Behind Palace Doors

Those muscles seemed to grow between each of their visits. Muscles he acquired from his passion of rock climbing. Yeah, that would make for a beautiful picture. A golden Greek god, shirtless and dangling high above the ground by his sheer strength… .

There was one lucky bride waiting for her prince. Victoria would be lying if she didn’t admit, even if only to herself, that at one time she’d envisioned herself as the one who would finally tame the great Prince Alexander, but his friendship had been invaluable and something she’d feared risking.

Strong arms that she had missed for the past few years pulled her into a warm, inviting embrace. Yes, this was the connection, the bond that phone calls and emails couldn’t deliver.

“Prince Alexander,” she said, returning his embrace.

“Don’t ‘Prince Alexander’ me.” His rich laughter enveloped her, making her feel even more excited to see him after so long. “And for God’s sake, don’t bow. Just because we haven’t seen each other in a while doesn’t mean I’ve become some royal snob.”

“It’s so great to see you, Stefan.” She eased back and looked up into those striking blue eyes. “When you called to tell me you were getting married, I was shocked. She must be someone very special.”

“The most important woman in my life,” he said, lifting one of her hands to his lips.

Prince Charming had nothing on Stefan, and a slight surge of jealousy speared through Victoria at the fact another woman would be entering his life…and not just passing through like all the others.

He gestured toward the settee and matching chairs with bright orange plush cushions. “Let’s have a seat and discuss my beautiful bride, shall we?”

Stefan dismissed his assistants with a silent nod. A man of his position and power didn’t need to use words, but to Victoria he was still that rotten teen who’d tried to get her to go skinny-dipping in the royal pool…while a dinner party had been taking place in the grand ballroom.

“I’ve brought sketches of several dresses for you and your fiancée to review,” she told him, laying her thin portfolio of designs on the tile tabletop and flipping it open. “I can also combine styles or come up with something completely different if nothing here catches her eye. They are all classic designs but different in their own way. Any would be flattering for the next queen.”

“I’ve no doubt you’ll make the perfect dress.” He laid a hand over hers, a wide grin spreading across his devilishly handsome face. “It’s so great to have you here, Victoria. I’ve missed you.”

She returned his smile, unable to hide her excitement about not only seeing him again, but also the fact he’d finally found true love…something she’d started to have doubts about. And yes, she’d once wished his true love had been her, but their friendship was more important. As his best friend, she was thrilled that he was so happy and in love. She needed that reminder that not all men broke their promises of engagement.

“It’s my pleasure to design for you, and it gives us both a reason to set aside our busy lives and get some face time,” she told him, sliding her hair over her shoulder. “Phone calls just aren’t the same.”

“No, they’re not,” he agreed.

That sexy, sultry smile remained. Heavens, but the man was literally a tall, dark and handsome prince, and that cotton shirt stretched so perfectly over his broad shoulders and chiseled biceps. She wondered what the new tattoo was of, but if she knew Stefan, he’d find a reason to shed his shirt in no time.

Yeah, he’d changed over the years, and definitely in all the right places. Rock climbing does a body good.

“These are remarkable,” he told her as he fingered through the drawings. “Did you do these yourself or do you have a team?”

A burst of pride ran through her. She may be one of the most sought-out designers, but each client earned her undivided attention and she loved hearing praise for her hard work…especially coming from such a good friend.

“I have a small team, but these are all my own. I was selfish when it came to your bride.” She moved one thick sheet to the side, eager to display the rest of her designs. “I’m partial to this one. The clean lines, the cut of the neckline and the molding of the bodice. Classy, yet sexy.”

Very similar to the one she’d designed for own wedding. Of course that had been six months, a slew of bad press and one shattered heartache ago when her up-and-coming actor/fiancé decided to publicly destroy Victoria. But working with Stefan and his fiancée would help her to remember that happily ever afters do exist.

When she’d met him as a teen on the set of one of her mother’s films, she’d developed an instant crush. He’d been a very mature eighteen years old, compared to her fifteen, with golden skin and a smile she’d come to appreciate that held just a touch of cockiness.

