by Dani Collins
He pushed back, floating away from her, leaving her with a parting shot so powerful she was glad she wasn’t still standing.
‘It’ll happen only when you decide that I’m the one you want.’ He levered up out of the pool on the opposite side and she watched him stride away in all his sopping, masculine beauty. ‘You’re the one with the power. You’re the one who will need to say yes.’
CHAPTER FIVE
HESTER GRIPPED HER new clutch purse tightly. Her dress was suitable, she could walk in her mid-heeled nude shoes, and she’d practised not blinking so she could cope with banks of cameras…it was going to be fine. It was one sequence of appearances on one day—TV interview, public outing and back to the palace. She could manage that. She’d been practising often enough. The last few days had whizzed by in a flurry of meetings and planning. Alek had been with her much of the time but he was constantly interrupted and often completely called away. But she’d hidden in the palace, preparing for the performance of a lifetime, practising the walk down the long aisle of the chapel, climbing into the carriage, then swimming in the pool each afternoon. But he’d not joined her there again.
Now he was already waiting in the corridor. As always her tummy flipped when she saw him, but it was the burn building below her belly—that restless, hot ache—that was the real problem. She couldn’t look at him without that appalling temptation to slide closer, to soften completely and let him touch… She still couldn’t believe she’d made that embarrassing confession the other day. Her virginal status had surprised him and he hadn’t denied he was interested in her physically. But he could have any woman he wanted. So she needed to forget all that and remember that this was a job.
His appraisal of her was uncharacteristically serious—all jet-black eyes, square jaw and no dimples. She sensed his leashed power; after all, he was a man who could move mountains with the snap of his fingers.
‘Your hair’s down.’ He finally spoke. ‘I like it.’
‘I’m so glad to hear that,’ she muttered, letting her tension seep out with uncharacteristic acidity. ‘All I ever wanted was your approval.’
‘Excellent.’ He smiled wolfishly, soaking up her faux sweetness and ignoring the blatant sarcasm. ‘You have it. I knew you’d deliver.’
Gritting her teeth, she wished she wouldn’t react to his low chuckle but warmth pooled deep inside regardless. She liked it when he teased her with this sparkle-tipped talk that turned tension into bubbling moments of fun. The kind she’d never had with anyone before.
‘Ready to hold hands?’ He tilted his chin at her, his eyes gleaming with challenge.
‘To stop me running away?’ she cooed, then snapped on some seriousness. ‘Good idea.’
He took her hand in a firm grip and led her into a vast room filled with fascinating sculptures and books. She could lose herself happily in here for days but she barely had time to blink at all the gold-framed art on the walls because he swiftly guided her to a lamp-lit polished wooden desk. ‘Come on, you need to choose something.’
She gaped at the velvet-lined display cases carefully placed on the table before glancing up to see a liveried man with white kid gloves discreetly leaving the room.
‘Wow, you’ve presented so many options…’ She didn’t quite know what to say. There were dozens of stunning rings—diamond solitaires, sapphire clusters, ruby squares and others she had no idea of.
‘I’m hoping one will fit.’ Alek’s brows drew together as he looked down at her. ‘You have small hands.’
‘Did you raid all the jewellery shops in a thousand-mile radius?’
‘No, these are from the palace vault.’ He smiled at her horrified expression. ‘There are a number of things in there. You’ll choose a tiara for the wedding later this afternoon. We don’t have time for that right now and it’s supposed to be a secret from me, I think.’
There was a whole vault full of priceless treasure? She stared brainlessly at the tray, stunned yet again by the extreme wealth of his lifestyle—and of his ancient heritage, steeped in tradition. As impossible to believe as it was, she knew all those gleaming stones were real. Just as their impending marriage was real.
‘Which do you like?’ he prompted.
She shook her head, dazed. ‘Any of them. They’re all amazing.’
And it was impossible to decide. Still silence followed her comment, but she was frozen with fear and awe and stinging embarrassment.
‘Would you like me to help?’
She heard the smile in his voice but she couldn’t smile back. ‘You can just choose.’
‘You should have something you actually like,’ he said dryly and then lowered his voice. ‘You deserve something you like, Hester.’ He turned her to face him, making her look up to meet his gaze. ‘There’s no wrong answer here. You can pick whichever you want…’
It was very kind of him, but way too overwhelming. Pearls, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies…she was stunned and speechless and so deeply discomfited by his careful concern. It made it worse somehow—that he knew she wasn’t used to people consulting her on what she would like, or giving her beautiful rooms to sleep in, or choices of sublime designer gowns and now priceless, beautifully crafted jewels.
‘Why don’t you start by trying some on to see if they even fit?’ He plucked the nearest ring from the tray and grasped her cold hand.
Hester remained motionless as he slid the ring down her finger before removing it again and selecting another with rapid decisiveness. The enormous oval emerald was too enormous. The square ruby’s band was too big… As he tested and discarded several options, he kept a firm grip on her hand as if he thought she really might run away if he didn’t. Maybe she would’ve too, because her core temperature was rising and her breathing shortening. He was too near and she was too tense. She just wanted one to fit well enough so this could be done and she could get away from him.
