“The baby must love chocolate,” Alice suggested with a smile.
“That must be it—and what was it you once advised me? ‘Rhia, be bold,’ you said.”
“Oh, please. That was about Marcus.”
“So?”
“Marcus loves you. He’s
always
loved you.”
Rhia frowned. “I wasn’t at all sure about that at the time.”
“Still, my situation is entirely different.”
“Why?”
“Because
we’re
so different, you and I. You’ve always been nothing short of exemplary. Well behaved and
good.
You needed to be told to get out there and go after the only man you’ve ever loved. I don’t require any such encouragement.”
“On the contrary, it seems very clear to me that you do.”
“One, Noah Cordell is not my lifelong love. I truly hardly know the man. And two, if anything,
I
need to be told
not
to be bold.”
Her sister reached across the table and touched her cheek. “You like him. He likes you. You haven’t been this worked up over a man in forever.”
“I am not worked up.”
Rhia clucked her tongue and then began scraping the last of the soufflé out of her ramekin. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”
“Support me. Sympathize with me.”
“As though that’s going to help you.” Rhia shook her head and licked her spoon.
“Even if I took your advice instead of Dami’s, I’m afraid it’s too late.”
“Too late for what?”
“I’m afraid he’s not interested in me anymore. Today in the stables, he acted as though he didn’t even
care
what I thought of him.”
“Was this before or after you treated him like a stranger?”
“I didn’t treat him like a stranger.”
“Yes, you did. You
said
that you did.”
“I was perfectly civil.”
“Civil. Precisely. Are you going to eat your soufflé?”
Alice pushed it across the table.
Rhia dug right in, sighing. “Oh, my, yes.
So
good. And you do see what’s happening here, don’t you?”
“What?”
“You are not being you.” Rhia paused to sigh over another big bite of chocolate. “And you’re making yourself miserable.”
“Not being me? Of course I’m being me. Who else would I be?”
“Allow me to explain....”
“Please.”
Rhia pointed with her spoon. “You went a little over the top in Glasgow.”
“A
little?
”
“That is what I said. You went over the top, and since then, you’ve decided you need to be
so
well behaved and subdued. It’s just not like you at all. You are a brave, bold person, a person who jumps right into anything that interests her, who lives by her instincts. But you’re trying to be someone else, someone careful and controlled, someone who plans ahead, who reasons everything out with agonizing care. And as your favorite sister who loves you more than you’ll ever know, it’s my responsibility to inform you that being someone you’re not isn’t working for you.”
* * *
Alice thought a lot about the things Rhia had said to her. She could see the sense in Rhia’s advice, she truly could.
But the thing was that she liked Noah
too
much. She hardly knew him, yet she couldn’t stop thinking about him.
It scared her. It really did. She’d never been so powerfully attracted to any man before. What if she did fall in love with him?
And then he dumped her for someone else?
Even a brave, bold woman who lived by her instincts should have the sense not to volunteer for that kind of pain.
She didn’t see him on Monday. But then Tuesday she went down to the Triangle d’Or, the area of exclusive shops near the casino, to pick up a Balenciaga handbag she’d ordered. She saw him sitting at a little outdoor café sipping an espresso. He was alone and she was so very tempted to stop and chat with him a little.
But she didn’t. Uh-uh. She walked on by, quickly, before he could spot her and wave at her. Or worse, ignore her.
He was leaving on Thursday, he’d said. She only had to get through the next day without doing anything stupid. He would go home to his estate in California, to his frail and artistic little sister. And in time she would forget him.
All day Wednesday she kept thinking that tomorrow he would be gone. He never came to the stables that day—or if he did, she missed seeing him. She went home at a little after six.
Tomorrow he’ll be gone....
She wanted to cry.
It was too much. She couldn’t stand it anymore, that he would return to America and she might never see him again.
She did the very thing she knew she shouldn’t do. She picked up the phone and called the Belle Époque. She asked for his room and they put her right through.
He answered the phone on the second ring. “Yes?”
