Chapter 15
It struck her how different their status was. He had an entire suite to himself, including a fully functional kitchen that he admitted he never used, a cozy dining room, two more bedrooms complete with their own bathrooms, a magnificent den/library, a gym and an indoor pool.
"Holy crap!" she exclaimed, and he grinned as she wandered from one room to the next, taking it all in.
"You don't need to go anywhere else. You just need to stay right here."
"Mother would have something to say about that." He encircled her waist with his arms and held her to him. The joy of having her in his arms was too much to bear. The fact that she was in his bedroom, combined with everything else, made his life complete.
"Ready to eat?" he whispered.
She nodded. "Something smells delicious." She allowed herself to be led through to the dining room, where a table was set with a linen tablecloth and a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice was waiting for them.
He lifted the silver covers to reveal Jamón Ibérico de bellota, a rich, nutty ham that simply melted in the mouth. There was also gambas al ajillo, sizzling shrimp cooked in olive oil and smothered in garlic and chili peppers.
Pulling out the chair for her, he bent and kissed the back of her neck, sweeping her thick hair aside to get to her skin.
It was their first official date, their first meal together, and within minutes, he had her relaxing and laughing at some of his amusing anecdotes.
"I don't know anything about you," she murmured. They had consumed the meal and were sipping the wine.
"What do you want to know?" He leaned back in the chair, his fingers toying with the stem of the glass as he stared at her. He had a way of staring at her with that heavy-lidded look that always made her melt.
"I know what I read in the magazines." His thick eyebrows lifted, making her laugh.
"Yes, sue me. I read the celebrity rags."
"You know I'm thirty-five and heir to the throne.
" He shrugged a little carelessly. "I spent most of my life trying to avoid that particular responsibility.
I was groomed since I was a child. My father.
.." A grim smile touched his sensual lips.
"He was old-fashioned and I wasn't allowed to 'mingle with the lesser people'. "
"He was a bigot."
"Precisely." He wasn't offended by her scathing comment.
"I ran with people who were proper according to his standards.
I spent my time alone. I was educated partly in the UK and took several courses at your Harvard University.
He did not like Americans, but he was practical.
He discovered early on that I was, er, smart and he wanted to exploit that. "
"It was drummed into my head that I should always be the best. I hold double majors and a few minors.
I can speak six languages and know a smattering of a few more.
Strangely enough, even though I was being groomed, he did not encourage me to take an active role in running the kingdom.
He loved the idea that I was drifting from one woman to another.
That made him proud." He drank some wine, his eyes never leaving her face.
"I was taught in all the skills, all the gentlemanly sports.
Sword fighting, horse riding, I'm a sharpshooter and am skilled in several self-defense techniques.
He wanted to make sure my education was well rounded.
He was a hard man and not easy to like. He ran the kingdom with a rod of steel and did not think about people's feelings.
None of that mattered to him. He did as he bloody well pleased. " His smile came then.
"Mother was determined to fix what he had damaged. It took several years, but she had brought this place to where there was no longer any fear or stunted growth, but people could approach her with the knowledge they would not be rebuffed or worse."
"And you?"
"What about me?"
"Are you of the same mindset?" She was leaning her elbow on the table, her chin propped in her palm, an avidly interested look on her lovely face. He wanted to end the conversation and take her to his bed.
"I'm starting to think that way." He leaned forward suddenly to brush his lips on hers. "Anything else, or do you want to tell me about you?"
She had to clear the huskiness from her throat. "You already know my story."
"Your mother brought you up. It was just the two of you."
She nodded.
"You still miss her."
"I do, yes."
"Would she have approved of me?"
Her startled expression had him chuckling. "I don't think you should answer that and spoil my illusion."
"She would have thought you the most handsome man she had ever seen, and wondered what the hell she was getting herself into," she told him bluntly.
"Still have doubts?"
To her disappointment, he resumed his position and continued sipping his wine.
