Romancing the Crown: Kate & Lucas: Under the King's Command / The Prince's Wedding

Kate drew in a breath, trying to clear the haze from her vision.

“Lieutenant Coburn, Lieutenant Mulvaney, please report.” It was the policeman who was overseeing the communications at the command post. Sergeant Chelios. And judging by his anxious tone, it wasn’t the first time he’d tried to contact them.

Sam dipped his head and met her gaze. “Kate…”

She swallowed hard. “We have to answer.”

“I know.” He made no move to get off her. “Are you all right?”

No, she was not all right. She ached. She throbbed. Her body was clamoring to complete what they’d started.

What they’d started…

Suddenly everything came into focus. Clear, brutal focus.

What had they started?

“Oh, my God,” she muttered.

Sam brushed his knuckles along her cheek. “Don’t, Kate.”

“We almost… we could have…” She couldn’t seem to catch her breath. “Oh, God.”

“Don’t regret this, Kate. It was bound to happen.”

No.

“We’ll finish this later.” He leaned over and gave her a swift kiss, then rose to his feet and disappeared down the companionway. A moment later his voice came from the cabin. “This is Lieutenant Coburn. Over.”

Numbly, Kate sat up and looked for her top. It had ended up hooked over a cleat. Her bra dangled from the ship’s wheel. She gathered her clothing and scanned the cove. Fortunately, no one was in sight, but she hadn’t thought of that, had she? She hadn’t thought about anything other than satisfying the need Sam had stirred.

She put on her bra, but her hands were shaking too hard to fasten it. Stupid. Pathetic. How could she have lost control so totally, so fast? She bit her lip and concentrated, willing her fingers to function.

She was an officer in the United States Navy. She was a mature, rational woman. And now she was incapable of guiding a hook through an eye.

Exhaling hard, she finally managed to fasten her bra. She yanked on her top. It was still wet, clinging to her breasts in the same way that had started all of this.

No, what had happened here had started before today. Before last week.

We’ll finish this later.

She combed her fingers through her hair. Her short hair. She’d cut it to get rid of the memories. And to punish herself. She should have remembered that. Instead, she’d remembered how good Sam could make her feel.

Something glinted near her feet. She looked down. It was her necklace.

With a sob she fell to her knees. She scooped up the chain and the worn gold butterfly, enclosing them in her fist protectively.

Sam’s hand settled on her shoulder. “Kate?”

She jerked away from his touch and glared at him.

His feet were bare. The stud at his waistband was still unsnapped. He hadn’t put on his shirt. His damp hair stood up in finger-combed tufts, and his eyes still gleamed with awareness.

God help her, she wanted to kiss him again.

Kate felt a twinge of panic. They had almost had sex in broad daylight while on duty. And if that wasn’t stupid enough, the sex would have been unprotected. She hadn’t given any thought to birth control. What was wrong with her? Was she trying to destroy her career and her life? Did she want history to repeat itself?

She rolled to her feet, tightening her fist until the gold butterfly pricked her palm. “What’s going on? Why was Sergeant Chelios trying to contact us?”

Sam looked at Kate as she faced him. Her chin was up. So was the wall she’d done her best to raise between them. But her lips were swollen and her cheeks were flushed. Her top was damp and crooked, and she’d forgotten to zip her shorts.