“I’m leaving now,” he told his mother. “Tell Kate I want to see her.”
“I’ll see what I can do, but she may have left for the day.”
If she’d left, he’d go to her place. She didn’t live too far from the palace, and if he had any say, she’d be inside that palace by the time their baby came.
Anything else was unacceptable.
Having her that last time had changed something in him, and nearly changed his marriage plan. That’s why he’d been up all night, second-guessing his motives. He’d thought he could check out emotionally, but he felt too much—guilt, desire...more.
He’d hurt her in ways he’d never, ever imagined he could. Yet she still did her job. She’d still come with him to the wedding. She still supported him.
And he loved her. His feelings were as simple and as complicated as that. He loved Kate with everything he had and he’d messed up—man, had he messed up.
Luc needed to tell her how he felt. More important, he needed to show her. Saying the words was easy; proving to Kate how much she meant to him would be the hurdle. But he hadn’t gone through all of this to give up now. Kate was his and he damn well wasn’t going to let her go.
Seventeen
It had been nearly a week since he’d last talked to Kate, and he was going out of his mind.
He’d come back to his office and found a letter of resignation on his desk. She’d left a message through her mother that she was fine and the baby was fine, but she wanted to be on her own for a bit.
A bit was longer than he could stand.
He’d lived without this woman for too long and refused to live that way another second.
His birthday was fast approaching, but even the looming date hadn’t entered his mind. For the past few days all that had played over and over was how stupid he’d been, how heartless and crass he’d been with his words, his actions. No wonder Kate wanted to leave, to steer clear of him. She loved him and he’d proposed to her with the pretense that he was doing so only to climb higher on the royal ladder.
He hadn’t needed much time after their last night together to realize walking away had been a mistake. Letting her believe he wanted her only for the crown was wrong.
Luc wanted Kate because she made him whole.
It had taken him some time to get the information on her whereabouts from her parents, and to have the construction crew finish some of the renovations on his beach home. He’d pulled some strings to get her here, but he wanted this to be perfect when he finally revealed the house and his true feelings. Nothing but the best for Kate from here on out.
He’d taken that extra time to find out more about the woman he loved. And he hoped the surprise he’d planned would help her understand just how much he wanted her in his life.
Luc stood in the living room watching the water, waiting for that familiar boat to dock. He’d recruited the help of Kate’s parents. Of course, in order to do that, he’d had to pull out all the stops and really grovel to them. If everything worked out the way he’d hoped, every ego-bursting, pride-crushing moment would be worth it.
When the boat finally came into view, Luc’s nerves really kicked into gear. He might have planned every bit of this evening, but Kate ultimately held all the power and control.
Her father helped her up onto the dock, leaned forward for a hug and watched as Kate mounted the steps. Luc moved to the doorway and waved as the man began to pull the boat away from the berth.
By the time Kate got to the top of the steps, Luc’s heart was beating faster than ever. She lifted her head, pushing her windblown hair away from her face. The second her eyes locked onto his, Luc felt that familiar punch to his gut. The punch that said if she turned him down he would be absolutely crushed and broken.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t put up a fight,” he told her, remaining in the doorway.
“I was tempted to jump overboard a couple of times, but I knew my dad would only go in after me.” She clasped her hands together and remained still. “What am I doing here, Luc, and why am I being held hostage?”
“You’re not a hostage,” he countered.
She glanced over her shoulder before looking back. “My father left with the boat and the only other one here is yours. By my accounts, I’m here with no way out except with your permission.”
“Come inside.”
Her brow quirked as she crossed her arms over her chest...a chest that was more voluptuous than when he’d seen her last.
“Please,” he added, when she didn’t move. “Please come inside so we can talk.”
Finally, she moved forward, and Luc let her pass him and enter first. The familiar, floral scent teased his senses and mocked him. He’d lain awake at night imagining that scent, pretending she was by his side.
“Oh, Luc.”
Her gasp was enough to have him smiling. “Looks a little different, doesn’t it?”
He watched her survey the newly designed, open floor plan. Thick columns stood as support beams, but they didn’t take away from the romantic ambience, they merely added to it. He’d left the back wall of patio doors open, to put the Mediterranean on full display.
“It’s gorgeous,” she exclaimed, running her hand along the marble-topped table behind the sofa. “This was all done so fast.”
“I wanted it done before I invited you back.” He remained in the doorway, but kept his eyes on her as she walked through the living area and kitchen. “I even helped the contractors and learned how to do more than tear things down.”
She stopped by the old dining table and her eyes landed on the yellow vase, then darted across the room to him.
“I couldn’t get rid of either of those,” he told her. “We shared too many meals at that table, and even though it’s not new, it reminds me of you. Every time I see that vase I think of how excited you were that day at the market.”
