“All by yourself?”

Hearing Alexander Rochelle’s masculine voice was enough to send a shiver of feminine pleasure through her.

“I had hoped I wouldn’t be,” she said. “This pool is one of my best places for matchmaking.”

He stepped closer. His arms were well shaped and muscular. Black swim trunks revealed tanned thighs. His feet were bare. “It seems your plan failed. It’s just you and me tonight.”

She swallowed and stepped back.

He gave her a curious look. “Are you afraid of me?”

“You’re my boss. You could fire me.”

“There’s no reason to be concerned about your job.” He smiled. “Stay. We can get to know each other.”

That wasn’t the response Princess Meredith was expecting. Worse, his voice sounded sexy and seductive. “I don’t think so,” she said.

He stared at her. And the sensual timbre of his next words sent quivers of awareness cascading through her. “What if I promise to be a perfect gentleman?”

The atmosphere was charged with a sizzle that hummed along her skin. It was enough to take her breath away….

Twice a Princess
Susan Meier

www.millsandboon.co.uk

SUSAN MEIER

is one of eleven children, and though she has yet to write a book about a big family, many of her books explore the dynamics of “unusual” family situations, such as large work “families,” bosses who behave like overprotective fathers, or “sister” bonds created between friends. Because she has more than twenty nieces and nephews, children also are always popping up in her stories. Many of the funny scenes in her books are based on experiences raising her own children or interacting with her nieces and nephews.

She was born and raised in western Pennsylvania and continues to live in Pennsylvania.

The Tale of the Cursed Princess

Not so very long ago there lived a princess with the reputation for being short-sighted, immature and spoiled rotten. Even her betrothed found her to be barely tolerable.

The princess’s temper tantrums and selfishness eventually became too much for her family to bear. Her reaction to her father’s marriage was the proverbial last straw. The king’s only daughter loved being daddy’s little girl, and the appearance of a potential stepmother threatened to change all that. The young princess tried to sabotage the engagement and the wedding. Her schemes were unsuccessful, but they convinced her godmother that the princess needed to be taught a lesson in humility and the power of love.

Her godmother cursed the princess with immediate advanced age, a severe bout of crankiness and exile from her country. The only way the princess could break the curse was to choose twenty-one potential couples and—using stories and a little magic—bring love into their lives, a bond sanctified by marriage. Once the last marriage was performed, she would turn back into a princess and be welcomed home—as long as the last couple was joined before her thirtieth birthday.

If she failed to secure the marriages before time ran out, she would live in exile as a crone until her death. If she succeeded, however, she would return home to marry the prince she had been promised at birth, with a well-learned lesson of what it meant to truly love….

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter One

Nearly purring with joy over making her twenty-first love match, Princess Meredith Montrosa Bessart, known to the guests of La Torchere Resort as Merry Montrose, stood on the sidelines of the dance floor at the wedding reception of Cynthia Rawlings and Rick Barnett. Resplendent in his black tux, typically dark and brooding Rick gazed down at his beautiful blond bride as they glided along the dance floor, Cynthia’s satin gown floating around them.

They looked like Cinderella and her prince, which to Merry was ironic considering that she was the real princess on Torchere Key, though a curse had changed her from a young, beautiful royal into a crone. Even dressed in her pretty blue gown, with her gray hair swept into a twist and wearing the diamond earrings and necklace—part of the collection of jewels belonging to Silestia’s royal family that she’d been allowed to keep to remind her of home—she didn’t look anything like a princess.

“Not dancing, Merry?”

The smooth baritone voice of Alexander Rochelle, owner of southwest Florida’s La Torchere Resort and Spa, flowed over Merry from behind. Tingling with awareness, she took a second to compose herself before she turned around to face him.

Dressed in his black tux, his blond hair casually styled in sexy disarray and his blue eyes dancing, Alexander was so gorgeous, so tantalizing, that the breath in Merry’s lungs disappeared, her chest tightened and her knees weakened. But the first fifteen seconds in Alexander’s company were always like this. Not just because he was gorgeous, but because he had an air of excitement, power and sensuality about him that Merry hadn’t seen matched. Not even in the court of Silestia, where her father was king.

He’d even had that air when he’d posed as a handyman.

“As resort manager I don’t dance,” she said slowly, forcing herself not to flirt with him. As a homely crone she would look ridiculous flirting with a handsome man. Though she had to admit that when she believed he was just a handyman, she had wanted to do more than flirt. He’d disguised himself to discover the secret of the resort’s recent love matches, but he soon revealed himself as the resort’s owner, first to her privately and then at a staff meeting. That same morning, he moved from a cramped employee efficiency apartment into the best villa on resort grounds, and he had been on La Torchere ever since, not really watching over her shoulder, but a hands-on owner to be sure. So, any thought she had of flirting had long ago died.

Still, that didn’t mean she couldn’t smile. Maybe even joke a little. “But if I did break protocol and dance at a guest’s wedding, I certainly wouldn’t do it in front of the boss.”

Alexander laughed. Again, the smooth sound of his voice seemed to pour through Merry, touching her when she didn’t want to be touched—

Well, that wasn’t precisely true. She’d like nothing better than to be touched by this man. Tall and broad shouldered, with a deep and masculine voice that reminded her of dark liaisons and whispered secrets, Alexander Rochelle was so physically male that Merry couldn’t imagine anything more feminine than being his lover. Just once in her life, she yearned to experience romance as intense, as perfect, as she was sure it would be with this man.

But she couldn’t. Rick and Cynthia’s marriage made their commitment official, finalizing the twenty-one matches that would break Merry’s curse. She didn’t know what would happen next. Literally! Right now, she stood before Alexander as a twenty-nine-year-old princess in a crone’s body, but any minute now her physical appearance, regal bearing and comportment could be restored. Then Alexander Rochelle might be attracted to her, but it was her duty to return to Silestia to marry Prince Alec Montclair, the man to whom she had been promised.

That was one of the lessons she had learned during this curse. To respect and appreciate her life—including her duties. As a member of a royal family she had responsibilities. She was a leader, a ruler and one of the guards of the benevolent magic passed down through her lineage. She could be a tyrannical monarch—but because being a crone for seven years had shown her that being born a princess was a gift, not a curse—she had decided to fulfill her lot in life with joy.

