LITMIR.BIZ

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He turned to Miss Montgomery. “Miss Montgomery, may I present Prince Aaron Felix Gastel Alexander of Thomas Isle.”

      Miss Montgomery stuck her hand out to shake his, then, realizing her error, snatched it back and dipped into an awkward, slightly wobbly curtsy instead, her cheeks coloring an enchanting shade of pink. “It’s an honor to be here, sir—I mean, Your Highness.”

      Her voice was softer than he’d expected. Low and breathy, and dare he say a little sexy. He’d always found an American accent undeniably appealing.

      “The honor is mine,” he said, reaching out for a shake. She hesitated a second, then accepted his hand. Her hands were slender and fine-boned, with long fingers that wrapped around his with a surprisingly firm grip. Her skin was warm and soft, her nails short but neatly filed.

      She gazed at him with eyes an intriguing shade—not quite brown, and not quite green—and so large and inquisitive they seemed to take up half her face. Everything about her was a little overexaggerated and…unexpected.

      But she couldn’t be any less his type. He preferred his women small and soft in all the right places, and the more beautiful the better. Not particularly smart, either, because frankly, he wasn’t in it for the conversation. The fewer brains, the less likely he was to become attached. As long as she could navigate a golf course or squash court, or rock a pair of crosscountry skis. Sailing experience was a plus, as well, and if she could climb a rock wall, he would be in sheer heaven.

      Somehow he didn’t see Miss Montgomery as the athletic type.

      “I’ll be in my office if you need me, sir,” Derek told him, then slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him. As it snapped shut, he could swear he saw Miss Montgomery flinch.

      He gestured to the chair opposite his desk. “Miss Montgomery, make yourself comfortable.”

      She set her backpack on the floor beside her and sat awkwardly on the very edge of the cushion. She folded her hands in her lap, then unfolded them. Then she tucked them around the sides of her thighs and under her legs. She looked very uncomfortable.

      “I apologize for being so late,” she said.

      He perched on the corner of his desk. “I hear you hit some bad weather on the way over.”

      She nodded. “It was a bumpy flight. And I’m not real crazy about flying to begin with. In fact, I might look into taking a ship home.”

      “Can I offer you a drink, Miss Montgomery?”

      “No, thank you. And please, call me Liv. Everyone does.”

      “All right, Liv. And because we’ll be spending quite some time together, you should call me Aaron.”

      She hesitated, then asked, “Is that…allowed?”

      He grinned. “I assure you, it’s perfectly acceptable.”

      She nodded, her head a little wobbly on the end of a very long and slender neck. She had the kind of throat made for stroking and nibbling. But somehow he didn’t see her as the nibbling type. She had shy and repressed written all over her. No doubt, he could teach her a thing or two. Not that he intended to. Or even possessed the desire.

      Well, maybe just a little, but purely out of curiosity.

      “My family apologizes that they couldn’t be here to greet you,” he told her. “They’re in England to see my father’s cardiologist. They’ll be back Friday.”

      “I look forward to meeting them,” she said, although she sounded more wary than enthusiastic. She had no reason to be apprehensive. In the history of his father’s reign as king, her visit might very well be the most anticipated and appreciated. Not that she was offering her services for free. They had agreed to make a handsome donation to fund her research. Personally she hadn’t asked for anything more than room and board. No special amenities, or even a personal maid to tend to her care.

      “I’m told that you looked at the disease samples we sent you,” he said.

      She nodded, not so wobbly this time. “I did. As well as the data from the other specialists.”

      “And what conclusion have you drawn?”

      “You have yourself a very unusual, very resistant strain of disease that I’ve never seen before. And trust me when I say I’ve pretty much seen them all.”

      “Your references are quite impressive. I’ve been assured that if anyone can diagnose the problem, it’s you.”

      “There is no if.” She looked him directly in the eye and said firmly, “It’s simply a matter of when.”

      Her confidence, and the forceful tone with which she spoke, nearly knocked him backward.

      Well, he hadn’t seen that coming. It was almost as though someone flipped a switch inside of her and a completely different woman emerged. She sat a little straighter and her voice sounded stronger. Just like that, he gained an entirely new level of respect for her.

      “Have you thought about my suggestion to stop all agricultural exports?” she asked.

      That was all he’d been thinking about. “Even the unaffected crops?”

      “I’m afraid so.”

      “Is that really necessary?”

      “For all we know, it could be lying dormant in the soil of areas that appear unaffected. And until we know what this thing is, we don’t want it to get off the island.”

      He knew she was right, but the financial repercussions would sting. “That means we have only until the next season, less than five months, to identify the disease and find an environmentally friendly cure.”

      Environmentally friendly so that they could maintain their reputation as a totally organic, green island. Millions had been spent to radically alter the way every farmer grew his crops. It was what set them apart from other distributors and made them a valuable commodity.

      “Can it be done in that time frame?” he asked.

      “The truth is, I don’t know. These things can take time.”

      It wasn’t what he wanted to hear, but he appreciated her honesty. He’d wanted her to fly in, have the problem solved in a week or two, then be on her way, making him look like a hero in not only his family, but also his country’s eyes.

      So much for that delusion of grandeur.

      “Once I get set up in the lab and have a few days to study the rest of the data, I may be able to give you some sort of time frame,” she said.

      “We have a student from the university on standby, should you need an assistant.”

      “I’ll need someone to take samples, but in the lab I prefer to work alone. You have all the equipment I need?”

      “Everything on your list.” He rose to his feet. “I can show you to your room and give you time to settle in.”

      She stood, as well, smoothing the front of her slacks with her palms. He couldn’t help wondering what she was hiding behind that bulky sweater. Were those breasts he saw? And hips? Maybe she wasn’t as sharp and angular as he’d first thought.

      “If you don’t mind,” she said, “I’d rather get right to work.”

      He gestured to the door. “Of course. I’ll take you right to the lab.”

      She certainly didn’t waste any time, did she? And he was relieved to know that she seemed determined to help.

      The sooner they cured this blight, the sooner they could all breathe easy again.

      Chapter Two

      Liv followed her host through the castle, heart thumping like mad, praying she didn’t do something stupid like trip over her own feet and fall flat on her

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