Royal Seductions: Diamonds: The King's Convenient Bride

Yet, as hard as he’d tried, she was still unhappy.

“What did I do?” he asked.

She blinked rapidly, as though surprised by his question. “Wh-what do you mean?”

Did she honestly think him so daft or self-centered that he wouldn’t notice when she was upset? “You have that look,” he said. “And I have the distinct impression I did or said something wrong.”

She shook her head, too emphatically to be believable, and plastered a smile on her face. “No. Of course not.”

He sighed. “Hannah, you’re a terrible liar.”

She bit her lip and lowered her eyes.

She wasn’t going to make this easy. She was going to make him drag it out of her. As long as he lived, he would never understand the inner workings of the female mind.

Fine then, if that was what she wanted. “Just tell me why you’re upset.”

“It’s really late, and I’m exhausted,” she said, but she wouldn’t look him in the eye.

He folded his arms across his chest. “I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s wrong.”

She glanced up at him, saw that he was serious. That he really wasn’t going anywhere. “It’s stupid.”

“Go on.”

“I thought… I just assumed…”

He waited patiently for her to continue.

She looked down at her hands, clenched in front of her, and said softly, “I thought that, after the wedding, we would be sharing a suite.”

He wasn’t sure what surprised him more, that she would want to share a suite, or that it upset her that they wouldn’t. Honestly, it had never crossed his mind. His parents had been married, yet they never shared living quarters. Maybe in her world, that was what married couples did.

But this was not going to be a typical marriage. She knew that going in and he wasn’t about to change his ways. “Hannah—”

“It’s okay. Really.”

Obviously it was not okay. He could see that she was trying to be tough, but her voice had that wobbly sound she got just before she cried. He was sorry she was hurt, but this was not negotiable. “This is the way things are. My parents conducted their marriage the same way and I intend to follow those rules.”

“I understand,” she said. But he could see that she didn’t. She was hurt and confused.

“I thought you knew coming into this that it was an arrangement. I’m sorry if this upsets you or you were misled about my intentions.” Hadn’t they determined, on more than one occasion, that he was the king, and he made the rules?

But that had been in jest. There was nothing funny about this.

She sniffled softly and swiped at her cheek. “I’m well aware of our arrangements. Just forget I said anything.”

It pained him to see her so distraught, and trying so hard to hide it. He wanted to say something, anything, to make her feel better, but the words escaped him. How did she manage, without even trying, to make him feel so helpless?

So…inadequate?

She took a deep breath and blew it out. “I’m sorry. I’m just tired.” She flashed him a smile that almost looked genuine. “I’m up way past my bedtime. Not to mention that it’s been a really crazy week.”

That it had. Both of their lives had been changed dramatically, but he had to remind himself that hers bore the brunt of it. It was just going to take time for them to adjust. And would it kill him to spare her just a little bit more of his time? At least until she settled in.

“Do you have plans for lunch tomorrow?” he asked.

“Nothing I can’t change.”

He had a ridiculously busy schedule, but he could spare some time if it kept the peace. “We could eat, then take a walk in the garden.”

Her smile grew. “I would love to.”

Though he felt ridiculous for it, the happiness that filled her eyes warmed his heart. “One o’clock?”

She nodded vigorously.

“It’s a date then.” He pressed one last lingering kiss to her lips, then opened the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow,” she said, before she closed the door behind him.

And as he walked to his own suite, he considered the events of the past week, since the minute she stepped out of that car and into his life. He knew she had prepared for her position as his wife, and it was clear she took it very seriously. It was her motivation that had him puzzled. Until she moved to Morgan Isle, he had been sure she’d done it for the title. For the security of her family. Yet she seemed to have every intention of making this marriage work.

She seemed to want the real thing.

But that was more than he was willing, or capable, of giving.

Friday came faster than Hannah could have imagined. Faster than she was ready for. She’d spent the past eight years preparing for this, and suddenly everything was happening so fast, she barely had time to catch her breath. And though she vowed not to let the living arrangements upset her, it had been in the back of her mind.

