At His Majesty's Convenience / Her Little Secret, His Hidden Heir
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Jake stiffened. He never took Andi for granted. He knew just how dependent on her he was. Did she feel that he didn’t care?
Frowning, he descended the stairs and took Maxi’s offered hand. He was the host, after all. Two waltzes and a polka later he managed to slip out into the hallway.
“Any idea where Andi is?” he asked the first person he saw, who happened to be the night butler.
He shrugged in typical Ruthenian style. “Haven’t seen her in hours. Maybe she went to bed?”
Unlikely. Andi never left a party until the last guest had rolled down the drive. But then she’d never quit before, either. He was halfway up the stairs before he realized he was heading for her bedroom again.
Jake stared at her closed door. Was she in there? And if not, were her bags still there?
He knocked, but heard no movement from inside. After checking that the corridor was deserted, he knelt and peered through the keyhole. It was empty—no key on the inside—which suggested she was out. On the other hand, the pitch darkness on the other side meant he couldn’t see a thing.
He slipped in—didn’t she know better than to leave her door unlocked?—and switched on the light. The suitcases were still there. Closer inspection revealed that one of them had been partially unpacked, as if an item was removed. Still, there were no clues as to Andi’s whereabouts.
Frustration pricked his muscles. How could she just disappear like this?
At the foot of the stairs, Fritz accosted him, martini in hand. “When are you going to choose your bride, Jake? We’re all getting impatient.”
Jake growled. “Why is everyone so mad for me to get married?”
“Because there are precious few kings left in the world and you’re up for grabs. The rest of us are waiting to see who’s left. None of the girls dare even kiss us anymore, let alone do anything more rakish, in case they’re making themselves ineligible for a coronet. They’re all fighting for the chance to be called Your Majesty.”
“Then they’re all nuts. If anyone calls me ‘Your Majesty,’ I’ll fire ‘em.”
Fritz shoved him. “All bluster. And don’t deny you have some of the loveliest women in the world to choose from.”
“I wish the loveliest women in the world would take off for the night. I’m ready to turn in.” Or rather, ready to find and corner Andi.
Fritz cocked his head. “Party pooper. All right. I’ll round up the troops and march ‘em out for you.”
“You’re a pal.”
Jake watched the last chauffeured Mercedes disappear down the long driveway from the east patio. He needed some air to clear his head before tackling Andi—and watching from here ensured that she couldn’t leave without him seeing her.
Could he really stand to marry Maxi or Alia or any of these empty-headed, too-rich, spoiled brats? He’d been surrounded by their kind of women all his life, even in New York. Just the circle he’d been born into. You’d think a king would have more choices than the average Joe, but that was apparently not the case.
Something moving in the darkness caught his eye. He squinted, trying to make out what was crossing the lawn. An animal? Ruthenia had quite large deer that he was supposed to enjoy hunting.
But this creature was lighter, more upright, and moved with a kind of mystical grace. He stepped forward, peering into the gloom of a typical moonlit but cloudy night. The figure whirled and twirled on the lawn, pale fabric flowing around it.
A ghost? His back stiffened. The palace was nearly three hundred years old and built over a far more ancient structure. Tales of sieges and beheadings and people imprisoned in the dungeons rattled around the old stone walls.
Long, pale arms extended sideways as the figure twirled again. A female ghost.
Curiosity goaded him across the patio and down the stone stairs onto the lawn. He walked silently across the damp grass, eyes fixed on the strange apparition. As he drew closer he heard singing—soft and sweet—almost lost in the low breeze and the rustling of the trees.
Entranced, he moved nearer, enjoying the figure’s graceful movements and the silver magic of her voice.
He stopped dead when he realized she was singing in English.
“Andi?”
Despite the hair streaming over her shoulders and the long, diaphanous dress, he recognized his assistant of six years, arms raised to the moon, swaying and singing in the night.
He strode forward faster. “Are you okay?”
She stopped and stared at him and the singing ceased. Her eyes shone bright in the darkness.
“What are you doing out here?” He walked right up to her, partly to prove to himself that she was real and not a figment of his imagination. His chest swelled with relief. At least now he’d found her and they could have that talk he’d been rehearsing in his head all night.
