The Princess Affair (7 page)

“You’re coming with us. No excuses.”

“But—”

His eyes reflected the wet lamplight. “Once classes have started, Kerry Donovan, I’ll let you sequester yourself all you like. But not tonight. Not when we have the chance to pretend we’re VIPs already.” The serious set of his jaw gave way to a smile. “Besides, what if I need a wingman?”

Kerry threw up her hands in surrender. Harris was right. Tomorrow would come soon enough. She had done well at the reception. She was on the right track. She could indulge just a little, and enjoy this unexpected perk. After all, how often did the name of a blue-collar kid from Pearl River appear on an exclusive guest list anywhere?

“All right. I’ll come along.”

Twenty minutes later, she was riding an elevator up to the penthouse level of a sixteenth century tower near the southwest corner of the city. This building had likely once served as a guard post of some kind, perhaps during the English civil wars. Now it served the desire of the elite socialites for a gathering place where the rabble couldn’t interrupt them. She wondered what Cromwell would have thought.

Kerry followed Harris into the club, which fused the original early-modern stone architecture with translucent partitions and a transparent ceiling. She wished fleetingly that the stars were out, before her attention was drawn to the stone bar topped with frosted glass. Colored lights embedded into the ceiling playing across its surface in shimmering, almost psychedelic patterns.

“Epic!” Harris shouted over the throb of the DJ’s electronic beat. “Let’s get a drink.”

Kerry followed him to the bar and ordered a Sazerac. Her college friends had poked fun at her for her love of what they called “old man” drinks, but the bartender seemed excited to mix something that required a bit of skill. As they waited, Kerry angled her body to get a good view of the dance floor. Some of her new friends were already out there, grinding against both strangers and each other. Idly, she wondered if their group had missed the band, or whether it would be performing later.

And then the crowd parted to reveal a woman in a shimmering, open-back silver dress, her wavy dark hair brushing against her delicate collarbone as she swayed in time to the music’s rhythm. She was surrounded by a ring of admirers, but she had made the beat her own. She danced with none of them for more than a few moments before turning, always turning, in search of her own space. Kerry’s breath caught at the sway of her hips and the light sheen of sweat at her temples and the brilliant emerald color of eyes that were suddenly locked on hers.

Harris cursed beneath his breath and gripped Kerry’s arm hard enough to bruise. She wanted to ask if he knew the identity of the woman, but the words stuck in her throat. Fortunately, he had become adept at reading her mind.

“
That
is Princess Alexandra. And she’s checking you out.”

The princess turned away. A light tap on Kerry’s shoulder heralded the arrival of their drinks, and she closed her hand tightly around the glass as though it might be able to anchor her to reality. She took a deep breath followed by a long sip, and finally, logic kicked in.

“She was not checking me out. She just glanced this way.”

Harris’s drink remained untouched on the bar, his attention riveted to the crowd.

“Oh, really? Because she just ‘glanced this way’ again.”

Steeling herself, Kerry looked back to the dance floor. “What are you talking about? I don’t even see her now.”

“To my right. Near that cluster of tables.”

Princess Alexandra had retreated to the periphery and was engaged in a tête-à-tête with a blond woman who was wearing high heels so tall it was a wonder she didn’t topple over onto her face. Kerry was struck by the disparity between the two women. On the surface, they were similar. Both wore sleek, form-fitting dresses that probably cost at least ten times more than Kerry had ever had in her bank account. But while the blonde was elaborately coiffed and made-up, the princess seemed wild around the edges. More unrestrained. Kerry couldn’t tell exactly why she got that impression—her hair, perhaps, or maybe her posture—only that it was very strong. The more she looked at Princess Alexandra, the faster her heart raced.

“You and the rest of the world,” she murmured.

“What?” asked Harris.

“I guess she lost interest.” Kerry made her tone light. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

He shook his head as he reached for his drink. “Believe me, Ker. She was checking you out. I know attraction when I see it.” He leaned in closer. “And you seemed pretty gobsmacked, too.”

Kerry could feel the flush crawling up her neck, but she refused to act flustered.

“Of course I was. She’s beautiful.”

“Who is?”

