by Holly Jacobs
Suddenly, the teasing evaporated. Tanner was all seriousness as he answered, “You know I can’t do that.”
“I know you won’t do that. There’s a difference.”
“Stalemate, huh?” he asked softly.
“Yeah.”
They floated quietly on the water for a few minutes. Shey kept stealing glances at Tanner. He seemed to be thinking hard about something. His expression was a study of concentration. He wasn’t even noticing the beauty that surrounded them.
Shey loved it out here. She loved the smell of the water, the feel of the sun on her back, the sounds—
“I called for someone to pick me up,” Tanner blurted out suddenly. “I have my mobile phone with me. My men are probably renting a boat now and are on their way.”
“Then I guess we’d better give you that tour of the lagoons after all,” Shey said.
She didn’t want Tanner’s men to find them because she was protecting Parker…nothing more, nothing less.
That’s what she told herself. But the thought of Tanner leaving, of the day with him ending…well, it felt like disappointment. It was disappointment.
“We’re going to hide?” he asked, not looking overly put-out at the notion.
“You’ve got it.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Shey sat up with a start and checked her watch. It was getting late.
She looked at the still-dozing prince next to her.
After she’d called Parker on her own cell phone, she’d headed toward the lagoons, hoping to hide from Tanner’s henchmen. It was one thing for them to find her in the open bay, but it would be much harder in the maze of lagoons that dotted the peninsula.
She and Tanner had been drifting near the edge of this particular lagoon for about a half hour. It was shady enough that she wasn’t worried about a burn, and the day was warm and muggy, perfect napping weather.
She’d been napping all right, napping wrapped in a prince. He’d smelled…good. Fresh and clean.
Tempting.
And the last thing Shey needed was to be tempted by a crazy prince who thought he was engaged to her best friend.
“It’s getting late,” she said, nudging him. “Time to go.”
He sat up, looking decidedly rumpled and bleary-eyed. “What do you mean late?”
“I know we’ve been having fun playing hide-and-seek with your gorillas, but it’s time to go,” she said with more than a subtle hint of sarcasm.
Truth be told, she had enjoyed the day. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken a day off from work and done nothing.
Cara loved to take her small boat out to the lagoons and curl up with a good book. Her quiet friend had often suggested she give it a try, but Shey’d always declined.
She’d have to rethink that in the future.
“I have a meeting I can’t miss,” she told Tanner. “So it’s time to call it a day.”
“A date?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.
“A meeting,” she said firmly.
“What sort of meeting?”
She toyed with the retort “Wouldn’t you like to know,” but she realized how juvenile it would sound, so she worked to keep it in its place.
“I’ll drop you off on the dock. I’m sure Curly, Moe or Larry would be happy to come get you.”
She picked on his guards now more to needle him, not because she didn’t like them. As a matter of fact, she’d enjoyed their poker game a lot last night.
Tanner didn’t say anything more as she motored back to the bay and across its short expanse to the dock where Cara kept her boat.
Not one word.
No, he just stared at her, a slightly puzzled expression on his face.
She tied the boat up and stepped onto the dock.
“Well, it’s been fun,” she said, starting to inch away.
He still didn’t say anything.
Oh, geez, the prince had had some sort of nervous breakdown on their trip.
What the heck was the word for nonresponsive people?
Catatonic?
That sounded close.
Rather than make her getaway, she walked back to the boat and climbed aboard. She walked right up to the prince.
“You okay? You’ve been acting weird the whole way back.”
“I don’t know,” he said slowly.
“Don’t know if you’re weird, or if you’re okay?”
He still didn’t answer, just stared at her.
“I’m calling the goon squad,” Shey said, sure she’d broken the prince. Did people go to jail for damaging royalty?
“They can’t help me.” His voice sounded a bit stronger—more with it—but he still was sort of off.
“Who can then?” Shey asked.
“You. Only you.”
Before she could vocalize the very articulate huh? she was about to say, he pulled her onto his lap.
Shey started to squirm, trying to pull free, but then her eyes locked with his. His were dark brown eyes that bordered on black. Eyes that could hide things.
Shey wondered what was behind them. Who was this man?
She felt herself sinking into them, deeper and deeper. She was quickly lost in them, unable to pull away. She saw hunger.
And a wave of anticipation flared.
He wanted her. Tanner desired her, she could see it. He didn’t try to hide it.
And she was sucker-punched by the realization that, though she didn’t want to, she wanted him, as well.
She stopped struggling and inched closer, needing to bridge the gap of space that still separated them.
Her lips brushed against his, as light as the breeze blowing off the bay, a tentative caress that made her hunger for even more.
Shey had never been the type to wait for what she wanted, to weigh the implications of her actions. She was a jump-first, figure-it-out-later sort of woman. She went after what she wanted wholeheartedly, with no hesitation.
And right now she wanted more of Tanner’s lips.
Forgetting he was a prince looking for a princess wife, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him again, no hesitant introduction this time.
