Dante's Contract Marriage Read online

  She couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, the reaction she had to his touch—and his response to hers—might mean that her secret wish had come true. What if the odd sensations they’d shared were from The Inferno? How would that change her plans for the future?

  And how did she convince her husband that his plans for the future should change, too?

  The instant Lazz and Ariana’s plane touched down in Verdonia, they were whisked by limousine through the mountainous principality of Avernos to the private estate of the newly elected king, Brandt von Folke.

  “According to my grandmother, King Brandt was elected about eighteen months ago,” Ariana said.

  Lazz lifted an eyebrow. “Elected? I gather succession doesn’t follow hereditary lines in Verdonia.”

  “No, it doesn’t. Here, they gather up all the eligible royals and have an election by the people. King Brandt won. My grandparents knew his grandfather, King Grandon. We used to visit when I was a child.”

  “Which explains your family’s ability to pull a few royal strings and arrange our honeymoon trip.”

  “Exactly.”

  The car pulled up to the front of an enormous structure, part palace and part fortress. Hewn from local stone, it offered a hard, cold welcome in complete opposition to their reception by Brandt and Miri von Folke, both of whom Ariana remembered having met as a child.

  After the formal introductions, Brandt arranged for refreshments and then surprised them by waving aside their use of his title. “There’s no need,” he insisted. “This isn’t a state function, and I have as little interest in titles as my grandfather.”

  A baby of close to a year crawled over to Ariana and held out his arms imperiously. The minute she acquiesced and gathered him up, he gazed around and beamed in delight. “And who is this little one?” she asked in amusement.

  “Thomas Grandon,” Miri replied. “He’s named after Brandt’s father and grandfather. My brother, Lander, and his wife, Juliana, have a little girl the same age. And we’re expecting a call any minute from my brother, Merrick, about his wife, Alyssa. When he phoned a few hours ago, she was in labor.”

  As though in response to her comment, the door opened and a huge man appeared in the doorway. “A call for you, Your Highness. It’s Prince Merrick.”

  “Thanks, Tolken.” Miri shot to her feet. “This is it. I’ll be right back. Oh, I hope Alyssa and the baby are safe and healthy.”

  Brandt reassured her with a simple touch. “They’re fine. Now go and find out whether we have a new niece or nephew.” He smiled at Ariana and Lazz. “They decided to be old-fashioned and keep the sex a surprise. Miri’s been on pins and needles for months.”

  “I hope our arrival hasn’t inconvenienced you,” Lazz said. “We appreciate your allowing us to use your private cabin for our honeymoon.”

  Brandt waved that aside. “It’s the perfect spot. The original cabin burned down a while back. We’ve replaced it, though this one is a bit snug.”

  Ariana shot a nervous glance in Lazz’s direction. Just how snug was snug? “I’m sure it’ll be perfect.”

  “I have fond memories of the place. Miri and I…” He broke off with a smile that turned his face from austere to warm and approachable. “Well, let’s just say that our stay there changed our lives.”

  “Thank you so much for sharing it with us,” Ariana murmured.

  “Our pleasure.” He rubbed his hands together. “Now, let me just go over a few particulars. The cabin is fully stocked for the week you’ll be there. We’ve had electricity installed, but it goes down at the least provocation. There’s a generator and propane to fuel it.” He lifted an eyebrow in Lazz’s direction. “Are you familiar with running a generator?”

  “My family has a cabin that requires a generator. We were all taught how to work it—as well as maintain it—from an early age.”

  “Perfect. The generator is powerful enough to keep the refrigerator and freezer going, should you lose power. Tolken will arrange to provide you with cell phones. Again, the mountains make reception spotty, and this time of year our mountains send us some rather spectacular storms. I should warn you that they hit fast and hard. But I’ll have someone call in a warning so they don’t catch you off guard.”

  Lazz inclined his head. “Much appreciated.”

  “As soon as you’re refreshed, I’ve arranged for my helicopter to fly you out and drop you off.”

