her fork down.
“I beg your pardon. I certainly didn’t intend to offend you. Working for the government as you do, I suppose you know the family well. I only sought to assuage my curiosity, not give offence.”
Bloody hell . “No, Hannah, it is I who must apologize for my outburst.” A quick look around the dining room showed that no one else seemed to be staring, reassuring Alex that he’d not been as loud as he feared. But he’d obviously blundered with Hannah, and badly.
“I know what it is to feel proud of a royal family. I’m Canadian, and the British royal family is ours, as well. My parents raised me to respect them, and I get ticked when they’re unjustly criticized.”
“You’re being more gracious than I deserve, my dear. You didn’t criticize, you merely asked a question.” He still felt like a cad. He didn’t care for the feeling one bit.
“Well,” she responded, picking up her fork and giving him an overly bright smile, “you certainly answered it.”
He had, he thought. And very neatly dug himself an even deeper hole in the process.
* * * *
“Let me give you a tour of the house,” Philip said as he led Kate inside. The moment he closed the door, he gently drew her into his arms.
“I’ve been here before. Last night.”
He smiled, enjoying her quick wit. “I remember. Let’s just visit that little place again, shall we?”
Not giving her a chance to respond, he covered her mouth with his. The taste of her, rich and exotic, acted like a narcotic in his blood. Her flavor made him bold and greedy for more. His tongue sought hers, to slide and dance, to stroke and caress, softly sleek and silkily sweet. When her arms encircled his neck, when she pressed more closely against him, he gathered her in. His hands cupped her bottom and urged her against his growing erection. When she nestled her mound against him and rubbed just a little, he thought he would come in his pants.
“When are you going to let me have you, Kate?”
“We’ll have each other, Philip. Soon. I have to think and I can’t think when you’re touching me.” Her words, dotted by the tiny, sipping tastes she took of his face and neck, warmed him. The play of her lips and tongue on his flesh made him wish they could be alone right now. Responding to stark need, Philip settled his mouth on hers and took the kiss deep. His tongue plundered even as his hands explored. The sensation of her lush curves under his palms shot his arousal higher. Instinct found him wrapping his arms around her, pulling her closer so he could surge his hips against her more vigorously this time, pressing his aching-for-release erection where it so desperately needed to be. He very nearly brought her to the floor.
But they couldn’t. Jamie would be joining them in a half hour. He stepped back, ran his hands down her arms, then linked his fingers with hers. Bringing her hands to his mouth, he kissed them. He knew his eyes probably shone as intensely bright as hers.
“You scramble my brain, too, Kate. Never doubt it. Come on, let me show you the house.”
Taking her hand, he led her into the front parlor. “The palace is where the royal family lives full time, and has always done so. But the farm is where the de la Croix family comes to be together as a family. At least we began to do so after my mother died.”
“This isn’t the sort of place I’d figure royalty would like. It’s so… Well, it’s so normal .”
Philip laughed, because her expression had suddenly turned sheepish. “We’re people too, Kate. Our lives may be a bit more complicated than most. That’s all.”
“Uh huh.”
He led her through the parlor to the dining room. The table had been set for three, in a very casual fashion. “As you can see, you couldn’t get more than twenty people around this table. It’s a very small and intimate room.” He loved her laugh, and continued the tour by showing her the kitchen.
“What smells so
“I beg your pardon. I certainly didn’t intend to offend you. Working for the government as you do, I suppose you know the family well. I only sought to assuage my curiosity, not give offence.”
Bloody hell . “No, Hannah, it is I who must apologize for my outburst.” A quick look around the dining room showed that no one else seemed to be staring, reassuring Alex that he’d not been as loud as he feared. But he’d obviously blundered with Hannah, and badly.
“I know what it is to feel proud of a royal family. I’m Canadian, and the British royal family is ours, as well. My parents raised me to respect them, and I get ticked when they’re unjustly criticized.”
“You’re being more gracious than I deserve, my dear. You didn’t criticize, you merely asked a question.” He still felt like a cad. He didn’t care for the feeling one bit.
“Well,” she responded, picking up her fork and giving him an overly bright smile, “you certainly answered it.”
He had, he thought. And very neatly dug himself an even deeper hole in the process.
* * * *
“Let me give you a tour of the house,” Philip said as he led Kate inside. The moment he closed the door, he gently drew her into his arms.
“I’ve been here before. Last night.”
He smiled, enjoying her quick wit. “I remember. Let’s just visit that little place again, shall we?”
Not giving her a chance to respond, he covered her mouth with his. The taste of her, rich and exotic, acted like a narcotic in his blood. Her flavor made him bold and greedy for more. His tongue sought hers, to slide and dance, to stroke and caress, softly sleek and silkily sweet. When her arms encircled his neck, when she pressed more closely against him, he gathered her in. His hands cupped her bottom and urged her against his growing erection. When she nestled her mound against him and rubbed just a little, he thought he would come in his pants.
“When are you going to let me have you, Kate?”
“We’ll have each other, Philip. Soon. I have to think and I can’t think when you’re touching me.” Her words, dotted by the tiny, sipping tastes she took of his face and neck, warmed him. The play of her lips and tongue on his flesh made him wish they could be alone right now. Responding to stark need, Philip settled his mouth on hers and took the kiss deep. His tongue plundered even as his hands explored. The sensation of her lush curves under his palms shot his arousal higher. Instinct found him wrapping his arms around her, pulling her closer so he could surge his hips against her more vigorously this time, pressing his aching-for-release erection where it so desperately needed to be. He very nearly brought her to the floor.
But they couldn’t. Jamie would be joining them in a half hour. He stepped back, ran his hands down her arms, then linked his fingers with hers. Bringing her hands to his mouth, he kissed them. He knew his eyes probably shone as intensely bright as hers.
“You scramble my brain, too, Kate. Never doubt it. Come on, let me show you the house.”
Taking her hand, he led her into the front parlor. “The palace is where the royal family lives full time, and has always done so. But the farm is where the de la Croix family comes to be together as a family. At least we began to do so after my mother died.”
“This isn’t the sort of place I’d figure royalty would like. It’s so… Well, it’s so normal .”
Philip laughed, because her expression had suddenly turned sheepish. “We’re people too, Kate. Our lives may be a bit more complicated than most. That’s all.”
“Uh huh.”
He led her through the parlor to the dining room. The table had been set for three, in a very casual fashion. “As you can see, you couldn’t get more than twenty people around this table. It’s a very small and intimate room.” He loved her laugh, and continued the tour by showing her the kitchen.
“What smells so
Similar Books
