Tall, Dark & Royal
Leanne Banks
He stood before Erin Lawrence–bare-chested, sleeptousled and sexy as sin. Could this be Daniel Connelly, the new king of Altaria? Erin knew she'd have her hands full teaching the American businessman royal etiquette–and avoiding falling under his sensual spell.Son of a former princess, Daniel had been raised with a strong sense of family honor. But nothing had prepared him for the night-and-day sessions with Erin…or the flare of heat that burned him in her presence. Erin was prim, proper and pure, and he–well, he was no innocent, and soon he'd be her king. For both Daniel and Erin, duty warred with passion…but which would reign?
AROUND CHI-TOWN
January: we all know the Connelly family is the closest thing the Windy City has to royalty—in fact, Emma Rosemere Connelly is actually descended from the former king of Altaria. This reporter’s sources say that Emma’s firstborn, Daniel, is taking family duty seriously and will shortly assume the throne in that picturesque island kingdom.
We all agree that Daniel is the catch of Chicago—rich, handsome and sexy. And honorable, too. But just who is that sweet young thing with the exotic accent who’s been spotted on his arm lately by yours truly? Come on, ladies, this may be the last chance for one of us to become Mrs. King Daniel.
FYI, the Connellys deny these royal reports, but they’re rallying around their golden boy. Just what’s going on, Dapper Dan? Your secret’s safe with me….
Dear Reader,
Ring in the New Year with the hottest new love stories from Silhouette Desire! The Redemption of Jefferson Cade by BJ James is our MAN OF THE MONTH. In this latest installment of MEN OF BELLE TERRE, the youngest Cade overcomes both external and internal obstacles to regain his lost love. And be sure to read the launch book in Desire’s first yearlong continuity series, DYNASTIES: THE CONNELLYS. In Tall, Dark & Royal, bestselling author Leanne Banks introduces a prominent Chicago family linked to European royals.
Anne Marie Winston offers another winner with Billionaire Bachelors: Ryan, a BABY BANK story featuring twin babies. In The Tycoon’s Temptation by Katherine Garbera, a jaded billionaire discovers the greater rewards of love, while Kristi Gold’s Dr. Dangerous discovers he’s addicted to a certain physical therapist’s personal approach to healing in this launch book of Kristi’s MARRYING AN M.D. miniseries. And Metsy Hingle bring us Navy SEAL Dad, a BACHELORS & BABIES story.
Start the year off right by savoring all six of these passionate, powerful and provocative romances from Silhouette Desire!
Enjoy!
Joan Marlow Golan
Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire
Tall, Dark & Royal
Leanne Banks
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
LEANNE BANKS
is a national number-one bestselling author of romance. She lives in her native Virginia with her husband, son and daughter. Recognized for both her sensual and humorous writing with two Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times Magazine, Leanne likes creating a story with a few grins, a generous kick of sensuality and characters who hang around after the book is finished. Leanne believes romance readers are the best readers in the world because they understand that love is the greatest miracle of all. You can contact Leanne online at leannebbb@aol.com or write to her at P.O. Box 1442, Midlothian, VA 23113. A SASE for a reply would be greatly appreciated.
MEET THE CONNELLYS
Wealthy, Powerful and Rocked by Scandal, Betrayal…and Passion!
Who’s Who in Tall, Dark & Royal
In Chicago:
Daniel Connelly—He loves basketball, Chicago hot dogs and his privacy. How will he ever be king of Altaria?
Erin Lawrence—She teaches Daniel royal etiquette…but exactly what does this young, unawakened woman want to learn from Daniel…?
Emma Rosemere Connelly—The former princess of Altaria left the palace on the arm of her upstart American husband thirty-five years ago…and hasn’t looked back.
Grant Connelly—The family patriarch has amassed a fortune and enriched his offspring with life’s true riches: honor, duty and loyalty.
Brett Connelly—Can Daniel take advice from his glib playboy brother?
Maggie Connelly—The baby of the family and a free spirit, she loves modern art and fast cars.
In Altaria:
Mr. Lawrence—Erin’s father, the foreign minister, doesn’t want Daniel to be king. But how far will he go to stop it?
Gregor Paulus—The palace aide’s manners are impeccable and his bearing regal.
Anthony Muller—Chief of staff at the palace, he keeps on the staff’s back and on Daniel’s good side.
Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
Prologue
Merry Christmas. You’re the new ruler of Altaria, his mother might as well have said.
The snow fell outside the window of Daniel Connelly’s Chicago high-rise condominium as he tried to make sense of his mother’s announcement. Not every man in America had a mother who was a former princess. Although she’d always been Mom to Daniel, and she’d given up her title thirty-five years ago when she’d married his father, Emma Rosemere Connelly had never lost the regal poise drilled into her by years spent as Princess of Altaria. Even now, faced with the news that her father and brother had been killed in a boating accident, she held herself together as she sat beside her husband on the brown leather couch.
“You’re going to have to repeat that, Mom,” Daniel said, sinking into his favorite chair.
His mother took his hands in hers and leaned toward him intently. Her cold fingers and the glint of pain in her blue eyes betrayed her emotions. She gave a sad smile. “I’ve told you many stories about Altaria. You’ve even visited a couple of times.”
Daniel nodded, his mind filling with vague childhood memories. “I remember Altaria as a beautiful island off the coast of Italy with a great beach,” he said. “But how in the world can I be its new ruler?”
