Page 60 of Not-So-Perfect Princess
Julianna jerked away so fast she almost fell on her butt. She regained her balance and touched her hand to her mouth. “I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”
Her red cheeks and ragged breathing made her look so turned-on and sexy, but Alejandro couldn’t pretend he didn’t hear the regret in her voice. He tried to regain control. Not easy with his body on fire and aching for more kisses. More Julianna.
But she was right. They shouldn’t have done this.
“I’m the one who kissed you.” He knew better, but when he was around her he couldn’t think straight. “I apologize.”
She stared down her nose at him. “I kissed you back.”
Always the princess even when passion filled her eyes, a flush stained her neck and cheeks and her lips were swollen. Alejandro bit back a smile. She would be upset if he thought this was funny.
“Alejandro?” Phillipe yelled.
“Ju—J.V. is helping me with the sails.” Alejandro needed to calm down and cool off. Or they would blow her cover. But he couldn’t stop thinking how perfect her lips felt against his. He’d kissed many women, but no kiss had ever felt like this. “Be up in a minute,” he added, not wanting anyone to come down here.
“What now?” she asked.
More kisses. That was what he wanted. But Julianna wasn’t some woman he’d met at a club or on the beach or at a sailing regatta. She was Enrique’s future wife and Alejandro’s ticket out of the royal life he abhorred. Even if his brother was out of the picture, she wasn’t a fling. He wasn’t looking to get serious with anyone.
Alejandro had too much going on with his boat business, properties and plans for the island to get involved in a serious relationship with any woman. Let alone with a princess.
He wanted to be freed from his princely duties, not be caught up trying to live up to her expectations. She would want him to remain a prince. She would challenge him to be more and embrace his birthright. He’d seen her act that way with Brandt. That behavior and pressure didn’t appeal to Alejandro in the slightest. He’d spent too much of his life justifying himself and his actions. Continuing on that path would be hell on earth.
Julianna was the last woman Alejandro should want to be with. She was a perfect princess, with a royal heart and soul. Duty and country motivated her. She would use her role on La Isla de la Aurora to make a difference in Aliestle. He would never be able to make a princess like her happy. He wouldn’t want to try. Even if he liked kissing her.
And wanted to kiss her again.
So what now?
“We sail,” he answered.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THREE HOURS OF sailing with high winds and waves kept Jules’s mind off Alejandro’s kisses. Thank goodness she’d needed to focus on steering the boat, or she would have been sighing, staring and swooning.
Pathetic.
But she couldn’t help herself. The way Alejandro made her feel overwhelmed Jules. Which was why she’d hurried up the dock back toward safety without a word as soon as the crew was ready to leave.
She may have apologized, but it wasn’t because kissing Alejandro had felt wrong. Kissing him had felt oh-so-right. As if that was what she should be doing today, tomorrow and every day for the rest of her life. That was why she’d been sorry. Feeling that way while engaged to Enrique wasn’t fair to either man.
She jogged through the park, eager to return to the palace and the sanctuary of her room. The suite provided all she needed—a means to escape and a lovely view from the windows. Enrique had been right about that. The pretty, colorful blossoms soothed her. She could use some soothing now.
Enrique.
She wove her way through the rocks in the grotto, passed through the wrought-iron gate and locked it behind her.
She didn’t want to think about her fiancé now.
Not with the effects of Alejandro’s kisses lingering.
The tunnel seemed darker and longer, and the smell of moisture and mold more pronounced. Each of her nerve endings seemed heightened in sensitivity. Her lips still tingled. The ache deep inside her that had started the moment his lips captured hers had grown exponentially since then.
Alejandro stirred something inside her. She was torn by her desire of wanting more and her guilt of knowing better.
