Alexander & Rebecca (Royals of Valleria #1) (6 page)

Rebecca grimaced when she heard the knock. Catharine was forcing her to eat something, though her stomach was still in knots. She’d managed to clear away a good chunk of her work but there were still several tall, sticky piles of it waiting for her.

Rebecca opened the main door to Catharine’s suite of offices and watched in shock as kitchen staff rolled in carts full of food. Even with both her and Catharine eating a portion, there would still be plenty left over.

After the food had been setup along a side table in the conference room, Rebecca walked over and began lifting up silver lids on large dishes of pasta, bread, salad, and dessert. When another knock sounded, she wondered if more food was coming.

When Rebecca opened the door, shock crossed her face again as she found not the kitchen staff, but Alexander. It took her a moment too long to recover but when she did, she curtsied and said, “Your Highness.”

“Good evening, Rebecca,” he said in a low, soft voice and that sent shivers through her. She liked her name on his tongue just a little too much. He walked inside and closed the door, his security agent taking position just outside, leaving them alone.

“The Princess is not here at the moment, sir, though I’m happy to help with anything you need.”

“Are you?” he asked, his gaze locking with hers. Uncomfortable and unable to hold it, she shifted away.

“Yes, Sir, of course, though the Princess is expected shortly.”

“Well, at the moment I’m in need of several things, Rebecca,” he said. “First, however, I must inform you that Catharine will not be coming this evening.”

Confusion dotted Rebecca’s eyebrows and mouth as she checked her phone. “I didn’t receive that message, Sir.”

“I’m delivering that message to you.”

She couldn’t fathom why the Prince would deliver such a message to her. “Is the Princess unwell?”

“She’s perfectly fine, no need to be concerned. You’ll have to forgive me.”

“Forgive you, Sir? Whatever for?”

“I arranged that dinner be sent for you. Well, I should say for us.”

“Us, Sir?” She almost couldn’t breathe.

A faint smile etched across his lips. “Yes. I think the two of us should have dinner,” he said simply.

“Why?” she said before good sense could intervene.

Alex chuckled and the sound sent tingles across her skin. “I’ll tell you over dinner. We wouldn’t want to offend the kitchen staff, now would we, by sending the food back uneaten?”

Conveniently boxed in, her nerves began working overtime. “Of course not, Sir.”

His eyes twinkled. “Excellent.” He gestured for her to lead them into the conference room.

She took a step forward, then stopped. She was about to have dinner with Prince Alexander, the man she’d dreamt of and thought of in an entirely inappropriate sense. “Um, do we need to invite anyone else to this dinner, Sir?”

“No.”

She frowned lightly. She must be dreaming, she decided. Any moment now, she would wake up and find herself asleep at her desk. Yes, it was all just another dream. It couldn’t be real.

Alex smiled and stepped closer. Rebecca gasped when as his fingers caressed her cheek, soft as a breath. Her eyes broke contact with his to glance at the camera in the corner of the room. Though it cost her to do it, she stepped back. Alex’s eyes narrowed.

“Sir, there are cameras in the offices here.”

“So there are. They’ve been taken care of.”

“Taken care of?”

“Yes. No one will know we were here together.”

“I see,” she said, though she wasn’t sure she did. Why did he want to keep this meeting a secret? What was his purpose? The knots in her stomach tightened for an entirely new reason.

“Do you?”

“Perhaps, Sir.”

“Stop calling me ‘Sir’ so much. It will make our dinner conversation very tedious.”

“I don’t know if I can do that. Sir.” Protocol might be the only thing keeping her together right now.

“Well, try it in any case. Shall we?” he asked as he gestured to the conference room once more.

Rebecca walked, her movements jerky and nervous. She had no idea what Alex’s intentions were, and she didn’t like it one bit; she hated the unknown.

Alex held out a chair for her at the head of a conference table and she had no choice but to sit down. She waited uncomfortably while he filled two plates with food and brought them over. The Prince was serving her food; she could not quite grasp that.

“Wine?” he asked as he held up a bottle. Unable to speak, Rebecca merely nodded. After he poured, she still hadn’t moved and her hands were clasped tightly together in her lap.

“Eat,” he said lightly as he sat down to her left. “You’ve got to be hungry if you haven’t eaten all day.”

“I can’t eat until you do. Sir.”

She watched as Alexander’s eyes narrowed and he took a deep breath. He pulled her clammy hands into his, seeming to ignore the embarrassing sweat lingering there, and brought them to his lips. Rebecca was sure she would pass out, she was so overwhelmed. How often was a girl alone with a prince who kissed her hands?

“Rebecca. From this moment forward, anytime you’re alone with me, ignore protocol.”

“I can’t,” she responded instinctually.

“You will,” he said in a tone meant to tolerate no argument. Softer, he said, “I know it will be hard for you at first, but I think you’ll get used to it over time.”

