The Prince’s Pregnant Bride Page 7

  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 you thought you’d marry me and pretend the child is mine?”

  “I didn’t want to…” She swallowed. Lani looked like she wanted to say more, but couldn’t.

  “But my mom put you up to it.”

  She nodded. “She said it would be better because then you would be the next in line to the throne, and not the baby.”

  AJ spun away and blew out a curse. “I can’t believe you women cooked this up. I’ve never been hungry for the throne. I’d have been quite happy to leave and let your child rule Rahiri.”

  “I think that’s what your mom was afraid of. She wants you here.”

  He knew. Her obvious happiness at having him back home had been a source of guilt and torment to him—until he’d decided to stay.

  “What about you?” He peered at her through narrowed eyes. “You don’t need to marry me. Either way your child will inherit the throne.”

  “My child's not even born yet.”

  “Your child's not even showing yet.” AJ’s eyes raked over her belly. “And at this point I’m not even sure whether to believe you now. Get dressed.”

  The command startled her into action and she picked her dress up off the floor and pulled it back on. AJ buttoned his pants and turned away. If she really was pregnant and wanted to pretend it was his, no wonder she’d been so anxious to have sex right away. Desire had nothing to do with it.

  Revulsion and anger flashed through him. She’d seemed so sweet and innocent—now he knew she was anything but. Lovely Lani had schemed to lure him into a lifetime of deception.

  He’d never wanted to come back here. His gut instincts had told him to leave as soon as possible. If anything the instinct had become even stronger after his explosive kiss with Lani. He should have known her pretty facade hid a dangerous and deceptive core. What kind of woman would kiss another man when her husband was barely gone?

  He peered at her, hating her beauty and the mix of fear and alarm in her wide, golden eyes.

  He turned from her and strode across the room. He should never have promised to stay. It went against everything he wanted from his own life. He loved his film career and his group of friends in L.A. He had no interest in getting married and settling down into some routine existence.

  But the ancient ceremonial drumbeats had stirred something lying dormant in his blood. They’d kicked his heart into a primal rhythm and drawn him back into the mysterious and powerful pull these islands exerted over anyone who’d lived here. The magic of the lush jungle and the bright, clear ocean formed a paradise of beauty that could entice any man, much like a stunning woman.

  Seductive—and dangerous, in that you never knew what hit you until it was too late. Until you were trapped, bound by tradition and the expectations of people you didn’t even know.

  Well, no more. He’d weakened for a moment and taken up the mantle they all wanted to thrust on him, but he could throw it off just as easily.

  He turned to Lani, who stood just to the side of the wide bed, already rumpled by their almost-lovemaking. She’d said she was so happy, that she wanted to climb in that bed with him. All lies.

  “You disgust me.”

  She flinched slightly, as if his words stung her. “I’m sorry.”

  “More lies. You’re not sorry, or you wouldn’t have do
ne it.”

  “I did tell you the truth.”

  “I’m sure you have your own motives for that choice, too.” Perhaps the prospect of bedding a man she didn’t love—or even like—had proved too much for even her hardened sensibilities? “No doubt you’ve decided that marriage to your husband’s brother is too much to stomach—tradition be damned.”

  She blinked. “I’m willing to marry you.”

  AJ let out a growl. “Willing? How kind of you to be so generous with your life. With your body. Allow me to throw your sacrifice back at you. Please leave.” He gestured to the door, hand shaking with fury. Her wide-eyed desire of only a few minutes ago was so obviously fake, and it disgusted him that she’d tried to trap him into sex with her when she viewed the entire arrangement as a chore.

  But she didn’t move.

  “Leave.” His command echoed off the walls, and no doubt out into the night since the windows were open.

  Lani seemed to shrink a little. She gathered her dress about her. “The guests are probably still here.”

  “Then what are you worried about? That they’ll see you in a state of undress and assume you’ve been in my bed? I thought that was what you wanted.” He narrowed his eyes. “Or was that only when you intended to trick them into thinking your baby was mine. It doesn’t look so good if you sleep with me when you’re pregnant with my brother’s baby, does it?”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t want any of this.” Tears welled in her eyes.

  “Me, either, but you at least chose your role by marrying my brother. I got shoved into this dog-and-pony show from the moment I was born. It took me years to work my way out of it and I almost made the biggest mistake of my life letting you and my mom suck me back into it with trickery and deception. With a face like that I’d imagine you’re used to getting your own way.”

  Her tear-filled gaze only fueled the indignation pricking his muscles. “I told you to go.”

  If she didn’t get out of here, he might get suckered in by some sob story she’d cook up. She still clutched her dress awkwardly about her. He grabbed her sash off the floor and thrust it at her, his fingers instinctively flinching back from hers as she took it. Her touch was deadly and her wanted her out of sight and mind before anything else could happen.

  Less than an hour ago he’d promised to stay and take his place as king here. Filled with ancestral pride and hope for the future, he’d enjoyed the sense of comradeship and even destiny as people welcomed him home.

  Under false pretenses. There was already a new king or queen waiting to take the throne, hidden beneath the rumpled folds of Lani’s dress.

  She struggled with the sash, wrapping its length about her still-slim waist. He wondered if there really was a baby. Perhaps this was her last-ditch effort to send him running? He didn’t know what to believe anymore. Confusion and anger warred inside him. He was used to being the director, setting up the action, telling people what to do. If something didn’t work out he could fix it in post-production—ruthlessly cutting and even reshooting if needed.

  There were no retakes in real life.

  Her sash now retied, Lani slipped on her sandals. Her fingers shook—and that stirred a trace of pity in his heart.

  He crushed it quickly and moved to open the door. From down the corridor he could hear voices, the sound of feet on the stone. Revelers leaving the party. What kind of scandal would it cause for Lani to run past them, eyes filled with tears?

