The Secret Prince (7 page)

He thought about his father, whom he'd never met, standing on this very spot. And his grandfather…then the men of his family for many generations before.

“You said the von Austerands have been in power for five hundred years?”

“About,” she said. “They wrestled this tiny kingdom from the Holy Roman Empire back in the sixteenth century. Somehow they've managed to hold on to it through wars and power struggles.”

“Amazing,” he breathed, “to be part of that.”

“Yes.” She looked up at him with shining eyes.

Later, he was never quite sure what came over him at that moment. Perhaps it was merely the romantic influence of history, or the idea of being a healthy male descended from a long line of conquerors. It was true that Elly was gazing up at him as if he really was the prince they claimed him to be. For whatever the reason, history or hormones, he felt compelled to conquer her.

She was so close to him already that all he had to do was drop an arm around her waist and curl her into his chest. Her sultry hazel eyes flashed at him, her lips parting in surprise. He quickly bent down to touch his
mouth to hers. Her lips quivered then tensed. He lightly teased them to life again with his own.

When he lifted his head, she rested her cheek against his chest. “I thought we weren't going to do this.”

“That was your decision. Let's just say, as much as I'd like to honor your wishes, milady, I'm having a real hard time keeping my distance.”

She said nothing.

“Elly, maybe now isn't the time, with all that's going on and understanding as I do that you have issues of your own to deal with. But I just want you to know, I'd give half my kingdom to sleep with you.”

She laughed at him and shook her head. “You don't have a kingdom to give away, unless you count the Haven. Anyway, I wouldn't talk like that in front of Jacob or anyone in his court. They'll think you're out to overthrow the crown.”

“I wouldn't want the job if they offered it,” he stated, touching the soft curls framing her face. They looked like burnished copper in the late-afternoon light. The strands felt warm to his touch. “I like my life the way it is…with one exception. Children. And one special woman to make them with.” And it would be nice, awfully nice, if she could be as pretty and warm and appealing as Elizabeth Anderson, he mused.

Elly shivered in his arms as if she'd heard his thoughts.

“Why are you so uncomfortable with any mention of my wanting a family?”

“You know why,” she said tightly.

“Two people don't have to choose names for their offspring just because they've kissed once or twice.”

“Of course not,” she agreed with a nervous laugh. But her pretty eyes skittered away from his.

“And we wouldn't have to reserve a church if I were to touch you like this.” He curved his palm around her cheek, then let it drift down her flushed throat to rest just above her breast.

“Absolutely not,” she murmured huskily, bringing her glance back to his with steamy intensity.

Dan subconsciously listened for footsteps down the corridors. None echoed against the stone.

He lowered his head slowly and touched his lips to hers again, deepening the kiss, tasting her honeyed mouth, trying not to think too hard about where this delicious moment might be headed. Or how soon she would stop him. When he stroked the back of his fingers down the side of her breast she lifted her arms around his neck, and he hoped against hope that she wouldn't make him release her this time.

“We want different things,” she whispered.

“Do we really?” he asked, observing her with a tense smile. “Right now, there's only one that comes to mind.”

“I don't mean
that.
I mean, the desired result is different. You want a family, I don't.”

He moved her back from him just the few inches necessary to study her expression. “Two things, woman,” he said. “First, this is the twenty-first century. We have something called birth control. Two people can sleep together without getting pregnant.” He tapped a finger over her lips when she started to protest. “Secondly, maybe I don't consider you wife-and-mother material. Ever thought of that, sweet Elly? Maybe I just want to roll around with you on that big, canopied bed in my suite because you're a beautiful woman who turns me on. End of story.”

She stared up at him, a frown furrowing her brow.
He didn't know if she believed him or even if he believed himself. What did it matter? He wanted to touch every imaginable spot on her body. If nothing but pure pleasure came of their intimacy, then that might not be such a terrible thing. It had been a long time since a woman had moved him this way. In fact, he couldn't recall when, if ever, that time had been.

“I've only known you for a few days,” she murmured. “I don't sleep with strangers or—”

He pressed his lips over hers, refusing to hear generic objections. If she was going to turn him down, she'd have to do it honestly. “Just tell me you don't want to sleep with me,” he said as his mouth left hers. “I'll never bring it up again.”

“Liar.”

“Try me.”

She was silent in his arms. He smiled. Good.

At last she spoke carefully. “I'm not saying that you don't get me a little—” she hesitated “—a little
provoked
in a rather enjoyable way. I just don't want to rush into anything and disappoint either of us.”

He put on a wounded expression for her. “You think you'd be disappointed after making love with me?” He caressed her throat then drew his fingertips slowly down her shoulder, along her arm, until they finally wove between hers.

She shivered, looking confused. “That's not what I meant. I just wouldn't want to hurt you, Dan, if things got serious.”

“Why don't you let me worry about that? I'm pretty good at taking care of myself. If growing up in Baltimore didn't teach me that, the marines sure did.”

Elly blinked up at him, and all she could think was,
But what about me? Who is going to take care of me
when I can't live up to what you want?
Because Daniel Eastwood, despite his flirting and insistence that he was just interested in a good time, was ultimately a man who would find one woman to marry and have kids with. Probably lots of them. And when he found that woman, none of his lovers before her would matter. Including Elizabeth Anderson.

The realization sent an oppressive wave of sadness over her. To be able to be that woman would be wonderful. But it was her fate to be the woman left behind, for she could never give him a child, or at least be sure that she would be there to raise their baby with him. Aside from her own physical impairment and fear of death, she couldn't bear the thought of causing any man she cared for the grief her father had suffered.

“It's better that we not get involved,” she said hastily, then desperately searched for excuses. She could only come up with a lame, “You know, with all that's going to be happening in the next few weeks.”

