Again, she felt the pressure building as she stared at a beautiful pair of high-heeled sandals. Everyone wanted something—a princess daughter, a princess bride, a mother, a career woman. Even the king wanted something, or namely, someone else to be his son’s wife. The stress must have shown on her face, because when she looked up, Gwendolyn wore a sympathetic expression.
“Milos, would you and Mrs. Tamburg excuse us?”
Within seconds Alexi’s valet and the dressmaker were closing the door behind them, leaving Kerry alone with perhaps the one woman who could understand her dilemma.
“Now, tell me exactly what’s wrong. And no more bosh about feeling sorry for the poor contessa.”
Kerry dropped the shoes on the bed and sank onto a silk moiré slipper chair. “I’m not sure I should marry Alexi, for several reasons, one of which is painfully obvious,” she said, sweeping her arm around the room. “I don’t belong here, and the king knows it.”
“Don’t be absurd. You belong by Alexi’s side. I knew that from the moment I saw the two of you together.”
“Love doesn’t conquer all.”
“And why not? You can learn to be a princess. After all, Hank learned to be a prince in just one day! You’ll bring a breath of fresh air into this palace and the country. Plus, you’ll be adding some desperately needed genes to the rather limited pool of European aristocracy.”
Kerry smiled, but couldn’t quite manage a laugh. “But what about Alexi? I have to tell you, friend to friend, that I have some doubts about his ability to be a good husband and father.”
“Why?”
“Well, for starters, he ran off with me at the drop of a hat, leaving you to worry about his previous engagements.”
“Yes, but I found Hank, so everything worked out just fine.”
“That’s not the point. Things could have worked out disastrously. We were all lucky that Hank wasn’t caught and Alexi covered his…bases with that impromptu press conference.”
“Yes, well, all that’s true, but surely you’re not still angry at him?”
“No, I’m not angry at all, but I think I’m seeing a pattern of behavior.”
Gwendolyn pushed aside a cocktail dress and perched on the bench at the foot of the bed. “Alexi does have a history of running off, usually because he’s bored. When we were in school together, he would be the model student for months on end, then get a crazy urge to drive to Scotland for the weekend, or cross the channel into France for decent croissants, or gather up several chaps for a game of soccer on the lawn of a girls’ school. When he got older and had money, his adventures escalated accordingly, but there was always a reason.”
“You see,” Kerry said, her voice unsteady and faint, “my father got bored with his family. He used to rant and rave about being tied down, but he’d never left for long. Maybe just a day or two to go drinking, then he’d be home. But one day he just packed up and left for good. Completely sober. He said he didn’t want to live in a house full of women—although it was really just my mother and three girls—and he was going off to live like a man should. We never saw him again.”
“But Alexi wouldn’t leave you or your baby. He’s the most considerate, nicest man I know.” She gave a shrug. “And that includes Hank, and you know how much I love him.”
“Alexi is very kind and considerate, except when he gets one of his urges to run off. How can I ever trust that he won’t disappear someday? Or that he won’t run off and find another woman, someone who is more suitable to be a princess than a small-town Texas girl like me?”
Gwendolyn reached over and took her hand. “Because he loves you. I can’t imagine him ever hurting you.”
“He went back to Belegovia and never called or wrote. Not once.”
“He asked me how you were doing,” Gwendolyn admitted. “He always wanted to know if you were okay. Did you ever ask him why he didn’t call you directly?”
Kerry nodded. “He said he didn’t think it was fair, since he didn’t feel he could offer me anything.”
“See, that’s how highly he thinks of you. He didn’t want to conduct a clandestine affair. He wanted it all or nothing.”
“Then that proves he’s marrying me because of the baby. If it weren’t for this,” Kerry said, rubbing her hand over her stomach, “I’d still be in Texas and Contessa di Giovanni would be engaged to Alexi.”
