A Royal Mess and Her Knight To Remember (18 page)

K
YLE STARED AT
A
NNIE
.

Annie stared back.

Kevin lifted his arm for another drink.

Lissa shook her head at the bartender.

Kevin just grinned, already happily drunk. He turned that grin on Annie, who merely lifted a brow at him. For whatever reason, that made him laugh. “So…you really thought Kyle was me?”

“Well…” Annie divided a look between brothers.

Kevin just kept grinning. “Hey, tell me the truth. Now that you see us both together, you'd never make that mistake, right? Because clearly…” He stood and spread his arms. “I'm the best-looking one.”

Lissa smacked Kevin on the back of his head.

“Hey,” he complained, then let out another stupid grin. “She loves me.”

“You should have told me,” Annie said to Kyle.

Frankly, he was still blown away by what she'd assumed, and it took him a moment. “If I'm ever engaged—”
God forbid
“—I won't be lusting after a beautiful, scantily clad woman in pink satin while on the run for my life, believe me.”

“You—” She looked confused. “You…lusted after me?”

“And I sure as hell wouldn't have kissed her,” he finished.

“You
what?
” Lissa shrieked.

Kevin, who'd just sat down again, nearly fell off the stool. “Whoa.”

“It was nothing,” Annie said firmly, lifting that gold gaze to Kyle's. “Right?”

The earth had only moved, worlds had collided, hearts had bumped. “Right,” he lied as their eyes connected. Held.

Shimmered.

“Nothing at all,” Annie repeated, more slowly now, her gaze still locked in his. “And…”

Although they all were on the edge of their seats—especially Kyle—whatever else Annie had been about to say didn't come.

It was as if it was just the two of them. As it had been earlier. Scared and dirty and alone except for each other.

Unable to help himself, Kyle stepped a little closer, just a little.

Big mistake.

She smelled like some exotic flower, and his nose itched to press even closer.

“My God.” Lissa stared at them, then let out a little laugh. “You two…together…who'd have thought that the sweet little princess and the hard-ass cop—”

“Hey, I'm not a hard-ass,” Kyle said.

“Yes, you are,” Kevin said.

“And call me sweet little princess at your own risk,” Annie said. “But back to this.”

“You mean you and Kyle,” Lissa said.

“Yes. No! There is no me and Kyle.”

“But about the kiss—” Lissa started.

“Yeah, about the kiss—” Kevin said.

“Forget the kiss,” Annie said tightly. “It lasted only a second.”

“So there
was
a connection,” Lissa clarified.

“No,” Annie said, glaring at Kyle.
Don't you dare tell them about what happened between us,
her eyes demanded.

Too bad Kyle didn't respond well to demands. Never had. “Now there's no reason to get anyone's panties tied in knots.”

Annie shot him another silent dagger.

Oh, yeah, that anger in her eyes was a definite turn-on. “Kevin and Lissa just want to know what happened, right?”

Lissa's and Kevin's heads bobbed in collective agreement.

“But nothing happened!” Annie said through her teeth.
“Nothing.”

“Okay,” Kyle said with a shrug. “Whatever. I was only there. What do I know?”

“Really,” Annie said, weaker now in the face of Lissa's open curiosity.

Ooh, if looks could kill, Kyle thought as he absorbed Annie's staggering death look, he'd be dead as a doornail right here on the spot. “At least you remember who saved who, right? Because I definitely came to your rescue, Princess.”

Annie fisted her hands in her hair and let out a strangled scream of frustration.

“And as the victim,” Kyle went on, feeling pretty damn pleased with himself for some reason, “it's understandable you'd want to grab on to the person that saved you. It's a hero-worship thing, very common. Just try to restrain yourself.”

“Oh, this is ridiculous! Leave it alone, all of you!” Annie let out a slow breath when Lissa
blinked in hurt surprise. “I'm sorry. It's just that it was nothing.
He
is nothing.”

“Hey,” Kyle said.

But Lissa was standing in front of him, blocking his view as she hugged Annie tight. “Don't you worry about a thing, Annie. Not one thing. Forget about Kyle. Focus on the good news. I have five seamstresses working around the clock to replace your dress. Everything will be fine. Just fine.”

