“Am I making you uncomfortable?” he asks mildly. “I was just curious how it worked. Have another sip of your martini.”
I snap back to myself and go on the defensive. “Don’t tell me when to drink. And who says I need a chaperone? Why would a full-grown woman need a chaperone?” I toss back my drink, draining the glass. “I’m going to do something like that? Chug my drink and get hammered? Why not? I’m legal everywhere.” I gesture wildly. “What’s the problem? I’m going to dash off and do something crazy? Maybe I’ll scale the wall and dive into the sea!”
He glances around, like maybe I’m making a scene, before turning back to me. “You do seem the adventurous sort.”
“Yes, well.” I casually glance over his shoulder. No one is paying me any mind, so I speak freely. “Worse things have been said about me.”
He leans close, his eyes sparkling with good humor. “Like what?”
His scent is divine, like fresh sea air and soap. I shift back a step. We’re outside. Of course it smells like fresh sea air. Okay, so he used soap. Big deal. Everyone uses soap.
And then he smiles, his teeth flashing white against the stubble of his jaw, and I’m struck by the dazzling beauty of his smile. Worse than struck, I’m stupefied, not a thought in my head.
He winks. “You can tell me. I’ll only tease you mercilessly.”
A laugh escapes. “I’m adventurous. Let’s leave it at that.” I don’t want to admit what people say about me—impulsive, headstrong, stubborn. They never mean it in a good way. I direct the topic away from me and back to him. Men love to talk about themselves. “Tell me more about your casino idea.”
He smiles again and this time it reaches his eyes, lighting them up. I am enthralled. This is getting embarrassing. He’s like a rare solar eclipse, a breathtaking phenomenon, and I can’t look away, even though it will surely blind me if I don’t. He didn’t smile once at dinner. I can’t believe I’m just like all those other weak-willed women completely enthralled by an overly good-looking man. I was quite immune to them in college. Maybe I’m coming down with Marge’s flu. I’m definitely not feeling myself, flushed hot and weirdly out of my head.
“It was Adrian’s idea,” he says, “but I’m fully on board.”
He gives credit where credit is due. I like that. I focus on his eyebrow while I reply. It seems safest not to blind me with its beauty, though it does have a perfect arch. “I’ve never been to a casino. Is it as gaudy in real life as it looks on TV?”
His voice is warm and smooth. “It’s different when you’re there. Something you have to experience from the inside.”
A shiver runs down my spine. It sounds suggestive, “experience from the inside,” but then he turns from me, so I realize it wasn’t.
“Are you playing poker?” he calls to his brothers. “Deal me in.”
I turn back to the bar and order another martini.
Oscar’s voice rumbles in my ear suddenly, startling me into a head-to-toe full-body blush. “You want to play?”
I risk a look at him. It feels like I’m already playing a game I don’t know the rules to. “I don’t know how.”
He inclines his head with a devilish smile. “Come on. I’ll teach you.”
I follow on shaky legs, my head swimming in what must be lust. My first taste of it. You want to play? I’ll teach you. Suddenly there’s no one here except the two of us, and he wants to teach me in the most erotic—
“Found your favorite kind of player,” Oscar tells Adrian. “Clueless. Prepare to win big.”
Or maybe this virgin needs some personal time. Ahem.
Chapter Four
Oscar
I take my seat at the round card table next to Adrian, who shoots me a warning look. Polly sits on my other side. I know, I know, I’m supposed to keep my distance from Polly. But she was just standing there all by her lonesome, and she looked a little lost. I’m not going to do anything. It’s not like I’m in desperate need of a woman. Just last week I was with…Lisa, no, it was Elise. Moira? I remember she had dark hair. Point is, this was merely a friendly gesture to include Polly.
Alice switches seats with Lucas to sit next to Polly, who immediately looks more relaxed.
“Don’t deal yet,” Lucas says to Adrian. “Gabriel and Anna may want in when they get back.”
“Kiss-ass,” Adrian says.
Lucas smiles and folds his hands behind his head. “I’m CEO. I don’t have to kiss ass.” He leans forward and taps his fingers on the table. “You might need to kiss my ass if you want that casino.”
