Cassie slept uneasily beneath the canopy of her luxurious bed. Her blonde hair was tousled and unruly from her restlessness. Her eyes flew open wide as she heard the pounding of the wind against the tightly closed windows. The tropical storm had moved into San Cristobel quickly. A loud clap of thunder caused her to sit straight up.

She threw the covers from her as she jumped out of bed. Her only thoughts were of Tammy and R. J. Cassie feared that the noises of the storm combined with the unfamiliar sounds of the palace would frighten them. With little care to her appearance, she left her own room and ran down the hall barefoot. The cold of the marble floors was barely noticeable.

Cassie quietly entered the nursery. She sighed deeply when she saw that R. J. had not been affected by the noises. He was sleeping peacefully with a tight fist resting near his pink, cherubic cheek. Assured that he was safe, Cassie walked to the adjoining door. She pushed the door open and saw that Tammy, too, seemed to be sleeping deeply, totally unaffected by the storm. Cassie closed the door once again and admonished herself for her fears. She turned to check on R. J. one last time before returning to her room.

Cassie cried out as she found herself encircled by Richard's arms. Richard's arms tightened around her. Cassie's breath was swept away by the closeness. She stared up at him. She was dreaming. She had to be dreaming.

"It looks as if we had the same idea," Richard told her as he continued to hold her in his arms.

"Idea?" Cassie inquired totally absorbed in the closeness, wondering if he felt even half the things that she felt for him.

"Checking on the children," Richard replied, wondering what she could possibly be thinking.

Cassie looked at Richard in wonder. She was constantly reminded what a kind, considerate man he was. She smiled.

"Cassie, what is it?" Richard asked as he stepped away from her.

"I can't believe that you would do that."

"Check on the children?" he asked. At Cassie's nod, he continued, "I care about Tammy and R. J. I thought you knew that."

"But they're not your responsibility."

Richard pinned her with his eyes. "They most certainly are my responsibility. They are your children, but I will always treat them as if they are my own."

Cassie felt the tears burn in her eyes. Richard was like a dream come true. She blinked several times. He was the Prince Charming in all the fairy tales come to life.

"Thank you, Richard," Cassie whispered.

"For what?"

"Everything."

Richard nodded without expression, then swallowed hard. Cassie's pale lilac gown was clinging to every curve of her body. He averted his eyes quickly, but not before he noticed that even disheveled and tired, she was beautiful. She had the type of beauty that makeup only hid. The totally unadorned Cassie was far more alluring. He was finding it hard to be close to her so he turned his back and walked to the door. He faced her once again as he placed his hand on the doorknob.

"Are you coming?" he asked.

Cassie shook her head. "I'm going to stay here for a little while."

"Very well, then. Goodnight, Cassie."

"Goodnight, Richard."

Cassie fell into the rocking chair when the door closed behind him. Her legs were like jelly when he was near. She placed a cool hand against her flaming cheeks. How much longer could she hide her feelings from him?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cassie once again settled into her bed, trying to ignore the increasing intensity of the storm. She pulled the covers up tightly to her chin and stared at the door that separated her from Richard. It was just a door, but it might as well have been an entire continent. Sleeping in the room next to him was pure torture. The walls of the palace were supposed to be thick, but she could hear every sound from his room.

Cassie was startled by a loud crash. She sat up and screamed in terror, as it seemed the entire room was crashing down around her.

Richard was jolted awake by the scream from Cassie's room. He ran to the adjoining door, jerking it open quickly. He was surprised to see the tree branch hanging through the broken window in the room. The wind and rain were blowing inside. A terrified Cassie sat transfixed in the middle of the bed. Richard took a step.

"No, Richard!" Cassie screamed. "There's glass all over the floor."

Richard looked down at the sparkling shards of glass that were indeed scattered all over the floor. He ran back to his room for a pair of shoes. He quickly pulled on the first pair he found. He tugged at them trying to get them to slide over his bare feet. He sprinted back to Cassie's room, taking little care on the slick floor. Richard swung Cassie up into his arms, pulling her tightly against his bare chest. She rested her cheek against his shoulder and closed her eyes, praying this was not another of her fantasies.

Richard carried her very carefully across the pool of glass and rain. When they were inside his room, Richard kicked the door closed with his foot. He gently placed Cassie on the bed. He stood back and began rubbing his hands over her body. Cassie watched quietly unable to move or speak.

"It doesn't appear that you are injured. Are you okay, Cassie?"

"I'm fine, Richard. I'm just a little unsettled," she assured him in a quiet voice.

"That is understandable," Richard told her with a smile. She shivered. "You're cold."

Richard did not wait for an answer but began pulling the comforter around her, and then he walked to a closet and brought back a thick blanket, which he laid on top of her.

"There. Is that better?"