  Ariana stiffened, fighting to conceal her alarm. “The cabin isn’t accessible by car?”

  “By four-wheel and even then with difficulty.” He lifted a single eyebrow, and Ariana was painfully aware of his royal status. “Is that a problem?”

  “Not at all,” Lazz interrupted smoothly. “I can’t think of a better way to spend our honeymoon.”

  Ariana forced an enthusiastic smile. “Nor can I.”

  Miri appeared just then, saving them from an awkward moment. “A boy. Eight pounds, two ounces,” she announced in a breathless rush. Tears gathered in her eyes. “They’ve named him Stefan, after our father.”

  “He was our former king,” Brandt explained in a low tone. “And succeeded my grandfather. His death was a great loss to all of us.”

  “I’m sure he would have been so proud to have his legacy continue,” Ariana offered gently.

  Brandt gave her a look of quiet approval before turning to his wife and gathering her close. “Would you care to freshen up before your departure?” he asked them.

  It was clearly a dismissal, though one Ariana completely understood. This was an intimate moment. A time for family. For some reason, it caused her to slip her hand into Lazz’s. She could feel the tug of the peculiar bond that had formed between them. He might deny that it was The Inferno, but whatever the link, it hummed with urgency.

  “We can freshen up at the cabin,” Lazz said. “We’ll go ahead and leave you now.”

  The comment made Ariana smile, since she’d been about to say the same thing. “Please extend our good wishes to Prince Merrick and Princess Alyssa. It was a pleasure to see you both again after all these years.” She crouched beside Thomas and ruffled his dark hair. “And it was especially nice to meet you, Prince Thomas.”

  Tolken returned a few minutes later and escorted them to the waiting chopper. “Your luggage is already loaded.” He handed them a leather satchel. “This contains a pair of cell phones with emergency contact numbers. Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything. King Brandt has put me entirely at your disposal.”

  Lazz offered his hand. “Thank you. If you don’t hear from us, we’ll see you in a week.”

  Tolken shook hands and then assisted Ariana into her seat and helped her strap in. A few minutes later, the helicopter lifted off the ground. It hovered over the estate for a few minutes, affording them a gorgeous bird’s-eye view of the palace and grounds before banking northward.

  The surrounding mountains were a deep, lush green with towering conifers and a scattering of oak, beech and alder. Eventually, they soared over one of the higher mountain peaks and drifted down toward a large clearing beside a sparkling green lake. White imported sand cupped the side closest to a small cabin. A very small cabin, Ariana noticed.

  After touchdown, the pilot gave them a hand with their luggage. “Is there anything else I can do for you before heading back?” he asked.

  “I think we can manage from here,” Lazz assured him.

  “The generator is housed in the shed over there.” The pilot pointed toward a structure that abutted the edge of the forest. “And you’ll find fishing gear in the boathouse down by the lake.”

  “Sounds fantastic.”

  The pilot lifted two fingers to his brow in a casual salute. “Enjoy yourself. If you need anything, I’m only a phone call away.”

  Lazz opened the door to the cabin and carried the luggage inside, but Ariana waited, watching as their only connection to civilization slowly rose. Its blades flattened the grass and kicked up small dirt devils before it tilt
ed to one side and zipped southward on its return flight. A moment later, the earsplitting thump of the blade faded away as the helicopter vanished over the nearest mountaintop.

  Ariana released her breath in a sigh and turned to enter the cabin. It took her eyes a moment to adjust from the bright sunlight to the shadowed duskiness of the interior. The minute her vision cleared, she shook her head in disbelief.

  “Call him back,” she demanded in Italian. “There’s no way I’m staying here.”

  Four

  From: [email protected]

  Date: 2008, August 05 09:54 PDST

  To: [email protected]

  Subject: Marriage Contract, Premarital Conditions, Additional

  I think you’re kidding yourself if you think either of us can go without sex for three whole months. I suggest you reconsider. And no, you don’t need to make separate bedrooms a separate counter-condition. That’s a given. In the meantime, here’s my next premarital condition.

