She suspected he didn’t spare a thought for what she wanted. She was a nobody. An assistant. A pretty, emptyheaded bimbo to toy with.
The disturbing part was that she didn’t want to tell Sebastian. He was obviously pleased to have important American visitors come to his country and she didn’t want to spoil it for him.
It seemed an eternity before Sebastian finally appeared, his gondola laden with shiny bags from the boutiques.
Sebastian was all smiles as he helped Charmaine Kendrick back onto the boat. Tessa’s heart squeezed with pity for the woman married to such a—
Now, now. She was the assistant to a prince. Nice girls didn’t use words like that.
The senator—and she used the word loosely—must have been watching from below, because he came on the deck as soon as they arrived. He marched right past Tessa without looking at her.
“Did you buy some beautiful things, my dear?” He kissed his wife’s cheek. “You know I want you to have everything your heart desires.”
To make up for your cheating louse of a husband. Tessa could barely keep a straight face. Just the sight of the man made her flesh crawl.
“Tessa.” Sebastian’s voice in her ear made her jump. “Are you okay?” He murmured it low.
“Sure. I’m fine.” Her attempt at bright and breezy came out rather stiff.
Sebastian shot a glance at the senator, who was “oohing” over some shimmery red number his wife pulled from a striped bag. “Seriously, you don’t look yourself.” His dark eyes filled with concern as he looked at her again.
Her stomach tangled. Should she tell him?
For all she knew her revelation might start an international incident. And she didn’t want anything else to spoil this beautiful day. She was pretty sure the senator would turn tail and run as soon as she and the prince left the boat.
“I guess I don’t have my sea legs yet.” She glanced at the mirror-calm water of the harbor and swallowed.
“In that case, we must get you back on solid ground.”
Senator Kendrick clapped a jovial hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. Was his nose looking a tad swollen? “As I said, we’ve got a full itinerary. Our captain informed me that we must set sail before noon or we’ll never make Piraeus in time.”
He shot an icy glance at Tessa. She lifted her chin.
Yes. Definitely swollen. And a black eye seemed to be starting on the left side, too. Hah! Maybe he’d think twice before assaulting someone next time.
Sebastian kissed Charmaine on the cheek and made her promise to come back. Tessa was relieved she wouldn’t be here when they did. She managed a curt goodbye to the man who’d spoiled her perfect morning.
Back in the gondola, with Sebastian’s big, protective presence beside her, she shivered with relief.
“Enough boating for you.” He leaned over the side and trailed his fingers in the water. “Warm. Want to take a dip?”
“Right here?” Panic crept over her. “I don’t have a swimsuit with me.”
“You didn’t bring one at all?”
“No. I came here to study the files and help with the meeting, remember?”
“Oh, yes. That.” He seemed to have genuinely forgotten. His eyes brightened. “We must find you a suit immediately.”
He murmured instructions to the boatman. Spoken fast, the language was much harder to understand. She did catch the word Valentino.
“I don’t need a Valentino swimsuit,” she protested. “Is there an ordinary clothes store where I could find a suit?”
“What’s wrong with Valentino?” He raised a brow.
“It’s outrageously expensive, that’s what.”
Being a prince clearly made you lose touch with reality. Which probably didn’t much matter if you were a prince.
She, however, had to save for the down payment on the apartment she’d be renting in LA. Patrick hadn’t yet mentioned cohabiting and she’d decided it would be tacky and pushy to suggest it.
They could work up to that.
She wouldn’t tell Patrick about the senator, either.
He’d probably think she’d been dressed too provocatively or something.
“Beautiful things are always expensive. It’s the way of the world.” Sebastian eased his broad shoulders against the velvet seat.
“No, they’re not.” She sat up. “Usually things that cost nothing are the most beautiful.” She looked up to where the sun illuminated the rocky peaks that stood sentinel over the town. “Does the blue sky cost money? The clear water? The fresh air?”
She paused. Perhaps there were cleanup crews constantly at work scrubbing and whitewashing Caspia.
“The sun in your golden hair.”
Sebastian’s low voice caught her off guard.
“What?”
“Beautiful.” His eyes were narrowed, seductive.
Heat swelled in her chest, then morphed into a clench of anxiety. Was she inadvertently sending out some signal that she was interested or available?
She crossed her arms over her chest. “For all you know it costs a fortune to get my hair this color.”
“Does it?” He looked curious.
She laughed again. “No. It’s naturally a dark, mousy blond.”
“It’s perfect. And the Caspian sun admires it as much as I.”
For a second she thought he was going to weave his fingers into her hair again. Her body braced in a mixture of terror and anticipation.
The boat bumped gently against the quay.
The boatman lashed the long boat to a metal ring set in the giant stones.
Tessa gathered her long dress and climbed out of the yawing boat with as much dignity as possible. The ancient stone buildings stood shoulder to shoulder along a stone walkway, inlaid with mosaic. She noticed small, tasteful signs above some of the doorways. “Chanel, Ferragamo, Armani.”
“All the stores we’ve been working with.”
He linked his arm though hers. She had to admit that his strong arm felt wonderfully supportive after what she’d just been through with a man she once respected. Sebastian would never take advantage of a vulnerable woman.
Not unless she wanted him to.
Now that she’d seen the Kendricks’ white yacht leave through the harbor mouth, she started to relax, caressed by gentle sea breezes and the bright sun.
Inside Valentino, Sebastian addressed the fawning male clerk. “We’d like to see some swimsuits.”
“Bikini or one-piece?”
“Bikini,” Sebastian said firmly, before she’d managed to get her mouth open. The clerk hadn’t even glanced at her. She wasn’t sure he was even aware of her standing there, next to His Royal Highness.
“That’s the one.” Sebastian pointed to a greenish suit, four microscopic triangles held together by gold rings.
Tessa tilted her head. “Are you sure that’s not a pair of earrings?”
Sebastian chuckled. “Try it on. If it doesn’t fit the rest of you, we’ll hang it from your ears.”
Reluctant, she took the hanger and followed the clerk into a changing room. Thick carpet greeted her feet