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Again Dharr held up his glass. “Then we are all agreed?”
Mitch touched his flute to Dharr’s and Marc’s. “Agreed.”
Modern-day musketeers entering into an all-for-one pact.
Marc raised his glass. “Let the wager begin.”
Marc had no qualms about the ante. He could most definitely resist the temptation of a woman bent on tying him to an uneventful existence. He had no reason to marry, nor was he bound by duty to do so. Only one thing would be as unappealing to Marc as marriage—leading his country. But thanks to his birth order, Prince Marcel Frederic DeLoria would never have to suffer the fate of becoming king.
One (#u5ec69a1f-bf1e-5a60-8c2b-c6478a1d78b2)
Nine years later
Marcel Frederic DeLoria had become a king.
Kate Milner had known him only as Marc, a seriously charming young man. A seriously inept biology student by his own admission, the reason why Kate had tutored him their freshman year at Harvard. And now he was the ruler of Doriana, a small European country.
Incredible.
Of course, the fact that she was standing in a storybook castle thousands of miles from home, preparing to see him again almost a decade later, seemed highly improbable, too. That made Kate smile.
But her smile immediately dissolved when he appeared at the end of the ornate palace foyer, a starched and polished middle-aged gentleman at his side. The mirrored walls, reflecting bursts of light from the crystal chandeliers, seemed to shrink as he drew closer, his confidence and calculated control almost palpable, even at a distance. His hair was still the same golden brown, somewhat longer than before, Kate realized, the fine layers windswept away from his face. Although he stood only slightly over six feet tall, he seemed more imposing now than when she’d known him before, with a broader chest and equally broad shoulders encased in a short-sleeved, form-fitting navy knit shirt that enhanced the considerable bulk of his biceps. He also wore a pair of faded jeans that outlined his narrow hips and solid thighs—the kind of clothes he’d worn in college, much to Kate’s surprise. He was, after all, nobility.
Good grief. Had she really expected him to be decked out in a jewel-encrusted crown and red velvet robe? That he would be clutching a scepter instead of a pair of sunglasses? Silly that she would even consider such a thing. But she’d expected he at least would be wearing an expensive suit, not attire that could be found in a chic women’s magazine ad extolling the virtues of cosmopolitan casual on hard-body hunks. Not that she was complaining.
When he came to a stop a few feet away, Kate was suddenly gripped by the sheer power of his presence, her pulse accelerating in response. She clung tightly to her composure when she contacted his piercing cobalt blue eyes—eyes that no longer held the mirth she had often witnessed during their previous time together. She saw something there that she couldn’t quite peg. She also sensed an edge about him, a definite change that went far beyond the physical aspects.
One thing Kate did know, he gave no indication whatsoever that he recognized her. But why should he? Kate had changed, too, hopefully for the better.
The attendant took a brusque step forward and executed a slight bow. “Dr. Milner, I am Bernard Nicholas, His Majesty’s primary aide.”
Kate had the illogical urge to salute—or curtsy. She opted for a smile. “A pleasure to meet you.”
Mr. Nicholas turned his attention to the silent, stoic king. “Your Majesty, may I present Dr. Katherine Milner, our latest candidate for the hospital position.”
Marc moved forward and extended his hand, which Kate took after a slight hesitation. “Welcome to Doriana, Dr. Milner, and please forgive my appearance. I wasn’t given much notice in regard to your arrival.”
His voice sounded much the way Kate remembered, European sophisticated and distinctly seductive, only deeper. Yet he didn’t look at all pleased, didn’t even hint at a smile. In fact, his courtesy seemed almost forced. Considering the early hour, and his unshaven face, she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he’d just left the company of a woman, quite possibly a woman’s bed.
His extracurricular activities shouldn’t concern her. Yet the feel of his large masculine fingers wrapped around hers brought about a keen sense of awareness, the kind of awareness that came when confronted with a man she had been far too fond of. But Marc DeLoria was no ordinary man; he never had been. And obviously he had no recollection of their time together.
Kate decided he simply needed a reminder. “It’s very nice to see you again, Your Majesty.”
He released her hand and frowned, fine lines deepening at the corners of his eyes, but they didn’t detract from his magnificent face. “Have we met before?”
“Actually, the last time we were together, we were dissecting a deceased frog.”
