But what did that mean for them? She had slept with him!
Alberto smiled. ‘You will take the throne, Matteo.’
She saw Matteo glance at her with uncertainty, and in that glance so many things were conveyed. Doubt. Fear. Hesitation.
They were at the beginning of a relationship that could be something amazing. But she had no idea of how it was to be with someone like him! He was a prince. About to become a king. And she was just a normal girl from Poland. A doctor.
This acceleration of events was terrifying. What was she to him? Would it become serious? Was it casual? Would she be discarded and left behind?
‘Are we going to talk about what happened today?’ Matteo threw his jacket to one side as he walked into his quarters, Krystiana following slowly behind.
‘Okay...’
‘My father wants me to become King! I thought I had more time. I thought that...’ he turned to look at her, saw the concern on her face ‘...that we had time.’
‘We do. Don’t we?’
‘If my father has already alerted the press, then the focus of the whole country will be upon me. And also on you.’
She remembered what media attention felt like. It had been awful. Terrifying at times. But she had survived it. ‘They would only be focused on me if we were together.’
He stopped pacing to face her. ‘I guess that’s the big question, isn’t it?’
She gave a single nod. ‘It is. What am I to you, Matteo?’
It was a terrifying question to ask. It would put him on the spot. But it was an answer she needed to hear, because she needed to know. Needed to prepare herself for whatever onslaught was coming.
‘Honestly? I don’t know.’
That wasn’t good. A small part of her had wanted him to say she was his everything. That he couldn’t get enough of her. That he couldn’t bear to be without her. But he wasn’t saying any of those things.
‘I don’t want to hurt you. I know that. This situation is complex and extreme, and I can’t assume that you’d want to be a part of this mad world that I live in.’
She said nothing. No, she didn’t want to be hurt either. But she had a feeling she would be.
Krystiana sank down into a chair. ‘Perhaps us being together is a bad idea? I get the feeling your father would not approve.’
Matteo looked down and away, as if he was weary.
‘You’re going to become King, Matteo. Sooner than you thought. Perhaps you and I ought to back off from one another for a while until all of that is done?’
Part of her thought that if they did back away from one another they would each have breathing space. This all seemed to be moving so fast! He was going to wear the crown! Perhaps with time apart he would begin to see that they weren’t best suited, and by then she would have prepared herself for the inevitable and her heart would not be as broken as she suspected it might be.
Matteo sighed. ‘You might be right.’
She’d suggested it, but it was still a shock that he accepted it so readily. Perhaps he’d meant more to her than she to him?
Krystiana swallowed, her mouth dry, trying her hardest to stop the tears from burning the backs of her eyes, trying to be brave. They’d had one great night and it had been the most amazing night of her life. And to wake this morning, in his arms... She couldn’t remember ever feeling so happy. But she’d always suspected that if they were to have any type of relationship it would be a brief one, and now it was looking more than likely that that was true.
It didn’t make it any easier to know that he could happily discard her so quickly.
* * *
After Krystiana had gone Matteo stepped out onto his sun terrace and looked out over the hillsides. He knew he had to give them both space, but in his heart of hearts he also knew that, if he was being honest, nothing could ever have come from their relationship. He’d been an absolute fool to allow his desire and his lust for her to overcome every iota of common sense and logic he possessed!
His father had announced to the press that he was abdicating and that his son would be crowned King as soon as it was possible. The media was in a frenzy, as was to be expected, and he... He was apprehensive.
He should be thinking of his country. How the small kingdom of Isla Tamoura needed him to be a strong leader. And yet all he could think of was Krystiana.
Things had happened between them so quickly. And he suspected he knew why. They could both connect on something that not many people got to experience—thankfully. Their kidnapping. He couldn’t imagine what it must have been like to have been taken by her own father. He tried to imagine his father doing such a thing. Locking him into a hole in the ground. His mind just couldn’t compute it. Krystiana’s father must have been so desperate after he lost his custody battle... He knew how crazy he’d almost gone, thinking he would never see his own child.
Krystiana had told him, hadn’t she? That she didn’t want a proper relationship. That she couldn’t foresee having one. So really maybe he was doing her a favour? She didn’t want this either!
His pathetic attempt to convince himself that he was doing this for her made him feel slightly ill.
He got up and began to pace once again—back and forth, back and forth. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror and stopped to stare at himself, trying to work out when it was that he had changed from being a man determined never to get involved with anyone again into a man who had barely been able to keep his emotions and desires in check around Krystiana.
He’d never wanted to feel loss again and yet he’d got involved with a woman he knew he could never have!
How on earth had he ever allowed it to happen?
* * *
She found herself standing outside Mara’s office, holding the grey dress she’d borrowed draped over one arm. She knocked.
Mara opened her door. ‘Krystiana! Come on in!’ She stepped back to allow her entrance.
‘I thought I’d better bring back your dress. It’s been cleaned. I think one of the servants spirited it away when I was at the hospital this morning.’
