Prince and Single Mom (9 page)

And what could be more fun, he suddenly decided, than dancing—and kissing—on a private, moonlit beach?

“Kate, there’s someplace I’d like to take you. It’s one of my favorite places. Will you come with me?”

He watched the emotions play across her face, and wondered what she thought. He gave her his most encouraging, and innocent smile.

Her reaction, tilting her head to one side, intrigued him.
It may very well be that she would be the first woman to ever see right through me.

“All right, Philip. It’s nearly eleven, though. I’d like to be back at the resort by midnight.”

He couldn’t resist one more tease. “I promise your coach won’t turn into a pumpkin, Cinderella.”

“No, but
you
might turn into a frog.”

“Wrong fairy tale.”

“Whatever.”

* * * *

She agreed to ride in his car.

It wasn’t what she’d wanted to do at the beginning of the evening. She’d wanted her own means of escape. But since she’d made the decision to more or less let nature take its course, it seemed silly to stick to that restriction now.

She’d never ridden in a BMW Z4 coupe before. Sleek, black and low to the ground, the car seemed exactly the kind of fast toy she’d expect a prince to drive.
Unfair
, she scolded herself. If she wanted to think spoiled trust-fund-baby, then maybe she might have expected something red and fast, or a chauffeur-driven limousine. She didn’t expect him to snap his seatbelt in place and wait until she had done the same. Neither had she expected him to drive as conservatively as he did.

The streetlights had come on and she could see the quaint shops that lined the narrow cobblestone streets of the oldest section of Cardinia. What she’d seen so far of Boisdemer had been beautiful. She wondered where Philip would take her next. She hoped it wasn’t another club. Not used to partying, she found the volume of the music a bit daunting.

He seemed to read her mind, because he broke the silence, “The noise level was high in there tonight." She thought she heard the trace of an apology in his voice.

“A bit. But I enjoyed myself. The dinner, too. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

They drove up a hill, in what she could tell was a residential part of town. Then Philip negotiated a right turn, and the road began to angle down. Just ahead she could see a tall fence with a gate that seemed to be blocking the road. She opened her mouth to ask where they were going, when he reached up to his sun visor, and a square box she hadn’t noticed before. The gate swung open, and they drove through.

The road became a bit steep, with a sharp right turn at the bottom of the decline. Catharine gasped, for once around the corner, beach and ocean stretched out before her. The full moon shone brightly, making the water and white sand seem to sparkle as brightly as the star-strewn sky. The beauty of the view so captivated her, she didn't notice Philip had parked the car until he opened her door and offered her a hand out. She released her seatbelt and stepped out into the night. The sound of the surf soothed, and the air smelled light and fresh.

“What is this place?”

He chuckled lightly. “It’s called a beach, Kate.”

“I know it’s a beach. Why the gate?”

“Because it’s a private beach.”

“Yours?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

He pointed up and behind her, so she turned and looked.

There, at the top of the cliff, looking big and bright and somehow magical, the Royal Palace of Boisdemer stood guard over the harbor, and the country itself. Despite the fact that the clock neared midnight, the palace gleamed and sparkled under the blaze of dozens of spotlights. From her perspective so far below, the turrets seemed impossibly high, the entire structure incredibly beautiful.

“Do you live there?”

“I do. I have my own apartment, as do both of my sisters, and my brother and his wife.”

“Why is it all lit up like that? Is that the nobility’s answer to leaving the porch light on?”

When Philip didn’t immediately answer, she looked at him. The moon gave sufficient light that she could see the puzzled expression on his face.

“Where I come from, when a teenager is out on a date, her parents leave the porch light on, to discourage that sometimes-too-passionate kiss goodnight at the door.”

“Ah. Clever parents.” He reached for her hand, and she could see no reason to deny him. She let him take it and lead her toward the water.

