Her Royal Masquerade (Her Royal Romance) (2 page)

She shrugged slowly. “I know that the princess of Stagatland has been referred to as the Ice Princess.”

“Birgitte. May I call you Birgitte?”

Mia inclined her head in that princess pose her cousin did so well.

“It was not my intention to say I thought you were anything other than the beautiful, charming woman I see in front of me.”

“Oh. Well, that’s all right then.” Mia drained her champagne then looked at the empty glass as if she didn’t know where it had come from.

The prince took the empty glass from her hand. “Would you care for some more?” he asked.

“No, thank you.” Despite her earlier thought, the last thing she wanted tonight was to have alcohol go to her brain. She would have to keep her wits about her. She had a feeling the prince was well versed in the sexual banter between a man and a woman—or between a prince and a princess. Mia was no virgin, but her boyfriends in the past couldn’t compare with this man who exuded confidence and sexual energy in a way she’d never experienced before. She was in way over her head.

He skimmed his hand down her arm and she shivered with the sensation. He threaded his fingers with hers. “Then perhaps I can interest you in a dance.”

This was it. Either she turned tail and ran, or she would give him her best princess impression and see where the evening would take her.

“How did you know?” she asked, daring to step closer to him. Almost close enough to brush her body against his.

“Know what?”

“That I’ve been dying to dance.”

His eyes blazed. He placed her empty glass on the nearest table and swept her into his arms.

She was every bit as lovely as he remembered. Yet she was not at all as he remembered.

Vittorio drew the beautiful princess out onto the dance floor. She felt like anything but ice in his arms. She was soft. Warm. Willing. Her flowery scent was lighter than he expected. Her demeanor sweeter than he expected as well. He pulled her closer and reveled in the feel of her body finally pressed against his.

It had been months since he’d first caught sight of Princess Birgitte in one of the hot clubs in London. He’d been visiting friends there before his father’s illness had called him back to the palace. He’d noticed her hair first, practically glowing beneath the pulsing lights. Then, of course, the long, leggy body and the wide smile had held his attention, even from across the room. He’d felt like a besotted school boy when he’d asked his friends about her.

They told him she stayed aloof, had hundreds of acquaintances, yet didn’t seem to be close friends with anyone. She loved to surround herself with adoring men but never seemed to stay with one for more than a few weeks, leaving the proverbial string of broken hearts behind her.

Vittorio had checked up on her later. According to all reports, she rarely drank, never did drugs. And she loved to dance.

He rubbed his cheek against her hair, the silken strands so soft against his skin. Her body fit well against his and she followed his lead perfectly as they glided around the dance floor. The other couples gave them plenty of room and Vittorio used it to his advantage. Her ball gown hugged her slender form, the skirt not too tight for dancing nor too full to prevent him from feeling her long legs brush against his as he kept her close.

Her small breasts were pillowed against his chest, her face nestled in the crook of his neck. He brushed his lips over her ear. “You’re a very good dancer, Birgitte.”

She lifted her head and looked him in the eye. Had he known how bright her blue eyes were? “As are you, Vittorio.” She sighed softly, the warm puff of air brushing his cheek. “This string ensemble is wonderful.”

“Music is an important part of the Mezzano culture.” He whirled her around and admired her graceful pirouette. Her hair shimmered as the strands settled back around her shoulders. The string of perfect diamonds hugged her collar bone, highlighting the place on her throat where he wished to brush his lips. Matching earrings glittered beneath the lights. “Only our finest musicians are here tonight for the celebration.”

“I must give my best to the king.” She scanned the crowd over his shoulder. “I haven’t had a chance to greet him yet and wish him a happy birthday.”

“He’ll be making an appearance in a short while. Unfortunately he’s not been well and it would have tired him to be here for the entire evening.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said softly and lightly rubbed his back as if she thought he might need comforting. “I hope he’ll be feeling better soon.”

