His Royal Pleasure

by Leanne Banks

  The younger man picked up the jacket and hung it in the closet. “She probably thinks you’re a con man,” he said, closing the door. “And to Katherine the only thing worse than a con man is a politician. Her father was a con man. Her husband was a politician.”

  Alex felt as if he’d just been struck. “Husband. She’s married?”

  “Was. Past tense,” Chad said as he ambled to the lounger and slumped into it. “The guy was a real jerk. She met him at a banquet when she received the Teacher of the Year award.”

  “So you thought he was a jerk.” Al led the conversation where he wanted it to go.

  “Yeah. Robert’s daddy had big bucks, but he wasn’t real happy with Robert’s…lack of productivity. Robert probably wrecked one too many Ferraris.” Chad yawned hugely. “Anyway, his daddy pushed Robert into the political arena. The guy did pretty well. He was getting ready to run for state senate, and he needed an appropriate wife. Katie fit the bill.

  “When Robert’s daddy kicked the bucket, though, Robert inherited all that money, ditched his political career and went to Monte Carlo with an exotic dancer. The scandal sheets had a field day.” Chad’s lower lip curled. “I could have killed him.”

  Chad sighed and looked at Alex. “Katie’ll probably kill me if she finds out I told you this.”

  “She might,” he said absently, feeling not a smidgen of remorse for prying into Katherine’s past. He was still absorbing this new information about Katherine. The idea of her being married bothered him. He wondered if she still loved the man. “If he was such a jerk, why did she get involved with him?”

  “Katie’s got this thing about stability,” Chad offered. “I think Robert pulled a real snow job over her.” Chad went silent for a moment, then looked uncomfortable. “You aren’t trying to put the make on her, are you? She’s had enough bums in her life.”

  Impatient with Chad’s assessment of his character, Alex walked to the door and locked it. “That’s between your sister and me,” he said in dismissal.

  A woman who’d been burned required a different approach, he realized. Alex also realized that he wanted something from Katherine, with a wanting so fierce, it bordered on need, though he automatically rejected the idea of needing anyone. Robert’s foolish rejection of her suited Alex’s purposes. He wasted no pity on the stupidity of Katherine’s former husband. Right now, he just wanted to be alone to think.

  Chad rose from the chair and stood. “I gotta tell you,” he said in the most serious voice Alex had ever heard him use, “that I’ll beat you to a pulp if you hurt Katie.”

  Alex stopped. Surprise warred with irritation. After all, Chad was several inches shorter and about thirty pounds lighter than Alex. His estimation of Chad rose a notch. “If I hurt Katherine, I may just let you,” he finally replied.

  For the next few days Katherine avoided Al. By taking breakfast in her uncle’s office, she made the coffee and managed to get out of the house before Al rose in the mornings. She made a point of not being wherever he was. And if he showed up, she found a reason to leave.

  The thought came to her that she was being cowardly, but she brushed it aside. Al had shaken her. When she regained her composure, her control, she’d be able to deal with him more normally. It was just taking longer than she’d expected.

  Wednesday night arrived, and Chad and Al were ready to present the pirate skit, although Chad warned her it wouldn’t be perfect.

  Katherine was delighted. It was a beautiful night. The sea reflected the full moon, and a breeze teased the hem of her sundress. Anticipation simmered among the large group gathered on the beach to watch the drama. Chad had enlisted the help of several guests.

  The ship, a replica of an old English shipping vessel, was anchored at the marina with spotlights focused on it. A hush descended over the crowd when the lights dimmed and brightened twice. The scene opened with the English lord Richard, played by Chad, and Lady Bettina, played by Suzanne, dressed in period clothing and engaged in a heated argument.

  Katherine grinned at the similarity of art to life. Those two had been at each other’s throats lately.

  “I don’t wish to marry Lord Barrymore,” Lady Bettina said loudly.

  “Your wishes don’t matter, sister. This is a business arrangement. Lord Barrymore has agreed to keep his promise, even though you have disgraced the entire family by taking off with this pirate Raven.” Richard looked down his nose at Bettina. “I fear you’re touched in the head since you’ve become acquainted with Raven.”

