“This is the nursery?”
“This is your room. I’ve asked for Iris’s stuff to be put in here so you can stay close to her and you won’t have to be near me or anyone else.”
The crib was nestled in the opposite corner along the same wall as the king-sized bed. Moving across the wide room, Darcy gently laid Iris in the crib, surprised when the little one nestled deeper into the mattress and let out a soft sigh.
Once Darcy was sure Iris was going to stay asleep, she turned and moved back to where Colin remained standing. His eyes were fixed on hers and, try as she might, she couldn’t look away. She both hated this man and found herself drawn to him for unexplainable reasons.
“We’ll be fine now.” She hoped he’d take the hint and leave. “I’m assuming someone will bring our things to this room.”
Colin stepped closer to her, closing the gap between them. Darcy had to tip her head back to look up and hold his gaze.
“The formal ball is tomorrow night,” he told her. “I want you there. With me.”
This fairy tale was really starting to get out of control. She only wanted to be here with Iris. Getting dressed up and playing any other role wouldn’t be a smart move.
“I’m your child’s nanny,” she informed him, forcing herself to ignore the thread of arousal winding though her at his intense stare. “I’m not your date for hire or one of your assistants you can order around. Everything changed when you opted to keep the truth from me.”
A smile spread across his face, showcasing that dimple she’d once found sexy.... His palms slid up her bare arms, curved over her shoulders and glided on up to frame her face.
“You forget you agreed to do what I want while we’re here.”
The reminder was the equivalent of cold water being thrown in her face.
“You can’t use me like this,” she whispered.
“I’m not using you,” he replied, his face now hovering just above hers. “I’m simply taking what I want and I want you on my arm during the ball.”
Another layer of anger slid through her. “Is that why you told me to pack the blue dress?”
“No. I don’t want anyone else to see you in that dress.” His thumb stroked her bottom lips, his gaze honed in on her mouth. “That dress is for my eyes only. You’ll wear it for dinner tonight.”
“I don’t want dinner with you,” she threw back, though her voice wasn’t as strong as she’d hoped it would be. “You said I didn’t have to leave my room if I didn’t want to.”
That thumb kept sliding back and forth with just enough pressure to have Darcy nearly begging him to kiss her. Darn hormones betraying her common sense.
“You’re not leaving your room,” he stated. “Dinner will be delivered.”
He stepped away, leaving her aching, wanting more and all he’d done was use that low, sultry voice and fondled her lips. How pathetic could she be?
“Be ready by seven.”
With that he turned and walked out of the room. Darcy continued to stare at the door long after he’d left. How dare that man expect her to just be at his beck and call? If he wanted to have dinner with her, fine, but she had a surprise of her own for him and it sure as hell didn’t involve that sexy blue dress.
* * *
Darcy was playing hide-and-seek with Iris—which was quite easy in a room of this size with the adjoining bath and colossal walk-in closet—when someone knocked on her door.
Iris squealed and ran to the door, standing on her tiptoes to try to reach the knob. Darcy laughed and eased Iris back so she could open the door.
Darcy was greeted by one of the most beautiful women she’d ever seen in her life. The stranger was holding a long, white garment bag.
“Hi, Darcy,” the woman said with a wide, radiant smile. “I’m Victoria Alexander. I’m Stefan’s wife. Would you mind if I came in for just a moment?”
Iris sneaked around Darcy and started reaching for Victoria.
“Hi, sweetheart.” Victoria bent slightly, shifting the bag to the side so she could give Iris a kiss on her head. “How’s my big girl? I missed you so much.”
Darcy stepped aside and let Victoria pass through. Victoria crossed the room and hung the garment bag over the door leading into the closet area.
When she turned back around, she scooped Iris into her arms and squeezed her. The instant burn to Darcy’s eyes was unexpected. Iris obviously had so many people who loved her, who needed her. Darcy had to face the harsh reality that she was just a random employee of the prince passing through. The impact on Darcy was huge, life-altering, but Iris would never even remember her.
“First of all, let me tell you how sorry I am about this whole thing.” Iris wiggled in Victoria’s arms until she was let free. “Stefan explained everything to me and I am embarrassed that he dropped what I’m sure was shocking news when he visited. I’m even more embarrassed that my brother-in-law took it upon himself to lie to you by omission. The Alexander men can be infuriating and you were dealt a double dose.”
Darcy clasped her hands in front of her, not quite sure how to take this woman, but from the looks of things, she could be an ally.
“I’m from LA, too, so I know this whole royalty thing can be overwhelming at times,” Victoria went on, offering a sweet smile. “I just want you to know that while you’re here, please feel free to let me know if you need anything. Stefan and Mikos can be quite...difficult to communicate with at times. They seem to have their minds set on certain agendas and tend to let nothing stand in their way.”
Darcy laughed. “That’s one way of putting it.”
“Mikos really is an amazing man.” Victoria’s eyes darted to where Iris was running around the spacious room, dodging the chaise longue, weaving through the sheers by the patio doors. “He’s a wonderful father and he’s been through so much. Don’t be so quick to judge him when he’s clearly made a drastic mistake.”
