Somehow, she didn’t quite believe that.
“Okay, let’s get this show on the road.” She took a step. And another…
Her right foot shot out from beneath her, and she stumbled forward. She grabbed at the walls to stop herself landing in a heap on the floor. “Blast it.” The princesses made it look so easy. “Not!” Holding the door handle with both hands, she dragged herself upright, then wrenched the door open. If she hadn’t been mortified, she’d have burst into laughter as Lucas’s expression shifted sharply downward.
“Hello to you too.” She propped herself against the wall.
“Have you been drinking?”
“Sounds like a good idea. Maybe then I’d float in these damned shoes rather than wobble like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.” And just to prove her point, she stupidly reached for her pashmina and clutch that were now scattered at her feet, only to have said feet threaten to land her on her backside with a single step.
“Whoa.” Lucas grabbed her around the waist and hauled her upright…and against his length.
She arched her neck back, glaring up at him. “This is all your fault, you know. If you hadn’t made me go shopping for shoes and dresses and…” She glanced down at the skyscraper heels. “Look at them. They look ridiculous.”
“Look mighty fine to me.” Lucas smiled his appreciation. Light sparkled in his eyes, and the way he stared at her fired a wave of heat to wash down the length of her spine.
“Are you ready?”
Cassie’s excitement flagged. For a tiny moment, she had reveled in the flash of desire she’d witnessed in his eyes. Just a moment. Now it was back to business. “I wouldn’t dare be late.” She shut the door behind her, took a deep breath and steadied herself in her stick-thin heels. She could do this. When Lucas reached for her arm, she drew back from his touch.
“The paparazzi are around.” He tightened his hold on her.
“So let’s make believe, darling.”
His full mouth pursed. “Exactly.”
A glimpse sideways confirmed the bodyguards’ vehicles were in place—front and back as usual. There would be no high-speed adventure this evening. The same, however, couldn’t be said for her racing heart.
Determined not to let Lucas down or fall flat on her face in public, she linked her arm with his as he guided her to the sleek limousine with the country’s flag flying. Just as she was about to get in, she hesitated, lifting her gaze to him. He looked jaw-droppingly beautiful. There was no other way to describe him. His tuxedo fitted flawlessly to a body she imagined was honed to perfection. His hair sleek and his face freshly shaven, he smelled…
Cassie jerked back.
Good grief, she had been leaning forward and inhaling his fragrance. What next, lick his skin?
Nice thought!
Her heart raced, and she quickly got in, ensuring adequate distance between them. But as the car fired up, reality hit, and she turned to him. “Don’t you get tired of the games?”
“I’m not allowed to get tired. Not all of us can walk away.” His tight-lipped response hit home. Prince Lucas Palmera couldn’t walk away from his life, whereas she got to, and soon, because soon he wouldn’t need her anymore.
Exquisite was the word that came to Lucas’s mind, only to be overrun by the thought that he wanted to kiss Cassie again. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
As they drove through the streets toward the venue, Cassie clammed up, staring straight ahead. Then she turned and offered him a sweet smile, her eyes sparkling as bright as the jewels on her dress. Her kissable lips were glossed, and her fragrance tantalized his senses. He dragged in a deep breath as the scent enveloped him, then he remembered her mother’s visit, and he stamped down the arousal Cassie stirred, though it proved virtually impossible.
So try harder.
This wasn’t going according to his plan. The fake fiancée, as far as he was concerned, was step one. Step two would be to get Cassie to dump him publicly. Step three, of course, he’d need time to heal his broken heart, and that could take at least two years. That way his father could start his new life with Larissa, and Lucas would take over his role without the need to get married.
Easy. All sorted.
And I believe that?
He did. Had to, though Cassie’s closeness tested him. He tried discussing business. It didn’t work. He still wanted to kiss her.
Fool. Don’t get involved. This is a game. Your game.
