The Princess Bride

by Rebecca Winters

  The kiss made her quiver with pleasure and burn with desire.

  But Jules didn’t know if the way she felt was real or not. She didn’t care. She just wanted to keep kissing him.

  Because once she finished, Jules knew she would never kiss Alejandro again.

  Tensions ran high the next morning. The first day of the Med Cup had arrived. Alejandro couldn’t believe how calm and cool Julianna was. She impressed the entire crew with her composure. She steered like a pro. The entire team worked together. The sweat and hard work enabled La Rueca to win their first race. Alejandro’s goal was one step closer.

  And so was saying goodbye to Julianna.

  He ignored the knot in his gut.

  His father excused him from eating dinner at the palace that night. But Alejandro didn’t feel like celebrating as he sat at a tapas bar with the crew so he headed back to the palace.

  Julianna.

  She should have been with the crew tonight. With him.

  Alejandro wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her until she begged him to stop or give her more. But he couldn’t.

  This has to be the last time.

  He’d agreed. Logically that made the most sense, but the way he felt about her didn’t make sense at all.

  The kitten was waiting when Alejandro entered the apartment. “Hey, Boots.”

  The kitten meowed.

  Alejandro got an idea. “Want to go see Julianna?”

  Another meow.

  That was good enough for him. He swooped up the cat and went to Julianna’s room.

  In the hallway, Yvette sat on a chair outside the door and read. She lowered her book. “Are you here to see Princess Julianna, sir?”

  “Yes.” He showed her the kitten. “Boots wants to see her.”

  As if on cue, the cat meowed.

  “I’m sorry, sir. The princess is sleeping.”

  Alejandro looked around. No one else was in the hallway. He smiled. “Please tell her I’m here.”

  “I’m sorry, sir,” Yvette repeated with a hint of disapproval this time. “Princess Julianna has an upset stomach and asked not to be disturbed until morning. Would you like me to tell her you and Boots paid a visit?”

  “No, thanks. I’ll see her tomorrow.” Disappointment settled over the center of his chest. Alejandro wanted to see her now. “Good night.”

  He returned to his apartment feeling out of sorts. He played with Boots using the laser pointer, but the kitten had more fun.

  The entire time, Alejandro couldn’t stop thinking about Julianna. The passion in her eyes when they kissed. The exhilaration on her face during the race.

  He had to see her for a minute. Yvette wasn’t about to let him pass, but he knew another way.

  With a flashlight in hand, Alejandro used the secret door in his apartment to enter the tunnels. He wove his way around until he reached the staircase leading to Julianna’s room. Each step brought him closer to her. He stood on the landing and pulled the latch. The secret door opened.

  Alejandro had been here before to leave her disguise and other gear she needed. He’d never thought twice about entering her closet.

  But this time, he hesitated.

  This can’t go anywhere.

  I know.

  I’m marrying Enrique.

  I know that, too.

  His conversation with Julianna echoed through his head. Yes, he wanted to see her. Hell, he wanted to kiss her.

  But Julianna didn’t want that.

  I’m marrying Enrique.

  Alejandro might want to see her, but he couldn’t. She was determined to marry his brother. He wasn’t going to do something that both he and Julianna might regret. He knew better than that.

  Alejandro closed the secret door.

  This was for the…best.

  The morning of the race, Julianna had instructed Yvette to tell anyone who came to the door she was suffering from a stomach virus. No one, especially Enrique, would want any part of that.

  Hours later, she stood with her hands on the wheel, nervous and excited. Adrenaline coursed through her veins.

  They were halfway through the course, running ahead of their closest competitor.

  The tension and noise level had increased from yesterday’s match. The winds and waves had, too. Both had turned stronger over the last twenty-four hours. That made her job harder.

  Water splashed into the cockpit. A foul weather suit kept her dry. Each member of the crew had a responsibility and knew what to do. Hers was to steer the boat. She focused her attention on the direction the boat sailed. She couldn’t think about anything else.

  Or anyone else.

