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“I haven’t met the man yet. It’s safe to say there will be more than one candidate. So, I’ve no plans to propose to anyone for now. Rest assured a public announcement will be made if I do.”

“How long do we have?” he asked.

“For you to teach me everything you know about sex?”

“Everything?”He smirked. “That would take a very long time, Princess. We’ll never finish the lessons before you need to claim your groom.”

“Well, I’d like not to be a clueless virgin on my wedding night. How long willthattake for you to accomplish?”

“Normally, just to get rid of virginity, one night would be more than enough. But with you...” He tugged on the lock of my hair he’d just put away and wound it around his finger instead, looking lost in thought. “Some things just can’t be rushed. You need to be ready. Nothing good comes out of it otherwise.”

Salas had a story. He clearly wasn’t forthcoming in telling it, but I also wasn’t sure anymore if I wanted to hear it.

How much did I need to know about the stranger who could only stay in my life for a night or two? How deeply could I diveinto his secrets before I risked starting to care and it would make it unbearably harder to part from him then?

No feelings involved. That had been Salas’s one and only condition from the beginning. My mind agreed with him wholly. My heart, however, squeezed with subtle regret.

“I’ve been thinking about our kiss all day today,” I confessed.

With a finger under my chin, he directed my face to his, his dark eyes flicking between mine.

“Is that a sign, Princess?” he asked softly.

I smiled, remembering his plea to give him a sign when I was ready for more. Hope pulsed in my heart, spreading through my body in a warm wave of desire.

“Will you kiss me again?”

The air moved as he shifted closer, the heat of his body enveloping me.

“You aren’t the only one who’s been thinking about that kiss all day,” he murmured, before his lips touched mine.

My mind spun in a twister. I swayed forward, leaning onto him for support as my knees suddenly grew too weak for my legs to hold me.

He made a sound deep in his throat. Sliding a hand behind my neck, he sank his fingers into my hair, bringing me closer. I tilted my head back, parting my lips for him. His tongue found mine, robbing me of breath.

He pulled away way too soon.

Dazed, I brought a hand to my face where my skin glowed with warmth after being brushed by his beard.

“Now I felt it.” I smiled. “Your beard.”

“Sorry.” He ran his thumb around the corner of my mouth. “I got carried away.”

“This kiss was even better than the one last night, wasn’t it?” Lightness elated me. Maybe it was from the wine I’d had earlier. But Salas was also to blame. His effect on me was stronger thanthat of any wine. Apprehension shifted far back, giving place to joy. “Admit it, I am a damn good kisser.”

My head swam with giddiness. I gripped the ends of his robe to anchor myself from floating away into a happy cloud completely.

“Smart ass.” He grinned.

“It’s ‘Princess’ to you, sir.” I tapped my finger against his wide, hard chest.

By etiquette, he really should address me as “Your Highness.” But I liked hearing the careless “princess” from him too much to insist he follow the etiquette when we were alone.

“My apologies.” He inclined his head, humor shimmering in his dark gaze. “Come here,PrincessSmart Ass.” Snaking an arm around my middle, he yanked me to him.

“How dare you?” I gasped in shock and pretend outrage. Him calling me names was a huge breach of propriety, but I was having too much fun to be angry for real.

He read me well, his moods matching mine perfectly.