  Condition #3: Occasional displays of public affection may be necessary in order to maintain the facade of a “normal” marriage.

  L.

  From: [email protected]

  Date: 2008, August 05 19:06 CEST

  To: [email protected]

  Subject: Re: Marriage Contract, Premarital Conditions, Additional

  Allow me to assure you that I am not kidding myself. I take sex very seriously. My first condition stands. Capito?

  As for condition #3…Just what sort of public displays do you have in mind? I have the distinct impression your idea of a “normal” marriage and mine are quite different.

  Ciao! Ariana

  Lazz folded his arms across his chest. “We are not calling him back.”

  “I can’t stay here with you.” She waved her hand to indicate the interior of the cabin. “It’s too…Too…”

  “Intimate?”

  “Yes!” She glanced at the bed and swiftly away again. “That mattress is barely big enough for one, let alone two. I thought kings had giant beds. King-size beds.”

  Lazz lifted an eyebrow at her phrasing, and a broad smile came and went. “Never having been a king, I can’t say. I assume, considering how isolated this place is, they elected to stick with sizes that were easily transported. Or maybe Brandt and Miri prefer sleeping on top of each other.”

  She spared the bed a final, uneasy look. “Lazz—” she began.

  He shook his head, adamant. “Forget it, Ariana. We’re not going to refuse von Folke’s hospitality. It would be rude, and word of it would get back to our grandparents.”

  That stopped her. She stared at him, stricken. “But what are we going to do?”

  “We’re going to do just what we agreed before our marriage. We’re going to make the best of it.”

  “I can’t even turn around without bumping into you.”

  “Bump into me as much as you like. I can live with it.”

  In fact, the idea appealed. A lot. The tension between them had already climbed to unbearable levels. At some point one of them would trip over that condition of hers and they’d both take a fall—preferably onto the nearest bed, no matter how narrow. As far as he was concerned, the sooner, the better.

  She hesitated, no doubt wanting to react to the comment. He sensed his darling wife—and how he stumbled over that word—felt as edgy as he did. Their wedding night had been rough, the awareness they’d felt toward each other both unexpected and surprising, and not an issue either of them had anticipated dealing with. Although, if he were honest, he should have anticipated it. When two people were locked in a marriage, it was only natural that a severe case of intimacy was bound to break out at some point or another.

  Now they’d gotten themselves into a situation they couldn’t escape…a situation that threatened to break more than one of the conditions the two of them had made before their marriage. He could only hope his lasted longer than hers. Lazz studied Ariana and realized with a kick of amusement that she continued to hover by the door.

  “You look like you’re on the verge of running,” he said.

  “I’m considering it.”

  “Why don’t you come on in and take a look around?”

  Her expression soured. “I think I can pretty much see everything from here.”

  “It’s supposed to be a romantic getaway, which may explain why there’s more bedroom than anything else.” He inclined his head toward the shadowed interior. “There’s a small kitchen and a huge bathroom with a tiled shower stall and a tub that’s larger than the bed.”

  “Maybe I can sleep in there.” She turned her attention to the stone fireplace and the small sitting area that contained a deep love seat and a striking table made of a variety of inlaid hardwoods. “Very cozy.”

  “It’s only for a week.”

  “I’m being ungracious, aren’t I? That’s considered a deadly sin for a Romano. I think I’ll blame it on exhaustion.” She took a deep breath and surprised him with a serene smile. “I’m sure this will be fine. Why don’t I check out the kitchen and fix us some coffee?”

  “I’ll get it.”

  “In that case, I’ll unpack our suitcases.” Her smile turned teasing. “Maybe that’ll give us more room to maneuver.”

  Considering the bags for their honeymoon trip had shown up in their bridal suite at the same time as their breakfast, their luggage fully packed and ready to go, he had no idea what they contained. “Let’s hope whoever packed them for us threw in some swimsuits.” And sleepwear that covered a bit more of Ariana than the nightgown she’d worn on their wedding night. Otherwise, he wouldn’t survive the first night, let alone a full week.

