The Duke's Runaway Princess (Love By Accident) (12 page)

Suzanne’s curiosity increased and showed on her blond features. “You mean the Duke’s lake? The one he reportedly swims in all the time?” she clarified.

Zarah slapped her palm against her forehead after hearing Suzanne’s comment. “Well, I wouldn’t have gone there myself if someone had told me that little tid bit before I dove in that day!”

Suzanne laughed and tucked her toes underneath her, settling in for a good gossip with her glass of wine cupped in both hands and an eager expression on her face. “So you went for a swim and what happened?”

Zarah took a deep breath. “Well, I wasn’t really wearing a proper swimsuit,” she explained cautiously.

Suzanne’s face was blank for a moment, then she gasped as understanding came to her. “You were naked?”

“No!” Zarah countered. “Of course not. I had my bra and underwear on!” She actually curled her arms over her robe as if she were still at the lake that day.

The laughter from the other end of the sofa made Zarah squirm. “Honey, I’ve seen your underwear and it’s not normal. Those pieces of lace are works of art that the rest of the world can’t really afford to wear on special occasions whereas you have dozens of them for everyday use! So don’t you dare try and have that offended tone of voice with me when you say that you were still wearing your bra and underwear because that just leaves me with an image in my mind that I know no man could resist, much less the ultra macho Duke who has been totally into you since day one.”

“He hasn’t been ‘into’ me. He’s been a perfect gentleman during all of our encounters.” Okay, that was a lie, she thought to herself. She wasn’t about to admit that all that she and Derrick had done down at the lake that day. It was too embarrassing.

Suzanne could read between the lines and saw her friend’s pretty cheeks turn a lovely and revealing pink color. “Until he found you in his lake on a hot summer afternoon in your skivvies, am I understanding you correctly?”

Zarah shifted uncomfortably. “Well. Yes.”

Suzanne burst out laughing. “Honey, why are you so upset about this? It sounds wonderful!”

Zarah cringed at her friend’s enthusiasm. It wasn’t wonderful, it was a disaster. A disaster that she couldn’t figure out how to avoid. “Because now he wants me to help him tonight with some dinner thing and I have no idea what the evening is about, nor why he needs me specifically. Besides, the man terrifies me.”

Suzanne stopped laughing, finally understanding the situation. “Okay, so he scares you. Why does he make you nervous?”

“Because I feel out of control around him, as if he could touch me and I’d….”

Suzanne’s grin widened and she finished the sentence for Zarah. “Become a woman for the first time?”

Zarah rolled her eyes, immediately rejecting the assertion. “Having intercourse does not initiate one into the womanhood club.”

Suzanne smiled cheekily. “No, but it certainly gives you a completely different perspective on the world and men in general.”

Zarah couldn’t help but laugh at her friend’s optimism. “Okay, since I’m still not in the club, I’ll have to take your word that it’s worth the membership. I can’t do anything about it until I’m married though.”

Her friend tilted her head as she looked back. “I know you’ve said that before, but can you explain to me why you need to save yourself for the man you marry? By all accounts, you won’t like or respect the man who is chosen for you when you finally dare to return home to your extremely furious brother. Besides, your groom is not saving himself for you, I can pretty much guarantee, so why wait? It’s an old-fashioned and sexist attitude that perhaps should be re-examined.”

Zarah was sad at the idea. Suzanne was right, but there was so much more to it than she understood. “I was hoping that I would fall in love with the man I marry.”

“And have any of the previous men you’ve met sparked your appetite in any way?”

“No,” Zarah shook her head forcefully and without hesitation.

“But from what you’ve said, the Duke definitely sparks your interest, am I right?”

Zarah thought about that and had to admit that Derrick was definitely at the top of the list. “Yes, but…”

“Hear me out,” Suzanne interrupted. “There’s nothing in the laws that say a woman has to go to her marriage bed a virgin. And if you’re going to be stuck in a marriage to a man you don’t like for the rest of your life, why not at least find out what all the hype is about before the wedding with a guy that knows his way around a woman’s body?” She grinned and winked at Zarah. “I’m guessing from all the ladies who are pushing each other out of the way to get into the Duke’s bed that he’s one of those with an extremely good map!”

