"Know you?" he said pointedly.

She stared at him for a long moment. He was wrong, and it was discouraging to realize he did not understand that. In their few short days together he knew her better than anyone alive. Knew the truth of her heart and soul that she had never revealed to anyone but him. He simply never knew the details of her life that were at once significant and yet so inconsequential.

She drew a deep breath and stepped back, forcing a casual note to her voice and her manner. "Now, then, regarding your conditions." "Yes?" "I quite understand your position and I must compliment you on such clear thinking. If indeed we are to be convincing, it is necessary to play our parts as thoroughly as possible. Therefore"-she lifted a shoulder in a casual shrug-"I accept your conditions."

"All of them?" He raised a brow. "Why not? If I remember correctly, sharing your bed was not an unbearable hardship. We had rather a remarkable time together. In truth, it was the most exciting... well, adventure of my life. Besides, whether you are willing to admit it or not, you are far too honorable a man to insist that I do anything against my will."

"Are you certain?" That wicked gleam had returned to his eye and he resumed tossing the apple still in his hand.

"I am."

"Don't be."

"Excellent." She reached out and caught the apple in midair. "Surprise and uncertainty are the very blood and bones of adventure. And I am now confident our masquerade will indeed be an adventure."

Her gaze met and meshed with his and she bit into the apple.

She could see the struggle in his eyes and, even better, the moment when he lost. When his gaze slipped to her mouth. She chewed deliberately and swallowed, licking the apple juice from her lips.

"It should be a most"-his gaze met hers and he smiled-"satisfying adventure."

The look in his eye was determined. Challenging.

He grabbed her hand and brought the apple to his mouth, biting it as she had, his gaze still locked with hers. For the first time she wondered if she was up to meeting such a challenge with such a man. The woman she had been most of her life was not. The woman she was now had yet to be tried.

He chewed and swallowed, his hand still on hers. Her fingers loosened and the apple dropped unheeded to the floor. For an endless moment they froze, as if time itself had stopped. Electricity arched between. Heat flowed from his hand to hers. The very air between them sizzled.

"When do you wish to begin?" His voice was forced, as if he could barely get the words out.

"As soon as possible." She struggled to breathe.

"Tomorrow, then?" He made no move to release her.

"Early, I should think." She made no effort to leave.

"Very well." He drew a deep shuddering breath and let go of her hand.

She brushed aside the odd sensation of loss, stepped away and nodded, fighting to ignore a yearning that threatened to overwhelm her.

"Shall I call for you, then? Here?" At once he was as composed as if nothing had passed between them.

"No," she said quickly, her outward manner as serene as his.

His expression tightened. "Of course not, Your Highness. You couldn't possibly wish to be seen leaving with someone of my menial position in society."

"Nonsense, my lord." Where did the man get such ideas? She heaved an exasperated sigh. "I do not want to be seen with anyone. Only a few of my most trusted advisors know of my plan and I wish it to remain that way. This is not precisely a proper sort of adventure."

"No, I suppose not." He shrugged as if it were of no consequence. "I shall wait for you, then, at the cottage." He nodded and turned to leave.

Without thinking, she started after him. "My lord. Matthew."

"Yes?" He turned back.

"I just..." She had no idea what she wanted to say. But she couldn't let him go. Not now. Not yet. Not with this tension between them. She stepped closer. "I..."

"Yes?" he said again.

"I do appreciate what you're doing for me."

"Do you?"

"Very much so. Particularly given how you feel about me."

"And how do I feel about you?" His expression was unfathomable.

"It is obvious that you are still angry with me."

"Is it?"

"Yes. It is also apparent that you don't fully believe what I am trying to do."

"I have made no secret of that." He studied her curiously. They were but a long stride apart. "Is there

anything else? Any other observations you wish to share? About myfeelings ?" "No. I do not..." She stopped and considered him. "Yes. In truth, there is." She straightened her shoulders and met his gaze directly. It was past time to issue a challenge of her own. "I quite believe you would like to kiss me."

"Would I?" He laughed. "What makes you think so?"

"Everything about you." She swept a wide gesture in his direction. "Your manner. Your so-called

conditions. The words you do not say as much as those you do." She cast him a smug grin. "The very

look in your eye."

"The look in my eye, you say? How interesting. But perhaps you're right. I daresay I've never kissed a

princess before." She started to protest, but he raised a hand to silence her. "Not knowing she was a princess, at any rate. I do recall once kissing the companion to a princess."

She rolled her gaze toward the ceiling. "You are annoying, my lord."

"Flattering of you to say so yet again. But I would much prefer to discuss your earlier observation." In

one swift move, he stepped close and pulled her into his arms, gazing into her eyes. "Is this the look you were speaking of?"

"Yes." She stared up at him. "That is it exactly."

"I see." He drew his brows together thoughtfully. "Do you think I should do touch, known for far too long only in her dreams."

He murmured against her skin. "I shall not fall in love with you again."

"Nor do I expect you to." Her words were scarcely more than a sigh.

"And should you fall in love with me"-his mouth trailed down her neck-"I shall be compelled to break

your heart."

"I can expect no less." Her hands clutched at his shoulders and she shivered with the delight of his lips at

the base of her throat. "Indeed, it is your turn to do so."

"As long as we understand one another, Your Highness."

"Oh, we do, my lord, we do indeed."

His lips met hers again, and for a long moment she knew nothing in the world save the joy of at last being

again in his arms. Finally he released her, slowly, with a reluctance she prayed wasn't entirely due to lust.

She stepped back and struggled for a semblance of composure. "Until tomorrow, then."

"I should be going." He paused as if he wished to say something more.

"Yes?"

He shook his head, then turned and strode toward the doors. He pulled them open and glanced back. "I

warn you, this adventure of yours has no more significance to me than a business arrangement. And as

such I will attach no more emotion to it than that." She widened her eyes innocently. "I assure you I do not intend to allow my feelings for you to change in the slightest."

"Excellent." Again, his expression was unreadable. "We shall make quite an interesting pair, Lord and Lady Matthew. A gentleman whose best quality is the ability to be annoying and a princess with a tendency toward lie-"

"I prefer the term misstatement," she said firmly.

He laughed and turned to go.

"Matthew?"

He paused.

"Will you miss me?"

He grinned. "Only as the horse-"

"Good day, my lord," she said firmly, suppressing her own laugh.

He took his leave and she stared unseeing at the doors that closed in his wake.

Working her way back into this stubborn man's heart would not be easy. Finding the missing Heavens

might well prove to be the easier of her quests.

But not the most important.