Confusion worked its way into his sedate expression followed by a fleeting glimpse of the carefree charmer she had once known. “Katie? The tutor?”
Kate’s gaze faltered for a brief moment as she became the circumspect girl again. She forced away that notion, forced herself to look at him straight on. “Yes, that’s me. Katie, the tutor. But I prefer Kate now. Or Dr. Milner, if that’s more acceptable considering your current circumstance.”
“My current circumstance?”
He actually had to be reminded of that, too? “You’re a king.”
“Ah, yes. That circumstance.” He stared at her for a long moment, as if he couldn’t quite believe she was there. Kate couldn’t quite believe it, either.
After a bout of awkward silence, she finally said, “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, quite a while.” Although his smile had yet to form, he at least looked a little less perplexed when he gestured to a nearby room. “Shall we conduct the interview in the library, Doctor?”
Obviously he had no intention of taking a walk down memory lane. “Of course.”
When Marc stepped to one side of the room’s entry, Kate passed by him and caught a whiff of fresh air and fragrant cologne—clean, expensive, heavenly. Even though she shouldn’t react so strongly, he still made her breathless. She’d always been that way to some degree in his presence.
Gathering her wits, Kate slowly turned around to survey the mahogany shelves lining the room. “This is quite a collection of books.”
“My mother’s favorites.” He indicated a small settee near the window. “Please, have a seat.”
Kate slid onto the green brocade sofa while Marc took the burgundy wingback chair across from her. When Mr. Nicholas positioned himself near the now-closed door, Marc told him, “That will be all.”
The man stood steadfastly in place like a sentry, shoulders square, feet slightly apart, hands behind his back. “Beg pardon, but I believe it would be best if I remained, considering our guest is a lady.”
“This is not the eighteenth century, Mr. Nicholas. You are dismissed.”
“The Queen Mother—”
“Would understand the need for privacy.”
“But—”
“I assure you that Dr. Milner’s virtue is not in peril.” Marc turned his attention to Kate. “Would you prefer not to be alone with me?”
She shrugged. “I don’t see it as a problem at all. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time.” She secretly hoped it wouldn’t be the last.
Marc sent another warning look at the attendant. “Tell Madame Tourreau to bring Dr. Milner some refreshments.”
“As you wish, Your Reverence,” Mr. Nicholas said, then took his leave.
Kate turned her attention to Marc, who looked anything but pleased. “Your Reverence?”
“Please ignore Mr. Nicholas. He’s been with the family for quite some time and he has a penchant for making up titles. You should be flattered, though. Normally he doesn’t do this around strangers, unless he feels they might appreciate his extremely dry and somewhat annoying British sense of humor.”
“Oh, I see. It’s sort of a game between you two.”
“One game I would prefer not to play.”
Kate could only imagine the games he did like to play—sensual games—and she really wouldn’t mind playing them with him.
Business, Kate. No games, just business.
Marc crossed his legs at the ankles, his elbows resting on the chair’s arms, hands clasped across his midsection. “So tell me, Dr. Milner, how did you discover we’re seeking physicians in Doriana?”
Kate toyed with her hem, surprisingly drawing Marc’s gaze. Considering her disheveled state, he probably wondered if the royal cat had dragged her across the regal doorstep. Her lavender silk suit showed creases resulting from hours of travel. Her hair had lost every bit of its curl and now hung down in board-straight strands to her shoulders. When his gaze came to rest on her mouth, she assumed she had a pink lipstick smear across her teeth.
Kate resisted the urge to run a finger over her incisors. “I saw the story in the alumni newsletter, right after your coronation,” she said, pulling his attention back to her eyes. “You mentioned that your first order of business involved recruiting doctors, so I contacted the hospital, and now here I am. By the way, I was very sorry to hear about your brother’s car accident.”
She saw a flash of sadness in his eyes before it vanished as quickly as it had come. “Did you attend medical school at Harvard?”
Considering his swift change of subject, Kate made a mental note not to bring up his brother’s death again. “Actually, I returned home to Tennessee and went to Vanderbilt. I needed to be close to my family.”
“Was someone ill?” he asked with concern.
“Not really.” Only needy, and very overprotective as always, which was one of the reasons why Kate had decided to apply for the position—the other was sitting before her. She’d grown tired of being the perfect, reliable daughter—the person both her parents depended upon for everything. She loved them dearly, but at times she wished she’d had siblings to ease some of her burden.
