she would watch as he’d parade women in and out of the palace.
She’d never thought he would settle down, but as his coronation fast approached, with his thirty-fifth birthday closing in, the timing of Alana’s “pregnancy” couldn’t have been better.
Too bad the spoiled debutante had had her hopes of being a queen shattered, tarnishing the tiara she would never wear. Alana had tricked Luc into believing she was expecting their child, which was absurd, because there’s only so long that lie could go on. Alana hadn’t planned on Luc being a hands-on type of father, so when he’d accompanied her to a doctor’s appointment, he’d been stunned to realize there was no baby.
At least now Kate wouldn’t have to field calls for “Lukey” when he was in meetings and unable to talk. Kate was glad Miss D Cup was out of the picture...not that there was room in the picture for Kate herself, but having that woman around had seriously kept her in a bad mood for the past several months.
As she glanced over Luc’s schedule after this two-week hiatus, all she saw was meetings with dignitaries, meetings with his staff, the wedding ceremony and the ball to celebrate the nuptials of his best friend, Mikos Alexander, and a few outings that were just “spontaneous” enough for the media to snap pictures but not get close enough to question Luc. A quick wave as he entered a building, a flash of that dimpled grin to the camera, and the paparazzi would be foaming at the mouth to post the shots with whatever captions they chose.
For the past year Kate had tried to get him to take on charity projects, not for the media hype, but because he had the power to make things happen. Good things, things that would make a difference in people’s lives. What good was power and money if they weren’t used to help those less fortunate?
But Luc’s focus had always been on the crown, on the bigger prize, on his country and what it would take to rule. He wasn’t a jerk, but his focus was not on the little guys, which occasionally made Kate’s job of making him look like a knight in shining armor a little harder.
Still, working for a royal family had its perks, and she would have to be dead to ignore how sexy her boss was. Luc would make any woman smile with a fantasy-style sigh. But no matter how attractive the man was, Kate prided herself on remaining professional.
She may have daydreamed about kissing him once. Okay, fine. Once a day, but still. Acting on her attraction would be a colossal mistake. Everyone knew the royal family’s rules about not fraternizing with staff. The consequences could mean not only her job, but also her parents’. A risk Kate couldn’t take, no matter what she ached for.
With a sigh, Kate rose to her feet and set her day planner aside. Luc had warned her that she’d be “roughing it” at this guesthouse, but she sort of liked the basic charm of the place. The rooms were pretty much bare, the scarred hardwood floors desperately in need of refinishing and the kitchen was at least thirty years out of date, if not more. But she was in her own space and had water, electric power and a beach. She wasn’t working nearly as much as she had been at the palace in the midst of wedding-planning chaos. All of those media interviews had been canceled or rescheduled, and she was on a secluded island with her hunky boss. So roughing it wasn’t so “rough” in her opinion.
Kate headed out her back door, breathing in the fresh scent of the salty ocean breeze. Following the stone path lined with overgrown bushes and lush plants, which led to the main house, she was glad she’d come along even if the circumstances made Luc only edgier, grouchier and, well, difficult. He had every right to be furious and hurt, though he’d never admit to the pain. Luc always put up a strong front, hiding behind that tough-guy persona.
Kate knew better, but she still chose to refrain from discussing the incident too much. Keeping things more professional than personal was the only way she could continue to work for him and not get swept away by lustful feelings.
When Kate had first started working for Luc, they’d had a heated discussion that led to a near kiss before he’d pulled back. He’d informed her right then that under no circumstances did he bed, date or get involved with employees.
Still, long nights spent working together, trips abroad and even the close quarters of his office had led to heated glances and accidental brushes against each other. The attraction most definitely wasn’t one-sided.
Then he’d started dating Miss D Cup, and the obvious physical attraction between boss and employee had faded...at least on Luc’s side. Typical playboy behavior. Kate had chided herself for even thinking they would eventually give in to that underlying passion.
Yet here they were again, both single and utterly alone. So now more than ever she needed to exercise this ability to remain professional. In reality, she’d love nothing more than to rip those designer clothes off him and see if he had any hidden tan lines or tattoos, because that one on his back that scrolled across his taut muscles and up onto his left shoulder was enough to have her lady parts standing at attention each time he took his shirt off.
As tempted as she was to give in to her desires, too much was at stake: her job, her parents’ jobs, the reputation she’d carry of seducing her boss. That wouldn’t look good on a résumé.
Kate had left her phone behind and contemplated changing. But since she was comfortable and would be only a minute with Luc—five at the most—she wanted to see if he’d take her up on this venture she’d been requesting his help with for the past year. Now that his life was turned inside out, perhaps he’d be a little more giving of his time.
With her sandals slapping against the stone pathway, Kate rehearsed in her head everything she wanted to say as she made her way to the house, passing by the picturesque infinity pool.
The rear entrance faced the Mediterranean. Of course, there wasn’t a bad view from any window or balcony that she’d seen, and her guest cottage was definitely on her list of places she never wanted to leave. Regardless of the updates that needed to be done, this house was gorgeous and would be even more so once Luc’s plans were fully executed.
When she reached the glass double doors, she tapped her knuckles against the frame. The ocean breeze lifted her hair, sending it dancing around her shoulders, tickling her skin. The wind had kicked up in the past several minutes and dark clouds were rolling in.
Storms...she loved them. Kate smiled up at the ominous sky and welcomed the change. There was something so sexy and powerful about the recklessness of a thunderstorm.
When she knocked again and Luc still didn’t answer, she held her hand to the glass and peered inside. No Luc in sight. The knob turned easily and she stepped inside the spacious living area. It led straight into the kitchen, which was only slightly more modern than hers. Basically, the main house looked the same as the cottage, only supersized, with the entire back wall made up of windows and French doors.
“Luc?” she called, hoping he’d hear her and she wouldn’t startle him.
What if he’d decided to rest? Or what if he was in the shower?
A smile spread across her face. Oh, yeah. What if he was in the shower? Water sliding over all those glorious tanned muscles...
Down, girl.
She wasn’t here to seduce her boss. She was here to plant a seed about a charity project close to her heart. If Luc thought he’d formulated the plan, then he’d be all for it, and she desperately wanted him to donate his time and efforts to an orphanage in the United States she’d been corresponding with on his behalf. For reasons he didn’t need to know about, the place held a special spot in her heart. She didn’t want him to go there out of pity. She wanted him to do so on his own, because he felt it was the right thing to do.
But Kate couldn’t get the twins who lived there, Carly and Thomas, out of her mind, and she was driving herself crazy with worry. For now, though, things were out of her control, so she had to focus on getting Luc on board with funding and volunteering. What would that little bit hurt him, anyway? In all reality, the visit and the monetary gift wouldn’t leave a dent in his time or finances, but both would mean the world to those children.
“Luc?”