by Leanne Banks
Katherine gave a tight smile and accepted a cup of tea. The china was the finest and most delicate she’d ever held. She hoped she didn’t crush it between her fingers. “Yes, he did.”
Noelle furrowed her delicate brow. “I never quite understood how he happened to get on that island. What was the name of it?”
“Pirate Island. It was a rainy night. There was a detour, and Alex had to check his directions.” Katherine wouldn’t dream of telling them the whole story of how his security had lost track of him. “Then he met my brother,” she muttered.
“Alex is so industrious, we almost have to trick him into taking a vacation. I’m curious. He was on your island for four weeks. What did he do?”
“Noelle,” Prince Philippe intervened.
Katherine looked at both of them and realized they, too, felt distant from their eldest son. Noelle’s question wasn’t asked out of intrusiveness. It was asked with a hopeful kind of motherly desperation to know the son she’d been forced to leave behind so long ago.
Katherine made an instant decision, knowing it was a gamble, hoping that in the long run it would make Alex’s life happier. “It’s okay,” Katherine said. “Alex didn’t tell us he was a prince until near the end of his visit.”
Prince Philippe looked appalled.
Katherine rushed to explain. “I think he wanted, just once, to be thought of as an average man. I’m sure you can understand that.”
Prince Philippe hesitated, then nodded.
“So he worked at the campground. He fought in a water-balloon battle. He taught some children how to shadow-fence with switches. He helped win a greased-flagpole race. He was a pirate in a skit performed for the guests. And he ate hot dogs.” And made me fall in love with him.
Two teacups poised in midair as Philippe and Noelle looked at Katherine uncomprehendingly.
“Water-balloon battle?” Philippe said.
“Greased flagpole?” Noelle said.
Katherine explained the dynamics of a water-balloon battle, and the strategy involved in a greased-flagpole race. Alex’s parents laughed, devouring every story. She gave them a new picture of their son, but she left out the ear-piercing incident. And she didn’t begin to try to explain her relationship with Alex. How could she?
Philippe shook his head. “And no one ever suspected he was royalty?”
“No,” she said, feeling suddenly protective. “You know how responsible Alex is. He would never do anything that would reflect poorly on your family. His first duty is to his country. He could never forget that.” She bit her lip, searching their faces. “I hope I haven’t made you lose respect for Alex by telling you all this. He’s a wonderful leader, and he cares so deeply about Moreno and your family. Sometimes he seems remote, but it’s not because he doesn’t care.”
“It sounds as if you know my son very well,” said the prince, lighting a cigarette.
Katherine felt her cheeks heat. “I just saw him in a different environment.”
Noelle looked thoughtful. “How much longer will you be staying with us?”
Katherine felt her happiness take a nosedive. “I’ll be leaving in three days.”
“So soon,” Noelle exclaimed. “We’ll be sad to see you go. Perhaps you can come again.”
“Perhaps,” Katherine replied. Perhaps not.
The following evening Katherine was nearly as tense as Alex was. Her imminent departure weighed on her heart like a three-hundred-pound ball and chain. She didn’t feel right about going, but she couldn’t possibly stay. In an odd way she felt fiercely protective of Alex, of his heart and his tenderness. Anyone else would call it laughable. Anyone else would point out there’d never been a more self-sufficient man on the earth.
And, of course, in a way, she’d have to agree. Looking at him now as he greeted the members of the security council and their wives, she thought he looked as cool as the steel blade of his sword. She watched from afar, remaining firmly in the background at tonight’s cocktail party. The purpose of the party was clear: to strengthen alliances and pour oil on potentially troubled waters.
It would probably work a heck of a lot better if he’d smile every once in a while.
“Are you dying of fun yet?” a feminine voice said
beside her.
Katherine looked at Isabella and shook her head. “Not yet. It’s interesting seeing the different dynamics of this group.”
“Is that a polite way of saying these refined gentlemen are actually a group of vultures ready to go for the jugular at the first opportunity?”
