Behind Palace Doors(20)

"You're not seriously going to try to hide the fact you're completely turned on, are you?" she asked.

His soft chuckle vibrated against his hard chest. "Kind of hard to hide  it, but I wanted this to be about you. We can continue at home if you'd  like."

Victoria lifted her head, wondering if Stefan realized how this moment,  even though it was in the back of a car, had changed the course of  their relationship. Did he get this intimate with all of his women? She  closed her eyes briefly, trying to block out the instant mental images.  If she had anything to say about it, he'd not be with any other woman  ever again. He'd put the ball in her court at the end of the six months,  and she was seriously considering staying, making him see just how this  marriage could and should work for all the right reasons-which had  absolutely nothing to do with his title.                       
       
           



       

But if she stayed, could she be a loyal, devoted queen and still  design? She couldn't give up her own goals to cater to his, but she  wanted this marriage to work. There had to be a way.

* * *

Stefan stared down at Victoria. Holy hell. What had just happened? He'd  meant to be giving, passionate, but something changed...something he  couldn't put his finger on. The way she looked at him with her face  flushed and her lids heavy made him want to rip off both their clothes  and satisfy her once again before finally relieving himself of this  constant state of arousal he seemed to have around her lately.

"I want to make you happy, Stefan," she told him, stroking her fingertip down his cheek and along his jawline.

Yeah, something definitely changed. She wasn't smiling, wasn't playful. Her words, her actions were from the heart.

Was she sinking more into this marriage than she should? Granted, he'd  always wondered how they'd be together, but if she was falling for him,  could he ever give her that deeper, loving, marital bond in return? He  honestly didn't think he had it in him.

God, he didn't want to hurt her. Right now all he wanted was to enjoy  the way they were living together. Why couldn't that be enough?

"You've made me happy by helping me, Victoria."

"You know I could never tell you no," she replied, flashing him a sexy grin. "Besides, I'm getting what I want, too."

Friends and business. That's what this had to be...no matter what  flutter he thought he felt in his chest earlier. The emotion had to be  ignored. Victoria was too important to him to risk their bond on  something as questionable as love.

As the driver wound his way up the Hollywood Hills, Victoria sat  nestled against his side. He loved the familiar lavender scent that  always surrounded her and the sexy way she would sigh as she crossed her  legs and curved her body more into his. And now that he knew she wore  nothing beneath that dress, well, sexy was a vast understatement.

He would let her show him her appreciation when they returned home. For  now he needed to come to grips with the fact that he didn't want to get  too involved in this marriage on a foundation he couldn't control, but  when he'd taken their lovemaking to another level only moments ago, he'd  done just that.

And he had no one to blame but himself.





     Ten

Victoria's smile never faltered, and they'd been serving meals to  homeless veterans for the past two hours. Her beauty radiated throughout  the entire gymnasium of the old school where the Vets chatted and tried  to capture a piece of her time.

He didn't blame them. Victoria was so easy to talk to, so easy to be  around-the crowd would've never known that minutes before they'd come in  she was nervous about fulfilling her first royal duty. He'd told her to  be herself because she was a natural.

As she put the group at ease with her thankfulness for their services  and the occasional gentle hug, Stefan continued to refill plates and  cups. He let her use her charm on the room, and all the while the  cameras were eating this up and proving to the world that she was the  perfect woman for this position.

"Sir." Hector came up behind him and whispered, "The cameraman would  like you to stay closer to Victoria so he can capture your charity work  together. That was the point of the visit."

Stefan glanced around the room of men and women who had given their all  for their country...something Stefan could relate to. Guilt weighed  heavily on his shoulders.

"I'm not here for a photo op, Hector." Stefan turned to face his  assistant and lowered his voice. "I'm here to assist these people and  show them that my wife and I care about them. I don't give a damn about  the photographer. If he wants a good shot and story, tell him to take  pictures of all these people who have been forgotten."

Hector folded his hands in front of him. "Sir, the whole reason for  coming was to showcase your role as your country's leader and so the  world could see you and Victoria as a united front."

Stefan sighed. "We are a united front, Hector. Tell the photographer he  can nab a picture of us when we're done. We'll pose for one then. Until  that point, we are here to help, not for some show for the world so  they just think we are helping."

Hector nodded with a slight bow and walked off. When Stefan turned back  with the pitcher of tea, an elderly man wearing a navy hat with his  ship's name embroidered across the top was looking at him with tears in  his eyes.

"Thank you," the man said.                       
       
           



       

Stefan looked down at the elderly man, who had scarred hands and a  weathered face. "Nothing to thank me for, sir. I'm the one who needs to  thank you."

The man used the edge of the table and the back of his chair to come to his feet. Stefan stepped back to give him room.

"I've never met royalty before, sir," the man said. "It is an honor to  have you and your beautiful wife here. And for you two to be so  caring...well, it just touches an old guy like me to know there are  still people who give a damn."

Stefan held out his hand, waited for the man to shake it. "What's your name?"

"Lieutenant Raymond Waits," he replied, straightening his shoulders.

"I will personally see to it that this shelter is funded for as long as  possible." Stefan would make it happen no matter what. "I will also  make sure my wife and I schedule a stop here twice a year when we are in  the States."

The handshake quickly turned to an embrace as Raymond put his free arm  around Stefan. He hadn't meant to get on a soapbox, but dammit, he  understood loyalty to a country, and these vets deserved respect and  love.

"Now, I better get back to refilling drinks or you'll be my only friend  here," Stefan said when the vet pulled back, trying to look away as if  embarrassed by the tears in his eyes.

Raymond nodded, taking his seat. As Stefan moved on, he glanced up to  see Victoria watching him from across the room, and he didn't miss the  moisture that had gathered in her own eyes. Obviously she'd seen the  emotional moment.

Stefan smiled and winked at her, trying to lighten the mood because the  last thing he wanted was for her to believe he was some sort of hero.  He was just doing what was right.

By the time they needed to leave to get across town to the library for a  fund-raiser, Stefan had already discussed the funding with Hector, who  was putting a plan into motion. Now this is what being powerful was all  about. Why have such control if you couldn't use it for the greater  good?

They posed for just a few pictures with some of the soldiers and  promised to return. Stefan hated that a piece of his heart was left with  this group of remarkable men and women. He wanted to rule his country  while keeping his emotions in check, not tear up when he came across  charity cases.

Victoria swiped tears away as they headed to their waiting car. Once settled inside, he pulled her against his side and sighed.

"You okay?" he asked.

"You're amazing." She sniffed. "I don't care if the media portrays you  as a bad boy, Stefan. I know the truth, and you've just revealed it to a  room full of thankful vets."

He didn't want to be commended for doing what was right and good. "I  wish I could do more," he said honestly. "But we'll do what we can where  we can."

Tori reached up, cupping his cheek, and shifted to face him. "You're one amazing king, Stefan."

She touched her lips to his, briefly, tenderly. But he didn't want  gentle, he wanted hard, fast. Now. He wanted to feel her beneath him,  feel her come undone around him.

His hand slid up her bare thigh and her breath caught.

"Didn't we just do this the other day?" she asked, smiling against his mouth.