Christmas With Her Secret Prince

“I don’t understand why you refuse to simply embrace your fate, my friend. You’re the heir of one of the most powerful men in the world. With that comes the opportunity to marry and gain a beautiful, accomplished lady to warm your bed. There are worse things in life.”

Saleh overlooked the vast amount of responsibility that came with such a life. The stability and prosperity of a whole kingdom full of people would fall on Rayhan’s shoulders as soon as he ascended. Even more so than it did now. Few people could understand the overwhelming prospect of such a position. As far as powerful, how much did any of that mean when even your choice of bride was influenced by the consideration of your position?

“How easy for you to say,” he told Saleh just as the light turned green and they moved forward. “You found a beautiful woman who you somehow tricked into thinking marrying you was a good idea.”

Saleh laughed with good-natured humor. “The greatest accomplishment of my life.”

Rayhan was about to answer when a screeching noise jolted both men to full alert. A cyclist veered toward their vehicle at an alarming speed. Saleh barely had time to turn the wheel in order to avoid a full-on collision. Unfortunately, the cyclist shifted direction at precisely the same time. Both he and their SUV were now heading the same way. Right toward a pedestrian. Saleh hit the brakes hard. Rayhan gripped the side bar, waiting for the inevitable impact. Fortunately for them, it never came.

The cyclist, however, kept going. And, unfortunately for the poor pedestrian woman, the bicycle ran straight into her, knocking her off her feet.

“Watch where you’re going!” the rider shouted back over his shoulder, not even bothering to stop.

Rayhan immediately jumped out of the car. He ran around to the front of the SUV and knelt down where the woman still lay by the sidewalk curb.

“Miss, are you all right?”

A pair of startled eyes met his. Very bright green eyes. They reminded him of the shimmering stream that lay outside his windows back home. Not that this was any sort of time to notice that kind of thing.

She blinked, rubbing a hand down a cheek that was rapidly bruising even as they spoke. Saleh appeared at his side.

“Is she okay?”

“I don’t know. She’s not really responding. Miss, are you all right?”

Her eyes grew wide as she looked at him. “You’re lovely,” she said in a low, raspy voice.

Dear heavens. The woman clearly had some kind of head injury. “We have to get you to a doctor.”

Saleh swore beside him. “I’m so terribly sorry, miss. I was trying to avoid the bike and the cyclist was trying to avoid me but he turned right toward you—”

The woman was still staring at Rayhan. She didn’t acknowledge Saleh nor his words at all.

He had a sudden urge to hold her, to comfort her. He wanted to wrap her in his arms, even though she was a complete stranger.

Rayhan reached for his cell phone. “I’ll call for an ambulance.”

The woman gave a shake of her head before he could dial. “No. I’m okay. Just a little shaken.” She blinked some more and looked around. Her eyes seemed to regain some focus. Rayhan allowed himself a breath of relief. Maybe she’d be all right. Her next words brought that hopeful thought to a halt.

“My dress. Do you see it?”

Did she think somehow her clothes had been knocked off her upon impact? “You...uh...you are wearing it still.”

Her gaze scanned the area where she’d fallen. “No. See, I found one. I didn’t think I would. But I did. And it wasn’t all that pricey.”

Rayhan didn’t need to hear any more. Unless she was addled to begin with, which could very well be a possibility, the lady had clearly suffered a blow to the head. To top it all off, they were blocking traffic and drawing a crowd. Kneeling closer to the woman sprawled in front of him, he lifted her gently into his arms and then stood. “Let’s get you to a hospital.”

“Oh!” she cried out as Rayhan walked back toward the SUV with her embraced against his chest.

Saleh was fast on his heels and opening the passenger door for them. “No, see, it’s all right,” she began to protest. “I don’t need a doctor. Just that gown.”

“We’ll make sure to get you a dress,” Rayhan reassured her, trying to tell her what she clearly needed to hear. Why was she so focused on clothing at a time like this? “Right after a doctor takes a look at you.”

He gently deposited her in the back seat, then sat down next to her. “No, wait,” she argued. “I don’t need a doctor. I just want my dress.”

But Saleh was already driving toward a hospital.