The earthy brown of his eyes intensified, and she saw something in them she hadn't noticed before and couldn't define. Determination? Patience? Or just pure stubbornness? Was he reacting to her refusal as if it was a challenge? By telling him they couldn't possibly become involved, while letting him know that she was tempted, had she inadvertently waved a red flag before the man?

“Really,” she whispered, moving herself out of his arms, “it's much better if we keep this on a professional level.”

 

Elly stood outside the door to Dan's chamber in the castle the next day and knocked a third time. There was no answer. Something told her that he wasn't in
side ignoring her. The room behind the closed door felt empty.

She felt awful for putting Dan through so much. By bringing him to Elbia Elly had meant to make things easier for everyone. But now everything seemed worse. More confusing, more complex than ever. There was so much to settle between Jacob and Dan…and so much to untangle between Dan and herself. For although she'd tried to return their relationship to one based purely on her professional capacity, she wasn't convinced that was possible. Not when he looked at her the way he did.

Now she tried to think where he might have gone. He would naturally seek water, a beach, when he was troubled and felt trapped. Probably the Adriatic was closest. But that was hundreds of miles away.

If not an ocean, then at least the out-of-doors, and that could only mean the garden since Jacob had ordered all of them to remain within the castle grounds until further notice.

Stopping at her own room only long enough to grab her coat, she ran through soaring stone hallways of an ancient wing of the castle lit by amber electric sconces and down a rear stairwell to a door she hoped would bring her directly into the gardens. There was one at last, of heavy oak studded with iron bolts. A modern deadbolt had replaced whatever older latch had been there, and she turned the lock then tugged on the weighty door. It creaked open and sunlight poured through, forcing her to squint into its winter brilliance.

Stepping outside, she shaded her face with one hand and gave her eyes a chance to adjust to the sun. She breathed in air scented with mountains, pine and an astonishing absence of petroleum residue. Although
cars were not banned in Elbia, it was easy to get around the city and countryside by bicycle or on the little red buses that cheerfully plied the hilly streets, and few residents bothered with the expense of buying an automobile.

She walked down a brick path through the rose garden. The bushes were little more than dry sticks, neatly pruned to encourage a fresh burst of flowers come warm weather. Further on was a formal English-style garden of hedges, smartly clipped to resemble whimsical creatures and clever geometric designs. She went on and came to another area where a gazebo grown over with ivy sat at the center of converging paths. A shadow moved behind frosty panes of glass. Cautiously, she approached, still unable to make out who might be inside.

When she was only a few feet from the door, the figure turned as if it had seen her. She froze, not daring to come closer. It was Dan, she was sure of it. The width of his shoulders and dark hair could only have belonged to one of the two brothers. And she remembered Dan had been wearing a deep blue shirt. He opened the door for her.

“Join me?” he said, stepping aside to let her in.

She climbed the steps and moved past him as he shut the door behind them. It was still cold but being out of the wind helped. The sun shining through the glass provided natural solar warmth.

Elly took her hands out of her coat pockets and rubbed them together as she studied his expression. “Are you all right?”

“Of course I'm all right,” he muttered irritably. “Why shouldn't I be?”

“That was quite a scene between you and Jacob yes
terday. And then, there's been the stuff happening between us. I hope I haven't hurt your feelings.”

“I don't know what he expects,” Dan mumbled, ignoring the second part of her statement as he scraped the sole of one shoe against the dark green floor boards. “No, I take that back. I do know all too well what he expects.” He narrowed his eyes and glared at her. “Jacob believes he can have everything his way, because that's how it's always been for him.”

Elly decided maybe Dan's tactic was best. They would simply ignore their attraction and address other issues. She shook her head. “I don't think so. He may come off as arrogant and stubborn, but he's not an unreasonable man. My dad and I talked with him after you left yesterday. He desperately wants to protect his people and his crown, but he also wants to find a way to do the right thing by you and Madge. This isn't your average family, you know. Things become a bit more complicated when you're sovereign over a country.” She tried out a weak smile on him.

“Right,” he agreed dryly.

Elly stepped closer, feeling an energy between them dragging her even nearer. We're the moon and the tide, she thought. She resisted but only with great effort.

“Look,” she whispered, “I know you have your pride. But don't punish your mother because of it. And don't be blind to all the good that can come of this.”

“
What
good?” he snapped.

She sighed. Why was it so difficult for men to accept a gift without attaching an ulterior motive to it? “What if you accept Jacob's settlement on behalf of your City Kids beach program? Let your mom do what she wishes with her share. Or, if she won't take it, invest it for her so that if she ever needs the money for med
ical care or assisted-living arrangements, she'll have it.”

He glared at the toes of his shoes but said nothing.

She continued quickly, gratified that he was, at least, listening to her. “You don't have to take a penny for yourself, Dan. But those kids you care so much about…they could really benefit. How many more of them each summer could you bring to Ocean City with Jacob's help? What about constructing extra lodging space near the Haven? Or a special educational center where your campers could experiment with computers or learn technical skills that might help them get jobs some day? The possibilities for good are endless with enough funds.”

Dan lifted troubled eyes to her face. “I'll think about it.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” He lifted one corner of his lips in a half smile.

She sensed that he meant it, that he'd gotten her message. But the way his eyes had deepened to a richer color and seemed suddenly alive with hot sparks also told her that he had put aside questions of pride, money and summer camp for considerations of a much more elemental nature. Elly's heartbeat quickened. Suddenly she found breathing a struggle.

“Wh-what are you thinking?” she stammered.

He tipped his head to one side and focused on her all the more closely. “That you feel as deeply about children as I do, only you try not to show it.”