Kerry didn’t have to turn around to know whose lilting, soprano voice had spoken the words; Harris’s expression betrayed all. His back went ramrod straight, his thick eyebrows shot into his hairline, and his hand visibly trembled as he set down his glass. He opened his mouth, but no sound emerged.

The sudden roar that filled Kerry’s ears made her feel a little dizzy, and she kept one hand on the bar as she turned. Alexandra looked even more striking now than she had from a distance. Her full lips held the hint of a knowing smile, and Kerry did the only thing she could think of. She confessed.

“You, Your Royal Highness.”

The bridge of her nose crinkled adorably as her smile broke free. “Please. It’s Sasha. And you are?”

“Kerry Donovan.” Kerry wasn’t at all sure about whether commoners were encouraged—or even permitted—to shake the hands of princesses. Fortunately, Sasha solved her dilemma by reaching for her hand and squeezing briefly as she grazed her thumb across Kerry’s knuckles.

“Hello, Kerry.”

As Sasha introduced her friend, Miranda Howard, Kerry focused on taking slow, steady breaths. She had just told a British princess that she was beautiful, and now they were chatting. Subtly, she dug the fingernails of her free hand into her thigh. She wasn’t dreaming.

“And this is Harris Whistler.” Kerry didn’t know how she was managing to keep from stammering.

“We missed seeing you at the reception earlier this evening,” Harris blurted.

In the ensuing awkward silence, Kerry fought not to smack his beefy shoulder. For someone so bright, he could be incredibly dense. Why had he called attention to her absence? Clearly, her illness had been a convenient excuse. Could he think of nothing better to say?

Sasha’s eyes narrowed. “You’re both Rhodes scholars, then?”

Kerry hurried to speak before Harris could shove his other foot into his mouth. “We are.” She flashed what she hoped was a charming grin. “I’m smarter, obviously.”

Sasha laughed—a hearty sound that wasn’t at all what Kerry would have expected from a princess. Endearing and infectious, it lightened the mood considerably.

“And what are you studying?”

“Sustainable architecture,” Kerry said, thankful that by now she could explain her chosen profession without even having to think. “Specifically, I’m interested in developing techniques for modifying historical buildings in order to make them more environmentally conscious.”

“That’s fascinating. I hope it goes well for you.”

She seemed genuinely interested, but Kerry had no doubts that Princess Alexandra was adept at bluffing. As Harris chimed in about his focus on colonial history, Kerry snuck another glance at Sasha. This close, she could appreciate the finer details of her beauty—the curl of her long lashes, the light flush dusting her cheekbones, the elegant curve of her lips. For several surreal minutes, they chatted about superficial topics—where Kerry and Harris were from and how they were liking Oxford. And then the DJ put on a new, popular song that roused a cheer from the crowd.

“Let’s dance.” Sasha slipped her hand back into Kerry’s grip. Her fingers were warm and smooth, and as they entwined with Kerry’s, a spark kindled low in her belly.

Before she could reply, she was being led out onto the dance floor. When Sasha let go and began to move with the beat, Kerry felt the strangest mixture of relief and regret. In an effort to calm her racing mind, she tried to focus on finding and maintaining some sort of rhythm instead of simply flailing about.

At first, Sasha danced several feet away across their small circle, leaving Kerry with enough space to admire the sensual grace of her movements. As Sasha raised her slender arms above her head, Kerry was drawn to the elegant lines of her collarbone and the lone diamond that rested against her throat, winking in the light of the strobe. It was smaller than she would have expected from a member of the royal family, and she wondered if the delicate necklace had some kind of sentimental value. Then Sasha spun in a tight circle, and Kerry found herself mesmerized by the slide of silver fabric up and down her firm thighs.

Blindsided by a rush of desire, Kerry struggled to catch her breath. She felt as though she’d suddenly been plunged into an entirely different world where she didn’t know the rules—a world in which a stranger had the power to so completely ensnare her attention. She suddenly wanted to believe in sorcery. What other way was there to explain these feelings?

The crowd grew larger around them, forcing their small circle to collapse. Sasha’s arm brushed against Kerry’s, sending a bolt of electricity through her. When she sucked in a sharp breath, Sasha’s lips curled. She tipped her head to the side.

“Let’s get another drink.”

