"I'm suddenly on the brink of being a father, and I never even got to enjoy your naked body. That seems a real shame."

Lani blushed. "Sorry I ruined everything."

"You did the right thing. There'll be plenty of time to catch up later-with no tears, I hope." He paused and studied her face. "If we do get married, that is."

Doubt still swirled in his mind and heart. Everything had happened so quickly, and with such deadly finality. Each decision he made seemed a matter of life and death.

"I'm not going to pressure you into anything." Lani spoke softly, gazing off to one side. "I never wanted to. It's your decision, and now you have all the facts."

AJ took in a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. "I committed myself to Rahiri tonight, and to you, and I stand by my decision." Conviction filled his heart. "Your courage in choosing to tell the truth gives me every reason to trust you as my wife."

Lani blinked, obviously embarra.s.sed by his words. Her cheeks still shone like roses.

"But you really are far too beautiful for your own good." He managed a snarl as he said it.

Lani shrugged and shot him a wry smile. "That's what my aunt Freda used to say. She said girls like me end up in trouble."

"And you did." She looked startled, eyes suddenly wider. "By joining the Rahiian royal family, I mean. Life in the palace isn't all eating bonbons and being fanned by faithful servants."

"No, there are the big parties, the long banquets. It's exhausting." A smile brightened her eyes for the first time since her revelation.

"Lucky thing we're both young and strong enough to handle it." AJ found his hands once again itching to reach out to her. "Maybe we can make a go of this marriage thing. Heck, we might even enjoy it."

Her eyes shone in the dim light of the bedroom. AJ picked up one of the hands dangling at her side, and pressed its softness between his palms. "The more I get to know you, the more I like you."

She bit her lip. "And I like you, too. That's why I couldn't lie to you."

He frowned. "The big question is whether we can lie to everyone else."

"For some reason that doesn't bother me." Lani's smooth brow furrowed slightly. "It's no one else's business where our child comes from. It's between you and me that the truth is important."

AJ stared at her. "You know, that makes perfect sense. If we're married, it's our our child. Vanu's gone and he's not coming back, so he's not being cheated out of anything. We'll raise the baby as ours, with all the love and affection we'd shower on any child we have." child. Vanu's gone and he's not coming back, so he's not being cheated out of anything. We'll raise the baby as ours, with all the love and affection we'd shower on any child we have."

Lani's hand stiffened. She bit her lip, then peered into his eyes. "I just had a thought. What if we do have more children and you find yourself wanting the oldest child that really is yours to inherit the throne instead? Things could get complicated."

AJ stared at her for a moment, trying to understand her dilemma, then he laughed. "I'm not an Egyptian pharoah with a desire to dominate the world. I will certainly not start interfering in matters of succession other than by bowing out for the next person to take over."

Lani's smile returned. "I had to ask, but I believe you. You don't seem like that type."

Though Vanu would have been. The unpleasant thought pierced the warm mist of happiness that had drifted back into the room. The unpleasant thought pierced the warm mist of happiness that had drifted back into the room.

AJ picked up Lani's hand and kissed it, trying to dispel the image of Vanu that hovered suddenly in his consciousness. Would his cruel older brother haunt him for the rest of his days as he raised his child?

Lani's hands, so soft and scented like lilies, filled his senses. She sighed as he pressed his lips to them.

No. Vanu could not cast darkness over his life from beyond the grave. He was dead and gone, in the past, and AJ would let him stay there. He and Lani would make a bright future for themselves and their child.

He lowered her hands and looked into her eyes. Mysteries glistened in their golden depths. He didn't know where this marriage would lead them, but the adventure invited him to climb aboard. He kissed her softly, his lips just brushing hers.

Lani tilted her chin, pressing her mouth to his as her lashes lowered. AJ wound his arms around her slim back, holding her close. Tension fled his muscles as he let himself sink into her softness. She sighed and writhed gently against him, her pa.s.sion natural and soft, not like earlier when she'd seemed-desperate.

He let his fingers roam lower, to cup her firm backside and caress her long, elegant thighs. Fantasies of having those thighs wrapped around him heated his blood. Lani's fingers dived into his hair and slid under his collar, making his skin hum with arousal. He could feel her nipples tighten under her dress, and he knew she was aroused, too.

His fingers p.r.i.c.kled with the desire to peel off her silk gown and bare her golden skin, but a powerful instinct deep in his gut told him to wait. He pulled back a few inches and smoothed her dress. Her belly quivered slightly beneath his touch.

