by Romancing the Crown Series (13-in-1 bundle) (v1. 0) (lit)
It was unnerving, frustrating, painful. And it only got worse when he stepped into his bedroom. He could see her there, in his bed, his arms, waking and sleeping with him, making love with him. Without even closing his eyes, he could see her carrying his baby, growing old with him, loving him.
"Don't go there," he growled, and stalked into the bathroom to strip off his clothes. A split second later, he stepped under a cold shower. It didn't help.
* * *
When he arrived at the palace, he was in a bear of a mood, but he hid it well when he stepped into the large solarium, where his aunt and uncle had retired after breakfast and were waiting for him. He smiled easily and was thankful no one could see how heavy his heart was. "Good morning, everyone."
"Lorenzo!" Greeting him with a happy smile, Gwendolyn stepped forward to hug him fiercely. "Thank God, you're back! Come.. .sit down and tell us about Lucas. Who is this woman he worked for? Where do you think he is now? Was he really working as a cowboy?"
"Give the boy a chance to catch his breath, Gwen," Marcus chided laughingly as he, too, came forward to greet him. Shaking his hand, he grinned. "I see you survived the company of Ms. Windmere. I was hoping you would bring her back with you."
"She had to stay with the search for her exclusive," he replied easily. "She promised to send copies of everything once she had it in print."
"Good," Gwendolyn said, pleased. "I can't wait to read it. She was quite an enterprising young lady. Now tell us about Lucas. What did you find out? You're sure he's alive?"
Lorenzo hoped he wasn't giving them false hope, but he truly believed there was good reason to believe that Lucas and the ranch hand named Joe were one and the same man. "I didn't see him but I spoke to several people who had and yes, I think he's alive and well."
He proceeded to tell them then about the search through 1 what seemed like every small town in north central Colorado, ending with their search yesterday morning at the Chambers ranch. "The bullet just missed Eliza, but I have to give her credit—she kept her head." While he was losing his heart, he thought, and quickly stifled the thought. "We were able to subdue him and had just called the sheriff when one of the owners of the ranch arrived."
"You were both lucky you weren't killed," his uncle said gruffly. "Now, about this woman who owns the ranch—"
"Ursula Chambers," Lorenzo said.
"Was she nice? Did she treat him well?"
"She seemed pleasant enough," he replied, then added with a grin, "though she was quite irritated that he had left."
"What was Eliza's opinion of her?" the queen asked.
Irritated that both his aunt and uncle kept bringing up her name—couldn't they just let him forget her?—he said, "She really didn't say. There were a lot of questions she wanted to ask that she couldn't—that would have given us away."
"But she, too, thought Lucas was alive? Eveen distantly inn though you never saw him?"
Understanding that she needed all the verification she could get, Lorenzo smiled gently. "She was sure of it. From the moment Willy Cranshaw showed her Lucas's scarf, she was positive he was alive. Nothing that's happened since has changed her mind."
That was all Gwendolyn needed to hear. Tears glistening in her eyes, she stepped into her husband's arms. "Oh, Marcus, we're going to find him soon, I just know it."
Watching the two of them together and the love they made no attempt to hide, Lorenzo felt envy for the first time in his life. He and Eliza could have had that.. .if she'd loved him.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn't realize his uncle was watching him until he said suddenly, "You are telling us everything, aren't you, Lorenzo? I know how protective you are of the family. You wouldn't hold something back to keep us from worrying, would you?"
The only thing he was holding back was that he'd fallen in love with a woman who wasn't looking for someone to love, but a headline. And that was no one's business but his own. "No," he said huskily. "I've told you everything of importance. Nothing else matters."
Chapter 12
Lorenzo liked to think he was a man who could cut his losses and move on. He didn't hang on to lost dreams—what was the point? So he immersed himself in work over the next few days and almost convinced himself that he was, if not happy, then at least, content. In reality, he'd neveen distantly inr been lonelier in his life.