Her lips melded to his, parting slightly, inviting more.
Tanner groaned and gave her what she wanted, deepening the kiss.
Tasting.
Exploring.
Fanning the flames of her desire.
Making her want things that, suddenly, she remembered she couldn’t have, shouldn’t even want.
She pulled back.
“Sorry, I have to go,” she said, jumping from his lap and hopping off the small boat without a backward glance.
Time to make her getaway.
Past time.
“See you later, princy,” she called over her shoulder, hoping she had the same teasing lilt to her voice she normally did, but highly doubting it. The breathless quality made it tough.
“Bye, Shey. I’d like to say it’s been nice, but I’m not sure it was. I can honestly say it has been interesting, though.”
She didn’t turn around and offer a “Same here,” or any other parting words. Even though she always wanted the last word, this time, the only thing she wanted was distance between herself and Tanner.
See, that’s the problem. She was thinking of him as Tanner now and not the prince.
She started walking toward the sidewalk, chanting a silent mantra—prince, prince, prince—to remind herself that this man, this royal pain in the butt was off limits, even though he was a knock-your-socks-off kind of kisser.
She passed her bike and kept on walking. She had about an hour before the meeting, so she wasn’t in any rush. She could walk over to the library, then walk back later for her bike.
The walk would do her good.
Give her time to cool off and forget that she’d ever met Tanner—the prince.
The walk might even give her time to figure out exactly what she’d been thinking by kissing him.
Actually, answering tha
t last question wouldn’t take much time. She knew she hadn’t been thinking at all or she’d have remembered all the reasons Prince Tanner Ericson was the last guy in the entire world she should be kissing.
She slowed her frantic gait until she wasn’t exactly meandering, but was walking slower than her normal pace, going through the motions of enjoying the view along the Bayfront Highway.
She was pretty sure Parker was in hiding now. Shey’d done her best and certainly given her enough time.
Now she was done.
Dealing with the prince would be up to Parker. Her friend could either face up to him, or continue to dodge him. She could even let Cara take over babysitting him.
Either way, Shey was finished prince-sitting.
Prince-kissing.
Princing anything.
Suddenly Shey stopped. She felt she was being watched. And before she whirled around to check, she knew.
“Hi,” Tanner said, smiling.
“What are you doing, Your Highness?” she asked surprised at how sharp her question sounded to her own ears. “I figured you’d already be in your limo by now.”
“I’m following you,” he admitted, looking utterly pleased with himself.
“This is ridiculous. You follow me, I follow you. Let’s just say goodbye and stop the juvenile games.” Suddenly she wasn’t sure she understood the rules of whatever it was they were playing. But she was sure that at the end of the game she’d lose.
Shey hated losing.
“You’re hiding something,” Tanner said. “I haven’t known you very long, but I could sense you didn’t want me to know what you’re up to, and I’ll confess that makes me nervous. Just what sort of appointment do you have?”
“None of your business,” she said, starting to walk briskly again. Unfortunately, his legs were longer and her brisk pace didn’t leave him eating her dust. Now he walked comfortably by her side.
“Stop stalking me or else I’ll call the cops. There are always a bunch of cops down here on the bayfront. They don’t look kindly on stalkers.”
“I’m pretty sure they would give me the benefit of the doubt. Being a prince has some benefits. Not many, but a few. And even if I wasn’t visiting royalty, I can’t help it that I’m walking in the same direction you are.”
“Sure you can…turn around.”
“No, I don’t think I will. And if we do run across a cop I’ll tell him who I am and that you’ve practically kidnapped me today.”
“You’re the most infuriating man I’ve ever met,” she said, hoping she sounded more disgruntled than she felt, because she felt like laughing…like grinning ear-to-ear.
“I could return the compliment,” he said, not looking any more annoyed than she felt.
“Fine.” She shrugged, striving for nonchalance. “Come with me. What do I care.”
“Where are we going?”
“The Blasco Memorial Library. It’s just the other side of the dock.”
“You have an appointment at a library?” he asked, sounding as if he didn’t quite believe her.
“Every Saturday.”
He waited for more of an explanation, not saying a word.
Shey sighed. “I meet with Lawrence.”
“And just what do you and Lawrence do every Saturday?”
“It’s a library…what do you think we do?” she countered. “I mean, you do have libraries in your country, right? Of course, as a prince you probably never had to use a public library. You just snap your fingers and Jeeves, your handy-dandy butler, brings you whatever you want.”
“You’re telling me you meet with this Lawrence to read?”
“Bingo.”
“Let me get this straight. After kissing me like there’s no tomorrow, you jump up, leave your Harley and walk a mile or so to the library to meet a man for a standing reading date?”
“Yep, that’s about it.”
“Explain,” was his single-word command uttered in a princely sort of tone that probably was always obeyed by his minions.
Shey was pretty sure she didn’t have a minionish bone in her body and she simply laughed at his attempt to command her. “Oh, don’t go all princely on me. ‘Explain. Bow down. Kiss my ring.’ I’m not one of your subjects.”
