Maia stirred awake, blinking a few times as she looked up at Mateo speaking in a hushed and irritated tone on his phone.

"I haven't decided anything yet and I haven't talked to Maia about it. I'll speak to you when we get there, father," Mateo said, tightening his grip around her waist. "Yes, I know, but it's her choice too. I'll speak to you soon." He sighed, hanging up and looking down at her with a pained look in his brown eyes. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"It's alright," she said, sitting up beside him. "Is everything okay?"

"Not really," he said, dragging a hand over his face. "The situation with my brother is worse than I thought and I'm not going to have a choice about becoming king."

"Wait. What?" Maia frowned. "Why don't you have a choice now? I thought your father's announcement was just a show to get your brother's act together."

"That's what I thought too, but this stunt wasn't a scare tactic. My brother has been making some dangerous decisions that will affect the livelihood of our people and he's got a strong following in the council that are supporting him."

Maia nodded. "And you're the only one who can challenge him for the crown to stop whatever it is he's done or is about to do, right?"

"Yes," Mateo said, clenching his hand into a fist. "Jorien is going to sell out Oost den Burg and make it a tax haven and a global arms dealer for anyone who's willing to pay for weapons."

"I'm not an economics expert, but making deals like that sounds like an invitation for the world's shadiest people to do business with your country."

Mateo smirked. "Economics and finance is my expertise and that's exactly what it is. Countries that do things like this are praised by the uber rich, but the average person wouldn't be able to survive under those conditions," he said, shaking his head. "I worked very hard to make sure everyone in Oost den Burg had a basic quality of life. That was my job and my duty as Prince."

Maia nodded, threading her fingers through his. "And now you feel like you have to be king to protect them."

"Yes," Mateo said, curling his fingers around hers. "But I wanted to talk to you about it before I give my father an answer."

Maia tilted her head to the side and frowned. "You don't need me to weigh in on this. I know you don't take your duties for anything lightly. Oost den Burg is your home and becoming king to protect it is something you need to do regardless of what I think."

"But I don't want to lose you. Our relationship is so new and this isn't what you agreed to," he said, bringing her hand to his lips. "I don't want my duty to my people to get in the way of what we've started."

"It's not going to get in the way." A smile tugged at Maia's lips as she shook her head. "I don't care if you're a prince or a king, I want to be here and I want to be with you."

"But this is serious, Maia," Mateo said, pressing his forehead against hers with worry plaguing his brown depths. "If I challenge Jorien for the crown, he's going to do whatever he can to stop me. He's already been speaking with Sven and I'm sure he's spoken to his supporters in the council about his concerns with our engagement."

"I'm sure he has, but it doesn't change anything. We already knew Sven was going to spread lies and make this difficult for us," she said, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "I promised to tell you if things get too much for me to handle and until I tell you that, I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to challenge Jorien on your own."

"I feel like I'm asking too much of you." He sighed. "I was only supposed to be your muse."

"Yeah." Maia chuckled softly. "And we weren't supposed to catch feelings for each other, but here we are."

"Here we are," Mateo said, kissing her softly. "I'm glad you still want to do this."

"Of course I do, I'm doing this for selfish reasons, remember?" she said, smiling against his lips. "I've got a book to write about us and this situation just makes for better content."

"I guess it does," he said, curling his fingers around her chin. "But I still don't want you purposely digging for any information."

Maia pouted. "But now I have a reason to. We need to know what deals Jorien has made and what he's promised those council folk."

"We have security guards for that. You'll have plenty to do adjusting to your royal duties and writing your novel. Apparently, my mother has a full schedule of meetings and introductions for you."

"Right," Maia said. "What kind of duties will I have?"

"I'm sure my mother will want you to take over a few charities, but your platform as a future princess will be up to you. You'll have advisors to help you with that," Mateo said, caressing her bottom lip with his thumb. "For now, we should just enjoy these few days we have in Amsterdam. It might be the last time we have this much uninterrupted time together."

"Okay, then we better make the most of it."

"Mm-hm," he said, kissing the side of her mouth. "I'd like to see your world before I take you into mine."

Maia's heart clenched and a nervous laugh left her lips. "What if I told you my life in Amsterdam isn't that different from yours?"

Mateo raised an eyebrow as he leaned away from her. "As in you're a princess in hiding or..." his eyes grew wide before a devilish grin curled over his lips. "Those spicy scenes you write come from experience?"

Maia bit her lip and nodded. "That."

