she said adamantly. “I realize now only an honorable man would so obviously love a child he just met. I see it every time you look at Sam.”
Every time he looked at her, he felt things he could not explain, and shouldn’t be feeling. “Then what would stop you from exploring our relationship on an intimate level, particularly when you were so bent on doing so in Chicago?”
“I’m taking your need for celibacy into consideration.”
That vow was quickly becoming the bane of his existence. “I do not believe that to be the case.”
She sighed. “Fine. Truth is, I don’t want to get hurt.”
He slid a fingertip along her jaw. “I would never do anything to hurt you, Piper.”
“Not intentionally,” she said. “But if we take that all-important step, I worry it’s going to be too hard to walk away. And we both know I’ll be walking away sooner than later.”
Letting her walk away wouldn’t be one of his finest moments, either. But he could make no promises. “I propose we continue with our original plan and learn all we can about each other while you’re here. Anything beyond that will happen only if we mutually decide it’s beneficial for both of us.”
She tapped her chin and pretended to think. “A prince with benefits. That does sound intriguing.”
He had resisted her long enough was his last thought before he reeled her into his arms and kissed her. She didn’t reject the gesture at all. She didn’t push him away or tense against him. She simply kissed him back like a woman who had not been kissed enough. And as usual, his body responded in a way that would merit a serious scolding from his former governess.
Bent on telling her what she was doing to him, he brought his lips to her ear. “If we had no care in the world, and all the privacy we needed, I would lift up your dress, lower your panties and take you right here.”
She pulled back and stared at him with hazy eyes. “I could think of worse things.”
He could think of something much better. “You deserve a bed and champagne and candles our first time.”
“You’re certainly not lacking in confidence.”
Subtlety had never been his strongest suit. “Provided we decide to take that next step.”
“Provided we could actually find the time to do it while adhering to your son’s schedule.”
Right on time, the sound of a crying baby filtered out through the nursery’s open window. “I shall go see about him,” he said without removing his hold or his gaze from her.
“I’ll do it,” she answered without making a single move.
“I already have.”
Adan glanced to his right to see Elena strolling onto the terrace, his son in her arms, sending him away from Piper. “We were on our way.”
Elena rolled her eyes. “You were on your way, all right, but that had nothing to do with the bambino.”
Caught by the former nanny like a juvenile delinquent stealing candy from the market. “We shall take charge of him now.”
Elena moved in front of him and smiled. “I will watch him for a while until you and Miss McAdams return.”
“Where are we going?” Piper asked before he could respond.
“Your presence is requested in the conference room. Both of you.”
Perhaps the first information from the engineers, although he had a difficult time believing they’d have anything significant to report in such a short time. “Shouldn’t we wait to meet with the conservation crew until after Rafiq returns?”
“Rafiq arrived a few minutes ago,” Elena said. “He called the meeting.”
Damn it all to hell. He’d been summoned to take his place in the king’s hot seat. “Did he happen to mention anything about water conservation?”
“I would speculate he’s interested in conserving the military commander in chief’s reputation.” Elena cradled the baby closer and patted Adan’s arm. “Good luck, cara. You are absolutely going to need it.”
Depending on what his brother had in store for him, he could very well need to call out the royal guard.
Dead silence—Piper’s first impression the minute she followed Adan into the conference room for the so-called meeting. And she had no doubt she knew exactly what was on the agenda—quite possibly her head delivered to her personally by the king of Bajul.
He wore a black silk suit, dark gray tie and a definite air of authority. His coal-colored eyes and near-black hair would qualify him as darkly handsome, and somewhat intimidating. Very intimidating, Piper realized when he pushed back from the head of the mahogany table and came to his feet. Adan might be an inch or so taller, but his brother’s aura of sheer power made him seem gigantic.
The mysterious Mr. Deeb stood nearby, absently studying his glasses before he repositioned them over his eyes. “Please join us,” he said, indicating the two chairs on each side of the stoic monarch.
Adan had already settled in before Piper had gathered enough courage to walk forward. She could do this. She could face Rafiq Mehdi with a calm head and feigned confidence. Or she could turn and run.
Choosing the first option for diplomacy’s sake, she claimed the chair opposite Adan as the king sat and folded his hands before him on the tabletop. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. McAdams,” he began, “though I would have preferred to have done so under different circumstances.”
She would have preferred not to meet him at all today, if ever. Sucking up seemed like a fantastic idea. “The pleasure is all mine, Your Excellency. My grandfather has said some wonderful things about your leadership. And you may call me Piper.”
“And you may address me as Rafiq, since it seems you have become a part of the royal family without my knowledge.”
Piper swallowed hard around her chagrin. “Actually, that’s not—”
“Are you going to jump to conclusions without hearing our side of the story, Rafiq?” Adan asked, a serious hint of impatience in his tone.
The king leaned back and studied them both for a moment. “I am giving you the opportunity now.”
“I have a son,” Adan said. “That whole wife issue was simply a misunderstanding, and that is all there is to the story.”
Rafiq released a gruff laugh. “I fear you are wrong about that, brother. I know this because I have heard the entire sordid tale. And I do believe that included you delivering the ‘wife’ proclamation yourself.”
Piper noticed an immediate change in Adan’s demeanor. He definitely didn’t appear quite as confident as he had when they’d entered the room. She had
