LITMIR.BIZ

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know that.” He still wouldn’t mind a turn. Most women wanted him to take care of them. It felt odd that Isabel didn’t. He bowed his head in apology. “A poor choice of words on my part. I promise to make it up to you.”

      “No need.”

      As she brushed past him, an appealing mix of vanilla and jasmine filled his nostrils. The smell was a significant improvement over the motor oil one earlier. “I want to.”

      “That’s okay.” Her smile nearly knocked him off his seat. “I’ve already forgiven you.”

      Niko didn’t want her forgiveness. He wanted … her.

      Damn. The attraction to Isabel was unexpected and unwelcome. His duties and responsibilities always took priority. Niko was practically engaged to Julianna. He shouldn’t be attracted to any woman.

       Not even your wife? a voice mocked.

      He balled his hands to gain control. His father had taught him to keep emotion reined in. Otherwise it became a weakness, one that others, particularly adversaries, would use to their advantage.

      Niko focused his gaze on Isabel’s pretty face. Maybe it would be better to concentrate on her forehead. “Is there anything else you need to pack for the trip?”

      “No. I won’t be in Vernonia that long.”

      “You might like it there.”

      She shrugged. “This has been my home since I was six.”

      He couldn’t believe she’d lived like this for the past seventeen years. “That’s a long time.”

      “When Uncle Frank bought the RV, he said we would never have to leave home again. We could always take it with us.” She removed a carton of milk from the refrigerator and poured it down the sink. “I wonder if he was thinking about Vernonia when he said that.”

      “Possibly.” Niko glanced around her hovel. “There are many other places to live than here.”

      “I know.” Isabel rinsed the carton in the small sink. “This motor home is nothing more than an old metal shed compared to a lot of other places, but I’ve been happy here. A little lonely since Uncle Frank died, but it’s hard to leave the good memories behind.”

      “You will make new memories.”

      “I need to come to peace with the old ones first.” She stared off into the distance. “So many things about Uncle Frank are making more sense now. The lack of photographs. Wanting me to study martial arts. Keeping such a low profile. Being so protective. Even if he wasn’t related to me by blood he’s still family. The only I ever knew.”

      Niko nodded. “We shall honor Franko for the sacrifices he made by keeping you safe.”

      “Thank you.” Gratitude shone her eyes. “Vernonia must have meant a lot to him or he would have never given up so much for me. I always thought he was satisfied living like this, and I’d be the one to leave someday. Now I know he didn’t plan on living here forever, either. He would have returned … home.”

      Isabel’s words eased some of Niko’s concerns about her future. “Your father’s estate will enable you to live wherever and however you want.”

      She sighed. “The thought of so many choices is intimidating.”

      “Think of only one choice at a time. It won’t seem so … overwhelming.”

      “Good advice,” she said. “Thanks.”

      Helping her pleased him. “Is there anything else you need?”

      Isabel glanced around. “Boyd is going to check on the RV while I’m away so everything should be okay.”

      Niko remembered the tall man who had driven her and Jovan to retrieve the box. The same man had come out to check on her and watched her from the garage. A woman as attractive as Isabel was sure to have men after her. One who worked with her would have an advantage. “Is Boyd your boyfriend?”

      “Boyd?” She scrunched her nose. “He’s like a brother. Some people think we’re a couple, but we’re just friends.”

      The news brought an unfamiliar sense of relief. But Boyd wasn’t the only man in Charlotte. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

      “No boyfriend.”

      “But you date.”

      “Not nearly as much as I probably should. I work too much overtime to have a serious relationship. And the boys at the garage can be a little overprotective when guys do drop by.”

      The news pleased Niko more than it should have.

      “What about you?” she asked.

      “No boyfriend.”

      She grinned. “Any girlfriends?”

      He used to have girlfriends. He’d dated models to princesses. Julianna wasn’t his girlfriend per se, yet she was the woman he planned to marry. Better to keep things simple than give Isabel too complicated an explanation. “Yes, I have a girlfriend.”

      “What’s her name?”

      “Julianna. We are planning to marry.”

      “Congratulations, Niko.” Isabel locked a window latch. “I hope the two of you are very happy together.”

      Her enthusiasm surprised him. “You do?”

      “Of course I do,” she admitted. “Why wouldn’t I? I may be your wife, but that was a choice neither of us made or would choose today.”

      Niko winced. Her words stung. He might not choose her, but he didn’t see why she wouldn’t choose him. He was a prince and quite eligible according to the tabloids and magazines. “Who would you choose to marry?”

      “No one.”

      “You do not wish to marry?”

      “I have a few things I want to do first.”

      “Tell me about these things.”

      “I’m planning to enroll in pit crew school, work on a pit crew and eventually be a crew chief.”

      Those were unusual goals for a woman. Unthinkable for a female in Vernonia let alone a princess. “You like racing.”

      “I love racing. Open-wheel, stock car, go-kart, it doesn’t matter as long as there’s a checkered flag at the end.”

      The passion in her voice matched the light in her eyes and reminded him of Julianna when she sailed. Perhaps the two women had more in common than Niko had thought. “Your inheritance will allow you to do almost anything you want in racing.”

      “Yeah, I guess focusing on going to pit crew school now is like a Lotto winner who plans to keep their job.” Isabel swung the strap of a blue backpack over her shoulder. She opened the door. “Ready to roll, Highness.”

      Then again, maybe she didn’t have that much in common with Princess Julianna after all.

      Across the tarmac at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, jet engines roared.

      This was unreal. Izzy stood on the landing at the top of the portable aircraft staircase with a gorgeous prince who happened to be her husband. She still couldn’t believe what was happening.

      Each beat of her heart slammed against her ribs. She’d never once dreamed of traveling to a far off destination except to attend a race. But here she was about to board a private plane and fly off to another continent.

      An airplane sped down the runway.

      She shivered. Soon that would be her plane.

      Some might call this an exciting adventure, but not Izzy. Her misgivings were increasing by the minute.

      Another aircraft taxied by. The silver,

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