The Princess and the Bodyguard Read online

  Alex chuckled, but there was little humor in it. “Some of the staff are more royal than I am. It’s me he’s unhappy with, love.”

  He led her to a room off the central corridor. Inside, her attention focused on the large, sparkling windows and the assortment of musical instruments on display. The piano and harp didn’t surprise her. The drum set did.

  “The music room,” Alex said unnecessarily. On one wall stood a large fireplace, and grouped around it a beautiful sitting area. The dark, intricately carved walnut and white brocade furniture seemed oddly familiar. Arranged around a rectangular carpet in hues of pink outlined in blue, with a circlet of roses in the center, the set consisted of two settees flanking a third, slightly larger piece.

  Alex noticed her puzzled expression.

  “Are you a decorating devotee, Hannah?”

  “No. Actually, I’ve never even owned a suite of furniture that matched. But I must have seen something like this in a magazine once. It looks—” She stopped herself because she had been about to insult the man’s furniture.

  “No, please. Don’t censor your words to me. You never did before. The furniture looks what?”

  Such a note of pleading filled his voice that suddenly Hannah understood something very important. Having believed him to be what he’d portrayed, an ordinary man, she’d been perfectly free and open with him in a way she’d bet few people had ever been in his life.

  “Well, I’m sorry, Alex, but that furniture looks uncomfortable.”

  She smiled when his laughter, rich and wonderful and missed, washed over her.

  “Oh, I can guarantee you that it is. My mother adored this arrangement, for she was what I believe could be dubbed a furniture snob.” Then he pitched his voice a little higher, speaking with precise diction. “Yes, yes, of course it’s Louis Quatorze. Doesn’t it complement the Aubusson well?”

  Hannah was still laughing when, after having been seated by Alex, the door opened and a maid pushed a serving cart into the room.

  “Leave it, Marie, please. We’ll serve ourselves.”

  “As you wish, Your Majesty.”

  Alex insisted on pouring the tea himself. In short order, she had a cup of Earl Grey in Wedgwood China. She sipped and felt a little awkward. How to proceed?

  “Thank you for accepting my invitation to stay here, Hannah.”

  “No, thank you for inviting me.”

  A look crossed his face, and she knew he’d reached the end of his patience. He set his cup down on the cart, took hers, and placed it there, too. Then he captured her hands and brought them to his lips. He looked at her with such longing, such regret, that she thought she just might cry.

  “I’m so sorry, Hannah, for not telling you sooner. Forgive me for being so greedy to want to keep you all to myself. I was afraid. Afraid if I told you the truth, it would change how you felt about me. And I let that fear overcome my best judgment. Please, Hannah, won’t you forgive me?”

  Chapter 2

  Sweat dripped into his eyes and the reverberation of the blows he exploded onto the punching bag rang in his ears. There had been a time, not very long ago, when he would have taken his frustration out on whichever hapless fool ventured too close at the wrong moment. But he’d matured past that stage. Unfortunately. So he pounded his mood into the bag, pissed that this time it didn’t seem to be working.

  He couldn’t get Rachel’s hurt expression out of his thoughts. Peter stopped the wildly swinging bag and rested his forehead on it. When had his world slipped from his control?

  “I have been informed that la Petite Furie tracked you down in the solarium earlier.”

  Peter looked over at his best friend, Michael, who had come into the gym. “Your sister and I did have a discussion, yes.” Maybe there was some basis for Rachel’s statement that she wasn’t treated like a responsible adult in her own home. Her eldest brother certainly didn’t seem to think her one, if that old nickname, Little Shrew, was any indication.

  “I am sorry if she let her temper out on you. She should have come to Father or me, since we are the ones who decided to increase her personal security. She was upset with the new arrangements, I take it?”

  Peter watched the man prowl the perimeter of the room. The crown prince tended to do that when preoccupied.

  “Upset? You could say that. She thought you’d set her up with me as guard dog because you and Alex believed her to be on drugs again.”

