“My plan was to drive you crazy all night long. Look.” With a tiny shrug, the scooped-out neck of her dress slid down her shoulder. “Wish you could kiss it? That bare spot right there?”
So much so that Christian’s mouth dried up. He barely managed to get out a half strangled, “Yes.”
“Dinner before dessert.” A twitch of her fingers pulled the garment back up into more modest territory.
Which was unfortunate. In the extreme.
Christian took a swig of his water. He also ignored the table two over trying to get his attention. “Come on. It’s important that we do this first real date the right way.”
A single, skeptical eyebrow arched upward. “I thought you told me that you don’t so much date as hook up.”
“Precisely. This—what we’re trying tonight—is uncharted territory that I intend to conquer properly. We already know that we’re great at sex together. Incendiary, even.”
“Agreed.” She slanted another smoldering look across the table. “Although I wouldn’t object to further testing.”
“So noted.” Christian sampled the calamari. The red peppers in the dipping sauce flashed over his tongue. “Damn. I should’ve checked before ordering. Can you handle heat?”
Mallory froze, bunched fingers at her mouth. Then she locked eyes with him while she oh-so-slowly licked each fingertip, swirling with her tongue over the very ends. “I thought we’d already established I can handle however much heat you bring to the table.”
Choking on a mix of laughter, peppers, and raw desire, Christian said, “Holy hell, woman. Dial back the seduction before you set the plants on fire. I meant, do you enjoy spicy food? The calamari’s got a kick to it.”
“Oh. Ha. Sorry. I was kind of in a groove there.”
“One which, believe me, I appreciate.”
“Spicy’s good. Everything’s good. I love all the new things I’ve sampled since coming to Moncriano. You know which one’s my favorite?”
“Kelsey told me that you two sought out the palace chef to offer kudos on the apricot buns. That’s my guess.”
“Ludovico,” she said dreamily. “The only man in the kingdom who might be able to turn my attention away from you. He’s a magician.”
And just like that, their dinner conversation was off the rails again. Christian was damned if he’d play second fiddle in her eyes to a staff member. “I can cook.”
The look she threw him was purely patronizing. Probably the same look she’d give a six-year-old who insisted he could reach the pedals and drive a Ferrari. “Putting a pod in a Keurig doesn’t count.”
“I was in the navy, remember?”
This time she almost did a spit take of her cocktail. “As a cook?”
“Not specifically. But we all had to pull our weight with rotations, including the kitchen. I knew they’d expect me to be all thumbs at it. So I learned to cook the summer before I enlisted.”
“From who?” Elbows on the table, Mallory rested her chin in her hands and asked breathlessly, “Ludovico?”
“Hardly. The head palace chef is too busy to teach basics to a boy.”
“He makes us buns every time we ask.”
“My chef does favors for two beautiful women who constantly tell him how talented he is? Shocking!” Christian smirked. “My valet’s wife taught me. Elena was…patient. Inclined to laugh at my mistakes.”
“I think it’d be fun if we cooked together. Except that the size of your kitchen intimidates me. The first stove has eight burners!”
Mallory was adorable. Much like Kelsey, she still didn’t grasp all the resources at hand for the royals. No, he didn’t make toast in the main kitchen that could turn out a seven-course meal for a banquet of two hundred people.
“We have a small kitchen in our wing. You’re welcome to use it anytime.”
“Why haven’t I seen it?”
“The palace has over seven hundred rooms. You’ve been here for a grand total of what…six weeks, between June and now?”
“I’d like to cook with you. To bump hips and laugh as we drop noodles and taste from the same spoon.”
To make her wait, Christian sampled the beef. Melting perfection. Then he pursed his lips, as if considering. “That could be arranged. If you follow the rules for this date.”
“No more flirting? You can’t handle it?”
He reached over to yank up the opposite side of her dress, which was rapidly sliding down her arm. “No more taunting me with your untouchable beauty.”
“Hmmm. Sorry. I don’t make promises that I don’t intend to keep.” She grinned at him, shimmying a little bit. “So, my favorite Moncriano specialty? It’s that blueberry liqueur you had sent to my room the night we first arrived.” Her head dipped for a second. Looking up at him from beneath thick lashes, Mallory murmured, “Because it came from you.”
Holy hell, but her words were a punch to the gut. “We’ve both been fighting this since the start, haven’t we? Without even realizing it, or admitting it to ourselves. I’d say we, as a couple, are inevitable.”
“But no pressure…” she said, giggling.
He’d planned to lay his cards on the table later. Once he handed her the bouquet of tulips waiting back in his suite. With only candles and the moon as lighting while they sipped Lambrusco.
Waiting, however, would be stupid. It was clear he needed to state his case immediately. He’d worked so hard to twist her arm into dating him at all. She needed to realize this was more than just a lark for him. More than just an experiment. Feeling this way was a first, and he wanted to wallow in the glory of it—and her—for as long as possible.
Christian gave a quick look left, right, left, as if preparing to cross the street. He didn’t need big-eyed tourists trying to lip-read as he poured his heart out. For the first time all night, though, the nearby diners seemed engrossed in their food. The only people eyeing their table were Gregor and Sofia.
