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“Ooh, this is so fancy!” Erin gushed, sliding into the stretch town car. “How far away is your... place? Yourcastle?” She said it like it was a disease and I had to admit that she was the first woman who’d ever said it like it was a bad thing to live in one of the hundred Lichtenstein castles. Not that I pulled or played that card often. There were women. Not a lot but enough to know that a castle wasn’t a deterrent. Not a turn-off. Hell, at nineteen it had been a bonus.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t far at all. For some reason, I found myself wanting to spend more time with Erin. As soon as we arrived, she would be whisked away to her guest quarters, and I wouldn’t have the pleasure of those blinding smiles of hers any longer. They were the kind of smiles that made a man want and need and yearn.Iyearned.
“About fifteen minutes,” I told her. The castle sat upon a hilltop staring down over the city.
“Oh, great.” She yawned loudly, lifting her hand to cover her mouth. “Sorry.”
“I’msorry. You must be tired.” Jetlag was a real thing. She’d flown across a couple time zones.
She nodded. “I am. I didn’t get much sleep on the plane. I was far too excited.”
I couldn’t help the smile. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and I couldn’t stop watching her. She was spirited, oohing and aahing, finding delight in every single flower alongside of the rode—the wild ones left over from the winter—and mountain peaks on our way. I smiled and watched her because I couldn’t stop smiling and I couldn’t stop watching.
Too soon we turned into the castle grounds and the car sped up the drive to the gate.
Erin slid to the edge of the seat and stared out through the heavily tinted windows. “Thisis your home? Are you serious?”
She turned to stare at me with wide, shocked eyes.
I shrugged. “Yes. I live here.” Most of the time. When I wasn’t traveling or spending time in one of the other three castles my family owned in Liechtenstein.
We pulled up in front of the main entrance and a footman scurried over to open the vehicle door. His brow narrowed then his eyes went wide. He’d obviously not expected to find a woman, because I’d only left a couple hours ago and even for a prince, that would’ve been quick work. But he composed himself and offered his hand. “Miss.”
She nodded and slipped her hand over his—lucky bastard—then swung her legs out of the vehicle. “Thank you.” When she stood, she smiled at Oscar. “Hello, I’m Erin.” He nodded and stepped back as I came around the car from the other side.
I took a shallow breath and shook my head. Bringing her here was wrong. A bad choice. But I ignored my instinct to send her straight to the nearest hotel and let her cool her heels until Silas and Viktor arrived. I supposed she could’ve signed before they arrived and been on her way, but I didn’t make the offer. There was probably a subconscious reason.
“Erin will be staying in one of the guest rooms tonight, Oscar. Please inform the staff and make sure she’s comfortable.” This time, I was the one who threw him off. A guest room was hardly consistent when I was involved with a beautiful woman.
“Where are you going?” Erin asked before rushing over to grab her baggage out of the car.
“One of the house staff will carry those in for you,” I told her as she hoisted her suitcases out of the trunk, one after the other, much to the dismay of my driver, who had tried to get there before her and failed.
“Oh, I’m fine. It’s only one case, and a small bag, really.” She fluttered her hands at the servants to send them away, then walked back over to me. “I’m ready. Where’s Ray?”
She glanced around as if she expected that just by saying his name, he would appear, but even I didn’t have that power. He hadn’t been impressed when I’d assigned him the task of picking Erin up from the airport, but I needed her delivered safely and without mishap.
I tilted my head and considered her in the direct sunlight. She was stunning in any light. I didn’t think the sun could make her more so, but I was wrong. “He was traveling in another car.” My voice was thick, my body tight.
She nodded. “He was nice.” And that was all she said, but I had a feeling she wanted to say more. I tilted my head and waited, but no further conversation ensued, so I turned to go up the stairs. But I stopped before I made even one step up.
“Nice?” I coughed out a laugh. “Not usually the word people use to describe him.” He would be insulted, as he was a lethal arms expert, a professional sniper, a man with military training and expertise who was tapped to do the gravest of missions. “You will see him again later, I’m sure.” I wasn’t jealous that she wanted to see him. Not that I would ever admit aloud anyway.
I offered Erin my elbow, and she took it. “Please, let Oscar take your bags,” I told her, and she tipped her chin up to look at me. “And I’ll escort you to your suite.”
She rolled her eyes at me. “Okay.” She handed over the pink luggage and matching bag, and I gripped her hand and walked her up the steps.
“Thank you.”
Her gasp was audible as we reached the front door and Joseph, the man whose sole responsibility was to man the door, opened it to let us in.
She walked in beside me and looked up at the ceiling, down at the floor, at the Renoir on the wall, the Degas, the marble foyer, the Ming vase. I was more impressed by the Springsteen autograph I’d gotten at a concert when I was nineteen, but chances were, she wouldn’t see that since it was framed in my bedroom. “Wow, Henryk! This place is insane!”
I nodded at Joseph as we made our way inside. “Yes, I suppose it is.” It was, indeed, grand. I didn’t notice it anymore, but to someone who didn’t see it every day of their childhood, it probably was a display of ridiculousness.
Raymond strode into the foyer, and said, “Erin, I’ll take you to the guest wing.”
Erin tugged her hand out of the crook of my elbow as quickly as if she’d been caught touching me in a less appropriate spot. Her skin flushed. She cleared her throat. “I think Henryk was going to take me.”
