The Prince's Forbidden Lover (The Samara Royal Family #3) (8 page)

There could be nothing between the two of them, she thought. 

She and Keith discussed sales figures for a few minutes before Joline make up an excuse to get off the phone.  She kept glancing at the time at the corner of her computer monitor and it was getting too close to seven o’clock.  She had to get out of here!  Grabbing her purse she….

“Don’t even try it,” a deep voice said.

Joline had just lifted her cell phone, about to call Shantra and get his contact information.  But at the sound of his voice so close behind her, she spun around and almost ran into him. 

“Rais!” she gasped and pulled back but his hands immediately reached out to steady her, and to hold her close. 

“Are you ready for dinner?” he asked.  He looked behind her and noticed the other women, both the staff members as well as the customers, staring at the two of them.  Gently he guided her to a more isolated section of the store.  He was pretty sure she was going to try and get out of dinner with him, but there was no way he wasn’t spending the evening with this woman.  She’d been on his mind all afternoon.  He’d actually been distracted during meetings, thinking about the way she felt and her tight heat.  All of which he was going to experience again.  Very, very soon.

“I can’t make dinner tonight,” she said, looking around nervously.  “I just have too much to do and I can’t get away.  I would have called you but I don’t have your phone number.”

“Let’s talk about it,” he said and took her hand, pulling her gently but firmly out of the store. 

Joline pulled back, irritated with him.  “Rais, you’re not listening to me,” she snapped at him.

He turned back to her and almost laughed at her anger.  No woman had ever shown her emotions towards him.  Well, unless they were the positive ones.  Joline was refreshing!  “When was the last time you had something to eat?” he asked.

She opened her mouth to answer, but she honestly couldn’t remember having anything today.  He’d arrived early this morning and she’d only had coffee by that point.  After his departure, she’d been too…distracted…to have lunch. 

“Exactly.  So how about if I take you to that great Italian place three blocks over and you can order an enormous plate of pasta that is smothered in sauce and cheese.”

Her mouth was already watering.  “And garlic bread?” she asked softly, hopefully. 

He smiled slightly.  “Two orders of garlic bread.  And a perfect Chianti.  Does that tempt you enough to forego whatever work you were going to bury yourself in tonight?”

She couldn’t help herself.  The idea of rich, decadent pasta and loads of cheese made her body remind her of just how hungry she really was at the moment.  “Fine!” she replied with ill-grace, completely forgetting that this man was royalty and she should be respectful when she spoke to him.  “But just food!  No more…” she wiggled her fingers in the air as if a bunch of gnats were flying towards them. 

Rais wanted to bend down and kiss her, she looked too adorable when she was trying to boss him around.  And the idea of a woman needing to be enticed into spending time with him?  Unheard of! 

But he nudged her towards his waiting limousine anyway, feeling like he was finally making headway with her.  At least she was talking to him, he thought with self-derision. 

Over dinner, they discussed business, the retail industry and all of the challenges of the fashion world.  Rais could honestly say that he was fascinated by her work.  She was innovative in her solutions and determined to make a go of the business. 

“I’m guessing your third partner is older?  More experienced?” he said as they fought over the dessert. 

Joline pushed his fork out of the way while she nabbed a larger bite of the amazingly delicious whipped cream.  “No.”  She knew what he was doing, trying to get her to talk about that mysterious third partner, but she’d gone through this many times with others in the industry and she’d learned to hide Shantra’s anonymity.  She’d also only allowed herself one glass of wine, determined not to get inebriated in this man’s company.  He had too much control over her as it was. 

“Hey!” she cried when he stole the last of the chocolate fudge out from underneath her spoon. 

“You started it,” he said and winked in her direction.  “And it was delicious.” 

She laughed when he savored the last bite, thinking he was too darn charming!  “I’m full anyway,” she said and ran a hand over her stomach, feeling very satisfied now that the gnawing hunger from lack of food all day was appeased.  “Thank you very much for dinner,” she told him, lowering her lashes when she noticed the heat in his eyes. 

