“What do you think it is?” he asked, leaning back and extending his arm along the back of the bench.

  She shrugged slightly. “You’ve given me jewelry every year for my birthday since the first time we met, Your Highness. So, I’m assuming that this is another piece of jewelry.”

  “I suspect that you have enough pearls,” he replied dryly. His eyes dropped to her fingers, plucking at the wrapping paper, then up into her chocolate eyes, daring her. “You’re going to have to open it at some point.”

  Amilee sighed. “Yes. I suppose so.” Slowly, she tore at the wrapping paper, hoping that this was something other than jewelry. The sparkling paper revealed a wooden box. Hope plummeted, the disappointment leaving a metallic taste in her mouth. More jewelry.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, fighting back the stab of disappointment.

  “Open the box, Amilee,” he urged softly.

  Slowly, her fingers fiddling unsteadily with the latch on the lovely box, she lifted the lid and…!

  “What is this?” she whispered, staring down at the book inside the box. It definitely wasn’t jewelry!

  “I was in Spain two months ago and found this,” he explained, reverently lifting the book out of the box. The papers were old and crinkled, the front cover no longer attached. “I thought that you might find it interesting. It’s the–”

  “Examen de Ingenios!” she interrupted in a reverent whisper. “Written in 1616! It’s beautiful!”

  “You like it?”

  She glanced briefly up at him, before her eyes returned to the ancient book. “I love it!” she gasped. “The author, Juan Huarte, wrote about how each person’s personality could thrive doing specific kinds of work.” She ran gentle fingers over the front cover, before quickly pulling her hands away. “We shouldn’t be touching this with our bare hands. We should be wearing cotton gloves. The oils from our fingers will deteriorate the pages!”

  Rian nodded. “Yes, but I thought that, this first time, you should see it without gloves.”

  Amilee could barely breathe, not just because of the thoughtful, beautiful gift, but also because…well, because she was touched. This gift, it was personal! He knew she was studying psychology and he’d thought of her! Of course, he might have still staffed out the purchase of the book, but he’d clearly put thought into what she might like.

  “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, running a worshipful finger over the cover. Beaming up at him, she blinked back tears. “Thank you.”

  And…at that same moment, his seemingly ever-present aid stepped out of the shadows, bowing as he stood about three feet away.

  “I apologize, Your Highness, but the phone call you were waiting on…”

  There was a tense, pregnant moment…a moment when time seemed to stand still. There was no music seeping from the ballroom, no aide standing silently off to the side. There was just the moonlight, Rian and Amilee, the tension pulsing through the air between them. It was ripe for hope, for hope in the future, and the potential for…something more. Something that neither of them dared to speak or think. It throbbed between them.

  Then his aide shifted with a hint of impatience and the moment ended. The pulsing diminished and Rian looked away. “Right,” Rian sighed. He looked apologetically at Amilee. “I’m so sorry to cut our time together short, again. I promise that it won’t be this hectic after our wedding. I’ll ensure that our honeymoon is unbroken by…”

  “We can’t!” she gasped, standing up at the same time he did. Rian stopped and blinked down at her.

  “We can’t…what?” he asked.

  “Marry!”

  He laughed, taking her hand in his, lifting her fingers to his lips. “I’m afraid we must.”

  “But…” her mind blanked at the touch of his lips on her fingers. She wanted to pull her hand away, but at the same time, she wanted to move closer, to ask that he truly kiss her.

  “But you want to finish your degree,” he finished for her. With a sigh, he tucked her hand onto his arm as he led her out of the courtyard. “How about a compromise?” he offered.

  “What sort of compromise, Your Highness?” she asked, wary but intrigued.

  “You will call me Rian instead of ‘Your Highness’.”

  “I can do that!” she agreed, eager to grab onto any delay in marriage that she could. Nothing made sense when he was around and she needed her world to make sense!

