His Royal Pleasure by Leanne Banks Read Free Book Online Page B

around and put a finger beneath her chin, forcing her gaze to meet his. His eyes glinted with turbulent emotion. “I don’t call you Katie,” he told her in a low, velvet voice. “You asked me to call you Katherine.”
    In spite of her anger, her heart softened a fraction. She’d noticed he called her Katherine. She preferred it. “Yes,” she conceded, and let out a breath.
    â€œ Mon Dieu! I can’t begin to understand any of this nonsense about humiliating you.” He shook his head as if to clear the irrational thought from his mind, then narrowed his eyes. “As for last night, you felt my heat, and I felt yours. Last night was about me wanting you and you wanting me. If you have any doubts, I can demonstrate it more graphically.”
    Her heart beat frantically. She felt her face burn. Unable to bear the intensity of his words, she looked away. Still, her hands rested on his bare, muscular arms, and she could feel his strength. Part of her wanted to lean into him, to test his power and feel his passion. But she didn’t trust him or herself.
    Katherine was out of her depth. “Last night was an accident,” she said in a breathless voice.
    â€œNo, mon amie, ” he assured her in a soothing male tone that sent awareness skittering through her. “Last night was just the beginning.”
    She broke away, shaking her head frantically. “No. Absolutely not.”
    Al stepped forward. “You’re scared.”
    Katherine’s defenses rose three feet. “I don’t want this.”
    â€œYou want more than—”
    Chad opened the back door and burst into the room. His face was a picture of disgust. “That Suzanne may be easy on the eyes, but she’s hell on the ego.”
    Katherine latched on to his entrance as if it were a lifeline. “I’m going to bed. Lock up.” She walked toward her bedroom, calling “good night” over her shoulder.
    Chad stared after her, then looked at Alex. “What’s her problem?”
    Alex shrugged, searching for his next words. “Your sister’s a bit skittish.”
    Nodding in agreement, Chad pulled off his wet jacket and let it drop to the floor.
    Alex looked pointedly from the jacket to Chad.
    The younger man picked up the jacket and hung it in the closet. “She probably thinks you’re a con man,” he said, closing the door. “And to Katherine the only thing worse than a con man is a politician. Her father was a con man. Her husband was a politician.”
    Alex felt as if he’d just been struck. “Husband. She’s married?”
    â€œWas. Past tense,” Chad said as he ambled to the lounger and slumped into it. “The guy was a real jerk. She met him at a banquet when she received the Teacher of the Year award.”
    â€œSo you thought he was a jerk.” Al led the conversation where he wanted it to go.
    â€œYeah. Robert’s daddy had big bucks, but he wasn’t real happy with Robert’s…lack of productivity. Robert probably wrecked one too many Ferraris.” Chad yawned hugely. “Anyway, his daddy pushed Robert into the political arena. The guy did pretty well. He was getting ready to run for state senate, and he needed an appropriate wife. Katie fit the bill.
    â€œWhen Robert’s daddy kicked the bucket, though, Robert inherited all that money, ditched his political career and went to Monte Carlo with an exotic dancer. The scandal sheets had a field day.” Chad’s lower lip curled. “I could have killed him.”
    Chad sighed and looked at Alex. “Katie’ll probably kill me if she finds out I told you this.”
    â€œShe might,” he said absently, feeling not a smidgen of remorse for prying into Katherine’s past. He was still absorbing this new information about Katherine. The idea of her being married bothered him. He wondered if she still loved the man. “If he was