Still, he thought he hid it well. He had dinner with the family several times, and if he found himself watching Julia and Rashid with their baby and imagining he and Eliza finding the same happiness, his thoughts were his own. He played with the baby and acted as if he didn't have a care in the world.
But each night when he went home, the walls of his house closed in on him. Miserably unhappy, unable to sleep, he couldn't get Eliza out of his head. Cursing the weakness he had for her, he returned to his office after dinner each night and worked until he fell asleep at his desk. Then the next day, he did the same thing all over again. He was exhausted, but too tired to dream of Eliza, and that was all that mattered.
Still, he thought he was hiding it well.. .until his brother walked into his office one morning and said bluntly, "What's wrong with you? You look like hell."
A weak smile curled one corner of his mouth. "It's good to see you, too, Desmond. I haven't been sleeping much since I got back," he added. "I've been working."
Excited, his brother moved to quickly shut the door to his office so that they wouldn't be overheard. "The king is very hush-hush about what you discovered. Prince Lucas is alive, isn't he?" he pressed. "Otherwise, the king would be announcing you as his successor."
Lorenzo hesitated, remembering his own words of caution to Marcus. But Desmond was his brother, after all, and he'd only guessed the obvious. Smiling, he said, "There's good reason to believe that he's very much alive, but I missed him by a couple of days."
"So he's in Colorado?"
Again, Lorenzo hesitated, but this time, his brother was asking more of him than he could give. The king would want only the closest family members to know about the continuing search efforts, and although Desmond was blood, there were things that Lorenzo felt instinctively that he was not entitled to know. So he played his cards close to his vest and only gave him information about where Lucas had been —not where he was going. "We traced him to the Chambers i ranch in Shady Rock, Colorado, but he left before we got there."
Furious—damn him, Lorenzo would be king!—Desmond knew better than to let his brother see his anger. Forcing a broad smile, he raved, "Lorenzo, this is marvelous! No wonder the king is walking around like he just won the lottery. He must be thrilled that Lucas is coming home soon."
"I wouldn't use the word soon," Lorenzo corrected him wryly, "but yes, I think it will only be a matter of time before Lucas is back with us. It can't, of course, be too soon for the king and queen."
Of course not, he thought snidely. The king and queen always got what they wanted. The lucky bastards. "We will, no doubt, have a celebration the likes of which has never been seen in Montebello," he purred with well-practiced enthusiasm. "The prince returns!"
For a moment, Lorenzo thought he caught a trace of cynicism in his voice, but he must have been mistaken. A split second later, Desmond smiled affectionately and quirked an eyebrow at him. "I would have thought you'd be thrilled with this news," he said. "In spite of my ambitions for you, you never wanted to be king. So why the long face?"
"I told you—I've been working."
For a moment, he thought Desmond was going to question him further, but something in his expression must have warned him not to push. Stepping back, he gave in graciously. "I'm only concerned about you. If you want to talk, give me a call."
He had that wounded look in his eyes that had always twisted Lorenzo in knots of guilt, but Lorenzo made no attempt to call him back when Desmond turned and walked out. Considering his mood, Lorenzo really did need to be alone. Later, he would apologize.
From there, the day only went downhill.
He'
d thrown himself into work and had, finally—for the moment, at least—pushed Eliza from his thoughts. Then, just when he was finally able to concentrate on anything but her, a letter arrived from her from America. With nothing more than that, she reached across the Atlantic and touched him.
For a long moment, he just sat at his desk and stared at the plain white envelope bearing her name and home address. He swore he wasn't going to touch it. The, the next thing he knew, he was tearing it open and pulling out a newspaper clipping of her column. With a will of their own, his eyes dropped to the title of the column.
THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING!
Lorenzo had braced himself, fearful she had caved to pressure and revealed vital information about Prince Lucas in her column, now that Simon was probably clamoring for fresh headlines. Instead, much to his amazement, he found himself reading about himself. "What the hell?"
