Prince of Midtown / Marriage, Manhattan Style

“I can see them shaking already. You can do anything you set your mind to. Even snowboarding down Kilimanjaro.” He leaned back with a wistful smile.

Sebastian’s chest filled with regret that his friend had missed the experience. “You should have been there.”

Reed looked away, picked up a pen and tapped it on his blotter. “Yes. Well. I have other commitments now.” A muscle twitched at his temple. His blue gaze seemed less bright than usual.

“How is Elizabeth? I haven’t seen her in a long time. Is she still your secret weapon on the doubles court, as well as the love of your life?”

Reed’s eyes crinkled. “She sure is. We’ll have to get together for a game sometime with you and whoever your current mixed-doubles partner is.”

Sebastian shrugged. “I’m playing singles at the moment. Got business to take care of.”

“Even if we don’t see you on the courts, you must come to our anniversary party.”

“What is it, three years?”

“Five.” Reed’s jaw stiffened.

Not the most reassuring indication of marital bliss.

“That’s great.” He leaned over the desk and slapped Reed on the arm. Tried to sound enthusiastic. “Just let me know where to show up. And you know the two of you have an open invitation to visit Caspia again whenever you like.”

“I’ll take you up on that soon. Right now I’m in the throes of starting a new company. It’s sucking up even more of my free time than all that partying we used to do when we were younger.”

“Who says I’ve stopped?” Sebastian raised a brow.

“You always did have impressive stamina. One day you’ll meet a woman you actually want to stay home with.”

“So they tell me, but I don’t plan to wave the white flag of surrender anytime soon.”

The doorman pulled open the door and Sebastian stepped into the lobby of his building. Vivian Vannick-Smythe’s two fluffy white dogs stopped scratching at the priceless Oriental rug and turned to growl at him.

If that woman led him around on a string all day, he wouldn’t be in a good mood, either. Sebastian shot the dogs a sympathetic glance.

“Prince Sebastian!” Vivian turned to him with a winning smile. Or had too much plastic surgery left her expression permanently fixed like that?

“Hello, Vivian.”

“How lovely to see you here. I noticed you haven’t been around much lately.”

“I’ve been in Caspia.”

“Ahh.” Her dogs lunged at his pant leg, yowling and snapping at the end of their embroidered leashes. “I read about those nasty storms in the Mediterranean. I do hope Caspia didn’t suffer too much damage.”

“There were some losses to the olive crops, but happily no one was hurt.”

“What a relief. Backward countries do seem to suffer the most from these things.”

Sebastian’s hackles shot up. “Caspia is in no way backward. If you were to visit…” Perish the thought. “You’d find a thriving, modern country on the brink of becoming one of the prime luxury tourist destinations in the world.”

“How charmingly passionate you are about your homeland.”

Sebastian glanced up to see if the elevator was coming. Yes, thank God.

The doors opened and Vivian’s paisley skirt swirled about her ankles as she walked in. Her dogs yapped around Sebastian’s ankles, loud in the enclosed space.

“Hold the elevator!” A deep voice rang across the marbled lobby.

Sebastian looked up to see Gage Lattimer diving past the doorman.

Vivian’s dogs diverted their hostile intentions to him. Fortunately for Sebastian, Vivian followed suit.

“Why, Gage, our man of mystery. I was just chatting with Prince Sebastian.” She shone that fixed smile on him. “He should be a role model to you. He does live up to his clean-cut image.”

Clean-cut? Sebastian resisted the urge to test his chin for stubble. He’d been called a lot of things, but clean-cut wasn’t one of them. Maybe she meant the suit?

He shot a puzzled look at Gage.

“Are you implying something?” Gage raised an eyebrow at Vivian.

“Moi?” She forced a laugh. “Of course not. I believe people’s personal affairs should be kept private.”

Gage shook his head.

An awkward silence thickened in the air. Well, not exactly silence, what with all the growling.

Sebastian’s muscles unwound a bit when the elevator reached his floor. He held the door open for Vivian to exit, her leashed demons scampering ahead of her.

Unfortunately they lived on the same floor.

Happily the walls were thick.