Unfortunately, that was unlikely. Vittorio didn’t say the words out loud, didn’t even like to think them, but his father’s physicians were not at all optimistic. “Yes,” he said instead. “We all hope so.”

“Well, it’s a lovely night and I hope His Majesty is pleased with all the people who have come here to honor him.” She caught his eye and smiled, still swaying in his arms. “And this wonderful music is certain to help him feel better. How could it not?”

The music changed to a faster song and at first Vittorio was not happy when she backed out of his arms. He already liked the feel of her there. But then she started to dance.

Vittorio knew he was supposed to dance as well, but he suddenly couldn’t move his feet, or take his eyes off Birgitte. So he stood, entranced, and watched her dance.

The way the princess shimmied that body was close to indecent. Yes, he’d seen her on the dance floor in London, but at that time she hadn’t been his dance partner. The stab of jealousy was unexpected, but he found he wanted to get her away from the eyes of all the other men watching her move those slender hips in time with the music.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her close again. This was where she belonged.

“But this isn’t a slow dance song.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in tight. “I say it is.”

“And of course whatever the prince says, goes, right?” Even with that protest, she settled against him.

“Of course.” With all the heavy responsibilities that came with the title, he wasn’t going to complain about the few benefits. “But then, you must find the same applies to a princess.”

She blinked, then nodded. “Yes, what the princess wants is more important than just about anything.”

He frowned at the edge that crept into her voice, but when she shifted, pressing her softness against his rock hard erection, his curiosity fled. He spread his hand along her back, keeping her close.

“Right now,” she said, easing away, “this princess would like some more champagne and a chance to rest her high-heeled feet.”

Getting her off the dance floor was a great idea. He took her hand. “Right this way.” He led her over to his table and one of his well-trained wait staff was already there. “Two champagnes,” he ordered and then held out a chair for Birgitte.

When he sat down beside her, she tilted her head and studied him. What was she looking for? What did she see? Did she see a thirty year old playboy who used to party nearly as hard as she did? Or a man too young to be anticipating the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders?

“Thank you for the dance,” she said with a smile, “but I’m sure you have other duties to attend to. Don’t feel you have to stay with me.”

He wasn’t going anywhere. “Bored with my company already?”

“Of course not. But don’t you have to make the rounds or something?”

“Anyone who wants to speak to me knows where I am.” And if they knew what was good for them, they’d know not to interrupt. “There are plenty of family members around to keep an eye on things and my staff is extremely competent.” He couldn’t resist lifting her hand to his lips again. He wondered how long before he could get her to remove those long gloves. “I find there’s no one I’d rather be speaking with right now than you. I’d like to sip some champagne and rest my feet as well.”

She studied him some more. “Okay.” She looked out over the ballroom. “So there are a lot of your family members here tonight?”

“Yes, family is very important in Mezzano, even more so than our music. My brother and sister are around here somewhere. Unfortunately, my mother died a few years ago, but there are many aunts and uncles and cousins here as well.” The champagne arrived and he handed Birgitte a glass. “Do you have a large family?”

“No. I’m an only child. My parents, the king and queen, are still alive, of course, and I have one aunt and uncle and one cousin. A very small family.”

His research had been correct. The talk was that the king and queen of Stagatland were anxious for their partying princess to settle down and begin to increase the royal family. As Vittorio sat beside the lovely princess, watched her sip champagne and remembered the incredible feeling of her body against his, he knew he’d been right to send her the invitation for tonight’s celebration.

Everything was moving along even better than he had planned.

Mia sipped her champagne and tried not to be affected by the man sitting next to her. He was so…so everything. Charming. Gorgeous. Commanding. Seductive. One dance and she hadn’t been able to control her reaction to him. What had made her press against him like that?

To rub against his obvious erection? With a man she’d only known a few minutes. She was certain even Birgitte wouldn’t have been that forward.

She’d had to get off the dance floor, had to get out of his arms before she did something outrageous like beg him to take her to some dark corner and ease the ache he was causing within her. But tonight she was Birgitte. No free pass at this ball. She had to act the princess.

