Becoming the Prince's Wife (Princes of Europe) (11 page)

He put the picture down and slid his hands to her shoulders. “You’ve had too much tragedy in your young life.”

Her eyes, a solemn green, lifted to his. “So have you. Grandparents, an uncle, a sister and a father gone, plus a kingdom that needs you and will drain everything out of you...”

Valentino kissed her moist eyelids. “You’re a survivor, Carolena, with many gifts. I can’t tell you how much I admire you.”

“Thank you. The feeling is mutual, but you already know that.” She’d confined her hair in a braid, which brought out the classic mold of her features.

“I came early so we could talk before we meet Vincenzo and Abby.”

He could feel her tension as she shook her head and eased away from him. “Even though you’ve broken your engagement to Princess Alexandra, which is a good thing considering you don’t love her, what you’ve done changes nothing for me. I don’t want an affair with you, Val. That’s all it would be until you have to marry. After your uncle’s death, you made that promise to yourself and your parents, remember?”

“Of course.” He put his hands on his hips. “But I want to know about you. What do
you
want?”

The grandfather clock chimed on the quarter past. “It’s getting late.” She walked to the entrance hall.

Valentino followed her. “I asked you a question.”

She reached for her straw bag on the credenza. “I want to finish this taping and get back to my law practice.”

He planted himself in front of the door so she couldn’t open it. “Forget I’m a prince.”

Her jaw hardened. “That’s the third time you’ve said that to me.”

“What would you want if I weren’t a prince? Humor me, Carolena.”

He heard her take a struggling breath. “The guarantee of joy in an everlasting marriage with no losses, no pain.”

That was her past grief talking. “As your life has already proved to you, there is no such guarantee.”

Her eyes narrowed on him. “You
did
ask.”

“Then let me add that you have to grab at happiness where you find it and pray to hold on to it for as long as possible.”

“We can’t. You’re a prince, which excludes us from taking what we want. Even if you weren’t a prince, I wouldn’t grab at it.”

His face looked like thunder. “Why not?”

“It—it’s not important.”

“The hell it isn’t.”

“Val—we need to get going or Abby and Vincenzo will start to worry.”

“The limo is out in the back, but this conversation isn’t over yet.” He turned and opened the door. After their stops at the various farms, they would have all night tonight and tomorrow night to be together, not to mention the rest of their lives. “I brought your hat with me, by the way.”

“Thank you. I would hate to have lost it.”

He escorted her out to the limo. With the picture of the marble statue still fresh in his mind, he reached for her hand when they climbed into the car. He held on to it even though he sat across from her. The pulse at her wrist was throbbing.

“Was the Rodin statue a gift from Berto?”

“No. I found it in a little shop near the Chapelle Matisse in Vence, France, with my grandmother. I was just a teenager and we’d gone to France for the weekend. She didn’t care for the sculpture, but I loved it and bought it with my spending money. I don’t quite know why I was so taken with it.”

“I found it extraordinary myself. It reminded me of us. Two would-be lovers with a secret. With only their hands, Rodin’s genius brought out their passion.” He pressed a kiss to the palm of hers before letting it go.

“I don’t like secrets.”

“Nor I, but you’re being secretive right now.”

“Now isn’t the time for serious conversation.”

“There’ll be time later. Vincenzo has planned our itinerary. The farmer at the first grove speaks Mentonasc, so Abby is going to be our translator. She won’t want to be in the video, but when we start taping tomorrow, Vincenzo and I are depending on you to get her in it. A blonde and a brunette, both beauties, will provide invaluable appeal.”

“You’re terrible,” she said, but he heard her chuckle. Some genuine emotion at last.

“Matteo told me about the special bottle of Limoncello you express mailed to him from Arancia to thank him for the picnic. The man was very touched, especially by your signature on the label with the five stars next to it.”

“You have a wonderful friend in him.”

“He has put it up on the shelf behind the counter where all the customers will see it. When your video is famous, he will brag about it. Before we got off the phone he asked me to thank you.”

