by Ann Omasta
He rested his chin on his hand and grinned down at her. His lone dimple had once again appeared to charm her. “I’m not wearing a bathing suit.”
Her eyes opened wide at where that thought immediately took her mind. “Oh,” she said quietly, her mouth staying in the shape of the letter for a long moment as she thought about what to say.
Daring to be bold, she suggested, “You could wear your underwear.” When he simply continued smiling down at her, she put a hand over her eyes. “I won’t look… I promise.”
When he noticed that she was peeking out between her fingers, he tipped his head back and laughed with abandon. The echoes of his amusement wafted all the way back to the castle.
Seeming to weigh his options, he finally stood and unbuckled his belt. “Well, since you promised not to peek…”
20
Tess did make a moderate effort not to peek, since she had promised that she wouldn’t, but she failed miserably. Silently justifying the broken promise in her mind, she decided that he must have known she was teasing, since he had laughed with such vigor. Besides, she had been quite obviously looking through her hands when he stood and began to undress.
He made short work of removing his shiny black dress shoes and diamond patterned lightweight cotton socks. When he unbuttoned his crisp white shirt and shrugged it off his muscular shoulders, she dropped her hand in the water––not bothering any longer to pretend not to look. Her eyes were drawn to his tanned, toned skin like they were magnetized to him.
His eyes locked with hers as he undid his pants and lowered them. She knew she probably should look away, but she simply couldn’t. His black boxer briefs were as modest as a bathing suit would have been, yet they were ever so much more titillating.
When he dipped a toe into the steaming water, he sounded like a tour guide as he said, “The surface of this mineral-rich pool stays at a steady one-hundred degrees Fahrenheit, but sometimes––like tonight––it just feels hotter.”
She nodded up at him, wondering if she had anything to do with tonight’s perceived extra heat. He sank down into the roiling water and looked as relaxed and comfortable as she felt.
It wasn’t lost on her that he had chosen to sit in a spot located far enough from her that even the strictest of chaperones would have approved. She was tempted to move closer to him, but she didn’t want to appear too brash and forward.
They relaxed in silence for a bit. When Tess’s curiosity and excitement got the better of her, she said, “You know, you promised me on the night of the gala that you wouldn’t touch me.”
He opened one eye and peered at her. “Of course,” he responded. “You were tipsy, and I would never take advantage of a situation like that.”
Seeing an opening, Tess tried to sound flirty when she said, “Well, I haven’t been drinking tonight, and you haven’t made any promises not to touch me.” She let her heavy-handed hint hang in the air between them.
“I suppose that is true,” he responded noncommittally, making Tess immediately regret being so uncharacteristically forward.
When the awkward silence loomed between them, Tess tried to think of a way to backtrack from her earlier implied invitation, but she came up dry.
When Sebastian finally broke the silence, he made her feel even worse. “You wanted the prince for yourself.” Tess started to defend herself, so he added, “And that’s okay. But he chose your friend, and I refuse to be a consolation prize.”
Anger flared white-hot within Tess. How dare he tell her about her own feelings?!? Shouldn’t she be the one deciding who was her first choice?
Not bothering to grace his accusations with a response, she arose and stepped gingerly out of the hot spring. Dripping wet, she grabbed her towel and cover-up before jogging up the path towards the castle.
She bolted so fast Sebastian barely had time to react. He called after her, but she wanted nothing more than to get away from him.
21
Tess quickly dried off and donned her light cover-up before going back inside the castle. When she arrived at their bedroom, she was pleased to see that Mo was back from her evening of romance with the prince.
As soon as the women saw each other, they said in unison, “I had a terrible night!” When they realized that they had both expressed the same sentiment, they each said, “What happened?... You go first… No you…” By the end of their nearly identical string of word selections, they both burst out with laughter.
The stress of the entire trip, attempting to learn and remember the intricacies of royal protocol, and their individual man troubles bubbled out in their giggling outburst. Once their laughter subsided, they flopped down onto Mo’s bed and Tess said, “Tell me.”