“You’re welcome.”

She looked around, trying to find the waiter so they could pay their bill.  She’d pay the check herself, she thought.  And she wouldn’t blink about considering it a business expense since they’d discussed business during the entire meal.  He’d even given her some excellent advice on a supplier she’d been having trouble with lately.  So this definitely counted as a business dinner. 

“Don’t even try it,” he growled when he realized what she was trying to do.  He took her hand and pulled her out of her chair.  “Let’s go,” he said and led her through the restaurant.

Joline looked back, startled that she hadn’t even had a chance to pay the bill.  “But…”

“My staff will take care of the check, Joline.  Let’s go.”

“Where are we going?” she asked, feeling better once they were outside in the cooler, night air.  It was a gorgeous spring day and one of the few times that she could see the stars over Manhattan.  Normally, the lights of the city plus the weather made it difficult to see the night sky. 

“How about if we take a walk?” he suggested.

Joline sighed with relief.  “That sounds really nice,” she said and smiled up at him.  “A walk.”  She looked back at the bulky men behind them.  “Are you allowed to just walk around?” she teased.

He looked down at her with a look that told her she was treading on thin ice.  “I am allowed to walk.  I’m also allowed to spank women who think they’re being smart.”

Joline laughed again, thinking it was nice to finally talk to the man without the threat of sex in the background.  Not that it wasn’t in the background.  Rais was one of those men that seemed to exude sex.  There was always an intense awareness when he was close to her.  But at this moment, she was relaxed, full and happy.  A strange sensation when she was near to Rais. 

“So why are you here in Manhattan?”

He looked down at her, feeling somehow victorious that she felt relaxed enough to tease him.  Not to mention the lovely smile and her glowing, hazel eyes.  “Why don’t you think that I’ve come to the city to seduce you?” he asked, which was the truth.  He had business to tend to, but he’d removed enough meetings over the next few days so that he could focus more on capturing the elusive and amazing Joline into his arms.  And his bed. 

She snorted in disbelief.  “No really.  What’s your business here?”

“I have some meetings with diplomats over at the United Nations,” he told her, even though those meetings were more social than business related.  “And I’m trying to discover the third partner in a fascinating business I’d like to invest in.  But the beautiful partner is keeping the third partner a secret.  Which only makes me more determined to find out who is holding the other thirty three percent ownership.”

Joline laughed, shaking her head.  “Give it up.  That’s knowledge that no one needs to know about.”

He pulled her closer, moving his arm around her waist.  “Why is that?  Can you at least tell me why the information is such an important secret?”

Joline was struggling to ignore the heat of his body and the touch of his hand on her waist.  It felt good.  Too good! 

She started to pull away but he only captured her hands again.  “What’s wrong?” he asked. 

She looked out at the waters of Hudson Bay, shimmering in the moonlight, several large yachts floating on the water with their lights on, looking like toys bobbing along.  “You’re going to make a move on me, aren’t you?” she asked him, not bothering to look at him. 

“Yes,” he said, surprised by her boldness but impressed nevertheless.  “Is that going to be a problem?”

She put her hands on the metal railing, thinking about what she wanted to tell him.  “I think it is a problem.”

He leaned against the railing himself, needing to see her features.  “Can you explain your reasons for wanting to ignore this attraction between us?”

Joline considered how to answer that.  Deciding to be honest with him…well, to a point…she sighed and turned to face him.  “Because I think that sex with you would be more than what I’m prepared for.  I haven’t ever been intimate with a man before.”

“Why is that?” he asked gently, enjoying her refreshing honesty. 

She hesitated for a moment.  “Why have I never been with a man?  Or why am I not prepared to be with you?”

“Both,” he replied quickly. 

Looking back out to the dark water dancing in the moonlight, she answered his second question first.  “I’ve never really had the time to date.  In college, I was on a scholarship and I had to study a lot in order to maintain my status.  So I didn’t really bother with guys.”

