That was odd. Casimir only used that face during negotiations with very unpleasant opposing counsel. One time, the other lawyer had been chewing tobacco and spitting the chew juice into a paper cup that soaked through pretty quickly. Brown liquid had dribbled down the side of the cup, and a ring of sour spit had bubbled up on the table, which had seeped onto the corner of the contract that they were debating. The lawyer had handed Casimir the chew-stained contract to look at a particular clause, and Casimir had worn that tight, bland smile the whole time he was holding the soggy paper.
As the other man came closer, Rox could see that he really did look a lot like Casimir—meaning that he was drop-dead gorgeous, with strong cheekbones and a square jaw that would turn every woman’s head in a room to look at him—just like him, except for the new guy’s blond hair and the fact that his eyes were a pale shade of blue.
They looked as alike as the best plastic surgeons in the world could have made them.
The smile on the other guy’s face was wide and genuine, and he held his hand extended as he walked across the room. “Casimir! When did you get in? I didn’t even know that you were coming home.”
“It was an unplanned trip,” Casimir said, shaking his hand. “May I present Roxanne Neil, my very dear friend with whom I have worked at the law office in California for three years now. Rox, this is my brother Willem.”
Rox shook his hand. It was an ordinary, firm handshake. His palm was warm and dry, and he smiled a gorgeous smile at her. “A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Neil.”
“Call me Rox,” she said. “Pleased to meet you.”
It was like Casimir had a blonder twin.
Bad thoughts about Casimir and his almost-twin brother in her bed rose in her mind. If anything in the world was sexier than Casimir, it was two Casimirs.
Casimiruses.
Casimiri.
Something like that.
Willem turned back to talk to Casimir. “Good Lord, what did you do to your face now?”
He shrugged, his form-fitting suit moving with his body. “Bit of a car accident. Slight problem with a fire.”
“You should have that looked at. You’ll have the press crawling on us all over again.” He turned to Rox, a warm and amused smile on his face. “They would not leave us alone when he was a child. When he was out with us, the press swarmed all of us. You couldn’t even walk without one of them tripping you.”
“That must’ve been terrible for you,” Rox said, trying not to let one eyebrow rise.
Casimir said, “I was planning to have it looked at.”
“Sooner rather than later, I suppose. I can’t believe that Ana is scheduling a reception for you while you look like that. You’ll wear a bandage or a mask of some sort, of course.”
Oh, that was going too far.
Rox stood a little straighter. “I like it.”
They both looked down at her, two tall, glorious man-gods staring down from the heavens.
She said, “I think he looks manly. It’s just a little scratch, and it gives his face character. It makes him look different than all the other pretty boys out there. I have problems telling those guys apart.”
A hint of a smile curved Casimir’s mouth, but Willem frowned. “Of course he shouldn’t leave it like that. He needs to get it fixed.”
“Nope.” She looked right into Casimir’s brilliant green eyes. “I think he looks better. I think it’s sexy.”
Casimir watched her, that small, real smile still playing around his mouth.
Willem’s frown deepened. “He can’t look like that when he’s representing the Kingdom of the Netherlands at official functions.”
Rox grinned. “Sure, he can. He has stories to tell about it. People will relate to him better. And I wouldn’t have him change a thing.”
Casimir’s eyes softened. His hand by his side twitched as if he had almost reached to take her hand but couldn’t.
Willem said, “I think it’s disgraceful. Casimir, it’s revolting. How will you ever marry someone of importance looking like that? What would the people say if, God forbid, anything were to happen to Ana and her children and you took the throne? There would be riots in the streets if Prince Monster were the king.”
Rox was already swinging her fist at his stomach when Casimir caught her arm. “You asshole!”
“Now, Rox,” Casimir said, “violence never solved anything.” He sounded far too calm.
Willem watched her, his arms crossed.
She shook her arm, trying to make Casimir let her go. “I will punch that slimeball right in the kisser.”
“She’s got a temper,” Casimir told his brother. “Perhaps we should continue this discussion some other time.”