Royals Untamed!. Annie West

that the rumours had been nothing more than malicious gossip started by a conman on the make. Now she would always be his, no matter what.

      That last thought sat uncomfortably with him. Didn’t that make him as dominating as his father?

      * * *

      Amber dragged in harsh ragged breaths, her body shaking from the electrifying passion that had so fiercely consumed them both. She looked up at Kazim’s face and it was as if the clock had turned back, as if she was once more being subjected to his scrutiny. She closed her eyes against the pain of that night, turning her head against the pillow.

      She couldn’t do it again. Couldn’t boldly stand and take his rejection. Not now, not after what had just happened.

      In one swift move his hand cupped her face, forcing her to look back at him. ‘It should not have been like that.’ His words were short and sharp and she bit into her bottom lip, still reeling from his wild and raw possession.

      How should it have been? The question ran around her head as he brushed his lips over hers, easing the soreness her teeth had just made.

      ‘It was your first time. I should have been gentle, more in control of myself.’

      ‘It doesn’t matter,’ she whispered so quietly his eyes narrowed as he looked down at her. She could still feel the warmth of his body against her, warmth that was stirring new needs despite the words he spoke.

      ‘It matters.’ His hand left her face, the air cooling the heat on her cheek where his palm had scorched her skin. Swiftly, he lifted his body from hers and then off the bed, marching towards the bathroom. ‘You deserve better than that.’

      She listened as water gushed from the shower, wondering what she should now do. This was almost an exact replica of their wedding night, only this time they had made love. That night he’d strode off to the bathroom too. He’d hardly been able to hide his fury at discovering his bride was not a simpering virgin. She realised her actions had given the wrong message to him, made him think the worst of her.

      She hadn’t said anything, hadn’t defended herself or explained why she’d done it, why she’d tried to be something she wasn’t.

      Suddenly feeling exposed, she pulled her dress down and, sitting up, slid her legs off the bed. She didn’t know what to do now or what mood her husband would be in when he emerged from the shower.

      Images rushed into her mind of his olive skin beneath the jets of water, droplets cascading down him. She closed her eyes against the thought. She might want him, desire him with a passion that could never be doused, but he didn’t feel the same about her. To him, what they’d just shared was once again duty. Just as their marriage ceremony had been.

      It was always duty with Kazim.

      Yes, she’d married him out of love—a love born of teenage dreams once their engagement and planned arranged marriage had been announced—but she had always been aware the untamed playboy prince everyone believed him to be took his duty very seriously.

      She looked down and saw her torn and discarded panties on the floor and fire burned in her cheeks as she remembered just how wild and reckless she’d been, how totally abandoned. She’d virtually begged him. Embarrassment took over and inwardly she cringed. All she wanted to do was take off the soft silky sundress she’d bought yesterday and slip back into her usual jeans and T-shirt. She’d be safe then, able to hide once more behind her wall of defence.

      Her heart pounded as she thought of what could have come of today if she hadn’t been taking the Pill, for medical reasons rather than contraception. The thought of having a child, of bringing it into a family where its parents didn’t love one another, was too much. She knew well enough how such a child would feel, having grown up with parents who didn’t show their love to her, let alone each other.

      She undid the buttons down the front of the pale blue silk dress and, despite loving its soft quality against her skin, couldn’t wait to discard it. She tossed it roughly aside, kicked off her heels and yanked open the drawer to grab another pair of panties. They didn’t match her bra, but that was the least of her worries now. She just needed to get dressed and quickly. The shower had stopped.

      ‘So beautiful.’ Kazim’s husky voice sent goosebumps over her body as she tugged her jeans from the drawer. Holding them against herself, slowly she turned to face him.

      Her mouth dried. He stood before her in nothing more than a towel slung low on his hips. A very small towel. The late afternoon sun filled the room, making his damp skin gleam, and heat gathered deep inside her as her stomach somersaulted.

      He moved closer to her, his eyes, swirling with molten bronze, held hers and she couldn’t move. Slowly, he reached out and tried to take the jeans from her, but her fingers were clutching them so tightly he had to tug them free. Now she had nothing to hide behind but resisted the urge to cover herself with her arms. She wouldn’t let him know how uncomfortable and out of her depth she was, standing before him in just her underwear.

      Her jeans dropped with a thump to the floor, but she hardly heard it over the thudding of her heart. She could smell his body, fresh from the shower, but nothing could mask the intoxicating scent of pure male. Her head spun and she kept her gaze fixed on his ever blackening eyes. To look at his naked and glorious body would be so easy, but she didn’t dare. She didn’t trust herself.

      ‘This time,’ he said in a thick and unsteady voice, ‘will be how it should have been on our wedding night.’

      Her knees weakened and she bit down hard on her lower lip, wishing she could break eye contact but at the same time not wanting to. He pushed her hair back from her face and then with both hands held either side of her head gently as his lips met hers. The kiss was soft and persuasive, teasing and tormenting her until she had no choice but to respond.

      He deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding between her lips to entwine with hers, and she sighed with pleasure, her body melting and swaying towards his. Still his hands held her head, gently keeping her just where he wanted her, so that his kiss became the most erotic sensation she’d ever known, making every part of her so sensitive she could feel the heat of his body even though they weren’t touching each other.

      Unable to fight the instinct that seemed as natural as breathing, she traced her fingertips over his biceps, felt them flex. The growl that came from him as he kissed her harder urged her on. She slid her hands up his arms to his broad shoulders then down his back, moving her body closer to his until just a sizzle of electricity separated them.

      ‘From the first moment I saw you, you’ve driven me wild.’ His seductively low voice sent shivers down her spine as he broke the kiss, his hands sliding down her back, pulling her hard against his almost naked body.

      The slightly coarse hair of his chest made her breasts tingle despite the white lace that still covered them. He crushed her against the hardness of his chest, her breasts pressed close to him. The ridge of his arousal, hard against her, sent shivers of anticipation spiralling around her and she dropped her head back, a sigh of pure pleasure escaping.

      ‘And now I’m going to drive you wild,’ he growled as he kissed her exposed throat until she couldn’t stand it any longer and raised her head, stopping the torment.

      You’ve driven me wild. The words floated like a dream in her head and a little spring of hope was born. He wanted her, desired her. Could there be a future for them and was it so wrong to abandon herself to the pleasure of the moment with the man she loved and always would?

      Another gasp of pleasure escaped her lips as he unclasped her bra and stepped back slightly to pull the lace from her body, his eager gaze on her naked breasts, which tingled with hunger for his touch.

      He lowered his head and took one firm nipple in his mouth, his tongue twisting around it, and she plunged her hands into the silky depths of his hair, closing her eyes to the sensation that raced through her. His hands slid down to the small of her back, caressing her skin and leaving a trail of fire.

      ‘Kazim.’ The whisper