Mo’s face crumpled. “Pierce is so amazing. He’s nothing like the man I would have pictured myself ending up with, yet he’s somehow perfect for me. I mean, the royal thing is kind of a turn off.” Seeming to realize what she had just said and who she had said it to, Mo bit her lip. “Sorry, I know about your ‘marrying a prince’ fantasy.”
Tess rolled her eyes and nodded. She didn’t want her friend to think she begrudged Mo the right to happiness, even if it was with a prince. “It was just a childish daydream,” she tried, but she sensed that the excuse fell flat. Mo knew Tess well enough to realize that she had never quite been able to let that particular dream go.
Deciding not to get into that awkward discussion right now, Mo got back to her explanation. “Anyway, on paper we seem so wrong for each other. I mean, I’m a daredevil, who gets a thrill from bungee jumping and skydiving, while he’s an actual prince, who will soon be King, and completely responsible for an entire island; but when we’re together none of that matters.”
Tess nodded, having seen the enamored way the two of them gazed at each other. “I’m ready to take our relationship to the next level, but he is being a perfect gentleman. He hasn’t done anything more than kiss me, despite my blatant hints that I am open to a more physical relationship.”
Although she was surprised at Mo’s quick jump to wanting to be intimate with the prince, she hid her shock. She knew her friend had strong feelings for the man, but Mo was normally much more cautious and slow-moving about such things.
“His mother hates me, and she is insisting that he keep his options open for the royal ball. It’s like she’s hoping that he’ll find someone there that will be better ‘wife material,’ so he can dump me.”
Mo paused, obviously waiting for Tess to weigh in. Tess wasn’t sure how to console her friend because she feared that she was exactly right about the queen’s intentions. It was clear that the woman didn’t approve of either of them, and that she would be thrilled if Pierce discovered a companion that she found to be more suitable for him at the ball.
Turning frightened light green eyes on Tess, Mo squeaked, “What if he does find someone better for him than me?”
Tess had never heard her friend sounding so self-conscious. Normally, Mo was completely self-assured. The queen’s obvious disapproval must really have her rattled. “Someone better than you? Impossible.” Tess weighed in, hoping to make her friend feel better.
“Someone better for him than me,” Mo clarified. “We both know I’m not princess material. There will be all kinds of graceful, polite, and beautiful women at this ball scrambling for Pierce’s attention. What if he sees how much more appropriate they are to become royalty than I am?”
The fear in Mo’s eyes was genuine. Tess wanted to alleviate it, but she wasn’t sure how best to do that. She finally settled on, “He’d have to be crazy to not see what a wonderful, amazing, and beautiful person you are. Is he crazy?”
Mo was looking down and didn’t respond to Tess’s question, so Tess prodded her again. “Is Pierce crazy?”
“No,” Mo finally mumbled.
Smiling, Tess added, “No, he’s not crazy, so he will choose you.” She acted like her wild leap was a foregone conclusion.
It must have worked because Mo looke
d up at her with renewed hope shining in her eyes. “You think so?”
“I know so,” Tess assured her, even as she hoped that she was right.
Obviously feeling better, Mo asked, “Why was your night terrible?”
“Sebastian,” Tess responded, as if that answered the question. When Mo raised her brows, indicating that she wanted more of an explanation than that, Tess lifted her shoulders. “He thinks I want to be with the prince, rather than him.”
It was as if Mo had been waiting for the perfect opening to bring this up. She looked Tess directly in the eyes, hoping to get a true reading on her reaction before asking, “Would you prefer to be with Pierce?”
22
Scandalized, Tess screeched. “What?!? No!”
The relief swept in a wave over Mo’s face. It was obvious that she had been concerned that Tess might be coveting her relationship with the prince.
