More Than a Playboy (9 page)

“It was horrible. My parents didn’t want me, I had few friends, and my four much older brothers didn’t seem to notice I had joined the family unit.”

Sandy couldn’t contain her astonished expression. “Do you take nothing seriously?”

He blew out a breath and rested his arm along the back of the sofa. Turned to her as he said, “I’m serious, sweetheart. My father was a womanizer who frequently cheated on my mother. And my mother was so desperate to fix their crumbling marriage she became pregnant with me in a last-ditched attempt to save it.” He dragged his gaze from her to stare into the fire. “I think she believed a pregnancy would be the miracle she was looking for. That it would bring out my father’s protective instinct and he’d stay close to home since his wife was forty-eight and carrying a high-risk pregnancy. When her plan didn’t work, she seemed to stop caring about anything—me included, and gave me over to a bunch of round-the-clock nannies to be raised as the child of parents I vaguely knew.” He gave her an ironic smile. “By the age of six, I discovered I could hide my unhappiness behind a shield of humour. When you keep people laughing, they don’t tend to notice your pain. Mother died when I was seven and my father died five years ago.” Cameron précised his childhood with such detached candour it broke her heart.

“I’m so sorry, Cam. I never imagined...”

“Why should you have? And there’s no need for you to feel sorry for my wretched childhood. I left it behind long ago, it isn’t who I am, and I won’t let it dictate my future. In fact, I should thank my parents.”

“Why do you say that?”

His hand lying along the top of the sofa next to her head moved until he could run the back of his forefinger along her cheek, sending a primal message to every female part of her that set her heart pounding. His touch had changed, felt more intimate. Instant desire jerked to life deep within her.

“If I’d been raised with love and parental care, I’d probably never have left Monaco. I would never have met you.” Closing the gap between them, he placed a soft kiss to her lips. “I hope you’re satisfied with what I shared because I’m through talking about my childhood. I’m with the most beautiful woman in the world, and I don’t plan to waste any more of our time together.” He stood and lifted a remote control. From hidden speakers, soft music began to play. “How would you like to be a princess, Sandy?” He pulled her to her feet. No other man had ever made her feel the way he did, had never had such power over her. Would she have been able to keep from getting serious about any of her past dates if she’d felt even a sample of what she felt for Cam right now?

“Hmm...” She pretended to consider his question. “Princess...I think I like the sound of that.”

He pulled her into his arms and led her in a slow dance. “Every girl deserves to be a princess, even if it’s for one night.”

Sandy rested her cheek against his shoulder. Breathing in his familiar scent, she smiled. What would it be like to belong to him and him to her? To be free to love this man, to kiss him whenever she wanted. To be a part of a romantic relationship with him. Excitement skidded up her spine. “When I was small, mum used to read me fairytales. I always loved to hear how the Maidens won their Princes.”

Cameron leaned his face against hers, his cheek a little rough, and his lips inches from her ear. “Did you snuggle in your bed, and dream of finding your own prince?”

She laughed. “Of course I did. Doesn’t every girl dream of Happily-Ever-After?”

He stopped moving, his gaze landing on her mouth. “Princess Sandra?” he tested, his voice deeper than usual.

Sandy smiled as she slowly shook her head. Cameron was going to kiss her, and for tonight, she’d gladly be his princess, be all he wanted her to be. “My given name is Alexandra, Serene Highness,” she said in a languid tone, hypnotised by the music and being in his arms when only a few days ago she had thought she’d never get the privilege again.

He chuckled, holding back from kissing her. Sandy suspected he was keeping to his promise to give her time to decide whether she wanted him.

“Princess Alexandra. It has a certain ring to it, don’t you agree?”

“Cameron?”

“
Mmm
?”

“My answer is yes.”

“‘Yes’ to what?”

“I want a relationship with you. Now kiss me.” She curled her fingers around his, parted her lips in invitation just in case he missed her meaning.

All laughter disappeared from Cameron’s gaze as he sobered. The only emotion she read was lambent desire. He kissed her without compunction or restraint, taking her mouth in a tender caress that immediately turned hot and threatened to flame out of control. He released her lips to travel unhurried kisses across her cheek, followed her jaw line to taste her earlobe.

She arched her neck, giving him free access as he nuzzled his way to the delicious spot where her neck and shoulder joined. He’d
just introduced her to a sweet spot she never knew she had.
A shiver ran through her body as he nipped the erogenous zone with his lips and teeth. For the first time, she was close to losing control. Before anything else happened between them this night, she needed him to know...

“Je
suis
amoureuse
de
toi
, Cam,” she whispered on a lethargic sigh.
I’m in love with you, Cam
.

He growled against her neck, fanning the flame burning a fierce need inside her. “You have no idea how much I’ve longed to hear you say that. How is it I never knew you spoke French?”

“There are lots of things you don’t know about me, Your Highness.” She pressed closer to his hard body. He was making her weak-kneed, and the only thing keeping her upright was his arms wrapped around her as if he never wanted to let her go. She tilted her head back as he travelled succulent kisses up her throat, pausing to nip every other inch until she thought she might singe him with the blaze he’d started in her.

Just when she thought she couldn’t endure any more of his teasing kisses, he pulled back. His gaze lacked any form of humour as he cupped her face in his hands and looked at her with such reverence it melted her. She had to blink to fight back tears in response to his touch, the message of pure love she read in his eyes. He made her feel fragile, protected, and loved beyond measure.

He smoothed his thumbs over her cheeks. She met the diamond glimmer of his eyes as he looked deep into hers with a passion that unfurled warm feelings in Sandy. “I’ve been in love with you from the moment I first saw you, princess.”

She gave him a watery smile as she fought back more tears. They filled her eyes, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to contain them much longer. Her throat constricted with overwhelming love for this man who hadn’t allowed her to push him away with insults, who had been sure of his feelings when she’d allowed other peoples’ mistakes to colour her view of love.

