Книга - Not-So-Perfect Princess: Not-So-Perfect Princess

Not-So-Perfect Princess: Not-So-Perfect Princess
Melissa McClone

Barbara Wallace


Not-so-Perfect Princess Dutiful Princess Julianna has a secret – she’s actually happiest make-up-free, sailing with the sea breeze in her hair. Her attraction to rebel prince Alejandro is instant – but her intended is his brother! Can she remain the perfect princess, or is it time to follow her heart? The Heart of a HeroAll advice columnist Zoe wants this summer is some time to heal her post-divorce wounds in peace. Which is fine by her surly-yet-handsome new neighbour, ex-army captain Jake Meyers – until the spark between them begins to bloom!














Not-So-Perfect

Princess



Melissa McClone





The Heart

of a Hero



Barbara Wallace










www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


Not-So-Perfect

Princess

Melissa McClone




About the Author


With a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, the last thing MELISSA McCLONE ever thought she would be doing was writing romance novels. But analyzing engines for a major US airline just couldn’t compete with her “happily-ever-afters”. When she isn’t writing, caring for her three young children or doing laundry, Melissa loves to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea, her cats and a good book. She enjoys watching home decorating shows to get ideas for her house—a 1939 cottage that is slowly being renovated. Melissa lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon, with her own real-life hero husband, two daughters, a son, two loveable but oh-so-spoiled indoor cats and a no-longer-stray outdoor kitty that decided to call the garage home. Melissa loves to her from her readers. You can write to her at PO Box 63, Lake Oswego, OR 97034, USA, or contact her via her website: www.melissamcclone.com.


For Tom

Special thanks to:

Elizabeth Boyle, Terri Reed, Schmidt Chiropractic

Center and the Harlequin Romance team for letting me tell Julianna’s tale!


Dear Reader,

Once upon a time, I wrote a story that introduced a secondary character: Princess Julianna of Aliestle. I always thought she would be the perfect heroine to use in a Sleeping Beauty tale if the opportunity to write one ever presented itself.

In 2010, it finally did!

I was so excited to be asked to contribute to the Once Upon a Kiss mini-series. I knew exactly what fairytale I wanted to modernize and retell. When my editor told me I could do Sleeping Beauty, I actually squealed.

Of course, thinking about writing a contemporary fairytale was easier than actually writing it. Not too many fairies and ogre queens around these days! I hope you’ll see how I used elements from the classic tale to springboard into this modern romance.

Princess Julianna has been sleepwalking through life far too long. It will take a special man—make that prince—to wake her up and make her see all that she is missing out on. A happily-ever-after is waiting for her, if she’ll just open her eyes and follow her heart!

Enjoy!

Melissa




CHAPTER ONE


“THREE ARRANGED marriages and not one has made it to the altar. That is unacceptable!” King Alaric of Aliestle’s voice thundered through the throne room like a lion’s roar. Even the castle’s tapestry-covered stone walls appeared to tremble. “If men think something is wrong with you, no amount of dowry will convince one to marry you.”

Princess Julianna Louise Marie Von Schneckle didn’t allow her father’s harsh words to affect her posture. She stood erect with her shoulders back and her chin up, maximizing her five-foot-eight-inch-stature. The way she’d been taught to do by a bevy of governesses and nannies. Her stepmother didn’t take a personal interest in her, but was diligent in ensuring she’d received the necessary training to be a perfect princess and queen.

“Father,” Jules said evenly, not about to display an ounce of emotion. Tears and histrionics would play into her country’s outdated gender stereotypes. They also wouldn’t sway her father. “I was willing to marry Prince Niko, but he discovered Princess Isabel was alive and legally his wife. He had no choice but to end our arrangement.”

Her father’s nostrils flared. “The reason your match ended doesn’t matter.”

Jules understood why he was upset. He wanted to marry her off to a crown prince in order to put one of his grandchildren on a throne outside of Aliestle. He was willing to pay a king’s ransom to make that happen. She’d become the wealthiest royal broodmare around. Unfortunately.

He glared down his patrician nose at her. “The result is the same. Three times now—”

“If I may, Father.” Indignation made Jules speak up. She rarely interrupted her father. Okay, never. She was a dutiful daughter, but she wasn’t going to take the blame for this. “You may have forgotten with all the other important matters on your mind, but you canceled my first match with Prince Christian. And Prince Richard was in love with an American when I arrived on San Montico.”

“These failed engagements are still an embarrassment.” Her father’s frown deepened the lines on his face. The wrinkles reminded Jules of the valley crags in the Alps surrounding their small country. “A stain on our family name and Aliestle.”

A lump of guilt lodged in her throat. Jules had been relieved when she found out Niko wouldn’t be able to annul his first marriage and marry her. From the start, she’d hoped he would fall in love with his long-lost wife so Jules wouldn’t have to get married.

Oh, she’d liked Vernonia with its loyal people and lovely lakes for sailing. The handsome crown prince wanted to modernize his country, not be held back by antiquated customs. She would have had more freedom than she’d ever imagined as his wife and future queen. But she didn’t love Niko.

Silly, given her country’s tradition of arranged marriages. The realist in her knew the odds of marrying for love were slim to none, but the dream wouldn’t die. It grew stronger with the end of each arranged match.

Too bad dreams didn’t matter in Aliestle. Only duty.

Alaric shook his head. “If your mother were alive …”

Mother. Not stepmother.

Jules felt a pang in her heart. “If my mother were alive, I hope she would understand I tried my best.”

She didn’t remember her mother, Queen Brigitta, who had brought progressive, almost shocking, ideas to Aliestle when she married King Alaric. Though the match had been arranged, he fell so deeply in love with his young wife that he’d listened to her differing views on gender equality and proposed new laws at her urging, including higher education opportunities for women. He even took trips with her so she could indulge her passion for sailing despite vocal disapproval from the Council of Elders.

But after Brigitta died competing in a sailing race in the South Pacific when Jules was two, a heartbroken Alaric vowed never to go against convention again. He didn’t rescind the legislation regarding education opportunities for women, but he placed limitations on the jobs females could hold and did nothing to improve their career prospects. He also remarried, taking as his wife and queen a proper Aliestlian noblewoman, one who knew her role and place in society.

“I’d hope my mother would see I’ve spent my life doing what was expected of me out of respect and love for you, my family and our country,” Jules added.

But she knew a lifetime of pleasing others and doing good works didn’t matter. Not in this patriarchal society where daughters, whether royal or commoner, were bartered like chattel. If Jules didn’t marry and put at least one of her children on a throne somewhere, she would be considered a total failure. The obligation and pressure dragged Jules down like a steel anchor.

Her father narrowed his eyes. “I concede you’re not to blame for the three matches ending. You’ve always been a good girl and obeyed my orders.”

His words made her sound like a favored pet, not the beloved daughter he and her mother had spent ten years trying to conceive. Jules wasn’t surprised. Women were treated no differently than lapdogs in Aliestle.

Of course, she’d done nothing to dispel the image. She was as guilty as her father and the Council of Elders for allowing the stereotyping and treatment of women to continue. As a child, she’d learned Aliestle didn’t want her to be as independent and outspoken as her mother had been. They wanted Jules to be exactly what she was—a dutiful princess who didn’t rock the boat. But she hoped to change that once she married and lived outside of Aliestle. She would then be free to help her brother Brandt, the crown prince, so he could modernize their country and improve women’s rights when he became king.

Her father eyed her speculatively. “I suppose it would be premature to marry you off to the heir of an Elder.”

A protest formed in the back of her throat, but Jules pressed her lips together to keep from speaking out. She’d said more than she intended. She had to maintain a cool and calm image even if her insides trembled.

Marrying a royal from Aliestle would keep her stuck in this repressive country forever. Her children, most especially daughters, would face the same obstacles she faced now.

Jules fought a rising panic. “Please, Father, give me another chance. The next match will be successful. I’ll do whatever it takes to marry.”

He raised a brow. “Such enthusiasm.”

More like desperation. She forced the corners of her mouth into a practiced smile. “Well, I’m twenty-eight, father. My biological clock is ticking.”

“Ah, grandchildren.” He beamed, as if another rare natural resource had been discovered in the mountains of Aliestle. “They are the only thing missing in my life. I shall secure you a fourth match right away. Given your track record, I had a backup candidate in mind when you left for Vernonia.”

A backup? His lack of confidence stabbed at her heart.

“All I need to do is negotiate the marriage contract,” he continued.

That would take about five minutes given her dowry.

“Who am I to marry, Father?” Jules asked, as if she wanted to know the person joining them for dinner, not the man she would spend the rest of her life with in a loveless marriage negotiated for the benefit of two countries. But anyone would be better than marrying an Aliestlian.

“Crown Prince Enrique of La Isla de la Aurora.”

“The Island of the Dawn,” she translated.

“It’s a small island in the Mediterranean off the coast of Spain ruled by King Dario.”

Memories of San Montico, another island in the Mediterranean where Crown Prince Richard de Thierry ruled, surfaced. All citizens had equal rights. Arranged marriages were rare though the country had a few old-fashioned customs. She hadn’t been allowed to sail there, but the water and wind had been perfect.

Longing stirred deep inside Jules.

Sailing was her inheritance from her mother and the one place she felt connected to the woman she didn’t remember. It was the only thing Jules did for herself. No matter what life handed out, no matter what tradition she was forced to abide by, she could escape her fate for a few hours when she was on the water.

But only on lakes and rivers.

After Jules learned to sail on the Black Sea while visiting her maternal grandparents, her father had forbidden her to sail on the ocean out of fear she would suffer the same fate as her mother. Two decades later, he still treated Jules like a little girl. Perhaps now he would finally see her as an adult, even though she was female, and change his mind about the restrictions.

“Am I allowed to sail when I’m on the island?” she asked.

“Sailing on the sea is forbidden during your engagement.”

Hope blossomed at his words. He’d never left her an opening before. “After I’m married …?”

“Your husband can decide the fate of your … hobby.”

Not hobby. Passion.

When she was on a boat, only the moment mattered. The wind against her face. The salt in the air. The tiller or a sheet in her hand. She could forget she was Her Royal Highness Princess Julianna and be Jules. Nothing but sailing had ever made her feel so … free.

If La Isla de la Aurora were a progressive island like San Montico, she would have freedom, choice and be allowed to sail on the ocean. Her heart swelled with anticipation. That would be enough to make up for not marrying for love.

“Understand, Julianna, this is your final match outside of Aliestle,” he said firmly. “If Prince Enrique decides he doesn’t want to marry you, you’ll marry one of the Elder’s heirs upon your return home.”

A shiver shot down her spine. “I understand, Father.”

“You may want to push for a short engagement,” he added.

A very short one.

Jules couldn’t afford to have Prince Enrique change his mind about marrying her. She had to convince him she was the only woman for him. The perfect princess for him. And maybe she would find the love she dreamed about on the island. Her parents had fallen in love through an arranged marriage. It could happen to her, too.

She’d avoided thinking about tomorrow. Now she looked forward to the future. “When do I leave for the island, sir?”

“If I complete negotiations with King Dario and Prince Enrique tonight, you may leave tomorrow.” Alaric said. “Your brother Brandt, a maid and a bodyguard will accompany you.”

This was Jules’s last chance for a life of freedom. Not only for herself, but her children and her country. She couldn’t make any mistakes. “I’ll be ready to depart in the morning, Father.”

Lying in bed, Alejandro Cierzo de Amanecer heard a noise outside his room at the beachfront villa. The stray kitten he’d found at the boatyard must want something. He opened his eyes to see sunlight streaming in through the brand-new floor-to-ceiling windows. Most likely breakfast.

The bedroom door burst wide-open. Heavy boots sounded against the recently replaced terra-cotta tile floor.

Not again.

Alejandro grimaced, but didn’t move. He knew the routine.

A squad of royal guards dressed in blue and gold uniforms surrounded his bed. At least they hadn’t drawn their weapons this time. Not that he would call another intrusion progress.

“What does he want now?” Alejandro asked.

The captain of the guard, Sergio Mendoza, looked as stoic as ever, but older with gray hair at his temples. “King Dario requests your presence at the palace, Your Highness.”

Alejandro raked his hand through his hair in frustration. “My father never requests anything.”

Sergio’s facial expression didn’t change. He’d only shown emotion once, when Alejandro had been late bringing Sergio’s youngest daughter home from a date when they were teenagers. In spite of the security detail accompanying them, Alejandro had feared for his life due to the anger in the captain’s eyes.

“The king orders you to come with us now, sir,” Sergio said.

Alejandro didn’t understand why his father wanted to see him. No one at the palace listened to what Alejandro said. He might not want to be part of the monarchy, but he wasn’t about to abandon his country. He’d founded his business here and suggested economic innovations, including developing their tourist trade. But his ideas clashed with those of his father and brother who were more old-fashioned and traditional in their thinking.

A high-pitched squeak sounded. The scraggly black kitten with four white paws clawed his way up the sheet onto the bed. The thing had been a nuisance these past two weeks with the work at the boatyard and renovations here at the villa.

“I need to get dressed before I go anywhere,” Alejandro said.

“We’ll wait while you dress, sir.” Sergio’s words did nothing to loosen Alejandro’s tense shoulder muscles. “The king wants no delay in your arrival.”

Alejandro clenched his teeth. He wanted to tell the loyal captain to leave, but the guards would use force to get him to do what they wanted. He was tired of fighting that battle. “I need privacy.”

