The Prince's Texas Bride (11 page)

A few pages later, Stephenia appeared by Eve's side and tugged at the hat. Eve shook her head. “Say please,” she said to the toddler.

Stefan paused. Eve nodded. “Please continue.”

Stefan did as she requested. Two pages later, Stephenia said, “Peas?”

Eve beamed and immediately transferred her hat to the toddler's head. “What a smart girl. I'm so proud of you.”

Stephenia gave a shy smile as the hat covered her down past her nose. “Peas,” she said again.

“Good for you,” Eve praised. “You like my hat, don't you?”

Stephenia pushed the hat back slightly so she could look at Eve. “Peas.”

Eve clapped again. “Good girl.”

Stefan's heart swelled in his chest at the same time he sensed this wasn't going to solve his problem. “So she knows how to say peas?” he asked.

Eve frowned at him. “It's a step forward.”

“True, but we don't know if she's stopped screaming,”
he said. He reached toward the child, and she squeaked. “As I said.”

Eve sighed. “True. Okay. I'm going to leave the room.”

“Why?” he asked, fighting a terrible sense of panic.

“Because you and Stephenia need to learn to communicate,” she said.

“I've been trying to do that with no success since you arrived here,” he reminded her.

“True, and I really admire you for that,” she said. “After I leave the room, I want you to whisper.”

He glanced at her in surprise. “Are you serious?”

“Totally,” she said as she left the room.

Stephenia stared after Eve, then turned her head and glanced warily at him.

“Yeah, I'm with you,” he whispered. “I wish she would have stayed, too.”

Stefan began to whisper the rest of
The Cat in the Hat
and one page before the end of the book, his daughter sat down next to him and leaned her head against his side.

He almost wept.

 

“Your Highness, more than ever,” Tomas said. “You need a wife. With the scandal you've created by fathering an illegitimate child, the best solution for this PR debacle is for you to marry. Although,” Tomas said, “I'm certain several of our top contenders will decline being considered.”

“Because of Stephenia?” Stefan said more than asked.

Tomas shrugged. “At the level of your potential
mates, many of them would prefer not to deal with a stepchild.”

“Then I wouldn't want that woman for my wife,” Stefan said in a cold voice.

The senior adviser fidgeted. “Of course, sir. My interest, all of our interest, is only for the best for Chantaine—and you.”

Stefan heard the order of priority. Chantaine first. Him second…or last. He'd always accepted it before. Now he had more to consider. Now he had Stephenia. “I have no intention of taking a wife at the moment. I'm forming a relationship with a daughter whom I didn't even know existed. In my personal relationships, my priority is helping Stephenia feel safe and secure and guiding my sisters and brothers into a closer familial relationship. That was neglected by my parents and the advisers. I'm determined to repair it.”

Tomas looked cranky. “You and your siblings were provided with the best education possible. How were we to know that you needed some sort of sibling bond? None of your predecessors expressed such a need. Your father had little affection for his brother.”

“I'm not my father,” Stefan said.

The adviser met his gaze for a long moment, then looked away. “Your father had a different policy regarding illegitimate children,” he muttered.

“Explain that,” Stefan said.

Tomas shook his head. “It's nothing,” he said. “Just a backup plan that was never necessary, thank God.”

Stefan was half tempted to ask a few more questions about the backup plan, but he had no interest in further engaging the chief adviser. “I'm glad you understand my priorities.”

“Yes, Your Highness, but soon you will need to take a wife.”

“First things first,” Stefan said crisply. “I am, however, taking recommendations for a nanny.”

Tomas blinked, then furrowed his brow. “I'll make inquiries,” he said. “I am happy to serve. There have been rumors, sir, that the child is—” Tomas coughed “—a bit vocal.”

Stefan chuckled. “
Vocal
isn't an adequate term. She's a screamer, but we're working with her. Funny thing. When you whisper to her, she usually gets quiet.”

The adviser turned solemn. “Congratulations, sir. If you have learned the secret of quieting a female, then you have learned the secret to peace.”

Stefan shook his head. “I want my daughter to feel loved and secure. I haven't learned the secret to achieving that yet.”

Tomas slowly nodded. “Your father would have never voiced such a concern. You are very different from him.”

