by Tina Leonard
Serena didn’t turn around, but a secret smile lifted her lips as the sound of Cade’s boots left the kitchen and echoed down the hall. She watched from the kitchen window as he headed toward the stables.
He might have married her to save face for his family, but he was going to relinquish his heart to her. She had dreamed of a prince all her life. Cade might not want to be a prince, but he was going to be hers, by whatever definition he wanted to call it! He wasn’t the only one who understood seduction.
She had been raised in a palace, where seduction came in many disguises. His disguise was to think he had helped out his brother and mother by being noble. He was noble, and that was admirable.
However, he didn’t yet realize how much he wanted her. She was not going to be merely another duty to him.
And that was where the real seduction would begin.
Unfortunately, she was positive there wasn’t much time to put her plan to work. Her father might be unhappy about the prince switch, or Layla might stir up so much trouble at the court that her father would have to send for her to come home with her prince. Sending in a spy with a potion meant that Layla was ready to take advantage of any holes in the marriage. If Serena’s presence—and that of her prince’s—was demanded to allay concern about the lack of required pomp and ceremony, Serena knew that Cade would not want to return to Balahar. And that would cause problems. It would be very risky to return if their marriage was still dissolvable.
He wanted an American courtship, a period of dating. “I need to convince him,” she murmured to herself as she stroked the skin off the last potatoes, “that a royal match is different. A royal match…needs to be lit or it might get extinguished!”
Chapter Seven
Cade went to the barn in search of his favorite horse, fully intending to ride off the confused mood the princess had put him in. A little seduction should have gone a long way where she was concerned—then why was he feeling he’d had the tables turned on him?
“Whoa, cowboy,” Mac told him, busting Cade out of his sour thoughts. “Where are you going in such a hurry?”
“For a ride.” Cade pulled down a saddle.
“Somebody shoot your dog?”
Cade looked at his brother. “If you’re referencing my mood, I can confirm that it has been in better shape.”
“I know it was in better shape before you went into the house. Trouble in the love nest?”
Cade frowned at his brother. “It’s a pain in the ass being a prince sometimes.”
Mac laughed and tossed him an elaborate silver and leather bridle. “You’ve never spent a thought on royalty before the princess brought her vision of loveliness to the ranch.”
“I know. That’s the problem. I don’t much know how to proceed with her.”
“I’m so glad it’s you and not me, bro, trying to figure out that tangled problem. Although I appreciate you doing me the favor,” he said hastily. “I mean, I’m very much aware that it’s my boots, er, wedding band you’re wearing—”
“Shut up,” Cade said, replacing the bridle over a heavy nail in the wall. “I’m not wearing your boots or your wedding band. I wanted her, I’ve got her, I’m trying to figure out what the hell to do with her.”
Mac snickered, earning him a black look from his brother.
“Well, heck. Sometimes Serena looks at me all sweetly, and my insides turn to jelly and I think I’m going to explode. And sometimes she looks at me so knowingly that my insides turn to jelly and I think I’m going to explode.”
“Sounds like either way you’re going to explode. Your options appear to be limited—and painful.”
“You are no help,” Cade said curtly. “Wait until it’s your turn. You get the next princess Mother conjures up.”
“I hope not. I’m hoping that you’ll keep her busy with your princess, maybe long enough for me to figure out whether the rodeo life is an appealing option or not.”
“I can just see you leaving The Rose for rodeo.” Cade sighed and leaned up against the wall, before picking up a curry brush and beginning to stroke Dakar’s powerful body with long, soothing slides of the brush.
“I can’t believe one little gal has got you so riled up. Kissin’ Cade—isn’t that what the girls called you in high school?”
“I hope not.” Cade sighed again. “Mac, I know that ranch life is hard. I want Serena to be happy here. It’s bad enough that our marriage started off as unfortunately as a dented bucket. For her to be content giving up palace life, she’d have to really love it here.”
“You and I do.”
“That’s different. We never knew any different. She’s used to velvet cushions and servants and her every need immediately tended. Here, well, there’s none of that. Not even close.”
