Lessons In Love excerpt

Lessons In Love

“Your…Highness?”

Alex sat up as the door to his private office flew open. Brynn Dexter stood in the doorway, one eyebrow arched in silent question. She was trying to look composed, but he could see the tremble in her stiff posture from across the room.

Behind her, Mrs. Agincourt answered her question. “Philippe Alexandre du Charbonneaux, Prince of Laurivenia, mademoiselle,” she said with a puzzled frown. Belatedly, he realized that he had not informed his secretary of the deception.

He was—what was the American phrase? Oh, yes. Busted.

Equal parts anger and embarrassment vied for domination of Brynn’s expressive features. “Prince, is it? Well, I suppose that’s close to principal.” Indignation laced her voice. “I apologize for not recognizing you, Your Highness.”

For a moment Alex wished that she could go back to calling him by his given name. But that was impossible. If she was going to work for him, royal protocol must be followed.

And in a flash of realization, Alex recognized that he did want Brynn to take the position. Despite her youth and good looks, despite his wholly inappropriate attraction towards her, she was the right choice for Carissa. Her experience, her personality, her enthusiasm made her a perfect match. It would be selfish to decide against her based on his past experiences. Those mistakes would not happen again.

Now, he just needed to convince her to stay.

She had come a few steps into the office and was standing by the chair opposite his desk, arms crossed over her chest. “Perhaps you would care to explain why you pretended to be the principal of the Laurivenia Academy. Was it a test? I guess I failed Tabloid Reading 101, since I didn’t recognize you.”

“It was not a test.” He slapped a hand on his desk. “And I did not pretend to be the principal. You made that assumption.”

“I see. So it was my fault. Is that your idea of fun? Making the stupid American look like an idiot?”

He drew himself up. “I won’t dignify that with a response.”

“Whatever.” She fisted her hands on her hips, glaring at him. “I’d just like to know why I’m in the office of the Prince of Laurivenia and not the Laurivenia Academy.”

The time for deception was over. He sat back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Because there is no Laurivenia Academy.”

“What?”

He waved one hand in a dismissive gesture. “The academy was merely a—front, I believe it is called, for the actual position.”

Alex recognized the look on Brynn’s face. Behind the coolly polite expression, she was definitely counting to ten.

“Are you telling me I was hired to teach a fictitious class in a fictitious school?”

“I suppose you could say that.”

She shoved her fingers through her hair, pulling it back tightly from her forehead. “Oh, my God. My mother was right.”

“About what?” he asked before he could help himself.

She ignored him, pacing back and forth in front of his desk. “I quit my job. I flew halfway around the world. I got in a limousine with a strange man. Men, if you count the driver. And my dream job doesn’t exist?”

He focused on the last part of her tirade. “Not in that specific form, no.”

“And what, may I ask, is the actual position?”

“Private tutor for my daughter, Carissa.”

That brought her up short.

“You have a daughter?”

He nodded, watching her reaction.

“How old is she?”

He could feel a smile softening the hard line of his mouth. “She turned five last month.”

Some of the tension left Brynn’s body, her hands relaxing at her sides. “So this is still a kindergarten teaching position, except with only one student.”

He nodded.

“Does she speak English?”

“She is fluent in English and French, the two official languages of Laurivenia.”

“Well, that’s helpful.” Her lips pursed. “But it still doesn’t make sense. How can you pay me so much? And with housing included, too? The salary seems quite generous for teaching one student a few hours a day.”

He caught himself just before shifting in his seat guiltily. “There will be other duties as well, of course.”

“Of course.” Her smile was bright, enthusiastic, and definitely fake. “What other duties might they be, Your Highness?”

“Well.” Alex glanced down, straightening the papers centered on his desk. “Supervision, attire, meals, that sort of thing.”

Another stride brought her right to the edge of his desk. “So basically I’m a nanny with a degree in early childhood education.” Her voice was flat; one glance at her face told Alex she was on the edge of exploding.

The sharp edge of anger brought him to his feet as well. He circled the desk until he towered above her, using his height to his advantage. “There is nothing unseemly or degrading about caring for and teaching the princess of Laurivenia.”

“Then why go to this elaborate deception? I’m sure you would have been beating off the applicants with a stick.”

“I would never beat…oh, I see. You mean figuratively.” He stalked to the window and looked out. “Security reasons demanded a level of subterfuge in filling the position.”

Security reasons beyond the safety of his daughter, although he could hardly admit that to himself, let alone anyone else. But if word had gotten out that he was hiring a nanny for his little girl, single women obsessed with royalty would have considered it the perfect opportunity to catch the eye of the “World’s Sexiest Widower”.

He’d already been the victim of one social-climbing celebrity seeker, and he had no desire to go down that road again. His daughter deserved someone who would take care of her, make her the priority, not use her to get close to him.

Carissa deserved someone like Brynn.

It remained to be seen, however, if Brynn had any desire to stay now that her real job had been revealed. He turned away from the window. Judging by the look on her face, it was going to take some slick salesmanship.

Perhaps a pre-emptive strike was in order. “I realize you will have some questions about this change in job description.” Alex ignored what sounded suspiciously like a snort. “For now, why don’t you take some time to think it over, and we can discuss it further at dinner.”

He crossed the room, smoothly taking her elbow and steering her to the doorway. “Niles will escort you to the dining room at seven. I’ll see you then.”

Brynn looked ready to argue, but instead said only, “Believe me, I’ll have plenty of questions at dinner.” Head high, she stalked out of the office without looking back.

Alex nodded at Mrs. Agincourt and returned to his desk, dropping into his chair with a sigh of frustration. Only four hours remained to come up with a plan to keep Brynn from turning down the job and flying back to America. It was time to bring out the big guns.