"Not so much doubt as fright. I've been working for the past three weeks..." She shook her head in wonder. "Has it been only three weeks? Anyway, I've been working with your mother and I'm privy to most of the holdings. Not just here, but all over the world. It's overwhelming."
"And yet, you handled yourself well. Excellent as my mother puts it.
" Reaching forward, he took her hand in his and decided then and there to venture a topic that had been on his mind and one she would not want to hear.
"You're going to be responsible for a lot.
As my wife..." He took a minute to assimilate the idea of her as his wife before continuing.
"You will be required to be in charge of a number of charities." He laced his fingers through hers. "May I make a suggestion?"
She stared at him warily. "You may."
"You're going to have to stop working for my mother."
Her eyes flared. "That was not a suggestion."
"Querida, be reasonable..."
"I love working for your mother."
"I know you do."
"And if you're going to start out by dictating..."
"Stop!" His deep voice rang with authority and had her staring at him.
"I'm not my father. I have no intention of flexing my muscles, so to speak.
We will be partners in everything. I'm just simply pointing out that it will not be easy to continue working along with all your responsibilities.
" His mouth went tight. "I know you have no reason to trust me right now, but bloody hell, Antoinette, it hurts my heart when you think less of me. "
The silence that followed his impassioned statement was heavy with tension and she felt shame pricking her.
It was not easy for her to truly believe he was really into her and that it was going to work between them.
But he was right. He had not given her a reason to mistrust him and he deserved a chance.
"I apologize," she murmured.
With a regal nod of his head, he pushed back his chair and disappeared from the room. She sat there for a minute, worrying whether or not he was still offended. She was about to march into the bedroom and demand an explanation when he came back out.
She watched warily as he approached her. Holding out a hand, he waited for her to take it. When she did, he drew her up. Then to her surprise, he dropped to one knee in front of her.
"What..."
"I want to do this properly." Taking her hand, he straightened her long, elegant fingers. "I wavered between several of the ones brought out to me and I settled on this." Taking his hand from his back, he placed the stunning square-cut diamond on her ring finger.
"Oh!" Antoinette stared at the stone that seemed to pulse and glow with a life of its own.
"I don't want to control you or put a noose around your neck or through your nose. I want a partner, a woman who will stand by me, one who will love me with all my flaws. One that I love with my entire being. That woman is you. I choose you, now and forever."
She joined him down on the floor, her eyes blurring with tears.
"Absolutely yes," she whispered, her hands going around his neck.
"Thank Christ!" His mouth took hers hungrily, fingers driving into her hair, crunching the satiny texture of it. The kiss took on a wildness that soon got out of control.
"Bed," he whispered thickly, dragging his lips from hers, breathing labored. "I want you in my bed." Rising a little unsteadily, the heat drumming through his body like a fast-beating drum, he practically dragged her into the bedroom.
"We need to celebrate." He undressed her hastily and then tore his clothing off. Taking her hand, he led her up the stairs and tumbled her onto the bed. His hands raced over her body before cupping her face. "I love you. Do you get that?"
"Yes." She was trembling. "Tomas..." Her body arched towards his urgently. "Love me. Please love me." It became an urgent plea that sent an arrow straight to his heart.
"I will never hurt you. I swear I won't." Before she could respond, he drove into her, his own body shuddering.
****************
She barely had time to inform a very shocked Luther of her changed status before the news broke.
She called and asked to meet him at the café next to the diner, leaving her ring at the palace.
His expression of happiness caused her a pang of guilt. She had unwittingly led him to think that he stood a chance, and she would be sorry to lose his friendship.
"I cannot stay long, but I wanted to tell you before you heard it elsewhere," she began without preamble as soon as he sat down and ordered his coffee.
"You look wonderful. In fact, you're glowing," he remarked, his eyes roving over her face. "I'm so happy to hear from you."
She fiddled with her coffee cup and avoided his eyes for a few seconds and then she told him.
His look of shock was so comical that if the situation wasn't so tense, she would have burst out laughing.
"I thought..." he sputtered. "You said you were not interested. He's the prince and you are... I don't understand."