by Day Leclaire
She didnt need any further encouragement. Gathering up the voluminous skirts of her wedding dress, she raced with him through the deserted corridors. At least, they appeared deserted. If security was stationed between the dining hall and Landers private wing of the palace, they remained well hidden.
The two of them arrived at his bedroom suite breathless with laughter. She couldnt say what theyd found so amusing. Perhaps it was just their happiness bubbling over like uncorked champagne. Or maybe it was being alone together at last, the joyful anticipation of the hours to come. Pushing open the door, Lander swept Juliana into his arms and carried her across the threshold.
When he set her on her feet, she glanced around, her breath catching in her throat. Candles lit the room, dozens upon dozens of them on every surface, encircling them in a soft, warm glow. White rose petals were strewn across the carpet, providing a romantic pathway from door to bed. More of the petals were scattered on the satin sheets, their fragrance filling the room. Soft music issued from hidden speakers, and she paused to listen for a moment. It sounded so familiar. And then she realized why. The songs were selections from their wedding service.
You did this, didnt you? she asked in a broken voice.
Im forced to admit, I didnt light the candles. But, the rest He nodded. I wanted it to be special for you.
Thank you.
In the distance she heard a faint boom signaling the start of the fireworks, and she crossed to a set of French doors that opened onto the balcony. Lander joined her there, coming up behind and wrapping his arms around her waist, enfolding her in the warmth of his presence. They watched the initial fireworks in silence, a blaze of color and explosion of sound that celebrated their union.
Gently he turned her. Come. Lets get you out of that gown.
Im sewn into it, you know. Im told its traditional. Did he hear the sudden nervousness in her chatter? But then, how could he miss it? No ones explained the origins to me.
I believe its to ensure the safe passage of the bride from her familys loving arms to that of her husband. Proof that no one has touched her during the interim.
Ive got news for you. Theres plenty of touching that can go on without the bride removing her dress.
Not if its done right.
Julianas mouth twitched. Good point. She lifted an eyebrow. So how do you propose to release me?
Like all good Verdonian husbands, I come prepared. He picked up a jeweled dagger resting on the bedside table. This is called a koffru.
Im almost afraid to ask.
You should be. Its a bride cutter.
Lovely, she said dryly. Youre going to cut me with that thing?
He responded to her jibe with a grin. Pulling her close, he spun her around so her back was to him. Its not you I plan to cut. Its your gown.
Dont ruin it!
Trust me, wife.
After sweeping her veil to one side, he sliced through the seam holding the back of her gown together with delicate precision. Inch by inch the knife skimmed down her spine until he reached her waist. And then it dove lower still, to a point just past her hips. Finished, he slid the dress from her body as well as the layered petticoat beneath. Offering her his hand, he helped her step free of the yards of satin and tulle. She stood before him, oddly self-conscious considering that theyd already been lovers, her only covering a few flimsy scraps of lace, her stockings, heels and garter, and her amethyststudded veil and tiara.
So beautiful, he murmured as he unhooked the veil and set it aside. When she would have removed the tiara, he stopped her. My job. He slid the tiara from her hair, freeing the few curls that insisted on clinging to the jeweled hairpiece. I wondered if youd choose to wear this. His voice deepened. Its in honor of my mother, isnt it?
Yes. Tension gripped his jaw, while sorrow cut brackets on either side of his mouth. Seeing him like that nearly broke her heart. I wanted her to be a part of the ceremony in some small way.
Thank you for that. She would have appreciated the gesture. He placed the tiara out of harms way before turning back to her. And now my favorite part.
One by one Lander removed the pins restraining her hair, catching the loosened pool of curls in his palms. Behind her fireworks lit up the night sky, flinging brilliant flashes of color across the hard, masculine planes of his face. Rich, vibrant sparks of green glowed in eyes filled with unmistakable hunger.
