Mistress to the Prince (20 page)

Tara and Marabeth were both completely engrossed in the ballet.  Max and Sam sat behind them and basically ignored the stage, whispering to each other about various projects that were ongoing or just joking with each other about various subjects. 

During intermission, Tara and Marabeth stood up.  Princess Marabeth glared at the two men who just stared back at her innocently.  “What’s wrong, princess?” Sam said and took her arm to lead her out for refreshments. 

“You two are horrible,” she said and shook her head. 

Tara
laughed and took Max’s arm, following behind them.  “I’m guessing you don’t really like the ballet?”

“Not exactly my favorite sport,” he said, smiling down at her.

“Why are you here if you don’t like it?

“Because it is opening night and my father drew the longer straw.”

That stopped her in her tracks.  “You drew straws?” she asked, shocked. 

“Sure,” he laughed.  “He’s not a big fan either.”

Tara
sighed
, horrified at the idea
.  “I can’t believe the crown prince does not like ballet,” she whispered. 
“I thought you would prefer all the things that are considered refined and uplifting.”

“I can appreciate the ballet, but I just don’t enjoy it.  I think the artists work hard at their performance so I know it is important to be here.  Royal presence endorses the art and encourages others to both participate and donate.  But enjoy it?  Not really,” he grimaced. 

They stepped out of the private box and were instantly surrounded by people wanting to greet Max, Marabeth or Sam. 
Tara
tried to step back
and allow Max room to circulate, just as she normally would at an official function,
but he wouldn’t allow that.  He kept her right beside him and introduced her to all the people he spoke with. 

Tara
was worried that people would get the wrong impression.  She didn’t want people to think that she was here as his date.  Several of the ladies and gentlemen being introduced to her she spoke with on the phone during the week since they had business with Max or the government. 

By the time the lights dimmed indicating the end of the intermission,
Tara
had met so many people she had a hard time remembering
some people’s
name.  When they sat down again, Marabeth pulled Sam into the seat next to her so she could keep him from talking during the second half. 

Max sat behind Sam so he could see over his head, but
, just as in the first half,
he wasn’t paying any attention to the ballet. 
This time it wasn’t because he was talking about work issues though. 
He took
her hand in his and made erotic circles on her palm making
Tara
gasp and w
iggle in an attempt to pull her hand away.  But when Sam glanced back at them, she realized she’d have to sit still or he would know what was happening.

“Stop, Max,” she whispered.

Max leaned over as if he were going to whisper in her ear but instead, he took her earlobe between his teeth and nibbled.  To the rest of the world, it looked as if he were saying something quietly to her.  But
Tara
’s heartbeat went into overtime and she had trouble concentrating on the performance for the rest of the night. 

The ballet ended to a standing ovation and the performers saluted the prince and princess who bowed gracefully back. 
Tara
watched in fascination as Max exited the role of lover and immediately became an official figure. 
There wasn’t anything overt about the change but it was more of a subtle difference.  His shoulders were more pulled back?  His eyes more distant? 
Tara
couldn’t put her finger on it, but the difference was definitely there. 

For security reasons, they did not exit the theater through the main doors.  They met their car below the theater in the parking garage and drove away inconspicuously.

Sam and Marabeth sat across from them in the limousine.  Marabeth kept the conversation going by talking about the performers and teasing Max and Sam about their lack of interest. 
Tara
tried to keep up her end of the conversation, but with Max sitting next to her, his thigh resting against hers and the heat from his body burning hers, she was pretty much useless.  Marabeth seemed to understand and focused her questions mostly on Max until they reached the palace.

They left the car and Sam immediately took Marabeth to their private living quarters, leaving
Tara
alone with Max. 

There was an awkward moment right after the other two left. 
Tara
stood in the hallway watching the couple leave, wondering what Max expected of her tonight. 
“I guess I should find my own clothes and head home,” she said and started moving
toward
the dressing room where she’d left her street clothes earlier that day.

“I imagine that they’ve been delivered to my suite,” Max said and took her hand to lead her in that direction.

Tara
didn’t like the sound of that. 
“Why would they do that?” she asked, but followed along behind him.

“Why not?” he teased.

“Because I’m here as an employee.”

Max laughed
but didn’t answer her
.  “Will you stay and have a glass of wine with me?” he asked and opened the door to his rooms, closing
it firmly
behind her. 

Tara
accepted, simply because she didn’t want the night to end.  The ballet had been spectacular and she didn’t really want to leave Max anyway.  She liked being around him and he made her feel pretty.  “Why don’t you like the ballet?” she asked as he uncorked a bottle of red wine.

