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sense of loss. Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Wilder.” She pasted on her princess face. This was the last time she would see him—ever—for she would not tempt fate and return to this beautiful country again. “Good-bye.” Not waiting for his reply, she sidestepped him and seated herself in the SUV, then closed the door. “Don’t stop until we get back to the city, Jacques.” She had to get back to her life of being the princess everyone expected her to be. The perfect socialite. The successful businesswoman. It was far easier that way. It was what she knew.
    Maybe there was a lesson here. Don’t step out of your world. Don’t dream. And definitely don’t hope. But there was one small question that circled her subconscious as they drove in silence toward Auckland; a question she had not expected.
    Who exactly was the real Marina? What were her real dreams? And, more importantly, was she allowed to dream?
    Marina had thought taking up the challenge of opening her stables would fulfill her life. It had—sort of. Until yesterday, when she’d stared into those bedroom eyes of Jonas Wilder’s once more.
    Now, as they drove closer to the South Pacific metropolis, doubts about everything—every part of her life—morphed into gigantic proportions.
    Had she simply fooled herself into believing this was what she wanted? That love didn’t matter anymore? Wrong! She knew deep down it did. Totally. But love was unobtainable, because the only man she had ever loved did not want her. He had his own family.

Chapter Four
    The penthouse suite with its Toile de Jouy wallpaper in soft blue and white, luxurious velvety carpet, and the marled walnut furniture bespoke an elegance of a bygone era and certainly was dressed to impress its occupants.
    Exhausted after the roller coaster of the last twenty-four hours, Marina really didn’t care about the beauty of her surroundings. Her nerves were shot, emotions in a tangle. She’d thought she had her life exactly as she wanted it. But all the way back to the city, doubts didn’t creep but stormed in, challenging everything she’d thought about her life, about what she’d achieved so far.
    And now? Now, everything seemed uncertain—and that was all down to Jonas Wilder.
    Requesting no intrusion, she cocooned herself in her suite, returning emails regarding horses destined for races around the world. The Dubai Classic, the Derby and Grand National, and the prestigious Melbourne Cup in Australia in November were only a few of the international races her horses would attend. Palmera Stables was definitely making its mark in the world of horse racing.
    As she hit “send” on the final email, she switched off the laptop, silenced her cellphone and took her suite’s phone off the hook. All she wanted was to shut herself off from the world—correction, from her world.
    That Jonas had never mentioned he was married while he was in San Torrevna cut Marina to the core. The lying, cheating so-and-so. She had trusted him with her heart.
    She understood him leaving in a hurry when word came of the accident. But why not answer her calls? Why leave her without a word?
    As evening fell, instead of dining downstairs, she phoned room service, soaked in a bath and, wrapped in a fluffy white robe, took refuge in the lounge, watching old movies until, barely able to keep her eyes open, she retreated to bed.
    Big mistake.
    Sleep proved impossible, and despite her lethargy, she tossed and turned for hours, the darkness punctuated with memories of being in Jonas’s arms, of his kisses, the way he smiled and touched her. On and on her memories rampaged, teasing her, testing her willpower to remain steadfast in her decision.
    No way could she stay any longer. Instead, tomorrow she would leave Jonas and his beautiful country forever.
    The hours ticked on, and just as she was finally drifting off into an exhausted slumber, a sharp knock at her door wrenched Marina from her solitary world. She cast