Luc started to peel her dress away from her body. He stepped back just enough for the gown to ease down and puddle at her feet, leaving her standing in a strapless bra and matching panties, and that purple stone that rested against her flawless skin. Trailing his fingertips over the swell of her breasts, Luc smiled when she arched against his touch.
“Say the word, Kate, and I’ll stop.”
Her eyes closed as she dipped her head back. “You don’t play fair.”
“Oh, baby, I haven’t even begun to play.”
* * *
She was going to put a stop to this...then Luc had to go and say those words dripping in seduction while he tempted her with just the tips of his fingers. The man was potent. He knew exactly what to do to get her aroused, to get her wanting more.
Why was she letting this happen? He had no intention of professing his love. He wouldn’t even give her a straight answer earlier when she’d asked who she was to him.
Yet here she stood, in her heels, her underwear and goose bumps from his touch.
How could she deny him? How could she deny herself? All she wanted was this man, and here he was. If she had even a glimmer of a chance to get him to see how good they were together, she’d take it. Her heart couldn’t break any more...could it?
Luc’s mouth followed the trail of his fingertips along the tops of her breasts, just over the lacy bra cups. “I’ll take your silence as a go-ahead.”
Kate slid her fingers into his inky-black hair as she looked down at him. “I can’t say no to you.”
“I didn’t intend to let you.”
He crushed her body to his as his mouth claimed hers. Kate shoved his tux jacket off and to the floor. Without breaking contact, she started unbuttoning his shirt. The need to feel his skin next to hers was all-consuming.
Luc wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her onto the desk. He jerked his shirt off, sending the rest of the buttons popping and scattering across the hardwood floor. The sight of that bare chest, the familiar tattoo and a smattering of chest hair had her heart beating in double time and her body aching.
He stepped between her thighs, encircled her torso with his arms and jerked her to the edge.
“Wrap your legs around me.”
His husky demand had her obeying in an instant. What was it about this man that could have her throwing all common sense aside and practically bowing to his every wish?
Love. That’s all it boiled down to. If she didn’t love him, if she hadn’t been in love with him for some time, she never would’ve allowed herself to be put in this vulnerable position.
Luc managed to work off her bra and panties with a quick, clever snap and torn material. The fact he was so eager sent warmth spreading through her. She’d made him this reckless, this out of control.
And that right there told her she had the upper hand.
Squeezing her legs tighter against his narrow hips, Kate gripped his head and pulled him down to her mouth. Instantly, he opened, groaning against her. His hands seemed to be everywhere at once. How else could she explain all the shivers, the rippling, the tingling?
“Lean back,” he muttered against her lips.
Kate leaned back on the smooth desk, resting her weight on her elbows. When his eyes locked onto hers, the moment he joined them, Kate couldn’t help the burn in her throat, the instant tears pricking her eyes. Even though their bond may have started off with a lie, it didn’t diminish the fact she loved him. He cared for her more than he let on, too, or they wouldn’t be here right now.
Kate shoved aside all worry, all thoughts, and reveled in the moment. Luc was here, with her. He was making love to her in a slow, passionate way that was polar opposite to the frantic way he’d stripped them both moments ago. Did she dare hope he wanted more from her?
Luc leaned over her, kissed her softly and rested his forehead against hers. With Luc’s hands gripping her waist, she held on to his shoulders and kept her gaze on him.
Within moments, her body climbed, tightened. Luc muttered something she didn’t quite understand. Between the Portuguese and the low whisper, his words were lost. But then his own body stiffened against hers as he squeezed his eyes shut.
Once the tremors ceased, Luc picked her up and carried her to his bed, draped in gold-and-white sheers. He laid her down and slid in beside her, pulling her body against his.
“Sleep.” His hands immediately went to her stomach. “Rest for our baby.”
Kate closed her eyes, wondering if this blossom of hope in her chest would still be there come morning. Wondering if the man she’d fallen in love with was actually starting to love her back.