  “Sacre. Mon Dieu, why would she think such a thing?”

  Peter could have told him that self-esteem was only one of the casualties of previous bad judgment. Instead, he said, “When I’m done here, I have to go see Alex. I thought he’d told her about the letters, so I mentioned them. Now she wants to see them.”

  “Papa didn’t want to frighten her, so he decided to simply make it seem a bit of ‘overkill’ in the light of the media spotlight we are all under. But, I don’t know if you’ll be able to meet with him, at least for a little while. Your mother arrived a few minutes ago.”

  “Please don’t say any more.” Peter closed his eyes, as if that would shut out the image of his mother and Alex together romantically. “There are some things a man simply doesn’t want to think about his mother doing.” He took off his sparring gloves and headed over to the stack of towels the palace staff kept on hand. Grabbing one, he wiped the sweat from his face.

  “Personally, I’m delighted she’s here. The happiness on Papa’s face this morning while he watched the clock waiting for her to arrive is something I never thought to see on him. I like your Maman, mon ami. She is smart and not easily cowed. This is good for a man like my father, I think.”

  The mischievous grin on Michael’s face told Peter the other man had called to mind that moment, two weeks before, when Hannah had dumped a bowl of pasta on the king’s head. “You won’t get any arguments from me. Mom’s great.”

  “So, since Papa will likely be unavailable, you can tell Rachel you could not get his permission.”

  Michael let the sentence hang. Any other time, Peter might have seized on the excuse to avoid exposing Rachel to the ugliness of those letters. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option, not with her convinced her family didn’t trust her. He said nothing for a moment, but walked over to the fridge to grab out a bottle of water. He offered one to Michael, who nodded, then deftly caught the small, cold missile.

  “Of course, she will likely unleash her temper on you again.” Michael said, twisting the cap off his water.

  “That doesn’t bother me. I like her fire.” Strawberry-blonde may have been the proper name for the color of Rachel’s hair, but as far as Peter was concerned, she was pure redhead. Her temper came fast and hot, but always cooled quickly.

  “Find a way to tame it and it could keep you warm for a lifetime.”

  Michael’s soft-spoken words pulled Peter from his thoughts. “I beg your pardon?”

  “You heard me, my friend.”

  “Well, hell.”

  Michael’s chuckle didn’t sound all that kind to Peter’s ears.

  “Do you think I didn’t know how you felt about my baby sister the first time you laid eyes on her? Non, do not fret,” he said when Peter bristled. “Of course, I knew right from the start that, being an honorable man, you would never touch a seventeen-year-old child. But she has been of age for more than a year, and I have been waiting for you, as you English say, to make a move.”

  “I’m not English, I’m Canadian.”

  “Same thing.”

  “I didn’t realize you had prurient fantasies, pal.” Peter waited to see how his friend reacted to that insult. Fortunately—or unfortunately—Michael didn’t rise to the bait.

  “I don’t. I think the two of you are well-suited.”

  “I don’t quite know how to take that, mon ami. You’ve called her a shrew, and a few other colorful and not altogether complimentary names, since I’ve known you.”

  “Please, take it in the best possible way. So, what will yo
u do about her? With regard to this current situation, that is.”

  Peter held the chilled bottle of water to his forehead for a moment. Eyes closed, he rolled it back and forth and tried to think. Alex hadn’t told him of his decision not to tell Rachel about the letters. Therefore, Alex hadn’t told Peter not to tell her.

  He opened his eyes and fixed his stare on Michael. “I’m going to show her the letters. In my opinion, this situation will go much more smoothly if Rachel has all the facts.”

  Michael shrugged. “That is your call, then, as chief of security. And what are you going to do about her, in the other sense?”

  Despite his friend’s teasing smile, Peter scowled. All well and good for Michael to try and play matchmaker. But despite their four years of friendship, the Crown Prince of Boisdemer really didn’t have a clue what kind of man Peter was, or the sorts of things he’d done in the past. If a man like him came sniffing around his sister, he’d shoot the bastard. Period.

