[Montacroix Royal Family Series 01] - Guarded Moments Read Online Free PDF Page A

her brother's question had been in the vein of good-natured teasing. Caine's was heavy with scorn.
    "I am here in America representing my country," she said blandly. "As Montacroix's unofficial delegate to the United States, I have a reputation to uphold."
    "Excuse my ignorance, Your Highness," Caine shot back mockingly. "I hadn't realized that an entire country's international reputation depended on the size of its princess's wardrobe."
    It crossed Chantal's mind that if Caine O'Bannion was typical of the country's State Department officials, America's foreign affairs were bound to be in a great deal of trouble. She couldn't remember ever meeting a more undiplomatic man.
    "Don't tell me that my luggage is too heavy for you to manage?"
    "Of course not. However, I was wondering whether you plan to lug all those cases around from town to town for the next three weeks."
    "Don't be ridiculous. I have no such intention."
    That, at least, was something, Caine decided. Obviously, she'd decided to pull out all the stops for the diplomatic circuit, intending to ship a lot of the stuff back home to good old Montacroix before they moved on to their next stop.
    " You 're going to lug them from town to town for the next three weeks," Chantal returned silkily, her tone schooled to annoy.
    As she watched the smoldering fury rise in those hard eyes, she swallowed, all too aware of her heart hammering in her throat. Feeling defensive and hating herself for it, she turned away.
    Before Caine could come up with an answer that was even remotely civil, she was pointing out the window. "Oh, the Lincoln Memorial," she exclaimed as the limousine sped past on the way to the hotel. "I read in my travel guide that on a clear day you can see Mr. Lincoln's statue in the Reflecting Pool. Is that true?"
    The transformation had been so rapid, so unexpected, that Caine was forced to blink slowly to regain his equilibrium. The haughty princess was gone, and in her place was an enthusiastic young woman whose dancing dark eyes could bring even the most stalwart of men to his knees. As he struggled against an unruly tug of attraction, Caine tried to recall the last time he'd stopped to look at any of his adopted city's famed landmarks.
    "If it says it in black and white, it must be true."
    Chantal was leafing madly through her book while at the same time trying not to miss any of the sights passing by the tinted windows.
    "So many statues. My great-grandfather adored statues—he had them built all over Montacroix. There are those detractors of my family who insist that we have more statues in Montacroix than we do citizens, but of course that's an exaggeration. Still, I have to admit that even when driving through the countryside you can't get away from my great-grandfather Leon's statues."
    "The pigeons must love him."
    Chantal glanced back over her shoulder, surprising him with a saucy grin. "That's the same thing Burke always says."
    "Burke is your brother."
    "Technically my half brother," she corrected. "His mother was Papa's first wife. Burke was only five years old when my parents fell in love. He was ten when they were finally permitted to marry. Those five years in between were definitely not easy on anyone." She exhaled a soft, rippling sigh. "Divorce is so horrible. I can't imagine what it must be like for a child, having his world turned upside down before he's old enough to comprehend what's happening."
    "It sure as hell isn't easy," Caine said, thinking of his own disrupted life.
    Something in his gritty tone caught her attention. Interest, along with a surprising hint of sympathy, appeared in her eyes. "Were your parents divorced?"
    Caine wondered how the hell they'd gotten started in on his personal life. He was a bodyguard, nothing more. And a reluctant one at that. He had no interest in knowing anything more about Chantal Giraudeau than whatever basic facts he needed to ensure her safety. And he damn well didn't want her knowing anything about