What the Prince Wants

by Jules Bennett

  She also couldn’t afford to keep making eye contact with Mr. Alexander’s baby blues. No, blue wasn’t the right word. What was the proper description for a set of eyes that were so mesmerizing they nearly made her forget all her troubles? The power he possessed when he held her gaze was unlike anything she’d ever experienced, so she kept her focus on the sweet little girl in her arms.

  Holding onto a squirming Iris was difficult enough without the added impact of desire. Though she’d certainly take a dose of lust over the ache in her heart from holding such a precious child. She’d avoided working with babies for years, giving those jobs to her employees. Unfortunately, the entire staff of Loving Hands had been let go and Darcy had to face her demons head-on if she wanted to save her grandmother’s company. So, his “no” wasn’t an option.

  This would be the first job caring for a young child she’d taken on since having been told at the age of twenty-one she couldn’t have kids due to severe endometriosis. She could do this...she had to do this. No matter the heartache, Darcy had to pull through.

  But first she had to convince Mr. Alexander she was the one for the job.

  Turning to fully face the sexy father, Darcy kept her hold on Iris, who was nearly chewing the ear off the poor lamb. A sweet smell wafted up from the child’s hair, no doubt from whatever shampoo her father used for her.

  Darcy had learned from the emails and phone conversations that Mr. Alexander was a single father and new to the area. She also knew his wife had died suddenly just a few months ago. What she didn’t know was what he did for a living or where he was from. The sexy, exotic accent that made her toes curl in her secondhand sandals clearly implied that he wasn’t American.

  Honestly she didn’t care where he was from as long as he was here legally and the job posting was legit. He’d offered her a ridiculous sum to live here for the next six months and care for his daughter, and that money would help her save her grandmother’s dying agency...the agency Darcy’s ex had pilfered money from, nearly leaving Darcy on the street. Oh, wait, he had left her on the street.

  Darcy didn’t know what happened at the end of the six months, and with the amount of money he’d offered, she didn’t need to know.

  “You can’t use me?” she asked, not ready to admit defeat. “Do you have another nanny service lined up?”

  “No.”

  Shoulders back and chin up, Darcy used all of the courage she wished she possessed to cross the room. Closing the gap between them only made her heart pound even more. She would do whatever it took to pay tribute to the grandmother who’d given up everything to raise her.

  Darcy’s nerves had kicked into high gear before she’d even arrived here because so much was riding on this one job. Being turned away by the client hadn’t been her biggest concern, either. Darcy had truly feared she’d take one look at the child and freeze...or worse, break down and start sobbing.

  Yet here she was, holding it together and ready to fight for what her ex had stolen from her. Darcy had already given up her apartment and had slept in her car those first two nights until her best friend discovered what happened. Now Darcy found herself spending nights on the sofa in her bestie’s overpriced, undersized studio apartment. This live-in nanny position would secure a roof over her head and a steady income to help get Loving Hands back up and running.

  As if all of that weren’t stressful enough, her would-be employer had opened his door and all coherent thoughts had completely left her mind. A handsome man holding a baby was sexy, no doubt about it. But this man with his disheveled hair and piercing eyes had epitomized sexy single dad. Those tanned muscles stretched his T-shirt in ways that should be illegal. Not to mention the flash of ink peeking from beneath his sleeve.

  The man who all but had her knees trembling and her stomach in knots was trying to send her on her way. Not going to happen.

  “So you have nobody else lined up,” she repeated, praying she came across as professional and not pushy. “I’m here, your sweet little girl is much happier than when you answered the door, and you’re ready to usher me back out.”

  When he continued to stare as if trying to somehow dissuade her, Darcy continued.

  “May I ask why you’re opting to not even give me a chance?”

  His intriguing set of eyes roamed over her face, sending spears of tingles through her body just as powerfully as if he’d touched her. It was as though he was looking straight into her soul.

  Iris squealed and smacked Darcy on the cheek with the wet, slobbery stuffed lamb’s ear that had been in her mouth. Still, nothing could stop Darcy from trying to maintain some sort of control over this situation...if she’d ever had any to begin with. She had a feeling Mr. Alexander was a man who was used to being in charge. That thought alone had arousal hitting hard.

  Focus, Darcy.

  “Mr. Alexander?”

  “Colin.” That husky voice slid over her. “Call me Colin.”

  A thread of hope started working its way through her. “That would imply I’ll be here long enough to call you by your first name.”

  The muscle clenched in his jaw, the pulse in his neck seemed to be keeping that same frantic pace as hers.

  Before he could comment, she kept going, more than ready to plead her case. “We discussed a trial period over the phone. Why don’t we agree on a set time? That way if this arrangement doesn’t work for either of us, we have a way out.”

  She’d care for Lucifer’s kids to get the amount of money she and Colin had agreed upon.

  “May I be honest?” he asked, taking a step back as if he’d just realized how close they were.

  “Please.”

  Iris wiggled in Darcy’s arms. Darcy set the toddler on the floor to play then straightened to see Colin’s eyes still fixed on her.

  “I wasn’t expecting someone so young.”