Adrian shuffles the cards. “You said it was a good investment.”
“It could be,” Lucas says. “So could a restaurant. Either way, I want the spa to earn out before we build anything new.”
“The spa opens in three weeks,” I say. “How long for it to earn out?”
“I don’t know,” Lucas says. “Depends on how many clients we bring in. We’re booked for the summer, but beyond that we’re guessing.”
“Guessing? Isn’t it your job to know?” I ask.
The table goes silent. Alice and Polly are listening in.
Lucas keeps his mouth shut, and I realize it’s a conversation for a more private time. We’re all careful not to share too much information with outsiders, especially discord. Polly isn’t exactly an outsider, being related to Anna, but she’s not exactly an insider either. Our family’s reputation must be protected at all costs, especially after some recent bad press. Swear to God, it sounds like I’m making this stuff up, but there was a furry wedding here (yes, people in stuffed-animal suits) covered in detail in two popular bridal magazines. Not to mention my sister Emma bailing on her wedding, and her ex telling the world we’re a family of cheating liars. Never a dull moment.
Alice pipes up. “Maybe it would be a good idea to do some research into a casino as a first step. I always do research before I dive into a new book.” She turns to Lucas with a big smile. “Remember the ball at Versailles during our fake engagement? Fantastic research!”
“And when we fell in love,” he says.
“Is that when?” she asks, going nose to nose with him.
He kisses her tenderly, and I look away. I’m surrounded by lovesick fools. At least Adrian has his head on straight. He’s twenty-four and in no danger of settling down anytime soon.
“Maybe we don’t have to go into debt for a casino,” Adrian says. “We could fund it ourselves. Oscar, do you still have money invested from your football-playing days?”
I shake my head. That money went into Villroy’s initial start-up costs for the spa. The rest is tied up in land that he knows I would never sell. Sentimental value. It was the first thing I bought with money I earned through a lifetime of hard work to turn pro. I brought my father there to see it—a gorgeous vineyard in Italy. He was so proud and happy for me. He even said: “If my brother hadn’t abdicated the throne, forcing me to become king, I would’ve struck out on my own just as you’ve done. Maybe one day you’ll raise a family here. Your own personal kingdom.” I like imagining that, knowing it’s something he wanted for me. No rush, though. Marriage and family is way, way down the line. Maybe in ten years when I’m thirty-seven. Or later. I like my bachelor freedom.
“You played football?” Polly asks me. “You mean the American kind where they slam into each other or soccer?”
“The real kind,” I say drily. This is probably my least favorite topic, given the way I was forced to retire.
“I played soccer too,” she says enthusiastically. “And basketball and lacrosse.”
I incline my head, hoping she’ll let it drop.
“You were a jock,” Alice says to Polly. “Finally I get to be friends with a jock! I’m a library-loving history nerd.”
They laugh.
“I have some money set aside,” Adrian says, glancing at me and then Lucas. “And I know the manager of Casino de Monte-Carlo. Maybe he’d go in on it with us.”
Lucas shakes his
head. “Gabriel said no outside investment. They’d want a piece, and we want to retain control. You and Oscar, that’s fine. A third-party outsider, no. This is why I went to the bankers for a loan to ramp up manufacturing. And, like I said, I don’t want to take on any more debt right now.”
I jump in. “Even with an outside investor, splitting the costs three ways, Adrian and I would have majority vote on decisions.”
Adrian points at Lucas. “And you’re in charge of business decisions now, Mr. CEO, not Gabriel. As long as we own majority share, it could work.”
Lucas rubs his beard. “Maybe it could work with the right investor.” He leans back in his seat. “But I’m not convinced a casino is the way to go.”
“That’s why I suggested a research trip,” Alice says.
“You didn’t say a trip,” Lucas says.
“Now I am. Let’s go to Monte Carlo, see how it works with the high rollers, ask questions, and roll the dice!”
I lean forward. I can almost taste victory. Lucas loves a good time, and he’ll do anything for Alice. If we all go to Monte Carlo, he’ll enjoy himself; then he’d be more likely to agree to it.