She had chosen Cameron as much as he’d chosen her. Sandy felt sure they’d be together forever because nothing about their love was one-sided. She only had to look into his Mediterranean sea-blue eyes to witness the proof of his love in the protective, almost possessive gleam that said; I shall never leave you—I’ll never let you go.

Steadying herself with her hands against his chest, she rose up on tiptoe and kissed him. “I’m so in love with you, Cam, and grateful that you never gave up on me.”

“I couldn’t if I tried. You’re in my blood, Alexandra, my princess. You are as much a part of me as my princely heritage.”

His words echoed to the core of her soul, and the fact he had used her given name cemented them there. When he kissed her, she wrapped her arms around his neck, oblivious to everything but the sensation of his hard body pressed to hers. She returned his kiss, putting every bit of love she had for him into that basic instinctual urge, her tongue mating with his in a slow undulation that stole a deep groan from him.

He surprised her when he scooped her into his arms as if she weighed nothing at all, eliciting a giggle from her. “What are you doing?”

“Sweeping you away. I’ve been asking you to let me do so for three years. Now I have the opportunity, I’m not wasting it.”

Happier than she’d ever been, Sandy threw her head back and laughed. At last, she was where she belonged—in Cameron’s arms.

Halfway across the room he stopped to kiss her again. “I need you to know I will never leave you.”

“I believe you.” With her whole heart, she believed in his love.

His gaze travelled over her face with unconcealed captivation. “I want to commit to you, Sandy. Share the responsibilities of a family with you.”

He couldn’t be saying what she thought he was. It was too soon, yet he’d told her he’d loved her for as long as she had loved him—for the entire time they’d known each other. But dare she hope?

“Let me join my life to yours, sweetheart, with vows that will prove I never want to let you go.”

“Are you asking me to marry you, Prince Cameron?” This time she didn’t try to stem her happy tears. He loved her enough to give her the precise gift her mother had longed to have and never got.

He flashed her that ultra-sexy smile she’d come to live for. “I’d be very honoured if you would take pity on me, princess, and consent to be my wife.”

“Yes, Cam,” she whispered. “Yes. I love you. Forever,
yes.
” Tears and joy mingled as he kissed her. “Make love to me,” she said against his mouth. Earlier she had told him she wasn’t ready, now the desire he’d ignited within her begged for fulfilment and she couldn’t envision not making love with him. She yearned for that ultimate demonstration of love.

Never breaking stride,
he held her against him, branding her with his kiss. She tugged his bottom lip with her teeth, sucked on it until he growled a deep groan.
With blind surety, he strode through the mansion until he was shouldering open a heavy door that revealed an opulent master bedroom in shades of creams, gold, and burgundies,
gigantic windows and marble walls
.

He laid her on the bed beneath a dimmed crystal
chandelier
and came down next to her, his powerful body making her feel desired and protected.

“I love you.” He smoothed a wisp of her hair back with his forefinger, brushed her lips with his. “Did I mention that?”

“Yes you did, but keep telling me.” She cupped the rough surface of his cheek with one hand while her other moved up his hard chest to twine the back of his neck. “I like the way you say it.”

His smile dimpled his cheeks. “In that case...I love you...I love you...” Each declaration preceded a kiss—her mouth, cheeks, eyes, neck. He kept going until he kissed the swell of her breasts above the scooped neckline of her black dress. He lingered for a moment before trailing back up to her neck, nipping her flesh, and firing off a zillion tiny thrills of pleasure. “You smell amazing.” He continued to caress her with his mouth.

“I love you.” Sandy buried her fingers in his silky hair, biting her bottom lip on a hushed moan.

He drew back. “I want to take this slow but I’m not sure I can.”

“I’m glad. I think I might combust if you keep up the slow torture.” She pulled him down for another open-mouthed kiss. His tongue touched hers. As though she was starving, she opened her mouth wider, inviting him to devour her with hot passionate kisses that scorched and tugged at her sex. Already pounding, her heart rate sped up, her breath laboured to match Cam’s and liquid fire sent her up in smoke.

When he broke the kiss, his wicked grin crinkled his eyes. “Let’s see if you’re right.” He
trailed the backs of the fingers of one hand up her ribs to the underside of her breast. Tiny prickles of electricity puckered her nipples in anticipation of his touch.

“Cam.” Her sharp whisper drew his attention. Thickly lashed eyes
smouldering
a
Mediterranean
blue, h
is gaze slid to her mouth a second before his lips took possession of hers.
She didn’t want him to take his time. Her fingers worked the buttons on his shirt. She wanted... she didn’t know what she wanted. She just knew on instinct that Cam was the only man capable of giving it to her. She pushed his shirt down his arms, fumbled with his belt and trouser button.

He helped her and, together, amidst caresses, stuttered breathing, the occasional fumble, and ripped garments, they got naked.
He drew her to him until her breasts brushed his chest and kissed the side of her neck where it adjoined her shoulder. Shivers of excitement hummed through her.
His
heart thumped fast in unison with hers, contrasting with the unhurried touch of his hands smoothing over her body.

Her hands did some roaming too, and she touched him—smoothed her hands up his toned back, around his waist and over his hard washboard abs, up his sides on a journey over the ridged muscles covering his ribs, combed her fingers through the silky smattering of hair on his chest before tracing his wide shoulders then down his arms to the bulge of his biceps. His muscles flexed beneath her exploration, and she delighted in the sensation of his hot skin warming her palms.
This was the man she’d waited for all her life. The thought that he had been right in front of her for so long, and she almost let her fear ruin her chance at happiness pinched her heart. With him, she was alive, ready to meet life head-on and enjoy every minute of it.