Along Came A Prince (9 page)

“It’s a favorite
of mine whenever I eat here.” He ate some of his salmon also and washed it down
with wine, then asked, “How are preparations for
London Affair
coming?
Did you get your contract signed? Do you get excited when you start a new
movie?”

“Good. Yes, and yes,
I do get excited each time we start filming. Usually though, with learning the
lines, costume fittings and rehearsals, I don’t have much time for my emotions.
I try to get into my character’s head and her heart, so by the time I have to
be on set, I’m really whatever woman I’m playing.”

“I didn’t realize
actors had to put so much into their work. I imagine that when the two lead
actors have gotten, as you say, into their characters’ heads, that’s when
chemistry on the screen explodes, and the audience gets carried away into their
world.”

“It also helps
when the actors have chemistry even before they begin filming,” she said. “In
the case of
London Affair
, I won’t have a live actor to act with, so I’m
going to have to be super-charged with chemistry toward an image on the screen.
I’ll have to try to feel like Audra did about Mark Bennett who was her leading
man in the film.”

“And how do you
feel about your image man?”

“I have no idea.
When I saw the movie, the actor felt familiar somehow, but I don’t remember
seeing him before. Then again, the whole film got me pretty emotional. The
acting was so personal to me. I don’t know how to explain it, but maybe I’ll
figure it out when we start acting together – if you can call responding to an
image exciting.”

“Think about all
the films through the years where stars, like Gene Kelly and Esther Williams, for
instance, who danced and swam alone in scenes with animated characters. It
sounds like what you have to do.”

“I agree, and it
certainly seems like I’m in for a very interesting ride from beginning to end.”

Clay pushed his
plate aside and rose to his feet. “And with that thought in mind, I need to
leave and get my ice carvings back into my head, instead of thinking about the gorgeous,
red-haired woman who seems to have moved in there recently. You, on the other
hand, can stay in my office as long as you want, or we can share a lift to our
separate floors.”

“That sounds good.
I have a lot of shopping to do.” And she knew what she’d be shopping for. An
evening gown and the works.

She asked Clay where
the formal wear department was, and then headed down to the first floor and the
International Designer Room while he rode to the fourth floor. Up or down, it
didn’t matter. From all indications and with the vibes he’d been sending her,
their chemistry stood a chance of exploding like TNT.

When Stacia entered
the formal dress department, she asked to see a bright red, simple yet elegant,
evening gown. What better way to represent the color of a chemistry fire when
it exploded than to accent it with a red dress against her red hair? She hoped,
however, that she wouldn’t look like a giant firecracker. She smiled to herself
about that thought.

She tried on many
gowns fitting her description, but none were exactly right. Finally, the woman
brought in one last gown and held it up for Stacia’s inspection. She knew
instantly without even trying it on that it was the perfect dress. It was as
smooth as velvet as she slipped into it. She was happy to notice it blended
well with her red hair. Once that choice was made, it didn’t take her long to
complete her TNT design. A short time later, the proper accessories, including red,
designer stilettos and matching clutch purse, were also decided on. Her evening
wrap was chosen to complement her dress. Before she knew it, the time had come to
leave for the hotel and get ready to emerge herself into the prince’s world
once more.

Stacia stepped out
of the prince’s limo and onto a red carpet leading up to Harrods. The department
store after dark had its own exquisite ambience. The media, of course, had
heard about tonight’s private party, because a male voice called out her name,
and when she glanced his way, a flash went off. She struck an actress pose and
smiled broadly. It was usually better to give them what they wanted. At least
that way, with her choice of pose, she stood a chance of having a decent photo
in the papers, videos and magazines covering the event. She blinked as about
six flashes lit up the night as they went off simultaneously.

A white-gloved
doorman welcomed her, and she entered the building, handing him her invitation.
The red carpet wove a path to the elevators, and another white-gloved,
uniformed man waited to guide her to the party. She waited briefly as six more
people came into the elevator, and they were quickly ushered to the fourth
floor. More plush red carpeting led them to the Georgian Restaurant. The area
was dimly lit with red spotlights spaced about six feet apart on either side of
the carpeting up to the entrance of the restaurant. Each of the spotlights was
aimed upward and tilted so they met the one across from it, creating crossed
beams of light down the hallway. All this red made Stacia wonder what affect
her red dress and red hair had on everything. Maybe she shouldn’t have chosen
red, maybe she looked like a…huge red blob. The idea made her smile, and she
tossed her head slightly in a defiant manner as if to say here she was, and no
matter what, she would still have a good time.

The restaurant had
been transformed into an enchanted fairyland. Prince Clayton’s sculptures
dominated the room, yet allowed the diamonds to be the stars of the evening. It
was Hollywood’s Extravaganza all over again, except on a smaller scale because
of the size of the area.

The party spilled
over into the Terrace Bar and the Trafalgar Bar at both ends of the restaurant,
with each one amply supplying champagne, caviar and other appetizers. In case a
guest missed these generous offerings, waitresses in short, feminine mini-tuxes
served them individually, while waiters in full-dress tuxedos distributed glass
flutes filled with champagne.