Sergio ordered the soldiers out of the room, but he remained standing by the bed. “I’ll wait on the other side of the door, sir. Guards are stationed beneath each window.”

Alejandro rolled his eyes. His father still saw him as a rebellious teenager. “I’m thirty years old, not seventeen.”

Sergio didn’t say anything. No doubt the captain remembered some of Alejandro’s earlier … escapades.

“Tell me where you think I would run to, Captain?” Alejandro lay in bed covered with a sheet. “My business is here. I own properties. My father’s lackeys follow me wherever I go.”

“They are your security detail, sir,” Sergio said. “You must be protected. You’re the second in line for the throne.”

“Don’t remind me,” Alejandro muttered.

“Many would give everything to be in your position.”

Not if they knew what being the “spare” entailed. No one cared what he thought. Even when he tried to help the island, no one supported him. He’d had to do everything on his own.

Alejandro hated being a prince. He’d been educated in the United States. He didn’t want to participate in an outdated form of government where too much power rested with one individual. But he wanted to see his country prosper.

“Guard the door if you must.” Alejandro gave the kitten a pat. “I won’t make your job any more difficult for you than it is.”

As soon as Sergio left, Alejandro slid out of bed and showered. His father hadn’t requested formal dress so khaki shorts, a navy T-shirt and a pair of boat shoes would do.

Twenty minutes later, Alejandro entered the palace’s reception room. His older brother rose from the damask-covered settee. Enrique looked like a younger version of their father with his short hairstyle, tailored designer suit, starched dress shirt, silk tie and polished leather shoes. It was too bad his brother acted like their father, also.

“This had better be important, Enrique,” Alejandro said.

“It is.” His brother’s lips curved into a smug smile. “I’m getting married.”

About time. Enrique’s wedding would be the first step toward Alejandro’s freedom from the monarchy. The birth of a nephew or niece to take his place as second in line for the throne would be the next big step. “Congratulations, bro. I hope it’s a short engagement. Don’t waste any time getting your bride pregnant.”

Enrique smirked. “That’s the plan.”

“Why wait until the wedding? Start now.”

He laughed. “King Alaric would demand my head if I did that. He’s old-fashioned about certain things. Especially his daughter’s virginity.”

“Alaric.” Alejandro had heard the name. It took a second to realize where. “You’re marrying a princess from Aliestle?”

“Not a princess. The princess.” Enrique sounded excited. No wonder. Aliestle was a small kingdom in the Alps. With an abundance of natural resources, the country’s treasury was vast, a hundred times that of La Isla de la Aurora. “King Alaric has four sons and one daughter.”

“Father must be pleased.”

“He’s giddy over the amount of Julianna’s dowry and the economic advantages aligning with Aliestle will bring us. Fortunately for me, the princess is as beautiful as she is rich. A bit of an ice princess from what I hear, but I’ll warm her up.”

“If you need lessons—”

“I may not have your reputation with the ladies, but I shall manage fine on my own.”

“I hope the two of you are happy together.” Alejandro meant the words. A happy union would mean more heirs. The further Alejandro dropped in the line of succession, the better. He couldn’t wait to be able to focus his attention on building his business and attracting more investors to turn the island’s sluggish economy around.

“You are to be the best man.”

A statement of fact or a request? “Mingling with aristocracy is hazardous to my health.”

“You will move home until the wedding.”

A demand. Anger flared. “Enrique—”

“The royal family will show a united front during the engagement period. Your days will be free unless official events are scheduled. You’ll be expected to attend all dinners and evening functions. You must also be present when the princess and her party arrive today.”

Alejandro cursed. “You sound exactly like him.”

“They are Father’s words, not mine.” Rare compassion filled Enrique’s eyes. “But I would like you to be my best man. You’re my favorite brother.”

“I’m your only brother.”

Enrique laughed. “All the more reason for you to stand at my side. Father will compensate you for any inconvenience.”

Alejandro’s entire life was a damn inconvenience. Besides, he would never be able to get the one thing he wanted from his father. “I don’t want his money.”

“You never have, but when Father offers you payment, take it. You can put the money into your boats, buy another villa, donate it to charity or give it away on the streets,” Enrique advised. “You’ve earned this, Alejandro. Don’t let pride get in the way again.”

He wasn’t about to go there. “All I want is to be left alone.”

“As soon as Julianna and I have children, you will no longer be needed around here. If you do your part to ensure the wedding occurs, Father has promised to let you live your own life.”

Finally. “Did you ask for this or did Father offer?”

“It was a combination, but be assured of Father keeping his word.”

“When am I to move back?”

“After lunch.”

Alejandro cursed again. He had a boatyard to run, investment properties to oversee and the Med Cup to prepare for. Not to mention the kitten who expected to be fed. “I have a life. Responsibilities.”

“You have responsibilities here. Ones you ignore while you play with your boats,” Enrique chided.

Seething, Alejandro tried to keep his tone even. “I’m not playing. I’m working. If you’d see the upcoming Med Cup race as an opportunity to promote—”

“If you want to build the island’s reputation, then support this royal wedding. It’ll do much more for the economy than your expensive ideas to improve the island’s nightlife, build flashy resorts and attract the sailing crowd with a little regatta.”

“The Med Cup is a big deal. It’ll—”

“Whatever.” Enrique brushed Alejandro aside as if he were a bothersome gnat. Like father, like son. “Do what you must to be here after lunch or Father will send you away on a diplomatic mission.”

The words were like a punch to Alejandro’s solar plexus. Not unexpected given the way his father and brother operated sometimes. The threat would be carried out, too. That meant Alejandro had to do as told to secure his future. His freedom.

“I’ll be back before your princess arrives.”

But he would be doing a few things his way.

Once the black sheep, always the black sheep.

And let’s face it, Alejandro didn’t mind the title at all.

A helicopter whisked Jules over the clear, blue Mediterranean Sea. The luxurious cabin with large, leather seats comfortably fit the four of them: her, Brandt, Yvette her maid and Klaus their bodyguard. But even with soundproofing, each wore headsets to communicate and protect their ears from the noise of the rotors.

Almost there.

A combination of excitement and nerves made Jules want to tap her toes and twist the ends of her hair with her finger. She kept her hands clasped on her lap instead. She wanted to make her family and country proud. Her mother, God rest her soul, too. Presenting the image of a princess completely in control was important, even if doing so wasn’t always easy.

She glanced out the window. Below, on the water, a Sun Fast 3200 with a colorful spinnaker caught her eye. She pressed her forehead against the window to get a better look at the sailboat.

Gorgeous.

The crew sat on the rail, their legs dangling over the side. The hull planed across the waves.

Longing made it difficult to breath.

What she wouldn’t give to be on that boat sailing away from the island instead of flying toward the stranger who would be her husband and the father of her children … But she shouldn’t wish that. Jules had a responsibility, a duty, the same that had been thrust upon her mother so many years ago. Marrying Prince Enrique had to be better than being stuck in patriarchal Aliestle for the rest of her life. At least, she hoped so. If not …

Jules grimaced.

“You okay?” Brandt’s voice asked through her headset.

She shrugged. “I think I’m cursed. When my godparents offered gifts at my christening, one of them must have cursed me to a life of duty with no reward. A loveless arranged marriage.”

And an unfulfilled yearning for adventure and freedom.

“Look out the window,” Brandt said. “You’re not cursed, Jules. You’re going to be living on a vacation paradise.”

Crescents of postcard-worthy white sand beaches came into view. Palm trees seemed to stand at attention, except for the few arching toward the ground. The beach gave way to a town. Pastel-colored, tiled roofed buildings and narrow streets dotted the hillsides above the village center.

She glimpsed rows of sailboats moored at a marina. The masts, tall and shiny, rocked starboard and port like metronomes. Her mouth went dry.

Perhaps cursed was the wrong word. All these sailboats had to be a good sign, right? “Maybe life will be different here.”

“It will.” Brandt smiled, the same charming smile she’d seen on a cover of a tabloid at the airport in Spain. “Your fiancé will be unable to resist your beauty and intelligence. He’ll fall head over heels in love with you and allow you to do whatever you wish. Including sailing on the ocean.”

She wiggled her toes in anticipation. “I hope that’s true.”

“Believe,” he encouraged. “That’s what you always tell me.”

Yes, she did. But this situation was different. Jules knew nothing about Prince Enrique. She’d been so busy preparing for her departure she hadn’t had time to look him up on the internet. Not that she had a choice in marrying him even if he turned out to be an ogre.

For all she knew he was old with one foot in the grave. Okay, now she was overreacting. Her father had always matched her with younger men because he wanted grandchildren. This match shouldn’t be any different.

Jules hoped Enrique was charming, handsome and would sweep her off her feet. She wanted to find him attractive and be able to love him. She also wanted his heart to be free and open to loving her in return.

Her concern ratcheted. Prince Richard and Prince Niko had been in love with other women. If Enrique’s affections were attached to a girlfriend or mistress that wouldn’t bode well for their match reaching the altar or, if it did, love developing between them.

Jules shifted in her seat. “I do hope this island has up-to-date ideas about women.”

“It has to be more contemporary. Aliestle has been asleep since the Middle Ages.” Brandt cupped one side of his headset with his hand. “Listen, I hear Father snoring now. The tyrant could wake the dead.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Jules’s mouth. “Too bad we can’t wake him.”

“Along with the entire Council of Elders.”

Nodding, she stared at her brother who was more known as a playboy crown prince than a burgeoning politician and ruler. “When you’re king, you’ll change the way things are done.”

Brandt shrugged. “Being king will be too much work.”

“You’ll rise to the occasion,” she encouraged.

He gave her a look. “You really think so?”

“Yes.” Her gaze locked with his, willing him to remember their previous discussions and their plan. Okay, her plan. “You will bring our country into the twenty-first century. If not for our younger brothers and subjects, then for your children and theirs. Especially the daughters.”

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do. And I’ll help.” The bane of his existence was being crown prince. Brandt wanted all the perks that went with being royalty without any of the responsibility. One of these days he was going to have to grow up. “Once I marry someone outside of Aliestle, Father’s reign over me ends. I’ll be able to represent our country to the world and gain support to help you enact reforms when you are king, even if the Council of Elders is against them. We must change Aliestle for the better, Brandt.”

He didn’t say anything. She didn’t expect him to.

“We are approaching the palace,” the pilot announced over the headsets.

Goose bumps prickled Jules’s skin.

Full of curiosity at her new home, she peered out the window. A huge white stucco and orange-tile roofed palace perched above the sea. The multistoried building had numerous balconies and windows.

But no tower. Another good sign?

A paved road and narrower walking paths wove their way through a landscape of palm trees, flowering bushes and manicured greenery. Water shot at least twenty-five feet into the air from an ornately decorated fountain.

The Mediterranean island and palace were a world away from Aliestle and the stone castle fortress nestled high in the Alps. Living somewhere lighter and brighter would be a welcome change from the Grimm-like fairy-tale setting she called home.

“Father may have finally gotten this right,” Brandt said.

Jules nodded. “It’s pretty.”

“At least on the outside.”

She sighed. “Don’t forget, dear brother, you’re here for moral support.”

“And to make sure the honeymoon doesn’t start early,” Brandt joked.

As if she’d ever had that opportunity present itself. She glared at him. “Be quiet.”

“Sore spot, huh?”

He had no idea. Engaged three times, and she’d never come close to anything other than kisses. Besides making out with Christian while a teenager, she’d been kissed once as an adult. Prince Niko’s kiss while sailing had been pleasant enough, but nothing like the passion she’d overheard other women discussing. Perhaps with Prince Enrique …

The helicopter landed on a helipad. The engine stopped. The rotor’s rotation slowed. Her hand trembled, making her work harder to unbuckle her harness. Finally she undid the latch. As they exited, a uniformed staff member placed their luggage onto a wheeled cart.

“Welcome to La Isla de la Aurora, Your Royal Highness Crown Prince Brandt and Your Royal Highness Princess Julianna.” An older man in a gray suit bowed. “I am Ortiz. Prince Enrique sends his regrets for not meeting you himself, but he is attending to important state business at the moment.”

“We understand.” Brandt smiled. He might not be the typical statesman, but no one could fault his friendliness. “State business comes first.”

Jules looked around at the potted plants and flowering vines. A floral scent lingered in the air. Paradise? Perhaps.

“Thank you, sir.” Ortiz sounded grateful. “I am in charge of the palace and at your service. Whatever you need, I’ll see that you have it.”

Jules glanced at Brandt, whose grin resembled the Cheshire cat’s. She would have to make sure he didn’t take advantage of the generous offer of hospitality.

“The palace grounds are lovely, Ortiz,” she said. “Very inviting with so many colorful flowers and plants.”

“I am happy you like it, ma’am.” His smile took years off his tanned, lined face. “Please allow me to show you and your party inside.”

Klaus nodded. Her bodyguard, in his fifties with a crew cut and a gun hidden under his tailored suit jacket, had protected her for as long as she could remember.

“Lead the way, Ortiz,” she said.

As they walked from the helipad to the front door, Ortiz gave her a brief history lesson about the palace. She had no idea the royal family had ruled the island for so long. No doubt the continuous line of succession had impressed her father who would want to ensure a long reign for his grandchildren and the heirs that followed.

“Prince Enrique has done so much for the island,” Ortiz said. “A finer successor to King Dario cannot be found, ma’am.”