  While he prepared the coffee, Ariana unzipped the first suitcase. “Tons of casual wear and—hallelujah—a bathing suit.”

  After transferring the clothes from the suitcase to the dresser, she unearthed a sketch pad and pencils. He eyed it curiously as he offered her a lightly steaming mug. “Do you draw?”

  “I do, yes.” She accepted the mug and inhaled the fragrant scent of the coffee. Then she let out a low sigh of pleasure, one that wreaked havoc with his self-control. “What little talent I have, I inherited from my grandmother,” she confessed.

  He lifted an eyebrow in surprise. “Penelope?”

  “Mmm. So what would you like to do first?” Her deliberate change of subject roused his curiosity, but he let it go for the time being. “After that flight, I wouldn’t mind taking a short hike.”

  “Before jet lag hits?”

  “Actually, my internal time clock will adjust faster than yours, since I’m now back in the same time zone as Italy.”

  “With all the traveling I’ve done for Dantes, I’ve discovered that a solid workout helps most.” And maybe it would douse the tiny sparks of arousal that grew hotter and more pervasive the longer he remained cooped up in the cabin with her. “I’m up for a hike if you are. We can get a feel for the surroundings.”

  She smiled brightly. “Give me a second to change into a pair of shorts, and I’ll be ready to go.”

  He worked them hard, following a trail that wound around the lake. At one point, he glanced over at Ariana. Realizing he was setting a blistering pace, he deliberately slowed down. It took her less than a dozen steps before she clued in. Throwing him a challenging look, she dashed ahead, her teasing laughter drifting back to him. He lagged behind, allowing her to build up a decent lead before pouring on the power. The instant she heard his footsteps pounding closer, she sped up.

  She had glorious legs, long and toned and shapely. He quickly discovered just how she kept them in shape. She ran like she’d been born to do nothing else, moving with a supple grace. The ease with which she hurdled obstacles in their path would have done a gazelle proud. And as far as he was concerned, the view was spectacular. Not only did he get to admire her legs, but a gloriously rounded backside, as well.

  He waited until they reached the final curve of the lake before overtaking her. The ins
tant the dirt path turned to sand, he swooped in and snatched her high into his arms. Her shriek echoed across the lake, sending a brace of ducks airborne. He carried her a half dozen steps before flinging himself and his delectable armful into the shallows.

  “How about a swim?” he suggested when she surfaced, sputtering.

  For an instant, she simply stared at him. Then a laugh broke free. “You are insane.”

  Ariana flipped her hair back from her face, the dark length streaming down her back like an ebony waterfall. The bright sunlight reflected off the strands, catching in ruby highlights that Lazz had never noticed before. His gaze slipped lower, and the breath stopped dead in his lungs. She wore a thin, very wet, cotton shirt. The brilliant red clung to her upper torso, molding itself to generous breasts that were a fantasy come true.

  He struggled to do the honorable thing and look away. But somehow his eyeballs had become disconnected from his brain. “Do me a favor, will you?” he asked politely.

  She planted her hands on her hips. “You just threw me in the water, and now you want me to do you a favor?”

  “Or not.”

  She relented with a smile. “What’s the favor?”

  “I seem to be having trouble controlling my caveman genes. Would you mind ducking down a little?”

  Fate rewarded him with a few more seconds of visual bliss before comprehension set in. With a gasp, she sank downward so the water lapped around her shoulders. “Did your caveman genes enjoy the view?” she asked acerbically, her accent a bit more pronounced than before.

  “They did. They really did.”

  She spared him a disgruntled look, one that took on an appreciative glint. “I must admit, my cavewoman genes are having some enjoyment, as well. Maybe too much enjoyment. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go in and change.”

  He nodded. “Feel free.”

  She lifted an eyebrow in a manner as regal as it was pure Romano. “Would you mind turning around?”