Chapter 7

"I made him go to bed. He does not sleep well when we travel, and I can protect myself in an empty garden—generally speaking, anyway." He winked. "Mostly I'm so much smaller than my attackers, I can slip through them and run, and having grown up the second youngest in a large family, I am very good at running away from people bigger than me."

Shanna laughed again. "Somehow, that does not surprise me." She gave a slight shake of her head. "I still cannot believe the bratty little trader who's always flirted with me is a prince come to help me under pretense of courtship." Her levity died abruptly. "Which reminds me—my stepfather wasn't pleased when you were presented. He reprimanded me more than once to stop wasting so much time flirting with a vulgar, foreign peddler. I think he must have made certain you were what you claimed, so your deception was a good one, but now he knows you lied all these years, and probably thinks we've slipped some scheme past him. At the very least, he is angry about being tricked, so have extra care for yourself. Maybe you should have brought Ahmla with you."

"We'll be safe enough for now, if only because of how suspicious it would look if anything were to happen to any of your suitors."

"True." Shanna wasn't terribly convinced.

Kallaar started to speak but hesitated before finally saying, "You could always say that we exchanged letters as children, and I came the first time to surprise you with a visit, and we've been keeping up a discreet affair all these years. Surely that would lessen his anger at least some small measure."

"Maybe." Shanna's heart, which had just calmed to a reasonable pace, started racing again. It would hardly be the first time she'd dallied with someone, though always with foreign lords and ladies she wasn't likely to see again and weren't powerful enough to snag Mercen's interest. Every now and then, he bid her flirt with someone, but he'd never actually suggested or ordered she sleep with anyone. She had never questioned the good fortune. "It's certainly worth trying, if you are willing to go along with such a deception."

"I think I've proven I am always up for mischief."

"You probably get in a great deal of trouble, too." Shanna patted the bench beside her. "Come and sit with me, then, because I find it hard to believe a longtime lover of mine would not want to be close to me after months apart."

Smiling slowly and a little wickedly, Kallaar replied, "Ah, Highness, do not force me to endure such a torment, for I would be unable to resist suggesting we put on a good show for that soldier not doing a terribly good job of spying, and I am trying to behave."

Her heart was going to pop. Kallaar might not have any real interest in marrying her, but she wasn't averse to enjoying what he was clearly offering, no matter what she'd tried to tell herself earlier. Surely a little bit of fun in a quiet garden would do no harm. "If I was interested in good behavior, I wouldn't be here. Come and join me."

Kallaar's wicked smile widened as he rose smoothly from the ground and sat next to her, so close their thighs pressed together; she could feel his heat through the thick layers of her dressing robe. He looked up at her through long lashes, and yes, even in the dark, with only scattered lanterns and moonlight to lend visibility, he had a generous smattering of freckles on his nose and cheeks. Shanna wanted to kiss every one of them.

For the moment, she settled for that naughty mouth. He tasted like brandy, cinnamon, and honey. He slid one hand into her hair, using just the right mix of gentle and firm as he deepened the kiss but never overtook it. The last few men she'd kissed hadn't wasted any time in asserting their strength and supposed dominance, such a tiresome habit she usually kept to women lovers.

Making soft noises of pleasure and approval, she grabbed his other hand and rested it on her shoulder. There were other things they were meant to be doing, but for just a moment she wanted to enjoy this pretty prince who'd come to serve her.

His hand slipped beneath her robe and pushed it off her shoulder, and his calloused fingers skated over her arm, back up to her shoulder, then down to brush over her breast. Shanna moaned into his mouth and kissed him harder, tongue exploring every dip and crevice, determined to taste and memorize the hollows and curves of his mouth. His scruff scraped roughly, but pleasantly. She twined her arms around his neck as he bared the other shoulder and lavished attention on both breasts.

Tearing away, Kallaar dipped his head to put his mouth where his fingers had already been. He dragged his tongue across one nipple, then moved to suck the other one, his fingers cupping and stroking gently.

Shanna moaned again and impatiently pushed at him, until she was able to break free and straddle him properly. Chuckling, he leaned against the wall behind them, fingers dropping to work deftly at the knot of her robe. He paused only give her an intent look, and once she'd murmured "yes" against his mouth, he pulled the knot loose and slipped his hands inside her robe. One hand returned to her breasts, while the other dipped lower to stroke and rub at her damp folds and sensitive clit.

He took her mouth again, moaning as she bit eagerly at his lips and sucked on his tongue, hips pushing her harder into his touch, fingers clenched in his hair as she panted and gasped and pleaded. Pushing one finger deep inside her, thumb rubbing firmly at her clit, he kissed her and whispered, "It's an honor to serve a lovely princess," as she shuddered in his arms.