But she longed to be out on the dance floor again. The music was so stirring. She found herself swaying with the beat of the song. The ballad was one she didn’t recognize, one she’d certainly never heard back home. The melody called to her on a visceral level. There was no logical reason why. Music was that way sometimes. It couldn’t have anything to do with Vittorio.

“What are you thinking?” he asked softly, leaning over to murmur the question softly in her ear.

“Simply enjoying the music,” she replied, trying to ignore the delightful shiver caused by the whisper of his warm breath along her skin.

He slipped his arm over the top of her chair, letting his fingers brush her bare shoulders.

Just a simple touch like that sent her heart racing. “Would you like to dance again?” he asked in a seductive tone that suggested he might be talking about more than just a dance.

“I’m not sure I dare,” she admitted, keeping her gaze on the musicians.

“Oh?” With one finger, he touched her chin and turned her face his way. He shot her a wickedly sexy grin. “You don’t seem to be the type to back away from a challenge.”

She leaned back against his warm arm. She couldn’t help herself. “So I should consider another dance with you as a challenge?”

One lazy finger traced circles on her bare shoulder, teasing a shiver to run along her skin. “For me, the challenge will be pretending I have no more interest in you than any other guest at the palace tonight.”

Mia swallowed to moisten her suddenly dry mouth. Pretending she was Birgitte made it slightly easier for her to hold his gaze and slowly smile. “And what interest do you have in the princess of Stagatland?”

“I assure you, my interest in you is strictly as a beautiful, enticing woman. That you are the lovely princess is simply an additional benefit.”

She knew better. He wouldn’t be flirting with her if he knew she was a commoner, no one of importance. If he ever saw her in her usual outfits, the bulky sweaters and heavy boots, he wouldn’t look at her twice. The knowledge should have upset her, but it had been a fact of life for her since she was old enough to realize that her cousin was treated differently than she was. Mia had always had to step back and let Birgitte have all the attention, no matter if it was a royal affair or simply a family gathering.

To be called beautiful and enticing by such a handsome, charming man gave her often bruised ego a boost. What harm would it do to soak up an easy compliment? He probably tossed them away like crumbs to the birds. A man such as Prince Vittorio surely had had his choice of beautiful women over the years. He knew how to charm. Seduce. She told herself she could enjoy it without making more of it than what was intended.

Birgitte would probably take the compliment as her due. No sense gushing over the flattering remarks. She was a princess.
Act like it
, she admonished herself.

“I suppose I could take a chance and join you on the dance floor once more,” she said, trying to keep her tone light and flirty, and not betray the fact that she was aching to be back in his arms again.

“I like a woman who’s willing to take a risk.” The faint lines at the corners of his eyes crinkled with his smile and she wanted to reach out and brush her finger over them. Oh, she liked him. More than she should.

Grab the moment, Mia. Tomorrow you’ll be back home, shivering from the freezing cold instead of the arousing touch of a handsome prince.

Vittorio rose and graciously helped her to her feet. His commanding presence threatened to take her breath away. How could she resist him at all?

“Please let the musicians know how much I enjoyed their music tonight,” Mia said as he led her back onto the dance floor. She reveled in the feel of his arms around her waist, possessive when she’d never before wanted to be possessed by any man.

“You can tell them yourself,” Vittorio told her.

He drew her over to the ensemble and she was embarrassed that they stopped playing to give the prince their attention. Everyone in the room must have been looking at them in the sudden quiet. Mia didn’t turn around to check. She didn’t want to know.

“Princess Birgitte would like to have a word,” Vittorio told the leader, a gray-haired gentleman who reminded Mia so much of her father that her heart clenched.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to interrupt,” she said. And she certainly didn’t want to make a spectacle of herself. “I simply wanted to convey my heartfelt appreciation for your wonderful music tonight. I’m enjoying it so much, as I’m sure everyone here is as well.”