Along Came A Prince Read Online Free Page A

Would you accompany
me and help me with my duties? Having you by my side could only bring in more
donations.”
    Stacia was stunned
by his invitation, although she didn’t hesitate with her answer. “I’d be happy
to help, but aren’t you concerned what people may say seeing us together all
evening?”
    “Are you?”
    She shook her
head.
    “There is one
thing, though,” he added with a sexy grin. “I may have a difficult time
concentrating on other people when I just want to be alone with you.”
     
    ♥♥
     
    During the next
few hours, little by little, the noise from the crowd inside the ballroom
lessened until there was barely a sound left. Only subdued talking and quiet laughter.
The orchestra was packing their instruments to go home, and the cleanup crew
had almost finished their jobs. The noise from the bar still escaped outside
but in a lowered tone. Lights had been turned on to their brightest to signal
the evening’s entertainment had ended.
    Back on the
terrace once more, Stacia looked into the ballroom. “What time is it?”
    Clay checked his
watch. “Midnight.”
    “Wow, the
bewitching hour, or so they say. I guess it’s time for Cinderella to run out of
here.”
    “Are you going to
leave your slipper, so I have to hunt for you, or may I see you home where I
can find you again?”
    “I have a limo
waiting for me.”
    “Is it made from a
pumpkin? If so, it’s probably turned back into one now, because everyone knows
what happens when the clock strikes twelve. So, you see, there’s no need to
hurry. I have a limo too, and it won’t turn back into a pumpkin, as that doesn’t
happen to a prince. So if you’d like, I can take you home.”
    She laughed. “By
the things you said tonight, you’ve made being a prince not so surreal, but
similar to commoners like me. It’s been a most enjoyable evening. Thank you.”
    “And that’s it? I
only get to share one evening with you?”
    “You know what,
Clay, I think we’re oceans apart. Both in distance and in the lives we lead and
who we are. I’m dedicated to my career and you’re –”
    He interrupted
her. “Right now we’re not oceans apart. We’re very close.” He took two steps
toward her and cradled her hands in his. “See?”
    Time stood still.
She couldn’t move and didn’t want to, unless she could move closer to him. Boy,
did his father ever teach him how to treat a woman! Clay must have gotten a
college degree for that lesson alone.
    He dropped his
arms and stepped back. “Stacia, we’ve been a success as a team tonight with the
donations we’ve raised for charity. I also think our dancing was successful
also, but I leave town in two days, and I’d like to get to know you better.
Tomorrow is all we have. How about it?”
    At that moment,
the word no was not in her vocabulary. “I’d like that too,” she whispered.

CHAPTER TWO
     
    Stacia awoke early
the next morning when the phone rang. “Hello, Hal,” she said after glancing at
the caller ID.
    “This has been an
interesting morning already,” Hal Montgomery said.
    “Why?”
    “I got a phone
call seconds after I arrived in my office.”
    “What’s up?”
    “Do you remember
talking to Nathan Sterling and Arthur Keyes last night about their new
venture?”
    “They talked. I mostly
listened.”
    “And how did you
feel about it?”
    “The idea
absolutely intrigued me.”
    Her agent laughed.
“But not as much as a certain prince, I understand. Sterling and Keyes didn’t
get a chance to finalize the job they were assigned to do.”
    “What are you
talking about?”
    “They were given
$25,000 tickets also, and so was Farrell Fontaine. Some mysterious financial
backer is the one who sent all of you the tickets. He, or she, wanted to get
you all together first in order to see if the two men could work with you, and
you with them.”
    “You’re the one
who’s sounding mysterious to me, Hal. What do I have to do with their project?”
    “Oh…just that