The woman took a panicked look out the window and then winced. The action must have hurt her injuries somehow. She touched a shaky finger to her cheek, which was now a dark purple, surrounded by red splotches.

Even in the messy state she was in, he couldn’t help but notice how striking her features were. Dark, thick waves of black hair escaped the confines of some sort of complicated bun on top of her head. A long slender neck graced her slim shoulders. She was curvy—not quite what one would consider slim. Upon first glance, he would never consider someone like her his “type,” so to speak. But he had to admit, he appreciated her rather unusual beauty.

That choice of words had him uncomfortably shifting in his seat. He stole a glance at her as she explored her facial injuries with shaky fingers.

Now her right eye had begun to swell as an angry, dark circular ring developed around it. Rayhan bit out a sharp curse. Here he was trying to enjoy what could very well be his last trip to the United States as a free man and he’d ended up hurting some poor woman on his first day here.

Perhaps Saleh was right. Maybe this whole trip had been a terrible idea. Maybe he should have just stayed home and accepted his fate.

There was at least one person who would be much better off right now if he had.

CHAPTER TWO

SHE WOULD HAVE been much better off if she’d just ignored that blasted invitation and thrown it away as soon as it arrived in her mailbox. She should have never even opened it and she definitely should have never even considered going to that godforsaken party. Her intuition had been right from the beginning. She no longer had any kind of business attending fancy balls and wearing glamorous gowns.

But no, she had to go and indulge two little old ladies, as well as her own silly whim. Look where that had got her—sitting on an exam table in a cold room at Mass General, with a couple of strange men out in the hallway.

Although they had to be the best-looking strangers she’d ever encountered. Particularly the one who had carried her to the car. She studied him now through the small window of her exam room door. He stood leaning against the wall, patiently waiting for the doctor to come examine her.

Even in her stunned shock while she lay sprawled by the side of the road, she hadn’t been able to help but notice the man’s striking good looks. Dark haired, with the barest shadow of a goatee, he looked like he could have stepped out of a cologne advertisement. Though there was no way he was some kind of male fashion model. He carried himself with much too much authority.

His eyes were dark as charcoal, his skin tone just on the darker side of dessert tan. Even before they’d spoken, she’d known he wasn’t local.

His looks had taken her by surprise, or perhaps it had been the blow she’d suffered, but she distinctly remembered thinking he was lovely.

Which was a downright silly thought. A better description would be to say he looked dangerous.

Mel shook off the fanciful thoughts. She had other things to worry about besides the striking good looks of the man who had brought her here. They’d called the diner after she’d been processed. Presumably, either Greta or Frannie was on her way to join her at the hospital now. Mel felt a slight pang of guilt about one of them having to leave in the middle of closing up the diner for the night.

She would have frowned but it hurt too much. Her face had taken the brunt of the collision with the reckless cyclist, who, very rudely, had continued on his way. At least the two gentlemen out there hadn’t left her alone and bleeding by the side of the road. Though now that meant she would be saddled with an ER bill she couldn’t afford. Thinking about that expense, coupled with what she’d paid for the evening dress, had her eyes stinging with regret. In all the confusion and chaos right after the accident, her shopping bag had been left behind. Mel knew she should be grateful that the accident hadn’t been worse, but she couldn’t help but feel sorry for herself. Would she ever catch a break?

A sharp knock on the door was quickly followed by the entrance of a harried-looking doctor. He did a bit of a double take when he saw her face.

“Let’s take a look at you, Miss Osmon.”

The doctor wasted no time with his physical examination, then proceeded to ask her a series of questions—everything from the calendar date to what she’d had for breakfast. His unconcerned expression afterward told her she must have passed.

“I think you’ll be just fine. Though quite sore for the next several weeks. You don’t appear to be concussed. But someone will need to watch you for the next twenty-four hours or so. Just to be on the safe side.” He motioned to the door. “Mind if I let your boyfriend in? He appears to be very concerned about you.”

“Oh, he’s not—they’re just the—”

The doctor raised an eyebrow in question. “I apologize. He took care of the necessary paperwork and already settled the fees. I just assumed.”