She was beginning to suspect that her ideas about her perfect life with Phillip, all her carefully mapped plans, were silly and immature. And for the most part, totally unrealistic.

She of all people should understand that life didn’t follow a plan. If it did, she never would have lost her father, and her mother wouldn’t be trying to replace him. She couldn’t expect Phillip to fall into line and live his life, one she knew virtually nothing about, by her preconceived notion of what a marriage was supposed to be.

But even if things didn’t go exactly as she planned, that didn’t mean she and Phillip wouldn’t be happy. It was just going to take time to figure things out, to get them running smoothly, and a lot of compromise. She would have to be patient with him.

Honestly, what did it say about his childhood that he’d never considered sharing a living space with his own wife? A person didn’t grow up like that without collecting scars along the way. She would have to be pretty coldhearted not to cut him some slack.

The more she thought about it over the course of the week, when she took the time to consider his feelings, more than being hurt, she felt sad. For him, because of the loving environment he deserved, and obviously never had. She would show him how unconditional love and dedication felt. No matter what it took.

Everything was going to work out all right.

She kept telling herself that all week as last-minute preparations were being made, and when her bridesmaids and mother arrived for the rehearsal luncheon Thursday afternoon.

She chanted it over and over during the final dress fittings, and later at the impromptu bridal dinner Sophie hosted at her residence. While everyone sipped champagne and shared stories of love and relationships, Hannah pasted on a smile to hide the fact that, for the first time since she made the decision to do this, she was questioning herself.

She even pretended, when her mother mentioned her own impending wedding, that she wasn’t horrified by the idea. And when everyone gushed over the palace and asked her if royal life was everything she had dreamed of, she told them yes. Because it was, or, it would be. At least she hoped so.

It was after midnight when everyone retired to their rooms, and Hannah was finally alone, with nothing but time to think about what she was doing. It wasn’t as if she could back out at this point. Not that she would even want to. She was just confused and scared.

What if she was making a mistake?

What she needed was a sign. She needed something to happen that would assure her she was doing the right thing.

She’d barely completed the thought when someone knocked on her door. Then she heard Phillip’s voice.

“Hannah, it’s me.”

She rushed to the door before he could open it. As desperately as she wanted to see him, with the wedding less than twenty-four hours away, she couldn’t. It would be bad luck and, honestly, she didn’t need another black cloud hanging over her head.

She opened the door a crack, and stood behind it, so she wouldn’t be tempted to look. “We can’t see each other.”

“I know,” he said, his tone hushed. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m back from the States. I didn’t want you to worry that I might be late for our wedding.”

“How was your trip?”

“Exhausting. I toured ten resorts in five days. I’m glad to be home.”

And she was glad he came home.

“I ran into Sophie downstairs. She said there was a bridal party tonight.”

“It was fun,” Hannah said. “It was nice to see all of my friends again. You’ll meet them tomorrow.”

“Sophie also said that she thought you might be upset about something.”

How could Sophie have known? Hannah had been so careful not to let it show. “Why would she think that?”

“I don’t know. But I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

He was worried about her.

Though it was a small thing, for her, it meant so much. “I’m okay.”

“I’m glad,” he said. And she could hear that he was honestly relieved. “I worried you might be having second thoughts.”

Was he seriously thinking that she wouldn’t marry him? The idea that he could be even the slightest bit unsure made her feel a million times better. It made her realize that she wasn’t in this alone. “Are you?”

There was a pause, then an emphatic, “No. I’m not.”

She smiled. Neither was she any longer. “I’m not either.”

“I missed you,” he said. He sounded a little surprised. Like he hadn’t expected to miss her, but it just…happened.

This was it. This was her sign.

“I missed you, too,” she told him.

“I’m going to get to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow. Sleep well.”

“You, too.”

She heard his footsteps as he walked away, then she closed the door and leaned against it.