Her dogs wiggled with excitement as she fumbled in her purse for her key. They actually looked sort of adorable for once and he couldn’t resist crouching to pet one of the fluffy fur balls.

It turned and snapped at him, almost catching his finger.

Never mind.

Sebastian’s apartment had a neglected air. His former house sitter, Carrie Gray, hadn’t left his employ to marry that long ago, but already stacks of unopened mail tilted precariously on the hall table. He picked an envelope off the top and ripped it open.

“You are cordially invited to celebrate the landmark status of our building.”

He snorted.

Yes, 721 Park Avenue was a beautiful building, but it probably wasn’t much over a hundred years old. Parts of the royal palace in Caspia were rumored to be five thousand years old.

That was a landmark.

He flung the envelope back on the pile and lifted his foot to step over the bag he’d dropped in the foyer the night before. He’d gone straight from the plane to the office to an all-night party and hadn’t had time to unpack. It was inconvenient having no one to do it for him.

But the bag wasn’t there.

Did he hear voices?

He did. Female voices.

Interesting. Especially since he hadn’t brought anyone home last night.

Anticipation pricked through him as he walked down the marble-floored hallway toward the living room.

A familiar mane of blond hair cascaded over the back of an uncomfortable eighteenth-century chair. “Tessa.”

She jumped. “Oh, Your Highness, I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Your Highness?” He lifted a brow.

“I’m interviewing candidates for your new house sitter.” She indicated a red-haired girl seated opposite her.

He smiled at them both. He always could count on Tessa to handle everything.

Tessa excused herself for a moment and hurried after Sebastian. “I unpacked your bag. I’m not sure if I did it right. Let me show you where I put things.”

She rambled on, suddenly feeling like an intruder in his private space. His house sitter used to handle the apartment, so she rarely came here. She was embarrassed that she still hadn’t had time to tackle his mail. “I didn’t mean to surprise you. I just thought it would be a good idea to interview the house sitters here so they’d have an idea of what the job entails. The antiques and all. You can tell a lot about someone by the way they treat your home.”

“Good thinking.”

She rushed along the hallway. Why was she so anxious? Perhaps because she was also secretly interviewing for her own replacement.

“The agency had three girls ready this morning, and I didn’t want to wait, or to interrupt you at Reed’s. How did the meeting go?”

“Great. I wanted to get his advice on how to bring Caspia Designs into the twenty-first century.” He glanced at her. “Or even the twentieth.”

His mischievous grin made her heart beat faster.

“You’ll turn the company around fast.”

“With your help.” He shot her a dark look. “Starting with this trip to Caspia.”

She swallowed. Even poring over the inadequate and whimsical financial reports of Caspia Designs had made her fall a little bit in love with the country. It seemed a land ruled by passion rather than politics. Exuberance rather than economics.

Much like its devastatingly handsome prince.

Tessa bit her lip. Already she’d reconsidered her plan to leave. Sebastian paid her well and treated her kindly. Her parents told her she was mad to quit a job with such excellent benefits.

But she’d spent most of her adult life working with the rich and famous, first at a PR firm and now here. She was sick of glitz and glamour. She’d trade it in a heartbeat for the simple happiness her parents still shared after nearly fifty years of marriage.

For some reason being tall and blond attracted the biggest jerk in every room she entered. She’d had enough of being arm-candy for movers and shakers who weren’t interested in anything beyond a night of sex.

Normal “regular guy” types never asked her out. Patrick was the best thing to happen to her in a long time. Yes, he was a high-profile lawyer, but he was down-to-earth and practical. He called when he said he would. He took her out on dates—when he had the time—and treated her with respect.

Something she’d begun to worry would never happen.

In his large, uncluttered bedroom, Sebastian removed his jacket and started to unbutton his shirt. Tessa dragged her eyes away. “I hung your pants and shirts in the closet. And I put your…underwear in the drawer.”

Her cheeks heated. Handling his boxers had felt way too personal.

“You didn’t have to do that.” His fingers continued down his buttons. He tugged his shirt out of his pants to undo the bottom ones and she fought an urge to run for the door.

But she didn’t want him to know that watching him undress affected her. He was probably used to undressing in front of…staff. It meant nothing to him.

She meant nothing to him.

