Not-So-Perfect Princess

by Melissa McClone

  He tried not to look at her.

  Enrique was doing enough staring for both of them.

  But Alejandro heard her voice drone on. She tried to sound interested in what others were saying, but her tone lacked warmth. Yes, she was going to be an excellent match for his superficial brother.

  Five formally dressed staff members set plates of pan-seared sea scallops in front of each of them at the exact same time. Two wine stewards circled the table filling wineglasses from bottles of Pinot Gris.

  What Alejandro wouldn’t give for plates of tapas and a pitcher of sangria right now.

  Enrique laughed at something Julianna said. So did his father.

  “Who knew your bride would be an expert in trade?” Dario said.

  “Thank you, sir.” Julianna’s smile didn’t reach her eyes the way it had when she’d petted the kitten. “But trade is a hobby.”

  A hobby? Maybe a geek lived inside the beauty’s body. Or maybe she was trying to impress her future father-in-law. Either way, Alejandro wanted nothing to do with her.

  “Now that is a worthy hobby.” Enrique pinned Alejandro with a contemptible look. “Unlike some of the hobbies others of us have.”

  He stared over the rim of his wineglass. “Care to wager how my hobby turns out during the Med Cup, bro?”

  Julianna’s fork clattered against her plate and bounced off the table. Her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink. “Excuse me.”

  Alejandro studied her. Strange. The stumble in the foyer aside, Julianna didn’t seem like a klutzy princess. It was unusual for someone as elegant as her to drop her fork in the middle of dinner and make a spectacle of herself.

  Two servants rushed to her side. One picked up the fork from the ground. The other placed a new fork on the table.

  “Thank you.” She raised her half-filled water glass. “So you sail, Alejandro?”

  “I sail. I also build boats. Racing sailboats.” He noticed the glance exchanged between Julianna and Brandt. “Do either of you sail?”

  She looked again at her brother.

  “We sail,” Brandt answered. “On local lakes and rivers. For pleasure. Unlike many of our royal compatriots who enjoy the competitive side of the sport.”

  Alejandro couldn’t understand why Julianna needed her brother to answer such a simple question. She’d had no problem talking about trade.

  Enrique swirled the wine in his glass. “Some royals take sailing too seriously. I enjoyed the few regattas I competed in, but I no longer have time to sail with so many other obligations.”

  “Horse racing may be the sport of kings,” Brandt said. “But many royals have sailed for their countries in the Summer Games. I’m sure more would have liked to.”

  Dario nodded. “I’ve always preferred the water to horses.”

  “As have I,” Enrique added hastily.

  Julianna leaned forward. The neckline of her gown gaped, giving Alejandro a glimpse of ivory skin and round breasts. He forced his attention onto the sea scallops instead.

  “Will one of your boats be entered in the Med Cup?” she asked, as if trying to draw him into conversation.

  He appreciated her taking an interest. “My newest design.”

  “A bit risky, don’t you think?” Enrique asked.

  Alejandro shrugged. “You never know until you try.”

  A smug smile curved Enrique’s lips. “I may take you up on that wager.”

  “My sons take the opposite sides on everything,” King Dario explained. “And if they can figure a way to bet on the outcome…”

  “They sound like my brothers, sir.” Julianna’s smile lit up her face. The result took Alejandro’s breath away. She looked more like the woman he’d held in his arms, not the cool, proper princess. “Brandt isn’t as bad as the younger three. At least not any longer.”

  Brandt raised his glass to her. “Thanks, sis.”

  “So will you be sailing in the race, Alejandro?” She sounded not only interested but also curious.

  “Possibly.” The change in her intrigued him. “I’m trying to find the right mix of crew. But the boat can be sailed single-handedly, too.”

  “Doesn’t sound like much of a racing boat,” Enrique said.

  “The best boats can perform with varying numbers of crew.” Her eyes became more animated as she spoke. “I’m sure it’ll be an exciting race.”