  She was always mistaken for someone younger, which was normally a lovely compliment. “I turned thirty two weeks ago.”

  His eyes widened as he raked that gaze over her body once more. At one time she’d been self-conscious of her slightly fuller frame. Being surrounded by so much surgically enhanced beauty in Hollywood would wreak havoc with anybody’s self-esteem.

  She could still hear her grandmother’s words on the subject: Be proud of who you are, your body and your spirit. Nobody can make you feel inferior without you allowing it. So Darcy had embraced her curves and her size twelve wardrobe, meager as it may be. Besides, who was in charge of dictating what was and wasn’t socially acceptable?

  Her ass of an ex had mentioned her weight. She should’ve known then he wasn’t The One.

  When Colin was done taking his visual journey, he rested his hands on his hips and shifted his stance. With a slight wince, he moved in the other direction. That was the second time she’d caught him moving as if he couldn’t stand on one leg for too long.

  “Are you okay?” she asked before she could stop herself.

  “Fine,” he bit off. “You don’t look more than twenty-one.”

  With a smile, she shrugged. “It’s hereditary and I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  His eyes narrowed as he tilted his head. “It wasn’t meant to be one.”

  Crossing her arms, Darcy glanced down just as Iris gripped Darcy’s jeans and pulled herself up. The little girl with bouncy dark curls started toward the other side of the living area, which was immaculate.

  Where were the toys? The random blanket or sippy cup? Other than that stuffed lamb, there were no signs a child even lived here. Even if they had moved in just a few days ago, wouldn’t the place be littered with baby items?

  Beyond that, from what she could see, the house was perfectly furnished, complete with fresh flowers on the entryway table and the large kitchen island she could see across the open floor plan.

  �
�Perhaps you have an older, more experienced worker?”

  The man was testing her patience. Withholding a sigh, Darcy focused her attention back on the sexy, albeit frustrating, guy. “I’m the only one available for the job at this time.”

  Not a lie. She was the only one—period. Just last month she’d had to lay off her final employee. Letting her grandmother’s staff go had been heartbreaking, but the money simply hadn’t been there after several of her clients had changed agencies. They had been like family and had all worked so well together. Fortunately, everyone understood Darcy’s predicament and Darcy happily gave each of them glowing recommendations for other jobs. Hopefully she’d be able to get Loving Hands back on its feet and slowly bring her workers back.

  “Listen,” she told him, steeling herself against any worry or doubt. She wasn’t going to borrow trouble yet. “I realize I look young. I understand how you only want the best for your daughter. However, everything I do will be monitored by you since I’d be staying here. You see something you don’t like or you believe her care is not up to par, let me know. That’s what the trial period is for.”

  Colin glanced from her to Iris, who was now smacking her hands on the coffee table as if playing the drums. Darcy wasn’t about to give him a chance to answer, because she might not like the one he gave.

  “I’m here now and from the dark circles under your eyes, you need to rest.” Darcy smiled, hoping he was not going to put up a fight. “I can take over while you take some time for yourself.”

  She waited a beat, her heart pounding. Would he send her away simply because she wasn’t an old lady wearing an apron and sensible shoes?

  Colin rubbed his eyes then raked a hand over his face, the stubble on his jaw bristling beneath his palm. Why was that sound so...erotic? His eyes settled on her again and she refused to look away, refused to step back or show any fear. This was her livelihood, her only option of getting out of the depths of hell she’d fallen into. Though being thrust into a lifestyle she’d dreamed about for years, a lifestyle that was completely impossible for her to have, was a whole other layer of hell.

  When the silence stretched between them, hovering in the air like an unwelcome guest, Darcy was convinced he was going to show her the door. After what seemed like forever, Colin nodded.

  “I’ll give you today to prove yourself.”

  Two

  Never before had he allowed someone to steamroll him into going against his instincts. Yet a determined woman with enough killer curves to fuel any man’s fantasy for every lonely night had done just that.

  Perhaps it had been her sensual body that had him caving and ignoring common sense. But Darcy had something else he admired—tenacity. She wasn’t giving in and she made very valid points as to why he should keep her around.

  Such as the fact that he would be monitoring her every move while she was here. Perfect, just what he needed. Watching her every move might very well be his undoing. He’d wanted to figure out who he was as a man while he was here in LA, but this unexpected lust was an angle he hadn’t considered.

  Colin clasped his hands behind his head and continued staring up at the vaulted ceiling in his master suite. Sunlight spilled in through the sliver of an opening in his blackout blinds. He hadn’t even bothered getting beneath his navy duvet because he knew his mind simply wouldn’t shut down, and getting too comfortable didn’t really matter. Napping in the middle of the day really wasn’t something he did, but he was exhausted.

  Rest wouldn’t be his friend for some time, he feared. He’d needed a nanny fast. Based on previous families his assistants had interviewed, Darcy was the best option. Unfortunately he hadn’t had time to do a full background check on individual people, so he’d just placed a quick call to one of his assistants. Hopefully more information would come back within a few hours, but his gut said he could trust her.