And her lot in life was to marry Prince Alec.

“What if your boss—the actual owner of the resort for which you work—told you it was okay to dance?”

“Then I’d probably dance, but no one’s asked me.”

Alexander set his champagne glass on a convenient table and bowed elegantly before extending his hand to her. “Then allow me to ask you.”

Tingles of attraction tiptoed through Merry, tempting her to place her fingers on his open palm and satisfy at least a little of her longing, and she gulped.

Being put under a curse and becoming old and haggard had been confusing, and it had taken her two years to adjust. Getting twenty-one couples together had been the struggle of a lifetime. The last five matches had been darned near impossible! She didn’t want to blow her success because she was in lust.

Of course, who was to say dancing with Alexander would wreck her success? There was no way it could affect the twenty-one matches she had in place. Even if she tripped over his feet or drooled on his jacket, she couldn’t embarrass herself because she hadn’t yet transformed into Princess Meredith. No one at this resort even knew Princess Meredith existed. They knew Merry Montrose, resort manager, wrinkled-up old prune who looked about ten years past retirement, not three weeks away from her thirtieth birthday!

Damn it! It wouldn’t hurt anything to dance with Alexander, and certainly after seven long years of torture she deserved one tiny morsel of womanly joy.

Of course she did!

“I’d love to.”

She placed her white-gloved fingers on Alexander’s palm. Through the lace she could feel his warmth, his power. Pleasant shivers of excitement skipped up her arm. But when he slid his hand to the small of her back and nudged her as close to him as propriety allowed for a dance with an elderly woman, the shivers turned into a torrent of arousal. A very unacceptable torrent of arousal! After seven years of deprivation, being this close to a strong, sensual man nearly overwhelmed her. Heat shot through her and Merry honestly worried that she would faint.

“You’ve done a wonderful job with the resort.”

Conversation! Thank God! She needed anything to get her mind away from the strength she could feel in his shoulders, the scent of his aftershave, the sensuality in his watchful eyes.

“Thank you.”

“The fact that so many love matches seem to originate here hasn’t hurt publicity.”

Merry gulped again. “Thanks. I think.”

He laughed. “Thanks is the appropriate response. I was definitely complimenting you. La Torchere Resort is getting a reputation better than the fountain of youth. We’re the fountain of love. If our number of guests continues to rise, we may have to add another wing to the hotel.”

Merry held back a grimace. This time tomorrow she would be on her way home. The matchmaking would stop. The fountain of love wouldn’t necessarily dry up, but it would surely slow down. “Don’t send the project out to an architect yet.”

“Why? Do you know something I don’t know?”

“No,” Merry hastily replied, probably too hastily, because he gazed down at her and Merry forgot everything but the latent fires of sensuality in his blue eyes. Standing so close, feeling his power as he effortlessly guided them around the dance floor, she was caught again in a yarn of yearning. What would it be like to kiss this man? To have him touch her and want her….

“I think you do know something I don’t know.”

Jarred out of her thoughts, Merry said, “No.” She paused to give him a reassuring smile and to remind herself that right at this moment she was a crone whom a man like Alexander wouldn’t want on a lost bet. Also, with the curse broken, she would return to her true self, and as her true self she was promised to someone else. She had to stop fantasizing. “I don’t.”

“Okay.” He smiled at her.

Merry’s knees weakened again, and this time she couldn’t seem to force them back to full strength. As she and Alexander floated along the dance floor, the lithe movements of his body brushing hers conjured all kinds of blissfully sensual images that would dissolve any woman. But Merry also remembered that with her curse broken she was probably experiencing the longings of a young woman because she was returning to her normal self. She didn’t know how this curse worked, but there was a very real possibility that the blink of an eye could take her from crone to princess.

The blink of an eye?

Merry’s heart bumped against her ribs. She really could zap back into a princess in the blink of an eye. After all, she’d become a crone in the time it took for her godmother to chant a few words. It wasn’t impossible that she could suddenly find herself a princess in a crone’s gown, having to explain the change to the man currently swirling her around the dance floor.

She had to get the heck away from Alexander Rochelle!

She drew a quick breath. “Alexander, I’m sorry,” she said, bringing those soft blue eyes of his back to her again. “But I’m afraid I’m not feeling very well.”

His features sharpened. “You’re ill?”

His genuine concern touched a forgotten place in her heart. No one had cared about her for seven long years. But she wasn’t sick and he wouldn’t want to hear the real reason she needed to get away. So she fell back on her most obvious, and also most annoying, problem as a crone. “Maybe tired is a better word.”

“You do look flushed.”

Of course she did. Dancing with him had driven her to a state of excitement she hadn’t felt in nearly a decade. It was a wonder she wasn’t a puddle at his feet.

She smiled slowly, wearily, because acting was her ticket away from the temptation of his arms. “I’m simply tired. It’s been a stressful week.”

“Helping to plan a wedding hasn’t made it any easier.” Alexander stopped dancing, slid his arm from her waist and stepped back.

And Merry knew what Cinderella felt when she had to leave the ball. She could almost hear an imaginary clock striking midnight, as if announcing the end of something she wished could go on forever. But it couldn’t. She stifled a powerful urge to weep and pulled her gloved hand out of Alexander’s much larger one. As their fingers separated it seemed as if she were watching their destinies split, too. She belonged to someone else. They were not meant to be together.

Moving away from him, she sealed that fate. “Goodbye, Alexander.”

But Alexander shook his head as he led her off the dance floor. “Oh, no. You’re not walking to your quarters alone.”

“I’m fine,” Merry protested softly, though she knew she’d accept the assistance of whatever resort employee he pressed into service, if only to save an argument. She expected him to stop a passing waiter or to escort her to the bar where the bartender could ring the front desk. Instead he directed her to the ballroom entrance.

“What are you doing?”

“Walking you to your villa,” Alexander calmly replied.

“You can’t!” Panic skittered through her. Not only was she unbearably attracted to him and terrified she would make a fool of herself, but also she was changing. She was sure of it now. At any second she could zap back into a princess.

