by Melody Anne
“These will match your gown to perfection,” he said as he took her hand tenderly and turned it palm up, placing the small box in the center before releasing her fingers.
Rachel clutched the box carefully, afraid of dropping it. Never before had she received such a lovely gift. Yes, she’d received her share of amazing presents, but never such an expensive — and beautiful — piece of jewelry.
“I can’t take these, Adriane,” she said. It wouldn’t be right, even if she really did want to wear them.
“Of course you can,” he countered as he slowly turned her around, leading her to the large mirror of her vanity.
He reached into the box, which she was still holding in her hand, pulled out one of the earrings and handed it to her. “Put them on. I want to see how they look.”
She should refuse again, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. She removed the simple gold hoops from her ears and replaced them with the earrings he’d just presented her with.
Adriane was right: they matched the dress as if they had been made just for it. Indeed, they probably had. Turning her head, she couldn’t stop her smile as the light sparked off the jewels decorating her small ears and danced in the mirror.
“They are stunning, and I’ll wear them tonight, but I won’t keep them.” She thought that was a fitting compromise, the right thing to do.
“I told you, they are yours. This will complete the outfit,” he said as he placed his hands around her neck. Then she felt the cool touch of metal at her throat as he closed a clasp. Looking in the mirror, she was awed by the matching necklace he’d just put on her.
“Oh, Ian,” she gasped, reverting to the name she’d called him during their brief affair. “This is simply beautiful. We can argue later about it,” she said as her fingers ran along the jewels in the necklace.
The set had to have cost a fortune. This wasn’t a gift you gave to a friend, and since she didn’t plan to be anything more than that with him, she couldn’t rightfully keep it. But, hey, she’d feel like a superstar tonight.
“My lady,” he said as he held out his arm. Slipping her arm into his was easy as he led her from the room and straight out of the palace, where a limo awaited them.
Climbing inside, Rachel accepted a glass of sparkling water, then sat back and waited for their night to begin. She had to remind herself again that this was just a night out with a friend when his leg brushed against hers, sending shivers down her spine.
If she hadn’t slept with him before, she wouldn’t know what she was missing now. Of course, if she hadn’t slept with him before, she wouldn’t be here now. The only reason he was entertaining her was because she carried his children. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have anything to do with her. She was just a girl from the States, not someone worthy of being his queen. It would do her well to remember that.
But still, they spent a pleasant evening at a nice restaurant, then watched the opening night of a new musical, one with exquisite costumes and sublime vocal talent, and a full orchestra. The music was touching on many levels, and though she couldn’t understand the words, she could fully understand the mood they were conveying. The cast was thrilled when Adriane went backstage and congratulated them on an enjoyable show.
What a pleasure it was for Rachel to see firsthand how much his people adored him. The performers treated him with absolute hero worship, and their manner toward her was very flattering, as well. They must figure that anyone worthy of sharing the company of their king was someone they wanted to know.
If only they knew how wrong they were.
Still, she didn’t feel out of place. Adriane kept her at his side, included her in the conversations, and made her feel special. She wished he weren’t quite so good at that. This was the charming man she’d fallen fast for in Florida, the man who had made her laugh during the day, and cry out in pleasure during the night.
This was the man she’d had a hard time walking away from.
She just hoped it wasn’t so difficult this time, because she knew they weren’t right for each other.
He was a king, for goodness sake, not just an average man she could marry and spend the rest of her life with. Even if she wanted to marry him, it would never be just the two of them. He would always be owned by his people, and so would she. That wasn’t a responsibility she wanted.
Did that make her a bad person?
Maybe. But it wasn’t something she cared to analyze too closely.
One thing she was discovering about Adriane, however, was that he was made to be a king. He was confident with his title, the people loved him, and he would rule this country fairly. She felt pride in knowing him — even if it was for a short time.
“That was pretty fascinating to watch,” Rachel said as they walked from backstage, making their way from the theater.
“Yes, it was an entertaining performance,” he agreed.
“No. That’s not what I meant. You are good with your people, Adriane. It’s obvious that you care about them.”
Adriane stopped and turned to face her. “I do love my people, Rachel. This kingdom has done well through the years when others have faltered. The reason it’s done so well is, quite honestly, because of the people. They work hard even in the worst of times. They are dedicated to Corythia, and they are good to my family. There isn’t anything in my power I won’t do for them.”
“Then they are very lucky to have you,” she said, meaning it.
“And I them.”
Together they resumed their walk, the doors opening to a virtual mob scene out front. “I’m sorry, Rachel. Word must have leaked out that we were here.” He pulled her closer and his guards and a group of police moved in, blocking the people from overwhelming them.
“They’re just excited to see you,” she said, in a bit of awe as cameras flashed and people called out to their king, asking who Rachel was and whether Adriane could answer questions.
He smiled at the people, spoke a few words in French to tell the crowd he’d like to escort his companion home, and then moved forward, toward the limo.
Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel noticed a commotion, and she turned her head in time to see a small child being knocked to the ground. The people around him were so focused on the king that they didn’t notice that the boy was about to get trampled.
Before she was able to pull from Adriane’s grasp and rush over to the child, Adriane let her go and took a few quick steps, surging into the crowd, much to the dismay of his guards. He scooped up the boy, who couldn’t have been more than six or seven years old, and pulled him from the crowd, then returned to Rachel.
The boy had bruised his cheek in the fall, and there was a tear on his face as he leaned his head against Adriane’s shoulder.
“Oh, sweetie, you must have been so scared,” Rachel said, extending her hand and gently running her finger down his cheek. When he looked back at her blankly, she realized he would have no idea what she was saying.
“Mon Roi,” he whispered as he raised his eyes and looked worshipfully at Adriane.
“What did he say?” Rachel asked, continuing to smile at the boy’s little face.
“My king,” Adriane replied, then spoke to the boy. “Où est ta mère?” Where is your mother?
“Elle est dans la foule. Nous sommes venus ici aujourd’hui pour voir notre roi, mais il y a tellement de gens ici que je me suis perdu,” he answered in a frightened voice.
“What did he say?” Rachel again asked, determined to start learning French. Otherwise, her children would learn and then talk behind her back. That wasn’t going to happen.
“He is here with his mother. The two of them got separated as the crowd grew,” Adriane told her.
The guard approached with the boy’s mother, and Adriane started to hand him over when the boy clutched his neck and said, “Je vous aime, Sire.” I love you, Sire.
Rachel had picked up enough of the language to know those words. Her eyes welled up with tears as Adriane whispered i
n the boy’s ear, something that made him laugh in delight while he went back to his mother.
The woman bowed to Adriane before the guards escorted both her and her son to safety. Adriane waved one last time to the crowd and then helped Rachel into the car.
As she sat across from him on the quiet ride back to the palace, looking at him in a new light, Rachel was filled with a sense of fear.
Whether she wanted to fall in love with this man or not, she might have no choice. The more she learned about him, the harder it would be to keep her heart guarded.
She’d seen both the good side and the bad side of Adriane. The good was starting to outweigh the bad — outweigh it in a huge way.
Rachel was in trouble.
Her heart might indeed get shattered as she continued on this quest to know the man who had fathered her children.
Still, it was a quest she had to continue, no matter the consequences. She owed that much to her unborn babies.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Standing in front of the flashy club, Lia began to think that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. She’d had to get out of the palace, though. She’d run into Shane too many times, and her need for him seemed only to escalate. It was best to just slip away for the evening.
Maybe she could dance. Definitely, she would drink.
Tonight was about nothing but pleasure, no matter what it took for her to achieve that goal.
The setting for her revels was a beautiful piece of land on the sea surrounding Corythia. Children were laughing as they ran along the boardwalk, parents on their heels. It was getting late, and the night crowd was starting to take over, while the families were enjoying their last moments of fun before heading home.
It sent a pang through Lia. She was finding that she’d much rather be a part of one of the families getting ready to come home, versus the single girl heading inside a bar.
Shaking off that thought, she opened the door and tried to enjoy the blast of music that instantly washed over her.
This was what she wanted — to dance and drink and to forget all about Shane for one single night. There was no place better to do just that than in a room full of rowdy people looking for a good time. Then why was she hesitating at the bar’s entrance? Why hadn’t she stepped through the doors yet?
It was always a little frightening to go to an unfamiliar place, but Adriane had assured her that crime was low in Corythia and that the locals raved about this particular club, so Lia felt a bit safer. She’d gotten a ride to town from one of Adriane’s drivers, who had given her his number. When she was ready to return, all she had to do was pick up the phone.
There was no risk in escaping for the night. So she needed to shake off this feeling of unease and just enjoy herself like the single woman she was.
If any of the men thought she was there for more than dancing, then they’d be sorely out of luck. Her desire to be with other men had been zip since Shane, and her attempts at dating had been pathetic, to say the least. The only pleasure she was looking for was the kind of warmth a bottle of Jack Daniel’s gave and some heavy-duty dancing. She wasn’t going home with one of the locals of Corythia.
It seemed Shane had ruined her for any other man. Maybe she should just get over the misunderstandings. She was, actually. Now, it was just fear. Fear that she would hand over her heart fully, only to have that horrible phone call saying he’d never be home again — that she’d lost him forever.
Finally pushing herself to get over this very different anxiety, she stepped inside the club, forcing a smile to her lips. Smoke filled the air, and she could see people laughing, but their laughter could barely be heard over the loud bass of the music. Bodies tangled wildly in front of her on the dance floor. Yes, this was exactly what she’d needed. The smile would soon become real.
This would pull her from the mood she’d been in for the past several months; this would relieve the ache in her body from going so long without fulfillment. Nothing cured sexual frustration like what she had in mind. Plus, it would help her ego if one or two men gave her a bit of attention. Yes, that made her a slight tease, but she wasn’t feeling at all good about herself at the moment. She needed something to lift her spirits.
