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suit for a sassy sunflower-yellow summer dress with thin straps, a fitted bodice that outlined her
generous breasts to perfection, and a flirty skirt that ended at her knees.
She looked bright and sunny and delectable. And in that moment, it hit him: how long since he d
enjoyed the pleasure of a woman, of being with a woman, for no other reason than to flirt and seduce.
He would love to do both with this intriguing woman. But he couldn t. She wanted something from
him, something he couldn t give.
He d hear her out, then send her on her way. After a little harmless flirtation&
 Eager to get me alone? He touched her hand, a fingertip brushing her knuckle in a featherlight
caress that elicited a slight tremor. Oh, yeah, she was just as aware of him physically as he was of
her. He bet they d be combustible together. Shame he d never find out.
 Eager to have your full attention, she said, sliding her hand away to clasp it with the other in her
lap.
 You already have that. His lips eased into a smile, and it felt good. He didn t smile much these
days. Then he realized he was grinning like a fool at the enemy, and he clamped his lips tight.
She rolled her eyes.  For my presentation.
 Thanks for the clarification, he said, expressing silent gratitude to the weather gods when a gust
of wind ruffled the hem of her skirt, flipping it to mid-thigh.
 I ll make you listen to me this time if it kills me, she muttered, smoothing her skirt.  Hopefully
you ll be less grumpy and more cheerful on Ancora.
 Do I look like I m grumpy? He winked, enjoying the suspicious glare she shot him. Meant he had
her off-kilter. Good. Because that s the way he d been feeling ever since he met her prowling the
castle grounds.  Considering you kidnapped me, I d say I m handling the situation admirably.
 Yeah, you re a real prince, she said, the corners of her lush mouth twitching.
 You know that s an empty title, right? He jerked a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the
hold.  I bet you ve got a ton of research notes on me in that bag of yours.
 Most people in the twenty-first century research on the In-ter-net, she said.  You know, that
online thing that has search engines designed to find out every nitty-gritty detail about people s lives.
He grinned at her sarcasm.  Damn, I knew I was doing something wrong, using those coconut-and-
string phones.
She tilted her head, studying him.  What did you mean, being the prince is an empty title?
 Guess your trusty Internet didn t tell you everything.
 Just tell me already, she said, her audible exasperation tempered with curiosity.
 Okay. He steered the boat by rote, though a quick glance at the radar showed a fast-moving front
heading their way. He d have to make their tour of the island quick.  But to answer your first
question, we re about ten minutes away from Ancora.
She shot an anxious glance over her shoulder, where storm clouds were rolling in behind them.
 Don t worry. We ll be on the island before the storm hits. He gestured at the darkening sky.  We
get these summer storms all the time. They blow in and out, over before you know it.
By the slight frown creasing her brow, she didn t believe him. So he distracted her with a topic
most people found infinitely interesting.  The world seems fascinated by royalty, but on our islands?
The Ricci family is nothing more than a living part of history.
Interest sparked her eyes, lighting the caramel flecks in a sea of chocolate brown.  So you just use
the prince title to win friends and influence poor unsuspecting women?
He snorted.  The kinds of women wooed by a title aren t worth pursuing.
 Voice of experience?
 Something like that. He spotted land in the distance, and a jolt of familiar excitement made him
clench the wheel. Why hadn t he done this sooner? Returning to Ancora never failed to make
everything seem better.  So do you want to hear our history or not?
 I guess.
She sounded like a sulky child as she continued to glance over her shoulder at the storm clouds
chasing them.
 There are many principalities throughout Europe with royalty dating back centuries. Titles passed
down through generations. My family owns land on Osturo and Ancora but only because the deeds
were purchased by my great-grandfather. So technically, we re responsible for the financial
operations. But in modern times? The actual crown and title mean little, other than as a way to
impress gullible females. He threw that last bit in to get a rise out of her, and it worked.
 So you do use it as a pickup line?
 Some women are shallow. He shrugged.  What s a guy to do? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]