Читать книгу At His Majesty's Convenience / Her Little Secret, His Hidden Heir: At His Majesty's Convenience - Heidi Betts, Jennifer Lewis - Страница 13

“Jake, congratulations on your engagement.” The silvery tones emerging from his phone dripped with acid. Jake glanced across his suite to where Andi reclined on the sofa looking through a tourist brochure about Ruthenia.

“Thanks, Carina.” Lucky thing she couldn’t see how happy he was not to be marrying her.

“Quite a surprise.” Her tone was cool. “I had no idea you were involved with your assistant.”

“You know how these things are. It seemed … unprofessional, but you can’t halt the course of true love.” He’d already explained the same to three other would-be queens, so it rolled naturally off his tongue.

“Indeed.” She cleared her throat. “Daddy accuses you of toying with my affections, but I assured him that I’m a big girl and that he should still fund the new industrial development.”

These veiled threats were becoming familiar, too.

“I do hope he will. We look forward to entertaining you both at the palace again soon.” He was smiling when he hung up the phone. Right now everything was going as smoothly as could be expected. He was now officially off the hook for choosing the next queen of Ruthenia. No one had actually pulled support from any key projects or threatened to fund a revolution. It was probably a plus that he hadn’t offended one Ruthenian big shot by choosing the daughter of another. Selecting his American assistant as his bride had left all the local families equally offended—or mollified. And so far things were working out nicely.

He couldn’t understand why he’d never plotted this tidy solution together with Andi, before she lost her memory. Choosing his wife now seemed like an agenda item he’d neatly checked off.

“Why don’t you join me on the sofa?” Her come-hither stare and soft tones beckoned to him.

Blood rushed to his nether regions and he stiffened. Of course there were some aspects of their engagement that should remain off-limits until Andi’s memory came back. It was one thing to pretend to love your assistant, it was quite another thing to actually make love to her.

“That dinner was delicious, but I find I’m still hungry.” Andi’s blue eyes sparkled. She curled her legs under her and stretched one arm sensually along the top of sofa.

Her voice called to a part of him that wasn’t at all practical. Jake was struck by a cruel vision of the black lacy underwear beneath her jeans and T-shirt. She’ll be angry if you sleep with her under false pretenses.

But were they really false? He did intend to marry her.

Which was funny, as he’d never planned to marry anyone. His parents’ long and arduous union—all duty and no joy—had put him off the whole institution from an early age. They’d married because they were a “suitable” match, his father the son of the exiled monarch and his mother the daughter of a prominent noble, also in exile. They’d soon discovered they had nothing in common but blue Ruthenian blood, yet they’d held up the charade for five decades in the hope they’d one day inhabit this palace and put the Ruthenian crest on their stationery again.

They were both gone by the time the “new regime” crumbled and Ruthenia decided it wanted its monarchy back. Jake had assumed the mantle of political duty, but it didn’t seem fair or reasonable to expect him to take it into his bedroom, as well.

He’d much rather take Andi into his bedroom. Her lips looked so inviting in that sensual half smile. And he could just imagine how those long legs would feel wrapped around his waist….

But that was a really bad idea. When she got her memory back she’d likely be pretty steamed about the whole scenario he’d cooked up. She’d be downright furious if he took advantage of her affections, as well. Much better if they kept their hands to themselves until they could talk things over sensibly.

“Do you want me to walk you back to your room?” His voice sounded tight.

“Why? I’m not going to sleep there, am I?” She raised a brow. She seemed far more relaxed, bolder, than he’d seen her so far. She was obviously feeling comfortable, even if her memory still showed no signs of returning.

“I think you should. It’s a question of propriety.”

She giggled. “You are joking.”

“No.” He felt a bit offended. “It’s a royal thing.”

“So, we’ve never …?” She rose from the sofa in an athletic leap and strode across the room. “I don’t remember the details about my own life, but I remember general stuff and I’m pretty sure that it’s totally normal for dating couples to … sleep together. So I don’t believe that we’ve been dating for years and never done more than kiss.”

Jake shrugged. She had a point. If only she knew he was trying to protect her. “Okay, I admit we may have been … intimate. But now that we’re engaged and it’s all official and formal, I think we should play by the rules.”

“Whose rules?” She raised her hand and stroked his cheek with her fingers.

His groin tightened and he cleared his throat. “Those official, hundreds-of-years-old rules that the king should keep his hands off his future bride until after the wedding.”

Her mouth lifted into a wicked smile. “These hands?” She picked up his hands and placed them squarely on her hips. Heat rose in his blood as he took in the curves beneath his palms. She wriggled her hips slightly, sending shock waves of desire pulsing through him.

