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“Gentlemen, it seems we have a dilemma.” Rob stepped up, seeming to have shaken whatever had caused the turmoil in his eyes earlier. With finesse and an ease that belied the possibility that the interruption hadn’t been planned, he spoke to the cameras and the bachelors. “Which one of these lovely ladies is the real princess? The gorgeous Jane who you’ve spent the last month getting to know or this majestic vision who claims she’s of true royal lineage?”
The bachelors murmured among themselves. All, but one. Jill stared at the open-mouthed Jeff. He looked as if he was seeing a ghost.
“Izzy?” Jeff squawked, rising from his seat.
Izzy? What was he talking about?
The woman’s cheeks blushed a bright pink as she glimpsed at Jeff, then quickly averted her gaze.
Jill frowned. Had Jane Millionaire turned into an episode of The Twilight Zone or what? She expected to hear creepy music start up any moment. Maybe Rod Serling’s voice announcing some unusual phenomena. Remembering the cameras, she forced the frown from her face and glanced around the room, looking for a clue as to what was really going on.
“It’s time. Make your choice of who you want to spend the next week with on your Caribbean ‘honeymoon’,” Rob said. For her benefit or for the cameras? She glared at him, wishing she could demand to know how he could do this to her. Why demand something she knew the answer to? He’d used her and she couldn’t even blame him. Hadn’t she practically asked for him to?
Honeymoon, he’d said. God, just hearing the word made her stomach pitch. How would she manage another week of pretending? And why should she when they’d deceived her?
Her gaze flicked back to Rob. He’d stepped closer, and she could make out the remorseful anticipation in his honey-in-sunshine eyes. Her heart thudded and her tongue stuck to the roof of her dry mouth.
She knew what her responsibilities were.
For Rob she had to do this. This was his career. Her career. Her life. Jessie’s life. So many people could be hurt if she didn’t do the right thing. She knew all these things, so why was she still hesitating?
“I choose Je--” she gulped.
“Wait one moment,” Rob interrupted, dragging out her decision. Was this planned? Or had he been unable to hear her say Jeff’s name? She wasn’t sure and waited for him to continue.
“The bachelors don’t know the new rules. Once Jane makes her choice, the chosen bachelor gets to take the proffered romantic getaway with Jane, or he can choose a cash prize of one hundred thousand dollars and walk away.”
The men’s eyes widened. Except for Jeff who had gotten over his initial shock and now looked torn between unbelieving and pissed off as if he too believed he’d been mislead in some way. The newcomer stared at him with her heart on her sleeves.
What was going on?
“Or he can opt to stay at the castle for another week with this woman claiming to be the real Princess Isabella Jane Strovanik.”
Jill’s eyes widened as well. This new woman, who might really be a princess for all she knew, had been thrown into the prize pool? And Jeff knew her? From the looks passing between the two of them, they’d known each other quite well.
She had to be having a nightmare. She’d wake up and be at home in California and the past month would only be one long, bad nightmare--except for the Rob parts. And all his parts were dreamy.
Maybe this really was The Twilight Zone in disguise as reality TV.
Chapter Sixteen
Rob’s heart lurched and lodged in his throat.
Jill was going to choose Jeff Kensington and the two would spend a fun-filled, romantic week together on a tropical paradise. One thing might lead to another…
Jealousy pricked the armor around his heart. Jill was his. He’d claimed her this morning. The other night. He’d branded her as his woman. Urgency to stop this disaster from unfolding stomped all over his better judgment.
She was unlike any woman he’d ever met, and he was going to lose her for a television show?
A damn reality show, at that. Why had he let JP talk him into this drivel?
After loving her this morning while the first streaks of dawn filtered into her suite, he refused to risk her falling for Kensington. Not when he was confident she had fallen for him. He’d felt it in her touch, in her kiss. He’d be a fool to send her on a romantic interlude with another man.
Rob Lancaster wasn’t a man known for foolishness.
Jill’s eyes were locked with his. She was more beautiful and royal than the regal woman standing between them, the real princess. Jill looked confused and unsure of how she should proceed. She also appeared more than a little ticked off. He should have told her about the real princess. He should have told her that she made him want things he’d never dreamed of wanting.
“I choose,” she started over. Despite the anger she targeted at him, her expression also begged him to rescue her. Easily, he could see the plea in her wide green eyes.