And Prince Clayton
had outdone himself with his artistic talent once more. Various ice-sculptured
cherubs, placed on eye-height transparent pedestals, modeled glittering diamond
bracelets on their wrists and sparkling tiaras on their heads. Another pedestal
displayed male-and-female-designed cherubs with the male placing a huge diamond
ring onto his partner’s finger.

The
piece de
resistance
, however, stood in the center of the room. It appeared to be
over five feet tall, perfectly sculpted into a woman’s shape, and she was
dressed in a long, red evening dress, similar in design to the one Stacia was
wearing. A red spotlight sprayed the statue’s hair a shimmering red. Her throat
caressed a large diamond necklace emitting an almost blinding glow. Security
guards stood nearby, and whispers from the guests estimated the necklace’s
value at over $8 million.

Stacia moved
closer to the ice statue. She stared at its perfectly carved face, then she
walked nearer. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear she was gazing into a
mirror. Was her imagination playing tricks on her? If only the spotlight
shining on the woman’s long, cascading hair hadn’t been red, she might think
she was mistaken, but she’d seen her own reflection all her life, and this
ice-sculptured face could sure be its twin.

She felt a light
touch on her elbow. The prince was at her side.

He bent down
toward her and whispered in her ear. “How do you like my goddess here?”

Instant desire
raced through her at the sound of his voice. “She…looks…so familiar,” she
sputtered.

“So you caught the
resemblance, huh?”

 
“Is it...”

“You? That was my
intention. The design came to me that night after our dinner together.” A grin appeared
on his face. “I thought with your beauty, you should be
dripping
with
diamonds.”

 “But what if
someone recognizes this as me?” she asked.

The prince
laughed. “Now wouldn’t we be in for some juicy gossip!” His eyes met hers and
stayed focused there. “This imitation of you cannot begin to compare with the real
thing… you standing there live and in full red Technicolor.”

Stacia could feel
herself blushing. Would her face get as red as the gown she was wearing? At any
rate, she really was a big red blob now, and that wasn’t exactly the effect
she’d been trying for – in fact, it was nowhere near it. With her luck, she’d
probably break out in hives at any second.

“Come on,” the
prince said, still chuckling, “I’ll introduce you around.” He held out his arm
to her, and she placed her hand there. “By the way, Stacia,” he whispered in
her ear, “you took my breath away when you walked in tonight.”

She looked up at
him and smiled. “Not too much red?”

He shook his head.
“I’ve decided red is my new favorite color, but make sure you don’t stand too
close to my ice girl over there, or you’ll melt her on the spot,” he said,
speaking low enough so that only she could hear him.

She laughed as
they began to circulate the room, where she was introduced to many rich and
powerful people she’d heard about, and others she hadn’t. Everyone was generous
with their compliments about her “stunning beauty” and what a “great actress”
she was. Some also commented that they couldn’t wait to see her next movie,
London
Affair
, since they’d “enjoyed the original” so much. No one made any
reference to the ice statue being her.

“There’s someone
else I want you to meet,” Clay said.

He guided her
around a corner where she saw a small entourage gathered around a woman she
immediately recognized.

 “Hello, Kate,” Clay
said as he gave her a hug. “I’m glad you could make it. This is Stacia
Saunders, the American actress.”

“How nice to meet
you, Stacia,” the princess said. “I’m anxious to see your new movie.”

Stacia felt tongue-tied,
but she managed to collect her poise. “Thank you,” she replied.

“I’m sorry William
couldn’t come, but he said to tell you, he’s up for a polo match anytime you
are.” She smiled at Clay.

“Is next week too
soon?”

The princess
laughed. “I’ll relay the message. Your ice sculptures are wonderful, Clay. I
particularly like the carving of the woman in the red dress.” She gave Stacia a
meaningful glance.

A member of her
entourage stepped up beside her and said something in a low, undistinguishable
voice.

“Stacia, it was
lovely to meet you. Clay, I hope I see you both soon,” Kate said as her security
team encircled her once more as they all hurriedly left the room.

Stacia was
stunned. “She’s amazing, Clay. So gorgeous and…” She thought about the word she
was searching for and then it came to her. “Royal,” she finished. “I think she
was born to be a princess, and someday, even a queen.”

“To know Kate is
to love her,” he said and led Stacia away from the crowd. He managed to find a
little space where they could be alone.

“I wish we could
have talked to her more.”

“That’s the down
side of security. Sometimes they sense something isn’t quite right and you have
to leave before a conversation can be finished.”

“It sounds like
you’ve had the same experience.”

“At times,” he
said. “Tonight there is security everywhere because of the jewels displayed
here. Tucked in with the jewels that need protection is another security team
watching out for me. My parents insist on it, and I have learned to listen to
their instincts. Fortunately, I can roam the world freely most of the time,
because no one recognizes me. I don’t need disguises like you do.”

“That’s why I live
such a low-profile life,” Stacia said. “It’s easier that way. I have my brother,
and since he’s a detective, he goes with me if I need protection. Anyway, I was
wondering, what is the purpose of Ice-On-Ice? Will it benefit some charity?”

