One-night miracle...

For the crown prince!

In this The Cattaneos’ Christmas Miracles story, rebel royal Max believes his infertility has cost him the throne—until heiress Noemi reveals she’s carrying his baby! And with his country’s future at stake, Max must claim his heir! Noemi is hesitant and fiercely protective of their unborn baby, but at his snow-covered palace, can Max offer her the most precious Christmas gift ever—the chance to become a family?

Award-winning author JENNIFER FAYE pens fun, heart-warming, contemporary romances, filled with rugged cowboys, sexy billionaires and enchanting royalty. Internationally published, with books translated into nine languages, she is a two-time winner of the RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award. She has also won the CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award, been named a TOP PICK author, and has been nominated for numerous other awards.

Also by Jennifer Faye

Once Upon a Fairytale miniseries

Beauty and Her Boss

Miss White and the Seventh Heir

The Cattaneos’ Christmas Miracles collection

Cinderella’s New York Christmas by Scarlet Wilson

Heiress’s Royal Baby Bombshell

And look out for the next book

CEO’s Marriage Miracle by Sophie Pembroke

Available December 2018

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Heiress’s Royal Baby Bombshell

Jennifer Faye

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07830-6

HEIRESS’S ROYAL BABY BOMBSHELL

© 2018 Harlequin Books S.A.

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

EPILOGUE

Extract

About the Publisher

PROLOGUE
Mid-August, Milan, Italy

A CASUAL PARTY full of joy and hope for the future was just what she needed.

It was her chance to forget that her opinions were unwanted and disregarded. That acknowledgment sliced deep into her heart. But she refused to become a silent shadow in her own family.

Noemi Cattaneo, heiress to the Cattaneo Jewels dynasty, welcomed the loud music and the sound of laughter. After yet another argument with her older brother, Sebastian, she needed space. She took a drink from her second glass of pink champagne. When was he ever going to treat her like an adult instead of his kid sister and realize that her opinions had merit?

She took another sip of bubbly, hoping to cool off her rising temper. Every time she recalled her brother saying that being a silent partner suited her, frustration bubbled within her. How dare he tell her to stick to modeling! There was more to her than her looks—a lot more. And she refused to spend the evening worrying about her brother.

Someone bumped into her. The champagne sloshed over the edge of the glass and onto Noemi’s new white dress. She glanced down at the pink stain starting at her chest and streaking down to her midsection.

She might need to cool off, but this wasn’t how she’d intended to do it. Noemi’s gaze lifted as she looked around for the klutz who’d bumped into her, but she couldn’t pinpoint the culprit. They hadn’t hung around to express their regret. Maybe coming to this engagement party hadn’t been such a good idea.

She searched the crowd for Stephania, her friend who’d convinced her to come to the party. As Noemi’s gaze scanned the room, it strayed across a man with mysterious hazel eyes. He was standing across the room surrounded by a half dozen eager, smiling women. Even though each woman appeared to be vying for his attention, he was staring at Noemi. Her pulse quickened. This wasn’t the first time that she’d noticed him staring her way.

“Hey, Noemi,” Stephania said. “What are you doing standing over here all alone?”

“Apparently getting champagne spilled on me.”

Stephania gasped when she saw the stain. “I’m sure they have some club soda around here.”

Noemi shook her head. “I’ll just go home.”

“But you can’t leave yet. We just got here. Besides, if you go home, you’ll just mope around.”

And think about how her brother refused to give her any respect. Noemi hated to admit it but Stephania was right. Her gaze strayed to the tall sexy stranger. His eyes caught and held hers. Her pulse quickened. Perhaps there was a reason to stay.

Twenty or so minutes later, with the help of club soda, paper towels and a hair dryer, Noemi’s dress was once again presentable. By then, she’d talked some sense into herself about the attractive man whose gaze seemed to follow her around the room. He was probably the type who enjoyed the chase—not the capture.

However, there was something slightly familiar about him. Not one to keep up with gossip or who to know, Noemi couldn’t place him. But if he was at this exclusive gathering, he must be someone important.

She glanced around the room but didn’t see any sign of him. Disappointment assailed her. This wasn’t like her. She could take guys or leave them. She thought of asking Stephania if she knew the man’s name but shrugged off the idea. Her life had enough complications. She didn’t need more.

But just the same, her mood had dimmed. Her problems once again started to crowd in around the edges of her mind. Needing some fresh air, she stepped out onto the terrace. There was just enough of the evening sun for her to admire the distant mountain range as a gentle breeze caressed her skin.

“Beautiful.”

The deep rich voice had her turning her head. And there stood the intriguing stranger with the mesmerizing eyes. His voice held a slight accent. She couldn’t place it, but it was extremely sexy—just like the rest of him.

“I’m sorry. Am I disturbing you?” She glanced around for his harem of women, but he appeared to at last be alone—with her.

“Not at all. Please join me.” He motioned for her to join him at the edge of the terrace.

She stepped closer but not quite the whole way. “You were admiring the mountains, too?”

He sent her a puzzled look.

“When I stepped out here, you said beautiful. I assumed you were referring to the view.”

He smiled and shook his head. “No. I was talking about you. You are beautiful.”

She’d been complimented many times over the years. Being the face of Cattaneo Jewels, compliments came with the job. But the man looked at her as though he wanted to take her in his very capable arms and devour her with hungry kisses. The heat of a blush engulfed her cheeks.

“Thank you.”

The warm August evening was no help in cooling her down. She knew it was polite to make small conversation, but for once, her mind was a blank. This man didn’t seem to know who she was, and for the moment, she found that to be a welcome relief. She didn’t want him to treat her differently. For tonight, she wanted to be just a face in the crowd.

But when she turned her head and gazed into this man’s eyes, her heart began to race. For a moment, she glanced at his mouth. If she were someone else tonight, would it be wrong to give in to her desires—to live in the moment?

But then she realized if she wanted people to take her seriously, she couldn’t give in to her whims. No matter how delicious they may be.

“We should probably get back inside before people start to wonder where we’ve gone,” she said, though there wasn’t any part of her that wanted to return to the party. She was quite content to stay right here with him.

He leaned in close. “Let them wonder. I like it much better out here, especially now that you are here.”

She cocked her head to the side and looked at him. “I’m starting to understand.”

His brows drew together. “Understand?”

“Yes. I understand why all the women surround you. If you flatter them like this, they simply can’t help themselves.”

The worry lines on his face smoothed and a devastatingly sexy smile lifted his lips. “Trust me. I have done nothing to encourage those women. But when it comes to you, it’s different. What brings you to such an exclusive party alone?”

She wanted to believe him when he said she was different. His words were like a soothing balm on her bruised ego. Her parents and her brother might think she should remain nothing more than a silent partner, but this man wanted to hear what she had to say. A smile lifted her lips.

“I’m not alone.” The smile immediately slipped from his face. Then realizing how her response must have sounded, she was quick to supply, “I came here with a friend.”

