by Leanne Banks
The gesture stole her heart. “I’m going to give you a hernia,” she said.
“No chance. You’re a lightweight,” he said and carried her to his bedroom.
“I hope you have good health insurance,” she whispered, leaning her head against his. “A hernia is in your future.”
He laughed and shook his head. “I’ve lifted a two-ton tractor before. In comparison, you’re a feather.”
She laughed, tossing her head back. “You’re full of flattery. Or as you Americans say, full of bull.”
He set her down on the bed and stared at her. She didn’t know what she looked like, but the way he gazed at her made her feel beautiful. He skimmed his hands over her hair, spread out beside her head, then touched her jaw, throat and shoulders as if he wanted to touch every inch of her.
He lowered his hands to the swell of her abdomen and she held her breath as he caressed her belly. “You have no idea how beautiful you are.”
His gentle possessiveness was an affirmation instead of a threat. Unable to stand any barriers between them, she lifted her nightgown and tossed it aside. Then she pushed his boxers off his hips.
His eyes darkened with need. “How am I going to hold back?”
“Maybe I don’t want you to hold back,” she whispered, arching toward him.
He slid his hands over her bare breasts and sucked in a quick breath of arousal. She felt his hardness against her. The obvious evidence of his need took her to a different level than she’d ever experienced.
She dragged his head downward and pressed his mouth against hers. He made sexy sounds of want and need that echoed inside her.
Zach lowered his mouth to her breast and took her nipple into his mouth. She arched upward, craving the most intimate connection they could achieve.
He rubbed his hand over her tummy at the same time he gave her a deep French kiss. “You have no idea how sexy you are. You have no idea how much I want you.”
“Show me,” she whispered as he slid his hand between her thighs.
And he did.
With just a little coaxing from Zachary, Tina decided to stretch her visit to his Dallas apartment for a few extra days. She enjoyed taking walks with him. Always donning the baseball cap, sunglasses and loose clothing to keep herself well-disguised, she felt more impatient than ever with her brother’s resistance to making a public announcement regarding her pregnancy. She suspected he was hoping she would abandon her relationship with Zach and return to Chantaine.
Even though he was appalled that she would have a baby out of wedlock, more than anything Stefan wanted Tina back in the country. He wanted her back in charge of the royal appearances so he didn’t have to deal with her younger, more difficult sisters.
On Tuesday, Zach kissed her just before he left. “Remember. Don’t go out without your cap and sunglasses.”
“I won’t,” she said, flopping onto her back and staring at the ceiling as she saw another day of hat hair and frumpy clothes in her future. Zach’s reason for keeping her on the down-low was different than her brother’s reasons. Zach was totally focused on her safety and he didn’t want her to get stampeded by the press or an eager group of curious onlookers.
Her mutually agreed-upon captivity was starting to grate on her. Although she didn’t miss the frantic pace of her schedule before she’d gotten pregnant, she needed more. She needed more of a feeling of accomplishment. At the moment, on a more superficial note, she needed a few new articles of clothing. Tina had started calling the baby Kiki because she kicked so much. Little Kiki was growing bigger all the time, which meant she was growing bigger too.
Tina pushed herself upward and put together a plan. Taxi to the shopping district, buy some clothes, return to the apartment, perform a quick makeover, then order takeout from somewhere wonderful. Rubbing her palms together, she could hardly wait until the stores opened.
Kicking inside her, the baby must have felt her excitement as Tina made her secret shopping mission on the windy day. She bought a couple new bras, more panties, two long-sleeved blouses, a black cardigan and a green pullover sweater, a pair of those vile maternity pants and a black dress that almost made her look sexy.
Glancing at her cell phone, she winced at the time and knew she would need to rush to not only arrive home before Zach, but also re-do herself.
Her arms full of shopping bags, she stepped outside the department store. A gust of wind caught her cap and whipped it away. Swearing under her breath, she chased it, but it slipped through her fingers. She watched in futility as it whipped down the street.
Shrugging, she raked her fingers through her hair and looked for a cab. No one would recognize her. It wasn’t as if she was wearing a tiara. If she could only get a bloody cab. This was when staff came in handy. She waved her hand for a few moments, then decided to return to the department store for help.
“Excuse me,” she said, lifting her sunglasses to the top of her head as she spoke to the woman at the information desk. “Could you please help me get a cab?”
The woman tore her gaze from some sort of gossip magazine. “Oh, sure,” she said and stared at Tina for a long moment. She glanced down at the magazine then back at Tina.
Tina felt a terrible sinking sensation.
“You’re the princess,” the woman yelled. “You’re Princess Valentina and you’re pregnant!”
Tina gave a smile that for her was more of a cringe. “Pleasure to meet you,” she said in a low voice. “Now could you please help me get a cab?”
“Oh, of course, your Highness,” the woman said, quickly standing. “Would you mind giving me an autograph? I’ve never met a real princess before.”
“A pen?” Tina asked, desperate to escape. The information clerk immediately supplied one and the magazine.
Tina couldn’t bring herself to sign a copy of the rag sheet that had ratted her out. “Perhaps a piece of your establishment’s stationary?”