“I'll take that as a compliment,” Stefan said.

 

The following day, Stefan and Stephenia took a field trip to the barns.

“I'm not sure this is a good idea,” Eve said as she met them.

Her thumb stuck firmly in her mouth and her blanket clasped in her hand, Stefan's daughter stared wide-eyed in the soft daylight. She glanced at Eve, then stared at the black Stetson Eve had retrieved for the fifth time. Stephenia pulled her thumb from her mouth and pointed at Eve's hat. “Peas.”

Eve glared at Stefan as she pulled her hat from her head. “We must get her a hat.”

“I gave her a white one. She prefers yours,” he said, carefully placing Eve's hat onto his daughter's head. Stephenia gave a Mona Lisa smile, and he wondered just how much his little daughter knew she was manipulating the adults.

“Yeah, yeah,” Eve said. “Well, you know the routine. Please tell the nanny to collect my hat tonight when Stephie falls asleep.”

“Of course,” he said. “Are we going to introduce her to Black?”

“No way,” she said. “Are you trying to terrify her for life?”

“Black would protect her,” he said.

“After he frightened her to death,” she said. “Gus. Gus is our man. He's a true gentleman,” she said, then walked toward the gelding's stall. “Hey, handsome,” she said, and the gelding immediately came to the stall door, nodding.

“I have someone I want you to meet. Be the sweetheart you are,” she whispered, then motioned for Stefan to come closer.

“Isn't he gorgeous?” she said to Stephie. “He's so soft. His hair. His ears. Look at his ears, Stephie.”

Stephie stared at the horse for a long moment, then waved her hand toward him.

“You want to touch him?” Stefan asked her and gently guided her hand against his neck. “Soft?”

She lifted her hand higher, and he guided her hand gently over Gus's ears. “Oooh,” she said.

He smiled at the cooing sound and met Eve's gaze. “I think she likes him.”

“Yeah, I think she does,” she said, then watched as Stephenia slid her hand lower to Gus's nose.

The horse flared his nostrils and snorted, startling the child.

Eve laughed. “He made a funny sound, didn't he?”

Stephenia looked uncertain for a moment, then started to giggle.

Stefan stood stock-still. This was the first time he'd heard his daughter laugh. He wondered if he would breathe normally again.

Eve stroked Gus's nose and he snorted again.

Stephenia laughed louder, a belly laugh that echoed throughout the barn.

“One more time,” Eve said, stroking Gus's nose again. He snorted.

Stephenia shrieked and laughed.

Stefan looked at Eve. “Is there any way we can record Gus's snort?”

“I think we should work on it. We should definitely work on it,” she said.

“Would you join us for lunch?” he asked.

Touched by his invitation, she felt her heart twist and tighten. “Are you sure you shouldn't keep this just between the two of you?”

“Very sure,” he said with just a hint of desperation in his eyes.

Eve gave into her sympathy. “Okay. Thank you very much. Lead on.”

They were, at first, supposed to eat at a table in Stefan's quarters. Eve suggested a blanket on the floor.

“Picnic,” she said. “Afterward, you can shake off the blanket and throw it in the washing machine. No fuss. No muss.” She paused a half beat. “Well, I guess you won't be washing it, but a blanket picnic will make it less stressful for everyone.”

Moments later, they were served food on the blanket.
Still wearing Eve's hat, Stephenia picked up her food from a tray on the blanket. “Umm,” she said as she tasted chicken, mango and avocado.

“She's not a fussy eater,” Eve said. “That's a good thing.”

Stefan nodded as he took a bite of his club sandwich. “I want to thank you for the advice you gave me to whisper,” he said. “It works most of the time.”

“You might also want to give music a try,” she said. “You would have to experiment to find out what kind she likes, but I'm betting your girl likes music.”

Stefan glanced at his daughter as she continued to happily stuff her mouth with food from her tray. “You think so?”

“Oh, yeah. Just hope it isn't rap,” she said with a twinge of amusement in her voice.

“You're enjoying this a bit too much,” he said.

“You need to remember that before I met you, I thought you were the most arrogant man in the world,” she said. “You've now been humbled by a human being who weighs less than thirty pounds.”