Katherine gave a half-smile. “I wouldn’t have phrased it exactly that way.”
Isabella shrugged. “They’d pick Alex clean if they could. You can’t claw ice, though.”
Katherine looked at Alex again and frowned. “Is he always like this?”
Isabella nodded. “The more upset, the cooler he gets.”
At that moment Alex had a break in greeting people. He flicked his gaze over to Katherine. He didn’t say a word, didn’t crook his finger, didn’t raise an eyebrow, but she heard the command loud and clear. Come here.
She cocked her head to one side and paused.
He must have caught the message. His eyes glinted, and his lips lifted slightly. Please.
Katherine waltzed over, her smile growing with every step closer. “Hi, how’s it going?”
His face was calm, but his gaze was turbulent. “Fine,” he said. “Everything’s under control.” He took her hand and clasped it within the folds of her skirt.
“It looks like everything’s a little too controlled to me,” she murmured, feeling her heart jump at the touch of his hand.
Alex looked at her sharply. “You’ve seen me out of control on more than one occasion during the last eleven days,” he said in a low, precise voice.
“In bed, not out,” she returned bluntly.
He raised an eyebrow. “You know I’m not choosy about the place as long as it’s you. If you’d like more variety, I can—”
“Stuff it, Alex.” Exasperated, Katherine tore her hand from his. “I’m leaving.”
“No,” he said a little louder than he’d intended. He pushed down the panic crowding his throat. “Stay a little longer. Please,” he added when she shook her head.
“There’s a gray-haired man and his wife headed this way. My place is in the corner. Besides, if I stay, I’ll be tempted to pinch you or jab you with a pin just to see if you’re real.”
She flounced away, and Alex balled his fists to check the impulse to jerk her back into his arms. He watched her go, and a wave of helplessness nearly swept him away with its force. She would be leaving in thirty-five hours.
He’d promised himself he would take what she offered and not ask for more, but he spent his moments thinking of ways to prolong her stay. He could close the airport for the day. He could halt departures from the harbor. He could arrange for her papers to be misplaced, permanently.
He swore under his breath. Katherine would appreciate the heavy-handed arrogance in all those actions, he thought cynically. What she didn’t understand was that he was a desperate man.
His body tensed as his least-favorite security-council officer stepped forward. “Good evening, Mr. Menard,” Alex said. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
The older man gave a little bow. “Yes, thank you, Your Highness. It appears we’ll have a split when it come to the new health plan.”
Always the bearer of good news, Alex thought. “Things can change by the time for the vote,” he said in a cool voice. “It’s early yet.”
Menard shook his head. “It doesn’t look hopeful to me.”
At that moment Alex’s mother walked up and kissed him on the cheek. Surprised, he stiffened. His mother wasn’t often publicly demonstrative with him.
“Your father and I enjoyed tea with Katherine yesterday. She’s a delight.” Princess Noelle gave a wide smile. “My favorite story was the water-balloon battle. I nearly laughed until I cried.”
Speechless, he stared at her. Fortunately she took over the conversation with Menard. Alex narrowed his eyes, looking for Katherine, but in the crush of the crowd, he couldn’t spot her. What, he wondered, had possessed her to tell his parents about his time at Pirate Island?
He recovered from the shock and gathered his composure around him like armor. He was well practiced at it. This week he’d done it every morning after he’d left Katherine amid love-scented sheets where he’d lost himself inside her time and time again. He’d kept the days rigidly divided from the nights, knowing he was riding the edge of sanity by being with her and knowing she would leave.
A few minutes later his father strode to his side and murmured something about adding a greased-flagpole race to International Games Week. Then Prince Philippe chuckled and nudged Alex with his elbow.
Alex ordered a drink.
Isabella came up and murmured, “You need to loosen up, Alex. You look like the maid put too much starch in your shorts.”
Alex gave a long-suffering sigh. “I’m not in the mood for it tonight, Isabella. Go find someone else to torment.”
“Tormenting you is the only way I get an honest response.”