She picked up the vase, running her hands around it. For a moment Luc worried she might launch it at his head, but she finally set it down and turned back to face him. With her arms crossed over her midsection, she let out a sigh.
“What do you want, Luc?”
Her eyes held his. Now that they were face-to-face, he couldn’t deny the force that hovered between them.
“Are you feeling okay?” he asked, taking slow, cautious steps toward her. “Everything all right with our baby?”
“We’re both doing great,” she informed him. “And you could’ve texted or called or replied to the emails I sent.”
“You sent final work emails through your father.”
She nodded. “That’s because I quit, remember? I’ve outlined your next year of engagements. I’m assuming you came up with a way to secure your title? Is that why you can bother with me now?”
“No. I didn’t secure the title.”
Kate gasped. “Your birthday is only weeks away.”
“I’m aware of that.” He stood directly in front of her, so close she had to tip her head up to look him in the eyes. “That’s why you’re here.”
Her lips thinned as she narrowed her gaze at him. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You brought me here to use me? You still think I’m going to swoon, fall at your feet and marry you so you can get a shiny new crown?”
Just as she started to push past him, Luc grabbed her arm and halted her escape. “No. I think you’re going to listen to me and look in my eyes when I tell you how much I love you.”
Those dark eyes held his, but he saw no emotion there.
“Did you hear me?”
“I hear you just fine,” she said through clenched teeth. “How convenient that you love me right before you’re set to lose it all if you don’t have a wife.”
He turned to face her fully as he gripped both her bare shoulders. “You and these damn sexy strapless dresses,” he muttered, stroking her skin with his thumbs. “Cause me to forget the powerful speech I was about to make. I’m pretty proud, considering it’s the first one I’ve had to write for
myself.”
“I don’t want to hear your speech and I don’t want you touching me.”
Luc smiled. “Then why is the pulse at the base of your neck pounding as fast as my heart? You may lie to yourself, Kate, but your body is telling me the truth.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, no. You brought me here for sex? You think I’ll fall back into bed with you and then, in the throes of passion, agree to a marriage?”
Luc laughed, then kissed her full on the mouth before easing back. “Your imagination is running away with you and I’m royally screwing this up.”
“That’s the only thing that’s getting screwed tonight.”
His heart was so full, he couldn’t help but keep smiling. “I’ve missed that smart mouth.”
Kate didn’t say a word, didn’t move and didn’t make any attempt to touch him.
“Tell me I didn’t mess things up so badly that I’ve lost you forever.”
“You never fully had me,” she told him. “I wanted everything with you, but went about it the wrong way. Then you decided to use my love and try to force me into marriage. That’s no foundation to build a relationship on.”
“We both messed up,” he agreed. “I never meant to hurt you, but I was so confused. I wanted to trust my feelings, but how could I when I couldn’t even trust you? I thought if you wanted me so badly, you’d marry me and I’d get the title. I didn’t realize you truly had no ulterior motive.”
“I understand why you couldn’t trust me.” She reached up, wrapped her hands around his wrists and pulled his hands off her shoulders. “What I can’t understand is why you used my feelings against me, why you made love to me at Mikos’s wedding and then acted like you had no clue where to slot me in your life.”
Luc shoved his hands in his pockets. She didn’t want to be touched, and right now he was dying to have her in his arms. This was going to be trickier than he’d thought, but he wasn’t giving up. She’d come, she was talking to him and that had to mean a lot.
“I have something to show you.”
He walked to the desk tucked in the corner of the room and grabbed the email he’d printed out. When he handed it to her, she didn’t take it.
“Please?”
Kate slid the paper from his grasp. Luc watched her face as she read. When her eyes filled with tears, her hand came up to cover her quivering chin and her lips, Luc knew she wasn’t completely lost to him.
She clutched the letter to her chest. “You went to the orphanage?”
“I did.” And he’d loved every minute of it. “I met Carly and Thomas. I was told they were friends of yours.”
Kate nodded, the jerky movement causing a tear to spill. “I love those two so much. They are such sweet kids, but most people want to adopt new babies. The twins are nine, but they have such big hearts and they say they want the babies to go to new homes. Still, I know they long for a set of parents to love them.”
“I was told it’s hard, too, because most people are only looking to adopt one,” he added.
“I try to get there to visit them as often as I can,” she said, swiping at her eyes. “I call them if I get too busy working and can’t make it.”
“They’re at the orphanage you were living in as a baby.” Luc cupped her damp face. “And that’s why they are so important to you. I can completely see why you wanted me to go visit. Those little kids thought talking to a real prince was so neat. I didn’t talk much about the royalty side of my life with Carly and Thomas, but we did discuss Portuguese culture, and they were so fascinated.”
