His eyes met hers. “You’re not only intelligent, but knowledgeable. We’ll anchor out in the bay. The head mining engineer is coming aboard for a business lunch. He’s also my closest friend.”
“Where did you meet?”
“We were getting our mining engineering degrees at the same time, both here and in Colorado at the school of mines.”
“That’s why your English is amazing. Is your friend married?”
“Yes. He has a new baby.”
“That’s nice for him.”
“Very nice. He’s in love with his wife and she with him.”
Dottie couldn’t bear to talk about that subject. “Tell me about the tall island beyond Argentum with the green patches?”
“That’s Aurum, where Zoe and I normally live.” He hadn’t put on his shirt yet. She could feel his body radiating heat. “As you guessed correctly, rich gold deposits on the other side of the mountain were discovered there centuries ago. Bari and I are both passionate about our work. There are many more mining projects to be explored. I’m anxious to get back to them.”
By now she was trembling from their close proximity. Needing a reason to move away from him, she put the binoculars on the table and picked up her lemonade. “Do you miss Aurum?”
“Yes.” His dark gaze wandered over her, sending her pulse rate off the charts. “Zoe and I prefer it to Hellenica. The palace there is much smaller with more trees and vegetation that keep it cooler. We’ll take you next week so Zoe can show you the garden off her room.”
Dottie let the comment pass because if she were still here by then, she had no intention of going there with him. It wouldn’t be a good idea. Not a good idea at all. “Do you get her to preschool by helicopter, then?”
He nodded. “Once she’s in kindergarten, she’ll go to a school on Aurum, but nothing is going to happen until after the coronation.” After swallowing the contents of his drink without taking a breath, he reached for his shirt. “Shall we go below and freshen up before Bari comes on board?”
She followed the two of them down the steps of the elegant yacht to the luxurious cabins. “Come with us.” Zoe pulled on her hand.
Dottie bent over. “I have my own cabin down the hallway.”
“How come?”
“Because I’m a guest.”
She looked at her daddy. “Make her come.”
“Zoe? We have our room, and she has hers,” he said in his princely parental voice as Dottie thought of it.
To the surprise of both of them, Zoe kept hold of Dottie’s hand. “I want to be with you.”
“It’s all right, Your Highness,” Dottie said before he could protest. “Zoe and I will freshen up together and meet you on deck in a little while.” Their family was going through deep turmoil. The burden of what his brother had done had set off enormous ramifications and Alex was feeling them.
For that matter, so was Zoe, who’d behaved differently today. With the advent of Prince Stasio’s stunning news, she couldn’t have helped but pick up on the tension radiating from the queen and her father during breakfast. She might not understand all that was going on, but she sensed upheaval. That’s why she’d given up on her lesson so easily.
His eyes narrowed in what she assumed was speculation. “You’re sure?”
“Do you even have to ask?” Dottie had meant what she’d told him last week about his needing some pampering. He had work to do with Mr. Jouflas, but no one else was there to help him with Zoe the way he needed it. Dottie found she wanted to ease his burden. He’d made sacrifices for the love of his country. Now it was her turn, no matter how small.
“You’re operating under an abnormal amount of strain right now. You could use a little help. I don’t know how you’ve been doing this balancing act for such a long time.” She smiled at Zoe. “Come on.”
Dottie saw the relief on his face and knew she’d said the right thing. “In that case I’ll send the steward to your cabin with a fresh change of clothes for her.”
“That would be perfect.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
DOTTIE felt Alex staring at her before they disappeared inside. Since she’d been trying so hard to keep a professional distance with his daughter, he knew this was an about-face for her. But no one could have foreseen this monarchial disaster.
Alex was being torn apart by his love for his brother, his grandmother and the future of the crown itself. He was Atlas holding up the world with no help in sight. This was a day like no other. If Dottie could ease a little of his burden where Zoe was concerned, then she wanted to.
“I’ve got an idea, Zoe. After you shower, we’ll take a little nap on the beds. The heat has made me sleepy.”
“Me, too.”
There were two queen beds. Before long she’d tucked Zoe under the covers.
“Dot? Will you please stay with Daddy and me forever? I know you’re not my mommy, but Daddy said you were once a mommy.”
She struggled for breath. “Yes. I had a little boy named Cory who had to work on his speech, just like you.”
“What happened to him?”
“He died in a car accident with my husband.”
“So you’re all alone.”
“Yes,” she murmured, but for the first time it wasn’t hard to talk about. The conversation with Alex last night had been cathartic.
“My mommy died and now Daddy and I are all alone.”
“Except that you have your great-grandmother and your uncle.”
“But I want you.”
Dottie wanted to be with Zoe all the time, too. Somehow she’d gotten beyond her deep sadness and would love to care permanently for this child. But it was impossible in too many ways to even consider.
“Let’s be happy we’re together right now, shall we?” she said in a shaky voice.
“Yes.” Zoe finally closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Dotti took her own shower and dressed in a clean pair of jeans and a blouse. When she came out of the bathroom, the other bed looked inviting. She thought she’d lie down on top while she waited for Zoe to wake up.
