Page 31 of Claimed By the Crown Prince

His body gleamed. Strong, broad back. Narrow waist. Powerful buttocks, high and firm, those long legs.

Before she knew what was happening, he’d stopped and looked back, his body now in profile to her. It took Laia long seconds to realise that he was looking at her looking at him. Avidly.

She whirled around and ducked under the water in a bid to hide what she’d been doing. So fast that she swallowed water again and had to come up for air, gasping.

She wasn’t sure, but she could have sworn she heard an evil chuckle from the beach.

Dax was sitting on the beach, dressed again, with his shirt hanging open. Laia couldn’t put off coming out of the water any longer. She was acutely conscious of the way the material of her swimsuit clung to every inch of her body. It had felt conservative when she’d put it on, but now it felt as if it was indecently cut. Too high on her thighs. And low over her chest.

As she splashed out of the shallows she tried not to imagine that he was comparing her to every other woman he’d seen similarly dressed.

‘You didn’t have to wait,’ she told him.

‘I couldn’t risk you getting a cramp and having that on my conscience. Some of us do have a conscience, you know.’

Laia grabbed her kaftan, but at the last second didn’t pull it on. She sat down on the warm sand next to Dax.

She made a snorting sound. ‘I’m sure there are legions of women all over the world who might argue that.’

‘You’re insinuating I treat women badly? I’m wounded.’

Laia squinted at him. The sun was high. ‘With the best will in the world, some of them must have wanted...more? And been disappointed.’

‘That might well have been the case...but I have never given any lover false hope. They always knew where they stood.’

Laia had to admit she believed him. But she was curious to know how it could be with a man like this.

‘And where was that?’ she asked.

‘In something purely fun and physical for as long as we wanted each other.’

‘Which was how long?’

He looked at her. And then he seemed to consider his answer before he said, ‘Never longer than a few dates.’

Imagine capturing this man’s attention even just for a few dates...

‘What would happen if they wanted more?’

‘I would end it.’

No hesitation. Stark. Absolute.

‘You never found yourself transgressing your own boundaries?’

He shook his head emphatically. ‘Never.’

For some reason this made Laia feel slightly giddy. And then she sobered. She didn’t want to be the one to engage Dax’s emotions. She only wanted him for one thing. Well, two. Passion and sex.

And then he completely took the wind out of her sails when he said, ‘What about you?’

Laia’s insides tightened. ‘What about me, what?’

‘How do you treat your lovers?’

Laia felt sure he was making fun of her. He had to know... But he was just looking at her with a curious expression.

She shrugged as nonchalantly as she could, ‘Oh, you know... I make it clear that I’m not up for anything serious...how can I be?’