CHAPTER 5
Diana
The next several days flew by at a speed that I wished I could slow down. The more time I spent with Nic, the more things I liked about him.
We’d combed the beaches, hiked the mountains, and made our way to as much of the island that I could possibly see on a single visit.
“You have your own castle?” I asked in what I was afraid was an awed tone. We’d strolled through some of his acreage, but I’d never dreamed that he had his own palace on the island.
It was my last few days on Rubare Virgina, and when I’d discovered that he actually had his own castle, I’d wanted to see the ancient dwelling.
As we’d driven up to the home, I discovered it was even grander than I’d imagined. The grounds were extensive, and we’d already explored some of his property beyond the residence. Nic had never told me how much acreage he had, but I’d come to the conclusion that he must own a great deal of land.
“All of the princes have their own homes,” he remarked. “Some kings were more enthusiastic breeders than others, so there were nearly a dozen residences to choose from. But this was the one I wanted. It’s far enough away from the city not to feel strangled with crowds, but close enough that I can get to the main residence and the city whenever I need to.”
“It’s incredible,” I answered, looking down at my feet as we exited his vehicle. “Are these actually gems I’m stepping on?” Certainly, even royalty didn’t pave their walkways in precious stones.
“Actually, they are,” he admitted. “Emeralds, sapphires, rubies, and diamonds are pretty readily available in large quantities.”
I eyed the colorful path to the massive doors, feeling intimidated. His driveway alone was worth a very large fortune. “My parents had an enormous and very impressive home in New York, but nothing like this. Only my mother is living there now. I bought a condo in Manhattan. How old is this place?”
He chuckled. “How did I know that the history of this castle was going to be one of your first questions?”
I smiled at him as he took my hand, something he’d done since the first time we’d clasped ours together several days ago. “Probably because you know I’m a history freak,” I countered playfully, no longer ashamed of my interests. “Now tell me.”
Unfortunately, he hadn’t kissed me since the day we’d explored the woods, and I wished I’d stop craving his embrace. Nic was getting to me in ways I couldn’t seem to control. He had his moments when he could be arrogant, but for the most part, he was one of the kindest and most compassionate men I’d ever met.
It didn’t take him long to satisfy my curiosity. “The building is centuries old. It was built for a previous prince who wanted the views of the city. When I took residence here, I made quite a few changes.”
One of the two royal guards standing beside the door reached over and opened it before we arrived at the entry, and we were met by what I assumed was a housekeeper. Nic dismissed her politely, and then pulled me into the foyer.
The exterior of the building might be old, but the inside was pure decadence without being gaudy. The high ceilings allowed for plenty of light from all of the windows in the great room, and the décor was fairly modern. Actually, it was a mixture of old and new, traditional meets modern, and it was breathtakingly gorgeous.
The massive stone fireplace was probably original, and looked like it had been restored. I loved the way Nic had kept the important things intact, but had added some of the modern conveniences and indulgences to the enormous home.
We toured for over an hour, finally making our way outside.
Still dazzled by the luxury and warmth of his ridiculously large palace, I said, “That was spectacular. Your home is special, Nic. It’s not just a showplace. I can tell that somebody lives in it, and it feels like you. Traditional, yet contemporary.”
From the paintings he’d hung to the massive amount of light in the castle, it was completely Nic’s style.
“I do live in it,” he answered, amused.
“I can tell,” I replied, my head still swimming from the scent of Nic in the master bedroom, sitting room, and bath. The tantalizing fragrance made my entire body come alive, and all I had wanted to do was wallow in him. I had all I could do not to throw myself into his arms and beg for relief from the excruciating need I’d been experiencing since he’d kissed me.
As I had several times since I’d met Nic and discovered passion, I wondered what I’d experienced when I lost my virginity to Alex. Had I been feeling the same raw, powerful desire that I felt now with Nic?
As usual, I couldn’t remember.
I’d definitely been attracted to Alex, but I couldn’t recall any of the particulars.
“Did you like it?” Nic inquired.
“I’m not sure ‘like’ is an appropriate word,” I confessed. I’d seen plenty of grand mansions in my life, but the history and the charm of Nic’s palace was something far different from the estates I was used to seeing. “What’s down there?” I asked as I pointed toward an area that appeared to be fenced off.
“It’s the wildlife sanctuary.” He pointed in the opposite direction where there were neatly painted buildings and more enclosures. “That’s the stables.”
“You keep animals here?” I asked excitedly.
He nodded. “And plenty of nice horseflesh. We pride ourselves on turning out some of the best horses in the world.”
“I love to ride,” I shared as we made our way down the hill to the stables.
