To Catch a Princess (6 page)

Vanessa chuckled. “Believe it or not, I was too excited on your behalf to fall asleep. Plus we had an issue with a card counter in one of the poker suites, so I was helping out Jim Reynolds with the paperwork.”

“I’m always amazed by how they manage to do it and try to get away with it.”

“Me, too. I’m lucky if I can remember a phone number. How was the flight with the good detective? Interesting?”

Tatiana shook her head at the silent question in her friend’s voice. “Very. I found out he’s a bottomless pit when it comes to food and that he’s afraid of flying.” She held back on telling her friend about Peter’s revelation. He had kept it secret for a reason and, as she and Vanessa had already discussed, coming under constant public scrutiny would make it difficult for Peter to do his undercover police work. Besides, she was still a little pissed off at him. She’d had one too many people in her life who had been less than honest with her. She had wanted better from him.

“Did you hold his hand to help him with his fear? Maybe do something else to keep his mind off of it?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she teased and added, “I have to run. He’s waiting for me for dinner.”

“You’re a rat,” she heard Vanessa say a moment before she ended the call.

Whirling from the mirror, she snatched a dark charcoal grey wrap from her bed and tossed it over her shoulders. Monaco was far warmer than the winter weather in New Jersey, but the night air could sometimes hold a chill.

She rushed into the shared living room, otherwise known as the demilitarized zone. She stopped short at the sight of him standing there, looking anything but scruffy. Or rumpled. Or anything but devastatingly handsome and sexy. In fact, she blinked just to make sure of what she was seeing.

She had found him attractive before, even with the slight shadow of beard on his face, the longish, sometimes unruly brown hair, and the bargain basement suits that failed to hide the lean sculpted physique beneath them.

Now he literally took her breath away.

She had to gulp in some air and press a hand to her midsection to contain the curl of desire as she took in all the changes.

His face was freshly shaven and the lack of stubble showed off the sharp, crisp lines of his jaw and a mouth that had hers watering for a taste. His thick cocoa-colored hair had been cut short in stylish layers, although the top locks were still a little longer and still a little rumpled, as if he had run his fingers through them.

The suit…well, the suit was luscious. It hugged a body that could grace any fashion magazine, and made her want to see what was beneath. If she was honest with herself, she had been hoping for another look for quite some time. Summer on the Jersey Shore could not come fast enough.

At her prolonged, stunned examination, he grinned. That sexy, dimpled grin that sent a wave of heat through her, especially when his gaze settled on hers and she saw his interest reflected right back at her.

He held out his hands in a check-me-out gesture and said, “So do I pass muster, Your Highness?”

Boy, did he ever. He was every inch the prince she now knew him to be, and despite the fact that she was angry with him and wasn’t sure she could trust him, it was difficult to battle the desire he roused in every inch of her body. She walked to him, reached out, and straightened his tie just a bit. Then she trailed her hand down to rest in the center of his chest and with a mocking smile said, “You really clean up nice.”

The grin broadened. He laid a hand at her waist and skimmed his gaze along her body. “You look pretty in pink.”

She had worried about the color, but she had been tired of wearing the more staid blues and blacks she normally wore while at work in the casino. She shot a look down at the dress and then back at him. “Not too girlish?”

He raised one dark brow and tightened his hold on her waist. Gently urged her forward until they were barely inches apart. “Fishing for a compliment,
solnyshko moyo
?”

The silly endearment somehow didn’t feel quite so silly when she was standing so close to him. And the way he said it brought thoughts of him saying it in bed, after making love. After he had left her breathless as he’d warned. Although, he was already close to doing that with just a look and a simple touch.

“Not at all, Your Highness,” she replied, trying to create some distance between them emotionally, although she was loath to move away physically.

“You look lovely tonight.” He raised one hand and covered hers as it rested on his chest. His palm was rough. The palm of a man who worked hard for his living, and she admired that. She had seen too much of the worthless royals who spent their lives partying and without purpose.

