Abducting the Princess by Mel Teshco Page B

with honesty. She searched his open stare, everything starting to finally make sense. “That’s why my people didn’t try to stop you from taking me away,” she murmured. “That’s why the crowd shielded you from my own soldiers…they knew you were protecting me from the dissenters.”
    “Yes.”
    She sighed, taking a moment to think everything through. Mahaya’s name had niggled at her memory because she’d heard rumors about a man and his followers who’d decided the royal soldiers weren’t sufficient to protect the kingdom.
    It had seemed laughable at the time and she’d once again shrugged off the rumors and focused all her attention on the peoples’ daily issues and dilemmas.
    Goddess, when had she become such a narrow-minded fool?
    He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Not that I expect to match your father’s greatness.”
    He underestimated himself. She felt certain he would indeed be a great king, just like her father. But it was madness to even contemplate such a thing. Their being together was never going to happen.
    “What I do know is that I’ll understand the people and their needs.” His eyes burned. “Just tell me you’ll at least think about it?”
    When he kissed her again, soft, tender butterfly kisses on her lips, her throat, then back to her lips again, she sighed with surrender, unwilling to spoil the moment by reminding him of her oath to another man. He’d been there when she’d made the vow, he had to know that the future he spoke of couldn’t come true, no matter how much they both wanted it to.
    Feeling heartsick but refusing to dwell on it, she moved even closer to his powerful body, her curves fitting perfectly against his.
    She had nothing to be afraid of anymore. Besides the fact being with Mahaya took away all her fears of the dark, she was secure in the knowledge she hadn’t inherited her father’s nightmix gene.
    And it was all thanks to the man before her.
    Her legs wrapped around his hips as her hands glided up the silky smooth skin of his back—his shift had fully healed him—before curling around his nape. Anchored to him. Not letting go.
    His cock pressed against her belly, rock hard and insistent.
    She smiled with his lips sealing hers. For as long as she lived, she would never forget this man, this moment. Never forget his scent, his touch, his taste. Never forget his beautiful form and his brilliant mind.
    Mahaya dipped low until the water slid over their heads and they were both submerged, cocooned in a whole new silky cool world. Wondrous. Magical.
    Their mouths still joined and her lungs beginning to burn, Mahaya abruptly kicked upward and they broke through the surface. She gasped for air, aroused and a hundred kinds of emotional.
    Their hands clung tight, thighs brushed and stares locked. Though no words were exchanged, there was a shared intensity between them that couldn’t be denied. In silent admission they waded back to the shore.
    Mira turned and moved back into his arms. He laid her down on the bank that was clear of the sharp pine needles. Her breath caught in her throat at the intensity in his eyes when he leaned over her before he kissed each corner of her mouth, his lips warm and gentle.
    Her head fell back as his lips brushed down the column of her throat, lingering in the hollow before moving lower. When his tongue swept over her nearest nipple before gently nipping and then soothing with a series of gentle suckles, she couldn’t help but cry out with need.
    Goddess, what if she never experienced this again? What if this man was the only one who could bring her body to ecstasy? What if feeling this way would one day be nothing more than a faded, wistful memory?
    Do you really think Jarvias will bring you to orgasm ? An insidious voice asked.
    She stiffened and Mahaya’s head reared back, his stare purposeful, watchful. She jerked at the touch of his questing fingers between her thighs, then softly moaned as he spread apart her vulva and