Not-So-Perfect Princess (16 page)

Up ahead, a woman with long, blond hair wearing the colors of his crew headed toward the yacht club.

“Julianna,” he yelled.

She didn’t stop. Alejandro ran after her, but was going against the crowd of people. He found himself being pushed back.

He had to reach her somehow.

Alejandro saw a narrow opening between buildings. He worked his way over, but a large hedge blocked his way.

Nothing was going to stop him from reaching her.

Looking around, he saw a crate. He dragged it over and climbed over the hedge. His team jacket caught on a thorn and tore. He didn’t care. He dropped down on the other side, jumped over some small plants until he made it to a paved walkway that led to the marina.

Alejandro ran, his legs pumping as fast as they could, but he’d lost sight of her. Julianna was…gone.

A bolt of grief ripped through him. His fault. He had no one else to blame.

He stared at the marina in the distance. A familiar mast caught his attention.
La Rueca
was heading out to the course to race.

Alejandro didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He pulled out his phone instead.

Good luck, he texted.

Sam replied: We’ve got J.V., no luck needed.

Alejandro read the message three times before the words sunk in. Julianna
had
been on her way to
La Rueca.
She’d made it onboard in time.

But he hadn’t.

He laughed.

Now he would have to wait to see how things turned out both with
La Rueca
and Julianna. But at least he knew she was safe. That was enough. For now.

He texted Sam, asking him to hand his mobile phone to Julianna.

What? she asked.

He typed, You OK?

OK. You?

Alejandro typed a message and hit Send.

That was all he could do now.

He called his security detail and his father then made his way to the yacht club. There, he could watch the race unfold. His boat was out there with the woman he loved at the helm. He didn’t want to miss a single minute of it.

The race was in its final leg. Not having Alejandro aboard was strange, especially during such a tight race.
La Rueca
had made up distance since heading upwind, but couldn’t catch the lead boat.

Jules clutched the wheel, the wind whipping through her ponytail. The same frustration etched on the crew’s face must be on hers. “We’re going to run out of course.”

“We’ll never catch them this way,” Phillipe agreed.

“Alejandro will be satisfied with second place.” She thought about the text he’d sent as they headed out.

If we lose the race, we lose. But just being here, we’ve already won.

She’d already won her freedom. She’d lost her family and…

No. Jules needed to focus. “But he deserves a win.”

“We can still win,” Phillipe said confidently. “But it’s going to take the best tack of your life. You up for it?”

She grinned. “Just tell me what to do.”

“Not what, when,” Phillipe explained. “The rules make it hard to overtake a boat. But if we can tack below and come ahead.”

“We’d have luffing rights,” she said.

Phillipe winked. “Our helmsman has read the rule book.”

Jules nodded. Her hands trembled with excitement and nerves. She wanted to give Alejandro and
La Rueca
the victory.

“The lead boat is tacking on starboard,” Phillipe yelled. “Wait for my call.”

The crew readied themselves for the final maneuver. They were on port, left of the lead boat. Instead of passing behind their competitor, they were going to tack below them and try to gain the advantage and the lead.

“Now,” the tactician ordered.

“Tacking.” Julianna turned the wheel. She focused on her job. She knew the other crewmembers were doing theirs, everyone in sync. The wind seemed to be on their side as well.

“Faster,” Phillipe yelled.

Jules turned the wheel. Her hands and arms ached from three days of racing. She ignored the pain, thinking about Alejandro instead. This boat and race meant so much to him. Placing would give him more publicity so he could start turning the island into a sailing-centered tourist spot, but a win would be a huge boost to his boatyard.

He’d helped her. Jules wanted to do the same for him even if he didn’t want her the way she wanted him.

She pressed the boat closer to the wind.

Phillipe whistled. “That’s it. They’re getting our dirty air now.”

They edged out in front, taking both the lead and the wind.

“They’re falling away,” Mike called. “Looks like we can pull this off.”

A few minutes later, the prow of
La Rueca
sailed between the buoys marking the finish line. They had done it. They had won the race!

Laughter overflowed along with deafening cheers. Jules wanted to celebrate along with the crew, but the victory was bittersweet.

Yes, she had proven herself. But now that the race was over, she had no idea what would happen. What would she do next?

Exhilaration shot through her. At least she was the one who got to answer that question, not anyone else.

The boat arrived at the marina. Alejandro stood on the dock with champagne bottles. A jubilant smile graced his face. Approval filled his dark eyes.

“Good race.” He shook her hand, the pressure warm, secure, making her ache to have him pull her into his embrace. “World class sailing out there, Julianna. You won the race for us.”

For you, she wanted to tell him. But seeing him brought a rush of emotion. Tears welled in her eyes. She didn’t want to start crying because she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to stop.

“Thanks.” She forced a smile even though his greeting broke her heart. Not that she expected anything else, but they had won the race. A hug would be…appropriate. “And it’s Jules, not Julianna.”

“Thank you, Jules,” he said.

A member of the yacht club led the crew to a platform surrounded by fans and press. Trophies were handed out. Through it all, Jules kept stealing glances at Alejandro. She forced her attention off him. When a bottle of champagne ended up in her hands, she took a swig.

The crew cheered.

