hand in his and held it tightly. “I know,” he said softly. “Julienne, I know.”
She drew in a shaky breath. “So why did you desert me?” she asked, her voice breaking. “Why didn’t you come to visit me these last two years and more?”
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, closing his eyes and wishing he could take her in his arms. She was so lovely and so close and he could feel her unhappiness. “I.I couldn’t come,” he told her lamely. “I had to stay away.”
She frowned, uncomprehending. “But why?”
He cupped her cheek with his free hand. Her hair was silver in the moonlight. “Do I really have to explain it to you?” he said, his voice rough as sandpaper.
“Yes.” She came closer. “I’m just not sure …”
He took her shoulders in his hands and faced her. “I wanted to come. Julienne, you know I wanted to.”
“Then why?” She searched the darkness of his eyes. “Did I do something to make you angry?”
“Angry?” He groaned. “Never.”
“Then why? Do you know how heartbroken I was when you stopped coming to see me?”
“Julienne …”
“Why?”
He drew air deep into his lungs and tried to explain. “Don’t you see? I had to stay away … because … because of this.” He took her chin in his hand and pulled her close, touching his lips to hers. Her lips parted right away and his tongue didn’t hesitate. He’d only meant to kiss her softly, but the invitation she presented was asking for more, and his body was so ready to bring it. She pressed herself to him and he pulled her even closer, so that he could feel her full breasts against his chest. The nipples were so high and hard he felt them through the light cloth of her nightgown, making him gasp. Every part of him ached for her, and it took every bit of his will and strength to pull away.
For a moment, struggling for breath, he couldn’t speak. He had to get her out of here.
“Now, get back to bed before we both do something we’ll regret,” he told her roughly, hoping she didn’t hear the thinly veiled panic in his voice.
“I wouldn’t regret anything I ever did with you,” she said with a sigh of yearning. Reaching out in the gloom, she flattened her hand against his naked chest.
“Julienne …” Her name sounded as though it had been ripped from his throat. He took her hand and pulled it away. “Go back where you belong.”
“Okay,” she said, rising reluctantly. She started away, then looked back. “That was lovely,” she said breathlessly. “Alphonso kisses like a baby seal.”
She left, closing the door, and Andre put his pillow over his head and tried to muffle the groan.
“Julienne.” He shook her shoulder gently, then, when she didn’t respond, a bit more firmly. “Wake up.”
She stretched and smiled at him sleepily, only half awake.
“Andre?” she whispered, and then she reached for him.
Looking down at her beautiful sleepy face, he suddenly felt as though he’d just leapt off a tall cliff and was plunging through space. Everything in him wanted to reach for her and hold her close, wrapping himself in her body. Turning away abruptly, he fought it and won—one more time.
“Wake up,” he said again, roughly this time. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
Her eyes opened widely and she sat up, holding her covers to her chest. “What’s happened?” she asked, fully awake now and thinking clearly.
“I just had a call from Security. Someone has either realized who you are or made a lucky guess. Rumors are flying. It’s known that you’ve left the convent. That makes people wonder what is going on, as your wedding is only days away. Some of the young hot-heads from the Rubiat family are said to be coming this way to find out. Meanwhile the paparazzi are gathering like the vultures they are.”
“Uh-oh.” She knew exactly what that meant. This was the very unruly bunch that all the plans and schemes revolved around. If you couldn’t keep the Rubiats happy, bad things happened.
“Exactly. We need to slip away before they get here.” He looked at her candidly. “Are you game for making a run for it with me?”
“Am I?” Her eyes gleamed. Didn’t he understand anything about her at all? “Of course. It’s what I’ve been living for.”
He wasn’t sure he got that, but there wasn’t time to quibble. “We’ve got a couple of hours before sunrise. Let’s make the most of