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“Ms. Cooper. How was your journey?”

Thea opened her eyes and found the queen emerging through the steam, her skin flushed, her long dark hair already washed and hanging down her back. Oh crap, this was
so
not who she wanted to talk to right now.

“The journey was fine thanks.” Thea made an awkward gesture. “Do you want to shower alone, Your Highness?”

The queen winced. “Oh jeez, please call me Douglass. We only use titles when we’re in public and I’m not even comfortable with that yet. I’m so glad you agreed to come with us. Sometimes I get a bit sick of all the testosterone surrounding me.”

Thea flashed an uneasy smile. There were quite a few answers to that statement, none of which were diplomatic and several of which would probably get her ass fired.

For some reason she had no desire to be stranded in space, subject to Valhallan law and without a ticket home. God knows what the punishment would be for calling the queen a bitch and getting into a cat fight.

“Is there something, wrong?”

“Oh no, Your Highness, I mean Douglass, and please call me Thea.”

“Thank you, Thea, I appreciate it.” The queen sighed. “Sometimes I miss hanging with my girlfriends on Earth. Men just don’t understand some stuff do they?”

“But they have some uses.”

Douglass smiled dreamily. “They sure do. Marcus will be all over me the moment I step out of this shower.”

Remembering the king’s state of arousal, Thea didn’t doubt it.
And what about Sven
and the others? When do they get a turn?
Thea stared hard at the wall, desperate not to say the words out loud.

“Sven is very taken with you, Thea.”

Thea continued to wash her hair and hoped the queen would think she hadn’t heard that last comment. What the hell was she supposed to say? What was the queen going to do next, discuss Sven’s prowess in bed?

Douglass sighed. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business, I know. It’s just that I care for Sven and I was kind of hoping you’d be the right woman for him. If you feel like talking to me, you know where I am.”

Thea kept her head under the water until she heard the queen walk away. It seemed everyone liked Sven except her. Was she missing something important or was it simply that her personal standards were so different from the Valhallans and their new queen?

Surely Douglass would understand that Thea didn’t want to share her man? Too tired 77

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to think anymore, Thea finished her shower, dressed in the shapeless yellow spacesuit and looked forward to her first real glimpse of the planet’s surface.

Due to the haste of their departure, only five members of the Earth observation team disembarked along with Thea. Two of them were hand-picked members of the press; the other three represented the Planetary Health Organization and the government. Thea wasn’t quite sure what her role was, despite the fact that the Valhallans had asked for her input on security matters and insisted she was needed to guard the queen.

As she walked toward the space terminal, Thea stopped and inhaled the fragrant scent of flowers and spices. The planets two suns were setting in an azure sky and the desert sand glimmered and shifted around her like the sea. A soft breeze lowered the high temperature to a bearable level. Groves of green trees covered with thick blossoms stretched into the distance, nestling against the darkness of the mountains that rose in the west.

“By Thor, it is good to be home.” Thea glanced up and saw Sven’s reverent expression. He studied the desert and the twinkling lights of the space port. “I thought I would never see it again.”

She stopped looking at him, almost overwhelmed by the gruffness of his voice. His obvious emotion reminded her of the way he’d looked down at her when they’d made love. She slowed her pace, let him overtake her and reach the scattered buildings first.

The perfumed air felt heavy as it closed over her skin.

“My lady?”

She realized Sven waited at the door for her. He bowed and indicated the large white flower in his hands.

“On my planet, it is customary to welcome visitors with a flower from the
ozan
tree.

Will you accept this from me?”

She realized that the king, the queen and all the Earth visitors were waiting to see what she did. She was a grown-up. She didn’t have to air her private grievances with Sven in public. With a smile she accepted the flower.

“Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

Sven tucked it behind her left ear and then knelt before her.

“I am honored, my lady.”

The heavy fragrance filled her senses and she closed her eyes to savor it. After a moment, her eyes snapped open. She looked down at Sven’s bent head, tried to resist the urge to lick the delicious shadowed curve where his neck met his shoulders.