Annie paled at the mention of the dress being remade, and Kyle thought maybe he enjoyed that even more than bickering with her. “Oh, Annie?” he called as she was led away by Lissa. He lifted Kevin's shot glass in a silent salute. “Can't wait to see that dress again.”

She sent him a roll-over-and-die look before she allowed Lissa to pull her away.

 

H
ERO WORSHIP, MY EYE
!
Annie thought, so furious she could hardly see. She stormed out of the bar and through the restaurant, toward the wall of French doors at the far end. She figured fresh air would help cool her temper.

It didn't.

She figured the gorgeous view of tall mountains and mesas would help soothe her.

It didn't.

Unbelievable how riled up he could make her. He was just a cop. A tough, remarkably quick-witted and sharp cop, yes. Traits that under any other circumstances she might even admire.

Might.
If he didn't drive her so crazy.

And he thought she worshiped him. Ha! “The only thing I feel for him is the insane need to wipe that smirk right off his face,” she muttered, gripping the balcony railing with white knuckles.

“Careful,” came a low, unbearably sexy, unbearably familiar voice. “You're talking about the guy who rescued you.”

“You,” she fairly spat out, refusing to look.

“Yeah.” She didn't have to look to see his smug expression, she could hear it in his voice. “Me.”

Her fingers gripped the railing even tighter as her mind and body warred. One wanted to look at him and the other wanted to—damn it—look at him.

She refused. “I came out here to be alone. As in just me.”

He didn't take the hint, instead came forward and leaned on the balcony right next to her. So close his arm brushed hers. His face, when he turned it toward hers, was still smug, and so close she could see the setting sun dancing in his eyes.

Her breath backed up in her throat because he was so gorgeous. Too gorgeous. And incredibly sure of himself.

And damn, if that didn't make him all the more attractive.

“So…why are you so upset?” he wondered, reaching out with one finger, rubbing it over the crease she knew appeared in her forehead when she got herself worked up over something.

To say she was worked up now was the under-statement of the year.

“Annie?”

“What?” she whispered.

“Why are you so upset?”

“Because…”
Because you do something to my insides and I don't like it. Because I'm melting over the way you're looking at me, and I don't like that, either.
“I'm not harboring some secret hero fantasy over you,” she said defensively.

He lifted a shoulder. “Okay.”

“I'm not attracted to you. Not in the least.”

“You're sure protesting a lot.”

“Did I mention I wanted to be alone?”

“Yep.” He straightened and reached for her hand. “But what the princess wants, she doesn't always get. Not tonight, anyway. I was sent out
here for you. There's something Lissa wants you to see.”

“Unless it's the Exit sign,” she muttered, “I'm not interested.”

His laugh was low and sexy. “You should know I was ready to leave the moment I got here.”

That surprised her. He seemed the type of guy who could have fun at his own funeral. He'd certainly had enough fun at her expense. “What made you stay?”

“Besides being afraid of Lissa if I left early?” Suddenly there was no teasing in his gaze. “You.”

She stared at him for one long beat, then tossed her head back and laughed. “Right.”

“No, really. I—”

At that moment, Lissa and Kevin and a crowd of others, piled out onto the deck.

“You nearly missed it.” Lissa grinned while two waiters put out a couple of chairs. “Sit,” she said to the groom and his best man. “I've ordered you each a special present. Just because you allowed me to join you tonight doesn't mean you can't have a traditional bachelor party.”

Kevin and Kyle looked at each other. Annie tried to decipher the look on Lissa's face and gave up.

Two uniformed women officers pranced—and
there was no other word—onto the deck. Before Annie realized what they meant to do, they'd handcuffed each brother to their respective chairs.

This started an immediate party on the deck as the two cops began to dance.

The
woo-hoo
ing and catcalling got louder. The music was turned up.

And the two “cops,” thrusting their ample breasts and booties in the men's faces, began to strip.

The crowd went wild.

Kevin blushed beet red.

