Be My Prince (11 page)

Tilting his head to the side, he deepened the kiss and slid his hand around the nape of her neck. Her body grew warm with rapture. All her nerve endings sparked with fire as his tongue swept into her mouth.

Knowing it was not possible to block this desire, she tipped her head back to allow him greater access to her throat and ran her hands across the tops of his shoulders.

He let out a low groan of arousal that helped her to understand what it meant to be a woman, not a girl. She, too, sighed with pleasure and relaxed into his embrace.

He pressed his open mouth to hers again, and this time she was better equipped for the explosion of sensation and met the kiss with equal insistence. Light flashed suddenly in the window and a thunderous rumble shook the coach. Alex pulled back, startled and unsettled.

“I must go,” she said breathlessly. “My stepmother is probably searching for me at this very moment, and if she learns where I’ve been—”

“It doesn’t matter.” He took her face in his hands. “I will marry you. If we are engaged, she will have no more hold on you, at least not for long.”

Alexandra pressed her hands to his chest, for if she gave in to the smallest temptation to go on kissing him like this, there would be no turning back.

“You don’t understand,” she said. “My life is not what you think. There are things you don’t know about me.”

“Then tell me now. I want to know everything.”

Her stomach dropped. She couldn’t tell him. Not now.

But when? Could she
ever
reveal such a thing to him? What would it mean for the succession if she married the younger son? The throne would not be hers, and there might be another civil war if the people of Petersbourg discovered the truth. She did not want to be the cause of that.

Lightning flashed in the windows again, followed by another thunderclap.

“I really must go.” She reached over him for her gloves, pulled them on, and made for the door.

“Wait.” He caught her by the hand. “I must have you.”

“Please, Nicholas.”

She flicked the door latch and stepped out into the rain. He followed her, and together they hurried back to the museum.

“Meet me again tomorrow,” he said. “
Please.
In the garden at Grosvenor Square.”

Not wanting to linger too long on the street, she nodded. “Fine. I will be there at the gate at two o’clock when my stepmother takes her afternoon nap. Now let me go, and do not follow!”

With that, she rejoined the museum tour.

*   *   *

Throughout the evening and all the next day, the memory of that kiss filled Alexandra with yearning as she anticipated another secret rendezvous with Nicholas that very day.

It wasn’t easy to hide her feelings from Lucille, however, who asked more than once what she was daydreaming about when she was caught staring off into space.

When the clock finally struck two and Lucille announced she would retire to her bedchamber for her nap, Alex mentioned casually that she might take a walk in the garden, for it was such a lovely day.

A short while later, wearing her blue-and-white-striped walking dress and a pale blue bonnet with a wide brim that shaded her eyes, she left the house and crossed the street to the gate, where she took note of a coach parked at the curb with two black horses and a dark-coated driver.

At first she thought it might be the palace coach, but upon closer scrutiny, she noticed it bore no crest.

A flicker of apprehension coursed through her, for she had lived too long with the knowledge of her father’s execution and had never felt truly safe in her surroundings. She was always glancing over her shoulder, locking doors behind her.

With growing unease, she wondered if she should return to the house, but there was no time to mull it over before the door of the coach swung open and a gentleman stepped out.

Nicholas.

Oh, thank God.

“Come this way.” He waved her over. “The driver will take us around the square.”

Still somewhat shaken, Alexandra hurried to the coach and climbed inside. He followed her in, shut the door, and drew the blinds.

“I thought I would go mad waiting for this moment,” he told her as he removed his hat.

The coach lurched forward, but Alexandra was oblivious to the movement, for she was lost in the husky rumble of his voice and the captivating blue of his eyes as he slid closer and immediately pressed his lips to hers.

A wild passion flared through her, and she took his face in her hands, fearing that he might slip through her fingers if she didn’t hold tightly enough.

The kiss was rougher this time, more aggressive, but she drank it in without restraint. She wanted this man badly enough to deny what she had accepted as her destiny. She would do anything for him. She would walk through fire or climb the highest mountain.