  Surely they’d expect no less from a grieving widow forced into marriage with a man she barely knew. Nothing about this situation was pretty.

  Lani hesitated in the doorway, plucking nervously at her silk dress.

  “Can’t face them?” His voice was cold. “Maybe you could just tell them the truth, like you did with me.”

  She hadn’t said a word for some time and her silence was starting to rub him raw. Who was she to stand there looking so innocent and hard-done-by? Suddenly he was the bad guy, the one who threatened to ruin everyone’s careful plans.

  Lani’s lips quivered before she finally spoke. “Your mom wants to keep it a secret.”

  “Do you do everything she tells you?”

  Her silence answered his question.

  Irritation flashed over him. “She needs to learn that you can’t manipulate people like puppets.” Maybe that’s where Vanu got it from. He’d certainly pulled the strings in their world from behind the scenes. It was time for someone to snap the strings right off. He grabbed her arm, hating the way his skin heated when he touched her. “Come on, let’s get this charade over with.”

  Lani pulled her arm back. Not wanting to get into a wrestling match, he let it go. “It was such a happy evening for your mother.”

  AJ frowned. He could still hear the hypnotic drumbeats somewhere in the distance. People were dancing and laughing and enjoying the vision of the future they’d all conjured together such a short time earlier.

  “Your mom’s been so sad lately. Can’t we let her enjoy her party?” She didn’t meet his gaze.

  “Let the happy charade continue and ignore reality for another day?” His muscles tightened. “Why not? But I don’t think that should extend to keeping you in my room all night.” He shot her a harsh look. “It’s a little too crowded in here with you and your baby.”

  Not to mention your dead husband. He didn’t say that, though. He wasn’t totally insensitive.

  “Would you mind escorting me along the corridor?” She said it softly, still not lifting her eyes to his. Very Rahiian and traditional. “Everyone will know something’s wrong if they see me by myself.”

  He was tempted to say no. Everything was wrong; it was better people should find out. This whole pretense sickened him. And he hated the way Lani’s soft voice tugged at his sympathies and made him want to save her from humiliation.

  How could she be so infuriating and still so beautiful at the same time? Her skin glowed in the soft light from the wall sconces, and her hair shimmered like gold thread. “Sure,” he growled.

  He did not touch her this time. No need to feel heat flash over his skin where there should be revulsion. He marched down the corridor with Lani hurrying along beside him in her long dress. Lani’s room was on the other side of the palace, past the area where the party was still taking place. Laughter and music spilled into the hallway as they marched on. Groups stood chatting in the hallway outside the ballroom, smiling as they approached.

  AJ’s insides contracted. All these people now saw them as the happy couple with a bright future ahead of them.

  If they only knew.

  “So serious, Arun.” An older man he recognized as one of his father’s ministers smiled at him. “Already the weight of responsibility is carving lines into your face.”

  He attempted to soften what must be quite a scowl. “I’m just escorting Lani back to her room. She’s tired.” He didn’t have to make up stories.

  “I’m sure she is.” He didn’t wiggle his eyebrows but the implication was there. AJ saw a slight flush rise to Lani’s cheeks.

  She should be embarrassed. That’s exactly what she’d wanted. Now everyone thought they’d sealed their pact with wild lovemaking. He cursed the desire that still coursed through his body at the sight of her. All his instincts had told him to stay far, far away from Lani and everything she represented.

  They’d been right.

  “Your mother is so happy, Arun. What joy you’re bringing to all our people.” The former minister’s wife patted his forearm. “And I’ve never seen a lovelier couple.”

  The last remark was addressed to Lani, who replied, “You’re sweet, but I really must get some rest.”

  Her smile made her look so innocent and adorable. They had no idea why she needed rest.

  AJ’s tension eased slightly as they moved away from the excited guests and down the dimly lit corridor away from the ballroom. He had no intention of returning this way and facing innuendo about exactly what he and Lani had been up to.
He’d rather traverse the pitch-dark garden.

  Lani now walked ahead of him, shoulders tight under the fall of hair cascading to her waist.

  Just a half hour ago he’d run his fingers though that silken mass and imagined them as partners—husband and wife. That idea had evaporated like the dawn mist, and now she again seemed like a semi-hostile stranger.

  When she reached her room, Lani turned and fixed wide, worried eyes on him. “Thank you for helping me run the gauntlet.”

  “I don’t know why I did.” He cocked his head. “Obviously I’m a soft touch.”

  “You’re not. You’re a man of honor and that’s evident in everything you’ve said and done so far.” Her voice was steady and she leveled a clear gaze at him. “You should be king and it’s a terrible shame if I’ve somehow ruined that.”

  Her words stopped his negative thoughts in their tracks. No one cared what Lani really wanted. She was expected to do whatever it took to ease the succession and make life easy for other people. None of this was her idea. What did she have to gain from sleeping with him, let alone marrying him? She’d probably rather be curled up with a good book and some saltines.

  “Why did you agree to go along with my mom’s plot to trick me into marrying you even though you’re already pregnant with the heir?”

  “She didn’t know I was pregnant when you first came. I didn’t, either. I found out that first night, when I was ill and left dinner early.”

  Things started to fall into place.

  He frowned when he realized that first passionate kiss had come before she knew about the baby. “So the wheels driving us into marriage were already rolling and you figured it was too late to stop them?”

  “Your mom was so excited about you staying. And I liked the idea of my child being able to enjoy being a kid, without the pressure of already being a monarch. On some level the idea made sense, until…”

  “Until you tried to get naked with me. Then there was nothing to hide behind.”

  “I’m not cut out for deception.” She met his gaze with a hard stare of her own. Then it softened. “And you don’t deserve that. You’re a good man.”