Capturing the Crown Bundle. Nina Bruhns

my sire ever did for me. He has other children, by his wife. I don’t know them.”

      “You never refer to him as father, always sire. Why?”

      “He never was a father to me.”

      “Yet you’re still his child, still the daughter of a prince. You must have something in common.”

      “Illegitimate daughter.” She tried to keep the bitterness from her voice. “There’s a big difference. Actually, I’ve never even met the man.”

      Then, because talking about it still hurt, even after all these years, she took a hesitant step forward. When her legs held, she tried another. Gaining confidence, she moved out from under their shelter and crashed off through the underbrush into the shadowy forest.

      “Where are you going?” he called after her.

      “To gather more firewood.” She tossed the lie over her shoulder.

      After a moment, Chase followed. “Sydney, I—”

      “Seriously, I’d rather be alone. Shouldn’t you be fishing or hunting or something?”

      He came up alongside her, moving so swiftly and quietly he startled her. He grabbed her arm. Annoyed, she stopped and glared up at him. He’d moved so fast she hadn’t been able to avoid him. His face was in shadow, making it difficult to read his expression.

      “You’re right. I should be fishing or hunting.” But he made no move to go.

      Absurdly, she wanted to hurl herself into his arms and let him hold her while she cried. She looked at him, tried to speak, and found herself sobbing.

      He made the move to gather her close. “Shh.”

      Stiffly, she let him hold her while she cried. Would being in a man’s arms always be her salvation? She wasn’t her mother.

      At that thought, she pushed herself away from him. But he wouldn’t let her go.

      “It’s all right. We’ve survived a plane crash. I know you’re worried about your baby.” His voice sounded calm, but she could hear his pounding heartbeat under her ear. His chest rose and fell with each breath, and she realized his arousal mirrored her own dawning awareness of him as a man.

      “I…” Lifting her head, she saw desire blazing in his eyes, need harsh in his handsome face.

      “Chase?” She froze.

      “Adrenaline,” he ground out the word. “Natural reaction. We’re alive, after all, and we only feel the need to prove it.”

      Was he trying to convince her, or himself?

      But he was right. Primitive, fierce desire shook her. Irrational, maybe, but she wanted him. Boldly, she skimmed her hands up his muscular chest. He responded with a sharp intake of breath. Moving closer, as though she’d climb inside him if she could, she felt his arousal against her belly and shuddered.

      Standing on tiptoe, she pressed a whispery kiss against his throat, tasting the salt of his sweat on his skin.

      “Sydney?” He sounded like a man in torment. “Be careful what you start.”

      But she couldn’t think, couldn’t rationalize. Urgency driving her, she tilted her head back and looked up at him, letting him read her own need in her face. “Kiss me, Chase. Now.”

      With a half groan, half oath, he complied. Demanding, he covered her mouth with his, using his tongue to force her lips apart so he could enter.

      Her arousal grew as his pirate’s kiss plundered her mouth.

      Lost in a fog of desire, at first she didn’t react when he pushed her away, holding her at arm’s length.

      “If we do this now, we’ll be sorry for it later.” His dark look told her he already regretted things had gone so far. But his body—his magnificent, fully aroused body—told her differently.

      She swallowed hard, her chest rising and falling with each jagged breath. Part of her wanted to fling herself at him, knowing he wouldn’t be able to resist a second time.

      But luckily, rationality conquered desire, and she nodded. “You can let me go,” she said, her voice tight and controlled, though her body still tingled. “I promise I won’t touch you again.”

      His pulse beat in his throat. He held her gaze for a long moment, his hands still on her arms, so close she could feel the heat radiate from his body.

      “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” With that, he released her, striding off toward the shoreline. For one absurd moment she thought of chasing after him. Instead, she stayed in the shadowy woods, watching him with her heart in her throat and wondered what had happened to her pride.

      Chapter 4

      Sydney gathered as many sticks as she could find, knowing they could always use more firewood, while keeping her eye out for berries or anything recognizably edible.

      She wanted to go home, to her townhouse in Tice, on Naessa’s western shore. She wanted her own doctor, a thorough examination, then a huge dinner of pasta and bread.

      Since none of those things were immediately forthcoming, she concentrated on what she could have. A meal of freshly caught fish or wild game. A way to get through an uncomfortable evening with a man who both despised and desired her.

      And she felt the same, God only knew why.

      Shaking her head, she continued gathering wood and prayed rescue would come soon, before she disgraced herself even further.

      Later, when he returned with two dead rabbits dangling from his hands, she eyed the poor things and nearly gagged. It was one thing to think about eating wild game and another thing entirely to have to actually do it.

      Something must have shown on her face.

      “Remember, you have to eat. After all, you’re eating for two,” he said.

      “I know.” She pointed to her impressive pile of sticks. “How are you at starting fires?”

      He frowned. “I don’t think rubbing two sticks together will work without flint. Or,” he reached in his pocket with his free hand, “I can use this.” He held up a silver lighter, flashing a grin.

      After a moment of stunned amazement—he was so damn beautiful when he smiled—Sydney shook her head and chuckled, too. “I didn’t know you smoked.”

      “I don’t. I found this near the wreckage. It must have belonged to Franco or Dell.”

      Soon he had a small fire going. Despite her initial misgivings, the wild hare tasted better than she’d expected, and she finished hers quickly, licking the remaining fat from her fingers.

      They sat in companionable silence, watching the bright orange sun sink toward the horizon. Clouds were gathering to the west, dark ominous clouds, making her shiver.

      “There’s a storm brewing out over the ocean.” Chase must have seen her looking. “We can only hope it will miss us.”

      A storm. Sydney shivered. Already she could smell the scent of rain in the air. The atmosphere fairly buzzed with electricity. Great. She’d promised not to touch him again, and all she could think was how much safer she’d feel in his arms.

      Chase Savage. A man she barely knew.

      A quick glance at him, relaxing on his elbows by their small fire, told her he was completely unaware of her irrational fear. She studied his muscular arms and long legs, and pushed away a stab of desire.

      In the distance, thunder rumbled.

      Heart pounding, she jumped to her feet.

      He looked up in surprise. “Where’re you going?”

      Carefully, she avoided looking at him. “For a walk, I think.”

      “Don’t