“Why don’t we go inside?” He reached out for her hand, almost expecting his own to pass through it. She still looked so spectral, smiling in the cloud-veiled moonlight.
But the hand that seized his felt warm. Awareness snapped through him as her fingers closed around his. Her hair was longer than he’d imagined. Almost to the peaks of her nipples, which jutted out from the soft dress. He swallowed. He’d never noticed what … luxurious breasts Andi had. They were usually hidden under tailored suits and crisp blouses.
He struggled to get back on task. “We need to talk.”
Andi’s grip tightened on his, but she didn’t move. Her face looked different. Transfixed, somehow. Her eyes sparkling and her lips glossy and parted. Was she drunk?
“You must be cold.” On instinct he reached out to touch her upper arm, which was bare in the floaty evening gown she wore. As he drew closer, her free arm suddenly wrapped around his waist with force.
Jake stilled as she lifted her face to his. She smelled of that same soft scent she always wore, not a trace of alcohol, just flowers and sweetness. He groped for words, but failed to find any as her lips rose toward his.
Next thing he knew he was kissing her full—and hard—on the mouth.
Two
Jake let his arms wind around her waist. The movement was as instinctive as breathing. Their mouths melted together and her soft body pressed against his. Desire flared inside him, hot and unexpected, as the kiss deepened. His fingers ached to explore the lush curves she’d kept hidden for so long.
But this was Andi—his faithful and long-suffering assistant, not some bejeweled floozy who just wanted to lock lips with a monarch.
He pulled back from the kiss with great difficulty, unwinding himself from the surprisingly powerful grip of her slim arms. A momentary frown flashed across her lovely face—why had he never noticed she was so pretty?—then vanished again as a smile filled her soft eyes and broadened her mouth.
She lifted a hand and stroked his cheek. “You’re beautiful.”
Shocked, Jake struggled for a response. “You’re beautiful. I’m handsome.” He lifted a brow, as if to assure himself they were both kidding.
She giggled—in a most un-Andi-like way—and tossed her head, which sent her hair tumbling over her shoulders in a shimmering cascade. She twirled again, and the soft dress draped her form, allowing him a tantalizing view of her figure. He’d certainly never seen her in this dress before. Floor-length and daringly see-through, it was far dressier and more festive than her usual attire.
“Happiness is glorious joy,” she sang, as she turned to face him again.
“Huh?” Jake frowned.
“Mysterious moonlight and wonderful wishes.” Another silver peal of laughter left her lips—which looked quite different than he remembered, bare of their usual apricot lipstick and kissed to ruby fullness.
Unless she’d suddenly turned to poetry—very bad poetry at that—she must be intoxicated. He didn’t smell anything on her breath, though. And didn’t she always insist she was allergic to alcohol? He couldn’t remember ever seeing her with a real drink.
Drugs?
He peered at her eyes. Yes, her pupils were dilated. Still, Andi experimenting with illegal substances? It seemed impossible.
“Did you take something?”
“Steal? I’d never steal from you. You’re my true love.” She gazed at him as she spoke the words, eyes clear and blue as a summer sky.
Jake groped for words. “I meant, did you take any pills?”
You’re my true love? She was obviously tripping on something. He’d better get her inside before she tried to fly from the parapets or walk on the water in the moat. “Let’s go inside.”
He wrapped his arm around her, and she squeezed against him and giggled again. This was not the Andi he knew. Perhaps the stress of threatening to leave had encouraged her to take some kind of tranquilizer. He had no idea how those things worked, but couldn’t come up with any other explanation for her odd behavior.
“You smell good.” She pressed her face against him, almost tripping him.
Jake’s eyes widened, but he managed to keep walking. Her body bumping against his was not helping his own sanity. Now she’d slid an arm around his waist and her fingers fondled him as they walked. His blood was heating in a most uncomfortable way.
Maybe he could bring both of them back down to earth.
“It was cold of you to seat me between Maxi and Alia.”
“Who?” She marched gaily along over the lawn, still clinging to him. No reaction to the names.
“Maxi and Alia. Both of them fighting over me was a bit much to take on top of the cook’s roulade.”
