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“I—” She sighed. “All right.”

His big body stilled completely for a moment. Then he kissed her again, only this time there was a tenderness in it that made her heart expand with hope. “You won’t be sorry,” he promised.

The next day, they made the short flight to Thortonburg and Rafe took her to the vault at Thortonburg Castle where his family’s heirloom rings were kept. His family fortune was easily as extensive as Elizabeth’s own, and the array of rings he brought out to show her was dazzling even to a woman used to the finest of gems. When she threw up her hands helplessly and told him there were too many beautiful rings to choose from, he leaned forward and picked up a square-cut emerald surrounded by diamonds.

It was a beautiful ring and when he slipped it on her ring finger, it fit as if it had been made for her. “It’s a sign,” he said in satisfaction. “This ring belonged to my great-great-grandmother on my mother’s side. She had green eyes just like you and her husband gave her an entire set of emerald jewelry to match this.” He leaned forward and kissed her, lingering over her mouth until they were both panting. “If you’re good, I’ll give you the rest for a wedding present.”

“And just what does ‘being good’ entail?” She could hardly believe that throaty purr had come from her own throat.

He chuckled as he rose and rang the bell for the waiting servants to enter and replace the rest of the gems in the vault. “Not nearly enough while we’re each sleeping under a different roof,” he said “Not nearly enough.”

He was looking forward to seeing his parents again as much as he looked forward to his biannual dental checkups. And the woman sitting in the passenger seat on his left wasn’t going to help the situation any, he thought darkly as he drove the imported luxury car from the royal airstrip through the countryside toward the hills of Thortonburg proper, where his entire family awaited his visit.

They were having dinner with the Grand Duke and Duchess. Elizabeth had been hesitant to accept when his mother Sara had called yesterday with the invitation, and he appreciated her concern for his feelings. Still, he’d told her, it was an excellent way for her to get to know him better, a lure he knew she’d swallow like a trout.

“Tell me more about your childhood.” Elizabeth shifted in her seat, and he took his eyes off the road long enough to appreciate the way her skirt climbed up one long, slender thigh. They’d brought evening dress for tonight’s dinner, but the simple houndstooth suit with gray suede trim at the collar and cuffs was almost elegant enough to suffice.

Last night, he’d been amazingly misera

ble without her, considering that they’d only spent one whole night together in the same bed in this whole crazy relationship. And as much as he longed to have her moving under him in ecstasy and sleeping in his arms, he knew there was more to it than that. The days they’d spent together in Phoenix had gotten him accustomed to her presence, to her quiet humming as she flitted around the house, to the gentle scents of perfume—and Elizabeth—that occasionally wafted down the halls. He hadn’t particularly wanted to analyze the feeling that had swept over him when he’d presented himself at the palace for luncheon earlier today and seen her come sedately down the hall to greet him.

No, he’d much rather relive the passionate moment they’d shared when he pulled her into the deserted library for a few kisses to tide him over.

“Rafe? Where are you?”

He came back to the present with a jolt. She was eyeing him with what looked to be compassion and he realized she thought he’d been thinking of his childhood.

“My childhood? Not much to say, as I already told you. I was away at school.”

“What did you do on holiday?”

A ball of ice formed in his stomach. “I spent most of my holidays at school.”

There was a moment of silence as she digested that. But he knew she wouldn’t let it go. “Why didn’t you go home?”

Raphael! Come down from there at once. Climbing trees is for peasants. Time for your riding lesson and I’ll be most unhappy if you’re late again.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. My father and I didn’t get along very well. It seemed…simpler.”

Second place in the national geography competition. Second place? Really, Raphael, we expected more from you than this. The Thorton name is one of the oldest and finest in all Europe…

“How about your mother?”

“What about her?”

She sighed as if she were dealing with an intransigent child. “Did you get along with your mother?”

“Sure. But when there were any decisions to make, she deferred to Father’s judgment.”

“How long has it been since you’ve seen them?”

He counted. “Almost two years. They stopped to harass me briefly on a trip to California.”

“Two years! And you haven’t been to see them since?” She was truly shocked. He could feel it flowing across the car toward him like a tangible presence. “But…” she was clearly at a loss “…they’re your family.”

“Look,” he said, wishing he were anywhere else but having this conversation. “Your parents adore you. Not everyone in the world has the same good fortune. Don’t expect them to fall all over themselves with joy at the sight of me.” He couldn’t suppress the bitter laugh that escaped. “On the other hand, you and I both will probably be honored guests now that my father’s gotten what he wants. That baby is his fondest dream.”

“Don’t tell me we’re back to this arranged marriage nonsense. My father says it’s not true.” Her tone was aggressive, and for the first time a kernel of doubt worked its way into his mind. Was it possible the old goat had lied to him all these years?

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