by Leanne Banks
He stared at her in astonishment. The woman was determined to drive him crazy. He swallowed a dozen oaths then slowly nodded. “Fine. Hildie stays as long as you stay.”
Tina’s jaw dropped at how quickly he’d turned her threat into his favor, but she cleared her throat and quickly collected her composure, the way any good princess would. “I didn’t mean it exactly that way.”
“Are you saying you’re willing for Hildie to be fired?” he asked.
“Of course not,” Tina said. “But I won’t be manipulated into staying at your ranch against my will.”
“Are you staying against your will now?” he asked.
She hesitated a half-breath. “No, but I don’t know how I’ll feel. How you’ll feel. I can’t promise to stay at your ranch forever.”
He nodded. “How about a year?” he countered.
She blinked. “A year?”
“You stay a year in exchange for Hildie’s unlimited employment,” he bargained, buying time. More than anything, time was what he needed.
Biting her lip, Tina looked away.
Zach had noticed that she knew how to control how she revealed emotion, so he could tell she was conflicted. “A year isn’t that long. It will give you time to have the baby and for you and I to know each other.”
She glanced up and searched his eyes. He wondered what she was looking for. “Six months. That will be a month after the baby is due. That’s all I’ll promise.”
Zach felt a rush of triumph. He’d just bought himself half a year.
It didn’t take long for Tina to suspect that she’d been duped. She’d been so eager to protect Hildie that she hadn’t considered that Zach would use her stance against her. After the doctor cleared both her and the baby and Hildie, they returned to the ranch.
“Tell Hildie she won’t be fired. I can’t bear her cowering. It’s so out of character,” she said to Zach just before they entered the house.
His lips twitched. “I told her when the doctor was seeing you.”
“Oh,” she said and met his gaze, thinking about all she’d learned about him today. She’d just given herself a six-month sentence with the most desirable, yet impossible, man alive. She wondered how she would survive it.
“I’m tired. Baby and I need some sleep,” she said and stepped through the doorway. Two steps later, she felt Zach’s hand clasp hers.
“After you have something to eat and drink,” he said.
“I’m not really hungry,” she said.
“Then Hildie can just fix you a sandwich,” he said.
“Hildie is more worn out than I am,” she said. “If you insist, I’ll fix my own.”
He swore under his breath. “Damn, you’re a handful. I will fix your sandwich. Turkey or ham?”
“Are you sure you know how?” she countered, unable to resist the opportunity to jab at him.
His eyes lit with a combination of sensuality and irritation. “Yeah, I know how to make a sandwich. Does your highlyness prefer mustard or mayonnaise? Pickles or naked?”
The word naked caught her off guard and a flash of his gorgeous, naked muscular body ricocheted through her brain. She blinked to push it away. “Dill pickles and I’d love sparkling water if you have some,” she said, trying, but not at all succeeding in pretending he was just a member of staff. With the heat he generated inside her, she was going to have to find some way of coping with him.
For the next two days, Zachary left her alone. Tina wasn’t sure if she liked that or not. She was torn between taking the time to figure out what she should do after her six months with Zach and being bored out of her mind. She wasn’t accustomed to so much rest. Heaven help her, she began to understand the concept of being bored to death.
Of course, negotiating a field trip with Hildie was out of the question. Zach’s housekeeper had been unfailingly polite since the accident but refused to chat about anything more than the weather.
Late at night after she’d had nearly zero conversation with a human being throughout the day, she decided to take a bath and listen to music and perhaps talk to her sister Fredericka, who was in England at the moment.
Making sure the bathwater was the perfect temperature, she sank into the tub and sipped a glass of sparkling water and pretended it was champagne. She turned on the music of a French rock band and closed her eyes.
Tina toyed with the spigot with her toes, noting that she could use a pedicure. When she’d lived at the palace, a mani-pedi had been a weekly ritual she’d regarded as a waste of time. Her schedule had been packed with appearances. Now, her schedule was one big yawn.
Sighing, she glanced down at her wet, slowly burgeoning belly and smiled. “Will your eyes be blue or green?” she whispered. “Are you a girl or a boy? I’ll love you either way,” she promised. “Your father will love you either way, too.”
Taking a deep breath, she leaned back against the pillow to support her head and focused on the pleasure of the bath instead of the turmoil of her life.
Minutes or seconds later, the door to her bath opened and Zachary stepped inside, his body rigid with alarm. “Tina,” he said then made a face. “Why didn’t you answer the door?”
Automatically trying to cover herself, she lifted one hand to her breast and one hand much lower after she pulled an earphone loose. “What are you doing? Haven’t you heard of knocking?”
“I did, but you didn’t answer,” he said, his gaze traveling over her body from head to toe and back again. “You didn’t answer, so I thought I’d better check on you in case you drowned.”
Feeling her nipples grow tighter from the cool air and his stare, she frowned at him. “I didn’t drown, so you can leave.”
He didn’t move fast enough for her, so she picked up her wet rag and tossed it at him. He caught it, of course. “Out! Get out. You don’t speak to me for days then you wait until I’m naked and enjoying a bath.”