Sixteen
Nausea hit her hard. Kate prayed that if she just lay still the queasiness would pass. Until now, she’d had no symptoms of pregnancy, save for the missed period and being tired. Those things she could handle.
As for the man who had put her in this situation in the first place, well, that was another story.
Kate tried to focus on the fact she’d spent the night in Luc’s bed, this time with him fully aware of who she was and why she was there. Surely that meant something. Surely they’d crossed some major barrier and things would only get better from here.
Kate wasn’t naive, but she was hopeful. She had to be.
But the bed next to her was empty, cool. She sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest. That abrupt movement had her stomach roiling. Bad idea. She closed her eyes and waited for the dizziness to pass before she risked scanning the oversize bedroom for Luc.
He stood near the floor-to-ceiling window, sipping a cup of coffee. His bare back, with bronze skin and dark ink, stared back at her. She didn’t want this to be awkward, but she had no idea what to say, how to act. She’d selfishly given in to her desires last night, not thinking of consequences. Well, she had thought of them, but she’d chosen to weigh heavily on the side of optimism.
Her legs shifted beneath the warm satin sheets. Luc glanced over his shoulder at the sound, then focused his attention back on the sunrise. She had to admit the orange sky glowing with radiant beauty was a sight to behold, but was he not going to say anything?
Please, please don’t let this be awkward.
Kate eased back against the headboard and tucked the sheet beneath her arms to stay fully covered. Not that he hadn’t seen all of her multiple times, but she was getting a vibe that this wasn’t going to be a good morning, and the last thing she wanted to do was go into battle fully naked.
“I’ve been trying to figure out what the hell to do here.”
His words sliced right through the beauty of the morning, killing any hope she’d built. His tone wasn’t promising. If anything, it was angry, confused.
“I watched you sleep,” he went on, still not looking at her. Damn it, why wouldn’t he turn around? “I even tried to rest, but there are so many thoughts going around in my mind that I don’t even know where to start or what’s real.”
“Everything that happened in this room last night was real.” If nothing else, she wanted, needed, him to realize that. “Did you only bring me here for sex, Luc?”
Speaking her fear aloud had her heart cracking. She wanted to be strong, she truly did, but there was only so much a woman could take.
“I wanted you.” Luc turned to face her, but made no move to cross the room. “I’ve fought this urge since you came to work for me. I got engaged to another woman knowing full well I wanted you physically. Even after that engagement ended, I still had this ache for you, even though I knew I couldn’t act on it.”
Kate clutched the sheet as he went on.
“I wasn’t in a good spot when we were at the beach house,” he continued. “I was an emotional wreck, and I never should’ve had you come with me, not when I knew just how much I wanted you.”
Her eyes darted back to his. “You were angry with me,” she reminded him. “Before the accident, you kissed me—”
“I kissed you because I couldn’t keep fight
ing the attraction. I kissed you out of anger toward myself, and then I was even angrier. I was rough with you, so I stomped off like a child.”
And then he’d been injured and forgotten everything.
Kate licked her dry lips. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Honestly, I don’t, either.” Luc slowly walked toward the bed, coming to stand at the end of it and holding her gaze. “There’s part of me that wants to be able to trust you again, but you hurt me, Kate. I never thought that was possible. And that’s what had me up all night.”
Kate cringed at his harsh words. What could she say? He was right.
“I thought we were going to move past that,” she stated, praying the possibility even existed. “You said we’d move on, that we’d have a professional relationship.”
Luc’s arms stretched wide as he eyed the bed. “Is this professional? I sure as hell don’t feel like your boss right now, Kate. You’re having my child, the next heir to the throne after me.”
“And is that all I am, then? The mother to the next heir?” She needed more. Even after her lies, she deserved to know. “Are you using my feelings against me? You know how I feel, and you got so jealous last night. Was that all to stroke your ego or to puff your chest out because you’re in control?”