“In the aftermath of September eleventh, the climate of fear that swept the west, touched here as well. So the king told the people that they weren’t to be afraid of anything, because he had sworn an oath to protect them and be vigilant. As a symbol of that vigilance, the palace would be lit up every night, so all they had to do was look at it and know he watched over them. And thus lit, the palace would draw the first fire.”

“He sounds as if he takes his job seriously.”

“He does.”

Philip looked as if he would say something more, but subsided. For a long moment he looked out to sea, still holding her hand, and rubbing her knuckles with his thumb in the way he had done earlier.

“Why did you bring me here?”

“To make out.”

Catharine laughed, tickled and charmed at the same time. “You did?”

She should have expected the move. But he did it so smoothly, the next thing she knew she was in his arms, his face mere inches above hers. When he didn’t do more than that, she understood that despite the innuendos lacing his words all day, he really wasn’t going to press his advantage. He left the next step up to her.

And that was fine. Last time, she’d been led down a path she’d been somewhat ignorant of, seduced in such a way as to be given no choice at all, really. This time, it would be her decision. All of it.

“Kiss me, Philip. Please.”

“With great pleasure.”

He didn’t devour, he sampled. She expected explosive heat, and she got soft, warm sips. He tasted her lips, the corner of her mouth, the delicate skin beneath her eyes. He let her shoulders go to cup her face in his hands. Reverence guided the way his mouth touched hers, then fluttered away to caress her cheek, her chin. But he returned again and again to her lips. Catharine couldn’t help it. She parted them, a tiny cry of hunger and need escaping into the night.

“More, darling?”

“
Please
.” She wanted to demand but the single word emerged as a ragged plea. In the next instant she knew it didn’t matter, for he claimed her mouth with his own, his tongue seeking hers, and her flavor. He sought not her submission but certainly her participation, which she gave almost joyously. Here now came the heat, the fire in the belly that she’d only ever suspected before. She wound her arms around his neck, needing more of the man-taste of him, more of the warmth from his body, more of the heat. Vaguely aware that his hands had left her face, she knew he surrounded her still. Protected. Warm. Safe.

And then he cuddled her close, his hands, shaking a bit, slowly moving up and down her back. Her head rested on his shoulder and it almost seemed as if it belonged there.

“I also brought you out here so I could dance with you.”

“Dance? On the beach?”

“Of course.”

She frowned at him when he moved her back slightly and took her in his arms as he had on the dance floor.

“It’s very simple. Close your eyes. Hear the music. And let me lead you.”

“You’re a very strange man.”

“Co-operate, please. You want to be back at the resort by midnight, so we haven’t much time.”

Catharine closed her eyes, even as she thought she ought to protest that “let me lead you” line, if only on principle. Instead, she let go, just a little. And as he began to dance with her, a spirit of freedom brush over her skin, and she caught the slightest fragrance of lilacs in the air. And quietly, oh so quietly, the music of strings, of violins and harps in a gentle symphony that spoke of summer evenings and dreams-come-true swirled around and through her. He moved her in tune with it, and she marveled even as she feared.

His lips nuzzled the loose curls at her temple. “Do you hear it?”

“Oh, God. What are you doing to me?”

What had been in her tone to put such look in his eyes? A tender, trust-me look that nearly broke her heart? He spoke gently, his words blending with the music.

“My darling Kate. I’m only dancing with you.”

Comforted for some reason she couldn't explain, Catharine settled back in Philip's arms and let him lead her. Moving together as naturally as the breeze that played in the spray from the surf, they danced in the magical moonlight to the sound of their hearts and fairy-soft music from an orchestra they couldn't see.

* * * *

“You always had such a nice touch with music, sister,” Eugenia complimented. She hoped the compliment boosted her sister’s spirits. Between reading the primer on modern romance and then popping in to check up on Hannah and Alex a while ago, dear Gwendolyn had suffered enough shocks for one evening. Eugenia wanted to do whatever she could to soothe her poor sister’s sensibilities.

“Thank you, sister.”

Gwendolyn’s sigh sounded like pure contentment and Eugenia smiled.