“Even if you were, I doubt you’d obey.” There was a definite hint of frustration in his disgruntled tone.
“You got that right. I don’t do obey well.”
“What if I ask?” he said. “Shey, my sweet and helpful hostess, could you please explain why you meet a man every week at the library to read?”
She sighed a heavy put-upon sigh. “Lawrence was functionally illiterate. I mean, when we started he could write his name and make out some basic words, but reading a book, heck, reading the newspaper was beyond his ability. Everyone should be able to do more than just read to function, they should be able to read for the joy of it. We meet every week for him to practice reading, and if you insist on tracking me, I should tell you that I won’t allow you to barge in and belittle him.”
“You think I’d do that…belittle a man for trying to better himself?” Tanner asked, all joking put aside.
Shey knew she’d gone too far and shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. You wouldn’t.”
“Thanks for that much…at least.”
“So, now you know,” she said. “Go away.”
“How about I just wait for you? Then I’ll walk you back to your bike and you can give me a ride to the hotel.”
“Aren’t you the man that brought an entourage of employees along with you? Why not call on one of them?”
Tanner didn’t want to admit that riding in a car with Emil, Tonio or Peter didn’t hold the same appeal as riding behind Shey on the Harley.
So he just put his hands in his pockets. “I’m a prince. I do as I please, and it pleases me to wait.”
He was pretty sure he heard muttering as she increased her speed and walked ahead of him—words such as spoiled, annoying and idiot—but he didn’t mind. As a matter of fact, they made him grin.
“Then it’s settled, I’ll wait,” he said as he caught up and once again matched his pace to hers.
“Whatever. Just leave Lawrence and me alone.”
Those were the last words she spoke to him. When they reached the library she just waved him off and went off to find this Lawrence.
Tanner explored the library while he waited. And, of course, as he walked through the building he couldn’t help passing by Shey and the man. They were seated at a small, private table in the back of the non-fiction department.
Lawrence was a slightly balding, paunchy man who had to be close to fifty. He and Shey were laughing at something.
She looked totally relaxed as she talked to him, all smiles and encouraging looks. But every time Tanner walked by, her smile evaporated.
He’d just wink and keep walking. He’d pretty much explored the entire library. It was built right on the bayfront and had great views. There was a maritime museum that adjoined it. He’d paid the slight fee and visited it, as well, and learned about the part the city had played in the War of 1812, including the role of the rebuilt brig Niagara that was housed in the museum. It wasn’t there now. The brig toured during the summer, moving up and down the country’s coast.
Tanner was back in the library when he suddenly tensed.
Shey was behind him.
He didn’t need to see her to know. It wasn’t even that he could smell her light scent. He just knew. A feeling of certainty flooded his body.
“What was that all about?” she asked.
No, Shey Carlson wasn’t one to ask—she demanded. She’d said he was royally bossy, but he met his match in Shey.
“All done?” he countered, not answering her question.
“Yes, not that it’s any of your business.” He had a feeling she was trying to sound testy, and he wouldn’t be the one to tell her that she wasn’t really succeeding.
“I’m going home now,” she conclu
ded. She turned and started toward the library’s exit.
“So, we’re sleeping at your place tonight?” he asked, easily keeping pace with her.
“No.” She punctuated the single syllable with a glare. But again, it fell sort of flat—didn’t have the annoyance level behind it that her earlier glares had had.
Tanner suspected, even if Shey would never admit it, that she didn’t find him quite as much of an irritant anymore.
Just to try his luck, he said, “Oh, the hotel, then? Ah, I love it when women invite themselves to my room. Shows initiative. Makes a man feel wanted.”
She didn’t even respond this time, just glared at him harder. But if he wasn’t mistaken, he thought he saw a hint of a smile playing at the corner of her lips.
“Now, Shey, we’ve only known each other a few nights, but I’m glad you can be so open with your wants and desires. And if you want me at my hotel, who am I to say no? Take me, I’m yours.” He clapped his hands against his heart, thinking it made a rather dramatic addition to his speech.
“You’re so funny. Too bad you’ve got a country to run. With an act like that you could have a real career in comedy.”
“Maybe I should run away from my duties like your friend Parker and do stand-up?” he said. “I can see it now, Tanner, the Prince of Comedy could be my stage name.”
“Right.”
“Really,” he said. “The idea of just giving up all the headaches and doing what I want could be truly appealing.”
Yes, he could see the enticement of that. Knowing that people either liked him or didn’t because of who he was, not because of what he was, of knowing that whatever he made of himself was because he worked at it, not because he was born to it.
“You can’t do that and you know it,” Shey said.
“Why not?” he asked. “Parker has.”
“It’s different, and you know it’s different. Parker’s got a brother who will take over the helm when the time comes. She said you were an only child. There’s no one else.”
“Actually, there are cousins who’d jump at the chance to take over. I’m not irreplaceable. Others could take over and I could pursue my career on the comedy circuit.”