Guilt overwhelmed Tess when she realized that Mo had been so worried about this. Taking her friend’s hands within her own, she said, “I always thought I wanted a prince, but that doesn’t mean that I would begrudge you the chance of happiness with one.”
“I know,” Mo admitted before adding, “But I feel like I’ve stepped in and stolen your dream. I never even thought about being with a prince, but now I am here going to etiquette lessons and royal balls. It’s like I somehow became the unwitting heroine of your story.”
Tess didn’t want Mo to feel bad about finding love––even though the way it worked out for her was what Tess had always wanted for herself. “Sweetheart, it is kind of you to worry about my feelings, but all I want is for you to be happy. If that happens to be with a prince, even better––if you decide that’s what you want.”
“I think I do want it,” Mo nodded. “I just don’t think I’m girly enough to pull off being a real princess. You’re the one with the manicured nails and perfectly coiffed hair. You even brought your own silk pillowcase,” Mo raised a hand to indicate Tess’s bed.
“Silk helps prevent wrinkles,” Tess answered flippantly as if everyone should know that. Suddenly remembering whom she was speaking to, she added, “We will figure out all the girly stuff together.” Her promise immediately brightened Mo’s face.
Seeming to find renewed purpose, Mo brought the conversation back to Tess by asking, “What are we going to do about Sebastian?”
“Get him a crown,” Tess teased, but the joke fell flat. The sad look Mo gave her made Tess immediately feel guilty for joking about it. “Please don’t feel bad,” she started. “Do I wish that I was the one with a prince? Of course. But that doesn’t mean that I would change things, even if I could. There’s something special about Sebastian.” Her eyes took on a dreamy look when she decided, “I like being around him, whether he’s in line for the crown or not.”
The firm knock at their door startled them both. It was late, so neither woman could imagine what could be so urgent that it couldn’t wait until morning. By silent agreement, they went across the room together to see what was up.
When they cracked the door and peeked out, they were delighted to see Pierce and Sebastian on the other side. Stepping back to open the door wide, both women beamed at their visitors.
It was Sebastian who broke the silence. “I was promised a late-night sweet treat, but you ran off before we could scavenge the kitchen.” His words sounded accusatory, but the flirtatious smile he gave Tess eased any tension.
Resting his arm loosely around Pierce’s shoulder, he said, “And I found this guy aimlessly wandering the halls.” He grinned at Mo when he added, “He seems lost without you.”
The prince smiled and looked down, but didn’t deny the accuracy of Sebastian’s statement. Mo’s cheeks brightened to a lovely shade of pink. Tess had never seen her friend blush so much––outside of a flare of anger over missing a shot on the ball field.
Tess asked the men, “Don’t you two sleep?”
Openly flirting, Sebastian responded, “Who needs sleep when there are two beautiful women under our roof who deserve dessert?”
“Nice answer,” she purred, silently forgiving Sebastian for accusing her of only being interested in the prince. Deciding for both of them, she said, “We’ll meet you downstairs in the kitchen in five minutes.”
The men nodded their agreement, so the women closed the door and scrambled to find something cute, casual, and appropriate to wear to meet them. The prince had been wearing a long, silk robe and tan moccasin-style slippers. Sebastian looked like he was ready for a run in a navy blue tracksuit.
Mo donned the comfy, terry cloth robe with deep pockets that had been provided in her bathroom. It was big enough to fit comfortably over the striped pajama pants and tee shirt she had been wearing when they answered the door.
Tess changed out of her wet bathing suit and cover up and decided on a pink velour two-piece jogging outfit that was similar to what Sebastian had been wearing.
They both put on slippers before sneaking out of their room. It was thrilling to be somewhat naughty by traipsing around the castle late at night, in their jammies.
When they arrived in the huge kitchen, they were pleased to see that the men had already set about making them a delicious midnight snack of ice cream with fruit on top. Sebastian was scooping out large spheres of vanilla and chocolate into two jumbo-sized bowls.
“Aren’t you two having any?” Tess asked, quirking an eyebrow at the two bowls.