Perhaps others were wrong about her future and her true destiny lay elsewhere, for life was not all about politics and duty, was it? What about love? This affair may be sudden and impulsive, but here was a man she could not give up, not for any amount of power, wealth, or status in the world. She had no wish for a throne if it meant she could not have him.

“Say you’ll marry me,” he whispered in a quiet voice of husky allure as he eased her down onto her back and settled his hips snugly between her thighs.

“I cannot resist you,” she said. “I cannnot resist
this.
”

“Then don’t.” He thrust his hips and pushed against that yearning place that begged to be touched.

She threw her head back. “Oh, Nicholas, how I want you.”

“Then have me. I am yours.”

She kissed him again and pulled him close. “I’ve never done anything like this before. You’re the only man I’ve ever wanted.”

“You have no idea how happy that makes me.”

“Truly?”

“Yes, and one day soon you’ll understand why.” He laid openmouthed kisses down the side of her neck. “How long can you stay?”

“Not long,” she replied. “A few more minutes, then I must return. My stepmother does not sleep long in the afternoons. As soon as she wakes, she will look out the window. We must be careful not to stop in front of the house. She must not know we were together.”

His hand slowly slid up her thigh, and she squirmed with longing.

“What if she knew I offered marriage?” he asked. “Would she not agree?”

Alexandra blinked up at him. “She would not be pleased.”

He frowned. “Why not? I am second in line to the throne. Is that not good enough?”

“She wants me to marry your brother.”

His body went still. “Well, I don’t care what
she
wants. It only matters to me what
you
want.”

“I want
you,
” she breathlessly replied as she pulled him close. “But there are others, my benefactor for one, who would oppose it.”

She wasn’t sure what Mr. Carmichael would do. It could be dangerous.

Nicholas let out a deep, guttural groan of need.

“Oh…,” she sighed as he kissed her neck. “We could run away together. Then it would be too late for anyone to stop us. We could live abroad if you wanted. I would give up everything for you, even my chance at the throne.” Oh, God, what was she saying?

He drew back slightly.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing.”

“Yes, something is wrong. What is it?” She leaned up on her elbows.

“I’m just…” He raked a hand through his hair as if he could not conceive of what she had just confessed and could not even form words. He sat back on the seat. “I am pleased you feel that way.”

“I do. I do.”

Quite unexpectedly, he took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes with fierce conviction. “But if you agree to marry me, I will have something important to tell you.”

“Tell me now.”

He hesitated, then shook his head. “Not until we are both sure this is what we want.”

“I
am
sure,” she told him. “Aren’t
you
?”

He hesitated, and her heart sank.

“I need to know that you are sincere. That you will truly give up everything for me,” he said. “I need to be sure you will not change your mind.”

The wheels of the coach rattled ominously beneath them.

“Do you not believe me?” she asked.

“I was burned once before. Remember?”

Alexandra nodded. “Yes, I remember every word you’ve ever spoken to me, but what are we going to do?”

At last he faced her. “Let us do it then. Run away with me. We can leave in the morning, travel north to Scotland, and be man and wife in a few days—with or without your stepmother’s permission. Once it is done, there will be no reversing it, and it won’t matter about the scandal here in London. We will begin anew in Petersbourg. I will introduce you as my wife, and we will send for your sisters, who will be presented at court. We will be the happiest couple who ever lived. You’ll see. I promise.”

She gazed into his eyes and couldn’t seem to say yes. Not without telling him the truth.

“You seem unsure.” He looked hurt. Almost frightened.

“No,” she quickly replied. “I am not unsure. I want this. Truly, I do.”

Clasping her hand in his, he raised it to his lips. “You are everything I’ve ever hoped for, Alexandra, but never really imagined I could have.”

She smiled. “I am yours. Nothing will ever come between us.” She wouldn’t let it. She would do whatever it took. “But I must go.”

He did not yet release her. “Can you sneak out before dawn?”

