Chapter 14
He surfaced at dawn to see her standing by the window.
Last night... he shook his head in wonder at the fact that he had been unable to keep his hands off her.
He had made love to her three times, the yearning, desperation increasing with each touch, each taste.
Throwing back the covers, he swung his legs off the bed.
Silently putting on his robe and leaving it open, he walked up behind her.
She saw him reflected in the glass, just as he slid his hands around her waist and brought her flush against his body.
The feel of his naked skin came through the thin silk of her robe and sent her. She had been awake for an hour, most of which she had spent staring at his handsome face, admiring the thick brows, the lock of hair on his forehead and marveling that his lashes were so long.
"Buenos días," he whispered against her ear. "The bed felt lonely without you in it."
"People know you're sleeping in my room."
"Yes." He nuzzled her ear. "I want them to." He glanced at her and their eyes met in the glass. "I was thinking you should move into my suite. It's much bigger and that's where you'll be staying anyway. Marry me." He spoke implacably.
"I can't." She refused to allow her treacherous heart to dictate to her.
"You can." He turned her to face him, fingers firm on her shoulders. "I'm not him. I love you. Christ knows how much." One hand slid up to her neck, cupping it.
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, see my children growing inside you." He smiled slightly. "I was thinking four."
"What?" Her heart was racing, because he was saying exactly what she had always wanted.
"Four," he said decisively. "I've never wanted that before. This is a first for me. We could get married in December. I have to warn you though, querida, if you're hoping for a quiet intimate ceremony, that's not going to be possible."
"The fact that I'm a prince, and heir to the throne means that there will be pomp and ceremony with a week of celebration." He tilted her chin up. "It's a big deal."
She started trembling. "You're scaring me."
"No need for that," he told her solemnly. "I promise to be there every step of the way. Say yes."
"I need to think," she hedged. Her hands came up to clutch the lapels of his robe. "I was in this place before, not the physical place. I had a guy telling me that I was the only one..."
"Don't!" His deep voice was sharp. "Please do me a favor and don't compare with that... that piece of trash you were engaged to." His eyes flashed. "I'm in love with you. For the first time in my life, I'm in love and it's driving me insane." His fingers dug into her skin. "I need you in my life."
"Do you know how difficult it is for me to admit to that?
But here I am, opening myself to you, asking you to marry me, give yourself to me, the way I want to give myself to you.
" He sucked in a harsh breath. "Marry me, mi amor.
Let me show you how different it can be.
I'm Spanish and we're very passionate. I never knew how much until I met you. " He drew her closer, head descending.
"You light a fire inside me that's unquenchable." His breath whispered over her lips, making her faint. "I cannot stop thinking about you." He brushed his lips on hers. "Wanting you." He tasted her flesh. "Loving you, needing you."
"You consume my every waking moment and occupy my dreams." He parted her lips slowly. "I see no one else but you. Take me out of my misery and marry me."
"Tomas..."
"Please." He plunged his tongue inside her mouth and swallowed her moan as he kissed her hungrily.
She wrapped her hands around his neck, her head tilted back as she returned his kisses.
Her heart melted, her skin took on the familiar heat that always happened whenever he was near.
Now he was touching her, and it felt as if she was melting from the inside out.
He was the one who ended the kiss and left her bereft.
"Say yes," he insisted. "Marry me."
"Tomas."
"I'm not going to stop until you do. You love me."
"Yes," she admitted achingly, her throat tight. "I'm in love with you and it's scary as hell because it's nowhere near what I thought I felt for Brian. It's more." She pressed a fist to her heart.
"It's powerful, intense and damned scary. I never knew anything like this existed and I'm not certain I can handle it." She took a deep breath. "If you cheated on me-"
"I won't. I promise-"
"Please let me finish."
"All right."
"I have an aversion to infidelity. I walked in on Brian with my best friend, and it devastated me. You're..." She lifted her head, eyes roving each feature. She could not find a flaw. Not one. His skin was tanned, his eyes a wonderful pure green that had caught her attention the very first time.
He had a day's growth on his strong sculpted jaw that made him look even more handsome.
"You're a prince. A multi-billionaire prince to boot and your reputation is.
