Behind Palace Doors (Hollywood 3)

Stefan stared at Victoria. The moment of reminiscing had turned intense...something he hadn’t counted on. Sex was one thing, but that flutter in his chest was not welcome.

Na pari i eychi. The woman was almost too perfect for him. He couldn’t afford to let himself get all emotional about their arrangement. He was a man—one known for his physical relationships. He had to remember that here.

“I’ll be right there,” he said before disconnecting the call.

Stefan came to his feet, put his hands on his hips and looked down at Victoria. “Police arrived. I’m going to go talk with them.”

Still staring into his eyes, as if searching for answers about what had just happened, Victoria nodded and remained silent.

What had just happened? He didn’t even know himself, but it was far too much. Besides, he couldn’t focus on that right now.

“I can send someone to pick up our picnic later,” he told her. “Are you staying here or coming back with me?”

“I think I’ll stay here.”

He studied her, trying to read if she was uncomfortable or just confused like he was. Was she feeling something beyond their friendship and sexual desire?

“Then I’ll send someone down to make sure you’re all right by yourself.”

Victoria smiled. “I don’t need a sitter, Stefan. I’ll be fine. Go on and talk to the police. But you have the man’s memory card, so don’t be in a rush to press charges.”

That was his Victoria. Always wanting the good in life to override the bad. She was a special woman and for now she was not just his best friend, she was his wife. He refused to delve deeper than that.

* * *

Victoria slid into her red silk nightgown and smoothed her hair back over her shoulder. The phone calls Stefan had been receiving shouldn’t still be in the forefront of her mind, but they were, and she hated the fact she let the jealousy settle there for so long.

Stefan wasn’t Alex. Stefan was the most loyal friend she’d ever had and no way would she compare the two men because Alex didn’t even deserve the time of her thoughts.

What did deserve her thoughts were those blasted designs. Something just wasn’t clicking. She’d never encountered this before, where all of the drawings weren’t up to her own standards of perfection. Granted, they may be okay for some designers, but Victoria prided herself on flawless, shockingly stunning designs before she let anyone see them, and she wasn’t going to change her ways with this new bridal collection.

She wanted her team back in L.A. to gasp with awe when they saw what she’d come up with. Unfortunately, if she took these current drawings to the table, her associates would only gasp in fright.

On the bright side, her random drawings of various forms of the Alexander family crest were quite impressive, if she did say so herself. Too bad that wasn’t her main focus.

Soon-to-be brides around the world were waiting with high expectations to see what Victoria Alexander, Princess and almost Queen of Galini Isle, would come up with for the launching of her new line.

Maybe if she added a touch more lace. Lace said romance, but too much could scream tacky. Perhaps longer trains like so many girls dreamed of. Grown women still kept that little girl fairy tale in their mind. Their wedding day was supposed to be magical, and it all started with the dress because it set the tone.

Warm, strong hands cupped her shoulders and Victoria jumped.

“Easy.”

She turned in Stefan’s arms and smiled. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

His eyes dipped down to the V in her nightgown and a wicked grin spread across his lips. “Why cover up? Inside this room there should be a no-clothes rule.”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “I barely get them on before you take them off.”

“Exactly,” he agreed, squeezing her almost-bare shoulders. “It’s a waste of time. So tell me what had your mind so preoccupied?”

Reaching up, Victoria grabbed his forearms and held on. Sometimes it was just nice to have his strength, his shoulder to lean on. He never judged her and always listened with the compassion that only a best friend could.

“I’ve just hit a rough spot with the designs.” Fear gripped her at the thought of being stuck in a rut, at the idea that she may be tapped out at the moment in her career she needed her creativity most. “This has never happened.”

“You’re stressing yourself,” Stefan told her. “Take another day off to think about it. For that matter, take the rest of our time here off. Maybe once we get back to L.A., when you’re in your element, the ideas will flow.”