Curious at the sound of the doorbell, mostly because he hadn't even known they had a doorbell, Beau left his room and walked to the second floor landing. He arrived just in time to see his brother Baxter waving his hand at a well-dressed man that took Beau's breath away.

"And we are in his house," Bax said. "Duh."

Beau smiled at his brother's snarky remark. His oldest brother Barclay usually didn't get Bax's sense of humor, but Beau found him quite amusing. He wasn't stupid enough to voice that opinion in front of his oldest brother because he liked his head attached to his shoulders.

"Please, don't mind me. I'll just—" The man sucked in a breath as he gazed up in Beau’s direction and their eyes met. "Who is that magnificent creature?"

For a moment, Beau forgot to breathe. Had anyone ever looked at him like that? He was usually lost in the crowd or faded into the wallpaper. People did not stare at him as if he was the answer to every prayer they had ever had, especially not people who looked like this man did.

The guy had to be a few inches over six feet tall with shiny sable colored hair that was secured at the nap of his neck and cascaded in waves down his back. Beau wanted to run his hands through the silky looking strands and see if they were as soft as they looked. The soft curls around the man’s handsome face beckoned Beau’s fingertips to tweak and play with them.

Startling light black eyes surrounded by thick eyelashes looked up at Beau, tearing his attention from wandering to the man’s plump lips.

Bax blinked at the handsome man for a moment before glancing up. "Beau?"

"Beau," the man whispered.

"My brother, Beaumont."

"Beaumont." The man whispered his name almost reverently. It brought shivers down Beau's arms, making him wish he could rub himself all over, preferably against the handsome man. "You can stay as long as you like if you introduce me to him."

Beau had no idea what the handsome stranger and Bax were talking about, but the way the man was staring up at him made Beau wonder what he was looking at. He almost glanced behind him, positive the guy had to be looking at someone else, but a quick sniff told him he was all alone on the landing.

"You'll let us stay in your mansion if I introduce you to my brother?" Bax asked.

"Yes."

The man still hadn't taken his eyes off of Beau. Beau stared back just as intently.

"Beau!"Bax called out. "There's someone I want you to meet."

Beau waited right where he was. He really didn't think going downstairs was in his best interest. He had the sudden thought that he would be devoured by the man looking up at him with such hunger in his eyes.

"This is Prince Dario Montella," Bax said. "This is his house."

Damn.

Wait..."Did you say prince?" Beau asked, because he really needed to be sure. The weight of the world rested on the answer.

"Yep." Baxter nodded as though he could read the rising panic in Beau's mind. "Prince Dario Montella. Come down here and meet him."

Beau felt the momentary sliver of hope that had blossomed in his chest wither and die. A prince? That really sucked. There was no way he was going to go downstairs and be introduced to a prince. It had been bad enough when he thought the guy merely gorgeous. Prince took it to a whole other level.

“No,” he called back.

When the prince took a step toward the stairs, Beau spun and hurried back down the hallway. He ran into his room and slammed the door shut, locking it. As he leaned back against the hard wood, his heart thundering painfully in his chest, Beau thrust a hand through his long black hair.

He ached to meet the prince, to continue to feel the man's eyes roaming over his body, but there was no way he was going to be the butt of some prince's joke. He wasn't that desperate.

Really.