by Leanne Banks
“What’s so funny?” he yelled at her.
“I’m terrified. I’ve either got to scream or laugh,” she yelled back.
He nodded in approval. “We’re just getting started.”
After a lovely but terrifying ride, Nic pulled into the driveway of a chateau with stairs descending to a dock where several boats were moored. “What now?” she asked.
“We’re going for another ride, this one on the ocean. You don’t get seasick, do you?” he said, taking her hand.
She shook her head. “I’m a Devereaux. It’s not allowed. My father never would have permitted it,” she said as she walked down the steps with him.
“What trait would he have chosen over seasickness in his children?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Two heads,” she joked.
He stopped and looked at her and laughed. “You ought to get out more. I think it’s good for you.”
“And you?” she asked.
“Haven’t had a lot of time for that lately,” he said, his smile fading for a second. “But we’ve got today and a boat at our disposal.”
“How did you arrange it?” she asked.
“My friend owns this chateau. He’s out of town and he said I could use the house, the boat and the pool. I have access to a ski lodge in Switzerland he has used, so it all evens out.” They walked across the dock and he helped her into a boat.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
He shot her a mysterious smile. “Places you can reach only by boat.”
Joining him on the motorboat, Pippa reveled in the wind in her face. Nic didn’t coddle her with a slow speed or by taking it easy on the curves. The wake made the ride bumpy enough that she had to sit down a few times.
“You’re a fast pilot,” she shouted to him. “Have you ever raced?”
He nodded. “But now we need to get to a special place.”
“What special place?” she asked.
“You’ll see soon enough,” he said. He glanced over his shoulder toward her. “Come here,” he said extending his hand. “Wanna drive?”
Surprised by the offer, accepted his hand and he pulled her onto the seat next to him. “We have to slow down just a bit,” she said.
He lowered the speed and she took the wheel. It was her first time because heaven knew her brother wouldn’t have ever permitted it, let alone security. She gripped the steering wheel with her hands and turned it away from a huge yacht headed for the port side of their craft. The wake of the yacht created ripples, making the boat bounce against the waves.
Pippa laughed at the bumpiness but held tight.
“Doing good,” Nic said, placing his hand at her back. It was a steadying sensation. Supportive, but not controlling. “Head this way,” he said, pointing left.
She drove several more moments, then turned the wheel over to him. “Thank you. That was glorious,” she said, unable to wipe her smile from her face.
“Glad you enjoyed it,” he said, then revved up the speed again. “Hold on, Your Highness.”
After several minutes, Nic slowed as they drew close to a series of rocks jutting from the ocean. “Where are we going?”
“Guess,” he said, slowing the speed even more.
In the distance, she saw a rowing boat. Realization hit her. “The Blue Grotto,” she said, so excited she could hardly stand it. “I know it’s supposed to be a huge tourist spot, but I’ve always wanted to see it.”
“I was hoping,” he said.
“But it’s supposed to be incredibly crowded.” She glanced at Nic. “Why is it deserted? Is there a problem?”
“I bought an hour for us. No other boats during that time,” he said.
She blinked. “That would be obscenely expensive,” she said. “Stefan would throw a fit if he knew.”
“He doesn’t have to know,” Nic said with a smile. He pulled closer to the rowboat and dropped anchor. The guide from the rowboat pulled right up next to their motorboat. Nic and the guide assisted her onto the rowboat.
“Buongiorno,” the man said. “I’m Roberto. I will be your guide.”
“Buongiorno and grazie, Roberto. I’m very excited to see the Blue Grotto,” she said.
Nic hopped aboard. “Just tell me you’ve got a great singing voice,” he said and shook Roberto’s hand.
Roberto’s mouth lifted in a wide grin. “The best. When I tell you, you must lie down in the boat.” He turned to Nic. “Hold on to your sweetheart.”
Pippa sank to a sitting position. Nic sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “Just following orders,” he said.
She laughed, feeling the same terror and exultation she’d felt on the motorcycle and the speedboat. As they drew closer to the famous cave, she and Nic reclined in the boat.
“Prepare to enter the Blue Grotto, a spectacle providing thrills since the Roman times. Statues of pagan gods rest on the floor of the grotto. Once inside, you will see a surreal view that will make you feel as if you are floating through a clear sky. The reflection of the sunlight produces a unique transparency. There is no bluer blue,” Roberto said. “Stay low, then you may sit up for a few minutes.”
Sitting cradled in Nic’s arms, Pippa stared in wonder at the blue universe on which they floated. They could have been riding on the sky if not for the lapping sound of the ocean against the cave walls.
“Put your hands in the water,” Roberto said.
Both Nic and Pippa dipped their fingers into the cool water.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said.
“As are you, signorina,” he said, and began to sing “Bella Notte.” The acoustics were amazing. She almost didn’t want to breathe because she didn’t want to miss a nuance of the experience. Surrounded by Nic’s strength and the wonder of the Blue Grotto, Pippa wanted to absorb everything. This was the kind of magic she wanted to store up inside her for sad, bad days.
