‘But you’re different.’
His smile was barely a shift of his lips.
‘Am I?’
‘For starters, you’re the only man here wearing black robes.’
He nodded slowly. There was a reason for that. Robes just like these had been worn at an ancient meeting between these two people, an event to mark their peace and friendship. His choice of attire was ceremonial but yes, she was right. All the other men wore either western-style suits or traditional white robes.
‘Except, it’s not what you’re wearing.’
She lifted a hand, pressing her fingers to his chest. The touch surprised them both, but she didn’t pull away.
‘Have you ever met someone and felt...?’ She frowned, searching for the right word.
But it was unnecessary. She didn’t need to explain further. He shook his head. ‘No. I’ve never felt this in my life.’
And before either of them could say another word, he dropped his mouth to hers and claimed her lips with all the desire that was humming inside his body.
CHAPTER TWO
THE DRESS WAS impossibly soft and, at its back, small pearls ran the length of her spine, so he had to undo each one in order to free her from the stunning creation. He was impatient and wanted to rip the dress—but the material was seemingly unbreakable. Besides, he had just enough sense left to realise he’d be doing this woman a great wrong if he left her to emerge from the maze with a snagged dress.
What they were doing was mad on every level. He knew nothing about her—he could only be grateful she knew nothing about him either. The last thing he needed was a complication that would detract from the peace accord.
She’d been right about the masks. Anonymity was perfect. He removed the dress as quickly as he could, stripping it from her body with reverence, a husky groan impossible to contain when he saw the underwear she wore. Flimsy white lace, it barely covered her generous breasts and bottom. The effect of the silk and her face mask had his cock growing so hard it was painful.
He swore under his breath, dispensing with his own robes with far less reverence, stripping out of them as he’d done hundreds of time before, unable to take his eyes off her as he moved. He was half afraid she’d change her mind, that she’d tell him they had to stop this. And she’d be right to do so! This was utter madness, a whim of desire and pleasure and hedonism, a whim he should deny himself, just as he’d denied himself so many things in his time for the sake of his country.
He knew that his kingdom required him to marry—he was the sole heir to the throne and without a wife the necessary children were impossible to beget. Yet he had only ever engaged in careful, meaningless affairs, and only when he’d felt the conditions were right—the right woman, who would understand he could give her nothing in the way of commitment, because he had an obligation to marry for the good of his kingdom. Did this woman understand that?
She reached around behind her back, as if to unclasp her bra, drawing his mind away from his thoughts and back to the present. He watched as she unhooked the lace, her breath hissing between her teeth, her eyes on his as the garment dropped to the ground beside her, revealing two perfect, pale orbs with dark, engorged nipples.
He swore again, and when her eyes dropped to his very visible arousal, he felt a little of his seed spill from his crown. Her eyes looked as though they wanted to devour him.
Aljahim, he wanted this. He wanted to feel her, to taste her, to touch her all over, but time was against them. This would be so much faster than he wanted.
‘I cannot stay long,’ he said quietly; it was only fair to forewarn her of that before they began.
‘Nor can I.’ She reached for the elastic of her tiny scrap of underwear but he shook his head.
‘Allow me.’
Her eyes widened and she dropped her hands to the side, nodding once.
He closed the distance between them, pausing right in front of her, his pulse slamming through his body.
‘This is what you want?’
She nodded.
‘You’re on the pill?’
Another nod, wide-eyed, as though the reality was just dawning on her.
‘I don’t have any protection—’
‘I’m safe.’