“That was very nice of him.” Before long they arrived at the first lemon grove. “It looks like we’ve arrived.”

“Saved by the bell,” he murmured.

Praying the others wouldn’t look too closely at her, Carolena got out of the limo. It was a good thing the filming wouldn’t be until tomorrow. If she’d had to deal with the crew’s makeup man, he would know she felt ill after making her exit speech to Valentino.

To her relief, Abby was already talking to the farmer and his two sons. Being fluent in four languages made her a tremendous asset anytime, but Carolena could tell this farming family was impressed that Prince Vincenzo’s wife could speak Mentonasc.

He introduced everyone. She could tell the family was almost overcome in the presence of two princes, but Abby had a way of making them feel comfortable while she put her points across. Before long, the four of them left to move on to the next grove. Carolena would have stayed with Abby, but Valentino cupped her elbow and guided her to their limo.

“We all need our privacy,” he murmured against her ear after they got back in the car. He acted as though they’d never had that earlier conversation. Even though he sat across from her, being this close to him caused her to be a nervous wreck. His half smile made him so appealing, it was sinful.

“It’s a good thing I’ll be along tomorrow, too. The younger men couldn’t take their eyes off of you. I’m going to have to guard you like a hawk.”

In spite of how difficult it was to be alone with him, she said, “You’re very good on a woman’s ego.”

“Then you can imagine the condition my ego is in to be the man in your life. In feudal times they’d have fought me for you, but they’d have ended up dying at the end of a sword.”

“Stop—”

He leaned forward, mesmerizing her with those dark blue eyes. “I
am
the man in your life. The only man.”

A shudder passed through her body. “I won’t let you be in my life, and I can’t be the woman in yours. When the taping is over, we won’t be seeing each other again.”

“Then you haven’t read your contract carefully.”

Her pulse raced in alarm. “I didn’t sign a contract.”

“You did better than that. You gave me and Vincenzo your word. That’s as good as an oath. Implicit in the contract is your agreement to deliver the videos and flyers with the AG logo to the fruit distributors around the country. We’ll go together. It’ll take at least a week. Fortunately my brother will be around to help my mother.”

Aghast, she cried, “I can’t be gone from the firm that long.”

“Vincenzo already cleared it with Signor
Faustino. Day after tomorrow we’ll fly back to Gemelli to begin our tour. By then the tapes and flyers will be ready. I haven’t had a vacation in two years and am looking forward to it.”

She could see there was no stopping Valentino. Fear and exhilaration swept over her in alternating waves. “What about your work at the geophysics center?”

“I’m long overdue the time off. You’re stuck with me. For security’s sake, we’ll sleep on the yacht at night and ferry across to the island by helicopter during the day. Don’t worry. I won’t come near you, not after you made your thoughts clear to me.”

“You promise?”

He sat back. “I promise not to do anything you don’t want me to do. It’ll be all business until this is over.”

“Thank you.” She knew he would keep his promise. The only problem was keeping the promise to herself to keep distance between them.

“Our last stop tomorrow will be the Baretti farm. Judging from the photograph in your living room, the house has a lot of character.”

“I loved it, but I don’t want us to bother the new owners.”

“We won’t. You let us know when to stop and the cameraman will take some long shots while you talk about life on the farm growing up. When the film is spliced, we’ll start the video with your visit. Will it be hard to see it again?”

Her heartbeat sped up. “I don’t know.”

“We don’t have to do that segment if you decide against it.”

“No. I’d like to do it as a tribute to my family.” Emotion had clogged her throat.

“I’m glad you said that because I long to see the place where you grew up. I want to learn all about you. The first tree you fell out of, your first bee sting.”

Valentino was so wonderful she could feel herself falling deeper and deeper under his spell. “I know about the putti but have yet to learn which staircase at the palace was your first slide. No doubt you spent hours in the Hall of Arms. A boy’s paradise.”

“Vito and I had our favorite suits of armor, but we put so many dents in them, they’re hardly recognizable.”

“I can’t imagine anything so fun. My friends and I fought our wars in the tops of the trees throwing fruit at each other. The trouble we got into would fill a book. My grandmother would tell you I was the ringleader. And you were right. I did fall out of a tree several times.”

