The Park's Empire: Handsome Strangers...: The Prince's Bride. GINA WILKINS
we’re fortunate that you’ve taken this time to spend with us,” the king said. “I understand that you’ve agreed to plan Lazhar’s wedding.”
“I’m very interested in the possibility,” Emily said carefully. “As I told your son, however, I won’t be able to put together a comprehensive proposal until I’ve seen the facilities, talked to your staff, and have a bit more input from him, his fiancée, and your family.”
The king waved away her concerns. “I’m certain that your proposal will be acceptable. My son has chosen you and I have complete confidence in his judgment in this matter. Even more so now that I’ve met you.” His eyes twinkled.
“Thank you, Father,” Lazhar said wryly.
This is how it should be between a father and son, Emily thought, as the two exchanged a look of complete understanding. Seeing Lazhar with his father made Emily realize why he had spirited her out of San Francisco and what made him willing to do whatever it took to make his father’s wish a reality. He clearly loved his father and even Emily, who had never felt that mutual affection between herself and her father, couldn’t help but recognize the depth of the connection between the two.
“I told Emily that she needs to tour the country and meet our people in order to understand more about Danizian culture before creating a wedding plan,” Lazhar continued.
“An excellent idea.” The king nodded in agreement. “And you’ll be her guide, of course—where will you begin?”
“I thought we’d dine at the palace this evening, with mother and Jenna. Emily can sample traditional Daniz recipes and the work of the chef who will be preparing the food for the reception and wedding banquet. After dinner, we’ll tour the casino.” He looked at Emily. “Unless there’s something else you’d prefer to do this evening?”
Emily shook her head. “Not at all, it sounds like an excellent plan.”
The king glanced at his watch. “I’m sure you’ll enjoy both our chef’s dinner and the casino, Emily. And now, I’m afraid I must say good afternoon. I have another appointment that I must keep.”
Emily rose, waiting while Lazhar helped his father to his feet before the king took the arm of a burly manservant. The white clad servant had appeared so silently that Emily was unaware he was near until he stepped forward to hold out his arm for the king to lean on.
“Good afternoon, Emily.” The king held out his free hand. “I’m very glad you’ve come to stay with us.”
“Thank you.” Emily took his hand in hers, surprised by the strength in the thin fingers. Although he was as tall as his son, King Abbar seemed almost frail in comparison to Lazhar and the stocky servant. An indomitable spirit and will blazed from his eyes but it was clear that the king was ill.
“We will talk again tomorrow.”
“I look forward to it.”
The king smiled with approval and turned to his son. “Come to my rooms before you go down to dinner, Lazhar. There is something I wish to discuss with you.”
“Of course, Father.”
Emily stood silently beside Lazhar, watching the king’s labored steps as he left the garden with his aide and disappeared through a door at the far end of the patio.
“Your father is a very charming man,” Emily commented as Lazhar walked beside her to reenter the high-ceilinged living room. “The two of you seem very close.”
“We’re father and son,” Lazhar said simply, opening the door to the hall. Again, the guards snapped to attention.
“So are Cade and my father, but I’ve never thought of their relationship as anything but…distant.” “Difficult,” or even “adversarial” might better describe the association between her brother and Walter, she thought, but years of listening to her father’s commands forbidding any discussions about the family with outsiders made her choose a milder word.
“That’s unfortunate.” Lazhar paused outside a door and Emily realized that he’d returned her to her suite. “My father and I have grown closer since I became an adult and took over our national security. But even when I was a child and he was busy with the grueling job of running the country, with a thousand daily demands on his time, he always insisted that we share meals together as a family and each evening, he and mother tucked us in bed.” A fond smile quirked his mouth. “They’re both very hands-on parents. How about you, Emily?” he asked softly, his gaze focused intently on hers. “Do you want children? Do you see yourself as a mother who insists on tucking them in each night? Or would you leave them to nannies and governesses?”
“No governesses.” Emily shook her head. “And no nannies.”
“You say that with great conviction,” he commented.
“I was raised by my father’s housekeeper. Brenda is a wonderful woman and we were very lucky to have her, but children should have their parents involved in their lives.” Realizing that she may have revealed more than she intended, Emily shrugged and tried for a careless tone. “But I probably won’t have children, so it’s a nonissue for me.”
He lifted an eyebrow, folded his arms across his chest and leaned his shoulder against the wall. “You don’t plan to have children? You don’t look forward to marrying?”
He looked as if he had all the time in the world to discuss her marital status, or lack of one. Emily almost groaned out loud. Why had she been so adamant about methods of parenting children? Granted, she felt very strongly about the issue, but she needed to keep Lazhar at arm’s length. His affection and care for his father had already melted some of the barriers she’d erected around her emotions. She didn’t want to discuss her feelings about children with him. What if he were understanding and kind? Excellent qualities if I were his fiancée because they would make me love him more, she thought, but since I’m only the wedding planner and a business associate, not so good for me to know.
“I have a company to run,” she said lightly. “I don’t have time to think about children, certainly not for the foreseeable future.”
“But someday, you plan to marry and have children,” he prodded.
“I doubt it.” Something about him compelled her to be truthful when she’d planned to be evasive. She couldn’t bring herself to lie outright to him.
“That would be a terrible waste,” he said quietly. His gaze left hers and stroked over her face, lightly grazing her lips with an almost tangible touch. He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. “You’ll have beautiful children, Emily, and you’ll make a wonderful mother. You have a soft heart and good instincts.”
His deep voice thrummed along Emily’s veins, making her blood move more swiftly. His dark gaze held hers and Emily felt her bones melting, her body swaying toward his where he leaned against the wall.
The murmur of voices, growing louder as they moved nearer down the hall, snapped Emily back to awareness. She flushed. Lazhar’s fingers trailed across her hot cheek before his hand fell away and he pushed away from the wall to open the door behind her.
“Dinner’s at eight. I’ll be back to take you to the dining room. I wouldn’t want you getting lost.”
Emily murmured a thank-you and stepped inside, closing the door and sagging against it for support because her legs felt like rubber.
Lazhar Eban is a dangerous man. She moved away from the door. I bet every woman he meets falls in love with him. But not me—I can’t afford to care about him. I’m only here to plan his wedding. She shook her head at her reflection in the wall-to-wall mirror over the bathroom vanity. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes dark, and to her dismay, her nipples were clearly visible, pushing against the white silk blouse she wore under the jacket of her yellow linen suit.
Damn. She