“Altarian law stipulates that only male descendants can assume the throne. My father and brother are dead,” she said, and squeezed his hands in a moment of telltale grief. Out of the corner of his eye, Daniel saw his father squeeze his mother’s shoulders in a gesture of support. Grant Connelly had made his fortune in textiles, but his backbone was made of steel. His mother took a quick breath.
“My brother had only one daughter, Catherine. He had no male children.”
Daniel thought about some of the gossip he’d heard about his uncle, Prince Marc, over the years. “I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, but are you sure Uncle Marc didn’t have any other children? He really seemed to take that playboy-prince role to heart.”
His father made a sound between a cough and chuckle.
His mother frowned. “Daniel,” she said, her tone just a shade sharper. “Marc may have had his flaws, but he would never turn his back on his own child. You are the heir to the throne of Altaria.”
Daniel’s head reeled. In all his thirty-four years, he’d never imagined being a ruler of a small kingdom. Chicago-born and-bred, he’d always assumed he would spend his life in America. He glanced at his father, a man who had taken the family textile company and turned it into a Fortune 500 corporation. His father had always possessed a passion for the family business, an unrelenting zeal to make it grow.
Daniel had not.
He had succeeded in competitive sports in college, and he had succeeded as Vice President of Marketing at Connelly Corporation, but he’d always had the sense that something was missing, that he wanted something deeper, more. Could this possibly be it?
King? Lord help him.
He looked at his parents and shook his head. “King?”
His father nodded and leaned forward. “You’ve got what it takes to lead a country if that’s what you think you should do. It’s your choice.”
His mother squeezed his hand again. She looked at him with a mixture of pride and concern in her eyes. “Consider it carefully. My father had such dreams for Altaria. When he founded the Rosemere Institute to research cancer treatment, he not only provided a beautiful memorial to my mother, he also brought Altaria into the scientific age. Ruling will be a heavy responsibility, and once you start down this road, your life will be changed forever.”
One
She was late, but anxious to meet her assignment. Erin Lawrence bit her lip at her slip. Begin her assignment, she mentally corrected. His Majesty might not appreciate being regarded as an assignment. Even if that were true.
She adjusted her hat, then showed her identification to the security guard on the bottom floor of Daniel Connelly’s high-rise condominium. Despite the jet lag from her delayed flight, she felt a rush of anticipation as she entered the steel elevator. Even though she’d arrived at night, she couldn’t help noticing how different Chicago’s architecture was from the Mediterranean-style houses and buildings in her homeland, Altaria.
The elevator doors whisked open, and she walked down the hallway to Daniel Connelly’s condo. She lifted her hand to ring the buzzer, and her heart hammered in her chest. Taking a deep breath, she couldn’t escape the sense of history surrounding this moment. She was about to meet the royal heir to the throne of Altaria.
Squaring her shoulders, she pressed her index finger into the buzzer and waited.
And waited. A dog barked in the background.
She counted to twenty, then pushed the buzzer again and waited. The dog continued to bark.
The door opened and a tall man with tousled hair and jade-green eyes met her gaze. His chest was bare and muscular, and the only item of clothing he wore was a pair of lounging slacks slung low on his narrow hips. “You rang?”
“Perhaps I’m at the wrong—” She broke off, totally fixated on his wide shoulders and all that naked skin. A dusting of chest hair arrowed down to the top of his slacks. Leaning against the doorjamb with indolent ease, he gave the impression that he was comfortable with his half-naked body. Something told Erin he knew his way around a woman’s naked body. This was the kind of man all her headmistresses had warned her against. This was the kind of man who inspired all the bad girls to sneak out of their windows at night.
Tearing her gaze from his impressive body, Erin rechecked the number on his door. The address was correct. She swallowed over a knot of apprehension. “Your Majesty?” she said weakly.
His gaze cleared, and he lifted his head in realization. “You must be Erin Lawrence, the royal etiquette rep.”
“Royal etiquette and palace liaison,” she said, fighting a twinge of irritation at his casual description of her position. She gave a slight dip. “At your service, sir.”
His gaze swept over her in brief masculine assessment that hinted at banked, yet powerful sensuality. She held her breath, until he looked into her eyes again with a glint of amusement. “For some reason I thought you were supposed to arrive earlier today.”
“Yes, of course, sir. I apologize. My flights were delayed.”
“Happens to everyone,” he said generously and held the door for her to enter. “Come on in. Sorry I’m not dressed for the occasion. I had nine meetings today, so I decided to hit the sack early. Don’t worry about the dog. I put Jordan in his kennel when I answered the door,” he said, referring to the barking dog.
“Jordan, sir?”
“In honor of Michael Jordan, the best basketball player the Chicago Bulls were sorry to lose.”
Erin made a mental note to bone up on American basketball. She knew nothing about it. She stopped midway through the doorway and gazed expectantly at him. “The rule of protocol is the king should precede, sir. One should never turn one’s back to the king.”
“Oh.” He gave her another once-over. “Well, that could be a damn shame.”
Erin felt a rush of heat to her cheeks and prayed he didn’t notice. “Please do proceed, sir. I will follow.”
He gave a slow nod, then led the way through a luxurious living room furnished with contemporary brown leather furniture and oak end tables. She followed him into a clean, well-equipped kitchen. He opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a carton of milk. “You want something to drink? Or a sandwich?”