That turned his head. He wondered if his entire family felt that way. At a loss, he pushed a hand through his hair. “Then why did you bring Katherine to me?”
Isabella’s face softened. “She’s a gift. I knew it the first time I met her.”
“You never told me how you got her to come.”
She shook her head. “It’s a secret. Speaking of secrets, though…” She smiled mischievously, pushing back her hair to display her elaborate diamond-and-pearl earring. “Want to borrow it? I imagine you don’t have much of a selection to choose from.”
Isabella knew. He wondered what else she knew. Alex felt a ripping sensation inside him. He was ready to yell, throw his glass of whiskey against the wall and start a bloody brawl. “Where is she?”
Isabella backed away at the tone of his voice. “Who?”
“Katherine,” he bit out, searching the crowd.
“I don’t know,” Isabella said. “I haven’t seen her in a while. I was just teasing a little bit, Alex. No need to get upset.” His sister was racing her sentences, something she only did when she was worried. “Let me get you another drink. Have you had anything to eat? What about—”
“Never mind.” Alex spied the redhead in a distant corner. She was sneaking her foot from one of her black high heels. He started walking. “I’ll get her.”
It took him less than two minutes to get to the other side of the room. He clasped Katherine’s wrist. “Let’s go.”
Katherine’s head shot up, and she looked at him in wide-eyed confusion. “Go? I thought you had to give a speech.”
“I do,” he said, calmly pressing his palm into her back and pushing her forward.
Katherine crammed her foot back into the shoe and stumbled along. “Where are we going? When are you supposed to speak?”
Alex dragged her down the marble-floored hall past a group of people who stared after them. “To my suite.” He glanced at his Rolex. “I’m scheduled to speak in three minutes.”
She hopped up the stairs trying to keep up with him. “Three minutes! Shouldn’t you be down there now?”
“They’ll wait. I’m the prince.” He pulled her into the room and slammed the door shut and turned the lock. “Remember?” He nudged her past the sitting area into another room, and slammed that door behind her too.
Katherine heard the click of the lock and felt a shiver of premonition. She’d never been in his bedroom before.
He flicked on the light and stepped toward her. Seeing the flinty look in his eyes, she automatically took a step back.
“My mother says she loved the water-balloon story. My father wants to do a greased-flagpole race for International Games Week. And,” he said in amazed fury, “Isabella offered to lend me her earring. What else have you told my family?”
Katherine stiffened, lifting her chin. She was darn tired of his cold complacency. “I did it for your own good. Those people care for you, but they can’t get past your royal force field. It was the least I could do for them, if not for you.”
“Who gave you permission—”
“I don’t have to ask permission! I love you!” Realizing she was shouting, she lowered her voice and wandered past the huge bed. “If I’m not going to be here, the least I can do is make sure your family sees past your iron composure for the man you are. I want them to know how caring you are.” She turned to glare at him. “Not that you’re helping my case one bit.”
He stalked over to her. “Did you ever think I’m hanging on to this damned composure by a hangnail? Did you ever once think that I’m not particularly happy that you’re leaving?”
“No, I didn’t. I’ve been too busy wondering whether I’ll meet Jekyll or Hyde the next time I see you. You know,” she continued even though the light in his eyes had turned dangerous, “if you’d show the slightest bit of humanity, I might be tempted to stay. But you’re too busy competing with an igloo—”
“Not in bed,” he cut in.
Katherine rolled her eyes and looked down at the mammoth bed. She jerked a pillow from beneath the covers and shook it at him. “Not in bed. Not in bed. Can’t you get it through your head that there’s more to this than sex?”
Frustrated beyond words, she curled her hands into the pillow and impulsively, recklessly, whomped him with it. The delicate fabric caught on one of the medals on his chest and ripped, releasing a puff of downy feathers.
Alex looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “What are you doing?”
