âWould you like to dance?â
Instead of answering, Amira just stepped closer to Marcus. He took her into his embrace. Heâd been waiting all day to do this, waiting all day to lean his cheek against hers, breathe in her wonderful perfume and feel her body close to his. They danced together as if theyâd been doing it for years. As minutes ticked by, they were hardly aware of one song passing into the next.
Slowly Amira lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. âYou gave me a wonderful day today. Iâll remember it always.â
She was talking as if sheâd never see him again. That was what heâd planned. In fact, in the back of his mind, heâd decided he would take her to bed tonight if she was willing and say goodbye in the morning. But now he knew she was too innocent for a one-night stand, and he couldnât do that to her. He also knew that one day of being with her wasnât enough. Sheâd brought light and sunshine into his life again, and he wasnât ready to give that upâ¦.
Be sure to catch the next segment in the Crown and Glory series, THE ROYAL TREATMENT by Maureen Child
S he couldnât fail the queen. She just couldnât.
As the high-speed elevator dropped ten floors in a matter of seconds, Lady Amira Sierra Corbin felt a bit dizzy. Sheâd considered this mission from the queen an honor as sheâd flown to Chicago from Penwyck. Sheâd been excited, eager and never entertained a doubt for one moment that she wouldnât be able to meet Marcus Cordello. But for the past three days sheâd been thwarted by his secretary.
Monday, sheâd been told he was unavailable for two weeks. No one could be that busy.
On Tuesday, deciding to be assertive, Amira had confronted his âkeeper of the gateâ and maintained she would sit in the waiting room until Mr. Cordello had a spare moment.
Apparently, heâd never had a spare moment.
Today Amira had appeared at his secretaryâs desk early in the morning and hinted that the matter she wanted to discuss with Mr. Cordello was extremely confidential and could change the course of several peopleâs futures. Still the secretary wouldnât budge. But her expression had softened a little as sheâd explained that Mr. Cordello had meetings out of the office until Friday, and then he would be leaving the city for a week.
Now Amira glanced around at her fellow passengers on the elevator. She fitted right in, in her violet tailored but feminine suit that was the same color as her eyes. Her shoulder-length, wavy, blond hair was pulled back and arranged at the nape of her neck in a sedate chignon, and her patent leather, high-heeled pumps and handbag were suitable for an early October day in Chicago.
Even thinking about the âwindyâ city in which sheâd landed couldnât distract her from her mission. Where was Marcus Cordello at this moment? Still closeted behind the steel doors to the rear of the secretaryâs desk? In meetings that would last through the evening and night? Somewhere else in the city where he was making deals and adding to his fortune? All she knew about him was that at twenty-three, he was a multi-millionaire. He owned this hotel and, as sheâd so frustratingly discovered in the past few days, he was surrounded by a staff who catered to and protected him.
She had to see him. He might be a prince and the next heir to the throne of Penwyck!
The elevator doors swished open and Amira stepped into the sumptuous hotel lobby with its marble floor, Persian carpets, asymmetrical flower arrangements and groupings of love seats and chairs arranged for tête-á-têtes. It was dinnertime and the reception desk was busy with businessmen checking in for the night.
Her stomach grumbled and she felt a bit woozy as the aroma of steak and garlic drifted from the restaurant in the corner of the lobby. How long had it been since sheâd eaten? Not that she couldnât order room service anytime she wanted, but sheâd been so nervous about this meeting and frustrated by the waiting that sheâd done no more than nibble the past few days. This morning sheâd had a pack of crackers and a cup of tea before setting out for Marcus Cordelloâs office suite on the twentieth floor. Afraid sheâd miss her chance to see the man if she went for lunch, sheâd sat in the reception area all day, reading the paperback in her purse.