week so Zoe can show you the garden off her room.”
Dottie let the comment pass because if she were still here by then, she had no intention of going there with him. It wouldn’t be a good idea. Not a good idea at all. “Do you get her to preschool by helicopter, then?”
He nodded. “Once she’s in kindergarten, she’ll go to a school on Aurum, but nothing is going to happen until after the coronation.” After swallowing the contents of his drink without taking a breath, he reached for his shirt. “Shall we go below and freshen up before Bari comes on board?”
She followed the two of them down the steps of the elegant yacht to the luxurious cabins. “Come with us.” Zoe pulled on her hand.
Dottie bent over. “I have my own cabin down the hallway.”
“How come?”
“Because I’m a guest.”
She looked at her daddy. “Make her come.”
“Zoe? We have our room, and she has hers,” he said in his princely parental voice as Dottie thought of it.
To the surprise of both of them, Zoe kept hold of Dottie’s hand. “I want to be with you.”
“It’s all right, Your Highness,” Dottie said before he could protest. “Zoe and I will freshen up together and meet you on deck in a little while.” Their family was going through deep turmoil. The burden of what his brother had done had set off enormous ramifications and Alex was feeling them.
For that matter, so was Zoe, who’d behaved differently today. With the advent of Prince Stasio’s stunning news, she couldn’t have helped but pick up on the tension radiating from the queen and her father during breakfast. She might not understand all that was going on, but she sensed upheaval. That’s why she’d given up on her lesson so easily.
His eyes narrowed in what she assumed was speculation. “You’re sure?”
“Do you even have to ask?” Dottie had meant what she’d told him last week about his needing some pampering. He had work to do with Mr. Jouflas, but no one else was there to help him with Zoe the way he needed it. Dottie found she wanted to ease his burden. He’d made sacrifices for the love of his country. Now it was her turn, no matter how small.
“You’re operating under an abnormal amount of strain right now. You could use a little help. I don’t know how you’ve been doing this balancing act for such a long time.” She smiled at Zoe. “Come on.”
Dottie saw the relief on his face and knew she’d said the right thing. “In that case I’ll send the steward to your cabin with a fresh change of clothes for her.”
“That would be perfect.”
DOTTIE felt Alex staring at her before they disappeared inside. Since she’d been trying so hard to keep a professional distance with his daughter, he knew this was an about-face for her. But no one could have foreseen this monarchial disaster.
Alex was being torn apart by his love for his brother, his grandmother and the future of the crown itself. He was Atlas holding up the world with no help in sight. This was a day like no other. If Dottie could ease a little of his burden where Zoe was concerned, then she wanted to.
“I’ve got an idea, Zoe. After you shower, we’ll take a little nap on the beds. The heat has made me sleepy.”
“Me, too.”
There were two queen beds. Before long she’d tucked Zoe under the covers.
“Dot? Will you please stay with Daddy and me forever? I know you’re not my mommy, but Daddy said you were once a mommy.”
She struggled for breath. “Yes. I had a little boy named Cory who had to work on his speech, just like you.”
“What happened to him?”
“He died in a car accident with my husband.”
“So you’re all alone.”
“Yes,” she murmured, but for the first time it wasn’t hard to talk about. The conversation with Alex last night had been cathartic.
“My mommy died and now Daddy and I are all alone.”
“Except that you have your great-grandmother and your uncle.”
“But I want you.”
Dottie wanted to be with Zoe all the time, too. Somehow she’d gotten beyond her deep sadness and would love to care permanently for this child. But it was impossible in too many ways to even consider.
“Let’s be happy we’re together right now, shall we?” she said in a shaky voice.
“Yes.” Zoe finally closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Dotti took her own shower and dressed in a clean pair of jeans and a blouse. When she came out of the bathroom, the other bed looked inviting. She thought she’d lie down on top while she waited for Zoe to wake up.
The next thing she knew, she heard a familiar male voice whispering her name. Slightly disoriented, she rolled over and discovered Alex sitting on the side of the bed. She’d been dreaming about him, but to see his gorgeous self in the flesh this close to her gave her heart a serious workout. His eyes were like black fires. They trapped hers, making it impossible for her to look away.
“Thank you for stepping in.”
She studied his features. “I wanted to.”
“With your help I was able to conclude our business lunch in record time and came in to bring Zoe a change of clothes. Do you have any idea how beautiful you are lying there?”
Dottie couldn’t swallow. She tried to move away, but he put an arm across her body so she was tethered to him. “Please let me go,” she begged. “Zoe will be awake any minute now.”
He leaned over her, running a hand up her arm. The feel of skin against hot skin brought every nerve ending alive. “I’ll take any minute I can steal. Being alone with you is all I’ve been able to think about.”
“Alex—” she cried as his dark head descended.
“I love it when you say my name in that husky voice.” He covered her mouth with his own in an exploratory kiss as if this were their first time and they were in no hurry whatsoever. He took things slow in the beginning, tantalizing her until it wasn’t enough. Then their kiss grew deeper and more sensuous. His restless lips traveled over every centimeter of her face and throat before capturing her mouth again and again.
The other night he’d kindled a fire in her that had never died down. Now his mastery conjured the flames licking through her body with the speed of a forest fire in full conflagration.
Out of breath, he buried his face in the side of her neck. “I want you, Dottie. I’ve never wanted any woman so much, and I know you want me.”
“I think that’s been established,” she admitted against his jaw that hadn’t seen a razor since early morning. She delighted in every masculine line and angle of his well-honed body. With legs and arms entwined, their mouths clung as their passion grew more frenzied. They tried to appease their hunger, but no kiss was long enough or deep enough to satisfy the desire building.
He’d taken them to a new level. She felt cherished. Like the wedding vow repeated by the groom, it seemed as if Alex was worshipping her with his body. But in the midst of this rapture only he could have created, she heard the blare of a ship’s horn. With it came the realization that this was no wedding night and a groan escaped her throat.
She’d actually been making out with Prince Alexius of Hellenica on his royal yacht! Never mind that it was the middle of the day and his daughter was