One

      Alex Ramon winced as shards of pain lanced his temples. Though the splitting headache was undoubtedly a result of jet lag and too little sleep for the past couple of weeks, it could also be attributed to stress. At the moment, his particular stressor stood on the opposite side of the room...a tall, leggy blonde in a formfitting aquamarine dress and killer heels.

      Maria Ferro. Aged twenty-seven. Straight, honey-colored hair that tumbled like a silky waterfall almost to her ass. He probably shouldn’t be thinking about her ass. Definitely not. But tonight it was difficult not to notice.

      Reluctantly, he dragged his attention from his coworker and surveyed the room. By all accounts, the party was going swimmingly. The delegation of business leaders from the European island nation of Alma mingled with the various members of the Montoro family, everyone chatting with animation and cordiality.

      The ballroom was situated on the ground floor of one of Miami’s premier hotels. An entire wall of glass showcased the azure ocean. Priceless chandeliers cast sparkles across the polished hardwood floor. The decor was understated, modern and sophisticated. Much like the wealthy Montoro family themselves.

      Alex inserted a finger beneath the collar of his tux and tugged. He was more than accustomed to upscale social functions. But in this moment, restlessness plagued him. As Alma’s deputy prime minister of commerce, he carried the lion’s share of the responsibility for convincing the Montoros to return to their homeland and resume the throne.

      A lot was riding on tonight and the days to come.

      This evening’s soiree was only the beginning...a chance for the delegation to be introduced and to establish personal contact with the family whose ancestors once ruled Alma. Unfortunately, the men and women in the youngest generation, all twenty-somethings, were more interested in hard-driving business deals and hard-partying social lives than in resurrecting any royal roots.

      A throaty laugh echoed across the room. Maria was clearly enjoying her handsome companion. Gabriel Montoro, middle child of Rafael III, epitomized the classic bad boy...fun loving, hard to pin down, heedless of anyone’s opinion. Alex wanted to dismiss him as a lightweight player, but in fact, Gabriel ran the South American division of Montoro Enterprises with surprising success. He was headquartered in Miami, which meant he would be involved in the upcoming negotiations.

      Alex was surprised that the usually sensible Maria didn’t see through Gabriel’s facade. Perhaps she was blinded by the man’s green eyes, tousled hair and golden skin. Alex wasn’t jealous. That would be ludicrous. He and Maria were nothing more than business associates.