“Guess you’re not going to live in Balahar.”
“See, that’s it,” Cade said softly, laying his head against Dakar’s shoulder for a moment as he thought. The smell of warm horseflesh came to him, comforting and familiar. A few stalls over, Texas Heat pawed the ground, insisting he get his share of attention. The two stallions couldn’t be kept in side-by-side stalls—they would kick apart the wood between them in order to get at each other—and Texas Heat was competitively aware that he wasn’t the focus right now. Cade glanced at the stallion. “Slow down, boy. You don’t always have to be spoiled rotten.” Then he glanced at Mac. “The horses get all the spoiling here, Mac. I’m asking Serena to make a sacrifice, when I’m not willing to do the same. I’d rather be in a wooden box than live in that palace of hers.”
Mac shook his head. “I wouldn’t want to, either. Remember? That’s why you went for me? I didn’t even want to make a fast business trip over there.”
“So if I want her to be happy enough here to willingly say that she wants to stay at The Desert Rose with me…I don’t think the way to make that happen is to throw ranch life at her all at once. And she’s in the kitchen wearing an apron and peeling potatoes—after I showed her how not to cut her finger off doing it.”
“What made her decide to tackle kitchen duty?”
Cade shrugged, a slight smile lighting his face. “She saw Mother wearing an apron.”
“And decided she should emulate her. That shows a willingness on her part to try to like The Desert Rose, Cade. Maybe you’re too worried. After all, we have a lot here that is common to a palace. They have sand fleas in the desert, we have biting flies. They have palace politics, we have Mother’s matchmaking. They have—”
“I get your point, but life can’t be as hard on a palace princess as it is on a cowgirl, can it?”
“It might be,” Serena’s saucy voice came from the doorway.
Both men straightened to stare at her. She walked toward them slowly, wearing jeans she had to have borrowed from Jessica and a determined smile. “I’ve got boots on,” she told Cade. “I’m ready to ride one of your famous horses. Why don’t you show me around this ranch, and give me a chance to decide which is more fun—being a princess or a cowgirl?”
Texas Heat kicked at his stall, tired of being ignored. Ignoring Cade’s gape, Serena went to the stall.
“Serena, he may nip you, or worse. Let me get you a pony,” Cade said quickly. “I’ll saddle one up for you and we can take a nice, leisurely ride around the ranch.”
“DR Texas Heat,” Serena murmured softly. “Not that you’d need any introduction.” She took down a lead rope and, before Cade could stop her, opened the stall. “You’re magnificent,” she breathed. “Much more impressive than even your pictures,” she said to the wary horse. He eyed her and she allowed him to, without extending a hand to him. His great nostrils quivered as he decided whether or not to accept her in his space.
“Serena—” Cade started, but his brother’s hand on his arm stopped him. “She’s going to get kicked, or worse.”
Mac shook his head. “It would have happened by now. The horse was ready for attention. He senses Serena is going to give it to him.”
&nb
sp; “She isn’t used to riding stallions! She probably rode overfed palace ponies, if they didn’t have retainers who rode her horses for her!”
“Serena seems to know what she’s about. If she puts the saddle on backward, you’ll know she’s inexperienced and can step in to help. But give her a chance. She’s trying to fit in.”
Cade’s breath stuck in his throat as he watched the delicate princess woo Texas Heat. The horse drew his head near enough to smell her, giving Cade a fright that Serena might soon lose an ear. But the horse dropped his head a little, satisfied, and Serena slipped the bridle on him without difficulty after inserting the bit.
“Well done,” Mac murmured, his voice tinged with admiration.
“So far,” Cade grumbled.
“Come on, handsome,” she said, leading the horse from the stall. Texas Heat came out, his body proud with shining majesty. “Now, this is a male who needs no words to showcase his attributes,” she said to Cade and Mac, while firmly patting the neck muscles. “No need to brag about his prowess. No, this steed knows he has descended from a line of proud royalty, and to pretend otherwise would not be possible. In his very posture, he shows he is a king among his kind.”