  “Not a damn thing. With any luck, Rachel will fall in love with some pampered prince and live happily ever after.” Unwilling to hear whatever teasing barb Michael might shoot next, Peter made his escape. Walking down the hall toward his apartment in the palace, he thought a nice, hot shower would be the thing to wash away the dregs of his workout. But nothing, he knew, would ever wash Rachel from his soul. Not having her would remain a fact of life he’d have to live with.

  * * * *

  Alex felt hours had gone by instead of only moments since he’d asked for forgiveness. Hannah’s answer was that important to him. She was important to him. He’d suffered these past two weeks. He didn’t know how he could have become addicted to Hannah Jones so quickly, but he had. Thinking about taking her upstairs, stripping her naked and feasting on her had him hard.

  “Yes. Yes, I forgive you. Only…”

  “What, sweetheart? Anything, just tell me.”

  He didn’t count the tear gently rolling down her cheek a bad thing. He lightly squeezed her hands in a show of encouragement.

  “Promise that you’ll never lie to me again.”

  “I promise. Anything else?”

  “Please, kiss me.”

  “Oh, yes.”

  His hands shook when he cupped her face and laid his lips on hers. He didn’t care. There would be no secrets between them, never again. He wanted her to realize how very much he desired her. He stroked her lips with his tongue, and when she opened her mouth to him, he plundered. His blood sang with the taste of her, and he knew it would take hours, days, weeks before he drank his fill. Her arms encircled his neck, and he pulled her closer, his need for her nearly eclipsing his common sense.

  Caressing her face he ended the kiss and whispered, “Why don’t I show you to your room?”

  “Why don’t you?”

  The walk from the music room to the Rose Suite had never seemed so long. He had the very devil of a time maintaining decorous conduct, which he felt necessary in case they encountered staff along the way. He’d laced his fingers with Hannah’s, though, and they walked quickly. It pleased him beyond words that she seemed eager to be alone, too.

  He led her up the main, winding staircase and then down the corridor to the left at the top of the stairs. Stopping before a large white door, Alex gathered her into a fast, hot kiss, then opened the door.

  “This is the Rose Suite.”

  “Oh my. It’s beautiful. And so large! Is that why Justin seemed offended that you meant for me to have it?”

  Alex shook his head, closed the door, and took her hand. Kissing it, he said, “No. This is why.” He led her to the right, to another door in an adjacent wall. Opening it, he stepped back and motioned for her to enter.

  “This is my bedroom.”

  He had come in behind her. Gently, he massaged her shoulders, her neck, and then caressed down her arms. He could feel the tension leaving her and smiled when she leaned back against him.

  “I’ve cleared my schedule for the rest of the day. I have been dreaming of having you here, in my bed, for what feels like forever. Will you let me have you, Hannah?”

  Truly not knowing what to expect, he stepped back when she moved. For her to have forgiven his lie was one thing. To allow the resumption of the intimacy they’d shared, quite another.

  He watched, transfixed, as she walked slowly toward his bed. When she turned to face him, she began opening the buttons of her blouse.

  “I hope you still have those condoms.”

  Alex laughed with the sheer joy of being alive. He rushed to her, kissed her, then opened the drawer of his beside table.

  “Oh my goodness.”

  “Each box holds one dozen.”

  “Alex, there must be twenty boxes here!”

  “I didn’t want to take the chance of running out.”

  When Hannah giggled, Alex took over the task of unbuttoning her blouse. Slipping it from her shoulders, he dropped it carelessly to the floor. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he pulled her between his legs, then reached behind her to release the hooks of her bra.

  “Oh, hello again, ladies,” he whispered, softly cupping her breasts in his hands.

  Her nipples responded so beautifully to his lips and tongue and teeth. The taste of her aroused him, intoxicated him. He would never get enough of her flavor, or her heat. As he suckled one nipple, then the other, he smoothed his hands over her ass and pulled her closer. Hannah’s moans told him she liked his ministrations. Her hands—one reaching down to caress his clothing-covered cock while the other fisted his hair—told him she wanted to return the favor.