  When he told her she’d gotten the job, at least provisionally, she’d returned carrying one tattered old duffel bag. Didn’t women have two bags just for makeup alone and another two for shoes? How the hell did she fit everything into one bag that looked as if it would fall apart if accidentally bumped the wrong way or dropped too hard onto the floor?

  Before he’d come up to his room, Colin had offered to help her inside with her things, but she’d dismissed him. When she came in with so little, he’d assumed she had more in the car. She assured him she had it all under control and she only had the one bag. There was a story there, and if she was staying around he’d get to the bottom of it. Money was apparently an issue, so he’d be interested what her background check showed.

  The cell on his nightstand vibrated. Glancing over he saw his brother’s name lighting up the screen. Not what he needed right now.

  With a grunt, he rolled to his side and reached for the device. “Yeah,” he answered.

  “I assume by your chipper greeting you’re still on the nanny hunt and not resting?”

  “I may have found someone,” he replied, not adding that this someone would most likely keep him awake at night.

  Stefan laughed. “As usual you’re not going into details. Fine. I figured you’d have given up by now and be ready to return home.”

  “I’ve only been gone a few days. I think you know I wouldn’t give up on anything that soon.”

  Returning home only meant going back to the life of status he’d never wanted, raising his daughter in a setting that would consume her and stifle her growth. As the current duchess, she’d be in the spotlight at all times. He remembered how irritated he’d been growing up when he couldn’t just go out and spend a day at the beach. He’d always been escorted by bodyguards, which seriously put a damper on his teen years and his ability to sneak out to have some alone time with friends—not that he didn’t invent some pretty creative ways to lose the guards.

  His parents had been wonderful, but still they’d had duties to fulfill, which often kept them away for weeks at a time. Then his mother had passed away from a tragic car accident and his father had been even busier, pouring himself into work and serving the people of the island in an attempt to fill the void.

  Colin wanted to be there fully for his daughter. He wanted to form a bond that was so strong she would know just how much he loved her and that he would always put her needs first. Even before the crown. Which reminded him, his brother was still on the phone.

  “I know you’ve never wanted this title,” Stefan continued. “You do realize that no matter where you live, you’re still a prince, but if I die and you’ve renounced the title, our cousin will assume the position? He’s the last person Galini Isle deserves.”

  Why couldn’t he just have a simple life? A life without the worry of an entire country on his shoulders? A small country, but still.

  Again, it was times like this that he wished Karina were still alive. Colin knew his daughter needed a woman’s guidance through life and he needed assistance with these major decisions.

  “Listen, if an emergency arises, you know I wouldn’t turn my back on you or Galini Isle. But I may have to renounce my title if I think that’s the best decision for Iris.” Colin sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “Maybe I am making a mistake, but for now I need the distance. I need to figure out what the best plan is for Iris and for me. I’m all she has right now.”

  Stefan sighed. “If you came home, she’d have many people to love and care for her.”

  “I really need this time. Iris and I don’t need to be surrounded by servants who look at us with pity. That’s not what I want for myself or her.”

  “What about Victoria and me? We miss you guys.”

  Guilt had already eaten away at Colin’s conscience, so Stefan adding another layer was pointless. He missed his brother, but they had their own schedules, their own lives. Years ago the two had been inseparable, often rock climbing or kayak
ing together. Stefan had stepped up when their father had passed from a heart attack and had scaled back his need for adrenaline rushes.

  “When are you coming to the States for a visit?” Colin asked. “Isn’t it time for Victoria to see her family?”

  Colin’s sister-in-law was from LA and was a member of the prestigious Dane family of Hollywood.

  Stefan chuckled. “I knew you’d say that. Actually we’re not coming for several months, but the annual royal celebration ball is in just over two months and we’d really like you here for that. No pressure, just throwing that out there.”

  Coming to his feet, Colin twisted from his waist in an attempt to loosen his back, which had wanted to tighten up and spasm a bit more lately. He’d slowed down on the therapy he was supposed to be doing at home. After this long he figured the prescribed exercises were a waste of time. Apparently not.

  “I haven’t even thought about the ball,” Colin told his brother.

  “The media will not be allowed inside the palace,” Stefan assured him. “I can always smuggle you in via one of the underground entrances, just like when we were teens.”

  Colin laughed, remembering the numerous times they’d covered for each other so they could sneak out and meet up with their girlfriends at the time.

  “Will you at least think about this?” Stefan asked. Colin knew he wasn’t just referring to the ball. “Think about how hard life will be for you with no family and no one to help you with Iris.”

  Colin’s mind flashed to the woman who had shown up earlier full of confidence and curves. She was helping his daughter, no doubt. It was what she was doing to Colin that had him questioning his judgment.

  “I’ve got everything under control,” Colin assured him. “I need to go check on Iris.”

  He disconnected the call and slid the phone into the pocket of his shorts. Stefan had wanted Colin to think about this decision to leave the royal title behind, as if Colin had thought of anything else. The moment he’d discovered his wife was pregnant he’d done nothing but try to get out of that damn wheelchair in order to live for his child and be the sole supporter and provider—not in the monetary way, but in the fatherly bonding way.