She led the horse out from the stable and secured him for saddling, choosing a western saddle for herself and putting it on the horse without assistance. Placing a foot into the stirrup, she neatly vaulted herself into the seat. She stared down at the two cowboys with wicked glee, but her words were aimed at Cade. “I imagine that when he is sent to visit with a lady, he goes about his business with the sure execution a female expects from a male. Masterfully, enthusiastically, without having to be prodded—and certainly without boastful displays to cover his own lack of confidence.”
Smiling into Cade’s astonished eyes, she turned the horse, starting an even canter away from him, before glancing over her shoulder at him for a split second. He could hear her laughter on the breeze.
“What the hell was that all about?” Mac demanded. “Is the princess trying to tell you something?”
Cade stomped over to swiftly saddle Dakar. “That I am a recalcitrant prince and lover. On the one hand, she is correct. On the other, she, by the stars, is not.”
Mac laughed as Cade leaped astride the stallion and none too slowly tore out of the stable. “I’ll call the county fire department,” he called after his brother, “and warn ’em they’re not to worry if they see sparks flying from The Desert Rose!”
IN THE HOUSE, Rose was placing the most difficult phone call of her life. She dreaded telling the king what had transpired so much that her hands shook. Never in her life could she have imagined that Cade would do as he had done.
And yet, he and the princess seemed determined to, if not fall head over heels in instant love, to be satisfied to dig at each other like splinters under skin.
She had never seen Cade act in such a manner. He reminded her of Dakar when a female was brought to him. There was much display of cocky body language, designed to illuminate his magnificent muscles and strong bearing. Rarely had a mare been able to resist the eventual mating, more often than not surrendering to him with submissive posture. Dakar was known for not wasting a rancher’s time and money, for he executed his task with speed and potency.
Serena and Cade were, for now, at least in the same corral. Perhaps if she could offer the king something that could soothe the insult Cade had unwittingly visited upon him, something more could come of the marriage than cocky body language and teasing that disguised the attraction between them.
The king would likely want an annulment.
She had little to offer a king that might buy Cade some time with Serena.
“His Highness will speak to you now,” the king’s adviser said.
“Thank you,” Rose murmured.
“Good afternoon, Rose,” King Zak said. “It is afternoon in your part of the world, is it not?”
“It is, Your Highness,” Rose said respectfully.
“We are related now,” the king told her. “Please call me Zak. I was quite pleased with your son, however impetuously he took my daughter from me. I must say that the expediency worked to my benefit, however. No one was the wiser until the deed was accomplished.”
“Actually, King Zak,” Rose began nervously, “there’s a slight problem. Perhaps a large one, actually.”
“Don’t tell me he doesn’t want my daughter!” the king roared.
Rose jumped, gulping nervously. “No, no, that is not the problem, Your Highness. Please do not concern yourself that Serena is anything less than the wonderful princess we expected. Quite the opposite, in fact! She is a star that The Desert Rose never expected to shine upon its humble existence.”
“I will hear more of this problem, then. Quickly, please.”
Rose’s fingers shook on the receiver as she held it to her ear, closing her eyes to pray for the right words. “King Zak, the fault is all my own. My sons have ever been inclined to look after one another. Prince Makin was averse to marrying—anyone at all, although Serena is certainly a jewel to bless a man with many days of joy. Prince Kadar, in seeking to allay his brother’s concerns, took it upon himself to stop by Balahar on his way to Saudi Arabia, in order to meet Princess Serena. Apparently, he was confused by palace protocol, and accepted her by accident. So charmed was he by her,” Rose continued hastily, “and not wishing to cause her embarrassment, nor to humiliate me, he went through with the marriage.”
“My daughter married the third prince? This is not what we agreed upon!”
