Penelope & Prince Charming by Jennifer Ashley Page B

on the floor. “I know that. Friends do what’s best for each other. And marrying Damien is best for you.”
    Penelope put her hands to her head, dazed. “He has cast a spell on you, too.”
    Damien rose. While Meagan sat up and watched with interest, Damien slid his hands around Penelope’s waist. “I know this is troubling to you. I know I have frightened you. I, too, was hesitant—until I saw you. Then I knew that it was right.”
    His hands were strong on her back, resting lightly, but supporting her. “You will have time to get used to the idea. There are many preparations to make, many rituals to perform. I would rather simply get on with it, but they must be done. Sasha will insist on it.”
    Her mouth felt parched, and she barely heard his words. She heard only his voice, low and smooth. She saw only the blue of his eyes, felt only the warmth of his breath.
    Meagan, untroubled by such things, chattered. “What sort of rituals?”
    “All sorts,” Damien answered. “We must pass the ring to Penelope officially, and then there will be festivals and entertainments and balls. We will have rituals for the betrothal, and then we will have a ritual for our first mating.”
    Penelope’s eyes widened. Meagan grinned hugely. “Mating?” she chirped. “Did you just say mating? ”

Chapter Six
    Damien wanted to laugh at Meagan’s delight, but the way Penelope watched him kept him sober. Meagan leapt to her feet, gathered her skirts, and danced about in a small circle.
    If only Penelope would join her in rejoicing. They should link hands, dance all three together. They would not have much more time for joy. They should partake of it now.
    Penelope had gone rigid under his hands. She’d softened to him while he kissed her, he’d felt that. But that progress had come to a painful and sudden halt.
    He decided to play the fool. Prince Damien was good at playing the fool.
    “This is the right word, is it not?” He tried a confused smile. “Mating? I know you English must have mating. There are so many of you.”
    “Oh, we know all about mating,” Meagan said happily.
    “Meagan,” Penelope tried.
    “You sound just like my papa. And you know that he and your mama know all about—”
    “ Meagan.”
    Meagan snorted. “Do not become such a prude, Penelope. You will be betrothed, and my father will marry your mother, and it will all be in the family. Families are wonderful things. Do you not think so, Damien?”
    Damien, who had never had a real family, could not say. He’d had a father, of course—the previous Imperial Prince, a tyrant who’d imprisoned Damien and tried to kill him on several occasions. Damien could not within any stretch of imagination call that family.
    “Yes,” he answered. “I would like to be in your family.”
    He suddenly wanted it with all his might. Selfish, perhaps, but so be it. If he must do this he would drag as much pleasure as he could from it.
    “You see?” Meagan spread her hands, looked guilelessly at Penelope.
    Penelope’s bosom lifted against her gown. She was even more mussed now from his kissing, and even with Meagan nearby, that fact was making him rock hard. He wanted her alone, out here, where he could lay her down on one of these benches and muss her still more. He’d lay her back, unfasten her bodice one hook at a time, press it open, maybe with his tongue.
    She firmly removed his hands from her waist. “We are not family.”
    She looked like she wanted to say more, but her words faded. They stood so close, despite her retreat, that her breath touched his skin.
    She had lovely eyes, deep green, flecked with gold. Her eyes went with her golden hair, like sunshine captured.
    One of the rituals involved bathing in a deep bath. He could already feel her slick skin under his hands as he washed her, purifying her for their first coupling. He’dslide fingers over her curves, finding the secret recesses of her.
    That was one ritual Sasha was not going to