He smiled at her crookedly in the mirror but it was another one of those sad smiles that made her heart constrict at the thought of the pain and loneliness he had experienced as a child. ‘Has anyone ever told you what beautiful hair you have?’
He was changing the subject, another defence mechanism he had perfected. But this time she didn’t call him on it. He had his reasons for wanting to claim his family’s money. It was no business of hers to criticise him for it or to try and dissuade him from following through on it. ‘You did … last night.’
‘So I did.’ He turned her so she was facing him. He tilted up her face and looked into her gaze for endless seconds, his thumb moving back and forth over her cheek like a slow-beating arm of a metronome. ‘It’s true, little princess. You are beautiful.’
Lottie put her hand over his. ‘I’ve never felt it until I met you.’
He slid his hand out from under hers and used it to tuck her hair back behind her ear as if she was six years old. ‘I have to get back to the hotel. There’s a staff issue my father’s CEO wants me to look into.’ Was it her imagination or had his voice sounded deeper and huskier than normal?
He was at the door before she could find her own voice and it too came out husky.
‘Lucca?’
He glanced at her over his shoulder. ‘Yes?’
‘Thank you …’
‘For?’
‘Just … thank you.’
His hand fell away from the doorknob as a frown settled on his forehead. ‘Lottie … you do realise this thing we’ve got going is not going to continue once I leave here, don’t you?’
Lottie fought hard to keep her expression serenely composed. ‘But of course. How could it? I live here. You live in England. Long-distance relationships never work. And I hate flying, remember?’
He gave another slow nod. ‘Good. Glad we got that sorted.’
‘You’re not having second thoughts, are you?’
‘Good God, no.’ His laugh was like a punch to her heart. ‘I’m surprised I’ve lasted this long.’
‘Not bored out of your brain yet?’
There was something about his smile that wasn’t quite right. It looked tight. Fixed. ‘Surprisingly, no. You?’
She rocked her hand back and forth.
‘So-so.’
His frown deepened and then it suddenly relaxed as he laughed again. ‘Little minx.’ He came back over and scooped her up in his arms and carried her towards the bed.
‘What about the terribly important staff issue at the hotel?’ Lottie asked.
He dropped her on the mattress and came down over her, pinning her with his weight, his eyes glinting at her darkly. ‘There’s something far more urgent I have to see to here first.’
THE MORNING OF the wedding dawned bright and sunny after almost two weeks of inclement weather. Lottie had listened patiently each day as Madeleine fussed and fretted about how her hair would be a disaster and her make-up would run and how the guests wouldn’t be able to see her for all the umbrellas, blah, blah, blah.
Privately she thought her sister was turning into a Bridezilla but of course she didn’t say anything. It was a big event in Madeleine’s life and as a royal princess and heir to the throne it was an even bigger pressure to have everything run according to plan.
Lottie had kept her relationship with Lucca out of the spotlight out of respect for Madeleine and Edward’s wedding. But rather than diminish the intensity of their relationship it had fuelled it. Meeting in secret, stealing moments or half-hours without anyone noticing, had given their relationship an even more exciting edge.
They had worked as a team to fine-tune the last details of the ceremony and reception. Lucca might not have been to a wedding before but he was fabulous at getting people to do what he wanted. He issued orders with such charm he had every palace and hotel staff member working overtime to please him.
Everyone was still talking about the spectacular success of the hens’ night. Even Lottie had enjoyed herself dressing up and dancing till the wee hours, especially as Lucca had sneaked in disguised as one of the waiters and stolen a steamy kiss behind one of the DJ’s subwoofers.
But even if they had not mentioned it again, Lottie was all too well aware that three days after the wedding their relationship would draw to a close. By staying the month Lucca would have fulfilled the terms of the arrangement made by his father’s CEO. His trust fund would be secure and he would go back to London to his life of living in the fast lane at supersonic speed.
Lottie had cleverly compartmentalised her brain. When she was with Lucca she was totally in the moment, pretending they were a proper couple with the potential for a future together. It was only when she was alone that the other side of her brain took over, leaving her unusually teary and agitated until she could barely sleep.
She hadn’t meant to fall in love with him. She hadn’t meant to even like him. But somehow over the past couple of weeks she had grown to know him as a person. Not the laugh-a-minute layabout lad-about-town image he projected, but the sensitive and artistic man who had greater depth to his character than he let on.
Knowing him on that level made her heart open like an orchid does to tropical sunshine. How had she ever thought love was something she could control? It had sneaked up on her, catching her unawares, dismantling her defences in a sensual ambush that made her body ache to be with him every minute she could. Every moment she spent with him made her love for him grow stronger. She felt her heart squeeze every time he smiled at her. When his eyes gave her that wickedly dark glint she melted. Would she be able to carry the pretence to that final goodbye, waving him off as if she felt nothing more for him than a mild affection?
However, if Lucca was suffering any apprehension about their imminent break-up he showed no sign of it. He was his usual affable playful self, making her laugh and teasing her with his usual good humour and filling their private moments with spine-tingling passion that made her body shudder and quake with pleasure.
Once the hair and make-up team had finished with the bridal party, Lottie took a moment to speak to Madeleine as she helped her with her veil. ‘You look amazing. Edward is going to be absolutely speechless when he sees you.’
Madeleine placed a hand on her stomach, her expression tight with panic. ‘I feel sick with nerves. I keep thinking something is going to go wrong. I’m going to trip in these heels or the back of my dress is going to split while the whole world is watching. Do you think I look fat? Oh, God, what if everyone thinks I’m fat?’
Lottie squeezed her sister’s trembling hands. ‘You look stunning. Just as a princess should look.’
Madeleine bit her lip. ‘Oops, can’t do that. I’ll ruin my lipstick. Have I got it on my teeth?’ She bared her teeth for Lottie to inspect.
‘No. You’re fine.’
‘I can’t believe this is my wedding day.’ Madeleine’s eyes shimmered with tears. ‘I’m so happy, Lottie. I wish you could find someone as nice as Edward. I know you think he’s boring but he’s such a sweetheart. So kind and thoughtful and loving.’
‘I didn’t say he was boring.’ Lottie carefully avoided her sister’s gaze as she straightened out a kink in the metres-long veil.
‘I know he’s nothing like Lucca Chatsfield.’ Madeleine smoothed her hands over her hips as she inspected her image in the floor-to-ceiling