“No, Your Highness, it is not, and for that, I am dreadfully sorry.” Rose’s thoughts shifted like sands in the desert wind as she chose her next words carefully. “We could return Serena to you, at once, in the same condition in which she left your palace, which I can promise you is a fact that would be verified easily by a palace physician. Coming home to you with an application for a marriage annulment, however, would most likely bring a stain to her name. Palace gossip would be wicked and intense, as it might appear that her husband did not desire her. Remember, no one knows that Prince Kadar married her instead of Prince Makin, and as they are twins, no one would believe the story if we had to come forward with it. People will say that we fabricated the whole thing.”
“And also that my rule must be weak indeed to allow such a thing to occur under my very nose.”
“Precisely. Which is why I would like to make a counterproposal to you, if I may.”
King Zak hesitated a moment. Rose’s fingers tightened on the telephone. The ruler had every right to be outraged, both as a monarch and as a father, and she could not blame him for not wishing to listen to one more word she had to say. For Cade’s sake, however, she added a plea.
“Your Highness, please, hear me a little longer. I would like to right this wrong you have suffered.”
After another long moment, he said, “I’m listening, my lady Rose.”
She blinked, both at his kind tone and his choice of words, which brought her to equal status with him. He was giving her the courtesy of a royal with important duties, not the more minor position of an out-of-power queen. Gratitude swelled inside her. “My son and your daughter like each other very much. They came here to protect you. Prince Kadar told your daughter the truth in Balahar. She could have left his side at any moment, revealing him to be an imposter and remaining in her father’s home. For the sake of your rule, she went with Kadar, knowing that it was best that a strong marriage bond be portrayed. They came here because already the palace spy had drugged Kadar’s drink, hoping to keep him from honoring the princess with a true marriage. An annulment is what I suspect Queen Layla is after, Your Highness, and if Prince Kadar and Princess Serena were unwilling to give it to them, then I humbly suggest that we give them the time to work out the marriage they both seem content to keep.”
“And you have told me that my daughter is still—”
“Yes, Your Highness. My son was unwilling to consummate the relationship under fal
se pretenses, nor did he feel that dancing to the tune of a palace spy and pretender suited him. He would honor your daughter by giving her the time she needs to fall in love with him, to trust him, and more importantly, to be happy married to him.”
“Very unusual for a young man to restrain himself from a bounty when it is laid before him,” King Zak observed.
A soft laugh escaped Rose. “There is much gnashing of teeth and wearing of pride at The Desert Rose right now, Your Highness.”
“So they do like each other?” he asked, his tone husky.
“Yes. Very much so, it seems. Enough to want the other to be happy. I would say that it is a very good start.”
“I remember the feeling of wearing my pride and gnashing my teeth,” King Zak said thoughtfully.
“As do I,” Rose said, her voice wistful.
“Falling in love is a beautiful thing, my lady.”
“Yes.” She could hardly speak for the pain of remembering just how beautiful it had been for her—before her whole life had been ripped from her by Layla. “I would give this gift to our children, if we can, Zakariyya.”
“I think you are right,” he suddenly said, his tone authoritative once again. “I am intrigued by your suggestion, and will accept an offer of one Desert Rose foal to make reparation for the pride your son’s conduct has cost me.”
“You are more than generous, King Zak.”
“How many were you going to offer me?”
Rose smiled. “The very best next three The Desert Rose produced.”
“You got off lightly,” the king said. “Shrewdness is appealing in a woman, for when her beauty fades, she still has that attribute left to her. I will be anxiously awaiting an update in one week’s time. If I do not hear from you, I will come for my daughter myself. This will cause me bad humor. And two weeks’ time is all I can allot for the prince and princess to do more than posture and crow at each other. Surely that is long enough for a man to know his own mind. Tell Prince Kadar I am displeased that he deceived me. Tell him that I will cut off his hand if he compromises my daughter before she decides she will be his. Tell him the Balahar royalty does not need to send to Texas for a stud—we have plenty of young men here who would pay handsomely to wed my daughter. A man who comes in and steals my daughter out from under my nose in the cover of night in his jet should be good for a couple of grandchildren—er, royal heirs.”