The sense of dread she had been feeling all week was suddenly gone. The gush of relief that replaced it was so swift and intense her knees nearly buckled. Tomorrow she’d be Queen Hannah Augustus Mead.

Ten

The next day rushed by in a blur. Hannah was so busy, she barely had a moment to be nervous. And only when the time came to walk down the aisle, did she feel a twinge of sadness. Her father should have been here to give her away. But because there was no one in the world who could ever take his place, she insisted walking it alone.

When she saw Phillip standing at the end of the white runner, stoic and regal in his dress uniform, she felt a dizzying mix of excitement and nerves. And as she walked toward him and their eyes connected—when she saw a smile tug at the corners of his mouth and a dance in the depths of his eyes—a deep feeling of peace washed over her.

The ceremony itself was over quickly, and when the priest introduced them as husband and wife, the guests cheered.

Photographs seemed to take forever, and by the time they were escorted to the ballroom, the reception was already in full swing. Dinner was served shortly after, then they covered all of the formalities like the cutting of the cake and the first dance.

Her mother was her usual clingy self, and beginning to get on Hannah’s nerves, until Sophie swooped in and whisked her away to meet some foreign dignitary.

As lovely as the party was, as much as she enjoyed seeing her friends and family, not to mention hobnobbing with the worlds elite, she couldn’t seem to stop thinking about after the party. When she and Phillip would finally be alone, and free to do whatever they wanted.

She realized that Phillip was thinking the exact same thing when he stepped up beside her and asked, “How soon before we can leave?”

“At eleven o’clock we’re to bid everyone farewell, so we can prepare to leave for our honeymoon.” Even though there wasn’t all that much preparing to do. Her maids had already packed her bags, and she was sure Phillip’s had done the same.

She couldn’t help but think that the instant they left, every single guest was going to know exactly what they were planning to do.

He pulled a pocket watch from his jacket and flipped it open. “It’s ten-fifteen.”

“So we should make the rounds one last time, say our goodbyes and thank-yous.”

He took her arm. “That sounds like an excellent idea.”

They went from group to group, thanking everyone for sharing their special day, hearing more congratulations and good wishes than she could count. There were even a few inquiries of how she felt now that she was officially queen.

“Honored,” was her stock answer. Also terrified and unsure, but she didn’t tell anyone that.

It was five minutes to eleven o’clock and they were saying good-night to the prime minister and his wife, when Hannah had a familiar and unsettling sensation she was being watched. She scanned the room briefly and when she reached the dessert table, her eyes caught on the source.

The dark-haired mystery woman.

She was staring intently at Hannah, this time with open hostility.

What could Hannah have done to a woman she had never even met, to earn such a look?

She wanted to point her out to Phillip, but he was in the middle of a conversation and she didn’t want to appear rude by interrupting him. When she turned to look at the woman again, she was gone.

Hannah looked around frantically, trying to locate her, but it was as if she’d vanished. Like the last time, she even entertained the notion that she’d imagined her.

“Is something wrong?” Phillip asked.

She looked up to see that he was watching her with concern. She considered telling him about the woman, but what good would it do, now that she was gone? She smiled instead and said, “I’m fine. Just looking for my mother so I can say goodbye.”

“Let’s go find her so we can get out of here.”

Hannah was sure the woman was no one, and she had nothing to be concerned about. So far her wedding day had been perfect, and she wasn’t going to let anything ruin it.

Still, somewhere deep down, she couldn’t help feeling the slightest twinge of something unpleasant. A foreshadow of something to come.

It was 11:15 p.m. by the time Phillip walked Hannah to her suite. He left to change out of his uniform while she went inside where her maids were waiting to help her out of her gown. To unfasten the row of miniscule buttons up the back.

It seemed to take forever, but finally she was free. She dismissed them immediately, so she’d have time to see to all the preparations she had been planning.

