By the time the ladies come back downstairs, it’s time for dinner. We each take a seat at the table, and I choose the chair directly across from Tabitha. Her dark hair is in waves down her back, and I clench my fingers into fists with the ache to grip it.

She doesn’t look like a demure, staid princess. Her lush curves are like something out of a pinup magazine. Her body is made for sinful deeds, and my cock thickens with desire like it never has before.

She raises an eyebrow at me, and I see a spark in her eyes. There’s a challenge there, but I don’t think she’s prepared to have it answered. Not yet. She has no idea what temping me will do. I’m a man who’s forgotten his own needs, and suddenly they’re alive and demanding.

I wink at her and bite my bottom lip to keep from smiling. I want to go to the other side of the table and pull her into my lap. I came tonight to help my king meet his bride and offer assistance. As the head of his security, I never put much thought into my own future. I was always thinking of his. But one look at sweet Tabitha and I know what I want. All this time I’ve just been waiting. Before now I’d never seen a woman who made me want more. Until her.

Dinner is slow, and the table that separates us is an irritation. I watch Roman exchange a few words with the mother and then Alena before he’s out of his chair. I stand, joining him before he even says my name.

“Vlad.” Roman calls for me.

I step forward, ready to do my king’s bidding, but also to move closer to Tabitha. I’ll use any excuse to get next to her. She stands and follows as we exit the dining room so that Roman can have a moment alone with his bride.

If anything, he’s traditional. He won’t take Alena on a walk alone as they aren’t married yet. So they’ll need someone to go with them, although if Roman wants something, he’s going to get it.

“I will escort Princess Tabitha from a short distance,” I say, taking her hand in mine.

The feeling of life pulses in my hand as her fingers wrap around mine. There is heat and passion in her veins, and I crave her. I’m desperate to pull her to me and taste it.

I hear Roman talking to Princess Alena and walk slowly behind. I glance down at the beauty next to me, and suddenly my chest hurts. It’s a thought that didn’t occur to me earlier. Only that I wanted her and I intended to claim her.

Tabitha is of royal blood, and I’m not. She’s a princess who could very well be destined to marry a king. She could be out of my grasp. For a moment, the thought of her with someone else is overwhelming, and I want to murder every possible candidate. I push the dark thoughts out of my head because there is nothing I can do about it right now.

Glancing up, I see Roman nod at me, and I pause my steps. Tabitha comes to a stop beside me as my king takes his bride to the fountain. We are beyond a ring of tulip trees that are in full blossom. The deep purple in the moonlight makes Tabitha look like a goddess sent from heaven.

“Are you trying to get me alone?” she asks as she steps away from me and walks over to one of the trees.

The petals of the flowers are all around her, and the vision makes every inch of my body hungry.

“Sweet Tabby,” I say, walking over to her. “I don’t believe we’ve been property introduced.”

I push her up against the tree and wrap my arms around her. I press my hardness against her body and feel her soft curves welcoming me.

“I know who you are.” Her breath hitches as the steel length of my cock moves between her legs.

“I’m yours,” I say simply and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Then I lean in and put my lips against the shell of it. “And you’re mine.”

“Awfully full of yourself, aren’t you?” The breathy need in her voice betrays her forced confidence.

“I feel the tremble of your legs, princess. Care to let me ease that for you?” I run my hands down her full hips and grip her ass. “Perhaps I should take your mouth to see if you give as good as you get.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Her challenge makes me laugh as I move my lips across her cheek.

“Shit!” I yelp, bending over. A shooting pain races up my leg, and I realize she kicked me. “Are you always so rough with your dessert?”

“So you’re the sweet one?” she asks as she smiles at me. “I’ll let you kiss me. But I want something in return.”

“Name it,” I say, straightening up.

“Is it that easy?” She looks confused, like I’d somehow trick her.

“Try me, Princess.”

“When King Roman marries my sister, I want to come with her. I want to live in the palace so that we can stay together.”

“It is done.”

“Vlad, I - ”

I lunge at her and connect my mouth to hers. I expect her to fight me or for her to push me away. But what I don’t expect is her hands to wrap around my neck and for her tongue to slip inside my mouth. I moan around it and then kiss her just as fiercely.

The fire that ignites between us is enough to set this forest ablaze. I reach down with both hands and grip her lush ass, lifting her off the ground. Her legs come around my waist and lock behind me. I push my hard cock against her and grind, desperately seeking some kind of relief.

“This kind of behavior is only turning me on, Princess. It’s the kind of thing that will get your pretty little ass spanked.” I kiss her again until she’s gasping for air. “I like feisty. Keep it up and I’ll take you over my knee.”

“Fuck,” she moans at the dirty talk, and my lips move down her neck to the spot between her breasts.

I want all of her. It’s consuming me, and I don’t know if I can stop. “Is that what you want? Because I’ll give you anything, Tabitha.”

My words have never been more true. If she asked me to lay down my life for her, I would do so. From the moment I saw her, she’s claimed my soul, and there’s no going back.

I summon all the strength I have to release my grip on her ass and set her down on her feet.

“You have to go back to your sister or I’m going to throw you on the ground and fuck you right here.”

She looks like she’s been ravished, and it does nothing to ease my ache. But the sly smile she gives me is almost my undoing.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” she retorts, adjusting her dress.

I reach out and grab her arm before turning her around and smacking her ass. “Soon, Princess. Soon.”

I push her ahead of me, needing to keep my distance. I wouldn’t want to do anything to disgrace her family or my king, and right now I’m too close to the edge.

I see Roman say his goodbyes to Alena, and I wink at Tabitha as I join him at his side. We exit the garden and move around to the front of the estate, where the limo is waiting.

“You should bring the sister with Alena when she comes to the palace. It’s tradition for her to bring someone,” I say. Better to go ahead and plant that seed now. And seeing the similar state my king is in, I know he’ll agree to just about anything.

“It’s done,” he agrees, and my hopes soar.

The ride back to the palace is quiet, and I think of Tabitha the whole time. Normally I’m easy-going and people say I smile a lot. I’m head of security, but I don’t take life too seriously. But suddenly, after one meeting, I’m thinking over my future at the palace and taking a wife. Can I have both?