“It’s Alice. Are you still leaving tomorrow?” Her voice came out husky and confident. She sounded like the bold woman Rhia insisted she actually was.
“Alice. I’m surprised.”
He
sounded anything but bored. But he didn’t sound exactly happy, either.
“You’re angry with me.”
“Come on. I got the message when you ran away Friday night—and the other day in the stables when I came to ride. I got it loud and clear.”
Her heart sank. “I’m sorry. I... Maybe I shouldn’t have called.”
A silence. And then, with real feeling, “Don’t say that. I’m glad that you called.”
“You are?”
“Yeah.”
She let out a sigh of pure relief. “So, then, are you leaving?”
“Yes. Tomorrow.”
“And tonight?” Her throat clutched. She coughed to clear it. “Are you busy tonight?”
Another silence. For a moment she thought he’d hung up. But then he asked, “What game are you playing now, Alice?”
“It’s not a game. I promise you.”
“Frankly, it feels like a game, a game I’ll never win.”
She tried for lightness. “Look at it this way—at least I’m not boring and predictable.”
More dead air. And then at last he said, “I’m available. For you.”
Well, all right. He definitely sounded like a man who wanted to see her again. Suddenly, she was floating on air. “I want to wear a long dress and diamonds. I want to play baccarat and eat at La Chanson.” La Chanson de la Mer was right on the water in the Triangle d’Or and arguably the best restaurant on the Riviera.
“I’ll arrange everything. Whatever you want.”
Her stomach had gone all fluttery. Her heart was racing. Her cheeks felt too warm. Sweet Lord, she was out of control.
And it was fabulous. “Be in front of the casino, by the fountain,” she commanded. “Eight o’clock.”
“I’ll be there.”
* * *
Noah was waiting right where she’d told him to be, dressed for evening, feeling way too damned anxious to see her again, when her limo pulled up a few feet away.
The driver got out, hustled around and opened her door. She emerged in a strapless gold dress that clung to every sweet curve and had a slit up the skirt to above the knee. Her hair was pinned up loosely, bits of it escaping to curl at her nape.
And she was on her own, as he’d hoped. No bodyguard. Damien had told him that the princely family only used bodyguards outside the principality. Good. He might actually get a chance to be alone with her.
She saw him. A gorgeous, hopeful, glowing smile curved her lips. They stood there like a couple of lovesick teenagers, just looking at each other, as the driver got back behind the wheel and the long black car slid away.
They both started moving at the same time. Three steps and he was with her, in front of her, looking down into those amazing blue-green eyes.
Again, they just stared at each other. He said, “God. You’re so beautiful.”
And she said, “You came. I was a little worried you wouldn’t.”
“Are you kidding? Turn down a chance to spend an evening with you? Couldn’t do it.” Over her shoulder, he saw a man with a camera. “Someone’s taking our picture.”
“Behave with dignity,” she said. “And ignore them. I’ll do my very best to follow your lead. Because, as we both know, dignity was never my strong suit.”
“You are more than dignified enough,” he argued.
She gave him her full-out, beautiful laugh. “Not true, but thanks for trying.”
He wanted to kiss her, but not while some idiot was snapping pictures of them. “Dinner first?”
“Perfect.” She reached for his arm.
They turned for the restaurant. It was just a short walk across the plaza.
He’d gotten them a table on the patio, which jutted out over the water. The food was excellent and the waitstaff were always there when you needed them, but otherwise invisible. The sky slowly darkened and the moon over the water glowed brighter as the night came on. The sea glittered, reflecting the lights of the Triangle d’Or and those shining from the windows and gardens of the red-roofed villas that crowded the nearby hillsides.
They talked of nothing important during the meal, which was fine with him. He was content right then just to be with her, to listen to her laughter and watch those sweet dimples appear in her cheeks when she smiled.
After they ate, they strolled back across the plaza to the casino. They played craps and roulette and baccarat. People stopped to watch them, to whisper about them. A few took pictures. Noah had foreseen this and called ahead to speak with the manager so that the casino staff was on top of the situation. They made sure none of the gawkers got too close.