“Not this time.
January is Harrods’s annual sale. That sale, plus the added revenue because of the
sale of the diamonds from this evening’s venture, will make it a very
profitable month. As I told you before, my father is on the board of directors and
has stock in Harrods, and so I agreed to help out a little this evening. And see
what my reward is? I have a glamorous Hollywood actress as my date. Life
doesn’t get better than this. I have beauty in my work and beauty at my side.”

Stacia’s heart
leaped. She’d heard many “lines” during her years of dating and her Hollywood
experiences. Most of them were aimed at getting her to bed, but this was the
first time she’d ever believed what a guy was saying to her. And she believed Clay
completely, every word. “You know, you really are a Prince Charming, with the
accent on the word
charming,
” she said.

“You’re pretty
charming yourself, Stacia.” He scanned the crowded room and took her hand. “And
now, I believe we can safely steal out of here and into the night for whatever
waits there for us. The evening seems to have been a success.” He nodded his
head toward a group of people across the room. “Look over there at Harrods’s people
discretely writing up sales orders. I wonder who will be the lucky one to end
up with your diamond necklace.”

♥♥

When they were back
at Stacia’s hotel and seated at The Dorchester’s Grill Room restaurant, Stacia yawned.
“Sorry,” she said. “I guess my jet lag’s beginning to set in.”

“Are you okay, or
would you like to leave?”

She shook her
head. Tired as she was, she realized that more than food, she wanted to focus
on the prince’s brown eyes and have them looking back at her. They had such
depth, such power, such a glow of mysticism that she felt as if whatever he’d
ask, she’d do. Anything that would make this night, this moment, last for
eternity. She didn’t want to leave. “I’m fine,” she said.

“If you’re too
tired, we can come back again tomorrow,” he suggested. “That is, if you’re
free.”

Before she could speak
her answer out loud, the waiter arrived with menus and crystal water-filled
goblets. “What can I get you to drink?” he asked.

“A bottle of
vintage wine,” the prince said. “The older, the better.”

“Yes, sir,” the
waiter replied and left.

Clay turned his
concentration back to Stacia. “So how long will you be here?”

“How long do you
want me to stay?”

He was silent,
then finally spoke. “I think you have to answer my question. You probably
aren’t prepared for my answer to yours.”

She looked at him
and promptly got lost in his eyes. She could see and feel many emotions there.
She held her breath, not wanting to break the connection. Then she exhaled
slowly and quietly, her emotions volleying back and forth inside her, causing
flames of desire to circulate through her, until a fire burned deep within that
she never wanted to put out. Still, she would not look away. Clay reached for
her hand and caressed it, making tiny circles with his thumb in the center of
her palm. Each circle stroked the fire even more.

He finally broke
the silence. “I know we have to take this slow, but that’s not easy with you
being so incredibly beautiful. Each second I get to know you more, I realize
you’re as beautiful inside as you are out, which is a wonderful gift to offer, except
I don’t even know if you
are
offering it. I haven’t felt like this with
anyone before. I don’t know how you feel, or what kind of relationship, if any,
you want with me. I keep remembering how you said we were oceans apart, and
whenever I think about those words, I feel like I’m being doused with some of
that frigid ocean water you spoke of. Can you help me, here? I think perhaps
I’m drowning.” He let go of her hand and leaned back in his chair.

Realty struck like
lightning, and Stacia sighed. She’d been so busy gazing at Clay that she’d
zoned out the waiter serving their drinks. Evidently he didn’t want to disturb
them because an open bottle of wine sat in an ice-filled bucket on their table.
A crystal-crested wine glass stood at each of their place settings. She
fingered hers, and Clay reached for the bottle and poured the red liquid into
their wine glasses.

She didn’t know if
he would even like her answer. “I want to be completely honest with you. I’ve
never met anyone like you either, and I do want to get to know you better. And
I don’t want you to drown. Everything you say or do is wonderful. You’re caring
and compassionate. There isn’t one thing I could say about you that was bad.
And I am very attracted to you…”

“But…?”

“Yes, there are
several of those. When we first met, I told you my career was the most
important thing in my life right now. I’m getting a huge break being in
London
Affair
. As much as I don’t want to, I have to put my career first, and I
can’t begin a relationship under those conditions. It wouldn’t be fair to you.
Another
but
is I still feel we really are oceans apart in our lives. How
could I ever fit into yours?”

“That’s easy. Look
at Kate and Princess Di. If they could do it, so can you. Besides you’re
beautiful. You’re smart. You’re already a celebrity, and you have poise,
personality and charm. What else is there to want?”

“But you were born
into your kind of life. It was bred into you. And I’m not princess material
like Kate.”

“You do have what
she has, if you choose to accept it. You could have a man who would always have
your back and stand beside you at the same time.”

“Clay, we’re getting
way ahead of ourselves. We have a lot of time to get acquainted, and we could
have a lot of fun doing it. Can’t we just enjoy being with each other? I’m not
ready to go home yet. I feel like we’ve just begun, but that decision is up to
you.”