  But Jules knew where Alejandro had been since the boat had left the dock. Her gaze was automatically drawn to him at midbow. Water dripped from his hair and his foul weather gear. He looked sexy and in his element. The sheer joy on his face tugged on her heart and her dreams.

  One more day of racing. A week until her wedding. And it would be all over.

  A sense of loss assailed her. She ignored it. Now wasn’t the time.

  Each of the crew worked to keep the La Rueca sailing as fast as she could with adjustments to the sails. Others sat aft, trying to keep the weight on the stern.

  The boat sailed downwind, surfing the waves that got bigger by the minute. The up and down motion of the boat reminded her of a thrilling roller coaster ride. More than once her stomach ended up in her throat, but she didn’t mind one bit.

  Jules tightened her grip on the wheel. She needed to hold a steady course, but didn’t want to plow into a wave and risk the possibility of broaching.

  Water hit her face and dripped down her cheeks. She tasted salt on her lips and in her mouth.

  This was what she dreamed about. Freedom in its purest form.

  She had no regrets. Well, one. Alejandro. But that wasn’t as much a regret as a what-might-have-been. Kissing him again had left a wound on her heart. One she hoped would heal in time.

  “Dragon Rider’s broached,” Sam yelled from the midsection of the bow.

  Jules could barely hear him, but she’d heard enough. Their competitor had heeled too far to one side and was lying broadside. Her stomach clenched. She hoped the crew were tied in. It would be easy to capsize or break the mast in these waves.

  Everyone searched for the boat. The sails and waves got in the way. The mast must be in the water or someone would see it.

  “Does it look like they are going to recover?” Alejandro’s voice sounded strained.

  “I see them,” Sam shouted.

  “Me, too,” Mike yelled. “They are knocked down.”

  Jules inhaled sharply, but held the course.

  “Has the boat righted itself?” Phillipe, who was nearest to her, asked.

  “No,” Mike said.

  The answer sent a chill down Jules’s spine.

  “Man overboard,” a voice called over the radio.

  “Trimming up for beam reaching,” she said without a moment of hesitation.

  Alejandro jumped off the deck and grabbed the radio. “La Rueca is responding.”

  The energy level tripled. A sailor was in the water. A life was at stake. The race no longer mattered. Every able-bodied vessel was required to offer assistance.

  He looked at Jules. Confidence and affection shone in his eyes. “You can do this.”

  She nodded once.

  As she turned the boat from the starboard side, the mainsail and jib trimmers went to work. No one wanted to waste any time, but they had to be careful. They didn’t want to broach as well.

  “Get a fix on the person in the water,” she ordered Phillipe. With the race on hold, he needed another job. Jules needed to make sure she didn’t run the sailor over.

  “I’ve got the beacon,” Alejandro said, moving toward the stern.

  She knew he was clipped in, but she bit her lip, worried about his safety out there. And the other boat. They’d been fighting the waves all day. If he went overboard…
>
  Don’t think. Just steer.

  “I see him,” Mike yelled.

  Jules heard the collective sigh of relief, but the sailor wasn’t safe yet.

  Alejandro threw the overboard buoy toward the sailor in the water. The buoy was state of the art with a lighted pole, life ring, flotation jacket and location beacon.

  “Sailor has the beacon,” Phillipe said. “You’ve sailed past him on the aft side.”

  “Coming about,” she ordered. “Trim up.”

  Jules gave the second order even though it wasn’t necessary. They knew what to do. She sailed over the waves. Tacking back, she guided the boat toward the buoy.

  Alejandro stood on the bow, clipped into the jackline. Sam was nearby, too. They looked out at the water. Alejandro was too far away for her to hear him so he directed her with hand signals.

  She slowed down, luffing leeward of the sailor in the water. The wind against the loose sails sounded like thunder. The crew shouted. The noise level kept rising. She must be getting closer.

  Jules focused, pushing the boat to its limits to reach the sailor as quickly as possible.

  A helicopter flew overhead.