The worst part of the continued ache in her body was knowing that she was the cause.
All it would take would be a single word and she could be crying out in ecstasy as Shane took her to the edges of the universe and beyond. The man knew how to bring her pleasure, and only her own stupid pride and stubbornness was preventing her from taking advantage of it.
Pushing those thoughts to the furthest recesses of her mind, Lia looked around the crowded room, then began to make her way toward the bar. First order of business was a drink — anything would do. Something to take the edge off her sexual appetite. That was all she was looking for.
As the crowd parted, she froze. She would recognize those broad strong shoulders and that dark hair anywhere.
It was Shane, and he wasn’t alone.
Instant jealousy jolted her heart awake at the sight of a sleek, scantily dressed brunette hanging all over his arm, her breasts brushing his shoulder and back, her top revealing more than it was hiding.
So what? She shouldn’t care if he was enjoying himself with some trashy woman who was obviously looking to get laid. Lia had told him it was never going to happen again with her, so of course he’d move on. He was young and gorgeous, and he had his entire life in front of him.
What did she expect? That he’d pine over her forever?
Well, kind of.
That was ridiculous.
And so was this. She’d come out to get a break, to turn her thoughts away from Shane, and instead she had to watch him being pawed.
Getting ready to turn, she noticed the expression on his face.
A surge of joy calmed her ever-pounding, erratic heart. He wasn’t on a date. He was clearly trying to enjoy a drink and instead getting some very unwanted attention. Lia watched as he tried to pry the woman’s fingers from his thigh — without any success.
It reminded her of the old days. The days she’d been in love with him, and he’d still looked at her like a little sister.
Well, those days were obviously long past, but she couldn’t stop herself from moving through the wall-to-wall crowd of people. She’d decided to ride to his rescue.
She even managed to convince herself that she was doing it as a favor for a friend, not because she wanted to stake a claim on her territory, a territory she had no right to.
“Hi, babe. Did you order my drink yet?” Lia asked as she pushed herself in beside Shane and sent him a wink.
He gazed back at her in shock at finding her there, shock that quickly turned to relief as he figured out what she was doing.
“Sorry, I haven’t had a chance yet,” he said, his arm snaking around her waist and pulling her close, leaving her no choice but to hoist one leg over his as she half sat on him.
Oh, my, her body heated up fast. She was expecting to save him, but she wasn’t expecting such close contact while doing so. It felt entirely too good to pull back, however. Plus, she rationalized, that would be sending a clear message to the annoying brunette, whose smile had disappeared as soon as Lia showed up.
The entire game would be defeated if she didn’t play along. And that was just no fun.
“Well, you know what I like,” she said, then glanced up with a start, as if just noticing the other woman.
Lia looked the woman in the eye and then raised her eyebrow as she pointedly turned her glance on the hand the woman was pressing down on Shane’s free thigh.
“He’s taken, sweetie,” the brunette growled. “Why don’t you run along?” She squeezed just a bit more closely against Shane’s side. Her breasts were so squished on his shoulder that Lia was getting far more of a view than she cared to see.
“Sorry, doll, but he’s been taken for a long time. If you don’t remove your hand from my boyfriend’s thigh, I’m going to ha
ve to get mean — and you won’t like me very much then.” Lia spoke with just enough menace to get her point across.
Shane’s head whipped back and forth between the two women as if he didn’t know what to do. Typical male.
The girl lifted her hand, grabbed the back of Shane’s neck and brought her painted red lips to his, kissing him hard and fast. “When you get sick of her, I’ll be over there,” she said, then released him and sauntered off.
Lia felt a real urge to chase after the skank, but Shane’s arm tightened around her as if he knew where her thoughts were going.
“Thanks for the rescue. I’ve been around some persistent females, but damn,” he said before giving forth an involuntary chuckle.
Lia’s gaze was drawn to the perfection of his lips, and as he caressed her lower back and the crowd pushed her even closer to him, she was forgetting why it was a bad idea for the two of them to make love again.
The reason had to be stupid.
“No problem. You’ve saved me enough times,” she said.
The bartender stepped over to them, breaking the spell Shane had her under, and Lia ordered a Long Island Iced Tea. She’d need the extra kick the drink would give her.
Neither of them said another word as her drink was mixed and set before her. Shane paid the man, giving him a healthy tip and encouraging him to come back when their glasses got low, then waited as Lia took a few long swallows.
She knew she should try to put some distance between her and Shane, but as the crowd surged, the music pulsed, and the drink warmed her blood, she decided that distance was vastly overrated.
Somehow she ended up fully on his lap, with his arm around her waist, his mouth within inches of her own.
She could blame it on the alcohol, blame it on the club — but the reality was that she wanted him, wanted him more than any other man in the universe. More than anything, period. She loved him, and no matter how much she fought it, she was always going to love him.
So why not have one more night together? Soon he’d be gone again, leaving her and going to parts unknown. Wouldn’t she regret it more if she didn’t have this memory of them together? What if the next mission ensured he never returned?
