Rafe wasn’t all that worried about his pride. He’d had worse duty in his life. What made him nervous was his attraction to Zara. She’d reminded him of what it was like to want a woman. Only this woman was completely off-limits. Not only was she under his protection, she was the king’s daughter and a virgin. He still couldn’t believe she’d blurted out that particular fact, but saw no reason why she would lie. Which meant she was telling the truth. Which also meant if he wanted to keep his head firmly on his shoulders, he was going to have to keep his pants zipped and his mind on business.
Zara awakened sometime after midnight. She was impressed that she’d been able to sleep at all what with all the strange thoughts and images zooming through her brain. As she opened her eyes, she half expected to find herself back in her modest hotel room—or even in her bedroom in Washington State. As if this entire experience had been a dream. But instead, she found herself staring at unfamiliar yet luxurious furnishings.
She was really here—really in the Bahanian royal palace after meeting the man who could be her father—probably was her father. A thousand questions filled her brain. Realizing that sleep was now impossible, she collected her robe and glasses, then climbed out of her bed. She crossed to the French doors leading out to the balcony and stepped into the darkness.
She was instantly assaulted by the scent of the garden and the faint fragrance of the sea. Brine added an edge to the sweetness of hundreds of flowers that were little more than blurs in the starlight. A soft, warm breeze made her pull her robe more tightly around her body.
She raised her head, staring at the sky. The stars seemed different. Her memories of her lone astronomy class had faded to the point where she couldn’t remember if being halfway around the world meant she really was seeing different stars. If she were in a different hemisphere, there were different stars. She recalled that much. But here in Bahania—
“You’re looking serious about something.”
Rafe’s voice came out of the darkness by his room. Zara supposed she should have been shocked, or even afraid. Instead she found herself eager for his company. She took a step toward where she guessed he was standing, then remembered it was the middle of the night and she wasn’t dressed to receive visitors.
“I was trying to figure out if these are the same stars I see when I’m home,” she said.
“Some would be, although they’d rise and set at different times.”
He stepped toward her, just close enough for a shaft of light from a nearby window to fall on him. She saw that he’d changed into jeans and a T-shirt. His short blond hair looked faintly mussed, as if he’d been asleep. His feet were bare. The realization made her own toes curl slightly at the implied intimacy. They’d both been asleep. She wore a nightgown and robe. Underneath, she had on panties and nothing else. Despite the layers of her clothing, she felt exposed and extremely aware of him as a man.
A sensible woman would have ducked back into her room. Zara knew that she was naturally sensible, that her sister was not, and most of the time Cleo had way more fun. Maybe it was time to see how the other half lived.
She took a single step toward Rafe. “I couldn’t sleep. I guess it’s all the excitement.”
“That makes sense. It’s been less than twenty-four hours and your entire world is different.”
Had it only been a single day? She felt that she’d known him much longer.
He motioned to the bench they’d shared before. “Come on. I’ll tell you a bedtime story.”
The low intimacy of his voice sent shivers up her spine. Rafe wasn’t like anyone she’d ever met. He was strong and took charge: very different from the academic sort she was used to.
She moved to the bench and sat. Rafe settled next to her, not crowding her, but sitting close enough for her to be incredibly aware of him. He breathed deeply, each inhale filling his chest. In the semidarkness, his blue eyes looked more black…and bottomless. She studied the shape of his strong jaw and the way the stubble growing there emphasized the hollows and planes of his features.
He shifted slightly, causing muscles to ripple. She thought about the feel of his body on hers when he’d attacked her and the way he’d held a gun to her head.