He had settled the bill? A nagging sense of discomfort blossomed in her chest. This stranger had paid for her care. She would have to figure out how to pay him back. Not that it would be easy.

The physician continued, “In any case, if he’s the one who’ll be watching you, he’ll need to hear this.”

“He won’t be watching me. I have a friend—”

Before she got the last word out, Greta came barreling through the door, her springy gray hair still wrapped tight in a kitchen hairnet.

“Yowza,” the older woman exclaimed as soon as her gaze landed on Mel’s face. “You look like you went a couple rounds with a prizefighter. Or were ya fighting over a discounted item at The Basement? Their shoppers can be brutal!”

“Hi, Greta. Thanks for coming.”

“Sure thing, kid. I took a cab over as soon as we heard. You doin’ okay?” She’d left the door wide-open behind her. The two strangers hovered uncertainly out in the hallway, both of them giving her concerned looks.

Mel sighed. What the heck? May as well make this a standing room–only crowd. After all, they were nice enough to bring her in and take care of the processing while she was being examined. She motioned for them to come in. The taller, more handsome one stepped inside first. His friend followed close behind.

“The doctor says I’ll be fine,” she told them.

The doctor nodded. “I also said she needs to be monitored overnight. To make sure there are no signs of concussion or other trauma.” He addressed the room in general before turning to Mel directly. “If you feel nauseous or dizzy, or if over-the-counter medications don’t seem to be addressing the pain, you need to come back in. Understood?”

“Yes.”

He turned to the others. “You need to watch for any sign of blacking out or loss of balance.”

Greta nodded. As did the two men for some reason.

The doctor gave a quick wave before hastily walking out.

Mel smiled awkwardly at the two men. It occurred to her she didn’t even know their names. “Um... I’m Mel.”

They exchanged a glance between them. Then the taller one stepped forward. “I’m Ray. This is Sal.” He motioned to his friend, who politely nodded.

More awkwardness ensued as all four of them stood silent.

“I’m Greta,” the older woman suddenly and very loudly offered.

Both men said hello. Finally, Greta reached for Mel’s arm. “C’mon, kiddo. Let’s get you dressed. Then we’ll call for a cab so we can get you home.”

Ray stepped forward. “That won’t be necessary. We’ll take you anywhere you need to go.”

Ray sighed with relief for what must have been the hundredth time as the old lady directed them to the front of a small eatery not far from where the accident had occurred. Thank goodness that Mel appeared to be all right. But she was sporting one devil of a shiner on her right eye and the whole side of her face looked a purple mess.

For some inexplicable reason, his mind kept referring to the moment he’d picked her up and carried her to the car. The softness of her as he’d held her, the way she’d smelled. Some delicate scent of flowers combined with a fruity shampoo he’d noticed when her head had been under his nose.

“This is our stop,” Greta declared and reached for the door handle.

Ray immediately got out of the car to assist Mel out onto the street. After all, the older woman looked barely able to get herself moving. She’d actually dozed off twice during the short ride over. Ray hadn’t missed how Mel had positioned herself to allow Greta to lean against her shoulder as she snored softly. Despite her injury. Nor how she’d gently nudged her friend awake as they approached their destination.

Who was taking care of whom in this scenario?

How in the world was this frail, seemingly exhausted older lady supposed to keep an eye on her injured friend all night?

Ray would never forgive himself if Mel had any kind of medical disaster in the middle of the night. Despite his reassurances, the doctor had made it clear she wasn’t completely out of the woods just yet.

“My sister and I live in a flat above this diner, which we own and manage,” Greta informed him around a wide yawn as the three of them approached the door. She rummaged around in her oversize bag for several moments, only to come up empty.

“Dang it. I guess I left my keys behind when I rushed over to the hospital.”

She reached for a panel by the side of the door and pressed a large button. A buzzer could be heard sounding upstairs. Several beats passed and...nothing.

Mel offered him a shy smile. Her black hair glistened like tinsel where the streetlight hit it. The neon light of the diner sign above them brought out the bright evergreen hue of her eyes. Well, the one that wasn’t nearly swollen shut anyway. The poor woman probably couldn’t wait to get upstairs and lie down.