“I can.”

“Alexander…Mr. Rochelle. You can’t. You’re one of the guests of honor at the wedding!”

“The bride and groom are the guests of honor.” He guided her through the lobby, across the shiny green floor tiles, past the fountain that roared from a stone base to the skylight several stories above, to a glass double-door entrance in the back, which automatically opened.

When she didn’t immediately step outside, he caught her arm to keep her moving and the heat of his hand on her flesh triggered responses that thundered through her. Her heart rate jumped to triple time.

“This isn’t right!”

“This is fine.” He urged her onto the garden path.

Moonlight spilled into the courtyard. The leaves of the palm trees swayed in the light breeze off the gulf. The Oasis pool waterfall shimmered in the distance. The scene couldn’t have been more romantic if Merry had planned it herself, intensifying the continuing shivers of desire that trembled through her from his touch. Light-headed with fear, Merry picked up the pace.

When Merry Montrose began to walk faster, almost running to her cottage, Alexander Rochelle also quickened his steps. He wondered what she’d think if she realized she was being disrespectful to a monarch, then shoved that thought to the farthest corner of his brain. Being Prince Alec Rochelle Montclair wasn’t merely stifling. It was a royal pain in the butt.

That was why he liked the United States. The people paid attention to royalty but money talked louder than titles and rich movie stars were of more interest to them. After Alec’s betrothed, Princess Meredith Bessart, disappeared, he avoided the press by coming to the U.S., knowing that without money he really wasn’t that amusing. But he soon realized that in a country as progressive as this one, he could reverse his family’s financial misfortunes.

However, he also quickly saw that his business associates always assumed he had more money than he did because he was a prince, making deals difficult. So with a slight change of his first name and by dropping a few extra names he didn’t really need, he became a commoner, someone expected to negotiate like a pit bull, and he built an empire.

In those seven years, his appearance had also changed. He grew into his lanky frame, filled out, acquired a more mature demeanor and the stature of a man. People in his home country wouldn’t even recognize him now, but, unfortunately, his good looks and newly acquired wealth had made him fodder for the paparazzi again.

He had come to La Torchere to check out the rumors about the many weddings that had recently taken place at his resort and eventually he decided to hide here. Not because he owned it, but because places such as this catered to people who didn’t wish to be recognized or bothered. At La Torchere he had been comfortable, happy. And that was due in no small part to the woman beside him.

He stole a glance at Merry. She wasn’t the most pleasant-looking female on the face of the earth. He guessed her age to be somewhere around sixty, but she appeared much older. Her gray hair was coarse and usually kept in a tight knot. Her nose had elongated with the passage of time. Her neck had enough folds that the necklace she wore could easily disappear and never be discovered again. But she was also the most interesting woman he’d met in a long time. He suspected there was a very good story behind her life.

Alexander had begun paying attention to her when he realized La Torchere’s reputation as the fountain of love was due to Miss Merry’s matchmaking. Oh, she was subtle. But as resort owner, Alexander noticed everything, and he knew this kooky old woman was the bottom line to his resort’s most recent surge of success. He was even considering hiring an assistant for her to assure she could work for many more years.

“You should be back at the wedding reception.”

Alexander shook his head. The wedding reception was the last place he wanted to be. He didn’t like anything couched in pomp and circumstance. He’d had enough of it to last a lifetime when he was a child. His parents, a prince and princess of deposed monarchies in an arranged marriage, held ambassadorial roles that required them to represent their respective countries at so many functions that Alexander grew almost as tired of the pageantry as he did his parents’ continued fighting. He’d believed arranged marriages were an archaic tradition that should be abolished until his father privately negotiated a trade agreement with the U.S., which his mother backed up with promises from her country. Then Alexander saw the purpose of their marriage. Silently, almost stealthily, a good ambassador could change a country’s destiny.

With his current business acumen and knowledge of the United States, Alexander knew he probably didn’t need an arranged marriage to change his country’s destiny, but his betrothal to the princess from Silestia had opened trade routes he couldn’t have opened on shrewdness alone. And he knew his country needed his marriage.

So he would do his duty when the time came. If and when Princess Meredith Bessart, the woman promised to him, came out of hiding, he would marry her and fulfill his princely responsibilities. Until then, he intended to pack as much living into these years of freedom as he possibly could. That meant he didn’t go anywhere he didn’t want to go.

“The wedding bored me.” They reached the small stone path to her villa and Alexander directed her to turn, indicating that he would walk her to her door.

She sighed. “Really. I’m fine.”

“And I’m fine. I never pass up the opportunity to take a moonlight stroll with a beautiful woman.”

Merry laughed, but the sound came out as more of a cackle. Knowing she couldn’t see him, Alexander winced at the horrible sound. They reached the front door of her cottage and Merry stopped.

“I’m hardly a beautiful woman.”

“Oh, I’d take exception to that,” Alexander said, meaning it. He touched the spot where her heart beat beneath her thin gown and frail skin. “Here’s where you’re beautiful.”

To Alexander’s surprise, her eyes filled with tears and she blinked rapidly. “I’m not.”

“You are.”

“Alexander, get back to the party. Go find yourself a real beautiful woman because I think you’re losing it.”

He laughed. “Now that I’m sure you’re okay, I will return to the party, but I don’t need a beautiful woman.”

She clicked her tongue. “Every man needs a beautiful woman.”

From the look that came to her violet-blue eyes, he could see her matchmaker instincts kicking in. “Ah, ah, ah. It’s not appropriate to play matchmaker for the boss.”

Her cheeks reddened guiltily.

He laughed again. “Don’t be embarrassed! Your matchmaking is a gold mine for the resort. I’m simply not interested.”

Her gaze sharpened. “Not interested in me making you a match or not interested in any match at all?”

“Not interested in any match at all.”

“You don’t believe in love.” She said it simply but sadly, and he lifted her chin to force her to look at him.