The man was almost completely unaware of his position, she thought, and wondered how he would change once he began to exercise his power as king. If he exercised his power as king. Daniel Connolly struck her as a man who didn’t need a title or decree. Staring at his wide shoulders, she caught her mind wandering and gave herself a mental shake. The king was offering to fix her a drink or a sandwich. That would never do. “No, thank you, sir.”
He grimaced slightly. “Do you mind me asking how old you are?”
She stiffened her spine. “Twenty-two, sir.”
“You’re young, but we’re both adults. Do you have to call me sir?”
“It’s proper, sir,” she said.
He sighed. “Okay,” he said and took a swig directly from the milk carton.
Erin’s eyes widened in horror.
He must have caught her expression because he gave her a grin. “Don’t worry. Last sip,” he told her and tossed the empty carton into the trash container.
Erin practiced what had been drilled into her from years at the finest Swiss boarding schools: she kept her mouth shut. This was the new king of Altaria—a good-looking American who had a body that would make any woman’s temperature shoot up ten degrees and who clearly had zero knowledge about royal protocol. She wondered how many of his Altarian ancestors would be spinning in their graves.
Heaven help Altaria.
Heaven help her.
“I’m not exactly sure what your role is,” he said.
“I’m to fill you in on royal protocol and also to learn as much about your preferences as possible so that the palace is well prepared for your arrival, sir.”
He raked his hand through his hair. “Translate royal protocol.”
“Traditional royal etiquette, sir. It’s my job to inform you about how the people of Altaria will greet you and how you will be expected to respond.”
He sighed again and rubbed his hand over his face. “Etiquette lessons. I’ll have to fit them in sometime after an airport expansion plan and a budget review. How about if you take a couple of days to take care of your jet lag and we can get together then?”
“I’m quite able to perform my duties immediately, sir.”
“Tell you what, get settled and we’ll talk tomorrow or the next day.”
Erin felt as if she was getting the brush-off. That wouldn’t do. Her father, the foreign minister of Altaria, had assigned her this job—in spite of her unfortunate nervous response that had been the bane of her existence as long as she could remember. She couldn’t fail her father. This was her opportunity to forge a closer relationship with him. “I can be useful to you, sir. My father is Altaria’s foreign minister, so I’m quite familiar with the political climate.”
Daniel Connelly gave her a considering glance. “Okay. I’ll call you after I get through the most critical matters. Welcome to the Windy City.” At her puzzled look, he clarified, “Welcome to Chicago.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Are you sure you don’t want something to drink?”
His insistent hospitality disconcerted her. “Quite sure, sir. Thank you.”
He nodded and picked up a phone. “Then I’ll tell security to get you a cab.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary, sir. I can do that.”
“I’m sure you can, but my protocol won’t allow me to send a young lady visitor out into the streets of Chicago without transportation to her destination.”
A gentleman? A secret warmth slid through her. She’d been surrounded by so many men more concerned with their own self-importance that she almost didn’t know how to respond. “Thank you, sir,” she murmured as he gave instructions to the security attendant.
Daniel led her to the door and opened it for her. “Why does your accent sound British?” he asked.
“Although I attended Swiss boarding schools, the headmistresses were British.”
“Your bearing is similar to my mother’s,” he said.
“I take that as high praise, sir,” she said. “I attended the same boarding school she did years earlier. Princess Emma has always been much beloved and admired by the people of Altaria.”
“Even though she gave up her title to marry a rough American upstart?” he asked with a sly, yet appealing grin.
“She may have officially given up her title as princess, sir, but she is always a princess in the hearts of Altarians.”
He chuckled. “You’re very good. Are you sure you’re not a public relations specialist?”
“Knowledge of public relations is required for my position, sir. As I told you, however, part of my job is to learn what pleases you so you will feel at home in Altaria.”
“I’m not hard to please. A Bulls game and a Chicago hot dog, and I’m happy.”
Erin blinked, trying to imagine the palace chef preparing a Chicago hot dog. Whatever it was. “I’ll make note of it, sir.”
“I’m sure you will. Good night.”
Daniel winced as he listened to his voice mail messages two days later. Three of them were from Erin Lawrence. He remembered what a prim but curvy little package she’d been. She was so proper, his contrary mind couldn’t resist visualizing her stripped of her perfect manners and clothes. Daniel had also noticed, however, that while Miss Lawrence was a babe, she also gave the impression of innocence, forbidden fruit.
He hadn’t deliberately pushed her aside, but his transition from Vice President of Marketing at Connelly Corporation to King of Altaria had him swamped. To ensure continuity of succession, the successor to a monarch was normally required to be present immediately, so it seemed odd that the foreign minister had told Daniel they weren’t quite ready for him yet. Daniel decided to bide his time with his questions. He had plenty to do with the loose ends he had to tie up in Chicago and the preparations he needed to make for Altaria.
Glancing at his packed-to-the-brim schedule on his electronic organizer, he saw that dinner was clear and punched out the telephone number for Erin’s hotel. “Daniel Connelly here,” he said when she answered the phone.
“Thank you for calling, Your Majesty,” she said in a proper, but well-modulated tone. Daniel wondered what it would take to ruffle her perfect poise. He wondered what kind of underwear she wore, but pushed the thought aside.
“Sorry it took so long. I’ve been swamped, and today’s not much better. Can you join me for dinner? I’ll order pizza and we can meet at my place.”
A long paused followed.
“Problem?”
“No, sir,” she said, her voice clearly reluctant.
