The Crown Prince's Bride (Royal Duology 2)

“What do you suggest?”

“I do love the lavender. It’s a special blend made just for us from the fields in Provence, and is very calming.”

“That sounds perfect.”

What followed was a solid hour of bliss. At one point, she nearly fell asleep as Mariel kneaded and soothed the muscles of her lower back. She gave a little start when the masseuse shifted the sheet and worked on her buttocks, down her thighs and calves, but it was utterly blissful. She rolled over and groaned as the muscles in her neck released beneath capable fingers. The perfume of the lavender oil teased her nostrils. Why had it taken her so long to do this? If she could, she’d book a massage every week for the rest of her life.

“There,” Mariel said, standing back from the table. “Take your time getting up. You might feel a little lightheaded at first. I will wait inside.”

Stephani sighed, wishing it wasn’t over. Still, her body felt so limber. So soft. She sat up and reached for the robe that Mariel had left at her feet, pulling it up over her shoulders and belting it loosely around her waist.

She went inside and retrieved her water, drinking the rest of the bottle in short order. Mariel was packed up and gone as quickly and quietly as she’d arrived, but just as she was leaving another woman arrived at her door.

Raoul was giving her the royal treatment, and she was starting to feel rather princessy about it all.

This time it was a facial and a pedicure. She knew that the spa offered such things, of course, and she’d planned to tour those facilities as well this week. But this room service was incredible. By six o’clock, her face glowed when she looked in the mirror, and her toes were a delicious shade of deep red. She chose a dress for dinner, a little ivory dress that she loved. Neutral colored sandals accentuated her calves and showed her newly painted toes, and she put her hair up, a combination of braids and twists that looked more complicated than it was.

Once it was anchored with pins, she frowned. It was missing something. Jewelry? The boat neckline required something long, but she knew she’d failed to pack anything that would suit. Instead she dug in her case until she found the half-dozen gold bangles she’d packed. Then, with a flash of inspiration, she plucked a showy hibiscus blossom from the bouquet of lilies, hibiscus, and plumeria on the side table in the living room. She tucked the crimson petals into the side of her twist, then anchored it with an invisible pin. It gave an exotic flavor to an otherwise simple outfit. Satisfied, she tucked her keycard and her tube of lipstick into a red clutch. That, with the flower, was the dash of color she’d been missing.

Instead of waiting for Raoul, she left her room, took the ten steps to his door, inhaled sharply for fortification, and knocked.

CHAPTER TWELVE

She looked stunning.

Raoul was momentarily speechless when he opened his door and saw her there. He recognized the dress; she’d worn it before to some luncheon function or something. But there was something different tonight that he couldn’t put his finger on. Something that made her glow from the inside out. He’d like to think it was him, but he knew more realistically it was probably from the spa treatments he’d set up as a surprise for her.

Apparently that had been a good move on his part.

“You look beautiful,” he said quietly, standing aside. “I’m nearly ready.” He’d showered and changed after their day, choosing a tan summer suit with a white shirt and no tie. He wondered if he should reconsider that and pick one f

rom the selection he’d brought, but then Stephani smiled at him and any thoughts of neckties fled.

Anticipation curled through his belly, taking him by surprise. These feelings—excitement, anticipation, even carnality—he’d never expected to feel them again. He pushed any guilt aside. It felt good to be alive. It felt good to be with her. Nothing else really mattered tonight, did it?

“I had a table reserved for us on the veranda,” he said, trying to sound normal when inside he was quaking. Quaking! Like a schoolboy on a first date. “Do you have a wrap?”

Her face fell. “I never thought. Can we stop by my suite first?”

“Of course.” He held out his hand. “And I can have the table moved if you like. We can sit inside.”

“No, I like the veranda.” She smiled up at him. “We’re almost always in formal dining rooms. The fresh air is . . . well, it feels like freedom, doesn’t it?”

He knew what she meant. And yet, the moment they stepped outside his suite, he dropped her hand.

They stopped for a moment as she went inside to get her wrap. When she came back out, a light ivory wrap covered her shoulders and looped around her elbows.

She was all class. She smiled up at him and put her hand at his elbow. Together they walked to the elevators and traveled down to the second floor where the restaurants were situated.

The veranda seating was elegance and comfort together. Wicker chairs provided a light, tropical vibe, but the candle lamps and white flower arrangements on each table provided intimacy and romance. They’d barely been seated a moment when a bottle of champagne was delivered to the table.

“Is champagne all right?” Raoul asked.

Her eyes lit up when she saw the bottle. “Is there ever a bad time for champagne?” she asked. The bottle was popped, the fizzy liquid delicately poured into crystal. The remainder of the bottle was nestled into a silver bucket of ice beside the table.

Raoul met Stephani’s gaze and lifted his glass. “To a beautiful night.”

Her cheeks flushed just a little, and when she reached to touch the rim of her glass to his, her shawl slipped off her shoulder. She was so beautiful. And he was really starting to realize how much she’d been there for him. In the early days it had been her job. He’d barely known her, after all, and was just happy to help someone in Ceci’s family by giving her a job, and happy to have someone so very capable running his office. It had been a win-win situation.