Prince's Proposition (The Exiled Royals #3) (6 page)

The heat was stifling but Paula didn’t allow it to affect her mission to get through this evening, and keep Syliva McCorkle happy as she and Xavier attended the mass soiree at her private estate in Mumbai.

Dressed in a flowy sari of bright orange, she resolved to look cool even if the air was as humid as a shower room. She’d even put a veil over her hair which she’d done up in a bun for the event.

Xavier, dressed in a light seersucker suit, looked like he’d be at home with a mint julep or bit of bourbon in his hand. Smiling up at Xavier, she slipped her arm through his crooked elbow. “You’re amazing.”

He grinned back at her, that ego and bravado still evident on his face. To be fair, it wasn’t bravado if you could back it up, and Xavier had been everything so far they could have hoped for in a spokesman and fundraiser.

He was the miracle she’d needed and, okay, maybe his advice and coaching had put her in the right mindset to apply her business mind even more thoroughly and with laser precision to the needs of
Lillian’s Fund
.

“I know I’m amazing, P, but what brought out the inevitable honesty from you?”

“Because this last month has been everything that
Lillian’s Fund
needed… Hell that I needed. I mean, you still work eighteen hour days but I’m glad you turned that energy to my side. Mrs. McCorkle’s yearly gift has kept us afloat the last few years.  But because of your help with wining and dining her here in India, what she gives us will help us to open an actual therapy center. Think of the cancer suffers and their families who will benefit from it! It will really make a change in their lives.” She squeezed his arm. “Thank you.”

“Uh huh.” He sighed as he fished out the embossed invitations for the guard at the gatehouse of Sylvia McCorkle’s estate. The guard read through them and gave them both a curt nod, then let them in with a wave and a polite, “Have a great time!”

Paula nodded but looked back to Xavier, who seemed to have a pall cast over him. How could giving him a genuine compliment leave him feeling so upset? That confused her. “I don’t understand. What’s wrong?”

“I just wish that you’d take a chance on me again, Paula…on
us
. I can bring that passion to us again, and I can be what you need.”

“No, you’re a great businessman, and that’s what I need. But what I don’t need are canceled dates and you making more eye contact with a phone screen than with me. What I need is the efficiency.”

“I suppose,” he said, pulling out of her grasp.

Sadness swept over her, and the warmth she’d felt for him suddenly disappearing. She watched as he moved away across the expansive back lawn, winding between the dowagers and high society of India easily, with that royal fluidity and grace that defined him. She started after him, then stopped herself. Her focus couldn’t be on Xavier. It had to be on Sylvia.

Sighing, Paula turned and started looking for the widow.

She shouldn’t have bothered trying to squint into the crowd. Sylvia always knew how to make an entrance. So when she came in literally riding a massive Asian elephant---one festooned in large golden chains and other opulent decorations---Paula wasn’t surprised.

Sylvia was too genuine and forthright to hate and, yes, the woman had managed to outlive two husbands and was working on a third, but she’d used her inherited wealth to fund cancer charities, hospices, and youth homes. If she was going to keep a little of it for herself and buy an elephant to ride on, then Paula couldn’t completely fault her.

Deep down, that woman had a generous heart and a deep love of her family. Those things seemed to be rare qualities these days.

The older woman waved to the crowd like a queen holding court, which wasn’t far from the truth. Sliding off the massive animal, she was helped over to the reception table and the large bubbling chocolate fountain by one of her servants. Shaking her head to herself, Paula joined her as soon as she could.

“You definitely know how to make an entrance, don’t you?” she told the older woman.

“I’m a woman of an advanced age, my dear. I want the crowd to look at me with awe. If that takes an elephant, then I’ll find one.”  She winked at Paula. “And you have to agree, it certainly worked to get attention. Speaking of being the object of everyone’s attention, where is that delightful prince of yours? I enjoyed getting to know him at our last party.”

Paula chucked. Most women with eyeballs and not a few men loved it when Xavier entered a crowd. She could relate, herself. After all, Xavier still left her flushed and heat rumbling through her belly whenever she saw him. “So has most of Las Vegas,” she said. “He’s out there, somewhere, in the crowd. I assume he’s doing his best to network for
Lillian’s Fund
.”

“Yes, for them,” Sylvia said, her tone slightly subdued.

Weird. There was very little about the older woman that was subdued ever.

“I’m having day two of my events tomorrow. I’m having the prime minister over and his wife, and more than a few friends.”

“And I’m honored that you invited us, Sylvia.”

“I’d love for you or Xavier fund to speak at the dinner. It’s just a few minutes for remarks, but I believe so much in what you do. I wish that you could do more. I just know how much of a difference the kindness we could afford meant to Sarah in her final days, and I want
every
woman to have that, to have a supportive team for them.”

“I know,” Paula replied, her throat tight. She couldn’t imagine the pain of losing your sister that way. The idea of never being able to call anyone with a quick check in or just to share a dumb joke was terrifying. “I’m so sorry.”

“It never stops hurting, but I can help others from suffering as much, my dear. Besides, I think that you’d mentioned in previous meetings about perhaps starting the fund’s own counseling center?”

“Yes.”

“I think if Xavier gives a winning speech tomorrow, then it won’t just be my funding that gets that center for you.  Hopefully, we’ll create the most exciting groundbreaking Vegas ever saw.”

“But it’s your summit and event, and they’re your friends. We came to support you but you don’t have to make it about us.”

“I’m not. I’m making it about Sarah, and what she wanted and needed during her last days. And me, too.  But enough of that. Let’s talk a bit more about your young man.”

Paula shook her head. “He’s not mine. We’re not a couple. We were
once
, it didn’t work out.”

“Really? That’s a shame. Why not?”

