Emily and the Notorious Prince by India Grey

Author:India Grey [Grey, India]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-02-15T05:00:00+00:00

They ate deep-fried king prawns, garlicky chicken, acarajé fritters and succulent chunks of tender steak straight from huge heaped plates in the centre of the table, accompanied by lots of French fries. At first Luciana was stiff with horror at the idea of eating with her fingers, but bit by bit, under Emily’s gentle encouragement, she got used to the idea.

Luis was tempted to feign awkwardness himself, just so Emily would have to feed him little mouthfuls from her own fingers. But, he thought, staring moodily out over the darkening ocean, it would definitely test his promise to Rico if she did.

The pear-drop sun had fallen right into the sea now and the sky beyond the palm-tree canopy was a soft sherbet pink, dotted with the first tiny diamond stars. The beach was empty, the sea flat and mirror smooth.

A perfect evening.

Across the table, Emily sucked her fingers and leaned back in her seat. The pink light gave her skin a rosy glow, so that she looked like a poster girl for some miracle cosmetic cream. Some of his ex-girlfriends paid thousands to achieve the same effect, he thought, with a twist of wry amusement. Fruitlessly, of course.

‘That was gorgeous. I think I have to admit you were right about the horse thing. I’ve certainly eaten like one.’

‘The food was surprisingly good,’ he said. And the company too. All through dinner Emily had thought up further variations of the animal game, until they’d each decided what colour, plant and type of car they’d be, and in one short hour he’d come to find out more about Luciana than he’d learned in five years.

She was drooping with tiredness now, only just remembering at the last minute to put her hand politely over her mouth as she yawned, and looking at her he felt the same old tightening in his chest. Guilt, but something else too. For a while he’d also forgotten to see her as an object, a problem, a living, breathing reproach. She was a little girl, and he liked her. In her solemnity and cautiousness she reminded him of Rico.

‘I suppose we should get this little one back to her bed,’ Emily said reluctantly, putting her arm around Luciana.

A fragile sense of something shared had grown up between them over the course of the evening. Luciana had been at the centre of the conversation—Emily had made sure of that—but oddly that seemed to have added to the sense of intimacy between them. He found he didn’t want the evening to end.

‘Would you like some coffee?’

Emily glanced up at him in surprise, and then down at Luciana. She was almost asleep, her head lolling against Emily’s side. Gathering her up, Emily pulled her onto her knee and settled her there, safe and comfortable in the circle of her arms.

It wasn’t guilt Luis felt in that moment, it was pure envy, and it took him by surprise.

‘Well…’ Emily said uncertainly. ‘She’s had such a lovely time—it would be a shame to rush back.

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