If only Jules knew whether the compliments were truthful or propaganda. She knew little about her future husband besides his name. “I’m looking forward to meeting Prince Enrique.”

Ortiz beamed. “He said the same thing about you at lunch-time, ma’am.”

A third good sign? Jules hoped so.

When they reached the palace entry, two arched wooden doors parted as if by magic. Once the heavy doors were fully open, she saw two uniformed attendants standing behind and holding them.

Jules stared at the entrance with a mix of anticipation and apprehension. If all went well—and she hoped it did—this palace would be her new home. She would live with her husband and raise her children here. She fought the urge to cross her fingers.

With a deep breath, she stepped inside. The others followed.

A thirty-foot ceiling gave the large marble tiled foyer an open and airy feel. Stunning paintings, a mix of modern and classical works, hung on the walls. A marble statue of a woman sitting in the middle captured Jules’s attention. “What an amazing sculpture.”

“That is Eos, one of the Greek’s second generation Titan gods,” Ortiz explained. “We are more partial to the Latin name, Aurora. Whichever name you prefer, she’ll always be the Goddess of the Dawn.”

“Beautiful,” Brandt agreed. “Eos had a strong desire for handsome young men. If she looked anything like this statue, I’m sure she had no trouble finding willing lovers.”

“Close the front doors,” a male voice shouted. “Now.”

The attendants pushed the heavy doors. Grunts sounded. Muscles strained.

“Hurry,” the voice urged.

The people behind Jules rushed farther into the foyer so the doors could be shut. The momentum pushed her forward.

A shirtless man wearing shorts ran toward the doors. Something black darted across the floor.

Yvette screamed. “A rat, Your Highnesses.”

“There are no rats in the palace,” Ortiz shouted.

The ball of black fur darted between Jules’s legs. Startled, she stumbled face-first.

“Catch her,” Klaus yelled.

Too late. The marble floor seemed to rise up to meet Jules though she was the one falling.

She stopped abruptly. Not against the floor.

Strong arms embraced Jules. Her face pressed against a hard, bare chest. Her cheek rested against warm skin. Dark hair tickled her nose. The sound of a heartbeat filled her ears. He smelled so good. No fancy colognes. Only soap and water and salty ocean air.

She wanted another sniff.

Ortiz shrieked. “Your Highnesses. Are either of you hurt?”

Highnesses? The man must be a prince. Her father had only spoken of the crown prince. No other brothers had been mentioned. Oh, if this were Enrique …




CHAPTER TWO


“JULES?” BRANDT sounded concerned.

“I’m fine,” Jules said quickly, more interested in the man—the prince—who saved her from hitting her face on the floor and still held her with his strong arms. Such wide shoulders, too.

Awareness seeped through her.

“My apologies.” His deep, rich voice and Spanish accent sent her racing pulse into a mad sprint. “The kitten darted out of the room before I could grab him.”

Ortiz raised his chin. “As I said, there are no rats in the palace, Princess.”

The prince inhaled sharply. She found herself being set upon her feet. But he kept hold of her, even after she was standing.

“Stable?” he asked.

She nodded, forcing herself not to stare at his muscular chest and ripped abs.

He let go of her.

A chill shivered through Jules. She wasn’t used to being in such close contact with anyone, but she missed having his nicely muscled arms around her.

She studied him, eager for a better look.

Over six feet tall with an athletic build, he looked more pirate than prince with shoulder-length dark brown hair, an earring in his left ear, khaki shorts and bare feet.

His strong jawline, high cheekbones and straight nose looked almost chiseled and made her think of the Eos sculpture. But his full lips and thick eyelashes softened the harsher features.

The result—a gorgeous face she would be happy to stare at for hours. Days. Years.

Jules’s heart thudded. “Thank you.”

Warm brown eyes met hers. Gold specks flickered like flames around his irises. “You’re welcome.”

Everyone else faded into the background. Time seemed to stop. Something unfamiliar unfurled deep inside her.

He swooped up a black ball of fur with one hand. The look of tenderness in his dark eyes as he checked the kitten melted her heart. She would love for a man—this man—to look at her that way.

The kitten meowed. As he rubbed it, he returned his attention to her. “You’re Princess Julianna from Aliestle.”

It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.” Jules had never believed in love at first sight until now. She hoped their children looked exactly like him. A smile spread across her lips and reached all the way to her heart. Her father had gotten this right. She would realize her dream of marrying for love. A warm glow flowed through her. “You must be Enrique.”

“No.” His jaw thrust forward. “I am Alejandro.”

Alejandro held on to the kitten as confusion clouded Juliana’s pretty face. He was a little confused by his own reaction to this so-called ice princess. She had practically melted against him, and he’d yet to cool down from the contact. The woman was gorgeous, with a killer body underneath her coral-colored suit, long blond hair and big blue eyes a man could drown in.

She smelled sweet, like a bouquet of wildflowers. He wondered if her glossed lips tasted …

Not sweet.

He forced his gaze off her mouth. Julianna’s marriage to Enrique and the children she conceived would remove Alejandro from the line of succession. She was his ticket out of his obligation to the monarchy. He couldn’t think of her as anything other than his future sister-in-law.

That shouldn’t be difficult since she wasn’t his type.

Beautiful, yes, if you liked the kind of woman who knew how to apply makeup perfectly and could give any supermodel a run for her money. But he wanted a woman who didn’t care about the trappings of wealth and royalty. A woman who was down-to-earth and didn’t mind the spray of salt water in her face.

‘Alejandro,” Julianna repeated as if he didn’t know his own name.

He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had mistaken him for Enrique. Polar opposites didn’t begin to describe their differences. But the fact Julianna didn’t know what her future husband looked like surprised Alejandro more. Arranged marriages were still a part of royal life in some countries, but agreeing to marry someone without seeing their photograph struck him as odd. “Yes.”

She stiffened. The warmth in her eyes disappeared. The expression on her face turned downright chilly.

Ice princess?

He saw now why she’d been called that. The change in her demeanor startled him, but he shouldn’t have been surprised. Alejandro had dated enough spoiled and pampered royals and wealthy girls to last a lifetime. This one, with a rich-as-Midas father, would most likely rank up there with the worst. He almost pitied Enrique. Emphasis on almost.

She drew her finely arched brows together, looking haughty not curious. “That makes you …?”

The kitten chirped, sounding more bird than cat. Alejandro used his thumb to rub under the cat’s chin.

Impatience flashed in Julianna’s eyes.

He took his time answering. “Enrique’s younger brother.”

Alejandro waited for her look of disdain. No one cared about the second in line for the throne, especially a woman meant to be queen.

“Oh.” Her face remained expressionless. But royals were trained to turn off emotion with the flick of a switch and not display their true feelings. “I didn’t realize Enrique had a younger brother.”

That Alejandro believed. “My family prefers not to talk about me.”

Ortiz cleared his throat.

“The princess will be family soon enough, Ortiz.” Alejandro would be counting the days as soon as the official wedding date was set. He couldn’t wait to live his own life without interference from his family. Of course, an heir or two would need to be born until he would be totally free. He shifted his gaze to the princess. “She’ll hear the stories. Whispers over tea. Innuendos over cocktails. Nudges during dessert. No sense hiding the truth.”

Tilting her chin, she gave him a cool look. “What truth might that be?”

“I’m the black sheep of the family.”

Julianna pursed her lips. “A black cat for the black sheep.”

“Not by choice,” he admitted. “The cat chose me.”

She stared at the kitten, but didn’t pet him. Definitely ice running through her veins. “Such a lucky kitty to be able to choose for itself.”

“It’s too bad royalty doesn’t get the same choices,” Alejandro said.

He waited for her to reply. She didn’t.

“Eat, sleep, play.” A man in his early twenties with dark, curly brown hair stepped forward. He had rugged features, but his refined demeanor matched his designer suit and Italian leather shoes. “The life of a cat seems perfect to me. Much better than that of a prince.”

“Well, the kitten is a stray,” Alejandro said. “Caviar isn’t part of his diet.”

The man grinned. “It’s only part of mine on occasion.”

Julianna sighed. “Prince Alejandro, this is—”

“Alejandro,” he corrected. “I don’t use my title.”

“Wish I could get away with that,” the other man said. “Though the title does come in handy when it comes to women.”

“That is the one benefit I have found,” Alejandro agreed.

Julianna rolled her eyes. “The two of you can compare dating notes later. Now it’s time for a formal introduction.”

The princess’s words told Alejandro she was cut from the same cloth as Enrique. Both seemed to hold an appreciation for royal protocol and etiquette. Something Alejandro saw as a complete waste of time. The two stuffy royals might live happily ever after.

“Alejandro,” she continued. “This is His Royal Highness Crown Prince Brandt. One of my four younger brothers.”

Brother? Alejandro studied the two. He couldn’t believe they were so closely related. Brandt was as dark as his sister was fair.

“Half brother,” Julianna clarified, as if reading Alejandro’s thoughts.

That explained it. But nothing explained why his gaze drifted to the curve of her hips. A nice body would never make up for an unpleasant personality that was the female version of his older brother. Maybe he’d been spending too much time working at the boatyard and not enough time out partying with the ladies. Perhaps later …

Right now he wanted to return to his room. Being surrounded by royalty was suffocating.

“It’s been nice meeting you.” His obligation to be here when the princess arrived had been met. He cradled the now napping kitten in the crook of his arm. “I’ll see …”

Julianna stroked the kitten. The move took him by surprise. The soft smile on her face reached all the way to her eyes and made him do a double-take. His pulse rate shot up a few notches.

He’d always been a sucker for a pair of big baby blues. “Would you like to hold him?”

She drew back her hand. Her French manicured nails had no cracks or chips. “No, thank you.”

Alejandro didn’t know whether to be intrigued or annoyed by the princess. Before he could decide which, a cloud of strong aftershave hit him. He recognized the toxic scent, otherwise known as the expensive designer brand of cologne his brother wore.

Enrique turned the corner. He strode across the floor with quick steps and his head held high. Whereas Brandt looked regal, Enrique came across as pompous.

He stared at Julianna as if she were a red diamond, a rare gem meant only for him. Dollar signs shone in his eyes. Enrique’s priority had always been La Isla de la Aurora. Women were secondary, which was why an arranged marriage had been necessary.

After an uncomfortable moment of silence, Enrique glared at Ortiz, who introduced everyone with lofty titles and more middle names than Alejandro could count.

Enrique struck a ridiculous pose, as if he were at a photo shoot not standing in the foyer. “I hope you had a pleasant journey from Aliestle.”

“Thank you. I did.” Julianna’s polite smile gave nothing away as to her first impression of her groom. “The palace is lovely.”

Leave it to Enrique to turn meeting his future wife into such a formal event. Alejandro couldn’t believe his brother. Didn’t he remember their charm lessons with Mrs. Delgado? If Enrique had a clue about women, about Julianna, he would kiss her hand and compliment her on her shoes. He would make her feel as if she’d arrived home, not treat her like a temporary houseguest. But Enrique only did what he wanted, no matter how that affected anyone else.

“Alejandro.” Irritation filled Enrique’s eyes. “What are you doing with that animal?”

“He’s a kitten. And I’m only following your instructions, brother,” Alejandro explained. “I’m here, as requested, to meet your lovely bride.”

Enrique’s face reddened. “You could at least have taken the time to dress.”

“He escaped while I was changing.” Alejandro petted the sleeping cat. “I assumed Father wouldn’t want a kitten tearing through the palace unattended.”

Enrique started to speak then stopped himself. Their guests must be keeping his temper in check. At least the princess and her entourage were good for something around here.

“I’ll take him to my room,” Alejandro added. “See you at dinner.”

“Formal attire,” Enrique reminded, his voice tight. “In case you’ve forgotten, that includes shirt and shoes.”

Alejandro rocked back on his heels. “I know how to dress for dinner, bro, but thanks for the reminder.”

The air crackled with tension.

Twenty years ago, they would have been fighting while Ortiz called for the palace guards to separate them. Ten years ago, the same thing might have happened. But Enrique would never lower himself, or his station, to that level now. Even if his hard gaze told Alejandro he wanted to fight.

“At least your younger brother knows how to dress, Enrique. Not all of mine do.” Julianna sounded empathetic. “I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s hard being the oldest.”

Her words may have been calculated, but they did the trick. Enrique’s jaw relaxed. He focused his attention on Julianna.

Alejandro was impressed. Diffusing the situation so deftly took skill. And practice.

“It can be difficult.” The corners of Enrique’s mouth lifted into a half smile. “Younger siblings don’t take things as seriously or have the same sense of duty.”

Idiot. Alejandro wondered if his brother realized he was also slamming Brandt, another crown prince, with his words.

“Some don’t,” Julianna agreed. “But others just need to understand their responsibilities a little better. Isn’t that right, dear brother?”

Brandt nodded, looking more amused than offended. Alejandro liked the guy already.

Enrique’s mouth twisted, as if he finally understood how his words could be construed. “I was talking about Alejandro.”

Julianna smiled at Enrique. “Of course, you were.”

The woman was smooth. Alejandro had no idea if her skills came from dealing with her brothers or boyfriends, but he’d never seen anyone handle Enrique so well. Not even their mother who had separated from their father years ago. Maybe Julianna could rein in the future ruler’s ego and temper. If she had a brain in that pretty head of hers, as she seemed to, she could stop him from making bad decisions, like focusing on projects that aggrandized himself, but did nothing to help the island.

