The Queen's Nine-Month Scandal by Abby Green Read Free Book Online

in a low voice, just for her ears, ‘It killed me that you’d known who I was but hadn’t contacted me. It killed me to think that you’d just used me like some kind of a pawn for a night of personal hedonism. It killed me to think that you would only have contacted me because of the baby.’
    Analia reached out and touched his jaw, reverently, her heart swelling with love and wonder. ‘I wanted to contact you, so much. I dreamed of you. I’ve put myself second for so long that I didn’t even dare to believe I could have you...and then I found out I was pregnant. I was going to tell you, but I was scared...that I’d meant nothing to you.’
    Daniel shook his head and declared softly, ‘When I woke up and you were gone I felt as if you’d ripped my heart out of my chest. But I couldn’t believe it, because I’ve never allowed my heart to breathe before now. I was so concerned about protecting myself from the pain of rejection because it was all I knew.’
    Analia hiccuped softly, ‘I was so lonely until I met you. I’d always felt as if a part of me was missing.’
    He stroked her cheek, cupped her jaw. ‘Together we’re whole.’
    He cupped her face in his hands then and slanted his mouth over hers. Desire, hot and instant, engulfed them and the only thing that broke through their bubble of intimacy was the loud, persistent coughing of Analia’s grand vizier who was desperately trying to maintain some semblance of control.
    Daniel pulled back and looked at Analia’s flushed face. It took her a second to open her eyes and they shone brilliantly, like two sapphires. The love he felt for this woman almost scared him with its intensity and he could see the same wonder reflected in her eyes.
    He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. He could see that she’d forgotten where she was and that the world’s media had been witness to almost every word except for their last exchange.
    He led her around so that the table was behind them and got down on one knee in front of her. Her eyes widened even more. Suddenly reality impinged on her. She glanced at the wall of media and then back at him. She’d gone pale. ‘Daniel..?’
    He looked up at her and felt every single vestige of his old emotional armour fall away. He’d never been so exposed but he’d never felt so invincible. He held her hand in his and said loudly enough for everyone to hear, ‘Queen Analia, as the father of your child, would you do me the honour of marrying me?’
    She looked down at him and he could see tears in her eyes making them glitter like brilliant gems. Her voice shook, ‘You don’t have to do this...just because...just because—’
    ‘Just because I love you?’ he finished for her. ‘Oh yes I do. Now, I asked you a question...will you marry me?’
    Daniel could see the final vestige of her own fears and willed her to trust, like he did. She let out a shaky breath and then said, ‘Yes...I’ll marry you, Daniel Petrovsky.’
    She bent down to kiss him and Daniel pulled her onto his knee, enveloping her in his arms, mouths open, tongues tangling in heat and lust. Before it could get too out of control Daniel pulled back reluctantly. Keeping hold of Analia’s hand, he stood up and pulled her up with him.
    In a smooth move he caught her under her legs and lifted her up into his chest making her squeal.
    Analia’s chest felt so full it hurt. She saw the stunned crowd of press, most with open mouths. Daniel’s arms were tight around her and she wrapped hers around his neck.
    He looked out over the crowd and said in a deep authoritative voice, ‘I’d like to use this opportunity to announce that the City of Azoria will be the home of the Petrovsky Philanthropic Foundation, and as we’ve established that I am the father of Queen Analia’s baby and she’s agreed to marry me, I believe that any discussion of abdication is now irrelevant.’
    Analia caught Pierre’s smug look to the old council member who had attacked her