here.”
“It’s my fate.”
Screw fate. Happiness was important, too.
Her last sail?
Not if Alejandro had any say in the matter.
CHAPTER SIX
W ITH THE BOAT secured to the dock, Jules stood in the cockpit. She checked a sheet and wrapped it in a figure-eight pattern around a cleat. No way was the rope coming undone. Too bad her future couldn’t be secured as easily.
The sail was over. With a sigh, she glanced at the bow. Soon she would be back in the palace. The thought squeezed her heart.
Below deck, Alejandro rummaged around, looking for a sail bag. Before long it would be time to go.
Emotion welled up inside her. She didn’t want to return to reality yet. Nothing awaited her except a life of duty. Okay, she was being a total drama princess, but this once she would allow herself that luxury.
As the breeze picked up, the mast, standing so tall and strong, caught her attention. She closed her eyes and breathed in the salt air. The wind caressed her face. She could almost believe she was…free.
“Found it,” Alejandro said from below.
Her eyelids flew open.
He climbed into the cockpit. “I need to organize the equipment.”
“I’ll do it for you now.”
“It’s too late.”
Maybe for him. “I’ll help you stow the sails.”
“Good idea.” Alejandro stood on the luff side of the mainsail. “We’ll get out of here faster with two pairs of hands.”
Her shoulders slumped. She should have offered to do the sails on her own. Getting out of here faster was the last thing she wanted.
She took the leech side. Together, they flaked the sail, layering the fabric across the boom. He secured the main with ties.
“What about the jib?” she asked.
He turned off the boat’s running lights. “I’ll take care of it when I get back.”
Back? He was going out after this. To a club? The thought made her spirits sink lower. She should forget about it. Him. But she couldn’t. “Where are you going?”
“I’m walking you back to the palace.”
His chivalry pleased her, but she’d found her way to the dock on her own. She didn’t need to be escorted back. A slow walk through the park on the way to the tunnels would keep her free a little while longer. Jules wanted as much extra time outside the palace as she could get. “I can find my own way.”
“I know you can, but I’m going to escort you back.”
“Okay.” Jules caved like a house of cards. Truth was, she liked being with Alejandro and wanted to spend more time with him. Oh, she’d see him around the palace, at events and during meals. But given his relationship with Enrique, this might be their last chance to be alone.
She felt a pang in her heart.
The moonlight cast shadows on his face. With his strong jaw, nose and high cheekbones, he did look more pirate than prince. Too bad he wouldn’t kidnap her, sail away with her on his boat and ravish her…
A smile tugged on the corners of her mouth. She couldn’t help herself from daydreaming and fantasizing.
Alejandro was a hottie. He’d come to her rescue more than once. He might consider himself a black sheep, but black knight might be a better term after the sail tonight. He’d gone out of his way for her. Jules would be eternally grateful to him.
If only she could thank him, not with words, but a…kiss. A kiss would make tonight’s sail more perfect. She stared at his full, soft-looking lips. A kiss under the full moon.
“Julianna?” Alejandro asked.
Desire flowed through her veins. “Yes?”
“You okay?”
“I’m just thinking.” Of kissing him. All she had to do was rise up and touch her lips to his. Tempting, undeniably so. But the rebellious act of sailing was more than enough for the evening, for a lifetime really.
At least her lifetime. Jules took a deep breath.
“About our sail.” She touched the boat’s wheel, running her fingertips over the smooth edge. “I want to remember everything about tonight.”
Everything except Alejandro.
Forget about
“It’s my fate.”
Screw fate. Happiness was important, too.
Her last sail?
Not if Alejandro had any say in the matter.
CHAPTER SIX
W ITH THE BOAT secured to the dock, Jules stood in the cockpit. She checked a sheet and wrapped it in a figure-eight pattern around a cleat. No way was the rope coming undone. Too bad her future couldn’t be secured as easily.
The sail was over. With a sigh, she glanced at the bow. Soon she would be back in the palace. The thought squeezed her heart.
Below deck, Alejandro rummaged around, looking for a sail bag. Before long it would be time to go.
Emotion welled up inside her. She didn’t want to return to reality yet. Nothing awaited her except a life of duty. Okay, she was being a total drama princess, but this once she would allow herself that luxury.
As the breeze picked up, the mast, standing so tall and strong, caught her attention. She closed her eyes and breathed in the salt air. The wind caressed her face. She could almost believe she was…free.
“Found it,” Alejandro said from below.
Her eyelids flew open.
He climbed into the cockpit. “I need to organize the equipment.”
“I’ll do it for you now.”
“It’s too late.”
Maybe for him. “I’ll help you stow the sails.”
“Good idea.” Alejandro stood on the luff side of the mainsail. “We’ll get out of here faster with two pairs of hands.”
Her shoulders slumped. She should have offered to do the sails on her own. Getting out of here faster was the last thing she wanted.
She took the leech side. Together, they flaked the sail, layering the fabric across the boom. He secured the main with ties.
“What about the jib?” she asked.
He turned off the boat’s running lights. “I’ll take care of it when I get back.”
Back? He was going out after this. To a club? The thought made her spirits sink lower. She should forget about it. Him. But she couldn’t. “Where are you going?”
“I’m walking you back to the palace.”
His chivalry pleased her, but she’d found her way to the dock on her own. She didn’t need to be escorted back. A slow walk through the park on the way to the tunnels would keep her free a little while longer. Jules wanted as much extra time outside the palace as she could get. “I can find my own way.”
“I know you can, but I’m going to escort you back.”
“Okay.” Jules caved like a house of cards. Truth was, she liked being with Alejandro and wanted to spend more time with him. Oh, she’d see him around the palace, at events and during meals. But given his relationship with Enrique, this might be their last chance to be alone.
She felt a pang in her heart.
The moonlight cast shadows on his face. With his strong jaw, nose and high cheekbones, he did look more pirate than prince. Too bad he wouldn’t kidnap her, sail away with her on his boat and ravish her…
A smile tugged on the corners of her mouth. She couldn’t help herself from daydreaming and fantasizing.
Alejandro was a hottie. He’d come to her rescue more than once. He might consider himself a black sheep, but black knight might be a better term after the sail tonight. He’d gone out of his way for her. Jules would be eternally grateful to him.
If only she could thank him, not with words, but a…kiss. A kiss would make tonight’s sail more perfect. She stared at his full, soft-looking lips. A kiss under the full moon.
“Julianna?” Alejandro asked.
Desire flowed through her veins. “Yes?”
“You okay?”
“I’m just thinking.” Of kissing him. All she had to do was rise up and touch her lips to his. Tempting, undeniably so. But the rebellious act of sailing was more than enough for the evening, for a lifetime really.
At least her lifetime. Jules took a deep breath.
“About our sail.” She touched the boat’s wheel, running her fingertips over the smooth edge. “I want to remember everything about tonight.”
Everything except Alejandro.
Forget about
Similar Books