“Hey, how come I’m the only one who got a flower?”

Sven got to his feet, and guessed from Thea’s tone that she’d registered the smile of pure male satisfaction on his face.

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“Because you are the only unattached female.”

Her eyes flashed and her fingers moved toward the flower. He caught them in his own. The potent smell of the petals mingled with her familiar female scent and made him rock hard. The emotions he’d experienced on returning home were still far too close to the surface for him to accept her dismissal lightly.

“Please,” he murmured. “Do not shame me in front of my people. You look beautiful. Accept this gift.”

She let out her breath and he reluctantly released her hand. Her sudden smile was breathtaking.

“Thank you for honoring me. The flower is lovely.”

He bowed low, relief flooding through him at her gracious words. “Of course, my lady.” He gestured to the front of the space port. “Our transport is outside.”

She strode off without him. He grunted when she came to a complete stop and bumped up against his chest.

“What the hell is that?” she whispered.

“Our transport.”

“That big green chicken?”

“It is a
wulfrun
.

“It is a disaster. It looks like a giant chicken mated with a dragon.”

The
wulfrun
looked up as if he was offended and blew hot steam out of its nose.

Thea moved closer to Sven who smiled and greeted the
wulfrun
in his own language.

“Hvordan har de det?”

He reached out a hand to stroke the beast’s long neck. The
wulfrun
bowed its head and clawed at the ground.

“What did you say to it?”

“I just asked him how he was.”

Sven nodded his thanks as one of the grooms threw a blanket over the animal’s back and handed him the reins. He glanced back at Thea as he pulled himself up on top.

“Give me your hand.”

She reacted automatically, placing her palm into his. With a grin, he leaned down, slid his hand down to her elbow and swung her up in front of him. The second her butt hit the blanket, she started to struggle.

“I’m not sitting on this thing with you.”

Sven wrapped his arm around her waist.

“You wish to ride alone or be left behind?” He gestured at the space port. “As you can see, we are the only people left.”

She turned to look at him. He could’ve sworn there were tears in her eyes.

“Sometimes I think I hate you, Sven Magnusson.”

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He curved his arm around her more securely, drawing her back toward his groin.

She fitted against him so well and yet her words hurt more than he could have believed possible.

“I regret, I cannot say the same, my lady.”

She sniffed loudly and braced one of her hands on his thigh, the other rested on his hand around her waist. He clicked his teeth to the
wulfrun
and her grip tightened.

“Are you sure these things are safe?”

“If you trust me, then yes.”

“Trust
you
?”

Sven let out a ragged breath. “My lady, I am weary of this fighting. Why don’t you just sit back and enjoy the scenery?”

He tensed as she slowly turned her head to stare at him.

“You’re right. I’m in no shape to keep this up tonight and it sure is beautiful out here. I’ll be polite, okay?”

Sven frowned. He didn’t want her being polite. He wanted her naked and astride him, begging to be fucked. His cock stirred and lengthened, pushed eagerly at the thin yellow fabric of his pants and branded Thea’s spine. He knew exactly when she became aware of it because she tried to move away. He kept her close, her arm firm around her waist.

“Dammit, Sven. That’s not quite the scenery I was hoping to sit back and enjoy.”

“I am a man, not a statue. I cannot stop my cock from still wanting you.” Greatly daring, Sven kissed the top of her head. “Just touching you makes me hard. I remember the sounds of ecstasy you made when I suckled your breasts and slid my cock deep into your wet welcoming channel.”

“I thought you said we didn’t need to talk?”

She moved restlessly against him and he bit back a groan. He slid his hand lower until the tips of his fingers brushed her mound.

“Is it the same for you, my lady? Do you still think about making love with me?”

The scent of her arousal rose up and he inhaled greedily. “If I slid my fingers deep inside you now, would you be wet for me?”

A shout ahead, made him look reluctantly back up at the terrain. The lights of the main palace were clearly visible on the horizon. The
wulfrun
lifted his head and increased his speed, keen to get back to his stable. Thea gasped and dug her nails into his hand.