He took her hand. Carefully interlaced their fingers. Hers were long and tipped a deep, autumnal orange. And they curled into his, pressing back with intent that felt like it matched his own.
“Mallory. You enchant me. You soothe me. You delight me. You make me feel like a man, and not a figurehead. You’re fun. I don’t say that to pressure you. But know that I will take everything you’re willing to give me.”
“Your Highness. I’d say you are very much doing this first date the right way. Because you just took my breath away.”
Excellent. “All right then. In addition to having checked off the fantastic sex box, we’ve done amazingly well at sharing the heavy conversations about my father.”
“So what does that leave us for tonight?”
“The vast middle ground—sharing our ordinary life. Seeing if we’re both interested in those things.”
Mallory burst out laughing. “Ordinary life? There is nothing ordinary about your life.”
“My days are full of nonstop meetings, occasionally punctuated by a grip and grin at a hospital opening, bookended by dinners with people I barely know. Ordinary in their repetition.”
“You’re right. That sounds downright boring. I’m not sure I’m up for hearing tidbits from such an ordinary life. Except that your nonstop meetings help shape the course of not only your country, but others as well. The hospital openings save and change lives. And the dinners—well, I’ll bet the food is fabulous.”
“I’m getting the feeling that food is the way to your heart.”
Mallory tugged his arm, pulling his wrist up to her mouth so she could drop a soft kiss on it. “I’m getting the feeling that you’re already in there.”
In the past, flirting had only been a stepping-stone to sex. But tonight? He was experiencing…emotional flirting. And it was a thousand times more satisfying.
She’d hit the nail on the head. It took his
breath away.
“We’ll start with your ordinary life, then. What’s been keeping you busy?”
“I’m calling you out.” She dipped her fingers into her glass and flicked water at him. “That’s an official line. Sir Evan told Kelsey to ask that at parties, instead of what people do for a living, in case they don’t have jobs. You just treated me like a duty, and not a date. Minus ten points for House Villani!”
“Shit.” The waitress who cleared their plates rounded her mouth in visible shock at his swearing. For fuck’s sake. A sharp reminder that no, they couldn’t be wholly ordinary while out in public. “I’m sorry. It was automatic, not intentional.”
Mallory wagged a finger at him. “Yes, well, no running on autopilot with me, either. But I get it.”
He remembered a line from an old American sitcom that seemed more appropriate. “How’s it hanging?”
She burst out laughing. “That doesn’t translate as exactly as you’d think. You do know that’s a colloquialism about a man’s penis?”
“I did not know that. For God’s sake, help me out here.”
A different waitstaff—their fourth one so far, as probably everyone was being given a chance at the honor of serving royalty—set down their entrees. “Caramelized pork over rice noodles, and beef and eggplant. Your wine will be here momentarily.”
Mallory beamed at the man. “Thank you for speaking English.”
“It is my pleasure to serve you, my lady.” He nodded and bowed. Three times, as he backed away.
“Looks like you’ve gained another admirer.”
“Wait until I go back and compliment the chef,” she teased.
“Your Highness.” A man sidled around the potted palm to take the waiter’s place. Christian flipped through names and faces in his mind until he figured out it was an aide to the new prime minister. “It is fortuitous to run into you tonight. This is the perfect opportunity to detail how our office would like you to approach any mention of Moncriano’s seven-hundred-year celebrations in these last few weeks leading up to the European Union vote.”
Huh. The man didn’t have as much sense as their waiter, since he had not switched into English. Which Christian pointedly did to respond. “You’re welcome to set up a meeting with Sir Kai for that discussion. But tonight is not an opportunity for state business. Perhaps the dim lighting kept you from recognizing Lady Mallory?”
“Milady.” He gave the barest of nods. Then promptly turned his back to her. “Prime Minister Zupan feels strongly that this is a discussion that can’t be handled by lower-level staffers. You, as the acting king, must be included.”
How fucking dare he?
To state in such a public forum, without even lowering his voice, even a hint that King Julian was not in charge was dangerous and stupid. Not to mention insulting.
As insulting as the fact that he still was not speaking English. Everyone in the kingdom knew who Kelsey and Mallory were. Especially since the shooting. He knew she didn’t speak their language.
He’d dismissed her.
And now Christian would dismiss him.
“You may tell the prime minister that Sir Kai will be in touch. After your replacement is chosen. Someone who is more attuned to the nuances of respect and basic courtesy required in both politics and interaction with members of the House of Villani.”
“Your Highness, you can’t—”
A subtle jerk of his head was all it took to bring Gregor to the table. Before the man could splutter another word, his bodyguard had already strong-armed him halfway out of the restaurant.
Mallory bit her lip. “Christian, that was very chivalrous of you. But I know you can’t actually stop being a prince, even when on a date. You didn’t have to do that on my account.”
“Indeed, I did. And it wasn’t just for you. It was to make an example. I expect everyone in my kingdom to be treated with respect, whether they be waiters, landowners, or baronesses. His behavior was both rude and unacceptable. One of the perks of being a prince is that when I see something wrong, I have the power to fix it. Immediately.”
