Chapter 2 The Lines She Fell For

The Lines She Fell For

"If beauty were a crime, you'd be serving a life sentence." The voice came from behind Emma, soft and deep with an accent she couldn't place.

Emma felt goosebumps spread across her arms. She turned around slowly, expecting to see another wealthy businessman in an expensive suit. Instead, she found herself looking up at a man who took her breath away.

He was tall and broad-shouldered with warm olive skin. His dark hair touched his collar and had a slight wave at the ends. His eyebrows were thick and dark, framing a face with perfect bone structure. His jaw was square and covered with just the right amount of stubble. His lips were full, his nose straight and strong. But it was his eyes that made her heart skip - they were deep brown, almost black, and seemed to see right through her.

Emma stared at him, completely caught off guard. For a moment, she forgot where she was and why she was there. Then reality came rushing back. She was working tonight, and she couldn't afford to mess this up. She needed this job to keep paying for her brother's college.

Emma blinked and forced a polite smile. "Thank you," she said quietly, turning back to the bar.

Just then, another woman pushed in front of her and got the bartender's attention.

"Oh, come on," Emma muttered under her breath.

"What would you like to drink?" the man asked. His voice was smooth and warm, like honey.

Emma almost smiled despite herself. If this man was at a thousand-dollar charity event, he definitely didn't need a second job. "I'm fine, really. I can wait my turn."

"You were waiting your turn before," he pointed out. "How did that work out?"

Emma glanced at him. "If you hadn't distracted me, I would have my drink by now."

He smiled at that, and Emma felt her heart flutter. "Let me help," he said, placing his hand gently on her back.

The touch sent warmth spreading through Emma's body. She was so surprised that she let him guide her through the crowd without protest. Somehow, he found a small space at the front of the bar and raised his hand. A waitress appeared immediately.

"Good evening, Your Highness," the waitress said with a respectful bow.

Emma's eyes went wide. "Your Highness?" she whispered.

The man's eyes sparkled with amusement as he watched her surprise. "The lady would like to order first," he told the waitress.

Emma's mind was spinning, but she managed to speak. "Mineral water in a champagne flute, please. And a glass of red wine."

"And for you, Your Highness?" the waitress asked.

"Just water in a regular glass."

When the waitress left, Emma turned to face him fully. "Are you really royalty?"

"It appears so," he said with a small smile.

"Are you being mysterious on purpose?"

"No one has ever called me that before."

"Maybe not to your face," Emma said.

He laughed then - a rich, warm sound that made several people look their way. The sound did something to Emma's pulse, making it race. She was glad the crowd was pushing them closer together.

"Who are you?" she asked, her curiosity growing stronger.

"My name is Alexander," he said softly.

"Should I call you Your Highness?"

"No, that wouldn't be right."

Emma looked confused. "But if you're a king..."

"I'm not a king yet," he said, and something in his voice made her think she'd touched on a sensitive subject.

"I'd rather hear my name from your lips than my title," he said. His thumb touched her chin gently, lifting her face so their eyes met. The world seemed to disappear around them.

"I can't," Emma said, though her voice wasn't as strong as she wanted it to be. "I have to go back to my date."

"Is that what you really want?"

Emma felt torn. Part of her wanted to stay and talk to this mysterious prince, but she had responsibilities. "I have obligations," she said, not moving away from him.

"Let me tell you what a real date would be like," Alexander said. "First, I would send you to the best boutique in the city. You could choose anything you wanted - a beautiful dress, elegant shoes, jewelry that sparkles like stars. Whatever your heart desired."

Emma listened, caught up in his words.

"Then my driver would take you to the finest hotel's penthouse suite. You'd have the whole afternoon to get ready, to pamper yourself, to rest so you'd be ready for the evening."

"Ready for what?" Emma asked quietly.

"At eight o'clock, I would come for you personally. We'd go to dinner at a restaurant I'd reserve just for us. No one else would be there. We'd talk, laugh, dance like we were the only two people in the world. And then, before midnight, we'd go back to your hotel room, where I'd spend the night showing you how beautiful you are."

Emma closed her eyes as images filled her mind. Silk sheets, soft lighting, gentle hands, whispered words. It sounded perfect, like something from a fairy tale. But Emma had learned not to trust fairy tales.

"What happens the next morning?" she whispered.

Something changed in Alexander's eyes - surprise, maybe respect. "The morning would be a new day," he said quietly.

"And?"

"And I would be gone. You wouldn't see me again."

Emma felt her heart sink. There it was, the truth. One magical night, then nothing. At least he was honest about it. Most men would promise to call and never do.

"Thank you for being honest," she said, stepping back slightly.

"I don't make promises I can't keep."

"That's something, I suppose." Emma picked up her drinks from the bar. "Well, Alexander, this has been... interesting. But I really do need to get back."

She started to walk away, but his voice stopped her.

"Wait."

She paused but didn't turn around. "What?"

"I don't even know your name."

Emma felt her heart do a strange little flip. For a moment, she almost turned back to tell him. The way he said it, with such genuine interest, made her want to share more than just her name. But she caught herself just in time.

"Maybe that's for the best," she said softly, still not looking back.

"Is it?"

She could hear the smile in his voice, and it made her decision even harder. "Yes. It is."

Emma forced herself to walk away, her heart pounding with each step. She could feel his eyes on her as she moved through the crowd, but she didn't look back. She couldn't afford to.

When she finally reached her table, she glanced over her shoulder. Alexander was still standing by the bar, watching her with those dark, mysterious eyes. Even from across the room, she could feel the pull between them.

Emma realized she was in much deeper trouble than she had thought.