“And your friend doesn’t mind that you’re out here instead of inside with them celebrating the engagement?”

Noemi couldn’t help but notice his strange wording. “Do you even know the engaged couple?”

“As a matter of fact, I don’t.”

Noemi’s mouth gaped. Only the very famous or the very rich who knew the couple had been invited. The newly engaged couple didn’t want the paparazzi to know the details. They wanted a chance to celebrate and enjoy the moment. And he was a party crasher.

She tilted her chin upward, taking in the man’s handsome face. He didn’t strike her as the type to intrude upon a stranger’s good time. His chiseled jawline gave his face a distinctive look. But it was his mesmerizing eyes that held her gaze captive. The breath caught in her throat.

And then the urge once again came over her to kiss this stranger. But she didn’t even know him. She glanced away. She was letting his good looks and sexy smile get to her.

Maybe if she got to know him a little better. There was something about him that made her curious to know more about him. “So if you don’t know the engaged couple, why are you here?”

He shrugged. “The host of the party invited me.”

She took in the man’s straight nose and fresh-shaven jaw. “Do you live in Milan?”

He shook his head. “I’m just passing through.”

“On your way to where?”

He shrugged. “I haven’t decided yet.”

The fact he didn’t live in Milan—that he was moving on—appealed to her. The last thing she wanted at this juncture in her life was a relationship. She had her modeling career to focus on—even though it was rapidly losing its appeal.

But an evening of fun—an evening with no strings—what would be the harm? Tomorrow she could decide if she wanted to continue to fight for a more significant place in the family business or look elsewhere. Just then, the French doors burst open and a couple wrapped in each other’s arms stumbled onto the veranda. When they bumped into Mr. Tall and Sexy, they straightened up.

“Sorry about that,” Matteo DeLuca, an award-winning actor, said. “We didn’t know anyone was out here.”

The young woman in his arms burst out in a giggle. Her eyes were glazed and as Matteo led her away, she tripped over her own feet. Upon their exit, they forgot to close the doors. The loud music and cacophony of voices came spilling forth.

Noemi’s companion closed the doors and then turned back to her. “How would you feel about going someplace quieter?”

“But I don’t even know your name.”

His brows rose ever so briefly. She couldn’t help wondering if his reaction was due to the fact that he expected her to know him. Or whether he was surprised that she’d resisted jumping at his offer. Because right at that moment, she couldn’t think of anything she’d like better than spending the evening with this intriguing man.

She took a moment to study him. His dark designer suit definitely didn’t come off a rack. As he took a drink of what appeared to be bourbon, she noticed his watch. A Rolex no less. This man looked right at home at this party.

He smiled and his eyes lit up. This man, he was... Well, he was confident. It was in the way he stood with his broad shoulders pulled back and his chin held high. But he wasn’t unapproachable either. He seemed to have a sense of humor. But most of all, he came across as the type to go after what he wanted. And right now, he appeared to want her.

“My name is Max.”

“Max, huh?” She tried the name on for size. It wasn’t as imposing as Zeus or Hercules but it’d do—it’d do just fine.

“You don’t like my name?”

“It’s not that.” It’s that it was such a simple name for such a complicated man. And yes, she sensed there were many facets to this man in the ten or so minutes that they’d been talking.

“Then what is it?”

She shrugged. “I just wasn’t expecting such a common name.”

He smiled and it made her stomach shiver with nerves. “I won’t tell my mother you said that.”

“Please don’t.” They were acting like one day soon she would meet the woman. That was never going to happen. But it was fun to play along with him.

“And what’s yours?” His voice interrupted her troubled thoughts.

“My what?”

Amusement twinkled in his eyes. “Your name?”

“Oh.” Heat rushed up from her chest and settled in her cheeks. “It’s Noemi.”

“Noemi. That’s a beautiful name for a very beautiful woman.” He took a step closer to her, leaving little distance between them. She searched his face for any sign of recognition of who she was. There was nothing in his expression to suggest that he recognized her as an heiress to the infamous Cattaneo Jewels worn by the rich and famous worldwide. But there was something else reflected in his eyes.

Desire.

Their gazes locked. This gorgeous hunk of a man, who could have his pick of the eligible women and some not quite so eligible at this party, desired her. Her heart raced. It’d been such a long time since a man had turned her head. But there was something special about Max.

The thump thump of her heart was so loud that she could barely hear her own thoughts. And then he reached out to her. His thumb ever so gently traced down her jaw before his finger brushed over her bottom lip. It was such a simple gesture but it sent a bolt of heat ricocheting from her mouth down to her very core.

Before she could figure out how to react to these unexpected sensations, his gaze lowered to her lips. He was going to kiss her?

Her heart lodged in her throat. She should... She should do something. But her body betrayed her. Her feet refused to move and her chin lifted ever so slightly.

As though that was all the invitation he needed, Max lowered his head. Her eyes fluttered closed. She shouldn’t want this—want him. But she did, more than she thought possible.

His lips were smooth and warm. And a kiss had never felt so good. She didn’t make a habit of going around kissing strangers, but in the short time she’d spent with Max, she had this uncanny feeling that she could trust him.

She slipped her arms up over his muscled shoulders. As the kiss deepened, her hands wrapped around the back of his neck. She’d never been kissed quite so intently and with such unrestrained passion. She wasn’t even sure her feet were still on the ground.

Suddenly Max pulled back. It happened so quickly she had to wonder if she’d imagined it. But her lips still tingled where his mouth had touched hers. And he sent her a dazzling smile that promised more of the same.

If she were wise, she would end things right here, but her body hummed with unquenched desire. For once, she wanted to throw caution to the wind and enjoy herself. After all, her brother accused her of being impulsive. Why not live up to the accusation...just this once?

Max pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket.

“What are you doing?” The words slipped from her lips.

“I’m calling my driver.” And then he spoke into his phone. Seconds later, the conversation ended. He turned back to her. “The car will be waiting for us downstairs in a couple of minutes. Shall we?”

But she’d never said she would go anywhere with him. Was it that obvious in the way she looked at him? More than likely he was taking his cues from that kiss they’d shared. That short but arousing kiss.

“What are you thinking?” His eyes searched hers.

“I was thinking...um...that it would be nice to go somewhere a little quieter.”

He smiled again. “My thoughts exactly.”

He held his arm out to her. It took her a moment to figure out what he was doing. Did men even do that anymore? Wasn’t it just something she saw in the old black-and-white movies that her mother collected?

But Noemi found the gentlemanly gesture endearing, even if it was a little dated. There was something about this man that was so different from anyone she’d ever known and that appealed to her. She had a feeling this evening was going to be totally unforgettable.

CHAPTER ONE
Three months laterMont Coeur ski resort, the Swiss Alps

WHAT WAS SHE going to do?

Noemi paced back and forth in her luxurious bedroom in her family’s palatial chalet. A gentle fire flickered in the fireplace, keeping her suite cozy. She couldn’t sit still.