“Pretty names. We haven’t met. You must introduce me sometime.” She pulled her arm from his waist and took off skipping across the damp lawn.
Jake paused and stared for a moment, then strode after her.
Since he didn’t particularly want any of the other staff to see Andi in this compromising state, Jake hustled her into his private chambers and locked the door. That was the accepted signal that he was off duty for the night and not to be disturbed.
Andi made herself quite at home, curling up on one of the sofas, with a languid arm draping along the back. “Happiness is as happiness does,” she said dreamily.
Jake resisted the urge to pour himself a whisky. “Listen, what you said about leaving. I saw your bags—”
“Leave? I would never leave you, my love.” Her face rested in a peaceful smile.
Jake swallowed. “So you’re staying.”
“Of course. Forever and ever and ever.” Her eyes sparkled.
“Ah. That’s settled then.” He moved to the liquor cabinet, deciding to have that whisky after all. “I am relieved. The thought of managing without you was quite frightening.”
Andi had risen from the sofa and was now waltzing around the room by herself, singing, “Someday my prince will come.” She twirled, sweeping her pale evening dress about her like smoke. “Some day I’ll love someone.” Her radiant smile was almost infectious.
Almost. Jake took a swig of his drink. Did she really think they were having some kind of relationship outside their well-established professional one? As much as the idea appealed right this second, he knew it would really mess things up once she snapped out of whatever chemical induced trance she was in.
He’d better remind her of that. “We’ve worked together a long time.”
She stopped twirling for a moment, and frowned. “I don’t think I do work.”
“You’re a lady of leisure?”
She glanced down at her evening gown. “Yes.” She frowned; then her expression brightened. “I must be. Otherwise why would I be dressed like this?”
Had she temporarily forgotten that she was his assistant? “Why are you dressed like that?” She’d certainly never worn anything so festive before.
“It’s pretty, isn’t it?” She looked up at him. “Do you like it?”
“Very much.” He allowed his eyes to soak up the vision of it draped over her gorgeous body. Desire licked through him in tiny, tormenting flames.
Andi reached out and tugged at his shirt. Even that made his synapses flash and his groin tighten.
“Why don’t you come sit with me.” She stroked the sofa cushion next to her.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” His voice came out gruff.
“Why not?”
“It’s late. We should get to bed.” The image of her in his bed flooded his brain, especially as it was right there in the next room. But caution tightened his muscles.
“Oh, don’t be silly—” She frowned. “How odd.” She glanced up at him. “I can’t think of your name right now.”
Jake was about to tell her, but something made him stop. “You don’t know my name?”
She looked up for a few moments, as if searching her brain. “No, I don’t seem to know it.”
Panic tightened his chest. “What’s your name?”
She looked toward the ceiling, scrunched up her brow and clenched her fists. When she finally looked back at him, her expression had changed from glee to confusion. “I’m not sure.”
“I think we should call for a doctor.” He pulled his phone out.
“A doctor? What for? I feel fine.”
He hesitated. “Let me look at you. Did you bump your head?”
She shrugged. “I don’t think so.”
He put his phone back in his pocket and touched her temples with his thumbs. Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him and her scent was a torment. He worked his fingers gently back into her hair—which was soft and luxurious to touch. “Hey, I feel a lump.”
“Ouch!”
“You have a bruise.” He touched it gently. A big goose egg. That explained a whole lot. “We’re definitely calling the doctor. You could have a concussion.” He dialed the number. “Listen, sorry it’s so late, Gustav, but Andi’s taken a fall and bumped her head. She’s not talking too much sense and I think you should look at her.”
Gustav replied that he’d be there in the ten minutes it took to drive from the town, and to keep her awake until he got there.
After letting the staff know to expect Gustav, Jake sat down on the sofa opposite her. It made sense to find out just how much of her memory had vanished. “How old are you?” Odd that he didn’t know that.
“Over twenty-one.” She laughed. Then frowned. “Other than that, I’m not too sure. How old do I look?”
Jake smiled. “I’d be a damned fool if I answered a question like that from a woman.” He decided he’d be better off following the lawyer’s strategy of only asking questions he knew the answer to. It was pretty embarrassing that he really didn’t know how old she was. “How long have you lived here?”
