âWhile I have no doubt that seducing you would be a great pleasure, I need to focus my attention on other things right now.â
Though the softly spoken words made everything inside her quiver, Lara refused to give Rowan the satisfaction of knowing it. âDo you think I would fall into your bed just because you wanted me there, Your Highness?â
âI think,â he said confidently, âthat you would fall into my bed because you wanted to be there.â
Her chin lifted just a fraction. âThen you think wrong. I wonât be any manâs temporary amusement.â
âIf I believed otherwise, weâd be having this conversation in bed.â He grinned. âOr maybe we wouldnât be talking at all.â
Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, but she managed to keep her voice steady. âSave the seduction routine for your bride. Iâm not interested.â
BRENDA HARLEN
grew up in a small town surrounded by books and imaginary friends. Although she always dreamed of being a writer, she chose to follow a more traditional career path first. After two years of practising as an attorney, including an appearance in front of the Supreme Court of Canada, she gave up her ârealâ job to be a mum and to try her hand at writing books. Three years, five manuscripts and another baby later, she sold her first book.
Brenda lives in southern Ontario with her real-life husband/hero, two heroes-in-training and two neurotic dogs. She is still surrounded by books (âtoo many books,â according to her children) and imaginary friends, but she also enjoys communicating with ârealâ people. Readers can contact Brenda by e-mail at [email protected].
With its pristine sand beaches and crystal-blue waters, Tesoro del Mar is truly a treasure of the Mediterranean Sea. Though small in size, it has a huge appeal to visitors from all over the world.
Lara Brennan eagerly absorbed the details from her guidebook, anxious to learn everything about the island before the planeâs wheels touched down at the Port Augustine airport.
Tanis Rowlands, her best friend and traveling companion, waved a hand in front of her face to get her attention. âThis is supposed to be a vacationâwhy are you studying that book as if thereâs going to be a quiz at the end of our trip?â
âIâm just amazedâby the history, the culture, even the name. Did you know that it means treasure of the sea?â
âTesoro del Mar.â Tanis practically sighed the words. âI know that it even sounds like a fairy-tale kingdom.â
âItâs not a kingdom, itâs a principality.â Lara pointed to a line in the book.
âWhatâs the difference?â Tanis asked.
âItâs not ruled by a king, but a prince.â
Tanisâs blue eyes sparkled. âThe country does have some hunky princes.â
Lara laughed. Though sheâd only ever met Prince Julianâwho was happily married to Princess Catherineâsheâd seen enough tabloid photos of the other three princes to know that they were all tall, dark and almost sinfully handsome.
âWe probably wonât even see any of Julianâs brothers,â she told her friend. âRowan is an investment banker in London, Eric is an officer in the navy, and Marcus is at school in Switzerland.â
Tanis pouted. âWell, at least we get to stay in the royal palace. How old did you say it was?â
Lara consulted the book again. âIt was built more than four hundred years ago.â
âThat is old.â Tanâs brow furrowed. âDid they have flush toilets back then?â
âNo, but I imagine there have been some renovations done and improvements made over the years.â
âAnd the people speak English?â
âThe island was settled by both the Spanish and the French, so it is officially a bilingual country, but a majority of the residents also speak English.â
She skimmed over the history of Tesoro del Mar and the reign of the Santiago family, then turned the page. The photo of the castle was spread out over two pages to better capture the majesty of soaring towers and stunning turrets, wide stone balconies and high, arched windows. As much as she was looking forward to visiting the palace, she was looking forward to visiting with the family who lived there even more.
Twice every year, Prince Julian and Princess Catherine journeyed to Kilmore, Catherineâs hometown in Ireland, to visit her family. Through a distant family connection, Lara had met them there four years earlier. On that visit, the royals had been traveling without their longtime nanny, and Catherine had struggled to balance the needs of her preschooler with the impatient demands of a new baby.
The princess had seemed surprisedâand relievedâthat her children had taken an instant liking to Lara, who had been just as enchanted by the young royals. On each subsequent visit, Catherine had invited Lara to spend time with the family, and sheâd grown close to the children and they to her.