“I'm not humbled,” he said. “Stephenia and I are in the process of negotiations.”

She couldn't hold back a laugh. “And who is winning this negotiation?”

He shot her a glance that somehow combined extreme sexiness and amusement. “It's a series of negotiations, and I will ultimately win.”

“Yeah, I'll remember that,” she said. “If you and I are still talking when she's a teenager, I definitely want to hear you say those words again.”

“You and I
will
be talking when she's a teenager,” Stefan said. “And I
will
ultimately win.”

“We'll see,” she said.

He shot her a look of irritation. “You shouldn't question me when I'm certain.”

“Just being honest. Do you really want me not to be?” she asked.

He paused. “No,” he said. “I need to see you tonight. After eight,” he said.

S
tefan was in his office with the minister of…something.
Energy,
he reminded himself, which was an important minister, but Stefan was distracted by the chorus of feminine laughter filtering through the cracked window to his office. He strained to catch a glimpse out the window.

Is that Bridget? Phillipa?
He couldn't quite make out the other adult female until he saw the black Stetson. Eve. The swing was soaring and he could hear Stephenia cackle with joy. He smiled. His daughter's laughter was a sound that should be bottled. He was certain it had the potential to cure diseases and solve world peace.

“Your Highness,” the minister prodded. “Are you following my plan?”

Stefan slid his hand over his face and shook his head. “I apologize, Charles. I'm distracted,” he said, rising to reluctantly close the window. “Would you mind emailing
me your notes? Perhaps another modality might help,” he said wryly.

“Not at all, sir,” the minister of energy said. “I have a young one myself. Amazing how they can wear you out in an hour. My wife is my lifesaver. I don't know how you do it.”

“It takes a village,” Stefan muttered. “But we're coming along. Stephenia is adjusting.”

“And are you, sir?” Charles Redmond asked. “Forgive me for saying so, but many are concerned for you.”

Stefan wrinkled his brow. “Why? I'm healthy and responsible.”

Charles paused, sliding his hand over his receding hairline. “But a wife could make things so much easier for you. Have you given consideration to getting married?”

Stefan clenched his jaw for a second, then gave the man the benefit of the doubt. “I will eventually marry, but I think it would be wrong for me to rush into such an important partnership when I've just learned that I have a daughter. First things first. I will make sure Stephenia feels secure in her new home. Does that not make sense to you?”

“When you put it that way Your Highness, it does,” Charles said.

Stefan wondered how many different ways he needed to put it since he'd said the same to countless advisers and ministers during the last couple of weeks. “Thank you for your concern and confidence in me,” Stefan said. “I count on it.”

Charles stood straighter. “Of course, sir. I have the utmost confidence in you.”

“Thank you. I will have to invite you and your wife to dinner with your children,” Stefan said.

Charles looked momentarily horrified. “Oh, thank you very much sir, but my children are not mature enough for a state dinner.”

“I was thinking of something more casual. Perhaps you and your wife could share some of your tips,” Stefan said.

“We would be honored,” Charles said, then nodded his head. “Thank you again, sir. I'll get those notes to you directly.”

“Thank you, Charles,” Stefan said, then stood, signaling the minister to leave. As soon as Charles left, Stefan punched the extension for the royal public relations representative.

The representative immediately answered his phone. “Yes, Your Royal Highness. How may I serve you?”

Stefan felt a prickle of irritation. He'd asked the staff to change the way they addressed him to “How can I help you?” Some, however, refused to make the change.

“I want you to send a press release informing that I am enjoying my developing relationship with my daughter, Stephenia. My personal focus is on helping Stephenia to feel safe and secure in her new environment. After I am certain she has adjusted, I will be open to finding a woman who will be a mother to Stephenia, a wife to me and a princess to Chantaine. I appreciate all the support of my country during this exciting time of change.”

Dead silence followed. “You're saying you won't take a wife right now.”

“I'm saying I have other priorities at the moment,” Stefan said. “I want you to send the release immediately.”

“But, sir, Chantaine and half the world are waiting
to hear that you have found the right woman and are ready to marry,” the PR representative protested.

“They need to get off the edge of their seats,” Stefan said.