‘This makes you feel awkward, Hester?’ he murmured, glancing up into her eyes.
Yes, because he was standing so close and it felt too intimate, not the businesslike process it ought to be. Her imagination was working overtime, reading too much into every look, every word—that he was subtly teasing her by lingering as if he knew how much his proximity affected her and he was playing on it.
‘Of course it does.’ She tried to match his careless confidence but her voice wouldn’t get above a whisper. She fell back on practicalities to answer half honestly. ‘I’m going to be too scared to go anywhere with something like this on my finger. What if I lose it?’
‘You only need to wear it to the events today and the wedding ceremony. The rest of the time, it’ll remain safe in the vault.’
Okay. Good. That made it a little better. So she nodded and held still as he tried another that had a too-large band.
‘You don’t have a favourite colour?’ he asked as he cocked his head to study how the next option looked on her small hand.
She shook her head, too embarrassed to articulate anything. It was impossible to think when he was this near to her and holding her with firm gentleness.
‘Okay, then I’m going to decide,’ he said. ‘And you’re not getting any say.’
She would’ve laughed if she weren’t so flummoxed by his intense effect on her. With exaggerated movements he angled his body to hide her own hand from her. She felt the sensuous slide of his fingers down hers as he tried a few more rings. But his broad shoulders and masculine body blocked her view. Then he slowed, trying one, then another—then another and taking far longer with one. All the while she stared at the fine stitching on the seam of his jacket.
He turned his head to glance at her, a smile flitting around his lips in a mysterious way. ‘I’m done.’
With a flourish, he pivoted to face her, sliding his hold to the tips of her fingers so she could see the ring he’d placed on her.
‘What do you think?’ he gently prompted.
She just stared. But inside while her heart pounded, her brain was starved of anything useful. It was stunning. One she’d been unable to see at first glance because she’d been blinded by so many gleaming options. It was a fine gold band and a solitary diamond. But the massive stone was cut into a teardrop shape—it didn’t glitter brilliantly, wasn’t gaudy, but rather the multifaceted cut ensured it gleamed and gave it a depth she’d not thought possible from a mere mineral. She could get lost looking into it. It was exquisite and delicate and moved her unbearably.
‘Hester?’
Unable to resist responding to that commanding thread in his voice, she glanced up. Her tongue was cleaved to the roof of her mouth. Her pulse thudded through her body with such ferocity she had to stay completely still to control it—to stop that overwhelming emotion exploding out of her in an ugly mess. It was too risky to reveal anything vulnerable—that something might matter to her. But the warmth in the backs of Alek’s eyes was different now. There wasn’t only that flicker of flirtation and teasing awareness. There was something deeper than both those things and as the seconds passed in silence it only strengthened.
‘It’s fine,’ she croaked.
She knew her response was so woefully inadequate it was almost rude, but no way could she utter the incoherent, incomplete thoughts battling in her head amongst the swirl of confusion. She expected him to either frown or tease, but he didn’t. His face lit up and he smiled. Her heart stopped. Those dimples were going to be the death of her.
‘Yes, it is.’ He curled his arm around her waist and walked her towards the big heavy doors at the other end of the room. ‘I’m glad you like it.’
Like it? Total understatement. She couldn’t help sneaking peeks at it as she walked with him into a reception room that had been prepared for the interview, but she still couldn’t verbalise the hot mess of feeling inside.
The journalist was waiting with only two crew—one for camera, one for sound. Hester perched on the edge of the sofa and hoped her nerves didn’t show too much. Alek kept one arm around her and drew her closer to his side while holding her hand throughout. She was so aware of his heat and strength and his smile melted everything and everyone else away until somehow it was over and he was laughing and releasing her only to shake hands with the presenter.
‘You did well,’ Alek said as he escorted her through the palace maze back to her apartment.
Hester couldn’t actually remember a word she’d said in response to the questions, she’d been too aware of him and the slippery direction of her private thoughts. ‘Oh, yes, I was amazing. I don’t think I said more than three words.’
‘Are you fishing for compliments? That wasn’t enough for you?’ He whirled to face her. ‘Ask me for more.’ He dared her up close. ‘You have no idea how much I want you to ask me for more.’ His smile deepened as she gaped at him. ‘Oh, you’ve gone silent again.’
‘Because you’re a tease.’
‘Yeah? Perhaps. But that doesn’t mean I don’t mean it.’ His hand tightened around her wrist. ‘Your pulse is quickening.’
‘It’s terror,’ she muttered.
‘Liar.’ He grinned.
‘You’re so conceited.’
‘Maybe because you’ve mastered the art of looking at me so adoringly…’ He chuckled as she flicked her wrist free of his hold.
‘Don’t we have to go on this visit now?’ She pushed herself back into work mode.
‘In an hour, yes.’ He leaned closer. ‘That’s just enough time for—’
‘Me to get changed, that’s right.’ She all but ran back to her apartment to where her stylists were waiting.
* * *
‘You’re nervous?’ Alek glanced at her keenly as the car drove them out of the palace gates and through the banks and banks of cameras just over an hour later.