The next thing she knew, she heard a familiar male voice whispering her name. Slightly disoriented, she rolled over and discovered Alex sitting on the side of the bed. She’d been dreaming about him, but to see his gorgeous self in the flesh this close to her gave her heart a serious workout. His eyes were like black fires. They trapped hers, making it impossible for her to look away.
“Thank you for stepping in.”
She studied his features. “I wanted to.”
“With your help I was able to conclude our business lunch in record time and came in to bring Zoe a change of clothes. Do you have any idea how beautiful you are lying there?”
Dottie couldn’t swallow. She tried to move away, but he put an arm across her body so she was tethered to him. “Please let me go,” she begged. “Zoe will be awake any minute now.”
He leaned over her, running a hand up her arm. The feel of skin against hot skin brought every nerve ending alive. “I’ll take any minute I can steal. Being alone with you is all I’ve been able to think about.”
“Alex—” she cried as his dark head descended.
“I love it when you say my name in that husky voice.” He covered her mouth with his own in an exploratory kiss as if this were their first time and they were in no hurry whatsoever. He took things slow in the beginning, tantalizing her until it wasn’t enough. Then their kiss grew deeper and more sensuous. His restless lips traveled over every centimeter of her face and throat before capturing her mouth again and again.
The other night he’d kindled a fire in her that had never died down. Now his mastery conjured the flames licking through her body with the speed of a forest fire in full conflagration.
Out of breath, he buried his face in the side of her neck. “I want you, Dottie. I’ve never wanted any woman so much, and I know you want me.”
“I think tha
t’s been established,” she admitted against his jaw that hadn’t seen a razor since early morning. She delighted in every masculine line and angle of his well-honed body. With legs and arms entwined, their mouths clung as their passion grew more frenzied. They tried to appease their hunger, but no kiss was long enough or deep enough to satisfy the desire building.
He’d taken them to a new level. She felt cherished. Like the wedding vow repeated by the groom, it seemed as if Alex was worshipping her with his body. But in the midst of this rapture only he could have created, she heard the blare of a ship’s horn. With it came the realization that this was no wedding night and a groan escaped her throat.
She’d actually been making out with Prince Alexius of Hellenica on his royal yacht! Never mind that it was the middle of the day and his daughter was asleep in the next bed. What if Zoe had awakened and had been watching them?
Horrified to have gotten this carried away, Dottie wrenched her mouth from his and slipped out of his arms. So deep was his entrancement, she’d caught him off guard. Thankfully she was able to get to her feet before he could prevent it, but in her weakened state she almost fell over.
“Dottie?” he called her name in longing, but she didn’t dare stay in here and be seduced by the spell he’d cast over her. On the way out of the cabin she grabbed her purse and hurried down the corridor to the stairs.
At the top of the gangway the deck steward smiled at her. “Mrs. Richards? We’ve docked on Hellenica. You’re welcome to go ashore whenever you please.”
Could he tell she’d been kissed breathless by the prince? The sun she’d picked up couldn’t account for mussed hair and swollen lips, too.
The queen didn’t deserve to hear this bit of gossip on top of Prince Stasio’s shocking news. Every second Dottie stayed on board, she was contributing to more court intrigue. She couldn’t bear it. In fact she couldn’t believe they were back at the main island already. She’d been in such a completely different world with Alex, she’d lost track of everything including her wits.
“Th-thank you,” her voice faltered. Without hesitation, she left the yacht and got in the waiting limousine. While she was still alone, she brushed her hair and applied some lipstick, trying to make herself presentable.
A few minutes later Alex approached the car with Zoe. “Dot!” she cried and climbed in next to her.
“Did you just wake up?” Dottie concentrated on Zoe, studiously avoiding his eyes. “You were a sleepyhead.”
Zoe thought that was funny. She chatted happily with her daddy until they reached the palace where Hector stood outside the entry.
“Welcome back, Your Highness. The queen is waiting for you and the princess to join her and Prince Stasio in her suite.”
A royal summons. It didn’t surprise Dottie. She’d had visions of the queen herself waiting for them as they drove up to the entrance. For an instant she caught Alex’s enigmatic glance before he alighted from the car. All their lives he and Stasio had been forced to obey that summons. A lesser person would have broken long before now.
She might be an outsider, yet she couldn’t help but want to rebel against this antiquated system she’d only read about in history books. Unbelievable that it was still going on in the twenty-first century!
Alex helped them out of the backseat. “Come on, Dot.” Zoe’s hand had slipped into hers. She had to harden herself against Zoe’s plea. The child’s emotional hold on her was growing stronger with every passing day.
“I’m sorry. The queen has asked for you and your daddy to come, and I have to speak to my director in New York.” Aware Alex’s eyes were on her she said, “You have to go with him. I’ll see you tomorrow when we leave for your preschool.”
Gripping the bag tighter, Dottie hurried inside the palace doors and raced up the stairs. She fled to her suite pursued by demons she’d been fighting from the beginning. Since this afternoon when she’d fallen into Alex’s arms like a ripe plum, those demons had gained a foothold, making her situation precarious.