“But, sir—”

“This isn't a request,” Stefan said firmly.

Another silence followed.

“Yes, sir,” the representative said.

“Please email the announcement to me for final approval,” Stefan said. “Thank you for your responsiveness. I appreciate it very much. Good day,” he said, then hung up.

Loosening his tie, he stood and walked toward the window, opening it more as he watched his sisters and Eve play with Stephenia. The richness of the moment filled him up inside. His siblings were so often at odds with each other. Could they possibly come together over his surprise daughter? Hearing another peal of laughter, he smiled and decided to join them.

As he approached the trio of women surrounding Stephenia on the swing, he wished he had a camera to save this moment forever. His daughter was laughing as his sisters and Eve took turns pushing her in the swing.

“She really is irresistible when she's not screaming,” Bridget said.

“I'm sure you were quite irresistible when you were a screaming toddler,” Phillipa shot back to Bridget.

“How do you know I was a screamer?” Bridget said.

“Because Nanny used to put plugs in my ears whenever you came around,” Phillipa said.

“You're making that up,” Bridget said.

“I am not,” Phillipa protested.

“We all had a screaming stage,” Eve intervened. “Some are just louder and more shrill than others. Maybe Stephenia wouldn't have such a delicious laugh if she weren't also a screamer.”

“Oh, I never thought of that,” Bridget said.

Stephenia let out a full laugh.

Phillipa laughed in returned. “Oh, I think I would push this swing all night for that sound.”

“Is that an offer?” Stefan asked.

All three women stared at him in surprise. Stephenia was still gleefully swinging.

“I thought you were stuck in meetings,” Bridget said.

“I was, but the four of you distracted me,” he said, unable to keep his lips from twitching.

Phillipa frowned. “How could we possibly distract you?”

“Your window was open, wasn't it?” Eve asked.

He met her gaze and something inside him eased. “Yes, it was. I scrapped the meeting and asked for an email summary.”

“Good for you,” Bridget said. “If there were a bigger swing, I would offer to push you, too.”

“That's okay,” Stefan said, sliding a sideways glance at Eve.

“I was thinking, however, that I would love to take her on brief public outings with me. You know the people of Chantaine would love to get a peek at her, and she is gorgeous. When she's not screaming,” Bridget added.

“Not yet,” Stefan said without missing a beat.

“I thought I could take her to the zoo when I visit France next week. Fredericka is dying to see her,” Phillipa said.

“If you dare let her go,” Bridget said, clearly peeved.

“She's not going anywhere,” Stefan said. “Although I can't tell you how delighted I am that you're both enjoying her. Stephenia needs to get used to her environment and current routine. I want us to become familiar to her so she feels safe. We need to protect her during this time of adjustment and I will be very grateful to you for any time you choose to spend with her,” he said, then gave his daughter's swing a push.

Bridget and Phillipa stared at him as if he'd grown an extra head. Then their gazes softened.

“When you put it that way…” Bridget said. “I would love to take her on Thursday afternoons.”

“Tuesdays for me,” Phillipa said. “Unless you need someone to rock her to sleep occasionally. I could read her books.”

Stephenia's gaze locked on Stefan. “Book,” she said. “Book.”

Stefan heard Eve's throaty laugh and the combination of that sound with that of his daughter's gaze made him feel as if he was standing on Mt. Kilimanjaro.

“I think Daddy's been doing a lot of reading,” Eve said.

Bridget's eyes turned shiny with emotion. “Oh, Stefan, you're going to be a good father. Much better than our father was.”

“I like to believe he did the best he could,” Stefan said. “I also like to believe that we can all do better.”

Eve met his gaze, and Stefan was scored with the instinct to take her hand and pull her closer to him. To slide his arm around her and feel her against him. It would have been the right thing to do. His duty snapped
through him like a strong static shock and he restrained the urge. Barely.

“You made my day. All of you,” he said, then kissed his daughter on the top of her head. He exchanged a glance with Eve that lasted longer than it should, then forced himself to turn and walk away.

 

Later that night after they'd made love, Eve turned to Stefan. “Let's go for a ride,” she said.

“Now?” he asked, knowing it was close to midnight.

