Chapter Eight
"What is it, Luis?" Madison could see the indecision in his eyes. What on earth could the driver have said to cause such a shift in his mood?
"Paparazzi." With that one word, he clearly conveyed both frustration and disgust.
She leaned past him to peer through the dark tinted window. "Can't we just walk past them?"
It didn't escape her notice that Luis lifted his eyes and met the driver's gaze in the rear view mirror.
"Okay, so obviously that's not your first choice." She drummed her fingers on the armrest while she thought. They'd come all this way to stop now? Really? This wouldn't have happened if they'd stayed to eat dinner at the Royal Lodge but this didn't seem quite the right time to point out that fact. As far as she could see they had two options. One, they could brave the onslaught of flashing lights and cameras and walk quickly past them. Or, two, they could drive back to the airport and return to Monterra.
The first option was about appealing as swimming through shark infested waters. The second wasn't much better. A third option occurred to her. She turned to Luis. "Will the casino let them inside?"
He shook his head. "No, their security team wouldn't let one of them in if it started raining down bombs in the street."
"So all we have to do is get past them? And the rest of the evening should go as planned?"
"Yes." He narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
Madison didn't directly answer. Instead, she turned to the driver. "Do you speak English?"
He nodded. "Of course, Madame," he said in flawless English.
"Wonderful. Here's what I think we should do. Luis, you get out here and ignore the press as you make your way into the casino."
He frowned. "What? You want me to leave you here? No."
"If your chauffeur is kind enough to drive me around back, I'll go in through the kitchen entrance." She turned to look at the driver. "Is that acceptable to you?"
"Oui, Madame, I think it is a superb idea. Do you have an objection, Your Highness?"
Madison watched as Luis looked from her to the driver, out the window, and then back to her.
"I cannot, in good conscience, ask you to do that." Luis cursed again. "But neither can I willingly subject you to what's out there."
"Then let's try my way."
He reached out to touch her shoulder. "You don't feel, what is the word...denigrated by this?"
"No, in fact, I like the idea of giving them the runaround. Not to mention, I'm hungry and the sooner we're inside, the sooner we can eat."
The driver chuckled and, to Madison's relief, Luis nodded.
"As you wish, Madison."
To her surprise, he leaned over and brushed a gentle kiss across her cheek. "Thank you for understanding, cara. I will see you inside." He gave the driver one more set of instructions in French and then opened the door just wide enough so that he could slip out into the fray.
Madison blinked as the flash of lights filled the limo for a single blinding second. Exactly how many photographers were out there, she couldn't guess but it sounded like a dozen different voices all calling out to Luis at once. The driver wasted no time in pulling away from the curb.
"His Royal Highness asked that I drive a short distance to ensure that no one is following us before we circle back. Is that satisfactory?"
Madison settled back in the seat. "Yes, of course, whatever Luis suggested is fine." She frowned. Should she have just referred to him as the prince, his highness, or was Luis acceptable? How complicated it all was. If what had just happened with the paparazzi was any indication, the life of royalty was fraught with pitfalls she couldn't even imagine.
***
Luis paced in the hallway directly outside of the staff entrance to the kitchen. The casino manager had assured him that he would personally meet Madison at the back door and escort her out to where he waited. But that had been ten minutes ago. He glanced at his watch. Thirteen minutes ago.
He blew out a breath and reached up to loosen his necktie. How long should he wait before he went to look for her himself?
His plan for this evening had been to whisk Madison away to a spontaneous romantic destination. But it went beyond trying to impress her with the glitz and glamour of Monaco. What he had hoped to do was impress on her that, despite being from very different worlds, their lives weren't altogether different.
Yet, he'd managed to do just the opposite. He'd entered the casino through the front door while she'd been relegated to using a service entrance. He groaned aloud.
"Are you unwell, Your Highness?"
Luis spun around. A member of staff security stood behind him. "No, I'm fine. Thank you." He glanced at the kitchen door again, debating if he should ask the man to go in and look for Madison. But that would only draw attention to what was already an awkward situation. "I'm waiting for someone."
"Of course. Please alert me if you need assistance with anything."
Luis nodded his thanks and resumed his pacing. He did need assistance, but this man wasn't the one to help him. Only Madison could put him out of his misery. He sighed. He was behaving like a lovesick school boy. It was probably just as well that Madison hadn't appeared yet. It would give him a chance to pull himself together.
He hadn't paced more than fifteen feet when the service doors swung open and he heard Madison's voice. Accompanied by the casino manager, she came out and stood beside two chefs, one of whom pulled out his cell phone. He drew Madison toward him with his free arm and snapped a quick selfie. He then scrolled through his phone for a moment before he began tapping something into it.
Luis couldn't hear what Madison said, but all three men laughed. She shook their hands before turning to look for him.
Luis' heart caught in his chest. Although she was always beautiful in his eyes, Madison somehow managed to look even more breathtaking than she had earlier. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled.
Their eyes met and they looked at each other for a long moment, neither one moving. The time was now, Luis decided. He strode toward Madison and when he reached her, he cupped her face between his hands and lowered his lips to hers.
***
Although surprised, Madison instantly lost herself in the pleasure of Luis' kiss. She held tightly to his forearms, afraid that if she let go, her knees wouldn't support her. The connection between them was electric, new, exciting, and yet somehow also comforting and reassuring. The sensation was akin to returning to a warm home on a cold day. With the aroma of fresh-baked cookies filling the kitchen, no less.