For years she’d been telling herself her silly attraction to her boss would fade over time. She’d fall for someone else.

But other men seemed pale and uninteresting compared to Sebastian.

Except Patrick, of course. He was thoughtful. Nice. Considerate.

He wasn’t quite ready for fatherhood yet, but maybe once his big case was over and they settled into a comfortable house in a nice quiet neighborhood with trees and grass and…

Uh-oh. Sebastian’s long fingers undid the button on his pants.

She headed for the door. “I put your toiletries in the bathroom. Well, your toothbrush. I didn’t see anything else.”

“I don’t need anything else.”

“I’ll get back to my interview.” Her voice was high and squeaky. She heard the swish of his pants sliding over his long, muscled legs.

“Did Dior Homme send the T-shirts?”

“Um. Yes. I put them…” She’d have to go back into the bedroom to find the shelf. Squinting to avoid the vision of a seminaked Sebastian, she hurried to the closet.

“Here, on the middle shelf.” The fresh pile of shirts commemorated the deal he’d brokered to open a Dior boutique in the row of luxury stores along the harbor in Caspia. She picked up a large black T-shirt with a geometric design and held it toward him while keeping her eyes averted.

She could smell his scent. Soap and skin. A hint of sweat.

How could that get her blood pumping? He was just a guy, for crying out loud. Patrick smelled much nicer, of that woodsy cologne he wore. Which, actually, she hated. But she could buy him another.

“Tessa.”

She turned without thinking. At the exact moment he lifted the T-shirt over his head and flexed all the muscles of his wide, bronzed chest.

Her knees buckled and she struggled to stay upright.

Not a problem. She didn’t like big muscles anyway.

Too brutish.

She preferred men who were…cerebral.

“What do you think?” He indicated the T-shirt freshly pulled over his thick pecs.

“Nice design.” Her voice came out weird and flat. A light dusting of black hair roughened his hard, bare thighs below the T-shirt hem.

“Yeah. I like this new line. Did you take some for yourself?”

“I don’t wear extra large.”

“You could wear them in bed.” His low voice tickled her ears.

Tessa’s eyes widened. Her face heated. Sebastian was thinking about her in bed?

Oh. Get over yourself.

If anyone knew that women like to sleep in oversize T-shirts, it was Sebastian. He’d seen a lot of women in bed.

“Sure. I’ll grab a couple.”

“Great.” He shot her a white-toothed smile.

That set her on alert. Why was he smiling at her for no reason?

Because he wants to keep you around as his serf, organizing his files and answering his phone, dummy.

“I’ll go finish the interview.”

“I appreciate it. I’m going out to grab something to eat.

You want anything from the café?”

“I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

Again, the niceness. Very suspicious.

Sebastian strode across the room, legs still bare. He slid a hand under his T-shirt to scratch his rock-hard belly while he contemplated his impressive collection of jeans.

Tessa managed to rasp, “See you later,” as she rushed out the door.

The Park Café was the closest eatery, so Sebastian went there often when he was in town. He’d spent several weeks in New York in the spring and had hand-trained one of the young servers to make the perfect cup of coffee—or at least the closest possible approximation available in this part of the world.

His heart sank as he entered the bright space of the café to a sea of new faces. Then he spotted Reed and Elizabeth Wellington sitting at one of the café tables. He waved and tried to catch their eye, but they were deep in conversation.

“What can I get you?” asked the perky young server.

“I’d like a pastrami on rye with Russian dressing and nothing else. And a seven-shot espresso.”

She vanished, her expressionless face imparting confidence.

What a relief not to be peppered with questions about lettuce and tomatoes and mayo.

His synapses tingled in anticipation of a welcome jolt of caffeine.

He glanced over at his friends’ table. Reed leaned forward, talking in hushed tones, while his wife looked strangely tight-lipped. Were they arguing?

The server returned with seven tiny china cups of espresso. Here we go again. “In one cup, please.”

She picked up a paper cup and began to pour them in.

“They’ll be too cool. Could you use china and heat it again?” He kept his voice pleasant.

“Milk and sugar?”

“No milk, no sugar, no cinnamon, no froth, no chocolate curls. Just the coffee.”

