Tempted by the Prince (The Raminar Family Book 4) Page 4

  She looked up at him, tilting her head backwards.

  “That’s better,” he muttered, his fingers tightening around her hand. Tarin refrained from pulling her flush against his body, even though everything inside of him clamored for him to do so. But if he did, she’d feel his reaction, notice his arousal. He didn’t want to scare her away even if dancing with her was the most erotic foreplay he’d ever experienced.

  “You’re a wonderful dancer,” she whispered, her lips barely moving as those huge eyes of hers stared up at him.

  “You’re a wonderful student,” he replied and swung her around. “Are you ready for the next step?”

  She grinned crookedly and his heart thudded. “I doubt it.”

  He laughed. “We’re going for it anyway. Just follow my lead.” He stepped back, one hand still on her waist and, with his fingers, guided her under his arm, twirling her around and then stepping back just in time for her to move elegantly and smoothly back into his arms.

  “Perfect,” he murmured.

  Her eyes widened and he saw the glow in her eyes. Excitement? Arousal?

  Tarin mentally groaned as he pushed that thought away. “Are you hungry?” he asked instead.

  Rachel felt as if she were floating on air. There was no hardwood floor beneath her. The lights were actually stars and Prince Tarin was her lover, carefully spinning a sensual web around her as the music played in the background.

  “Hungry?” she asked, wanting to giggle. But she never giggled. She used to giggle, but then…nope. No more giggling. She’d stopped herself from doing it because it was embarrassing.

  “Dinner. Are you hungry for dinner?”

  Rachel stared up at him, somehow sensing that food wasn’t really what was on his mind. But if not food, what would he be thinking about? Of course it was food! She was Rachel, so food was the only thing he was talking about.

  Carefully stepping out of his arms, she folded her hands in front of her, as was her habit. “If you want to discuss the options of the other architectural firms, I can just…”

  He took her hand, pulling her towards the stereo system. With a flip of his fingers, the music died. “You’re having dinner,” he countered. “I doubt you’ve had time to get to the grocery store since you flew into Izara the other night. And you were here at the palace too early this morning. From now on, we don’t start working until at least eight o’clock in the morning,” he told her with a warning glance. “No sneaking in at seven. Got it?”

  “Yes, sir,” she laughed, then slapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry. That was unprofessional.”

  He grinned and put a hand to the small of her back, leading her out of the ballroom. “You have a nice laugh, Rachel. I’d like to hear it more often.”

  Her shoulders curled inward slightly and she shot a quick glance up at him, then away. “I don’t. Not really. I know it’s annoying.”

  He looked down at her, startled. She could feel his surprise. “Why do you think that you have an annoying laugh?”

  She shrugged, deciding that a change of subject was necessary. “The architects that I found are a bit smaller in size than the ones that you originally chose,” she said, walking alongside him. “But a few of them have truly innovative ideas that are both more energy efficient and faster, using less resources while implementing building techniques that last longer and with lower maintenance costs.”

  “That sounds interesting,” he replied as they entered a small dining room with a table set for two. “But you didn’t answer my question. Who told you that you have an annoying laugh?”

  Drat the man! Did he have to be so tenacious? Couldn’t he just let an uncomfortable subject drop?

  No, Rachel accepted. Tarin didn’t like unsolved mysteries.

  Draping the napkin over her lap, she felt…tight. Her shoulders were tense and every muscle in her body rebelled at the thought of admitting this to him. But she couldn’t lie or dismiss the issue. So honesty was what she gave him.

  Looking down, she shrugged her shoulders ever so slightly. “My family prides itself on being very honest with each other, Your Highness,” she explained carefully. “So, back to these architects…”

  Tarin understood exactly what she was doing and he debated whether to allow her to change the subject. Personally, he thought her laugh was sexy as hell. So maybe he should let her go on believing that she shouldn’t laugh.

  Perhaps for the moment, he’d let her get away with the change of subject, but circle back to the issue of her laughter at a later time.

