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He removed his hand from her belly and although she silently cursed and wanted to draw him back to her, she was in no position to do so. She wondered if she had been too hasty in rejecting him, particularly when she hadn’t realised he could be so kind. And she was fast discovering that kindness could be as seductive as any kiss.
Maybe that was the turning point for Lisa. The discovery that as the days passed the palace stopped feeling like a prison. Or maybe it was a direct result of Luc’s sudden announcement that he had a surprise for her. One morning after breakfast, he led her through the endless maze of corridors to a part of the palace she hadn’t seen before, where he opened a set of double doors, before beckoning her inside.
‘Come and take a look at this,’ he said. ‘And tell me what you think.’
Lisa was momentarily lost for words as she walked into an airy studio overlooking the palace gardens. She glanced around, trying to take it all in—because in it was everything a dress designer could ever desire. On a big desk were pencils and paints and big pads of sketch paper. There was a computer, a sophisticated music system, a tiny kitchen and even a TV.
‘For when you get bored,’ Luc drawled. ‘I wasn’t sure if artwork on the walls would inspire you or distract you—but if you’d like some paintings, then speak to Eleonora and she’ll arrange for you to have something from the palace collection.’ He searched her face with quizzical eyes. ‘I hope this meets with your satisfaction?’
It was a long time since anyone had done something so thoughtful. Something just for her and Lisa felt overwhelmed—a feeling compounded by the way Luc was looking at her. His skin was glowing and his black hair was still ruffled from the horse ride he liked to take before breakfast each morning. Which she guessed explained why he was never there when she woke up. Why on more than one occasion she’d found herself rolling over to encounter nothing but a cool space where his warm body should have been.
Because he had spoken the truth. It was a big bed. Big enough for two people to share it without touching. For them to lie side by side like two strangers. For her to be acutely aware of his nakedness, even though she couldn’t actually see it. Yet as the dark minutes of the night ticked by—punctuated only by the rhythmical sounds of Luc’s steady breathing—Lisa was furious with herself for wanting him to make love to her. Wondering why hadn’t he even tried to change her mind? Was her swollen belly putting him off? More than once she had wondered what he would do if she silently moved to his side of the bed. She could put her hand between his legs and start to caress him in that way he liked. She swallowed. Actually, she had a pretty good idea what he’d do...
‘I love it,’ she said softly, cheeks flushing with embarrassment at her erotic thoughts as she lifted her gaze from the pencils lined up with military precision. ‘Thank you.’
There was a pause as their eyes met. An infinitesimal pause when Lisa thought she saw his mouth relax. A moment when his eyes hinted at that flinty look they used to get just before he kissed her. She held her breath. Hoping. No, praying. Thinking—to hell with all her supposedly noble intentions. He was her husband, wasn’t he? He was her husband and right then she wanted him with a hunger which was tearing through her body like wildfire. He could make love to her right now—she was sure he would be gentle with her. She felt the molten ache of frustration as she imagined him touching her where she was crying out to be touched.
But just like always, he moved away from her. Only by a fraction, but it might as well have been a mile. She found her cheeks growing even pinker; she walked over to one of the pristine drawing pads in an effort to distract herself. ‘I’ll start work on my next collection right away,’ she said.
He turned to leave but at the door, he paused. ‘Has Eleonora told you about the May Ball?’
Lisa shook her head. No. That was something Eleonora must have missed during daily conversations, which usually managed to convey how matey Princess Sophie’s father had been with Luc’s father, and about the blissful holidays the two families used to enjoy on the island of Isolaverde.
‘No,’ she said slowly. ‘I don’t believe she did. Anyway, shouldn’t it have been you who told me?’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘I’m telling you now,’ he said, with a trace of his customary arrogance. ‘It’s something of a palace tradition. The weather is always fine and the gardens are at their loveliest. It will be the perfect opportunity for you to meet the great and the good. Oh, and you might want to wear some jewels from the royal collection. Speak to Eleonora and she’ll show you.’
Lisa forced a smile. She seemed to do nothing but speak to Eleonora, but she nodded her head in agreement. And after Luc had gone, she emailed her sister and asked for some new photos of Tamsin, before taking herself off into the palace grounds for a walk.
The gardens were exquisite. Not just the rose section or the intricate maze which led onto the biggest herb garden she’d ever seen, but there were also high-hedged walkways where you could suddenly turn a corner and find some gorgeous marble statue hidden away. Yet today Lisa had to work hard to focus on the beauty of her surroundings because all she could think about was Luc’s attitude towards her. He could do something immensely kind and thoughtful like surprising her with a new studio or bring her tea in bed, but he seemed content to keep her at arm’s length and push her in the direction of his ever-loyal Eleonora.
But that was what she had wanted.
Only now she was beginning to realise she didn’t want it any more. She didn’t want to lie chastely by his side while he slept and her body hungered for him. She wanted him to take her in his arms and kiss her. If not to love her—then at least to make love to her. Suddenly, withholding sex as a kind of bargaining tool seemed not only stupid, but self-sacrificing. Maybe she had misjudged the whole situation. She wanted the freedom to be able to return to England but she recognised that she needed Luc’s blessing in order to do so. Wouldn’t he be more amenable to reason if he was physically satisfied?
And wouldn’t she?
