The Prince She Had to Marry Read online

  From Trieste, they turned south again. They continued on their slow exploration of the Adriatic, of the endless string of islands off Croatia.

  Every day was worse, the way Lili saw it. They’d shared that one shining moment of understanding that first day, but after that?

  They only grew apart. Every night in their stateroom, Alex slept on the floor. It was simply too sad and hopeless.

  Something had to give—or so she kept promising herself. But as the days flowed past, full of sunshine and gleaming blue sea and lovely scenery, she despaired. What can a woman do when a man simply will not let her in?

  On the eleventh day of their honeymoon that wasn’t really a honeymoon at all, Lili had had enough. If she couldn’t get Alex to truly be with her, then she needed a little time alone. She wanted at least a few hours outside, perhaps on a deserted pebbled beach beneath the open sky, a few hours when she didn’t have to pretend to be ecstatically happy with her glamorous life and her royal marriage.

  The problem was how to make that happen. Round-

  the-clock she was surrounded by staff and bodyguards and crew—not to mention her intimacy-challenged but nonetheless ever-watchful groom. Reporters hovered above in helicopters. They lurked in speedboats ahead and astern, ready to follow anytime anyone disembarked.

  But Lili was determined. She had to have a break. And as luck would have it, there were escape vehicles available right there on the giant yacht. She could choose from a small sailboat, a helicopter, or the thirty-two-foot day cruiser, the Lady Jane. The helicopter was out of her league and she’d never been much of a sailor. She’d ridden in the day cruiser more than once, when they visited some of the more obscure ports of call, the ones where a super-yacht like the Princess couldn’t safely make it into harbor. The Lady Jane was sleek and speedy and would be just about perfect for her plans.

  She should have asked to take the helm during those other rides ashore, but she hadn’t planned ahead. So she decided to ask the captain for a tour and a little lesson in how to operate the controls. To allay suspicion as to her escape plans, she asked for tours of the sailboat and the helicopter as well. And she scheduled those tours between nine and eleven in the morning, when Alex would be busy working out in the Princess’s state-of-the-art gym.

  Wouldn’t you know he would appear, freshly showered and suddenly way too attentive, after she’d learned more than she ever wanted to know about the helicopter and the sailboat—and before the second mate led her to the Lady Jane?

  “That was a quick workout,” she said with her sweetest smile.

  Alex put his arm around her and drew her close. “I can’t seem to stay away from you.”

  She swallowed the scoffing sound before it escaped her throat and ignored the little thrill that shivered through every time he touched her.

  The Lady Jane, she learned, was capable of a top speed of forty-five knots. Just what she needed to get ahead of the reporters—far ahead, far enough to lose them in her wake.

  Alex was right there at her side, his face unreadable, as she got a quick briefing on the controls and then proceeded down into the small cabin and the dinky head. She really did admire the nice, roomy cockpit and the helm, which resembled nothing so much as the driver’s seat of one of those giant American SUVs. Lili was reasonably certain she could pilot the craft. She’d taken the wheel of more than one speedboat in her life. Her father owned several of them.

  “What was that all about?” Alex asked when they returned to the main deck.

  “What?” She gave him her most innocent smile.

  “Why all of a sudden did you have to know everything about the helicopter, the sailboat and the cruiser?”

  “Knowledge is power,” she informed him loftily. “And how did you know I had tours of the sailboat and helicopter, too?”

  “I know everything you do.”

  “You have your men spying on me. I am deeply distressed to learn that.”

  “You don’t look distressed.”

  She smoothed her hair. “This outer calm is only an act. Underneath, I’m devastated that you have no respect for my privacy.”

  “You’re up to something. What?” His voice was dark and deep—as his heart. As his carefully hidden soul.

  She heard the blades of a helicopter beating off to the east, toward the Dalmatian archipelago, the southern string of islands off Croatia. “We’re being watched.” She arched a brow.

  “We’re always being watched. I asked you what you’re up to.”