Darcy shook her head and sighed. “I’m just the nanny. It’s not my place to judge.”
“If you were just the nanny, I wouldn’t have spent the last two days making a dress for you to wear at the ball tomorrow.” Victoria pointed to the garment bag. “Once you try it on, let me know if it needs to be altered. Mikos was pretty specific in his instructions.”
Darcy stared at Victoria, then to the bag. “What? You made a dress?”
“I’m a designer. It’s what I do.” Victoria shrugged. “Sounds silly, I know, considering I’m also the queen, but that’s just a title. I was designing dresses before I ever married into the Alexander family and I didn’t want to lose my identity.”
A bit taken aback, Darcy made her way to the garment bag and slid the zipper down. Peeling away the protective plastic, she gasped at the shimmering, pale blue formal gown. With one shoulder open and the other covered in clear crystals that were heavy at the top and tapered off toward the ruched waistline, Darcy didn’t know if she’d ever seen a more beautiful dress.
“You made this?” she asked as she stared over at Victoria. “In two days?”
Laughing, Victoria nodded. “I did and I have to say, I think you’ll look stunning in it.”
Darcy’s eyes locked onto the dress. Colin had requested this for her? He’d not only requested it, he’d been specific about what he’d wanted.
Darcy swallowed, unable to even comprehend this world she was temporarily living in.
“Would you mind if I took Iris out for a walk?” Victoria asked. “Stefan and I were going to go down to the beach before the guests start arriving and things get crazy around here.”
Still in a daze, Darcy turned back to Victoria. “Oh, sure. Of course.”
Victoria lifted Iris into her arms and kissed her neck until the baby giggled. “Let’s go get some sand between our toes.”
“Thank you,” D
arcy said before Victoria cleared the doorway. “The dress is spectacular, so ‘thank you’ seems so inadequate.”
Victoria nodded and grinned. “It was my pleasure. I’ll bring Iris back shortly. You look like you could use some time to let all of this sink in.”
Just as Victoria reached the doorway, she turned and glanced over her shoulder. “I know it isn’t my place, but I can’t let this go. Mikos left here because he couldn’t face being a widowed father. Between all of the responsibilities and losing his wife, he was severely broken. He was only looking out for Iris when he left. She’s always been his number one priority, so whatever he said or didn’t say to you, was only to protect her in the long run.”
Victoria slipped out the door, shutting it with a soft click. Iris’s squeals could still be heard, but Darcy was stuck on Victoria’s parting words.
A new plan started to form. Colin was coming for dinner and he expected her to wear the other blue dress.
What was it with him and blue? Apparently that was his favorite color.
She shook her head and focused on her plan. She’d wear the blue dress, but she was going to make him suffer. He might think he had control here, but they both knew she carried the power right now. She’d seen the vulnerability in him when she’d helped him up the steps and she’d seen how much he fought the weakness that continued to plague him.
But as far as their relationship went, she knew he still wanted her and most likely he’d planned dinner in her room as a way to seduce her. He may have started off lying to her, he may not have meant to hurt her, but he’d had ample opportunities to tell her the truth before taking her to bed.
If he wanted her for more than a romp, she wasn’t going to give in so easily. She’d make him beg if she had to, because she was worth it.
Tonight she’d see what they both were made of.
Fifteen
Colin wanted to get to the room before the dinner arrived. He’d also asked Stefan and Victoria to keep Iris for a few hours this evening. He hated incorporating them into his plan, but he had to call for reinforcements because time was not on his side.
Taking a deep breath and willing his damn nerves to settle, Colin knocked on her door. He wanted time alone with Darcy, wanted to be able to let her into his life, his world because he’d come to realize she mattered more than he’d ever thought possible. At first the instant physical attraction had eaten at him, but he’d soon come to the conclusion that she was much more than someone he wanted to sleep with. Darcy was honest, invigorating and perfectly suited to him...someone he could spend the rest of his life with. The woman had woven her way into his world just when he wanted to be left alone the most. She’d awakened something fresh, something new inside of him he’d thought was long dead and gone.
When the knob turned and the door eased open, Colin’s breath caught in his throat as his eyes traveled over the stunning image before him.
“I didn’t think you’d actually wear it.”
His eyes raked over the bright blue dress that wrapped over Darcy’s breasts, dipping low enough for him to see the swell, then securing at her waist where her classy figure dipped in just above the flare of those hips that drove him insane with want and need.
She’d left her hair down, silky and straight. The barest of makeup made her seem so natural, so beautiful and so seamlessly matched to what he wanted but hadn’t known he was looking for.
“Why wouldn’t I?” she asked, gesturing for him to come on in. “You requested it. You are paying me, after all.”
Cringing as he walked in, Colin hated that he’d thrown money in her face once again. He’d been so low as to dangle the very thing she needed and then relished his delight when he got his way.
He was no better than her ex and deserved nothing at all from the woman he’d found himself falling for.