  “Fine. Tell me about their innovative building ideas.”

  He watched as her eyes lit up, banishing the pain he’d seen moments before. Whatever she was about to say, it was something she was truly passionate about. Leaning forward, he was fascinated by the change in her.

  “Well, I’ve been reading about alternative building materials. Traditional steel and concrete are fine, obviously, but there are so many other building options available! And since you’re planning to build an entire university center, wouldn’t it be a good idea to try some of these innovations? Test them and see if the students can improve upon them? I mean, just imagine it! This university could become a center for innovation and experimentation in the science and technology industry!”

  He smiled, thinking once again how beautiful she was. Her huge eyes and that quirky smile that curled higher on one side when she smiled made her look gamin and fairy-like. When she wasn’t smiling, Rachel was delicate and elegant. But when she smiled…damn, she was stunning! Plus, her auburn curls literally vibrated with the energy she barely managed to contain in such a petite package.

  “Tell me more,” he said, waving to the serving staff who immediately brought in the first course.

  “Have you ever heard of nanocrystals?” she asked. He had, but he didn’t react, allowing her to explain them. “These crystals allow light to filter in, just like regular glass, but they block out all heat, making windows much more efficient! Just think about how much that could reduce cooling costs here in Izara, where the afternoon temperatures get up to a million degrees.”

  He laughed at her hyperbole, waving his fork towards her plate. “Eat while you talk,” he ordered.

  She stabbed a piece of chicken. “There are also wool and seaweed bricks. These materials allow…” she stopped and grimaced. “Okay, those are more effective in cold climates,” she continued, tilting her head to the side as another thought occurred to her. “There is also something called synthetic spider silk. It’s stronger than steel by a huge measure, but can make acoustic building tiles and other spaces.” She stopped and frowned thoughtfully. “I don’t know if it is lighter though. So, I’m not sure if it would be useful here. Nor am I aware of how it would hold up in dust storms.”

  She shrugged and stuffed the bite of chicken into her mouth.

  Over the course of the meal, they debated various building materials, their benefits and uses in a hot climate, where the temperatures could rise and fall over seventy degrees on a daily basis. The afternoons in the summer months were normally in the triple digits while the nighttime temperatures dipped into the fifties and sixties, cool enough to warrant a sweater.

  The whole time, he watched her face, fascinated by the changes. When she concentrated, her full lips pressed together. When he countered her idea with one of his own, her lips softened as she absorbed and processed the new information, comparing that data to what she already knew. Her eyes were huge and she took off her glasses, setting them to the side, which made the green of her irises almost glow with excitement.

  As the waiters took the empty dessert plates away, Rachel was startled by how much she’d eaten, but also at how comfortable she felt in Tarin’s presence.

  “You’re not as scary as everyone thinks you are,” she teased, standing up and placing the linen napkin on her chair.

  “Oh, I’m very scary,” he replied, standing as well. “Never doubt it. I’m one of the scariest of my brothers.”

  She laughed, then quickly pressed her lips together. “No, that title goes to Sheik el Raminar. Now that is one scary man!”

  “Eh, he’s a pussycat,” he countered, putting a hand to the small of her back. “Come, I’ll take you back to your apartment.”

  She pulled back, jumping slightly from the heat coming from the touch of his hand. Before, his touch had felt comforting in an oddly tingly way. But now, maybe because of the half a glass of wine she’d consumed during the meal, she felt…alive! Alive and alert and…much more tingly than before dinner.

  “You don’t have to see me home, Your…” she stopped at the warning in his eyes. But instead of saying his name, she pressed her lips together, fighting back a smile. Finally, she said, “I can walk home. The apartment is just around the corner.”

  “Nonsense. It’s late at night. I’ll walk you home.”

  Walk her home? Prince Tarin? Out in the open? “You can’t!” she gasped.

  “Why not?”

