Diamonds are Forever: The Royal Marriage Arrangement / The Diamond Bride / The Diamond Dad

She was dressed in the familiar plum silk shirt and gray pants he’d admired before. After lunch he had plans to do something about her bare-bones wardrobe, but at the moment the only thing Lucca was feeling was irrationally territorial.

He moved inside.

The other man saw him before Alexandra did. He slid off the corner of the desk and stood up. The fact that he was lean and almost as tall as Lucca irritated him further.

“Your Highness.”

Alexandra turned in her chair. “Lucca—”

He couldn’t tell if she was pleased to see him or not, but she was wearing his pin. That was something at least and should have appeased him. It didn’t.

She got to her feet, very much in command of the situation. “Lucca? This is Professor Morelli. Professor Emilio is ill so he sent Tomaso in his place.”

Lucca gave Tomaso a brief nod. “I’m sorry to hear that. How long will it take him to recover?”

“He has influenza. His doctor says two weeks, maybe a little longer.”

That was too long.

“How is my wife-to-be doing?” Besides giving you a heart attack. Lucca ground his teeth together. Wife-to-be sounded more permanent than fiancée. He wanted that made clear to Tomaso at the outset.

“Signorina Grigory is an excellent student. By the time of your wedding she’ll be speaking a little Italian and understanding some of it.”

She smiled. “One lives in hope, Tomaso. Thank you for taking me on.”

“It’s an honor for me.”

And a rush you won’t be able to do a thing in hell about, professor.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Alexandra nodded. “Si. Domani. Ore due. Ciao, Tomaso.”

“Ciao, Alex.”

The hackles stood on the back of his neck. Alex? She’d given him permission to call her that?

His gaze slid to Lucca. “Your Highness,” he said in passing.

“Why two o’clock?” Lucca asked after the other man had left the room.

She picked up the book and notebook he hadn’t seen before. “Tomaso teaches classes all morning, but he can come after lunch. If I’d had a teacher like him for Spanish in high school, I might have learned how to conjugate verbs.”

Intrigued in spite of his foul mood he asked, “What was wrong with your Spanish teacher?”

“He taught by immersion, and no one ever understood anything. He gave everyone an A for trying. It was ridiculous.”

Laughter burst out of him. “What verb did Professor Morelli teach you to conjugate today?”

“To be. Essere. Io sono, tu sei, lui e, noi siamo, voi siete, loro sono.”

“I’m impressed.” He was more than impressed. Her little conversation a moment ago sounded as if she’d been studying a lot longer than two hours.

“He said I have good pronunciation. Do you think he was just saying that to make me feel better?” Lucca realized she wasn’t fishing for compliments. She really wanted to know. It dawned on him she really was a good woman, someone he would be proud to call his wife.

“I told you the other day you have an excellent ear. Why do you doubt it?”

She averted her eyes. “I don’t know.”

Lucca knew. Alexandra’s mother had never given her confidence. Considering her father had died in her infancy, it was a miracle she had any at all. Fate had made her strong, courageous. Lucca had plans to fill in the rest. The thought of it taking a lifetime lightened his spirits.

“Come on. I’m taking you to lunch at a favorite restaurant of mine.”

“Oh, good!” Her seductive mouth smiled as they left the room, giving him his reward. “Tomaso taught me some phrases to practice when I order. We went over the names of the basic foods.”

Diavolo!

She turned to him. “Did you say something?”

“Nothing worth repeating.”

Her eyes played over his features. “You sound a bit like snappy turtle today.”

“Snappy turtle?” he barked with barely suppressed amusement.

“You know. A little cross. With all you’re taking on, I don’t blame you. How can I help?”

He drew in a deep breath. “Just be with me today.”

“Your wish is my command, Your Highness.”

“I asked you not to say that.”

A pained expression crossed over her face. “I’m sorry. It came out before I realized it. I really wasn’t thinking of you in that sense. I believe you’re emotionally exhausted, Lucca.”

Without conscious thought he put his arms around her and pulled her close. Burying his face in her sweet smelling hair he whispered, “I think you know me better than I know myself.”

“That’s what arranged wives are for.” And this one-to-be knows exactly what is ailing you.

Again Alex had spoken freely, not weighing her words beforehand. When he held her like this, she forgot the reason she was here at all. The desire to kiss his sensual mouth and go on kissing it the way she’d wanted to at the restaurant was turning into a driving need, blinding her to common sense.

The only reason he didn’t feel the same urge was because someone else was in his thoughts, someone he couldn’t wait to be with on a permanent basis. In a curious way he needed Alex. Almost overnight they’d become friends. She understood that and didn’t read into the moment that it was emotional for him.

“I have an idea.” Though it was the last thing she wanted to do, she slowly eased out of his arms. “After we eat lunch, why don’t you give yourself permission to take time off and do what you really want to do until tomorrow.”

He studied her through veiled eyes. “That’s excellent advice. Shall we go?”

Apparently, she’d said the magic words. He was planning to act on her suggestion. Another shaft of pain splintered her heart. Get used to it, Alex.