I’m in full control of my hands and my mind. The thought did nothing to reassure him, especially when one of his hands started to wander toward her backside. Andi pressed her lips to his and her familiar scent filled his senses. Next thing he knew his hands were straying up and down her back, enjoying the soft curves under his palms.

His pants grew tight as Andi pressed her chest against his. He could just imagine what those deliciously firm breasts must look like in her lacy bra. If he coaxed her out of her T-shirt—which would not be difficult—he could find out right away.

But that might lead to other things.

In fact, he was one hundred percent sure that it would.

He pulled back from the kiss with considerable effort. “Don’t you have some … embroidery to do or something?”

“Embroidery?” Laughter sparkled in her clear blue eyes. “Do I really embroider stuff?”

He chuckled. “Not that I know of, but does a man really know what his fiancée gets up to in the privacy of her room?”

“I guess that depends how much time he spends there.” She raised a brow. “Maybe we should go to my room?”

Jake froze. That seemed like a really bad idea. Which underlined what a bad idea all this kissing and cuddling was. Much better to keep things professional, with just enough hint of romance to keep the people around them convinced. At least until Andi came back to her senses.

He flinched as Andi’s fingers crept beneath the waistband of his pants. He’d grown rock hard and the thought of pushing her away was downright painful. Her soft cheek nuzzled against his and his fingers wandered into her hair. She looked so different with her hair loose, much less formal and more inviting.

Her cool fingers slid under his shirt and skated up his spine. Jake arched into the sensation, pulling her tighter into his embrace. Her breathing was faster and her pink lips flushed and parted. He couldn’t resist sticking his tongue into her mouth and she responded in kind, until they were kissing hard and fast again.

“Still think I should go to my room?” She rasped the question when they came up for air.

“Definitely not.” He had to take this woman to bed, whether it was a good idea or not.

He reached under her T-shirt and cupped her breast, enjoying the sensation of skin and scratchy lace under his fingers. He could feel her heartbeat pounding, like his own, as anticipation built toward boiling point.

“Let’s go into the bedroom.” He disentangled himself from her with some effort and led her into the other room. The plain white bedcovers looked like an enticing playground and he couldn’t wait to spread her out on them and uncover her step by step.

He swept her off her feet—eliciting a shriek of delight—and laid her gently on the bed.

Suddenly horizontal, Andi looked up at Jake with alarm. Her entire body pulsed and tingled with sensation. About to reach for the buttons of his shirt, her fingers stopped in midair. Their eyes met, his dark with fierce desire that made her insides tremble.

Everything about this situation felt new and different.

Jake’s hands showed no hesitation as he unzipped her jeans and slid them off. Heat snapped in her veins, deepening the sense of unease creeping over her.

“What’s the matter?” Jake paused and studied her face.

“I don’t know. It just feels strange.”

“Go with it.” He lifted the hem of her T-shirt and eased it off over her head. Her nipples stood to attention inside her lacy bra, which was now exposed to view along with its matching panties. Jake’s devouring gaze raked her body and Andi felt both very desirable and very, very nervous.

Jake unbuttoned his own shirt and shrugged it off, revealing a thickly muscled chest with a line of dark hair running down to his belt buckle. His powerful biceps flexed as he undid the belt and the button of his pants.

Andi’s hesitation flew away. “Wait, let me do that.” She rose to the edge of the bed and unzipped his pants as excitement and arousal replaced her apprehension. She pushed them down to reveal dark boxers and powerful hair-roughened thighs.

Both in their underwear, they stretched out on the cool white sheets, skin to skin. She touched his chest with a tentative finger, enjoying the warmth of his body. She traced the curve of his pec and traveled lower, to where his arousal was dramatically evident against the dark fabric of his shorts.

Jake’s taut belly contracted as she trailed over it then paused.

She looked up at his face. The naked desire in his eyes further unraveled her inhibitions. She let her hands roam lower, tugging at his boxers until they slid down and his erection sprang free. She gasped, and he chuckled. Then she pulled the soft fabric down over his strong legs until he was totally naked.

“You’re gorgeous,” she breathed. Then she blushed, realizing that must sound silly when she’d seen him naked many times before.

“You’re far more gorgeous.” His slightly callused fingers tickled her skin as he ran his hand along her side, from her bra to her panties.

“But you’re not seeing me as if it was the first time.”

“Yes, I am,” he murmured. Then he looked up. “At least that’s what it feels like.” Excitement danced in his dark eyes. “I could never grow tired of looking at you.”

Andi swallowed. If Jake’s feelings for her were anything like the intense roar of passion pulsing in her veins right now, she could understand how this could feel new and fresh even after several years.