“Thank you, Peter. You look…lovely tonight also,” she teased, dragging another boyish grin from him.

“Why, thank you, Tatiana. I didn’t want to embarrass you in front of your staff,” he said, some of the playfulness gone as he gestured to his suit.

She turned her hand to clasp his, unable to resist him despite what she now knew about him—and despite what she still didn’t know. His decision to live under an alias had not been taken lightly, she was sure. It bothered her that he still had not been totally honest with her, but so did the possibility that she had somehow made him feel unworthy. “Even the way you looked before, you were never an embarrassment, Peter. And if anyone—if
I
made you feel that way—”

“Not at all. And no need to go slay dragons on my behalf, Your Highness.”

“Tatiana, please. I’d feel much more comfortable if you just called me Tatiana.”

“Of course,
solnyshko moyo.
Anything to please my little sunshine,” he said with a wink.

She playfully slapped his chest and warned herself to resist his charm. “Let’s go. I’m sure Tony is already waiting in the lobby with his wife.” She couldn’t contain her moue of disapproval at the mention of her security chief.

“You don’t like him?” Peter asked as they walked from their suite to the elevator bank.

“I want to like him. He is my employee, but there’s just something about him that rubs me wrong.”

Peter tilted his head. “Do you trust him?”

She nodded without hesitation. “I do. As does Jim Reynolds. He’s done a marvelous job here for the last few years. Nothing to complain about.”

“Other than his obvious interest in you. But may I say you handled it superbly.”

She smiled. “Yes, you may. Luckily we have an ocean between us, which helps.”

The elevator doors opened and she found Tony standing directly before them, his wife at his side. She was a pretty woman with no airs about her. Tatiana had always liked her on the various occasions they had spent time together.

Her security chief quickly made the introductions and then directed them toward the hotel’s premier restaurant. “I made reservations in one of the private rooms in case you wished to discuss anything work-related.”

Tatiana smiled at him and slipped her arm through his wife’s. “Tonight I’d like to relax, but thank you for your thoughtfulness. Plus, I’d love to hear about your little one,” she said, and turned her attention to his wife with questions about their newborn.

Tony gritted his teeth and shared a look with Peter, who could only chuckle and mutter, “Women.”

…

Peter dutifully followed, enjoying the easy way Tatiana had with the woman, but despite her mandate about relaxing tonight, he couldn’t. Even while he had half an ear on their conversation in case he got pulled into it, he kept a close eye on those coming and going through the lobby, and took note of the various entry points and potential problem areas. After dinner, he’d do his walk around as he had planned to determine if the location of any of the shops below presented a potential problem with the plans for displaying the jewels in the lobby.

In the restaurant, they were efficiently led to the private dining room and the meal that followed was a sumptuous tasting menu of the five-star restaurant’s best offerings. In addition to the haute cuisine dishes, a different wine was served with each course. Only the best, he noted, enjoying a few sips of each in light of his after dinner plans.

After the sampling of desserts had been devoured along with a fine port, Tatiana peered at Tony’s wife, Sheila, who seemed a little sleepy-eyed.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m about out of steam. How about you, Sheila?”

“I have to confess I’m a little tired. The baby’s hours are still very unsettled, but it’s been so delightful to be out in adult company and sharing such a lovely meal.”

Tatiana smiled and patted the other woman’s hand. “I can imagine how tough it is. I’m honored that you found the time to come out tonight.”

She rose and held her hand out to Peter in invitation. “I’m also assuming a little bit of time alone with Tony might be nice, so if the two of you don’t mind, Peter and I will excuse ourselves.”

Tony and Sheila quickly bid them goodbye and Tatiana almost half-dragged Peter out of the restaurant, through the lobby, and outside to the front of the hotel.

“I’m guessing you’d like to go for walk,” he said as she strolled to the plaza that housed all the major casinos in Monte Carlo. The slight chill in the night air hit her and she shivered and threw her wrap around herself. For good measure, he shrugged off his jacket and slid it over her shoulders. The air had that unique smell she remembered of Monaco, a mix of the sea air, sweetness from the gardens, and the spice of the pines and other trees which covered the hillsides.