  Alejandro thought he heard a note of wistfulness in her voice. “Racing is always exciting. I’d be happy to take all of you out sailing. You could see the boat for yourself.” Julianna straightened.

  Brandt smiled. “Thanks, that sounds like fun.”

  “Yes, but a sail isn’t possible right now.” As Enrique spoke, Julianna leaned back in her chair with a thoughtful expression on her face. “I don’t need to sail on your boat to know what the outcome of the race will be.”

  Alejandro didn’t know why he tried.

  “Enough sailing.” Dario gave a dismissive wave of his hand. “We have more important things to discuss, like wedding plans. King Alaric says there is no need for a lengthy engagement.”

  “Our father is satisfied with the marriage contract,” Brandt said. “Whatever wedding date you decide upon is fine with him.”

  “Outstanding. A short engagement, it’ll be.” Dario beamed. “How quickly do you two want to get married?”

  Enrique and Julianna smiled at each other, but neither said a word.

  “If I might make a suggestion, Father,” Alejandro offered.

  “Go on.”

  “Set the wedding date a week after the Med Cup, sir.”

  “That would be a short engagement. Why then?” Dario asked.

  “Because two people have never seemed more perfect for each other.” Oddly, the words felt like sandpaper against Alejandro’s tongue. But the sooner the two were married, the sooner he would be free. “Having the wedding after the Med Cup will allow me to focus all my attention on my responsibilities as best man.”

  “Excellent suggestion,” his father said. “Enrique, Julianna. Do you agree?”

  “I do.” Enrique stared at Julianna. “I can’t wait to marry.”

  “Neither can I.” Julianna sounded like she meant it.

  Dario clapped his hands together. The sound echoed through the large dining room. “I’ll call King Alaric in the morning.”

  “I’ll start planning our honeymoon,” Enrique said.

  The thought of Julianna in his brother’s bed left a bad taste in Alejandro’s mouth. But heirs were necessary if he wanted to be left alone by his father.

  Julianna didn’t seem to mind. A charming blush crept up her long, graceful neck.

  He remembered what Enrique had said about King Alaric’s daughter being a virgin. That didn’t seem possible unless he had used his wealth to protect her virtue. But was the seemingly in-control princess ready for some passion?

  Alejandro couldn’t forget the way she’d pressed into him and how her heart pounded against his chest when he’d held her in his arms or the excited tone of her voice and the gleam in her eyes when she talked about sailing. Only a talented actress could feign that kind of interest.

  Maybe there was more to her than Alejandro realized.

  Not that it mattered. He picked up his wineglass and sipped. Not much anyway.

  CHAPTER THREE

  AFTER DINNER, Jules stood out on the terrace alone. Cicadas chirped. A breeze rustled through the palm fronds. The temperature had cooled, but no jacket was required.

  She glanced inside through the open terrace doors to see Brandt having a brandy with King Dario. Enrique must still be on his telephone call with the ambassador to the United States.

  Jules enjoyed the moment of solitude, a break from the endless conversation at the dinner table. At least the topic had finally turned to something interesting.

  With her hands on the railing, Jules gazed up at the night sky. The stars surrounding the almost full moon winked at her. A smile graced her lips.

&nbs
p; Perhaps she wasn’t cursed.

  Enrique hadn’t said yes to the sailing invitation, but his words “right now” filled Julianna with hope. He’d raced sailboats. Alejandro built racing sailboats. Her wedding date was a couple of weeks away.

  What were the odds of so many things working out so well? Not only was she marrying into a family of sailors, she would soon be Enrique’s wife. She could say goodbye to being submissive for the rest of her life.

  On La Isla de la Aurora, she would be able to do what she wanted. Personal freedom, yes, but she could also help Brandt to show the world Aliestle was more than an eccentric, backward country. Maybe by doing that, Jules would be able to live up to the spirit of her mother.

  Laughter bubbled up inside her.

  Oh, she’d visit her homeland, but she would no longer be expected to live by all the restrictive laws and traditions.