So much had happened in the last few months that it made her head spin. First, the pregnancy test had turned up positive. As she’d struggled to come to terms with what this meant to her future, she’d stumbled across the fact that she had a long-lost brother. The realization had jarred her entire world. How could her parents have kept Leo a secret all her life?

An ensuing row between her and her parents had her shouting out hurtful words—words she didn’t mean. And yet now she couldn’t take them back. She couldn’t tell her parents she was sorry and that she loved them.

They were dead.

The reading of their will had succeeded in driving home the fact that her parents wouldn’t be here at the chalet as was their Christmas tradition. But the three siblings intended to spend the holiday together.

It had been strange to meet her brother Leo for the first time, even stranger to hear the contents of her parents’ will. She never would have imagined that the terms of the will would be the way they were. Clearly Sebastian hadn’t either, because when he’d discovered that his parents had given Leo controlling shares in Cattaneo Jewels for six months, he’d been furious. And although Leo had been clearly reluctant, the terms stated that should Leo refuse, Cattaneo Jewels would cease trading and be liquidated. And none of them had wanted that.

But tempers and emotions had risen, and it was all Noemi had been able to do to convince her brothers to think on it and to return here to the chalet in Mont Coeur just before Christmas for the final decision.

Even now, she could only guess at what her parents had been thinking when they’d written the will and its unusual terms. She missed them dearly—most especially her mother. She needed her now more than ever.

Noemi swiped at her eyes as she thought of her mother. And though their last conversation had been heated and hurtful, Noemi didn’t doubt her parents had loved her—even if she had made mistakes along the way. But all the wishing in the world wasn’t going to erase the last angry words that they’d exchanged, nor would it bring them back to her.

Noemi moved to the French doors in her room and stared out at the cloudy afternoon sky as big lazy snowflakes drifted ever so slowly to the ground. It was a light snow. The kind that melted as soon as it touched the roads. And any other time she’d be caught up in the peaceful relaxing view. But not today.

She was running out of time to keep her secret to herself. Her hand pressed to her slightly rounded abdomen. No amount of baggy clothes was going to hide her pregnancy much longer.

And what was she supposed to say to people when they asked who the father was? His name is Max? He has the dreamiest eyes that appear to change colors to suit his mood? And his body is like a sculpture of defined muscles? Or when he laughs it is deep and rich? Even now, his memory brought a smile to her face.

After the most magical night, he’d insisted that it would be best not to exchange full names or phone numbers. She’d hesitantly agreed. Neither of them had been looking for a lasting relationship. And now that she really needed to speak to him, she didn’t know how to reach him. She’d even asked Stephania about him, but she didn’t know him—

Noemi’s cell phone buzzed. She moved to the bed and picked it up. She wasn’t in the mood to speak to anyone, but when she saw that it was Maria, her sister-in-law and close friend, she answered.

“How are you doing?” Maria asked.

“Okay. I guess.” Noemi sighed.

“Really? I’d hate to hear you if something was wrong.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re usually bubbly but lately you’ve been really down. Is it your parents?”

“No. I mean, I miss them a lot.”

“So something else is bothering you?”

Maria had always been good at reading her. And she was the closest thing Noemi had to a big sister. If she didn’t talk to someone soon, she was going to burst.

Noemi worried her bottom lip. “Can I tell you something?”

“Sure. You know you can always talk to me. Is it about the reading of your parents’ will?”

Noemi shook her head and then realized Maria couldn’t see her. “It’s not that. But if I tell you this, you have to promise not to say a word to Sebastian.”

There was a slight pause on the other end of the phone.

“Never mind,” Noemi said. “I never should have asked you to keep anything from my brother.”

“It’s okay. You need someone to confide in and I promise your brother won’t hear a thing from me. Sometimes he can be a bit overprotective where you’re concerned.”

“And when he hears about this, he’s going to hit the roof. He’ll be just like Papa—” She stopped, recalling how poorly her parents had taken the news of her pregnancy.

Even though her parents had had a child in their teens and had given him up for adoption, they’d still been disappointed with her unplanned pregnancy. What was up with that? It wasn’t like she’d set out to wreck her life. She’d thought that out of all the people in the world, they would have been the ones to understand. They hadn’t. And it had hurt Noemi deeply. Worse yet, they’d died before she could ever put things to right.

“Relax.” Maria’s voice drew Noemi out of her thoughts. “We’ll figure out how to deal with him.”

“Thanks. But I’ll deal with him.”

“Whatever you want. But you still haven’t told me your problem. Maybe I can help. Perhaps it isn’t as big as you’re imagining.”

“No. It’s bigger.” Noemi’s insides quivered with nerves. By saying the words out loud, it was going to make this pregnancy real. Just like the reading of the will had made her parents’ deaths startling real. Once she told Maria about the baby, there would be no more pretending. In less than six months, she was going to give birth.

“Noemi...”

“I’m pregnant.”

Silence. Utter and complete silence.

Noemi’s heart raced. Her hands grew clammy. And her stomach churned. What was Maria thinking? Was she disappointed in her, too, just like her parents had been?

“Are you sure?”

Noemi nodded. “I took three home pregnancy tests and then I went to see the doctor. It’s official.”

“I don’t know what to say.” There was a pause as though Maria was searching for the right words. “How do you feel about it?”

“I knew I wanted kids someday, but not yet—not now. I’m only twenty-six.”

“And the father, how does he feel?”

“I... I don’t know.”

“Noemi, you’ve told him, haven’t you?”

She inhaled a deep breath, trying to calm her nauseous stomach. And then she launched into how she’d met Max and how stupid she’d been that night. She’d been hurting and not thinking straight. And she thought it would be a good time without any strings.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be all right,” Maria said, though her voice said otherwise.

“Even you don’t believe it. What am I going to do? I’m not going to be able to hide my condition much longer. Most of my clothes don’t fit.”

“I know.” Maria’s voice rose as though she’d just discovered the answer to all Noemi’s problems.

“What?” She was desperate for some good advice.

“You need some retail therapy.”

Noemi’s shoulders drooped. That was the very last thing she wanted to do. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. I’m very serious. What are you doing right now?”

“Maria...”

“Tell me what you’re doing?”

“Pacing in my room.”

“And that is helping you how?”

“I’m thinking.”

“And so far it hasn’t gotten you any answers. You need to get out of that chalet. The fresh air will do you good. Shopping is just what you need.”

“Is that what you did when you and Sebastian separated?” And then realizing that she was touching on a very painful subject, she said, “Forget I said that. I’m just not myself today.”

“Actually, it is what I did.”

“Did it help?”

“Temporarily.” Her voice filled with emotion. “Enough about me. I hope you know that if I could manage it, I’d be there with you, but trust me, after you buy some Christmas presents and new clothes for yourself that are comfortable, you’ll feel much better. There’s nothing worse than squeezing into clothes that don’t fit.”

