but he did, though he wasn’t certain why. “It happened four years ago,” he continued. “That morning I received intelligence about the threat, and I decided I would enter the fray. Later I found out my father was livid, but only because if I perished, he would be without a commander.”
“He told you that?” Her tone indicated her disbelief.
“Rafiq informed me, but it doesn’t really matter now. I assisted in thwarting an attack that could have led to war for the first time in Bajul’s history, and that is what matters. But I never realized...”
“Realized what, Adan?”
He doubted she would let up unless he provided all the details. “I never knew how affected I would be by sending a man to his death.”
“I can imagine how hard on you that must have been.”
“Oddly, I had no real reaction to the incident until the following day while briefing our governing council. Midway through the report, I felt as if I couldn’t draw a breath. I excused myself and walked outside to regain some composure. That night I had horrible dreams, and they continued for several months.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said sincerely. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re a very brave and honorable man. Sam is very lucky to have you as his father.”
He’d longed to hear her acknowledge his honor, but he didn’t deserve that praise in this situation. “There is no honor in taking another life. And now that I have a son, I will stress that very thing to him.”
“That attitude is exactly what makes you honorable,” she said. “You were bothered by an evil man’s demise to the point of having nightmares. That means you have compassion and a conscience.”
If that were the case, he wouldn’t have asked her to remain in his quarters for the duration of their time together. Yet he’d not considered anything other than his own needs. And he did need her—in ways he could not have predicted. Still, he couldn’t get too close to her or build her expectations beyond what he could provide aside from being her lover. He wasn’t suited for a permanent relationship, as his family had told him time and again. “We should try to sleep now. I suspect Samuel will be summoning me in less than two hours.”
She fitted her body closer to his side. “I’ll be glad to take care of Sam tonight while you get your rest.”
“Again, that’s not necessary.”
“Maybe not, but I really want to do it, not only for you, but for me. We barely caught a glimpse of him tonight. Besides, I’ll only have him a little longer, while you’ll have him the rest of your life.”
Piper’s words filled Adan with unexpected regret. Regret that, in a matter of weeks, he would be forced to say goodbye to an incredible woman. In the meantime, he would make the most of their remaining hours together and grant her whatever her heart desired, not only as the provisional mother to his son, but as his temporary lover.
He rolled to face Piper, leaving nothing between them but bare flesh. “Since you have presented such a convincing argument, we will see to Samuel together. Before this, could I convince you to spend the next few hours in some interesting ways?”
She laughed softly. “I thought we were going to sleep.”
Bent on persuasion, he skimmed his palm along her curves and paused at the bend of her waist. “We could do that if you’d like.”
She draped her arm over his hip. “Sleeping is definitely overrated, so I’m willing to go wherever you lead me.”
And she was leading him to a place he’d never been before—close to crashing and burning with no safe place to land. Tonight, he wouldn’t analyze the unfamiliar feelings. Tonight, she was all his, and he would treat her as if she always would be.
* * *
What an incredible night.
A week ago, Piper would never have believed she could find a lover as unselfish as Adan. She also couldn’t believe her inhibitions had all but disappeared when they made love.
As she supported her cheek with her palm and studied him in the dim light streaming through a break in the heavy gold curtains, she wanted him desperately—even if she was a bit miffed he’d failed to wake her to help care for Sam. Apparently she’d been so relaxed in the postcoitus afterglow, she hadn’t heard the baby’s cries through the bedside monitor. Some mother she would make.
When Adan stirred, she turned her complete focus on him as he lay sleeping on his back, one arm resting above his head on the navy satin-covered pillow, the other draped loosely across his abdomen. She loved the dark shading of whiskers surrounding his gorgeous mouth, envied the way his long dark lashes fanned beneath his eyes and admired the intricate details of his hand as he slid his palm from his sternum down to beneath the sheet and back up again. The reflexive gesture was so masculine, so sexy, she fought the urge to rip back the covers and climb on board the pleasure express.
Then he opened his eyes and blinked twice before he presented a smile as slow as the sun rising above the mountains. “Good morning, princess.”
Didn’t she wish. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Always with you in my bed. How did you sleep?”
“Too soundly. I didn’t even hear Sam last night, and evidently you either didn’t wake me to help, or couldn’t.”
He frowned. “I didn’t hear him, either.”
Simultaneous panic set in, sending them both from the bed and grabbing robes as they hurried out of the bedroom. They practically sprinted toward the nursery and tore through the door, only to find an empty crib.
Piper’s hand immediately went to her mouth to cover the gasp. “Someone took him.”
“That is impossible,” Adan said, a hint of fear calling out from his gold-brown eyes. “The palace is a virtual fortress. If someone kidnapped him, it would have to be an inside job. And if that is the case, I will kill them with my bare hands.”
“No need for that, cara.”
They both spun around to discover Elena sitting in the rocker in the far corner of the lengthy room, the baby cradled in her arms, her expression tinged with disapproval.
Weak with relief, Piper hung back and immediately launched into explanation overdrive. “We never heard him last night. We were both very tired and—”
“The bloody monitor must not be working,” Adan added. “Is he all right?”
Elena continued to calmly rock Sam in a steady rhythm. “He is quite fine. And judging from the weight of his diaper when I changed him, I would guess he simply slept all night.”
Adan narrowed his eyes and glared at her. “You should have said something the moment we walked into the room.”
“You should learn to be more observant of your surroundings when it comes to your son, Adan,” she replied. “A hard lesson learned, but one that needed to be taught. When he is toddling, you must know where he is at all times.”
Piper, in theory, didn’t