When Roberto sang the last note, she glanced up at Nic. “This was amazing,” she said.
“Quite a show,” he said and took her mouth in a kiss.
After they boarded the motorboat, Nic took them back to the chateau. “Are you starving?” he asked. “My friend offered me anything in his pantry and refrigerator, but I thought we’d order takeout. The view is great and I thought you’d just as soon skip a public restaurant.”
“That sounds perfect,” she said and joined him as they climbed the steps to the chateau. Chugging her water, she sank onto a chair on the patio which overlooked the sea and sighed in contentment as she heard Nic call in an order to a restaurant.
Nic sat down across from her, lifting a bottle of beer to his lips. “You like Capri?”
“How could I not?” she said and shook her head. “I’ve never had a day like this.”
“It was pretty good, wasn’t it?”
“That’s an understatement, and you know it,” she said.
He chuckled at her response.
“Perhaps you do these kinds of things on a far more regular basis,” she said.
“I’ve had some thrills, but the person you share it with can make a big difference,” he said. “You need to make any calls to your security guy?”
She made a face at the reminder. “He said for me to call him when I returned to my room.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “I suppose I could tell him I’ve returned and I’m safe and sound.”
“Your choice,” he said and took another drink from his beer.
Her stomach dancing with a combination of anticipation and apprehension, she placed the call. Her security man seemed satisfied. “I’d like to freshen up,” she said and Nic pointed her to the toilet.
When she looked in the mirror, she nearly didn’t recognize herself. Her cheeks and lips were flushed a deep pink. Her eyes looked so
blue against the contrast of her skin and her hair was wilder than she’d ever seen it. Pippa chuckled and shook her head. It was hopeless. There was no use trying to tame it.
Dinner arrived and she and Nic enjoyed a meal of pasta, seafood and wine. Pippa knew Nic joked to diffuse tensions and cover his feelings, but she knew underneath it all, he had his share of stress. She’d never seen him this relaxed since she’d met him.
“You enjoy the sea. It’s therapeutic for you,” she said, touching his arm.
“It can be. It’s not always.” He shrugged. “What about you? Do you enjoy boating?”
She shrugged. “I haven’t always. When I was a child, my father was known for spending as much time on his yacht as possible. He missed birthdays, appointments so he could escape on his yacht. In retrospect, he must not have been a very happy man.”
“Tough being crown prince,” Nic said with a wry grin.
“Perhaps. Some are better suited for the job than others. Stefan takes it very seriously, sometimes too seriously in my opinion. He’s very controlling. I remember once when I was a teenager, we were on a family outing on the yacht and I asked if I could take the wheel just for a moment.”
“Let me guess,” Nic said. “He refused. There are plenty of men who can’t give up the wheel.”
“Why did you let me?” she asked. “For all you knew, I could have wrecked the boat.”
“You’re excessively responsible, Pippa. If you’d been concerned, you would have asked for my help. Plus, you underrate your abilities,” he said in a matter-of-fact voice as he took another sip of red wine.
“You can’t know that. I could be a total klutz,” she said. “For all you know, we could be in a hospital from my flipping that boat.”
He shot her a sideways glance full of humor. “I have excellent instincts.”
She sighed and took a sip of her own wine. “Well, I can’t argue with that.”
“Anything else you want to argue about?” he asked, swirling his wine in his glass.
She couldn’t help chuckling. She had been a bit contrary. “No.”
“Good,” he said. “Want to go for a swim in the pool? We can turn out the lights.”
Pippa was still wearing her swimsuit under her clothes. The invitation for an evening swim was irresistible. She stood. “I’m ready.”
He chuckled at her immediate reaction. “I should have asked earlier. I’ll grab some towels. Let’s go.”
Cutting the lights, Nic grabbed some towels and led her down to the pool with a flashlight. Pippa tripped on a step, but he caught her against him. “Okay?” he asked.
“Yes. It’s so dark,” she said, laughing nervously.
“That’s the idea,” Nic said and led her the rest of the way to the pool. Clouds cast a filmy cover over the moon, but there was some light reflected against the water of the pool.
“It’s beautiful,” she said.
Nic jumped into the pool, the splash spraying over her legs. “It is,” he said, with a wicked smile on his gorgeous wet face. “Come on in.”
She paused half a second and jumped in. Two seconds later, she felt Nic’s arms around her. “It’s a little chilly.”
“You’ll warm up in a minute. Trust me,” he said, pulling her against him.
She looked up into his face, feeling a crazy joy at the sight of the droplets on his face. “You’re not warm,” she said. “You’re hot.”
“I’m that way every time I get around you,” he said and dipped his mouth to hers for a quick kiss.
The brief touch of his mouth on hers made her sizzle and burn deep inside.
She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist.
“I like that,” he said, pressing his hand at the back of her waist.
Everything that had been brewing between them for months tightened so much that she could hardly breathe. “Whew,” she breathed.