  “Because you’re a member of the royal family. You can’t go out in the streets unprotected.”

  He laughed softly. “Yes, I can. I do it all the time.”

  She rolled her eyes. “No, you don’t. You have a herd of personal guards surrounding you at all times,” she gestured to the two men standing just outside the dining room. “Right there.” She moved a foot away from him. “I promise, I’ll be safe. It’s just a short walk.”

  “If you won’t let me walk you home, then one of the palace guards will accompany you,” he told her. “Either that, or you’re staying here inside the palace.”

  She almost choked at the idea of staying here. “I definitely can’t stay here!” she told him. “That would be…!”

  He shook his head, lifting his hand t
o stop her argument. “Actually, that makes a whole lot more sense. I think you should just stay here.”

  What was he suggesting?! Stay? In the palace? Good grief, that would be a massive breach in protocol! “No!”

  He laughed. “Rachel, are you seriously disobeying a direct order?”

  Rachel stopped her next horrified objection, her mouth hanging open for one embarrassing moment. When she realized that she truly was arguing with him, her mouth snapped shut but she glared at him. “No, of course I wouldn’t do that. But…”

  “Good. Then it’s settled.”

  “No. I won’t stay here. It isn’t appropriate. I’m an employee of the Izara government. You’ve already given me a lovely apartment, Your…” she stopped just in time. Her lips curved upwards, but she wouldn’t let her laughter out. “I’m fine where I am. And if it will make you feel better, I’ll get a cab to drive me the two blocks to my apartment.”

  And with that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the dining room. “Good night, Your Highness,” she called over her shoulder. “And thank you for a wonderful evening.” She even added a bit of a curtsy, feeling outrageously daring at the moment. Then hurried out, her navy skirt flapping against her knees as she rushed down the hallway before he could stop her.

  Tarin watched her hurry away, wondering if she really thought she could escape him so easily. All he had to do was make a quick phone call and she’d be stopped by any number of the guards. So her hurried pace wasn’t going to save her. Hell, he could walk and catch up with her, since her legs were so much shorter than his. He almost laughed out loud at her belief that she’d won this round.

  And why the hell wouldn’t she use his first name? As he watched her peek over her shoulder at him, he suspected it had become a game to her. A game he was determined to win, he thought with increasing relish.

  Thinking of her reactions while they were dancing, his mind moved in a different direction, contemplating the pros and cons of what he wanted, versus what might be best. When he realized that both of those answers were the same, he smiled with triumph. Yes, my beautiful Rachel. You are going to be mine, he decided.

  Chapter 5

  Rachel blinked at the text message, not sure that she was awake enough to understand. “What does he mean? Paris?”

  Leaning back against the pillows, she took several deep breaths and re-read the message. “Paris? He wants to fly off to Paris?” For a long moment, she tried to remember the list of cities that he’d mentioned yesterday. She’d spoken to the travel office and…thinking hard…nope, Paris had not been on that list.

  The loud knock on her door startled her and she looked around, wondering who would be knocking so early in the morning.

  “Just a minute!” she called out. “Probably the property manager again,” she grumbled, grabbing her favorite silk robe. Her hair probably looked like a tumbleweed and her face was clean of makeup. She wore only the small cami and her panties that she’d slept in, but the silk robe covered enough of her sleep attire that she felt comfortable opening the door.

  Tying the belt of her robe around her waist, she padded over to the entrance, paused to take a deep breath, then pulled it open. “Good morn….”

  Rachel stopped and stared as she found Prince Tarin standing in her doorway. Was he rumpled and sleepy like her? Nope, of course not! He stood there looking fresh, alive, and magnetic in a dark suit and blue tie, freshly shaven and smelling like something clean and spicy.

  “Your Highness!” she gasped, grabbing the collar of her robe and holding it tightly closed.

  He pressed the door wider and stepped into the room, forcing Rachel to step back to make space for him.

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded, tucking her hair back behind her ear in the hopes that it wasn’t as messy as she suspected.