Marc crossed his arms over his chest, looking commanding and no less sexy. “You say you needed to be close to your family yet you have traveled thousands of miles away to work in our hospital?”
“I’ve been looking for a change of pace.” A change of scenery. A change in her life.
“What is your medical specialty?” he asked in an all-business tone, confirming that he was only interested in the interview.
“Family practice,” she said. “But I enjoy treating children the most. I’ve always loved children.”
“They’re our hope for future generations,” he replied. “We’ve made some strides in pediatric health care, but not enough for my satisfaction.”
“I’d enjoy that challenge, Marc. I mean, Your Highness.” Her first breach of royal protocol, and probably not her last. “I’m sorry.”
“No apology necessary, Dr. Milner.”
“I really prefer you call me Kate. I’m just a simple kind of person.”
“But you’re also a physician,” he said. “Not many can lay claim to that.”
Kate felt the bloom of a blush on her cheeks. She’d never been well versed in accepting flattery graciously, but then compliments hadn’t been a common occurrence in her life. “Speaking of doctors, how soon do you plan to reach a decision on who you’ll be hiring?”
“The decision will come when we find the right candidate. And on that thought, could you tell me about your experience?”
“Exactly what experience are you referring to?” How could she have asked such a stupid question? Easy. The man was sucking her brain dry of lucid thought with his high-powered aura.
She noted a spark of amusement in his eyes and the first signs of a smile, but not enough to reveal the dimples framing his mouth. “Medical experience, of course. Unless you have other experience that you believe might interest me.”
If only that were true. “Medically speaking, I’ve only recently completed my residency. I haven’t been in private practice at all.”
His dark gaze pinned her in place, even though she wanted to fidget. “I assume you’ve been adequately trained.”
She lifted her chin a notch. “In one of the top programs in the country.”
“Then I would say you could handle our hospital clinic.”
“I’m sure I could.” Now for the nitty-gritty. “And the pay?”
Marc leaned forward, bringing with him another trace scent of cologne. “If we come to an agreement, I would be willing to match whatever salary you were making in the States.”
“Believe me, my salary barely enabled me to make ends meet. Long hours, low pay. I still have some student loans to take care of.”
“I could at least double it,” he said. “More if necessary.”
This deal was getting sweeter by the minute. “Why would you do that?”
“Because we are in need of good doctors. And after all, we’re old friends.”
“Lab partners,” she corrected. “I never really considered us friends.”
He leaned back, but kept his eyes fixed on hers. “Why is that, Kate?”
“That’s fairly obvious, considering you’re a king and I’m, well, me.”
“But when we knew each other before, I wasn’t a king.”
And she’d been far removed from royalty. She still was. “No, you were a prince. I was never all that comfortable around you because of that.”
“Do I still make you uncomfortable?” he asked in a deep, deadly voice that held both challenge and temptation.
Very. “Not really. I’ve had interviews before. I consider this opportunity an adventure.”
“Then I’m to assume you’re looking for adventure?”
“And a job.”
“We have the job covered. So what type of adventure are you looking for, aside from your career?”
The question hung in the air for a time until she finally said, “I’m not sure. Do you have any suggestions?”
The dark look he sent her said he probably had plenty. “Unfortunately, Doriana is a rather sedate place in July. But if you’re here during the winter season, you could take advantage of our ski resorts. We have some challenging slopes, if you’re not afraid to attempt something that could be deemed dangerous.”
Now why had that sounded like an invitation to sin? “I’ve never tried skiing, but it sounds like fun.”
“I wouldn’t object to teaching you as repayment for what you taught me. I doubt I would have passed biology had it not been for you.”
She certainly wouldn’t object to anything he wanted to teach her. “Are you good?” Great, Kate. “At skiing, I mean.”
His eyes seemed to grow even darker, effectively dispensing the last of Kate’s calm. “Yes.”
“I imagine you’re probably very good at everything you do.” Imagined it in great detail, she did. “Aside from biology, that is.”
“I would imagine the same applies to you, Kate, considering how well you handled me during that first year.” She made a shaky one-handed sweep through her hair. “Funny, I don’t remember handling you at all.”
He assumed an almost insolent posture, his gaze now centered on her lap where she ran her fingertips up and down her purse strap. “Well, if you had literally handled me, I would not have forgotten, I assure you.”
