Behind Palace Doors(7)

And that conversation was a whole different issue.

Of all the times she'd fantasized about her wedding day, both as a  child and an adult, she'd never envisioned marrying Stefan under these  extremely strange circumstances.

Yes, she'd pictured a few times how it would be if they'd taken their  friendship to another level. She wasn't too proud to admit that she'd  fantasized his kisses a time or two...and that was before he'd taken her  into his arms and captured her mouth, showing her exactly what she'd  been missing all these years. How could she delete that arousing  sensation from her memory? How could she get his taste from her lips?

And why would she want to erase such pleasure?

Because he was a playboy, and even though she believed him when he said  he'd be faithful, that didn't stop his previous lovers from calling  him.

So here she stood, confused, intrigued and ready to take a giant  life-altering step toward marriage while two of Stefan's royal  assistants adjusted the veil around her hair. Another assistant stood in  front, touching up her blush and powder for at least the third time in  an hour. Couldn't have the soon-to-be queen of Galini Isle looking  peaked.

God, she sincerely hoped she didn't have to do this for every  appearance as queen. Thankfully Stefan had assured her she wasn't  required to do too much. Even though she was from an iconic Hollywood  family, she didn't crave the limelight.

"Ladies, could I have a moment alone with my daughter?"

Victoria adjusted her gaze in the mirror to her mother, who stood just  inside the arched doorway to one of the many suites in the royal palace.

Obviously comfortable with taking orders, the middle-aged ladies  scurried away at Olivia's request. Once the door was closed, Olivia  moved in behind Victoria and smiled.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

Stamping down any doubts that rose deep within her, Victoria returned  her mother's questioning smile. "I'm sure, Mom. Stefan needs me, and  perhaps at this point in my life, I need him. He's my best friend."

"But in the past few years you've scarcely seen each other."

Victoria shrugged. "Distance doesn't matter. Not with us. You know we  talk nearly every day, and it's nice to know I am the one he trusts. We  have a bond, Mom. A bond stronger than most marriages, actually. This is  just another chapter in our friendship. I was engaged for romantic love  once. This time I'm doing it for another kind of love."

"That's what worries me, my darling." Olivia pulled the veil over  Victoria's face, then placed her hands on her shoulders, giving a gentle  squeeze. "As a mother I worry your heart will get mixed up in this.  He's a wonderful man to you...as a friend. I worry that in the end  Stefan will come out getting everything he wants and you will have just  another heartache."

She'd hadn't told her mother she and Stefan had shared numerous  scorching kisses. Opening up about that certainly wouldn't alleviate any  worries. Best to keep some things private...especially until she could  figure them out herself. Arousal and confusion combined made for a very  shaky ground.                       
       
           



       

"I'm not worried at all," she assured her mother, knowing it wasn't  completely a lie. "He's given me an open end to this marriage. I may  love being queen or I may want to return to my life in L.A. once all  this is over. We'll put in a few appearances once we're married and this  will all seem legitimate. Neither of us will be hurt. We're both too  strong to let this arrangement destroy us."

"You're fooling yourself if you think this will be that simple." Olivia  tilted her head, quirking a brow. "I've seen Stefan's charm, Victoria.  I've witnessed how he's looked at you since I arrived here. I've also  taken notice how he's looked at you over the years. He's got an  infatuation that I believe is beyond a friendship. There's no way the  two of you can play house and not get tangled up in each other. He's one  very attractive man. Lust clouds even the best of judgments."

Intrigued, Victoria wondered just what her mother saw over the years  from Stefan. Lust? Desire? This past month had brought to light a deeper  side to their relationship. Beyond the steamy kisses, Stefan had been  attentive to each and every one of her needs. He'd had her favorite  foods prepared, would bring her a freshly picked flower from the gardens  as she was working, insisted on breaks to walk along the beach so she  could relax. He'd been the prefect Prince Charming...all because he knew  her better than she knew herself in some ways.

Victoria shook off the questions regarding just how deep Stefan's  emotions were and the fact he'd made it perfectly clear he'd had  thoughts of her as more than a friend.

"Mother, his appeal and his charm are nothing new to me. And no matter  how you think he looks at me, I assure you we are only marrying for the  sake of the country and to help launch my bridal line."

Though she knew from his promising kisses and honest words that was  false. But since she was still reeling from that fact herself, that was  another tidbit she'd keep inside. She had enough "what-ifs" swirling  around in her mind without adding her mother's into the mix.

"Well, he'd be a fool not to think of you as more," Olivia retorted.  "And since he's asked you to marry him, he's no fool. I've always  wondered if the two of you would end up together. I can honestly say  this is not how I'd envisioned it."

Nerves swirled around Victoria's stomach. As if having the title of  princess weren't crazy and nerve wracking enough, she'd be sharing a  bedroom with Stefan for months. There was no way to deny they had  chemistry and no way she could lie to herself and say she hadn't  replayed those kisses over and over.

Victoria turned away from the mirror, taking her mother's hands. "I'm  going into this with my eyes wide open, Mom. With Alex I was blindsided,  but Stefan isn't using me. He asked for my help at a time when there  was no one else he could trust. And there's nothing that can damage my  heart here because my heart isn't getting involved. Stefan won't hurt  me."

Olivia looked as if she wanted to say something more, but Victoria  squeezed her hands, unable to discuss this delicate topic any further  with her mother. "Trust me."

With misty eyes full of worry, Olivia's gaze roamed over Victoria  before she stepped back and sighed. "The last time I was at this castle I  was playing a queen myself." She laughed. "I didn't even compare to how  beautiful you look. Must be the difference between acting and real  life. I can't believe how long ago that was."

Tears clogged her throat as Victoria hugged her mother, not caring about the crinkling of the silk fabrics.

"You were stunning in that film, Mom. Besides, I'm acting, too, aren't  I? Playing queen for Stefan so his country will remain under his  family's control. Ironic, isn't it? I always swore I'd never go into  acting."

Olivia eased back, placing her hands over Victoria's bare shoulders.  "You'll be queen for real, my darling. What happens inside the bedroom  may not be real, but your title will be. Have you thought of that?"

As if she could think of little else.

Okay, well that was a lie. She'd thought immensely about the fact her  fiancé/best friend had her stomach in knots. On one hand she was  thrilled to be helping him obtain his goal as he helped with hers. She  found herself admiring him for his determination to take what was  rightfully his. Most other times she didn't think of him as a prince or  king at all...and now, well, she thought of him as a man. A very sexy,  very powerful man. Not powerful in the sense that he'd rule a country,  but powerful in the sense that he'd dominate a room the moment he  entered. He'd control any conversation, and he'd most certainly take  charge in the bedroom.                       
       
           



       

And that path was precisely where her mind did not need to travel. She  was letting her thoughts run rampant because of a few heated kisses.  Very hot, very scorching, very toes-curling-in-her-stilettos kisses.  Just because she'd once wondered "what-if," didn't mean that anything  could stem from this arranged marriage. One day at a time is how she  would have to approach this. She couldn't afford to let lust steal the  greatest friendship she'd ever had.

But she knew her emotions were teetering on a precipice and it would  take just a small nudge for Stefan to push her over the edge and right  into his bed.

"Stefan and I have discussed everything, Mom." Victoria offered a  comforting smile, hoping she wasn't lying to her mother. "I'm pretty  sure we have this under control. He's assured me that he won't let me  get in over my head. I'm basically an accessory for him at this point."