Maria had given birth to Noemi’s nephew, Frankie, nearly two years ago. She knew a lot more about pregnancy than Noemi. Maybe she was right. She glanced over at her discarded jeans on the bed. She’d barely gotten them buttoned, but she hadn’t been able to pull up the zipper. And no matter how much she enjoyed her leggings, she couldn’t stay in them forever.

“You’ll do it, won’t you?” Maria prompted.

“Yes, I’ll go.”

“Good. Call me later and let me know how it goes.”

After the conversation ended, Noemi still wasn’t certain that shopping was the right thing to do, but what else did she have to do considering she was at the chalet alone? Her gaze moved to the discarded jeans on her king-size bed. No way was she going to put those on again. Her black leggings would have to do.

She moved to the walk-in closet, hoping she could find something to wear besides her T-shirt. She sifted through the hangers until she strayed across a white long-sleeve V-neck knit tunic. It was loose but not too baggy and it’d go great with her leggings as well as her knee-high black boots.

With her wardrobe sorted, she was ready to head into the village. She would search for some roomier clothes and see what she could find for Christmas, which was only a few weeks away.

He didn’t want to be here.

Not really.

Crown Prince Maximilian Steiner-Wolf, known to his friends as Max, sat in the back seat of his sports utility vehicle as one of his three bodyguards maneuvered it along the windy road in the Swiss Alps. His bodyguard and friend, Roc, sat in the passenger seat while Shaun, a bodyguard of similar stature and looks, sat next to him. He couldn’t go anywhere without at least a small security detail.

Being the crown prince came with certain nonnegotiable restrictions. One of them was his safety. He may insist on traveling but the king demanded that his safety always be taken into consideration. It was a hassle but the guards were very good at becoming invisible unless their presence was required.

Max turned his head to the window and stared out at the snowy landscape of the mountainous region with some of the best slopes in all Europe. He was planning to spend a week or two skiing at Mont Coeur before returning to the palace in the European principality of Ostania.

He hadn’t been home in months, but the approaching holidays were a big thing, not only at the palace but also throughout Ostania. And his mother had called, insisting he spend Christmas with them. After all, he was still the crown prince, even though he would never be king. However, the royal family was still keeping up appearances with the public.

Though Max was the firstborn and had been groomed from birth to take the throne of the small European country, no one had foreseen that he would be diagnosed with cancer in his teens. Although his treatment had been successful, doctors informed him that the cure had very likely rendered him sterile. Royal decree stated that the ruler of Ostania must produce an heir verified by a paternity test. From then on, Max knew it was impossible for him to take the throne.

So as not to cause the nation to panic over the future of Ostania, the palace had kept Max’s infertility quiet while attentions turned to preparing his younger brother, Tobias, to become the future ruler of Ostania. No one outside of the court circle knew, and meanwhile, to the world, Max was still the crown prince.

While all of his parents’ attention was showered on his little brother, Max roamed the world. He wasn’t as much of a party animal as the press claimed him to be, but he did know how to have a good time. However, that was all about to change.

The truth was he was tiring of his partying ways. Moving from city to city, beach to beach and resort to resort was growing old or maybe he was getting old. In the beginning, it had been fun. The freedom had been intoxicating, but now he was starting to get a hangover from too much partying. He needed to do more with his life and to do that he had to go home—he had to officially step down from his position as crown prince in order to find his future.

That acknowledgment stabbed deep into his heart. He’d always been competitive. His parents had raised him that way. And stepping aside to let his younger brother take his place didn’t come naturally to him. But it was more than that—it was knowing he was letting down his family—his country.

His stopover in Mont Coeur was to be his last. After he hit the slopes and cleared his head, he planned to return to Ostania to have a difficult talk with the king and queen. It had been put off long enough. Then he would lead a quieter, more productive life.

The SUV slowed as they entered the heart of the resort. Max instructed the driver to pull to a stop outside a ski supply shop. He’d lost his sunglases at the end of last season and he needed a new pair of shades before hitting the slopes.

Not waiting for his security to get the door for him, he let himself out. He’d just stepped into the narrow road when someone with a camera pointed at him. Max inwardly groaned. It was going to be one of those trips where he was besieged for photos and autographs. Normally it didn’t bother him, but right now he had a lot on his mind.

“It’s the Prince of Ostania!” someone shouted.

Everyone on the sidewalk turned in his direction.

Quickly his security guards flanked him. None spoke. They didn’t have to. The serious look on their faces said they meant business. Being recognized didn’t happen all the time. However, it happened more than Max would like.

Security escorted him around the vehicle. He forced a smile as he passed the tourists and then dashed into the shop. He hoped the people wouldn’t follow him.

Inside the shop, the walls were lined with snowboards and skies. In the background, “Let It Snow” played. Colorful twinkle lights were draped around the checkout where the workers wore red Santa hats with white pom-poms on the tips.

Figuring it might be easier to search for the sunglasses on his own, he bypassed the people at the checkout who were openly staring. He turned into the first aisle and nearly collided with a pretty young woman. She flashed him a big toothy smile. He intentionally didn’t smile, not wanting to encourage her attention. He gave a brief nod and excused himself as he made his way around her.

Ever since he’d met Noemi, no other women had turned his head—not the way she had. And yet, he’d let her get away without even getting her number. He’d thought at the time that he would get over her quickly. That’s the way it’d been with the other women who’d passed through his life. But there was something different about Noemi.

She acted tough, but inside where she didn’t want anyone to see, there was a vulnerability to her. She’d let him get close enough to gain a glimpse of her tender side. Much too soon, she’d hidden behind a big smile and a teasing comment.

He could clearly recall her beautiful face. Her brown eyes had gold specks like jewels. And when he closed his eyes, he could feel the gentle touch of her lips pressed to his. With a mental shake, he chased those thoughts to the back of his mind.

It didn’t take him long to find what he wanted and then he strode to the checkout where the pretty woman was standing, pretending to check out a display of lip balm while she stared at him.

He pretended not to notice as he paid the clerk. All he wanted now was to get to his private chalet and unwind. However, when he pushed open the front door and stepped onto the sidewalk, the crowd had multiplied. Flash after flash went off in his face.

CHAPTER TWO

MAYBE SHOPPING HADN’T been such a bad idea.

Noemi clutched the colorful shopping bags stuffed full of goodies and headed for the door. She’d purchased some jeans in a bigger size that had spandex in them, making them so much comfier. They fit her a lot like her leggings. She’d pulled on the waistband and was surprised by how roomy they were without being baggy.

She’d also found some loose blouses and sweaters that hung down to her hips. For a while, they would hide her growing baby bump. It wasn’t the figure-flattering clothes she normally wore, but it was so much better than what she had before. And she just wasn’t ready for maternity—not yet.

As Maria had suggested, Noemi had taken time to do some Christmas shopping, including purchasing two designer sweaters. One for her newfound brother, Leo, and one for Sebastian. She and Sebastian might disagree—heatedly at times—but she still loved him.

