Chapter 8
The last four days at the ranch had passed much too quickly. Max couldn’t believe he had only one day left. He and the other gentlemen were driving to Denver tomorrow to catch their flight home.
He glanced at his laptop and the email he was composing and tried not to sigh with impatience. But he let out a breath anyway.
At the cabin table across from him, Braun glanced up from examining several new stamps he had discovered yesterday at an antique store in Healing Springs. With the loupe in one eye, he examined Max instead.
“She should be here by now.” He didn’t owe Braun an explanation, but he felt as though he should give one nonetheless.
“Would you like me to phone her, Your Highness, and let her know you are waiting?”
“Not at all.” Such a call would never work with Emberly. And the truth was, he was merely being impatient.
But who could blame him? The previous days with her had been nothing short of amazing.
She was amazing. Each day, after his morning meetings with the board members, he had met her in the lobby just as he had the first day.
They’d had lunch together in their private corner of the loft in the Brook Barn.
Then they’d spent one afternoon ice fishing, one day cross-country skiing, and another downhill skiing.
They’d had dinner together every night in his cabin with Winzig and Braun.
Afterward, they’d played cards or other games, then ended their night with a gourmet dessert in secret in the banquet room overlooking the waterfall, sometimes talking for several more hours before finally going back to their respective cabins and catching a few hours of sleep.
His work had suffered, to be sure. He hadn’t been able to keep up with everything, only the most urgent.
However, the further the week had progressed, the more he’d realized that nothing was truly urgent.
He had also realized his assistants in the bank in Vollenstadt were more capable of handling the details than he’d supposed.
Throughout the week, he’d finally let go of the frustrations that had been plaguing him.
He wasn’t sure if it had been cutting back on his work or being on the ranch or participating in the activities that had played a role in making him feel less burdened.
Perhaps being around Emberly had impacted him.
Whatever the case, he could gradually feel himself gaining a perspective on life again.
He still wasn’t sure what he would do when he returned to Karltenberg, but he wasn’t as stressed about it.
He’d appreciated that Emberly made everything as private as possible, and the board members had done well in honoring his request for anonymity. As a result, there had been no sign of the paparazzi.
Her brothers Tyler and Kade, however, often randomly showed up during the activities, which told Max they were keenly aware of all Emberly was doing and were keeping a watchful eye on her, much to her irritation. But in spite of their nosiness, she’d continued to spend time with him.
Hopefully, Max had proven to her brothers he did not have ulterior motives with Emberly.
He’d had plenty of opportunities to let their relationship turn into something more intimate, especially because they had been engaging one another more familiarly all week with her so-called lessons on how to win a woman, although none involved touching.
He’d respected her wishes to maintain appropriate physical boundaries after the incident at the shooting range.
He could admit he’d loved the feel of her so close and had enjoyed holding her much more than he should have.
And he could admit he’d thought about holding her again.
His attraction to her was very real, and he couldn’t deny it, even if he didn’t give in to it.
He had definitely learned a great deal from her—from her dad’s wisdom.
As she’d shared the ways to win a woman, their exchanges had been all in good fun.
Much of her advice had been simple and full of common sense, like asking good questions, showing undivided interest, expressing tenderness, and putting the other’s needs first.
For his last day on the ranch, he’d hoped to have a full day with her. However, she had texted that she would meet him at his cabin after one o’clock. She had offered no explanation for where she was or what she was doing, and now it was close to one thirty with no word from her.
The truth was, he was not feeling impatient because he was anxious to begin the activities of the day.
No, he was feeling impatient because he did not want to waste a single minute of the time he had left with her.
It honestly had not mattered what they were doing.
Being with her was all he’d cared about.
At a rapping on the door, he pushed back his laptop and stood. The soft but determined knock belonged to Emberly. Was he pitiful for already recognizing something so insignificant about her? Perhaps. But he did not care.
As usual, she didn’t wait for anyone to answer, instead opening the door and letting herself in.
She had her parka on over her casual after-work clothing—leggings and a sweatshirt.
He loved the way the leggings showcased her legs, made them look endless, as if his legs could get lost tangling with hers.
Tangling legs? What was he thinking? He couldn’t let his thoughts go that direction. And he couldn’t dwell on the heat that was spearing his gut.
“Are you ready to figure out the activity of the afternoon?” She took off her hat, and her hair spilled over her shoulders and down her back—long, thick waves that gleamed in the sunlight slanting through the window, the red a warm and inviting color that seemed to beckon to him.
He wanted to cross to her, dig his fingers into her hair and then bend close and breathe her in, maybe even bury his face against her hair. Was he crazy for wanting to do that?
Yes, he was clearly obsessing over her at the moment and needed to stop.
“Max,” she gently chided, her brow furrowing. “I think we need to do a quick love-crazy lesson here.”
“We do?” His question came out sounding as though he had no brain. He cleared his throat. “Of course. What do you have in mind?”
“You could use some practice on how to interact when a woman first steps into a room.”
“Acting like a buffoon is not acceptable?” He tried for a teasing voice.
She finally offered him a smile, but it only made her all the more beautiful, so that he wanted to keep staring at her.
“If you want to make her feel special, then say or do something that tells her you really notice her and care that she’s there.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“If you’re busy with work or watching TV or on your phone, you have to pause whatever you’re doing. That’s the first step.”
“I can do that.”
“Good. You’re a fast learner,” she bantered. “Now think of a way to communicate that you care about her. You sit back down and pretend to work. I’ll go back outside, and when I come in, show me.”
She didn’t give him time to respond. Instead, she opened the door and stepped out, shutting the door behind her.
Max stared at the spot for a moment, then dropped into his chair and drew his laptop back in front of him.
