The Prince's Pregnant Bride(50)

Lani swallowed. “We can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m still carrying his baby.”

AJ’s eyes dropped to her belly, which was still barely more than flat. “It’s hard to believe there’s a whole person in there, getting ready for life.”

Lani swallowed. Did he now intend to be a father to that tiny person, or simply an uncle? She didn’t dare ask.

He frowned, thoughtful. “Your baby won’t be raised by Vanu. All of his or her genes come from my mother and father, just like mine, and from you. There’s no reason why Vanu should cast a shadow over the child’s life. We’ll raise it with affection and love.”

“And if he or she does have any problems or issues, we won’t pretend they don’t exist. We’ll do our best to help. I’ve had enough of trying to pretend things are perfect when they aren’t. I’ve spent way too much time trying to be nice and make everything go smoothly, and all my efforts nearly ruined everything. Trying to make everything perfect by glossing over the truth is at the root of all of our problems.”

“You’re right.” He tilted his head. “And I’ve spent my adult life creating and maintaining elaborate fantasies for the screen. I guess my childhood prepared me really well for that.”

Lani filled her lungs with air. “From now on we’ll face problems head-on, and talk to each other honestly about them.”

“That’s a promise.” AJ stared at her, his expression unreadable. “I love you, Lani.”

She froze. The words entered her brain, but it didn’t know what to make of them. What did love even mean? She’d tried to love Vanu, and failed miserably. She had strong feelings for AJ, but she’d told herself time and time again since he left that they were most definitely not love.

It wasn’t until he’d gone and left her alone again that she’d realized she loved him.

He reached for her hand and she let him take it. He must have noticed it was trembling slightly.

She didn’t know what to say. She wanted to say, “I love you, too,” but it seemed too much, too soon, when she didn’t even know what his intentions were.

And despite all her exhortations to get real, she was afraid to ask.

Words failing her, she stepped forward and kissed him hard on the mouth. Too much emotion. She couldn’t process all the strange feelings roiling in her mind and body.

AJ’s arms around her waist sent heat flooding to her core. She clutched him closer, winding her fingers into the fabric of his shirt, then plucking and tugging at it until she pulled it loose from his pants.

Their kisses grew more frantic as she struggled with his buttons and clawed the fabric away from his chest. She yanked at his belt buckle, hating that she had to pull back even a few inches to get her hands on it. She just wanted to bury herself in AJ’s large body, to lose herself in him and revel in the sheer fact that he was right here, right now.

Her nipples stung and tingled with intense arousal as they brushed against his bare chest through the thin fabric of her dress. AJ’s hands roamed over her as she kissed his face and his neck and pushed his shirt off over his muscled arms and back.

His eyes gleamed with passion as he undid the fastening on her dress and let it fall to the floor.

Impatient with his stiff jeans, Lani pushed and shoved at them until they fell past his powerful thighs and he stepped out of them and stood, clothed only in the pale light drifting through the skylight above.

Lani shivered in anticipation at the sight of his arousal. AJ pulled her to him, his chest heaving. He lowered his mouth over hers and took her in a kiss that sucked the breath from her lungs. Lani kissed him back with all the emotion she’d locked away deep inside her after he left. All the pain and hurt mingled with affection and passion and exploded over them both, locking them together in a powerful embrace that shut out the world.

Lani felt AJ lifting her off the floor, carrying her in his strong arms. She didn’t open her eyes, just let him take her wherever he wanted. It felt good to stop planning and worrying and scheming and simply go with him.

He set her down in a sitting position on a smooth, stone surface that contrasted intriguingly with the hot, yielding strength of his body. The sensation made her wriggle against him, as he stood in front of her, his erection level with her very aroused sex.

“Now,” she pleaded, gripping him gently with her fingers. She needed to feel him inside her. She wanted him to fill the gap he’d left when he went away.

AJ entered her slowly, pulling her to the edge of the stone and wrapping her legs around his waist. She groaned as he sank deep inside her and a sensation of relief and joy filled her from the inside out. She pressed her body against his and hugged him tight as he moved slowly inside her.