Her instincts told her to pack her bags and fly back to New York tonight. But if she were to just up and leave Hellenica, it would only exacerbate an already volatile situation with Zoe, who’d poured her heart out to her earlier.
Without hesitation she marched over to the bed and reached for the house phone. “This is Mrs. Richards. Could you bring a car around for me? I’m going into the city.” She’d eat dinner somewhere and do some more sightseeing. After the nap she’d had, it might take hours before she was ready for bed again.
Alex waited for Hector to alert him on the phone. When the call came, he learned Dottie had just returned to the palace. He checked his watch. Ten to ten.
He left Zoe’s bedroom and waited for Dottie at the top of the stairs leading to her suite. This time he didn’t step out of the shadows. He stood there in full view. Halfway up she caught sight of him and slowed her steps. Alarm was written all over her beautiful face. She’d picked up some sun earlier in the day, adding appealing color.
“Alex? What’s wrong?”
Anyone watching them would never know what had gone on between them on the yacht. He’d nearly made love to her and her passion had equalled his. Her breathtaking response had changed his life today.
“Let’s just say there’s a lot wrong around here. Since your arrival in Hellenica, you’ve got me skulking in every conceivable place in order to find time alone with you. At this point you’d have reason to think I’m your personal phantom of the opera.” He drew in a harsh breath. “We have to talk, but not here.” When he saw her stiffen he said, “I know you can’t be commanded, but I’m asking you to come with me as a personal favor.” He’d constructed his words carefully.
Tension sizzled between them as he started down the stairs toward her. To his relief she didn’t fight him. Slowly she followed him to the main floor. They went down the hallway and out a side door where he’d asked that his sports car be brought around.
Alex saw the question in her eyes. “I bought this ten years ago. It’s my getaway car when I need to be alone to think.” He intentionally let her get in by herself because he didn’t trust himself not to touch her. After leaving the grounds, he headed for the road leading to an isolated portion of the coast with rocky terrain.
“But you’re not alone,” she said in a haunted whisper.
“If you mean the bodyguards, you’re right.” He felt her nervousness. “Relax. If I had seduction in mind, we wouldn’t be in this. I purposely chose it in order to keep my hands off you tonight.”
“Alex—”
“Let me finish,” he interrupted. “Whatever you may think about me, I’m not in the habit of luring available women to my bed when the mood strikes me. You came to Hellenica at my request in order to test Zoe. Neither of us could have predicted what would happen after you arrived.
“I can’t speak for you, but I know for a fact that even if your husband’s memory will always be in your heart, the chemistry between us is more powerful than anything I’ve ever felt in my life. We both know it’s not going to go away.”
She lowered her head.
“One night with you could never be enough for me.” He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I know you would never consent to be my mistress, and I would never ask you. But until the coronation is over, I’m requesting your help with Zoe.”
She shifted in the seat. “In what way?”
“Stasio and my daughter both need me desperately, but I can’t be in two places at the same time and still manage the daily affairs of the crown. My brother is going through the blackest period of his life. He’s clinging to me and shutting out our grandmother. She’s beside herself.”
“I can only imagine.”
“I’m worried about both of them and asked the doctor to come. He’s with them now, seeing what can be done to get them through this nightmare. He says I need to be there for Stasio 24/7. I’ve asked our cousin Philippe to fly here and stay fo
r a few days so my brother has someone to talk to he trusts.”
“I’m so sorry, Alex.”
“So am I,” he muttered morosely. “This situation is something that’s been coming on for years. Unfortunately it’s had a negative impact on Zoe. When we got back to the palace today, it took me an hour to settle her down. She wanted to go to your room with you. Tonight she begged me to let you become her official nanny.”
Alex heard a half-smothered moan come out of Dottie. The sound tore him up because any kind of connection to keep her with him was fading fast. “It wouldn’t work.”
“You think I don’t know that?” he bit out. “But as a temporary solution, would you be willing to stay at the palace on Aurum with her until the coronation? She loves it there, especially the garden. One of the staff has grandchildren she plays with. I’d fly over each evening in the helicopter to say good-night.
“When the coronation is over, I’ll be moving back to Aurum with Zoe, and you can return to New York. Hector will see to your flight arrangements. I assume your replacement will arrive soon after that, if not before. But until then, can I rely on your help?”
She nodded without looking at him. “Of course.”
The bands constricting his breathing loosened a little. “Thank you. On Saturday I’ll run you and Zoe over in the cruiser. We’ll skip her preschool next week.”
“Are you still going to go ahead with the arrangements for the Varney boy to come home with Zoe after class tomorrow?”
“Yes,” he murmured. “Any distraction would be better than her being around my grandmother, who’s not in a good way right now. She’s always been a rock, but she never saw this coming with Stasio.”
“You sound exhausted, Alex. Tomorrow will be here before we know it. Let’s go back to the palace.”
She sounded like Hector. Go back. Do your duty. Forget you’re a man with a man’s needs.
Full of rage, he made a sharp U-turn and sped toward the palace tight-lipped, but by the time they reached the entry, he’d turned into one aching entity of pain. He watched the only person who could take it away for good rush away on her gorgeous legs.
A Bride for the Island Prince Page 10