  Mike used a recovery hook to grab the buoy’s line, pulling the buoy and the person toward them. Cody grabbed the buoy pole and dragged it back toward the stern.

  “The other boat’s righted,” he said.

  Thank goodness, but she couldn’t celebrate yet. She kept the sails luffing so the boat wouldn’t drift into the person bobbing in the water. Mike and Phillipe hauled the man onboard. His face was pale, but he looked relieved to be aboard. Water poured from his foul weather gear.

  “We’ve got your sailor,” Alejandro radioed. “But due to the weather conditions an exchange isn’t possible.”

  “We’re dropping out to recover,” the voice replied.

  Bummer, Jules thought. But two other boats were still racing. Her questioning gaze sought Alejandro’s. He smiled at her, sending her heart into a pirouette.

  “We’ll keep going,” he said over the radio.

  “Thanks and good luck,” the voice replied. “Tell your newest crew member to enjoy the ride.”

  “Will do,” Alejandro said. “The extra weight will come in handy with these waves.”

  The guy on the radio laughed.

  “Time to finish the race,” Alejandro announced to the crew.

  Everyone took his position with a cheer.

  “We can win this.” The confidence in Alejandro’s voice kept her focused. “J.V.”

  “Coming about,” she said.

  It was as if the rescue had never happened. If not for their extra passenger it might have all been a dream.

  But as they sailed toward the finish line, Jules knew it was real. Like Alejandro’s kisses.

  The bow crossed the finish line.

  The crew cheered. Jules laughed.

  They’d won.

  Won!

  La Rueca would be in the finals tomorrow.

  Excitement rocketed through her. She stared at Alejandro. A grin lit up his face. So handsome. So dear to her heart.

  He gave her a high-five. She would have preferred a hug, but being able to touch him was enough. For now.

  “I’ve never seen anyone sail like you did today,” he said. “Awe-inspiring.”

  “You’re the best, J.V.,” Sam said.

  “Thanks for the ride.” The sailor they’d rescued, Robert, shook her hand. “We underestimated you, kid. You’re one helluva a helmsman.”

  Jules smiled, but didn’t say anything. Her voice would give her away. She couldn’t fake a deep tone now. Not with delighted joy exploding like fireworks in her chest.

  The boat docked. People were waiting for them. A medical crew stood in front of the crowd.

  “Looks like you’ll need a checkup,” Alejandro said to their guest.

  Robert had changed into spare dry clothes down below. “I’d rather hit the bar and wait for my boat to arrive.”

  “Maybe there’s a pretty doc or nurse to keep you company, mate,” Sam said.

  “One can hope.” Robert saluted Jules and the rest of the crew. “Thanks again. Good race, but watch out for us next year.”

  Alejandro laughed. “We’ll have our eyes open looking back at you the entire way.”

  Robert grinned wryly. “With this kid driving, you might be.”

  As he left with the medical crew, people pushed forward.

  “Look at all these fans, mates,” Sam said. “Smile. The media is here, too.”

  Jules’s heart slammed against her chest. A horrible sense of dread replaced the wonderfulness of the moment. The press took pictures, asked questions, followed up.

  So not good.

  She ducked her head and pulled her cap lower.

  “You may find yourself a pretty girl out of this, J.V.,” Sam teased with a slap on Jules’s back.

  Jules forced a smile. Anything would be better than the truth coming out.

  “Don’t worry,” Alejandro whispered so only she could hear.

  She appreciated his words, but she was worried. Terrified. Her future, her country’s future and her children’s future were all at stake. The press circled like a school of hungry piranhas. She swallowed around the spinnaker-size lump in her throat.

  The sea of people standing on the dock grew larger. Some held cameras. A few shouted questions in a variety of languages: Spanish, German, French, Italian and English. She understood most of the questions, but she pretended not to hear them.

  Her insides trembled, but she maintained her composure. A teenage boy would relish the attention after winning a race, not run away. Still her feet were itching to take off.

  Who was she kidding?

  If she could jump into the water and swim away without drawing attention to herself, she would.

  “We need to get you out of here,” Alejandro whispered.