Lucas lifts his palms. “Okay, we’ll go to Monte Carlo.”
“Yay!” Alice exclaims. She turns to Polly. “You have to come with us. We’ll have so much fun!”
Polly smiles. “I’d love to, but what about Anna? She’s not supposed to travel so late in her pregnancy, and I have to be here for the birth.”
“She’s got three more weeks before she’s due,” Alice says. “And she told me the first child is usually on time or late.”
Polly bites her lower lip, and my trousers get tight. So fucking hot. Look away, look away.
Lucas tucks a lock of Alice’s hair behind her ear. “We’re leaving on Saturday for Oregon. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea. We can hold off, see how the spa does, and revisit.”
Crap. We’re losing him.
“We’ll go tomorrow,” Adrian says. “That gives us three nights in Monte Carlo. I’ll call Charles right now.” He steps away and pulls out his phone.
Lucas calls over to Adrian, “Alice and I have to be back on Friday.”
I glance at Polly, who looks like she’s trying not to get too excited. She’s adventurous, so of course she’d be curious to experience a casino for herself. I wonder if she’ll need a second room for her chaperone, or if her chaperone stays with her to keep a close eye. I keep my mouth shut. My curiosity over her chaperone seems to be a sore point. It’s just such an old-fashioned arrangement that I wonder about the parameters. Does she only get freedom when enclosed safely within palace walls? I can’t even imagine. It’s like clipping her wings when she’s meant to fly.
Anna and Gabriel return just then. “What’s going on?” Anna asks. “Adrian sounds excited over there, speaking in French.”
“Sounds like a trip to Monte Carlo is in the works,” Gabriel says. “His favorite place.”
“A research trip to Monte Carlo,” Alice replies. “We all want to go.”
Anna’s brows lift. Polly rushes over to talk to her and Gabriel. I can’t help but overhear, they’re behind me. I subtly shift in my seat, watching as Polly downplays the need to go, smiling and insisting she’ll be perfectly happy to stay here. Anna locks eyes with me. Busted! I need to be more subtle spying on Polly.
I turn back in my seat, the tips of my ears burning. It’s not like I care if Polly goes with us. I just thought it would be a good experience for her given her restrictive life. Yes. That’s what it is. Everyone should have the freedom to take a trip to Monte Carlo when it’s offered.
The important thing is Lucas is on board. Three nights in Monte Carlo will be a blast. I haven’t been in a while. I don’t mind taking on an outside investor because Adrian and I will be the ones on Villroy running the place. Our legacy. I love the sound of that. We’ll funnel a portion of the profits back to the kingdom. It’s a win-win all around. As long as the numbers work out, as long as Lucas agrees, and Gabriel too. It’s far from a sure thing, but it’s looking promising.
I glance over as Polly takes her seat next to me, talking excitedly to Alice as they make plans for what they want to do in Monte Carlo. Her brown eyes are bright, her color high. She wants to fly. Warmth radiates through my chest. I’m exhilarated for her, like her small victory is mine. My head feels fuzzy again like it did at dinner when I was trying to ignore her smiling and laughing right across the table from me. And I wasn’t thinking virgin then either, like Adrian said we would every time we saw her. She’s the epitome of grace, charm, and beauty, everything you’d expect in a princess and more. She glows. Maybe it’s her infectious enthusiasm shining through. She’s everything I like in a woman. And I’m glad her chaperone isn’t here to tamp down Polly’s beautiful light.
Beautiful light? Lust is making me stupid, waxing poetic over here. Hell. I’m in trouble. A virgin princess who needs to marry soon in a faraway kingdom is the ultimate forbidden fruit for a die-hard bachelor like me, especially now that I want to stay on Villroy for the business.
I stand abruptly and head over to Adrian, who’s still on his phone. I need to make sure my room is nowhere near hers. Why put temptation in easy reach?