She took the box down from her closet, the one she had been saving for this day, and from inside of it pulled out the pure-white, silk-and-lace nightgown. She slipped it on and it dripped over her body like liquid, conforming to every curve.

Since Phillip liked her hair down, she fished out the pins then brushed out all the gel and hairspray until it lay shiny and soft against her shoulders. She dabbed a touch of perfume behind her ears and along her collarbone.

As Hannah asked, Elizabeth had decorated the bedroom with white candles. Dozens of them on every possible flat surface, all lit. When she turned out the lights, the effect was exactly what she had hoped for. Soft, flickering light.

The maids had turned the bed down and left two perfect red rosebuds, one on each pillow. A bottle of champagne chilled in a stand by the dresser.

It was exactly as she’d imagined.

“You’ve been busy,” Phillip said.

She jolted with surprise and spun around. He stood, leaning in the bedroom doorway, watching her. He wore slacks and a long-sleeved silk shirt that was untucked and lay open. His skin looked warm and golden in the candlelight.

She felt absolutely naked in the scant gown, but she resisted the urge to cover herself. She didn’t want him to know how nervous she was. “I didn’t hear you knock.”

“That’s because I didn’t. I thought you wouldn’t mind, now that we’re married.” He walked toward her, a hungry look in his eyes as they raked over her. “It would seem that I’m overdressed.”

The shirt slipped off his shoulders, down his arms and landed on the floor. The candles were supposed to make her look good, but, oh my goodness, he was beautiful.

He didn’t stop until he was standing right in front of her. She just hoped he didn’t notice the thud of her heart, the way her hands trembled. She didn’t want him to know how nervous she felt.

He reached up and touched the lacey edge of the gown where it rested on the swell of her breast. “This is nice.”

She swallowed hard, willing herself to relax.

“Nervous?” he asked.

“No,” she said, but it came out as more of a squeak than an actual word. She cleared her throat and amended her answer to, “Maybe a little. Are you?”

He grinned and shook his head.

Of course he wasn’t. Unlike her, he had done this before.

He leaned down, kissed her bare shoulder, his lips soft, his breath warm on her skin. “You smell good,” he said.

So did he. She loved the way he smelled, the way he felt, yet she couldn’t seem to make herself touch him.

Why was she so afraid? It wasn’t as though she had never touched him before. But for some reason this time was different. Maybe because she knew what the end result would be.

His hands settled on her hips, large and steady, and she couldn’t help it when she tensed.

“Relax, Hannah.”

She took a deep breath and blew it out.

“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. This is my first time.”

Rather than act disappointed, he smiled. Not condescending either. This was a smile of pure affection. “Just do what comes naturally. Act on your instincts.”

That was the problem. Her instincts seemed to have lost their voice.

“You could start by touching me.” He took her hand in his and pressed it flat against his chest. It felt so solid under her palm, his skin hot to the touch.

He tugged her closer, nuzzling the hollow behind her ear. It felt amazing, better than amazing.

He nipped the curve where her neck met her shoulder, making her skin shiver with awareness. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure you were a virgin.”

“You weren’t?” How could he not tell?

“Not after that night in my suite. You seemed to have a pretty good grasp on what you were doing.”

He kissed her throat, the line of her jaw. “This is no different.”

His hands slid up her sides, his thumbs brushing the outermost edge of her breasts. She felt them tingle, the tips tighten into painful points.

“So, no man has touched you like this?” he asked.

“Nope.”

“Never?”

She shook her head. She could see by his smile that he liked knowing she was his, and his only. She liked it, too.

“No one ever did this?” He cupped her breasts in his hands and a whimper slipped from her lips. His thumbs grazed back and forth, teasing her, and her skin went hot.

Then he picked her up and placed her on the bed. He unfastened his pants and slid them off.

Hannah couldn’t help but be drawn to the front of his boxers. To the impressive-looking ridge underneath. She was no expert, but he looked…generous.

He settled beside her, propped up on his elbow, smiling down at her. A sleepy, sexy grin. “Here we are.”