She stared at him, mouth slightly open, then looked away. “Why are you asking me these silly questions? I’ve lived here a long time. With you.”
Her gaze—innocent yet needy—ate into him. She stroked the sofa arm with her fingers and his skin tingled in response. She seemed to have lost her memory, and, in its absence, assumed they were a couple.
Jake sucked in a long breath. They’d never had any kind of flirtation, even a playful one. She always seemed so businesslike and uninterested in such trivial matters. He’d never really looked at her that way, either. Much simpler to keep business and pleasure separate, especially when a really good assistant was so hard to find and keep.
Right now he was seeing a different aspect of Andi—alarming, and intriguing.
She rose and walked a few steps to his sofa, then sank down next to him. Her warm thigh settled against his, causing his skin to sizzle even through their layers of clothing. He stiffened. Was it fair to offer a man this kind of temptation?
At least it was keeping her awake.
Her fingers reached up to his black bow tie and tugged at one end. The knot came apart and the silk ribbons fell to his starched shirtfront.
“Much better.” She giggled again, then pulled the tie out from his collar and undid the top button of his shirt. Jake watched, barely breathing, trying to suppress the heaving tide of arousal surging inside him.
After all, it would be rude to push her away, wouldn’t it? Especially in her delicate and mysterious condition.
When her fingers roamed into his hair, causing his groin to ache uncomfortably, he had to take action. He stood up rapidly. “The doctor will be here any minute. Can I get you a glass of water?”
“I’m not thirsty.” Her hurt look sent a pang to his heart.
“Still, it’s good to keep hydrated.” He busied himself with filling a glass at the bar, and took care not to accidentally brush her fingertips as he handed it to her. Her cheeks and lips were flushed with pink, which made her look aroused and appealing at the same time.
She took the glass and sipped cautiously. Then looked up at him with a slight frown. “I do feel odd.”
Jake let out a sigh of relief. This seemed more like the real Andi than the one spouting loopy epithets. “You’ll probably feel better in the morning, but it can’t hurt to have the doctor take a look.”
Alarm filled him as tears welled in her eyes. “It’s just so strange not being able to remember anything. How could I not even know my own name?” A fat tear rolled down her soft cheek.
Disturbing that he now knew how soft her cheek was.
“Your name is Andi Blake.”
“Andi.” She said it softly. Then frowned again. “Is that short for something?”
Jake froze. Was it? He had no idea. He didn’t remember ever calling her anything else, but it had been six long years since he’d seen her résumé and frankly he couldn’t remember the details. “Nope. Just Andi. It’s a pretty name.”
He regretted the lame comment, something you might say to a six-year-old. But then he didn’t have experience in dealing with amnesiacs, so maybe it wasn’t all that inappropriate.
“Oh.” She seemed to mull that over. She wiped her eyes. “At least I know my own name now.” Then she bit her lip. “Though it doesn’t sound at all familiar.” Tears glistened in her eyes. “What if my memory doesn’t come back?”
“Don’t worry about that, I’m sure—” A knock on the door announced the arrival of the doctor, and Jake released a sigh of relief. “Please send him in.”
Andi’s tearful trembling subsided as the doctor checked her over, peering into her eyes with a light, checking her pulse and breathing, and taking her temperature.
As the local doctor, he’d been to the palace before and knew Andi. She showed no sign of recognizing or remembering him. His questions revealed that while she remembered general concepts, like how to tie a knot, she recalled nothing about her own life.
“Andi, would you excuse us a moment?” The doctor ushered Jake out into the hallway. “Is she exhibiting mood changes?”
“Big time. She’s not like herself at all. She seemed happy—silly even—when I first found her. Just now she was crying. I think the reality of what’s going on is setting in.”
“Sounds like a pretty textbook case of temporary memory loss, if there is such a thing.” The older man snapped his briefcase closed. “Lots of emotion. Mood swings. Loss of long-term memory. I’ve never seen it before, myself, but in most cases the memory eventually starts to come back.”
“When? How long will she be like this?”
The doctor gave a Ruthenian shrug. “Could be days, could be weeks. There’s a slim possibility she won’t ever recall everything. She’s certainly had a good bump to her head, but no signs of concussion or other injury. Do you have any idea what happened?”
