With a regal nod, the prince turned toward Antoinette, eyes glinting in amusement.
"I will leave you two to your… date." With a mock salute he sauntered away, leaving her steaming.
"My dear, you look upset." Luther touched her arm in concern. "I know Prince Tomas can be a bit, how can I put it? Rude and arrogant at times."
"It's nothing." Forcing the anger away, she linked her hand through his arm, determined to ignore the man across the room who was surrounded by eager women and nonchalantly drinking champagne. "I'm just a little tired. How about showing me some of the latest paintings?"
"Are you certain you don't mind being here?"
"Not at all," she told him with a smile.
He had to squelch the urge to march over to the couple and drag her away. The man was touching her as if she was his personal property. Smiling benignly, he half-listened to the woman on his right who was doing her best to rub her breast against his arm. Such deliberate strategy to get his attention would have amused him in the past, but now, he just felt annoyed and impatient. And not in the least bit interested.
It unnerved him to realize that ever since he had met the woman across the room who was doing her bloody best to pretend he was invisible, he was not the least bit interested in anyone else.
He had fought the attraction and failed miserably. So, now he was embracing the intensely powerful pull he felt toward her and anticipating tonight. Come hell or bloody high water, she would belong to him tonight. He was going to allow her to choose whether she wanted to come to him or have him go to her. It did not matter to him in the least, as long as his goal was accomplished.
Who knows? he thought darkly. After tonight, he would have managed to tear her out of his bloodstream. Somehow he had the sinking feeling that it was not going to be that simple. Downing the rest of the champagne, he rudely interrupted the chatter and walked away.
He saw the fleeting look of panic on her lovely face when she saw him coming toward her. Luther had gone to deal with some patrons and left her to be entertained by a group of older men.
With a curt nod, he had them scurrying away.
"What time do you think you'll be home?"
"I don't answer to you. As a matter of fact, I was thinking I should take Luther up on his offer and go by his place."
"You don't want to do that."
Her chin lifted. "I can do whatever I damn well please."
He studied her for a moment before lifting his gaze to look around the room. "He loves his job," Tomas murmured. "I recalled when Mother interviewed him for the position. His enthusiasm was well documented. I would hate to have to change that."
"You wouldn't!" she burst out.
"Want to try me?" he asked softly. "I also know where he lives." His eyes wandered over her face in an intimate gesture that had her melting. "Don't be too late, querida, and most of all, don't force me to come looking for you."
Simmering with impotent fury, she watched as he made his way through the throng of people, most of whom were vying for his attention. Picking up her glass, she downed the champagne and almost choked as the bubbles collected in her throat.
Bastard! she thought furiously.
*****
"I'm so happy you suggested a walk on the beach," Luther told her with a pleased smile as they strolled through the beautiful white sand with the brilliant blue-green water lapping at the surface. There was a full moon, surrounded by millions of stars dotting the velvety sky. It was late and she had downed enough champagne to have her head spinning. Besides which, she was delaying the inevitable and using Luther to accomplish that.
She had no doubt the prince would make good on his threat to come looking for her. But at least he had no idea where she was. She was damned if she would make it easy on him. She already knew she was going to sleep with him. God help her, it was already predestined and there was no way to stop it from happening. But that did not mean she should meekly go like a lamb to the slaughter. She wanted him.
Even seeing him at the gallery wearing that winter green sweater under a black sports jacket had her heart racing. She would sleep with him, this once and get it out of her system.
And she would be an adult about it. People sleep with each other all the time. There was no reason to make a federal case out of it. They were deeply attracted to each other. Neither of them was involved at the moment, or at least, she did not think he was. Regardless of the fact that he was a prince, a multibillionaire and heir to the throne, he was also a man, and it was the man she would be having sexual relations with.
She would go into this with her eyes wide open. It would certainly not be like before when she was naïve to what was happening around her. She had no damn expectations. It was just sex, losing herself for however long it took and then being done with it.
"Antoinette?" Luther's voice cut into her thoughts and had her jolting slightly.
"I'm sorry, I was miles away."
"I was saying that it was a good idea to take a walk. It makes the evening seem more like a date."
