Tempted by the Prince (The Raminar Family Book 4) by Elizabeth Lennox (10 ebook reader .txt) 📗

“If you won’t let me walk you home, then one of the palace guards will accompany you,” he told her.  “Either that, or you’re staying here inside the palace.”

She almost choked at the idea of staying here. “I definitely can’t stay here!” she told him.  “That would be…!”

He shook his head, lifting his hand to stop her argument.  “Actually, that makes a whole lot more sense.  I think you should just stay here.”

What was he suggesting?!  Stay?  In the palace?  Good grief, that would be a massive breach in protocol!  “No!”

He laughed.  “Rachel, are you seriously disobeying a direct order?”

Rachel stopped her next horrified objection, her mouth hanging open for one embarrassing moment.  When she realized that she truly was arguing with him, her mouth snapped shut but she glared at him.  “No, of course I wouldn’t do that.  But…”

“Good.  Then it’s settled.”

“No.  I won’t stay here.  It isn’t appropriate.  I’m an employee of the Izara government.  You’ve already given me a lovely apartment, Your…” she stopped just in time.  Her lips curved upwards, but she wouldn’t let her laughter out.  “I’m fine where I am.  And if it will make you feel better, I’ll get a cab to drive me the two blocks to my apartment.”

And with that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the dining room.  “Good night, Your Highness,” she called over her shoulder.  “And thank you for a wonderful evening.”  She even added a bit of a curtsy, feeling outrageously daring at the moment.  Then hurried out, her navy skirt flapping against her knees as she rushed down the hallway before he could stop her.

Tarin watched her hurry away, wondering if she really thought she could escape him so easily.  All he had to do was make a quick phone call and she’d be stopped by any number of the guards.  So her hurried pace wasn’t going to save her.  Hell, he could walk and catch up with her, since her legs were so much shorter than his.  He almost laughed out loud at her belief that she’d won this round.

And why the hell wouldn’t she use his first name?  As he watched her peek over her shoulder at him, he suspected it had become a game to her.  A game he was determined to win, he thought with increasing relish.

Thinking of her reactions while they were dancing, his mind moved in a different direction, contemplating the pros and cons of what he wanted, versus what might be best.  When he realized that both of those answers were the same, he smiled with triumph.  Yes, my beautiful Rachel.  You are going to be mine, he decided.

Chapter 5

Rachel blinked at the text message, not sure that she was awake enough to understand.  “What does he mean?  Paris?”

Leaning back against the pillows, she took several deep breaths and re-read the message.  “Paris?  He wants to fly off to Paris?”  For a long moment, she tried to remember the list of cities that he’d mentioned yesterday.  She’d spoken to the travel office and…thinking hard…nope, Paris had not been on that list.

The loud knock on her door startled her and she looked around, wondering who would be knocking so early in the morning.

“Just a minute!” she called out.  “Probably the property manager again,” she grumbled, grabbing her favorite silk robe.  Her hair probably looked like a tumbleweed and her face was clean of makeup.  She wore only the small cami and her panties that she’d slept in, but the silk robe covered enough of her sleep attire that she felt comfortable opening the door.

Tying the belt of her robe around her waist, she padded over to the entrance, paused to take a deep breath, then pulled it open.  “Good morn….”

Rachel stopped and stared as she found Prince Tarin standing in her doorway.  Was he rumpled and sleepy like her?  Nope, of course not!  He stood there looking fresh, alive, and magnetic in a dark suit and blue tie, freshly shaven and smelling like something clean and spicy.

“Your Highness!” she gasped, grabbing the collar of her robe and holding it tightly closed.

He pressed the door wider and stepped into the room, forcing Rachel to step back to make space for him.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded, tucking her hair back behind her ear in the hopes that it wasn’t as messy as she suspected.

“Is that how you normally answer the door?” he demanded, eyeing her silk robe pointedly.

Rachel glanced down and hissed when she realized her nipples were pressing against the silk.  She crossed her arms protectively and frowned up at Tarin.  “No.  Usually, the people who knock on my door don’t do it this early in the morning.  So normally I’m showered and dressed in appropriate clothes.”

Instead of apologizing, he grunted.  As if that meant something to her?  She had no clue what a grunt meant.  She didn’t speak caveman.  So she rolled her eyes and demanded, “Is there a reason why you are at my door this early?”

He smiled.  “Not a morning person, are you?”

She pressed her lips together, not sure what to say.  “I am normally at the office very early each day.  If you ever have an issue with my…?”

“No! My apologies.  I didn’t mean to imply any such thing,” he countered and moved closer.

Just a step, but it was a significant step because now she could smell his aftershave and her heart pounded violently against her ribs.  Darn it, she needed to put some space between them, but she’d backed herself into a corner with the sofa behind her.

“So…why are you here, Your Highness?”

He frowned.  “Didn’t we just have a conversation yesterday about you calling me Tarin?”

She shrugged, fighting to control her trembling.  “Yes, I believe we did have that conversation.”