Page 103 of Her Royal Houseguest

‘You do not believe me.’ She saw the shock on his face. And anger. He was not a man who lied.

‘I believe you!’ she rushed to say. ‘At least I believe you mean it now. But what about later? When another, prettier girl comes along? I will be set aside.’

‘So you are the problem, then. Again, you do not understand your own worth.’

‘What? No!’ Hadn’t she just stood up to her parents? Wasn’t she about to gamble on her own resources by striking out as a single woman?

‘Anna!’ he said, not loudly but with the force of frustration. ‘I spoke with your parents yesterday. As I promised you. I made an agreement with them.’

Her gaze shot to his. ‘Whatever you agreed with them makes no difference. I make my own decisions.’

‘I know but a prince needs a father’s signature. I have that now.’ When she remained silent, he touched her chin. ‘Let me negotiate with you.’

She couldn’t help herself. She pressed her cheek into his caress. ‘You already have my love. Isn’t that enough?’

‘I want you as my wife. Will you hear your father’s bargain with me?’

No. She did not want to know how cheaply they had sold her. So she distracted Deva in the best way she knew. She surged towards him, pressing him backwards, offering him her body in the boldest manner possible.

He groaned in acceptance but then abruptly twisted them around. In seconds, she was beneath him as he straddled her body.

‘Yes,’ she whispered as his hands shaped her breasts. Her hips shifted restlessly. This was what she wanted. No more talk of marriage. Just him and her, their bodies moving together as sensations flooded her mind.

When he set his knees between hers, she opened for him. When he thrust into her, she took him inside. Openly, willingly, eagerly.

But then he stopped. He was fully embedded within her. Her knees were around his thighs. And for all that she surged against him, he did not move.

‘Anna,’ he said as he caught her gaze. ‘I am a prince of Siam.’

‘Yes—’

‘And I can have dozens of women in my bed. As many as I want.’

She wrinkled her nose. ‘You’re telling me this now?’

‘Yes. Because this…’ His organ pulsed within her. ‘This is not what I want.’

She snorted. ‘I beg to differ.’ She knew he wanted this. They both did.

Then he leaned down. ‘I want your mind. I want your laughter. I want your children.’

Oh, she wanted that, too. She could see the two of them hand in hand, laughing as they watched their children grow. She arched her back, silently lifting her hips to his penetration. He responded with a groan, drawing back before thrusting inside again.

Yes.

But then he stopped again.

‘You are a difficult woman of great worth.’

‘You like that I’m difficult,’ she shot back. ‘You love to argue.’

He grinned. ‘I do.’

She closed her eyes as those two words settled inside her. She felt them even deeper than she felt him. They settled into her blood and into her bones but she didn’t let them into her heart. It was too painful.

‘I will marry you,’ he repeated.

Her body contracted around him and he sighed as his hips ground against her. If she couldn’t have for ever, then she would have this. Right now.