  Bettina tossed her head of long blond curls. “Think what you will. I would sooner die than marry Lord Barrymore.”

  “The only one sure to die is your Raven. My men have taken him to the local sheriff,” Richard returned.

  Bettina promptly burst into tears and went below deck.

  The audience’s sympathy turned against Richard. When he kicked a deckhand’s bucket in a fit of temper, the crowd booed. Richard ordered a watch and went to his quarters for the night.

  The lights dimmed, and after the sailors settled down, sounds of snoring came over the P.A. system.

  The crowd’s chuckles were followed by whispers as a group of rowboats silently made its way toward the ship. Led by a tall man in black pants and open, flowing white shirt, a gang of pirates climbed up the side of the boat. Katherine’s heart tightened in spite of herself. It was Al with a bandana around his dark head and a sword in his hand.

  He gave a loud call to battle, and chaos erupted. Gunshots were fired. The clash of steel, a cry for mercy and a man’s groan were heard. Katherine watched them throw a sailor overboard. The pirates fought viciously, or so it appeared. Along with everyone else, she heard an “Ouch! Watch it!”

  The audience, transfixed by the scene, laughed.

  Suddenly Lord Richard appeared with sword in hand.

  Raven leaped from the side of the ship to stand in front of him. “I’ve come to collect my treasure, Lord Richard.”

  Lord Richard shook his head. “We carry no gold, Raven. Take your leave. You’ve caused enough mischief tonight.”

  Raven laughed, tossing back his head, revealing strong white teeth. “’Tis not gold I seek, you fool. ’Tis Bettina.”

  Katherine’s breath caught at the sight of him. His strength and power were revealed with none of the trappings of civilization and all the glory of his basic masculinity. She could almost feel the heat of him.

  Lord Richard raised his sword. Light reflected off the flashing steel. The men parried and thrust, lunged and feinted.

  Roused by the noise, Bettina entered.

  At her cry Raven turned to see her, taking a cutting stroke to his arm. When dark blood seeped into his shirt, the crowd gasped. Katherine did, too, even though she knew it couldn’t be real.

  Raven turned the full strength of his fury against Richard. In the blink of an eye Richard was disarmed, and the point of Raven’s sword rested against Richard’s throat.

  Bettina ran to Raven. “Have mercy on him. He is a fool, but he is my brother.”

  Raven paused, keeping his sword poised on the utterly still Richard.

  Everyone held his breath.

  “Away with him!” Raven ordered his men, and watched them take Richard below.

  Raven took Bettina in his arms and kissed her soundly.

  The audience whistled and cheered. But the enjoyment ended right there for Katherine. Her mouth went dry as dust. She watched Al’s firm mouth pressed against Suzanne’s and felt a painful wrenching inside. A shiver ran down her spine.

  The campers gave an enthusiastic ovation and congratulated Katherine on the success of the skit. Some returned to their campsites. Others gathered around for the scheduled “Dancing on the Beach.”

  It was just a corny little drama for the guests, she told herself later. She should be pleased by its success. Chad and Al had been surrounded by admirers for the past hour. The notion that she was jealous appalled her. She wasn’t that kind of person. Katherine sighed and lo
oked at the ocean.

  “Will you dance with me, Katie?”

  She turned. It was Tom, the mechanic. He was a shy, thin man with brown hair and kind hazel eyes. She knew for a fact that he was five years older than she was, but he seemed younger. Katherine mustered a smile. “Of course. Thank you,” she said, and allowed him to lead her into the gyrating fray.

  The next song was a slow one, and she was about to excuse herself when Al appeared. Still dressed in his pirate’s costume, he was dangerously compelling.

  “Dance with me,” he said in that arrogant tone that still made her blink.

  She took a deep breath. “Well, I was just about to—”

  “—dance with me,” he finished with a maddening smile.

  Katherine stepped backward at the intensity in his dark eyes. “I don’t think— Oops.” She bumped into another couple. “Excuse me.”

