Sidney Sheldon (10 page)

T
ANNER COULD NOT
stop brooding about the woman he had thought of as Princess. And the more he thought about how insolent she had been and how she had ridiculed him, the more incensed he became.
We’re going to have to improve your line, love. Do you have any idea how trite it is?…Are you feeling horny, darling?…Get out your little black book and we’ll try to find someone who’s available for you tonight…
It was as though he needed to exorcise her. He decided he would see her once more, to give her the comeuppance she deserved, and then forget about her.

T
ANNER WAITED THREE
days and telephoned.

“Princess?”

“Who is this?”

He was ready to slam down the phone.
How many goddamn men
called her Princess?
He managed to keep his voice calm. “This is Tanner Kingsley.”

“Oh, yes. How are you?” Her tone was completely indifferent.

I’ve made a mistake,
Tanner thought.
I should never have called her.
“I thought we could have dinner again sometime, but you’re probably busy, so let’s forget—”

“What about this evening?”

Tanner was caught off guard again. He could not wait to teach the bitch a lesson.

F
OUR HOURS LATER,
Tanner was seated across a table from Paula Cooper at a small French restaurant east of Lexington Avenue. He was surprised by how pleased he was to see her again. He had forgotten how vital and alive she was.

“I’ve missed you, Princess,” Tanner said.

She smiled. “Oh, I’ve missed you, too. You’re really something. You’re very special.”

They were his words coming back to him, mocking him.
Damn her.

It looked like the evening was going to be a replay of their last meeting. On Tanner’s other romantic evenings, he had always been the one who controlled the conversation. With Princess, he had the unsettling feeling that she was always one step ahead of him. She had a quick comeback for everything he had to say. She was witty and swift and took no nonsense from him.

The women Tanner dated were beautiful and willing, but for the first time in his life, Tanner felt that perhaps something had been missing. They had been too easy. They were all agreeable, but they were
too
agreeable. There was no challenge. Paula, on the other hand…

“Tell me about you,” Tanner said.

She shrugged. “My father was rich and powerful and I grew up as a spoiled brat—maids and butlers—waiters to serve us at the swimming pool, Radcliffe, and a finishing school—the whole bit. Then my father lost it all and died. I’ve been working as an executive assistant to a politician.”

“Are you enjoying it?”

“No. He’s boring.” Her eyes met his. “I’m looking for someone more interesting.”

T
HE NEXT DAY
,
Tanner called again.

“Princess?”

“I was hoping you would call, Tanner.” Her voice was inviting.

Tanner felt a small frisson of pleasure. “Were you?”

“Yes. Where are you taking me to dinner tonight?”

He laughed. “Anywhere you would like to go.”

“I’d like to go to Maxim’s in Paris, but I’ll settle for going anywhere if I can be with you.”

She had thrown him off guard again, but for some reason, her words warmed him.

T
HEY HAD DINNER
at La Côte Basque on Fifty-fifth Street, and throughout dinner, Tanner kept looking at her and wondering why he was so attracted to her. It was not her looks; it was her mind and personality that were dazzling. Her whole essence blazed with intelligence and self-confidence. She was the most independent woman he had ever known.

Their conversations ranged over myriad subjects, and Tanner found her to be remarkably knowledgeable.

“What do you want to do with your life, Princess?”

She studied Tanner a moment before answering. “I want power—the power to make things happen.”

Tanner smiled. “Then we’re a lot alike.”

“How many women have you said that to, Tanner?”

He found himself getting angry. “Will you stop doing that? When I say you’re different from any woman I’ve ever—”

“Ever what?”

Tanner said, exasperated. “You frustrate me.”

“Poor darling. If you’re frustrated, why don’t you go take a shower—?”

The anger started again. He had had enough. He rose. “Never mind. There’s no use trying to—”

“—at my place.”

Tanner could hardly believe what he was hearing. “Your place?”

“Yes, I have a little pied-à-terre on Park Avenue,” she said. “Would you like to take me home?”

They skipped dessert.

T
HE LITTLE PIED-À-TERRE
was a sumptuous apartment, beautifully furnished. Tanner looked around, amazed at how luxurious it was, and how elegant. The apartment suited her: an eclectic collection of paintings, a refectory table, a large chandelier, an Italian settee, and a set of six Chippendale chairs and a couch. That was all that Tanner had time to see before she said, “Come see my bedroom.”

The bedroom was done in white, with all-white furniture, and a large mirrored ceiling over the bed.

Tanner looked around and said, “I’m impressed. This is the most—”

“Shh.” Paula began to undress him. “We can talk later.”

When she had finished undressing Tanner, she started slowly taking off her own clothes. She had a body that was erotic perfection.
Her arms were around Tanner and she was pressed against him, and she put her lips to his ear and whispered, “That’s enough foreplay.”

They were in bed and she was ready for him, and when he was inside her, she squeezed her hips and thighs tightly together and then relaxed them, and squeezed again and repeated it, getting Tanner more and more excited. She kept shifting her body slightly, so that each sensation was different for him. She gave him voluptuous gifts he had never imagined, stimulating him to an ecstatic pitch of excitement.

Much later, they talked far into the night.

They were together every evening after that. Princess was constantly surprising Tanner with her humor and charm, and gradually, in his eyes, she had become beautiful.

O
NE MORNING, ANDREW
said to Tanner, “I’ve never seen you smile so much. Is it a woman?”

Tanner nodded. “Yes.”

“Is it serious? Are you going to marry her?”

