Lessons in Seduction (15 page)

Leaving her shaken and spent.

He held her in his arms as their breathing slowed and minds and bodies adjusted to the fact that they were no longer one. Aftershocks rippled through her as sweat cooled on her skin.

“Funny,” he said later as he pushed a lock of hair from her face. “Whenever I dreamed about making love to you here in this bed, I imagined it to be slow and exquisite. I thought we'd take hours.”

The awareness of Adam losing his ever-present re
straint with her, thrilled and humbled her. “At least you got the exquisite part right.”

His arm tightened around her. “And maybe we could try…”

She didn't know where she would find the strength to walk away from him because she hadn't known, hadn't let herself believe, that they could be this good together. That she could want more than his body or to give him more than hers. That he could make such a deep impression on her heart.

No, not an impression, he owned it. All of it.

The heart in question sank with the dawning awareness.

Love.

She'd fallen in love with Adam.

He was like no other man she'd ever known. She loved his seriousness, his complexity, his kindness. She loved him and everything about him.

A man she couldn't have. The irony was that he was the one person she wanted to share the appalling realization with. The Adam who was her friend as well as her lover in whose arms she now lay. The Adam who understood her, who always had.

But she couldn't admit her love. All it would do would be to make him feel guilty. He'd never asked for her love. She'd been an interlude in his search for a wife.

Maybe she should just be grateful that they'd taken as much as they had. More than they should have been allowed.

It was hard to be grateful when her heart was breaking.

She sought the temporary solace of making love with him again.

A long time afterward, a long slow exquisite time afterward, she rolled out of his bed.

Love wasn't supposed to hurt like this.

She found strength along with her clothes.

It wasn't till she was dressed that she turned back to Adam to find him watching her. Those now serious eyes had been fierce with fire and passion. For her.

This was it. The end. They both recognized it.

She turned away from those beautiful brown eyes and crossed to the window. Seconds later she saw his reflection in the glass. He'd come to stand behind her. Outside, darkness was falling. Her life had once been so uncomplicated. She leaned her forehead on the window.

 

Fifteen minutes later they sat in a nondescript sedan belonging to the palace's head of security. “I did your one last thing. Will you do one for me? Will you let me show you something?” He'd asked and she'd agreed. How could she refuse him? They skirted the city, crossed the river and several blocks later turned into an industrial area on the outskirts of the city filled with warehouses and light manufacturing. “Where are we going?”

“You told me once there were rumors that I had a mystery woman.”

“Yes. And you laughed.”

“You'll see why soon. We're almost there.”

At the entrance to a light industrial complex, he pressed a code into a keypad that opened an enormous gate. Inside, he drove slowly past a series of closed roller doors, finally stopping in front of one. He pressed a button on his key chain and one of the doors slowly
rose. He looked at her. “I haven't shown this to anyone before.”

“You don't have to show it to me now.” She almost didn't want him to. She had no idea what was behind that door, only that it was deeply personal to him.

“I want to.” He drove into the dim interior. Danni instantly recognized a workshop, tools neatly lining the walls, and saw straight away the shape of a low, covered car. They parked alongside it and the door closed behind them.

She looked from him to the covered car. “Why would you keep a car out here when you have all that space at the palace?”

“This is private. It's nothing to do with the palace or being a prince. It's my escape from both of those things. Through that door over there—” he pointed to a wall “—are stairs to the top level. I had it converted to an apartment, just a bedroom and a bathroom. It's utterly private.”

He tilted his head toward the shrouded car. “Let me show her to you. My mystery woman.” They approached the car and he peeled back the cover. Her first glimpse of gleaming wheel spokes confirmed what she'd suspected as soon as she'd seen the shape of the low-slung car. “Dad's Bugatti. You're the collector?” She looked from the car, its engine exposed, to him. “How is that possible?”

“Your father did so much for me for so many years. Especially after my mother died. I wanted to do something for him in return. I knew he was selling the car at least in part for your college fees and that he'd never accept outright financial help. So I bought it through an intermediary. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't truly al
truistic, having the car to work on has given me peace and much pleasure over the years.”

“Dad doesn't know?”

