We had been in Charleston for three weeks. Cor and Sophia were at an impasse. We saw Adaline every day, but when he and Sophia were together, they couldn’t agree on where to raise the small princess. Sophia seemed to understand that by the time she was five, her shifter side would become more dominant, but she wasn’t willing to budge while Adaline was still so young.

We had settled into a routine at the beach estate. I had eased into my role as quasi-step-mother. Sophia didn’t seem as concerned with me as she did with the possibility Cor would try to take Adaline to Galona.

We had car seats installed. I had bought an entire nursey set of furniture as well as strollers and toys. The pool was secure and we had childproofed the entire mansion. Adaline ran around the beach house as if she had grown up under its roof.

Cor was a natural with her. They read books and chased seagulls on the beach. He taught her how to blow bubbles in the pool and even got her to jump in the shallow end.

I loved the city. My favorite place to go was the market. If I went early enough in the morning it wasn’t as hot. It gave Cor and Adaline time together while I shopped. It had been so long since I could do something so normal as shop. I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed it.

There were those occasions when I would drop Adaline off at the end of the day that Sophia and I would talk. We were never going to be close like Cosette and I were, but there was a commonality we shared. We both knew Cor only the way a woman who had loved him could, and we both wanted what was best for Adaline.

The more I talked to her, the more I realized her life in Charleston was beautiful. Adaline may have been the reason she moved, but the more time I spent with her, I realized Sophia was the reason she wanted to stay. And for the first time since I discovered her secret, I got it. I understand what she wanted, and why.

Today everything had changed. I suddenly had more in common with Sophia. My hand ran over my stomach. I was still in my silk robe, not ready to get dressed. I wanted to soak in the moment a little longer.

I sat in the sunroom, scrolling through another round of applicants Wallace had sent over for royal managers. Trying to find a pair wasn’t easy. It didn’t help that I compared them to my own credentials. I couldn’t bring myself to schedule interviews.

I took a sip of lemon tea.

Cor walked into the room. “Good morning, baby.”

“Hi. How’d you sleep?” I asked. He leaned, kissing me on the neck. It always made me shiver with a tiny spark of electricity.

“I think I’m starting to get used to beach life. I like sleeping with the windows cracked. The ocean puts me right to sleep.”

I laughed. “You and Adaline,” I teased.

“Too bad, we have to leave. I can’t get this ocean breeze in my apartments.”

I sat forward, closing the laptop. “What do you mean leave?” It was the first time he had mentioned it.

“I talked to Alaric this morning. This hiatus is over. He needs to take some time off with Eden. I have to head back to Freychon immediately.”

“Is everything all right?” I asked. “Is something wrong with Eden? The baby?”

“They are fine. But he has to go to London with her for two weeks. He doesn’t want her to travel alone, though he says she tried to convince him to stay. He wants me to take over.”

I bit my lip. “Oh, for her dissertation.” My shoulders relaxed. They had been going back and forth to London for a while. But I hadn’t known the king to take off for more than a few days at a time.

“What are you going to tell Sophia?” I asked. I wasn’t ready to think about returning to Freychon.

He looked out at the water. There were sailboats on the horizon.

“I was hoping if she saw Adaline with me, she’d be willing to move. She should know a daughter shouldn’t be without a father.”

“I know that’s what you want, but she doesn’t want to leave the U.S. If you try to take Adaline, it’s going to turn into a huge legal battle. And any goodwill she does have, will be gone. It will be played out in the international press. And she will hate you for it.”

He hung his head. “I know. I know.”

“Cor?”

“Hmm?”

I wanted to choose my words carefully. I couldn’t believe what I was about to suggest. It went against everything I thought about myself. But I wasn’t the same person I was a month ago. Loving Cor had taught me so much.

“What if we stay?”

“Alaric said I have to be in Freychon before the weekend. We need a day to go over his briefings.”

I shook my head. I rose from my seat and walked around to him.

“What if we stay here permanently?”

His eyes widened. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

I nodded. “I think we should.”

The tears welled in the corners of my eyes. I had pictured this moment a thousand times. I had played it over in my head. I had practiced the words. I had imagined the expression on his face, but nothing prepared me for it.

“Elena.” He swallowed hard. His hands roamed my hips, pushing my silk robe to the side. He gathered the corners of my gown until my stomach was exposed. His palms grazed over the flesh of my belly. He pressed a hot kiss on my skin.

“You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”

I ran my hands through his hair. I nodded, smiling. “I am.”

“Oh, baby.” He brought me into his lap, crushing me with a kiss.

My hands circled his neck, melting into him. Melting into this moment. His tongue twirled along mine and I whimpered when he cupped my breast.

“You’re having my baby?” His voice was deep.

“Yes. I’m pregnant, Cor.”

“And you were going to sit and drink tea and not tell me?” He laughed.

“I took the test this morning when you went for a run on the beach. I was going to plan a big dinner surprise and wrap a baby present for you, but I couldn’t wait,” I admitted. “I guess I ruined it this way.”

He shook his head. “No. It could never be ruined.” He kissed my neck and throat. “You’re having my baby.”

I sighed. “Yes.”

“And you want to have the baby here? You want to stay in the U.S.?”

