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“The timing on this is quite good,” Christian said. “Ariana returned from Paris yesterday, and Nic and Brooke aren’t set to leave for Los Angeles until the end of the week. We can tell my whole family at once.”
“That’s wonderful news. Have you thought when you’d like the wedding to take place?”
“We could elope to Ithaca the way Gabriel and Olivia did.”
Noelle shook her head. “I don’t think your mother would approve. Perhaps we could have a Christmas wedding?”
He didn’t like the idea of waiting three months to make her his wife, but having been on the sidelines for his brothers’ weddings, he understood a great deal went into organizing a royal affair.
“Whatever you desire.”
She gave him a funny little smile. “Just don’t bother you with any of the details?”
“I’m sure between you, Olivia and my mother, any opinion I might have would be shot down in an instant.”
The large diamond on her left hand winked at him as she lifted the champagne flute to her lips. “I promise you can have a voice in the arrangements if you tell me the one thing you always pictured having at your wedding.”
“I never imagined getting married.” Christian saw no reason to avoid the truth.
“No, I suppose you didn’t.”
Her smile wasn’t as bright as some he’d seen, and he felt compelled to change that.
“It took the right woman to change my mind.”
“The right circumstances.”
Christian wanted to argue. To convince her that he had other reasons for marrying her besides legitimizing Marc and securing the throne for his family. Five years ago, knowing she’d never choose success over love, he’d manipulated the circumstances that swept her out of his life. She’d never believe he did it for her own good. Or that his actions had been noble even if on the surface they appeared selfish.
So, instead of creating conflict on the heels of a great victory, he did what any sane man would. He said to hell with dinner, took her in his arms and carried her to the master cabin.
* * *
Noelle rolled onto her side in the yacht’s roomy master bedroom to watch the play of muscles in Christian’s back and the delectable curve of his bare butt as he crossed the cabin to open a window and let in some cool evening air.
“The crew is going to wonder what happened to us,” Noelle commented, her breath catching as Christian turned in her direction and shot her a wicked grin.
From his lustrous mahogany hair to his absurdly long toes and every magnificent line, dip and rise in between, he was hers. The jubilant thought lightened her heart and weighed on her mind.
“You don’t think they heard us and know exactly what we’re up to?”
Fresh air spilled across her overheated flesh and she broke out in goose bumps. She should feel embarrassed that her impassioned cries and his climactic shouts had penetrated the stateroom’s thin walls. Instead, she found herself grinning.
“Too bad we didn’t open the window beforehand. We could have given the entire riverbank something to talk about tomorrow.”
Christian dropped onto the mattress and reached for her. “We could go for an encore.”
Laughing, Noelle batted his hands away from her breast and thigh before snuggling against his left side and dropping her head onto his chest. His fingers traced soothing patterns on her hip as they lay together in silence.
It was hard to be this close to such a superb example of masculinity and not let herself go exploring. He sighed as she traced his collarbone and worked her way across his pectoral muscles. Glancing at his face, she noted his thick lashes lying against his cheeks. This gave her the chance to survey the right side of his upper body, where the worst of the scars were gathered. Moving with care, she grazed the tips of her fingers over the damaged flesh. Christian flinched.
She jerked her hand away. “Did I hurt you?”
“No.” His chest expanded as he sucked in a ragged breath. He stared at the ceiling, gold eyes dull. “The scars are ugly.” His voice rang with self-disgust.
Noelle doubted many people saw this darker side of Christian. In public he exuded capability and confidence that she knew took a great deal of energy to maintain. Only with those he truly trusted could he let down his guard. Noelle had been happy to lend him what strength she could.
“You got them rescuing Talia after Andre lost control of his car,” she reminded him. “They’re your badge of courage.”