“Time, Sir?” she said instinctually again and shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

He still held her hands, his thumbs drawing soft circles over the back of them. “I meant to tell you a little later, after you were more comfortable with me. Perhaps it’s best if I tell you now. I have been planning this meeting between us for quite some time.”

She tried to pull her hands away, but he held on. “What do you mean?” she whispered, her eyes wide while hope and confusion warred within her.

“It’s very simple,” he said as his gaze held hers. “I like you, Rebecca. I wanted to spend time with you, just the two of us. I wanted to give you a chance to get to know me.”

Rebecca pulled quickly away, and this time Alexander let her hands go. She whirled out of the chair and retreated to a corner of the room. If she was of a higher class, she’d know what he was telling her. However, right now, though it was everything she wanted to hear, it was nothing she could believe.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

“I want you to know me as a man, Rebecca. To know me as Alex, not as a prince. Or not only as a prince.”

She shook her head again as she faced away from him. “I don’t know what it is you’re asking of me.”

Alexander stood and walked slowly to her. She recognized his scent first, rich and male and musky, uniquely his. He smelled wonderful, always had. When his hand touched her shoulder lightly, she tensed, and he turned her to face him. He waited to speak until she met his eyes. “I want you, Rebecca.”

Her heart fell. A fling? Sex with no strings? Is that what he wanted? She shook her head. “I’m not that kind of girl, Your Highness.”

His eyes flashed, then cooled before he spoke. “What kind of girl is that?”

“I don’t do one night stands. Nor am I the type of girl who can become a-a-a mistress, if that’s what you’re looking for. Sir.”

His hands gripped her arms tightly, but were not bruising. “I’m not that sort of man, either, Rebecca, and I would have thought you knew that, even if you knew nothing else. You think I want a whore on tap? Is that what you think? Do you think I’m that sort of man? How dare you even think of yourself that way?”

Rebecca was scared, not of Alexander but of the words he’d said. Did she think so little of herself and of Alexander? “I didn’t mean to offend you, or myself.”

“You did offend me, but you offended yourself more. You’re worth more than that to me. Moreover, you should be worth more to yourself. No man in his right mind would ever consider you mistress material.”

Despite herself, Rebecca was slightly offended. She may be the prim, proper, dependable Rebecca Campo, but she was attractive and alluring. She may not have the sex appeal of other women, but men could desire her. “Then I don’t understand what this conversation is about. You said you wanted me.”

“Yes, you,” he said, shaking her arms a little. “I won’t lie and say I don’t want your body, but I want you, as my girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?” she said in complete and utter astonishment. “Me? But, I’m a nobody.”

“You’re not a ‘nobody’ and I don’t ever want to hear you say something like that again.”

“Well, I just meant that I’m a commoner. I’m not royalty.”

“That doesn’t matter to me.”

“Well, it will matter to everyone else,” she said as she tried to step away from him. However, he held on, unwilling to let her go. “Why me?”

He pulled her closer to him. “I need you, Rebecca.” He sighed then shook his head. “I know this is a surprise to you. When I first began to have feelings for you, they were a surprise to me, too.”

He had feelings for her? “How long have you felt this way?”

“Long enough. I tried to fight these feelings, not because I thought you were unworthy but because I felt I was. However, I just can’t do it anymore. If you don’t want me, if you could never want me, then you don’t need to worry. Just tell me, and I’ll never bother you again.”

Rebecca couldn’t think, could barely breathe. God, was this real? Was this moment real? The Prince - no, Alexander - thought he was unworthy of her?

He continued. “Could you ever look at me like a man and not the future king? I would need that from you, Rebecca.”

“I just don’t know,” she said honestly. “I never thought to see you as anyone other than Prince Alexander.”

He nodded, his mouth in a faint frown. “If you do think, even for a moment, that you could want me, then I just want us to try. I know a relationship with royalty, particularly me, wouldn’t be easy. I know what I’m asking of you, what you’d be giving up just to have your name linked with mine, but I know you can handle it. You’re so strong, Rebecca,” he said as he brushed her hair away from her face in a tender move.

“I’m not sure what to say, sir.”

Alexander paused. “Perhaps it would be easier to think about it if we started by you saying my name.”

“Your name?”

“Alexander,” he said as he slowly began to guide her backwards against the wall. “Say it.”

“I don’t think I can.”

“Hmm,” he said as she felt the wall behind her. He placed his hands on either side of her head so they were inches apart, but not touching. “Then perhaps we can start with this.”

She should have seen it coming. Should have known it would happen. His lips fluttered against hers while her own body stood unnaturally still. His eyes watched her reaction before he pressed more firmly against her lips.

Rebecca’s eyes shuttered closed and sensation took over. His lips were strong and firm against hers, and far too talented. She knew it was wrong to kiss him like this, to feel him like this, but for the moment she would just live the dream and let herself feel. His tongue slid against her mouth and she easily gave him entrance. His slow, seductive kisses made her feel boneless and as her knees weakened, his arms came around her.