Which seemed strange as she captivated him entirely, but she’d never have to sell anything again once she married him. He traced her lower back and arms. “You take the whole matchmaking idea to heart. I don’t get it though. Besides business deals, how do you think this computer algorithm is somehow better than your own instincts on the matter?”
Her lips opened and her green eyes were clear as she stared at him. “I don’t. I’ve never lived a day where responsibility wasn’t on my shoulders to handle. But I also know I’m attracted to you, Charles.”
“You are?” His voice caught in his throat.
If he kissed her again, he wouldn’t stop.
Her eyes were half-closed as if she waited for him to kiss her. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”
Sandi hadn’t searched for trouble. This was another reason to stay far away. His lips tingled as he stared at her mouth. “I’m a bad choice. My parents had sway over me as a teenager and I made horrible choices under their well meaning guidance. I spent my adult like trying to fix what I let fall apart, but I only proved my grandfather wrong because I’m not as smart he thought. And I’ve never had a relationship that didn’t end up in disaster.”
His mouth inched closer to hers, but at the last second he stopped.
If he kissed her then they were both in trouble.
She must have sensed his… hesitation. She opened her eyes, stepped back, breaking their touch, and rubbed her arms like she needed to hug herself.
“Can I ask why you and Sheena broke up?”
Good question. He motioned toward her chair so they could eat dessert. She slipped into her seat and waited for him.
He sat, hearing the rustle of crushed velvet under his cotton pants. “It was over long before. She cared more for her work than me. I went to her art show to tell her I was done but then I couldn’t get two minutes alone with her. I did, however, meet a lovely woman for one night.”
Her eyes widened. “You cheated.”
Yes, which was another reason he was always the wrong guy. Sheena was the closest thing to a girlfriend he’d had and he'd tossed it away. “I’m not the kind you should marry, even if I need you.”
She ate a few bites of the caramel. He tasted it because she had--delicious. And like a potato chip, disappeared fast. She wiped her lips and pushed her chair from the table. “Are you telling me this so that I'll leave?”
Heat rose in his cheeks. He stilled. “Maybe.”
She scooted her legs out and stood. “Charles, I have no idea what it’s like to not be secure growing up, and I don’t want to set myself up for failure in saying I’ll prove anything. I get the sense if I said "prove" you’d go into "disprove" mode. So instead I’ll ask--can we just take it one day at a time and see how that goes?”
Just when he figured he'd pushed her too far, she surprised him. He rose and offered his hand to shake. “Deal.”
But as she took his hand, he pulled her into his arms, and claimed her lips.
She tasted better than that caramel concoction they’d eaten for dessert. This time her sweetness hit him. For better or worse, Sandi was now here and he wanted her.
She kissed him and his hair stood on end.
She should knock him back, but she didn’t. She ran her fingers in his hair and that was it.
She was his.
Chapter 9
Sandi’s body still hummed.
The bedroom Charles directed them to last night had cream walls with blue and gold accent colors, from the bedspread tossed onto the floor, the carpet, and the window curtains that were slightly open. They hadn’t thought to draw them closed earlier.
From her bed she could see the white balcony outside and hear birds chirping nearby. The sun shone from blue skies and the ocean splashed against the shore.
This home was magical.
But so was Charles. No man had ever made every cell in her body sing out for him. She stretched. His kisses had made her secret spots tremble and the memory rushed hotly through her veins. Everything was perfect as she left the warmth of Charles’s naked body and the white cotton sheets that were softer than silk.
The morning sunshine called to her, so she pulled on his white t-shirt and opened the balcony door. This was how she’d imagined Romeo and Juliet back in Shakespeare's day. She just needed a few lounge chairs on the balcony to get lost in a book for hours.
For now she closed her eyes, imagined music, and hoped soon Charles would come, hold her and dance, right here. Why not?
The air around her slightly changed, goosebumps grew on her body, and she opened her eyes. A fraction of a second later she stared into his sexy brown eyes. He wore cotton pants and held out a cup of coffee for her.
Perfect. She accepted the brew, sipped, and it tasted like heaven. He motioned for her to come back inside and as he closed the balcony door, he asked, “Can I ask you a few questions?”
She took a seat at the small table in the room where he’d left some warm croissants. “I thought you knew everything about me.”
He kissed her cheek and sat beside her. “I didn’t run a background check as I just assumed whoever Cassidy sent as my match would be some anonymous person that would never matter to me. Then you turned me down so I hadn’t bothered.”
“I’d have run a check if I was you but then I don’t exactly trust my instincts.” He tugged his chair in as she finished one of the butter croissants. She reached for a second and nodded at him. “Go ahead. Ask away.”
He held his coffee in his palm and met her gaze. “When we met, you had just come from the hospital-”
“The bunny again?” she interrupted and her face felt hot. She stared at his knees that touched hers. “Yes, I'd been cheering up the cancer ward. I do this whenever I sell to a hospital as I’m on the volunteer list for the American Cancer Society. Even if they don’t buy from me, those children are battling something pretty heavy.”
