Renee let out a quiet moan as she shifted in the bed to be more comfortable. Marco's warm muscles all over her made her insides still beg for more. However, when she tried to move her sleeping arm, she found it stuck.

She pulled harder, but a handcuff scraped against her bare skin. Her arms were wrapped around Marco's torso. She tugged again, but she realized her legs were also wrapped around his legs. She nipped his shoulder. "Marco, wake up."

"What the..." Marco tried to move his arms but they were cuffed to the posters of the bed. He scowled down at her. "Renee, I don't like being tied to a bed."

She jingled her own cuffs at his back. "I didn't do this. My arms and legs are handcuffed too."

He pulled his leg, but he was tied face-down on the bed with her under him. He couldn't move either. He groaned with frustration. "I never sleep after sex. This will teach me why."

She wasn’t sure if she should be afraid, or if this was someone’s idea of a prank. They were in his castle, for heaven’s sake, so nothing bad could actually happen. Except that Kristin had told her about the old king being sick and the country in civil unrest. History had taught her that unhappy people tended to do awful things.

Footsteps echoed in the hall. Servants? She could hear her own heart beating fast, but she whispered, "Shh, listen."

She made out the soft murmur of a man who spoke in a language Renee didn’t know.

Marco's muscles tightened. No other sentences came and the footsteps continued on. "What did he say?"

"I don't know." He pulled on one of the posters of the bed, the muscles in his arm bunching with effort. "Renee, I'm sorry you're here right now."

Every part of her not underneath him shivered. She shook her head. "If someone stormed the castle while I was alone, I'd be terrified." She kissed his neck and felt her body blossoming for him. "Marco, these could be our last seconds on earth."

He kissed the top of her forehead. "Don't be scared, Renee."

"I can't stop that." Her arms, around his waist, lowered to his sexy rump.

"Try." His erection stiffened.

Now this was the way to die. She licked her lips and met his gaze. "Kiss me."

He grew even harder, but didn't move.

She lifted her hips, encouraging him.

He inched closer to her opening, then stilled. "Am I crushing you?"

She brought her heels up to his backside, on fire with need. "I like being crushed by you. Don't stop."

He entered her, then pulled out. A master of control he said, "Renee, we shouldn't. I don't have protection."

Death could be waiting in the hallway. She scoffed and kissed his neck again. "Marco, I don't care right now. I want my last moments to feel how I did last night."

He pushed inside her and she heard his groan. "Renee, you're tight."

"Wow. Yes." He was harder and his movements were even more intense than she remembered. She wanted to scream, but sealed her lips. Soon, she forgot where she was as she felt herself leave her body. No orgasm had ever been so immense.

"You're my angel." He found his release and his body pulsed faster inside of her.

She closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat. She had no idea how long she slept, but she roused when she felt his right arm moving. She groaned a little as a wonderful shiver passed through her. "Marco, I don't care if I die now."

He kissed the top of her head with a satisfied grin. "I won't let anything happen to you. I've almost broken the post. Help steady my shoulder if you can."

She used her strength to hold his shoulder. With a last tug, his hand came free and rested on the mattress. She turned and asked, "What the..."

He took his arm and slid it under her so her hands went around his neck. "Okay, I'm going to unwrap half of you from me."

"I can move my arms." She was now looped only to his still-tied hand.

She scooted to sit. He asked her, "Can you lift my other hand off the bed corner?"

Right. If she used both of her hands, she’d push him off the frame. "Give me a second."

Once he was freed he said, "Thanks." His arm slid out from her handcuffed wrists, and he unhooked his legs from the edges.

He stood and held her steady as she slid off of him, her ankles still cuffed together. Outside the hall it sounded like a hundred footsteps marched in precision. She grabbed the sheet off the bed. Now that they weren’t going to die, she remembered her modesty. "Marco! The door!"

"Get behind me." He stepped forward, not caring if the whole world saw him naked. Without a protest, she slipped behind him. The door opened with a slam but Marco shielded her from view as he talked fast in a language similar to Latin. Then he wrapped an arm around her waist. "We're safe, Renee."