Their eyes never wavered from one another. Cassie did not have the heart to tell him that her shiver had nothing to do with being cold, but had everything to do with his close proximity to her. Right now her body temperature was the last thing on her mind. Controlling her urge to throw her arms around his neck and beg him to make love to her was at the forefront of her thoughts.

"Yes," Cassie managed to say when Richard continued to stare at her.

"You can stay here tonight. The bed is big enough," he pointed out.

Cassie opened her mouth to protest, then looked at the huge bed. She could not form the words as she thought about lying beside Richard.

"Why don't we try to get some sleep?" Richard stated.

"It hasn't worked so far," Cassie told him with a small smile.

Richard laughed softly. "No, it hasn't."

He watched her settle into the bed. She made him smile. That was something he had done so rarely in the last few years. His feelings for her grew stronger everyday, but he knew his boundaries and he would not step over them. This marriage was too important to him, and he would do nothing to jeopardize it. He often pictured the two of them surrounded by children. . .their children. Richard mentally shook himself and turned off the light. He padded to the bed and crawled underneath the covers.

"Goodnight, Richard," Cassie mumbled sleepily.

"Goodnight, Cassie."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cassie lay awake as the first rays of sunlight drifted through the curtains. It was calm outside now. The only sound was soft raindrops against the windows. She did not notice the sunlight or the rain. She was totally absorbed in watching Richard sleep. He was so close that she could reach out and touch him. She wanted to touch his cheek. . .caress it. . .feel the roughness of his whiskers against her skin.

"What are you thinking, Cassie?" she said to herself. "Why did you allow yourself to fall in love with a man who will never. . .ever love you back?"

Cassie closed her eyes, pressing them tightly hoping that she would fall asleep. She knew that was like hoping that she would fall out of love with Richard in the blink of an eye.

Richard slowly opened his eyes. He looked at the beautiful woman lying beside him. It startled him at first to see her so close. How many times had he dreamed of her in his bed. . .in his arms? Seeing her so near felt natural. His heart raced in response. He closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would find him once again.

Cassie sighed heavily and opened her eyes. She could not go back to sleep. She looked at Richard. He looked so handsome with his face relaxed in sleep. All the lines of worry were erased. Unconsciously, she reached toward him, laying her hand on his unshaven cheek. She gently stroked the curve of his mouth with her thumb.

Richard quickly opened his eyes. He was mesmerized by Cassie's totally unguarded expression. Cassie gasped when she realized he was awake and tried to pull her hand away from him, but he had already laid his hand on top of hers, holding it still. He looked into her eyes. Without saying a word he pulled her hand to his lips and slowly kissed each of her fingers.

Cassie could not look away as he pressed soft kisses on her fingers, then the pulse point of her wrist. She was unprepared as he moved closer to her. He touched her cheek with the back of his hand gently stroking the softness. He placed his hand on her neck and pulled her toward him. Their eyes locked on one another as they moved together. As their lips met, something that had started out slow and gentle turned hard and passionate. Their bodies touched as they moved closer together, kissing. . .tasting.

"Cassie. . ." Richard whispered as he trailed kisses across her cheek and down the side of her neck.

Cassie closed her eyes and moved her head so that Richard would move closer. He rained kisses across her shoulders, stopping at the neck of her nightgown. He looked up into her eyes, seeing the desire dancing like flames. He knew that they mirrored the desire in his own eyes.

"Richard. . .Richard. . ." Cassie whispered over and over.

Richard captured her lips once again. Cassie arched toward him, letting her feelings take over, transforming her. Richard suddenly sat up. Cassie looked up at him in confusion. Richard turned away, dashing Cassie's hopes that this was a step forward.

Richard tried to control his breathing by turning away from her. He wanted her. He had wanted her for so long. This. . .this was the woman who he was going to spend the rest of his life with. This was the woman he was falling madly in love with more and more everyday. He turned back to her, seeing the disappointment in her eyes. Could it be that she felt the same way?

Richard held out his hand to her. Cassie hesitated for a moment then placed her hand in his. He pulled her to him wrapping arms around her. Their eyes met and the flames were fanned again. His lips captured hers, more demanding this time. He pushed the thin straps of her gown aside. As he leaned back to remove the barriers between them, he looked into her passion-filled eyes. The prolonged anticipation was almost unbearable.

"I want you, Cassie. I need you," he confessed in a voice filled with emotion, laying everything on the line.

Cassie moved toward him, impelled by her own passions. "I want you, too, Richard. I want you so much. Please. . ." she pleaded unable to finish her thoughts.

Richard did not need to hear the words to understand her thoughts. He only needed to know that they wanted the same thing. As they fell to the bed intertwined, the caresses were more urgent, and their kisses were filled with promises. The storm, which had raged outside, was nothing compared with the waves of passion raging through both of them. They abandoned themselves in a whirl of sensations as they slowly made love, letting their kisses and urgent caresses say things neither dared to express out loud. . .not yet.