Gwendolyn sighed. “That’s all true, but what does it matter? You are pregnant with his child. He has proposed to you, not to the contessa. And although there are no assurances that he will never run off and desert you like your father did to his family, I can tell you that would be out of character for Alexi.”
“He dropped the contessa at the first opportunity.”
“Yes, but he never loved her. That, my dear friend, is the difference.”
Kerry wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and sighed. “I want to believe you.”
“Believe in Alexi,” Gwendolyn advised, rising from the bench. “Now, let’s get back to work so you won’t be late for your auto tour he has planned.”
Kerry nodded, but she still wasn’t sure. Maybe the only way to know what was best was to listen with her heart, but her father’s desertion still hurt, even after all these years. The memory of her mother, crying alone in her bedroom when she didn’t think anyone could hear, lingered as a vivid reminder of how deeply a man could hurt the woman he loved.
If Alexi ever left her for someone else, especially someone more suited to be a princess, she would be harmed even more deeply. Because then not only would she mistrust her judgment of him as a person, but she would know, once and for all, that she wasn’t cut out to be royalty. That like he’d realized three months ago, she simply wasn’t good enough to be his wife.
ALEXI HAD PACKED a picnic lunch and a few other things, just in case he was lucky enough to keep Kerry away from the palace for the whole day. And the whole night. He kept thinking back to their road trip in Texas and remembering the sense of joy and wonder of their first time at that quaint bed-and-breakfast. He couldn’t re-create the entire experience, but the country inn he’d selected for their dinner was charming and picturesque, with proprietors who could keep a secret.
Like the crown prince and his pregnant, almost-fiancée.
Alexi pulled his favorite automobile, a vintage Jaguar convertible, to a stop at the rear drive. Kerry stood by Gwendolyn on the stoop, looking petite and adorable in jeans and a yellow cotton sweater, with a matching sweater tied around her neck. Gwendolyn must have helped her with that look; his friend was somewhat obsessed with clothes and always dressed appropriately for the occasion.
She probably had had trouble knowing what to wear for a short road trip on the sly, a picnic lunch and a would-be seduction at a country inn.
“Good morning, ladies,” he said as he cut the engine and opened his door. “How was the fitting?”
“Splendid,” Gwendolyn said, a big smile on her face. That meant something had gone wrong. He’d have to see if Kerry would talk to him about it later.
“Are you ready?” he asked Kerry, reaching for her hand.
She nodded, linking her hand with his, walking down the three steps to the Jag. “Nice car,” she said.
“Thank you. It’s the perfect auto for a short road trip.”
She walked around the shiny green exterior. “Well, it doesn’t quite have the character of Delores, and I’m sure those leather seats aren’t as cozy as the fake fur from our last road trip, but it’ll do.”
Alexi smiled and opened the door. At least Kerry hadn’t lost her spunk. Yesterday, she’d been subdued, somewhat in awe of the royal jet, the limo and the palace. Not to mention his siblings and overbearing father. But today she was back to normal.
He hoped she could stay that way—feisty and smart and sexy. He didn’t want the role of princess to change her personality.
They headed out of town on a curving road designed just for sports cars. Trees grew right up to the low stone
fences that lined many of the roads in Belegovia. Through the trunks he glimpsed white sheep and goats, then golden-brown dairy cows.
“This is beautiful,” Kerry said. “It’s so green and pretty.”
“I’m glad you like the country. Wait until you see the mountains.”
As they drove on, past farmhouses and small villages, he sensed Kerry relaxing even more. She soaked up the sun and let her head roll back against the headrest. He wanted to stop the car, lean over and kiss her neck.
Maybe later.
The elevation changed so gradually that unless you knew the hills were slightly steeper, the valleys more shallow, you wouldn’t notice. He’d chosen their picnic spot carefully, both for privacy and the view.
“Oh, Alexi, look!”
The mountains rose majestically across a wide valley with a ribbon of water running down the middle. The view always took his breath away, too.
“I love coming here. I thought you might like it.”