One of the soldiers handed him a key and Marco motioned for her to sit on the mattress. He immediately unlocked the handcuffs at her wrists and ankles. She massaged her chaffed skin and whispered, "Hand me my dress."

"None of your clothes are here." He shrugged and walked over to the bureau in his room, not caring that soldiers were still there and watching them. He threw on a pair of sweat pants and a shirt. "I have to get to my father. Come with me."

She tugged on his sheet that she wore like a toga. "I don't have my clothes."

He rummaged through his drawer and pulled out elastic-waist gym shorts and a blue shirt. "Here, put on my t-shirt and let's go."

Right. The soldiers all kept their gazes respectfully averted. She wiggled into the shorts and turned while she drew the shirt over her head. He took her hand and led her through the soldiers who turned to make room for them. Once they reached the front, men with shields brought them down the green hall. She laced her fingers with his and whispered, "Everyone knows we were together."

He tightened his grip on her hand. "I don't care. Do you?"

Well if the world knew, her parents would too. Her father was addicted to cable news, even if he complained half of it was fake. She’d known about the exiled Aussa brothers all of her life from news snippets. Last night had been great—she was an adult with no ties and she’d done nothing to be ashamed of. "I'll grow thicker skin if gossip is the only worry we have now."

"Good." He held her palm a little tighter and guided her down a flight of stairs. "I want you to know you're safe with me."

Marching forward with trained soldiers made her feel safer than she'd be without them. If she'd gone to her room, she'd have probably panicked her way into needing medication. Once they reached the bottom, one of the soldiers turned on the lights and she saw they were now in a stark white office. Marco urged her forward to a door wrapped in electronic wires. "Marco, why did they want to kill you?"

"I'm assuming this has something to do with the election."

"What election?" She turned toward him, while he stopped at a desk and took out a pair of keys.

He jingled the keys in his palm. "I've been monitoring the vote for my parents to keep the monarchy, and most of the elements against them are getting funding from out of state." He guided her toward the door again. "There are a few plots meant to destabilize our small country so we don't become too powerful."

"A few?" Her voice was higher than she meant it.

He unlocked the door. "Yes, there are foreign neighbors and anarchists. I've been so focused on the anarchists and Piotr Goosig that I must have missed something." He poked his head inside the room and dropped his shoulders. "Babik, there you are."

A general stood at attention. "We have rounded up the ten men responsible, Your Highness."

She began to slink behind him to let them talk, but Marco placed his hand on her back and tugged her forward. "This is Renee Brown. She's staying with me. Where are my brother and Kristin?"

Good question. She must be an awful friend for not thinking about her bestie before now.

Babik nodded. "They marched in with the army, sire. They are with your parents, but Kristin intended to retire to her room when I left."

She released her clutched hands and said a small prayer of thanks at the news Kristin was safe.

Marco let her go and turned toward the General. "I want to question them."

Question who? He couldn't mean his parents. Her heart beat faster again. "Marco, leave that to the professionals."

"I am the professionals."

Ice raced through her veins. "What does that mean?"

His dark, chestnut brown eyes held her steady. "I've been training with Interpol, the CIA and MI6 since I left the military academy. It's my job to ensure no other foreign element interferes in our country, again."

She hugged her waist as she repeated every word in her brain. Her lips pursed. "So you're not the playboy prince the newspapers say?"

He winked. "I am with you." He turned toward the next door and the general. "Now stay with Babik while I go in to question them."

Guards stood on both sides and opened the electrified door. She peered through it, where Marco was about to leave and saw black bars. This wasn't a fantasy movie. No dream. Her breaths quickened. "Is that a dungeon?"

He lifted her chin so she looked at him. "It's modern and completely safe. Now kiss me so I come back faster."

Her eyelids fluttered closed. Her heart raced, but the moment his lips met hers again, she relaxed.

He pulled back too fast, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. "Marco, hurry. I don't want to meet your parents without you."

He nodded and turned to leave. Her stomach felt like it was in knots. Political intrigue, foreign plots, none of this was what her summer vacation was supposed to be. However, Marco was nothing like she thought either. His touch was forbidden and sexy, and he was better, in every way. If this affair between them lasted her entire vacation, she'd agree to whatever dull future was in store at the country club.