She reached for him with trembling hands, fervent and unabashed, fumbling with buttons and zips as she helped him remove his clothing. If she lingered over the corded muscles she found beneath his dress whites, he didnt complain, though she could feel the tension gathering across his shoulders. Nor did he complain when she followed the plunging vee of crisp, masculine hair that darted from chest to abdomen and farther still. She followed that line until she found the heart of his passion. She cupped him, stroked him, playing along the full length and breadth of him. It made her keenly aware of her own femininity and of his unrelenting maleness.
He took her mouth with a groan, plying her with fierce, desperate kisses. Her few remaining garments were a barrier swiftly eliminated and then it was her turn to be filled with an unnerving urgency, one painful in its intensity. He stroked her, the sensations growing hotter, headier, more concentrated. Just when her legs were on the point of giving out, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed.
She drank in the aroma of the roses surrounding her, felt their silken caresses against her bare skin. But they were overlaid by another aroma and another caress, a more elemental, pervasively masculine one. He braced himself above her, touching, barely touching. Sliding with excruciating slowness. Rousing sensations that had her fevered one moment and chilled the next.
Please, Lander. Now, she urged. Make love to me now.
He didnt need a second invitation. He lowered himself to her, crushing the rose petals against her skin in an explosion of scent. Palming her thighs, he parted her legs, releasing his breath in a rough sigh as she welcomed him home. He surged into the liquid warmth, sealing their wedding vows as he sheathed himself fully within her.
My bride, he whispered. My princess. My wife.
He moved then, taking her with the utmost tenderness and care. Stroke built upon stroke, gathering the heat, driving it toward a burning need, escalating toward a frenzied desperation that left her utterly exposed, utterly abandoned to this most intimate of embraces. Her muscles tensed in anticipation of the ultimate surrender. When it came it stormed through them, demolishing every defense in an explosive release, one echoed by a final barrage of fireworks.
And in that moment of shattered completion, they became husband and wife in body, as well as name.
Damn it, Joc. Could we get this over with? Lander growled. Juliana will wake any minute now. Considering its our first day of marriage, Id like her to do it in my arms, rather than waking to a cold bed.
The final contracts are right here. All we have to do is get these lawyers to agree on the remaining two points and were done. A few months from now, new business will flow into Verdonia, and hot damn he rubbed his hands together youve got a source of revenue to fill in the gaps left from the declining amethyst trade.
Lander grimaced. It cant be soon enough. The Royals are becoming scarcer by the day. If somethings not put in place to augment that lost incomeand soonits going to have a disastrous effect on our economic stability. Nine months, a year from now, were going to be hurting.
Wed have an easier time finalizing our plans if you had an executive accountant working with us. What happened to yours?
She left after my fathers funeral.
Any chance shed be willing to come in and lend a hand?
None. Lauren made that clear before she left. She took my fathers death pretty hard. I guess shed been with him since Lander shook his head must have been before the death of my own mother. I believe shes somewhere in Spain enjoying an early retirement.
Im tempted to call Ana in and have her go through everything.<
br />
Not a chance in hell.
Joc waved him silent. I know. I know. It was just a thought.
A bad one. Well cope using our current accountants, not to mention the team of lawyers we both seem to have in excess. He shot a fulminating glare in the direction of the conference table. Will they never finish?
A light knock sounded at the door. Before Lander even saw the tumble of auburn curls and the gold-spiced eyes, he knew who it would be. Sure enough, Juliana poked her head around the door. She was dressed in a simple off-white silk shell and billowing skirt that had him remembering how beautiful shed looked in her wedding gown. Even though her face was bare of makeup, shed taken the time to put on the earrings hed given her as a wedding present. It took every ounce of his self-possession to keep him from sweeping her into his arms and carrying her back to their bedroom.
Oh, there you are. Relief brightened her face. I thought Id lost you.
Not a chance. Lander pulled her into his arms, not giving a damn who was watching, and kissed her. Good morning, wife. Im sorry I wasnt there when you woke up, he said, and meant it.