  Al pulled her into his arms. “I’ve been looking for you.”

  Her heart jumped. “I’ve been here all night long.” Time to move away, Katherine.

  “But not close enough.” His fingers sifted through her hair, and for an instant she imagined his hands all over her.

  She swallowed. “Al, I don’t think this is a good idea,” Katherine began.

  He brushed her hair behind her bare shoulder, his gaze falling to her skin. The way he looked at her, she could almost believe he found her beautiful. The notion was so tantalizing that her impulse to flee died instantly. She shivered.

  “It’s an excellent idea. You told me I need to learn how to have fun.” He drew her closer and lowered his mouth to her ear. Their swaying movements brought his thighs against hers, rubbing, stroking. Hard against soft. He parted her legs with one of his, his thigh connecting with her in melting intimacy.

  His voice was deep and rich with promise. “I want you to teach me.”

  Chapter Four

  Katherine looked at Al and swallowed a lump in her throat that felt like a watermelon. Yeah, right, she thought. The gap between her “experience” and his would rival the Grand Canyon.

  She wanted to wipe that “I’m gonna eat you alive” smile off his face, but his attention was fixed on her in a way that both frightened and fascinated her. And that damn music was playing in her mind again. She shook her head to clear it, to swat the melody that hummed like a persistent fly.

  The music was sweet and poignant, full of rich memories and hope. Al guided her into a turn, and suddenly it hit her.

  “Paganini!” she whispered.

  He frowned. “What?”

  “Paganini! The broken music box.” She stared at him in comprehension. “You’re the man on the music box.”

  Thoroughly confused, Al stopped. “Paganini?”

  “No. You’re the man on my music box.” She laughed in relief. “I’m not going crazy. I kept hearing this music whenever you were close, but I couldn’t put my finger on the tune. It’s Paganini.”

  Alex was sure there was something he was missing. He looked at her blankly. She stepped away. Immediately feeling the loss, he reached for her hand. “I’ve been called many things, but never Paganini and never the man on a music box.” He gestured away from the crowd. “Let’s walk on the beach, and you can explain.”

  Katherine hesitated, then smiled sheepishly. “I guess I owe you that much. Let me get rid of these shoes.” She kicked them off and carried them with her free hand.

  They walked silently for a few moments. Her hand was small within his. The physical connection wasn’t much, but it affected him. It made him think of things he’d wanted and never had. Al had walked on a moonlit beach before, but tonight seemed new, filled with stars, the murmur of waves and a magic he would have sworn didn’t exist.

  “When I was ten years old,” she began, “my mother got married for the third time. She spent the summer in the Caribbean, and I was left feeling neglected and sorry for myself.”

  He laced his fingers through hers more tightly, remembering the same feeling during his childhood. “Sounds understandable.”

  “Yes, well, I was very disillusioned about this romance stuff. Too cynical for such a young girl. I think Uncle Jasper wanted to preserve the idea of forever, happily-ever-after love in my impressionable mind a little longer.” She looked into the distance and smiled. “He bought me this antique music box, and it played a tune by Paganini.”

  “And?”

  “And there was a porcelain man and woman dancing on the top of it. Round and round they went. I used to wind it and watch them for hours. The woman was beautiful, with perfect features.” Her lips twitched. “Gleaming blond hair. I would have dyed my hair that summer if I’d known how.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t,” said Al, appalled. “Your hair is beautiful as it is.”

  Disbelief flickered in her eyes, warring with trust. It frustrated Al, but he wanted to hear the rest of the tale. “And the man?”

  She looked away. “He was very handsome. I remember imagining that he would be strong, yet gentle. He had dark hair and dark eyes. Those eyes of his never left the face of the woman. His gaze didn’t wander. He didn’t grow bored. He adored her.” She seemed to realize what she’d revealed about herself and made a show of shrugging it off.

  “I pretended I was the woman. I was just ten, and you know how children can be. Full of daydreams.”

  Al didn’t know how children could be. His formative years had been spent in such constraint, partly because of his position, partly because of his father’s mistakes.

