Page 36 of Once Upon a Prince

“I would love to but I want to rest up and get ready for tonight. I haven’t had a chance to try the siesta that Argentinians are so excited about. I have a feeling the evening could go very late and I don’t want to be too tired to enjoy it. Maybe we could do it tomorrow?”

“Assuming I don’t keep you out too late,” I teased.

“There is that.” Her blush was back. She was as excited about the evening and what could happen as I was.

“I would love to show you the city, maybe we could walk around tomorrow, or check out a museum, if you would like?”

“It all sounds wonderful. Whatever you think would be the best way to see more of the city, I’m all for. I will leave the planning in your capable hands,” she said.

“Remember you said that when I show you how to tango dance tomorrow,” I teased.

“Can you dance yourself?”

“Of course. Is that something you would like to do? Is that something I can teach you?” I asked.

“Are you good enough to teach me?” she countered.

I was already imagining what it would be like to have her in my arms, to move her around the dance floor in one of the most seductive dances of all time. Just the thought made my whole body react and I had to shift my weight.

“Yes. Would you let me teach you?” I asked.

“Definitely,” she said.

We didn’t get to say anything more as the elevator doors opened. We exited the elevator and to the waiting car. As we got in, my phone rang and I had to deal with a crisis in New York and didn’t get a chance to talk to Ella again. I was still on the phone when we got back to the hotel. By the time I got off the phone, she was gone. I had hoped to talk to her again, maybe see if I could convince her to get a drink at the bar before she headed up to her room.

Dejected and annoyed with myself for the call taking so long, I went back to my room. I answered a few emails and touched base with Trent. The investigation into Tanya and Diana was progressing. I was hopeful I would have good news for Ella when we got back to New York.

With the work week done, there wasn’t much for me to do. It was hours until I would need to get ready for the gala. I thought about wandering the city but I didn’t want to do it without Ella. The idea of going to the gym and burning off some pent-up frustration sounded like a good idea. I quickly changed and headed down to the gym. It wasn’t much, my personal gym was better equipped but it had the essentials. After a quick run to warm-up, I worked my arms through a routine of bench press, incline, and rows before going to the free weights and doing some bicep and tricep workouts.

When I was done, I felt more relaxed and my mind was more focused. With a towel around my neck, I walked out into the garden area of the hotel and looked down at the pool. I wasn’t wearing swim trunks but considered going back up to the room and changing. I turned to head to my room when a movement caught my eye. It took me a few seconds to comprehend what I was seeing. When I did, I couldn’t keep the smile off my face or stop my body from moving forward.

I still kept thinking I was imagining the beautiful image in my mind but as I stood next to Ella sitting on the lounger by the pool wearing the sexiest bikini I had ever seen; I knew I wasn’t.

“This doesn’t look like a siesta to me,” I said to her.

Chapter 21

Ella

It wasn’t often that I found time to read a book and I didn't have a chance last week. I had told Dax I was going to take a nap but when I got back to the room, I hadn’t felt tired at all. When I walked out onto the balcony and saw the beautiful day and the inviting pool, I knew what I wanted to do. I could have sat on the balcony, probably even ordered a drink or some snacks and sat there in the privacy of the room but the day was warm, the sun was shining so brightly, and the pool seemed to be calling my name.

I had put on my swimming suit, one that Ara had convinced me I had to have for the trip. It was a bit more risqué than I normally wore, but it made me feel sexy and I loved it. When I had gone down to the pool, I honestly hadn’t thought I would see Dax. I was sure he had phone calls to make and other things he needed to do.

By the shocked look on his face, he was just as surprised to see me as I was to see him. His comment made me think that he wasn’t happy I was out there sunbathing when I said I was going to be napping.

I sat up and closed the book as I stammered, “I’m sorry. I couldn’t sleep and thought I would come by the pool. Did you come looking for me in my room? Was there something I needed to do for you?”

Dax laughed, a deep, slow laugh that I felt through my entire body. The laugh told me he hadn’t been thinking about a siesta when he saw me and his comment had only been to tease me. The look he gave me told me he liked seeing me by the pool and he especially liked what I was wearing as his eyes lingered over my body before stopping at my eyes.

“There are so many things I can think of but none I should ask of you right now,” he said.

I could feel myself blushing and reached over to cover myself. Dax took the opportunity to sit down on the lounger next to me. He let out a soft chuckle before saying, “Sorry. That wasn’t an appropriate thing to say.”

“It was if it was true,” I said.

He leaned back and looked at me. His eyes held all the questions he wanted to ask. All the things he wanted to happen. We had kept our distance over the week. It hadn’t been easy at times but it was necessary. Now there was no need and I could see how much he wanted me as he looked at me.

I wanted him, I wanted to be with him. I wanted to know what it was like to have him as my lover. More importantly, I didn’t want to wait for it to happen. If I was judging Dax's reaction to me in my bathing suit and how he was looking at me, he felt the same way.