“I hear ‘problem’ in your voice, Miss Lawrence,” he said, feeling a twitch of impatience.
“What is it?”
“I’m just trying to determine the propriety of my giving you a protocol lesson in your private quarters, sir,” she replied.
“Didn’t you tell me earlier that you wanted privacy?” he asked.
“Yes, sir, but—”
“Do you need a chaperone or something?”
“Absolutely not, sir,” she said with a trace of defiance in her voice. “I’ll meet you for dinner. What time?”
“Make it late,” he said. “Seven-thirty.”
“Very good sir. I’ll see you at seven-thirty.”
Daniel hung up the phone and groaned aloud just as the door to his office pushed open to reveal his brother, Brett.
“How’s it going, YM?” Brett asked and cracked a half-grin. “The king stuff getting to you already?”
Daniel threw his brother a dark look. “YM?”
“Short for Your Majesty,” Brett said. “The press is sniffing around big-time. They all want an interview, but I should be able to hold them off a little longer.”
Born with a silver tongue, Brett had been the perfect choice for Vice President of Public Relations for Connelly Corporation. He not only reveled in the ability to work the press to the advantage of Connelly Corporation, he also enjoyed his single playboy status to the max—something Daniel had grown weary of during the past couple of years.
“You think Justin is ready for the world of marketing?” Brett asked.
Their straitlaced brother Justin was steady and responsible and more than willing to climb the Connelly Corporation corporate ladder. “Justin will do a great job replacing me or he’ll die trying,” he said.
“All of us will miss you, but—”
“—but don’t let the door hit me on my way out,” Daniel said with a wry chuckle. Whether the game was sports or business, there’d always been a friendly combination of camaraderie and competition among the Connelly males.
“You’ve done a terrific job,” Brett said. “Don’t get me wrong. But I always got the impression you wanted something different. You think this is it?”
Surprised at his brother’s insight, Daniel nodded. “It’s got to be. I have to believe fate is at work here. I always wanted to make a difference, not necessarily in the textile world.”
“Those Altarians are damn lucky to get you,” Brett said.
“I don’t know about that. I get the feeling the foreign minister isn’t dying for me to move in. He’s been slow to send information I’ve requested, but he did send his daughter,” Daniel said, unable to mask a slight grimace.
“Daughter? What for?”
“Royal protocol.”
Brett blinked, then barked with laughter. “She’s going to try to teach you everything you tried not to learn from Mom.”
“And more, I’m sure,” Daniel said, and waved his hand. “I really don’t have time for this right now, but I don’t want to be rude.”
“What’s she like?”
“Prim and proper,” Daniel said, then added, “with killer curves.”
Brett’s mouth lifted in a wolfish grin. “Then maybe there will be some fringe benefits with the lessons, after all.”
Although the prospect of intimately exploring Erin’s curves tempted the hell out of him, Daniel shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’ve never seen a woman so determined to make me perfect.”
Erin juggled a large pizza box with two volumes on royal etiquette along with a photo book on royal uniforms as she twisted around to push His Majesty’s buzzer with her elbow. Since the pizza had arrived at the same time she had, she’d suggested delivering it herself.
Daniel opened the door, and she was struck again by his height. His eyes widened.
“Let me help you—”
Just as he reached for the heavy books, a blur of something large and brown raced across the room and careened into her. Erin toppled toward the floor.
“Jordan, heel!” Daniel yelled, and the dog abruptly backed off.
Her knees hit the hard stone floor, and pain shot through her, but she automatically squeezed her fingers around the pizza box. Her face was going to hit the floor or the pizza box, she thought in despair, just as strong hands caught her shoulders.
Daniel swore under his breath. “I’m sorry,” he said. “He smelled the pizza and went nuts. He’s spooked by all the visitors that have been in and out of here over the last week.”
She felt him lift her as if she were a flower. He carried her to the couch and she was acutely aware of his muscular chest pressed against her. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d been carried, not even by her father. She felt an odd, but gentle stroke at a hidden tender spot inside her. It mystified her. She felt Daniel try to pry the box from her fingers.
“You can let go of the pizza now,” he said, furrowing his eyebrows.
Still distracted, she felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Oh, I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
He looked at her quizzically. “I’m surprised you didn’t drop it when Jordan crashed into you.”
She blinked. “Training, I guess, sir. Don’t lose your dignity, but if you do, don’t spill your tray.”
His lips twitched. “Your teacher should be proud.” He set the pizza box on top of an entertainment center and turned to the dog. “No pizza for you tonight. That’s no way to treat a lady,” he muttered.
Erin took a long look at the contrite dog. The animal was huge, with dark soulful eyes and large paws. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that particular breed, sir,” she said, unable to mask her curiosity. The beast looked like a combination of a brown bear and a bulldog.
Daniel ruffled the dog’s ears. “He’s a mixed breed,” he said, then shot Erin a look that mixed humor and undiluted masculine sex appeal. “Mixed breed. Kinda like me. Half Altarian royalty and half American rebel,” he said and led the whining dog to another room.
So true, she thought, except Daniel was much better-looking than his dog. Erin tried to collect her wits. Taking a deep breath, she wasn’t sure which had rattled her more, the dog rushing her or Daniel carrying her to the couch. Her books, she suddenly remembered, reining in her strange feelings. Focus on the job, she told herself, not His Majesty’s distracting body. Glancing toward the doorway, she saw the books on the floor. Daniel must have dropped them to catch her.