“But you’re busy now and you’re allowing me to distract you.”

Joline laughed and shook her head.  “I’m not allowing you to do anything.  You’re the kind of man who sort of bulldozes into a person’s life.  Yes, you’re distracting me, but not with my permission.”

His hand tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear.  “Perhaps ‘allow’ is the wrong word.  You are distracted.  My point is that if there was a man that you were sincerely attracted to during your school years, like you and I are, you might not still be untouched.”

She considered his words carefully.  “I’ll concede that it is possible that you have a point.”

“Just a possibility?” he teased. 

“I was pretty oblivious to men.  To the world.  That’s why I love Shantra so much.  She pulled me out of my focus and reminded me to live.  From the first moment we met, she was fun and exuberant, full of life.”

“In other words, she’s a chatterbox.”

His words made her temper bristle.  “Don’t say things like that about Shantra.  She’s smarter than you can possibly imagine.  She’d brilliant, actually.  And she’s my friend.  I know that she’s your sister, but…” Joline was trying to calm down but he just made her so angry!  “Just be nice to her!  And respect her!  You’d be surprised.”

He chuckled.  “Another admirable character trait,” he commented softly.  “I like loyalty.  Very rare to see it.”

She huffed.  “You’re a cynic,” she said and moved away from the railing.  It was getting colder and she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to fend off the chill in the spring air.  She suddenly felt a heavy warmth fall over her shoulders and looked up.  His suit jacket was covering her.  She was surprised, but not sure why she should be.  Rais was the ultimate gentleman and seemed to see everything, so it was no surprise that he’d notice her chill.  “Thank you,” she whispered, feeling a strange sensation sweep over her at his chivalrous gesture. 

“I’m not a cynic.  I just have been around a bit longer than you have and I know people’s nature.”

“You don’t know your sister very well,” she told him with conviction.

He wasn’t going to disagree with her.  “So the two of you shared confidences.  I understand that.  You might know certain parts of her, but I’ve lived with the brat since she was born.”  He grunted when her elbow poked his ribs but she hadn’t hurt him at all.  In fact, he laughed, once again amazed that she would dare.  And she had good aim!  “I get it,” he said as he rubbed his ribs.  “You’re her biggest cheerleader.”

“She’s been a good friend over the years.  And I respect her a lot.”

“You’re moving off the subject,” he told her.  “So you didn’t date men at school because you were focused on studying.  And you’ve ignored men since then because you were waiting for me to show up.”  He ignored her spurt of disagreement.  “So why are you ignoring the attraction between us now?  What is holding you back from being with me?”  He stopped their walking and turned so that she was facing him again.  “Tell me what obstacles I need to eliminate so that we can enjoy each other.”

She almost laughed at the idea of him eliminating her mother’s ridiculous need to marry a man who could support her extravagant lifestyle.  “I don’t think it is possible.”

He shook his head.  “I won’t accept that answer.”  His hand reached out to cup her cheek.  “I don’t think you truly want that option either.”

Joline had trouble breathing when he looked at her like that, so forceful and yet, still a surge of kindness behind his touch.  And passion.  Always that crazy, erotic passion that was never far away when they were together. 

“I have secrets,” she told him, thinking about protecting Shantra as a business partner as well as her mother’s indiscretions.  “It would be too difficult to be with you and maintain my secrets.”

“So tell me your secrets.  I’m very discrete, I promise.”

She laughed despite the strange sensations he stirred within her.  “I can’t.  But I appreciate the offer.”

He smiled slightly.  “We’re going to be together, Joline.”  And he kissed her.

She knew she should back away, avoid his kiss.  But the way he made her feel circumvented any kind of rejection of his touch.  When his tongue touched hers, she moaned and pressed against him, her body unconsciously needing his touch everywhere.  His strong hands pulled her even closer, lifting her onto her toes as he deepened the kiss.