Read Online His Bride for the Taking by Sandra Hyatt - Free Book Online Page A

about Adam, whom she was about to meet again. Not as an eighteen-year-old, and not through the medium of e-mail, but as a woman, and in person. She was about to truly begin the next phase of her life.
    A stunningly beautiful hostess removed the remnants of their lunch from the coffee table between them and informed them they were beginning their descent. Lexie only half heard her.
    It remained to be seen whether she ended up staying, falling the rest of the way in love from the halfway state she’d been in for almost as long as she could remember. And convincing Adam to fall in love with her, and eventually, or maybe even soon, marry her, was another thing entirely.
    But whatever happened, she’d left her old self and her old life behind.
    “You’ll see San Philippe to the east in a few minutes.”
    Rafe’s voice startled her. She’d been staring out the window, but she’d scarcely been taking anything in. Far below, the cities and mountains of Europe spread out. Features of the landscape became clearer.
    “You can usually catch a glimpse of the palace, as well,” he said a few minutes later.
    “I see it.” She felt excitement rising as the jet lowered and she glimpsed distant turrets.
    She would be seeing Adam again soon. She could stop thinking about Rafe.
    Miniature horses dotted a field below. “Will Adam be playing polo in the cup match next weekend? Or is his rotator cuff still bothering him?” She was eager to see Adam again, but had to admit she was a little apprehensive, too.
    Rafe lifted an eyebrow in enquiry. “You know about his shoulder injury?”
    She shrugged. “Ten years is a long while to have…an interest in someone.” She wasn’t going to say the word crush, because it sounded so immature, but that’s admittedly what her relationship—again, probably the wrong word—had started out as. “A girl can do a lot of research in that time. I can give you the whole history of it.”
    “Ever heard of stalking? ”
    He said the word with a bored smile, but Lexie bristled. “It’s not like that.” At least not anymore. She’d long ago thrown out the embarrassing scrapbook she’d kept as a young teenager, filled with photos of Adam playing polo or attending functions. “I’ve looked at the odd Web site.” No need to give Rafe numbers. But because he was one of the world’s most eligible bachelors, plenty of sites followed Adam. “And I’ve studied the history of San Philippe because it’s part of my heritage.” And because it was potentially part of her future. “I like to think of it as being well-informed.”
    “Uh-huh.” How did he make those two syllables sound so condescending?
    “We have mutual acquaintances, as well.”
    “Don’t feel you have to justify yourself to me.”
    “I’m not justifying myself, I just think you should be clear on where I stand.”
    “I think I’m clear.” He returned his attention to his book, trying to dismiss her.
    She wasn’t that easy to dismiss. “And I don’t think you are.”
    He sighed and flipped over a page.
    “I’m not obsessive about Adam.” He should know that. “I’ve dated other men. I even imagined myself in love once.”
    That snagged his attention. He looked back at her. “And?”
    She shrugged. “It didn’t work out. And not because of anything to do with Adam,” she added quickly. Well, not directly, although it was possible that Paul had suffered in comparison. “I’ve grown and matured, and become my own woman.”
    “I’m sure you have.”
    Lexie could think of no witty or even sarcastic retort so she tried for a disdainful look before turning to her window to watch her destiny draw closer, savoring the sense of anticipation as the wheels lowered into position for landing. Rafe didn’t understand. She was her own woman and knew her own mind. She just hoped—and had, in fact, planned—that she was the type of woman who appealed to Adam. And his father. Because she’d have to have Prince Henri’s