“Thank you.” Then she grinned again, that grin that pulled one out of him in response without even knowing the reason behind it. “You’re super sexy when you’re being powerful.”
“Wait until you see me give my speech at the Harvest Festival next week. It’ll make your knees tremble.”
“I look forward to it. That certainly never happened in my old ordinary life. The one that is nothing but ashes in the wind now.”
She sounded…wistful? Not mad or depressed, but not thrilled, either. “Do you miss it?”
“The job I never even got to start in Manhattan? No. My old job in Michigan? A little. I miss the people, the day-to-day interactions. The stylists come and work with Kelsey a few days a week, but they won’t relax enough around her to have decent chats.”
“Order them to.” He scooped helpings of both dishes onto their plates.
“I can’t order someone to tell me about their sick mom, or their favorite singer who just released a new album. I want to connect to people.”
Ah. What Mallory really wanted was friends. She was lonely. Kelsey was caught up with Elias now. Mallory had returned to a wholly different situation than the one she left, and undoubtedly felt a bit abandoned.
That was one thing he couldn’t fix with a wave of his borrowed scepter.
“You have to lead that charge. You and Kelsey. Giving it as an order actually gives them back their freedom to be themselves instead of on guard. Everyone wants to make a good impression on the two of you.”
“Not that guy.” She jerked her thumb toward the entrance.
“Yes, but he’s an asshole.” They both laughed. “Be persistent and be yourself. You’ll make friends.”
“You and Genevieve don’t seem to have many. Not close ones.”
“True.” Mallory might be in the background at the palace, but she certainly kept her eyes open and noticed what happened around her. “But the ones we do have are unquestionably loyal. A few of those are worth more than a thousand sycophants.”
“I’m hoping to connect more once we settle on a few charities for Kelsey to concentrate on. We’ll be in much more constant contact once she’s announced as an official patron to them. And by we, I mean me.”
It wasn’t, technically, a function of a lady-in-waiting. But Christian admired her for making the job her own, putting a spin on it. Making the best of the situation she’d fallen sideways into. “Because it’s what you did before? Fundraise for charities?”
“Yes. I like it, and I’m good at it. Ultimately, what I do leads to changing people’s lives for the better. I need to make a difference.” She laughed. “And because Kelsey doesn’t have the faintest clue what to do, I’m happy to step in and lead the way. It feels more meaningful than voicing an opinion on what hats she needs to buy.”
“Never underestimate the power of a good hat. Or so Aunt Mathilde has told me. What’s your top contender?”
“The Orphan Society. I’m hoping they accept our request and we can announce next week.”
As if any charity would turn down assistance from a member of the House of Villani. Her choice made sense. “Ah. Because if your parents hadn’t smuggled her into America, Kelsey would’ve been essentially an orphan?”
“Oh. Mmm-hmm. Precisely.”
That response sounded precisely like she was hiding something. And Christian had no idea what it could be.
But he’d keep digging. Through dinner and beyond.
He wanted to know everything about this woman. Especially how to convince her not to leave his country in a few months…
Chapter Twelve
Running was good.
Well, actually, Mallory loathed running. She’d rather get bendy on a yoga mat. But Kelsey loved running, and anything that pu
t Kelsey in a good mood for this conversation was a plus.
And now she was strategizing how to talk to her own sister. That was a first.
A bad first.
Just like not telling her about Christian had been a first. In hindsight? Also a bad one.
Their shoes double-crunched the layer of crisp orange leaves on top of the crushed oyster shell path that wended through the forest behind the palace. The Royal Forest. Its name alone made Mallory expect fairies to dart amid the branches and have a gorgeous prince appear in front of them on a rearing white stallion.
Except that Kelsey was already with her own Prince Charming. And as for Mallory…well, her prince rode a black stallion.
Wasn’t that weird? Thinking of Christian as “hers.”
Weird and wonderful.
Just like their date last night. A public date, which meant she had no choice but to tell Kelsey everything ASAP. Before someone else beat her to it.
“What did you and Elias do last night?”
Kelsey threw her a naughty grin. “How much detail do you want?”
Ewww. She saw Elias every day now. He’d quickly become like an older brother to her. Mallory needed zero visuals in her brain of him doing half-naked things. Sure, the guy was bodyguard ripped and broodingly hot…but, again, like a brother.
“A few descriptive verbs of the activity will be sufficient.”
Kelsey winged her with an elbow. “I was just teasing. We had dinner with his father. It was nice. Eight kinds of awkward at first, though.”
“Really? What about that talk you had to clear the air? I thought you absolved him for the kidnapping.” Because, of course, the man Kelsey loved came with serious baggage, in that his dad had been in charge of her security the day she was taken from the Villanis. His dad had even begged Elias to stop dating Kelsey when he first found out about them.
“I tried. I pointed out that he was attacked and drugged, so there was no forgiveness necessary. That, in fact, he’d risked his life to try and save me. He listened. It probably only got him over five percent of his guilt, at best. And that talk happened over three months ago.”
Tempting the Prince (Sexy Misadventures of Royals) Page 15