“Here we are,” she agreed. Finally. She had been beginning to feel as if this day would never come.

He brushed her breast with his lips. Once, then twice, then he took her in his mouth, silk and all, and the sensation was so shockingly intense that she gasped and arched her back.

She couldn’t help wondering what other places he could use his mouth.

He hooked his index finger around one strap of her gown and eased it down her arm until her entire breast was exposed. And when he took her in his mouth this time, there was no fabric barrier. This time she felt everything. His tongue, his teeth. The wet heat.

A sound came out of her, like a moan, but more desperate, and she realized her fingers were tunneling through his hair. She was arching against his mouth, urging him to take more.

Phillip seemed to be fascinated by her. He kissed her breasts, her mouth, touched her in ways that made her shudder and quake. And her own hands seemed to have taken on a life of their own, exploring the secrets of his body, touching him like she had only imagined in her most intimate fantasies.

It wasn’t long before the gown that was meant to arouse him was only getting in the way.

“This has to go,” he ordered, helping her tug it up over her head, until the only thing left was a pair of scant thong panties made of the same fragile lace. Then he just looked at her, his eyes dark with arousal. “You’re beautiful.”

She felt beautiful, and not the least bit afraid. In fact, she couldn’t imagine why she had been so nervous. This was so absolutely and completely right. She had never felt so close to him. To anyone.

He touched the minuscule triangle of lace between her thighs and it felt so amazing she nearly vaulted off the bed.

He eased her thong down her legs so slowly that she got impatient and kicked it the rest of the way off. Then she did something that surprised them both. She reached for the waistband of his boxers and tugged at them. She wanted them both to be naked.

He captured her mouth with his and kissed the last of her sense completely away. She didn’t think she could be any more aroused, but somehow Phillip managed. Kissing her, touching her, until she could hardly stand it.

What felt like hours later, he eased himself over her, between her thighs. “I’ll take it slow.”

But she didn’t want slow. She wanted to feel all of him now. She reached for his hips and pushed them hard against her.

She shuddered a moment, and then the pain was gone. What she felt instead was indescribable. She felt…complete. The ultimate in closeness.

He thrust into her, slowly at first, then faster.

She wound her legs around his, dug her nails into his shoulders. “Phillip,” she begged, even though she had no idea what she was begging for.

He thrust himself inside her again, harder this time, and she was so stunned by the sensation she cried out.

He eased back and thrust again. Phillip could feel her inner walls flex and contract around him. Her eyes looked bleary and unfocused and her skin was blushed and hot.

He had never seen anything more arousing or sexy. Had never been with a woman so easy to please. And though it was taking every bit of concentration he could muster to maintain control, he didn’t want to rush this.

But he could feel her losing it, feel her body clenching down on him. Then she tensed and bucked up against him. Her eyes went wide and sightless, with shock and pleasure and wonder. That was all it took. He lost it. His body coiled then released, letting go in a hot rush that seemed to wring the last trace of energy from his very cells. And for a minute, he couldn’t find the strength to do more than breathe.

* * *

Hannah was gazing up at him, looking just as physically spent as he felt. Her cheeks and chest were deep red and her breath was coming in short, sharp bursts.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded, but when he shifted his weight, she grimaced.

“Hurt?”

“A little,” she admitted.

He eased off her slowly, then he rolled onto his back and pulled her along with him. She curled up against his side in the crook of his arm, soft and warm and boneless, her head resting on his shoulder. The covers had somehow wound up in a bunch at their feet, but it didn’t matter. He was so relaxed he felt as if he were melting into the mattress.

Oddly, it was perfect.

Getting married, saying the vows, hadn’t been the disconcerting experience he had expected. When Sophie came to him the night before to say that Hannah was upset, the idea of her changing her mind, of her backing out and moving back to America, made him realize just how fond of her he’d become.

He just hoped that would be enough.

They were quiet for several minutes while their breathing evened out and pulses returned to normal.