“And you’ve made the stars sparkle as bright as I’ve ever seen them, and the lilac scent was a nice touch, too.”

“Thank you.” Eugenia smiled down at the couple dancing slowly in the sand.

“I must say, this is
much
better. This is more like the olden days. Oh, yes, sister, don’t frown, I know there’s no going back. But still.”

“We’re not done here, not nearly. We do have a long way to go.”

“Oh, I know that. But moments like this are nice to cherish, if even for a little while, aren’t they, sister?”

She could hear such longing in Gwendolyn’s voice that Eugenia had to agree. “Yes. Indeed they are.”

“He’s really good.”

The words had Hannah opening shocked eyes to stare at her daughter. Then she looked at what had caught Catharine’s attention. Down by the edge of the water, Alex worked helping Jamie build a sand castle. The two males appeared to be in serious conversation, with Alex listening while Jamie talked.

“Yes, he is. He told me he doesn’t have any grandchildren yet. I think he’s looking forward to them.” Then she turned to her daughter, the perfect image of relaxation as she reclined in the chaise provided by the resort.

“How did your evening turn out last night?”

“Good.”

Hannah stretched back out on her own chaise, closed her eyes and smiled. “My, what an eloquent response. What exactly do you mean by ‘good’?”

“The food tasted wonderful, and we went to a dance club later, one the locals frequent. We didn’t seem to run out of things to say to each other.” And then, almost sotto voce, “He confuses me.”

“Good.”

“What exactly do
you
mean by ‘good’?”

Hannah sat up, seeing her daughter’s eyes focused on her. “I mean that you weren’t able to slip him into a slot and label him. A man who confuses you is a man who makes you think about him.”

“There’s no future for us, Mom, other than having a few fun times together.”

“That can be enough for now.”

“Mother.”

Hannah smiled because Catharine’s use of the more formal title, delivered as if two distinct syllables, conveyed annoyance. It pleased her immensely. Over the past six years she’d watched sadly as her free-spirited and lively daughter had reined herself in so tightly, she gave herself no quarter. She’d judged herself too harshly, punished herself too severely, in Hannah’s opinion. But if Catharine felt confused, and annoyed, it meant that her emotions might finally be breaking free of that rigid control.

“They sell condoms in the gift shop here.” Hannah announced, and waited to see what her daughter would say.

“I know. I checked this morning. How did
you
know they did?”

It was one of those moments, Hannah thought, the sort she’d never experienced before. Oh, she enjoyed the friendship of a few women back home. But because she’d been widowed, with no sex life, their conversations lacked really personal topics. She’d never been one to gossip, either—another deterrent to intimate conversation.

And now her daughter had asked a very personal question. Probably, Hannah decided, seeking confirmation of what she already suspected.

“Because I bought some yesterday.”

Catharine didn’t speak for a long moment. “Well, that’s good. You’ll be prepared.”

She knew she’d failed at keeping a poker face when Catharine's eyes widened.

“
Already
?”

“I’m not getting any younger, you know.”

When Catharine didn’t laugh as she hoped, Hannah said, “I never imagined having a fling. I doubt I’ll get the chance to have another. No sense wasting time.”

“You sell yourself short, Mom. I’m glad you’re having a ‘fling’, as you put it. And I see no reason why you can’t date when we get home, now that you’ve broken the ice.”

“We’ll see.”

Hannah settled back, content that she’d been upfront with her daughter, and hopeful that Catharine would go so far as to have a fling of her own.

“Mom? There’s something about Philip that I didn’t tell you.”

“Is he married?”

“No, he’s not. And I know that for sure because I’ve met his sister. He’s a prince.”

“That nice, huh? Well, good, you deserve—”

“No, I mean a
real
prince. The kind that others address as ‘your highness’.”

Hannah sat up slowly and turned to her daughter. “You
said
he was a doctor.”

“He’s that, too. Could you please keep that to yourself? About him being royalty? I wanted you to know, so that you’d understand why there’s really no future for us.”