Before he could say more, another knock sounded on the door and a member of the waitstaff rolled in a covered cart. He took it on out to the patio, bid them a good evening and was gone.
“Shall we?” she asked.
Not giving him a chance to answer, she headed toward the open doors that lead to the terrace. The ocean breeze slid through her room, bringing that familiar saltwater scent he’d taken for granted as a kid, but positively loved now. And he realized how much he’d missed the island now that he was back.
White table linens, gold candlesticks and a cluster of white roses adorned the table set for two. Darcy went to take the cover off of one of the dishes on the cart, but Colin stepped in front of her, blocking her action.
“You look beautiful,” he told her, needing her to know how he felt, that he believed what he was saying. “You’re more than I deserve right now.”
She tipped her chin, leveling his gaze. “I’m your nanny, Colin. Or would you prefer Mikos? Perhaps Your Highness. What do your other servants call you?”
“You’re not my damn servant.” Colin gritted his teeth. She was mocking him. “You can call me Mikos or Colin. Either would be fine.”
She bowed and something in him snapped. He gripped her shoulders and gave her a slight shake.
“Don’t bow to me. Ever.”
Her eyes widened as she ran her tongue over her plump, glossy lips. “I’m your employee, am I not?”
“You’re more, damn it, and you know it.”
She stiffened beneath his touch. “Do I? Because I assumed even friends were up front with each other. Employees and employers keep their private lives separate, so excuse me if I’m a little confused.”
He needed some space to cool off and she needed to get used to the fact that he wasn’t going to give up so easily.
Releasing her, he pulled out a chair. “Sit. I’ll get your dinner.”
Surprisingly, she obliged. Once he’d served the meal, they ate in strained silence. Thoughts, possible conversations played over and over in his mind. There was so much he wanted to say, needed to say. But would she hear him, would the words penetrate into her heart where he needed them to go?
Pushing away from the table, Colin came to his feet and moved to the rail of the terrace. Watching the water ebb and flow against the shoreline calmed him. He absolutely loved his home, loved this view he was blessed to wake up to every day. It was all the hype around his name, his title that he could live without. He wanted a simple family life and the ability to live without the media snapping photos of him and his daughter, splashing whatever headlines they chose.
Stefan and Victoria had managed to attain such a life. They were making it work with their titles and they always managed to find time to themselves, away from all the hype and press. Could he have that, too? Could he attend to his duties and actually have a family?
His heart clenched. He hadn’t known how much he wanted a family...a family with Darcy and Iris.
“I stared at this view for hours after I came home from the hospital,” he started as he kept his back to her.
He hadn’t counted on talking, but he couldn’t keep her shut out of his world...not if he truly wanted her to be a part of it. And now more than ever he knew what he wanted.
“I’d sit out on the balcony off the master suite and curse that damn wheelchair. Karina was pregnant and all I could think was what type of father I could be to our child when I couldn’t even stand or put on my own pants.”
Darcy’s chair scooted against the tile, but Colin kept his back to her. He couldn’t turn and look her in the eye, didn’t want to see pity staring back at him.
“I gradually got stronger, but I was too busy working on myself to realize I had to keep working on my marriage. Karina went through the pregnancy pretty much alone because I devoted all of my time to my recovery. I was determined to be on my feet when our baby came.”
From the corner of his eye he saw Darcy step up to the rail, but far enough away t
hat she was just out of reach. Probably for the best. With his emotional state, if she touched him, if she offered compassion right now, he’d break down, and baring his heart was about all the vulnerability he could handle. No way in hell did he want to be that man who clung to a woman, sobbing...which is exactly what he feared would happen if he didn’t concentrate on the words and not the feelings of the past.
“When Iris came my whole outlook on life changed,” he went on as he watched a palace guard pass by below. “The media wanted pictures of her, wanted photos of the happy family. It was then I realized we weren’t a family. Karina had started sleeping in another room, she started distancing herself more and more from me and I can’t blame her.”
“It takes two to make a marriage work,” Darcy added, her soft voice hitting him square in the heart. “You can’t take all the blame.”
Risking a glance over his shoulder, Colin met her intense gaze. No pity lingered in her eyes, if anything he saw understanding.
“I abandoned her long before she decided to leave,” he replied. “After she suddenly passed away, I couldn’t handle the strain of my life here any longer. It’s no secret to my family that I’ve never wanted to be Prince of Galini Isle. I didn’t want that weight on my shoulders. Stefan took the lead as king, which was fine with me, but if anything happens to him, I have no choice as long as I retain my title.”
The familiar twinge in his back started out dull, the way it always did before blowing up into something major, so Colin pushed off the rail and stood straight, twisting at the waist to keep the muscles warm.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Fine. Just needed to move.”
She stared at him another minute before looking back out to the water. “I have no clue about the life you were running from. I see this place and I think you have it all. But then I hear the pain in your voice and I know you are torn. I know you don’t take this for granted and you’re seriously worried about what step to take next.”
Turning to fully face her, Colin took a step closer. “I’m not only worried about the title, Darcy. I’m worried about us.”
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