Chapter One
Prince Philippe Montvidant was exactly the kind of man Ella Jamison despised. Not that sheâd actually met him. Even so, a quick scan of the tabloids told her all she needed to know about him. Rich. Womanizing. Shallow. And all too attractive. Four reasons to hate him. She knew all about men like him, men who took and used and didnât care. She had no desire to make his acquaintance, but unfortunately it was a professional necessity.
Sighing, she leaned back against the seat of the limo that was taking her to JFK Airport and flipped through the file of information sheâd compiled on the prince for her boss, architect Chase Bryant. He had submitted a bid to design a luxury hotel on Montvidantâs unspoiled Mediterranean coastâand he was the one who was supposed to meet the royal at the airport and take him out to dinner. But earlier today, Chase had called Ella at the office.
âIâm tied up this afternoon, Ella. Youâll have to meet Prince Philippe yourself.â
âTied up? Heâs your biggest potential clientââ
âI know that.â Chaseâs usual easy humor had been replaced with a surprising curtness. âSomething came up. Youâll have to do it.â
âI could arrange a limo serviceââ
âEvery major firm in the city wants this bid. I canât risk giving any of them access to the prince. You need to be on him, Ella.â
âOn him,â she repeated, disliking the images those words called to mind.
âOn him. Like a tick on a dog.â
âLovely.â
âI try.â
She smiled, glad to hear her bossâs good humor briefly restored, even though she was still uneasy about accepting this assignment. Sheâd rather not get too close to a man like Prince Philippe, but she was utterly committed to her job. After all, it was pretty much the only thing sheâd had in her life for the past four years, the only thing she felt sheâd made a success of. âYouâre still on for dinner at the Mandarin at eight, right?â
âYes,â Chase said after a secondâs pause. âJust get him to his hotel.â
That should be simple enough, Ella told herself as the limo pulled up in front of the terminal and she hopped out. She was surprised that the prince was traveling by commercial airline. Trying to prove to the masses he was just like everyone else, she thought cynically.
The plane from Parisâthere were no direct flights to Montvidantâhad only just landed, so Ella knew she had a few minutes to wait, even if the prince got special treatment and was hustled through Customs and Baggage Claim. She glanced disparagingly at a rack of newspapers, and saw a photo of Prince Philippe with not one but two bodacious blondes on his arm as he stood in front of a glittering casino. The Playboy Prince Visits the Big Apple!, the headline gushed.
A stream of people was emerging from Arrivals, and her gaze zeroed in on a tall, lithe man in an elegant gray suit, two burly dark-suited men walking three paces behind him. Prince Philippe and his security detail. Quicklyâand more nervously than she would have likedâElla stepped forward.
âPrince Philippe?â
He stopped midstride, quirked an eyebrow. âYou are not Chase Bryant, I think.â His voice was low and faintly accented, his gaze both assured and assessing.
âNo, Iâm afraid Mr. Bryant has been delayed. My name is Ella Jamison, Iâm his assistant.â
She stuck out a hand for the prince to shake, not sure if that was proper protocol, and he shook it. The warmth of his hand as it encased hers almost made her drop his hand and step back. Awareness tingled from her fingers, spreading a treacherous heat through her whole body. She determinedly ignored the sensation. Basic bodily reaction, that was all.
All she had to do was deliver this man to the hotel, then Chase would take over. Sheâd have done her job as successfully as she always did, and she wouldnât spend any more time with the Playboy Prince. Simple, she told herself as he finally released her hand. It had to be.
Chapter Two
Philippe slid his hand from Ellaâs with a faint, knowing smile, and she realized sheâd been standing there clutching at him like a complete dolt. Clearing her throat, she nodded toward the exit. âI have a limousine waiting.â
âExcellent. You travel in style.â
âAs I am sure you do, Prince Philippe.â
His smile deepened, revealing a dimple. âOf course.â He followed her to the limo, and Ellaâs gaze was helplessly drawn to his lithe yet powerful figure, encased in what had to be a very expensive suit.