“Where do you think you’re going?” Maddox stepped from the shadows and startled her as she rounded the corner heading to the royal gate.

“Maddox! You scared the crap out of me! What do you do, hang around like a spider in a web?” Ivy stopped short, nearly rolling an ankle in her heels.

“What I do is none of your affair, young woman. This is the royal wing. You do not belong here, so I suggest you take your explorations elsewhere.”

Ivy lifted her chin. “I have an appointment, so why don’t you take your explorations elsewhere, like to another solar system.”

“Human, I don’t know what passes for gentility on Earth, but here we do not insult our hosts. You are a guest of this castle, and I am its Lord Chamberlain. You might do well to remember that.”

“What’s going on here?” The door to the Royal Gardens opened and Vee stepped out. “I heard angry voices.”

Before Maddox could say a word, Ivy pushed past the little man. And measuring by Vee’s standard, he was little. In physical appearance and character. “I was just coming to see you, when this person barred my way.”

Maddox’s eyes widened at her impudence in front of the king, and his lips pressed in a thin line. “I’m sorry, your—”

Vander cut him off before he could out him in front of Ivy. “It’s fine, Maddox. No real harm done. Ivy is a friend and is welcome whenever I’m here. Understood?” He dropped his chin and eyed the Lord Chamberlain, his unspoken message clear.

Inclining his head, the older man glared at Ivy, and exchanged a glance between her and Vander. “As you wish.” Without another word, he turned on his heel and left.

Ivy watched Maddox round the corner before shifting her gaze to Vander. “That dude is seriously creepy, Vee. I swear there’s something sly about him. I can’t put my finger on it, but I know I’m right. Cassie tells me all the time I’m part psychic because my intuition is almost never wrong.”

He slipped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a side hug. “Almost isn’t always, and Maddox is practically part of the furniture here. He was my—uhm—I mean, he was the old king’s Lord Chamberlain, as well, and the new king trusts him completely.”

She looked at him, studying his face. “My intuition might be almost never wrong, but right now my gut is pinging me big time. I get the feeling you’re not telling me something.”

He tipped her chin up for a kiss. “For now, everything you need to know is in that kiss.” He tugged her toward the door. “C’mon. I want to show you everything.”

Following him into the garden, she was immediately hit by the beauty of the place. Towering palms swayed in the breeze and lush grass spread in a lazy path around a pristine pool fed by a waterfall stream. A harem style tent was situated toward the back, its interior set with low tables and plush pillows and a spread of fresh fruit and candied dates, nuts, and wine.

“This place is unbelievable! Like something described by Shahrazad,” Ivy said, taking in everything.

“Who is Shahrazad?”

“She’s both a character and the storyteller in a book called One Thousand and One Nights. It’s a classic. Haven’t you ever heard the tales of Aladdin or Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves?”

Vander shook his head, leading her toward a clear pool below a cluster of palm trees. “I haven’t, but I would love for you to read it to me. A thousand and one nights with you sounds just about perfect.”

She laughed. “Just about? Why, what’s missing?”

Grinning, he bent to slip her sandals from her feet. “Not nearly enough time with you, plus, if you’re reading, then you aren’t kissing me.” He scooped her into his arms and carried her to the edge of the water, toeing off his boots. “Galaxan folklore says if you bathe in a blessed pool before making love, the waters show you your true mate.” He waded into the water and stood thigh deep, letting Ivy slide down his hard length to the water.

“Really. And what does it say about people who bathe after they’ve popped their relationship cherry?”

He looked at her, bemused. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Forget it. It’s a stupid human saying. Popping your cherry means losing your virginity. I was talking about people who did the nasty before asking for a blessing.”

Vander had to laugh. “I doubt I’ll ever get used to Earth slang, but I can guess what you mean.” He leaned in and ran a tongue over the seam of her lips. “It doesn’t matter. The truth will show.”