Mara smiled, taking the dress from her. ‘Thank you. But you could have kept it, you know?’
Krystiana shook her head. ‘Oh, no! It must have cost a fortune. I couldn’t do that.’
Mara gazed at her for a moment, obviously sensing her nerves and anxiety. ‘What’s wrong? Come on—sit down. Tell me what’s going on.’
And suddenly the tears were falling. She couldn’t help it. It was almost as if Mara’s empathy and kindness had just opened up the dam and it had all come pouring out.
Mara, bless her, sat next to her with an arm around her shoulders. Just being there. Just waiting for when she was ready to talk.
‘Matteo and I...’ Krystiana sniffed, dabbing at her eyes with the tissue that Mara offered her. ‘We’ve been...er...’ How to say it? This was his ex-wife! But she was also his best friend, so...
‘You’ve been...courting?’
She knew? ‘Not really. Not dating, as such. Just... I’m not sure how it happened, really, but...’
Mara waited.
‘We slept together.’ She felt awful telling Mara this.
‘And now it’s complicated?’
Krystiana nodded. ‘It always was.’
‘I understand. Matteo and I, even though we knew our future, were caught up in an extraordinary situation. And now the man that you...you have feelings for is about to be King, and that’s not a normal thing at all for anyone to have to face.’
‘No one would approve of us.’
‘You don’t know that.’
Krystiana didn’t have to think for too long. ‘I do. Matteo held my hand in front of his father and I could see he wasn’t pleased about it.’
‘The world is complicated, Krystiana. Nothing is always simple or as it
seems. Sometimes all you can do is go with what your heart tells you.’
‘It’s telling me so many things.’
‘Then perhaps you should ask it a question? How would you feel never to have Matteo in your life ever again?’
She couldn’t imagine what that would be like. To only see him on the television... In the newspapers... Online... ‘It would be awful.’
Mara smiled. ‘But you would survive it?’
‘I’ve already survived so much. Had my heart broken too many times. I’m not sure I want to go through that again.’
‘Sometimes we have no choice about our battles.’
Krystiana smiled ruefully. ‘You sound like you’re trying to tell me to prepare myself. That there is no future for us.’
Mara looked away. ‘I like you, Krystiana. I think you and Matteo could be amazing together. You’d make each other happy.’
‘But...?’
‘But if you want to be with him then you need to talk to him.’
‘About what?’
Mara smiled. ‘About everything.’
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MATTEO OPENED THE door to his quarters to see Krystiana standing there, looking apprehensive and nervous. Smiling, he welcomed her in, dropping a kiss on her cheek. She looked so beautiful, her eyes bright and kind, her smile full and wide. He felt his heart lift at seeing her, even though he felt depressed.
‘Hi,’ he said.
‘Hi. I wonder if you have a minute to talk?’
‘Sure. Can I get you a drink?’
‘No, it’s all right. I just want to say this whilst I have the nerve to and then I’ll go.’
Oh. That didn’t sound good. But, then again, she was smiling—so what did that mean? Had she made a decision?
‘I’m all ears.’
‘Yes.’
He narrowed his eyes. ‘Yes...?’
She laughed. ‘Yes! To you. To us. One of us has to say it! I want us to try to be together. Despite all that’s going on, despite you becoming King, and despite other people’s disapproval—when there is any, which I’m expecting there to be. I’m just a doctor, after all, and—’
‘Hang on—let me get this straight. You want us to be a...a couple?’
His heart soared. Not for one moment had he thought she would come to such a conclusion, but she had, and it was wonderful, and despite all his fears he wanted this one moment when he did something for him. Because his life was about to spiral madly out of control when he became King. He knew he was throwing caution to the wind, despite the rules, but surely he could worry about those at a later time?
‘Come here.’ He pulled her into his arms, his lips meeting hers, and he kissed her as he’d never kissed her before!
He knew what this had cost her. He knew how terrified she must have been to say it. And it felt so right. This was the woman he’d been waiting for his entire life. She was perfect. Intelligent, kind, loving, beautiful. And she understood him. Understood more than anyone else ever could. Because she’d been through it, too.
And when his father had collapsed he’d felt safe, knowing she was with him. He’d felt loved, knowing that she was thinking about him, that he was thinking about her.
She was his strength. His heart. His life. And though he was worried about what the future might entail for them, his fear was not as strong as his love. His need. That was a bridge they could cross later. Surely there was a way?
‘I love you so much, Krystiana Szenac!’
She smiled back. ‘And I love you!’
They kissed. Unable to get enough of each other. He had no doubt that he would have taken her to his bed right there and then, if he’d been able to, but he had people coming. Delegates. Business meetings.
‘Let’s celebrate! Just you and me. Away from here. I could get us reservations at Jacaranda. Very discreet.’
‘Go out with you in public?’ Her face was flushed with excitement and nerves and apprehension.
He nodded. ‘We need to get away from this place. Just be us.’