She moved her legs to rise from the sofa and felt a twinge. She looked down at her stockings. They were shredded and one of her legs was scratched and slightly bleeding.
Daniel returned to the room at that very moment. He swore again and rushed toward her, then bent down and gingerly touched her leg. “Damn. I’ll get some antiseptic and a bandage.”
Flustered, Erin shook her head. “That’s not necessary,” she said to his back as he strode from the room. She jumped to her feet to follow him. “Sir, this is not at all proper protocol,” she protested, but might as well have been talking to the dog for all the attention Daniel was paying her. As he entered the bathroom, she paused outside the door, uncertain what to do next.
She watched him collect some items from the medicine cabinet and run some water over a washcloth. He turned to face her. “Go back to the sofa,” he said, meeting her with a gaze that said he meant business.
“But, sir—”
“But nothing,” he returned, striding past her.
“My dog did this to you. I’m responsible.”
Distressed, she followed him into the living room again and resumed her seat on the sofa. “Sir, this truly is not appropriate.”
“What would be appropriate? For me to order a servant to take care of your scratch?”
“Yes, sir, or I could do it myself.”
He shook his head and knelt in front of her. “Neither of those choices work for me. I’m king, I’m pulling rank.” He glanced at her leg, then met her gaze. “You need to ditch your stockings.”
Erin’s heart climbed into her throat. Seeing the unswerving determination in his eyes, she held her breath for a full moment. She opened her mouth and closed it, then cleared her throat. “Could you please turn around, sir?” she asked in a voice that sounded high-pitched to her own ears.
Realization crossed his face. He shrugged. “Sure. Let me know when you’re ready.”
Try never, sir, she thought, as she pushed her stockings down her legs with unsteady hands. The horrified face of her finishing-school teacher flashed before her eyes. Erin had known this assignment would be challenging, but she’d never imagined finding herself in such an awkward position. Stepping out of her pumps, she pulled the shredded hose off her feet and tried again to collect herself.
“Ready?” he asked as if he had eyes in the back of his head.
“Yes, sir,” she said reluctantly.
He turned around and lifted his hands just above her knee to the scraped place on her leg. Her leg automatically stiffened. His gaze shot up to meet hers. “Sore?”
“A little, I suppose, sir,” she managed, too aware of the fact that His Majesty was kneeling before her. She felt the threat of her dreaded secret nervous response and closed her eyes. She took slow, soothing breaths and pictured a peaceful Swiss snowfall.
An odd intimacy seemed to swim between them when he touched her thigh. His hands were gentle as he cleaned the scrape and applied antibiotic ointment. He put on the bandage and Erin opened her eyes. She caught him looking at her painted toenails.
She couldn’t resist the urge to curl her toes into the carpet.
He skimmed his hand down her leg to her feet, sending an odd ripple through her. “These are going to get cold. I can give you some socks,” he offered, rising to his feet.
He looked down at her and held her gaze for a long moment in which the world seemed to turn on its axis. Erin held her breath. She watched his gaze dip to her lips for several heart-stopping seconds before he glanced away. Briefly, he shook his head, almost as if he’d considered kissing her, then come to his senses.
Erin wondered when she would come to her senses.
“Socks,” he muttered. “They may not make the kind of fashion statement you usually make, but you’ll be more comfortable.” He narrowed his eyes.
“Come to think of it, you’re not going to want to go back to your hotel with bare legs. I’ll get you a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt.”
Erin felt a rush of panic. Wearing His Majesty’s clothes? How had this situation gotten so totally beyond her control? “Thank you very much, sir, but it’s truly not necessary.”
“Of course it is,” he said. “It’s January in Chicago. No one in their right mind faces the elements with bare skin,” he said, then his eyes glinted with masculine intensity. “Although it’s a damn shame to cover legs as nice as yours with sweatpants.”
Erin’s heart skipped over itself, and a rush of emotions swam through her. How was she supposed to accomplish her job, maintain appropriate distance and, as her father had requested, subtly discourage Daniel from accepting the throne, when Daniel was clearly determined to treat her as a human being more than as a protocol instructor? How, in heaven’s name, was she supposed to maintain her equilibrium when this man emanated enough electrical energy to burn her to a crisp?
Two
As Erin sat on Daniel’s couch, it occurred to her that it was tough to remain proper and starchy when she was wearing a sweat suit that swallowed her. She stiffened her back. “I brought several books for your reference, sir,” she said. “This one is the most complete. I have another on royal etiquette, and I brought a book with pictures of the military uniforms you’ll wear for a variety of occasions. Some people absorb information more easily if it’s introduced in a visual manner.”
Daniel thumbed through one of the books and gave her a considering glance. “You thought I might need a picture book?”
Oops. She hoped she hadn’t insulted his intelligence. “With all the information you’re being given, sir, I thought it might be easier if some of it weren’t delivered to you in such a dry manner.”
One side of his lips lifted in a half grin. “I’m curious what you’ve been told about me.”
Erin sifted through half a dozen things her father had told her that couldn’t be repeated. “I know you’re thirty-four years old and you are Vice President of Marketing for the Connelly Corporation, sir. I’ve been told you attended college with a football scholarship and you’re as American as—” She searched her brain for the correct term. “As popcorn,” she said. “Or is it pie?”
He flashed his teeth in a grin. “Both will do.”
“The most important thing, sir, is that you are the eldest son of Princess Emma, which makes you the natural heir to the Altarian throne. And you are consenting to relinquish your life as an American to serve as King of Altaria.”