“I love it. This is the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen. It’s like the Hill Country in the spring, only bigger and better, and with mountains.”
Alexi smiled and pulled the Jag off the road. Without needing a four-wheel drive vehicle to access the site, the top of the tree-covered hill provided privacy and a terrific view.
Within minutes they had spread the blanket and set out the picnic lunch the chef had personally prepared. Flaky croissants, smoked chicken and marinated vegetable spears, with the chef’s special-dipped tiny éclairs for dessert, made up their menu.
“I’m seeing some definite advantages of being a prince,” Kerry said, nibbling on a carrot stick. “And I can tell your sister didn’t pack this, because there are no paper plates.”
“No, Ariel didn’t help, but she would have if I’d mentioned it. As you can tell, she’s the true romantic of the family.”
Kerry leaned forward and teased his lips with the carrot stick. “I think you’re pretty romantic, too.”
“Hmm. I’m glad you do. I like being romantic with you.”
“This is really nice, but you know what was the most romantic thing you did?”
“No, I don’t think I do.”
“When you cleaned the apartment above the café. Now, that was romantic.”
“So the way to your heart is through a dust rag?”
“I think you’ve already found the way to my heart.”
His smile faded as he gazed into her eyes. “Have I?”
She nodded, as though she didn’t trust her voice.
“Then will you stay with me tonight? Let me love you as I’ve wanted to do ever since I left your town three months ago?”
“Won’t that cause the tongues to wag at the palace?”
“No, because we’ll be at the country inn I was telling you about. It’s someplace quiet and secluded. I think you’ll like it.”
Kerry took a deep breath, all teasing forgotten as she gazed into his eyes. What did she see there? He hoped she saw the truth; he wanted her today and always.
“All right,” she whispered. “After all, what road trip would be complete without a romantic rendezvous?”
“You know I want more than one night.”
“I know,” she said softly. “I know.”
THE COUNTRY INN had a name that Kerry couldn’t quite pronounce, but Alexi said it translated into “plump chicken roost,” which made her laugh. She felt a bit like a plump chicken after the delicious lunch, the hearty dinner of Belegovian classics and the extra pounds she was carrying with the baby.
Not that Alexi seemed to mind, she thought as she watched him carry in what looked like a canvas gym bag. He’d apparently planned ahead. She walked toward him and put her arms around his waist.
“You must have been pretty sure of yourself, with an overnight bag in the car.”
“No, just hopeful,” he replied, kissing her nose. “I try to always be prepared.”
The only time he hadn’t been “prepared” was in the apartment over the café. Neither one of them had anticipated making love one last time, so they’d felt lucky to find several condoms in the nightstand drawer.
“You’re thinking too much again,” Alexi chastised.
She broke from his light embrace and walked across the room, needing some space. “Just about how fate throws us a loop every now and then. We made love thinking we were protected, but I got pregnant anyway. Was that the best or the worst thing that could have happened?”
He followed her to the window, where the sunset appeared much as it did in Texas. Strange how some things were universal.
“I don’t know about you, but for me, this baby is the best. The very best, except for one thing.”
“What’s that?” she asked, leaning back against his chest.
“Being married to the mother,” he whispered against her neck. “Marry me, Kerry. I’ll do everything possible to make you happy.”
She closed her eyes, knowing she had to give him an answer, but also knowing she had to try one more time to be sure.
“I know it’s hard to make promises, so I won’t ask that of you. Just tell me this, why do you think you won’t run away and leave me—us—if you get tired or bored?”
“That’s easy. Because everything I want is right here,” he said, sliding his hands down her arms, then over her hips, her stomach. She moaned as he caressed her lower, the fire building as hot and fast as before. And then he smoothed one hand over her stomach, where their baby grew, and she knew she had to say yes. If she didn’t, she’d always have regrets. She’d always long for this one man.
She might be her mother’s daughter, she might make the same mistakes, but she had to try to make a life with this man. Her real-life prince.