“A long time ago, in a kingdom far away,” he began, speaking as if his life story were a fairy tale because he didn’t want Merry to feel sorry for him. Princess Meredith’s going into hiding had been a relief. The night of her coming-out ball, she had hurled insults that had devastated him, but they also taught him a good lesson. If and when he and Princess Meredith married, there would be no risk that he would lose his heart to her. He wanted to relate this tale so Merry saw the humor and the moral that he saw.

When she laughed her cackly giggle, Alexander knew she was on his wavelength and he continued, “I had a really bad experience.”

“Someone hurt you?”

“Very much. But I also learned there was no such thing as love when I was young enough to put the lesson to good use, and I’ve protected myself.” He paused, glancing at the thick, luscious foliage of the grounds before he added, “Placing your heart in someone’s hands only gives them the power to hurt you.”

“Really?” she asked softly, her voice so light and breathless, it sounded like the voice of a much younger woman. The change caused Prince Alec to look at her again but the moon had ducked behind a cloud and he really couldn’t see her face in the shadows.

He smiled. “Yes.”

“Your philosophy is sad, and makes your life sound lonely.”

He shook his head. “Not at all. I might not believe in everlasting love, but I do wholeheartedly believe in romance.”

She sighed with disgust. “You mean sex.”

“No. I mean romance. Sweetheart notes. Flowers. Exciting trips. Carriage rides. Whispered secrets while tangled in satin sheets. Gifts. Stolen kisses.” He smiled at her. “Romance.”

Merry nearly swooned. Alexander Rochelle was adorable. Which made it doubly sad that his life was lonely. “You don’t mind that your relationships end? I mean, aren’t there problems?”

“Nothing that can’t be solved with an honest conversation. Plus, before I start anything with a woman, I’m very open about expectations.”

Confused because he didn’t sound sad, or lonely, or even slightly bothered by his life choice, Merry asked, “And you like it that way?”

“I love it that way! Merry, I’ve courted some of the most beautiful women in the world. I’m still friendly with most of them. Love doesn’t have to be difficult. A person simply needs to understand when it’s time to walk away.”

Gazing at his handsome face, partially shadowed in the moonlight, Merry swallowed. That was another lesson she had learned from seven years as a matchmaker. Not every attraction ended in love. But that didn’t make those liaisons wrong. People could enjoy a romantic short-term fling as long as both parties recognized when it was time to let go.

Given that circumstances in Alexander’s life had hurt him enough to preclude him from taking the final step, which was complete trust, Merry had to concede that this life might be right for him. Because of knowing how and when to let go, he was a well adjusted, brilliant, romantic—yet realistic—man, and Merry suddenly wished with all her heart that she could have one of those temporary but romantic love affairs with him.

Because that wasn’t a good idea for many, many reasons, she took a pace back. “You better return to the wedding.”

He smiled softly. “Not before I kiss you good-night.”

Merry’s mouth fell open and she was absolutely positive her heart stopped. He couldn’t want to kiss her! She was an obnoxious crone! Worse, her appearance could be changing even as they spoke. If he kissed her and realized she was young, how would she explain it?

She couldn’t let him kiss her! It was insane!

She stepped back again, but he caught her gloved hand and lifted her fingers to his lips.

“Thank you, Merry, for doing such a wonderful job at the resort. I hope you will be with us for many, many years to come.”

He let her fingers slide from his grip, turned and walked down the path again. A lone figure, bathed in moonlight, striding through the thick tropical foliage.

Tears filled Merry’s eyes. He seemed well adjusted. He even exuded an air of sophisticated control. Yet, there was also an incompleteness about him. He might not want or even need a permanent relationship, but he’d never had a great love, and he never would because he would never trust the way he should.

Whether Alexander understood it or not, he was under as much of a curse as she was.

Merry’s first thought when she woke the next morning was pure grief that she would never be romantic with Alexander Rochelle. She rubbed her eyes wearily, but she didn’t feel the loose skin of her aged hand shift across her eyelids as it normally did. Instead, smooth, solid flesh greeted her.

Remembering that the lifelong commitment of Rick and Cynthia broke her curse and that she had begun to feel the changes to her appearance the night before, Merry shot up in bed. She looked down at her hands and saw slim fingers and barely lined palms. She flipped them over to reveal tight-skinned knuckles.

She tossed aside the covers and virtually flew to the mirror.

Dear God! She was tall again, shapely again, unwrinkled, unbent, tight-skinned, supple-muscled, auburn-haired and…gorgeous!

She was Princess Meredith Montrosa Bessart!

She could go home!

She could call her father! He would undoubtedly send a plane for her that day, and tomorrow morning she would wake up in her own bed. She could contact Prince Alec….

And never see Alexander Rochelle again.

All her excitement faded and she drooped in front of the mirror as if she were still Merry Montrose. Damn it! Just when she had everything worked out, just when she had everything figured out, life threw the monkey wrench of Alexander Rochelle into the works.

She flopped onto her bed. Facing the glass double doors to the private patio of her villa, she saw the swaying palms of southwest Florida, and beyond the white sand, the blue waves of the Gulf, and her chest tightened.

Alexander.

The man simply made her heart hurt with longing. Prince Alec was her sworn duty, and never, ever would she consider shirking her responsibility. Never, ever would she make Alec feel that being his wife and partner was anything less than joy. She wanted to be Prince Alec’s wife. She wanted to fulfill her roles.

But Alexander made her yearn. He made her long for things she’d never felt and never would feel because Prince Alec was not a love match. Though she was sure she would grow to love Alec, she didn’t know if she would ever have romantic feelings for him, and because of the betrothal promise, he was her match for eternity.

She rose to pace. Eternity was a long time. She didn’t want to spend eternity, or even the rest of her life, regretting that she’d never known romantic love. From observing the couples she had matched, she was also now wise enough to see that a person had to be ready for the love of honor, duty, responsibility and maturity. Her couples were lucky in that they seemed to combine both romantic love and the love of honor, but princesses weren’t always that blessed. Her destiny wasn’t that of a normal woman. Though she had to admit it seemed odd that fate had thrown Alexander in her path right when it was time to commit.

She paused by her bed. It did seem odd.

