Affairs of State (Daughters of Power: The Capital #6)(7)
Author: Jennifer Lewis

Now his torso almost touched hers, and they seemed to be growing closer by slow degrees. His rich masculine scent tugged at her senses. She could see the pale stubble on his chin, and the sparkle of light in his eyes—they were hazel up close—and then she couldn’t see at all because her eyes shut and she found herself kissing him.

Four

The daylight dazzled unpleasantly as Simon opened his eyes. He’d had to tug himself away from kissing Ariella, and the taste of her lingered on his tongue, forbidden and delicious. She looked unbearably beautiful, sitting there on the bank, her eyes dark with desire and the forgotten cuffs of her jeans darkening in the water.

“We shouldn’t have done that.” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“I beg to differ.” His entire body growled at him to do a lot more with this lovely woman. He let his hand wander into her long, dark hair. “Mostly because I don’t think we had any choice.”

“You always have a choice.” One neat brow lifted slightly. He could feel her shrink back from him.

“Theoretically, I suppose. But some things are just irresistible.” Her raspberry-tinted lips were among those things, and he lowered his lips toward them again. But this time she hesitated. “Simon, I really don’t think this is sensible.”

“Why not?”

“Uh…because your grandmother would be horrified.”

“Nonsense.” He stroked her hair. She stiffened slightly, as if she wanted to resist, but he saw his own desire reflected in her eyes. “I’m sure she’d adore you.” He really didn’t want to think about the queen right now. He didn’t want to think about anyone but Ariella. He could deal with everyone else later.

Ariella shivered slightly, as anticipation rose in the air. If she didn’t want to kiss him she could have leapt to her feet and darted back to the car. But she hadn’t.

He waited for her to come to him, and she did. Her mouth rose to meet his and they sank deep into another sensual kiss. He was almost breathless when they finally broke again.

“Uh-oh.” Her cheeks were flushed. “I couldn’t help that kiss at all.” She’d twisted into his embrace, and her n**ples peaked against her T-shirt and the bra underneath it.

“See? Sometimes you just don’t have a choice.”

Desire made his thoughts spin. He certainly hadn’t had enough champagne to feel this tipsy. He stroked the silky skin of her arm, wishing he could bare other parts of her. But he could still resist doing that—for now. “Sometimes you have to give in to forces more powerful than a mere human.”

“You’re not a mere human, you’re a prince.” She winked.

He loved how she seemed totally natural with him, not affected or intimidated at all. “Even royalty are subject to the whims of passion.” He traced her cheekbone with his thumb. “Which can be quite inconvenient at times.”

She glanced about nervously. “I hope there aren’t any photographers hiding in the bushes.”

“I’ve learned to go to places that would never occur to them. Why would a man with a large rural estate go to a popular state park?”

“Because it has this cool stream with yellow wildflowers growing along its banks.” Her slender fingers touched the petals of a flower. How he’d like to feel them running over his skin, or through his hair.

“That is why I come, but they don’t think like that. They expect me to go to expensive restaurants and exclusive gatherings. Of course I do that as well, it’s my job, but I’ve become quite skilled at doing the unexpected when I’m off duty. I always have my driver study natural areas near wherever I’m traveling. A man can withstand a lot more dreary meetings around a conference table if he knows there’s a bracing kayak trip waiting for him at the end of it.”

“Very cunning, and keeps you fit, too.”

“And sane. At least as sane as I’m going to be.” He grinned. He didn’t feel terribly sane right now. He wanted to do all kinds of things that weren’t sensible at all, especially not when you did them with a girl who was already in the public eye and who didn’t fit the queen’s narrow ideas of what constituted a suitable consort.

But no one, including the queen, was going to keep him from bedding the lovely Ariella.

“I’d really better get back to D.C. I have a busy week to plan for.”

Again he felt her pulling away from him. He stood and helped her to his feet. Landing a kiss on Ariella’s lovely mouth was enough excitement for today. Their time together had only confirmed his intuition that she was no ordinary woman. He could pace himself and wait for the right moment to claim his prize.

“I need to do some planning myself. Now that I’m staying in D.C. a while longer I want to make sure I make the most of the opportunity.” They walked back to the pretty clearing where they’d had their picnic. “I’d better think about who I want to wine and dine while I’m here—other than you, of course.”

She bit her lip as they packed the remains of lunch back into the bags. He could see she still felt misgivings about their kiss. It was hard not to come on too strong with her when he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and take her back to his hotel.

Instead he helped her into the car and returned her discreetly to a location two blocks away from her apartment. From there she walked home alone, chin lifted in sweet defiance against anyone who wanted to know her business.

He sank back against the back seat of the car and let out a long breath. Ariella Winthrop. Something about her had grabbed him hard. He tried to distract himself by pulling his phone out of his pocket. He’d had it turned off all day. A message from his younger brother Henry seemed like the perfect diversion, so he punched his number.

“Are you really staying over there for another week?” His brother’s incredulous voice made him smile.

“At least a week and with good reason.”

“Let me guess, the reason has long legs and a toothy American smile.”

Simon reached forward and closed the partition between him and the driver. “There’s nothing toothy about her smile,” he retorted, thinking about her lovely mouth.

“I knew it.”

“You knew nothing of the sort. I’m here to raise public awareness of World Connect. I have big plans. We’re going to hold an outdoor concert here in D.C.”

