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his mother liked to call them. Women who could help him rule. Not ones whose sole interests would be the money or power their new position would afford them.
    He risked a glance at Joan’s sleeping form and wished he hadn’t. After knowing her for less than a day, he could tell she would fall into his mother’s ‘woman of substance’ category. How many people would stick their neck out for a perfect stranger like she had? Granted, it was probably because she hadn’t expected to be accused of a bank robbery and need to go on the run after helping the way she had. But overall, she’d been quite a trooper thus far.
    However, that wasn’t what surprised him the most about her. He had never once found himself attracted to any of the women his mother had approved. He could lie and try to tell himself his attraction sprang from his year-‐-long imposed celibacy.

    But that would mean he’d have to continue the lie and say he hadn’t noticed the luscious curve of her hip until just now when he knew good and well she’d blipped his radar screen months ago.
    Even though his year of celibacy was technically over tomorrow, he couldn’t act upon any attraction unless he was willing to spend the rest of his life with her. The next woman he would make love to would become his wife. That mandate was the reason behind the celibacy during the year away. It was to prevent future Rafferstonia rulers from getting swept away by the exotic women of foreign lands so they were able to make informed decisions regarding their queen. Even knowing all that didn’t help him in his present situation with Joan curled up against the passenger door, which tilted her tantalizing backside just into view.
    The dress she wore was tucked demurely around her legs, but the thin fabric, combined with gravity, caused it to drape in quite an appealing way over the exposed side of her body.
    He sighed and tried to shift his hips in the seat to get comfortable. It was still useless as it had been for more miles than he cared to admit and he remained pressed against the zipper of his jeans. The fact that the pair was tailored to be baggy did nothing to improve his disposition. She trusted him to protect her, but he was sitting here lusting after her instead. There was nothing honorable about that. He needed to get his priorities in order and fast.
    A yawn escaped catching him by surprise. And delighted him a little bit. He was tired. That had to be all it was. He was having difficulty controlling his reactions because he was exhausted. Combined with a year of celibacy, it was no wonder his body was reacting the way it was when he was on the run from the police in a foreign nation. That was his story and he was sticking to it. He’d left his horny teenage years behind and could exhibit perfect control over himself. Tom had made sure he’d scratched all his itches before his year away had begun. He’d been very good.
    He hadn’t had to resort to avoiding all women. Ones he knew could be trouble, sure, but not women in general.

    He risked a glance at Joan in the increasing light on the Phoenix stretch of interstate. Now he was stuck in close quarters with one who was definitely trouble and didn’t even seem to know it which made her all that much more trouble. Needing to take his mind off of his raging hormones, he fished out his cell phone and punched in the name of a hotel. When the name popped up on the map he blew out a breath of relief. A couple more taps and he had directions to their accommodations for the night. Soon enough, he’d be able to put some distance between them and regain his equilibrium. He had a feeling he was going to need it to get them out of this mess.

    ****
    Joan could swear someone was calling her name. Though she couldn’t imagine who it could be. She’d gone to bed hours ago and no one had a key to her apartment. Did they? She rolled over in her queen sized bed and tried to pry her eyes open. She heard it again. They wanted