  “Alex, let me.”

  When he lifted his head, she caught his lips in a deep, drugging kiss. Her tongue invaded his mouth like she only had a moment to taste all of him.

  “Oh, Hannah,” he sighed when she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “I have missed you so.”

  “I’ve missed you, too. I’m sorry we’ve wasted so much of our time together. Same rules?”

  The question caught him off guard. “Rules?”

  “Hmm. Something about being adventurous enough to demand and give new experiences.”

  He couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face. “Absolutely.”

  “Good.”

  He didn’t understand her Cheshire-cat grin until she dropped to her knees before him and opened his pants.

  * * * *

  This was something she wanted to do more than she ever could have imagined. The need to taste him, to pleasure him as he had her had grown to monumental proportions in the last two weeks. This act of love she’d never performed before, a gift she could give the man she loved that she’d given to no other.

  Alex gasped when she freed his cock. Hannah nearly smiled when he cursed, low and heartfelt, as she took him into her mouth. The taste of him, the scent that was different right there, like nowhere else, aroused her nearly beyond bearing. She took his cock deep, touching the thick, smooth head to the back of her throat, then slid her mouth nearly off him. She played her tongue up and down his shaft and gently cupped his balls with her right hand.

  “Oh, Lord.”

  She lifted her mouth long enough to smile up at him and ask, “You like?”

  “What’s not to like? No one, Hannah, no one has ever—”

  “Hush. I know. Same goes.”

  This, she thought, taking him into her mouth again, this was love. She didn’t have the courage to tell him the words. She didn’t want to see the look on his face when he explained to her that his being a king limited what they could have. She knew that already. So, she would tell him she loved him in the only way open to her, by giving him all the pleasure he would take and accepting the same in return.

  His fingers fisted in her hair, firm but trying so obviously not to be rough that it excited her even more. He groaned, low and deep, and bent over her. “I can’t take much more, sweetheart,” he said, his voice a throaty rasp, “I want to be inside you. This first time after what seems l
ike forever, I need to be inside you when I come.”

  Loving him, she granted him his wish. Quickly, she dropped the rest of her clothes, and helped Alex shed his. She reached to take the condom from his hand, but he held it back, slid it on himself, saying, “If you touch me again, I’ll come.”

  “Then I’d just have to work at getting you hard again.”

  “Oh, don’t worry, my dear. You will. We have all afternoon, and I plan to fuck your brains out.”

  Hannah’s breath hitched. He only spoke so frankly when at the very edge of his control, at the threshold between civilized man and primal male.

  “Good, I want you to fuck my brains out.”

  They didn’t take the time to strip the blankets down. Hannah scrambled onto the bed, and only had a second to spread her legs wide before Alex covered her, his presence between her legs warm and powerful. Then he thrust into her hard and fast and deep, and for the first time in two weeks, Hannah felt whole.

  Chapter 3

  He made her mouth water.

  Rachel had never come to his office before. In her quest to get him to notice her as a woman, she’d believed that encounters away from his workspace would be best. She’d thought that away from the office, she might have a better chance of getting his mind off his job. But now, observing him unnoticed, she wondered if he ever left his job behind. Over the last few years, had he ever spent much time relaxing? Had he dated? Funny, but thinking about it now, Rachel didn’t know.

  Well, hell, how could I not know if he has a girlfriend?

  Proving he wasn’t oblivious, Peter said, “How long are you going to stand there casting stones at me in your mind?”

  Rachel narrowed her eyes. All she’d have to do to wipe that half-bored, half-patronizing expression off his face would be to tell him what she’d really been thinking about—him naked, preferably with her naked, too. But of course, she didn’t. Not that she feared conducting an all-out frontal assault. She would if it became necessary. But at the moment, she had other things on her agenda.