The ice princess might be exactly what Enrique needed.

Alejandro would have to make sure his brother didn’t blow this engagement.

For both their sakes. And the island’s.

“Thank you for escorting me to my room.” Standing with Enrique, Jules glanced around. The pastel pink and yellow decor was bright and cheery. Maybe some of it would rub off on her because right now she was feeling a little … down. She forced a smile anyway. Replacing Enrique’s aftershave and teaching him a few manners wouldn’t be difficult. It could be much worse. “The suite is lovely.”

“I asked Ortiz to put you in this room.” Enrique pulled back a curtain. “I thought you might like the view.”

She stared out the window at rows of colorful flowers below. A burst of hot pink. A swatch of bright yellow. A patch of purple.

Another wave of disappointment washed over her. The same way it had when she’d discovered her hottie rescuer wasn’t going to be her husband, but her brother-in-law.

Don’t think about that. About him. Otherwise she might find herself back in Aliestle.

“A garden.” She hoped she sounded more enthusiastic than she felt. A bush of red roses captured her attention until she noticed the large thorns on the thick stems. Ouch, that would hurt. “How nice.”

“The garden is the closest thing I have to a hobby now. A majority of the flowers are in bloom,” Enrique explained. “When you open the window, the breeze will carry a light floral scent into your room.”

“Picking out this room for me is so thoughtful of you.” Even if she would have preferred the smell of salt water, a view of the sea, Alejandro.

No, that wasn’t fair.

Enrique was handsome. He looked more like a fashion model from Milan than a crown prince in his designer suit, starched shirt, silk tie and leather shoes. If he’d been shirtless and she found herself pressed against his hard chest …

She tried to imagine it. Tried and failed.

He wasn’t Alejandro, who had appeared in the foyer like the Roman god Mars come to life and looking for a fight. Well, until he held the kitten in his hand, and then he’d looked … perfect.

Not perfect. No one was perfect.

But the two brothers were tall, dark and handsome. They shared the same brown eyes, but the similarities ended there. One was sexy and dangerous, the black sheep. The other was formal and Old World, the future king.

Jules might be inexperienced when it came to men, but she wasn’t stupid. Even if thinking about Alejandro made her pulse quicken, Enrique would make the better husband and father. He was the logical choice, the smart choice.

The only choice.

She was here to be Enrique’s bride and his alone. She would be his wife and one day a queen. Whatever she may have felt in Alejandro’s arms didn’t matter. No one could ever know she found him attractive. As for her fiancé …

So what if he had similar mannerisms and speech as her father? Perhaps Enrique’s formality stemmed from nervousness. Crown princes were human, even if few would admit it.

He had selected this room for her. Granted, the view wasn’t the one she would have preferred, but he’d had his reasons for choosing it. And he was still better than marrying anyone from Aliestle. Jules smiled genuinely at him. “Thank you for welcoming us into your home.”

“It’ll be your home soon enough.”

She nodded, trying to muster a few ounces of happy feelings and peppiness. She hoped they would come.

“I look forward to seeing you at dinner,” he said.

“As do I.”

He took her hand and raised it to his mouth. He brushed his lips over her skin.

Jules wanted to feel the same passion and heat she’d felt in Alejandro’s arms. She would settle for a spark, tingles, warmth at the point of contact, even a small shiver. But she felt … nothing.

Enrique released her hand. “Until later, my princess.”

Later. The word resonated with her.

As he left and closed the door behind him, she remembered what she’d told Izzy, Princess Isabel of Vernonia.

Remember, just because you don’t love someone at the beginning doesn’t mean you won’t love them in the end. Love can grow over time.

Jules needed to listen to her own advice.

My princess. She would be Enrique’s princess. She needed to act like it, too.

Just because she didn’t feel anything with him now, didn’t mean she wouldn’t ever. Physical attraction and chemistry weren’t the same as love. Passion could be fleeting, but love remained. Prevailed. This first meeting was only the beginning.

Love could grow between her and Enrique.

She had to give the relationship time, keep an open heart and remember how love had blossomed with her parents.

But to be on the safe side until love bloomed with Enrique, Jules realized with an odd pang, keeping her distance from Alejandro would probably be a good idea.

Dinner was exactly what Alejandro thought it would be—a total drag. Each course of the gourmet meal took forever. He enjoyed good food, but by the time the meal finished, he’d be falling out of his chair sound asleep. The conversation about international trade agreements would make a rabbit in heat want to nap.

Across the table, Julianna sat next to her brother, Brandt. She looked stunning in a blue evening gown that matched the color of her eyes. The dress didn’t show a lot of skin, but the flowing fabric gave enough of a hint of what was underneath to make a man want to see more.

He tried not to look at her.

Enrique was doing enough staring for both of them.

But Alejandro heard her voice drone on. She tried to sound interested in what others were saying, but her tone lacked warmth. Yes, she was going to be an excellent match for his superficial brother.

Five formally dressed staff members set plates of pan-seared sea scallops in front of each of them at the exact same time. Two wine stewards circled the table filling wineglasses from bottles of Pinot Gris.

What Alejandro wouldn’t give for plates of tapas and a pitcher of sangria right now.

Enrique laughed at something Julianna said. So did his father.

“Who knew your bride would be an expert in trade?” Dario said.

“Thank you, sir.” Julianna’s smile didn’t reach her eyes the way it had when she’d petted the kitten. “But trade is a hobby.”

A hobby? Maybe a geek lived inside the beauty’s body. Or maybe she was trying to impress her future father-in-law. Either way, Alejandro wanted nothing to do with her.

“Now that is a worthy hobby.” Enrique pinned Alejandro with a contemptible look. “Unlike some of the hobbies others of us have.”

He stared over the rim of his wineglass. “Care to wager how my hobby turns out during the Med Cup, bro?”

Julianna’s fork clattered against her plate and bounced off the table. Her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink. “Excuse me.”

Alejandro studied her. Strange. The stumble in the foyer aside, Julianna didn’t seem like a klutzy princess. It was unusual for someone as elegant as her to drop her fork in the middle of dinner and make a spectacle of herself.

Two servants rushed to her side. One picked up the fork from the ground. The other placed a new fork on the table.

“Thank you.” She raised her half-filled water glass. “So you sail, Alejandro?”

“I sail. I also build boats. Racing sailboats.” He noticed the glance exchanged between Julianna and Brandt. “Do either of you sail?”

She looked again at her brother.

“We sail,” Brandt answered. “On local lakes and rivers. For pleasure. Unlike many of our royal compatriots who enjoy the competitive side of the sport.”

Alejandro couldn’t understand why Julianna needed her brother to answer such a simple question. She’d had no problem talking about trade.

Enrique swirled the wine in his glass. “Some royals take sailing too seriously. I enjoyed the few regattas I competed in, but I no longer have time to sail with so many other obligations.”

“Horse racing may be the sport of kings,” Brandt said. “But many royals have sailed for their countries in the Summer Games. I’m sure more would have liked to.”

Dario nodded. “I’ve always preferred the water to horses.”

“As have I,” Enrique added hastily.

Julianna leaned forward. The neckline of her gown gaped, giving Alejandro a glimpse of ivory skin and round breasts. He forced his attention onto the sea scallops instead.

“Will one of your boats be entered in the Med Cup?” she asked, as if trying to draw him into conversation.

He appreciated her taking an interest. “My newest design.”

“A bit risky, don’t you think?” Enrique asked.

Alejandro shrugged. “You never know until you try.”

A smug smile curved Enrique’s lips. “I may take you up on that wager.”

“My sons take the opposite sides on everything,” King Dario explained. “And if they can figure a way to bet on the outcome …”

“They sound like my brothers, sir.” Julianna’s smile lit up her face. The result took Alejandro’s breath away. She looked more like the woman he’d held in his arms, not the cool, proper princess. “Brandt isn’t as bad as the younger three. At least not any longer.”

Brandt raised his glass to her. “Thanks, sis.”

“So will you be sailing in the race, Alejandro?” She sounded not only interested but also curious.

“Possibly.” The change in her intrigued him. “I’m trying to find the right mix of crew. But the boat can be sailed single-handedly, too.”

“Doesn’t sound like much of a racing boat,” Enrique said.

“The best boats can perform with varying numbers of crew.” Her eyes became more animated as she spoke. “I’m sure it’ll be an exciting race.”

Alejandro thought he heard a note of wistfulness in her voice. “Racing is always exciting. I’d be happy to take all of you out sailing. You could see the boat for yourself.”

Julianna straightened.

Brandt smiled. “Thanks, that sounds like fun.”

“Yes, but a sail isn’t possible right now.” As Enrique spoke, Julianna leaned back in her chair with a thoughtful expression on her face. “I don’t need to sail on your boat to know what the outcome of the race will be.”

Alejandro didn’t know why he tried.

“Enough sailing.” Dario gave a dismissive wave of his hand. “We have more important things to discuss, like wedding plans. King Alaric says there is no need for a lengthy engagement.”

“Our father is satisfied with the marriage contract,” Brandt said. “Whatever wedding date you decide upon is fine with him.”

“Outstanding. A short engagement, it’ll be.” Dario beamed. “How quickly do you two want to get married?”

Enrique and Julianna smiled at each other, but neither said a word.

“If I might make a suggestion, Father,” Alejandro offered.

“Go on.”

“Set the wedding date a week after the Med Cup, sir.”

“That would be a short engagement. Why then?” Dario asked.

“Because two people have never seemed more perfect for each other.” Oddly, the words felt like sandpaper against Alejandro’s tongue. But the sooner the two were married, the sooner he would be free. “Having the wedding after the Med Cup will allow me to focus all my attention on my responsibilities as best man.”

“Excellent suggestion,” his father said. “Enrique, Julianna. Do you agree?”

“I do.” Enrique stared at Julianna. “I can’t wait to marry.”

“Neither can I.” Julianna sounded like she meant it.

Dario clapped his hands together. The sound echoed through the large dining room. “I’ll call King Alaric in the morning.”

“I’ll start planning our honeymoon,” Enrique said.

The thought of Julianna in his brother’s bed left a bad taste in Alejandro’s mouth. But heirs were necessary if he wanted to be left alone by his father.

Julianna didn’t seem to mind. A charming blush crept up her long, graceful neck.

He remembered what Enrique had said about King Alaric’s daughter being a virgin. That didn’t seem possible unless he had used his wealth to protect her virtue. But was the seemingly in-control princess ready for some passion?

Alejandro couldn’t forget the way she’d pressed into him and how her heart pounded against his chest when he’d held her in his arms or the excited tone of her voice and the gleam in her eyes when she talked about sailing. Only a talented actress could feign that kind of interest.

Maybe there was more to her than Alejandro realized.

Not that it mattered. He picked up his wineglass and sipped. Not much anyway.




CHAPTER THREE


AFTER DINNER, Jules stood out on the terrace alone. Cicadas chirped. A breeze rustled through the palm fronds. The temperature had cooled, but no jacket was required.

She glanced inside through the open terrace doors to see Brandt having a brandy with King Dario. Enrique must still be on his telephone call with the ambassador to the United States.

Jules enjoyed the moment of solitude, a break from the endless conversation at the dinner table. At least the topic had finally turned to something interesting.

With her hands on the railing, Jules gazed up at the night sky. The stars surrounding the almost full moon winked at her. A smile graced her lips.

Perhaps she wasn’t cursed.

Enrique hadn’t said yes to the sailing invitation, but his words “right now” filled Julianna with hope. He’d raced sailboats. Alejandro built racing sailboats. Her wedding date was a couple of weeks away.

What were the odds of so many things working out so well? Not only was she marrying into a family of sailors, she would soon be Enrique’s wife. She could say goodbye to being submissive for the rest of her life.

On La Isla de la Aurora, she would be able to do what she wanted. Personal freedom, yes, but she could also help Brandt to show the world Aliestle was more than an eccentric, backward country. Maybe by doing that, Jules would be able to live up to the spirit of her mother.

Laughter bubbled up inside her.

Oh, she’d visit her homeland, but she would no longer be expected to live by all the restrictive laws and traditions.

The only thing missing was falling in love, but given how well everything else was turning out she believed it would happen. She would fall in love with Enrique and he with her. The same way her parents had fallen in love after their arranged marriage.

It was all going to work out. “I know it will.”

“Know what will?” a male voice asked from the shadows.

Jules jumped. “Who’s there?”

“I didn’t mean to startle you.”

She squinted. She couldn’t see anyone, but recognized the voice. “Alejandro.”

He ascended the staircase leading to the terrace where she stood. “Good evening, Julianna.”

Her heart lurched. She fought against the burst of attraction making her mouth go dry. It wasn’t easy.

The stubble on his face made him look so much like a sexy pirate. She could easily imagine him standing behind the wheel of a sailing ship trying to capture a vessel full of gold or pretty wenches.

He’d removed his jacket, tie and cummerbund. The neck of his dress shirt was unbuttoned, the tails hung out of the trousers and his sleeves were rolled up. The high rollers decked out in the finest menswear on the Côte d’Azur had nothing on Alejandro. Even with his bare feet.

“How long have you been lurking in the shadows?” she asked.

He moved gracefully like a dancer or a world-class athlete. “Long enough to hear you laughing.”

Heat enflamed her cheeks. “If I’d known you were there …”

Alejandro crossed the terrace to stand next to her. “No need to apologize for being happy.”