With big black sunglasses and a gray knit beanie pulled low, she stepped outside the store and started up the sidewalk toward her car. The snow clouds had passed and the sun shone once more. Up ahead a crowd of people swarmed the sidewalk and spilled out into the roadway. She glanced around, wondering what was going on.

She would love to turn and avoid the crowd, but they were standing between her and her vehicle. And her numerous bags weren’t light. She kept moving toward them. Surely the crowd would part and let her through.

She was on the edge of the group when an excited buzz rushed through the crowd. Noemi paused and turned to a young woman who was holding up her cell phone as though to snap a picture.

“Do you know what all the fuss is about?” Noemi asked.

The young woman with dark hair pulled back in a ponytail smiled brightly. “It’s the best thing. Crown Prince Maximilian Steiner-Wolf has just arrived.”

Noemi had heard the name before, but she knew nothing of the man. It seemed as though she was in the minority as the crowd continued to grow.

Noemi glanced around, curious to see the prince.

The young woman pointed to the shop in front of them. “He’s in that store. Right there. Can you believe it? But his bodyguards aren’t letting people in.”

Noemi felt sorry for the guy. As the face of Cattaneo Jewels, she’d had her fair share of exposure to publicity, but the crowd of people forming around the store was extreme even to her. “And everyone is just standing around waiting for him to come out?”

The young woman gave her a look like she’d just grown a second head. “Well, yeah. Of course.”

Noemi nodded in understanding, even though she didn’t. Her arms ached from the weight of the bags. She continued to make her way to her car.

“Excuse me,” Noemi called out, finding it difficult to thread her way through the crowd.

A cheer rose in the crowd. Then the crowd rushed forward. At last, there was room to walk.

Thud!

Someone ploughed right into Noemi. She lurched forward. In an effort to keep herself upright, she lost her grip on the packages. They fell to the ground in a heap. Her arms waved to the side as she tried to steady herself. Suddenly there were strong hands reaching out, gripping her by the waist.

Once she’d regained her balance, she turned and found herself staring into intriguing hazel eyes. It was Max. Her heart lodged in her throat. What was he doing here? Waiting to see the prince?

“Noemi?” His eyes widened with surprise. And then a smile lifted his lips. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.”

He bent over and started to pick up all her bags. She hadn’t realized until then just how many packages there were, but Christmas was her favorite holiday. She had to make sure she bought something for everyone. Maybe more than one thing for everyone—especially her young nephew. It was going to be a difficult Christmas without her parents. And she felt driven to do everything possible to make the holiday bearable.

But right now, her thoughts centered around the father of her baby. And here she’d been thinking she would never see him again. She averted her gaze from him as she knelt down next to him. She scrambled to gather her packages.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

He scooped up most of the packages and straightened. “I was planning to go skiing.”

When she straightened, she had to lift her chin in order to look him in the eyes. And that was a dangerous thing to do because every time she gazed into his eyes, she forgot what she was about to say.

Just then a flash went off. And then another. And another.

“What’s going on?” She glanced around as everyone was looking at them. And then the lightbulb went on in her mind. “You.” Her gaze met his again. “You are the prince?”

His jaw flexed as his body stiffened. “Yes. I am Prince Maximilian Steiner-Wolf.”

Her mouth gaped. Realizing that everyone was watching them, she forced her mouth closed. How was this possible? Was she really that out of touch with reality that she’d missed the father of her baby was royalty?

She had so many questions for him, but they lodged in her throat. This wasn’t the time or the place to rehash the not-so-distant past.

“Come with me,” he said.

Not waiting for an answer, he took her hand and led her to a waiting black SUV. With the help of two men, they reached the vehicle without people stepping in their way.

She wasn’t sure it was wise being alone with him, not when he still filled her dreams, but it beat being in public where everyone was watching them and eavesdropping. Once inside, she turned to him. She needed answers. She needed to know why he’d kept his title from her. She needed to know so much.

“Not now,” he said as though reading her mind. Turning to the driver, he said, “Go.”

“My vehicle is back there,” Noemi said.

“Don’t worry. We’ll come back for it. Later.”

The driver, as though used to driving through crowds, safely maneuvered the SUV past the sprawling mass of people.

She turned to the window and stared blindly at the passing shops. This had to be some sort of dream. Perhaps she’d fallen back there and hit her head. Yes, she thought, grasping at straws. She’d hit her head and this was all a dream. Because there was no way that she was pregnant with a prince’s baby.

“Noemi?” Max’s voice cut through her thoughts.

She had absolutely no idea what he was asking her. She turned to him. “What?”

“I asked where you are staying.”

“Um...” She thought about returning to her vehicle and decided that Max was right. Later would be better to pick it up. “Take a left at the next intersection.”

His dark brows rose. “Those are private residences.”

She nodded. Her neighbors were some of the most prominent actors and actresses, athletes and notable figures in the world. Since she’d been coming here all her life, she took it all for granted. But now, seeing it from a stranger’s perspective, she realized that it might be impressive. But to a prince? Nah.

He was probably wondering why she lived in such an exclusive neighborhood. Apparently she wasn’t the only one in the dark. He didn’t recognize her even though her face had been plastered on every glamour magazine as well as television promos for a number of years.

She gave the driver directions to her family’s chalet. When they reached the gate to the exclusive community, she put her window down and assured the guard that it was okay to let them through.

“I’ve never been to this part of Mont Coeur,” Max said. “I’ve always preferred to have my accommodations close to the slopes.”

As they passed the large and impressive chalets, she noticed that most displayed Christmas decorations. Some sported a door wreath while others had a bit more. Normally their chalet was the most festive of them all—but not this year. Her father had always taken care of the outside decorations. However, this year Noemi had done it by herself and the twinkling lights weren’t quite as spectacular as prior years.

Her palms grew damp as her heart raced. She couldn’t relax, not with Max next to her. She didn’t know what made her more nervous—the fact that they’d spent the night together or the fact that the man she’d slept with was royalty. When Maria heard this, she was never going to believe it.

He longed to kiss her berry red lips.

The memory of their sweetness taunted him.

Max gave himself a mental jerk. Now that he’d found Noemi again, the last thing he wanted to do was scare her off. What were the chances of them running into each other again?

Slim.

Had she figured out his true identity and planned this reunion? Not possible. He hadn’t decided on coming to Mont Coeur until last night. Even then, he’d only told his trusted staff.

Max gazed over at Noemi. Her posture was stiff and she kept her face turned away. He wondered if the source of her discomfort was from their collision, the run-in with the fans, learning he was a prince or all of the above.

Normally learning that he was the crown prince had women falling all over him. But Noemi had pulled away. In fact, if she sat any closer to her door, she’d fall out. Most interesting. He’d thought they’d both enjoyed their time together.

But it wasn’t too late. He still had a chance to find out if there was truly a spark between them.

When the SUV pulled to a stop in front of a luxurious chalet, Noemi said a quick thank-you followed by goodbye. It’d be so easy to just let her go. He’d still have his good memories, but he’d never know what had been real and what had been part of his wishful imagination.