The moment they arrived, the throng of guests craned their necks as Cassie exited the limousine. He felt her hesitate at his side. “Everything okay?”
A faint pink tinged her cheeks. “Just fine and dandy.”
A few minutes after they’d entered the soiree, as he’d expected, it didn’t take Blanche Drummond long to seek them out. Lucas tried to find the likeness between mother and daughter.
Cassie’s mother slipped through the crowd and came directly up to them, but before Blanche could utter a word, Cassie grabbed her by the arm, almost yanking her away. “Mother, what are you doing here?”
Taking advantage of the moment, Lucas slid an arm around Cassie’s waist and drew her back so that her body rested against his, uncertain if he’d actually felt her shiver at his touch or imagined it. Was it desire—or fear? “Blanche,” he said nodding to her mother.
Cassie’s jaw dropped. She glanced at him over her shoulder. “You know her?”
He held his breath and switched his gaze from the brazen older woman to Cassie. “Yes, we’ve met.”
Blanche held out her hand, offering a bow as Cassie tugged herself from his embrace.
“Delighted to meet you again, Your Highness. Thank you for arranging this.”
“When?” Cassie intervened. “I told you not to interfere, Mother. You’ll ruin everything.”
What was everything? Lucas swept his gaze across Cassie, mesmerized by the swell of her breasts. Arousal charged through him, despite his warring brain.
Enough! He cauterized those thoughts. Emotion wasn’t allowed, and he hauled his libido up short. “You didn’t tell me Blanche lived nearby.”
Cassie choked back a gasp. “My mother lives wherever her rich friends take her.”
Blanche didn’t even blink, but a jeweled hand clasped at Cassie’s. “Now, now, darling, don’t be like that.”
“Like what? You know I didn’t want you around.”
“She’s your mother, Cassie. She introduced herself to me earlier.”
“I bet she did.” Cassie slipped in front of him, almost blocking him from Blanche’s view. “Don’t let us keep you, Mother, I’m sure you have others to meet.”
Blanche looked at him over her daughter’s shoulder. “Oh no, it’s lovely to catch up with you, and of course meet your fiancé.” With utmost ease, the older woman took the initiative and linked one arm round Cassie’s waist and kept her free hand firmly attached to his forearm. She wasn’t looking at her daughter, however.
A flurry of camera flashes erupted.
“Oh yes.” The older woman sighed her pleasure.
Lucas had to admire her gumption. Blanche Drummond watched life like a hawk and never missed an opportunity, and, while she was a tad too obvious for his liking, she was well mannered and a delightful flirt. Blanche knew how to work a room.
“Lucas, I’ve just seen an old friend. Do you mind?”
Lost in thought, Lucas watched Cassie walk away. Her mother was already latching on to a Russian billionaire who’d flown in especially for tonight’s event.
A few days ago, Cassie had admitted her nerves when they’d gone to the charity gala, but tonight as he followed her path through the crowd, his personal assistant seemed to have morphed into someone he didn’t quite recognize. She worked the room as well as her mother.
Had it all been an act?
That he could have
been fooled so easily stung hard, and he wondered if it was the beautifully crafted dress, or the expensiveness of it that gave Cassie such a glow. As she walked across the room, the sway of her hips encased in the lush velvet, her long slim legs seemed longer, sexier. He noted her black silk stockings, and his pulse rate skyrocketed. Stockings. Perhaps a garter belt? The thought excited him, and his groin throbbed.
He caught the faint trill of her laughter. She spoke to the Argentinean playboy, Jorge Rodriguez, her left hand resting on his forearm.
Unexpected jealousy tangled with Lucas’s arousal, shocking him at its persistence. He didn’t do jealousy. Never needed to. Women wanted him. But seeing Cassie with the playboy old enough to be her father, Lucas bit down hard on this new and unexpected emotion. Had she played him for a fool these last two years, setting him up?
Her mother had mentioned Cassie capturing her prince.