  The only thing missing was falling in love, but given how well everything else was turning out she believed it would happen. She would fall in love with Enrique and he with her. The same way her parents had fallen in love after their arranged marriage.

  It was all going to work out. “I know it will.”

  “Know what will?” a male voice asked from the shadows.

  Jules jumped. “Who’s there?”

  “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  She squinted. She couldn’t see anyone, but recognized the voice. “Alejandro.”

  He ascended the staircase leading to the terrace where she stood. “Good evening, Julianna.”

  Her heart lurched. She fought against the burst of attraction making her mouth go dry. It wasn’t easy.

  The stubble on his face made him look so much like a sexy pirate. She could easily imagine him standing behind the wheel of a sailing ship trying to capture a vessel full of gold or pretty wenches.

  He’d removed his jacket, tie and cummerbund. The neck of his dress shirt was unbuttoned, the tails hung out of the trousers and his sleeves were rolled up. The high rollers decked out in the finest menswear on the Côte d’Azur had nothing on Alejandro. Even with his bare feet.

  “How long have you been lurking in the shadows?” she asked.

  He moved gracefully like a dancer or a world-class athlete. “Long enough to hear you laughing.”

  Heat enflamed her cheeks. “If I’d known you were there…”

  Alejandro crossed the terrace to stand next to her. “No need to apologize for being happy.”

  Maybe not for him. But happy wasn’t an emotion Jules was used to experiencing let alone expressing. Sharing that moment embarrassed her. Still she owed him for what he’d said at dinner about sailing and the wedding. But one was more important than the other. “Thank you for suggesting a short engagement.”

  “Afraid you’ll change your mind?” he asked.

  “Worried Enrique will.”

  “Not going to happen.”

  Jules wished she shared Alejandro’s confidence. “I’ve heard that before.”

  “He’d be a fool, a complete idiot, if he didn’t marry you.”

  His compliment made her feel warm all over. His opinion shouldn’t matter, but for some reason it did. “Well, intelligence has never been a requirement to be a crown prince.”

  The deep, rich sound of his laughter seeped into her and raised her temperature ten degrees. “You’re a contradiction, Julianna.”

  “How so?”

  “Your dress and demeanor present the image of a proper, dutiful princess, who dots her I’s and crosses her T’s. Yet you show glimpses…”

  No one had ever looked beneath the surface or beyond the label of dutiful princess. She wouldn’t have expected Alejandro to, either. Full of curiosity, she leaned toward him. “Of what?”

  “Of being a not-so-perfect princess.”

  It was her turn to laugh. That wasn’t who she was. Oh, well… Perhaps Enrique would recognize the real her. “You’re reading too much into my words and deeds. Women are second-class citizens in Aliestle. We must obey the men in our lives or deal with the consequences. Duty becomes our way of life. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have the same hopes and dreams, the same sense of humor, as women in more contemporary lands such as this island.”

  “As I said, a contradiction.”

  She eyed him warily. “Thank you, I think.”

  “It’s a compliment.” He glanced back toward the sitting room. “Your groom has returned.”

  Jules looked behind her to see Enrique holding a brandy and talking with the others.

  “I should leave you.” Alejandro took a step toward the staircase. “I don’t want my brother to think I’m trying to steal his princess bride.”

  Would Alejandro do that? Her pulse skittered thinking he might.

  Stop. Now. She couldn’t allow herself to be carried away with girlish fantasies. She raised her chin. “Enrique wouldn’t think—”

  “Yes, he would.”

  “Have you stolen his girlfriends in the past?”

  His eyes raked over her. “No, we have different taste in women.”

  Alejandro’s stark appraisal should have made her feel uncomfortable, but he also made her feel sexy, a way she’d never felt before. She wet her lips. “Would your being the black sheep and all the gossip have something to do with Enrique feeling this way?”

  Alejandro grinned wryly. “Possibly.”

  “So the rumors and stories are true.”

  “Some are,” he admitted. “Others are exaggerations.”