Unfortunately, she would have to wait a bit longer. Several more moments passed. Greta pressed the button at least half a dozen more times. Ray wasn’t any more reassured as they continued to wait.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the sound of shuffling feet could be heard approaching as a shadow moved closer to the opposite side of the door. When it finally opened, they were greeted by a groggy, disheveled woman who was even older than Greta. She didn’t even look fully awake yet.

It was settled. There was no way he could leave an injured woman with the likes of these two ladies. His conscience wouldn’t allow it. Especially not when he was partly responsible for said injury to begin with.

“I’m glad that’s over with.” Saleh started the SUV as soon as Ray opened the passenger door and leaned into the vehicle. “Let’s finally get to our hotel, then. I could use a long hot shower and a tall glass of something strong and aromatic.” He reached for the gearshift before giving him a quizzical look. “Why aren’t you getting in the car?”

“I’ve decided to stay here.”

Saleh’s eyes went wide with shock. “What?”

“I can’t leave the young lady, Saleh. You should see the older sister who’s supposed to watch Mel with Greta.”

“You mean Greta’s the younger one?”

“Believe it or not.”

“Still. It’s no longer our concern. We’ve done all we can. She’ll be fine.” He motioned with a tilt of his head for Rayhan to get in the car.

“I’m going to stay here and make sure of it. You go on ahead and check us into the hotel.”

“You can’t be serious. Are you forgetting who you are?”

Ray bit down on his impatience. Saleh was a trusted friend. But right now, he was the one close to forgetting who he was and whom he was addressing.

“Not in the least. I happen to be part of the reason that young lady is up there, sporting all sorts of cuts and bruises, as well as a potential head injury, which needs to be monitored. By someone who can actually keep an eye on her with some degree of competence.”

“Your Highness, I understand all that. But staying here is not wise.”

“Don’t call me that, Saleh. You know better.”

“I’m just trying to remind you of your position. Perhaps I should also remind you that this isn’t an announced state visit. If these ladies were to find out who you are, it could leak to the rest of the world before morning. The resulting frenzy of press could easily result in an embarrassing media nightmare for the monarchy. Not to mention Verdovia as a whole.”

“They won’t find out.”

Saleh huffed in exasperation. “How can you be sure?”

Ray ignored the question as he didn’t really have any kind of adequate answer. “I’ve made up my mind,” he said with finality.

“There’s more to it. Isn’t there, Rayhan?”

Ray knew exactly what his friend meant. The two had known each other their whole lives, since they were toddlers kicking around a sponge soccer ball in the royal courtyard. He wouldn’t bother to deny what his friend had clearly observed.

“I saw the way you were looking at her,” Saleh threw out as if issuing a challenge. “With much more than sympathy in your eyes. Admit it. There’s more to it.”

Ray only sighed. “Perhaps there is, my friend.” He softly shut the car door.

Ray was asleep on Frannie and Greta’s couch. Mel popped two anti-inflammatory pills into her mouth and then took a swig of water to swallow them down. Her borrowed nightgown felt snug against her hips. It belonged to Greta, who could accurately be described as having the figure of a very thin teenage boy. A description that didn’t fit Mel in any way.

The feel of her nightwear wouldn’t be the only thing bothering her tonight, Mel figured. The man lying in the other room only a few feet away would no doubt disrupt her sleep. Had she ever felt so aware of a man before? She honestly couldn’t say, despite having been married. He had such a magnetism, she’d be hard-pressed to put its impact on her into words. Everything about him screamed class and breeding. From the impeccable and, no doubt, expensive tailored clothing to the SUV he and his friend were driving around in, Ray was clearly not lacking in resources. He was well-mannered and well-spoken. And judging by what he’d done earlier tonight, he was quite kindhearted.

Ray had feigned being too tired to travel with his friend to their hotel across town and had asked the Perlman sisters if he could crash on their couch instead. Mel wasn’t buying it in the least. First of all, he didn’t seem the type of man to lack stamina in any way. No, his true intention was painfully obvious. He’d taken one look at Frannie, studied Greta again and then perused Mel’s battered face and decided he couldn’t leave her in the care of the elderly sisters. None of them questioned it. Sure, Ray was barely more than a stranger, but he’d had ample opportunity if his motives were at all nefarious.