Maybe not for him. But happy wasn’t an emotion Jules was used to experiencing let alone expressing. Sharing that moment embarrassed her. Still she owed him for what he’d said at dinner about sailing and the wedding. But one was more important than the other. “Thank you for suggesting a short engagement.”

“Afraid you’ll change your mind?” he asked.

“Worried Enrique will.”

“Not going to happen.”

Jules wished she shared Alejandro’s confidence. “I’ve heard that before.”

“He’d be a fool, a complete idiot, if he didn’t marry you.”

His compliment made her feel warm all over. His opinion shouldn’t matter, but for some reason it did. “Well, intelligence has never been a requirement to be a crown prince.”

The deep, rich sound of his laughter seeped into her and raised her temperature ten degrees. “You’re a contradiction, Julianna.”

“How so?”

“Your dress and demeanor present the image of a proper, dutiful princess, who dots her I’s and crosses her T’s. Yet you show glimpses …”

No one had ever looked beneath the surface or beyond the label of dutiful princess. She wouldn’t have expected Alejandro to, either. Full of curiosity, she leaned toward him. “Of what?”

“Of being a not-so-perfect princess.”

It was her turn to laugh. That wasn’t who she was. Oh, well … Perhaps Enrique would recognize the real her. “You’re reading too much into my words and deeds. Women are second-class citizens in Aliestle. We must obey the men in our lives or deal with the consequences. Duty becomes our way of life. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have the same hopes and dreams, the same sense of humor, as women in more contemporary lands such as this island.”

“As I said, a contradiction.”

She eyed him warily. “Thank you, I think.”

“It’s a compliment.” He glanced back toward the sitting room. “Your groom has returned.”

Jules looked behind her to see Enrique holding a brandy and talking with the others.

“I should leave you.” Alejandro took a step toward the staircase. “I don’t want my brother to think I’m trying to steal his princess bride.”

Would Alejandro do that? Her pulse skittered thinking he might.

Stop. Now. She couldn’t allow herself to be carried away with girlish fantasies. She raised her chin. “Enrique wouldn’t think—”

“Yes, he would.”

“Have you stolen his girlfriends in the past?”

His eyes raked over her. “No, we have different taste in women.”

Alejandro’s stark appraisal should have made her feel uncomfortable, but he also made her feel sexy, a way she’d never felt before. She wet her lips. “Would your being the black sheep and all the gossip have something to do with Enrique feeling this way?”

Alejandro grinned wryly. “Possibly.”

“So the rumors and stories are true.”

“Some are,” he admitted. “Others are exaggerations.”

He was a gorgeous prince. That often led people to act out of …”I’m sure a few tales are due to jealousy.”

He eyed her curiously. “Has this happened to you?”

“Oh, no. I’m about as proper a princess as you’ll find.”

“Proper with obvious skills of manipulation.”

“Proper with practiced social skills and manners that help others get along.”

“Yet you downplay your intelligence by saying your knowledge about international trade is nothing but a hobby.”

His perceptiveness made her feel like a mouse caught in a trap. He might be a black sheep and prefer to go barefoot, but he was sharp. She’d have to watch herself. “Education opportunities for females in my country exist, but are limited. Women are allowed to hold only certain jobs. We must work within the system. I’ve been more fortunate than others and able to use my time traveling abroad to … expand my knowledge base. But the last thing my country wants is their princess spouting off how smart she thinks she is.”

Laughter lit Alejandro’s eyes and made her temperature rise ten degrees. “You’ll be good for Enrique. Keep him on his toes. But he won’t mind.”

“I hope not. What about you?” Jules liked the easy banter between them. Earlier when she’d arrived, she thought Alejandro didn’t like her. “Will you mind not being second in line for the throne after Enrique and I have children?”

He glanced inside once again. “I can honestly say the more children you and my brother are blessed with, the happier I’ll be. I’ve been hoping to be made an uncle for years.”

His words sounded genuine. She ignored her disappointment that he wouldn’t want her himself. That was stupid. Her father would never approve of a man like Alejandro, and she needed to be a queen to best help Brandt and Aliestle. “That’s sweet of you.”

“The kitten is sweet. I’m not.” He took two steps down the stairs. “Enrique’s on his way out here. That’s my cue to fade back into the shadows.”

Alejandro’s cryptic words intrigued her. “Do you usually hang out in the shadows?”

“Yes, I do.”

She watched him disappear into the night.

Behind her, footsteps sounded against the terrace’s tile floor. A familiar scent of aftershave enveloped her. She didn’t like the fragrance. Still better than the alternative, she reminded herself.

Jules leaned forward over the railing, but couldn’t see Alejandro. “I hope your call went well.

“It did.” Enrique stood next to her. “But you needn’t worry about state business. The wedding should be your focus.”

“I’ve been thinking about our wedding.” She wondered if Alejandro was listening from below. Not that she minded if he eavesdropped. A part of her wished he was here with her instead of his brother. “And children, too.”

“We are of like minds.” Enrique placed his hand over hers. His skin was warm and soft. His nails neatly trimmed. Not the hands of a sailor or gardener. “Heirs would please my father.”

“Mine, too.” Her duty was to extend the bloodline. But Jules also wanted babies of her own. She remembered helping the nurses with each of her brothers. She wanted to be more involved with raising her children than her stepmother.

Enrique’s eyes darkened. “Once we are married we shouldn’t waste any time starting a family.”

His suggestive tone made her shiver. Not a surprising reaction given she’d never discussed sex with any of her matches before. Offspring had always been assumed. “I would like a big family. At least four children.”

He tucked her hair behind her ears. “I hope they all look like you.”

His compliment was nice, but the words didn’t make her feel warm and fuzzy the way Alejandro’s had. “Thank you.”

“My brother will be pleased to know you want so many children,” Enrique said. “He can’t wait to fall lower in the line of succession. I believe if he could give away or relinquish his title he would without a second thought.”

“I can’t imagine anyone wanting to do that,” she admitted. “But Alejandro does have his boats.”

She envied his ability to follow his dreams.

“Nothing matters but those damn boats. Sailing has consumed him. He works as a manual laborer, a commoner, refusing to take advantage of the free publicity being a royal engaged in business always brings.”

Enrique’s critical tone didn’t surprise Jules. The two brothers seemed to always be going at each other. But sometimes that might keep them from seeing a situation more clearly. “If Alejandro wins the Med Cup, he’ll earn respect. New customers.”

“He won’t win with a new design,” Enrique said. “Competition is fierce. The best crews are going to be on well-known, tested designs. Too bad my brother is too stubborn to use the same boat as last year. But he always wants something newer, better. That’s one reason I doubt he’ll ever marry. He upgrades the women in his life like they were cars.”

The picture Enrique painted of his younger brother was not flattering. Jules wondered if this was one of the stories Alejandro had mentioned. The two brothers needed to get along better. That gave her an idea.

“Sail his other boat for him,” she said. “The one he sailed last year.”

“I haven’t raced since my duties became expanded. State business takes up the majority of my time.”

His curt tone rebuked her. “It was only a suggestion.”

“Racing in open water isn’t without risks.”

“I’ve never sailed in the ocean.” Just dreamed about it.

“Your father told me he’s forbidden you to sail on the sea. That’s why I didn’t accept Alejandro’s invitation to go sailing.”

“You and Brandt can go.”

“Not without you,” Enrique said, and she appreciated his courtesy. “Your father mentioned your mother’s accident. So tragic.”

Jules knew information would be exchanged during the marriage negotiations, but she’d never been privy to it. “My mother’s death was an accident, a freak occurrence.”

“No matter the circumstances.” Enrique’s voice softened. “Your father said he was deeply affected by the loss.”

“I’ve been told he changed after she died. He loved my mother very much.”

“He loves you, too.”

Hearing the words from someone outside her family made Jules feel as if all the sacrifices she’d made to live up to the expectations of her father, family and country had been worth it. Her tongue felt thick, heavy, so she nodded.

“A lesser man might not have recovered from such a tragedy,” Enrique continued.

She appreciated the admiration in his words. “My father is a king. He is a strong man. He mourned my mother’s death, but he remarried less than a year later. He needed a male heir. I was a young child who needed a mother.”

“Understandable.”

Jules wondered if that meant Enrique would do the same should she die. Probably. “La Isla de la Aurora seems more progressive than Aliestle.”

“It is, though we are a little old-fashioned about a few things,” Enrique said. “Do not worry. I intend to make sure you like it here, Julianna.

His words fed her growing hopes. She gathered her courage. “My father said you would decide whether I could sail on the ocean after we are married. You told Alejandro we couldn’t sail right now. Does that mean you’ve given some thought to my sailing after our wedding?”

“Your father also discussed this with me. I’ve already made my decision.”

Her heart raced. She held her breath.

Please, oh, please. Say yes.

Enrique squeezed her hand again. “Sailing on the sea is too dangerous.”

Jules felt as if someone had wrapped a line around her heart and pulled hard. She had to make him understand, to see how important this was to her. “I am a careful sailor. I would never take undue risks.”

“You are on the ocean. Weather can change. No one, not even the best sailors in the world, can remove all the risk.”

She understood that. She wasn’t a complete idiot.

Desperate to make this work she sought another test. “Sailing is a pleasurable leisure activity. Something we could do together in our free time.”

“I don’t have a lot of free time.”

“It wouldn’t have to be that often. Only once in a while.”

“We may have just met, but I must admit I understand your father’s concerns.” Enrique spoke to her as if she were a child. “You are to be the mother of my children, my wife, my queen. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you as it did your mother.”

Disappointment settled in the center of Jules’s chest, but she didn’t allow her shoulders to slump. Being here was still better than Aliestle. “So I’m only allowed to sail on lakes and rivers?”

“I’ve seen what sailing has done to my brother. The sport killed your mother. Once we are married, I do not want you to sail again.”

The air rushed from Jules lungs. Tears stung her eyes. She clutched the railing. “But I’ve always been able to sail. Just not on the ocean.”

“That was your father’s decision. This is mine.”

No! Her chest tightened. This was so much worse than she imagined. It wasn’t only the sailing. The tone of Enrique’s voice told her she would be exchanging her controlling father for a controlling husband. Her freedom would be curtailed here, too.

“Don’t look so disappointed,” Enrique chided. “This isn’t personal. I’m not trying to be cruel.”

“What are you trying to do then?”

“Be honest and help you,” he said. “It’s time for you to grow up and put childish things aside, Julianna. You may believe sailing is good for you, but it’s been brought to my attention that sailing brings out a wilder side in you.”

She drew back. “What have I done?”

“Kissed Prince Niko.”

“One kiss. We were engaged at the time.”

“There have been other reports,” Enrique said calmly, as if they were discussing business and not her life. “Such a pursuit is inappropriate for a future queen. You must embrace the bigger duty you’ll now have.”

Jules forced herself to breathe. Carving a new life for herself and helping Aliestle would be an uphill battle. She would be constrained here on the island, too. “What is to be my role here? My bigger duty?”

“You are to be my wife. You will provide me with heirs.”

Both of those things she’d known about. Accepted. But she doubted that was all Enrique would want from her. “And?”

“You will be a conventional princess and queen the people can respect. It’s in your best interest to do what I say and not bring any embarrassment to our name.”

Her best interest? What about their best interest? Enrique seemed to want to tell her what to do, not have a real relationship with her. How could love grow out of that?

Emotion clogged her throat.

What was she going to do?

Returning to Aliestle in disgrace and marrying a nobleman would be the worst choice for her, Brandt, her country and her future children. Doing something more drastic didn’t appeal to her, either.

Other women might run away. But if she turned her back on her responsibilities she would be exiled. Her father would keep her brothers from seeing her. Not only that, her father would also denounce her. Conditions would worsen for the women in her country. She couldn’t give up on everything she’d sacrificed her whole life for and her family.

That left one choice—going through with the wedding. Her stomach churned.

Think of the bigger picture, the future, others.

Jules would be able to help Brandt and Aliestle. Her children would have a better life and more choices on the island. Those things would make up for everything she was giving up. In time, Jules would see she made the right decision.

But right now, it still … hurt.

In an apartment on the ground floor, Alejandro tried to relax. But being back at the palace made him antsy. So did something else. Someone else …

Julianna.

Maybe she wasn’t as bad as he originally thought. She seemed different tonight, warmer and more genuine. But if that were the case, he couldn’t understand her icy facade earlier.

Not that he should be thinking about his brother’s fiancée at all.

Alejandro sat on the floor and used a laser pointer to play with the kitten. This was the same room he’d had as a teenager, though the furniture had been replaced, the floors refinished and the walls painted. The decor wasn’t the only change. Back when he’d been a teenager, a guard had always been stationed outside the back door that led to the beach path to keep him from running away. Not that a guard had been able to stop him. At least his father hadn’t posted anyone there tonight.

The kitten sprinted across the hardwood floor after the red dot, pawing and pouncing until he plopped onto a hand-woven rug and purred. His eyes closed.

As Alejandro moved from the floor to a chair, a flash of blue passed outside the window. The same blue as Julianna’s gown.

He stood to get a better look.

Silky fabric and blond hair billowed behind her as she hurried down the path leading to the beach, making her look almost ethereal with the starry night sky as her backdrop.

Not his type, Alejandro reminded himself.

He glanced at the clock. Eleven o’clock. A little late to go beachcombing. Not that what she did was any of his business.

But no one seemed to be with her. Not Enrique. Not her bodyguard.

