Rushing into her bedroom, she pulled off the black suit she’d worn to work and grabbed an old pair of leggings and a man’s shirt she’d picked up at a thrift store. As she pulled her hair up into a ponytail, she checked her reflection in the mirror over her dresser. “If this doesn’t send the right signal, nothing will.”

  As soon as she stepped out of her bedroom, a pair of soft, fluffy socks covering her feet, the doorbell rang. She pulled the door open, knowing she would find Rian on the other side. Sure enough, he was there, looking handsome, tall, and extremely forbidding. His eyes narrowed as they traveled down over her figure before coming back up to her face. “Am I to understand that we are dining in tonight?” he asked.

  Amilee gripped the doorknob tightly, nodding as she opened the door further to allow him to come inside. “Do your guards need to come in as well?”

  He glanced back at them and, with a nod, Rian walked inside. Two guards took up sentry duty outside her door while the other two went back downstairs to…wherever it was that they would be until Rian left for the evening.

  “Your assistant told me that you were on your way, even though we could have discussed this on the phone.” She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly to calm her nerves. “I thought it would be easier to talk here rather than in a restaurant. You draw a great deal of attention when you go out in public.”

  “You make a good point,” he agreed as she closed the door. When she turned around, she watched in fascination as he loosened the knot of his tie, tossing it over a chair. He unbuttoned the top three buttons of his dress shirt, and slid out of his jacket, tossing it over his tie.

  “You…what are you doing?” she demanded, backing up a step. Immediately, her reaction to his kiss came to mind.

  “I’m getting more comfortable,” he explained, looking around. “Ah, you’ve opened a bottle of wine. Excellent!”

  “Yes. Would you like a glass?” she asked, rushing into the kitchen to pull two glasses down out of a cabinet, relieved to have something to do with her hands.

  “Yes, that would be nice. Thank you.” He lifted the bottle, examining the label. “This is a good vintage. Did your father send it to you?”

  Amilee took umbrage at his assumption. “Why? You don’t think that I can afford a bottle of wine?”

  He laughed softly. “Don’t get angry, my dear,” he said, taking a glass and filling it. “I had dinner with your father two weeks ago and he served this wine. He mentioned that it was his favorite.”

  “Oh,” she replied, feeling silly for becoming defensive. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “But I also know that you wouldn’t be able to afford this bottle of wine as well as pay your rent. They are about the same and I know how much you earn as a salary.”

  Her eyes lifted, angry once again. “How? How do you know those details?”

  He moved closer, handing her the glass. “Because I took an interest in what you do and the details of your life several years ago, my dear.”

  “An interest in my life does not mean that you have the right to…” she stopped her tirade when he touched her cheek with his hand.

  “You are a little porcupine, aren’t you?” he teased. “My interest was not merely for my own benefit, Amilee,” he explained softly. “It was also to ensure your safety. As my betrothed, you are in danger from my enemies. My security team was tasked with ensuring that you were protected, although I demanded that they do so from a distance so that you could enjoy life as a college student for as long as possible.”

  “Well, I guess that’s…um…okay.”

  “You think so?” he laughed, moving even closer. “Why did you want to speak with me here, in private, my porcupine?”

  Amilee might have laughed at his teasing, but his hand lingered on her cheek and she was startled by the intensity of emotions that a simple touch could invoke. “I just…I wanted to–”

  Her explanation was forgotten as he lowered his head to kiss her. Just like this morning, his touch was soft at first. When she didn’t pull away, he lifted his lips, looking down at her. “You have the softest lips,” he murmured, and kissed her again.

  “They aren’t soft,” she argued.

  He grinned slightly. “And the porcupine emerges with all points ready to stab.”

  “I’m not a porcupine,” she whispered, pulling away. But her voice wasn’t nearly as strong as she’d like it to be. It was soft and wavering, showing how affected she was by his touch.

