The Prince marriage to the Gold Digger

chapter 10 Name your price.

The arrival of the wine brought her a welcome relief from his penetrating gaze, but the relief was only momentary. As soon as they were alone again,

he drawled, "Does it bother you that l'm attracted to you?I would have thought you would find it commonplace to attracta man's desire."

Ursula tried to retrieve her hand, but his fingers closed firmly over hers and refused to let her go.

Green sparks began to shoot from her eyes as she looked up at him.

"I don't think you are attracted,"

she said sharply." I think you're still trying to put me in my place because I won't bow down and kiss your

feet. I've told you that the shares are yours, now please let go of my hand."

"You're wrong," he said, his hand tightening over hers until the grip was painful and she Winced

"From the moment you walked into my office this afternoon, every nerve in my body has been screaming. I want you, Ursula, and signing those shares over to me won't get me Out of your life,"

"Then what will?she demanded, tight-lipped "What is your price for leaving me alone?

A look of almost savage anger crossed his face:

then he smiled, and the smile chilled her blood. The midnight eyes raked over her face and breasts,

"Price? he murmured.You know what the price would be, to leave you alone eventually. I want to sate myself with you, burn you so deeply with my

touch that you will never be free, so that whenever another man touches you, you will think of me and wish me in his place."

The thought-the image it provoked-was shattering. Her eyes widened and she stared at him in horror. "No," she said thickly. "Oh, no! Never!

"Don't be so certain," he mocked. "Do you think I couldn't overcome any resistance you might make?

And I'm not talking about forcing you, Ursula ; I'm talking about desire. I could make you want me; I could make you so hungry for my lovemaking that you'd beg me to take you."

"No" Blindly she shook her head, terrified that he might really force himself on her. She wouldn't permit that, never; she had endured hell on earth because everyone saw her as a gold-digging little tart, but she would never let herself be reduced to the level of a kept woman, a mistress, all of the ugly things they had called her. "Don't you understand?

she whispered raggedly.I don't want to get involved with you-With any man-On any level,"

That's very interesting, he said, his eyes narrowing on her face. I can understand that you'd find your marriage duties to an old man to be revolting, but surely all of your lovers can't have been so bad. And don't try to pretend that you went into that marriage as pure as the driven snow

becauseI won't believe you. An innocent wouldn't sell herself to an old man, and besides, too many men claim to have known you."

Ursula swallowed hard on the nausea that welled up in her and her head jerked up. White-faced, green eyes blazing, she spat at him,

"On the contrary, Robert was an angel! lt was the other men who left a bad taste in my mouth-and I think, Prince Williams, that in spite of your money, and Royalty you give me the worst taste of all."

Instantly she was aware that she had gone too far His face went rigid and she had only a second of warning before the hand that held her fingers tightened and pulled, drawing her out of her chair until

she was leaning over the table. He rose and met her halfway, and her startled exclamation was cut off by the pressure of his mouth, hot and hard and probing,

and she had no defense against the intrusion of his tongue.

Dimly she could hear the swelling murmurs behind her, feel a flash of light against her lids, but the kiss went on and on and she was helpless to pull

away. Panic welled in her, smothering her, and a whimper of distress sounded in her throat. Only then did he raise his punishing mouth, but he still held her

over the table Iike that, his eyes on her white face and trembling lips, then he very gently reseated her and resumed his own seat.

"Don't provoke me again," he said through his teeth. "I warned you,

Ursula, and that kiss was a light one compared to the next one you will get.

Ursula didn't dare look up at him; she simply sat there and stared at her Wine, her entire body shaking. She wanted to slap him, but more than that she

wanted to run away and hide. That flash of light that she had noticed had been the fash of a camera, she knew , and cringed inside to think of the fleld day the scandal sheets would have with that photo

Nausea roiled in her stomach and she fought fiercely against it, snatching up her wineglass with a shaking hand and sipping the cool, dry wine until she had

herself under control again.

A rather uncomfortable-looking waiter appeared with the menus and Ursula used every ounce of concentration that she possessed in choosing her

meal. She had thought of allowing Williams to order for her; in fact, he seemed to expect her to do so, but it had become very important that she cling

to that small bit of independence. She had to cling to something when she could feel the eyes boring into

her from all corners of the room, and when across from her sat a man who made man-eating tigers seem tame.

"lt's useless to sulk," he said now, breaking in on her thoughts with his smooth, deep voice. "I won't

allow that, Ursula , and it was only a kiss, after all.

The first of many. Would you like to go sailing with me tomorrow? The weathermen are predicting a

warm, sunny day and you can get to know me as we laze about all day in the sun."

"No," she said starkly. "I don't ever want to see you again."

