Page 32 of Not-So-Perfect Princess
Remember, sister-in-law. Julianna belonged with Enrique, not Alejandro. The realization left him feeling adrift.
Time to set a new course. They’d spent enough time talking. The longer they were out here, the more likely they were to be caught.
Alejandro extended his arm from the cockpit. “Climb aboard.”
Julianna’s hand clasped and melded with his. Heat shot up his arm. The reaction startled him, but he didn’t let go. Truth was, he liked how her hand fit in his.
Her disguise might fool others, but not him. He knew she wasn’t a teenager but a grown woman with lush, feminine curves. He’d held her in his arms and smelled the sweet fragrance of her shampoo. He wouldn’t mind doing that again.
She stepped onto the boat and released his hand. As Alejandro flexed his fingers, she inhaled deeply. “I love the salty air.”
“Wait until you get a taste of the sea spray.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Gratitude shone in her eyes. “Thank you for going to so much trouble. Not many people would do this for a total stranger.”
“It’s my pleasure.” And it was. Julianna looked so young, eager and pretty. Very, very pretty. “Besides you’re not a stranger. You’ll be family soon. My sister-in-law.”
Alejandro said the words more for his benefit than hers. He waited for her to respond, but she didn’t.
Julianna stared up at the clear, starry sky. The moonlight made her ivory complexion glow. Enrique didn’t seem to understand the lovely princess from Aliestle. She was more than a showpiece, more than her dowry. She was a stunning, intelligent woman… Alejandro wondered why King Alaric had picked Enrique to be her husband. His brother had some admirable qualities, even if they disagreed over how best to help their country. But Julianna could do so much better.
“The weather is cooperating with us tonight.” Her voice sounded lower, a little husky…sexy. Desire skimmed across his skin. “Lucky,” she added.
Getting lucky tonight would be the perfect end to a midnight sail. Not that she would. Or he…
Yes, he would. The thought brought a lump of guilt to his throat.
“Let’s get underway. I’ll cast off.” He motioned to the wheel. “Are you comfortable steering while we motor away from the dock?”
“Yes.” She made her way toward the wheel. He moved out of her path, but her backside brushed him.
Heat burst through Alejandro. What the hell?
He didn’t understand why he kept reacting to Julianna. She was his ticket to an independent life. He needed to control himself. A mistake could cost him his freedom from his father and the monarchy.
Some distance from Julianna would be good. Alejandro walked forward to the bow.
Maybe he should hit the clubs later tonight and connect with a pretty young thing. That would be the fastest way to get rid of whatever tension had built up and was stirring inside of him.
He pulled up a bumper, removed the bowline from the cleat and tossed the line onto the dock.
She stared up at the wind indicator. “Won’t it look weird to be sailing at this hour?”
“No.” He stepped over the lifeline, jumped onto the dock and moved to the aft section of the boat. “I always take out my new boats at night so people can’t see the designs.”
Julianna touched the wheel. “Sounds like boatbuilding is a competitive field.”
“Everyone is looking for an edge.” Alejandro pulled up the other bumper and unfastened the line from the boat’s stern cleat. The rope fell to the dock. He stepped onto the boat with his left foot, shoved the boat away from the dock and hopped aboard with his right foot. “I’d rather they not steal mine.”
“Confident.”
“If I wasn’t, I would crew on someone else’s boat for the Med Cup. A boat that was a top contender.”
Julianna reached back, shifted the motor to forward and twisted the throttle. She steered clear of the dock and headed out to open water. “Do you race a lot?”
“Not as much as I would like due to my royal obligations, but I hope that will change in the near future.”
And it would. After Julianna married Enrique and they had a baby, Alejandro would have as much time as he wanted for business and sailing.