The gray feathers clung lovingly to his dress white uniform. A few of them sifted down to his shoes. The sight both appalled and delighted her. “Oh, my goodness.” She laughed nervously, brushing the feathers from his chest. “I guess I started a pillow fight.” She laughed again, and coughed to cover the sound.
He grabbed the pillow. “And the purpose of a pillow fight is?” The slightest edge of menace crossed his face.
Katherine backed up and bumped into the edge of the bed. “I, uh, guess to hit people with pillows and have fun.”
“That’s all,” he said, shifting his grip on the pillow. “Just hitting and having fun. I want to make sure I understand this.”
She nodded mutely. The devil was in his eyes, and it looked like the master of self-control was getting ready to lose it. Her heart beat an unsteady rhythm. He could do anything to her, she thought wildly, glancing at the bed. If she screamed, no one would hear. Heaven help her, she was so excited, she could hardly bear it. She braced herself for his wild passion.
He thumped the pillow over her head. Katherine stared at him in disbelief. More feathers seeped from the tear. “Alex—”
He thumped again, this time on her bottom. She opened her mouth, but it was instantly filled with pillow before she could get out a word. She fell onto the bed, reaching in self-defense for another pillow. Alex came after her with vengeance.
“You witch,” he accused. “You storm into my life, wreak havoc with my libido, steal my sanity and—”
Katherine’s fingers reached the pillow. “I didn’t storm into your life. You stormed into mine.”
He lifted his pillow.
She shrieked, and he gave a low, dirty laugh. She ducked and slammed him instead. The battle ensued, with Katherine scrambling to roll off the bed and Alex relentlessly bonking her with his depleting pillow.
When his pillow went flat, he stole hers. In a matter of seconds she found herself flat on her back with Alex sitting on her. “No fair!” she cried breathlessly. “I’m unarmed.”
He stared down into her face, his breath heavy from chasing her and laughing. “That’s what I say. No fair. You’ve stolen my heart and left me unarmed.” He leaned down and kissed her. His mouth said it all as he searched and asked, but didn’t demand.
Katherine yielded, twining her arms around hi
s neck, sifting her fingers through his hair.
He moaned.
A feather drifted between their cheeks, tickling them apart. He held her hand against his jaw, closing his eyes.
Her heart swelled inside her chest.
He opened his eyes. “Katherine, you have to stay.”
Her pulse jiggled. “Why?”
He brushed her hair from her face. “Because if you don’t stay, I’ll have no one to teach my children how to pillow-fight.”
Her mouth went dry. “This sounds serious.”
“It is. I want you here with me. I want my babies growing in your belly. And I swear if I have to, I’ll chain you to my bed.”
She took a deep breath. “Ever thought about just asking me?”
He hesitated for a long moment. The silence in the room was unnerving. Katherine restrained the urge to fill it with meaningless chatter. He took her hand and looked deep into her eyes, letting her see his stunning need. “Will you marry me?”
Her throat closed up. She’d dreamed those words. She’d also known she’d never hear them. She swallowed hard, rushing to warn him of all her deficiencies. “My father’s no French count, and I’m no blue blood. I’m not even a citizen of Moreno. I don’t know when I’m supposed to curtsy and when I’m not supposed to. I—”
He put his other hand over her mouth, and a grim smile played on his lips. “It doesn’t matter. You’ll become a citizen of Moreno, and it will be my pleasure to tell you when to curtsy to me.”
She’d just bet it would.
“You haven’t answered me.”
Her voice came out muffled. “You’re covering my mouth.”
He instantly removed his hand. “One word,” he said, “and it better be the right one.”
“Yes,” she said decisively, then rushed on because she would never be a totally submissive woman. “But you’ve got to promise to try to loosen up, at least with your family. They care about you.”
Alex paused and looked away. “It’s—difficult for me. When my mother and sister left, I felt abandoned and angry. When they returned, it was expected that everything should go back to the way it was. My father never discussed it. My mother tried once,” he said with a grim smile that pinched Katherine’s heart, “but I was a teenager and knew it all then.” He looked at Katherine. “Am I making any sense?”