He nodded. “Just to fill in a couple of blanks, I graduated from Northwestern with degrees in Business Administration and Philosophy. Do you have a laptop at your hotel?”
She nodded, wondering where this was leading.
He gave a careless shrug. “If you’re interested, Northwestern has an informative Web site.”
Erin had the uncomfortable feeling that there were quite a few gaps in the profile of Daniel she’d received. “I’ll do that, sir.”
Daniel glanced back at the book. “Let me get this straight. Part of my job is to appear at various events in these military uniforms.”
“Yes, sir,” she said. “Traditional decorum provides a certain security for the people.”
“Okay. Will there be someone at the palace who will be knowledgeable about what uniform I wear when?”
“Of course, sir. You will have at least two royal dressers at your service.”
“In that case, I could safely delegate the task of whether I wear red or blue to one of the royal dressers, right?”
“I suppose, sir. I thought that since there will be a significant difference in your attire, you would prefer to be informed.”
Daniel shut the book with a smile. “As long as nobody puts me in a pink tutu, I really don’t give a damn.” He laced his fingers together and leaned toward her. “I’d really rather know more about the people of Altaria.”
Erin blinked. This definitely wasn’t going as planned. Her father had instructed her that if she couldn’t discourage Daniel from accepting the throne, then she needed to convince him that the position of king was more decoration than substance. “The people of Altaria, sir?”
“Yes. You’re Altarian. How would you describe your people?”
“Warm and caring, sir,” she said, thinking of the island people who provided services to tourists and fresh fruit and vegetables. “They’re very family-oriented. Because of the isolation of the island, they’re not especially sophisticated in terms of higher education.”
“Why not?” he prompted.
“We have no schools of higher learning on the island, sir.”
“Why not?”
“There never have been. Anyone who wants to send their children to school sends them to the continent.”
Daniel frowned. “So if someone was motivated and intelligent, but their family didn’t have the means to send them to a university in Europe, then they wouldn’t get to go at all?”
She nodded. “Correct, sir. Such a person would likely continue to do whatever his or her father or mother did.”
“And what is the parliament’s stand on this?”
“The parliament is slow to change without considerable provocation.”
He frowned again as if he didn’t like her answer. “What do you think the people of Altaria want in a king?”
She felt a distressing tug in opposite directions. Part of her was drawn to Daniel’s sincere interest in her people, while at the same time she couldn’t forget her father’s wishes. Erin found she could only answer him honestly. “Sir, I believe the citizens of Altaria want a king who will provide a bridge from the past to the future. Even Americans understand that tradition can be a source of comfort in times of grief. Altaria takes great pride in the unbroken line of succession the Rosemeres have provided. Altarians want a ruler who appreciates where they have been and where they need to go.”
Daniel nodded slowly. “I guess that means I need to bone up on Altarian history. You said you were familiar with the political climate. How does the parliament feel about an American taking the throne?”
Her stomach tightened, and she glanced away. “The official stance is that the parliament is pleased there is a healthy heir ready and willing to take the throne, sir. Many were surprised that you would agree to give up your privacy and freedom to accept the job.”
Daniel sighed and stood. He moved toward the huge picture window and glanced out. “I don’t believe in shirking family duty. My parents drilled into all of us that we have responsibilities to fulfill. I wouldn’t be able to look myself in the mirror if I didn’t fulfill mine, but—” He broke off and glanced at her. “But I’ve always felt I was biding my time at Connelly Corporation. God knows, I wouldn’t have chosen to be king, but it appears the job has chosen me.” He turned to meet her eyes, and she felt the intensity in his gaze clear down to her toes. “I’m a Connelly. I can’t do less than my best.”
His words vibrated between them, and Erin began to sense that there was far more to Daniel Connelly than she or her father could have imagined.
His green gaze shifted like the Chicago wind as he moved toward her. “You’ve told me the official position of the parliament. What’s the unofficial stance?”
Erin’s mind locked in panic. She needed to obey her father and follow his wishes, but… She tried to find a way to protect her father without undermining her own sense of integrity. “Unofficially and officially, the parliament embraces tradition and is very slow to change, sir.”
“A nice way of saying I probably make them nervous,” he said.
“I didn’t say that, sir,” she protested.
“You didn’t have to.” He cocked his head to one side. “I make you nervous, too.”
Confounded was a more accurate description, she thought. “No, sir. Of course not,” she said, but felt she wasn’t exactly telling the truth.
“Not at all?” he asked, sitting down on the couch next to her.
Her stomach fluttered nervously at his closeness. “Well, perhaps a little, sir. You’re not exactly what I expected.”
“How am I different?” he asked, his gaze so intense she wondered if he could see straight through her.
Erin barely resisted the urge to squirm. “It’s truly not my place to say, sir,” she said.
Irritation crossed his face. “Well, I’m king, so what happens if I’d like to know?”
She bit her lip as her stomach churned. “Is that an order, sir?”
“Is that what it takes?”
“Yes, sir,” she said reluctantly.
He nodded decisively. “Done. How am I different from what you expected?”
Erin took a deep breath and wished she could fly away through that huge plate-glass window. She looked away from him. “You’re more intelligent than I expected, sir,” she admitted in a low voice, then added an explanation. “Football scholarship.”
“Northwestern is a highly competitive university. The academic requirements are high for everyone, including the football team.”
“Oh,” she said.