Lani was recently widowed, pregnant and obviously alarmed and confused by the strange dilemma she'd found herself in. This evening's events were enough to give anyone whiplash, and he didn't want to rush headlong into steamy s.e.x- Well, he did, but that would only make the situation even more explosive and unpredictable.

He needed to be strong for both of them. "I'll sleep here in your bed tonight." She blinked at him, those golden eyes still wary. "But we won't make love."

Her cheeks flushed. Relief or disappointment? It didn't matter. Or maybe it was the word love love-so strange and inappropriate under the forced circ.u.mstances that pushed them together.

When he made love to Lani for the first time it would be right. He had the rest of his life to enjoy his bride, and for tonight he'd put her needs before his own.

"You sleep on this side." He pulled back the covers. She climbed in, still in her dress. "And I'll sleep on the other."

Six.

Lani managed a few hours of fitful sleep. It was hard to relax when your life kept changing so drastically from minute to minute, let alone next to a man who stirred your senses and scrambled your thoughts. AJ had gone to the gym early, as usual, and she showered and changed in her own room, with growing anxiety. Her mother-in-law had no idea she'd told AJ about the baby, or that the revelation had almost sent him packing and she didn't relish telling her.

At the breakfast table, Priia beamed, half-hidden behind a stack of newspapers from around the region. "Front-page story in every one!"

Lani glanced at the Aipu Clarion Aipu Clarion. The story directly beneath the announcement of Rahiri's new king declared that a newborn goat on a neighboring island had shown evidence of magic powers. "Are we on the front of the New York Times? New York Times?"

Priia waved her hand dismissively, which caused her gold bracelets to jangle. "They probably haven't even woken up yet. Besides, those big papers prefer bad news to happy news like ours." She leaned in, eyes wide. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Lani spooned some pineapple onto her plate.

"Not too exhausted after last night?" She winked her mascara-encrusted lashes.

Lani gulped and lowered her voice to a whisper. "I told AJ about the baby."

"What?" Priia's shriek pierced the air. She spun around and looked relieved that no servants were nearby. She grasped Lani's hand. "Why?"

"It was too big a thing to lie to my future husband about." She sat close to Priia. "He was shocked at first, but glad that I'd told him."

Manicured fingernails dug into her skin. "He's still willing to go ahead with the marriage?"

Lani nodded. "He seemed okay with it after we talked."

Priia let out a huge sigh and released her grip on Lani's wrist. "Thank heavens! Oh, my goodness. You were brave. Or crazy, I'm not sure which." She fluffed her hair. "Of course, I'm not surprised that he was still willing to do the right thing."

Tension cramped Lani's muscles. Everything was so complicated. "He's agreed to keep the baby's parentage quiet so that he can become king."

"Perfect." Priia rose to her feet. "Better than I could have hoped for. You truly are a gift, my dear." She kissed Lani's cheeks and swept from the room.

Lani was eating a piece of melon when AJ walked in, a guarded expression on his face. "I'm not sure if I had a night of violent and colorful dreams or if I made a lot of very bold promises last night."

"The evidence is in the papers." She pointed to the stack. "If it's on the covers of The Napau Inquirer The Napau Inquirer, then it must be true." The cover photo of them both, snapped right after his announcement, showed the look of surprise and terror on her face. Hopefully people would take it for delight.

AJ raised a brow, then frowned. "King AJ. It doesn't really roll off the tongue, does it?" It doesn't really roll off the tongue, does it?"

She laughed. "I don't know why not. Half the names in Rahiri are barely p.r.o.nounceable. And as king, you get to make the rules, anyway."

"There's a comforting thought."

A waiter whisked in with AJ's favorite breakfast-two slices of French toast with crispy bacon-and another stack of papers.

AJ grabbed a magazine off the top. "Made The Hollywood Reporter The Hollywood Reporter. 'Dragon Chaser Helmer Catches a Crown.' Makes it sound a bit like a Frisbee, doesn't it?" he said as he sank into a chair. "Oddly enough, the crown's sitting pretty easy on my head this morning." He tilted his head and peered at her with those seductive dark eyes. "That may have to do with the lovely lady that comes along with it."

She felt her face heat as a smile crept across her face. At least they hadn't actually made love last night. That would have definitely been too much too soon. Her attraction to him was alarming under the circ.u.mstances.

AJ's phone rang. "Ugh, not again. I've been besieged by phone calls since before dawn. Mostly from people who work with me. They're all afraid they'll be out of a job."

He took the call, rea.s.suring someone that he had every intention of completing his next movie, but he couldn't talk details right now.