In my excitement to see the horses, I let gravity carry me downhill, and I stumbled near the bottom.
“Careful,” Nic warned as he put an arm around my waist to keep me upright.
He kept me on my feet by gripping me tightly by my waist and hips from behind. Holding his hand and being close to him had saved me from stumbling down the grassy hill. At least I would have had a fairly soft landing.
I was silent, savoring the sensation of my body pressed against him. His hand caressed my stomach as he held me tightly.
I’d chosen a light blue sundress today, paired with a casual pair of flat sandals. The material of the garment was so thin I could feel the warmth of his hand on my stomach.
“Gopher hole,” I said in a breathless voice.
I could feel the warm breath of his low laugh against the side of my neck as he answered, “Nice theory, love, except we don’t have gophers in Rubare Virgina.”
Damn!
“Well, I’m sure I tripped over something.”
Something other than my own two feet.
“It doesn’t matter,” Nic said in a husky voice. “I don’t mind catching you.”
My cheeks flamed red. “I didn’t really trip over anything,” I confessed, my heart pounding and my senses alarming to full alert. “I’m just a klutz.”
“You’re adorably eager to see new things,” Nic argued. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I love the way you hurry to see something that you haven’t seen before. It’s enchanting.”
I swallowed hard, then forced myself to pull away from him. He let me go, but he seemed to do it reluctantly.
As I turned to face him, I shrugged. “I’ve been this way since I was a kid. I’d get excited to go somewhere, and I couldn’t get there fast enough. My feet wouldn’t move that fast.”
He held out his hand. “Come with me, then. I won’t let you go faster than you’re able to move.”
He locked our fingers together again, and he shot me a grin.
We jogged down to the stables together.
I was impressed by the horses that he was actively breeding, and the refuge where he kept animals that needed rehabilitation.
“You stay busy,” I teased as we strolled out of the area where he kept the birds of prey he’d been working with, trying to get them well enough to go back into the wild.
Honestly, I had no idea how he found the time to work with his horses, his animals, and still travel for the country’s official business. I could tell by his familiarity with the wildlife and the horses that he was probably with them often, even though there was staff to take care of their basic needs.
“I do what’s important to me,” he replied.
“How did you get out of playing host for the crowd that’s visiting if most of them were here to see you?” The question had been plaguing me since he’d started escorting me around.
“They weren’t really here to see me. They wanted to see Prince Nic.”
“Isn’t that you?” I said playfully.
“I never asked for anybody to come here so I could choose a bride. It was my father’s idea. Like you, I desire more than somebody who wants to marry a very wealthy prince. Most of them have departed now.”
I cringed at the idea that Nic was basically expected to put himself on display, to be admired only for his status and money. “But you have to marry, right?”
“Before my thirtieth birthday,” he confirmed. “I don’t have much time.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t waste your time hanging out with me,” I suggested, hating the thought of Nic being with somebody else.
He deserved someone who could care about more than his royal title and the luxuries it afforded. It hadn’t taken me long to realize there were a lot of things about this enigmatic man to like—other than the obvious.
He grinned as he came to a stop outside the back entrance of his castle. “I can’t stop seeing you, Diana. Who would be there to rescue you when you fall? Besides, I think I’ve become addicted to you.”
“But I’m not an eligible woman for you, Nic,” I said, the statement downright painful. “You can’t marry me, and I don’t need somebody to rescue me. I’ve fallen plenty of times in my life. I get up again.”
“Can I not?” he asked in a gruff voice. “I appear to be spending a lot of time with you. It feels a lot like your American dating rituals.”
My heart sank. “You can’t. I’m not the right woman for you.”
“How do you know that? I haven’t finished trying to impress you,” he said in a mischievous tone.
“It’s not that. I already like you. A lot. But I can’t marry you.”
I started to panic. I wasn’t the woman he needed, and he was completely wasting his time with me. I’d sacrificed the right to be anything more than a friend with Nic on the evening of my arrival, when I’d given my virginity to Alex.
“If you think that way, I guess I’ll have to work harder to change your mind,” he told me as he fingered a stray lock of my crazy hair that had escaped confinement.
“You won’t change my mind, Nic.”
I could never get my virginity back. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and the last thing I wanted was for Nic to think I could ever possibly be his wife. From what he’d told me, he could be in real trouble with the Arcano if he tried to choose the wrong bride.
“Niccolino,” a male voice boomed from the back entrance.
“Who is that?” The older man who appeared in the doorway look imposing and more than a little angry.
“My father,” Nic answered irritably. “He probably came to find me because I haven’t been at his residence to visit.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I followed Nic into the castle to meet his father, the King of Rubare Virgina.