She began to pace again. In her seven years as matchmaker, she’d seen the roles of fate and magic in each union, and if there was one thing she had learned it was that fate didn’t make mistakes or arrange anything without a purpose. Which meant Alexander had crossed her path at this precise point in her life for a reason.

A reason.

She paused again. Of course! It was so simple!

She was about to enter a life of duty and responsibility. And gladly. She wasn’t merely being a good sport about this. She was committing with her heart and soul. And fate was rewarding her.

Or maybe fate was preparing her? If she truly was forfeiting romantic love, maybe fate was preparing her by gifting her with one season of romantic love? Something to fulfill her girlhood fantasies so she would be ready for her adult responsibilities.

That had to be it. There couldn’t be any other explanation. Fate didn’t torture. It didn’t dangle something in front of a person to be cruel. Fate led, guided and rewarded.

Alexander Rochelle was her reward.

She had even wished for it the night before. When he walked her home and told her his theory of romance, she had wished to experience romance as intense as it would be with him.

She gasped when she realized fate had granted her plea, and her brain kicked into overdrive. To take advantage of this gift of fate, Merry had a lot of preparing to do. She was no longer the Merry the staff was expecting, but she was still the resort manager. She couldn’t leave La Torchere in a lurch. In fact, she could probably prevent the fountain of love from disappearing and the number of guests from dwindling by hiring a replacement whom she could train to subtly slide the right people together. All she had to do was say she was Merry Montrose’s niece and that her aunt had asked her to take over as resort manager for the time it took to find a replacement, so her aunt could retire.

It was so simple, so perfect, that Merry smiled. But her gaze collided with the cell phone on her bedside table and her smile turned to a look of confusion. As a crone, she’d used that magic cell phone to arrange everything from good weather to accidental meetings. She’d even had it repaired after a bout of frustration had left it in shambles.

Things would be a lot easier with Alexander Rochelle if…

No. It wouldn’t be fair to manipulate Alexander with magic….

That thought made her frown. Part of the reason it was a gift to be a Silestia royal was the magic she had at her disposal. And changing the weather to suit a picnic or arranging accidental meetings wasn’t the same as hypnotizing Alexander or dousing him with love potion number nine….

No. For some reason using her magic just didn’t seem right. In fact, she was so sure it was inappropriate that she walked to the bedside table intending to stash the cell phone so she wouldn’t be tempted, but the screen was blinking.

Don’t waste your time,

Looking for a helpful rhyme.

No curse, no phone.

If you want love, find it on your own.

Well, that settled that. She didn’t have access to the magic she’d been given as a crone, and she hadn’t been fully schooled in her family’s magic because she’d been a crone for most of the time she should have been at her father’s knee, learning her family’s legacy. But it didn’t matter. She’d never needed magic to entice a man before.

She tossed the cell phone into the drawer of the bedside table and eyed herself critically in the full-length mirror.

Her first order of business was getting some decent clothes so she could go to the front desk and announce she was Merry Montrose’s niece who was replacing her retiring aunt.

Her second was finding Alexander Rochelle and giving him the great romance of his life, becoming the woman he remembered forever.

Chapter Two

After a shower, Merry ran to La Torchere’s boutique and purchased several outfits, which she instructed the staff to deliver to her villa. Then she scooted to the resort salon for a haircut, manicure and new makeup.

When she returned home, she found the three boxes from the boutique sitting on her bed and immediately shimmied into a formfitting teal suit. The color intensified the radiance of her auburn hair. Plus, the suit’s fitted jacket and flirty short skirt were sexy enough that when she met Alexander to introduce herself as the replacement for her “Aunt Merry” she would make the impression she wanted to make.

By the time she finally strode up the cobblestone walk to the main lobby of the hotel, it was nearly noon. Her sleek, shoulder-length auburn hair had been styled to curve seductively around her face. A hint of mascara on her long black lashes accented her violet-blue eyes. Her lips were moist and dewy with her favorite lip gloss, and her pink-tipped toes peeked out of sexy white sandals.

It felt so good to be her real self that Merry could have wept. She would never take her youth, beauty or very lucky lot in life for granted again.

She stepped up to the glass double door of the lobby and it automatically opened. The roar of the three-story fountain in the center greeted her. Warm, honey-hued wood furniture with plump teal-and-cream-colored cushions surrounded a white baby grand piano. Lush tropical plants separated conversation areas.

Her heels tapped sensually on the shimmering forest-green tiles as she walked to the discrete front desk. Laying her perfect twenty-nine-year-old hand with brand new French nails on the golden oak counter, Merry said, “Hi. I’m Merry Montrose’s niece.”

Andi Jones, Merry’s pride and joy, the clerk she had personally trained, smiled in welcome. Andi’s navy skirt and white blouse were as crisp and professional as her polished manners. “Good afternoon, Ms. Montrose. I assume your aunt made reservations for you.”

“Actually, no.” Merry smiled briefly, adopting the authoritative manner she’d perfected as Merry Montrose. “She hired me to take her place.”

Andi’s smile slipped, but didn’t completely fade. “Excuse me?”

“Last night my aunt became ill at the wedding. Planning the reception exhausted her, so she called me. I arrived just before dawn to find her badly in need of a rest. She told me she wanted to retire, so I made arrangements for her to go home.”

“I see.”

“And I’m taking her place—at least long enough to find a real replacement for her. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my office.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Merry almost turned away, but stopped herself. She wasn’t Merry Montrose, the cursed crone who knew this resort like the back of her hand. She was supposed to be Merry’s niece, a woman who had only arrived at the resort that morning.

She faced Andi again. “Could you show me to my office?”

Andi smiled politely and said, “Certainly, ma’am.” But from behind Merry, Alexander Rochelle said, “Why don’t you allow me?”

Merry’s eyes widened. Darn it! Two minutes into her charade and she was already facing the ultimate test! Alexander Rochelle. As resort manager “Aunt Merry” might have had the power to hire her replacement, but Merry knew that as resort owner Alexander had final approval. She had hoped to establish herself with the staff before she “met” Alexander, so she would have the leverage of already being in place. Now she had nothing.

Still, if there was one thing she’d learned from her years as a matchmaker, it was that the best-laid plans could go astray. Fortunately, she had also learned she could handle anything life threw at her. She took a quick breath and faced Alexander.