.. you've been with lots of women. I don't know what the penalty is here if one kills a member of the royal family, but that's what will happen if I find out that you're seeing someone else.
" Her eyes glinted at the amused look on his face. "I'm not joking," she snapped.
His thumb caressed her cheek. "I believe the penalty is death," he whispered hoarsely, "or life imprisonment."
"You're laughing at me."
"No." He shook his head. "I'm intrigued by you. Your bluntness, you're going to make a wonderful princess. You're kind and compassionate, yet firm and practical. I love the different sides of you-"
"We've only known each other for a brief time."
"That matters not. Are you saying yes?"
She shrugged helplessly. He was drawing her in, and she could not stop it.
"I suppose I am."
"Can you manage to drum up a little more enthusiasm?"
"I'm scared," she whispered.
His amusement fled when he saw that she really was. Pulling her against him, he wrapped his arms around her, his chin propped on top of her head.
"Don't be," he murmured something in Spanish, which had her smiling.
"You're no knight in shining armor," she refuted.
"I can be." His hands roamed up and down her back soothingly.
"Oh, Tomas," she whispered.
"Come back to bed," he urged. And she did.
*****
She surfaced two hours later to find herself alone in bed and thought she had dreamed last night and this morning. Pushing herself up against the mound of pillows, she just had time to cover herself before the doors burst open and Queen Sofia came bustling in, a smile wreathing her face.
"Queen Sofia!" She frantically glanced at the clock. "I was about to get ready. I-"
The woman waved that away airily, ignoring the fact that the young woman was obviously naked under the sheets she clutched to her chest, and perched on the edge of the bed, her eyes alight with excitement.
"I heard the good news from my son. You said yes.
" Leaning forward, she pulled a very surprised Antoinette to her and gave her a warm embrace.
"You've made me a very happy woman." Releasing her, the queen continued.
"Tomas said it's going to be a December wedding which means-" She frowned thoughtfully.
"It will be tight, but doable if we get a team of planners on board. "
"December?" Antoinette felt as if she was being sucked into a vacuum. "I never said-"
"It's a royal wedding and the last one was when I got married. You'd never believe the planning." She clapped her hands together. "But don't you worry about a thing, my dear, we'll hire some more people to take care of it."
She started to get up when Antoinette grabbed her arm. "Tomas jumped the gun."
"You did not say yes?"
"I did. Yes." She bit her lip. "It's overwhelming. I wanted some more time."
"I was scared down to my toes when I knew I was getting married, but for good reasons.
I knew the king wasn't in love with me. I was a stranger in this country and had no one to talk to, no one to air my fears and doubts.
" She took Antoinette's free hand. "It's different for you.
" Her smile came. "You're both in love."
"My son burst into my bedroom while I was in the process of getting dressed and ordered the poor maid out.
As soon as she left, he sprang the news on me.
I've never seen him this animated before.
You brought light into his life, hopes and a new way of life.
He loves you. I have a feeling that if it was not protocol, he would whisk you away to somewhere they could offer a civil ceremony. "
She squeezed Antoinette's hand. "And I'm pleased that you're the one he has fallen in love with. You make him happy, keep him on his toes and do not allow him to walk over you. Your life together will not be only about duty, but so much more and I love that. Now answer me this: do you love him?"
She opened her mouth to say something evasive but decided against it.
"So much so that I'm scared to my bones," Antoinette admitted huskily. "He annoys me and sometimes makes me so angry, I want to punch him, but I love him, so damn much."
"Then that's all that matters. And I happen to already think of you as my daughter-in-law."
Tears welled in her eyes and had Antoinette blinking them back.
"The unwelcome news is that, after the announcement is made, the press will descend on this place like the plague. You're a black American woman and an employee, all of those will be intriguing aspects to this scenario."
"And I'm not his usual type," Antoinette added a little shakily. "Oh Lord!" she whispered.
"Precisely. I'm preparing you for what's to come." The queen rose gracefully. "Take your time getting dressed. I'll see you in the office."
As soon as the doors shut behind the woman, she flopped back on the pillows and blew out a breath. So, it was real. She was getting married. Her phone rang, sending a jolt through her already jangled nervous system.