That didn’t sit well with Alejandro.

She shouldn’t be alone. It was dark. She could lose her way.

On a lighted path, an inner voice mocked.

Something could happen to her. Alejandro ignored the fact that he could find his brother and send him after Julianna.

Alejandro stepped outside onto the patio. The tile was hard beneath his bare feet. Planters full of fragrant flowers lined the edge. Lanterns hung from tall wrought-iron poles.

Maybe Julianna wanted a closer look at the water, or to dance on the beach under the moonlight … or skinny-dip.

As his blood surged at the thought, he quickened his pace. Now that he would like to see. Ice princess or not.

The lighted path stopped at the beach. Alejandro’s bare feet sunk into the fine sand. Thanks to the moonlight, he saw Julianna standing at the water’s edge holding her high heels in one hand. The hem of her gown dragged on the sand. Wind ruffled her hair and the fabric of her dress. Waves crashed against the shore, the water drawing closer to her. She didn’t move.

Mesmerized by the sea or thinking? About him?

He scoffed at the stupid thought. She would be thinking about Enrique. Her fiancé. Alejandro should leave her alone.

Yet he remained rooted in place, content to watch her.

Being here had nothing to do with the way her dress clung to her curves or the slit that provided him with a glimpse of her long, smooth legs. He was here for her protection. Even though this strip of white sand was private, reachable only from the palace or by water. He didn’t see any boats offshore, only silver moonlight reflecting off the crescents of waves.

Still he stood captivated by the woman in front of him. The individual, not incarnations of women she would become. Future sister-in-law, mother of his nieces and nephews, queen.

He longed to go to her, pull her into an embrace, taste her sweet lips and feel her lush curves pressed against him.

What the hell was he thinking?

Disgusted with the fantasy playing in his mind, Alejandro turned to leave. Julianna moved in his peripheral vision. He looked back. She sat on the sand, resting her head in her hands. Her shoulders shook as if she were crying.

A sob smacked into him. His gut clenched.

The instinct to bolt was strong. Tears made him uncomfortable. He’d been in enough short-term relationships to know crying women were to be avoided at all costs. He never knew what to say and feared making a situation worse.

Yet he walked toward her anyway as if pulled by an invisible line. Compelled by something he couldn’t explain. “Julianna.”

She didn’t look up. “Go away, please.”

Her voice sounded raw, yet she was polite, always the proper princess. He saw her behavior wasn’t an act like his brother’s. His respect inched up for her. “I’m not going away.”

“I’ll pretend you aren’t here then.”

“It won’t be the first time that’s happened.” He plopped onto the sand next to her. “I’ve been becalmed many times. Having the boat bob like a cork while waiting for wind to return used to drive me crazy, but I’ve learned to enjoy the downtime.”

She remained silent.

As waves broke against the shore, Alejandro studied the stars in the sky. He drew pictures in the sand. A boat. A crab. A heart. He wiped them away with the side of his hand.

Julianna raised her head. “You’re still here.”

“Yes.” Tears streaked her cheeks. The sadness in her swollen eyes reignited his desire to take her in his arms and kiss her until she smiled. “I may have some of the same stubborn streak shared by other members of my family.”

She sniffled.

He wished he had a tissue for her. One of those handkerchiefs his brother and father carried in their pockets would come in handy. “When you’re ready to talk …”

A new round of tears streamed down her face. She looked devastated, as if someone she loved had died.

Her vulnerability clawed at his heart, made him feel useless, worthless. He couldn’t sit here and do nothing.

Alejandro turned toward Julianna and lifted her onto his lap.

She gasped. Stiffened.

A mistake, probably, but he’d deal with that later. He needed to help Julianna.

The moment he wrapped his arms around her something seemed to release inside her. She sagged against him, rested her head on his shoulder and cried. He rubbed her back with his hand, the same way his mother used to do whenever he’d been hurt by something Enrique did or his father had said.

Julianna’s tears didn’t stop, but that didn’t bother Alejandro. She felt so perfect nestled against him. Her sweet scent enveloped him. He would have preferred to be in this position under different circumstances, but he knew that wasn’t possible. She had a fiancé—what she needed tonight was a friend.

He could be a friend. That was all he could ever be to her.

Her tears slowed. Her breathing became less ragged.

“Thank you,” Julianna muttered. “I’m sorry for inconveniencing you. This is so unlike me.”

Alejandro brushed the strands of hair sticking to her tearstained cheeks. “You’re in my arms and on my lap. Formalities and apologies aren’t necessary.”

She stared up at him. Even with puffy, red eyes she was still beautiful.

But she was almost family. She would be his sister-in-law.

Julianna scooted off his lap. “I’m better now.”

He missed the warmth of her body, the feel of her curves against him. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

She looked at the water. “It’s nothing.”

“Let me be the judge of that.”

A beat passed. And another. “Did you hang around after Enrique joined me on the terrace?”

“No.” Maybe Alejandro should have.

She took a slow breath. “I thought coming here and marrying Enrique would be so much better than staying in Aliestle. I believed things would be … different.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It’s difficult to explain. Do you recall at dinner when you asked if we sailed, and Brandt answered?”

Alejandro nodded. He’d thought that odd.

“Brandt spoke because he knows how much sailing means to me, and I would’ve gotten carried away. I love it. I’d rather sail than do anything. Being on a boat is the only time I can be myself. Not a proper princess or a dutiful daughter and sister.” She gazed at the water. “It’s heaven on earth for me.”

The passion in her words heated the blood in his veins. The longing for independence, for a freedom from all the expectations of being a royal matched the desire in his heart. This perfect princess was as much a black sheep as him. She just kept the true color of her wool hidden. “I know exactly how you feel.”

She studied him. “I thought you might. My father has never allowed me to sail on the ocean due to my mother dying during a race. That’s why Enrique turned down your invitation to go sailing. My father said once I married, Enrique could decide whether I could sail or not.”

“You’ll be living on an island,” Alejandro said. “Why wouldn’t you sail?”

“That’s what I thought. After you left the terrace, I asked Enrique about being able to sail.” Her lower lip quivered. “He has forbidden me to sail. Not only on the ocean, but ever again. He says sailing brings out a wildness in me that’s not appropriate for a future queen. I’m to be a conventional wife and princess.”

Tears gleamed in her eyes.

Damn Enrique. His brother was a complete moron. A total ass. As usual. “He has spoken without thinking.”

“He was quite serious about his expectations of me.”

“My brother might be a cad, but he isn’t a monster. He’ll come around.”

Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. “I don’t think he will.”

Alejandro’s chest tightened. “I’ll talk to Enrique. Make him see how much sailing means to you.”

“No,” she said. “He might change his mind about marrying me.”

Not likely given her dowry. But Julianna was so much more than the money she brought to the marriage. She might act like a cold, dutiful princess, but underneath the perfect facade was a passionate woman looking to break free of the obligations that came with her tiara and scepter. La Isla de la Aurora deserved a queen like Julianna. Too bad Enrique didn’t deserve a woman like her.

“Ask to be released from the marriage contract.” Alejandro couldn’t believe those words had come from his lips.

“I can’t.”

“You won’t.”

“If I don’t marry Enrique, I’ll be sent home to marry one of the sons of our Council of Elders.” The way her voice cracked hurt Alejandro’s heart. “In Aliestle, it’s against the law to disobey your husband. I’d rather raise my children in a country that is more progressive. At least in principle. This is my fate. I must learn to accept it.”

Alejandro hated seeing her so distressed. She deserved to be happy, to have the freedom to do what she wanted to do.

“Not so fast,” he said. “In spite of a few traditional mindsets here, La Isla de la Aurora is a progressive country. That includes our laws. Enrique can’t throw you in prison or lock you away in a tower if you disobey him and go sailing.”

“This isn’t only about my sailing.”

“I’m not only talking about sailing. My mother left the island fifteen years ago.” Alejandro had learned an important lesson the day his mother left. Never rely on anyone but yourself. “Separation is an option here, even for royals.”

“That’s very modern compared to where I come from.” She wiped her eyes. “You see, I’d hoped to use my position as future queen to effect change back home without embarrassing my country and family.”

Alejandro remembered what she’d told him. “Working within the system.”

She nodded. “Royals can’t be selfish and ignore the people who look up to them.”

“That’s noble of you,” Alejandro said. Too bad most royals didn’t feel that way. “But you shouldn’t be too upset. My brother’s pulling one of his power plays with you. He’s done it to me many times and will change his mind. Your life will be better here than in Aliestle. You’ll have royal obligations, but you’ll also be able to do what you want to do, including help your country and sail.”

Her shoulders remained slumped. “Enrique could annul the marriage if I defy him. I’d have to return to Aliestle.”

“I don’t see a ring on your finger.”

“Not yet anyway.” She glanced at her left hand. Straightened. “No ring.”

“What?” Alejandro asked.

Her gaze met his. “Maybe Enrique will change his mind about things or maybe he won’t. I can’t change anything that will happen once I marry. But if I go sailing now, I wouldn’t be disobeying my husband since Enrique is only my fiancé.”

Her tone sounded different. Not as distraught. “You lost me.”

Julianna’s gaze met Alejandro’s with an unspoken plea.

Understanding dawned. He leaned away from her. “No. No way. I can’t get involved in this.”

“You’re already involved.” She scooted closer. “All I need is a boat for one sail.”

The flowery scent of her shampoo filled his nostrils and made him waver. He leaned backed to put some distance between them. “If you’re caught disobeying your father …”

“I’ll make sure I’m not,” she said. “You believe Enrique will change his mind, but you didn’t see the look in his eyes. It’s worth the risk for one last hurrah before I get married.”

“Maybe to you, but not to me.” Alejandro would be in deep trouble. That had never bothered him in the past. But the stakes were higher this time.

“What do you have to lose?” she asked.

His chance at freedom. He hated the way Enrique was treating Julianna, but Alejandro didn’t want to cause an even bigger problem between the couple. He needed the two to marry and have children.

A deep shame rose up inside him. He was thinking of himself while Julianna was trying to do her duty even if it made her unhappy.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “But I won’t be the reason you get in trouble.”

Disappointment shone in her lovely eyes.

“Fine.” She flipped her hair behind her shoulder with a sexy move. “I’ll find a boat myself.”

She would, too. He pictured her heading to the marina and going out with anyone who’d take her. That could end in disaster. If he helped her …

Alejandro couldn’t believe he was contemplating taking her out, but he didn’t want to think only of himself. “Sailing is that important to you?”

“Yes.”

The hope and anticipation in the one word made it difficult for him to breath.

“Please, Alejandro.” Julianna stared up at him with her wide, blue eyes. “Will you please help me?”

A long list of reasons why he shouldn’t scrolled through his mind. But logic didn’t seem to apply in this situation. Or with Julianna.

He thought about it a minute. Taking her sailing wasn’t that big a deal. “I suppose it would be against my character and ruin my bad reputation if I turned down an opportunity to do something Enrique was against.”

She leaned toward him giving him another whiff of her enticing scent. “So is that a yes?”




CHAPTER FOUR


YES.I’ll take you sailing tomorrow night.

Jules fell asleep thinking about Alejandro’s words. She woke up with them on her mind, too.

Sunlight streamed through the windows. Particles in the air gave the rays definition, as if a fairy had waved her magic wand to make the sunshine touchable. She reached out, but felt only air.

With a laugh, she rolled over in the queen-size bed eager to start her day. She couldn’t wait to go sailing tonight. Of course if she was discovered …

Don’t think about that.

She needed to do this. Everything else in her life, from her education to her marriage, had been determined for her. Not out of love, but because of what tradition dictated and what others believed to be best for Aliestle.

Going sailing tonight was the one decision she could make for herself. She was desperate enough for this one act of disobedience. A secretive rebellion of sorts, the kind she never did as a teenager.

Jules tossed back the luxurious Egyptian cotton sheet and climbed out of bed. Her bare feet sunk into a hand-woven Persian rug. Only the finest furnishings for the grand palace.

She entered the large bathroom. Yvette had set out her toiletries on the marble countertop. The gold plated fixtures reminded Jules of every other castle she’d stayed in. Gold might be considered opulent, but didn’t any of the royal interior designers want to be creative and try a different finish? Then again, royalty could never be too creative or different. The status quo was completely acceptable.

Jules stared at her refection in the mirror. Today she would maintain that status quo. People would look at her and see a dutiful princess. Even if she would be counting down the hours until her first and last taste of …

Freedom.

Her chest tightened. She had no idea what true freedom would feel like.

So far, Jules’s choices in life had been relegated to what she wanted to eat, if it wasn’t a state dinner, what books she wanted to read, if she’d completed all her assigned readings, and what she purchased while shopping. Perhaps that was why she’d become a consummate shopper.

Choosing what she wanted to do without having to consider the expectations of an overprotective father and a conservative country would have to feel pretty good. She couldn’t wait to experience it tonight.

Jules had thought about what Alejandro said about the island not being Aliestle, about the legal rights she would have here and about his mother leaving his father. Those things had led her to devise a new plan.

She would sail tonight, then return to being a dutiful princess in the morning and marry Enrique after the Med Cup. Once they had children, she would work to improve her position, get Enrique to be more cooperative and try to change things.

Thirty minutes later, Yvette clasped a diamond and pearl necklace around Jules’s neck. “Excellent choice, Yvette. You have quite an eye when it comes to accessories.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” The young maid stared at their reflection in the mirror. “You look like a modern day Princess Grace.”