Luc propped his hands on his narrow hips as he stared down at her. He’d put on his black tuxedo pants, but hadn’t buttoned them. It was hard to sit here and discuss all of this with him half-dressed and her wearing a sheet, but Kate had her pride, and she refused to give in to her body’s needs. She didn’t need Luc; she wanted him. Yes, it hurt to know he didn’t feel the same, but she wasn’t going to beg...ever.
His silence was deafening. Kate shook her hair away from her face. The nausea hadn’t lessened; if anything, she felt worse. She placed a hand beside her hip on the bed, closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Kate?”
The mattress dipped beside her. When Luc grabbed her hand, she pulled back. “No.” She met his worried gaze. “I’m not playing the pregnancy card for your sympathy and attention. You don’t get to pick and choose when it’s convenient to show affection.”
“You’re pale. Are you all right?”
If only he would have cared first thing this morning instead of starting this day with voicing his doubts and crushing her hopes.
“I’m dizzy. It’s to be expected.” She shifted, scooting a bit farther away from him. “I’m not going to be pulled in different directions depending on your moods, either. You either want me, on a personal level and not just for sex, or you don’t. If my dancing with some guy bothers you, then maybe you need to reevaluate your feelings. But don’t come to me again unless you’re sure I’m more than just a warm body to you.”
Slowly, Luc came to his feet and nodded. “I plan on having you, Kate. I plan on marrying you, actually. You’ll become my wife before my birthday. I’ll secure the title and you’ll get to live out whatever fantasy you had when you wanted to play the engaged couple.”
“What?” Shock replaced her nausea instantly. “I’m not marrying you just so you can get a title. I want to marry for love.”
Luc’s eyes narrowed. “You say you love me, so why not marry me?”
“Because you don’t love me. I won’t be used as a pawn in your royal quest.”
Air whooshed from her lungs. She’d never thought herself naive, but that’s exactly what she was. She should’ve gone into this with eyes wide-open and seen his motivations for what they were...lust and greed. Any love between them was absolutely one-sided, and she had no one to blame but herself...yet again.
She should’ve seen this coming, should’ve known nothing would ever get in the way of the great Luc Silva and his crown. The man she’d grown to love from the island was just as fake as their engagement. Then, he’d been warm, open. Now he was all business.
“I’m going back to the palace as soon as I get my stuff together,” she told him. “I’ll have the pilot come back whenever you want to leave, but I won’t be flying with you. I also won’t be working for you. I’ll finish out my duties for the next couple of weeks, but after that, I’m done.”
“As my wife, I wouldn’t expect you to work for me.”
Kate clenched her teeth, praying she didn’t burst into angry tears. “I won’t be your wife.”
Luc shoved his hands in his pockets, hesitated, then made his way to the door. “Don’t make any hasty decisions. I’ll leave you to get your dress back on.”
Then he was gone, leaving only the deafening sound of the door clicking shut as she sat there in the rumpled sheets.
That was it? Luc may have walked out of this conversation, but he wasn’t going to back down on this ridiculous notion of them getting married. Kate needed to prepare herself, because this fight was just getting started.
She tossed back the sheet and was thankful she wasn’t dizzy when she got to her feet. At least she had one thing going for her this morning.
Of course, now she had to put on her dress from last night and do the walk of shame down the wide, long hallway to her own suite, to change and pack. Which was fine, because she wasn’t staying any longer. If he planned on using her, using her feelings against her in some ploy to get ahead, then maybe he wasn’t the man she loved at all. Maybe she’d been living a lie this entire time...
There was no way she could continue working for Luc indefinitely. No way she could look at him every single day and know she was good enough for sex, but not good enough to build a life with if the throne wasn’t at stake. They’d made a baby and he still was only looking out for his title. Well, she sure as hell wasn’t sticking around to see him parade his possible future wives in and out of his life.
Kate had been a fool to think their intimacy had changed Luc’s mind. The struggle of seeing him every day, knowing he didn’t return her love, would be just too hurtful.
