His Royal Pleasure Read Free

this.”
    â€œBut everybody always knew you were Prince Alexander Ferdinand Merrick de Moreno.”
    True. That was what he loved and hated about Isabella—she always told the truth.
    â€œAlex, face it. You’re a prince. When you take the throne, you’ll be a king. You’re good at being a ruler. It’s your identity.”
    Familiar dissatisfaction rolled through him. He loved his country and took seriously his role as leader, but even leaders needed an occasional break. That was the purpose behind this monthlong vacation. A dozen practical objections to his staying on Pirate Island came to mind.
    The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be just a man, though, won out. In that instant he made his decision. “Call Jake and give my regrets. He’ll understand. Have the rental car picked up in Charles City. I’ll see you in a month.”
    â€œI don’t believe this. You’ll never last.”
    Alex knew Isabella couldn’t resist a bet. “Shall we wager?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œIf I don’t last a month, I’ll persuade Father to let you go to Monte Carlo with your wild friend Lucinda.”
    â€œShe’s not that wild,” Isabella corrected.
    â€œIf I stay, you make the same kind of trip—sans title.” While Alex wore his title like a cloak, Isabella used hers as a shield to get out of sticky situations.
    â€œDeal.”
    â€œNot a word to Mother or Father.”
    â€œMy lips are sealed. I’ll be too busy thinking about Monte Carlo.”
    Alex smiled. “Just remember my nickname, dearest.”
    â€œPrince of Steel? Ah, but even steel melts, Your High and Mightiness.” She paused, and her voice softened. “Take care. Au revoir, Alex.”
    â€œMake that Al. Al Sanders.”
    â€œAu revoir.” She hesitated. “Al.”
    Twenty minutes later his new identity was firmly in place. From the tight fit of the borrowed jeans and T-shirt brought to him, Alex concluded the mechanic weighed about twenty pounds less than he did. He learned that Chad and Katherine’s uncle Jasper owned the campground but had recently experienced a heart attack. Katherine was nearly overwhelmed with the responsibility of the busy tourist season.
    He also learned despite Chad’s stuttering and stammering that Katherine expected Alex to vacate the premises as soon as possible.
    Alex, however, had other ideas. He wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to be a nonprince.
    After all, it might never come again. He needed to be just a man. Katherine needed help. The solution seemed simple to him. And in the back of his mind, he wanted to learn more about the tough and tender lady with the rose-petal mouth.
    Alex picked up a map of the resort complex and set out to make himself indispensable.
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    At nine o’clock that evening Katherine glanced up to find Al Sanders propped against the door of her uncle’s office. He should have been gone hours ago. Instead, he’d entertained some difficult customers by taking them sailing. The disgruntled couple had been charmed, the woman nearly melting into the cracks of the pavement.
    Katherine couldn’t blame her. When Al looked into a woman’s eyes as though she were the only female in the world, he dissolved defenses more effectively than the Patriot missile. And those breathtakingly tight jeans could surely earn him a spot in the buns-of-steel calendar. Add in his hundred-dollar smile and masterful air, and Katherine was surprised women hadn’t started throwing their lingerie at him.
    She was pretty sure Al Sanders was a con artist down on his luck, and she wanted him gone before he caused any trouble. The fact that he unsettled her and she couldn’t put her finger on why only added fuel to the fire.
    It would have been much easier to kick his incredible derriere off the island if he hadn’t sold helium balloons and skipped dinner to sell cotton candy, she