It wasn't something she wanted to end, but they were in public. She pulled back ever so slightly, drawing in her breath. "Luis."
To her relief, Luis looked every bit as swept away as she felt. Thank heaven she wasn't the only one who felt whatever it was between them.
"Madison," Luis lowered his hands to her shoulders. "I'm sorry. I don't know quite what to say-"
In case he was about to apologize and call their kiss a mistake, she hurried to interrupt him. "I had no idea that my using the kitchen entrance would be such a turn on."
He laughed and she was relieved to see his eyes sparkled. Good. He wasn't sorry that he'd kissed her. That knowledge made her happier than she'd ever been. "Now, did you bring me all the way to Monaco to kiss me in the staff service area, or am I going to be allowed to see the rest of the casino?"
"It's been a rough start to what I was hoping would be a fun evening." He reached for her hand and squeezed it. "Shall we?"
"Please."
The way Luis confidently led her through the twisting hallways toward the center of the casino tipped her off that he'd been here before. It occurred to her just how little she knew about him. Was he a gambler by nature? Or was it that he loved visiting Monaco? Who were his friends? Were they all members of royal families?
When they reached the main part of the building, Luis stopped in front of a tall white door accented with gold leaf. He knocked twice and then opened the door without waiting for a response.
"Luis, where are we-" but the rest of her words failed her as she looked around the private room they'd entered. "Oh, it's beautiful."
He smiled down at her. "I'm glad you like it."
Like it? This was as close to dining in heaven as she could possibly imagine. While the room wasn't especially large, the tall, domed ceiling granted a sense of spaciousness. The dome was painted a light blue and painted with wisps of white clouds. Full mirrors covered the walls but they were masked by flowering potted trees.
It was as if paradise had opened up to create an enchanted spot just for the two of them. White and gold linens covered a table set for two. Madison admired the elegant place settings of white hand-painted china, gleaming silverware, and sparkling cut crystal goblets. Candles in the center of the table added a touch of intimacy to the ambiance. She put her hand to her throat. "I love it."
"Bien." Luis motioned to a server clad in a white jacket who held a tray with two champagne glasses. He took one and handed it to her.
"More champagne?" Madison held up her drink and watched as the bubbles raced to the top of the crystal flute. "Is this the official drink of Monaco?"
"Would you prefer a beer?"
She laughed. "Somehow I don't think that will compliment the haute cuisine I saw being prepped in the kitchen. It's far more likely we'd drink a beer if we were dining where I come from."
Luis lifted his glass. "I'll happily drink to sharing a dinner with you in Amarillo."
Madison touched her glass to his and lifted it to her lips for a delicate sip. The chances of Luis ever visiting her in Texas were odds no gambler would touch. But tonight was about magic, about Monaco, about being with Luis. Reality and rational thinking could wait, at least for one evening.
"I thought we would visit the casino gaming floor later. Would you prefer to dine first or would you prefer to dance?"
"Food first, definitely. The champagne will go to my head if I don't eat."
"As you wish." Luis slipped a gentle hand under her elbow and guided her toward the table. He pulled out a chair and once she was settled, he sat opposite her.
As if by magic, a trio of waiters approached the table with silver trays laden with food. A single violin player moved to a corner and the strains of classic music began to gently fill the air.
Halfway through the meal, Luis tilted his head. "I still don't know your full name."
"Madison Lorraine Bishop."
When he repeated it softly, as if to test the sound of it on his lips, Madison felt like she was hearing it for the first time. An accent like his should come with a caution label.
Luis nodded. "Yes, it is a name beautiful enough for you."
"Flattery won't get you anywhere."
"Really? Not anywhere?" He raised an eyebrow. "I could take that as a challenge."
Her first thought was that she wished he would. But immediately it was replaced with the thought that she'd be well advised to keep her feet firmly on the ground. Charming as this prince was, this wasn't a fairytale.
He pushed back from the table and held out his hand to her. "Please, one dance before we finish our dinner."
Madison stood. Her companion was tall enough that she needed to tilt her head back to look him in the eye. "I have a question for you."
"One question for you, and one for me. Fair enough?"
She nodded her agreement.
He slipped his left arm around her waist and took her left hand in his right, holding it against his chest. "Ladies first. What is it that you most wish to know about me?"
Madison didn't hesitate. "Are you happy with your life?"
Luis was quiet for so long that she was afraid he hadn't heard her. But one glance at his face assured he had indeed. His hesitation made her all the more curious as to his answer. "Luis?"
"No one has ever asked me that before." He drew her closer still.
Madison rested her cheek on his chest. The warmth of his touch and the steady sound of his heartbeat made it easy to lose herself in a moment she wished could go on forever. She'd almost drifted into what felt like a dream like state when Luis spoke.
"If anyone had asked me less than a week ago, I would have answered yes, without a single hesitation, qualification, or reservation. But now I am not so certain."
Madison pulled back enough that she could meet his eye. His gaze was intense and unwavering but his voice was low and his words barely above a whisper. "I realize that I have been missing something special."
Wordlessly, they danced, bound together by an undeniable chemistry and a shared understanding of how precious the moment was. But just when she thought she could go on this way forever, Luis drew back, although he kept a hold on her hands.
"My turn now, Madison."
"Ask me anything."
"Is there a man in Texas who holds your heart in his hands?"
"No."
Luis' brown eyes sparkled mischievously. "Good. I believe you Americans would say I have a fighting chance then, no?"