“I know how crazy it sounds. I know this was never the plan, but I think while I’ve been falling in love with the idea of us being parents, I fell in love with this place. The beach. The city. Adaline’s here. I love this house and it’s available. And we already have a staff. We just have to make them official royal employees.” I listed all the reasons I thought of why we had to do this. “We can raise a family here. And no one cares you’re a prince. It’s wild and unexpected, but we can live here like normal people. Sophia was right about that. And Alaric needs a U.S. ambassador.” I knew I was speaking way too fast.

“You could fill that role and move the office to Charleston. It’s still on the east coast and accessible to the airport. You could still fly to Galona every other month. It’s not that bad. And your children will always have you.” I ran my hand along his jaw. “I’ll always have you.”

“Compelling arguments, Miss DuBois.” He pressed his lips together. I couldn’t read his mood.

“Will you at least say we can consider it? We can talk about it? Please, Cor.”

“I will consider it.” His arms scooped me close to his chest and he rose from the chair.

“You will?”

“Mmmhmm.” He took one long stride after another. “But I have something I want you to consider.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

He closed the bedroom door behind us and locked it.

“That we aren’t leaving this bed at least until lunchtime.”

I kissed him, loving him in a new way. He placed me in the center of the bed, kissing my shoulder and behind my ear. Forging fire under my skin until I was moaning for more.

I crawled on my knees, wanting him to take me like this. We had so much to celebrate.

His fingertip pressed to my rosebud and he groaned, passing over it as if he knew we’d have to wait for those pleasures for a while.

“Later,” he promised.

I nodded. I ached in a new way for him. If he didn’t fill me I’d burst into flames and burn to a pile of embers.

“Cor, I need you inside me.”

“So impatient, my dirty dirty, princess.”

He separated my slit and I whimpered, knowing I was dripping wet for him. But he loved it. My body turned him on. I reveled in the power of my body. He had taught me to embrace my strength and sensuality. I didn’t shy away from touching myself. I wasn’t embarrassed that my clit throbbed for him. I opened my body to him to love and to worship. In Cor, I knew I could be a siren or a sex goddess. Sex could bring us together. It could take us to new places. And I could let my hair down and he’d love me no matter what carnal desires I wanted. As long as it felt good he wanted to give it to me.

He pushed the head of his cock to my pussy, stretching it with his thick head.

“Mmm.”

“I want to fuck you hard and wild.”

He rubbed his shaft between my folds, reveling in how slick I was.

“Please,” I cooed. “I need it.”

I hissed when his cock pushed into me. I loved when he possessed me. I felt his love wrap around me and hold me tight.

“Oh sweet fuck,” he growled. I rose up on my knees sliding up and down on his shaft.

His hands were everywhere, exploring my new body. They groped my breasts, splayed between my legs, tangled in my hair. He kissed my neck while I bounced wildly.

“Touch yourself, princess,” he commanded.

I reached between my legs, sliding my fingers over my clit. “Oh God,” I moaned.

Everything was heightened and sensual.

“I love fucking you, knowing my cub is inside you. We made a shifter together.”

“Yes, I love it.” I wrapped my free hand against the back of his neck. “Harder,” I begged. “Please fuck me harder, Cor.”

I knew he was being gentler than usual. He was scared to hurt the baby, but it wasn’t just any baby. This baby was a shifter. And he was strong. I already knew it.

“I don’t want to be too rough,” he groaned. “But I want to fucking own you right now.”

“You do,” I coaxed. “Show me,” I whispered. “Show me how much you own me.”

“Fuck, Elena. What are you doing to me?”

He pushed me on my stomach, rearing my hips in the air.

I cried out as he plunged into my heat with possessive thrusts.

“Oh yes,” I moaned. “I’m yours. Oh, I’m yours.”

He fucked me harder this time, sinking into me with ravishing rhythm. I threw my head from side to side, matching his thrusts with jolts of my own, sucking his cock deep inside me.

We clawed and clung to each other. Devouring each other’s bodies as we climbed and fused our souls together. I’d never loved anyone like this. I’d never bared my soul. Exposed myself. But he had everything I had to give. I wanted to share the ultimate gift with him. My body was growing his baby.

“I love you, so much.” He grunted, flipping me on my back. He pinned my wrists over my head as he rooted himself in me. His cock was thick and pulsing. It stretched me and filled me with vibrating strokes.

Just when I thought I didn’t have the energy to take anymore, my body would surge with a new kind of adrenaline. The fire lit through my veins, craving more from him. I was in a frenzied haze.

“Oh, Cor. I love you. Fuck me,” I whimpered. “Don’t stop. It feels so good like this.”

He grinned. “You like being pregnant?”

I nodded. “With your baby.”

He growled, slamming into me. “I can’t stop. You’re so sexy. So damn beautiful, Elena. I’ve never been turned on like this,” he moaned.

We had landed on a new plane. One where reason didn’t exist. The only thing we saw was halos of light circling us, blinding us with color and sensation. We were in our own carnal world. Where the only thing that mattered was our love and our baby.

It was two more hours before we pulled the sheets over us for sleep. My eyes were heavy and my body sore and happy. I’d show him the positive test when we awakened.

His arms circled me and we fell asleep.