Zarah couldn’t help but laugh at her friend’s analogy. “I’ll concede you have a point.”

Suzanne sighed and shook her head. “But you’re not going to do anything about it, are you?”

Zarah bit her lip and thought about it. “I can’t promise anything right now. But I’ll definitely think about it. Is that good enough?”

Suzanne clapped her hands, careful not to spill any of her wine. “Absolutely! Now show me what you’re going to wear tonight.”

Zarah laughed and stood up, getting into the spirit of the evening. “I don’t know how formal this night will be so I was thinking about wearing my green silk dress. It could fit into several categories.”

Suzanne was already shaking her head. “Wear the red one you wore that night we went to the opera. That looks fantastic on you. And you can borrow my red lipstick to really add some oomph to the night!”

Zarah thought about it and finally agreed. “Okay. The red one it is.”

“Good!” They both jumped up and headed for Zarah’s room where she pulled the red silk dress out of the back of her closet and dug out the box for the red satin shoes that matched. As Zarah got ready for the evening, Suzanne lounged on Zarah’s bed, giving her a pep talk about all the ways she could send the signal to Derrick, or ‘the Duke’ as Suzanne persisted on calling him because she felt he needed the title due to his ‘hotness’ as she put it.

Zarah laughed at most of her suggestions, but some of them stuck in her mind. Not that she was going to do anything about making love with Derrick tonight, but she’d promised to think about it. In reality, Zarah could barely think about anything else. The swim in the lake kept creeping back to her mind and images of how wonderful it would be if Derrick would just finish what he’d started persisted in her imagination.

By the time the doorbell rang at two minutes before seven o’clock, Zarah was a nervous wreck. Suzanne had to answer the door because Zarah just stared at it as if the wood had turned into a stream of snakes that were ready to bite her at any moment.

Zarah heard Suzanne greet Derrick, and his deep voice replying, but she couldn’t get her feet to move an inch, much less look as if she were ready for a casual night out with a handsome man.

Derrick came into the apartment and stopped when he took in Zarah in a figure hugging, red satin dress. His mind instantly returned to the lake, and he knew that the dress wasn’t just flattering on her, but the figure underneath was truly magnificent.

“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice a bit huskier than normal.

Zarah blushed and glanced down at her dress, relieved that he was wearing a charcoal grey suit with a red, silk tie. She hadn’t anticipated matching him so perfectly, but he was devastatingly handsome in that dark suit and crisp, white dress shirt.

“Thank you,” she finally got out, her hands fluttering around the silk of her skirt nervously. “You look exceptionally handsome yourself.”

She noticed the smile in his eyes and blushed, hating that reaction.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked superfluously.

Zarah picked up the matching red clutch purse, checked to make sure she had her cell phone, wallet and Suzanne’s red lipstick, grabbed her keys, then nodded. “I’m ready.” She couldn’t shake the feeling that tonight was going to be a turning point. There was nothing different about his attitude, except she knew that he knew what she looked like naked. Or almost naked.

She drew in a shaky breath and pulled her eyes away from his. “Yes. I’m ready I guess.”

He walked up to her and took her hand in his, warming her cold fingers and giving them a reassuring squeeze. “It’s going to be okay.”

She wasn’t sure if he thought she was nervous about whatever guests might be dining with them, or if he knew that she was afraid of being alone with him.

He led her out of the apartment, nodding his thanks to Suzanne who was leaning against the wall, an all-knowing grin on her face, excited about her part in bringing these two people together. Zarah knew that Suzanne would probably pour herself another glass of wine, have a bowl of cereal and watch a movie tonight. All of that sounded incredibly appealing as she allowed Derrick to lead her out into the night, her knees trembling with both anticipation and fear.

“Who is coming tonight that you needed my help?” she asked when he settled her into a low slung, dangerous looking, black vehicle.

He waited until he’d closed her door, then walked around the hood of the car and slipping in beside her before answering. “The Prime Minister came out to have a chat. His wife is also with him, which was why I needed help tonight. If you weren’t here, Joe and I wouldn’t be able to discuss whatever he wants to chat with me about.”