The woman blinked. “Oh, okay,” she said and pulled out a notepad with the store’s logo. “My name’s Lola.”
Using the careful penmanship she’d been taught at a young age, Tina wrote Lola’s name and her own signature. “There,” she said and smiled. “Now, about that cab?”
It seemed to take forever, but a cab finally appeared outside the doors of the department store. Just as Tina walked to the door, two men walked inside the store and approached her, one aiming a camera at her.
“Princess Valentina, the official word from the palace is that you’re on a well-deserved sabbatical but that you will return to Chantaine soon.”
“How do you do?” she said, going into royal mode despite her casual appearance. “I wish I could talk, but I’m in a bit of a hurry. Good day,” she said and walked forward.
The two men stepped in front of her.
“Begging your pardon, Princess, but you’re clearly—” The man paused, waving his hand vaguely in the direction of her belly.
Bloody hell, she was going to be in trouble from all ends. “Yes, you’re right. My official statement is—” She paused a half beat and smiled. “I’ve swallowed a watermelon seed and look how she’s grown.”
“She,” the reporter echoed. “A girl. Who’s the father? Is it Zachary Logan?”
“I must go,” she said. “Please step aside. I can tell you’re a gentleman. Surely you would respect a woman who has swallowed a watermelon seed.”
The reporter smiled. “Let her go, Rick. We’ve got our scoop. Good luck, Princess. Don’t be a stranger.”
“Not bloody likely,” she muttered under her breath as she stepped into the cab. She wondered who was going to kill her first. Zach or her brother.
Zach pulled into the underground parking lot of his apartment and stepped into the elevator. Looking forward to seeing Tina, he leaned against the inner wall and cleared out a few text messages on his BlackBerry. Once he walked through his apartment door, he was leaving everything else behind.
The elevator doors whooshed open and Zach saw a comm
otion in the lobby. Several people rushed into the elevator.
“Glad I got out of that,” one man said.
“Me too,” the woman said, rubbing her forehead. “Did you hear what they were talking about? Something about a princess staying here.”
Zach’s gut knotted.
The man shook his head. “Now that could be one royal pain in the ass for the rest of us,” he joked.
Sucking in a sharp breath of air, Zach bided his time until he could get off the elevator. What the hell had happened today? Was Tina okay? Had she escaped the melee downstairs? He glanced at his phone again and there were no messages from her.
The elevator finally arrived at his floor. Walking onto his floor, he held his breath, wondering if the press would be waiting outside his apartment door. A sliver of relief shot through him when he didn’t see a soul. He moved quickly to his apartment, unlocked the door and stepped inside. He immediately locked the deadbolt behind him.
Jazz music played in the background. A second later, Tina stepped into the hallway, wearing a black dress and heels. As soon as her gaze met his, she shot him a huge smile. Her eyes sparkled.
“Surprise. Italian food will be delivered within thirty minutes.”
Distracted by how beautiful she looked, but not quite able to rid himself of the image of the crowd in the lobby. “You look great, but I’m not sure Italian is in our future. The apartment lobby’s a madhouse. I don’t know how it happened, but the press has found you.”
Her smile fell. “Bloody hell. I should have known that reporter wouldn’t let me off so easily.”
Zach blinked. “Reporter?”
Tina smiled, but it looked more like a grimace. “I had a little surprise today when I went shopping.”
“Tell me about it,” he said, getting a bad feeling.
“Everything went fine until I decided to leave,” she said. “It was windy. My cap flew off. I had to get help getting a cab. A reporter and a camera man appeared out of nowhere, the way they always do. It all went downhill from there.”
“How much did you tell him?”
Her cell phone began to ring. Even he knew that particular ring tone. It was her brother.
“Oh, bloody hell,” she whispered. “This could ruin our dinner.”
Chapter Fourteen
“I guess I should answer it,” Tina said, oozing reluctance as the phone went into its second cycle of ringing.
“Let me talk to him,” Zach said.
Tina shook her head and walked toward her purse resting on the couch. “That’s not a good idea. The two of you need a proper introduction first.”
She picked up the phone and punched the send button. “Stefan, how are you?”
Zach could hear the man’s voice from across the room.
“Yes, I guess the news may be out. I didn’t expect you to hear so quickly,” she said.
The man’s loud voice continued.
“Yes, I realize the announcement wasn’t optimal, but it was going to happen sometime,” she said. “And I didn’t exactly call it a pregnancy. My official explanation was that I swallowed a watermelon seed.” She met Zach’s gaze and shot him a mischievous smile.
He couldn’t hold back a chuckle at the image of Tina making such a statement.
She suddenly frowned. “Of course, I’m not trying to make you look like a fool.”
The distress on her face put all his protective instincts on alert. He moved closer to her and gestured for her to hand over the phone.
She shook her head and lifted her hand. “Stefan, I meant no disrespect. I was caught off guard and attempted to use humor to defuse the situation.”
Refusing to allow her brother to berate her, he put his hand over hers. “Give me the phone, sweetheart,” he said firmly.
She took a breath and surrendered the phone. Stefan was yelling. Zach counted to ten, twenty, thirty. Finally, even the crown prince decided he needed oxygen.
