Virgin Princess, Tycoon’s Temptation / The Secret Child & The Cowboy CEO: Virgin Princess, Tycoon’s Temptation. Michelle Celmer
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to socialize with all the guests, especially in her parents’ absence, and duty was duty.
Another time and place. Definitely.
“Give me a minute, please,” she asked her brother.
He grudgingly nodded and told Mr. Sutherland, “Enjoy your evening.” Then he walked away.
Louisa smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry if he seemed rude. He’s a little protective of me. My entire family is.”
His smile was understanding. “If I had a sister so lovely, I would be, too.”
“I suppose I should go back inside and mingle with the other guests.”
His look said he shared her disappointment. “I understand, Your Highness.”
She took off his jacket and handed it back to him. “I was wondering if you might like to be my guest for dinner at the castle.”
A smile spread across his beautiful mouth. “I would like that very much.”
“Are you free this coming Friday?”
“If not, I’ll clear my schedule.”
“We dine at seven sharp, but you can come a little early. Say, six-thirty?”
“I’ll be there.” He reached for her hand, brushing another gentle kiss across her bare skin. “Good night, Your Highness.”
He flashed her one last sizzling grin, then turned and walked back inside. She watched him go until he was swallowed up by the crowd, knowing that the next six days, until she saw him again, when she could gaze into the dark and hypnotizing depths of his eyes, would be the longest in her life.
Two
Garrett sipped champagne and strolled the perimeter of the ballroom, eyes on the object of his latest fascination. Everything was going exactly as planned.
“That was quite a performance,” someone said from behind him, and he turned to see Weston Banes, his best friend and business manager, smiling wryly.
He pasted on an innocent look. “Who said it was a performance?”
Wes shot him a knowing look. He had worked with Garrett since he bought his first parcel of land ten years ago. He knew better than anyone that Garrett would have never attended the ball without some ulterior motive.
“I’ve hit a brick wall,” Garrett told him.
Wes frowned. “I don’t follow you.”
“I now own every available parcel of commercial land that doesn’t belong to the royal family, so there’s only one thing left for me to do.”
“What’s that?”
“Take control of the royal family’s land, as well.”
A slow smile spread across Wes’s face. “And the only way to do that is to marry into the family.”
“Exactly.” He had two choices, Princess Anne, who he’d commonly heard referred to as The Shrew, or Princess Louisa, the sweet, innocent and gullible twin. It was pretty much a no-brainer. Although, considering the way she’d looked at him, as responsive as she was to his touch, he wondered if she wasn’t as sweet and innocent as her reputation claimed.
Wes shook his head. “This is ruthless, even for you. Anything to pad the portfolio, I guess.”
This wasn’t about money. He already had more than he could ever spend. This was about power and control. To marry the Princess, the monarchy would first have to assign him a title—most likely Duke—then he would be considered royalty. The son of a farmer and a seamstress becoming one of the most powerful men in the country. Who would have imagined? If he played his cards right, which he always did, someday he would control the entire island.
“We can discuss the details later,” Garrett told him. “I wouldn’t mind your input, seeing how this involves you, as well.”
“This is really something coming from the man who swore he would never get married or have children,” Wes said.
Garrett shrugged. “Sometimes a man has to make sacrifices.”
“So, how did it go?”
“Quite well.”
“If that’s true, then why are you here, and she’s way over there?”
His smile was a smug one. “Because I already got what I came for.”
“I’m afraid to ask what that was.”
Garrett chuckled. “Get your mind out of the gutter. I’m talking about an invitation to dinner at the castle.”
His brows rose. “Seriously?”
“This Friday at six-thirty.”
“Damn.” He shook his head in disbelief. “You’re good.”
He shrugged. “It’s a gift. Women can’t resist my charm. Just ask your wife.”
Wes turned to see Tia, his wife of five years, standing with a throng of society women near the bar. “I should probably intervene before she drinks her weight in champagne and I have to carry her out of here.”
“You need to let her out more,” Garrett joked.
“I wish,” Wes said. Despite considerable means, Tia was the kind of nervous new mother who believed no one could care for their child as well as she and Wes, but he worked ridiculous hours and because of that she didn’t get out very often. In fact, this was the first public function they had attended since Will’s birth three months ago.
“Join us?” Wes asked, gesturing in his spouse’s direction.
Garrett gave one last glance to the Princess, who was deep in conversation with a group of heads of state, then nodded and followed Wes to the bar. He already had a game plan in place. What he would say to her and what he wouldn’t, when they would share their first kiss. The trick with a woman like her was to take it very slow.
He had little doubt that in no time, probably next Friday, he would have her eating out of the palm of his hand.
Louisa had been right.
It had been a murderously long week waiting for Friday to arrive, and when it finally did, the day seemed to stretch on for weeks. Finally, when she thought she couldn’t stand another second of waiting, at six-thirty on the dot, a shiny black convertible sports car pulled up in front of the castle and Garrett unfolded himself from inside.
She watched from the library, surprised that someone of his means didn’t have a driver, and wondering how such a big man fit into such a tiny vehicle. Maybe someday he would take her for a drive in it. With her bodyguards following close behind of course, because no member of the royal family was allowed to leave the castle unescorted. Especially not since the threats began late last summer.
Louisa peeked out from behind the curtain, watching as Garrett walked to the door. He looked so handsome and distinguished in a dark gray, pinstripe suit. And tall. She’d almost forgotten just how big he was.
Her brother Chris hadn’t been happy about the short notice when she’d informed him this morning that she had invited Garrett for dinner. She knew though that if she’d told him sooner, the family would have teased and harassed her mercilessly all week.
As it was, everyone had managed to get their digs in this afternoon. Chris of course questioned Garrett’s motives, as though no man would appreciate her for anything but her money and connections. Aaron voiced concern about the age difference—which, as Louisa had guessed, was just over ten years. Anne, who had been particularly cranky since the ball, warned her that a man like Garrett Sutherland was way out of her league and only interested in one thing. Louisa would love to know how Anne knew that when she didn’t even know Garrett. Even her parents, who had been relying on