“
It is fine
. It just isn’t something I want
to spend the whole night doing,
”
he explained from a bar where he quickly opened a bottle of wine, pouring two glasses. 
“A half hour maybe but not three hours.”  He handed her a chilled glass of white wine then took the other himself. 

Tara
quickly stepped away from him, taking a sip of wine, enjoying the cool liquid slipping down her throat. 
“What would you rather be doing?” she asked, looking at an oil painting that was hung over a sofa. 
She was nervous but was trying to hide that fact from Max. 

“Making love to you,” he said and
let a finger trail down her bare arm
.  He took her hand and led her out onto the balcony, then leaned against the railing. 

Tara
didn’t know how to respond. 
She didn’t know if she could.  Her mouth was suddenly dry and her breathing accelerated rapidly.  Staring up into the handsome face, she wished she could just throw herself into his arms. But something stopped her. 

“Why is that so hard for you to accept?” he asked.

She couldn’t hold his gaze so she
took a step backwards, then walked out onto the balcony and
looked out at the stars.  “Because I’ve seen the pictures of the women you usually escort.  I don’t really compare.”

“Are you kidding?  You’re incredibly lovely,” he said and came up behind her.  “You’re skin is perfect and your eyes seem to glow with laughter and intelligence.  You have a figure a model would be proud of and you’re legs…well, since I’ve never seen your legs personally
except in those suite you always wear in the office,
I can’t comment
but I can imagine that they are pretty spectacular
just from the glimpses I’ve stolen over the past few years
.”

Tara
flushed.  “Max, please stop,” she said. 

He turned her around and forced her to look at him. 
“Why?  Explain to me why it is so hard for you to believe that I’m interested in you.
  You’re an incredibly intelligent, beautiful woman that excites me like no other woman ever has.  What other requirements could I possibly have?
”

“First of all, I might be passably attractive, but the women you usually date spend their whole day primping.  So there’s no way I can compare to them.  Secondly, you shouldn’t be interested in me.  You should be looking for someone who can eventually become queen.  I don’t fit into that category,” she said and looked down at her wine glass. 

“Why do you think
so?” he asked.  “You’re wonde
rful with every level of society, have an intelligence that surpasses the average by several points and you see the good in people instead of the bad.  That’s pretty much all it takes to become queen.”

She loved those words but knew they couldn’t be true. 
“Max…”

“And what’s more, I want you.”

Tara
started shivering with his words. 
It was now or never.  She could accept what he was able to give her and leave when it was over, or she could walk away.  Could she just accept the sliver of heaven for the short period, then walk away?  The idea of not accepting what he was offering was out of the question.  She’d experienced the possibilities last night and now she wanted to see what the rest would be like with Max.  She knew it would be incredible.  Taking a deep breath, she accepted the inevitable.  Knowing there would be pain when he moved on to find his queen, she looked up into his handsome face and nodded. 
“I want you too,” she said
, sealing her fate for at least tonight
. 

“And after last night, I think
we proved that
the chemistry between us is pretty amazing.”

“Probably,” she admitted.

“Does that mean what I think it means?” he said and took her glass of wine out her hands.  He place
d
his own hands on her hips and brought her closer.

Tara
took a shuddering breath and nodded her head.  She had known this would happen ever since she’d stepped into this dress earlier to
day.  She wanted to make love with
Max but she would have to keep it casual.  She could not fall in love with him.  And she would have to find another job once this affair was over.  She couldn’t continue to work for him after he moved on to the next woman, or worse, when he finally found someone appropriate to marry. 

Max released a breath and looked up at the sky.  “Thank goodness.  I thought I was going to have to do more arguing.”

Tara
smiled shyly and put her arms around his neck.  “Just make love to me,” she said and accepted his lips against hers.

Max needed no further prompting.  He quickly picked her up and carried her to his bedroom, then set her down beside the bed.  His eyes were intense as he bent down and kissed her.  There was no tenderness in this kiss.  The passion had been stored up for too long for both of them.  It was wild and hard and stirred
Tara
’s senses until she was writhing against him, eager for his hands to touch her like he had last night. 

The zipper of her dress slipped slowly down her back and the straps slid off her shoulders. The dress pooled around her feet and
Tara
stood in front of him dressed only in her shoes, thigh high stockings and panties. 

“You’re beautiful,
”
he breathed and his hands moved to her waist again, slowly sliding up until they rested under her breasts. 
Tara
couldn’t take the teasing anymore and her hands reached for his and moved them higher until his hands were cupping her breasts, massaging the tender flesh. 

She exhaled slowly and her head fell backwards.  Max took the opportunity to
kiss her neck, moving slowly up to her ear and nibbling her earlobe, tickling the delicate shell of her ear, then moving back down to capture her mouth again.