Alice won steadily and so did he. Around eleven he challenged her to play blackjack, two-handed, in one of the exclusive back rooms.
She looked at him with suspicion. But in the end, as he could have predicted, she refused to walk away from a challenge. “Am I going to regret this?”
He simply offered his arm. When she wrapped her hand around it, he led her into the card room in the back, where the table he’d reserved was waiting for them, cordoned off with golden ropes in its own quiet little corner. She eyed the deck of cards and the equally divided stacks of chips as he pulled back her chair for her.
“I thought we would play for something more interesting than money.” He pushed in her chair and went around to sit opposite her.
She cast a glance around the big room. Almost every other table was in use. Leaning closer, lowering her voice so only he heard her, she said, “I am not taking off my clothes in a room full of strangers.”
He laughed. “Clearly, I should have ordered a private room.”
She tried to play it stern but didn’t quite succeed. Her dimples gave her away. “Let’s just not go there.”
“Fair enough.” He shuffled the cards.
She watched him, narrow eyed. “All right, then. If not for money, then what?”
He looked up into her eyes. “Orion.”
She stared at him for a count of three before she spoke. “Surely you’re joking.”
He shook his head. “If I win, you agree to sell him to me.”
She looked at him sideways, her diamond earrings glittering, scattering the light from the chandeliers above. “At my price, then. You’re only winning the right to buy him.”
“That’s right.”
“Think twice, Noah. It’s an astronomical price.”
“Name it.”
She did.
He looked at her patiently—and counteroffered.
She laughed, glanced away—and then countered his counter.
“Agreed.” He slapped the deck in front of her.
Alice cut the cards. “But what if
I
win?”
He took the deck again. “Name your prize.”
“Hmm.” She grinned slowly. “I know. I want you to donate twenty thousand American dollars to St. Stephens Children’s Home. My brother-in-law Marcus was raised there.”
He gave her a wry smile. “So either way, I pay.”
She dimpled. “Exactly.”
He pretended to think it over. Then, “At least it’s a worthy cause. Done.”
They began to play.
She was an excellent gambler, bold and focused. And fearless, as well. She kept track of the cards seemingly without effort, laughing and chatting so charmingly as she played.
He was down to a very short stack at one point. But he battled his way back, winning. Losing. And then winning again.
It was almost two in the morning when he claimed her last chip from her.
She leaned back in her chair and laughed. “All right, Noah. You win. You may buy Orion for the price we agreed on.”
He got the real picture then. “You were going to sell him to me anyway.”
Her smile was downright smug. “Yes, I was—and enough of all this.” She held out both hands, as though to indicate the whole of the world-famous casino complex. “Let’s go somewhere else.”
An attendant showed them to a private office where Noah settled up and they collected what they’d won earlier in the evening. The attendant appeared again with Alice’s gold wrap and tiny jeweled handbag. A few minutes later they emerged into the glittering Montedoran night.
“What now?” he asked, even though it was a risk; it gave her an out if she suddenly decided she should call it a night. He was betting she wouldn’t. She seemed to be having a great time. And he already knew how much she enjoyed calling the shots.
“Somewhere private.” She glanced across the plaza where two men with cameras were snapping away. “Somewhere we can talk and not be disturbed.”
Noah chuckled, pleased with himself that he’d read her mood correctly. “As though there’s anywhere in Montedoro they won’t follow us.”
She took hold of his arm again and leaned close. He breathed in her scent. Exciting. So sweet. She said, “I have a plan.”
“Uh-oh.”
She laughed. “That’s exactly what my sister Rhia always says when I come up with a fabulous idea.” She faked a puzzled frown. “Why is that, do you think?”
He played it safe. “Not a clue.”
“Ha!” And then she leaned even closer. “I am having altogether too much fun.”
Her words pleased him no end. “There’s no such thing as too much fun.”
“Yes, there is. But it’s all right. It’s your last night in Montedoro after all. And we may never see each other again.”
Wrong.
“I just bought a horse from you, remember?”