~ ~ ~
Polly
I’m so excited I’m practically bouncing the next morning as I head down the hallway to check on Marge. I’m leaving in an hour for Monte Carlo, taking the Rourkes’ private jet from Nantes, France, to Monte Carlo, only an hour and a half flight. Alice and I are going shopping first thing when we get there. The utter freedom is making me want to run and hug absolutely everyone. Instead I content myself with beaming a cheery “good morning!” at every servant and guard I pass. Anna was so gracious about me going, assuring me she was not going into labor this week. And even if she did, they’d fly me straight to Paris to be there. Monte Carlo isn’t that far from Paris, tucked just southeast of France in Monaco.
This part of the hallway is empty, so I pump my hands in the air and do a victory walk, bobbing my head and grinning. Yeah, that’s right. I’m free. I’m gambling. I’m drinking. I’m grabbing life with both hands before I have to go back to doing my duty. Damn, total buzzkill every time I think of my future on Beaumont. So far I haven’t come up with a good strategy to get out of the corner I’ve been backed into. Marriage to Peter is still a very real possibility. My mood tanks, my expression sobering, which is probably a good thing because I’m almost at Marge’s room. She’s not going to be happy that I’m going on this trip without her, but I’m not going to drag her to Monte Carlo when she’s sick. It’s time my chaperone used her sick days.
I knock, and she yells, “Come in!” and then coughs.
I open the door and slowly approach. “How’re you feeling?” She’s sitting up in bed with pillows propped behind her. A pitcher of water, a glass, tissues, and ibuprofen sit on the nightstand next to her.
“The good news is I don’t have strep throat.” She holds up a palm. “Stop! Don’t get any closer. You don’t want this.” She coughs and croaks, “The baby.”
I stop several feet away. “Is it just a cold?”
She takes a sip of water. “So far. I’m prone to pneumonia. The doctor was here earlier and says he’ll return in three days to see if I’m improving.”
“I’m sure you will be. You’re as strong as they come.”
She nods. “What have you been up to?”
I fold my hands demurely in front of me. “Actually, I have plans with Alice. We’re going to take a quick trip over to Monte Carlo to do some shopping.”
“Monte Carlo? Isn’t that where they gamble?”
I smile brightly. “Yes. We may play a few slots. Girls’ trip. Of course, Prince Lucas will be there too. He and Alice are inseparable. Probably his brothers too.”
She narrows her eyes. “Probably? Aren’t two of his brothers unmarried?”
I nod. “Pretty sure. They said something about researching the casino business. I’
ll likely spend little time in their company.”
She lifts her palms. “I’m in no condition to travel. I’m running a fever.”
“That’s okay. I’ll have the palace guards with me as well as Vaughn. I’ll be perfectly safe.” Vaughn is my bodyguard from home, a native Beaumont man in his late twenties with a shaved head and a scary resting face. He would’ve made a good movie villain. He’s been with me since college, and I like him a lot. When we were alone for the first time, waiting on Marge, he quietly told me that he would never carry tales about me to anyone, not to Marge, not even to my parents. His sole job is my protection.
She scowls. “You can’t travel with unmarried men alone. I can’t believe you’d even suggest it.”
“I’m not alone. Alice will be there and Lucas. He’s the CEO of their new business. It’s like a business trip with a girls’ trip added on.”
“You need a chaperone.”
I clench my jaw. “I will manage fine.”
“Polly.” She pauses to blow her nose, coughs like crazy, and then sips water.
A pang of guilt hits. Here I am feeling so jubilant to have a rare solo outing when she feels so awful. “Just rest, Marge. I want you to be on the mend as quickly as possible. I’m going to have some tea with honey brought up for you.” I turn to go.
“Wait! If you insist on going, I’ll be forced to call home and report what you’re doing. That is my job.”
I whirl, fighting to keep control of my temper. “Don’t. No one needs to know you didn’t accompany me.”
“I will not lie for you. Your parents check in regularly.” She shakes her head. “I know you want to have a little fun, and we will as soon as I’m better.”
I square my shoulders and straighten my spine, putting every ounce of regal authority I possess into my voice. “I’m going.”
She picks up her phone from the nightstand, calling my bluff. Shit. The last thing I want is to be forced home early. I can’t miss being there for Anna in the delivery room. That’s when I remember Anna offered me another maid while Marge was under the weather.
Royal Player (The Rourkes, Book 5) Page 4