  “And,” he continued, still walking along the pathway, but obviously in no hurry to get to that phone call, “you and I will converse throughout the year. Actually, I’d prefer that we converse on the phone and not through those stilted, formal letters that your mother insists on.” He stopped and smiled down at her. “In the past, we’ve met only on your birthdays. That leaves too many days between our meetings, during which time, we could be getting to know each other so that we can start to build a strong marriage.”

  That seemed very fair, but…what was the catch? “I can e-mail you,” she told him. For a moment, she bit her lip, contemplating his offer and trying to come up with ways to implement his request. “I know that I’ve been writing you letters and, you guess correctly that my mother requires me to write them. I know they aren’t very personal but…how about if we email each other instead? Email is much faster and I can send you messages about what’s happening in my life whenever something interesting happens.” She hated writing letters. Her mother demanded that she hand write the letters, but after being in college for the past two years, she’d become a very fast typist.

  He paused to consider her offer. “You will ask questions and answer mine?” he asked.

  “Yes!” she gasped, desperate to do anything that might delay a wedding to a man who was basically a stranger, despite the fact that they’d been betrothed for eight years.

  “Fine,” he replied, releasing her hand as he bowed slightly. “It’s a deal.”

  With that, he walked away, leaving Amilee both giddy with excitement over the delay, but also…confused? Elated? Yes. And…there was a sensation of being let down that she hadn’t expected. Odd, she thought as she turned and returned to the bench. Reverently, she picked up the book, smiling as she let her finger caress the cover one more time. Relieved, she walked to the other side of the courtyard, not wanting to go back to “her” party.

  Chapter 4

  Two years later…

  Amilee watched as he approached, trying to hide her trembling anticipation. “Be sophisticated,” she admonished herself. “He’s a sheik! Don’t be a ninny!”

  The words echoed through her mind as she watched the man walk through the dark garden. There was no hesitation in his step. The man must have eyes like a cat, she thought, because he never slowed to navigate the complicated pathways or low hanging trees. And his eyes never strayed from this spot she’d selected.

  “You came,” he said, his voice deep and husky as he stepped closer to her.

  “You asked me to.” Was her voice a bit too breathless? Sophisticated, she admonished herself mentally.

  “Yes, but I wasn’t sure if you’d dare,” he replied, stepping closer still, reaching out to slide a hand along her waist. “I thought that our emails over the past several weeks might have put me in the ‘friend zone’, which is why I asked you here.”

  Amilee couldn’t stop the laugh from bursting from her. “I doubt that any woman with blood flowing through her veins could friend-zone you, Your Highness.”

  He inched even closer and she could feel the heat of his body against hers. “I thought you were going to call me Rian.”

  His voice lowered and Amilee shivered at the intimacy she heard in his tone. He must have felt the tremor because he pulled her closer, her breasts and stomach soft against the hardness of his chest and…goodness, she blushed as she realized what else was pressed against her. Thankfully, the darkness of the garden hid her blushing reaction, even as her body shifted against him, craving more contact. Her shyness seemed to melt away now as her need and greed to feel more of him swelled inside of her. She wanted him to kiss her, to feel his lips against hers, and to know the taste of him. But he was too tall and she wasn’t that brave. Not yet.

  “I remember,” she replied.

  “Say it,” he urged, running his fingers through her hair. “Please, Amilee, say my name.”

  Could he possibly feel the same need and desire for her?

  “Rian,” she replied softly.

  And then he kissed her. His mouth was soft and tender as he kissed her. But that wasn’t what she wanted. Going up on her toes, she took and demanded and he responded by deepening the kiss, pulling her firmly against him, one hand tangling in her hair to tilt her head back so that he could kiss her more thoroughly. The darkness hid them, silently providing protection from the palace guests in the dining room and Amilee’s heart pounded with feelings and sensations that threatened to overwhelm her.

