LITMIR.BIZ

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and Alex had vanished in the blink of an eye.

      ‘Ruby, what’s wrong?’

      He was picking up the other towels and the sunscreen from around them.

      She started up the steps. ‘Nothing’s wrong. I’m going to put some clothes on.’ She hated that tiny waver in her voice.

      He caught her arm. ‘Ruby, tell me what’s wrong. Are you angry with me?’

      The words that were spinning around in her brain tumbled out of her mouth unchecked. Nothing she would ever really want him to hear.

      ‘Why would I be angry with you, Alex? You tell me it’s up to me to decide how this goes—then as soon as we see someone you know you try and bundle me away. As if I’m some kind of employee you can’t be seen with. Which, when you think about it, I really am—aren’t I?’

      His brow crumpled and confusion swept over his face. He shook his head and tightened his grip on her arm, pulling her hard against him. She was above him, on the first step of the stairs. Their faces were perfectly level.

      ‘You think I want to hide you? After everything I’ve said?’

      His nose was almost touching hers and his eyes were blazing. She’d angered him.

      But instead of being intimidated she just felt another fire spark within her. ‘Well, that’s what it looks like.’

      His lips connected with hers. His hands jerked her hipbones against his. This was no delicate kiss. This was no teasing, no playing with her. This was pure and utter passion.

      His hands moved from her hips and his fingers tangled in her hair, tugging her head one way then another. His teeth clashed with hers and his tongue drove its way into her mouth. She could hardly breathe. He was devouring her.

      He finally released her just as the white boat passed directly behind the yacht. It was so close the yacht bobbed wildly in its wake.

      ‘There,’ he growled, without even turning around. ‘Randall Merr and his wife got a prime-time view. If you didn’t want anyone to know about us it’s too late. That woman practically has a satellite connection to the world’s press.’

      She gulped. Was that really what she wanted?

      Truth was, she hadn’t answered Alex because she was unsure.

      She wasn’t unsure about him. Not for a second. But she was definitely unsure about his world.

      How could she possibly ever fit in to his lifestyle? She was already sure that some of the staff didn’t like her and suspected something might be in the air between them.

      She wanted the Alex she’d met ten years ago in Paris. The gorgeous, slightly mysterious man with a bit of an accent.

      But that wasn’t Alex at all. This was Alex. The acting ruler of one country and potentially the temporary head of another. The father of a young daughter. The son of a sick man. A businessman with the financial responsibility for all the inhabitants of his country.

      Her Alex had only really ever existed in her head.

      And whilst the living, breathing Alex in front of her was sexier than she could ever have dreamed of, she was still wondering if this was all a figment of her imagination.

      After ten years he’d come looking for her.

      After ten years he’d told her he’d let her decide the pace.

      She was finding it hard to believe it. These were the kind of dreams she’d had ten years ago and never told anyone about.

      Alex de Castellane had spent his life surrounded by supermodels and movie stars. They all flocked to his country—a tax haven. They all wanted to be seen with him, to be photographed with him.

      And Alex, Prince Regent, was charming. He knew how to show interest and talk to people as if they were the only ones in the room. There was something enigmatic about him. And for most people it would be easy to get lost in his world.

      But Ruby was different. Ruby wasn’t looking for a fairytale.

      Maybe the Alex she’d always imagined was just a figment of her imagination. Maybe he’d never really existed.

      The man she’d spent a few hours with that night had been excited about life. Had had plans for the future. He’d offered to show her around Paris and she had gladly accepted.

      Accepted the chance to spend a few more hours in his company. Accepted the chance to be the focus of his attention for a few more hours.

      Would she have accepted any of it if she’d known his real identity?

      Most of the world would have screamed yes. Most of the world would have claimed it was every girl’s dream to be a princess. But most of the world wasn’t Ruby Wetherspoon.

      Her hand was still on his arm. Droplets of sea water were running down his skin, running from his hair down his chest. Physically, she wanted Alex. Emotionally, she wanted Alex. Mentally, she wanted Alex. But all wrapped up together?

      It was terrifying. And she couldn’t put it into words. She didn’t know how to explain the feeling of wanting to reach out and grab him, yet feeling totally overwhelmed.

      Right now she wanted to be back in her room at the palace. The room next to Annabelle’s. She wanted to be curled up with Annabelle, watching a movie and observing her. In an environment of peace and calm. In a place where she felt safe.

      A place where she didn’t feel so exposed.

      ‘Get changed. Ruby. Put some clothes on. I’ll meet you back on deck and we’ll have some food, then go back to the palace.’

      The Alex of earlier was lost. The man who’d looked at her almost adoringly and whispered in her ear had vanished from her grasp.

      The warm sea breeze had turned distinctly chilly. It swept around her, making every little hair on her arms stand to attention. She wrapped the towel around her shoulders.

      Her feet slipped and squelched along the wooden-floored corridor until she finally reached the room with her clothes and she sagged down, wet and cold, onto the bed.

      All of a sudden the designer bathing suits didn’t seem quite so attractive any more.

      She lay down on the bed—just for a second—and closed her eyes.

       CHAPTER EIGHT

      ALEX WAS HAVING trouble keeping his emotions in check.

      Today, all he’d been able to think about was Ruby. He hadn’t worried about share prices. About price indexes. About gas, electricity and oil prices.

      Today he’d just thought about the beautiful, bright-eyed woman in front of him. For a time it had seemed perfect.

      Their familiarity and warmth had developed over the last few weeks and he’d finally managed to put into words the things that had been circulating in his brain.

      Then—bam! It felt as if everything was ruined.

      He was pacing up and down the deck. The crew all seemed to have vanished into the mists—as if they knew he was brooding. Cold diet colas had appeared magically in a silver cooler. His steward had obviously realised that this wasn’t the time for more champagne.

      He couldn’t even face eating right now. So much was circulating in his head that his stomach was churning over and over.

      How had he managed to mess this up? He’d planned it in his head. Give her time to think about this. Don’t rush her. He was sure he’d seen a flicker of doubt in her eyes and that had almost killed him. He was treading so carefully around her.

      Then the Merrs and their darn boat. Mrs Merr had probably buzzed them deliberately. Anything to see what the Prince

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