Free His Bride for the Taking by Sandra Hyatt

regal look’s not my thing. Give me a short, shimmery black dress anyday.”
    She smiled. “I hope someday you find a tramp who’ll make you very happy.”
    He smiled back. Finally. His first real smile of the day. A smile a person could almost grow to dependupon, bringing with it a little jolt to her insides, stronger even than that first cup of coffee in the morning. “I intend to search the world over till I find her.”
    Stairs were wheeled to the jet and the crew opened the door.
    “Right, then, Alexia, let’s get this show on the road.”
    Rafe stood, ready to walk with her to the exit and thank the pilot and crew who stood waiting by the door. Ready to hand her over to Adam and put her from his mind. She slipped his card into her purse and stood, too. Glancing at the door, then back at him, she placed a tentative hand on his arm. “Will you call me Lexie?”
    He hesitated.
    “I need one person here who does.”
    He nodded. Reluctantly. “Lexie,” he sighed her name. Her grateful smile was pure innocence, and all he could think was sexy, sexy, Lexie. What he’d like to say to her and do with her were eons away from innocence. It had been torment enough just sitting so close beside her in the theater last night. Her rapturous sighs, her delighted laughter. And then that kiss. Damn that stupid kiss, that taste of temptation, that taste of the forbidden. He hadn’t been joking when he’d said the only reason there was no tongue in it was because he knew who she was. That was also the only reason he hadn’t kept her in that box and gone on kissing her. They wouldn’t have been disturbed. He could have slid his hands up her legs, pulled her against him. He could have— Stop. He had to stop this. He’d call the sophisticated and available divorcée he’dmet last week as soon as he handed Lexie—Alexia, dammit—over.
    There would be two cars at the airport. He and Adam seldom traveled together. It wouldn’t do to have both male heirs wiped out at once in the event of either an accident or an act of terrorism. He’d be on his own at last. Away from her smile, away from her scent. Away from her hopeful, idealistic naivety.
    He’d hand her to Adam, he’d see the two of them together and cement it in his mind that she belonged with his brother, her knight in shining armor. The most she could ever be to him was his sister-in-law.
    Security staff escorted them to the terminal. Alexia walked close to him. There was tension in the rigid set to her shoulders, in the stiffly held neck. He wanted to take her hand, in a brotherly fashion, he tried to tell himself. Reassuring. But far too open to misinterpretation. So instead he turned to Joseph, the family’s head of security. “This is quite a crowd.” Because despite what he’d said to Alexia, the crowd was considerably larger than he’d expected.
    “The forthcoming anniversary celebrations. There’s been something of an upsurge of interest in all things royal. It’s been building for some time.”
    Had it? He hadn’t noticed.
    “And of course there’s the young lady herself.”
    She didn’t turn her head, but Rafe knew she’d heard. She really would make a good royal. He asked on her behalf. “Alexia? Why?”
    “The people know she’s a Wyndham. They know the families are close. There’s been some speculation.”
    Speculation that because her family once had a claim to the throne that a union now between the two families would somehow complete a circle.
    Lexie did glance at him then, her face a little paler than before. He winked. “Just smile and wave, babe. Smile and wave.”
    She winked back, a twinkle in her moss-green eyes, then did exactly as he’d suggested. A cheer went up in the crowd along with hundreds of fluttering San Philippe flags.
    Minutes later, Rafe leaned against a pillar and watched her from across the royal lounge in the terminal building. Prince Henri, looking far too pleased with himself, had formally welcomed her. Rafe