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“Believe that if it helps you hate ainst the couch, and his eyes closed again “Don’t drive that fruit knife into e Behraat into chaos”

“I’ll controlthe blue shadows under his eyes, the gaunt look to his features

He was king of the palace and he wanted to rest here?

Sighing, she uncoiled her legs to move away from him

Instantly, his hand shot out and clasped her wrist Streaks of heat from his thumb on her veins “No, stay

“I like having you next torapidly, your nerves stretched to the hilt, your head saying no and your body saying yes, while you wonder whether I will touch you or not, kiss you or not Whether this will be the day when you surrender your will to me

“It relaxes hts the palace offers”

A gasp escaped her, half outraged, half laughing “You’re a sadist”

“Hmm”

She settled back against the chaise, her hand trapped still in his

“Maybe keeping a helpless, pregnant wohter escaped hi you at night and you can’t sleep?” Her hand reached out to push a lock of hair from his forehead

Only when she saw her pale fingers against the backdrop of that high forehead did she realize what she was doing Snatching it back, she fisted it in her lap “You look awful” And because she couldn’t bear for him to think she was concerned, she added, “Is the world not bowing and scraping enough to Your Highness?”

Uncoered as he slowly opened his eyes Studied her She saw hih A wealth of emotion reverberated in that soft exhale “It’s hts spent by ht have er”

Lauren finally identified the e from him

Grief

He was grieving and he’d co they were connected, couldn’t stop herto a thousand different conclusions Curiosity trampled her every effort to keep him at a distance, shattered the safety net of her hatred