He had told her about the ball and he wanted her to wear some of the royal jewels. Couldn’t she embrace her new role as his princess and appear comfortable in it? Wouldn’t he be pleasantly pleased—maybe even proud of her—giving her the perfect opportunity to seduce him? And since Luc showed no sign of coming on to her, she was going to have to be proactive. If she wanted him, then she must show him how much...
She felt the baby stirring inside her, almost as if it were giving her the proverbial thumbs-up, and Lisa felt a sudden warmth creep through her veins. Fired up by a new resolve, she made her way back towards the palace, sunlight streaming onto her bare head. Going straight to her studio, she rang for Eleonora and the aide arrived almost immediately, a questioning look on her smooth face.
Lisa drew a deep breath. ‘Luc told me about the ball. He suggested I might wear some of the crown jewels for the occasion.’
Eleonora gave a bland smile. ‘Indeed. He has already mentioned it to me.’
Lisa didn’t miss a beat, squashing down her indignation. Didn’t matter that he confided in Eleonora, because soon he would be in her arms and confiding in her. ‘Could we go and take a look at them, please? Now? Because I think I’d like to design my outfit around the jewels.’
‘Of course.’
The collection was housed in a section of the palace not far from the art gallery, and Lisa was momentarily startled when she walked into the spotlighted room, where priceless gems sparkled against inky backdrops of black velvet. Her eyes widened at the sheer opulence of the pieces on display. There were glittering waterfalls of diamonds—white ones and pink ones and even citrusy yellow ones, some with matching drop earrings and bracelets. There were sapphires as blue as Luc’s eyes and mysterious milky opals, shot through with rainbows. Lisa was just about to choose a choker of square-cut emeralds when Eleonora indicated a set of drawers at the far end of the room.
‘How about these?’ Eleonora suggested softly, pulling open one of the drawers and beckoning for Lisa to take a closer look.
Lisa blinked. Inside was a flamboyant ruby necklace with glittering stones as big as gulls’ eggs—their claret colour highlighted by the white fire of surrounding diamonds.
‘Oh, my word,’ she breathed. ‘That is the most exquisite thing I’ve ever seen.’
‘Isn’t it just?’ agreed Eleonora softly as she carefully removed the necklace. ‘It hasn’t been worn for a long time and is probably the most valuable piece in our entire collection. Why not surprise your husband with it?’
The jewels spilled like rich wine over Lisa’s fingers as she took them from the aide, and she could picture exactly the kind of dress to wear with them.
It became a labour of love. Something to work towards. Making her dress for the ball became her secret and she decided it would be her gift to Luc. An olive branch handed to him to make him realise she was prepared to do things differently from now on. That the current situation was far from satisfactory and she’d like to change it. She wanted to be his lover as well as his wife.
‘You are looking very pleased with yourself of late,’ he observed one evening as they walked down the wide marble corridor towards the dining room.
‘Am I?’
‘Mmm.’ His gaze roved over her as a servant opened the doors for them. ‘Actually, you look...blooming.’
‘Thank you.’ She smiled at him. ‘I think that’s how pregnant women are supposed to look.’
Luc inclined his head in agreement, waiting until she’d sat down before taking his seat opposite and observing her remarkable transformation. When she’d first arrived she had looked strung out and her expression had been pinched—something which had not been improved by their unsatisfactory sleeping arrangements. He had briefly considered moving into his old bachelor rooms to give her the peace she so obviously needed. To make her realise that the only thing worse than sharing a bed with him was not sharing a bed with him.
But then some miraculous thaw had occurred. Suddenly, she seemed almost...contented. He heard her humming as she brushed her teeth before bed. He noticed that she’d started reading the Mardovian history book he had given her on the plane. Hungrily, he had watched the luscious thrust of her breasts as she walked into the bedroom with a silken nightdress clinging to every ripe curve of her body, and realised he had nobody but himself to blame for his frustration. He could feel himself growing hard beneath the sheets and had to quickly lie on his belly, willing his huge erection to go away, and he wondered if now was the time to make a move on her. Because his experience with women told him that she would welcome him with open arms...
‘You are excited about the ball?’ he questioned one evening when they were finishing dinner.
‘I’m...looking forward to it.’
His eyes flicked over her. ‘You have something to wear?’
‘You mean...’ on the opposite side of the table she smoothed her hand down over the curve of her belly ‘...something which will fit over my ever-expanding girth? It’s not very attractive, is it?’
‘If you really want to know, I find it very attractive,’ he said huskily.
She stilled, her hand remaining exactly where it was. ‘You don’t have to say that just to make me feel better.’
‘I never say anything I don’t mean.’ He touched the tip of his tongue to his lips to help ease their aching dryness and wished it were as simple to relieve the aching in his groin. ‘So why don’t you go and put on your dress? Show me what you’ll be wearing.’
She hesitated. ‘It’s a secret.’
For some reason her words jarred, or maybe it was his apparent misreading of the situation. The idea that she was softening towards him a little—only to be met with that same old brick wall of resistance.
‘So many secrets,’ he mocked.
At this her smile died.
‘That’s a bit rich, coming from the master of secrecy,’ she said. ‘There’s so much about yourself that you keep locked away, Luc. And, of course, there’s the biggest concealment of all. If you hadn’t kept your fiancée such a big secret, we wouldn’t have found ourselves in this situation, would we?’
‘And doubtless you would have preferred that?’
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