  Stepping around him, she walked into the family room, keeping her back to him. “We need to talk, Rian.”

  “I’m here. What shall we discuss?”

  She swung around, relieved that he’d paused in her kitchen doorway, leaning against the doorjamb.

  “I don’t want to be betrothed to you anymore,” she blurted. Her eyes widened as she realized how blunt that came out. But she didn’t back down. She waited, holding her breath to see how he would react.

  “I agree,” he replied, pushing away from the wall and coming towards her.

  “You do?” she squeaked, her breath rushing out of her lungs in a whoosh! “Oh, that’s such a relief! I thought you’d be angry!”

  He laughed softly. “Why would I be angry? It’s the main reason I came here to talk with you.”

  “It is?” she asked, laughing again, almost dizzy with relief. There was a strange pang of…something she wasn’t willing to define. “Well, good! I mean, we should…figure out what to say to…I don’t even know who would care.”

  He lifted a brow. “The world will care, my dear. The whole world is waiting for an announcement.”

  “Seriously?” She watched as he sat down at the far end of the sofa. “Why?”

  He gestured for her to sit and, even though she didn’t feel like sitting down, she did so, although at the other end of the sofa.

  “Why wouldn’t everyone be waiting to hear about our wedding? It’s been planned for too long and our people are ready for news of the event.”

  Amilee jumped back to her feet, taking a step away from him. “Wait. What?”

  That eyebrow lifted again. “The wedding? Isn’t that what this is all about?”

  She shook her head. “No!” she replied, waving her hands. “Definitely not! This is about ending our betrothal!”

  “Exactly,” he said, crossing his legs so that his ankle rested on his knee. It was such an American gesture that it caught her off guard.

  “No, we’re not ending the betrothal with a wedding. We’re just…ending the betrothal!” she told him firmly.

  He laughed and stood up. “Why would we do that?”

  She sputtered for a long moment before she finally blurted out, “Because we don’t want to get married to each other?”

  He shook his head. “But I would be delighted to marry you.”

  She stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “No you wouldn’t!”

  He reached for her hands but she stepped out of range.

  “Amilee, why would I not want to be married to you? You’re beautiful, intelligent, sensitive, and…”

  “And I don’t want to get married!” she snapped. “Not to you or…actually, not to anyone. But especially not to you!”

  Those annoying eyebrows lifted again. “Why ‘especially’ not to me?”

  Amilee wasn’t sure what to say to that. “Your Highness, our betrothal was…it was agreed upon years ago. We were too young. We shouldn’t have agreed to something that significant. You were barely twenty years old and I was twelve! That’s not how solid relationships are formed!”

  “That’s true. And if we hadn’t gotten to know one another over the years, if I hadn’t discovered what a truly intelligent and fascinating person you were, then I would agree that the betrothal should be put aside. But that’s not the case. Is it? We are attracted to each other.”

  “No! I’m not!”

  “I believe that I disproved that statement earlier today,” he argued softly. “Should I prove it again?” he asked, stepping closer.

  Rian watched with a mixture of fascination and fury as Amilee argued to put aside the betrothal. He’d been fascinated with Amilee since she was a mere fourteen years old. He’d become sexually attracted to her when she’d stepped into the palace at twenty, her femininity only beginning to blossom. He’d been furious with himself during that visit, holding himself back from kissing her when she was too young, even thinking himself a deviant for thinking such lustful thoughts about a girl so young. Then at twenty, that kiss, the way she’d looked and the beauty of her lush curves…she’d driven him wild that night! It had taken all of his control to step away from her!

  And yet, he’d waited. The terms of the betrothal contract were that they would wed after she’d finished her education. Now was the time. He’d waited long enough!

  “No!” she stopped him by waving a hand. “There’s no need to prove anything, Your Highness.”

  If she’d said his name, he might have cooled a bit of his temper. But hearing her use his title only inflamed him further. “Amilee, are you trying to provoke me?” he demanded.

