Lessons in Seduction
Page 15
A silence stretched between them. He loved her. He loved her.
Finally, she spoke softly. “If I didn’t love you as much as I do I’d accept.”
“You love me?”
“With all my heart. And I do know how it started. It began when I was five and you got that book down from the shelf for me. And I don’t know how to stop either, or believe that you can possibly know how vital you are to me. But I’m not what you need. I’d be a terrible royal wife.”
His hand tightened on hers. “The constant glare of publicity, the tedium of royal engagements. I couldn’t bear to see your joy in life diminished.”
She allowed another small silence, turning his words over in her head. “People cope,” she said quietly. “I coped with the press today. But what about my lack of sophistication, my lack of diplomacy? I couldn’t bear to discredit you.”
He freed her hand, shifted his to caress her face. “There are far too many sophisticated and diplomatic people in royal circles. What I need in my life is vitality and plain speaking. Someone who’s honest with me. Someone I can be with in the quiet moments. And I’ve been told I need to learn to have fun. To be more impulsive. I need a lot of work. I could use help with that.”
She wanted so desperately to help him with that. “I meet none of your criteria for a royal wife.”
“That’s not quite true. You meet plenty of the criteria on that list. You’re good with the press, you’re good with children and you’re beautiful beyond belief, but none of those matter anymore because I drew up a new list.”
“A new list? When?”
“When you first tried to tell me that we were over. I thought it might be wise.” He lowered his hand and pulled a folded and crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and passed it to her. “I didn’t do too well with it. I couldn’t come up with much.”
Danni spread the paper out on the steering wheel. There was just enough light to make out that there were a few words on the paper but not enough to read them. “It’s too dark. I can’t read it.”
“It says, ‘Item One—she must be Danni.’” He blew out his breath. “And that’s it.”
The moon rose up from behind the clouds, shining enough light that she could make out her name on the paper. “You’re right. It’s not much of a list.”
“It was the best I could do.”
“I’d say you need help with it.”
“I probably do.”
“You should add to it that she must love you. Because if she loves you, whatever she has to give up will be less of a sacrifice than giving up on love.”
“And I guess you’d tell me I should love her in return? With all my heart? And be willing to do whatever it takes to make her happy?”
“Absolutely.”
“So that’s three simple criteria.” He turned in the seat and lifted his hands to her face. “She must be Danni, she must love me and I must love her in return? Will you help me find her and help me convince her to marry me, to never leave me?”
“Yes,” she sighed. “But only if you kiss me now.”
Epilogue
“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” Adam stood and held out his hand to Danni.
“Yes.” She put her hand in his, stood and walked to the dance floor with him, stepping gladly, gratefully into his arms.
They were the third couple to occupy the floor. The bridal couple, Rebecca and Logan, danced, eyes for only each other. Their wedding had been beautiful, full of pomp and splendor, but with human touches and laughter and most of all love.
Their love for each other had shone through every moment and every syllable of the service from the time Rebecca had taken her first step on the long walk up the cathedral’s aisle.
Rebecca had looked amazing in her ivory silk and lace gown and Logan had been visibly stunned as he watched her walk toward him.
Danni and Adam were among the very few who knew that beneath Rebecca’s gown the first addition to their family already grew.
Rafe and Lexie danced now too, holding tight to each other. Their baby, Bonnie, had punctuated the service with her laughing gurgles, a delightful counterpoint to the beautiful solemnity of the occasion. Bonnie had stayed through the official luncheon but had been taken home by the nanny before this more intimate dinner and dance for a mere three hundred. But if they followed the pattern Danni had quickly become aware of, Rafe and Lexie would soon head home, too. Wanting to be with each other and their child had suddenly become a singular priority. The playboy prince had become a doting husband and father, completely besotted with the two women in his life.
At the head table, Prince Henri and Danni’s father sat back in their chairs, sipping cognac and watching over proceedings with obvious fatherly pride.
Adam hadn’t taken too long to bring his father round to the idea of their marrying. He’d had several meetings alone with him before bringing Danni to meet him officially. The main thing Prince Henri had wanted to be certain of was that they were resolute in their love for each other—because there would, he assured them, be trials. But once he was convinced of their love, he’d insightfully predicted that the country too would grow to love Danni. They would see her as just like them, an ordinary citizen, a commoner whom they could claim as one of their own and love. She would be the fairy tale come true.
And he’d been right. The press had quickly decided they were on Danni’s side and made much of the work she’d done in bringing a Grand Prix to San Philippe. And they frequently pointed out how refreshing she would be for the royal family. Already it seemed that their prince, who they acknowledged could sometimes seem a little reserved, looked more relaxed and open. It helped that every photo they printed showed both Danni and Adam radiant with happiness.
Gradually, other couples joined the dance floor. So much had changed for Danni and Adam in the last month. They’d announced their engagement at Christmas. They’d considered waiting until after this wedding but speculation had been so intense that it seemed easiest to admit the truth, that yes they loved each other and wanted to marry.
Their wedding wouldn’t be for another eight months. It was the soonest that it could be arranged given the pomp and ceremony that was apparently necessary, more even than there had been today. But, after all, it wasn’t every day the heir apparent got married. The country wanted to celebrate, just as, after being robbed of a wedding by Rafe and Lexie eloping, they’d anticipated and then celebrated today’s occasion.
Already a provisional guest list was being drawn up. Many of the names on it would be dictated by protocol and etiquette, with attention paid to international considerations. She and Adam were content to leave much of it to their aides, though they had made sure to insist that Blake be on it.
The only thing that really mattered to Danni was that she got to be with Adam. For the rest of their lives.
He danced with her, holding her closer than decorum suggested was proper, their bodies pressed together from shoulders to toes. Almost heaven, Danni thought as she swayed in his arms. Moving with him, being held by him. Every time she thought it couldn’t get any better, it did.
“You look stunning in that dress.” The dress in question had been made for her, a beaded evening gown, with simple flowing lines, in deepest purple.
“Thank you, but you know as soon as we get home I’ll be kicking off these shoes and getting changed.” She was gradually getting used to the formality of dress that was now often required of her, but she still liked her jeans best of all.
“You’ll be getting out of the dress, do you mean? I’ll be happy to help you with that.” He pulled her closer still and spun her.
“So long as you’re more help than you were when I was trying to put it on.”
“The trouble is, as beautiful as it looks on you, it looks even better off you.” He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Though I guess you could keep the shoes on if you like.”
Danni laughed. She couldn’t believe she’d once ac
cused him of lacking fun and spontaneity. In public he was seriousness personified. In private he was anything but. And she loved every facet of him.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-8193-6
LESSONS IN SEDUCTION
Copyright © 2011 by Sandra Hyatt
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