A Bride for the Island Prince

by Winters, Rebecca

  “Alex—” She half groaned his name before taking the initiative to kiss him. When she realized she’d been the one to make it happen, it was too late to change her mind. Their mouths met in mutual hunger. She wrapped her arms around his neck, wanting to merge with him.

  With one hand cupping the back of her head, his other wandered over her spine and hips, drawing her closer. The kiss she’d started went on and on. She desired him too terribly to do anything that would cut off the divine experience of giving and taking pleasure like this.

  In the background she heard the children’s muffled laughter. She didn’t know if they’d peeked in this room and had seen them or not, but the sound was too close for comfort. Much as she never wanted to leave Alex’s arms, she slid her hands back down his chest and tried to ease away from him so he would relinquish her mouth.

  “I heard them,” he whispered before she could say anything. Alex had the uncanny ability to read her mind.

  “I hope Zoe didn’t see us.”

  He sucked in his breath and cupped her face in his hands. “I hate to break this to you, but she woke at the last minute on the yacht.”

  Guilt swept through her, making her whole body go white-hot.

  “Every little four-year-old girl has seen the movie of Snow White. My Zoe knows that when Prince Charming kissed the princess awake, it was true love that worked the charm.”

  What he was telling her now caused Dottie’s body to shake with fright. “You don’t think she really sees us that way—”

  His handsome features hardened. “Who’s to say? In her eyes you’re her mommy. Zoe has never seen me kiss another woman. I have brought you to my castle. The way you and I were devouring each other just now has probably set the seal in her mind.”

  Aghast, Dottie propelled herself away from him. “Then you have to unset it, Alex.”

  “I’m afraid it’s too late. You might as well know the rest.”

  She folded her arms to her waist to stay calm. “What more is there?”

  “Sofia had a private word with me this morning before I left the palace. Just as Hector spies for my grandmother, Sofia is my eyes and ears where Zoe is concerned. It seems my daughter told her grandmother that you and I were leaving for Aurum today. But she told her not to cry. When we have the baby, we’ll bring it to see Yiayia.”

  Dottie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but the tears won out. The sound that escaped her lips was probably as unintelligible as Zoe’s word for Hector. Four consonants. All difficult. “Your grandmother’s world truly has come crashing down on her.”

  She saw his body tauten before he caught her in his arms once more. He shook her gently. “What has happened between you and me wasn’t planned. For two years I’ve been telling the queen I’ll never marry again, so it’s absurd for you to be feeling guilt of any kind over Genevieve.” He kissed her wet eyelids, then her whole face.

  “It’s not so much guilt as the fear I feel for Zoe. She’s attached herself to me because of her speech problem. I won’t be here much longer, but every day that I stay, it’s going to make the ultimate separation that much harder.”

  A shudder passed through his body she could feel. “You think I’m not aware of that?”

  She broke free of him. “I know you are, but we’ve got to lay down some ground rules. I don’t ever want her to see us together like we are now. We can’t be alone again. This has to be the end so she won’t fantasize about us, Alex. It’s no good. I’m going to my room to unpack and settle in. Go be with her and Mark right now. Please.”

  Blind with pain, she left him standing there ashen-faced.

  On Wednesday evening of the following week, Alex’s mood was as foul as Stasio’s. Five days ago Dottie had virtually told him goodbye on the island, but he couldn’t handle it any longer and needed to see her. Something had to be done or he was going to go out of his mind.

  Philippe had just left to fly home to Vallader, but he would be coming back with his family to attend the coronation on Saturday just a week off now. Until then Alex and his brother were alone.

  Stasio cast him a probing glance. “I do believe you’re as restless as I am.”

  Alex gritted his teeth. “You’re right.” He shot to his feet. “Alert security and come with me. I’m leaving for Aurum to say good-night to Zoe.”

  “And Dottie?”

  “I don’t want to talk about her. After Zoe’s asleep we’ll do some riding and camp out in the mountains.” At least that was what he was telling himself now. Wild with pain, he spun around.