As he watched her head for the front steps, he told his security team to wait for him. He hopped out into the snowy driveway and followed her.

“Noemi, wait.”

For a moment, he didn’t think she was going to stop. Her hand reached for the doorknob, but then she hesitated. She turned to him but didn’t say anything. Her gaze didn’t quite meet his. She stood there waiting for him to have his say.

“You didn’t even tell me your last name. I don’t want to make the same mistake twice.” When she sent him a puzzled look, he added, “Letting you get away without knowing your name.”

“Oh. It’s Noemi Cattaneo.”

“Your name. It sounds familiar.”

“You’ve probably heard of our family business. Cattaneo Jewels.”

Of course, he’d heard of them. Who hadn’t?

“Your family’s business has the distinction of handling some of the world’s finest and rarest jewels.”

“Have you done business with us?”

“Not me personally, but my family has.” He was getting off point. “Anyway, I wanted to say...” his Adam’s apple bobbed “...I’m sorry. I’ve handled this all wrong.”

“It’s not your fault that people recognized you.”

“No.” He shook his head. “Not that. I’m sorry for before, when I insisted that we keep things casual and not exchange phone numbers.” He stepped closer to her. “I’ve been thinking of you—”

“Don’t.” She shook her head. “I don’t need your pity.”

“It’s not pity. I—I just handled things poorly before. And I want to apologize.”

Her gaze momentarily widened but then she glanced away. “We did the right thing. Our lives are too diverse. I mean you...you have a country to run. And I am... I mean, I have things to do.”

He’d never witnessed Noemi nervous before, not that they’d spent a lot of time together. But in the time he’d known her, she’d come across as confident and fun. The Noemi standing before him was different and he wanted to know what had changed her. Why did she avoid looking at him directly?

He is a prince?

How is that possible?

Noemi had so many conflicting emotions flooding her body that she didn’t know what to say to him. Part of her longed to fall into his arms and pick up where they’d left off before. But logic told her to tread carefully. Max was a very powerful man. There was no way she was going to blurt out that she was pregnant with his baby. Finding out that he was royalty changed everything. She needed time to think.

“Have dinner with me?” His voice stirred her from her thoughts.

She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

The hopeful look on his face faded. “Was our time together that forgettable?”

“It definitely wasn’t forgettable.” The words were out her mouth before she realized she was revealing too much. She’d barely been able to think of anything else these past few weeks since learning she was pregnant.

That wasn’t exactly true. She’d thought a lot about him ever since they parted—even before she’d learned she was pregnant. She would wonder what he was doing and who he was doing it with. And she wondered if he ever stopped to think about her.

“That’s good to hear,” he said. “So we’ll do dinner.”

She recalled the mass of people waiting for him outside the ski shop. She couldn’t even imagine the spectacle they’d make by having dinner in public. It would be an utter zoo.

Though it pained her to say, she uttered, “We can’t.”

“Sure we can.” He smiled like he had all the answers to their problems.

Again, she shook her head. “Everyone knows you’re here at the resort. They’ll all be on the lookout for you.”

“And you don’t want to be photographed with a prince?”

She glanced away and shrugged. The ramifications of the photo would be catastrophic once her pregnancy became known. Until she had a plan for this baby, she didn’t want to make any more mistakes, especially where the public was concerned.

He laughed. “Do you know how refreshing you are?”

He was amused? Her lips pressed together into a firm line. She didn’t know what there was to be smiling about, but then again, he didn’t know about the baby.

She lifted her chin. “I don’t care to be laughed at.”

“I’m not laughing at you.” His amusement faded. “I think you’re amazing.” As though her lack of response went unnoticed, he said, “Most women I’ve met would fall over themselves to have dinner with me. But not you. Which makes me that much more determined to see you again. In fact, I’m not leaving here until you agree to have dinner—no strings attached.”

“Not tonight.” She wanted to clear her head—and do an internet search.

He arched a dark brow. “I have the feeling if I let you get away tonight that there won’t be another chance for us to get together. You’ll always have an excuse. And I can’t stay here forever—no matter how tempting that may be.”

“I promise we’ll do it another time.”

“Must I beg, ma chérie?”

“You speak French?”

He nodded. “French and Italian as well as English. Ostania is situated near France, Italy and Switzerland. We speak French but it’s heavily influenced by the surrounding countries. I could tell you more about my country over dinner.”

It wasn’t his country that she was interested in learning more about. And they did have much to discuss. Her hand instinctively moved in the direction of her tiny baby bump, but she caught herself in time and lowered her arm to her side.

“If you’re worried about privacy, we can have dinner at my condo.” A hopeful look reflected in his eyes.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

He nodded. “I’ve never been more serious in my life.”

She didn’t miss the part of a wealthy, devastatingly handsome prince begging her to have dinner with him. But as much as she wanted to spend more time with him, there was another part of her that worried about what would happen when he learned of the baby. Would he reject her? Would he reject his own flesh and blood? Or would he try to take the baby from her? The thought of it sent a chill through her.

Proceed with caution.

The only way she would find the answer to any of these questions was if she were to do as he asked and dine with him. Not sure if it was the right decision or not, she said, “Okay. I’ll have dinner with you.”

He didn’t hesitate. “I’ll send a car for you at seven.”

She shook her head. “I can drive.” And then she recalled that she’d left her car back in the village. “Except my car is still in the village.”

“I’ll send my car. And if you give me your keys, I’ll make sure your car is picked up and waiting for you at my condo.”

That would be convenient, but it would also make her an easy target for the paparazzi. And she wasn’t ready to be a headline on every gossip site.

She checked the time on her phone. “You may send your car for me at...seven fifteen.” That should give her just enough time to sort through her purchases to find something appropriate to wear and do an internet search. “Does that work for you?”

Both his brows rose. She wasn’t sure if he was surprised that she hadn’t fallen all over herself to do as he wanted. If that’s what he expected of her, he was in for a surprise. With a baby on the way, she had to stand firm and speak up when necessary.

Max gave a curt nod. “I’ll see you then.” He turned for his vehicle. A few steps later, he paused and turned back. “Is there anything specific you would like for dinner? Perhaps something you’ve been craving?”

Craving? Did he know about her pregnancy? She sucked in her stomach. As he continued to stare at her with an expectant look on his face with no hint of suspicion, she realized he’d meant nothing by his choice of word.

She shook her head. “Anything is fine. I’m not a picky eater.”

That response rewarded her with another surprised look on his face. Apparently the prince wasn’t used to women who weren’t picky. She wondered just what sort of women he normally dated, but she resisted the urge to ask.

“I’ll pick something special.” He turned and walked away.

The desire to run in the house and head straight to her computer was overwhelming, but she restrained herself. She waited until he was inside his vehicle before she let herself in the chalet. With the door shut, her movements became rushed. She threw off her hat and coat before kicking off her snowy boots. And then she took the steps two at a time.