“Take it easy,” he said. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” she breathed.
“You look like you need another kiss,” he said with a half grin and lowered his mouth.
She sank into his mouth, feeling him, inhaling him. She couldn’t get enough. His tongue slid past her lips and she savored the taste of him, the feel of him wrapped around her. The buoyancy of the water only added to the sensuality of the experience.
Nic slid his hands over her thighs and cupped her hips as he gave her a French kiss that made her feel as if she were turning upside down. She felt the same excitement race through her that she’d experienced earlier today when she’d driven the boat.
He squeezed her against himself. “I love your laugh,” he muttered against her mouth.
“Good thing,” she said. “I can’t remember laughing more than I do with you.”
“Hold your breath.” He kissed her again, twirled her around again and sank, inch by inch underwater. It was a crazy, sexy, amazing experience kissing Nic that way. Seconds later, he rose, bringing her to the surface. She sucked in a quick breath of air, staring into his face. His strong, sexy face was covered with droplets of water. His eyes bored into hers.
The electricity between them sizzled and burned. She lifted her hands to cradle his face. “You’re quite an amazing man.”
He stopped dead. “That’s quite the compliment,” he said.
“I’m just telling the truth,” she said.
“Good to know,” he said and untied the top of her bathing suit. His hands slid over her breasts.
She inhaled quickly.
“You want me to stop?” he asked.
She hesitated a half beat. “No,” she whispered.
He leaned his forehead against hers. “Pippa, I’m not gonna wanna stop,” he said.
Her heart slamming against her ribs, she bit her lip. “Neither am I.”
They played and frolicked in the pool. He kissed and caressed her, coaxing her out of the bottom of her bathing suit so that she swam nude with him. They got each other so worked up that he almost took her in the pool. Instead, he dragged her from the pool, wrapped a towel around her, another around him and half carried her up the stairs to the house.
Carrying her to the master bed and following her down, he seemed to devour her. And Pippa wanted him to consume her.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” he asked, clearly reining himself under control.
“Yes,” she said and stretched her arms out to him.
Nic slid his hand between her thighs, testing her readiness. He rubbed and caressed her, making her wet with wanting. Sliding his finger inside her, he drove her even further. He made her want deep inside her.
“Nic,” she said, squeezing his arms.
“You want me?” he asked, his voice raspy with his own desire.
“Yes,” she said, close to pleading.
He slid his lips down to her breast, taking one of her nipples in his mouth. The sensation electrified her. She felt the instant connection between her breast and lower, deeper inside her.
“I want you inside me,” she said. “In me.”
In some corner of her mind, she knew he was putting on protection. Seconds later, he pushed her thighs apart. He thrust inside her and she felt a rush of shock and burning pain at the invasion. “Oh,” she said.
Nic stopped, staring at her in surprise. He swore under his breath. “You should have told me.”
“I wasn’t thinking about it,” she said. “My mind was on—” She wiggled as she grew more accustomed to him. “Being with you,” she said and wiggled again.
His gaze darkened and he fastened his hands around her hips. “You’re gonna make this tough on me,” he said in a rough voice.
“Hopefully, it won’t be all bad.”
Nic groaned and began to move in a slow, delicious rhythm.
Pippa felt the beginning of exquisite sensations sliding throughout her.
“You okay?” he asked in a low, uneven voice.
“Yessss,” she said. “This is sooo—” The twist of tension growing inside her took her breath.
The pulsing rhythm continued, and she clung to him, staring into his dark gaze, taking and feeling taken. His jaw tightened with restraint, he reached down between her legs and sought her sweet spot, sending electrical impulses through her. The combination of his possession and his caresses were too much.
She jerked and rippled in response. Suddenly, her body clenched in indescribable pleasure and she arched toward him. “Nic,” she called, feeling as if her voice were separated from her body.
He held her tight and she felt and heard his own climax ripple through her.
It was the most profound experience of her life and she knew she would never, ever be the same.
Their harsh breaths mingled in the air. The sound was as primitive as what she’d just experienced. At this moment, she felt Nic inside her body, her mind, her blood. She wondered if she would ever breathe without being aware of him again.
Chapter Nine
Nic lay on his side and pulled Pippa against him. She was half asleep. He tried to take in the impact of what they’d done. Nic had known it was inevitable. He had known they would make love. He had known she would be his.
He just hadn’t known how much it would affect him. Months ago, when he’d first met Pippa, he’d wanted her, reluctantly felt a need for her. Something primal had driven him toward her. He’d hoped it had all been about sex, but now he knew he’d been wrong.
Something in his psyche was tangled with this woman, and he wasn’t sure how in hell he could untangle himself from her. Aside from the fact that she felt so soft and right nestled against him, he felt himself wanting more. Wanting something he hadn’t known was possible.
It didn’t make sense. Other women had made themselves available to him. Sometimes he’d accepted their overtures. Sometimes he’d refused. Now, he felt himself falling deeper than he’d ever expected.