He laughed outright, throwing back his gleaming dark head, his white teeth flashing in the dimness like a wild animal's. "You're like an angry child," he

murmured. "Why don't you scream that you hate me, and stamp your feet in a temper so I may have the pleasure of taming you? I'd enjoy tussling with

you, rolling about until you tired yourself out and lay quietly beneath me."

"I don't hate you," she told him, regaining some of her composure despite his disturbing words She

even managed to look at him quite coolly,

"I won't waste the energy to hate you, because you're just Passing through. Alter the shares have been signed

over, I'll never see you again, and I can't see myself shedding any tears over your abscnce, either,"

I can't let you continue to delude yourself," he mocked.I'm not merely passing through I've changed my plans include you. I'll be in London for quite some time, for as long as it takes. Don't

fight me, my dear, it's only a waste of time that's better spent in other ways.

"Your ego must be enormous, she observed, sipping at her wine. "You seem unable to believe that I simply don't fancy you. Very well, if that's what it takes to rid myself of you, when you take me home we'll go upstairs and you may satisfy your odd little urges. It won't take much effort, and it'll be worth it to see the back of you." Even as the words

left her mouth, Jessica almost jumped in amazement at herself.

Dear heaven, how did she manage to

Sound so cool and disinterested, and say such dreadful things? What on earth would she do if he took her up on it? She had no intention of going to bed

with him if she had to scream her silly head off and make a scandal that would force both of them out of the country.

His face had turned to stone as she talked and his eyes had narrowed until they were mere slits. She had the urge to throw up her arms to protect her

face, even though he didn't move a muscle. At last he spoke, grinding the words out between his teeth.

"You cold little b***h, you'll pay for that before I'm finished with you, you'll regret opening your mouth you'll apologize for every word. Go upstairs with

you? I doubt I'll wait that long!"

She had to get out, she bad to got away from him Without thinking, she clenched her bag and said, " I have to go to the ladies

"No," he said. "You aren't going anywhere. You're going to sit there until we ve eaten, then, I 'll

drive you home.

Ursula sat very still, glaring at him, but her hostility didn't seem to bother him. When their meal was served, he began to eat as it everything was

perfectly calm and normal. She chewed on a few bites, but the tender lamb and stewed carrots turned into a lump in her throat that she couldn't swallow.

She gulped at her wine, and there was a flash of a camera again. Quickly she set down her glass and paled, turning her head away.He missed nothing, even when it seemed that he wasn't paying attention.

"Don't let it upset you," he advised coolly. The cameras are everywhere. They mean nothing; it's merely something to fill the space in their empty little tabloids.

She didn't reply, but she remembered the earlier flash, when he had been kissing her so brutally. She felt ill at the thought of that photo being splashed all

over the gossip pages.

"You don't seem to mind being the target of gossip, she forced herself to say, and though her voice was a bit strained, she managed the words without gulping or bursting into tears.

He shrugged. "It's harmless enough. If anyone is really interested in who I had dinner with, or who stopped by our table for a moment's conversation, then I really have no objection. When I want to be private, I don't go to a public place."

She wondered if he had ever been the subject of such vicious gossip as she had endured, but though the papers were always making some mention of him clostng a deal or fying here and there for conferences, sometimes With a vague mention of his latest.

"lovely," she could recall nothing about his private life. He had said that the palace is in the island and he lived there

"What's the name of the island where you live?

she asked, for that was a subject as sate as any, and she dearly needed something that would allow her time to calm herself.

A wicked black brow quirked upward. "I live on the island of Zenas, which means Zeus's gift, or, more loosely translated, the gift of the gods. I'm using the Greek name for the god, of course; the Roman version is Jupiter.

"Yes," she said. "Have you lived there for long? what a stupid question, she thought

The brow went higher. "I was born there. I own it."

"Oh." Of course he did; why should he live on someone else's island and palace too and she had forgotten, but now she remembered, what he had said about growing up wild on the island. "Is it a very large island? Does anyone else live there, or is it just you alone on your retreat?

He grinned. ""The island is roughly ten miles long,and as much as five miles wide at one place. There is a small fishing village, and the people graze their

goats in the hills. My mother The queen lives in our villa year round now; she no longer likes to travel, and of Course, there's the normal staff in the villa. I suppose there are some two hundred people on the island, and an assortment of goats, chickens, dogs, a few cows."

It sounded enchanting, and she forgot her troubles for a moment as she dreamed about such a quiet,

simple life. Her eyes glowed as she said, "How can you bear to leave it?

He shrugged. "I have many interests that require my time and attention, and as a Royal family we have am main building in the city and though l'll always look on the island as my home, l'm not quite a hermit.