**3rd Person POV**
Harlin was struck with beauty. He did not think he had ever seen anything that could compare in beauty. The sight before him was ethereal. He was stuck and he had forgotten all about bolting from the party.
“I uhm… I'm sorry I was staring. I…” Harlin had been told that when he stared at people he had a propensity for embarrassing them and it came off as rude. He had never cared about being viewed as rude until now. He had not meant to stare at her for that long but he could not help it.
“It's okay. I'm flattered, really. People don't usually stare at me like I'm some angel descended from heaven,” returned the lady with a smile that could melt the sun.
“What?” Harlin blurted. He could not believe that the beauty in front of him was not used to getting stared at.
“I'm just kidding. I'm Francesca, you are?” she asked with a teasing smile.
“Harlin,” he said and shook her outstretched hand. Her hand was filled with current and he could feel the electricity making waves throughout his body. He had never felt so strongly attracted to a girl like this before. He had known women; Reginald had made certain he was not innocent but what he felt in this moment for Francesca, he had never felt for anyone. He wanted to take her right there; it took all his willpower to stop him from embarrassing himself by asking if she wanted to get intimate with him.
“Harlin,” she repeated the name in her soft, silken-like voice. Blood rushed to his groin, he had never known his name had such a sex appeal.
“Well uhm… Francesca is a beautiful name,” he had also never known that it was possible to turn into a complete idiot over a girl. He had absolutely no idea what to say to her.
“What do you say we go upstairs and get to know each other better? huh?” If Harlin was thinking with his brain, he would have questioned this suggestion. He would have asked how she was comfortable sending him upstairs in someone's house; he would have asked if she was related to Lowell; he would have tried to find out if she was aware of his true identity.
“I would love that,” unfortunately, Harlin's brain was in between his legs and he was not thinking straight. He allowed her to lead the way upstairs and take him to a room at the end of the hallway and when they entered the room, he did not protest when she wrapped her arms around him and began peppering kisses on his chest.
Her torturous kisses drove him beyond the brink of sanity into evading her mouth. She tasted like sugar, very sweet, too sweet in fact. The more he kissed her the more he wanted her. His hands had managed somehow with no coordination from his brain to undress her and his hands were expertly kneading her breasts. He pushed her onto the bed and his mouth sought her perky breast. He sucked on them with a passion he had not known existed within him. She was moaning at every movement his tongue made on her majestic breast.
“Harlin, take me now. Please, please, Harlin,” she was crying, begging and he loved it. Her voice was like music to his ears. He would have loved to continue his assault on her breast but he was way too needy. He felt like if he did not yield to her request, he was going to implode himself so he needed her cries.
They orgasmed together and it was fireworks. Harlin had never felt so whole after love making before.
“Wow! That was amazing,” she remarked, her eyes twinkling in surprise. He could tell that he had pleased her and he was very proud of himself.
“We should do it again,” she suggested and Harlin could not think of a better idea.
After going at it five times, Francesca said, “I don't want to ever stop.”
“Me too. But I must leave or a lot of people will begin to panic,” Harlin returned.
“Well then, it was nice knowing you, Harlin,” she said with a wink.
He smiled back at her before walking out of the room.
He managed to find his way downstairs without being seen.
“Prince Harlin! Where have you been?” demanded Nathan. He had been so close to announcing a lockdown on the mansion until the Prince was found.
“What? Aunt Alison told you to take inventory of my every step?” he responded with sarcasm.
“When you…”
“I don't need the lecture. What is it?” asked Harlin.
“Prince Harlin, I was beginning to think that you left. I want you to meet Francesca, I doubt you have made her acquaintance before,” said Lowell with a shiny smile.
Harlin was stumped for words.
“Uhm… No, no. Lady Francesca, it is nice to make your acquaintance,” he said, extending his hand to her. She shook his hand and tickled his palm with her small finger. He felt a familiar blood rush but did his best to hide it.
“The pleasure is mine, Your Royal Highness,” she said the word pleasure in a way that made Harlin lose his senses.
“Lady Francesca is a special friend. She is my wife's best friend,” said Lowell. Harlin however, suspected that she was something more to Lowell seeing the way he held onto her possessively.
“I see,” returned Harlin politely.
“There is someone else I would like you to meet. My first daughter Hana. I had her when I was very young,” it was Lowell's way of saying that Hana was his illegitimate daughter. Harlin could sense at once that she was about his age. He could also tell that Lowell's suggestion of marriage had not been a mere suggestion. He was practically showing Hana in his face. It was obvious what he was selling but Harlin was not interested in buying.
“Interesting, Lowell.”