“What else?”
“You have a sense of honor that surprises me, sir. Your interest in the Altarian people is…unexpected. You are kinder and less self-absorbed than I would have imagined,” she continued and took a shallow breath. Her chest felt tight with anxiety. “You look at me when I talk to you. You pay attention to what I say.”
“That surprises you?” he asked.
She met his gaze and nodded silently.
“Why would I not pay attention to what you say?” he asked.
She shrugged and thought of how many times she’d felt that her father looked past her instead of at her. “I don’t know sir. I guess I’m just not accustomed to it.”
He frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then met her eyes again. “What else?”
Erin had the frightful urge yet again to fidget. She clenched her hands together in her lap. “You are taller, sir,” she said. And better looking, she thought, but she refused to utter those words.
“What’s the height of the average Altarian man?” he asked.
“I don’t know, sir. Shorter than you.”
He chuckled. “How have I not surprised you?”
Erin’s stomach tightened with dread. “Is that an order, sir?”
He nodded and cracked a grin. “Yeah.”
“You are very American, very casual, and you couldn’t be less interested in learning royal protocol. Sir,” she added, and relaxed. She was finished. No more honest and potentially embarrassing disclosures.
“You’re right about that,” he said. “To keep it fair, I’ll tell you how you’re different from what I expected.”
Erin’s stomach immediately twisted into a square knot.
“Even though I knew you were the foreign minister’s daughter, I imagined you would be a lot older.”
“Older, sir?” she managed.
“Around fifty with orthopedic shoes, and annoyingly prissy and proper.”
His words stung. Annoyingly prissy and proper hit a bit close to home.
“Instead, you’re this blue-eyed blonde with killer legs who is annoyingly prissy and proper,” he said, softening his assessment with a sexy grin. “But maybe it’s your job to be prissy and proper. I can’t help imagining what you’re like when you’re not on the clock or on guard,” he said, putting his hand over hers and gently prying her fingers from their locked position. “In time, maybe I’ll find out.”
Erin’s heart stuttered. Not if she could help it.
An hour and a half later, after Erin had returned to her hotel room and scoured the Northwestern University Web site, she paced the floor of her small suite. Her phone rang and she knew immediately who it was. Her father.
“Have you met with the American?” he asked without preamble.
“Yes, I met with His Majesty tonight.”
“Are you making progress with him?”
Not much, she thought, pushing her hair from her face. “I find I wasn’t given adequate information about our new king,” she said, unable to keep her irritation from her voice.
“What information?” her father asked.
“I was led to believe he wasn’t particularly bright.”
“He isn’t,” her father insisted. “He’s a football player.”
“Father, this man graduated with honors from a prestigious university.” She still felt like a fool because of her wrong assumptions about Daniel.
“That doesn’t qualify him to rule Altaria,” her father said.
“No. The only thing that qualifies him to be King of Altaria is the fact that he is the eldest male Rosemere. He could easily be an eighteen-year-old inheriting the throne. Instead he’s an intelligent, experienced thirty-four-year-old man.”
“An eighteen-year-old would likely be easier to manage,” her father grumbled. “Do you think you’ll be able to discourage him from taking the throne?”
Erin’s chest tightened with conflicting feelings. She understood some of her father’s reservations about Daniel. He was an American, after all, with very little knowledge or appreciation of Altaria’s history. Her father feared Daniel would move in like a bull in a china shop, disrupting the peace and tranquillity of the kingdom. Erin remembered the determined expression on Daniel’s face when he talked about taking the throne. “I don’t know, Father. I sense His Majesty views his role as king as an act of duty and honor.”
Her father’s disapproving silence stretched on, and Erin closed her eyes.
“You’re not switching loyalties, are you?” he asked quietly.
“No,” she said, but she wondered how she would settle the conflict tugging at her. Her father wasn’t here, dealing with Daniel Connelly in the flesh.
“You are my father and Altaria is my country.”
“Remember, Erin, just because he is a good man doesn’t mean he would be good for Altaria. Get some sleep, child. I will call again,” he said and hung up.
Erin returned the phone to the cradle and stared out the window at the lights of the Chicago skyline. She hugged her arms around herself. Her father had called her child. She hadn’t felt like a child for years. Her mother had died when Erin was so young that she only had vague memories of softness, gentle laughter, sweet touches and perfume.
Spending her childhood in boarding school had made her grow up quickly, forced to depend only on herself. She’d spent a lot of years hiding her loneliness. Now she finally had a chance to forge a bond with her father, and she wasn’t at all sure she would be able to accomplish it.
She absently rubbed the soft fleece sweatshirt and glanced down at the too-large sweatpants she still wore. It was odd, but wearing Daniel’s sweat suit made her feel as if she were wrapped in a big, warm hug. She wondered what it would be like to be wrapped in Daniel’s arms. She wondered how his lips would feel on her mouth, on her skin. The thought nearly gave her hiccups.
Ridiculous, she thought, rolling her eyes at herself. She went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and tried to dismiss her unsettling thoughts about His Majesty. She chanted the title to drill it into her mind. “His Majesty, His Majesty, His Majesty,” she murmured as she pulled out a nightgown and changed her clothes.
Erin immediately noticed that the big, warm hug was gone. She dashed under the covers and pulled them up over her head just as she’d done a thousand times as a child. She tried not to think about Daniel, but she couldn’t forget how gently he’d touched her thigh and how he’d insisted she wear his clothes. She couldn’t forget that when she talked to him, he looked at her, not past her. She couldn’t forget him.