His sandwich appeared, loaded with unwanted vegetables.

Sebastian rubbed a hand over his face.

He’d be home in Caspia soon.

“I don’t think you do!” A raised voice caught his attention and he turned to see Reed, who’d stood suddenly, scraping his chair back on the tile floor.

Elizabeth looked panic-stricken. “Please, Reed…” he heard her say, before the server plunked his big mug of espresso on the counter.

He swiped his credit card and turned in time to see Reed striding out of the restaurant, a black expression clouding his chiseled features.

Alarmed, Sebastian glanced at Elizabeth, who stared after her husband with a stunned look on her face.

Sebastian snatched his cup and plate off the counter and hurried to the table. He sat without waiting for an invitation.

His gut twisted when he saw her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Elizabeth, what’s wrong?”

He reached for her hand but she snatched it up and dabbed at her eyes with the napkin. “Nothing! Nothing at all. I’m fine.” A sob belied her words. “Allergies. They’re terrible at this time of year.” She drew in a sharp breath. “How are you, Sebastian?”

“Once I’ve had this coffee, I’ll be okay.” He took a bracing sip. Elizabeth was obviously in distress and it pained him not to be able to help her. “Can I get you something? Some chocolate?”

She laughed. “Chocolate usually does help, doesn’t it?” She glanced toward the door. “But not today. I have to run, I have an appointment.” Hands shaking, she gathered her handbag and a large shopping bag. “I’m sorry I don’t have more time to chat. I’ve—” Her voice caught.

Something was very wrong.

“I understand. Another time.” The platitudes felt hollow and useless, but she clearly didn’t want to talk.

He rose from his chair and kissed her cheek. Cold as ice. “And, Elizabeth, if you ever need anything, anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me.”

She nodded and hurried away.

How odd. She and Reed always seemed like the perfect couple. Their wedding had been the social event of the season, the bride radiant, her handsome groom the toast of the city for months. Sebastian had even found himself contemplating the joys of marriage—for a week or two.

Luckily it had worn off.

Five years later and here they were: arguments, tension, tears.

Marriage did not look like fun.

Three

Sebastian brimmed with anticipation as he marched across the tarmac toward the plane. “Tessa!”

At the sound of his voice, she looked up and smiled. “Hello, Sebastian.”

She stood at the bottom of the movable stairs, fiddling with the strap on her bag. The wind molded her thin dress to her body in a way that made his blood pressure jump a notch.

Her legs were endless. Slender and shapely. The kind of legs that could wrap around you and hold you in a vise of pleasure.

Not that he had any intention of seducing his assistant into bed.

Even he had his limits.

At least he thought he did.

“Don’t be nervous. Our pilot is very experienced. Have you met Sven?”

“Yes, he introduced himself. I’m more excited than nervous. I actually love to fly. It’s fun seeing the world from above.”

“I do agree.” A smile settled over his face as he took her elbow and led her up the stairs.

Sebastian refused to discuss work during the flight. He wanted Tessa to relax and enjoy herself. To banish any thoughts that she was bored and ready to “move on.”

Any “moving on” would be accomplished in his comfortably appointed jet. “Champagne?” He lifted a bottle out of the fridge.

Tessa’s eyes widened. “It’s only two o’clock.”

“That means it’s eight in Caspia. They always say to pack and dress for your destination, so why not drink for it, too?”

He popped the cork.

Tessa bit her lip. “Okay. You’re the boss.”

“Exactly. You’d better do as I say.” He handed her the glass. “Here’s to your maiden voyage to Caspia.” He clinked his glass against hers.

Excitement sparkled in her big, green eyes. “I’ve never left the country before.”

“You’re kidding?”

“Nope. I flew around a bit on business for my first job, but mostly to L.A. I’ve never been to Europe.”

“Not even to visit friends?” Sebastian found this hard to believe. He knew quite a few people who went to boarding school with Tessa and they were as likely to be found on the ski slopes of Gstaad or the beaches of Provence as in their Wall Street watering holes.

Tessa put her champagne glass on the table. “I went to St. Peter’s on a scholarship.” She raised her eyes to meet his at the mention of the highbrow prep school. “I’m not really one of them.”

“One of who?”

