Page 57 of Claimed By the Crown Prince

‘Like what?’ Laia felt deliciously sated. From the wine...the food...the sex. This place. The calls of the night insects. The soft breeze bringing tropical scents.

Dax shrugged. ‘I don’t know... Anything. A secret. Something other people don’t know.’

Laia thought for a second and then said, a little sheepishly, ‘I’m terrified of dogs.’

Dax looked at her. ‘Dogs?’

Laia nodded. ‘But the embarrassing thing is that it’s not really my fear.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘My father was attacked as a child by a stray dog. He never got over the fear and passed it down to me. But I hate my fear. I’d like to have a dog. A puppy. But I can’t do it. I always loved the idea of a family dog. A big shaggy thing that’s goofy and silly. But if I even saw such a dog in the street I’d be rigid with fear.’

‘You’re brave, Laia. You’ll get over that fear.’

‘You think I’m brave?’ Laia’s insides fizzed a little.

‘You stood your ground against an archaic agreement made by men and went your own way.’

‘I don’t know...it doesn’t feel very brave to have been avoiding King Aristedes like this.’

‘You’re right, though, he wouldn’t have listened. He would have done all he could to persuade you that you had to do the right thing. Because it would have suitedhim. We come from the same place. After what we saw, we’re programmed to steer clear of emotional entanglement and drama. But, he would have been a kind and respectful husband.’

Steer clear of emotional entanglement.

That summed up Dax’s attitude to relationships. She wondered if this counted as an emotional entanglement and then chastised herself. This was just sex. For him. For her...? She feared she was already way out of her depth.

But while they were here she could pretend that she wouldn’t have to face the consequences of her actions.

She said softly, ‘Do we have to leave here? Couldn’t we just stay and pretend that the real world isn’t out there, waiting?’

‘We could...if you didn’t have to be crowned Queen of Isla’Rosa and if I didn’t have a business to run.’

Dax’s easy acknowledgement that they would be leaving told her in no uncertain terms that he was already moving on.

Laia thought of all that awaited her once she left this place. She realised she didn’t want to do it on her own.

She wanted Dax by her side.

That realisation lodged in her gut and in her heart like a stone.

No. She told herself. It was just sex. Messing with her head. She wasn’t experienced. She was adding emotion to sex and coming up with the wrong number.

To prove to herself that it was just sex, Laia got up and held out a hand to Dax. He looked at her with those bright blue eyes. Bright enough to sear her alive.

He arched a brow. ‘No dessert?’

‘I’m dessert.’ She smiled, but it felt hollow.

He took her hand and stood up, and Laia led him from the beautifully decorated room up the stairs to the bedroom. In the soft golden light he took off his clothes, and Laia took off all her jewellery and laid it down. She undid the ribbon at the back of her neck that held the dress up. Took off her underwear.

They were both naked.

Dax let her hair down. And then he led her to the bed. He lay down, urging her to sit astride him. Laia spread her legs either side of his hips and came down over his chest, her breasts crushed against him. He lay under her, looking stubbled and dark and thoroughly decadent.

For now, for this short time, he was hers. And she would store away these moments deep down and carry them with her through the next weeks, months and years, while she lived her life of duty with someone by her side who would love her and respect her and cherish her.

But she already knew, fatally, that they would never make herwantlike this again.