  “No!” she gasped. “Why would you even suggest something like that?”

  “Because you refuse to use my given name after I have repeatedly given you permission to use it.”

  She laughed, shaking her head. “Do you have any idea how arrogant you sound? You’ve ‘given me permission to use your first name’, and yet you use my first name all the time. When did I ever give you permission to use my name? I don’t recall ever giving you that honor.”

  “You know perfectly well that there are different standards, etiquette that we must adhere to. I don’t like some of the stupider rules either. And I absolutely hate that you won’t use my name.”

  “Why would I?” she demanded, folding her arms over her stomach. That only pushed her breasts up higher, utterly distracting him.

  He growled and stepped closer, his temper barely leashed. He would prove to her that they had a connection, one that they both needed to recognize and embrace. No woman had ever affected him the way she did!

  “So, if I were to touch you like this,” he purred, trailing a hand down her arm. “You wouldn’t like it, would you?”

  Amilee opened her mouth to speak, but the words stuck in her throat. She stared up at him, afraid to move for fear she’d start shaking. He reached out and ran a hand lightly down her other arm. “Or like this?” he asked, his voice deepening as he watched her nipples harden, proving that he affected her. If she were to simply look down, she’d see that he was aching for her.

  “Or would you like me to kiss you?” he asked. “Would that prove that we’re attracted to each other?”

  “It wouldn’t prove anything,” she muttered, but her eyes dropped to his mouth.

  “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice husky, his lips barely a centimeter from hers, his breath warm against her face.

  She opened her mouth to deny him, but he kissed her. The electric sizzle that jolted through her startled her and she grabbed onto his shirt. This wasn’t like the slow, simmering kiss from this morning. Nope, this was hot and sultry, his mouth forcefully demanding entry and, when he nipped at her lips, she gasped, opening to his invasion. And oh, what a sweet invasion it was! She whimpered, pulling him closer, needing to press herself against his hardness. A part of her wondered why she was doing this, but the other part told that first part to shut up and enjoy herself.

  Then there was no thinking at all. It was all just muddled thoughts that sounded something like, “Don’t stop” and “Do that again.” For all she knew, Amilee could be saying them out loud.

  She felt a burning sensation on her back, then realized that it was his hands touching her bare skin. She wanted more, wanted to feel his skin against her own. Just a brief touch, she promised herself as she unbuttoned his shirt. A few of the buttons didn’t give fast enough and there might have been a ping somewhere in her apartment when a button flew through the air. Amilee didn’t care! This…this she remembered from her dreams before that first kiss. Except this…was so much better! She never could have imagined feeling this hot and bothered and wildly needy! Her imagination simply wasn’t that good!

  He lifted her up and pinned her to the wall. She felt something press against her core and she definitely cared about that. It pressed and she rolled her hips entreatingly, sending more of those delicious electric shocks throughout her body. But it wasn’t enough! Not nearly enough! She needed to feel more of him, her hands exploring his skin. She heard him groan, and interpreted that as permission to continue. When he ripped his shirt off, she sighed with relief as she ran her hands over his chest. Then his hands were touching her. She had no idea where her shirt went…and her leggings were down to her knees.

  He shifted against her and all thoughts of her leggings disappeared from her mind as she pressed against him, wanting, needing more. She shivered, gasping for air, but nothing seemed to satisfy her until she rolled her hips again! Higher and tighter, her body seemed to spiral upwards until…stars burst in front of her eyes as pleasure pulsed through her, around her, inside of her, and she screamed.

  And then nothing! She slumped forward, her arms clutching at Rian as he lifted her carefully into his arms. She might have laughed. Or was it a sob? All she knew was that she was cradled in his arms and she knew that she wanted to be here forever!

  “That was beautiful, Amilee,” he groaned as he laid her down on her bed.

  Amilee smiled up at him, more relaxed than she’d ever felt before. “That was amazing!” she sighed.