“Because Xavier gets upset when he has to sleep. He’s a workaholic, and he’s only helped me so much because he needed my help to get
Rostov Investments
running. It’s a business relationship. Nothing more.”

“Trust me, Paula, I’ve seen the way he looks at you. That man has more than business on his mind.”

“I wish that were true, but I’m so afraid it’s not. When we broke up, I thought I’d never feel happy again. I don’t want to take a chance on that happening every again.”

Sylvia laughed, then reached out and hugged her tightly. “If I said that, then I wouldn’t have remarried.”

Paula bit her lip. She’d forgotten that Sylvia had suffered the loss of husbands as well as a sister. “I know, but you knew your husbands loved you. You never had any doubt of their true feelings for you.”

“I never said love is easy, Paula. Your heart breaks, you pick up the pieces and you try again. Relationships are hard work. But just because you get hurt you get a broken heart doesn’t mean you stop trying. And looking back at all of my marriages, I loved my husbands even when it seemed impossible to love them. Because everyone is flawed, and make stupid mistakes. We’re all selfish and careless in one way or another. But I never gave up on any of my husbands, and I have no regrets. You should think about that.”

***

The next morning, they left the estate and got on a plane to fly to Sylvia’s summit. Once off the plane, they rushed straight to the first day of affairs, deciding to check into their hotel after the day had. Paula wished they’d done the reverse, even if it risked them being fashionably late. Because now? Now the worst thing possible was happening.

“You’re kidding!” she said, wanting to throttle the concierge frowned back at both her and Xavier.

“Ms. Reynolds, when you the reservation, you never indicated you wanted two separate rooms.”

“But I’m sure that I did. In fact, I know I did!”

“We’d be happy to give you a discount for your inconvenience,” the man said, bobbing his head.

“That’s not good enough,” Xavier said, and she could see the vein in his temple throbbing. “Ms. Reynolds and I do not wish to share a room. Cost isn’t the issue.”

“That’s not actually true--” Paula began, but Xavier glared at her and she closed her mouth with a snap. Exiled or not, he still had the bearing of royal command, and it was hard not to respond to it.

“P, I’ve got this,” he said then glared back at the concierge. “We need a second room.”

“I’m sorry but we’re fully booked. We can get you a second room tomorrow, but right now, this is all we have.”

“Then we’ll be taking services somewhere else,” Xavier countered.

Paula winced. There were other events going on besides Mrs. McCorkle’s summit, and it might be hard to find another place. It was already close to ten p.m. Mumbai time, and she was exhausted, sweaty, and had been standing in heels all day. The thought of hotel hunting ranked right up there with root canals on her list of things she wanted to do.

“It’s all right,” she said, sighing.

Xavier frowned back at her. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “My feet are killing me, I’m too tired to keep my eyes open, and I’m sure a suite fit for royalty, Xav, is going to have a pull out couch or something. We can make do.”

“Fine, but I’ll be taking the couch.”

She chuckled. “I agree. I’m tired, not noble.”

He shrugged and got their room keys from the concierge; in no time, they were on the elevator and on their way to their pent house level suite. Paula had made the arrangements worried t the room not up to his specifications.  Xavier needed his creature comforts. At this point, however, they could be staying in a box with a tarp over their heads. Royal or not, she was just happy he and she had a room at all.

Fortunately, her worrying groundless. The accommodations were beautiful.  Paula couldn’t help gaping at the high arched overhead ceiling, the beautiful stained glass patterns in the windows, and the huge dining room table and granite counter tops.

Xavier didn’t bother to linger on these niceties, however, and Paula followed him as fast as she could to the bedroom. She whistled at the luxurious king bed with four posters and an orange and gold silk canopy. It was covered in at least half a dozen silk decorative pillows---some as long as she was tall---and it was beyond soft when she sank onto it.

Her suitcase and laptop had been dropped off on the couch, and she was eagerly working off her pumps and enjoying the feel of circulation returning to her feet.

“This place is amazing.” She moaned.

Xav smiled down at her, some of his better mood returning. “You think that I’d arrange for anything less?”

“Of course not, but this is like something out of a movie. Or a dream!” she sighed. “I don’t even want to know what you’re paying for this.”

“It’s worth it if it brings a smile to your face,” he said, surprising her a little by sinking onto the mattress lifting her right foot onto his lap. His fingers started working at the knots in the sole of her foot, and she moaned a bit at the loosening of the knots. He’d always had the most talented fingers. How had she forgotten that? “Anything I can do to be more of service to you, P?”

She swallowed hard and shook her head. “I should go get to the sofa.”

“I thought we agreed that
I’d
be the one doing that.”

“I know but you’re the one who’s got to be paying through the nose on all of this. I couldn’t impose like that and,
oooh
, can you get my heel?”

“My pleasure, princess,” he purred, licking at his perfectly sculpted lips. “I’d do anything for you.”

“I know that, and I wish…”

“Things were different?” he asked, his hazel and gold eyes flecked with sorrow. “I understand that, but maybe they are. I’ve never been happier working on a bank, even the last year on
Rostov,
and you smile so much more. Plus, we’ve done a lot with creating and building up
Lillian’s Fund
.”

She nodded and moaned again as he ground his knuckle into the sole of her foot. “I’m just excited for what Sylvia set up for us. You’re going to knock them dead speaking tomorrow, and that center can actually start becoming a reality.”

He nodded and stopped massaging her foot. She would have complained but then he reached to stroke her cheek, a gesture far more intimate, somehow, than his masseur skills. “I think you don’t understand how inspired you make me. You’re the heart of the fund and always have been. I have the flashy name and the tabloids following me, but
you
are the one who got me invested. You’re the one masterminding everything.
Lillian’s Fund
wouldn’t exist and be thriving without you, and you shouldn’t dismiss what you do or who you are in
any
of this. You’re the best part of all of this.”