"Then I'd be intrigued," he said, chuckling softly. "Is that why you weren't that shocked about my NDAs or anything you've read about me?"

"Yes," she said, taking a deep breath. "And Demetri reminded me that if I want this to work with you then I need to be honest and open about what I do in private."

"Mm, I see. Is Demetri involved in what you do in private?" Mateo said, sliding his hand over her thigh. "Should I be jealous?"

"No." Maia laughed, shaking her head. "Demetri and I have had a casual thing for a while, but never when I'm with someone unless it's mutual."

"Oh really?" Mateo grinned, squeezing her thigh. "You know I'm open to a lot of things."

"You've told me," she said, sliding her leg over his. "But we're taking things slow, remember?"

"I do," he said, kissing the skin below her ear. "But now I want to know what kinds of things you're into," he whispered. "Will you show me?"

A tingle glided down her spine and pooled in her gut as she leaned into him. "Yes," she said, sliding her fingers into his hair as he left a trail of kisses down her neck. "As long as you show me, too."

Mateo smiled against her neck before he pulled away from her and the heady heat in his eyes made the minx between her thighs tingle in anticipation as he pressed a soft kiss on her lips. "I want you to see every part of me, liefje."

God, she wanted him.

"Maybe we should start now," she whispered, sliding herself over his lap and a soft moan escaped her lips at the feel of his rising bulge.

"Maia," Mateo groaned, squeezing her ass and tangling his fingers in her hair. "This isn't taking things slow."

"Do you want to stop?" Maia murmured, nibbling his lip as she slid her hand between them to grasp his cock.

"God, no," he said, grabbing her hand to stop her. "I want you, Maia, but not in a rush like this. I want us to take our time with each other." He pressed a kiss to her palm. "It's taking all I have not to fuck you right now, but I want to cherish this moment with you. I don't want a quickie on a plane. At least not for our first time."

"I don't want that either." Maia sighed, pressing her forehead against his. "I'm sorry."

"I'm the one who should say sorry," he said, chuckling softly. "I think I started this."

"You did," she said, laughing. "You can't kiss my neck like that and not expect me to want to jump your bones, sir. I'm sensitive."

"I'll remember that," he said, kissing her cheek. "How about you take a shower and get dressed while I see about breakfast?"

"Yeah." Maia nodded, sliding off of him. "I think I need a cold one to get my mind off you for a minute."

"So do I, but you go first," he said, kissing her hand. "I'll make sure breakfast is waiting for you when you get out."

"Thanks," she said, picking up her bag from the chair in the corner of the small room before she slipped into the bathroom.

Maia slid her hands over her face and heaved a deep sigh. What was wrong with her? She couldn't remember the last time she wanted someone as badly as Mateo and how did she go from discussing him becoming king to the insatiable urge to fuck him?

She thought two years with Sven ruined those kinds of urges, but dear lord, a few kisses on her neck from Mateo and all her smutty desires came flooding back.

"Fuck me," she whispered, shaking her head as she turned on the shower and shed her clothes.

She should be more concerned about Mateo's reasoning for becoming king rather than wanting to have him.

Tying her hair up on top of her head, she stood under the warm spray of water, letting it soothe her tingling skin as she closed her eyes. Both Sven and Jorien had something to gain from making a mockery of their relationship and sewing doubt in the minds of the council and the people.

While Mateo didn't care for the crown, she saw that steadfast look in his eyes when he spoke of his duty to the people of Oost den Burg.

The way he cared for his people and cared enough to talk to her about it before he decided, instead of assuming she'd be okay with it, warmed her heart.

A smile tugged at Maia's lips. She'd never been with someone as genuine as Mateo and she wanted more of that tingling rush and warmth she felt when she was with him.

She was truly falling in love with him and she didn't want their first time to be a rushed fuck on a plane. He was right to stop them because she wanted to cherish the moment with him too.

Like every novel she'd written, she wanted that all consuming and beautiful moment when her characters had the chance to truly explore and indulge in every inch of each other.

And she wanted that moment with Mateo.

So, she'd let him see her world and maybe they'd have their moment before their world was consumed by the duties that waited for them in Oost den Burg.

A/N: Not sure how long these two are going to last if they're getting all hot an bothered like this. I get why Mateo wants to wait and why Maia agrees with him, but what if they never have that 'moment', does that matter? Should they just fuck and get it over with? I know that's a bit crass coming from the romance writer especially since I love writing those scenes too, but what if they're just waiting for the right time and it never comes?