Sam grinned. “Now that’s the proper way a princess should drink, mates.”

She laughed.

Alejandro pulled her aside. “We need to talk.”

Her heart beat as fast as a hummingbird’s wings. She followed him to
La Rueca
and climbed aboard. “I’m not going to marry Enrique.”

“I know.” His mouth twisted with regret. “I’m sorry, Jules. I thought you and Enrique marrying was for the best, but I was fooling myself. I’m miserable without you. I thought I had to rely only on myself. But I needed you to sail the boat. And then I realized I need you in my life. I love you.”

The air rushed from her lungs. “You do?”

“Yes. I do.” His tender gaze caressed her face. “I love everything about you. From the way you drive a sailboat to the way you kiss me until I can’t think straight. You can go from haughty royal to sweet young thing in about three seconds flat. That made it hard to know the real Julianna or Jules, but I realize she’s all of you. And that’s okay.”

Jules stared up at him. “I’m sorry for what I said to you. I was hurt. Angry. Wrong.”

“It’s okay now.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m here for you. I’ll take care of you. I can be a prince if that’s what you want. Though you’ll never be a queen.”

Joy flowed through her, filling up every space inside her. She touched his cheek. “I don’t care about being a queen. I don’t need you to be a prince. I love you, Alejandro. That’s all that matters. But we’ll have to take care of each other. Equally. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Fine by me, Princess.” He brushed his lips across hers. “You’ve already rescued me from being alone, from believing I was the black sheep who had to prove himself, from avoiding my problems with my family and running away from being a prince.”

“We rescued each other.”

“And we’ll continue to do so.” Alejandro dropped down on one knee. “I love you, Jules. There’s no other woman I’d rather spend the rest of my life with. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

“Yes.” She pulled him up and kissed him hard on the lips. “A hundred times, yes.”

“I want you to pick out a ring you like.” He pulled something out of his pocket. A thin piece of line knotted into a ring. “I hope this will do in the meantime.”

Tears of love crested her lashes. “It’ll do fine.”

She’d been wrong. So very wrong.

Alejandro hadn’t been selfish. He’d been afraid. But he was still the same dashing hero from her midnight sailing adventure. And she knew from the bottom of her heart, totally devoted to her. Love overflowed as he placed the handmade ring on her finger. A perfect fit.

Her heart sighed. “I’m ready to sail off into the sunset.”

“Not yet,” he said.

She looked up at him. “I thought…”

“I’m going to marry you, but first I want you to take some time to live your own life. To be on your own before we settle down. Maybe six months to a year. I want you to experience the freedom you’ve longed for. Travel, sail, whatever you want.”

“I want to be with you.”

“I want to be with you, but this is too important.” He kissed each of her fingers. “Don’t worry. I’m not about to let you have all that fun without me. Some things we’ll do together. Others you’ll do on your own. But know I’ll be here to support, love and marry you when it’s time.”

“I’m counting the days.”

“I’ll have a real ring for you by then.”

She stared at the rope on her finger and smiled up at him. “This ring is real. Like your kisses. Speaking of which…”

He lowered his mouth toward her. “I thought you’d never ask.”

EPILOGUE

One year later…

S
TANDING ON THE
deck of the eighty-five-foot sailboat, Jules listened to the wind against the sails. The sun shone high in the blue sky. The oiled teak gleamed. The old-fashioned schooner was something out of a dream or a pirate movie.

Contentment flowed through her. She’d spent the last year chasing her dreams. She’d sailed in numerous races, including winning a prestigious offshore race as part of an all-women’s crew. She’d traveled and worked on women’s rights issues. All the while Alejandro was there supporting, encouraging and waiting.

But this was the one dream she wanted to make come true.

She couldn’t imagine a better place to get married. No heads of state, no strangers, no media in attendance. Only friends and family. Her father, stepmother and four brothers were here as well as Alejandro’s father, mother and brother. Not quite a happy family, but Jules hoped in time differences could be…forgotten.

Alejandro squeezed her hand. He stared at her as though she were the sun and his world revolved around her. She felt the same way about him.

“I pronounce you husband and wife.” The ship’s captain smiled. “You may kiss the bride.”

Alejandro’s lips pressed against hers, making her feel cherished and loved. Jules kissed him back with her heart and her soul. She wanted him to know how much he meant to her.

Those in attendance clapped and cheered.

“I feel like I’m dreaming,” she whispered.

“Wake up, Princess.” He brushed his lips across hers. “Your dreams are coming true.”

“A happily ever after, too?”

“Nothing less will do.” Alejandro ran his finger along her jawline. The caress sent tingles shooting through her. “But we have to do one thing first.”

Anticipation buzzed through her. “What?”

“Sail off into the sunset.”

Jules’s heart overflowed with love. “Sounds perfect.”

“Just like you.”

“I’m not perfect.”

His smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Then you’re the perfect not-so-perfect princess for me.”

ISBN: 978-1-4592-0808-7

NOT-SO-PERFECT PRINCESS

First North American Publication 2011

Copyright © 2011 by Melissa Martinez McClone

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

For questions and comments about the quality of this book please contact us at [email protected].

® and TM are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.

www.Harlequin.com