  Too soon, he pulled back, but didn’t release her. Wrapped tightly in his arms, she felt cherished. Protected and almost …loved? No, that was impossible. They might have known each other for years, but they didn’t really “know” one another. Their real acquaintance, their email correspondence over the past several months was too new for an emotion that deep. She loved conversing with Rian via email, loved arguing with him, and debating the merits of books, politics, and current events. Over the past several weeks, she’d emailed Rian almost every day and had enjoyed every conversation fully. More than she wanted to admit, even to herself.

  But love? No. It was too soon for love. That was just a silly, girlish fantasy. Love at first sight wasn’t real. So what she was feeling now, was just…infatuation.

  And yet, she snuggled closer, feeling him press a kiss to the top of her head and Amilee smiled at the sweetness of it all. She never would have thought that a man as terrifyingly intimidating, even predatory as he walked into any room or down a hallway, could be this sweet and gentle.

  “We need to go back inside,” he grumbled reluctantly, clearly unwilling to break the tenuous moment.

  Amilee knew he was right. Being alone together like this would give the matrons something to gossip about. Even though Amilee was in her last year of undergrad studies, she still didn’t like to be included in the wonderings of others. It might sully what was happening between herself and Rian, and it would also affect her father’s role in the Abidnae government. That was something she wouldn’t allow to happen.

  “You’re right,” she whispered back. Slowly, their arms loosened from each other and she stepped back, gazing up into his dark eyes. “I will–”

  “Do this again,” he finished for her.

  Amilee laughed. “I certainly hope so.”

  Rian stepped back, taking her hand. “Classes start again in a few weeks, correct?”

  “Yes. Three weeks,” she replied, smiling when he lifted her fingers and kissed them softly. “I only have two more semesters, then I’ll have my degree.”

  “That’s quite an accomplishment.” They turned the corner and he dropped her hand. “Will you have lunch with me tomorrow?”

  She tilted her head. “I didn’t know that my father–”

  “Not with your father, Amilee,” he interrupted. “Just you and me.”

  The significance of his request hung in the darkness, pulsing with meaning. “Yes,” she whispered.

  His response was to bend down and brush his lips against hers. Just briefly, before he pulled away with a gentle squeeze of her hand. “Go,” he urged. “I told the group that I had to take a phone call, so I’ll come in from the other door.”

  She smiled, appreciating his discretion and understanding of how vicious the gossips could be. It was a dinner with some of his advisors and their wives, but she still didn’t want anyone to know about….well, whatever was happening between them. The press would hound her and her father, demanding to know when the long-anticipated wedding was to take place. Discretion was his whole world and she watched as he moved towards the opposite doorway.

  When she stepped back into the palace, Amilee blinked at the bright lights as well as the cacophony of sounds. Coming from the quiet darkness of the gardens into this onslaught of conversation was a bit startling.

  “Are you okay?”

  Amilee looked at her father and smiled. “Of course. Why?”

  “You look a bit flushed,” he replied, wrapping an arm protectively around her waist. “I’m ready to head out. Unless you’d like to stay longer?” he asked, his eyes narrowing as he watched Rian walk into the room from the opposite doorway. Her father wasn’t a fool, Amilee knew. Far from it, which was why he was so good at his job. As director of the intelligence agency for Abidnae, he was the highest ranking official outside of Rian’s advisory council. Hiding her reaction, she ducked her head and nodded. “Yes. It’s definitely time to go home.”

  But as she lifted her head, a woman…the woman she’d seen several times over the years, draped her body against Rian’s and slid her hands up his chest, resting them on his shoulders. Amilee was stunned, shocked at how perfectly Rian and Razeen fit together. They looked…right. Razeen was tall, painfully thin, and stunningly beautiful. Amilee had disliked Razeen ever since that damnable betrothal ceremony. That dislike had bloomed into outright hatred over time.

  Amilee had never hated anyone as much as she did that woman with her icky red lips and her reed-thin body pressed against Rian.

  Unfortunately, this wasn’t one of the sweet, tender kisses that she’d shared with Rian just minutes ago. No, this was…this kiss was more. So much more!

