by Noelle Adams
“Prince Erik!” a deep voice behind them said crisply.
It was Ana’s brother Max and she had no idea how much he’d heard. “Could I have a word with you?” he asked formally.
Ana stepped out of Erik’s embrace and turned around. “Go ahead. I have nothing further to say to this man,” she said and walked calmly down the hallway toward her suite of rooms. She didn’t want to hear anything her brother or Marcus...Erik...whatever name he wanted to be called...had to say, she told herself.
Erik watched the gentle sway of her hips as she walked regally down the hallway. He was proud of what a beautiful and graceful woman would someday become his queen. And he was equally excited about the woman who would become his wife. Fortunately, both were the same woman and it was a heady realization.
Belatedly, he remembered the man standing behind him and turned to face his future wife’s brother. The look on the younger man’s face showed his anger. “What can I do for you?” he asked, knowing Max had heard almost the entire conversation. At least the incriminating part, he grimaced inwardly.
“I understand you’re a black belt and I was wondering if you could show me some of your moves in the gym?” Max said, his eyes never leaving Erik’s face.
Erik smiled and nodded. “I’d be happy to oblige,” he said. “Lead the way.” Erik understood Max’s message. The man was angry about the way his sister had been treated, both currently and previously in Washington, D.C.
In the gym, Erik and Max both took off their suit jackets, perfectly pressed shirts and ties, then dispensed with their shoes, socks and belts. The two men, bared to the chest, then moved onto the exercising mats and bowed to each other.
Once the formalities were over, the men immediately started circling each other, one waiting for the other to make the first move.
Max bent low, trying to determine the best way to get the man on the mat and in pain. “So you’re the man who caused so much ruckus last week?” he asked.
“Ruckus?” Erik questioned, knowing he needed to track both the conversation as well as the angry man’s movements in front of him.
“Let me rephrase that,” Max said as he went on the offensive with a wide kick. “You’re the man that hurt Ana.”
Erik ducked from the kick and swung low, tripping Max onto his back. The man didn’t stay down long, he swung up instantly and knocked Erik flat with a smack to his chest.
“I didn’t mean to,” Erik said, reeling from the good blow but instantly alert and waiting for the next kick or jab. Max had immediately shown Erik that he was a force to be reckoned with. Erik also knew that he needed to tread carefully. Max was out for blood because of a perceived hurt to his little sister. But Erik couldn’t put the man down, since it would probably hurt Ana. What a predicament.
Max thrust to the left and caught Erik on the arm with a hard thud but both men remained standing. “What exactly did you mean to do? Just leave her hanging?”
“That’s between Ana and me,” he said, blocking the next swing and lashing out backwards.
Max flashed back instantly, ignoring the pain from the jab to his ribs. “And her family and her country. What you did you did to all of us and left her humiliated. I’m guessing you’re also the man who took her away from the security of her family. Am I right?”
Erik ducked from Max’s lunge and swung with a leg arching to the man’s middle section. “Ana came away with me, yes. But she was perfectly safe with me. I had my body guards there as well.”
Max circled the older man, searching for a weakness, considering all the angles before kicking out for a spot to his legs. “Don’t kid yourself. Your body guards were there for you. If anything had happened to Ana, they would have been protecting you first and her second. Did you think of that when you flew off to who knows where?”
Erik jumped over the leg maneuver then swung around, wishing he could just end this confrontation but also enjoying the outlet. He had a lot of frustration pent up over the past week and this was as good as any. He swung out, knocking Max onto his back again. “Not true. Tim understood how important she was to me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Max demanded. “Are you saying that, while you were supposed to be meeting your fiancée, you were actually taking another woman away for the weekend? Was Ana right about that?”
Obviously that really pissed Max off because he got in several kicks at that point. It was interesting that both siblings came to the same conclusion.
“Don’t worry about Ana. She can take care of herself.”
That infuriated Max and he swung out, nearly knocking Erik onto his back before spinning and jabbing into his ribs once again, hoping he hit the same spot and bruising it. “No, she can’t. You don’t know what she’s been going through the past few weeks. First, you forget about her for years and let her think that the betrothal was going to be put aside, getting her hopes up that she’ll have the freedom to choose her own husband. Then you and your father decide it is time for you to marry and all of a sudden she’s taken out of her routine and told she’s to marry what basically amounts to a stranger. Then she flies halfway across the world to meet that man and he’s too busy to be with her because he’s chasing someone else who just ironically happens to be the woman he’s supposed to be meeting with. You broke her heart and now you think everything is going to be fine.” With each sentence, Max either kicked or punched Erik. Erik was able to block half the kicks and jabs but some of them were too quick for him to block and he had the wind knocked out of him on several split second kicks.
Erik was beginning to understand how badly he’d messed up. Put into that context, he did sound like a cad. “I’ll make it up to her,” he promised.
Max swung around and kicked high, missing Erik who ducked. “How?” Max demanded. “By marrying her? I’m not sure that’s what she’s dreaming of exactly.”