“I’ve been thinking about it.”

Andrew regarded Tanner for a moment. “Maybe you should tell her.”

Tanner squeezed Andrew’s arm. “Maybe I will.”

The following night, Tanner and Princess were alone in her apartment.

Tanner began, “Princess, you once asked me to say to you something I had never said to a woman before.”

“Yes, darling?”

“Here it is. I want you to marry me.”

There was a moment’s hesitation, and she grinned and flew into his arms. “Oh, Tanner!”

He looked into her eyes. “Is that a yes?”

“I want to marry you, darling, but—I’m afraid we have a problem.”

“What problem?”

“I told you. I want to do something important. I want enough power to make things happen—to change things. And the root of that is money. How can we have a future together if you don’t have a future?”

Tanner took her hand. “There’s no problem. I own half of an important business, Princess. One day I’m going to make enough money to give you everything you want.”

She shook her head. “No. Your brother, Andrew, tells you what to do. I know all about you two. He won’t let the company grow, and I need more than you can give me now.”

“You’re wrong.” Tanner reflected a moment. “I want you to meet Andrew.”

T
HE THREE OF
them had lunch the following day. Paula was charming, and it was obvious that Andrew liked her immediately. Andrew had been worried about some of the women his brother had been taking out. This one was different. She was personable and intelligent and witty. Andrew looked over at his brother, and his nod meant “good choice.”

Paula said, “I think that what Kingsley Group is doing is wonderful, Andrew, helping so many people around the world. Tanner’s told me all about it.”

“I’m grateful that we can do it. And we’re going to do even more.”

“You mean the company’s going to expand?”

“Not in that sense. I mean that we’re going to send more people to more countries where they can be helpful.”

Tanner said quickly, “Then we’ll start to get contracts for assignments here and—”

Andrew smiled. “Tanner is so impatient. There’s no hurry. Let’s do what we were meant to do first, Tanner. Help others.”

Tanner looked over at Princess. Her expression was noncommittal.

The next day, Tanner telephoned. “Hi, Princess. What time should I pick you up?”

There was a moment of silence. “Darling, I’m so sorry. I can’t keep our date tonight.”

Tanner was caught by surprise. “Is anything wrong?”

“No. A friend of mine is in town and I have to see him.”

Him?
Tanner felt a pang of jealousy. “I understand. Then tomorrow night we’ll—”

“No, I can’t tomorrow. Why don’t we make it Monday?”

She was going to spend the weekend with whoever it was. Tanner hung up, worried and frustrated.

M
ONDAY NIGHT, PRINCESS
apologized. “I’m sorry about the weekend, darling. It’s just that this is an old friend who came to town to see me.”

Into Tanner’s mind flashed a picture of Princess’s beautiful apartment. There was no way she could afford that on a salary. “Who is he?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t tell you his name. He’s—he’s too well known and he doesn’t like publicity.”

“Are you in love with him?”

She took Tanner’s hand and said softly, “Tanner, I’m in love with you. And only you.”

“Is he in love with you?”

She hesitated. “Yes.”

Tanner thought:
I have to find a way to give her everything she wants. I can’t lose her
.

T
HE NEXT DAY
,
at 4:58
A.M.
, Andrew Kingsley was awakened by the sound of his ringing telephone.

“I have a call for you from Sweden. Hold on, please.”

A moment later, a voice with a slight Swedish accent said: “Congratulations, Mr. Kingsley. The Nobel Committee has chosen you to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics for this year, for your innovative work in nanotechnology…”

The Nobel Prize!
When the conversation was over, Andrew hurriedly dressed and went straight to his office. The minute Tanner arrived, Andrew rushed to tell his brother the news.

Tanner threw his arms around him. “The Nobel! That’s wonderful, Andrew! Wonderful!”

And it was. Because now all of Tanner’s problems were about to be solved.

Five minutes later, Tanner was talking to Princess. “Do you see what this means, darling? Now that Kingsley Group has a Nobel Prize, we can get all the business we can handle. I’m talking about big government contracts and huge corporations. I’ll be able to give you the world.”

“That’s fabulous, darling.”

“Will you marry me?”

“Tanner, I want to marry you more than anything in the world.”

When Tanner replaced the receiver, he was euphoric. He hurried into his brother’s office. “Andrew, I’m getting married.”

Andrew looked up and said warmly, “That’s good news. When is the wedding?”

“We’ll set it up soon. The whole staff will be invited.”

W
HEN TANNER WENT
into his office the following morning, Andrew was waiting for him. He was wearing a boutonniere.

“What’s that for?”

Andrew grinned. “I’m getting ready for your wedding. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you, Andrew.”

The news spread quickly. Since the wedding had not been officially announced, no one said anything to Tanner, but there were knowing looks and smiles.

T
ANNER WENT INTO
his brother’s office. “Andrew, with the Nobel, everybody will be coming to us. And with the prize money—”

Andrew interrupted. “With the prize money, we can afford to hire more people to send to Eritrea and Uganda.”

Tanner said slowly, “But you’re going to use this award to build up this business, aren’t you?”

Andrew shook his head. “We’re doing just what we set out to do, Tanner.”

Tanner looked at his brother a long moment. “It’s your company, Andrew.”

T
ANNER TELEPHONED HER
as soon as he had made his decision. “Princess, I have to go to Washington on business. You may not hear from me for a day or two.”

She said teasingly, “No blondes, brunettes, or redheads.”

“No chance. You’re the only woman in the world I’m in love with.”