I recently spoke to a former lover of Duke Lorenzo and for the sake of this column, we'll call this woman...Elizabeth. She'd spent quite some time in his company, and needless to say, she was just full of interesting little tidbits about the devastatingly attractive Duke. Did you know that he looks as rugged as a cowboy in boots and jeans and a cowboy hat? Or that he's as quick to protect a lady's honor as a knight of old? He might not have a lance and suit of armor, but he doesn't need one. With him, a woman can feel safe and protected, even when she's surrounded by ruffians...
She was writing about that night in the bar when that drunken cowboy tried to force himself on her, he thought, stunned. This was about their time together! His heart starting to pound, he quickly read on.
According to Elizabeth, he's everything that a woman could want in a manstrong and caring, not to mention resourceful. His ladylove had the most wonderful time of her life with him and wanted nothing more than to see him again. Unfortunately, his royal duties called him back to the palace, but that was just one more reason why she found dear Duke Lorenzo so fascinating. He's a man who knows the value of family. Whenever he chooses a duchess, she will be the luckiest woman on earth.
At those words, Lorenzo's heart stopped dead in his chest. What did she mean? What was she trying to tell him? Did she love him? Hurriedly scanning the column again, he told himself he was a fool to read anything into her words. But his heart refused to accept that he'd misunderstood. In her writing, he could hear her voice, see the sparkle in her eyes, the flash of her smile, feel the softness of her kiss. Memories swirled, warming the ice that had encased his heart over the last few days, and the loneliness of his own existence slapped him right in the face. Dear God, he missed her!
And if he'd read her words correctly, she missed him, too.
His lady love had the most wonderful time of her life with him and wanted nothing more than to see him again.. .Whenever he chooses a duchess, she will be the luckiest woman on earth.
Did she want to be his duchess? Is that what she was saying? "Lorenzo, we need to talk about this report from London—"
Stepping into his office, the king stopped short, a frown knitting his brow as his gaze dropped to the newspaper clipping spread out on his desk, then lifted to the confusion and longing Lorenzo couldn't quite hide in his eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing!" Cursing himself for not shutting his office door before opening Eliza's package—with his palace office located so close to the king's his uncle frequently wandered in whenever he needed to discuss something with him—he gathered up the newspaper clipping and stuffed it back into the envelope. "I was just reading Eliza's column."
Surprised, the king frowned. "There wasn't anything there that puts Lucas in jeopardy, is there?"
"No, of course not. Eliza wouldn't do that," Lorenzo said, giving voice to the certainty that had grown in him as he had gotten to know Eliza—a certainty he had been able to deny until he read her column today.
Pleased that he recognized that, Marcus said, "No, she wouldn't. I like that girl—but I digress. If the column's not bothering you, it must be something else."
When Lorenzo gave him a look that would have intimidated anyone else, he only grinned. "I'm the king—I get to be as nosey as I like and no one gets to tell me to buzz off."
He had a point, one that Lorenzo couldn't help but appreciate. His lips twitching, he growled, "I really hate it when you pull rank."
"Too bad," he tossed back. "Now tell me what's really troubling you. Or maybe I should say who. You have the look of a man who's been thinking about a woman. Is there any chance this woman might be an American reporter?"
"Who said there was a woman?"
Marcus smiled ruefully. "I was young once. I know the signs. Did you fall in love with her?"
"No!"
"Really? I find it odd, then, that you're letting someone you don't care anything about make you this miserable. And don't try to convince me that I'm imagining things," he added quickly. "You've been putting on a good front for Gwen and the rest of the family since you returned from America, but I could always tell when something was eating at you. You get this look in your eyes that gives you away every time. You've got it now."
Cornered, Lorenzo swore softly. Why hadn't anyone told him about "this look" before now? A man couldn't very well deny something when his face gave him away. "She's a reporter, Marcus. A gossip columnist. How can I be in love with someone who makes a living reporting to the world what we eat for breakfast?"