“I can’t believe you went and didn’t tell me,” she exclaimed.
“Actually, we just missed each other. When I arrived, I was told you had left the day before.”
Kate’s eyes widened. “I wish I’d known.”
“Why, Kate? Would you have stayed there? Would you have waited for me?”
She shook her head. “I—I don’t know.”
“I want to start over with you.” That sounded so lame he laughed. “I’ve been miserable without you and I went to that orphanage not because you kept asking me to, but because I wanted to know more about you. I wanted to know more about the woman I had fallen in love with. I love you, Kate. I want a life with you, a life just like the one we had when we were all alone here.”
Kate closed her eyes as her body fell into his. Her forehead rested against his chest. “You don’t mean all of that,” she whispered. “Because if you even think I can just try this out, or be with you because of some tradition, you’re wrong.”
When she lifted her head, Luc smoothed her hair away from her damp cheeks. “I don’t want to try it, Kate. I want to do it. My calling you here has nothing to do with the throne, my birthday or the baby. I mean, I want to build a family with you, but I’m not using the baby to do so. I want you for you. The days we spent here were some of the best of my life. I want more days like that, and nobody else will do. You’re it for me, Kate.”
When her mouth parted in another gasp, he kissed her. Luc nipped at her lips and nearly cried when she responded and opened for him.
The gentle, tender kiss had that sliver of hope in his chest practically exploding now.
“I missed you,” he murmured against her lips. “I missed holding you, I missed watching you cook, I missed seeing you smile, and even arguing with you over stupid things like my schedule. I missed seeing you wearing my ring.”
Her brows drew in as Luc pulled the amethyst ring from his pocket.
“Você vai casar comigo?” he asked.
Will you marry me?
“Not because of the throne, not because of anything else but us,” he quickly said, before she got the wrong idea of his intentions. “I can feel utter fullness and love only with you, Kate. You’re the only one who can make me complete.”
Without waiting for her reply, he slid the ring onto her finger and gripped her hand in his. “This is where the ring belongs, until I can get you a diamond or whatever you want.”
Kate stared down at her hand and said nothing. She studied the ring, even toyed with it before she smiled up at him. “I don’t want another ring. I want this one. It’s exactly what I would have chosen, and I don’t need anything more.”
“Does this mean you’ll marry me?” he asked.
Kate threw her arms around his neck, buried her face against his skin and squeezed him tight. “I’ll marry you, Luc. I’ll raise babies with you and grow old with you.”
Luc crushed her body to his and let out the first good breath he’d had since she stepped into his house. No, their house.
Kate jerked back. “Wait. We need to marry soon. Your birthday—”
“It will be fine. My father may have rigged the law a tad to buy us a few extra weeks. I want to give you the wedding you deserve.”
“I don’t want a huge, highly publicized wedding. Is that okay?”
Luc framed her face, sliding his thumb across her full bottom lip. “Perfectly fine with me. But right now I’d rather have you in my shower, where I can properly show you how much I’ve missed you.”
“I do love that shower of yours.”
He kissed her smile. “After I make love to you, we can discuss the wedding. Oh, and the fact I’d like to adopt Carly and Thomas. I wanted to talk to you first. With the new baby and all I wasn’t sure—”
Kate’s mouth cut him off as she rained kisses all over his lips, his chin, his cheeks. “Yes, yes, yes. I’d love to have them with me. I love those two so much. I just felt such a connection the first time I saw them.”
“I did, too, honey.” Luc picked her up and headed toward the master suite. “We’ll discuss that later, too.”
“You can’t carry me,” she cried. “I’ve gained weight.”
His eyes dipped to her chest. “I’ve noticed, and I’m certainly not complaining.”
She slapped his shoulder. “That’s so typical of a man, to say that when bigger boobs are involved.”
“There better never
be another man eyeing your boobs,” he scolded. “That’s my job.”
Kate’s head fell against his shoulder as she laced her fingers together behind his neck. “Always, Luc. You’re the only man for me.”
* * * * *
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BEHIND PALACE DOORS
WHAT THE PRINCE WANTS
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SPECIAL EXCERPT FROM
Brady Finn’s mission is to take his company to the next level. Aine Donovan plans to stop him. But when searing attraction leads to a pregnancy shocker, they’ll both need to reevaluate just what it is they want from each other...
Read on for a sneak peek at
HAVING HER BOSS’S BABY
the first in Maureen Child’s Pregnant by the Boss trilogy!
The door opened and there she was. He’d been prepared for a spinsterish female, a librarian type.
A Royal Amnesia Scandal Page 15
