Roarke's Kingdom

“I was just thinking what a perfect day this has been.”

He nuzzled her hair away from her ear, then bent and kissed her the nape of her neck.

“It’s been the happiest day of my life,” he said softly.

“Yes. Of mine too.”

But even as she said it, her throat closed with emotion. It would have been better to have gone through with her plan to leave Roarke and his island.

Now, she wasn’t only a woman trapped in a series of terrible lies, she was a woman who’d let the man she adored show her his heart.

If he knew the truth—when he knew it, would he hate her for the way she’d let him bare himself to her? He was such a private man. How would he react when he knew he’d exposed all his emotions to a liar?

“Jen?” Roarke’s arms tightened around her. “I’ve been thinking. I don’t want to go back to the real world just yet.”

No. Neither did she.

Suddenly, he drew back on the throttle. The roar of the engine dropped to a whisper as he turned her in his arms.

“Did you get to see much of Puerto Rico before you came to Isla de la Pantera?”

“No,” she said evasively. “Not much.”

“That’s what I thought,” he said, taking her face in his hands. “But you should, you know.” He smiled. “The island’s beautiful, and filled with contrasts. There are rainforests and caves and beaches as beautiful as any on Isla de la Pantera.”

She smiled. “Does the tourist office pay you to make this speech, señor?”

He laughed as he traced the bones of her cheeks with his thumbs. “I’ll bet you didn’t even get to see very much of the old part of San Juan.”

“I—I didn’t get to do much sight-seeing, no.”

“Well, then, that settles it. We won’t go back to the island. Not yet. I’m going to turn us around and head for San Juan.”

“But Susanna—”

“Constancia will spoil her silly.”

“And what about clothes? All I have with me is what I’m wearing.”

“You can do some shopping. A silky dress. Sapphires for your throat.”

“Roarke. Really…”

“Jennifer,” he said, “really.” He laughed at the expression on her face, and then his laughter died. “I want to be alone with you. No servants. No interruptions. And as much as I love my daughter, the thought of being able to make love whenever we feel like it without stopping to tend to a crying baby would be a luxury.” He drew her close and kissed her with slow thoroughness. “Sweetheart. All you have to do is say yes.”

* * *

The elegant little boutique was set like a jewel along a stretch of beachfront where jewels of one sort or another were commonplace. But even here, where diamonds glittered and designer clothes fought for display space, this particular window held things that were breathtaking in their beauty—especially the blue and green silk dress that lay draped across a white wicker chair.

Jennifer couldn’t help but sigh. The dress had thin straps and a full skirt. It looked as if it had been fashioned from the sea.

“It’s a pretty dress, isn’t it?” Roarke said softly, dipping his head toward hers.

She smiled up at him. “Yes, it’s lovely.”

“And made for you.”

Jennifer laughed and tugged at his hand. “Come on, silly. That dress was made for someone who can afford it.”