He slid his arm behind her back and tugged her closer. Her belly flipped as it touched his, and her breasts bumped against his chest.

“Time to unwrap this present,” he breathed. He propped himself on one elbow and deftly undid the clasp on her bra, releasing her breasts. She felt his breathing quicken as he tugged the lacy fabric off over her arms and lowered his mouth to one tight pink nipple.

Andi arched her back and let out a little moan as Jake flicked his tongue over the delicate skin. The sound of her own voice in the still night air startled her, and quickened her pulse further. She pushed her fingers into his thick hair and enjoyed the silky sensations roaming through her body as he licked and sucked.

“Kiss me,” she begged, when she couldn’t take the almost painful pleasure anymore. He responded by pressing his lips to hers with passion and kissing the last of her breath away.

Arms wrapped around him, she held Jake close. His warm masculine scent filled her senses and the heat of his skin against hers only increased her desire. Fingers trembling with anticipation, she took hold of his erection. Jake released a low moan as she ran her fingers over the hard surface, then tightened them around the shaft, enjoying the throb of pleasure that issued through him.

Had she really done this before? She couldn’t believe it. Again that odd sensation of unfamiliarity almost dampened her pleasure. Everything she did was like taking a step into the dark and hoping the floor would still be there under her foot when she put it down. Where would these strange and intense sensations and urges lead her?

Jake’s mouth crushed over hers once more and her doubts crumbled beneath the fierce desire to feel him inside her.

Working together they eased off her panties and he climbed over her. The inviting weight of him pressed against her chest for a moment; then he lifted himself up with his powerful arms and entered her slowly.

Too slowly.

She found herself writhing and arching to encourage him deeper. Her insides ached to hold him and her whole body burned hot and anxious with an urgent need to join with him. Her fingers dug into his back as he finally sank all the way in and she released a deep moan of pleasure into his ear.

Jake layered hot kisses along her neck and cheek as he moved over her, drawing her deeper into the mysterious ocean of pleasure that felt so strange and so good at the same time. They rolled on the bed, exploring each other from different angles and deepening the connection between them. Her hands wandered over his body, enjoying the hard muscle, squeezing and stroking him as he moved inside her.

She loved riding on top of him, changing the rhythm from slow to fast and back again as the sensations inside her built toward a dangerous crescendo. Jake was over her again when she felt herself suddenly lose control of her muscles and even her mind as a huge wave of release swept her far out of herself. She drifted in limbo as pulses of sheer pleasure rose through her again and again. Then she seemed to wash back up in Jake’s arms, exhausted and utterly at peace.

“That was …” She couldn’t seem to find the words. Any words, really.

“Awesome.”

Jake’s unroyal response made her laugh. “Exactly.” Then she frowned. “Is it always like this when we … make love?”

She could swear she felt him flinch slightly. “Yup. It is.”

“I guess that’s good.” She smiled. She must be one of the luckiest people on earth, to have a loving relationship—with really hot sex—with this ridiculously handsome man who just happened to be a king.

She stretched, still feeling delicious pulses of pleasure tickling her insides. She couldn’t help wondering how she’d arrived at this juncture. How did she find herself engaged to a gorgeous monarch? Maybe she was from some kind of upper-crust family herself. It was so odd not knowing anything about yourself. She opened her eyes and peered at Jake.

“Will you tell me some things about myself?”

His sleepy gaze grew wider and a smile tilted his mouth. “Like what?”

“My background, the kind of things I like to do, that sort of stuff.”

He frowned, still smiling that half smile. “Hmm, it’s hard to know where to start.”

Adrenaline buzzed through her at the prospect of nailing down a few details. “How about at the beginning. Did I grow up in New York?”

“No. You moved there after college.” He kissed her cheek softly. “You came to work for me right after you graduated.”

“What did I study in college?”

“Hmm. I can’t remember exactly. I think it was something to do with literature. Or maybe French. You spoke French fluently even though you’d never been to France. I remember that.”

“Oh.” It wasn’t so odd that he didn’t know what she’d majored in. That was before she met him. “Where did I go to college?”

Jake hesitated, and frowned. “Was it U Penn? Somewhere in Pennsylvania. I’m pretty sure of that.”

“You don’t remember where I went to college? You’re almost as bad as I am. Where did I grow up?”

Jake licked his lips. His eyes showed a mild trace of alarm. “Pennsylvania, definitely. Philly, maybe. Or was it Pittsburgh?”

“We’ve never been there together?” An odd knot of tension was forming in her stomach. She propped herself up in bed on one elbow.

