The Wedding Party And Holiday Escapes Ultimate Collection. Кейт Хьюит
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looked at her.
“I’ve been trying to find out a little about the work you do. All of you.”
“How?”
“I’ve been talking to Adam’s secretary, Martin. He was quite helpful. He told me about the different charities and foundations you all head or are patrons of. The list was massive. He also talked about your personal project to raise money for a hospital gymnasium. And about how you coach and sponsor the polo team you started for the children of palace staff. His son loves it, by the way.”
“Martin Junior’s one of the best and the keenest players. The kid’s always there ahead of time, waiting. No matter how early I get there.” Rafe smiled at the thought. “He’s all restless energy till you seat him on a horse.”
But he didn’t want to be talking to this woman about himself. Didn’t want to see or appreciate the warmth of her approval.
He did what he did for his own reasons, lived by his own code as much as that was possible for someone in his position. He’d long since stopped placing importance on anyone else’s good opinion. That way he didn’t have to worry about disappointing others or being disappointed in return.
“I’d love to come and watch them train.” There was a question in her statement.
The fact that he wanted to show her the kids, to show her how good they’d gotten, warned him against that very course of action. “Have Adam bring you along sometime.”
She tried to hide her surprise at the rebuff he’d meant to be subtle.
“We each have our charities and other duties.” He kept talking to soften the slight. She had to know it was for the best. Unless he was the only one fighting inappropriate thoughts and longings? “I get to choose the fun ones. Adam’s duties, as next in line to the throne, tend to be more political than mine.”
“He’s very diplomatic, isn’t he?”
“Yes. And the Global Garden is one he just can’t avoid. It’s too time sensitive as well as ridiculously politically sensitive. Adam knows all the intricacies and, more important, knows how to calm the waters.”
“I understand that. But do you think you could try to explain it to me? In case the workings and considerations involved are the sort of thing I should understand, if, you know…”
If—when—she married Adam and became crown princess. “It’s almost incomprehensible to think that it all began two years ago. But that’s the way with these things.”
She looked at him, her green eyes bright and curious.
“No. I can’t explain it.” He didn’t want her hanging off his words, even if it was for the benefit of his brother. Adam could tell her himself. He could have her looking at him like that. He at least would be able to do something about it. He at least could touch that skin, taste those lips.
“Can’t?” Her face clouded over.
“Don’t want to.” He’d done it again. Proving he wasn’t half the diplomat his brother was. He was too blunt, didn’t have time for couching messages carefully so that people understood what he meant without upsetting delicate sensibilities. “It’s deathly boring.” That was as much of a softening as he’d give her. “If you really want to know about it, ask Adam himself. He’ll be thrilled that you’re interested. Or Martin. I’d only bore us both.”
“Maybe I want to be bored.”
He hoped Adam appreciated the sacrifices she was making for him. “Maybe I don’t want to be the one boring you.”
The trail widened further as the forest gave way to a grassy valley. He needed to get some distance and perspective here. If he was going to have to spend time with her, then it would be on his terms.
“Come on.” He urged his horse to a canter as Duke raced ahead. Rafe heard the sound of Lexie’s horse behind him, and even more rewarding, a burst of her laughter. She pulled alongside, her expression exhilarated. Surely this was better than boring her. He urged Captain on faster still, up the gentle rise. Lexie stayed by his side. At the top they reined back to a walk. For three hundred and sixty degrees around and below them the palace grounds—forest and farmland—spread out, and beyond that the country of San Philippe itself. On the rise ahead of them stood what remained of an ancient stone church. And now that he had the chance to look behind them, he saw the gathering clouds that the forest canopy had obscured.
Lexie twisted in her saddle to take in the view. “Look. You can see the castle turrets over the treetops. It’s all so beautiful. Magical, almost.”
So was the glow in her cheeks and eyes. Nothing boring there. “Forecast was out. It’s going to rain a whole lot sooner than tomorrow.”
She didn’t let his pronouncement dampen her enthusiasm. “I love the rain.”
She was in some faraway fantasy land. “Even when it’s soaking you to your skin?”
She looked at him then. “Not so much then. Unless a warm bath is waiting.”
Did she do that deliberately? Conjure up those erotic images? Though in truth, the soaked-to-the-skin one, clothes and hair plastered to her body, blouse all but see-through, was his vision alone. But the bath—the bath image—she was responsible for. He could too easily picture her stepping—bare, slender leg lifted, toes pointed—into a deep, bubble-filled bath, sinking low, letting the heated water rise up her body, over the gentle curve of hips and waist, caressing her breasts.
“Rafe?” she asked, and he got the feeling it might have been the second, if not the third time she’d spoken his name.
He cleared his throat. “Sorry, I was thinking.” About you naked. Bad, unbrotherly thoughts about a woman whose only thoughts were about his brother. The twisted mess was surely some kind of divine retribution for earlier misdemeanors.
The first fat drop of rain fell on his hand. It was followed quickly by more. Lexie lifted her face up and closed her eyes, just as she had on the nightclub dance floor, drinking in the pure sensory experience. Would she do that when she made love?
“Come on, we’d better turn back.”
“We could shelter in that old church over there.”
He followed her gaze to the church. “No. Roof’s mostly missing.” In truth he didn’t think sheltering there alone with Lexie was a good idea. Being alone anywhere with Lexie didn’t seem like a good idea. He had to keep his distance and get her back to the palace. No matter what. She was going to dinner with Adam tonight. She wanted to marry Adam. “We’re better off heading back. This will blow through quickly enough.”
The rain fell more heavily. They were going to get wet. Soaked to the skin, even. It seemed the lesser of two evils.
Rafe urged his horse forward, not looking to see that she followed.
Back at the palace, Rafe led Lexie across the courtyard. Duke’s nails clicked quietly on the wet cobbles as he walked beside them. Rafe was almost ready to breathe a sigh of relief. He’d done it. The ordeal was almost over.
Needing to change into dry clothes, they’d left their horses in the care of grooms. The rain had been light and brief. Partially sheltered by the forest canopy, they’d gotten wet, but not soaked. Fortunately.
Or not, depending on your perspective.
Rafe kept his gaze straight ahead as they made their way into the palace, taking a back route to their suites. The fabric of Lexie’s blouse wasn’t so thin that it was plastered to her body, but it clung in certain places. And it wasn’t transparent…precisely. But he knew her bra was pale blue, possibly with white polka dots.
“It must have been fun growing up here,” Lexie said as they started up a sweeping staircase. She ran her fingers along the carved, curving balustrade. A caress, almost.
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