  “I can swim.”

  “So can the sharks.” He tried to lead her away from the mob, but the crowd pushed closer. “It’ll be okay.”

  She clung to his words even though her doubts multiplied by the seconds. Camera flashes blinded her. Reporters shoved microphones and digital recorders in her face. Arms reached for her.

  Jules cringed. Bodyguards never let crowds get so close. She wasn’t used to being touched like this. Her anxiety level spiraled.

  Someone touched her cap.

  “Please don’t.” She held it on her head with both hands. “Alejandro.”

  He tried to help her. “Leave the kid alone.”

  Another person grabbed the cap off her head. The wig went with it, leaving her wearing a nylon cap.

  People gasped. A horrible silence fell over the crowd.

  “It’s a girl,” a man shouted.

  “A woman,” another yelled.

  “Hey,” a woman said. “Isn’t that the princess who’s going to marry Crown Prince Enrique?”

  The air rushed from her lungs. Her worst nightmare was coming true. Everyone would know her true identity now. Including Enrique and her father.

  Her heart and her head felt as if they might explode.

  Hundreds of people surrounded her, but she’d never felt so alone. And she had only herself to blame.

  Life as she knew it was over.

  Had it been worth it?

  She glanced at Alejandro. He’d removed his sunglasses. The warmth in his eyes drove her goose bumps away.

  “Do not worry,” he said softly. “I’m here. You won’t have to face this alone.”

  His words gave her the strength she needed. She knew sailing with Alejandro had been worth it. No matter what the consequences.

  Shoulders back. Chin up. Smile.

  Jules fell back into the training that had been ingrained in her since she was a little girl. She removed the plastic cap hiding her blond hair.

  Goodbye J.V., hello Princess Julianna.

  She answered the questions being shouted at her. Alejandro stood next to her
the entire time. He downplayed the situation by answering questions as well. She appreciated his efforts. The rest of the crew stayed by her, too, though they looked confused. Phillipe’s brows furrowed. Mike’s mouth gaped. Cody scratched his head. Sam stared at her as if she were a ghost.

  But Alejandro’s presence gave her strength. Courage.

  A good thing, too. When her father and her fiancé discovered what Jules had done, she was going to need all that and more.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  BACK AT THE PALACE, Jules couldn’t stop shaking. Not even a hot shower helped. She put on a conservative pink dress, befitting a princess and future queen. With trembling hands, she applied makeup and styled her hair in an updo.

  What was her father going to say? Do about her disobedience?

  Yvette fastened a strand of pearls around Jules’s neck. “You look like a proper princess, ma’am.”

  She hadn’t been acting like one. “Thank you.”

  A knock sounded on her door. Jules’s heart pounded in her ears. She wasn’t ready.

  Yvette answered the door. “It’s Prince Brandt, ma’am. He’s here to escort you to the sitting room.”

  As soon as Jules stepped into the hallway, her brother hugged her. “Father requests your presence.”

  She stepped out of Brandt’s embrace. “Yvette said he arrived like a bull from Pamplona. Snorts and all.”

  “I’ve never seen him so angry.” The concern in Brandt’s voice matched her own. “I’m worried what he’ll do.”

  She wanted to ease Brandt’s concern even though she was apprehensive, too. “Don’t worry. Father will be…fair.”

  At least she hoped so.

  “I screwed up.” Brandt hung his head. “Klaus is beside himself for leaving you alone so much.”

  Jules touched her brother’s shoulder. Love for him filled her heart. “Neither of you are to blame for this.”

  Only her.

  She descended the stairs, mindful of each step so she didn’t stumble.

  “But if I hadn’t been partying so much—”

  “Please, Brandt.” Straightening, Jules composed herself. She couldn’t duck for cover now. “Don’t get in the middle of this.”

  It would be bad enough without dragging him or Alejandro into this.

  Alejandro.

  His name brought a welcome rush of warmth through her cold body. She’d survived the onslaught of questions on the dock with him at her side. If she had the same help tonight…