“We thought we could share,” Sebastian paused his scooping duties to grin at her.
The prince washed and sliced fresh strawberries to top their frozen dessert. Mo watched his hands deftly cut the fruit. “I’m surprised to see that you know your way around the kitchen,” she told him. “Don’t you have ‘people’ to take care of such things?”
She kept her voice light, but Pierce sensed that his coddled lifestyle was one of the things that most concerned Mo about their budding relationship. “You might be surprised at the many and varied things I can do with finesse,” he flirted with her, making her smile prettily.
While the men finished their jobs, Tess went to investigate the industrial-sized stainless steel refrigerator. She emerged with a plastic container of chocolate sauce and a can of whipped cream.
Mo found spoons, while Tess doctored their ice cream with additional sweet toppings. Once the desserts were perfected, Tess handed a bowl to Mo, lifted her own to clink against it, and said, “Cheers!”
With that, they each grabbed a spoon and dug into their ice cream. After a few moments of savoring the delicious treat, curiosity got the better of Tess. “So, do you two bring a lot of women down here?” she asked around a spoonful of ice cream.
Pierce answered. “No. Sebastian is too picky,” he teased his friend. “He doesn’t think anyone is good enough for me.”
Tess was surprised and touched to find out that Sebastian was the one who was protective of his friend. It delighted her that Mo had evidently passed his test and been found to be worthy of the prince. She hopped up to sit casually on the prep counter and Mo followed suit. Each of the men moved to stand closely in front of the appropriate woman, so they could continue to share their ice cream.
“What about you two?” Sebastian asked, looking at Tess. “Do you have a lot of men chasing after you and bringing you to exotic islands?”
“No, this is a first,” Mo snorted before adding, “Tess always has men chasing after her, but she always holds back, waiting for her prince.”
The look of disappointment was immediately obvious on Sebastian’s face. Mo lifted a hand to her mouth, suddenly realizing the implications of what she said.
“I mean someone special or worthy of her,” Mo amended, trying to fix the damage that had already been done. “Sorry,” she mouthed to her friend, even as Sebastian backed away from Tess to lean against the counter across from her.
Tess never broke eye contact with Sebastian when she sat their bowl down beside her and said, “I am looking for a prince.” She
lifted her chin and went on, “I’m not ashamed to admit it, but I mean a prince in the metaphorical sense.”
Sebastian openly watched her as she spoke. “I want someone who will swoop in and make me feel like I’m the only woman in the room… the only woman in any room. He will risk it all to let me know that I am what matters. I need to feel desired and loved beyond reason.”
Putting her heart on the line, she went on. “It’s true, I always thought the only man that would be able to do that would be a real prince, but now I’m wondering if a regular man might be able to make me feel that way. I think the right man could be my prince, even though he isn’t in line for a throne.”
Tess felt open and exposed as Sebastian stared at her. It seemed like an eternity, while he sat as immobile as a statue. When he swallowed audibly, she lifted a hand to her throat. The waiting for his reaction seemed interminable.
When he finally moved, the stress-filled wait was made worthwhile. He bridged the gap between them in two long strides. Tilting his head, he leaned in and brushed her lips with his own. Tess lifted a hand to entwine her fingers through his hair at the back of his neck.
He pulled back and they sat there for a long moment, their lips a fraction of an inch apart. “I want to be your prince,” he told her before kissing her again.
“Yes,” she moaned as their lips danced together.
Taking the not-at-all subtle hint, the real prince suggested to Mo, “Let’s go for a walk.”
Smiling widely, but glad to be getting away from the public display of affection, Mo nodded and hopped down from the counter. The prince caught her, gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, and led her out of the kitchen so they could go find their own private place to canoodle.
Tess and Sebastian were vaguely aware that the other two had left, but they only had eyes for each other. Pressing her palm against his cheek, Tess said, “Who needs a royal bloodline, when I have you?”
