. She was very good at any sport she tried and she always did the most challenging aspect of those sports. The former Queen had been lucky right up until the end too, never having broken so much as a pinky in all her exploits.

  “I’m sure Queen Tiana never even considered it might not go well for her to take that slope.”

  “I’ve never been sure. Yes, she enjoyed the adrenaline rush of high-risk sports, but she was a queen, pregnant with the heir to the throne.” He looked at Nataliya with an expression she could not read. “Tiana did not want to be pregnant. She had wanted to wait to have children, but her birth control failed.”

  “All this time, I thought she didn’t know,” Nataliya admitted.

  Everything in the media, every statement given by the palace, it had all said at the time that the tragedy was made worse by her taking a chance she hadn’t realized she was taking.

  “That she was pregnant? Oh, she knew. As I said, she wasn’t happy about it. She refused to allow her pregnancy to curtail any of her pleasures.”

  Nataliya didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t imagine making the same choices as Queen Tiana, but those choices had been the other woman’s to make. Even if they felt incredibly selfish to Nataliya.

  “I could tell my brother absolutely no when he wanted to participate in extreme sports,” Nikolai said, frustration lacing his tone. “He recognizes my role as his King. My dead wife? With her, I had no authority.”

  Nataliya got what Nikolai was saying. Konstantin had given up any hopes of participating in extreme sports because of his role as his brother’s heir. Queen Tiana had disregarded not only her role as Queen, but the risk to her unborn child who would become the heir to the throne.

  Even so. “Um... I don’t really want you bossing me around like my sovereign either.”

  “What about as your husband? Do I have any sway over your actions in that regard?”

  “Of course you do, just I expect you to listen to my counsel when something is important to me in regard to your actions. But ultimately, though we will listen to each other, we are still self-governing.”

  “You live in a monarchy now, you do realize this?”

  “Yes. But you aren’t the type of monarch to dictate the actions of your people.”

  “You think not?”

  “I wouldn’t have married you otherwise.”

  “Then I hope you will not be too disappointed to realize that I will not allow you to take the kind of risks Tiana did. Not with your own safety and definitely not with the safety of any of our future unborn children.”

  “You sound really stern right now.”

  “You do not sound intimidated, but I promise you. I learned my lesson.”

  “And I promise you that while I intend to make my own decisions, you never have to worry about me putting my own safety at risk or that of our children, born, or otherwise.”

  The only high risk she’d taken was the one to her heart by marrying him.

  * * *

  They went hiking that afternoon, the lush forest awash with summer plants and flowers. They didn’t see as much wildlife as they might have done but for the security detail ahead of them and the one that came behind.

  Too many people. Too much noise.

  Nataliya didn’t mind because nothing could detract from the beauty of Mirrus. And as much as she might enjoy seeing moose or even a wildcat, she wasn’t keen to see a bear. Even a small brown one.

  “I’m glad you haven’t encouraged tourism to the detriment of this beauty,” she told Nikolai as they walked.

  “We have been fortunate that Mirrus Global and the other industries on the island have never been reliant on the tourist season.”

  “I know about the mining.” Which posed its own challenges for conservation. “And the high-tech arm of Mirrus Global.”

  “Mirrus Global isn’t the only high-tech company we have based here. One of the world’s most advanced AI developers is a citizen and his company employs many others.”

  “I’d like to meet him.”

  “Of course you would.” Nikolai smiled down at her with indulgence.

  Since the barely banked desire was there as well, Nataliya didn’t take offense.

  “Nevertheless, a certain amount of tourism is beneficial.” He took her hand and kissed the back as if unaware of doing so. “If for no other reason, than offering an opportunity for our people to meet potential partners from a new gene pool.”

  She laughed, thinking he was joking but realized he wasn’t. “You’re serious. That happens? A lot?”

  “Enough to make the management of our tourism industry worth the headache it brings to environmental and resource management.”