His low chuckle warmed her all the way through and set the tone for the day. She had to admit it was heaven to be with him like this. Carolena needed to cherish every moment because the time they spent together would be coming to an end too soon.

Eight hours later when she was alone back at her condo, she called Abby’s cell phone, desperate to talk about what was happening to her.

“Carolena?”

“Sorry to bother you.” She took a deep breath. “Are you free?”

“Yes. The baby’s asleep and I’m in the bedroom getting ready for bed. Vincenzo and Valentino are in the study talking business. Everything went so well today, they’re both elated and will probably be up for another couple of hours. What’s wrong?”

She bit her lip. “I’m in trouble.”

“I
knew
it.”

“What do you mean?”

“You and Valentino. Vincenzo and I watched you two that first night while we were having dinner when he couldn’t take his eyes off you. You’re in love.”

No—

“My husband was certain of it when Valentino took you up on Mount Etna. You’re the reason he called off his wedding.”

“Don’t say that, Abby! We haven’t fallen in love. He’s just infatuated. You know...forbidden fruit. It’ll pass.”

“He’s enjoyed a lot of forbidden fruit over the years, but he never ended it with Alexandra until he met you.”

“That’s because he was with me the night his mother insisted on setting the wedding date. When confronted with the reality, it made him realize he can’t marry a woman he doesn’t love.
That
I understand. But it wasn’t because of me. All I did was serve as the catalyst.”

“Are you only infatuated, too?”

“What woman wouldn’t be?” she cried in self-defense. “Unfortunately he’s the first man since Berto to attract me, but I’ll get over it.”

After a pause. “Have you—”

“No!” she defended.

“Carolena, I was only going to ask if you two had talked over your feelings in any depth.”

“Sorry I snapped. We’ve talked a little, but I’m afraid of getting too familiar with him.” She’d come so close to making love with him.

“I’ve been there and know what you’re going through. Let’s face it. No woman could resist Valentino except a strong woman like you. He’s temptation itself. So was Vincenzo. You’ll never know how hard it was to stay away from him.”

“Yes, I do. I lived through that entire experience with you. But my case is different. Please try to understand what I’m saying. Everything came together to lay the groundwork for the perfect storm because that’s all it is. A perfect storm.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“He wants me to fly down to Gemelli the day after tomorrow and spend a week distributing all the marketing materials with him. I—I can’t do it, Abby.”

“If you’re not in love with him, then why can’t you go? He has employed you to do a job for him.”

“How can you of all people ask me that? Don’t you remember after the baby was born? Your father hid you and was ready to fly you back to the States to get you away permanently from Vincenzo so there’d be no hint of scandal.”

“But Vincenzo found me and proposed.”

“Exactly. Your situation was unique from day one. Vincenzo was married to a princess before he married you. You carried his baby and the king made an exception in your case because he could see his son was in love with you. It’s not the same thing at all with Valentino and me. He only
thinks
he’s in love.”

“So he’s already gone so far as to tell you how he feels?”

She swallowed hard. “Like I said, I’m a new face, but certainly not the last one. Be honest, Abby. Though he never loved Alexandra, he’ll have to find another royal to marry. In the meantime, if people see me with him, they’ll link me with his broken betrothal and there really will be a scandal. I don’t want to be known as the secret girlfriend who caused all the trouble.”

Her statue of
The Secret
had taken on a whole new meaning since morning. She’d never look at it again without remembering the way he’d kissed her in the limo.

“What trouble? No one knows about you.”

“No one except the entire palace staff, his best friend on the island, his colleagues at the volcanology institute in Catania
and
his mother. By the time we’ve traveled all around the island, the whole country will have seen us together. The queen doesn’t want me back in Gemelli.”

“Valentino loves her, but he makes his own decisions. If he wants you there, she can’t stop him except to bring pressure to bear on you.”

“What should I do?”

“I’m the last person to ask for advice.”

“Do it anyway. I trust your judgment.”