As always, he was absolutely perfect. His light blue sport shirt complemented his pale blue eyes and blond hair. He left the first two buttons of the shirt open and might have appeared a bit too casual for his position as resort owner, but his creased khaki trousers and shiny brown loafers gave him the polish that kept his look sophisticated and professional.

Seeing him, Merry felt the air whoosh out of her lungs and for several seconds she couldn’t speak. But that turned out to be very lucky because she had time to register that Alexander wasn’t smiling at her, as he had been the night before when he walked “Aunt Merry” to her villa. He wasn’t even smiling at her because she looked good in her teal suit and sexy white sandals. In fact, he appeared to be furious.

Either he was horribly upset that Merry Montrose had quit or he wasn’t happy that “Aunt Merry” had hired her own replacement—and a niece no less. Princess Merry almost groaned at her stupidity. She should have realized Alexander Rochelle wouldn’t take kindly to nepotism.

Alexander stared in amazement at the woman in front of him, unsure if he could contain his anger. After all these years, his betrothed, Princess Meredith Bessart, had the nerve to show up at his door. No announcement. No explanation. No warning. Just “Hello, I’m here to take over as manager of your resort.”

As if he were going to let that happen!

Not about to let this woman make a fool of him as she had the night of her coming-out ball because he’d reacted from emotion, not logic, Alexander counted to one hundred, attempting to control his temper. But it was no use. He was livid. How dare she just stroll in and take over his resort!

“I’m sorry,” Princess Meredith said, smiling brightly as she extended her hand to him in the standard American greeting. “But I didn’t get your name.”

Alexander’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t know him?

Actually, that was possible. He’d been as far underground as she had been for the past seven years. There weren’t pictures documenting his growth from a gangly twenty-four-year-old to the seasoned thirty-one-year-old he was now. Anyone who hadn’t seen him in seven years wouldn’t connect the tall, spindly boy to the broad-shouldered, confident man he was today.

Alexander smiled. Once again, the combination of his maturing appearance and his slightly changed name had hidden his identity.

And for the first time in his acquaintance with pampered Princess Meredith, he had the upper hand.

“I’m Alexander Rochelle,” he said as he took the hand she had extended, playing along because he was about to zap her and he was going to enjoy it. “What did you say your name was?”

“I’m also Merry Montrose. I’m the namesake of my aunt.”

“Well, Merry Montrose, I own this resort. And though your aunt Merry certainly did have the power to hire her replacement, you must be approved by me.”

Merry said, “I understand.”

She understood? Her agreement astounded Alexander so much he almost took a pace back. Since when did Princess Merry accept a situation she didn’t like?

Maybe she hadn’t gotten the full message.

“Not only do I have the power to reject her choice, but in this case I’m not sure I agree with her decision.”

Her expression became grave. “Again, I understand. This is all coming out of the blue for you. But my aunt didn’t hire me to take her place permanently. I’m here to find her replacement.” She caught his gaze and smiled prettily. “So she doesn’t feel horrible for leaving you without warning.”

Alexander swallowed as unwanted sexual awareness snaked through him. Princess Meredith had one powerful smile. His betrothed might be a spoiled brat, but she was a gorgeous spoiled brat. Shiny auburn hair framed her face and set off the unusual violet hue of her eyes. Her full, glossy lips begged to be kissed. The suit she wore showcased her absolutely perfect figure. Any man would find her attractive.

Luckily, he’d learned his lesson about falling under the spell of her beauty. He took a step back, away from her.

Princess Meredith continued, “My aunt told me so much about your resort that I’m probably the best person to find someone to replace her. From the minute she began her work here, I knew her every move,” she said with a light laugh, cajoling him, flirting with him, again shooting sexual responses through his veins, tempting him to flirt back.

Determined not to let her get to him, Alexander didn’t answer right away. He didn’t understand why Princess Meredith wished to perform the menial task of replacing her aunt, but he also realized he wasn’t handling the situation properly. As owner of the resort, he shouldn’t be wondering why Princess Merry was here. His real concern should be that he’d lost his perfect manager. And without explanation. He and Merry Montrose were close enough that she wouldn’t have left without telling him.

“I walked your aunt to her villa last night and she never mentioned retiring.”

“She didn’t realize how tired she was until she awakened this morning.” Princess Merry smiled brightly. “I think she would have worked here forever if things hadn’t…changed…last night.”

Alexander honed in on the mistake. “Something changed? I thought you said she was merely tired?”

“Tired enough to retire,” Princess Meredith assured him. “She’d never been quite that tired before.”

Alexander crossed his arms on his chest as Princess Meredith stood smiling at him, waiting for his verdict. He’d known Merry Montrose was tired, but he also knew she was proud of the job she’d done at La Torchere and he didn’t believe she was the type of person to retire. More than that, though, as the owner of a resort, he was quite familiar with the power of a good vacation. Even if Merry were exhausted enough to think she needed to retire, he genuinely believed that once his very active manager got two weeks of peace and privacy she would be bored. And he had to wonder if she hadn’t sent her spoiled niece, a woman with no experience at all, because she was trying to hold her job for herself without looking obvious.

That made a great deal of sense.

Princess Meredith being chosen as a temporary replacement also meant there was a good possibility Alexander would get his wonderful manager back. All he had to do was work with Princess Meredith for about two weeks.

He studied her delicate features, her pretty eyes, her serene smile. Whether those weeks would be two loooong weeks or two short weeks would be determined by the behavior of his betrothed. Merry Montrose might not have known she was sending her niece to work for her future husband, but Alexander knew. And he wasn’t sure he could work with his spoiled, selfish fiancée long enough for Merry Montrose to realize she wanted her old job back.

The phone rang and, jarred out of his thoughts, Alexander noticed he and Merry had attracted a crowd of curious staff who milled around the lobby desk pretending to be busy. If he didn’t make a decision quickly, he and Merry would undoubtedly be the topic of conversation at lunch today.