Erik swung high, knocking Max in the stomach then swirled on his heel for a second which Max blocked. “I’ll find out what she is dreaming about and I’ll make sure she gets it,” Erik said with sincerity, blocked Max’s next swing.
Max stopped and stood still, hands on his hips as he looked at the man opposite him. “Will you ever cheat on her?”
“No.”
Max looked at the man for a long time, finally accepting that Erik was telling him the truth. “Good,”
“What are you two doing?” Ana said, rushing into the room, her hair flying out behind her.
Max wasn’t finished. As soon as Ana distracted Erik, Max took a swing at his stomach with his left foot, doubling the older man over. Max knew it had been a cheap shot but he didn’t care. “That’s for hurting her last week,” Max said and was astonished to see his little sister run over to where Erik was bent over, offering her sympathy and help.
Erik stood up quickly, still obviously in some discomfort. He put an arm around Ana’s shoulders and smiled at her brother. “Good one,” he said and saluted him as he allowed Ana to walk him over to a bench on the side of the gym.
Max picked up his clothes and put on his shoes and socks, draping his shirt over his broad shoulders but not bothering to button it up. “Don’t ever let it happen again,” Max said and walked out of the gym, his jacket and tie gripped in his right fist.
Ana glared at her brother’s back, shooting daggers into his broad shoulders. But when he just sauntered out of the room without noticing, she turned back to face Erik and check out his wounds. “Are you okay?” she asked, looking over his body for broken bones. Ana knew her brother was extremely well versed in martial arts. She wasn’t as sure about Erik’s abilities.
“I’m fine,” Erik said, but didn’t stop her tender ministrations. They were like nectar to a starving man. “You’re beautiful,” he said, pulling her shining red hair over her shoulder and letting the fiery strands slip through his fingers.
“What were you two fighting about?”
“You.”
His one word answer stopped her minist
rations immediately. “What?” she asked, standing up and putting her hands on her slim hips.
Erik stood up and looked down into her delicate features. “He was defending your honor.”
Ana stepped back and scowled. “I don’t need any defending. My honor is fine.”
Erik took a fiery lock of hair between his fingers, loving the silky texture. “It is now that we’re going to be married.”
“Uh!” she said disgustedly and spun around, whipping her hair out of his hands in the process. “How could you remind me of that? I’ve been trying desperately to forget that awful fact of life.” She turned her back on him, crossing her arms over her chest as she chewed on her lower lip, her mind racing to figure out how to get out of this situation.
Erik chuckled and moved to stand in front of her, daring her to ignore him. “I didn’t think it was very far from your mind. It is definitely a top priority of mine,” he said more quietly and he leaned forward, wanting to test how far her Florence Nightingale feelings would extend.
She immediately stepped out of his reach. Obviously not very far, he grimaced. He knew he could pull her into his arms and kiss her and she would respond. But he also knew her well enough to know that she would still be angry after the kiss was over. He might as well deal with her angry feelings and get them out of the way first.
He took one of her hands in his and kissed the soft skin on her wrist. “Talk to me Ana. What can I do to make things right?”
“You can’t,” she said stubbornly, pulling her hand away quickly for fear that he’d see how much she loved his touch. Turning her back on him was her only defense. “It won’t work, Marcus...I mean Erik,” she finished off sarcastically, furious that she didn’t even know what his name was.
He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently turned her around. Looking down into her furious blue eyes, he said, “There has to be some way. We’re going to be married in two week’s time. We have parades and all sorts of odd happenings over the next two weeks, all of which we will have to appear together. You’re going to have to get over this and the only way to do it is to get to know each other all over again and learn to trust each other.”
“No.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared back at him.
Erik smiled at her stubbornness. He didn’t think it would help his cause if he told her how cute she looked digging her heels in like this. “Ana, you’re being silly.”
Ana walked toward the doorway and shrugged her shoulders. “Marcus, or Erik, whatever your name is, I don’t know who you think you are but I intend to figure out a way out of this. I won’t live my whole life wondering if you’ve found someone better than me and have that person tucked away in one of your estates like you were offering to do with me.”
“Well, then, you leave me only one option,” he said but didn’t continue. He waited for his words to sink in.
“I don’t want to hear your option,” she said and continued walking. She made it all the way to the doorway before her curiosity got the better of her. “What?” she demanded.
He closed the distance between the two of them until he was right in front of her. Looking down into her angry blue eyes, he smiled and said softly, “I’ll just have to make love to you until you cry out your true feelings for me. I think you’re in love with me. I intend to prove it.”
Ana was shaking her head before he’d finished. “No,” she whispered, already knowing she was weak where he was concerned. “Don’t you come near me,” she said and took a step backwards, then stumbled over her feet in her haste to get out of the gym and away from the heat of his body.
As soon as she made it back to her rooms, she saw the message and groaned. Her mother was requesting a meeting. Ana only had a few minutes to get herself together before she showed up.
The knock on the door came only moments after Ana finished pulling a brush through her hair. Her mother then stood in her doorway, looking around to see who else was in the room.