  With a gasp, Amilee turned away, hurt and shocked. She’d just been in Rian’s arms, felt the magic of his kiss but…it hadn’t been magical! The magic had only been in her head. Her response had merely been her reaction to the man’s extensive experience at kissing!

  The ache in her chest was almost too much to endure, but Amilee lifted her head and blinked back tears as she hurried ahead of her father through the elaborate hallways of the palace. Thankfully, his driver was waiting outside with the doors of his town car open, allowing Amilee to dive into the darkened back seat. Her father was already on the phone, she had no idea who with, nor did she care. Amilee stared out the window, refusing to cry. She wouldn’t let this hurt! Not by a man who could…well, it didn’t matter! Not anymore!

  And lunch tomorrow? Alone with a man who could kiss her so sweetly one moment, then go straight into the arms of another woman? No. Absolutely not. She’d send her regrets as soon as she got home tonight.

  Chapter 5

  Two years later…

  Amilee stared at her reflection in the mirror. Taking a deep breath, she smoothed a hand nervously down her stomach. She hadn’t seen Rian in two years! Ever since her twenty-second birthday, when she’d seen Rian kissing Razeen, Amilee had found excuses to be absent for her birthday. Unfortunately, her parents had demanded that nothing get in the way of a birthday celebration this year. What was so special about this year? She was twenty-four and “finished with college”, at least, according to her mother.

  In other words, her mother deemed her to be “of marriageable age” and commanded that Amilee present herself tonight. Amilee knew very well that this was an inspection. Amilee’s mother was hoping that Sheik Rian would take one look at her and decide that it was time for marriage.

  However, Amilee’s hopes leaned in a different direction. She didn’t want to marry Rian. Hence the dull, brown dress that did her complexion no favors. Plus, the shapeless design hid her figure, a figure that had matured over the years. Gone was the plain child and in her place was a woman who…okay, maybe she could stand to lose ten pounds. But Amilee felt pretty, even if she wanted to hide her changed appearance, if only for tonight. She’d also chosen kitten heels so that she was shorter than normal. Looking at herself, Amilee wondered if there was something else she could do to make herself appear undesirable.

  Not that she had any hope of being remotely enticing to the man. She knew the women that Rian preferred. The lovely Razeen with her willowy figure popped into Amilee’s mind. Yes, Razeen was the type of woman that Rian should marry, she thought. Razeen was beautiful and vibrant. She could wear all of the latest styles from Paris and wouldn’t embarrass Rian. Amilee didn’t have that option. Her figure was…curvy. Yes, that was the right description. Curvy in her hips and her breasts and her thighs…sighing, Amilee turned away from the mirror, picking up the stupid locket that Rian had given her so many years ago.

  Her mother had ordered her to wear the locket tonight, but Amilee had never put a picture in it. So, what was the point? A locket was a keepsake piece. But Amilee had nothing to “keep”.

  “I hate this!” she hissed as she stalked out of her bedroom.

  Twenty minutes later, she and her parents stepped into the elegant dining room of the Abidnae palace. Looking around, Amilee searched for Rian, wanting to get this initial confrontation over with. Of course, it wouldn’t be a confrontation if she’d just…give in. Accept her fate.

  As soon as those words filtered through her mind, Amilee rejected them. Lifting her chin, she hardened her resolve. Amilee couldn’t accept being married to Rian. She simply wouldn’t allow herself to be married to a man who…kissed other women. That wouldn’t hurt so badly except that his kissing of Razeen happened only moments after he’d kissed Amilee. It had been her first kiss. Her first and only kiss!

  Try as she might, Amilee couldn’t seem to banish the image from her thoughts. Over the past two years, she’d focused all of her energy into her classes, studying for long hours to get the best grades and the best internship, then be the best damn intern the mental health clinic had ever seen! Amilee had been fantastic at her job! People had said she was hard working, thoughtful, and insightful!