  They stood at the rail. She moved in closer. “Kiss me. Slowly. Give them a nice show....”

  He leaned down, so his fine lips hovered so close to hers. “They have a thousand pictures of us kissing by now.” He smelled so manly, so clean and good. Longing rose within her, for more than he would ever give her.

  She kept it light. Teasing. “Another kiss certainly can’t hurt. It’s our job to be convincing....”

  He brushed his lips across hers—once. And then again. His breath quickened, proof that he did respond to her nearness, no matter how tight a rein he kept on himself in private. Something down inside her went instantly soft and willing.

  Not that it mattered. The moment they were alone, he would withdraw. He always did.

  “Again,” she whispered, her lips tipped up in invitation. “Kiss me again.”

  He did. And that time he really kissed her, wrapping his big arms so tightly around her, gathering her into his hard, warm body. For a moment, she really was happy. She forgot everything but the sun on her back, the gentle wind in her hair—and most of all, the heat of him surrounding her, the delicious temptation of his lips on hers.

  When he lifted his head, he asked, “Tonight? Is that it? While I’m asleep, you plan to sneak out of our cabin, steal that boat and head for some deserted island where you can be alone to nurse your injured pride while the rest of us go mad searching for you?”

  Her heart sank. How could he know her plan so easily? It wasn’t fair. “My pride is not injured.” She looked him square in the eye—and baldly lied. “And don’t be silly. Of course I’m not sneaking away in the middle of the night.”

  He clasped her shoulders. Gently, he rubbed them. It felt way too good. He lifted one big hand and touched her cheek with it, tracing the line of her hair. “You would never talk any of the crew into lowering that boat for you, no matter that you’ve charmed them so completely they’re all half in love with you. Plus, my men will be watching. They would never allow you to leave the Princess without my approval.”

  She laughed then. It wasn’t a happy sound. “Listen to yourself. Listen to what you’re saying. The crew won’t help me. Your men won’t allow me to leave. I’m a prisoner on the Princess.”

  “No.”

  “Yes.”

  “This is about your safety, Lili. It’s for your own good.”

  She gave up all pretense of innocence and told him blankly, “You say I’ll drive you and the crew and your men mad. If I don’t get some time to myself soon, I will go mad.”

  “Lili...”

  She batted his hand away from her cheek and didn’t care if one of the paparazzi got a picture of her doing it. “I mean it, Alex. I have to get off this ship. I need to be somewhere where I can just...be myself.” She pulled out all the stops and pleaded with him outright. “Please. For a day, for at least a few hours.”

  “You can be yourself in our stateroom.”

  “Yes, but you’re always there with me, being...withdrawn and distant. Reminding me constantly of all the ways we’re never going to have the marriage I want, the marriage I’ve planned for and dreamed of all my life. Don’t you see? Being alone with you in our cabin is just more of what’s driving me out of my mind.”

  “You could take one of the other cabins, get yourself some time on your own. No one will think twice about it if you want a little space at this point. For days, we’ve been giving them constant togetherness.”

  She shook her head, turned away,
folded her hands across her middle and stared out toward where she knew there were islands, even though they were too far off to see them. “You’re just full of helpful solutions, aren’t you?” She laid on the sarcasm.

  He moved in closer behind her and replied reasonably, “I am trying to help, yes.”

  She let out a tired sigh. “Did you notice how you didn’t even make an effort to pretend that you aren’t withdrawn and distant the moment we’re alone?”

  “Lili...” He took her shoulders again, his grip gentle. She didn’t resist when he pulled her back against his body—yes, she should have resisted. But she was weak when it came to him. Weak and all too willing to gobble down the occasional crumbs of affection he tossed her way. He bent and pressed his lips to her hair. And he whispered, “If you absolutely have to go, I’ll take you.”

