LITMIR.BIZ

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      The man had no manners. Didn’t he know it was rude to leave her presence without bowing first? Not a nose-to-the-floor kind of bow, but a respectful tilt of the head. Granted she’d told him to treat her normally, but then signs of respect from men were how she was normally treated. She’d have to learn to be more casual. But first she had to convince Celeste to help her.

      She called the other woman in.

      “Have I done something to offend you, Your Highness?” Celeste asked in a nervous voice, looking at her with big brown eyes. Her dark hair was smoothed into place with a silver hair clip in a demure style that accentuated her round face.

      “On the contrary,” Vanessa reassured her, closing the bedroom door. “I need your assistance in a matter of great importance. This can be trusted to no one else but you. You know that these past few months have been very busy and, well… I’ll simply be blunt with you, Celeste. I need some time away.”

      Celeste nodded solemnly. “I know. And I agree, Your Highness. Which is why I’m so glad we’ll be returning to Volzemburg later today.”

      “No, we won’t. We’re staying here in New York a little longer.” Vanessa quickly outlined her plan and Celeste’s part in it.

      “Your Highness, are you sure this is a good idea?” Celeste inquired in an extremely doubtful voice.

      “I’m certain.” Vanessa used her most regal tone, the one that could convince people that the sun was the moon. “Now, are you with me on this?”

      Celeste nodded. “You know I’ll do whatever you want me to, Your Highness. You’ve been so good to me and to my family. There were others who wanted this position, but you chose me, and I appreciate that more than I can say.”

      “I knew I could count on you.”

      “You are certain that you will never be in any danger?” Celeste asked. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself were anything to happen to you.”

      “I’ll make sure nothing happens to her,” Mark said from the bathroom doorway.

      “Don’t be alarmed,” Vanessa said. “This is Captain Mark Wilder. He’s my best friend’s brother-in-law and a Marine. He’ll be my temporary bodyguard. United States Marines guard the White House and the U.S. embassies. I’ll be as safe as could be.”

      “What about Anton?” Celeste inquired.

      “Anton, the royal security officer?” Vanessa noted the shine in her young lady-in-waiting’s eyes. “The one who has an affection for you?”

      Celeste blushed. “Anton would never do anything to compromise your safety,” she said earnestly. “His first loyalty is to you and the Crown.”

      “His first loyalty is to my father,” Vanessa noted bluntly, “which is why we’re not telling Anton about this plan. He’d report it to the king in a flash. You must swear to me that you won’t say a word to Anton.”

      “I swear, Your Highness.” Celeste placed her hand on her own heart as she made the solemn vow. “You can trust me.”

      “Good. Then let’s get this plan started. Tell Anton that I’m not feeling well this morning and that I don’t wish to be disturbed. Oh, and when a Dr. Rosenthal arrives, please show him right in.”

      Celeste departed, leaving behind the breakfast she’d brought with her. Mark was already lifting the heavy silver covers from the plates. “I’m starving. Fruit. Is that all you eat for breakfast? Ah, pancakes.” He licked his lips and dipped a finger into the small sterling pitcher that held warmed maple syrup. “Good. You don’t mind if I eat some of this, do you?” He dragged an armchair over to the small table holding the food. “All I got on the red-eye flight up here was a bag of salty peanuts.”

      “Where did you fly in from?”

      “Washington, D.C.”

      “Is that where you’re stationed?”

      He nodded and took a healthy bite of pancakes.

      “A lovely place,” she noted. “But I believe New York is my favorite American city. There’s such an excitement here, you can almost hear its heartbeat.”

      “All I hear is traffic.”

      The man had no soul. Which wasn’t surprising. Marines weren’t known for their poetic natures.

      Sitting there in her bedroom, eating her breakfast, he looked tough and sexy. The black T-shirt and black jeans he wore added a dangerous edge to his appearance. She could easily imagine him in an undercover operation. She could easily imagine him under her covers, period.

      Oh my. She hadn’t had these kinds of fantasies about a man in ages. Not since the last time she’d seen him at Prudence’s wedding. This was certainly not the man to have those kinds of fantasies about. He was much too rough and too irreverent, too physical and too earthy. The qualifications for a good temporary bodyguard were not the same as those for a partner in a romantic relationship. Especially for a princess.

      She wasn’t looking for a man in her life. She was looking for some freedom.

      Briskly shoving her erotic thoughts aside, she said, “While you’re eating, I think I’ll write up a list of what I’d like to accomplish during these next few days.”

      “Write away,” he mumbled around a mouthful of pancake.

      Taking a piece of official stationery from her personal supply on the Chippendale-style writing desk, she nibbled on the edge of a pen that had been given to her by the queen of England for her twenty-first birthday. “Despite all my visits to New York, I’ve never seen the major tourist attractions like the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building.” She wrote those down. Despite her best efforts, her handwriting had never been as elegant and flowing as her younger sister Anna’s. A handwriting analyst had once done an article about Vanessa, saying she had a stubborn individual style that occasionally showed a surprising lack of confidence. Bingo. That was her personality in a nutshell. For once, the press got it right. “Oh, and I’d love to take a moonlit stroll through Central Park.”

      “Dumb move,” he said bluntly.

      She fixed him with a mocking stare. “Come now, Mark, don’t be shy. Tell me how you really feel.”

      “Feelings have nothing to do with it.” He took a sip of coffee. “I’m telling you that walking through Central Park at night isn’t smart.”

      “Nonsense. I’ll have a big strong Marine next to me. Besides, I’ve heard that New York is a much safer city now than it used to be.”

      “You’re going through all this trouble just so you can do touristy stuff, like visit the Statue of Liberty. That’s all?” This assignment might not be so hard after all, he decided, aside from the walk in the park. That was a definite no-go. He was not compromising her security to that extreme.

      Protecting foreign dignitaries usually did not fall under his command, or any Marine’s command for that matter, but this situation was unique. He’d been given this assignment because of his connections to Vanessa. As his C.O., his commanding officer, had told him, he was the only man for the job.

      “I want to do what normal people do,” Vanessa was saying. “Eat at a fast-food restaurant, shop at a regular department store, go out dancing at a club at night—one that’s not just for the rich and famous.”

      Shopping. Mark froze, his fork poised above the next portion of pancake. He’d rather do a month of Arctic training than shop. Marines didn’t shop. They went into a store, procured their necessities and got out ASAP.

      And what had she listed before shopping? Dancing? He wasn’t a big fan of that wimpy activity either. Unless it was line dancing. He’d mastered that at a nifty little bar called Buck’s several years back. Where had that been? He frowned. So many assignments, so many bases.

      But

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