by Carolyn Rae
His gaze met hers. “Don’t you know I want you close to me for more than just a night, more than just a week?”
His admission thrilled her. “But your parents expect you to marry Lady Constantine. Isn’t that right?”
He nodded. “You’re right. I shouldn’t ask you to make love with me when I can’t marry you. But would you grant me one last request?”
“What’s that?”
“Go skinny dipping with me. I won’t touch you unless you want me to. But I just want to see your lovely body once more in the moonlight, if only to look at you and dream about you until I have to take up my duties and marry Beatrice.”
She wouldn’t need to see his naked body to dream about him. He’d fill her dreams until she died.
His fingers caressed her cheek. He lifted a lock of hair, then let it fall. “I will always remember the way you look. Hell, it will probably haunt me in my dreams long after you have forgotten me and are caught up in a new relationship.”
Tricia shook her head, grasped his hand and squeezed it. “I’ll never forget you.”
He seemed vulnerable now. So much so that she entertained thoughts of giving in —but she couldn’t. He raised her hand to his lips, pressed a gentle kiss there. “Please?”
He said nothing more, just held both her hands and looked at her with those soulful dark eyes.
She swallowed. Could she go skinny dipping without giving in to the temptation to make love with him?
Chapter Thirty-one
Lawrence lifted first one hand and then her other to his lips and kissed her palms. “Please, my Patricia.” He stood tall and proud, his dark eyes begging her.
Tricia sat down on a bench beside the small pool. The coldness of the hard stone seeped through her. “You don’t know what you’re asking. If we swim naked, I don’t trust you . . . or myself.”
His eyes lit up. Seeing his smile, she knew exactly what he wanted. He sat beside her. “I may never feel the same wonderful longing about anyone else, not even Lady Constantine. She isn’t half as smart as you are, nor as interesting to talk to.”
Sparks blossomed inside. Was there really a chance for her? “Is it - is it an absolute rule that you have to marry someone with a title?”
“That is the way it has always been for the heir apparent.”
“You mean the princes in your family always married royalty or at least someone of noble birth?”
“Always.”
“What do you think would happen if you announced you wanted to marry someone who wasn’t?”
“They might tell me I could not.”
“But Allysa married a commoner.”
“But I am next in line for the throne. That’s why I have to marry a princess or at least someone with a title. They expect me to be the next king.”
Her spirits fell. What he didn’t say was it would have to be someone born to nobility, someone who’d been trained in their ways of speaking, dressing, and acting. She’d worn Allysa’s clothes, but she hadn’t done such a good job of acting properly at court.
She sighed. There was no way they’d accept her as his wife. It was better to cut her losses and fly back home. And she definitely was not going skinny dipping or let him make love to her. “Let’s head back to the palace now.”
“But you haven’t had any supper. You should see what delicacies the cook prepared for us.”
“I’m not hungry,” she said, but her stomach growled. Well, she was hungry, but she didn’t feel in the mood for a moonlit supper with a man she couldn’t have.
Lawrence stepped over to his horse, which was munching on some grass. He opened a saddle bag and took out a lavender tablecloth and some foil-wrapped packages. After spreading the cloth on the wooden bench next to her, he undid some fried chicken, a garden salad, which he poured into a bowl and sprinkled with a small bottle of dressing, then added a mix of croutons and sunflower seeds. He opened another package with what looked like chips, only they were orange.
“What are those?” she asked.
“Sweet potato chips, fried in oil and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.”
The chicken was tasty, and so was everything else. Then Lawrence unwrapped one more package. Two squares of delicate cake with four layers separated by lemon filling and dusted with colored sugar on top. She found everything melt-in-your-mouth marvelous, especially so since she was sharing it with him. He poured some sweet wine in goblets he found in the saddlebag and held one out to her.
After wiping her mouth on a lavender napkin, Tricia said, “That was delicious. I’m glad you talked me into it.” She helped him dispose of the foil and paper plates.
