Royal Seductions: Diamonds: The King's Convenient Bride

Sophie made a sour face. “That sounds dreadful.”

“But I’ve always wanted to learn.”

“I could teach you,” Sophie said.

“Would you really?”

“Of course! I would love to.”

“Okay,” Hannah said, feeling suddenly and inexplicably happy. Not only would she have a sister, something she had yearned for as long as she could remember, but it looked as though she had made a friend.

“Now, how about that tour I promised?” Sophie said.

Though Hannah’s life here started out a bit rocky, it seemed that things were taking a turn for the better.

Nine

It was after eleven o’clock when Phillip and Hannah returned to the palace. And most of that time he and Ethan spent holed up in the dining room discussing the proposed partnership. On the ride back, Hannah asked how it had gone and got a noncommittal shrug, but something must have gone right. When all was said and done, Phillip agreed to the proposal. Already plans were being made for him to tour several of the resort sites.

In fact, he would leave Sunday morning and wouldn’t return until Thursday evening, less than twenty-four hours before their nuptials.

“Does that upset you?” Phillip had asked her as they walked up to her suite.

She shook her head. It was business. And important. Besides, it was bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other right before the wedding. This would remove any temptation.

“It will make seeing each other on our wedding day that much more special,” she said. And that made him smile.

They reached her door, and though she’d planned to tell him good-night, kiss him and go inside alone, he asked, “Are you going to invite me in for a nightcap?”

It would probably be better if she didn’t, but it had turned out to be such a nice night, she hated to see it end just yet. “Can you promise to behave?”

He grinned. “Can you?”

God, she loved it when he teased her.

She opened the door. “Phillip, would you like to come in for a nightcap?”

“I would love to.” He followed her inside, shutting the door behind them.

Alone again. Five days ago she would have been a nervous wreck. Now she looked forward to the times they spent, just the two of them.

The room was dim, the only light from a small lamp in one corner of the room. She reached for the light switch by the door, but he intercepted her hand.

“I prefer it darker, if you don’t mind.” When she shot him a questioning look, he grinned and added, “Didn’t I tell you, I’m part vampire?”

If that was true, he could bite her neck anytime.

He crossed to the wet bar. “Brandy?”

“That sounds good.”

He poured two brandies while she took off her shoes and sweater.

Phillip sat on the sofa and when she sat down beside him, he looped an arm around her shoulder, drawing her close. For several minutes they just sat there, sipping their drinks in companionable silence. He was a warm, solid presence beside her, the stubble on his chin rough against her forehead. And he smelled so good. So…familiar.

Yet there was still so much about him she didn’t know. And that was okay, she realized. At first, she thought they should know one another completely before the wedding. Now she liked the idea of getting to know him gradually.

She set her drink down and curled closer, drawing her knees up and resting them over the tops of his thighs. She closed her eyes and laid her head on his chest, taking it all in. The way he felt, the way he smelled, the thump of his pulse against her cheek. The way his arms felt around her, the sensation that she was and would always be safe there.

She stored every second of it in her memory, so that when he was gone, she wouldn’t miss him as much. Or, who knows, maybe it would make her miss him even more.

After a while he gave her a little nudge. “Are you falling asleep on me?”

“Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“How many times I imagined us like this. What it would feel like.”

“How does it feel?”

She wrapped both arms around him and squeezed, feeling sleepy and content. “Wonderful. Perfect.”

He set his glass down beside hers. “Is that all you imagined?”

She grinned up at him, knowing exactly what he was suggesting. “Usually we were kissing.”

He cupped her chin and raised her face to his, brushed his lips across hers, and a purr of pleasure curled in her throat.

He lifted his head and looked down at her. “Like that?”

“Hmmm, just like that.”

He lowered his head and kissed her again, deeper this time. And longer. And she could feel herself beginning to melt. But something was different this time. As much as she wanted him, wanted to be close, she didn’t feel the urgency that was usually there. That soul-deep ache that seemed to push them too far, too fast.

Phillip must have felt the same way, because he took it slow. Kissing, touching. And she couldn’t get over how right it felt. The way they seemed to fit, to be completely in sync.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but after a while he whispered against her lips, “It’s late. I should go.”

She pressed her cheek against his chest, felt his arms tighten around her. “I wish you could stay.”

“It won’t be long before I can.”

Reluctantly she uncurled herself from around him and climbed from his lap. He rose to his feet and offered a hand to help her up. At the door, he kissed her again, but what was meant to be a quick goodbye peck progressed to another ten minutes of kissing and touching.

When he finally pulled away, they were both a bit breathless.

“I really have to go,” he said. “I have a busy day tomorrow. And I’m sure you do, too.”