Her heart beat riotously at the prospect. Was this really happening? “Yes.” Turning to look out the window, she said, “This is a good place to let me out. I can walk home across the garden.”

Nicholas pounded a fist on the wall, and the driver pulled to the curb.

“I won’t sleep a wink tonight,” she said with a laugh, barely able to contain her excitement as she kissed Nicholas one last time. “I’ve never been so happy. I never imagined my life could turn out like this!”

“Nor I,” he replied as she stepped out of the vehicle. “In the morning I will be parked here on the street outside your house in the same spot I was this afternoon. Do not disappoint me or you will break my heart.”

“I promise I won’t.”

He shut the door and drove away, and Alex walked briskly along the wrought-iron garden fence, skipping occasionally while making plans for her future. She would tell Nicholas the truth about her heritage in the morning. Best to do it before they crossed the border into Scotland.

Oddly enough, the notion of confessing to him did not frighten her, for she was quite certain he would understand, because he loved her.

And he would protect her. He would protect her against all enemies.

PART II

Where Truths Are Revealed

Chapter Eleven

St. James’s Palace

His Royal Highness Prince Randolph of Petersburg strode into the drawing room, instructed the butler to bring up a bottle of champagne, and immediately sent for Rose and Nicholas.

The champagne arrived first; then Rose entered the room, stopped just inside the door, and regarded him with surprise. “Good Lord, what has happened? You have that look about you.”

He picked up a glass of champagne and held it out to her. “You know me too well. I have good news. Come and celebrate with me.”

Nick came striding in just then, looking as if he’d just risen from bed. His hair was disheveled, and he was shrugging into a jacket. “What’s going on?” he asked. “The way Spencer was banging on my door just now, I thought there was a fire.”

“Rand says there is something to celebrate,” Rose explained with a curious lift of her eyebrow as she accepted the glass he offered.

“I’ll have one of those,” Nick mentioned. He followed Rand to the table. “Now tell me what is going on, and it better be good.”

Rand poured him a glass of bubbly and held it out. “It’s the best damn thing I’ve had to say all year. Perhaps you should both sit down.”

His siblings moved to the sofa while he remained standing.

“Your plan worked,” he said to Rose. “I have just proposed to Lady Alexandra Monroe, eldest daughter of the late Duke of St. George, and she has accepted me.”

Nick frowned. “But we’ve been in England only a fortnight. You’re sure about this? Wouldn’t you like to sow some oats first? Meet a few other ladies perhaps? Act like
me
?”

Rand chuckled and shook his head. “I’m not you, Nick, and I doubt I could have kept up the charade much longer. Besides, she’s the one. I knew it the first moment I saw her. She is meant to be Queen of Petersbourg. I can feel it.”

Nick stared at him for a moment, then raised his glass. “Obviously there’s no point in arguing. You will charge ahead as usual, straight into the thick of it.”

Rand turned to his sister, who was staring up at him with wide eyes.

“I cannot believe it,” she said. “I had no idea it would happen so quickly. But does she know who you are? Have you told her yet?”

Rand downed his champagne and set the glass on a table. “No. She has been working hard to resist what exists between us, and I needed to be sure she would be willing to give up the dream of marrying a future king. Today she agreed to throw duty aside for love. She even agreed to elope with me to Scotland and live abroad if we had to. It is exactly what you imagined, Rose, when you concocted this plan,” he added. “She has chosen me over the future crown.”

“So you are absolutely
certain
she genuinely loves you,” Rose said, not yet convinced. “There is no chance she already knows the truth?”

“No chance at all,” he replied. “Nick and I have been very careful. Ah, Rose, if you only knew what it has been like. When I am with her, I feel as if she understands my plight, for it is her own. She once wanted to marry for love, but bears the burden of duty to her family. She is conflicted, and I wish to rescue her. I cannot wait for the moment when I reveal the truth. I am certain, without a doubt, she will be overjoyed.”

He poured another glass of champagne.