From the corner of his eyes, he could see Braun staring at him with his loupe still in his eye. The interaction with Emberly would likely be the afternoon entertainment, but Max could not protest now. Not with Emberly already opening the door.
As she stepped back inside, Max pretended to be busy for a second. Then he made a point of looking directly at her. “Good afternoon. You look pretty this afternoon.”
She shook her head. “Too fast. Take your time and give her a smoldering look, one that really tells her you’re checking her out.”
She went out again. They practiced a few more times, first with him complimenting her, then winking, and finally whispering an endearment.
“I’m going to act like something is wrong this time,” she said as she stepped into the cabin again. “As I walk in, you have to show concern.”
She threw off her parka and then started toward the refrigerator with heavy steps.
He pretended to work as he had the past few times, and as she drew near, he glanced away from his laptop and acknowledged her presence.
Her lashes were low, and her lips puckered in a pout.
He wanted to smile at how adorable she looked, but he would only earn her ire if he did so. Instead, he latched onto her arm. “Come here.”
As she halted in front of him, she fisted a hand and started to lower it to her hip.
He reached her hip first and tugged her down, surprising himself by guiding her to his lap. What was he doing? He was breaking their no-contact agreement, and he should stand right back up and apologize.
But she didn’t resist and perched on the edge of his legs, obviously thinking he was still in his usual mode as a pupil.
Little did she know that learning from her was suddenly the furthest thing from his mind. All he could think about was that she was soft and warm and smelled of sunshine and citrus. He slipped his arm around her, drew her closer, and leaned his head against hers.
She stilled. “Good. This is very good.”
At the feel of her backside on his thighs and her curves brushing his chest, the heat inside him sparked into a full fire. Pulling her down onto his lap probably had not been his finest idea.
“Ask me what’s wrong,” she whispered.
“What is wrong?” He rubbed his fingers across her back, skimming long strands and trying not to let his hands slide higher into her hair. If he did that, he would surely lose his sanity. And he would most definitely be taking this lesson too far.
“Your question would be even better if you used a sweet name. My dad says darlin’.”
“Darling.”
“No, say the whole thing again.”
“What is wrong, darling?” His voice came out almost gruff.
“Oooh, perfect,” she crooned in his ear. She didn’t move away, and instead, her breathing filled his senses.
His own breathing turned shallow and rapid. He longed to pull her back further. Maybe even kiss her.
Kiss her. The longing to do so swelled within him swiftly. He could only imagine how she would kiss. This was Emberly, and she would likely approach kissing the way she did everything else—boldly and passionately and eagerly.
He couldn’t think about it. But it was too late. The fire inside him began to spread, charging through his body so that he wanted to kiss her more than anything else. It was almost as if kissing her was the only thing that could quench the heat inside him.
At a loud throat-clearing nearby, Emberly jumped. At her momentum, he had no choice but to release her.
She scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide and bright and her cheeks flushed. She pressed her hands against her chest as though trying to still her heartbeat. Before he could say anything, she stalked to the door and retrieved her coat.
Was her pulse racing as hard as his was? He was tempted to flatten his hand against his chest too, but he crossed his arms instead, trying to steady himself.
Braun turned the page of his stamp collection book and began to hum a soft tune. His expression was filled with innocence, as if he didn’t have a care in the world and had not just witnessed Max sharing a heated moment with Emberly.
It had been heated. Max could not deny it. Neither could he deny that his desire for her was becoming difficult to resist. He had liked her from the start, and his admiration of her had only grown during the week, with the endless hours talking and teasing and enjoying her company.
Yes, he was most certainly attracted to this beautiful and engaging woman. If he was honest, he had not experienced this level of attraction to a woman in a very long time, maybe even since Ava.
So what was he to do about his feelings? Especially since he had just this one day remaining?
A part of him wanted to throw caution aside and let the day unfold as it would. If he ended up kissing Emberly at some point, what was the harm in that? She seemed to be drawn to him as well. Perhaps they could have a goodbye kiss as a way to remember each other.
Max inwardly sighed. No. He could not allow it of himself. He had assured her he had no ulterior motives in having her help this past week, and he intended to be a man of his word. He would never want to give her even the slightest doubt about his honor.
Braun’s interruption had been well-timed and just what Max needed. He could not let himself get carried away with this beautiful American woman. Not now on the final day, and not after he had already resisted all week. He couldn’t let down his resolve at the last hour.
For the rest of his visit, he had to make sure he did not put them in any more compromising situations where he might be tempted to act upon his feelings for her. He had to keep his focus on being friends. Friendship with this incredible woman had to suffice.
That meant he also had to put an end to these flirtatious lessons. He couldn’t pretend any longer that he was thinking about another woman, particularly Sarah, every time Emberly gave him advice on how to be more affectionate and in love.
Because the truth was, during his lessons, the only woman that filled his mind was Emberly. He wanted to win her over with all her lessons, wanted to do everything authentically, wanted their time together to be real.
But that was not possible, was it? They lived half a world apart, and they had completely divergent lives.
He could not give up everything to be with her, and he certainly would never expect her to give up everything to be with him.
He also could not fathom having a long-distance relationship, not with how busy they both were.
Besides, she had never once hinted at wanting a relationship with him.
He was arrogant for even thinking she might.
In fact, she might be disappointed in him for hiding his true identity from her this past week, for deceiving her into thinking he was an average man.
He had considered telling her a time or two early in the week, but mostly he’d forgotten it was even an issue.
The best thing was to stay firm in his decision to appreciate and enjoy her company while it lasted. Then he would return to his life in Karltenberg and finally make the difficult choice between abdicating his right to the throne or accepting and working on the arranged marriage with Sarah.