  Surely she hadn’t heard him right. “Tonight? In the cruiser? Just the two of us?” No, it wasn’t what she’d planned. It was better. If he went with her, alone, that would be a good sign, a hopeful sign that he might actually be willing to let down his guard a little, to open up to her...wouldn’t it?

  And even if he didn’t let her get close, well, she could walk off down the beach away from him and sit by herself and stare at the waves rolling in and away and pretend he wasn’t there. Outside in the open, it wouldn’t be as difficult to ignore him as it was on the Princess.

  He said, “We’ll need to take a couple of my men at least.” There was something in his voice. A banked excitement.

  Why, he wanted to go. He was feeling stir-crazy, too.

  “No,” she said flatly. “Absolutely not. No one else, just you and me.”

  “It’s dangerous to go alone. Foolish.”

  “Oh, please. If we can get away from the press, no one’s going to know where we are. We can be...invisible. At least for a little while. Oh, Alex. Think about it. What heaven that would be....”

  “We are never invisible,” he said grimly. “Especially not recently. Our images are plastered all over every tabloid worldwide.”

  “That’s pure self-aggrandizement, to think that people are checking out the scandal sheets on some tiny, barely inhabited island off Croatia, panting for a chance to read about you and me and our never-ending honeymoon aboard the Princess Royale.” Reaching up, she laid her hand over his where he clasped her shoulder. She eased her fingers beneath his and almost smiled when he rubbed the underside of her palm with his thumb. She added, more softly, “And I know you have ways, you and your men. They can track us. They can take the helicopter and follow us. They can stay back and out of the way and know exactly where we are and be ready to move in and protect us if necessary—which it will not be, I guarantee you.”

  “It’s completely irresponsible.” He pressed his lips to her hair, a caress that felt almost unconscious. As though he’d been playing the part of devoted lover for so long it was becoming real to him. Her spirits lifted at the thought.

  She said, “But you will do it, you will go with me and your men can keep an eye on us from a distance.”

  “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this....”

  “Just say it. Say yes.”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “Say it, Alex.”

  He hesitated. And then he surrendered. “All right.”

  She allowed herself a tiny smile of triumph and squeezed his hand. “Don’t sound so grim about it. This is going to be fun.”

  * * *

  Alex knew he must be losing what was left of his mind.

  He should have told her no, they absolutely could not go speeding off across the Adriatic to some semideserted Croatian island in the day cruiser. It wasn’t wise. Wasn’t safe.

  But he hadn’t told her no, because he wanted to get away from all the artifice and pretense just as much as she did.

  Besides, he knew her. If he didn’t go with her, she would find a way to go by herself—or at the very least cause him no end of trouble trying. For a female he’d always believed to be silly and superficial, Liliana was turning out to be much too clever and resourceful for his peace of mind.

  He suggested that now their getaway wasn’t a big secret anymore, they could leave the next morning.

  Lili insisted it must be that night—at midnight. “Because midnight is the witching hour,” she replied when he made the mistake of asking her why. “Midnight is...magic. And we need a little magic, Alex, you and me.”

  At that point he reminded himself that she had no understandable reason for half the things she did anyway. Her insistence on leaving at midnight was only more of the same.

  He gave orders to have the Lady Jane well provisioned and re-inspected for seaworthiness. He made very certain it was understood that preparations should be accomplished discreetly, with the rest of the Princess’s crew and staff kept unaware of their preparations. He also gave specific orders for each piece of safety equipment that must be stowed aboard: the flares, the smoke signal device, the distress light, the large bell with clapper, the paper maps, the extra drinking water, the fire extinguisher, the air horn and most especially the best in emergency flotation devices, including life rings, an inflatable raft and vests.

  No, he did not explain to Lili the various preparations he had ordered. She would only mock him and call him paranoid and overly controlling. He already knew he was both of those things. He didn’t need to hear it again from her.