She grabbed her laptop from the desk and threw herself down on the bed. Her fingertips moved rapidly over the keyboard. Maybe it wasn’t right snooping on the internet, but now that she knew her baby’s daddy was a famous royal, she had to learn more. From her own dealings with the paparazzi, she knew most of the articles would be fiction or wildly exaggerated. But that didn’t stop her from looking—

Noemi’s breath caught in her throat as she caught sight of headlines splashed across the screen that were worse than she’d allowed herself to imagine. In fact, with photos to back up the headlines, she wondered if she’d been wrong about Max.

“Twin Blonde Bombshells for the Prince!”

“Prince Maximilian with Woman Number Five in as Many Evenings!”

“The Playboy Prince Strikes Again!”

“Prince Max and His Harem!”

Disheartened, Noemi closed her laptop. She’d thought the night their baby was conceived that they’d shared something special. She never imagined that she was just one more notch on his bedpost. The thought hurt—a lot.

She placed her hand upon her midsection. “What have I gotten us into?”

CHAPTER THREE

MAYBE HE SHOULDN’T have pushed. After all, he wasn’t a man to beg for a woman’s company—until now. What was it about Noemi that had him acting out of character? Was it her dazzling smile? Her bewitching eyes? Or her sweet, sweet kiss?

As Max sat at the desk in his bedroom suite, he gave himself a mental shake and tried to concentrate on the plethora of emails awaiting his attention. He checked the clock for what must be the hundredth time. It still wasn’t even close to when Noemi was due to arrive. He sighed.

He may not be at the palace, but that didn’t mean his responsibilities ceased to exist. In fact, he was beginning to think his parents gave him more than his fair share of work to make sure he didn’t stray too far from the business of governing Ostania.

He still had two hundred and seventy-nine unopened emails. He groaned. How was that possible? He’d checked his email last night because he knew he’d be traveling most of today. He’d had it semi under control, but not any longer.

He wished his email was like other people’s and full of spam that he could readily dismiss. However, his email was directed through the palace, where it went through stringent screenings. That meant all two hundred and seventy-nine emails would need to be dealt with personally or would require forwarding to someone else with directions.

He worked his way through the emails in chronological order. And then his gaze strayed across an email from his mother—the queen. She didn’t email him often as she was a bit exasperated with him. She thought he should be at the palace acting the part of proper crown prince. She had no idea how hard it was for him to act his part because the royal court knew that when the time came, he would not be crowned king.

That role would go to his younger brother, Tobias, who at this moment was being meticulously groomed to step up and assume Max’s birthright. He didn’t blame his brother. If anything, he felt indebted to Tobias. His brother was the one sacrificing his youthful adventures in order to learn the rules of governing and the etiquette for dealing with foreign dignitaries.

And yet his brother had stepped up to do what was expected of him without complaint. Max would do no less. He checked the time once again and found that he still had close to an hour and a half before Noemi showed up. It was plenty of time to work through some of these emails.

He opened the email from his mother. He didn’t know what he expected, but it wasn’t the very cold businesslike email telling him the schedule of Christmas events and how he was expected to take on a prominent role in the festivities. He hated pretending to the whole nation that he was something he wasn’t—the heir to the throne.

He closed his mother’s email without responding because there wasn’t anything for him to respond to. There hadn’t been one personal word in the whole email. In fact, he would have thought that his mother’s personal secretary had written and sent the email except for the fact it had come from his mother’s private email that not even her secretary could access.

So the cold, impersonal email from his mother indicated that she thought he’d been gone too long. Or worse yet, she’d been reading the paparazzi headlines—which he might add were wildly exaggerated or utter works of fiction.

He opened an email from his own secretary, Enzo, who stayed on top of everything for him. It sorted his duties into priorities, escalating and FYI items. The only problem was the priorities were now taking up more room than the other two categories. It was definitely time to go home.

Max typed up his response to his secretary, letting the man know how to handle things until he returned to Ostania. And then he moved on to the next official email...

Knock. Knock.

Max granted access just as he pressed Send on another response and deleted the original email.

“Sir, Miss Cattaneo has arrived.”

“She has?” How could that be? He’d just checked the time, hadn’t he? His gaze moved to the clock at the bottom of the laptop monitor. A lot of time had passed totally unnoticed. “Please offer her a drink and tell her I’ll be right there.”

He closed his laptop and moved to the adjoining bathroom. He’d meant to clean up before her arrival. He jumped in the shower, not even waiting for the water to warm up.

Five minutes later, with his hair still damp, Max strode into the living room. Noemi was still there. He breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m sorry about that. Time got away from me.” He smiled at her. “Do you need more to drink?” He gestured to her empty glass on the coffee table.

“Actually, yes. That would be nice.”

He moved forward and accepted her glass. “What were you drinking?”

“Water.”

Water? He didn’t know why that struck him as strange. Perhaps he’d become accustomed to serving wine on a date. This was just one more example of how Noemi was different from the other women who’d passed through his life.

He quickly poured water from a glass pitcher. “Here you go.”

When he handed over the now full glass, their fingers brushed and, in that moment, he recalled the silkiness of her skin, the warmth of her touch and the heat of her kiss. With a mental jerk, he brought his thoughts back to the present.

His mouth grew dry and he decided to pour himself some cold water. He took a drink and then sat on the couch opposite hers.

He smiled. “It’s really good to see you again. I just never expected to run into you here.”

She arched a fine brow. “Why? Is skiing only for men these days?”

He inwardly groaned. She just wasn’t going to give him an inch. She was angry about the way they’d left things. And that was his fault.

“Noemi, about our time in Milan, I handled things poorly. Is there any chance you will forgive me? And perhaps we can start over?”

“I told you I’m fine.” Her lips said one thing but her eyes said something quite different.

“The frostiness in this room is making me think I should go get my ski jacket and gloves.”

Her beautiful brown eyes momentarily widened. “It’s not that bad.”

“Maybe not on your side of the room, but standing over here, it’s downright nippy.”

A little smile pulled at her lips. It wasn’t much but it was something.

“That’s better,” he said.

She tilted her head to the side. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you trying so hard when you could have any women you want?” Her gaze searched his as if she could read the truth in his eyes.

“I’ve thought a lot about you since that night. I’ve wondered what it might have been like if we’d have had more time together.”

“Really?” There was a tone of doubt in her voice.

“Do you find that so hard to believe?”

Her eyes narrowed. “It’s the way you wanted it—no strings attached.”

“As I recall, you agreed.” He wasn’t going to take all the blame for the circumstances of their parting.

The frown lines on her face smoothed. “You’re right.”

At last, they seemed to be getting somewhere. Perhaps they could build on this and get back to where they’d once been—happy and comfortable with each other.

He took another drink of water and then set the glass aside. His gaze rose and caught hers. “Noemi, is it possible for us to start over?”

A noticeable silence filled the room. He knew it was too much to hope that they’d recapture the magic of that special night, but he had to try. With each passing second, his hopes declined.

“Yes, we can try.”

