know. I’m just… excited.”
Panicked, more like. Maybe she was afraid he’d want to make love to her tonight? “We don’t have to rush into anything.”
“Oh, but we should. Everyone is expecting it.” Something flashed in her eyes, panic, or calculation, he couldn’t tell which. Curiosity unfurled in him like a flame.
He tilted his head and held her gaze. “You think they expect us to sleep together?”
“Probably, yes.” She nodded.
He lifted a brow. Heat flared in his groin. “Do you think we should?”
Her cheek heated under his thumb. “Yes, I do.” Her voice was low, breathy.
AJ blinked. He’d not expected that answer. In fact he’d had no intention of doing more than kiss her for now. But maybe she wanted to get such a big milestone out of the way? Or to make sure he was a considerate lover before she committed the rest of her life to him? There were many possible explanations, under the bizarre circumstances.
And since he was a healthy male, any one of them would do. He rose from the sofa, and took her hand. “Then I guess we’d better go into the bedroom.”
Lani followed AJ, her hand in his. She could do this. It was best for Rahiri, and for the family. AJ would be king, his mom would be happy, and her child would be free to grow to adulthood before taking on the responsibilities and pressures of the monarchy.
AJ turned to her on the threshold and took both her hands in his. “Are you sure?”
She hesitated. He was truly a thoughtful man, one who deserved a better woman than she. But if Priia’s plan was to succeed she must… do the deed with him at the earliest opportunity.
Do the deed. Even the phrase suggested a crime, but she couldn’t really call it “making love” under circumstances like this.
Making love. She’d never done that with Vanu, either. No love had existed between them, though she’d certainly tried hard to find some in the first few months—before she’d realized Vanu had no love lurking anywhere inside him.
AJ stroked her cheek again, which made her shiver slightly. A warm shiver of pleasure. His touch was gentle, encouraging, his big hands sensitive. Lani lifted her own fingers and gingerly caressed his shirtfront. Thick muscle rose to greet her fingertips through the crisp, black surface.
He had a sensational body. She’d seen him swimming in the lagoon one morning while she was on her way to breakfast. Her heart had almost stopped beating at the sight of his broad shoulders gleaming in the morning sun while water licked over his sturdy, bronzed physique.
Desire rose inside her, trickling up from her core. She could do this. And enjoy it.
AJ’s hands reached for the sash at her waist and pulled carefully at the elaborate knot. She helped him get it undone and the thick strip of silk fell to the floor at her feet. He stroked her back, then put his hands on either side of her waist, caressing her through her dress.
Her breath caught. What if he felt her belly and noticed it was no longer flat? It wasn’t very round, but in the last couple of days there was a noticeable bump.
Guilt forked through her and she plucked at the buttons of his shirt. Better to get on with things and get him so wrapped up in the act that he didn’t notice anything strange about her body.
And he thought she was so nice.
Her heart hammered wildly as she pulled his black tunic away from his skin, revealing his smooth, strong chest. Her nipples tightened, straining against her bra, and her insides seemed to twist into a knot. Was this excitement okay for the baby? She knew sex was supposed to be fine during pregnancy, but somehow it seemed wrong to feel pleasure under the circumstances.
AJ’s dark eyes met hers as she glanced up at his face. He smiled. “I think I might be the luckiest man alive.”
Lani swallowed. No, the luckiest man alive would have a wife who was honest and open, not one who needed to have sex with him as soon as possible so it would look like her child was his.
She dropped her gaze to the button on his pants, and worked at it. Her fingers sprang away as if stung when she noticed the thick, hard arousal hiding beneath the zipper.
AJ laughed. “As you can see, I’m quite attracted to you.”
She managed to smile. “And I to you.” An understatement. Her insides pulsed with arousal and somewhere deep inside her ached in a way she’d never felt before.
AJ unfastened her dress—a single hook held the whole thing together—and pulled it carefully away from her skin.
The warm night air caressed her, but as she stood there, naked before him, an ache of longing opened inside her. A deep, cold loneliness that craved something—sex, love, companionship—all the things that had never come together in her life before.
Now this kind and handsome man offered her all those things and more.
Tears sprang to her eyes and a sob tore from her throat.
“What’s the matter?” AJ moved his hands from her waist to her shoulders, where he held her steady. He frowned, no doubt getting irritated by her hot-and-cold behavior. “Is being my wife such an awful fate?”
Another sob shook her from head to toe. “I can’t do this.” Tears fell from her cheeks and dripped onto her bare breasts.
“Then you won’t. We’ll get dressed. I’m not going to push you into anything.”
Lani froze. “But we have to.” The shrill sound of her own voice startled her.
AJ frowned and shoved a hand through his hair.
“Why?”
“Because I’m already pregnant.”
Her words rang in the air like the clash of a ceremonial gong. AJ frowned, trying to process the information. “You’re carrying Vanu’s baby.” His gaze dropped to her stomach, then her hands flew to cover it.
She nodded, eyes filled with tears.
A horrible, cold sensation settled over AJ. Just when he’d finally committed himself to this new life, when he’d chosen to marry Lani, and was looking forward to sharing his life with her… his brother’s long, strong and deadly arm reached out to him from beyond the grave.
“Why didn’t you say anything before?”
Lani shuddered. “I didn’t know until a few days ago. Then I took a test, and…” She looked down, apparently unable to meet his gaze.
AJ stared at her. He couldn’t understand the secrecy. His mom was so anxious for them to marry, to keep the family together in the traditional way. Maybe they’d decided he’d be less likely to marry her if he knew she was carrying Vanu’s baby.
“So
