Behind Palace Doors(8)

Accessory. She hated that term, but what else could a wife to one of  the world's most powerful, sexy men be called? He didn't need her to do  any public speaking or head up any charities, not in the short time they  planned to be married, so the demeaning name, unfortunately, fit.

"I had to keep your brothers out of here, you know." Olivia stepped  back, smoothing a hand down her raw silk, pale blue floor-length gown.  "They insisted on making sure you were okay, so I had to assure them I'd  check and report back."

Victoria laughed, turning to face the mirror and glance at her  reflection once more. "You can tell my self-imposed bodyguards that I am  not having cold feet and I'm perfectly fine. They should be worrying  about their wives standing up beside me in front of millions of people  watching on TV. I swear, last I saw of Mia and Charlotte, they were so  nervous I thought they were going to pass out."

"I'm going to see them now," Olivia said. "They will be fine, so I just  want you to concentrate and worry about you. This is your day, no  matter what the circumstances."

Olivia's hands cupped Victoria's shoulders as she laid her cheek  against hers to look at their reflection in the mirror. "You're  beautiful, Victoria. Stefan may change his mind about you having control  in the end. He may not want to let you go once his title is secure."

"The Playboy Prince?" Victoria joked, using his nickname. "He'll let me  go so he can shuffle back into the crowd of swooning women and place me  back on that friend shelf."

Their kisses replayed once again in her mind. Could they go back to  being just friends? Would she want them to? They hadn't even lived  together for their allotted six months and already she had fantasized  about taking those kisses further. How could she not? They were definite  stepping stones to more promising, erotic things.

God, in heaven. What had she gotten herself into? She swore she  wouldn't put her heart on the line again, but how could she not when  Stefan needed her? Maybe she needed him, too. More than she ever  realized.

* * *

Hundreds of guests filed through the grounds at Alexander Palace on the  edge of the emerald ocean. Cameras were positioned at every angle to  capture each moment as guests entered the Grand Ballroom. The world  watched as the next king and queen of Galini Isle were about to wed in  what the media had dubbed the most romantic wedding of the century.  Obviously the mysterious bride angle had paid off.

Many of the headlines leading up to the nuptials had been amusing.  Stefan's personal favorite: Playboy Prince Finally Settles Down.

The media could mock him all they wanted. He'd show them just how  serious he was about this wedding...even if the idea of being wed scared  the hell out of him.

He focused his eyes to the end of the aisle and his chest constricted, breath left his lungs.

Stefan couldn't think. At this moment, he couldn't even recall the  exact reason he'd asked Victoria to marry him, but he was most thankful  he had.

She floated-yes, floated-down the aisle like a glorious angel coming to  rescue him, wearing an original-design gown that dipped just enough in  the front to have his imagination running into overdrive, while still  looking classy. Two strands of pearls draped over each of her toned  biceps, hinting that they'd once been straps that a lover had slid off  her slender shoulders. And damn if he didn't want to be that lover.

The dress cut perfectly into the curve of her waist and fell straight  to the ground. A shimmery veil shielded her face, and Stefan couldn't  wait to lift it, to kiss his bride and get another taste of the flavor  he'd come to crave from her lips.

Stefan knew his best friend was a walking fantasy that every man would  give his last dying breath for. Well, except for that bastard she'd been  engaged to. Stefan straightened his shoulders and smiled. He hoped the  jerk was watching his TV and regretting letting such an amazingly  talented, beautiful woman out of his life.                       
       
           



       

Victoria's gaze met his, and Stefan's heart clenched as a wide smile spread across her face from behind the iridescent veil.

"You've chosen a beautiful queen, Stefan. Victoria is perfect."

Stefan merely nodded at his brother's whispered compliment. Mikos  Alexander stood as best man, and Stefan knew his brother breathed a sigh  of relief when he'd discovered the country would remain under the  Alexander name. Stefan had worried when his brother had married a  divorcée, thus preventing him from claiming the throne, but Victoria was  a perfect fit.

Never in his life would he forget how she'd stepped up to save him,  selflessly and radiantly. Stefan moved forward, taking Victoria's hands  in his.

She squeezed them before turning to the priest. In a blur their vows  were said and the gold heirloom rings exchanged. As Stefan lifted her  veil, Victoria chewed on her bottom lip as if nerves were getting the  best of her.

"You may kiss your bride."

Stefan wasted no time in capturing Victoria's lips. Though he couldn't  claim her mouth the way he wanted to, considering there were television  cameras on them and millions of people watching to see how the Playboy  Prince would act, he was still just as affected by that one, tender kiss  as he had been when they'd been alone on his balcony and shared their  first passionate encounter. He'd taken every opportunity since then to  steal more...each one always sweeter than the last and leaving him  wanting.

Easing her soft lips from his, Victoria's gaze landed on his. "Good  thing we've been practicing," she whispered with a slight grin.

He smiled and placed a quick peck on her lips once more before taking her hand and turning to the crowd.

"I present to you Prince and Princess Alexander," the priest exclaimed. "Galini Isle's next king and queen."

Applause broke out and Stefan glanced toward Victoria's family seated  in the front row. Her brothers were smiling, but a hint of caution  clouded their eyes, and her mother, the grand Hollywood icon, had unshed  tears and a smile on her face...a face full of worry.

Stefan couldn't feel any guilt right now. How could he? He was going to  be king and Victoria was going to stand by his side. Finally he could  explore his feelings further because while he knew he wanted to be with  her in more than just a friendly way, he also wasn't sure just how much  of a commitment he could offer after the six months if she decided to  remain in their marriage. He did, after all, get his reputation for a  reason.

Right now, though, he had to concentrate on his title and gaining his  country's confidence by eliminating the black mark over his family's  name. That was his first order of business. But seducing Victoria would  certainly be a welcome distraction, even if a challenge, and one he  couldn't turn down. Especially now that he'd had more than a few tastes.

As he and his new bride made their way back up the aisle, Stefan beamed  knowing he'd just married the most beautiful, intelligent, sexy woman.  And for the next six months, and maybe even more if she chose to stay,  Victoria was not only his best friend, she was his wife...and possibly  lover.

Arousal shot through him. He wasn't known as the Playboy Prince for nothing. Seduction had always been his partner in crime.

* * *

Victoria had never smiled so much in all her thirty-two years combined  as she had tonight. Between the professional royal photo shoot with  Stefan's brother and wife and Victoria's family and then of the two of  them alone, then the grand parade after the ceremony where they were  shown off through the entire seaside town, she'd almost convinced  herself this was real.

Now they were at the reception back inside the grand ballroom of the  palace, and Stefan held her in his arms as they danced their first dance  as Prince and Princess Alexander.

The spacious room with high, stained-glass ceilings had been  transformed from the ceremony and set up to host the reception in the  hours they'd been gone for the traditional wedding parade.

A dance floor had appeared surrounded by elegant white silk draped  between tall, thick columns. White silk also adorned each table, as did  slender crystal vases with a spray of white flowers and clear glass  beads in each.

Thousands of twinkling lights created a magical, fairy-tale theme. Ice  sculptures and champagne fountains were in abundance. The ballroom had  shifted into something from a dream and something fit for royalty.

And while so much beauty surrounded her, she couldn't think of anything  else but the man in her arms. Her doubts, her confusion, it all slid  into the very back of her mind as the slow, classical ballad played and  she swayed against him.