Behind Palace Doors(9)

       

His warmth, his familiar masculine scent and the powerful hold he had  on her all made her want to put her head on his shoulder and relish the  moment. So she did. He'd held her numerous times over the years. But she  knew in her heart this time was different.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes, letting him lead in their dance, and  rested her head just for a moment on one broad, muscular shoulder. The  man was the proverbial good time, but right now she wanted to just lean  on him, to draw from his strength and courage.

Her cheek rested against his smooth, silky sash. Victoria had known  he'd wear his best royal dress for the ceremony, but her Prince Charming  had truly been a sight to see, waiting at the end of the  white-petal-covered aisle. It wasn't often in their years together she  saw him in person dressed as a prince. Normally they were just hanging  out in casual clothes. But with his tailored black suit with shiny gold  double-breasted buttons, glossy black shoes, and a wide, blue sash  crossing from shoulder to opposite hip, he exuded bad-boy prince. She  knew beneath all the impressive gold buttons and fringe-capped shoulders  lay a great deal of body art molding over and around his chiseled arms,  chest and back. Sexy didn't even begin to describe her man.

Medals, which stemmed from charity work to his family's crest and  various other ranks, also adorned one side of his jacket. The blue from  his sash matched his eyes perfectly, and he couldn't look more fit for a  royal role than if he were the star in one of her brothers' films.

The designer in her should've made notes on how well the lines were cut  in his suit, but the woman in her was too busy admiring the view. Hey,  he may be her best friend, but he was still one magnificently built man  and she'd be a fool not to notice. But she'd been noticing more and more  in the past month leading up to their nuptials. Was she getting caught  up in the wedding, or was she beginning to see him as more of a man?  He'd always been charming, but recently he'd become...irresistible. And  her desire for him was starting to consume her.

The glamorous ceremony was something she'd remember for the rest of her  life. With celebrities, other royalty and every media outlet on hand to  snap thousands of pictures, the scene was something out of a modern-day  fairy tale.

"You made a beautiful bride, Victoria," he murmured. "I'm one lucky prince."

She raised her head, looked him in the eyes and smiled. "Oh, I'm pretty  lucky, too. I'm living every little girl's dream by marrying royalty  and living in a palace."

"Only for two weeks," he reminded her. "After our honeymoon phase,  we'll travel to L.A. I'm anxious to see you at work and visit with your  family. It's grown considerably since I was there last."

"I'm anxious to get back, too, but I don't mind playing hooky. Not when I'm living a fantasy life."

"Speaking of fantasy," he murmured, raking his eyes down to where her  cleavage nestled against his tux. "Have I told you how amazing you look  today?"

"You're letting your reputation take over," she joked, though nerves  danced in her belly at the hunger in his eyes. "My eyes are up here."

"Oh, I know where your eyes are." He smiled, meeting her gaze. "But I'm enjoying the entire view of my beautiful bride."

He wanted her and he wasn't hinting anymore, which only made her even more intrigued.

Obviously the ball was in her court. Game on.

"And my reputation has nothing to do with what I'm feeling right now."  He pulled her body closer to his as he spun her in a wide circle around  the perimeter of the dance floor. "Trust me, I'm the envy of every man  around the world. I nearly swallowed my tongue when you came down the  aisle."

"As a designer, I take that as a compliment." She laughed. "As a woman, I'm thrilled to know I have that effect on someone."

He shifted slightly against her, a wicked smile on his face. "Oh, I'm not unaffected."

Mercy. No, he wasn't. How had this dance gotten so far out of control?  And why did she care? How could she avoid the fact Stefan was so open  with his feelings? Should she even attempt to hide that she'd been  thinking of him in a new light, as well? Those "what-if" thoughts from  years ago were now more realistic and...obtainable.

Did she dare try to move to the next level with Stefan? The idea made  her nervous and excited and, most of all, curious. All of her giddy  emotions overshadowed the fear and doubts.

Their wedding night was fast approaching. Only hours until the  reception drew to a close and they would be alone. Perfect timing?                       
       
           



       

Well played, Fate. Well played.

"You're blushing again," he told her, stealing a quick kiss. "I know  everyone is watching us and the cameras are still rolling, but that kiss  was purely selfish. I'm finding it hard to keep my hands off you,  Victoria."

"Stefan." Her heart beat against his chest. "I'm not sure...I mean,  yes, I'm finding myself more drawn to you than just as a friend, but  won't taking another step here make this arrangement more complicated?"

"We won't know unless we try," he told her, nipping at her lips again.  "I'd hate to let an opportunity pass me by. What if sleeping together is  the best decision we ever made?"

"Is that where we're headed?" she asked, already knowing what he'd say.

Unfortunately, she kept hearing her mother's warning about getting her  heart entangled in this man. Fortunately her heart had already been  trampled and crushed, so there was no more to break. And she knew Stefan  would never hurt her.

"How much longer are we staying?" she asked as the orchestra slowed the song down toward the end.

He smiled. "Anxious to get me all alone?"

Considering they'd known each other for so long and he knew her better  than most people, he had a love for his family that rivaled her own and  his loyalty to his country made her heart melt, she may have a little  trouble avoiding his charms.

Oh, the hell with it. Why dance around this attraction? Six months of  torture would be pure...well, torture. People did friends with benefits  all the time, right? Granted she never had, but Stefan was special and  he so obviously wanted her, which was good because she couldn't deny it  any longer.

"Maybe I am," she told him with a grin, knowing she was playing with fire.

As the song ended, he pulled her close, close enough she could feel  just how turned on he was, and whispered in her ear, "I've been waiting  for you to say that. What do you say we go start on our honeymoon?"

And with that thrilling promise, he tugged on her hand and they slipped through the crowd and out the double doors.





     Four

As he led her through the long, marble hallways, Victoria didn't care  about the doubts and fears swirling around in her head, nor did she care  about the fact she'd just left hundreds of guests in the main ballroom.

What she did care about was how much farther they had to go until they  reached their destination because she wanted Stefan, and the realization  of just how much she wanted him both thrilled and scared her. This  sexual tension had been brewing before she'd come to Galini Isle a month  ago-there had to have been an underlying current or she wouldn't have  been so eager to have his mouth on hers when they'd shared their first  kiss...or the several scorchers that followed.

But she couldn't think about anything from their past now or she'd  remember that this man was her best friend...and he was about to become  her lover. Something about taking their relationship to a level of  intimacy aroused her even more. She could analyze later all the reasons  this wasn't a wise move...but right now she didn't care. She. Wanted.  Him.

When Stefan pulled her through a set of heavy double doors, she blinked  into the darkness, trying to get her bearings, and wondered if they'd  just entered his master suite.

His room was on this floor, but she'd thought it was farther down the  wing. She'd been in his suite a few times, but for purely innocent  reasons...as opposed to now, when the reason was a bit more naughty.

She remembered his king-size bed with navy silk sheets. The bed had always sat in the middle of his suite, dominating the room.

A man like Stefan with his bad-boy behavior wouldn't have something as  boring as a bed in a corner. He'd want that bed and all the action  taking place there to be center stage.

Stefan eased the door shut and with a swift click, slid the lock into place. He immediately set the lights to a soft glow.

Good, that would help her nerves if she didn't have to have spotlights  on her. While Stefan had seen her in swimsuits, he'd never seen her  fully naked-not for lack of his playful trying at times, but she'd  always written off his silly remarks as jokes. Had there been genuine  want behind his words?