“Thank you. I know it’s late, but I just wanted to stretch my legs a bit. Relax a little. Things were a bit busy today.”

They walked in silence along the paths that wound through the carefully manicured gardens of the plaza. The street lights cast their glow, bringing to life the riot of colorful blossoms and the artwork tucked into decorative areas. Across the plaza, the big casino was awash with lights that accented the ornate trimmings of its architecture and the activity as patrons moved in and out of the building. An assortment of high ticket vehicles were parked along the curb, testimony to the wealth of those visiting the casino.

They had not gone more than a half-dozen yards when Tatiana’s cell phone rang. She quickly pulled it from her purse and grimaced as she looked at the caller ID. He worried it might be about work. She held up her finger to ask for silence, but answered with, “Hi, Mom. What’s up?”

She started walking again and he followed at her side, keeping an eye out since she had dipped her head and seemed very involved in whatever her mother was saying. For a long time, she was silent until she patiently said, “I know you only want what’s best, but I don’t think this is what’s best for me.”

Another long response seemed to follow and Tatiana’s answer this time wasn’t quite as understanding. “I will pick my own husband when I’m good and ready, and not before.”

Ah, the marriage arrangement again. He listened more intently, despite his reservations about the bargain their parents had struck…and his personal interest in her. She was totally not the kind of woman who would fit into the world he had built for himself. She was part of the world he had left behind and had no desire to re-enter. No matter how enticing the thought of her in his bed…

That her mother was agitated was evident by the louder sound of her voice over the line and the snatches of words he heard.

“Good man.”

“Eligible.”

“Give him a chance.”

Tatiana didn’t want to listen to any of it. “I’m done, Mom. I’m sorry if it upsets you, but I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

Without waiting for a reply, she ended the call, whirled, and faced him. “How much of that did you overhear?”

He shrugged, unsure how he felt about her adamancy. “Enough to know you’re not interested in anything to do with me.”

“Maybe because you’ve been lying to me for how long?”

Ouch
. He tried to explain. “There are good reasons why I hid who I am from you, and from everyone else.”

“But you’re not ready to be totally honest and tell me
all
of those reasons,” she replied and started walking again, her long elegant fingers clutching the lapels of his suit jacket to keep it close to her body.

“It’s a complicated situation,” he admitted.

“Too complicated for little ol’ me to understand?” she said with a look his way. Her strides were long, but slowed as she continued their walk along the garden paths that led from one building to the next, and finally to the Monte Carlo Casino directly across from the Ivanovs’ Jewel of Russia.

He faced her and took hold of the lapels of his jacket. He drew her near. “Not at all,
solnyshko moyo
. It’s just something highly personal that I’m not ready to share.”

She gazed at him. Even with the sexy heels she wore she was still several inches shorter than he was. “We’ve known each other for how long now?”

He did a quick mental head count. “Six or seven years,” he replied, although he had known of her for much longer. He’d known Alexander for at least fifteen years.

She narrowed her eyes, considering him. She reached up and ran her fingers across the shorter locks of his hair, smoothing it in a caress he felt all the way to his toes. “All that time, and yet we don’t really know each other, do we?”

He shifted his hands down to her waist and the first womanly curve of her hips. “Maybe it’s wrong of me to ask, but I hope to change that. You know you can trust me, right?”

“Funny thing is, I know I can I trust you with my life,” she said with a sincerity that rocked him to the core and had him feeling like a shit for keeping the entire truth from her. But despite that feeling, he needed to know he wasn’t totally a lost cause with her.

“What about with your heart, Tatiana? Do you trust me with that?”

She jerked in surprise, then once again smoothed his hair. “I’m not sure I can. Not until you’re ready to tell me the whole truth.”

He nodded. “I guess that’s fair. Without that, our parents’ crazy plan is never going to work anyway.”