Unanswered questions roamed through his brain, along with the sad reality that hit home with a brutal stroke of truth. All his life, people wanted things from him. Even the woman he’d once considered giving up everything for, only to find out she didn’t love him after all. Tonight, however, something had changed inside him. He couldn’t stop watching Cassie and wanted to charge over there and highjack her from the Argentinean, but he wouldn’t.
Control. He had control. He had.
Just then, she leaned forward, her lips touching Jorge’s cheek, and instant fury roiled in Lucas’s gut, jealousy rampant.
Realization scored deep. It seemed Cassie Masters had inherited her mother’s DNA for going after the high roller after all. Funny how he’d never seen it before, but then that was exactly what happened with Galiana. He hadn’t seen it until it was too late.
Tonight, Cassie’s star shone.
My Cassie.
Lucas drew himself up hard. My Cassie? When had that happened?
She looked… Stunning. Beautiful. And he had been a blind man. But beauty didn’t make up for deceit, and the bitter truth forced his decision. He didn’t like being fooled. Part of him declared he would be better without her. Then he remembered her lips beneath his, and desire won out. He would keep Cassie Masters around…just for a while. This was his game plan. His show.
Lucas knew he was being a fool. He didn’t mix business and pleasure. But…for some bloody reason, he couldn’t stem his emotions, and his instincts screamed he would live to regret it.
Chapter Seven
Why was it now that this woman had him spellbound, yet the last two years they had simply been boss and secretary?
No, not just that. They had been friends. He could talk to her. Now he had more than talk on his mind, and yet, for the first time in two years, he didn’t quite trust her either. There was something Cassie was holding back. Hiding. He could see it in her eyes when he caught her gaze and she would quickly look away.
So go ask her.
Then there were the other times—when her gaze rested on him. It aroused him.
Bloody hell. He needed to remember this was his game and that he would walk away just like all the other times. That emotions weren’t involved.
Really? Did he believe he could simply walk away without a backward glance? Somehow, despite his silent war of words, he wasn’t so sure. He shook his head as if to clear it from a brain fog. What the hell was he thinking? Of course he would walk away. No problem. Cassie was merely his employee.
And you don’t mix business and personal.
First time for everything.
As she walked from Rodriguez, her expression darkly serious, panic colored her sapphire eyes. She was definitely hiding something, and he intended to find out.
Lucas elbowed through the crowd and stalled her in her tracks. “Something you want to tell me?”
“Get out of my way, Lucas.”
He gripped her upper arm, her flesh startlingly hot to the touch. It drew him in and held him captive.
“Nothing you need to know about.”
His gut churned anew. Was Cassie using Rodriguez as a way to make him jealous? If so, it was working. “I can see your mother loves the limelight, the chase.”
“Oh yes, my mother is always chasing the next man to support her.”
“And you?” Lucas watched her, waited. Hoped he was wrong.
“Me? What about me?”
“Are you chasing the almighty dollar?”
A bubbling cough spluttered from her lips, eyes suddenly awash with sadness. “You think…” She glanced at her mother, who stood indecently close to a notorious French playboy. “I am nothing like my mother. We may have the same DNA, but I’ve worked hard all my life. I would never… How could you think I was like her?” Tears glistened in her eyes, fueling his wave of guilt. But he had to ask. He grabbed her hand. “How about we get out of here?”
“What?”
Startled eyes captured his from beneath impossibly long lashes, and the cage around his heart loosened.
“What about your discussions with the investors?”
“Done.” He pulled her toward the exit. “Let’s go.”
“Lucas? We can’t leave now.”
“Don’t be a spoilsport. Besides, as you regularly remind me, I do what I like.”
Wariness washed across her face, and she quickly glanced over her shoulder toward Rodriguez.
“You don’t need him.”
Her lush mouth curved into a hint of a smile and a brow lifted. “You profess to know what I need?”
Bloody hell, he was more than a fool. He was drowning.