His grin was sly as he brushed his hand against her bare thigh, sending awareness through her body. “Of course, building good will is always a smart business move. Did you go back?”
“Huh-uh. I never do, as no means no and I don’t want to be pushy.”
“Perhaps that was the mistake. You didn’t retarget.”
Right. That. Okay, if she told him--she sucked in her breath…yes? No? Yes, she’d tell him. Her old friends, Ashley and Jennifer, had laughed when she'd made the mistake of trusting them. “It’s part of my whole "help those less fortunate" and be grateful life lessons my guru told me I should do if I wanted to be more successful.”
His eyes widened and he sat straighter. “Guru?”
Well, at least he didn’t laugh. Heat coursed through her. “Life coach, really.”
He reached for her hand. “You have a life coach?”
“Yeah, though I never met the guy in person.” She swallowed. Not even her parents knew what she did first thing every morning, but she squared her shoulders and said, “I follow his videos pretty religiously. He uploads them on Monday for the week. Every morning I wake up and usually do a meditation of some kind before I start my day to help me focus. He’s always talking about using my own light to guide me and to not care what might happen to anyone else. I need to feed my soul. Today was an exception.”
“I see.” He patted her arm. “You’re serious?”
Her skin had pins and needles. This wasn’t good. She nodded and wished she didn’t tremble as she said, “Yes. It’s been a year now and I’ve calmed down, a lot.”
His half-smile grew and he sipped his coffee. “You keep surprising me with different aspects of yourself.”
Huh? She stared down at his muscular abs. Most men did not have those, which maybe was why other men hadn’t made her body ache in places she never had before. The heat in her cheeks stayed strong. “I’m not that interesting.”
She picked up her still-hot coffee, sipped, and the liquid hit her body just right.
The chef deserved thanks and probably a raise, not
that she knew about the finances of this place.
Charles finished his coffee and settled his elbow on the table as if he wasn’t in a hurry to go anywhere. “I absolutely disagree, but let’s move on. You run your grandfather’s import and export business, and I know you have medical equipment you’re stuck with in the warehouse, but your father’s name is listed as the president of the company. I was just curious…”
“That was a name-only situation that he'd held since my grandfather was alive.” She used her fingers to comb her slightly too curly to be considered straight, but way too straight to be actual curls, hair. “My parents believe in not necessarily working hard, but that they should have seven streams of income as a way to be wealthy.”
He tugged his ear and tilted his head. “I don’t understand?”
Fair. This wasn’t how most people thought. Her parents had read every self-help book on the planet as some sort of financial guide that might help them solve business problems. It was in implementation that they floundered, though their other friends were successful. “Well, they have a theory that money coming from different income streams is how you create wealth or something. It’s not about making decisions or working to them. I run the import and export business. They own a real estate firm but don’t actually do anything with the day-to-day running. And they own a fast-food joint, but again they don’t actually manage their investments which was why my grandfather didn’t trust them...”
“What’s a joint? It sounds American.”
She laughed. She’d had more than her fair share of tasteless but easy to get food delivered in a wrapper. “Oh, it absolutely is American and it’s not good for you at all.”
“Is that all?” He rose and offered his hand.
She stood on her own and glanced around the room.
She'd only packed two dresses, jeans and a few t-shirts for her business vacation. She imagined living here, with vaulted ceilings and white and yellow walls that had fleur de lis designs embossed on them. And it wasn’t wall paper. These were hand-drawn. She walked beside Charles back to his gold bed. “They also owned a gym, tried to get me to be in charge of their investment too and I said no as imports and exports were what I was trying to master. But my parents aren’t the best managers for long-term business. What exactly is it you do?”
He traced her lower back and her body began to ache for more of his touch. “I also run an import and export business. I used to deal in mainly art, but once I gained more financing, my business grew tremendously.”
He led her to the bed, but she sat on the edge rather that lay back. “You and my parents have opposite luck.”
He sat beside her and brushed his knees with hers. “You’re why I contacted them.”
Wait. Her mind raced with the timing and her sudden trip to Paris as the hospital might be interested in their products. Adrenaline coursed through her as she asked, “I didn’t know you contacted them before… Are you why I ended up in Paris for the hospital deal and with the side mission from my father to ensure the French shipment of wines for the bar they want to buy was contracted to continue for five years was suddenly dropped in my lap?”
His nod confirmed it. Wow. She’d been set up. Her heart twisted. Both of her parents had hoped she’d marry a man none of them had even met and she wasn’t sure how she felt as she sighed.
He tapped his fingers to the mattress as he asked, “How did you guess that?”
Good question. Charles lived his life like he wanted to be contrary. She’d guess he just wanted to prove his half-sister wrong so he'd brought Sandi to Paris, and now Avce. He’d told her to go, and never once forced her. She tapped her chin and her pulse quickened. “The more I know you Charles, the more I’m figuring out how you work…” Something was slipped under the door, and she tilted her head. She pointed to the blue envelope on the light wood floor. “What’s that?”
Charles jumped out of his seat and headed toward the door. She stood, her body awake and aware of him as he opened the envelope. He met her gaze and walked toward her with the invitation. “We’ve been requested at the royal palace.”