“No, our relationship has always been pretty under wraps. The whole professional thing.”

“So you haven’t met my family.” Again, unease niggled somewhere deep inside her.

“No. You have parents and a sister somewhere, though. You get together with them for holidays.”

“In Pennsylvania?”

“I think so. You usually took the train.”

“Oh.” How odd that she couldn’t remember anything about them. Or Pennsylvania. And it was a little disturbing that Jake seemed to know so little about her. Did they never talk about her past? “What’s my sister’s name?”

Jake pursed his lips for a moment. “I don’t know.”

“I guess I didn’t talk about her that much.” Maybe she and her sister weren’t close. What a shame. Maybe she’d try to improve their relationship once she got her memory back. “What about my parents? Do you know their names or where they live? We could get in touch with them and see if they could jog my memory back into existence.”

Jake’s brow had furrowed. “I suppose we should be able to find that information somewhere.”

“It’s probably on my computer if I could just figure out the password.”

“We’ll worry about that in the morning.” Jake pulled her closer to him. “Right now let’s just enjoy each other.”

Andi let out a sigh and sank back into his arms. “You’re right. Why get stressed out over something I can’t control?”

But even in his soothing embrace, there wasn’t a single second when she didn’t ache to recover her memory—and her history. How could you really go forward, or even live in the moment, if you don’t know who you are?

After breakfast, Jake left Andi in her office to look over her files. She seemed anxious that she wasn’t able to do her job since she didn’t remember the details of palace life, let alone any specific events. He mused that he should have been concerned, too, since a key purpose of this whole engagement was to keep her at his side running the show, but somehow the palace was managing to tick along. And he was enjoying her company far more than he’d imagined.

How could he have worked with her for six years and not even know where her family lived? As far as he knew she was born behind the desk in his Manhattan office. And he cringed at not knowing her sister’s name. For all he could remember she just referred to her as “my sister.”

He strode to his current office, intent on mining it for the information he should know simply on the basis of their long acquaintance. They spent all day together—did they usually talk about nothing but work?

Andi was always excellent about keeping them focused so no time was wasted. She managed their affairs with such efficiency that there was little downtime for chin-wagging, especially since they’d moved to Ruthenia and tackled challenges higher than the legendary Althaus mountains that loomed over the palace. He’d always appreciated her professional approach to her job and to life in general.

But now he was beginning to realize he’d missed out on enjoying her company all this time. She was much more complex than he’d realized, more vulnerable and intriguing—and not just because of her missing memory. He’d never seen her as a person with emotions, with needs, before, because she’d done such an excellent job hiding that aspect of herself.

And he’d never realized she was so tempting. She’d hidden that, too.

He closed his office door and walked through to the cabinets in the file room, where the personnel files from New York were stored. Thanks to Andi’s relentless organization he quickly laid his hands on her file, and the résumé she’d submitted when she applied for the job as his admin back when he was simply a venture capitalist.

A quick scan revealed that she’d graduated from Drexel University in Pennsylvania—right state, at least—with a degree in business administration and a ridiculously long list of clubs and activities to her name. Apart from some temping in Manhattan, her first job was with him. She’d graduated from North Hills Senior High School in Pittsburgh—ha, right again, maybe he wasn’t so bad after all. He had to congratulate himself on being able to pick such a promising employee despite her lack of relevant work experience.

But that didn’t solve his current problem of finding out about her past and helping her recover her memory.

Wait. Did he even want her to recover her memory? If she did, she’d surely remember that their relationship had been strictly professional and the whole engagement his invention.

Discomfort rose in his chest, threatening to overwhelm the sense of satisfaction—of happiness, dammit—that had suffused his body and mind since their overnight encounter.

Andi was sensational between the sheets. He’d never have dreamed that his quiet, prim assistant hid so much passion and energy beneath her suited exterior. She even looked different, like she’d forgotten to put on the mask of no-nonsense propriety she usually painted on with makeup and pinned into place with a spritz of hair spray. The real Andi—the one without the mask—was soft and sexy and downright irresistible.

Desire stirred inside him again, tightening his muscles. Blood rushed to his groin as he thought about her in his arms that morning, scented with passion as well as her usual floral fragrance. He put the résumé back in its file.

Maybe her memory wouldn’t come back and they could start over from the night he’d found her dancing outside, freed of the inhibitions and anxieties built by a lifetime of experience. He couldn’t help believing that the woman who’d shared his bed was the real Andi, and that she’d been hiding inside all this time, waiting for a chance to be free.

Andi let out a cry of sheer joy. She’d finally cracked the password on her computer. A cryptic penciled list in the drawer seemed like a meaningless string of words—until she started typing them in one by one.