Lawrence sat on the cleared bench and picked up her wine glass. “You didn’t finish. Come sit by me and drink . . . if you want more, that is.”
Tricia smiled. He was learning not to assume she’d follow his every command. She sat beside him and watched stars twinkle into view in a velvet sky. She wished she could look forward to doing this again. Already, her heart ached at the thought of leaving him and the thought of Lady Constantine taking her place beside Lawrence, the place Tricia wanted with all her heart.
He moved closer and put one arm around her shoulders. “Look, there’s a shooting star. Make a wish.”
She wished, but a lot of good it would do. She smiled. “I see you have the same tradition here as we do in the states.”
As the star faded into nothingness, he kissed her, setting her heart burning again. She kissed back with all the feeling she’d bottled up inside. She couldn’t seem to get enough of his kisses or refrain from pressing some of her own on his firm cheeks.
His lips roved over her face with a gentleness that touched her deep inside. It hurt that she wouldn’t receive them anymore, wouldn’t feel his cheek close against her skin. They’d be in the public view for the rest of the week. And she’d be willing to bet he wasn’t even going to ask the king and queen if they’d make an exception to the royal marriage tradition. He must not care for her enough to try. She shut her eyes against the pain.
He grasped her hands and pulled her to her feet. She opened her eyes to meet his, dark as cloves, gazing at her with such intensity that she wondered what he’d say next.
“I’m going to miss you, miss your kisses like the devil. I hadn’t realized how much until now. Tasting your kisses makes me feel as if I’ve ventured into a place where I belong, a place I’ve long forgotten how to find. A place where I’m appreciated for who I am, not just my destiny.” He smiled and ran a finger down her cheek. “How could I not realize how wonderful it is to be with you and how much I’ll miss having you near?”
Maybe she’d been wrong about his not caring about her. She waited. Was he going to tell her he’d ask permission to marry her, a commoner?
He stroked her hand, then squeezed it. “It doesn’t seem right that we shouldn’t be together.”
He still hadn’t said anything about loving her. Surely, he wouldn’t ask her to be his mistress. Again, she waited.
“You haven’t said anything. What are you thinking?”
“I don’t know what to say. I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
He pulled her to him. “I love you, and I want to marry you more than anything, but—”
Her heart filled to the brim with joy at his words. However, she knew what the “but” signified. “The king and queen, and your country, they all stand in the way, don’t they?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “It may take a while to convince the king and queen that you’re the only one I want. They could even disown me. I do not know what I could do to make a living that would be worthy of you.”
“I’ll graduate with my doctorate soon. Can a sociology teacher make a living here?”
He nodded. “You could, but I am afraid you will go back to America and forget about me.”
She raised on her toes to kiss him. Bittersweet though it was, she savored it as long as it lasted. “There’s no way I could ever forget you. I always thought k
ings and princes were stuffed shirts. I had no idea a prince could be so wonderful.”
He grasped her shoulders. “I have to ask. Do you love me?”
She snuggled against his firm chest. “I have for quite some time, but I was afraid to say anything. I didn’t want to put pressure on you, not until I knew how you felt about me.”
He smiled. “I think I was lost from the day I saw you stand up in front of the crowd to introduce the ambassador when you must have been shaking inside. And I have always loved the way you look. Familiar like my cousin, but so different in many wonderful ways.”
He turned her so that she could see the full moon halfway up in the sky. “It may be a long fight, but will you wait until I’m successful in convincing my parents that I must have you for my wife?”
She nodded, too overcome with feelings to speak.
“And if it takes more than a year? You will not look for someone else, will you?”
She hugged him. “I’ll wait.” No one else could measure up to him.
He lifted her chin and kissed her again. He looked deep into her eyes. “Now will you go skinny dipping with me . . . and let me make love to you afterwards?”