In that moment, the water swirled in gentle eddies around her breasts and the soft fabric of Ivy’s dress clung to her every curve and hollow. She looked down at the way her nipples popped through the cold wet fabric and grumbled. “Yeah, well. I think my truth is already showing.”

He grinned. “Come, I’ll warm you.”

She waded closer and put her arms around his neck. Gathering up her up again, he strode through the water to place her on a rocky outcrop under a palm at the edge of the bank. The sun had warmed the stones and the heat from the stone against the cool water was amazing, but even more so was watching Vander swim. His shoulder muscles coiled and released with each stroke and when he walked toward her, she lost her breath. Hair slicked and curling below his collar, his wet shirt clung to the muscular planes of his chest and torso. He peeled the garment from his shoulders and tossed it to the sandy bank.

“Are you going to walk around shirtless and wet all afternoon?” She grinned. “Not that I’m complaining.”

He stepped between her legs and circled her waist with his arms. “Only if you walk around shirtless and wet with me.”

Ivy laughed. “I don’t think we’d get farther than that tent over there.”

He glanced toward the desert tent and grinned. “What a good idea.” Without warning, he tossed her over his shoulder and climbed out of the water. There wasn’t a soul around, and he deposited her on a pile of soft pillows, plopping down beside her.

“Vee, are you nuts? This has got to be the king’s private tent! Not only are we invading his space, but we’re ruining his pillows. They’re soaked thanks to my wet ass.”

He reached over and pulled her over to straddle his hips. “I like it when your ass is wet. Makes things easier for me.”

Her eyes went wide at his nerve. “Vee! I’m serious. I’m not cool with getting sent back to Gerri in disgrace or with you getting fired.”

“Fired?”

She exhaled hard. “Lose your current position.”

He grinned, pressing the hard bar of his stiffening cock between her spanned legs. “I like my current position.”

“VEE!” she squealed when he flipped her onto her back.

“Stop worrying. No one is going to bother us. I promise.”

Someone cleared their throat and both she and Vander jerked their attention to the opening at the front of the tent.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty, but Prince Jag sent a messenger. He just arrived and says it’s urgent.”

Ivy scrambled out from underneath his weight. “Your Majesty?” She blinked and then her eyes went wide. “Your friends call you Vee, huh…as in Vandar? Vander Kasaval? King of Galaxa?” She shook her head, getting to her feet.

“Ivy, please. You have to understand. I wanted you to know me for me. Please…let me explain.”

She stared at Vander, sparing a glance for his nervous steward still waiting for the king’s reply. Snorting, she gestured to the man. “Go see what this prince has to say. Gerri’s expecting me back and I need time to think. I don’t want to be late. We’re supposed to have an audience with the—” She pressed her lips together. “With you, later.”

“No. I’d rather we talk now. Alone. While we’re still us.”

“Us,” she sputtered. “What us? I was getting to know a cool guy named Vee, not some king pretending to be someone else.”

“Ivy. Please. Wait.” He paused. “I can always have my guards stop you from leaving the garden, but I’d rather you stay because you want to hear what I have to say.”

“You jerk! I can’t believe you just threatened me with house arrest! I found out you’re king—what? Ten seconds ago? And—” At the smirk tugging at his face, she huffed, exasperated. “Vander! This is not funny!” Picking up a wet pillow, she lobbed it his head.

“Hey! Assault on the king is a subversive offense,” he grinned.

“Subversive? You want rebellion, I’ll show you rebellion.” She plopped into one of the beanbag-like chairs and crossed her arms. “Fine. Go have your pow-wow with the prince. I’ll sit here wet and waiting for you to come back.”

He straightened from his pillows to lean over hers, caging her in with his arms. “Considering I like you wet and waiting, I’ll take it.” He kissed her hard and fast and then left with his steward. “I’ll send someone with dry clothes. We’ll save the wet play for later.” He winked, and at the look on the steward’s face, she felt a blush crawl up her cheeks.