Besides, he hardly appeared to be a kidnapper. And he definitely wasn’t likely to be a thief looking to take off with the Perlman sisters’ ancient and cracked bone china.

No, he was just a gentleman who’d not only made sure to take care of her after she’d got hurt, he’d insisted on hanging around to keep an eye on her.

She crawled into the twin bed the Perlman sisters kept set up in their spare room and eyed the functional sleigh-bell ornament taken off the diner Christmas tree that Greta had handed her before going to bed. She was supposed to ring it to arouse their attention if she felt at all ill during the night. As if either sister had any chance of hearing it. Frannie hadn’t even heard the much louder door buzzer earlier this evening. No wonder Ray had insisted on staying.

She felt oddly touched by his thoughtfulness. Not every man would have been so concerned.

She tried to imagine Eric going out of his way in such a fashion under similar circumstances. Simply to help a stranger. She couldn’t picture it. No, Ray didn’t seem at all like her ex. In fact, he was unlike any other man she’d ever met. And his looks! The man was heart-stoppingly handsome. She still didn’t know where he was from, but based on his dark coloring and regal features, she would guess somewhere in the Mediterranean. Southern Italy perhaps. Maybe Greece. Or even somewhere in the Middle East.

Mel sighed again and snuggled deeper into her pillow. What did any of her speculation matter in the overall scheme of things? Men like Ray weren’t the type a divorced waitress could count among her acquaintances. He would be nothing more than a flash of brightness that passed through her life for a brief moment in time. By this time next week, no doubt, he wouldn’t give the likes of Melinda Osmon more than a lingering thought.

“So did she even find a dress?”

“I guess so. She says she lost the shopping bag ’cause of the accident, though.”

“So no dress. I guess she definitely isn’t going to the ball, then.”

“Nope. Not without a dress. And not with that crazy shiner where her eye is.”

What was it about this dress everyone kept talking about? Ray stirred and slowly opened his eyes. To his surprise it was morning already. He’d slept surprisingly well on the lumpy velvet-covered couch the sisters had offered him last night. Said sisters were currently talking much too loudly in the kitchen, which was off to the side of the apartment. Clearly, they didn’t entertain overnight guests often.

His thoughts immediately shifted to Mel. How was she feeling? He’d slept more soundly than he’d expected to. What if she’d needed something in the middle of the night? He swiftly strode to the kitchen. “Has anyone checked on Mel yet?”

Both ladies halted midspeech to give him curious looks. “Well, good morning to you, too,” Greta said with just a touch of grouchiness in her voice. Or maybe that was Frannie. In matching terry robes and thick glasses perched on the ends of their noses, they looked remarkably similar.

“I apologize. I just wondered about our patient.”

The two women raised their eyebrows at him. “She’s our patient now, huh?” one of the women asked.

Luckily, the other one spoke before Ray could summon an answer to that question. “She’s sleeping soundly. I sneaked a peek at her as soon as I woke up. Breathing nice and even. Even has some color back in her face. Well, real color. Aside from the nasty purple bruise.”

Ray felt the tension he wasn’t aware he held slowly leave his chest and shoulders. One of the women pulled a chair out for him as another handed him a steaming cup of coffee. Both actions were done with a no-nonsense efficiency. Ray gratefully took the steaming cup and sat down.

The small flat was a far cry from the majestic expanse of the castle he called home, but the sheer homeliness and coziness of the setting served to put him in a comfortable state of ease, one that took him a bit by surprise. He spent most of his life in a harried state of rushing from one activity or responsibility to another. To be able to simply sit and enjoy a cup of coffee in a quaint New England kitchen was a novel experience. One he was enjoying more than he would have guessed.

“Damn shame about the dress,” Greta or Frannie commented as she sat down across him, the other lady joining them a moment later after refreshing her mug. He really needed one of them to somehow identify herself or he was bound to make an embarrassing slip before the morning was over about who was who.

“Can someone tell me what the deal is with this dress?” he asked.