CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THEMUSICSTOPPED. A loud bang sounded from the direction of the beach, followed a moment later by an explosion of red, green and yellow sparks visible through the glass panels in the ceiling. Gasps and excited exclamations circled through the room. Guests moved en masse toward the doors that led out onto a large stone terrace overlooking the sea.

The world around them moved. But Julius and Esme stood frozen in place, until they were the only two left in the room.

Only through sheer will did Esme manage to control her breathing and keep it from coming out in short, frantic gasps. Only through resurrecting the walls she'd built to shield herself against her parents' constant disappointment did she manage not to cave at the naked hurt in his eyes.

"Julius—"

"Not here."

He walked around and stalked across the room. She followed, her chin raised, shoulders thrown back. Yes, she had some mistakes to answer for. But damn it, she would not let him paint her as the villain of their story.

He waited until they were in the limo and the partition was raised before he spoke.

"You lied."

His voice was calm, cool. Yet beneath it she heard something that broke her heart. Hurt. She'd been so frightened those first few days of being hurt again, of reliving her own pain, that she hadn't bothered to think through the repercussions of what her lie would do.

"Yes."

"I asked you if we had been lovers. You said you had been my bodyguard and a friend."

"We had sex. We were not lovers."

He turned his head to look at her then, his face impassive.

"Is that how you excused it? With semantics?"

Tired of hiding, she tugged at the ties on her mask and pulled it off. "I knew what we had would never go beyond an affair, accepted it. But I at least thought you cared." She kept her voice steady. "I told you how important my job was, how it had become the only thing in my life that I was proud of. You took that from me without a discussion, without any courtesy for what I wanted. My parents did that. You did that. It hurt almost as much as how you dismissed me after what we'd just shared." She sucked in a deep breath. "I told myself that because love was never a part of what we had that we weren't lovers. But it was just an excuse. I lied. I'm sorry."

He stared at her for so long she wondered if he'd even heard her. Then he turned his head and looked out his window into the night.

"As am I, Esmerelda, for hurting you."

The villa came into view, a jewel bathed in golden light against the backdrop of a Caribbean night.

Julius pressed the intercom button. "Stop here, please."

The car stopped halfway up the winding drive.

"The car can take you back to the villa. I need a moment."

Julius got out and walked down toward the beach. Esme waited for all of three seconds, then got out and followed.

He stopped on the beach, one hand in his pocket, his mask hanging from the other by its ribbons. Lightning lit up the horizon in the distance, briefly highlighting where sky met sea. Then it disappeared and everything turned to midnight once more.

"I wanted to talk this afternoon." She stopped next to him. "To tell you everything."

Thunder rumbled, low and deep, rolling across the waves and up over the beach. The inner child in her who had curled up in her bed beneath a blanket to hide urged her to run back to the villa. The warrior she'd become anchored her feet in the sand and stood tall.

"You did. I'm not angry with you. I was, initially." He glanced down at her. "I'm mostly angry at myself. I knew there was something more between us."

She swallowed hard. "There was. We cared about each other, especially after my accident. At least..." She hesitated, then blazed forward. "I thought we did. I thought there was some affection between us."

"I still don't remember most of that year yet. Or my firing you. I just remember that night in Paris."

Her lips twisted. "Of course. The sex was good."

"More than good." His voice deepened, came out almost on a growl. "You know that as well as I do. It was incredible."

"It was. I like you, Julius. I admired you before, respected you. That was enough to get me into your bed. But the man you've been these past few days, it's like the man you were always meant to be. The compassion and kindness I saw glimpses of when I worked for you just seem like a part of you. The prince you were would have attended the masquerade and donated money, considering it an investment in the community and a good public relations move. The man you are now took the time to listen to stories like Aroldo's."

He turned to face her then.

"What are you saying?"

Her hands came up to rest on his jaw, framing his face as she raised up.

"I want you, Julius. Whether it's just tonight or the rest of your time here, I want to be with you."

"And after?" He gripped her shoulders. "What happens when I return to Rodina?"

Fear fluttered to life. She pushed it away.

"Don't think about after." Her words were nearly swallowed up by a sudden howl of wind that ripped at her skirts. "For tonight, let's do what you said. Just be us." She leaned up, brushed her lips over his. "Be with me."

Thunder clapped as the wind strengthened, ushering in the scent of rain mixed with the salt of the churning sea.

Then he leaned down and kissed her.