Besieged Heart (No Ordinary Lovers Collection) by Jennifer Blake Page A

and mounted, distilled to their essence, to his brain.
    “What, then? There is nothing else between us that comes anywhere near affection.”
    That wasn’t true. Still, if she did not know it then holding her helpless was only exacting revenge for her defiance. That made him no better than the baron.
    Rayne breathed hard and deep, trying to think, to decide how to bring some good from this situation he had created. It was impossible while his every instinct screamed for him to take the woman in his arms. He wanted her now—this moment—before it was too late.
    Soon, soon, he must reverse this precarious spell and take them both back to Carreg Cennen. If he did not, they would be trapped here in this future time where everything was strange and new, and there was nothing between Princess Mara and himself except anger and fear and the kind of rampant lust that, if satisfied, must inevitably turn to hate.
    Rayne closed his eyes and gave his head a quick shake to dislodge his raging inclinations. Releasing Mara, he pushed away from her and surged to one knee. Reaching to take her hands, he drew her up beside him.
    She came, but there was a frown between her eyes. Curling her fingers around his, she clung to him when he would have let her go. In a strained voice, she said, “What is it? What is wrong?”
    “If you value your virtue,” he said with contained force, “you will take yourself well away from me.”
    Her lips parted on a soft sound that might have been surprise or distress. Wide-eyed, she searched his face, studying every feature in turn until her gaze caught and held his own.
    Her pupils were dark and reflective, the surrounding gray irises silver-edged and shimmering with some inner light. Her face was flushed, her features were composed—if she despised him now, she hid it well.
    She was everything that was good and fine, bright and beautiful and unobtainable. She was proud, but then she had nothing for which to be humble. She could be autocratic but was never unfair. If she was arrogant on occasion, it was for self-protection. Also because there were those who would deny her worth, being without value within themselves.
    She was his princess and his only love, and if he could not save her as he’d planned, he could still serve her. If she would permit it.
    “Forgive me,” he said, lowering his eyes, inclining his head as he had been so strictly taught by his father. “I meant you no harm.”
    She drew a short, sudden breath. For long seconds, there was not another sound. The sunshine falling through the window caught the spilled coffee with a bronze gleam and threw its reflection upon their faces in dazzling lozenges of light.
    Then she reached to touch his cheek, trailing her fingers down it, along the turn of his jaw, and over his lips to their center as if memorizing the lines. “It is possible,” she said quietly, “that I will obey you in that…if you will kiss me a second time.”
    He did not breathe, could not even blink. “If I should dare,” he answered in a constricted whisper, “I may not be able to stop.”
    She hesitated. He saw also the glimmer of tears along her lashes, also the slight upward tilt of her chin as she made her decision. Her voice was soft, so soft it could barely be heard, as she replied. “Then don’t, I pray you.”
    She knew him. She must, for how else could his princess come so near to offering herself to him? She would never extend that grace to a stranger, one who had done nothing except thwart her and attempt to dominate her. She was intelligent beyond most; she knew what he was doing, knew why and accepted it. He had done what he had intended when he swept them from Carreg Cennen. He had won.
    They would go from here soon. Then he would fight for her. He would fight because he must—because surrender or defeat were both unthinkable. She would return to her rightful place, and so would he; it was inevitable. These next few hours would be all they could ever