  “Is that how you normally answer the door?” he demanded, eyeing her silk robe pointedly.

  Rachel glanced down and hissed when she realized her nipples were pressing against the silk. She crossed her arms protectively and frowned up at Tarin. “No. Usually, the people who knock on my door don’t do it this early in the morning. So normally I’m showered and dressed in appropriate clothes.”

  Instead of apologizing, he grunted. As if that meant something to her? She had no clue what a grunt meant. She didn’t speak caveman. So she rolled her eyes and demanded, “Is there a reason why you are at my door this early?”

  He smiled. “Not a morning person, are you?”

  She pressed her lips together, not sure what to say. “I am normally at the office very early each day. If you ever have an issue with my…?”

  “No! My apologies. I didn’t mean to imply any such thing,” he countered and moved closer.

  Just a step, but it was a significant step because now she could smell his aftershave and her heart pounded violently against her ribs. Darn it, she needed to put some space between them, but she’d backed herself into a corner with the sofa behind her.

  “So…why are you here, Your Highness?”

  He frowned. “Didn’t we just have a conversation yesterday about you calling me Tarin?”

  She shrugged, fighting to control her trembling. “Yes, I believe we did have that conversation.”

  “And?”

  Rachel refused to be intimidated. If she was going to work with him over the next several months, she needed to show him that she wouldn’t be intimidated. “And I disagreed,” she told him tartly, pretending as if she weren’t standing in front of him in only a silk robe and not much else.

  His lips curled up slightly but he didn’t argue her point. “Ah, Rachel, I think we’re going to get along just fine.”

  That was such a startling claim, she blinked, taken aback. “We are?”

  He nodded and she vaguely wondered how he got such a close shave. By late afternoon, he looked all sexy and scruffy. But right now, he looked…gorgeous!

  “We are. And today, we’re flying to Paris. How soon can you be ready to go?”

  “Paris?” she echoed, not sure she’d heard him correctly.

  “Yes. Paris.”

  Rachel looked around, her arms dropping unconsciously. “I can’t go to Paris!”

  “Why not?”

  “Because…,” she huffed, trying to force her brain to start working. But she hadn’t had coffee yet. She really needed coffee! Rachel fully admitted that she probably drank more coffee than was good for her, but she didn’t care. Working in a high pressure environment such as with Princess Talia and, now, with Prince Tarin, coffee was her friend! So she relied on vague emphatic replies. “I can’t just fly off to Paris!” she said.

  “Do you have a cat?”

  A cat? “No.” What an odd question.

  “A dog?” He pressed.

  Irritated now, Rachel shook her head. “No!”

  “A passport?”

  “No!” She shook her head, then she realized what he’d asked and closed her eyes with irritation. “I mean…yes! But…!”

  “A boyfriend?” He had the audacity to peer into the bedroom.

  Automatically, she stepped in front of the door, afraid he might see the rumpled sheets and think…well, she had no idea what he might think. Coffee! She really needed coffee! “No!”

  His hands clapped together, then he rubbed them together. “Excellent. Then jump in the shower and pack a bag. I’ll make coffee while you shower.”

  Rachel’s eyes narrowed. “Your Highness, do you even know how to make coffee?”

  He laughed and shrugged one of those deliciously massive shoulders. “I never have before, but how hard can it be?”

  Oh, the joyful mysteries of the coffee maker! This should be fun! “Okay, sounds good. I’ll get ready and pack. You make coffee and I’ll be ready in about twenty minutes, if that’s okay with your schedule?”

  He looked towards her bedroom again, almost as if he were trying to figure out how to cut that twenty minutes down into ten. “Fine. Twenty minutes.” Then he turned to face the kitchen.

  Rachel stared at his back for a long moment and shook her head as she padded towards the bedroom. “I wish I had a camera for this,” and she disappeared into the bedroom, closing the door, then hurrying to the shower.