Page 38 of Mistaken as His Royal Bride

Then he smoothly segued into answering her question. ‘The event we’re attending tonight is an annual charity ball to raise funds for local hospitals.’

Maddi had been to similar events with Laia. Lots of hand-shaking and thanking donors for their generosity.

She said, ‘I’ll do my best to fade into the background.’

Aristedes made a faint snorting sound. ‘Then you shouldn’t have worn that dress.’

A sense of exposure gripped Maddi. Was he sending her out to make a complete fool of herself?

‘You said it was fine!’

His dark gaze swept her up and down. ‘It is fine. It’s more than fine. You look...spectacular.’

Maddi’s skin prickled all over. Now he didn’t look as if he was regretting what had happened at all.

She couldn’t help saying, a little plaintively, ‘You’re very hard to read—do you know that?’

His gaze met hers. ‘Shall I make it a little clearer?’

Before she could answer he had reached for her and tugged her gently towards him across the back seat. The dress rustled around her. He snaked an arm around her waist and then cupped her jaw with his other hand, angling her face towards him.

Maddi couldn’t breathe. She could see the intensity in his eyes now... Dark gold flecks like little fires burning.

She put her hand over his where he held her, entwined their fingers. On a breath, she reached up and touched her mouth to his, unable to help herself.

For an infinitesimal moment nothing happened. Almost as if Aristedes was testing himself. Testing to see if he could resist her.

But just as she was drawing back, sure he was mocking her, he stopped her movement and stopped her breath with his mouth on hers. It was an open and explicit kiss. He wasn’t mocking her. He wanted her.

And she wanted him.

Time and space fell away. There was only this moment and the way it felt to have Aristedes’s hard, sensual mouth on hers, tongues duelling, mimicking a far more intimate action. It was a dance that Maddi knew instinctively, even though her experience of kissing up to now had been laughably juvenile.

She’d been kissed. But not like this. Not by a man who kissedwomen. Sensual, experienced women, who could match him. But she wasn’t a sensual, experienced woman. She was a virgin playing at being a sensual, experienced woman. Which was easy to do under this man’s hands.

Virgin.

Maddi imagined the look of distaste on his face if he ever discovered such a fact. She tensed and pulled back, breathing raggedly. The fact that he looked momentarily disorientated was some comfort. To know she could have an effect on such a man...

He looked over her shoulder and said, ‘We’re here.’

Maddi’s insides swooped as Aristedes put her away from him gently. Thankfully the windows were tinted, because Maddi could already see a throng of press photographers outside a beautiful building with wide steps leading up to an elaborate foyer.

Aristedes got out and there was a roar from the crowd. He was an undeniably popular monarch. Maddi only had seconds to check her make-up before he was opening her door and helping her out.

She’d been to such events with Laia, but had never been the focus of attention until now. She’d have to remember not to look startled.

Aristedes put a hand at her lower back, lightly guiding her up the steps and into the stunning gilded and golden lobby.

CHAPTER SEVEN

ARICOULDN’TCONCENTRATE.That didn’t bother him unduly—he could sleepwalk his way through this event. The reason for his lack of concentration was a few feet away, talking to the French ambassador’s wife, a little frown between her eyes as she focused on what the woman was saying.

He’d told Maddi on their way in to let him do the talking, lest anyone spend too much time with her and start to get suspicious. Although he was fairly certain most people here wouldn’t ever have met the Princess in person. And Maddi certainly looked enough like her to fool all onlookers.

He wondered at that again. They were so alike...could it really just be a coincidence? Simply the fact that they came from the same place? He hadn’t heard from his friend Antonio Chatsfield yet—which was unlike him. He made a mental note to chase him up.

He made his excuses to the people around him and went over to Maddi, taking her arm. He felt the way she reacted to his presence, as if a little jolt had gone through her body. A body he had every intention of exploring so thoroughly that she would cease to have this hold over him...