Krystiana nodded and gave him a quick kiss before she headed back to the door. ‘Dress code?’
He gave it some thought. ‘You’d look beautiful in anything.’
She laughed. ‘Formal would have done nicely.’
‘Formal, it is.’
‘Right. Then I’m off to get ready.’
He checked his watch. ‘It’s two-thirty in the afternoon.’
‘A girl needs time to look her best, Matteo.’
‘You’re already perfect.’
She smiled and blew him a kiss. ‘Good answer. But I’m still going to have a bath and do my hair.’
She began to close the doors behind her.
‘Wait!’ he called, sliding over to the door in his socks, skidding to a halt in front of her. ‘One last kiss?’
She pressed her mouth to his and he savoured the taste of her.
‘Not the last, Matteo. But the first of many.’
* * *
She’d needed to be brave many times in her life, but going to see Matteo and admitting what she wanted, to be in a relationship with him, was probably one of the bravest things she had ever done. She had put herself out there. As if she was on a precipice and he had the ability to knock her off, to send her crashing to her doom.
She’d given him that power and he hadn’t let her down at all. Her gut instinct had been right! He wanted to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him!
And she was quickly learning that one of the advantages of living in a palace was that there seemed to be a hairdresser, stylist and make-up artist always on site. Apparently Giulia was there mostly for Mara and Alex’s sake, but she was thrilled to get her hands on someone new and decide what to do with her.
‘Your hair is just bellissimo! Thick and long.’ Giulia was running her fingers through it, admiring it, trying it this way, then that. ‘I think we need a messy up-do. Like this—see? But if we leave these strands here and here we can make tiny plaits and twist them through...like this. Si?’
Krystiana had never done more than put her hair in a thick plait. ‘Whatever you think is right will be fine.’
‘We can tousle it, tease it, and if we are careful we can use jewelled slides here and there. Let me do it and I’ll show you—I promise you’ll love it.’
‘Okay.’
‘And what were you thinking for make-up?’ Giulia looked at her carefully in the mirror. ‘Such expressive eyes... You need more than mascara on those. How about a deep, dark smoky eye? A nude lip? Earrings to match the jewels in your hair?’
Krystiana frowned. ‘You’re the expert. How long will all that take?’
‘A couple of hours. We have plenty of time and then we can take a look at your wardrobe.’
‘My wardrobe...?’
She didn’t really have much in there. It wasn’t as if she had loads to choose from. She’d mostly got ordinary work clothes with her. Suits... Dresses fit for being in her practice office—not a romantic soirée.
‘Some things have been sent over for you.’
She turned in her seat. ‘Oh? From whom?’
‘The Crown Prince.’
‘Matteo?’
‘Well, he had a little help from me. I went shopping at his request.’
‘When?’
‘When you first arrived at the palace. He wasn’t sure how much we would be able to rescue from your home, so he sent me out to fetch you a range of outfits.’
‘Oh. But you don’t know my sizes.’
‘Stylists can tell. Just by looking. Trust me—I have picked you out some wonderful things.’
Krystiana smiled at her reflection as Giulia set to work with her hair. She quite liked it that he’d wanted to get some clothes for her, and she wasn’t at all upset that he might ha
ve been a bit presumptuous in assuming that she was staying.
If he hadn’t done it then she’d be knocking on Mara’s door again, raiding her wardrobe! And there was something wrong about wearing the clothes of a man’s ex-wife to make him fall for her! She was looking forward to searching through the boxes and bags that were now on the bed to see what there was.
She’d never been treated in such a way! Had always been careful with money, even though her job paid well. Growing up in a household where her mother had scrimped and saved every zloty had clearly rubbed off on her.
With her hair looking exquisite and her face made up by the talented Giulia, who could do things with a blender brush that Krystiana had no idea how to replicate, she set to going through the new outfits.
There were trouser suits and tailored dresses, flowing skirts and perfect heels. Linen trousers...even a couple of swimsuits! But in the end they both agreed that a duck-egg-blue dress, that skimmed over her hips and flared out just above the knee would be perfect.
Krystiana tried it on, twirling and twisting in front of the full-length mirror to check how it looked. ‘This is so pretty, Giulia! Did you choose it?’
‘Matteo chose this one. He said it would match your eyes and it does.’
Krystiana smiled. ‘Good. Then I shall definitely wear it. Are we all done?’
Giulia tapped her lips as she assessed her. ‘It needs one more thing... Here.’ And she pulled from one of the bags a small box, cracking it open for Krystiana to see the jewelled bracelet inside.
It glittered and caught the light and it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. ‘Oh, my word! He bought me that?’
‘Yes.’
‘It must have cost a fortune! I can’t wear that! I’ll be afraid of losing it all night.’
‘It has a safety chain. Try it.’
Giulia clipped it around her wrist and she felt the weight of it on her arm. Just enough to notice. If it did fall off she would know instantly.
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