  “Think you can do it again?”

  He pulled her leggings completely off, tossing them away.

  She laughed again, feeling…odd. “No. Probably not.”

  He kissed the inside of her leg. Gone were those nice, wonderful sensations. The floating feeling was gone, replaced by an intense need.

  “Let’s try anyway, shall we?”

  His mouth covered her breast and Amilee gasped, her body tightening all over again. “Rian!”

  “That sounds amazing. Say it again!” he ordered.

  She shook her head, but his mouth closed over her nipple. She might have said his name, or it could have been a scream. Regardless, she arched her back, offering herself up to him. Needing that strange, vibrating tension. She recognized it this time and, stunned, wanted to experience it again.

  “Rian, I don’t know what’s happening,” she whispered to him, frantic as she rubbed her legs along his hips. He was still clothed and she didn’t like that. She needed…she wasn’t sure. It was too much and she tried to pull his head away.

  “Stay there,” he ordered, standing up as he stripped off his clothes.

  Amilee wanted to tell him to stop, but he was so beautiful. With every piece of clothing that he discarded, she admired what he revealed. The muscles along his arms and chest rippled with power. Then his hands moved to his slacks, unbuttoning them, sliding the zipper down. Slowly. Was he stripping for her benefit? Amilee couldn’t look up at his face to determine his point. She watched, her mouth dry as he slid the material down his legs. He stepped out of his slacks and his boxers, tossing them to the side. Then he stood there beside the bed, completely naked, allowing her time to take him in.

  “You can touch me, you know,” he said, his voice rough with passion. She gazed up at him, then back down at that magnificent erection.

  “How?” she asked, her mouth dry and her eyes wide with fascination.

  He took her hand. “Like this,” he said, then wrapped her fingers around his shaft, moving her hand slowly up and down. She took over, exploring, feeling the velvety softness covering the steel underneath.

  “Let me see all of you, Amilee,” he ordered, taking her knees and spreading them wide.

  For a moment, she was horrified that he would look at her in such an intimate way, but then he lowered his head, his mouth nuzzling those dark curls and…

  “Oh dear heaven!” she gasped, her hands sliding into his hair as her hips twitched at the unexpected sensation. “Don’t…”

  “You don’t like it?”

  Her muffled response was almost laughable, but he understood and bent his head, his mouth teasing and torturing her as her body tightened with desire and need.

  “Not this time, love,” he said, chuckling as he kissed his way back up her body. He spent a few extra moments teasing her nipples again, but then he was there, kissing her so she could taste herself on his lips as he wrapped her legs around him, shifting her hips so that she cradled him more intimately.

  Amilee felt his throbbing erection pressing against her opening, but all she could do was tense up, her body ready for this, needing him to fill her. She didn’t fully understand this driving need, although she knew the mechanics of the sexual act. Of course she knew! No one in this day and age was unaware of sex. The confusing part was this desperate need, this all encompassing desire for him to fill her, to connect with her in the most intimate of ways, that she didn’t recognize or understand.

  As he pressed into her, she felt a small pinch of pain, but once he was fully inside of her, he stilled.

  “Are you okay?”

  She thought about it for a long moment, her fingers curling around his upper arms. “Yes?”

  He laughed, his arms starting to shake with the effort to control himself. “I hurt you.”

  Oh! Is that what he was worried about? “I’m fine,” she told him, shifting her hips. “It’s nothing at all.”

  He bent down, kissing her tenderly as he started to thrust himself into her. With a gasp, Amilee moved with him. The friction was…no, it wasn’t nice. It was…odd. Her body felt so tight and tense that she didn’t know what to do.

  “Rian, should I…?”

  “Just enjoy, Amilee,” he whispered into her ear, smiling as she trembled. “Relax, and move in whatever way makes you feel good.”

  So, she did. And whoa! “I don’t…its too much, Rian,” she muttered, gripping his hips to try to still him.