“I know it’s short notice,” Daniel said the following morning. “But if you’re not doing anything tonight, would you attend the Big Brothers’ charity ball tonight with me?”
Since Erin had arrived in Chicago, she hadn’t been less busy in her life. She struggled to mesh her job description with Daniel’s last-minute invitation. “A Big Brothers’ charity ball, sir?” she echoed.
“It’s one of my family’s pet charities and I promised I would attend before I got the king assignment. I told my mother I would still attend as long as I can keep it low profile. In other words, we’ll arrive late and leave early. Are you game?”
Her mind still reeling, Erin twisted the phone cord around her finger. “But why me, sir?”
“There are other women I could take, but I’d spend the evening dodging any discussion of my future plans. I’m leaving this world and going into another. You’re the one who understands that best.”
Flattered despite herself, Erin felt her heart swell in her chest.
“So, yes or no?”
She fought a thread of panic. “I didn’t bring anything appropriate to wear to a ball.”
“This is Chicago, a shopping Mecca,” he said, countering her concern. “Put what you need on my tab and make sure you get a wrap too. The ball begins at eight. I’ll pick you up at eight-thirty.
“Yes, sir,” she said, wondering which turn this roller-coaster assignment was going to take next.
Ten hours later, a knock sounded at Erin’s door and her heart rate sprinted. She opened the door and her breath caught at the sight of Daniel in a black tux with a black overcoat and a white cashmere scarf. The image of the American upstart was immediately replaced with that of a sophisticated, dangerously handsome man.
His gaze trailed over her. “You clean up very nicely, Miss Lawrence,” he said with a sensual edge to his voice.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. So do—” Appalled, she bit her tongue at the inappropriately personal remark.
His lips curved in a hint of a smile. “Damn. Don’t tell me it’s improper to compliment the king?”
Erin wondered if her entire body was blushing. His expression made her feel as if he were hungry and she was the first course. “Of course not, sir, but I am in your service.”
He nodded. “So what’s the proper way to compliment a king?”
Erin took a careful breath and tried to unscramble her brain. “If I may say so, Your Majesty looks quite dashing this evening.”
“Dashing,” he said. “Sounds like something out of an old English novel. I guess that means it wouldn’t be proper to say you look hot enough to start another three-alarm fire in downtown Chicago?”
The same was true of him, she thought. “That’s correct, sir,” she said.
“But you won’t mind if I give the fire department a call to warn them about you,” he said, his mouth unsmiling, but his eyes full of masculine humor.
“Me?”
His gaze fell over her with dangerous awareness. “Yes, you.”
Three
Daniel led Erin through the grand lobby of the hotel where the ball was being held. Sweeping her into a brass-lined elevator, he tugged at his collar as soon as the doors closed. “We won’t stay long. I’ve grown impatient with these affairs during the last couple of years. I’d rather do almost anything than just make an appearance.”
“Pardon me, sir, but you know that your appearance at state and social functions will be quite important to the people of Altaria,” Erin pointed out.
He nodded. “I know. I can dress to suit the occasion. But I also know that the personality and vision of the man wearing the crown determines his role. I plan to spend as much time doing things as I will spend making appearances.”
Erin felt a ripple of uneasiness as she thought of her father’s diametrically opposed view of Daniel’s role as king. She looked at the strong, dynamic man in front of her and wondered how she would be able to convince him that he would be more of a figure-head. Not bloody likely. Especially when her own opinion was beginning to waver. She felt a lightning-fast jab of pain and slammed the door on her thoughts. She had a job to do for her country, for her father.
Daniel led her away from the main entrance to the ballroom down the hall and to another door. “We decided it would call less attention to me if I weren’t announced,” he said. “The press will have to search for me.”
Erin glanced at him and couldn’t help shaking her head at his comment.
He stopped. “What?”
“Nothing, sir,” she said.
Daniel sighed. “I really don’t want to have to do this, but—”
Erin cringed. She suspected she knew what was coming.
“I order you to tell me what you’re thinking,” he said. “For the rest of the evening.”
Erin gaped at him in shock. “The entire evening, sir?” she echoed, aghast.
He nodded. “So cough it up. Why did you shake your head when I said the press would have to search for me?”
Erin closed her eyes in embarrassment. “Must I, sir?”
“Yes.”
She swallowed a howl of frustration. “If you want to avoid attention, sir, you need to shrink your height and intelligence. And you would have to do something to make yourself look more plain. You draw attention just by entering the room.”
He dipped his head close to hers. “You’re a lot more fun when you’re honest,” he murmured and took her hand. “Let’s go.”
He pulled her into a huge room filled with beautifully dressed party-goers. Music emanated from an orchestra playing on the far end. The marble-floored ballroom was decorated with mirrors and crystal chandeliers. Tables of appetizers and pastries lined one corner of the room while waiters carried trays of champagne throughout the crowd.
Erin remembered when she had accompanied her father to other parties. Her job had been essentially to disappear once the announcements had been made. “I can excuse myself while you make your necessary rounds, sir,” she offered, disengaging her hand from his.
He frowned at her. “Why?”
“Because I’m certain there are people with whom you must speak, sir.”
“Is there a reason you can’t speak to them too?”
Confused, she slowly shook her head. “No, sir. I thought my purpose for the evening was to provide the appearance of an escort and stay in the background as much as possible.”
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