Jules felt a little like Princess Grace, who had been forced to stop acting because someone said the people of Monaco wouldn’t be happy if she returned to making movies. Life for many royals didn’t always have a happy ending.

“Thank you, Yvette.” The retro-style pink-and-white suit had been purchased on a recent trip to Paris. Jules tucked a strand of hair into her French roll. “I’m sure the hairstyle helps.”

“Prince Enrique will be impressed.”

“Let’s hope so.” Jules tried to sound cheerful, but her words felt flat. She doubted Enrique would be impressed by anything she did. He was nothing like … Alejandro.

She couldn’t imagine Enrique cradling her in his arms and offering sympathy while she cried. He would have cursed her tears, not wiped them away as Alejandro had.

A black sheep? Perhaps, but he was taking her sailing. She guessed he was more of a good guy than he claimed to be.

She smiled. “Perhaps I’ll make an impression on the entire royal family.”

“Not Prince Alejandro.” Yvette sounded aghast. “I’ve been told to stay away from him.”

The words offended Jules. She would rather spend time with Alejandro than Enrique. “Who said that?”

“One of the housekeepers. She’s young. Pretty,” Yvette explained. “She said Prince Alejandro has a horrible reputation. Worse, his taste in women is far from discriminating. Royalty, commoner, palace staff, it doesn’t matter.”

Alejandro had warned her about the gossip. But the words stung for some reason. “That could be a rumor. The press loves to write about royalty whether it’s true or not. People will believe almost anything once it’s in print or on the Internet.”

“The housekeeper sounded sincere, ma’am,” Yvette said. “She’s especially concerned about you.”

“About me?” Jules remembered the warmth of Alejandro’s body and the sense of belonging she’d felt in his arms. He could have taken advantage of the situation and her emotional state last night, but he hadn’t. He’d acted like a friend, not a man who wanted some action. She’d actually been a tad bit disappointed he hadn’t found her desirable.

Silly. Pathetic, really. She straightened. “I appreciate the warning, but I’m going to be Alejandro’s sister-in-law. He doesn’t see me in the same way as he sees other woman.”

Doubt filled Yvette’s eyes. “I hope you’re correct, ma’am.”

Jules didn’t. She wouldn’t mind being wrong about this. Alejandro was … attractive, but the way he’d made her feel on the beach—understood, accepted, safe, ways she’d never felt before—intrigued her the most. After tonight, following the housekeeper’s advice and staying away from him would be the best course of action. No matter how much a tiny part of Jules wished he were the one she was marrying.

Better squelch that thought. Alejandro was going to be her brother-in-law. Nothing else.

“Don’t worry.” She raised her chin. “I’m not about to risk my match with Enrique for a fling with a self-avowed black sheep.”

Even one who was gorgeous and sailed and sent tingles shooting through her. More reasons to keep her distance.

After tonight.

Tonight would be her first chance to experience freedom. The initial step in figuring out how to be an influential princess and her own person.

“That is smart.” The tight lines around Yvette’s mouth relaxed a little. “Being matched to a man outside Aliestle would be a dream come true for most of our countrywomen, ma’am.”

Be careful what you wish, or in this case, ask for.

Jules recognized the maid’s wistful tone. She’d sounded the same way on more than one occasion. The weight on her shoulders felt heavier. She wanted life to be different for her countrywomen. “Has a match been secured for you?”

“Yes, ma’am. A very good match.” Yvette gave a half smile. “One that will be advantageous to my family.”

“That’s excellent.”

“Yes, ma’am. We marry in two years, after I complete my obligations on the palace staff.” The look in Yvette’s eyes didn’t seem to agree with her words. “I am … most fortunate.”

Most likely as fortunate as Jules. Her heart ached. She wanted men to treat the women of Aliestle with respect, consideration and love. Not like commodities.

When Brandt became king …

Yvette adjusted her starched, white apron. “I transferred the contents of your handbag into the purse, ma’am.”

“Thank you, I’ll …”

A high-pitched noise sounded outside the bedroom door. Not quite a squeal, but not a squeak, either.

Yvette’s forehead creased. “It sounds like a baby, ma’am.”

Jules hurried to the door and opened it. The noise sounded again. She glanced around the empty hallway. A black ball of fur scratched at the door across the hall.

“You’re correct, Yvette. It is a baby. A baby cat.” Jules picked up the kitten who pawed at her. A long, white hair above his right eye bounced like an antenna in the wind. “I can’t imagine someone let you out into this big hallway on purpose. Did you escape again?”

The kitten stared up at her with clear, green eyes.

Her heart bumped. She’d always wanted a pet. This one was adorable.

“I can see where he belongs, ma’am,” Yvette offered.

“I’ll return him.” The kitten wiggled in Jules’s hands. She cuddled him closer in hopes of settling him down. He rested his head against her arm and purred. “I know where he belongs.”

With Alejandro.

Anticipation spurted through her. She wanted to see him. Because of the sailing, she rationalized. That was the only reason. Anything else would be too … dangerous.

“Cat?” Alejandro checked the closet, the bathroom, under the bed and beneath the other furniture. No sight of the furball anywhere.

The kitten didn’t come running as he usually did.

Maybe he was locked in the bathroom? Alejandro checked. No kitty.

The last time he’d seen the kitten was before his shower. He glanced around the apartment again. A vase with colorful fresh-cut flowers caught his eye. Those were new.

Only Ortiz knew about the kitten. If whoever delivered the flowers had left the door to the apartment open, the kitten could have gotten out.

Alejandro ran to the door and jerked it open.

Julianna stood in the doorway.

He froze, stunned to see her.

A smile graced her glossed lips. Clear, bright eyes stared back at him. Her pastel-pink suit made her look like the definition of the word princess in the dictionary.

She was the image of everything he didn’t like in a woman—royal, wealthy, concerned with appearances. He shouldn’t feel any attraction toward Julianna whatsoever. But he couldn’t stop staring at her beautiful face.

Awareness buzzed through him. Strange. Alejandro didn’t usually go for the prim and proper type. But this wasn’t the time to examine his attraction to her. He needed to find a kitten.

“I—”

“I was about to knock,” she said at the same time. “Look who I found.”

Alejandro followed her line of sight. The kitten was sound asleep in her arms.

Relief washed over him. “I was on my way out to look for him. Where did you find him?”

“In the hallway trying to squeeze under the door across from mine. A futile effort given his size, but he made a valiant attempt.” She smiled at the kitten. “I figured he must have escaped and you’d want him back.”

“Yes.” Alejandro tried focusing on the cat, but his gaze kept returning to her. He wanted to chalk his reaction to her up to gratitude but knew better. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Alejandro waited for Julianna to hand over the cat. She didn’t. He needed to go to the boatyard, but he wasn’t in that much of a hurry. He motioned into the apartment. “Please come in.”

Julianna looked to her left and then to the right. “Thanks, but I’d better not.”

He gave her a puzzled look. “You have plans.”

“No,” she admitted. “I don’t want to upset Enrique.”

Alejandro ignored the twinge of disappointment. He understood her concern. “You’re right. We don’t want to add fuel to the fire.”

“Especially with tonight,” she whispered. Excitement danced in her eyes.

He was looking forward to the sail. He wanted Julianna to like it here. For his sake as much as hers. She’d realize she wouldn’t be a prisoner on the island. Enrique didn’t know how to treat women properly; a combination of selfishness and lack of experience. His brother would settle down eventually.

“Rest up today or you’ll be exhausted,” Alejandro said.

“Like the kitten. He fell asleep on the walk over here. He must have tired himself out during his adventure.”

Alejandro wouldn’t mind tiring himself out with Julianna. He imagined her beautiful long hair loose and spread across his pillow, her silky skin against his, the taste of those lips …

His blood heated and roared through his veins.

He pushed the fantasy out of his mind. Thinking of Julianna in a sexual way was wrong and dangerous. They both had too much to lose.

“I’ve been wondering what the kitten’s name is,” she said.

Good, he could think about something other than her in his bed. “Cat.”

“Cat is the kitten’s name?”

“Yes.”

Julianna drew her delicately arched eyebrows together. Her pretty pink mouth opened then closed, as if she thought better of what she wanted to say.

“What?” he asked.

“It’s nothing.”

Alejandro recognized the look in her eyes. “Tell me.”

Julianna hesitated. “You’re doing me a favor taking me sailing. I shouldn’t criticize.”

He’d been criticized his entire life by his father and by his brother. He never could live up to what the people wanted him to be, either. The bane of being the spare. Nothing he did was ever good enough. Alejandro had grown immune to the put-downs. “I want to know.”

“You might get mad.”

He didn’t want her to be afraid of him. “Enrique might get a little heated at times. You don’t have to worry about that with me.”

She squared her shoulders, as if preparing for battle. A one-hundred-eighty-degree difference from her sobbing on the beach last night. “Cat isn’t a proper name for a pet.”

That was what this was all about. Alejandro almost laughed. He thought it was something serious. “Cat doesn’t seem to mind the name.”

“That’s because he loves you.”

The warmth in her voice wrapped around Alejandro like a soft, fluffy towel. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had made him feel so good. But he knew better. The feeling was as fleeting as the love she spoke about. “Love has nothing to do with it. He’s a cat. He comes because he’s hungry.”

“He’d come no matter what you call him,” she continued.

“Cat isn’t a child.”

“No, he’s your pet.”

Children and a family weren’t something he’d considered before. Saying he had a pet was pushing the level of commitment he was comfortable with. Love and commitment didn’t last so why bother? His mother had claimed to love him. But she’d abandoned him to a father who disapproved of him and a brother who antagonized him. Alejandro rocked back on his heels. “Cat’s a stray.”

“Living in a palace.”

Her voice teased. Okay, she had a point. “If I give the cat a proper name, I’ll have to keep him.”

She pursed her lips. “Do you plan on releasing him when he gets bigger?”

Alejandro fought the urge to squirm under her scrutiny. He hadn’t done anything wrong or irresponsible. At least not yet. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. But cats take off when they get tired of you.”

She peered around him and motioned to the sock tied in a knot, piece of rope and empty boxes strewn across the floor. “You’re going to need to buy a suitcase when he goes so he can take his toys with him.”

“I just had that stuff lying around.” Alejandro shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’ll probably keep him. At the boatyard when he gets older,” he clarified.

“Then you might as well come up with a more original name for him.”

“He’s a cat. The name fits.”

“True, but look at his green eyes. His handsome face. The white boots on his paws.” She held the kitten up as if he were a rare treasure. “He is so much more than a generic cat.”

Alejandro laughed, enchanted by her tenacity. “If you ever get tired of being a princess, you should become a trial lawyer.”

She scrunched her nose. “I’ve never considered such a career, but I would be happy to provide more evidence for changing the kitten’s name.”

“For someone who wants me to take them sailing,” he lowered his voice, “you’re not very agreeable.”

Her eyes widened. Her complexion paled. “Oh, I’m—”

“Kidding.” Alejandro didn’t think she would take him seriously. But he could make it up to her. He thought about her description of the kitten. One word popped out at him. “Boots.”

A line creased above her nose. “Excuse me?”

“Cat’s name is now Boots. Satisfied?”

“Very.” She smiled, visibly relieved. “Thank you.”

Pleasing her felt better than it should. Just trying to make her happy so she’d want to marry Enrique.

Yeah, right. Alejandro leaned against the doorjamb. “It’s the least I could do after the way you argued for his rights. Perhaps you should do the same for your own. And your countrywomen.”

Her smile disappeared. So did the light from her eyes. He didn’t like the change in her.

“I would if I could, but that’s not the kind of princess Aliestle or your brother wants.” She touched one of the kitten’s small paws. Her expression softened. “The least I could do was support a fellow underdog.”

“I don’t think Boots would like to be associated with anything having to do with a dog.”

The corners of her mouth slanted upward. “You’re probably right about that.”

Alejandro reached out to pet the kitten. His fingers brushed against the bare skin on Julianna’s arm. Tingles shot outward from the point of contact. He jerked his hand away.

She didn’t seem to notice.

Good. He didn’t want her to know she had an effect on him. “You like cats.”

“I do, but I’ve never had one.” She rubbed the top of the kitten’s head. “My father didn’t want any animals in the palace. He claimed they were too dirty and too much trouble.”

Alejandro hadn’t expected to have anything else in common with her except sailing. “We had a dog growing up, but after she died my father didn’t want another one. He said dogs were too much trouble.”

Julianna eyed him with curiosity. “Yet you have Boots.”

But Alejandro didn’t live in the palace. He doubted his family would want Julianna to know he was here for appearance sake and would be departing after the wedding. “Black sheep, remember?”

“I haven’t forgotten. I hope your reputation means you’re an expert at subterfuge and not getting caught.”

He winked. “You’re in experienced hands, Princess.”

“Excellent.” The sparkle returned to her eyes. She glanced behind her as if to make sure they were still alone. “Have all the arrangements been made?”

The princess’s hushed voice made it sound as if they were going to undertake an important, secretive mission. Alejandro realized in her mind they were. The least he could do was play along.

“Almost,” he whispered back. “Check your closet this afternoon. Everything you need for tonight will be in there.”

Her mouth formed a perfect O. “My closet? You’re going to go into my room. Isn’t that risky?”

“No one will see me.”

“You can’t be certain. My maid might be—”

“There are secret tunnels and passageways throughout the palace.” He didn’t want her to worry. “You access them through hidden latches in the closets.”