Her words caught him off guard—that seemed to be a common occurrence where Noemi was concerned. He would need to tread carefully around her in the future.

“Would you like to eat?” he asked.

Her eyes lit up. “I would.”

“Good. I hope you like the menu.”

He stepped into the kitchen to let the cook know. Then he escorted Noemi to a table that had been set next to the wall of windows where the twinkling lights of the resort illuminated ski slopes trailing down the mountainside beneath the night sky.

He’d had the cook prepare something basic because he had absolutely no idea what Noemi liked to eat, other than pizza. That’s what they’d had in Milan when neither of them felt like dressing and going out for a proper dinner. Since then he’d never been able to eat pizza without thinking of her.

And so, after a Caesar salad, they were served a heaping plate of pasta with Bolognese sauce topped with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. He didn’t have to ask if Noemi approved of it. He tried not to smile as she made quick work of the pasta. It was a quiet dinner as he didn’t push conversation, wanting to give Noemi a chance to relax.

When they finished, he noticed there was still a small pile of pasta on her plate. “I take it you had enough.”

She patted her stomach. Then just as quickly she removed her hand and a rosy hue came over her cheeks. To say she was beautiful normally was an understatement, but she was even more of a knockout with the rush of color lighting up her face.

“It was amazing. Thank you.” She got to her feet. “It was good seeing you again. But I should be going.”

He couldn’t let her go. Not yet. “Stay. We haven’t even had dessert.”

“Dessert? I don’t have any room left. Not after that delicious meal.”

“Come join me.” He moved to the couch in front of the fireplace with a fire gently crackling within it. When she didn’t make a move to follow him, he said, “Please, give me a chance to explain—about the way we left things.”

A spark of interest reflected in her eyes. She moved to the couch. When they sat down, she left a large space between them. He hoped by the time they finished talking that the space would shrink considerably.

“The night we met,” he said, “I was captivated by your beauty.”

A small smile played on her lips. A good sign. Still, she remained quiet as though giving him room to explain where things had gone wrong.

“The thing was I wasn’t looking to meet someone—certainly no one like you. You were like a warm spring breeze on an icy cold night. And the next morning, I received bad news from home.”

He hadn’t wanted to burden Noemi with the news of his father’s collapse. It wasn’t like they were in a committed relationship. It had been his burden to carry on his own.

Perhaps he had that in common with his father. Because when his mother had called to tell him of this father’s declining health, Max had made plans to fly home immediately. He had been at the airport when his father called and told him that his mother had overreacted.

His father had insisted he was fine and told Max in no uncertain terms that he would not be welcome at the palace for a pity visit. His father had been so animated on the phone that Max had been inclined to think his mother had gone a little overboard with worry. But that didn’t mean his father’s lifelong battle with diabetes wasn’t taking its toll on him.

Instead of flying home, his father rerouted Max to Spain. It was a diplomatic mission to encourage increased trade between their countries—something Ostania needed.

“Listen, you don’t have to explain,” Noemi said quickly. “You didn’t mean for it to be more than a fling. And that’s fine.” But the tone in her voice said that it wasn’t fine with her.

In that moment, he decided to tell her the whole truth. She deserved that much. “It was about my father. He was ill and my mother was very concerned about his health.”

Noemi studied him for a moment. “That’s why you were so different in the morning? It was the worry about your father and not regret over spending the night together?”

“Maybe it was a bit of both.” When the look of hope faded from her face, he rushed on to say, “I regretted rushing things. I lost my head that night.”

She arched a brow. “Do you mean that? You’re not saying all this nice stuff just because you don’t want to hurt my feelings?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t handle the news well. My mother—well, she can be a bit dramatic when it suits her purposes—she made it sound like my father wouldn’t last through the day.”

Noemi moved to his side. Her gaze met his. “I’m sorry. How is he?”

Within her eyes, he saw caring and understanding. He cleared his throat. “Much better. And quite stubborn.”

“I’m glad to hear that—about him feeling better. But why couldn’t you have told me? I would have understood you having to leave immediately.”

“I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want anyone to know. Telling someone would have made the whole situation real and at the time, I wasn’t ready to deal with it.”

“And now?”

“Now, I regret how I reacted. I shouldn’t have dismissed what we had so readily. I would have liked if we’d been able to keep in contact.” He continued to stare at her, wondering if she felt the same way about him.

“That would have been nice.” Softly she added, “I thought of contacting you, too.”

At last, he could breathe easier. She was slowly letting her guard down with him. He could finally see a glimmer of that amazing woman who’d caught his attention from across the room at the party. He was glad he hadn’t given up. He knew if he kept trying that he’d find her.

He resisted the urge to reach out and touch her. He couldn’t rush things. He didn’t want to scare her off. “I’m going to be here at the resort for the next week before returning to Ostania. I’d like it if we could spend some more time together.”

Noemi looked as though she was going to agree, but what came out of her lips was quite different. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, especially with the press watching your every move.”

“I’ll take care of the paparazzi. They won’t bother us.”

“But how?”

“Trust me. I have a lot of experience evading them. So are we good?”

She shook her head. “It’s more than that.”

He’d come too far to let it fall apart now. “Speak to me. Whatever it is, I’ll fix it.”

“You can’t.” She stood and walked to the wall of windows.

He followed her as though drawn in by her magnetic force. He stopped just behind her. Again, he resisted the urge to reach out to her. “Noemi, I know we haven’t know each other long, but I’d like to think you look upon me as a friend—someone you can lean on.”

She turned to him. “I do—think of you as a friend.”

“Then tell me what’s bothering you. Surely it can’t be as bad as the worry reflected on your face.”

“No. It’s worse.” Her gaze lowered to the floor. “I’m pregnant.”

He surely hadn’t heard her correctly. “You’re what?”

“Pregnant with your baby.”

The words knocked the air from his lungs.

He never thought anyone would say those words to him. And now he couldn’t believe it was true. At the same time, he wanted it to be real. Torn by conflicting emotions, his body stiffened. What was she hoping to accomplish with such a wildly improbable claim?

CHAPTER FOUR

SHE SHOULDN’T HAVE just blurted it out.

And now that it was out there, she couldn’t take it back.

This was not how Noemi had envisioned telling Max about the baby. The truth was she hadn’t figured out how to tell him this life-changing news. It certainly wasn’t something you blurted out, like she’d done. The fact she was pregnant was still something she was trying to cope with. By the paleness of Max’s face, he’d been completely caught off guard.

“No.” He adamantly shook his head. Then his eyes narrowed on her. “It’s a lie.”

She refused to squirm under his intense stare. Her mouth pressed into a firm line as she started to count to ten. Her mother had taught her to do this after Noemi had shot her mouth off one too many times in school. Noemi had imagined a lot of reactions but being called a liar hadn’t been one.

She made it to the number six when she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “I am not a liar. I’m pregnant and you’re the father—”

“Impossible.” His voice was adamant as he started to pace.

“Actually, it’s quite possible. You’re going to be a father in about six or so months.”

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