Zarah held her breath and thought back, wondering if she’d met this particular prime minister. She didn’t think so. The last British Prime Minister she’d dined with in Tasain had been about five years ago and she thought his name had been Peter or something similar. There had been so many of them who had traveled to see her brother over the years, and she’d been required to dine with them at all the events. Eventually, she’d lost track of the various elected officials. The permanent rulers, both the good and the bad, were much easier to remember since they didn’t change as often.

Zarah shifted her legs to the right in a feeble, and obvious, attempt to create more space between Derrick’s hand on the gear shift and her thigh. He saw through her attempt and glanced at her with a small grin, which caused her to blush once again. She had to stop doing that!

“So what do you need to talk with the Prime Minister about?” she asked to distract him from her embarrassment.

Derrick put the car into gear and pulled out of the parking lot. “I have no idea. This dinner request was a surprise to me. He called this afternoon, said he would be in town and asked if he could stop by.”

“Isn’t that a bit unusual?” she asked, knowing that rulers of powerful countries normally had their schedules fixed far in advance and changes were rare and difficult to adjust.

The vehicle ate up the distance from her apartment to his home quickly and effortlessly. “Not really. Joe and I have been friends for a while. He stops by every once in a while when he needs advice or just a break from the obnoxious politics and wants an honest answer.”

That was a stunning comment. “Why doesn’t he just ask his advisors?”

She saw his small laugh and wondered about it. “Because they are all politically motivated in one way or another. Every once in a while, Joe needs the unvarnished truth. I’m sure I’m not the only one he talks to when he has economic issues he needs to work through though. I’m just one friend who won’t white wash the issue.”

With an understanding glance she said, “You’re also one of the first he comes to?”

Derrick shrugged as if the prime minister needing guidance or advice was a small issue. “Joe is a good guy. He doesn’t ask questions lightly, but he doesn’t want all the political negotiations to overwhelm a good plan of action.”

Zarah wondered about that. She knew that Derrick had to be wealthy in order to maintain the residence here but she realized that she really didn’t know much about what he does. “Who do you work for?” she finally asked.

He chuckled. “I don’t work for anyone. People work for me.”

“So you are….?”

He pulled up outside his house, turned off the engine and turned to face her. “You know who I am.”

She looked up into his handsome face and shook her head. “I really don’t.”

He smiled and touched her cheek with his finger. “That makes you even more incredible then.”

Zarah tried to hide the shiver that raced down her neck and arm with his touch, but he saw it, felt it and his eyes lit up. He leaned forward and gently kissed her. She knew it was going to happen, knew she should pull away, but the enticement was too powerful, too alluring and she couldn’t resist the temptation.

Her hand lifted of its own accord to touch his face and she didn’t even realize that she was the one who deepened the kiss. Derrick was in full support though. At the first indication that she wasn’t going to pull away, he tilted his head and put a hand to the back of her head, holding her in place as his tongue tasted her sweetness, pulling her forward…

The knock on the window startled both of them. Zarah looked around Derrick who was too busy sighing with frustration. “It’s Joe,” he said with resignation.

Zarah looked through the window at the handsome man smiling into the car with a huge grin on his face. When his fingers did a little wave, Zarah couldn’t help but smile back at him. “I think you’re correct.”

“I know I’m right.” He pulled away and yanked the door open. “No one else would be so rude as to interrupt an interlude but Joe.”

Joe laughed heartily and a moment later, both men were giving the macho man hug with rib breaking smacks on the back as they greeted one another. “Why the hell did you have to interrupt, old man? You know where the door is.”

Joe laughed harder as he pulled back, then wrapped his arm around a lovely blond woman who was standing to his side, rolling her eyes and smiling apologetically towards Zarah. “I’m so sorry. I tried to drag him away, but he insisted that you were being mauled, my dear,” she said to Zarah who was just coming around the front of the car.

Derrick was glowering at the new couple, but he put his arm around Zarah’s waist as soon as she came around and introduced her to them. “Zarah, this is Joe and Alicia. Joe pretends to be important, but it’s really Alicia who runs the country.”