Whats going on? She glanced at her brother. Hey, Joc. What are you doing here?
Business, he replied easily. Just moving some of my interests over here. You know me. Spread the wealth around.
Right. She smiled at her brother. Lander wouldnt discuss it, but I had a feeling you two were in negotiations over some deal or another.
Oh, were long past the negotiation stage. We should be done within the hour.
Why did you have to wait until this morning to finalize everything? To Landers amusement, she shifted into scold mode. In case you didnt realize, your timing stinks, Joc. Thats not like you. You usually have impeccable timing.
Sorry, Ana. Joc worked to appear suitably chastised. I guess your wedding threw it off. If it makes you feel any better, were at the sign, seal and delivery stage. As soon as thats done, you two lovebirds can take off on your honeymoon.
Juliana laughed, slanting a mischievous glance up at Lander. Ive worked with Joc on countless contracts. I know all about the delivery stage. One of the first things my brother taught me was to always wait until every last precontractual condition has been met before signing any agreement. He drummed the importance of it into me during every negotiation. She lowered her voice in a mocking imitation of Jocs Texan drawl. Dont sign based on promises, Ana. Wait until theyve done what they said theyd do before putting your name on the dotted line. Its all about leverage. Its all about getting what you paid for. Her gaze flashed from husband to brother. So, whats left to do? Anything I can help with?
No! Joc and Lander replied in unison, far too emphatically.
Juliana froze, and the tiniest of clouds drifted across her expression. The silence thinned. Sharpened. Became painfully acute.
Your Highness? One of Landers team of lawyers rose. Excuse me, sir, but we cant move to the next stage until Mr. Arnaud has signed the papers indicating that youve fulfilled all the preconditions to the contract.
Juliana stiffened and the clouds from earlier deepened, piling darkly across her face and dimming the brilliance of her eyes. She untangled herself from Landers embrace and took a quick step in her brothers direction. What conditions are they talking about? What did Lander have to do in order to get your business?
Its not important, Joc dismissed the question. Details. Nothing for you to worry about.
One look warned Lander she wasnt buying her brothers glib reply. He signaled the lawyers, jerking his head toward the door. Out.
They didnt wait for a second invitation. Within thirty seconds theyd cleared the room. The minute the door closed behind them, Juliana spoke again, her analytical brain focused to a pinprick. Joc, did you ever refuse to do business with Lander because he and I were having an affair?
Lander relaxed ever so slightly, as did Joc.
No, Ana. I didnt.
She spared Lander a swift, wary glance that had him freezing up again. Maybemaybe all this time I had it backward, she murmured. Lets try it from this direction. Did you ever refuse to do business with Lander unless he and I became involved? No, you wouldnt have done that. You wouldnt have settled for anything less than She broke off, wide-eyed.
Ana
She stumbled backward toward the door. Oh, no. Tell me you didnt do that. Tell me that isnt one of the conditions of your contract.
Lander took a step in her direction. Honey
She held up a hand. Im so stupid. How could I still be so naive after Stewart? She shook her head, curls frothing around her face. Her complexion had turned as pale as her ensemble, stretched fragile and translucent across her elegant bone structure. Her heart fluttered at the base of her throat like the wings of a wild bird fighting the bars of her cage. One plus one always equals two. Always. Youd think Id remember that.
Joc frowned in confusion, but Lander instantly understood. He wished he could deny the conclusions shed reached, but how could he when she was all too right? Hed never before seen such a look of devastation on a womans face. The fact that that woman was his wife nearly destroyed him.
Am I actually written into the contract, Joc? she asked with amazing composure. Section C, Subparagraph Four, Line Sixteen. In exchange for my basing X, Y and Z business in Verdonia you will marry my sister. If I read those contracts on the table over there, will I find my name in them? When neither man twitched so much as a muscle, she swept relentlessly onward. No? Not there? Then you must have decided my future over brandy and cigars. Im a gentlemans handshake, arent I? Marry my sister and Ill do this contract with you.
