Heat churned into anger—the only acceptable release for it because she couldn’t let him see how much she hurt. How could he stop so easily? Why wasn’t he as crazed with lust as she was? The one time she’d given into the urge to take what she wanted—to be greedy and selfish like her family—she’d been denied. She couldn’t win whichever way she tried.
‘Aren’t you going to ask what I want? Are you making this decision without asking me?’ she asked fiercely.
Why had he offered something she wanted so much only to snatch it away from her at the last second? Did he not want it as much as her after all?
Something flickered in his gaze. ‘I’m trying to do the right thing.’
But how was this wrong? Here—just here, just now—was the right thing, wasn’t it? That part of her that didn’t care was released. The greedy, naughty part she’d tried to suppress for years. ‘Stop trying to do the right thing and do what you want for once in your life,’ she snapped.
‘And damn the consequences?’
‘What consequences? Why will there be any? Nothing bad’s going to happen because we both know...’ She shook her head in frustration. ‘This is it. This is the one time we can do what feels right, not what we think is right. Not what we should do. We have minutes, Felipe. Only minutes.’
This was the one time they had. The only time she’d ever wanted to. No one would know. No one would judge. Here in his palace they had the safest, most secure, most secret, most solitary of chances.
‘Elsie.’ A tic in his jaw flicked.
‘Why would it be bad?’ She was unable to stifle her stark honesty, the avaricious need within overruling her usual caution. ‘You’re not a king to me, Felipe. You’re just a man I want.’
It would be a brief crossover in lives that were so very different. But he stared at her—still locked against her. As slow seconds ticked by, shame slithered in.
What was she doing? Basically begging the guy to take her to bed? He clearly didn’t want to. She was making a fool of herself. She felt ripped open and unwanted.
‘Forget it.’ Overwhelmed, she pushed hard against his chest.
He stepped back.
And she was such a fool. She ducked out from him. ‘I’m going to my room.’
Three paces towards the door she realised she had no idea how to find the wretched thing. She stopped. ‘I’m afraid you need to show me the way.’
She didn’t want to look at him but her eyes wouldn’t obey her brain. He was standing where she’d left him. Still and frowning at her. And so handsome she wanted to throw something at him. He’d made her want him, so quickly, so easily, so completely. He was her impossible.
‘The way?’ he echoed.
‘I haven’t even been to the guest wing.’ She put her hands on her hips in a fake gesture of confidence and glared at him. ‘You know this place is a rabbit warren. Full of secret corridors that all look the same and lead to...’ It was beyond embarrassing now and she growled at him. ‘Could you just flick your fingers and have one of your staff magically appear?’
He finally moved. ‘I’ll show you.’
‘You don’t have to.’
He walked over to where she stood, ignoring her deliberately defiant pose to step in too close and press his hand against her mouth. The gentlest laughter gleamed in his eyes. ‘Who’s the sulky one now?’