‘Is it really obvious?’ She worried even more and clutched her bag strap tightly.
‘Honestly, I imagine everyone would expect you to be nervous and it’s not a bad thing. People like to see the humanity in others.’ He reached for her hand and shot her that charming smile.
‘They forgive you your sins?’ She tried to answer lightly, but beneath it she was glad of the way he rubbed his thumb back and forth over her tense fingers. It was soothing, like when she counted her breathing. But better.
But bad too. Because she didn’t want him to stop.
‘Nerves aren’t a sin.’ He laughed. ‘They’re normal. Everyone has them.’
‘Even you?’
‘Even me.’ He gave an exaggerated nod. ‘Does it surprise you that I might feel normal things, Hester?’
That sense of danger as those undercurrents of heat and temptation swirled too close to the surface.
‘So this is the paediatric ward visit,’ she confirmed needlessly. Just to remember the job. Just to stop staring at him. Since when was she so seduced by physical beauty? She’d always tried not to judge people based on their appearance—she knew how it felt to be bullied about things.
‘You don’t think it’s cynical to use sick children to sell us as a couple?’ she asked.
‘I think that most of these little guys have a really rough road ahead of them, so why shouldn’t they get a little joy out of this? I’d far rather spend an hour with them than with some of the captains of industry who don’t think I can live up to my father’s legacy.’
‘You think people don’t take you seriously?’
‘I’m just the Playboy Prince, aren’t I?’
‘Wow, I wonder why they have reason to think that?’
‘I know, right?’ He sent her a mocking look. ‘If only they knew I now have a pure and innocent bride to mend me of my disreputable ways…’
‘Very funny.’
Except she was revising her opinion on his reputation. It hadn’t taken long to see that Alek considered his country and his people in almost every decision he made.
It seemed there were thousands waiting behind police-guarded barriers and every one held a camera or phone up. As she passed them she was terribly glad of her long dress and the firmness with which her hair was pinned. Alek released her hand so they could engage with the people in the receiving line and she received a small bouquet from a sweet young girl. She heard a child bellowing and glanced quickly to see a small boy being carried away by a nurse but she maintained her smile and pretended she hadn’t noticed. There was no need to draw attention to someone else’s sensory overload.
Alek compelled attention like a black hole, sucking everyone, everything—all the light—into his vortex and onwards he spun, ever more powerful. But she also felt the people watching her, assessing, judging—she could only hope she passed. After a tour of the ward, they spent some time in the hospital classroom where a few children sat at tables working on drawings. At a table near the back, she could see the small boy who’d been hurried away at their arrival. With the ‘freedom’ to walk around, Hester gravitated towards where he was, subdued and firmly under the control of the teacher standing beside him. Belligerent sadness dimmed his eyes. Hester didn’t make eye contact with the teacher, she just took the empty chair at his table. She drew a piece of paper towards her and selected a pencil to colour in with. The boy paused his own colouring to watch her work then resumed his until they reached for the same emerald pencil.
‘I think it’s a really nice colour,’ she said softly, encouraging the boy to take it.
‘It’s my favourite,’ he muttered.
‘Mine too,’ she whispered with a conspiratorial smile. ‘But don’t tell anyone.’
She glanced up and encountered Alek’s inscrutable gaze. She’d not realised he was nearby.
‘Time for us to leave, Hester,’ he bent and said quietly. ‘But we’ll come back again.’
As they were driven back
to the palace he turned in his seat to study her face. She was sure it was only for all those cameras along the route.
‘You did very well. Again,’ he said.
She inclined her head with exaggerated regal poise to accept the compliment.
He suddenly laughed and picked up her hand, playing with the ring on her finger in an intolerably sweet gesture. ‘I mean it. Being able to make someone smile or respond—to make a connection like with that boy who’d been distressed?’ Alek nodded. ‘That was skilled.’
‘Not skilled.’ Hester shook her head. ‘I had no clue. I just tried to give him the time to let him get himself together.’
‘Natural kindness, then.’ Alek ignored the photographers calling outside the car as it slowly cruised through the crowd. ‘You told him your favourite colour. Or was that just a lie to make him feel good?’
She paused. ‘It was the truth.’
‘So you could tell him something you couldn’t tell me?’
She paused, startled by the soft bite in that query. ‘Have I hurt your feelings?’ She tried to deflect him with a smile.
‘Yes.’
She shot him a worried glance. Surely he was joking? He intently watched her—not smiling, not glowering either.
‘I just wanted to be kind to him.’ She drew in a breath. ‘Some people get all the attention, right? The loud ones, or the ones confident enough to smile and call out, and the ones who have the tantrums like him. The ones I feel bad for are the quiet ones—who don’t push forward or act out, who are so busy being good or polite or scared…sometimes they need to know someone has seen them and I didn’t today.’
‘I did,’ he said softly. ‘I went around and saw some of those ones.’
Of course he had—because he’d been doing it all his life. Sharing his attention.
‘Were you one of those kids?’ he asked. ‘One who was being so good she became invisible?’
‘Good but not good enough?’ She wouldn’t have minded being that kid. ‘No, that wasn’t me.’