“Yes,” she whispered, her head falling back against his shoulder, then looked up into his intense blue eyes.
He leaned forward, angled his head and took her lips in a searing kiss while his hands played upon her body, pulling her tight against his arousal. She moaned again as he captured one sensitive breast, then the other, in his skillful fingers.
Quickly he turned her in his arms and kissed her again, pulling her high and tight against him, coaxing her legs around his waist as he carried her to the canopied bed.
“That was a ‘Yes, I’ll marry you’ response, wasn’t it?” he asked as he lay her down on the brocade spread.
“Yes, I’ll marry you, and yes, I want to make love with you. Please, Alexi, I’ve waited so long.”
He seemed to glow with satisfaction for a brief instant before lowering himself, pressing her deep into the feather mattress. Maybe it was a trick of the light, the fading sunset colors, but she wanted to think she’d truly made him happy in that instant. That she’d pleased her prince in a way no other woman ever had.
And then his hands were easing her cotton sweater higher, baring her stomach. He reached for the clasp of her bra and opened it, exposing her to his hot gaze and nimble fingers. “I want to see all of you, do everything to you, but it’s been so long and I want you so much.”
“That’s okay. We have all night,” she whispered. “And right now, I’m as ready as you are.”
“I know the books say this isn’t harmful to the baby, but are you sure? You’re not having any problems, are you?”
“None at all. I’m as healthy as a horse.”
“You are as beautiful as a butterfly in springtime. That’s how I see you—brightly colored, flying free. Don’t ever change, Kerry. Not for me, not for my country. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
She threw her arms around his neck and held him tight, tears building behind her eyes. He’d told her what she needed to hear, what she’d longed to know.
“Are you crying?” he asked, pulling away to look at her face.
“Just because I’m so happy,” she sniffed.
“I want to always make you happy.”
“Then love me.”
“I do. I do love you.”
He finishe
d pulling her sweater off, then her bra, and went to work on her jeans after she kicked off her sandals. While he was still dressed, before she could yank off any of his clothes, he had her completely naked on this bed that appeared to be made for a king.
“You’re more beautiful than before,” he said softly, running his hand over her rounded abdomen.
“If you want to make me happy, Alexi, then let me watch you take off your clothes. Undress for me, then join me on this bed. I’m getting awfully lonely and restless.”
He smiled and stepped back, unbuttoning his shirt with maddening slow moves, then starting work on his chinos. Next came his shoes, which he kicked across the room, making her chuckle. She almost stopped breathing when he eased his briefs down and she saw his arousal. He smiled again, shrugged out of his shirt and placed one knee on the bed.
Instead of joining her, he eased his hands beneath her and picked her up. The feel of his skin against hers made her light-headed with longing. Or maybe she’d forgotten to breathe again. Alexi did that to her.
“What?” she whispered as she nibbled on his neck and locked her legs around his waist again.
“Sheets,” he said, then used one hand to pull back the covers. He kissed her hard, moving her down, against his arousal, making her squirm. Then they both descended to the cool, soft cotton, his weight pressing her into the mattress.
The feeling was heavenly. She arched against his fingers, then gasped when he filled her slowly, completely.
“I love you, Alexi,” she whispered as her climax began to build, build and then exploded in all the colors of the sunset, all the brightness of the stars.
He gasped her name, then filled her with warmth, with life, holding her so tight she knew he’d never let her go.
THE PALACE HUMMED with a steady stream of workers, from florists to musicians to kitchen staff, all getting the formal dining room ready for the “big dinner,” as Kerry preferred to call the celebration Alexi’s family had planned. Everyone was coming, Ariel had stated with excitement, while Andrew acknowledged this would be a great opportunity for Kerry to meet the political and social leaders of the country.
She was a nervous wreck. Gwendolyn had done her best to prepare her for the dinner, but Kerry knew she was going to make some big blunder. Something that would cause the whole room to gasp, then grow silent. She could almost hear the whispers.
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