Jake shook his head. “I found her out dancing on the lawn. I didn’t see anything happen at all.”
“Make sure she gets plenty of sleep, and encourage her with questions to bring back her memory.” The doctor hoisted his bag onto his shoulder. “Call me anytime, of course.”
“Thanks.” Jake frowned. “Can we keep this amnesia thing between us? I think Andi would be embarrassed if people knew what was going on. She’s a very private person.”
The doctor’s brow furrowed even more than usual. “Of course.” Your Highness. The unspoken words hovered in the air. Jake sensed slight disapproval at his request for secrecy, but he knew the physician would honor it. “Please keep me posted on her progress.”
Jake went back into his suite and locked the door. Andi was sitting on the sofa and her mood seemed to have brightened. Her tears were gone, and a smile hovered in her eyes as she looked up at him. “Will I live?”
“Without a doubt. It’s late. How about some sleep?”
“I’m not at all sleepy.” She draped herself over the sofa, eyes heavy-lidded with desire. “I’d rather play.”
Jake’s eyes widened. Could this really be the same Andi he’d worked with all these years? It was shocking to imagine that this flirtatious person had been lurking inside her the whole time. Unless it was just a mood swing caused by her condition.
She rose from the sofa and swept toward him, then threw her arms around his waist. “I do love you.”
Gulp. Jake patted her cautiously on the back. This could last for days. Or weeks. Or longer.
His skin tingled as her lips pressed against his cheek. “I’m so glad we’re together.” Her soft breath heated his skin as she breathed the words in his ear.
And this was the woman who’d announced, only a few hours before, that she was leaving for good, that night.
At least that was off the agenda for now.
His phone rang and he tensed. What now? “Excuse me.” He extricated himself from her embrace and pulled it from his pocket.
A glance at the number revealed the caller was Maxi. She’d formed a new habit of calling him at bizarre times like the crack of dawn or during his morning workout. This call in the wee hours was a new and even more unappealing attempt to monopolize his time.
Still, maybe there was some kind of emergency.
“Hi, Maxi.”
“Jake, are you still awake?” Her breathy voice grated on his nerves.
“I am now.” He glanced at Andi, who was twirling around the room doing the dance of the seven veils, or something. “What do you want?”
“So impatient. I just wanted to chat. About you and me.”
He shoved a hand through his hair. Maxi was definitely not The One. In fact she could be voted Least Likely to be Queen of Ruthenia, since she was firmly in his “keep your enemies closer” circle. He’d been drawing her in and inviting her confidence on purpose. Not because he loved her, or was even attracted to her. He’d found evidence that her family was involved in weapons dealing and possibly worse, but he didn’t have enough proof to do anything about it yet.
None of the other girls dealt in arms or drugs, as far as he knew, but they were all empty-headed and silly. Right now he was more attracted to his own assistant than to any of Ruthenia’s pampered beauties.
An idea crept into his brain.
Since Andi seemed to assume they were a couple, why not make it a reality? He had to marry someone. He could announce to the press tomorrow that his chosen bride was his own assistant.
A chill of sangfroid crept over him. Could he really arrange his own marriage so easily? Andi was agreeable, intelligent and practical, perfectly suited to life in the spotlight. She’d worked just outside it for years and knew the whole routine of palace life perfectly. Apart from her presumably humble origins—he really didn’t know anything about her origins, but since he’d never met her parents at a ball, he was guessing—she’d be the ideal royal wife.
They’d known each other for years and he could simply announce that they’d been involved for a long time but kept their relationship secret.
The announcement would send the long-fingernailed wolves away from his door for good. He and Andi could marry, produce an heir and a spare or two, and live a long, productive life in the service of the citizens of Ruthenia—wasn’t that what was really important?
Andi had wandered into the bedroom and a quick glance revealed that she now lay sprawled on his bed.
Heat surged through him like a shot of brandy.
Her dress draped over her, displaying her inviting curves like an ice-cream sundae with whipped cream on top. Her gaze beckoned him, along with her finger. His muscles itched to join her on the bed and enjoy discovering more of Andi’s wickedly intriguing sensual side.