.

wobbled slightly on her feet. “I’ll do my best to be a good wife.” Her words hung in the still night air, the lie echoing off tree trunks and winding itself around them like a vine.

      How could she be a good wife if she deceived him about the paternity of the child he’d raise?

      Lani’s golden eyes shone with anxiety—and why wouldn’t they? AJ’s chest tightened. This poor girl had no say in her own fate. Of course she could refuse him, but she was far too polite and kind for that. He could have offered to take the crown but refused to marry Lani, but for some reason he knew marrying her was the right thing to do.

      Maybe it was that first kiss?

      In the kiss all pretense had fallen away. All the tension had evaporated and there was nothing left but… passion. Could that happen again now that they were pledged to each other for life?

      Lani’s chin tilted high as she met his gaze. She looked so earnest, determined to meet her fate bravely. Everything seemed so awkward.

      His synapses tingled as he contemplated kissing her. Perhaps that would cut through all the layers of ceremony and nerves and anticipation and jump-start the connection he’d felt between them that first night. “I have an idea.”

      Dark lashes lowered, she looked coyly away, like a young girl who’d never been kissed. But he knew better. Somewhere beneath that demure surface lurked a smoldering cauldron of passion that he ached to taste again.

      “What?” she murmured, daring to glance up.

      He replied by lowering his face to hers. He did it slowly, to give her a chance to react and respond in her own time. At first she flinched slightly, as if to dodge him, then she seemed to steel herself and tilted her lips to his.

      Their lips met like opposing magnets coming together, pulled by an unseen force. A shock wave of desire crashed through AJ as Lani’s mouth opened to greet his. Her body softened and he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close. Heat gathered between them and his skin hummed with awareness of her body. His fingers itched to tug at the embroidered fabric of her dress and pull it away to reveal smooth, golden skin.

      Her mouth tasted like warm honey, delicious and inviting. He deepened the kiss, trailing his fingers down her spine. Lani kissed him back, tongue reaching for his, her arms wrapped around his waist and her slim body straining against him.

      But something was different.

      Her actions lacked the sense of raw abandon he remembered from their first kiss. No breathless moans pierced the night air. Her fingertips pressed into the muscles of his back, but with a forced quality, not the fevered intensity he remembered.

      He pulled away slowly. Lani’s eyes opened, and he noted their look of curious alarm. Did she wonder if she’d put on a good enough show of passion?

      AJ fought the urge to frown. It didn’t help that they were out here in the dark garden, while all the guests still drank and talked inside. “Let’s go somewhere more comfortable.” Then they could talk in private and get more used to their new situation.

      “Okay.” She blinked. Quiet and accommodating as usual. Would he ever know what went on in her mind, behind that polite smile?

      He took her arm and they walked down the corridor. “We won’t be missed at the party. They’ll have more fun talking about us if we’re not there.” He shot her a smile.

      “Yes.” Her arm felt rigid in his.

      AJ led her through the lamplit passages of the private quarters of the palace and into his private sitting room. It adjoined the bedroom; no one would come to disturb them here. The guests would stay until dawn, then stumble drunkenly to their chauffeured cars.

      Priia had redecorated the room in his absence, in a simple, masculine style that he rather liked. No doubt now he’d be expected to move into the royal bedchamber, but there was no way he’d spend the night in a room where Lani had once slept with Vanu.

      He gestured to a low chaise covered in soft leather. Lani perched stiffly on the edge of it.

      “Would you like some wine?” He gestured to the stocked bar in one corner.

      “No, thanks. I’m fine.” Her rushed response surprised him. He moved to the cabinet and poured a glass for himself. He sat next to Lani on the sofa, each of them upright, formal, painfully separate. Even his favorite vintage tasted slightly bitter on his tongue.

      What had he got himself into?

      He set his glass down. “You don’t have to marry me, you know.”

      Lani’s gaze snapped to meet his. “But of course I want to.” The gleam of panic in her eyes warred with her reassuring words.

      “I know my mom has probably put a lot of pressure on you, and now I’ve piled on some more by publicly declaring I’d marry you, but I don’t intend to force you into anything. If you want to call it off, just say the word.”

      He braced himself for her response. Her rejection.

      The events of tonight had lit a fire inside him—a fire of warm ancient traditions and comforting rituals, and he’d committed to keeping that fire alive. The prospect of spending his life with the beautiful Lani had suddenly seemed to be one of the sweeter benefits of taking up the role his country expected of him.

      Even now, her golden gaze sent a charge of electricity snaking through him, and his fingertips ached to roam over her soft skin.

      But not if she didn’t want him. He had more than enough women after him back in L.A. There was no reason on earth good enough to force a woman into bed with him if she didn’t want to be there.

      “I don’t want to call it off.” Lani’s words came out in a staccato rhythm. “I want to get married as soon as possible.” She wiped her palms on the shimmering fabric of her evening dress.

      AJ cocked his head. “Then why do you look so damned unhappy about it? “

      “I am happy, really.” She reached out to him and wrapped her arms stiffly around him. The goose bumps on her arms rasped his skin.

      “You have a funny way of showing it.” Still, the hopeful gesture warmed his heart. He turned and put his arm around her. Only to find that she was shivering, her whole body tense and rigid.

      He raised a thumb to her cheek and stroked it. “You need to relax.”

      “I know. I’m just… excited.”

      Panicked, more like. Maybe she was afraid he’d want to make love to her tonight? “We don’t have to rush into anything.”

      “Oh, but we should. Everyone is expecting it.” Something flashed in her eyes, panic, or calculation, he couldn’t tell which. Curiosity unfurled in him like a flame.

      He tilted his head and held her gaze. “You think they expect us to sleep together?”

      “Probably, yes.” She nodded.

      He lifted a brow. Heat flared in his groin. “Do you think we should?”

      Her cheek heated under his thumb. “Yes, I do.” Her voice was low, breathy.

      AJ blinked. He’d not expected that answer. In fact he’d had no intention of doing more than kiss her for now. But maybe she wanted to get such a big milestone out of the way? Or to make sure he was a considerate lover before she committed the rest of her life to him? There were many possible explanations, under the bizarre circumstances.

      And since he was a healthy male, any one of them would do. He rose from the sofa, and took her hand. “Then I guess we’d better go into the bedroom.”