  “When it comes to a woman, I can’t have what I really want. Even if I could, she wouldn’t want me. She adored her husband. Why do you think she’s still single? No man measures up. The day after your coronation, she’ll be leaving the country whether the new speech therapist replacing her has arrived or not.”

  “Zoe won’t stand for it.”

  “She’ll have to,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “We’re all going to have to go on doing our duty. You’ve never been able to have what you really wanted. You think I don’t know what’s been going on inside of you? It’s killing me.”

  Stasio stopped midstride. His tormented expression said it all. “What do you want to do, little brother?”

  Alex’s brows had formed a black bar above his eyes. “Let’s get out of here. Gather anything you need and I’ll meet you at the helipad.”

  Before long they were winging their way to Aurum. Once they’d landed, Zoe came running with a couple of the other children who lived on the estate. Inez chatted with him for a minute.

  Alex picked up his daughter and hugged her hard. “I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve been waiting for you, Daddy. I missed you, too.”

  He kissed her curls. “Where’s Dottie?”

  “In town.” Tears crept down her cheeks. “She said I couldn’t go with her.”

  Naturally Zoe hadn’t been happy about that. Though Alex couldn’t argue with Dottie’s decision, the news sent his heart plunging to his feet. She’d warned him that she would never be alone with him again and she’d meant it.

  “How about a hug for me!” Stasio drew her into his arms to give Alex a chance to pull himself together.

  Inez gathered up the other children, leaving the men alone with Zoe. They talked about Mark. “I’m sorry he had a cold and couldn’t come today.”

  “Do you think he can come tomorrow?”

  “I’ll find out.”

  “I know he wants to come. Dot told us that after our lesson she’d take us out to look for ducks. He can’t wait!”

  Of course he couldn’t. Any time spent with Dottie was pure enchantment.

  “Will you ask his mommy?”

  “You know I will.”

  Stasio put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be at the stable getting the horses ready.”

  He nodded. “Come on, my little princess. It’s getting late. Time to go to bed.”

  As she chatted with him, he realized he was starting to hear true sounds coming out of her and she was doing a lot more talking. In a month’s time Dottie had already made a profound difference in her. All the thanks in the world would never be able to express his gratitude adequately to her.

  For the next half hour he read stories to Zoe, then it was time for her prayers. At the end she said, “Bless my daddy and my Dot.”

  He blinked. She’d said Dot distinctly! He’d heard the D and the T, plus the ah in the middle.

  Tears sprang to his eyes. This was Dottie’s doing. She’d been trying to get her to say Dot instead of mommy. Just now the word had passed Zoe’s lips naturally. A miracle had happened. He wanted to shout his elation, but he didn’t dare because she was ready to go to sleep.

  The sudden realization hit Alex hard. He loved Dottie Richards. He loved her to the depth of his being. He wanted her in his life forever and needed to tell her so she wouldn’t leave him or Zoe. There had to be a way to keep her
here and he was going to find it.

  Once his daughter was dead to the world, he stole out of her room and raced to the stable to tell his brother there’d been a major breakthrough with Zoe. It was providential he and Stasio were going riding. Alex did his best thinking on the back of a horse. Tonight he would need all his powers of reasoning to come up with a solution.

  But as he approached his brother, Stasio’s phone rang. One look at his face after he’d picked up and Alex knew there was trouble.

  “That was Hector,” he said after ringing off. “Yiayia isn’t well. The doctor is with her, but he thinks we should come home.” They stared at each other. With the queen ill, their best-laid plans would have to wait.

  Alex informed Inez. By tacit agreement they left for the helipad. Tonight’s shining moment with Zoe had been swallowed up in this new crisis with their grandmother. When they arrived back on Hellenica, Hector was waiting for them in their grandmother’s suite.

  “The doctor has already left. He says the queen’s ulcer is acting up again. He gave her medicine for it and now she’s sleeping comfortably. I’m sorry to have bothered you.”

