Mistress to the Prince by Elizabeth Lennox Page A

didn’t want to know but also didn’t want the unknown to haunt her later on.  “What do you mean?” she croaked out.  She felt her shoulders touch the pillow behind her and wished she wasn’t shrinking back from him.  If only she was more confident…more experienced.  She was sure that the other women who had shared his bed would be laughing at this scene.  But she wasn’t experienced and she didn’t know how to handle being alone in his bedroom. 
     
    He sat down on the bed beside her, a charming grin on his face as he looked at her sleep tousled face.  “I mean, I was trying to be the gentleman and keep my hands off you but you had other ideas,” he said, running a finger down her bare shoulder.  “I can’t believe you don’t remember kissing me last night.   I can guarantee that I remember it.  Every special moment, ” he said softly. 
     
    Tara closed her eyes and her face got even redder.  Max laughed gently .  “I can see that you do remember that part.”
     
    “Yes,” she choked out.  “But I don’t remember anything after that.”
     
    Max moved closer to her on the bed.  “ Tara , I can guarantee that when we make love, you’ll definitely remember it.  But as for last night, after you kissed me, you promptly fell asleep.  Another thing,” he continued, his eyes dropping down to observe her hands still clenching the sheet in front of her, “ I can also assure you that when I make love to you, I won’t leave your clothes on.”
     
    Tara could only stare at him with big eyes.  “ Your Highness , please…”
     
    He leaned over her and she pushed herself into the pillows as his big body blocked out all the light from the windows.  “If you call me ‘ Your Highness ’ one more time, und er any circumstance , I’ll have to do something drastic to stop you.  Understand?” he said. 
     
    Tara could only nod.  The vague threat of “something drastic” sounded ominous enough that she didn’t think she’d test it right at this moment. 
     
    “Good.  How about some aspirin?” he smiled. 
     
    “Um…that would be very helpful,” Tara said, her hand going to her suddenly throbbing head. 
     
    “I have some in the bathroom.  There’s coffee in the front room,” he called back to her as he disappeared into the bathroom. 
     
    Tara had been clutching the sheet to her chest this whole time but as soon as he disappeared, she pulled it away and looked down at herself, just to assure her mind that she really was clothed.  She was extremely grateful that she was still wearing her underwear but her dress was gone. 
     
    Max caught her and laughed.  “Didn’t believe me, did you?”  He was already walking back into the bedroom.  He held out a glass of water for her and his eyes showed his continued humor in her shyness. 
     
    Tara blushed but held the sheet close to her chest, using it more as a security blanket than anything else.  “I’m not very sure about anything right at the moment,” she said and took the glass of cold water gratefully.  He also handed her two aspirin but that was slightly harder since she didn’t want to touch him.  He finally turned her hand over with his and dropped them into her palm.  “I won’t bite, Tara ,” he said and winked at her.  “Not very hard anyway.”
     
    He stood up from the bed again and disappeared into what she suspected was the closet. 
     
    As soon as he was out of sight, she tried to quickly slip out from under the covers.  “I have to go,” she said and slid to th e edge of the bed, grabbing her satin dress and pulling it quickly over her head. 
     
    “Have breakfast with me at least,” he said popping his head out from the closet door . 
     
    Tara felt like she could just drool at the sight of his chest and almost wished he wouldn’t put any clothes on.  But she was being ridiculous.  “No.  No, I really need to get home,” she said, frantic to get away from his devastatingly