Propositioned By The Prince. Jennifer Lewis

his palms. “The more I get to know you, the more I like you.”

      She bit her lip. “And I like you, too. That’s why I couldn’t lie to you.”

      He frowned. “The big question is whether we can lie to everyone else.”

      “For some reason that doesn’t bother me.” Lani’s smooth brow furrowed slightly. “It’s no one else’s business where our child comes from. It’s between you and me that the truth is important.”

      AJ stared at her. “You know, that makes perfect sense. If we’re married, it’s our child. Vanu’s gone and he’s not coming back, so he’s not being cheated out of anything. We’ll raise the baby as ours, with all the love and affection we’d shower on any child we have.”

      Lani’s hand stiffened. She bit her lip, then peered into his eyes. “I just had a thought. What if we do have more children and you find yourself wanting the oldest child that really is yours to inherit the throne instead? Things could get complicated.”

      AJ stared at her for a moment, trying to understand her dilemma, then he laughed. “I’m not an Egyptian pharoah with a desire to dominate the world. I will certainly not start interfering in matters of succession other than by bowing out for the next person to take over.”

      Lani’s smile returned. “I had to ask, but I believe you. You don’t seem like that type.”

      Though Vanu would have been. The unpleasant thought pierced the warm mist of happiness that had drifted back into the room.

      AJ picked up Lani’s hand and kissed it, trying to dispel the image of Vanu that hovered suddenly in his consciousness. Would his cruel older brother haunt him for the rest of his days as he raised his child?

      Lani’s hands, so soft and scented like lilies, filled his senses. She sighed as he pressed his lips to them.

      No. Vanu could not cast darkness over his life from beyond the grave. He was dead and gone, in the past, and AJ would let him stay there. He and Lani would make a bright future for themselves and their child.

      He lowered her hands and looked into her eyes. Mysteries glistened in their golden depths. He didn’t know where this marriage would lead them, but the adventure invited him to climb aboard. He kissed her softly, his lips just brushing hers.

      Lani tilted her chin, pressing her mouth to his as her lashes lowered. AJ wound his arms around her slim back, holding her close. Tension fled his muscles as he let himself sink into her softness. She sighed and writhed gently against him, her passion natural and soft, not like earlier when she’d seemed—desperate.

      He let his fingers roam lower, to cup her firm backside and caress her long, elegant thighs. Fantasies of having those thighs wrapped around him heated his blood. Lani’s fingers dived into his hair and slid under his collar, making his skin hum with arousal. He could feel her nipples tighten under her dress, and he knew she was aroused, too.

      His fingers prickled with the desire to peel off her silk gown and bare her golden skin, but a powerful instinct deep in his gut told him to wait. He pulled back a few inches and smoothed her dress. Her belly quivered slightly beneath his touch.

      Lani was recently widowed, pregnant and obviously alarmed and confused by the strange dilemma she’d found herself in. This evening’s events were enough to give anyone whiplash, and he didn’t want to rush headlong into steamy sex—Well, he did, but that would only make the situation even more explosive and unpredictable.

      He needed to be strong for both of them. “I’ll sleep here in your bed tonight.” She blinked at him, those golden eyes still wary. “But we won’t make love.”

      Her cheeks flushed. Relief or disappointment? It didn’t matter. Or maybe it was the word love—so strange and inappropriate under the forced circumstances that pushed them together.

      When he made love to Lani for the first time it would be right. He had the rest of his life to enjoy his bride, and for tonight he’d put her needs before his own.

      “You sleep on this side.” He pulled back the covers. She climbed in, still in her dress. “And I’ll sleep on the other.”

Six

      Lani managed a few hours of fitful sleep. It was hard to relax when your life kept changing so drastically from minute to minute, let alone next to a man who stirred your senses and scrambled your thoughts. AJ had gone to the gym early, as usual, and she showered and changed in her own room, with growing anxiety. Her mother-in-law had no idea she’d told AJ about the baby, or that the revelation had almost sent him packing and she didn’t relish telling her.

      At the breakfast table, Priia beamed, half-hidden behind a stack of newspapers from around the region. “Front-page story in every one!”

      Lani glanced at the Aipu Clarion. The story directly beneath the announcement of Rahiri’s new king declared that a newborn goat on a neighboring island had shown evidence of magic powers. “Are we on the front of the New York Times?”

      Priia waved her hand dismissively, which caused her gold bracelets to jangle. “They probably haven’t even woken up yet. Besides, those big papers prefer bad news to happy news like ours.” She leaned in, eyes wide. “How are you feeling?”

      “Fine.” Lani spooned some pineapple onto her plate.

      “Not too exhausted after last night?” She winked her mascara-encrusted lashes.

      Lani gulped and lowered her voice to a whisper. “I told AJ about the baby.”

      “What?” Priia’s shriek pierced the air. She spun around and looked relieved that no servants were nearby. She grasped Lani’s hand. “Why?”

      “It was too big a thing to lie to my future husband about.” She sat close to Priia. “He was shocked at first, but glad that I’d told him.”

      Manicured fingernails dug into her skin. “He’s still willing to go ahead with the marriage?”

      Lani nodded. “He seemed okay with it after we talked.”

      Priia let out a huge sigh and released her grip on Lani’s wrist. “Thank heavens! Oh, my goodness. You were brave. Or crazy, I’m not sure which.” She fluffed her hair. “Of course, I’m not surprised that he was still willing to do the right thing.”

      Tension cramped Lani’s muscles. Everything was so complicated. “He’s agreed to keep the baby’s parentage quiet so that he can become king.”

      “Perfect.” Priia rose to her feet. “Better than I could have hoped for. You truly are a gift, my dear.” She kissed Lani’s cheeks and swept from the room.

      Lani was eating a piece of melon when AJ walked in, a guarded expression on his face. “I’m not sure if I had a night of violent and colorful dreams or if I made a lot of very bold promises last night.”

      “The evidence is in the papers.” She pointed to the stack. “If it’s on the covers of The Napau Inquirer, then it must be true.” The cover photo of them both, snapped right after his announcement, showed the look of surprise and terror on her face. Hopefully people would take it for delight.

      AJ raised a brow, then frowned. “King AJ. It doesn’t really roll off the tongue, does it? “

      She laughed. “I don’t know why not. Half the names in Rahiri are barely pronounceable. And as king, you get to make the rules, anyway.”

      “There’s a comforting thought.”

      A waiter whisked in with AJ’s favorite breakfast—two slices of French toast with crispy bacon—and another stack of papers.

      AJ grabbed a magazine off the top. “Made The Hollywood Reporter. ‘Dragon Chaser Helmer Catches a Crown.’ Makes it sound a bit like