She laughed. “You’re set on that skinny dipping. Okay, I’ll do that. We can decide on the other later.”
He pinched her cheek. “There is no deciding where I’m concerned, but I have never had a lovely lady turn me down.”
She batted his arm. “Your ego is showing. I’ve only agreed to skinny dipping.” She started unbuttoning her shirt. “I hope you have some good excuse to tell the king and queen for us staying out all night.”
“It is much too late to head back now. I shall say we got rooms at an inn in the next town.” He started to unbutton his shirt. “Last one naked is a prude.”
“That’s not fair. Women’s clothes are more complicated to take off.”
He grinned. “Yes, I know.” He pulled off his shirt. His tanned chest gleamed in the moonlight. His fingers shoved his trousers down. His skin-tight briefs left nothing to the imagination. And then she didn’t have to imagine. He strode to the pool and submerged his magnificent body except for his upper chest and shoulders.
He smiled and waved at her. “Come on in. The water is fine.”
Suddenly self-conscious, she took off her shirt and slid her pants down, revealing matching blue satin briefs and bra.
He kept on looking. “Nice, but I like naked better.”
She stripped off her panties, unsnapped her bra and stepped into the pool until the water came up to her chest. The warm water caressed her skin, but didn’t heat her near as much as his adoring gaze.
“The water is spring fed from an aging volcano. Come here,” he said with a smile. She couldn’t help it. She found herself moving inexorably toward him. When she reached him, he embraced her and turned her in his arms to face the moon. Standing behind her, he caressed her shoulders, then let his fingers drift down to slide over her breasts.
Walking backwards, he pulled her into shallower water until her breasts were completely above the warm waters. Turning her again in his arms, he focused on her breasts. He smiled. “You’re beautiful. Your breasts—they’re even lovelier than I remembered.”
Never had she felt so beautiful or so adored. With his hands, he set every tingling nerve to sizzling until she felt she would burst from happiness. And then he bent to suckle her breast. All her senses caught fire until she was much hotter than the water.
He continued with her other breast. It felt so wonderful to be close to him, and even better than before, now that she knew he cared about her. She tried not to think what could happen if the king and queen wanted to disown him. If they changed the laws, they could let Allysa reign in his place. But he’d always be a prince to her. Except she didn’t want to cost him his destiny.
He clasped his hands around her waist. “Let me love you here in the moonlight.”
She swallowed, then nodded. “Yes, I’d like that.”
He took his time kissing, stroking and caressing until she begged him to join with her. He smiled, his face aglow in the moonlight. “In your arms, I’m more than a prince, more than a king, I’m the man who is loved by the most wonderful woman in the world.”
When he entered her, she clung to him, letting him pull her legs around him. Buoyed by the water, she felt weightless. She concentrated on his thrilling thrusts and braced her body against the wall of the pool to meet each thrust with equal force. Never had she felt so energized. She wanted this to last as long as possible.
When she felt the forces building inside her, she was ready for the sparkling, thrilling ride to the finish. This time was even better than the last. She hoped he could gain the good will of the king and queen to let him marry her.
Afterwards, she couldn’t help smiling as they dried each other with large fluffy towels he’d brought from the cabin.
Lawrence led her inside and lit some candles. Soon the place was glowing with dozens of tiny lights. She looked at him. “You planned this ahead of time, didn’t you?”
He grinned. “I would have arranged to have flowers, but I could not see how to do it without someone finding out.”
She touched his arm. He grasped her hand and lifted it to his lips for a soft kiss. Tricia asked. “Does anyone know you planned to spend the night out with me?”
“Like I said before, I told them we might ride to a town too far to return the same day and we might take rooms at an inn.” His wave encompassed the cabin. “Well, this is my inn. Do you like it?”
She smiled. “I love it, but only because you come with it.”
He tossed her red nightgown toward her. “Wear this if you like.”
She slipped it on, then looked up to meet his gaze.