Adam shook his head. “I wanted to finish it and then give it back to him. It's nearly ready. I steal an hour here and there.”

Danni touched his face—her fingertips to his beautiful strong jaw. “That's a lovely thing you're doing.”

He opened the nearest door. “Hop in.”

Danni let him hand her into the car. Into the driver's seat. He took shotgun. “Do you remember—” she began.

“Yes. And I'm embarrassed about it.”

“You said a girl couldn't drive it. That girls weren't good drivers.”

“Thanks for reminding me. Did I ever apologize for that?”

“Not as such. But you let me drive for you. I figured that meant something.”

“It did. And if it will mean something to you now you can drive the Bugatti. The detailing isn't finished but it runs like a dream.”

Half an hour later they were parked on top of a hill looking back over the lights of the city gleaming like diamonds strewn across the night. A full moon hung partially obscured in the sky.

“I could sit like this with you forever.” Adam's low voice reached across the darkness between them.

Danni looked away and surreptitiously wiped a tear from her cheek. She tried to swallow the ache in her jaw.

“I hope you find a good man, Danni.”

She turned to him. “Would you be insulted if I wished you success in your search for a suitable wife?”

“To my core.”

“So, don't…”

“I won't.” He reached for her hand, held it with a clasp more fierce than gentle. “But I want you to be happy.”

“And I want the same for you.”

He tipped his head back and closed his eyes. He opened them again and looked at her with that intensity that was unique to him. “You know that if I didn't love you as much as I do, I'd ask you to marry me.”

“You love me?” The words reverberated within her, filling her with joy and sorrow, her greatest wish and her greatest fear.

“With all my heart. I don't know when or how it started. And I don't know how to stop. You can't possibly know how vital you are to me. But I couldn't ask you to share a life that would make you miserable. Rafe made me see that.”

A silence stretched between them. He loved her. He loved her.

Finally, she spoke softly. “If I didn't love you as much as I do I'd accept.”

“You love me?”

“With all my heart. And I do know how it started. It began when I was five and you got that book down from the shelf for me. And I don't know how to stop either, or believe that you can possibly know how vital
you
are to
me
. But I'm not what you need. I'd be a terrible royal wife.”

His hand tightened on hers. “The constant glare of
publicity, the tedium of royal engagements. I couldn't bear to see your joy in life diminished.”

She allowed another small silence, turning his words over in her head. “People cope,” she said quietly. “I coped with the press today. But what about my lack of sophistication, my lack of diplomacy? I couldn't bear to discredit you.”

He freed her hand, shifted his to caress her face. “There are far too many sophisticated and diplomatic people in royal circles. What I need in my life is vitality and plain speaking. Someone who's honest with me. Someone I can be with in the quiet moments. And I've been told I need to learn to have fun. To be more impulsive. I need a lot of work. I could use help with that.”

She wanted so desperately to help him with that. “I meet none of your criteria for a royal wife.”

“That's not quite true. You meet plenty of the criteria on that list. You're good with the press, you're good with children and you're beautiful beyond belief, but none of those matter anymore because I drew up a new list.”

“A new list? When?”

“When you first tried to tell me that we were over. I thought it might be wise.” He lowered his hand and pulled a folded and crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and passed it to her. “I didn't do too well with it. I couldn't come up with much.”

Danni spread the paper out on the steering wheel. There was just enough light to make out that there were a few words on the paper but not enough to read them. “It's too dark. I can't read it.”

“It says, ‘Item One—she must be Danni.'” He blew out his breath. “And that's it.”

The moon rose up from behind the clouds, shining enough light that she could make out her name on the paper. “You're right. It's not much of a list.”

“It was the best I could do.”

“I'd say you need help with it.”

“I probably do.”

“You should add to it that she must love you. Because if she loves you, whatever she has to give up will be less of a sacrifice than giving up on love.”

“And I guess you'd tell me I should love her in return? With all my heart? And be willing to do whatever it takes to make her happy?”

“Absolutely.”

“So that's three simple criteria.” He turned in the seat and lifted his hands to her face. “She must be Danni, she must love me and I must love her in return? Will you help me find her and help me convince her to marry me, to never leave me?”

“Yes,” she sighed. “But only if you kiss me now.”