Sweetheart, dont
Her composure shattered, her breath escaping in a sob. Oh, God. You dont have to say another word. I get it. I do. My marriage is nothing more than a business deal. Her laugh was a painful splinter of sound. Do I have all the details right? Have I missed anything?
Listen to me, Juliana, Lander began.
But she had no intention of listening. Before hed even gotten the words out, shed turned and made a beeline for the door. Flinging it open, she darted into the corridor. She heard Lander giving chase behind her. He caught up with her just as she burst into their bedroom suite.
Slamming the door closed behind them, he snagged her arm and spun her around. Listen to me, damn it!
Listen to what? She could hear the fury in her own voice and fought to modulate it, fought for a measure of restraint. Once upon a time, she might have succeeded. But this hurt went too deep to keep inside, the pain too raw to bottle up. Whatever you have to say to me will either be a lie or an excuse. Which one were you planning on using?
Neither. I was planning on giving you the truthand an explanation.
She cut him off with a swipe of her hand. You dont need to explain. You did that weeks ago. I just wasnt paying close enough attention.
I have no idea what youre talking about. He forked his fingers through his hair, the lion rumpling his mane. What did I explain to you? Where? When?
Her breath came far too quickly, her thoughts racing too fast for coherency. We were in my office. Dont you remember? You were trying to convince me to continue our relationship after our one-night stand. And when I told you it wouldnt be in Verdonias best interest, you said Her eyes fluttered closed as she strove to calm down enough to recollect his exact words. You said your personal life has never interfered with your duty to your country, that duty takes primary importance over everything. Always.
Oh, God, why hadnt she listened? Why hadnt she understood? Shed been so caught up in the dream, in the fairy tale, that shed forgotten what reality was all about. Well, she remembered now. It had come crashing down on her with a vengeance, destroying her from the inside out. But I get it now, Lander. Marrying me meant that Verdonia would be protected from economic ruin. You didnt marry me because you loved me. You married me to protect Verdonia.
Youre right. Youre absolutely right. Desperation had him pacing, and he ate up the length of the room with long, swift strid
es. Joc came to me with his proposition. Said he had a sister he wanted me to marry.
Me.
He swiveled to face her. No, not you. Ana Arnaud. He closed in on her and she drew inward, flinching away from him. I told him to go to hell. I told him I might have considered such an outrageous suggestion the week before, but not then. Id met someone, I told him. Juliana Rose. But the joke was on me, wasnt it? Because when he showed me a picture of his sister, damned if Juliana Rose and Ana Arnaud werent one and the same person. An interesting coincidence, dont you think?
Her eyes narrowed. Coincidence? You say that like you think Her breath escaped in a hiss and her control snapped. You believe I was in on it? she demanded, livid. You think I plotted with Joc to force you to the altar?
The possibility occurred to me. You show up at the first ball wed thrown since my fathers death. Youre using your first and middle name, conveniently omitting your last. Your brother arrives the same evening. We spend one unforgettable night together, and all of the sudden Joc is talking contracts and marriage.
She shook her head in disbelief, too full of anguish to speak, afraid she might break if she tried. If that happened, all her most private emotions would come spilling out in a hysterical flood. Once loosened from her control, she could no more call those emotions back than she could gather up a single raindrop out of a downpour.
Lander started toward her again. So, yes. I admit it. I considered the possibility that you and Joc were setting me up. And you know what I decided? He pursued her until hed backed her against the bed. I decided, who cares if thats how it went down? I wanted you. You wanted me. And then there was Verdonia to consider. With the amethyst mines played out, the countrys on the verge of economic collapse. So, hell yes, Princess. I agreed to marry you. What would you have done?
Id have told you the truth, she argued bitterly. Given you a choice.
Really? He cocked an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. Would you have agreed to marry me if Id been upfront with you?
She hesitated. Would she have? I dont know, she conceded.