“Oh.”

The one word spoke volumes of her doubt.

“Do you trust me?” he asked.

She handed the kitten to him. “I don’t have a choice if I want to go sailing.”

“No, you don’t.”

Alejandro felt like a jerk. He was the last person she should be putting her faith in. He had the most to gain by her marrying Enrique. She had the most to lose by saying “I do.” Okay, his brother wasn’t that bad. But she was still sacrificing for the marriage.

“Not many people would understand how important tonight is to me,” she said. “I trust you won’t let me down.”

He appreciated her earnest expression and words. He was used to those in the palace being unable to see past his rebellions as a teen and his wanting to change the monarchy from the archaic monolith it had become.

But Julianna was far too trusting. She must have lived a sheltered life in Aliestle. Things would be better for her on the island. “You’re the perfect fairy-tale princess.”

Defiance flashed in her eyes, but disappeared quickly. “A princess, yes. Perfect, not so much. Though I try my best.”

“Trying is an admirable trait, but not if it makes you unhappy.”

“Doing what is expected of me is all I know.”

Julianna was nothing like he imagined she would be. She wasn’t jaded in spite of being a royal prisoner her entire life. She was the closest thing to perfection he’d ever met. Alejandro would make sure Enrique treated her fairly. “You do a good job.”

She rewarded him with a closemouthed smile. He would have preferred to see one with her straight, white teeth visible. “I plan to continue to do so.”

Except tonight.

Crossing the line had become second nature to him growing up. Alejandro didn’t do it as often now. Still he didn’t care what anyone thought about him. The lovely princess did care. The way she dressed, spoke and acted made it clear. She might feel the need to rebel in this one-time act of defiance. A brief escape from an impending arranged marriage and a curtailed freedom. But he didn’t want Julianna to have any regrets over what they were going to do.

“Are you certain you want to go against your father and sail tonight?” Alejandro whispered.

“Most definitely.

“You may regret—”

“I’ll regret not doing so more,” she interrupted. “This is the right thing to do. Even if I’m caught.”

Julianna was saying the right words. Alejandro hoped she meant them. Because if she got caught, the price she would pay might be higher than either of them imagined.

That evening, the hands on the clock in the dining room moved slower than the Council of Elders. King Dario sat at the head of the table. His two sons sat on his left with Jules and Brandt on the king’s right.

She tapped her foot, impatient the meal was taking so long. Servers scurried about with wine bottles and platters. She wanted dinner to end so she could excuse herself and prepare for the sail with Alejandro.

He sat across the table from her. No tuxedo, but a designer suit and dress shirt sans tie. He looked more like a CEO than a boatbuilder. Well, except for his hair. The dark ends brushed his shoulders. She preferred his casual, carefree style to Enrique’s short, conservative cut.

She kept hoping Alejandro would say something to turn the dinner conversation away from the upcoming royal wedding and onto something more interesting.

He didn’t. He barely spoke or glanced her way.

No doubt trying to keep anyone from guessing about the rendezvous later. Jules suppressed the urge to smile about her impending adventure.

King Dario yawned. “I’m going to skip having a brandy.”

Alejandro straightened. “Are you feeling okay, Father?”

The king waved off his son’s genuine concern. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

“Dealing with the demands of the island takes a lot out of a person.” Enrique narrowed his gaze as he spoke to Alejandro. “Something you would know little about, brother.”

Jules waited for Alejandro to fire back a smart-assed comment. He took a sip of wine instead. When he finished, he wiped his mouth with a napkin. His dark eyes revealed nothing of his thoughts. “Sleep well, Father.”

With that, King Dario departed.

Silence filled the dining room. The servers seemed to have vanished along with the king. Jules counted to one hundred by tens in Japanese. When could she say good-night without drawing suspicions to herself?

“I have work to attend to.” Enrique scooted his chair away from the table. “If you do not mind,” he said to her as if an afterthought.

Perfect! Her entire body felt as if it were smiling. “I don’t mind.”

“I was planning to hit the clubs,” Brandt said with eager anticipation in his voice.

Yes! She couldn’t have arranged this any better if she’d planned it. “Take Klaus with you.”

Brandt rolled his eyes.

“Listen to your sister,” Alejandro suggested. “You’ll be thankful you have a bodyguard should things get out of hand.”

“My brother knows the island’s club scene intimately.” Derision dripped from each of Enrique’s word. “He’s often at the center of the melees.”

Jules didn’t like his tone. She often gave her four brothers a hard time and teased them, like any big sister, but she never spoke with such disrespect.

“Please, Brandt,” she said. “Father would never forgive me if something happened to you.”

“And vice versa.” Brandt directed a warm smile full of love her way. “I’ll have Klaus accompany me.”

Relieved, she smiled at him. “Thank you.”

Enrique remained seated in his chair, but he looked ready to bolt out any minute. She wished he’d go.

“What will you do tonight, Julianna?” he asked.

“Oh, I don’t know.” She forced herself not to look at Alejandro. “Read. Watch TV. I’ll find something to do.”

She wiggled her toes in anticipation of what she would actually be doing.

Enrique rose from the table. “Then I’ll bid you good-night and see you tomorrow.”

Jules watched him exit the dining room. The atmosphere seemed less stuffy with Enrique gone. Her uncharitable thought brought a stab of guilt. He was her future husband. She’d best accept him as he was.

Alejandro rose. “I’m going to say good-night, also.”

“Will I see you later?” Brandt asked.

“Not tonight,” Alejandro said. “I have a prior engagement.”

Yes, he did. She bit back a smile. In two hours and twenty-two minutes she would meet him at a private dock. The map, a headlamp and everything else she needed were sitting inside a duffel bag she’d found in her closet this afternoon.

“Blonde or brunette?” Brandt asked.

Alejandro laughed at the innuendo. “I wish I could say differently, but unfortunately it’s not that kind of … engagement.”

Jules tried to figure out what Alejandro meant. That he wished he were seeing a different woman or he wished he were meeting her under different circumstances? Not that he would or she could. But still …

“You can meet me at a club later,” Brandt said.

Alejandro glanced her way. “Maybe I will.”

“No.” The two men looked at her with surprised expressions.

Jules’s heart dropped to her feet. She hadn’t meant to say the word out loud. “I mean, do you know how long you’ll be, Alejandro? Brandt might not want to stick around one club waiting for you to show up.”

Brandt shook his head. “Stop being such a big sister, Jules. He can text me when he arrives.”

“Oh, right,” she said. “You know how often I go clubbing.”

“You’ve never been to a club,” Brandt said.

She’d never been allowed to go. She always wondered if her bodyguards were more concerned protecting her or ensuring she remained a virgin so her father could use that in marriage negotiations. “Exactly.”

“Your sister’s correct, though,” Alejandro said. “I have no idea how long I’ll be. I may not make it.”

Brandt shrugged. “More lovely ladies for me.”

“Save some for us tomorrow night.”

Her brother grinned. “You’re on.”

Jules didn’t want to think about tomorrow and the life waiting for her as Enrique’s bride and future queen. She wanted tonight to last forever. She wanted it to start now.

She rose from the table. “Good night, gentlemen. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.”

“I hope you’re not too bored here alone,” Brandt said.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be bored at all.” Her gaze met Alejandro’s for a moment. “Tonight is exactly what I need.”




CHAPTER FIVE


TWO HOURS LATER, Jules stood in the walk-in closet in her room. The headlamp she wore illuminated the dark space. She wore sailing clothes two sizes too big, a short, dark wig and a cap. She clutched a map in her left hand. With a steadying breath, she searched for the hidden latch with a trembling right hand.

She’d never disobeyed her father or anyone else for that matter. She’d never come close to doing anything illicit unless you counted eating an entire bag of chocolate in one sitting. But this …

Her heart pounded against her chest.

You’re in experienced hands, Princess.

Alejandro’s words gave her a needed boost of courage.

Jules’s fingers brushed across something. She sucked in a breath. The latch. She pressed the small, narrow lever. Something squealed. She stepped backward. A secret door opened to reveal a staircase.

Her insides quivered with a mix of nerves and excitement and a little fear.

She stood at the threshold and glanced down the pitch-black stairwell. The headlamp illuminated the narrow steps.

Jules ventured forward onto the first step with a slight hesitation. Nerves bubbled in her tummy. She found a latch on the inside of the passageway and closed the secret door.

The steep staircase led to a tunnel that looked as if it had been there for decades, possibly a century or more. She wondered what the tunnel had been used for in the past. Had other princesses used it to escape?

Her feet carried her across a packed dirt floor. Weathered, thick wood beams reinforced the walls and ceiling. The map said the tunnel was two kilometers long. The distance felt longer with the inky shadows stretching out in front of her.

Something gray darted across the floor at the edge of the headlamp beam.

Her breath caught in her throat. She shivered with a sense of foreboding. Nothing like being in an underground tunnel with rodents for companionship.

Not rodents, she corrected. Mice.

“No rats in the palace,” she muttered. “No rats in the palace.”

With the words as her mantra, Jules continued forward. Adrenaline quickened her pace. More creatures scurried across the floor or ran along the walls. Her nerves increased. She wanted out of here. Now.

She came to a wrought-iron gate secured with a combination lock. She pulled the lock toward her and dialed in the digits written on the map: 132823. The lock clicked open.

The sound of freedom.

Jules opened the gate and stepped through with all the excitement of Christmas morning back when she was a child. She exited the tunnel and found herself in a grotto. No one would ever guess inside one of the rocks was a secret tunnel. She memorized the spot where she’d come out.

Following a paved path, her apprehension rose. She had no idea where she was. Insects chirped and buzzed. But she saw no people, no other lights.

Keep going.

Alejandro had planned the outing so she wouldn’t get caught. A good thing, Jules knew. She trusted him for the reason she’d told him. She had no other choice if she wanted to sail. She couldn’t have pulled this off on her own in spite of her bravado on the beach last night.

She continued walking, unable to shake her uneasiness at being out here secluded yet exposed. Not that she was about to turn around. This opportunity was too important.

Being out here alone, without servants, bodyguards, chaperones or family, was something she rarely got to do. She might be fighting nerves, but the experience gave her a little thrill.

The canopy and walls of rocks gave way to a large field of grass with gardens on either side. The moonlight eased some of her anxiety.

The path led her up a rise. She heard the sound of waves crashing against the shore. At the top, she stopped, mesmerized by the sight of the sea. The beach had to be below her somewhere, but she focused on the water. Light from the full moon shimmered like silver on the crests of the waves.

Jules’s breath caught in her throat.

So beautiful.

As she descended the path toward the water, she noticed a light shining. A lone lamppost stood on a short dock with a sailboat moored at the end.

Her pulse rate quadrupled, as did her excitement. She’d found the place without getting lost or caught.

Jules hurried down the path, eager to hop onboard and set sail.

A figure stood in the cockpit of the boat. A man. Alejandro. Her heart gave a little lurch of pleasure.

He waved.

Jules waved back.

Alejandro reached below deck. The running lights illuminated—red on port, green on starboard and white on the stern.

Exhilaration shimmied through her. She could forget about duty and obligation tonight. She could be herself and sail on the ocean like a bird set free from its cage.

With Alejandro.

He motioned for her to join him in the boat.

Shoulders back. Chin up. Smile.

This time it came naturally. No effort required. Jules turned off her headlamp. She no longer needed the light with the lamppost on the dock.

Tingles filled her stomach. She couldn’t imagine sharing tonight with anyone else.

As Julianna walked along the private dock with a clear spring to her step, the tension in Alejandro’s shoulders eased. He’d planned her escape from the palace with the precision of a military operation. His efforts had seemed to work. With one foot in the cockpit and the other on the rail, he waited for her to come to him.

She stopped two feet away from the boat. “Your map was spot-on, Alejandro.”

He liked the way his name rolled off her tongue. She might sound like the same elegant princess he’d met yesterday, but she looked nothing like the woman who had stared down her nose at him, cried in his arms on the beach and prompted him to rename his cat. The disguise had completely changed her appearance.

He looked beyond her to the path leading up to the cliff, but only saw a few trees. Anyone who ventured out here on this late night would be trespassing. He’d picked this secluded spot for that reason. “Were you seen?”

“Not that I know of,” she said. “Though I doubt anyone would recognize me if they saw me.”

A satisfied smile settled on his lips. “You’re right about that.”

Baggy clothes covered Julianna’s feminine curves and round breasts. A short, brown wig and America’s Cup baseball cap hid her luxurious blond hair. With all the makeup scrubbed from her face, no one would mistake the fresh-faced kid for fashion icon Princess Julianna of Aliestle.

“You look like a teenager,” he added.

“A teenage boy,” she clarified. “You picked an excellent disguise for me.”

She sounded appreciative, not upset. That surprised him a little. Most women wouldn’t want to look like a boy. But then again, she hadn’t wanted to get caught. A good disguise had been necessary.

“I had no problems, except Ortiz might want to reconsider his claim about no rats in the palace. I saw mice, and something … larger in the tunnel.”

“Ortiz doesn’t know about the tunnels. Only the royal family knows of their existence and an architect long dead,” Alejandro explained. “The tunnels were built by pirates to hide treasure. When the king had them attached to the palace, a hand-selected crew was used. They were blindfolded and had no idea where they were working.”

“How did the royal family find out about the tunnels?”

He grinned. “Supposedly my great-great-great grandfather was a king and pirate.”





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