  Stasio eyed Alex in relief. “Thanks for letting us know, Hector. It could have been much more serious. We’re glad you told us.”

  “Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness.”

  “You’ve been with our grandmother much longer than we have. No one’s been more devoted.” Stasio’s glance rested on Alex. “Shall we go to my suite?”

  He nodded at his brother. Both of them needed a good stiff drink about now. As he turned to leave, Hector cleared his throat. “Prince Alexius? If I may have a private word with you first.”

  Something strange was going on for Hector to address him so formally. Alex eyed his brother who looked equally baffled. “I’ll be with you in a minute, Stasi.”

  After he walked off, Hector said, “Could we talk in your suite, Your Highness?”

  “Of course.” But the request was unprecedented. As they headed to his apartment, Alex had an unpleasant foreboding. Their grandmother was probably sicker than Hector had let on, but he didn’t want to burden Stasio, who walked around with enough guilt for a defeated army. The decision to call off his wedding to Beatriz had dealt a near-lethal blow to their grandmother, and poor Hector had been caught in the fallout.

  Once they’d entered the living room, Alex invited the older man to sit down, but he insisted on remaining standing, so they faced each other.

  “You have my complete attention, Hector. What is it?”

  “When’s my daddy coming?”

  Dottie had been swimming in the pool on Aurum with Zoe while they waited for Alex. “Last night he told you he would be here after your lesson, didn’t he?”

  “Yes. I want him to hurry. I hope Mark’s still not sick.”

  “We’ll find out soon enough, because I can hear your daddy’s helicopter.” They both looked up.

  When Dottie saw it, the realization that Alex would be walking out here in a few minutes almost put her into cardiac arrest. No mere hormones or physical attraction to a man could cause these feelings that made her world light up just to hear his name or know he was in the vicinity.

  She was in love. She knew that now. She was in love again, for the second time in her life, and she cried out at the injustice. Her first love and son had been struck down so cruelly, she’d wondered how she could ever build another life for herself.

  Now here she was carrying on with her career and doomed to love again, only this man was a prince who was off-limits to her. By the time of the coronation, Zoe would be snatched from her, too, and she’d be left a totally empty vessel. Blackness weighed her down. What am I going to do?

  While Zoe shouted with excitement and hurried across the tiles to meet her father, who’d be striding through the entry any second, Dottie got out of the pool and raced to her own room. To be with him would only succeed in pouring acid on a newly opened wound that would never heal.

  Knowing Alex needed time alone with his daughter, Dottie would give it to him. Quickly she showered and changed into denims and a top before checking her emails. Dr. Rice had sent her another message.

  Dear Mrs. Richards,

  Success at last. Your replacement’s name is Mrs. Miriam Hawes. She’ll be arriving in Athens tomorrow. All the arrangements have been made. When you return to New York, I have a new three-year-old girl who needs testing. We’ll enjoy having you back. Good luck and keep me posted.

  Dr. Rice.

  Dottie read the words again before burying her face in her hands. While she was sobbing, a little princess came running into her room and caught her in the act.

  “Why are you crying?” She put her face right up against Dottie’s. “Do you have a boo-boo?”

  Zoe could say boo-boo well enough to be understood. Nothing could have pleased Dottie more, but right now pain consumed her. Yes. Dottie had a big boo-boo, one that had crumbled her heart into tiny pieces.

  She sniffed and wiped the moisture off her face. “I hurt myself getting out of the pool.” It wasn’t a lie. In her haste she’d scraped her thigh on the side, but she would live. “Did Mark come?”

  “Yes. He’s running after the peacock.” Dottie laughed through the tears. “Can he pull out one of its big feathers?”

  “No, darling. That would hurt it.”

  “Oh.” Obviously she hadn’t thought about that aspect. “Daddy wants you to come.”

  Dottie had wondered when the bell would toll. She had no choice but to walk out and say hello to Alex and Mark, who were already in the pool whooping it up. Zoe ran to join them.

  “Good afternoon, Your Highness.”