“Nice. But let me guess—she’s involved somehow.”

“She might be.” Was he really so predictable?

Henry laughed. “Don’t let Grandma find out about it.”

“Why not?” He bristled.

“She’d have a fit about you dating anyone who isn’t marriage material. Remember that last lecture she gave you about it being time to settle down. She’s got your wedding all planned and all you have to do is show up.”

He growled. “I’m not marrying anyone.”

“You’ll have to sooner or later. You’re next, big brother.”

“Why don’t you worry about your own love life, instead of mine? I suppose I’m lucky that the scandalous state of your affairs distracts attention from mine.”

“That’s why I need you to get married and draw the spotlight off me for a while.” Henry had been photographed in compromising situations several times over the last year. “Why can’t you make them all happy so I can keep on having fun?”

“That might actually be possible.” He watched D.C. pass by his window. “I’ve met someone who could well be the one.”

“You’re not serious.”

“Do I joke around?”

“Yes, often.”

“Then you can just assume I’m jesting.”

“An American girl?”

“The president’s newly discovered daughter, Ariella, no less.” He felt a bit sheepish using her media handle to describe her to his own brother. “She’s quite something.”

“Don’t even think about it.”

“I’m afraid it’s gone well beyond thinking.” He smiled as memories of their kiss heated his blood.

“Gran will need sedation. And can you imagine Uncle Derek’s reaction?”

“I’ll try not to.” He shook his head. Their mother’s brother took a keen interest in meddling in their affairs and throwing up obstacles at every turn. “If only he’d been born royal he wouldn’t have to try so hard to be more royal than the rest of us.”

“You do realize you can’t marry an American.”

“Why not? In the old days we nearly always married into royal families from other countries.”

“Exactly. Married into royal families. You need a nice Swedish princess, or one from Monaco or Spain.”

He shoved aside an annoying twinge of misgiving. “I’d say that the president’s daughter is American royalty.”

Henry laughed. “For four years, maybe eight, but I don’t think our grandmother will see it that way.”

“I’m sure she’ll love Ariella once she meets her.” Who wouldn’t? And in his experience, people usually got over their prejudices once you gave them half a chance.

“Oh dear, you sound dangerously serious. And I know how bullheaded you are once you get going.”

“I’m not bullheaded, I just do what I think is right.”

Henry laughed. “So you do. I just hope poor Ariella knows what she’s in for.”

* * *

Ariella was attempting to butter toast while checking messages on her phone, when she saw seven messages in a row from Scarlet that must have come in while she was at the gym. She put down the butter knife and punched in Scarlet’s number.

“You’re not going to believe this.” Scarlet was breathless with excitement.

“Try me.” She could barely believe anything that happened to her lately. Every time she thought about that kiss, she was assaulted by a rush of starry-eyed excitement and a burst of salty regret. What had they started?

“We’ve been asked to put in a bid on the Duke of Buckingham’s wedding. In England!”

“That’s great.” Her mind immediately started whirling with plans for a side-trip to Ireland to find her mother.

“Could you sound a bit more excited?”

“I am, really.”

“You know how we’re trying to branch out into Europe. This will be our fifth party over there. I’d say this is some kind of landmark. And now that you’re intimate with royalty, we have an excellent chance of being chosen to plan the event.”

“You’re not going to say anything about me, are you?” Her adrenaline spiked.

“Why? Is there something going on that’s secret?” Scarlet’s voice grew hushed with anticipation.

Could she lie to Scarlet, her close friend and business partner? She sucked in a breath and braced herself. “I kissed him.”

“Ohmygod. You kissed Prince Simon?”

The truth was out. She strode across her apartment, trying to stay calm. “I still can’t believe it happened, but it did. Can I swear you to secrecy?”

“My lips are sealed. So you guys have a…a thing going?”

“I don’t know what we have going, but I’m seeing him for dinner tomorrow.” Already her heart fluttered with anticipation—and fear of where this would lead.

“You’re dating a prince. Wow. It’s a crying shame that I can’t put out a PR release about it. Can you imagine how much we could raise our prices if people knew you were practically a princess?”

“Would you stop! I’m not practically anything, except late for work.”

“You’re totally going to London to pitch this.”

“Fine. Can I eat my toast now and we’ll talk when I come into the office?”

“Oh, okay. Make me wait for details. You’re cruel like that. I’ll see you in a few.”

Ariella put the phone down and tried to distract herself by spreading some more butter. She only liked real butter but it was annoying to wait for it to melt enough to spread. She unscrewed the lid of her favorite organic apricot jam, and the phone rang again. What now? It wasn’t even eight-fifteen in the morning yet.

She glanced at the number. Unavailable. Frowning, she picked up the phone. “Hello.”

“Is that Ariella?” She didn’t recognize the voice. It sounded very far away.

“This is Ariella.”

“Oh, hello.” The line crackled with static.

“Who’s this?” She was growing impatient, trying to spread with one hand.

“It’s your, it’s…Eleanor. Eleanor Daly.”

Her mother. Her breath caught in her throat and she dropped the knife with a clatter and gripped the phone tighter. “I’m so glad you called. Thank you so much for writing to me. You have no idea how much that letter meant.” So many thoughts unfolded in her brain and she tried not to panic.