“You know, the jet set, or whatever you want to call it.”

She looked so anxious that he managed to suppress the smile tugging at his lips. “Um, Tessa, I hate to be the one to break this to you, but you’re sitting in a jet right now, waiting to take off.”

She swatted his idea away with a movement of her graceful hands. “You know what I mean. This is part of my job.”

Sebastian slammed his glass down next to hers. “I don’t want to hear anything more about any job. You are vital to the economic growth of the nation of Caspia. You have a career with us.”

He’d make it a personal challenge to make sure she stayed. He did enjoy a challenge. The curse of a competitive nature.

“Buckle up.” Sven’s voice came over the radio. Sebastian watched as Tessa fastened her buckle over her slim hips. Her long fingers were magnificent. He could imagine them dancing over the strings of a Caspian harp.

Or over the muscles of his belly. And lower. Between his thighs…

He shifted in his seat. “Sven, let’s take the temperature down a couple of degrees.”

Tessa looked sideways at him. “Do we have to hold on to our glasses?”

“Can’t hurt.” Sebastian swept hers up and handed it to her. Their fingers brushed for an electric moment. He sipped the dry Blanc de Noirs, but the sparkle of the bubbles only increased an intriguing sense of anticipation that crackled through him.

Tessa peered out the window as the plane lifted over the ocean, her long neck craned forward. “Goodness, New York really is a bunch of islands, isn’t it? Wow, what a beach. The breakers look awesome from up here. And I can see a fishing boat! I never think of people fishing near the city. And look at all those swimming pools on Long Island. Don’t these people know there’s an ocean right there?”

Her eyes shone, dazzled with sights he’d long ceased to notice.

Sebastian laughed.

Caspia with Tessa was going to be fun.

Tessa couldn’t help feeling a little sad as their plane approached their final destination in the dead of night.

All across Europe, towns and cities had glittered amongst vast swathes of dark countryside. Snowcapped mountain ranges shimmered in the faint glow of the moon.

That same moon reflected off calm ocean water as the plane banked on approach to the airport in Caspia. Giddy from champagne and from chatting with Sebastian about everything under the sun, she couldn’t imagine getting any sleep before morning.

The plane landed on the runway with barely a bump. Sebastian peered out the window. “My driver is waiting. We’ll be at the palace in ten minutes.”

The palace.

Tessa’s skin grew tight as terror crept over her.

An actual palace with a real king and queen living in it.

She glanced sideways at Sebastian. He was stretching, which had the unfortunate effect of pulling his black T-shirt tight over the granite-hard expanse of his chest.

She jerked her eyes away. In addition to being a royal prince, he was her boss, for crying out loud.

Her heart hammered as the pilot opened the door and ushered them down the steps. Sebastian gestured for her to go first, so she stepped out into the dark night.

A cool breeze rushed her face, rich with the smell of the sea.

“Home sweet home.” Sebastian drew in a hearty lungful. “I find it harder and harder to leave and each time I return, I’m more grateful than ever.”

“I guess that’s good, since you couldn’t really leave anyway, could you?” How odd to grow up with the obligation of being a monarch some day. To have no choice in who or what you could become.

“No one truly leaves Caspia. Even when you depart, you’ll always carry a piece of her with you.”

His voice echoed with such gravitas that she glanced back to see if he was joking.

Apparently not.

He stared straight ahead, his strong features highlighted in the airport floodlights. “Dmitri!” He waved at the uniformed chauffeur standing in front of a long, black limousine. “I’d like you to meet Tessa, my righthand woman.”

Dmitri nodded. Sebastian’s odd introduction gave her a little surge of pride. She wouldn’t mind being the right hand on so sturdy and capable a body.

The limo drove them swiftly to the palace, where people materialized out of the darkness to carry their bags.

A lamp-lit passage led to a cool atrium with a trickling fountain. Two young men rushed forward to ply them with damp towels and glasses of cool water.

Flustered, Tessa watched Sebastian as he wiped his face vigorously with the towel. She didn’t want to smear the plush, white cotton with her makeup so she used it to pat her neck.

The water had a deliciously sweet taste, and she finished the whole glass in one draft. As soon as she was done, a man with a jug refilled it.