Sven sat deeper and allowed his hips to move into the new faster rhythm, aware that his shaft rubbed against Thea’s ass with every forward movement. By the time they reached the outer wall of the palace, he was fighting the urge to come with every tortured breath.

As soon as the
wulfrun
stopped, Thea threw herself out of his arms and dropped to the ground. Sven stayed where he was, unable to move until his cock allowed him to. A 80

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groom ran to hold the
wulfrun
’s head and Sven finally managed to dismount. To his surprise, Thea waited for him. His anticipation rose. Perhaps she realized she wanted him after all. He strolled toward her, making no effort to hide the extent of his arousal.

“Is there something I can do for you, my lady?”

“No, I’m …fine…just fine.”

She stared at his rock-hard shaft and licked her lips as if remembering how he tasted. Unable to deny the wave of frustrated lust powering through him, he maneuvered her backward until she was up against the stable wall. Without waiting for permission, he lowered his mouth and slid his tongue between her opened lips. He ravaged her mouth the way he wanted to penetrate her—rough, hard and fast, taking no prisoners, allowing her no choice but to accept him.

His hand fisted in her hair as she kissed him back and he groaned.

“Thea…”

He choked as she grabbed his balls and squeezed tight. He slowly straightened until he could see her determined face.

“Sven, you are driving me crazy.” She gripped him harder. “If you don’t back off right now, I’m going to twist your fine assets until you scream.“

He nodded and held his hands high, palms open.

“Backing off, my lady.”

“Okay, then.”

She looked down at her hand and Sven sighed as she slowly released him. Her thumb brushed his shaft and his cock jerked. He growled helplessly as his cum erupted, soaking her hand and the front of his pants.

“Oh dear.” She wiped her fingers on her pants. “Sorry about that.”

Sven rubbed the wet patch on his pants and cupped himself. His breathing was uneven, his body shaking and out of control from this smallest of encounters with the woman he craved. He gulped in some of the perfumed night air and then bowed.

“May I show you to your quarters? We have allocated you a suite near the queen.”

Thea allowed Sven to walk into the palace ahead of her. The walls were a soft cream color and the floors were tiled with red and blue mosaics and other intricate patterns.

Soft drapes covered the open windows, allowing the balmy heat from the desert to freshen the hallways and the rooms opening off them. She looked up as they passed through yet another gateway and realized that at its center, the palace was several stories high and ringed by a series of gated courtyards. It reminded her of a circular maze.

As she walked, she rubbed her fingers against her thigh. God, who would’ve thought Sven, would react like that to her touch? The thought that he hadn’t been able to stop himself from coming was strangely erotic. He walked ahead of her, his stride long and confident, his pants so low on his hips now that she could see the dimples at 81

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the top of his ass. She’d resorted to threats to stop herself from throwing her body into his arms and begging him to make love to her.

She winced. What was wrong with her? Why did she insist on lusting after men who were no good for her? Perhaps Matt had a point and she needed to learn to love herself first.

“Your chamber is here, my lady.”

Sven opened an ornate door and Thea stepped past him into a bedroom straight from the Arabian nights. A large bed, draped in soft netting dominated the room, thick patterned rugs covered the pink marble floor and the large windows looked out toward the purple desert.

“It is beautiful. Please thank the queen and king for me.”

“Aye, I will.”

Sven remained at the door, arms crossed over his chest, head bowed. Soft candlelight illuminated his gold armbands and exposed the lines of strain on his face.

Thea managed a smile.

“Will I see you in the morning?”

He bowed. “We break our fast at daybreak. The queen will send a servant to make sure you are up.”

“Well, say thanks to her when you kiss her goodnight.”

Thea tensed as Sven grabbed the doorframe with one massive hand and squeezed so hard the wood groaned.

“I am not on duty, tonight. Sleep well, my lady.”

He turned and left, shutting the door quietly behind him. Thea stared at the gold and white panels. Sven was in the wrong, wasn’t he? So why did she suddenly feel like the bad guy?