He was grinning. “Doesn’t leave much to the imagination . . . but I like it that way. Besides, you may not be wearing it very long.” He pulled out a drawer of the night table. Inside lay a handful of foil-wrapped packets.
She hadn’t even thought about that in the pool. She should have insisted on a condom, but she’d been carried away by his caresses. Hopefully, the flowing waters took care of that worry.
He dropped his towel. “Come here.”
She was only too glad to do so. Soon the red nightgown lay on the chest beside an empty foil wrapper. The next time he made love with her began slow and relaxed, but then his thrusts came faster and faster, making her come wondrously, again and again.
Finally, nestled in his strong arms, and feeling wonderful, she fell asleep and snuggled against him.
In the morning, he woke her and beckoned her to a little table where he had brewed coffee and served cinnamon rolls laced with creamy frosting. After slipping on her red gown, she slid into the wooden chair across from him and bit into one of the rolls. “These are delicious. Did the palace cook bake them?”
He shook his head. “I bought them at a bakery in town. Didn’t want the cook to guess my intentions.”
She took a bite. They were delicious. After breakfast, fully dressed, she looked in the mirror and saw pink where his whiskers had grazed against her cheeks. Amazingly, her lips weren’t swollen from all that kissing, but she could still feel the imprint of his mouth on hers. And she couldn’t help smiling. Last night had been wonderful, but soon they had to act as if nothing had happened.
They fed and mounted the horses. All the way back, Tricia basked in the glow of his adoring glances at her. What had seemed impossible was coming true. Her heart beat happily in tune to the hoof beats of the horses. It seemed as if they arrived at the palace in record time. Tricia hoped no one would guess what they’d been doing. It wouldn’t do for anyone to know until Lawrence spoke about her to the king and queen.
As they rode up to the gates, Tricia saw people hurrying to and fro. Lawrence stopped Pierre at the gatehouse. “What is going on?”
“Lady Beatrice Constantine is arriving any moment. The queen has planned a state dinner for your intended bride today.”<
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Chapter Thirty-two
Lady Beatrice Constantine was here. At the palace.
Tricia swallowed a gasp. This couldn’t be happening. Not when she had Lawrence convinced to ask the king if he could marry her. She took a deep breath. Was there a snowflake’s chance in a blast furnace that she could be his wife? Why had she even thought it possible? Should she bow out gracefully?
She clamped her lips together, studied his expression. He was strong enough to fight for her when she was in danger. Was he strong enough to fight for the right to marry her?
She might have a piece of his heart, but it was it enough to make him go against the king, the queen, and tradition? She didn’t want to give him up. But she didn’t know what she could do to win his heart for good …in five minutes.
She grasped his hand. She’d try one last appeal. “I love you. You love me. We deserve to be together.”
He patted her hand. “I want that more than anything.”
Did he mean that? Or was he just hoping for more nights like last night. Like the king, Lawrence was rich enough to support a mistress. If he really were serious about marrying her, they might suggest he abdicate. She didn’t want that choice forced upon him.
She didn’t care about being queen, but he’d been raised to take over the kingdom. Never would she consider closing that door for him. Reining her horse toward the stables, she followed his lead. Torn between what she wanted and what might be best for Lawrence, she gripped the reins until the horse twisted its head and neighed. Realizing she was being cruel to the animal, she released her hold and dismounted.
Lawrence walked over to her and took her in his arms. He kissed her, his mouth roving over hers, over her face, even her neck—as if he were storing up the feel of her in his memory. She clung to him and kissed him with all the feeling surging forth within. This might be the last time she’d feel his lips on hers, the last time she felt his strong arms encircling her, warming her, loving her. She basked in the bittersweet glow she could only find in his arms.
Could she hold this moment forever in her heart to warm it all through the endless lonely years without him? Could she relinquish her hold on the one man, the only man to capture her heart? Could she let go and deny what she felt for him and free him to follow his destiny?