Queen had proved to be the key that unlocked her hard drive, and possibly her whole life. Funny! She must have picked it because she knew she soon would be queen.

That thought stopped her cold for a second. Queen Andi. Didn’t quite sound right. Still, she’d get used to it. And maybe Andi was short for a more majestic name, like Andromeda or something.

Her heart raced as the computer opened her account and laid a screen full of icons out before her. Yikes. So many different files, some with the names of countries, some of companies. She didn’t know where to start. A sound issued from the machine, and she noticed that the email icon announced the presence of fifty-three messages. She clicked on it with a growing sense of anticipation, and scrolled back to the last one she had opened. Eticket confirmation.

Frowning, she opened the email, which revealed an itinerary for Andi Louise Blake—apparently she wasn’t really named Andromeda—to travel from Munich to New York. The date listed was … yesterday.

Her blood slowed in her veins and her breathing grew shallow.

Obviously she hadn’t gone on the trip, and if it was a business-related one, surely Jake would have mentioned it. Munich—the nearest international airport, perhaps?—to New York, where she used to live …

She had been planning to leave.

Head spinning, she sat back in her chair. Why would she leave, if she was in love and about to get engaged?

She should just ask Jake about this. Why get all worked up when it could be a business trip that just got canceled at the last moment, maybe due to her loss of memory, or their engagement?

Andi glanced down at her ring with a growing sense of unease. She never had figured out why her clothes were creased as if they’d been packed. She must have changed her mind and unpacked at some point, but when? And why did Jake not know about her plans to take off?

Had she issued an ultimatum and forced him into proposing to her?

She swallowed, then started to chew on a nail. Her stomach curled up into a tight ball. Maybe she should see what else was going on in her email before she spoke to Jake.

It was hard to read with so much nervous energy leaping through her system. Her eyes kept jumping around on the screen. Most of the emails were business related—responses to invitations, scheduling questions, orders for supplies and that kind of thing.

Then one titled What’s going on? from a Lizzie Blake caught her eye. Blake—the same last name as her. What was going on? She clicked on it with her heart in her mouth.

Andi, I know you told me not to email personal stuff to this account, but I’ve tried calling you and you won’t call back. We saw a news story on TV yesterday saying that you’re going to marry Jake Mondragon, your boss. Is this true? How come you didn’t tell us? I thought you were getting ready to quit from the way you’ve been talking lately. Mom is pretty upset that you’d keep something like this from us. I remember you saying years ago that your boss was hot, but you never mentioned dating him, let alone getting engaged. Anyway, get in touch ASAP and let me know if I need to find a dress for a royal wedding. XX Sis.

Andi sat back, blinking. She had a sister called Lizzie. Who knew absolutely nothing about her relationship to Jake. And who’d been calling her but not getting through. She must have another phone somewhere that she used for personal calls.

She scanned the rest of the emails, but nothing else looked truly personal.

Where would she keep another phone? Brain ticking fast, she hurried back to her bedroom, glad she didn’t run into anyone in the hallway—especially Jake.

A pang of guilt and hurt stung her heart. She was avoiding him. Only this morning they’d lain in each others arms and she’d enjoyed such contentment and bliss that she hadn’t even minded about her memory being gone.

Now she was racked with suspicion and doubt. She locked her bedroom door behind her and started to go through the closet and drawers again. Finally, in the pocket of a black pair of pants she found a small silver phone. The pants showed signs of being recently worn—slightly creased across the hips and behind the knees—so maybe she had them on just before she lost her memory.

She flipped the phone open and pulled up recent messages. There were three from Lizzie and one from her mom, who sounded noticeably upset. Her voice, with its hint of tears, struck a sharp and painful chord deep inside her. On instinct Andi hit the button to dial the number.

“Andi!”

“Mom?” Her voice shook slightly. “Is it really you?”

“Of course it’s me. Who else would be answering my phone?” A bright laugh rang in her ear. “What the heck is going on over there?”

Andi drew in a steadying breath. “I don’t really know, to be honest. I lost my memory.”

“What?”

“Jake found me dancing around outside and I couldn’t remember anything at all. I didn’t even remember you or Lizzie until I saw her email and found the messages on my phone.”

“Oh, my gosh, that sounds terrifying. Are you okay?”

“More or less. It’s been strange and kind of scary, but I’m not sick or injured or anything.”

“That’s a blessing. Has your memory come back?”

Andi blinked. A blurry vision of a face—an energetic woman with short light brown hair and bright blue eyes filled her brain. “I think it’s coming back right now. Do you have blue eyes?”