“What? Is it too late for you? Are you too old to go out this late?” she challenged.

“No,” he said, sitting up in bed. “But why do you want to go now?”

She sighed. “Because I want to be with you somewhere besides your bed,” she said, staring up at the ceiling. “It's hard being a secret,” she said in a low voice.

“I hate it, too,” he said. “Today, when I saw you with Stephenia and my sisters, I wanted to pull you into my arms so much I hurt with it.”

She slid her hand over his chest, making his heart beat faster. “I understand why we need to keep our relationship secret, but—” She groaned. “Sometimes it's hard.”

“It is,” he agreed, pulling her against him, relishing the sensation of her breasts against his bare skin and the sight of her wavy hair hiding one of her eyes.

“We could take a quick trip to Paris,” he said. “I could arrange for a private dinner, then we could take a walk at night when the photogs aren't watching.”

“When are the photogs
not
watching?” she asked.

True, he thought.
Too true.
But Eve had become like oxygen to him. He needed her in order to feel whole.
The realization shook him. Stefan stared at her and felt a kick that reverberated throughout him. She was the first woman who'd ever made him feel this way. What the hell was he going to do about it?

 

As much as Stefan had always hated his father's playboy-with-the-yacht image, he could see the benefit of the vessel. The yacht could provide a day of needed escape from the prying eyes of the grounded photogs in Chantaine. A perfect getaway.

“Meet me in my quarters in fifteen minutes,” Stefan told Eve at 5:00 a.m. from his cell phone.

“What?” she said, her voice groggy with sleep. “It's not even dawn.”

“Exactly. My yacht is taking us out for the day,” he said.

A pause followed. “That sounds fabulous, but I think you've forgotten that you're not dealing with a countess or a princess. You're dealing with a working girl and I have things to do today…Your Highness,” she added, clearly as an afterthought.

“Surely you can reschedule or have your assistant handle your duties for the day. What if you were ill?”

“Exactly. What if I were sick?” she retorted. “I need to save my sick days for when I'm sick. I'm certain my employer wouldn't appreciate me shirking my duties for a yacht trip.”

“In this case, I can tell you that your employer most certainly wants you to meet with him on his yacht.”

“That almost sounds official,” she said.

She sighed. “But I know it's not. I also know I would love to be with you whether we're on a yacht or in a canoe. Give me ten extra minutes,” she said.

“I'll give you fifteen. A driver will pick you up.”

An hour later, they were watching the sunrise from the yacht as they sailed away from the harbor.

“It's beautiful, isn't it?” she said, leaning her shower-dampened head against his shoulder.

He sifted his fingers through her hair. “Yes, you are,” he said and took her mouth in a kiss.

She gave a low chuckle. “I was talking about the view.”

“So was I,” he said and kissed her again. He could get addicted to kissing Eve. Every time his mouth took hers, he tasted a combination of sensuality, desire, honesty and…love? Could it possibly be?

Determined not to question such a pleasurable moment, he slid his arm around her waist and drank in the sunrise with her.

“The last time I saw a sunrise this beautiful was after a foal was born. It had been a long night and it wasn't an easy delivery, but both the mom and baby survived. After that long dark night, the sunrise was glorious,” she said and looked up at him. “What about you? When was the last time you saw a sunrise this beautiful?” she asked.

“Never,” he said. “Never saw one with you.”

She met his gaze then narrowed his eyes. “Be careful. I might start to think you really care for me. Or that you're a master seducer. Neither of those would be good.”

“What if one were true?” he asked.

Her gaze turned vulnerable. “Like I said. Neither would be good.” She closed her eyes for a moment as if to push away ugly doubts, then crossed her arms over herself.

In protection, he realized. Frustration slid through him.
He
wanted to protect her.

“After all this rushing around, I'm starving. Are you going to feed me?” she asked.

“Whatever you want,” he said. “Including American bacon. I requested it especially for you.”

“Oh, now I know you want me for your slave,” she said. “Bacon.”

“If that's all it takes,” he said.

“I was joking,” she said.

“Damn,” he muttered, then waved for one of the staff.

After a substantial breakfast, Stefan taught Eve to steer the yacht. They anchored in a private, deserted cove and dove into the cool, azure water.