turned his back to the window and looked down at her. ‘Sarcasm doesn’t suit you. Anyway, some of what you say is the truth.’
It was. But it wasn’t the only truth. ‘I loved my job. I wouldn’t have stuck at it so long if I hadn’t.’ She’d loved the freedom and the strength she got from it. She missed it. ‘My father was almost fifty when I was born. When my mother died he grieved long and hard, and he was left with a child he had no idea how to raise.’ She sighed, suddenly tired. ‘He did the best he could.’
He was still her father. She would always defend him. Because even though his distance and disappointment hurt her she still loved him.
‘He sent you away?’ Eduardo said softly.
Stella frowned. It wasn’t that simple. ‘He ensured that I had an excellent education and that I came to know my mother’s country. That I was well cared for.’
‘By boarding school matrons?’
‘They understood the needs of a young girl better than he ever could.’ She nodded.
‘But you came back? To prove yourself in his world?’ he persisted.
She paused.
‘Because you wanted his approval.’ Eduardo stepped towards her and lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his beautiful eyes.
‘That’s only part of it,’ she whispered, hating this analysis. Life was so much more complicated than he made it sound. ‘I’m not that pathetic.’
‘It’s not pathetic. It’s normal,’ he countered. ‘All children crave the love and approval of their parents.’
‘Did you?’
‘Of course,’ he said simply. ‘My parents were very proper, and it was all just how it always was...but they were there. They loved us both.’
‘And then they died.’ She looked at him, guessing that was a deep-running wound—as it was for her. It was one she could barely think about.
He nodded.
‘You’re not close to Antonio?’
He paused, and she could almost feel him withdrawing. ‘He is very busy. I’m the lucky one. All the weight rests on his shoulders.’
‘Maybe you’re not as carefree as you make yourself out to be.’ She studied him. ‘You couldn’t continue with law...’
He waved his hand dismissively. ‘There are limitations on everyone—many others have worse. Some face huge struggles just to get the right to go to school.’
Yes, but that didn’t necessarily reduce his personal regret or resentment. ‘What else would you have liked to do that you couldn’t?’ she asked.
There was another hesitation. Then he suddenly straightened, looking her in the eye. ‘Your father wouldn’t let me serve in the army. Not on active duty.’
That surprised her. ‘You wanted to be a soldier?’ She knew just how that was—that blanket refusal.
‘Trained for two years. Then they said no to anything overseas.’
‘They?’
‘Your father. My big brother.’
So, no to his first choice of career, limitations in the second. Now he spent his time opening new tourist destinations.
‘Are you feeling sorry for me now? The spare heir, living a meaningless, untameable life? Poor Prince Eduardo!’ He mimicked the headlines that were frequently splashed over glossy magazines.
‘Sarcasm doesn’t suit you either,’ she said. ‘And there’s truth in what you say.’
‘So I am meaningless and untameable?’ He laughed at her expression. ‘I’m luckier than so many. And I accept the things I cannot change.’
‘Have you ever tried to change them?’ she asked. ‘Ever tried to do what everyone says you can’t? Thought, To hell with it... I’ll show you?’
He placed both hands on the arms of her chair and leaned down to gaze into her eyes. A funny smile quirked his lips. ‘Perhaps I am not as brave as you.’
‘Perhaps you’ve not found anything you’re that passionate about yet.’ If he’d really wanted to do it, wouldn’t he have fought harder?
‘You see?’ He released her chair and straightened, reverted back to Prince Charming mode. ‘We’re getting to know each other already.’
Not enough. She’d always known he felt some constraint in his role—now she wanted to understand more.
‘Why did we have Matteo and Giulia as our witnesses?’ she asked.
‘Because they’re the two people I trust most in the world.’ He glanced back at her. ‘And I don’t think the newspapers are going to ask us that question.’
‘Why not your brother?’ She ignored his attempt at deflection. She wanted to know more about their relationship, because while Eduardo had hinted at disharmony he was unquestionably loyal.
For a moment he said nothing. ‘Not for this, no.’ He turned and shot her a distracting smile, held his hand up as if he were holding a microphone. ‘What was it that first drew you to Prince Eduardo?’
Yes, he was very loyal. The fact that he wouldn’t discuss Antonio with her drew respect. So she let herself be distracted and smiled back archly. ‘You’re just fishing for compliments.’
‘You’re going to be asked that question a lot.’
‘No.’ She laughed ruefully. ‘I’m not. It’ll be you being asked what you saw in me.’
‘Your ego is as hungry as mine!’ He held his hand out to her and winked. ‘Come sit with me and I’ll tell you everything.’
But when she stood he stood too, then picked her up and carried her to his bedroom.
At five the next morning Stella didn’t want to drag herself out of bed, but if she didn’t she’d lose more than her inhibitions in Eduardo’s arms. She’d never felt so wanted, so desired. But aside from sex there was nothing between them. Even the desire couldn’t be as strong for him, because if she hadn’t got pregnant she’d never have seen him again.
This wasn’t real and it wasn’t going to last. Just because he was showing her one kind of affection it didn’t mean it would become more.
Carefully she slipped out from under his heavy arm and dashed to her bag.
She wasn’t afraid of many things—not of travelling to foreign places nor suffering intense physical strain. But what Eduardo made her feel... Sure, it might be easy—but it was still too good. She didn’t