The water dripped onto his shirt. “Are you saying you feel neglected?”
Furious beyond any concern for her nudity, she stood in the tub and screamed. “Get out.”
The next morning when she awakened, she found a note pushed under her door. “Oh, goody. Another trip to the obstetrician,” she muttered as she picked it up. Despite her crabby mood, she opened the note instead of ripping it into a thousand pieces.
Dinner out tonight. 6:30 pm. Wear a dress.—Zach
Oh, that silver-tongued devil, she thought. How could she possibly resist such charm and seduction? She considered refusing. For at least two whole minutes. Then she realized she had nothing else to do. Dinner with Zachary. She had ten hours to choose her dress.
Zach wore a white shirt and a pair of black slacks. It was strange as hell, but he felt a little nervous about taking Tina to dinner. Despite the fact that they’d shared a bed way too many nights ago and despite the fact that she’d been staying in his home for weeks now, she was still a princess. More important, she was the mother of his child and he needed to win her over.
Considering the fact that his heart was closed to any chance of romance and love, he was facing a tough proposition. Glancing down, he hoped the bouquet of flowers would help.
He heard her first foot on the top step and glanced upward. Her legs were bare, creamy and curvy. She wore a turquoise flowing dress that hinted at her curves and pregnancy, but didn’t give all her secrets away. Her hair fell like a silk curtain to her shoulders and her eyes held curiosity.
Curiosity was better than the fury he’d seen last night when she’d stood naked screaming at him. The visual of her wet, nude body would be stamped on his mind forever. It had taken two cold showers before he’d been able to pull his libido under control.
She kept reminding him that despite his missing heart, his sexual desire was alive and kicking. As she came to a stop beside him, he resisted the urge to ditch their dinner and persuade her to spend the night with him in his bed.
“You look good,” he said in a voice that sounded rough to his own
ears.
“Thank you,” she said, her eyelids dropping to cover her eyes for a second. “So do you.”
He felt a kick of arousal. She glanced up at him again and took the flowers he held in his hand. “Lovely flowers,” she said softly and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
Zach’s gaze dipped to the creamy cleft of her cleavage and he clenched his jaw. Every move she made reminded him of what he was missing by not having her in his bed. This entire evening was going to be one big pain in his groin.
Chapter Ten
The candlelight at their table for two flickered over Zachary’s tanned complexion, reflecting against his white teeth and shirt. He seemed a little lighter tonight. He smiled more and laughed more. The low, husky sound was both contagious and seductive.
Except for the two of them, the small restaurant was deserted. “You still haven’t told me how you managed to close down this place for this night just for you and me,” she said. “That sounds like something only a king could do.”
He lifted his eyebrows, but held her gaze. “I’m no king. This place is usually closed on this night of the week. I just called in a favor.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, but not in an unfriendly way. “You seem to have quite a few favors you can call in.”
Zach shrugged his shoulders, drawing her attention to his strength again, not that it had ever left her mind. “One hand washes the other. One good turn deserves another,” he said.
“Hmm,” she said. “Is this a form of the Texas mafia?”
Zach laughed and the sound rippled through her. Underneath the surface of their light romantic evening, Tina was always aware of what she’d just learned about Zach. The pain and loss he’d suffered. The fact that he’d brought in a new obstetrician after his wife and baby had died. The way he’d protected her since the first moment they’d met. Yet, he had also made her feel like a woman instead of a royal title.
Every once in a while, he showed flashes of himself beneath the hard, tough surface. She wondered what it would take to get all the way in. She wondered if it was possible. She wondered if she could do it. Did she even want to?
“You may deny it, but in your way, you’re a king of your own country with plenty of diplomatic connections. Or favors, as you call them,” she said.
“I’m just a rancher and a businessman,” he said.
She chuckled and gave the same response he’d given her a few times. “Uh-huh. And I’m Little Bo Peep.”
“Give me a break. How can I impress a princess?”
Charmed, despite all her reservations and she had quite a few, she smiled. “You did that a long time ago,” she said softly.
His eyes turned serious and he reached across the table to take her hand. “Is that true or are you giving the proper princess response?”
She rolled her eyes. “I haven’t been proper with you since the first time I met you.”
He rubbed her fingers sensually. “I always thought I was damn lucky that night even when I had no clue you were a princess.”
Torn between seduction and a need for reassurance, she lowered her gaze to their entwined hands. “What was so great about me? It’s not as if I’m beauty queen material—” She broke off when his fingers covered her lips. The sensation made her heart skip over itself. The intensity in his gaze squeezed her chest so tight she could barely breathe.
He shook his head and pulled his fingers away from her mouth. “You’re the strangest combination of a woman I’ve ever met. Mysterious, voluptuous, too sexy for your own good and mine too. And sweet. Irresistible as hell.”
His response was so honest and baffled that she had to believe him. He made her feel powerful and vulnerable at the same time.
The nearly invisible waiter appeared beside their table at that moment. She tried to pull back her hand, but he wouldn’t let her.
“Yes,” he said to the waiter.
The waiter cleared his throat. “Dessert if you wish,” he said nodding to both of them. “Chocolate mousse or apple pie à la mode.”