  His all-encompassing black gaze swept over her. “Good afternoon,” he said in his deep, sensuous voice. Her body quickened at the change in him from last Saturday when there’d been nothing but painful tension between them.

  “I’m glad you brought Mark with you. How are you feeling today, Mark?”

  “Good. I didn’t have a temperature, so my mom said I could come.”

  Dottie took her usual place on the edge and dangled her bare feet in the water. “Well we’re very happy you’re here, aren’t we, Zoe?” She nodded while she hung on to her daddy’s neck. “Zoe tells me you’d like to take a peacock feather home for a souvenir.”

  “Yeah. Could I?”

  The sudden glance Alex flashed Dottie was filled with mirth. He wasn’t the same man of a few days ago. She hardly recognized him. “What do you say about that, Prince Alexius?”

  By now he’d put Zoe up on his powerful shoulders. He looked like a god come to life. “Tell you what, Mark. That peacock is going to moult in another month. When he does, he’ll shed his tail feathers. You and Zoe can follow him around. When he drops them, you can take home as many as he leaves.”

  “Thanks!”

  “Cool, Daddy.”

  Alex burst into laughter. “What did you just say to me?”

  “‘Cool,’” Mark answered for her.

  “That’s what I thought she said.”

  “I’ve been teaching her.”

  Zoe patted her daddy’s head. “Can Mark come to Uncle Stasi’s coronation?”

  Alex’s black eyes pinned Dottie’s body to the tiles at the edge of the pool. The day after she was leaving Hellenica. “His family has already been invited.”

  “My family?” Mark’s eyes had rounded like blue marbles.

  “Yiayia says we have to be quiet,” Zoe warned him.

  “I won’t talk.”

  “It’s going to be a very great occasion in the cathedral,” Dottie explained to him. “Hellenica is going to get a new king. You’ll be able to see the crown put on his head.”

  She nodded. “It gave my pappou a headache.”

  Dottie broke down laughing. Despite the fact that part of her was dying inside, she couldn’t hold it back.

  “Hey—that’s not funny!” Stasio
’s voice broke in. “Do you know the imperial crown of Hellenica weighs over five pounds? I’ll have to wear a five-pound sack of flour on my head the whole day before to get used to it.”

  “Uncle Stasi!” Zoe called to him in delight and clapped her hands. Dottie hadn’t realized he’d come with Alex.

  “That’s my name.” He grinned before doing a belly flop in the pool. The splash got everyone wet. When he came up for air, he looked at the children. “You’d better watch out. I heard there was a shark in here.”

  “Uh-oh.” While the children shrieked, Dottie jumped up. “This is where I opt out.”

  Without looking back she walked across the tiles to her room. She thought she was alone until she saw Alex. He’d followed her dressed in nothing more than his wet black swimming trunks. Dottie’s heartbeat switched to hyperspeed. “You’re not supposed to be in here. That was our agreement.”

  He stood there with his hands on his hips. “Last night that agreement was rendered null and void.”

  “Why?” she whispered in nervous bewilderment.

  His eyes narrowed on her features. “You may well ask, but now isn’t the time to answer that question. The queen has been sick, but she’s starting to feel better and is missing Zoe. I promised to take her back to Hellenica. Stasi has volunteered to babysit the children on the flight while you and I take the cruiser. We’ll leave here as soon as you’re ready. Pack what you want to take for overnight.” On that note, he disappeared.

  Dottie gathered up some things, not surprised the queen wanted to see Zoe. It would lift her spirits. Before long they were ready and left with Alex for the dock in the limo. Once on board, he maneuvered the cruiser out of the small bay at a wakeless speed, then opened the throttle and the boat shot ahead.

  The helicopter dipped low and circled above them so the children could wave to them. Dottie waved back. She could tell they were having the time of their lives. Alex beeped the horn three times before the helicopter flew on.

  “That’s precious cargo up there,” she told him. “The two little sad sacks of a month ago have undergone a big transformation. I had no idea if the experiment would work, but I honestly think they like each other.”