Not Kyle. No, he just sat there, clearing enjoying the show. He certainly couldn't miss it, Annie thought darkly, as the exceptionally built, redheaded stripper kept putting her…parts right in his face.

It repelled her, disgusted her. It did.

But it also made her legs inexplicably rubbery. It made her thighs ache, and she couldn't tear her gaze away.

And when it was over, she was still standing there, mouth a little open, when Kyle came up to her, obviously still full of himself and mischief.

“Did you enjoy the show?” he asked.

“Of course not.”

He lifted a brow. “You're not too uptight to admit that was fun, are you?”

Uptight? She wasn't uptight! There wasn't an uptight bone in her body!

“Are you a prude, Princess?”

She was still assimilating the uptight insult. When she managed to switch gears, she had to pause.

Uptight, no she definitely was not uptight.

But prude…? Damn it, maybe she was. Being a tomboy had given her a certain degree of freedom when it came to how she lived her life. But it had also limited her when it came to relations with the male of the species. “I just still think sex is overrated, that's all.”

His good humor faded and his eyes darkened with a light of challenge she couldn't miss. “Then you haven't been with the right man.”

“Oh, yes. Do tell.” She crossed her arms to hide the fact that even her nipples reacted to his sexy voice. “I suppose
you're
the right man. Would that be correct?”

“Are you asking?”

Was she asking.
Lord, no.

But his lids had dropped over his eyes a little
bit, giving him a sleepy, sexy look as he studied her mouth.

Her tummy fluttered.

“Princess?”

How was it possible that just his voice could render her a twisting, melting mass of hormones? No man had ever done that to her before, and she'd tried. Oh, baby, how she'd tried.

“Are you asking?” he repeated with infinite patience.

“No. I'm definitely not asking.”

“Hmm.” The sound assured her he saw right through her. “You be sure to let me know if you change your mind.”

Change your mind,
her body begged.

She ignored her body. Not an easy task since said body was fairly humming in a completely foreign way she suspected was helpless lust. “I won't.” But because she sounded weak, she tightened her arms and repeated it. “Of course I won't.”

But a little shameful part of her wanted to.

T
HE BACHELOR-BACHELORETTE
party lasted a lifetime. Two lifetimes.

Annie couldn't wait until the last toast. Couldn't wait to get to her room, strip down, shower and go to sleep.

Once asleep she would dream of such comforting things as ice cream. Of her home in Grunberg where the sharp, magnificent mountain peaks and comforting, familiar alpine towns and people provided her with all she needed.

Or better yet, she wouldn't dream at all.

She certainly wouldn't think of pink satin.

Or the upcoming wedding.

Or of one sexy but cocky, stubborn, smart-aleck cop named Kyle Moore.

Nope. Not a single thought would be spared for the man she didn't care one iota for.

That decided, she smiled and toasted and actually salvaged a good time, from this nightmare
party. And when it was over, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Once back at the inn, in her room, she switched her slacks and sweater for her favorite pj's, which consisted of a spaghetti-strap tank top and a pair of men's cotton boxer shorts.

“Perfect.” She flopped on the bed, grabbed the remote, and prepared to be amused by late-night American television.
The Brady Bunch
maybe, or even her sister Natalia's favorite, an old Clint Eastwood movie.

Nat, I wish you were here to argue over the remote with me. I'd even give it to you tonight.

But then the phone rang. It was the front desk. A message had been left from Her Serene Highness Natalia Faye Wolf Brunner of Grunberg.

Natalia. Her best friend. One of the few people Annie trusted through thick and thin. Nat would never let her down, never. She must be coming in early, Annie thought with giddy relief. A familiar, loving face in the midst of this horrific wedding, thank you God!

Then what the desk clerk said sank in. “Could you repeat that, please?” she asked with remarkable calm, because clearly, she needed a hearing aid.

“Yes, ma'am, I can repeat. She has poison ivy and will not be attending the wedding.”

“Poison ivy?”

“Poison ivy.”

“But…” Annie shook her head. Natalia, the leather-wearing, multipierced sister who acted so tough, and yet was afraid of animals much less the outdoors, had poison ivy? Was that even possible? “How did she get it?”