Zach looked at her. “Ladies’ choice.”
“Easy,” she said. “Chocolate mousse, but I’d like to share.”
Zach lifted his mouth in a half-grin. “Good idea.”
Within moments, the waiter returned with the mousse and two spoons. Zach put one aside. “We only need one. Should I try it first to make sure there’s nothing wrong with it? Didn’t the royals used to do that? Have some poor schmuck taste the food in case it was poisoned?”
She rolled her eyes at him and took the spoon. “I’m sure it’s fine, especially since you called in a favor.” She dipped the spoon into the mousse and lifted it to her mouth, sliding it onto her tongue. Closing her eyes, she moaned. “Now, that is good. Almost as good as my favorite restaurant in Paris.”
She finally opened her eyes and met his gaze, which was filled with heat and sensual determination.
“You know, that comment could make a man want to make you forget about Paris,” he said.
Her heart skittered again. “That could be a pretty big challenge. Paris is an amazing city.” She dipped the spoon into the mousse and lifted it to his mouth.
He reached out and wrapped his hand around hers as she guided it to his lips. His tongue slipped out to scoop up the mousse. She watched his strong throat work down the silky confection.
“Give me a chance and see what happens,” he said.
After dinner, he led her to the SUV. Before he helped her inside, however, he pushed her back against his car and lowered his head. Her stomach felt as if she were riding a jerky ride in an amusement park.
He pressed his mouth against hers and she welcomed the plush sensation and forbidden taste of his lips. He was better than the chocolate mousse they’d shared. More tempting, more…everything…
She clung to him, craving more of him. Could she possibly find the man he’d become before his loss?
“Let’s go home,” he muttered against her mouth. “We can figure it out there.”
Plunged into a sensual, Zachary-ruled daze, she nodded. “Yes, I think that’s a good idea.”
Zach helped her into his car and drove back to the ranch. The drive was silent, giving her plenty of opportunity to come to her senses, but for some reason, her rational side had decided to play hooky as Keely had described to Tina years ago.
Zach pulled his SUV inside the garage and cut the engine. He looked at her and her heartbeat immediately picked up. Lowering his head, he pressed his mouth against hers again. “Come to my room.”
She sucked in a quick, sharp breath, but her mind remained muddy and seduced. “Are you sure this is—”
“I’m sure,” he said, cutting through her uncertainty. “Are you?”
“Ohh,” she said, resting her forehead against his, searching for sanity.
“Ohh isn’t good enough. I need a yes.”
He wasn’t going to let her abdicate her responsibility or her response. She couldn’t help but admire him for that. He was making her play fair for the both of them.
“Yes,” she managed. “Yes, I want to be with you.”
One second passed and he led her upstairs. He swept her away so quickly, she wasn’t sure if her feet touched the stairs. She barely took two more breaths and she felt herself falling onto his bed, staring up at him.
“That was fast,” she whispered.
“Think of it as three months of foreplay,” he said, unbuttoning his shirt and unzipping his pants.
She watched him in wonder, his gleaming, broad bare chest and flat abdomen. She felt the wicked urge to press her cheek against his strong belly. He stole the opportunity from her as he followed her down and stripped off her clothes between kisses.
She felt the heat inside her build to an unbearable height as she arched beneath him, straining to feel every inch of his strong, naked body against her.
Taking her mouth in a French kiss, he slid his hand down her shoulder then lower to her swollen breast. As he stro
ked her, she felt a corresponding tug in her nether regions.
He pushed his thigh between her legs as a prelude to his possession, and something inside her ripped loose. Need, primitive and consuming, suddenly roared through her like a forest fire.
Unable to remain still, she pressed and rolled her body against his. He let out a low visceral moan that vibrated through their mouths.
“Careful,” he muttered, slipping one of his hands over her hip. “I’m trying to keep it slow.”
She didn’t want it slow. She wanted it fast and furious and now. Her head was a cloud of sexual need. “Now,” she whispered.
He made another low sound, one of agonizing frustration. The controlled power in his moan gave her a tiny bit of mental satisfaction. He slipped one of his hands down between her thighs and stroked her where she was wet and swollen for him.
When she didn’t think she could bear the anticipation one second longer, he pushed her legs apart and thrust inside her. Staring into his eyes, she realized she’d never felt so fully possessed by a man in her life. The connection she felt went so much deeper than sex. She also realized that she wanted to possess him in the same way.
Moving in an age-old rhythm, he thrust and she arched. Her climax took her by surprise. One heartbeat later, he stiffened as his release rippled through him, echoing throughout her.
The sound of their breaths mingled in the air, the same as their bodies. He covered her with his strength, bearing his weight on his forearms to protect her. He took a few more breaths and rolled to her side.
Her heart still pounding, she turned her head to look at him, wondering if he was feeling half as much as she was. Wondering if it was more than physical for him.
The back of his opposite forearm covered his face, shielding his expression from her, and an odd vulnerability made her stomach dip.
Biting the inside of her lip, she scooted her hand over to his and slid her fingers through his. His arm immediately dropped and he met her gaze as he rolled to his side again.