“Have you said enough for now?” Zach drawled.
He heard a harsh intake of breath and a muffled oath. “I was speaking to my sister,” Stefan said. “I wish to speak to my sister.”
“Not right now,” Zach said. “You’ve more than had your say. She’s in a delicate condition and she doesn’t need to have anyone yelling at her.”
“Who in hell do you think you are to keep me from my sister?” Stefan demanded.
“I’m the father of her child,” Zach said. “My job is to protect her. You’re a prince. Tell your PR people to handle this. You’ve got better things to do.”
“I don’t want her reputation besmirched,” Stefan said.
“I appreciate that,” Zach said. “I’ll do everything to protect her and the baby.”
Silence followed. “You realize now that the press knows where she is, it will be more difficult than ever to protect her. How do you plan to do that? I could send over her guard….”
“Not necessary,” Zach said. “I’ll be packing her up and taking her to the ranch no later than tomorrow morning, and I’ll assign one of my men to watch over her when I’m not available.”
“The palace would be a much better place for her. We’re equipped to deal with crowds and publicity, and there’s a physician available twenty-four hours a day.”
“Tina is staying here,” Zach said firmly.
“For now,” Stefan said, and those two little words raised Zach’s hackles.
He refused to rise to Stefan’s dig. “I think we’ve covered the essentials. Feel free to call me if you need anything else.”
“I’ll call my sister directly if I need to talk to her,” Stefan shot back.
“Just don’t upset her. Bye now,” he said.
“Wait,” Stefan said, some of the imperious tone fading from his voice. “Is it really a girl?”
Zach smiled. “Yes, it’s a girl, and she’s a kicker.”
“That must be why Tina calls her Kiki,” Stefan said.
“How’d you know that?”
“From the news,” Stefan retorted, not bothering to hide his displeasure.
Zach stifled a chuckle. “I’m glad we had this little discussion. Bye,” he said and turned off the phone and handed it to Tina.
“You’re technically supposed to wait until Stefan ends the conversation,” she said.
“Yeah, well, he technically shouldn’t act like such a jerk to you.”
“He really is under a lot of pressure,” she said. “Most people don’t know it, but my father was ill for several years. The advisers insisted we keep it secret because many people would have considered Stefan too young.” She sighed. “This is terrible to say, but I wish he would get married.”
Zach lifted an eyebrow. “So you think marriage can solve his problems, but not yours?”
“I don’t have his kind of problems.” She glanced at her cell phone. “The food should be here by now.”
“Like I told you, the delivery guy may need a special escort to get through that lobby.”
Her eyebrows knitted together in frustration. “Maybe if I put on a cap and—”
“No way,” he said.
“This is my last night here. I wanted it to be…special,” she said.
Something inside him squeezed tight at her admission and he rolled some solutions through his mind. “Give me the number of the restaurant. I’ll see what I can do.”
It took a few calls, but Zach arranged to meet the delivery man in the underground parking garage. Taking the elevator all the way down, he adjusted his ball cap and sunglasses. He walked into the garage and spotted a vehicle with the name of the Italian restaurant and walked toward it, cash in hand.
“Thanks for meeting me down here,” Zach said.
The young man glanced around nervously. “I tried to lose them—”
Three men stepped out of the shadows, one armed with a camera and bright light. Zach held his hand up to his eyes, squinting. “What the—”
“Mr. Zachary Logan, we’re with the Worldly News. T
ell us, are you the father of Princess Valentina’s baby? Are you planning to get married? Is it true that you kidnapped her from France? And there have been rumors she’s having twins—”
“Twins,” Zach repeated in alarm. “Hell, no. And the rest is none of your business,” he said and headed for the elevator.
The men stepped in front of him. “Mr. Logan—”
“You need to get out of my way. This garage is exclusively for the residents of this building. Do I need to call the cops?”
“That delivery driver isn’t a resident of this building,” one of the reporters said.
“He brought me Italian food. Did you bring me Italian food? No. Get out,” he said and shoved them aside as he walked into the elevator.
His temper rising with each floor he passed, he was ready to growl when he arrived on his floor and entered his apartment.
“I don’t see how you stand it,” he said as he dumped the bags of food on the dining room table. “Damn bloodsuckers were waiting for me in the parking garage.”
Alarm shot across Tina’s face. “What bloodsuckers?”
“The press or pretend reporters. I had to threaten them before they would let me get back on the elevator, for Pete’s sake.”
Tina bit her lip. “This was what I was always afraid of. Your life is totally different from mine. I knew you would find the lack of privacy a terrible invasion. To some extent, it will never change. It’s a bit worse now because I’m pregnant and unmarried and Stefan insisted on trying to keep it secret, but dealing with the press and being in the public eye will always be at least a part of my life.”
“Not if you spend most of your time at my ranch,” he said.
She gave a sad smile. “I won’t hide out forever. Although it was time for me to not be the only royal making most of the public appearances, I’m not a hermit. I crave that feeling of accomplishment I get when I can be a part of helping.”
“What about the accomplishment of raising our child?”
“That will be part of raising our child. I want our child to see the joy of helping others. She won’t be able to do that if I stay locked up at the ranch.”