  “Although the education system through high school is top-notch on Volyarus, Uncle Fedir has fought against building a university every time the issue comes up. Maybe that’s why.” She’d spent so many years living in the greater Seattle area that some of these nuances to a small, island country were new to her, despite having been born in Volyarus and being a member of its royal family.

  Nikolai nodded. “We do not have a university for the same reason.”

  “But aren’t you afraid young people won’t return to the island?” she asked, thinking that had to be a real detriment.

  But Nikolai shook his head. “We are both small countries, only able to support a finite population. Attrition is not always a bad thing. Voluntary attrition is preferred over involuntary.”

  Like her and her mother’s exile?

  But thinking about it, Nikolai’s attitude about natural attrition made sense. If everyone stayed, both small countries would be very different places. They would be crowded. And the problems that came with higher populations would plague them. Higher crime. Unemployment. Poverty, etc.

  “I never even considered that. Both countries have a lot of citizens working in other countries while maintaining their citizenship.”

  “Yes. And sometimes their children return to live.”

  “Do you allow immigration?”

  “Our numbers are by necessity extremely low, but we have few requests for permanent residence. Living in a country that lacks the amenities of big cities because we do not have them and has months in the winter with only a few hours of sunlight isn’t for everyone.”

  She considered that. “It is very isolated, but it’s so beautiful.”

  “I am glad you think so. It is my hope you will find life here as fulfilling as I do.”

  They continued to hold hands as they walked, and Nataliya made no effort to overcome the illusion of intimacy and romance the small physical connection provided.

  Their honeymoon lasted only a week, but Nikolai was a reigning monarch with duties even his father and brother could not perform in his place. And yet, during their honeymoon, he never once allowed state business to take precedence over their time together.

  It was a heady feeling for Nataliya to be the center of her royal husband’s attention.

  And the sex?

  Was off the charts. She learned he had no compunction about dragging her off to bed in the middle of the day. He learned that she was no retiring maiden, unwilling to initiate lovemaking.

  They made love often and by the end of the week, Nataliya felt more connected to Nikolai than she ever had to another person.

  * * *

  Their first official state event as a married couple was the night after their return to the palace.

  Nataliya did her best to maintain a cordial demeanor, but she spent most of the evening managing her response to subtle
and even some overt bids to get her to speak to her husband on one matter or another.

  She complained to Nikolai later as they were going to bed. “I don’t understand what they hope to gain having me bring a topic up to you rather than them.” Nataliya let the disgust she felt by the grasping behavior show in her tone.

  “Perhaps they believe you will attempt to use my obvious affection for you to sway my opinion.”

  “Is your affection for me obvious?” She hadn’t noticed him being all that affectionate since returning from their honeymoon.

  In fact, his very dignified manner was taking some getting used to after such an intensely sensual week where they touched constantly, whether they were having sex, or not. He had been more overtly affectionate with her before their wedding than since their return to the palace.

  Nataliya wished she knew what caused the difference. Because she’d look for a way to change it.

  He looked chagrined whether by her question or his own thoughts, she couldn’t tell.

  “We have been home for thirty-six hours,” he informed her like she didn’t know. “In that time, I have texted you several times, eaten every meal in your company and called you for no other apparent reason than to check on your welfare.”

  “Um...you kept track?” She hadn’t. Maybe she should have. Apparently that kind of communication indicated a deep affection on his part. Who knew?

  His gorgeous lips twisted in grimace. “My aides have. And you can be sure that the gossip of my besotted state has spread like wildfire through the palace.”

  She crossed the huge bedroom they shared until she stood only a few inches away from him, but for some reason couldn’t make herself reach out and touch him.

  Perhaps them sharing a room was another indication of his regard? She knew her aunt and uncle did not, but she’d never considered their marriage all that healthy. At least not since becoming an adult and realizing her uncle had a “secret” lover.

  “Did you share a room with Queen Tiana?” she asked out of curiosity.

  “Naturally. This is not the nineteenth century.”