The crowd parted before Sasha like the Red Sea and Kerry trailed in her wake, helpless to resist her magnetism even if she’d wanted to. She didn’t glance back at Harris, afraid of breaking the spell. Once they reached the bar, a space opened up for them immediately. Sasha ordered champagne. The drinks arrived within moments, and she raised her flute, clearly on the cusp of proposing a toast. The swirling lights created rainbows in the bubbling glass and glinted off a gold ring inlaid with tiny emeralds on the index finger of her left hand. The sight of her elegant fingers, tipped by short, well-manicured nails painted the same shade as her eyes, made Kerry’s mouth go dry.

“To new beginnings,” Sasha said, leaning her glass forward.

Feeling herself blush, Kerry tore her gaze away from Sasha’s hands and clinked their flutes together. Silence fell between them then, and Kerry frantically wracked her brain for a new topic of discussion. What was one supposed to chat about with a member of the royal family? Sasha was a party planner by profession, but before tonight, Kerry had never been to the kind of lavish event that drove the princess’s business. Sasha had enjoyed high-profile trips to southern Africa and Australia in recent years, but before two weeks ago, Kerry had never even traveled outside the eastern seaboard of the United States. She didn’t know anything about trends in high fashion or the charities Sasha had chosen to patronize. What on earth could they talk about?

As her panic escalated, Kerry finally decided to be honest. “How does it feel to know that everyone in the room is looking at you?”

Sasha’s eyes widened slightly, and then she laughed. “I’m accustomed to it. But I think you’re wrong. At least half of them are looking at you.”

Kerry didn’t particularly want to think about that, and she kept her eyes firmly trained on Sasha’s face. Not that that was a hardship. “Only because I’m fortunate enough to be sharing a drink and conversation with the Princess Royal.”

“Wrong again.” A mischievous smile played around the corners of Sasha’s lips. “I haven’t been able to stop looking at you since you arrived.”

The confession momentarily robbed Kerry of her breath. “That’s…well, that’s very flattering.”

Sasha polished off the contents of her glass and returned it to the bar, never once breaking their gaze. “I want you to wait right here for a few minutes.” The words were soft, but they held an edge of command that made Kerry’s heart pound even faster. “Can you do that for me?”

“Absolutely.”

Kerry stood rooted to the floor as Sasha set off across the room. Her eyes feasted on the elegant contours of Sasha’s shoulder blades, the strong curve of her calf muscles, the tantalizing hint of a tattoo on her right side. She was exquisite. No other word came to mind.

Sasha paused at one of the tables set against the wall to confer with a tall man dressed flamboyantly in a white tuxedo and fiery red shirt. After kissing her on both cheeks, he inclined his head and listened as she spoke, then nodded. A moment later, she turned away and promptly disappeared into the crowd. Kerry blinked and peered fiercely through the hazy air, but to no avail. She was gone.

Was that it, then—the end of her royal encounter? Sasha had told her to wait, but what if that had been a ploy to escape? By being honest, had Kerry made the wrong decision? Their chemistry had been undeniable, or so she had thought. But perhaps she’d been utterly wrong. As she stood sipping her drink, she focused on bringing her heart rate back down to normal. Even if Sasha didn’t return, this would go down as one of the crazier days in her life.

“Kerry?”

At the light pressure on her shoulder, she turned to see the tall, waif-thin woman Sasha had introduced as Miranda standing behind her. “Hello,” she said, hearing the uncertainty in her own voice. What did this woman want with her?

“Follow me, please,” she said with a knowing smile, and set off in the same direction Sasha had gone without looking back to see if she would obey.

Kerry’s legs propelled her forward even as her mind erupted in tumult. Was Miranda leading her to an assignation? There was no other explanation for the secrecy, was there? Should she turn around and leave, or keep going? If she found herself alone with Sasha, what would happen? She hadn’t so much as kissed anyone since Virginia. Was she really considering some kind of tryst with a member of the royal family?

Then again, perhaps she was being too hasty. Maybe Sasha just wanted to talk without so many eavesdroppers nearby. Just because she had a reputation didn’t mean it was true. And even if she did want something…physical…that didn’t mean Kerry had to say yes. Once she learned Sasha’s intentions, she would make the smart decision.