Lani poured him some tea and waited until he put the phone away. "Tell them they'll just have to move to Rahiri."

"Yeah. Maybe I'll open a studio here, get all those bigwig execs to fly to me rather than the other way around."

"Your mom's always trying to pump the tourism industry here."

"What tourism industry?"

"True, but maybe this is Rahiri's big chance to finally land on the world map. Direct flights from London and Paris, five-star hotels, celebrity guests." She winked.

"Don't get her started, I beg you." AJ leaned back in his chair. "One thing at a time. The possibilities do seem pretty limitless right now, though, don't they?"

Media swarmed the palace, first the local TV stations and then the entertainment shows from L.A. and beyond, all intrigued by the Hollywood playboy about to become king.

At first Priia tried to fob them off with bright announcements of her own and warnings that the happy couple were "busy," but by the afternoon, it was obvious that a press conference was in order and they scheduled it for the following morning. Priia suggested Lani wear a pretty, pale-yellow dress with shimmering embroidery. She attempted to deck AJ out in a colorful ceremonial tunic, but he managed to mollify her by wearing an Armani suit.

"What a stunning couple!" she exclaimed. "Of course they all want pictures, and they must have them."

"I'll bet they're also looking for some dirt to dish," murmured AJ. Lani had tried to ignore the same dark thought. Happy news didn't sell nearly as well as disaster.

"Just hold your chin high and remember the proud history of our island." Priia stroked her tall son's cheek.

"Thanks for the advice, Mom." AJ shot Lani a mischievous glance. Lani had noticed that AJ usually gave his mom lip service, then did whatever he wanted.

"And Lani, if they ask you too much, tell them you're still mourning. Don't let them upset you."

Lani gulped. Hopefully AJ would do most of the talking.

Priia's main a.s.sistant put her head around the door. "They're waiting for you on the veranda. I served them tea and coconut stars just as you suggested."

"Wonderful." Priia clapped her hands. "Then they'll all be in a good mood. Come on, my dears. Let's give them a glimpse of Rahiri's gorgeous new royal family."

They stepped out on the veranda, and Lani froze when she saw how many people had gathered. At least fifty, many of them with cameras pressed to their faces. Voices began chattering, reporters reeling off live commentary, as she and AJ took their seats under some very hot, rapidly erected lights.

Microphones thrust toward them. "AJ, how does it feel to marry your brother's wife?"

Lani blanched. AJ leaned back in his chair, confident and relaxed. "I don't know. We're not married yet."

"You're leaving a lot of broken-hearted women behind in L.A.," quipped one rather flamboyant reporter. "Do you feel you're ready to settle down?"

"Absolutely."

"I can see why," declared a bold female reporter. "Your fiancee is stunning." She pointed her mike right at Lani. "How do you feel about taking a new husband when you've barely had a chance to mourn the first one?"

Lani cleared her throat. "It's traditional."

"But surely, in the twenty-first century, some traditions seem a little barbaric."

AJ grasped her hand firmly. "No one is forcing Lani and me into this marriage. We're both pleased to hold our family together in the way chosen by our ancestors."

"Give us a kiss, then!" coaxed an older male reporter with a British accent.

Lani shrank into her chair. Could they really expect them to put on a show for the cameras?

"Please don't offend my bride's royal dignity." AJ managed a tone that was both formal and jesting. "And give us a chance to get the relationship off the ground at our own speed."

"There must be pressure on you to produce an heir to the throne, since your brother didn't."

Lani gulped. It was hard to resist pointing out there was one on the way already.

"None whatsoever. We're young and strong and will be here for a long time to come." His cheery retort soothed her.

"Lani, is it disturbing to you that Vanu's body has never been found?" A young female reporter thrust a microphone at her.

She stiffened. "I've accepted the fact that it may never be found. We all searched long and hard for his boat, but found no sign of it. The ocean is deep and keeps many secrets."

She could never let anyone anyone know the deadly secret that she was relieved Vanu was gone. know the deadly secret that she was relieved Vanu was gone.

Reporters cl.u.s.tered around the palace all day, hoping to snap a candid shot of the couple. AJ's celebrity status had turned the story into a hot property, and the internet buzzed with speculation and innuendo about the arranged marriage. Once pictures of Lani hit the media, revealing that she was not only royal but also strikingly beautiful, interest only grew.

Lani peeped out behind the closed wooden shutters. "Do you think we'll ever be able to go outside again without being photographed?"

"They'll lose interest eventually." AJ spoke while thumbing a message on his BlackBerry. "Something more dramatic will happen."