“Maybe it’s exactly what I need.”
“And you’re determined to have your own way?”
“I am.”
She lifted her chin a tad higher, and something in Lucas’s chest tightened. “So promise me we’ll lose the paparazzi, Your Highness.”
Relief swept through him, followed swiftly by a whispered warning.
Careful. Watch your heart.
He ignored it and tugged her toward the exit, guiding her into the cooling late evening air. He spoke briefly to his bodyguards and drew Cassie into a small alcove away from prying eyes. “This is much better. This way, they can’t see us.”
“They?”
“Everyone else.”
With Cassie in his arms, he exhaled a satisfied sigh and again squashed the challenging voice in his head. Time to analyze would come later. Much later, as far as he was concerned. “I’ve wanted to do this all evening.”
Her lips parted. “Do what, exactly?”
“This.” He placed his hands on her hips and tipped her bottom toward him. Awareness flashed across her eyes as his blatant arousal pressed against her. “And this…” His lips sought hers, reveling in their softness. He held her to him, wanting to savor everything he could—her taste, the sweet smell of her fragrance, the drum of her heartbeat—only to be cut short as the roar of his Maserati brought kissing Cassie to a halt.
She glanced to the now parked vehicle. “You’re not intending on another of those let’s-see-if-I-can-outrace-the-bodyguards rides you’re famous for, are you?”
His mouth hitched. “It could be arranged.”
“And put yourself in danger?”
“It’s called living.”
“Try foolhardy.”
“Don’t you want to live?” Still holding her, he drew the flat of his thumb down the side of her cheek, feeling the warm hiss of her breath across its tip. “We could get in that car and just drive and drive and not come back.”
“And what about tomorrow?”
Sometimes, Lucas disliked reality intensely. “Ah, but tomorrow always comes. There’s no getting away from it.” Suddenly, however, he wanted very much to get away from the cloying heavy cloak of responsibility, from the mantle he was born into. “Have you been to the Lodge?”
“Yo
ur mountain retreat?”
Lucas nodded. Amante Lodge had been built high in the recesses of the Laurelle Mountains and had been his sanctuary after his mother’s death. A place he retreated to hoping to assuage the guilt. “I’ll take you. Get in.” He opened the door, waving away the hovering valet, and shot a look over his shoulder, then back to her. “The vultures are looking for a story. Let’s give them one.”
“Are you mad?”
He offered her a chuckle, drawing off his tuxedo jacket and undoing his bow tie and the top few buttons on his shirt. “Probably,” he answered truthfully, “but let’s live a little.” He watched her and waited. It seemed an eternity. Then she climbed in without further protest.
In seconds, he’d gunned the engine, and, with a squeal of tires, they left the hovering paparazzi, flashbulbs changing night into day. Cassie laughed, and he laughed with her, his relief total. No other woman had made him feel so at ease and so excited at the same time. No other woman had seduced him so that he let his guard down.
His brain slammed to a halt. Dangerous ground, Lucas. He couldn’t afford to get soft. He’d done that once before, and then, when everything changed, when he’d been most vulnerable, he’d found out whom he could count on, and whom he couldn’t. What really mattered was family. Loyalty. Since then, women had become life’s diversions. He knew Cassie wanted him. Knew it the moment their lips touched.
He had a few weeks to get her out of his system.
“What about your bodyguards?”
Lucas heard the hint of concern lacing her tone. “I gave them the night off.”
“Lucas!” Her brow creased. “You planned this? Again?”
He gave her a grin. He hadn’t. Not quite, but in truth, it had been bubbling in the recesses of his mind. Kissing her had cemented his decision. “Was I wrong?”
For a few seconds, he could almost see the cogs of thought turning. “No, but you spring things on me, and the mountains, they’re…”
“Two hundred and fifty kilometers up a steep and winding road, but the views are spectacularly panoramic, and on a clear day, one can see back to the city.”
The Bachelor Prince Page 8