He glanced at his betrothed with her sexy little suit, her soft violet eyes and her shiny auburn hair that caught the sunlight pouring in from the skylight above the fountain. The only real weapon she had was sex appeal, and it would be a cold, frosty day in hell when he let sex appeal affect the way he ran his business or distract him from doing what he needed to do.

“Let’s talk in your aunt’s office,” he said, directing Princess Meredith to a corridor to the right. Without waiting for her, he walked away.

Because he kept his gait deliberately long, Merry scrambled to keep up with him. “I’m sorry Aunt Merry quit without giving notice.”

He frowned. Since when did Princess Meredith know about notices? “Don’t worry about it. I realized myself that she was tired.”

“Then you understand?”

Actually, he probably understood a lot better than Princess Meredith did. Right now Merry Montrose needed rest, and the only way Alexander could assure she would return would be if he kept Meredith here so Merry Montrose would know her job was still open.

He wasn’t thrilled with the situation, but he did have the upper hand, so he wasn’t worried.

“Yes. I understand.”

They reached the doorway to Merry’s office, but rather than go inside, he stopped.

“You can stay.”

“You won’t be sorry!” Merry said and just barely stifled the urge to throw her arms around him and kiss him soundly. But before she had a chance, Alexander Rochelle pivoted and was halfway down the hall to the lobby.

Merry sighed. This was not working out the way she had hoped. She’d seen the flares of sexual awareness that flamed in Alexander’s eyes but he’d quickly banked them as if he didn’t want to be attracted to her.

Stepping into her office and walking across the charming blue-and-white braided rugs that sat atop the hardwood floors, Merry considered that maybe Alexander had tempered his reaction to her because he didn’t get personally involved with employees. After all, she’d never seen him “date” a member of the staff. She decided that would be a reasonable, but conquerable, problem—except, having any kind of difficulty to overcome took away precious time. She would have to think of something spectacular to force him to get beyond his reservations quickly.

In fact, now that she had explained crone Merry Montrose’s disappearance and had herself established as the resort manager, the next order of business was calling her father to see how much time she did have.

She fell to the slate-blue leather chair behind the honey-colored desk, lifted the receiver of the cordless phone and dialed his private number. She waited three rings before his manservant answered.

“Charles! Charles! It’s Princess Merry! My goodness! It’s so good to hear your voice.”

Dead silence greeted her and Merry frowned. She supposed she should expect this kind of reaction. Not only had she been out of touch for seven years, but also she hadn’t exactly been the kindest princess in the world.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye before I left, Charles.”

Again silence.

Her frown deepened but Merry decided to save her fence-mending for when she got home. “Is my father around?”

“Yes, Mum.”

“Great. May I speak with him, please?”

“Yes, Mum.”

She waited only two seconds before her father was on the line.

“Merry! My God! Where the hell have you been? Are you okay? The only contact we’ve had were those notes you sent through Lissa!” he said, referring to the godmother who had cursed her. “We understood you wanted an American education, but did you really need to go to school disguised as a commoner?”

Merry swallowed a giggle. She’d wondered how Lissa had explained the curse to her father. Since it was all over now, and because she had learned valuable lessons, she wouldn’t argue Lissa’s convenient story and said simply, “Yes. My classes are done now.”

“I’ll send a plane.”

“No, Dad, I can’t come home today.” She needed to find a real replacement for herself to fulfill her responsibility to the resort, but more than that she wanted her reward time with Alexander. “I won’t be home for two weeks.”

“Two weeks?”

“Yes,” she said, strolling away from her desk and walking to the mirror in her private powder room where she smiled contentedly at her reflection. “I want a few weeks to adjust to being myself.”

“Adjust to being yourself?”

Merry grimaced at her slip, but she also realized that she’d just revealed a tidbit of information about her curse and it had come out as real words, not gibberish. Up to this point, every time she’d tried to explain her curse, she couldn’t. She couldn’t even give tiny details. With the curse broken, she could explain the real story to her dad.

“Merry?”

She drew a quick breath. In spite of the fact that Lissa had created an acceptable excuse for her disappearance, Merry wanted to tell her father the truth. She wanted him to understand her hardships and to see there was a good reason she’d changed so much, so he would understand that she wouldn’t revert to being a spoiled princess.

Still, this wasn’t a story one told over the phone. This was a story a daughter told in private, in her father’s study, sipping cocoa, when she could be herself. Not a member of a royal family, but a daughter. “I’ll explain everything when I get home.”

She could hear the warning in her father’s voice when he said, “I’m counting on it.”

“Dad, really. I haven’t done anything wrong, or foolish, or frivolous. How about this? I promise to be home for my birthday.”

He sighed. “That’s three weeks!”

Considering that this was all the time she’d have with Alexander to satisfy the yearning of her soul for one great love, Merry’s heart dipped. Her voice was filled with sadness when she said, “Three weeks isn’t such a long time.”

Apparently picking up on her melancholy, her father relented and softly said, “I suppose.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Tears pricked Merry’s eyes. Though he was a king, her father always deferred to her, always loved her—even when she’d made his life miserable for remarrying after her mother’s death. Lord, she’d been absolutely horrid!

Regret swamped her and she squeezed her eyes shut. She had a lot to make up for when she returned home. “I love you, Dad.”

From her dad’s quickly indrawn breath, she knew she’d surprised him. After a moment of silence, he whispered, “I love you, too.”

Merry tried all afternoon to think of something spectacular that would push Alexander into breaking or bending any rules he might have about getting involved with a co-worker, but she couldn’t think of anything. It wasn’t until she walked past the window of La Torchere Boutique at the end of the day and saw a white thong bikini that a plan formed.

If anything could render a man incapable of resisting a woman, it would be that suit. And as the resort manager, who had insider knowledge of Alexander’s activities, Merry knew the perfect way to be alone with him when he saw her in it. Every night Alexander had a drink beside his private pool before he ordered dinner from the Greenhouse Café. All she had to do was pretend to be lost and walk in on him and voilà…. She’d render him speechless. After a little flirting—to prove she was interested in him and to let him know he didn’t have to worry about her telling tales to the staff—he’d be helpless.

Her plan was perfect.