“H
ave I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” Adam stood and held out his hand to Danni.

“Yes.” She put her hand in his, stood and walked to the dance floor with him, stepping gladly, gratefully into his arms.

They were the third couple to occupy the floor. The bridal couple, Rebecca and Logan, danced, eyes for only each other. Their wedding had been beautiful, full of pomp and splendor, but with human touches and laughter and most of all love.

Their love for each other had shone through every moment and every syllable of the service from the time Rebecca had taken her first step on the long walk up the cathedral's aisle.

Rebecca had looked amazing in her ivory silk and
lace gown and Logan had been visibly stunned as he watched her walk toward him.

Danni and Adam were among the very few who knew that beneath Rebecca's gown the first addition to their family already grew.

Rafe and Lexie danced now too, holding tight to each other. Their baby, Bonnie, had punctuated the service with her laughing gurgles, a delightful counterpoint to the beautiful solemnity of the occasion. Bonnie had stayed through the official luncheon but had been taken home by the nanny before this more intimate dinner and dance for a mere three hundred. But if they followed the pattern Danni had quickly become aware of, Rafe and Lexie would soon head home, too. Wanting to be with each other and their child had suddenly become a singular priority. The playboy prince had become a doting husband and father, completely besotted with the two women in his life.

At the head table, Prince Henri and Danni's father sat back in their chairs, sipping cognac and watching over proceedings with obvious fatherly pride.

Adam hadn't taken too long to bring his father round to the idea of their marrying. He'd had several meetings alone with him before bringing Danni to meet him officially. The main thing Prince Henri had wanted to be certain of was that they were resolute in their love for each other—because there would, he assured them, be trials. But once he was convinced of their love, he'd insightfully predicted that the country too would grow to love Danni. They would see her as just like them, an ordinary citizen, a commoner whom they could claim as one of their own and love. She would be the fairy tale come true.

And he'd been right. The press had quickly decided they were on Danni's side and made much of the work she'd done in bringing a Grand Prix to San Philippe. And they frequently pointed out how refreshing she would be for the royal family. Already it seemed that their prince, who they acknowledged could sometimes seem a little reserved, looked more relaxed and open. It helped that every photo they printed showed both Danni and Adam radiant with happiness.

Gradually, other couples joined the dance floor. So much had changed for Danni and Adam in the last month. They'd announced their engagement at Christmas. They'd considered waiting until after this wedding but speculation had been so intense that it seemed easiest to admit the truth, that yes they loved each other and wanted to marry.

Their wedding wouldn't be for another eight months. It was the soonest that it could be arranged given the pomp and ceremony that was apparently necessary, more even than there had been today. But, after all, it wasn't every day the heir apparent got married. The country wanted to celebrate, just as, after being robbed of a wedding by Rafe and Lexie eloping, they'd anticipated and then celebrated today's occasion.

Already a provisional guest list was being drawn up. Many of the names on it would be dictated by protocol and etiquette, with attention paid to international considerations. She and Adam were content to leave much of it to their aides, though they had made sure to insist that Blake be on it.

The only thing that really mattered to Danni was that she got to be with Adam. For the rest of their lives.

He danced with her, holding her closer than deco
rum suggested was proper, their bodies pressed together from shoulders to toes. Almost heaven, Danni thought as she swayed in his arms. Moving with him, being held by him. Every time she thought it couldn't get any better, it did.

“You look stunning in that dress.” The dress in question had been made for her, a beaded evening gown, with simple flowing lines, in deepest purple.

“Thank you, but you know as soon as we get home I'll be kicking off these shoes and getting changed.” She was gradually getting used to the formality of dress that was now often required of her, but she still liked her jeans best of all.

“You'll be getting out of the dress, do you mean? I'll be happy to help you with that.” He pulled her closer still and spun her.

“So long as you're more help than you were when I was trying to put it on.”

“The trouble is, as beautiful as it looks on you, it looks even better off you.” He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Though I guess you could keep the shoes on if you like.”

Danni laughed. She couldn't believe she'd once accused him of lacking fun and spontaneity. In public he was seriousness personified. In private he was anything but. And she loved every facet of him.