  He was a gorgeous prince. That often led people to act out of…“I’m sure a few tales are due to jealousy.”

  He eyed her curiously. “Has this happened to you?”

  “Oh, no. I’m about as proper a princess as you’ll find.”

  “Proper with obvious skills of manipulation.”

  “Proper with practiced social skills and manners that help others get along.”

  “Yet you downplay your intelligence by saying your knowledge about international trade is nothing but a hobby.”

  His perceptiveness made her feel like a mouse caught in a trap. He might be a black sheep and prefer to go barefoot, but he was sharp. She’d have to watch herself. “Education opportunities for females in my country exist, but are limited. Women are allowed to hold only certain jobs. We must work within the system. I’ve been more fortunate than others and able to use my time traveling abroad to…expand my knowledge base. But the last thing my country wants is their princess spouting off how smart she thinks she is.”

  Laughter lit Alejandro’s eyes and made her temperature rise ten degrees. “You’ll be good for Enrique. Keep him on his toes. But he won’t mind.”

  “I hope not. What about you?” Jules liked the easy banter between them. Earlier when she’d arrived, she thought Alejandro didn’t like her. “Will you mind not being second in line for the throne after Enrique and I have children?”

  He glanced inside once again. “I can honestly say the more children you and my brother are blessed with, the happier I’ll be. I’ve been hoping to be made an uncle for years.”

  His words sounded genuine. She ignored her disappointment that he wouldn’t want her himself. That was stupid. Her father would never approve of a man like Alejandro, and she needed to be a queen to best help Brandt and Aliestle. “That’s sweet of you.”

  “The kitten is sweet. I’m not.” He took two steps down the stairs. “Enrique’s on his way out here. That’s my cue to fade back into the shadows.”

  Alejandro’s cryptic words intrigued her. “Do you usually hang out in the shadows?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  She watched him disappear into the night.

  Behind her, footsteps sounded against the terrace’s tile floor. A familiar scent of aftershave enveloped her. She didn’t like the fragrance. Still better than the alternative, she reminded herself.

  Jules leaned forward over the railing, but couldn’t see Alejandro. “I hope your call went well.

  “It di
d.” Enrique stood next to her. “But you needn’t worry about state business. The wedding should be your focus.”

  “I’ve been thinking about our wedding.” She wondered if Alejandro was listening from below. Not that she minded if he eavesdropped. A part of her wished he was here with her instead of his brother. “And children, too.”

  “We are of like minds.” Enrique placed his hand over hers. His skin was warm and soft. His nails neatly trimmed. Not the hands of a sailor or gardener. “Heirs would please my father.”

  “Mine, too.” Her duty was to extend the bloodline. But Jules also wanted babies of her own. She remembered helping the nurses with each of her brothers. She wanted to be more involved with raising her children than her stepmother.

  Enrique’s eyes darkened. “Once we are married we shouldn’t waste any time starting a family.”

  His suggestive tone made her shiver. Not a surprising reaction given she’d never discussed sex with any of her matches before. Offspring had always been assumed. “I would like a big family. At least four children.”

  He tucked her hair behind her ears. “I hope they all look like you.”

  His compliment was nice, but the words didn’t make her feel warm and fuzzy the way Alejandro’s had. “Thank you.”

  “My brother will be pleased to know you want so many children,” Enrique said. “He can’t wait to fall lower in the line of succession. I believe if he could give away or relinquish his title he would without a second thought.”

  “I can’t imagine anyone wanting to do that,” she admitted. “But Alejandro does have his boats.”

  She envied his ability to follow his dreams.

  “Nothing matters but those damn boats. Sailing has consumed him. He works as a manual laborer, a commoner, refusing to take advantage of the free publicity being a royal engaged in business always brings.”

  Enrique’s critical tone didn’t surprise Jules. The two brothers seemed to always be going at each other. But sometimes that might keep them from seeing a situation more clearly. “If Alejandro wins the Med Cup, he’ll earn respect. New customers.”