Merry strode into the boutique and ten minutes later marched out with her secret weapon. But she wasn’t quite so confident when she slid into the skimpy white bikini and eyed herself critically in the full-length mirror of her bedroom.

The scant material barely covered the appropriate areas, but she didn’t think the suit’s skimpiness was the problem. Her hips and thighs were trim and toned. Her tummy was flat. Her breasts were firm. She’d worn this kind of suit a million times before she’d been cursed. So why did something not feel right? And why was that “something” making her stomach churn?

Deciding her odd feeling could simply be nervousness about her night with Alexander, Merry slipped on her blue-violet crocheted cover-up and sneaked out of her villa in the dying light. Wavy clouds of red, pink and aqua applauded the sun for its hard day of work as it made its final descent. Soon it would be dark and she would be in Alexander’s arms. Excitement quivered through her at all the wonderful possibilities that awaited her. But imagining being kissed and held and loved by Alexander also caused Merry’s queasiness to return.

She stopped on the cobblestone path when she reached the fork that gave visitors the option of walking to the beach or turning toward Alexander’s residence. She glanced toward his villa. Though he was owner of La Torchere, Alexander hadn’t wanted his quarters to stand out in any way, so in terms of size and shape, his cottage looked the same as all the others. An open cobblestone path was surrounded on both sides by the resort’s trademark foliage. But that plant life also camouflaged the biggest difference between his villa and the others—a fence that surrounded a private pool.

She knew the gate would be open because every night the guards reported locking it for him. She knew his habits. She had the opportunity. And she looked great. Besides, she didn’t have enough time to wait for him to notice her. At most, she had three weeks before she had to go home. She had to start something tonight.

Anticipation trembled through her as she slid through the gate. Covertly peeking through the sliding glass door to his living room, Merry could see his black leather sofa in the muted glow of a single lamp, the light a fairly clear indicator that he was home.

Nervous, she slid out of her cover-up. She couldn’t decide if she should be in the pool or be lying on a chaise when he came out with his drink. Then she realized a splash from her dive into the water would conveniently alert him that he had a visitor. Time wasn’t her friend. She had to get things moving as quickly as possible. She draped her cover-up over the chaise and dived into the pool. By the time she came up for air, Alexander was opening his sliding glass door.

“What the…Merry?”

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. That afternoon, he had changed out of his typical resort attire and into a black suit for a meeting, and right now, with the jacket removed and the sleeves of his white shirt rolled to his elbows, he looked sexily rumpled.

Though it was difficult, Merry managed to sound composed when she said, “Oh, hello, Alexander. What are you doing here?”

“I live here.”

She glanced around as if confused. “We all live here.”

“No, I live here,” he said, pointing at the ground beneath his feet. “This is my villa and that,” he said, pointing again, “is my private pool.”

“Private pool?” She feigned a gasp, pretending she didn’t know he had a private pool since this was her “first day” as manager, and hoisted herself up on the ladder. Water sensuously trickled from her hair to her shoulders, from her shoulders to her breasts, from her breasts down her flat-as-a-pancake stomach to the string that perched on her hip bones. She shook her hair off her face and tucked it behind her ears. “What do you mean, private pool?”

“This is my villa. This is my pool,” he said, slowly, because he couldn’t stop his eyes from taking in the scenery she provided. As he looked at her, she watched his pale irises heat to a blue flame, confirmation of what she believed she had seen that afternoon. He found her as attractive as she found him.

Shivering with a combination of nervousness and her own desire, Merry swallowed hard before she said, “My villa doesn’t have a pool.”

“You,” he reminded her, raising his gaze away from her taut body until it angled with hers, “are the help.” She could tell from his tone that he was trying very hard to remain righteously indignant, but nothing he said dimmed the fire in his eyes. “I’m the owner. I get one of the deluxe villas. You get a darned good one, but not deluxe.”

From the tone of his voice, it was clear he wanted to be furious with her, but the way his gaze continually fell to her body proved other emotions warred with his anger. Still, that was a good sign. A battle had to be fought and won. His eyes were supposed to stray to her body. His feet were supposed to remain rooted to the spot, as if he couldn’t turn away. He was supposed to try to walk away and fail. He was doing exactly what needed to be done.

So why didn’t she feel triumphant?

Watching his gaze fall again to her breasts, Merry suddenly knew why she didn’t feel any sense of victory. This was a purely sexual encounter. Even her own responses were physical, not emotional. But theirs was supposed to be a romantic relationship. A time of great love that they both could remember forever. And right now there was nothing romantic about the way he was looking at her.

She stepped in front of him, not so close as to be inappropriate, but near enough that he was forced to look at her face. In a deliberate effort to shift the mood, she softly said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude on your privacy.”

He drew a long breath and quickly averted his eyes, but not before she saw the look of discomfiture in them. And she knew why everything had gone awry. Being with a nearly naked stranger embarrassed him.

“Just get back to your own quarters.”

With that he turned and all but ran to his sliding glass door, which he closed so hard the glass rattled. Then he snapped the vertical blind closed.

Merry blinked rapidly. Her hope melted into the realization that she hadn’t just failed, she’d embarrassed Alexander enough that he might never speak to her again.

She grabbed her cover-up, then turned and scrambled away from his villa, before anyone could see she’d been in the boss’s private quarters. But her steps slowed as the soothing sounds of the night calmed her. The whoosh-whoosh-whoosh of the waves lulled her into thinking clearly, and she began to understand not just Alexander’s reaction but why she’d had her own odd feeling about her plan right from the start.

It wasn’t the suit. The suit was merely a symptom of her bigger misjudgment. Seven long years had passed since she’d been flirty Princess Merry. The tricks she’d used to entice men didn’t work anymore…or maybe those tricks didn’t work with mature men.

Alexander was certainly a mature man. That was part of the attraction. She didn’t want to have the romance of her life with a silly boy. She wanted a man. And a man didn’t respond to a girl’s tricks.

And now he would be wary of her. She had three short weeks to share a romance with him and she’d put him so much on the defensive that she would probably spend most of that time convincing him she was harmless.

That is, if he stayed in the same room long enough for her to speak to him again!

She’d blown it.

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