  “My family has had their share of problems,” he admitted. “My father made a mistake that hurt my mother. It ended up hurting all of us. My sisters and I could have had a much different childhood. Instead…”

  Katherine heard the unspoken longing and loss. It struck a chord in her. “So, you have sisters?”

  “Yes. We were separated for almost seven years. I—” He hesitated, because he’d never openly discussed the subject. Katherine didn’t know of his position, though, and it seemed a good opportunity to for once share the burden of his childhood. “—I missed them.”

  She stopped, dropping her sandals to the sand, then tentatively lifted a hand to his arm. “I’m sure you did. Seven years. That’s half a childhood.”

  His throat felt thick with emotion. It was a disconcerting sensation. He swallowed hard and nodded, hoping it would pass.

  “Sometimes it’s hard for me to imagine you as a child. You’re so serious.” She searched his face with open, guileless eyes. Her hand fluttered like a butterfly against his skin. “After hearing this, I think I understand. Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to tell me more than you already have, but…” She paused, giving a heavy sigh. “It’s feeble and small, and it won’t change a thing, but I’m sorry, really sorry.”

  Her comfort and concern washed over him, through a crack into a deep, dark part of him. Pity he could have fought, but not this gentle honesty. It struck him again what a generous, open woman Katherine was. It hit him hard again, the overwhelming urge to possess her and know her, in every way.

  “You’re a remarkable woman,” he murmured.

  Katherine’s heart jerked in her chest. Again, she sensed a deep loneliness inside him, and it hurt her to see it. The moment grew heavy, fraught with tension. It was too intimate, but she’d done it again, stuck her heart in where it didn’t belong. She shied away. “Not really. Look at how loony I’ve been acting around you. I’m just relieved to know why. Bet you are too,” she finished dryly.

  “You think this connection between us is because of the music box?”

  She looked down at the sand and dug her toes into it. “Well, of course. I mean, it’s a logical explanation, don’t you think?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “Yes. It makes perfect sense.”

  “Then you needn’t fear me.”

  She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it.

  He raised their twined hands and brushed the back of her hand with his lips. He smiled.

  Her heart
dipped.

  “So, you will teach me to play.”

  She gave a shaky laugh. “I’m not sure I’m the right woman to teach you what you want to learn.”

  “You’re the only woman to teach me what I want to learn.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think—”

  He gave her a gentle but impatient shake. “Then don’t think. Trust me. Teach me. I’m an exceptional student. My marks were superior. I was my professors’ best and brightest.” He’d damn well had to be.

  Katherine laughed in spite of herself. “Okay! Okay! Have you ever heard of the word humility?”

  “I think I read it once or twice,” he deadpanned.

  She rolled her eyes. “Okay, Al Sanders. I’m the toughest first-grade teacher at Greenfield Elementary. I hope you know what you’re getting into.”

  He didn’t have a clue, but as he watched the light in her eyes and the wind through her hair, he sure as hell wanted to find out.

  “Nobody else will do it,” Chad said. “So you’ve got to.”

  Katherine wavered, then thought about the greased flagpole and shook her head. “This was your lunatic idea. Find someone else. There must be a teenager in that crowd whose fondest wish is to climb on top of a bunch of men and get a tin can off the top of a greased flagpole.”

  “I’ve already tried. Besides, you asked me to come up with something new and physically challenging. The least you can do is show some support.”

  Chad was marginally right, she knew. Katherine exhaled with such force, it ruffled her bangs. “There’s got to be somebody,” she muttered.

  Chad must have sensed her weakening. “You. You’re light and agile. You’ve got great balance. The—”

  “The two teams are ready,” Al said from the open doorway. “Have you found someone to climb to the top yet?”

  Chad threw Katherine a meaningful glance. “Yes, but she’s reluctant.”

  Just seeing Al brought a flutter to her stomach. She deliberately looked away from him. “Okay, Chad. I’ll do it. But you owe me for this one.”

  Al looked from Chad to Katherine, and an expression of disbelief crossed his face. “Not Katherine.”