“Well—”

“Where is she?”

“I'm sorry. That's the message in its entirety.”

“It can't be.”

“It is, ma'am.”

Annie had no idea what the real story was, but it wasn't poison ivy. She set the phone down and felt far more sorry for herself than her sister, who certainly had found something better and more exciting to do than attend a wedding.

Annie would kill her when this was over. With pleasure.

Just then the door adjoining her room to another guest's opened, and in piled a group of women, with Lissa leading the pack.

Shocked, Annie sat straight up.

“Didn't I mention I had the next room over?”
Lissa beamed. “Cool, huh? Now we can have an official girl party.”

She carried a tray filled with what suspiciously looked like makeup and accessories. Annie narrowed her eyes as the three women with her—Lissa's sisters, and all bridesmaids—plopped on the bed. “What is that stuff?”

“The ingredients for a girl party, of course.” Lissa looked at Annie critically. “You've got good skin, but there's no telling what's just beneath the surface. A full facial,” she said over her shoulder. “We'll all do full facials. Then we'll start in with the pedicures. Must have good toes. Did someone bring the pink nail polish?”

Facials. Pedicures. A fate worse than death. Annie hated makeup with the same passion she hated pink satin dresses and pink satin nail polish. She wore mascara because she looked like a zombie without it, and sometimes she even remembered blush. But gloss was the most she used on her lips, and she'd never, ever, had a facial. “I don't think—'

“You'll have to strip.”

“Excuse me?”

“I brought this new breast cream for all of us. It'll give us great cleavage with our dresses.”

“Lissa,” she laughed, but no one else joined her. “This is a really bad idea.”

Lissa, stirring the cream she actually thought Annie would put on her breasts, looked up. “What? Why?”

“Because…” Quick, Annie, think. “Because…”

“Oh, I'm sorry.” Lissa's smile fell. “At home in Grunberg you probably have beauticians to take care of you. You'd never have to actually do this yourself. I…didn't think…other than I know our moms used to do this together, in boarding school. You know, give each other facials and do their hair and stuff. My mom talks about it all the time.”

With the loss of her mother twelve years before, Annie's life had taken a drastic turn. There had been no more froufrou influence, no more pots of makeup and perfume lining her mother's room. Back then, Annie had already developed the tomboy side of herself, but without her mom, there'd been no stopping her. And she'd never looked back.

Lissa studied the cream in her hands. “I just thought for old times' sake…” She started to gather up the things she'd bought. “Never mind. I didn't mean to insult you. This all probably seems tacky to a princess, doesn't it?”

Annie sighed inwardly and managed a smile in Lissa's dejected direction. “You didn't insult me. Really. I just didn't expect—”

“I know. Forget it.”

“No, this is
your
wedding,” Annie said, feeling about an inch tall. “And whatever you want, goes.”
God help me.
“If you want to slather sh—
stuff
all over your face—”

“And breasts,” Lissa's youngest sister Sharise added helpfully.

“And breasts,” Annie said bravely, suppressing a shudder. “Then okay. That's what we'll do.”

“Oh, Annie. Really?”

Annie looked into Lissa's hopeful face and made herself keep smiling, even as she renewed her vow to kill her sister Natalia at the first opportunity. “Really.”

“You first?” Lissa held up the cream.

“Uh…” Annie tried not to shrink back. She did manage, barely, to keep her hands at her sides rather than cover her breasts, which is what she wanted to do. “Well…”

“Do you want me to do it?”

“No!” Annie lowered her voice and let out a little laugh. “I can do it, thanks.”

“You sure? My mom says your mom loved to be fussed over.”

Her mother
had
loved being fussed over. A manicure or new hairdo had been her greatest joys, which she'd loved to share with her daughters.

They had all spent many an afternoon together, Annie's sisters and their mother, lounging in their castle home after school, waxing poetic over some new nail color they'd discovered, while Annie had chomped at the bit to get back outside and mess herself up all over again.

She lifted the cream with a hopeful expression.

Mom, I hope you're laughing in heaven.
“I've got it handled, thanks.”