Marcus, to his credit, didn't laugh, but he couldn't quite stop his lips from twitching. "I read a few of Eliza's columns while you were gone. She never once mentioned anyone's breakfast."
Far from amused, Lorenzo just looked at him. "You know what I mean."
Sobering, he nodded. "Yes, I do. So let's talk about this. We both know there are writers out there who are vicious and can't wait to stir up a scandal. Eliza's not one of them. Personally, I think she's quite amazing. She didn't have to bring Lucas's scarf to us, Lorenzo. She didn't have to tell us anything at all. She could have published her story and we would have learned our son was alive when someone stuck a microphone in our face and asked us what we thought of the news."
"She was after bigger fish. She wants a Pulitzer and will do anything to get one."
"Really? I didn't find her that way, at all. In fact, she was quite accommodating when I asked her to step back and let Tyler Ramsey finish the search for Lucas alone."
"What?! When did this happen?"
"I placed a call to her home the night you left," he replied, "and explained that I was afraid that too many people had learned of the search. I have enemies who would take advantage of the situation, and I didn't want to place her in danger. I assured her she would still get her exclusive—she's more than earned it—but for now, it's essential that Tyler work alone."
"And she agreed to that?"
"I told you she was an amazing woman," his uncle said with a smile. "Above all else, she wants a happy ending for her story. That means Lucas's safe return. She didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize that."
Lorenzo didn't know why he was so surprised. In his heart, he had known for quite some time that she was as noble and good as the heroines in the fairy tales she'd loved as a child. "She does love happy endings," he admitted ruefully.
"And you love her."
No longer able to deny it, Lorenzo sighed miserably. "She's all I can think about."
"Then why aren't you with her?" A sudden thought hit him, and he frowned. "She's in love with you, too, isn't she?"
"We didn't exactly discuss it," Lorenzo hedged. "She didn't seem the least bit concerned that I was leaving, so I didn't say anything." When Marcus rolled his eyes, he said, "I've got my share of pride, just like the next man."
He expected Marcus to agree that he couldn't have done anything any differently. Instead, his uncle swore softly. "I can't believe this! Do you like being alone?" he demanded. "Is that what you're telling me? Because in case you hadn't noticed, your pride's just about all you've got right now.
Is that what
you want?"
"No, of course not."
"You've been alone for a long time," Marcus said gruffly. "It doesn't have to be that way anymore. Take a chance and go after her. If you put your heart on the line and tell her you love her, I promise you you won't regret it."
Deep inside, Lorenzo felt his heart expand, and he realized his uncle was right. He had been alone a long time— ever since his parents died when he was a boy—and he wanted someone he could claim as his own. But not just anyone. He wanted Eliza. It seemed like he had from the moment he'd first met her and her blue eyes had flashed fire at him. And that wasn't ever going to change. She'd gotten under his skin, into his heart, and he couldn't imagine going through the rest of his life without her. There was no reason he had to.
Rising to his feet abruptly, he told Marcus, "I won't be able to go to Geneva for you tomorrow. I know I promised I would, but I can't. I'm going to Denver, instead."
Pleased, Marcus grinned. "Take one of the jets. I'll have it fueled and ready for you by the time you reach the airport."
He didn't have to tell Lorenzo twice. He started for the door, only to stop suddenly and turn back into the office. Reaching his uncle in three strides, he surprised him with a bear hug. "Thanks," he said huskily.
His eyes glistening with emotion, the king patted him on the shoulder. "Bring her home, son. We'll have a party to welcome her into the family."
"I'll hold you to that," he said with a smile, and strode out.
* * *
Some days, it didn't pay to get out of bed.
Rereading the piece she'd just written for tomorrow's column, Eliza wrinkled her nose. It wasn't that bad, she
supposed. Deborah couldn't have written anything half that good if she'd had a year to work on it. And her readers would enjoy it. Still, Eliza knew it didn't have her usual punch. And regardless of how hard she tried, she just couldn't get it back.