“Where’s Prince Erik?” she asked, walking into the room.
“I don’t know,” Ana said, pretending an indifference she didn’t feel.
“I thought the two of you were just in the gym together?”
Ana was amazed. “Mother, is there anything that happens in this palace that you don’t know about seconds after it happens?”
Natasha laughed. “Of course, but it doesn’t have to do with my family so I don’t pay any attention to it. But you, my dear, are very important to me so I do keep tabs on what is happening with you.”
Natasha sat down on one of the sofas and looked eagerly at her daughter. “So? What do you think of Prince Erik now that you’ve finally met him?”
“I don’t like him,” Ana said. “But does it matter?”
“No,” her mother laughed. “And I don’t believe you’re telling me the truth. He’s the man you went away with, isn’t he?” she asked.
Ana froze. “I’m sorry?” pretending to not understand her mother’s question. She wasn’t ready to admit everything to her mother, despite the fact that she was desperate to ask her for advice.
Natasha smiled at her daughter’s obvious lie. “He’s the man you fell in love with in America, isn’t he?”
“Love?” she squeaked.
Natasha smiled gently. “Yes, dear. A simple stranger couldn’t engender this kind of emotion within you. You’re too strong willed to let some silly man do this to you.”
Ana stood up and started pacing the room again. “So he is.”
“Well, then, that solves that,” Natasha said and stood up. “How are the dress fittings coming? I understand you have several for the upcoming balls. I’ve seen the dresses you chose and they are lovely.”
Ana crossed her arms over her chest. “Mother, does it matter that I don’t like him? Or trust him?’
Natasha moved over to place her hands on her daughter’s stiff shoulders. “You like him more than you want to and you definitely trust him. Or you never would have fallen in love with him.’
“Thank you, Natasha,” a deep voice said from the doorway.
Ana swung around to face the man under discussion. She noticed that he had his shirt, coat and tie back in place and looked like he’d never been out of them. “I didn’t invite you in,” Ana said rudely.
“Ana!” her mother gasped. “You can’t speak to him that way,” she said and started turning toward Erik to apologize.
He stopped her with a wave of his hand. “Don’t worry about it. But could I have some time alone with her? She and I have a lot to discuss.”
Natasha nodded her head. “Absolutely. Dinner will be on the veranda in three hours,” she said and slipped out of the room.
There was silence for a long time before Erik spoke. “Are you going to admit to it? Or do I have to force it out of you,” he said just as his hands touched her arms from behind.
“Neither. I think you should leave.”
Erik chuckled. “I don’t mind. I’d like doing this the hard way,” he said and spun her around so she was off balance. Ana fell into his arms, her hands gripping the muscles of his biceps to keep her from falling onto the floor.
“What are you...?” Ana couldn’t finish her sentence because she looked up into his eyes and the heat in his gaze stole her breath away.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he said and didn’t give her time to protest. His lips touched hers and he smothered her protests.
Ana wasn’t immune to the heat of the kiss. She melted in his arms, her own creeping up to wrap around his shoulders. He stood her up and she leaned into his body, craving the touch that she’d missed for so many days.
After several long minutes, he pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry I hurt you,” he said.
“Erik, this isn’t going to work,” she said, leaning her forehead against his chest.
He pulled her closer, loving the feel of her soft body against his. “Yes, it will. We’ll make it work. I guarantee it.”
She pulled back slightly but again, he wouldn’t let her out of his embrace. “No. You’re just like my brother. He needs variety in his women. I don’t think the man has been with one woman for more than a couple weeks.”
“That might have been true before I met you. But now, it isn’t accurate. There’s a difference.”
“What’s that?” she asked, wishing she didn’t care.
“I love you.”
Ana’s eyes snapped up to his, wondering if he was telling her the truth. “Why?”
Erik laughed. “I have no idea. Maybe because you got under my skin and I couldn’t stop thinking about you. All I know is that I’ve been going nuts since we parted in Grand Cayman and I don’t think I’ll ever let you go.”
“So I’m like a thorn in your side?”
“More like a need than a thorn. You make the day worth getting up for,” he said, pulling her closer to hug her. “It isn’t just sex, Ana. I could have gotten that from anyone. It’s you I want.”
“Why?”
“Because I love you. And you love me.”
“How do you know?” she asked, smiling at his arrogance.
“Because you never would have gone to bed with me if you didn’t.”
She laughed at his comment. “It was because I’d read in the newspaper that you were out dancing with another woman at a night club. I wanted to get back at you. I just didn’t know it would be with you.”
Erik smiled but shook his head. “No, you would have done something else if you hadn’t already loved me. But you can use that excuse all you want,” he said and bent over.
Ana had no idea what he was going to do so she was unprepared when he tossed her over his shoulder and carried her into the bedroom. “What are you doing?” she asked, trying to see through her hair that was now hanging over her face. “This really isn’t princess-like behavior. I’m supposed to be steeped in decorum,” she said, laughing as he tossed her onto the soft bed in her bedroom.