Hmm. Somehow this wasn’t optional. Sandi fidgeted as she'd never met anyone politically important, unless she counted the county commissioner her parents barbequed with on the beach. She reached for the envelope as she asked, “We?”
“Yes.” His pursed lips made it clear he wasn’t happy.
She read the missive. The King and Queen of Avce were hosting a charity dinner and they were expected to attend at seven tonight. Formal attire was stamped in the corner. She pushed the invitation into the envelope and met Charles's brown eyes. “I have no idea what to even wear for something like this.”
His frown relaxed and he shrugged, flashing a dimple. “We can get you something. It’s not a big deal. Perhaps something not in black, and not a bunny.”
Well, there went the idea of washing the dress she’d worn to the charity auction party. She pulled out her bag from the closet and unzipped it. “Most of my clothes are black.”
He reached for her hand and pulled her to him. “Why? You don’t strike me as the goth girl type.”
“Why’s that?”
He traced her cheeks and kissed her neck. “Your constant and never-ending smile.”
Now see? Charles made her entire body feel like she was living in sunshine. She laughed and said, “Ah, well I work a lot. And black can seamlessly go from business to business without anyone blinking an eye.”
He kissed her knuckles. “As my wife, you would be required to look like a lady.”
Wife? Her lips tingled. She was tempted. More than tempted to be absolutely honest. He was… well, not perfect, but absolutely amazing when he wanted to be.
If she went through with his marriage, today could last, forever.
She hugged her waist to hold still as she confronted the main issue head on. “I thought you were dead-set on chasing me out of here.”
He reached for her hips and held her tight. “Now I can’t let you go.”
Tingles raced through her from head to toes. “Why? Because I had sex with you?”
His lips and tongue went up her neck to her ear and her body was melting into his. “No, because your smile is becoming the only thing I crave to see in my day.”
His mouth poised to capture hers. She ached for him, but she placed her hands on his cheeks and pressed her forehead to his. “That’s really sweet, Charles.”
Her pulse zipped as he lifted his t-shirt off her body, leaving a trail of warm goosebumps. He tossed it and tugged her in for another kiss. Her lips were parted but instead of claiming her, he said, “When we do get married, I’ll need you to promise that you’ll never leave me.”
Her heart beat grew wild as she stared into his brown eyes. She couldn’t just say "wait." Being with Charles was like being in a magical bubble where nothing else mattered. She ran her finger over his sexy dark stubble. “On one condition.”
From their bodies pressed so close she could feel his heart beat faster too. “What’s that?”
Now or never. She let his face go and traced his shoulders and back. “That you don’t test our relationship to sabotage us. No cheating. No clinging. And we just live like this and learn to trust each other.”
He walked her backward toward the bed, his hands on her hips as he said, “I can try. Trust is hard.”
“Then I can try too and I’ll be here for you.” Her leg brushed against the bed.
And finally his lips met hers and the rest of the world no longer existed. It was just the two of them, together, in bliss.
Chapter 10
Later that morning, Charles led Sandi to the back seat of his Mercedes, his heart strangely calm. Their driver understood to go slowly so Charles could point out things of interest on their way to the seaside town near his home.
He needed to ensure his bride shone tonight at the palace. Luckily the local jewelers were some of the most talented in the country.
The s
alty air had low humidity despite the bright sun and sea, which made today an perfect Mediterranean day.
She slipped into the backseat and tugged on her plain black shirt and jeans like she was embarrassed at looking so American. Charles took her warm hand.
Togetherness was nice as they drove toward town last-minute shopping. She smiled at him in thanks. Sandi might actually be a good choice for him. Could they be happy together?
She'd seen his dark side, his truth, and hadn’t run away. He’d been raw and honest which wasn’t something he did for anyone.
She squeezed his hand and glanced out the window to enjoy her day.
Sandi was a good, smart woman, which meant he might have found the one exception to his general rule. Until her, he'd avoided smart women like they were the harbinger to a plague.
The driver brought them to the diamond district where Charles could get Sandi some pieces so she would fit in at the castle.
Until getting the dukedom, he'd made decent money supporting struggling artists and that included some jewelers here--which was why he knew Sandi would be in good hands with the local artisans.
He’d met Sheena because she also helped artists, put on great shows, and showcased artwork. Their meeting had been inevitable. Sheena had made success in art seem easy, when it wasn't for the average person, and she’d even laughed at his jokes.
But that hadn’t been enough because he knew from the start they’d never actually fit. He'd ruined it all almost to prove to both of them that romance wasn’t actually real.
Sandi was different. She challenged him and it wasn’t her fault that she was asked too young to handle adult work.
Finally his driver stopped in front of an up-and-coming jewelry designer, parked, and opened the rear passenger door for them, helping Sandi out first.
Charles stepped onto the sidewalk and placed his hand on her lower back, guiding her toward the jewelry store that had the best reputation for quality. “So, let’s go shopping. You need a ring and a dress. Why are you so quiet?”
Forbidden Bastard: Opposites Attract Matchmaker Romance (Princes of Avce Book 10) Page 8