She’d been smitten to say the least, but they’d soon developed a friendship that had lasted through the years. Fantasies had come and gone…and come again where she’d envisioned him proposing to her and professing his hidden, undying passion. But those were little girl dreams. Besides, Stefan always had a companion or two at all times.

“You would look beautiful in that gown.”

Victoria shook off her crazy thoughts and jerked her attention to Stefan.

“Sorry. I realize your own engagement is still fairly recent, but—”

She straightened her shoulders and stepped back. “No, it’s okay. But let’s not talk about that. I’d much rather focus on your happiness.”

He reached out, cupped her shoulders and gave a reassuring squeeze. “I’m still your friend. I know you didn’t open up that much over the phone because of the timing being so close to the passing of my father, but you’re here now and I’m offering you my shoulder if you need it.”

Warmth spread through her. Other than her brothers, this was the one man she’d always been able to depend on. Even as they’d gotten older, their lives busier, she knew Stefan was always there for her.

“I may take you up on that,” she told him with a smile. “But for now let’s discuss you.”

Because she needed to focus on their friendship and her work instead of her humiliation, her eyes drifted back over the designs. “A dress should make a woman feel beautiful and alluring. I wanted to capture that beauty with a hint of fairy tale thrown into the mix. When I don’t know the client personally, it makes designing the dresses a bit harder, so that is why I chose to bring very different designs for her to look at. Do you know when your fiancée will arrive?”

Stefan leaned a hip onto the table and smiled. “Actually, she’s already here. I have a proposition for you, Victoria.”

Intrigued, Victoria rested one hand on the table and smiled. “And what is that, Your Highness?”

He chuckled. “Now you’re mocking me.”

“Not at all,” she retorted with a grin, loving how they fell back into their easy banter as if no time had passed. “You just sounded so serious. What’s your proposition?”

He took her hands in his, looking her in the eyes. “It has to do with my fiancée…sort of.”

Oh, no. She recognized that look. It was the same naughty, conniving look he had when he’d wanted her to be his partner in crime in their early twenties…like the time when he’d asked her to pose as his girlfriend for a charity ball because he had a somewhat aggressive lady who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

God. The sick feeling in her stomach deepened. The man was up to something no good.

“Stefan.” She slid her hands from his warm, strong hold and rubbed them together. “Tell me there’s a real fiancée and you’re actually getting married.”

“I am getting married and there is a fiancée.” He threw her a wide, beautiful smile. “You.”

Stefan waited for her response to his abrupt proposal. Damn, he’d meant to have a bit more finesse, but time was running out and he couldn’t afford to tackle this wedding in the traditional sense. Nothing about this situation was traditional.

She placed her hands on either side of her temples as if to rub the stress headache away…he’d had a few of those moments himself recently. He’d never pictured himself as a one-woman man. And the thought always sent a shudder straight through him.

“I’m sorry to pull you into this,” he told her. “I couldn’t trust anyone else right now.”

He prayed he chose the right words to make her understand. She was, after all, still recovering from an ugly public breakup, and she had always been such a good friend, no matter the distance between them. They’d shared countless phone calls in the middle of the night, during many of which she’d told him her dreams and he’d listened, hoping one day all those dreams would come true. And perhaps he could help that along.

“Why do you need me all of a sudden?”

“Galini Isle will go back to Greece if I don’t marry and gain the title of king. My brother isn’t an option because his wife is a divorcée and the damn laws are archaic. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do everything in my power to keep this country in my family. I won’t let my people down.” He hated being forced into anything. “I want my title, but I do not want a wife. Unfortunately, I’ve looked for a loophole and there isn’t one.”

Victoria sank to the patio chair. “Again, why me?”

“I want a wife in name only. And I can’t let my country revert to Greek rule. It’s been in my family for generations. I refuse to be a failure to my family’s name.”

“This is crazy,” she muttered, shaking her head.

Stefan stepped closer. “You’ve recently had scandal in your life. Why not show this fiancé who jilted you and the media who exploited your pain that you are stronger, you can rise above this and come out on top? What better way than to marry a prince?”