Wedding Party Collection: Marrying The Prince: The Prince She Never Knew / His Bride for the Taking / A Queen for the Taking?

The memory still hurt.

‘I realise that,’ she told him when she trusted herself to speak as evenly as he had. ‘But this is our honeymoon.’

‘And you know just what kind of honeymoon it is.’

‘What is that supposed to mean?’

‘We’re pretending,’ he clarified, his voice cool. ‘We always will be.’

‘I haven’t forgotten.’ Alyse stared at him. His face was as blank as it ever had been, all traces of humour and happiness completely gone.

Today had been so sweet, so wonderful and so full of hope. She hated that they’d lost so much ground so quickly.

And why? Just because of that moment on the boat, when Leo had mentioned the dreaded L-word?

Was he actually spooked? Afraid?

The thought seemed ridiculous; Leo was always so confident, so assured. And yet Alyse couldn’t think of another reason for his sudden and utter withdrawal.

The friendship—the intimacy—that had been growing between them had him scared.

The thought almost restored her hope. Scared was better than indifferent. Still, she knew there was no point pressing the issue now. That didn’t mean she was going to let him off the hook quite so easily.

‘I suppose I can entertain myself easily enough for a day,’ she said lightly, and saw the flicker of surprise ripple across Leo’s features that she was capitulating so easily. ‘What work do you have to do?’ she continued, and the surprise on his face intensified into discomfort. Alyse almost smiled. ‘Are you working on that proposal for broadband?’

‘Some paperwork,’ he answered after a pause, his voice gruff, but Alyse was determined not to let the conversation sputter out. He would let her in, one way or another. Even if he was scared.

‘Will you put the proposal before the Cabinet? That’s how it works, isn’t it? A constitutional monarchy.’

‘Yes. I hope to put it before them eventually. It’s not one of my father’s priorities.’

‘Why not?’

Leo shrugged. ‘My father has always been more interested in enjoying the benefits of being king rather than fulfilling his royal responsibilities.’

‘But you’re different.’

A light blazed briefly in his eyes. ‘I hope so.’

‘I think you are.’ She spoke softly, and was gratified to see something like surprised pleasure lift the corners of Leo’s mouth before he glanced away.

‘I hope I can match you as queen.’ She meant to sound light but the words came out in a rush of sincerity. ‘I want to be a credit to you, Leo.’

‘You already are. The fact that the public fell in love with you six years ago has been a huge boon to our country. You of all people must know the power of that photograph.’

She nodded slowly. ‘Yes, but more than that. I want to do something more than just smile and shake hands.’

‘Understandably, but don’t sell a smile and a handshake short. It’s more than my parents ever did.’

‘Is it?’

‘One of the reasons they were so keen for our engagement to go ahead is because they’d damaged the monarchy nearly beyond repair,’ Leo said flatly. He speared a slice of beef with a little more vigour than necessary.

‘How?’

He shrugged. ‘Very public affairs, careless spending, a complete indifference to their people. It’s hard to say which aspect of their lives was the most damaging.’

And he’d grown up in that environment. ‘It doesn’t sound like a very happy place to have your childhood,’ she said quietly.

‘I didn’t. I went to boarding school when I was six.’

‘Six?’

‘I didn’t mind.’ A waiter had materialised on the edge of the beach and with a flick of his fingers Leo indicated for him to come forward. Alyse had a feeling he’d had enough of personal conversation, but at least he’d shared something. More than he ever had before.

Leo hadn’t meant to say so much. Reveal so much. How did she do it? he wondered. How did she sneak beneath the defences he’d erected as a boy, had had firmly in place for so long? He never talked about his parents, or himself, or anything. He’d always preferred it that way and yet in these unguarded moments he discovered he almost enjoyed the conversation. The sharing.

So much for getting this relationship back on the footing he’d wanted: impersonal. Unthreatening.

Frustration blazed through him. No more friendship. No more conversation. There was only one thing he wanted from Alyse, and he would have it. Tonight.

Over the next few courses of their meal she made a few attempts at conversation and Leo answered politely enough without encouraging further talk. Still, she tried, and he had to admire her determination.

She wouldn’t give up. Well, neither would he.

The moon had risen in the sky, sending its silver rays sliding over the placid surface of the sea. The waiter brought them both tiny glasses of liqueurs and a plate of petit fours and then left them alone, retreating silently back to the main resort.

All around them the night seemed very quiet, very still, the only sound the gentle lap of the waves against the sand. In the moonlit darkness, Alyse looked almost ethereal, her hair floating softly about her shoulders, her silvery eyes soft—yes, eyes could be soft, and thoughtful.

Desire tightened inside him and he took a sip of the sweet liqueur, felt its fire join the blaze already ignited in his belly. He wanted her, just as he’d told her that afternoon, and he would have her tonight.

And it wouldn’t be making love.

They sat in silence for a few more moments, sipping their liqueurs, when Leo decided he’d had enough. He placed his glass on the table with deliberate precision. ‘It’s getting late,’ he said, and Alyse’s gaze widened before she swallowed audibly. Leo smiled and stood, stretching one hand out to her.

She rose and took it, her fingers slender and feeling fragile in his as he drew her from the table and across the sand to their sleeping quarters.

While they’d been eating some of the staff had prepared their hut for the night. The sheets had been turned down and candles lit on either side of the bed, the dancing flames sending flickering shadows across the polished wooden floor.

The perfect setting for romance, for love, but Leo pushed that thought away. He stood in front of the bed and turned her to face him; her bare shoulders were soft and warm beneath his hands.

She shivered and he couldn’t tell if it was from desire or nervousness. Perhaps both. He knew he needed to go slowly, even though the hunger inside him howled for satiation and release.

He slid his hands up from her shoulders to cup her face, his thumbs tracing the line of her jaw, her skin like silk beneath his fingers. ‘Don’t be nervous,’ he said softly, for now that they were in the moment he still wanted to reassure her, even if he didn’t want to engage his emotions.

‘I’m not,’ she answered, but her voice choked and she looked away.

In answer he brushed a feathery kiss across her jaw before settling his mouth on hers, his tongue tracing the seam of her lips, gently urging her to part for him.