  He instructed Lili to dress for walking, in layers. She could wear her bathing suit beneath her clothing if she wished, but she was to wear practical, water-friendly flat-soled shoes and sturdy lightweight trousers. Her shirt should be cotton and she would need a zip-up sweatshirt or canvas jacket with hood. The night winds would be cool. “Also, a canvas or straw hat would be good against the sun. And plenty of sunscreen. And a change of underwear.”

  Lili laughed. “What about weapons? Should I bring my harpoon? It’s good for catching whales and for self-protection.”

  He granted her a glance of endless patience. “I want you to be comfortable. We won’t return until dark tomorrow. But you won’t have Pilar and I don’t want you trying to drag along half your wardrobe.”

  “As a matter of fact, I wasn’t planning to bring anything more than what you’ve just told me to bring. So there.” She actually stuck out her tongue at him.

  “Lili, will you ever grow up?”

  “I am grown up. I’m a married woman with a child on the way.” She patted her still-flat stomach for emphasis.

  The gesture gave him pause. “How are you feeling?”

  “I am perfectly fine, thank you.”

  “When you speak of the child, you remind me how downright foolish this whole escapade really is. Reconsider, won’t you? Give it up.”

  “No.”

  “It’s mad.”

  She put her soft fingers against his lips. “Stop. Please. Let’s not go over all of this again. We’re going. It’s settled.”

  He wanted to grab her close and kiss her senseless. He wanted...a lot of things he was never going to have.

  He took her slim fingers and guided them away from his mouth. “All right,” he said, resigned.

  “Don’t be dreary, Alex. This is going to be fabulous.”

  * * *

  It was ten of midnight and Lili had butterflies of excitement in her stomach as they boarded the Lady Jane. At last, she and Alex would have a little time to themselves out in the open, like regular people. She planned to savor every moment of their secret getaway.

  The cruiser was docked in the hold portside, concealed behind a hydraulic door, so no special precautions against detection by the paparazzi were required to get on the boat. Even so, both Alex and Lili wore black hooded coveralls over their beach clothes. Once out on open water, all in black, wearing their hoods, they would be harder for the ever-watchful press people to identify.

  In the cockpit, Alex lifted the cushion on one of the benches to reveal the storage space beneath. Inside were orange life jack
ets. He handed her one and got one for himself. They put them on.

  “Go below,” he commanded, gesturing toward the small cabin as he took the helm.

  She dropped to the forward-facing seat next to him, put up her hood and tossed her canvas hat and backpack through the opening that led to where he’d told her to go. “I’m letting you drive,” she cheerfully informed him. “Be happy with that.”

  He sent her one of his dark looks, but at least he stopped telling her what to do. Instead, he got on the radio and gave the order to have the hull door lifted and the platform beneath the Lady Jane lowered to the water.

  In no time, they were on their way, sliding free of the platform and onto the softly rolling night-black waves. Alex had the cruiser’s engine going low and slow at first. They parted from the Princess like a lover slipping away in the night, sliding slowly eastward, the darkly gleaming waves lapping the hull of the cruiser so gently that the sound to Lili’s ears seemed caressing. Tender. As though the sea itself welcomed them on their midnight adventure.

  To draw no attention to their departure, the helicopter with two of Alex’s best men in it wouldn’t take off after them until later, when they were in sight of their island destination. Alex was constantly in contact with his men, so it really wasn’t necessary for the men to be right on top of them.

  It was a clear night, with only the faintest breeze to ruffle the surface of the sea. The moon was no more than a pale sliver in the starry sky. Once they were out of sight of the Princess, the night seemed very dark, the sea an endless expanse of shifting black. The sky above was silent. There were no other boats in sight.

  She glanced toward Alex at the wheel. He seemed to feel her look. He turned to her. Beneath the shadows of his hood, she saw his white teeth flash.

  Alex. Smiling. It was a good sign. A very good sign. She congratulated herself for planning this getaway.

  As the Lady Jane picked up speed, Lili let the wind push back her hood and tipped her head up to the dark sky. Her long hair streamed out behind her and she felt happier than she had in months.