When she returned to the palace, she would call her parents and make plans. She would finish up the projects she and Luc had begun, and then she needed to get away. She needed to focus on what was truly important in her life.
* * *
Luc brought the sledgehammer up and swung it through the partial non-load-bearing wall. Busting this drywall to expand the living space with the kitchen wasn’t even remotely helping to quell his frustration and anger. All he was doing was working up a good sweat and a bit of nostalgia from when he and Kate had torn into the bathroom.
When Luc had gotten back to the palace, he’d taken his boat—sans guards, much to Kate’s father’s disapproval—and headed to his beach house. Luc knew the workers would be done for the day, and since the house was only an hour from the palace, he needed time to think, to reflect on what an insufferable jerk he’d been in that bedroom three days ago.
His intention had been to get Kate to agree to marry him. He hadn’t cared about her feelings. But the way she’d sat there, all rumpled in a mess of satin sheets, as she’d stared up at him with hurt in her eyes, had seriously gotten to him. He hadn’t expected to feel anything beyond want and need for her. Yet it was hard to ignore the constant lump of guilt that kept creeping up when he thought of how he’d broken her so fast, with so few words.
Luc eased the sledgehammer down on the rubble and wiped his arm across his forehead. His mother would probably die if she saw he had blisters on his hands from manual labor, but he needed the outlet. Unfortunately, it wasn’t doing the job.
And it didn’t help that Kate was everywhere in this house. The empty yellow vase on the scarred dining table mocked him. He couldn’t even look at the damn shower in his master suite. The balcony, the chaise in the living room, the bed, the beach... The memories flooded his mind. She’d touched literally every surface here.
Just as she’d touched every part of him.
Luc reached behind his neck and yanked his T-shirt over his head. His cell vibrated in his pocket and he thought about ignoring it, but with Kate being pregnant, he had to be on full alert.
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Pulling the cell out, he glanced at the screen. Swallowing a curse, he let out a sigh and answered.
“Yes?”
“You rushed out of here and didn’t take a guard?”
His mother’s question didn’t require an answer, because she already knew. “I needed to be alone.”
“That’s not smart. You can’t be taking off like this, Lucas. You know your birthday is less than two months away. You need to be home so we can figure out what we’re going to do.”
Luc raked a hand over his damp face and stared out at the sun, which was starting to dip toward the horizon.
“I just needed a few days to myself.”
“Is this about Kate? Darling, I know she hurt you, but that poor girl is miserable. I didn’t want to say anything, but since the wedding she’s been looking pale and drained.”
Luc straightened. “Is she sick?”
“I’d guess she’s pregnant.”
Silence filled the line and Luc’s heart sank. They hadn’t said a word to anybody, and the pain in his mother’s tone came through loud and clear.
“We haven’t told anyone,” Luc stated in a low voice, suddenly feeling like a kid again for lying to his mother. “She just found out before the wedding, and we had a bit of a fight. Is she okay?”
“A fight?” Of course his mom honed in on that and not his question. “Lucas, the woman is carrying your child and you argue with her? No wonder she looks exhausted. She’s been working like a dog since she got back. That’s why I wanted to know why you left the palace so suddenly.”
Luc gripped the phone. “It’s best if I’m not there right now.”
“I think you two need to talk. If you’re worried about the no-fraternizing rule, I think we can make an exception for Kate. Maybe she’s the answer to—”
“I’ve already thought of that,” he interrupted, cutting her off. “Kate doesn’t want to marry me.”
“Why don’t you come home,” his mother stated. “We can’t solve any problems with you brooding alone.”
He glanced at the mess he’d made. It wasn’t as if he knew what to do next, but the contractors had done an amazing job of renovating the bathroom he and Kate had torn into. They’d come to finish the kitchen once Luc gave the go-ahead after this wall was gone.
A Royal Amnesia Scandal Page 14
