you lose touch with reality. Which probably didn’t much matter if you were a prince.
She, however, had to save for the down payment on the apartment she’d be renting in LA. Patrick hadn’t yet mentioned cohabiting and she’d decided it would be tacky and pushy to suggest it.
They could work up to that.
She wouldn’t tell Patrick about the senator, either.
He’d probably think she’d been dressed too provocatively or something.
“Beautiful things are always expensive. It’s the way of the world.” Sebastian eased his broad shoulders against the velvet seat.
“No, they’re not.” She sat up. “Usually things that cost nothing are the most beautiful.” She looked up to where the sun illuminated the rocky peaks that stood sentinel over the town. “Does the blue sky cost money? The clear water? The fresh air?”
She paused. Perhaps there were cleanup crews constantly at work scrubbing and whitewashing Caspia.
“The sun in your golden hair.”
Sebastian’s low voice caught her off guard.
“What?”
“Beautiful.” His eyes were narrowed, seductive.
Heat swelled in her chest, then morphed into a clench of anxiety. Was she inadvertently sending out some signal that she was interested or available?
She crossed her arms over her chest. “For all you know it costs a fortune to get my hair this color.”
“Does it?” He looked curious.
She laughed again. “No. It’s naturally a dark, mousy blond.”
“It’s perfect. And the Caspian sun admires it as much as I.”
For a second she thought he was going to weave his fingers into her hair again. Her body braced in a mixture of terror and anticipation.
The boat bumped gently against the quay.
The boatman lashed the long boat to a metal ring set in the giant stones.
Tessa gathered her long dress and climbed out of the yawing boat with as much dignity as possible. The ancient stone buildings stood shoulder to shoulder along a stone walkway, inlaid with mosaic. She noticed small, tasteful signs above some of the doorways. “Chanel, Ferragamo, Armani.”
“All the stores we’ve been working with.”
He linked his arm though hers. She had to admit that his strong arm felt wonderfully supportive after what she’d just been through with a man she once respected. Sebastian would never take advantage of a vulnerable woman.
Not unless she wanted him to.
Now that she’d seen the Kendricks’ white yacht leave through the harbor mouth, she started to relax, caressed by gentle sea breezes and the bright sun.
Inside Valentino, Sebastian addressed the fawning male clerk. “We’d like to see some swimsuits.”
“Bikini or one-piece?”
“Bikini,” Sebastian said firmly, before she’d managed to get her mouth open. The clerk hadn’t even glanced at her. She wasn’t sure he was even aware of her standing there, next to His Royal Highness.
“That’s the one.” Sebastian pointed to a greenish suit, four microscopic triangles held together by gold rings.
Tessa tilted her head. “Are you sure that’s not a pair of earrings?”
Sebastian chuckled. “Try it on. If it doesn’t fit the rest of you, we’ll hang it from your ears.”
Reluctant, she took the hanger and followed the clerk into a changing room. Thick carpet greeted her feet as she slipped off her sandals behind a heavy curtain. Was she supposed to go out and show Sebastian the bikini?
There was no mirror in the curtained cubicle, so she had to creep out into the main dressing room to confront her almost-naked body in a wall of mirrors.
She approached the mirror carefully, expecting an eyeful of skinny-and-pale.
“Very nice.”
Sebastian’s deep voice made her jump. She spun around to see him standing by the entrance to the dressing rooms, arms crossed and a smile of appreciation sneaking across his arrogant mouth.
“I could use a tan.”
“Then the sooner we get out in the sun, the better.” His smile became a broad grin. He held out his arm. “Let’s go.”
She laughed. “I have to get dressed again. And pay. This scrap of fabric is probably two hundred dollars.”
He smiled wryly. “I’ve already paid. Here’s the matching sarong.” He handed her a shimmering piece of greenand-gold fabric.
Their hands brushed as she took it from him. A swift touch that made her heart beat faster.
For all she knew it was actually five hundred dollars and the sarong twice as much.
She sucked in a breath.
Eek. This was all a bit much.
It wasn’t appropriate to let her boss dress her up like a Barbie doll. Especially when she was practically engaged to someone else.
Thoughts of Patrick seemed rather out of place here in Caspia. He didn’t like hot sun and he’d be bored on the water. When they’d gone sailing out of Westport with one of his clients, he’d kept flipping on his PDA to check stock quotes.
Very practical. Sensible. The kind of person who’d make a responsible husband and father. So she’d better make sure she kept Patrick—and her own future—foremost in her mind.
Five
White liveried servants brought Tessa and Sebastian a lunch of handmade delicacies on the private palace dock. Hidden from the world by carved stone walls, they sipped fresh lemonade with sprigs of fragrant mint while seawater lapped at the sun-bleached quay. Bright flowers bloomed in ornate urns, their leaves occasionally ruffled by the warm breeze.
Tessa wriggled, trying not to get too comfortable on the soft lounge chair. She wore the bikini. She could hardly refuse when he’d sunk so much money into it.
“I really should call the attendees for the meeting.”
“Not yet. You need heliotherapy.” Sebastian picked up the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head in a quick motion.
She jerked her gaze away from the sight of his bronzed washboard abs.
“Helio-what?” She fixed her attention on a seagull, then quickly became dizzy as it turned in tight circles, scanning the water for its lunch.
Sebastian was stretching.
