Royal Date

by Sariah Wilson

  And my affection.

  I closed the small distance between us and said, “Thank you for my Barbie.”

  Then I kissed him.

  He pulled back, looking serious. “Does this mean . . . ?” His question trailed off.

  “Yes.”

  He had a very self-satisfied grin. “If I’d known all it would take was buying you a Barbie, I would have bought you the entire company.”

  “That’s not why . . .” I started to protest, but his mouth was moving against mine and there were no more words.

  I held my breath, and I could hear my blood rushing in my ears. He tilted his head, angling so that our mouths fit together better. My breath quickened, and I quickly discovered I wasn’t the only one affected. I could feel his heartbeat racing under his shirt.

  His arms tightened around me, pulling me closer to him. But we couldn’t get any closer than we already were.

  I wanted to growl because of my frustration. This wasn’t like before, when I wanted to kiss him just because I was curious and wanted to understand what the big deal was. I wanted more.

  I wanted to know what the stubble on his jaw felt like against my skin (like prickly sandpaper). How his hair would feel underneath my fingers (soft and full). How the muscles in his upper arms would feel (large and solid).

  He moved from my lips to my neck, and I leaned my head back as far as I could to give him better access. His mouth moved over my throat, kissing and nipping at me, and it was too much and not enough all at once. My limbs felt heavy and light at the same time.

  A warm, strong pressure started to build inside me, and I pulled him back to my lips, where he continued to kiss me like he’d waited his whole life to do just that.

  Then a shocking sensation—his fingers had slipped under my sweater and were pressing into the bare skin of my back. I went still, but he didn’t seem to notice. Impossibly, my heart beat even faster as I dealt with this new feeling.

  I liked it.

  I considered doing the same to him, wanting to know what the skin on his torso would feel like against my fingers. His fingertips slowly moved up my side, and I stopped breathing as I waited to see what would happen, what he would do . . .

  Then something heavy landed on top of me.

  We broke apart to see Serafina scowling at us. “You had a slumber party without me?”

  “We did,” Nico said, and his voice sounded even and normal. I was panting like a dog who’d just chased down the mailman.

  “You’re supposed to have slumber parties in your room.”

  “Hear that, Katerina?” I didn’t need to look at him. I could hear the seductive teasing in his voice.

  “Can we have another slumber party in your room?” Serafina asked me.

  “Yes, can we?” Nico asked.

  “We can,” I said.

  He raised his eyebrows in playful anticipation.

  “Serafina and me, I mean.” He looked so puppy-dog sad that I laughed. “Nico’s not invited,” I told her.

  She nodded. “Because he’s a boy.”

  “She won’t ever invite me to her room, Sera. What should I do?” That set my blood racing again and my heart pounding. He was not playing fair.

  She considered this thoughtfully. “Be nicer.”

  He laughed. “I am very nice to her. As nice as she’ll let me be.”

  “Then you will have to try harder.”

  He started tickling her, and she giggled and squirmed on top of us. “Stop it, Nico! Mamma is looking for you. All the guards are worried. Johann is screaming at everyone because nobody knows where you are.”

  Nico rolled his eyes. “Duty calls.”

  I had to get up first, and then Serafina climbed down. Nico got up and gathered up his clothing. I stood there awkwardly, not sure what to say or do after the Couch Event. He kissed me quickly as he again held me close. “You said I was wonderful,” he said in a low, gratified voice.

  I did. He was. He promised to see me soon.

  I needed to talk to Lemon.

  I got my Barbie, and Serafina tagged along behind me, singing a song.

  When I had made a promise to myself to wait, nobody had bothered to tell me how amazing everything would feel and how much I would want to keep going. I had thought it would be so easy to draw a line in the sand and tell him to stop. To draw that line and say, “Here, and no further.”

  I had no idea I’d be the one wanting to move that line all over the place. I’d let him do something that I probably shouldn’t have just because it felt so good.

  It wasn’t Nico’s fault. It wasn’t his promise. And he wasn’t doing anything I didn’t desperately want him to do.

  But it was all too fast and overwhelming. I had to put the brakes on. I was the one who would have to be more careful.

  I had vowed that I would wait until marriage. I would keep that vow. I’d never considered all the steps that could happen in between. So I had to keep things in check.

  Because keeping my word, doing what I said I would do, was what made me me.

  I needed to keep my promise to myself. I would have to be more vigilant.

  Regardless of how much I wanted to rethink the whole thing.

  Lemon was waiting for me in my room, on my bed, tapping away on her phone. She looked up when we entered. I noticed that her eyes were red. Had she been crying, or was she just tired? “Somebody owes me an explanation as to why they were gone all night. Where have you been?”

  “She was kissing Nico. It was gross,” Serafina informed her. Lemon’s eyes got huge.

  “Hey, Serafina, I’ve been wanting to see your Anna costume. Why don’t you run to your room right quick and get it ready for us. Have one of the maids do your hair?”

  That got rid of her. Lemon was sly.

  She jumped up and hugged me. “Darlin’, I am happier than a goat in a Dempsey Dumpster. I want to know everything. Everything.”

  So I told her. All the sordid details I wanted to share. And her eyes got bigger and bigger until I thought they might actually pop out of her head.

  “Good heavens, I was only kidding the other night, but you really are going to marry him. I’m going to be a maid of honor for an actual princess.”

  “What? You need to slow down there. I only kissed him. That’s it. Nothing else. This is light and breezy and fun. We’re going home in a week. This is not serious. He said it couldn’t ever be serious.” Our fun conversation had taken a sad turn that was depressing me.

  “When did he say that?”

  “Yesterday. He told me he wasn’t ever getting married.”

  She waved her hand. “Oh, please. Every man in the world says that, and yet they somehow all still manage to get married.”

  Lemon didn’t get it. She hadn’t been there and heard the finality in his voice. He had been serious. But I didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

  “Why are you dressed up?”

  “Turns out there’s more family arriving.”

  I had pulled off my sweater and thrown it on the bed. I stopped to look at her. “How can he possibly have more family?”

  “This is more of the extended family. The Fiorellis are related to almost every royal family in Europe. All that intermarrying royals used to do. So we need to dress up to welcome everyone. When Nico told me about the people coming, I thought we should take advantage. I’ve arranged for a professional photographer to capture everything to go on the website. That TV show is going to give me whatever I ask for and beg me to have Nico on there.”

  She realized what she’d said a minute too late, probably from the expression on my face. “It won’t be a big deal for him, Kat. It will only be pretend. Just to help his country. He won’t want them. He has you.”

  I had forgotten about Nico dating women on reality television. I wasn’t sure I could handle that. Or that I liked it. Or that I wouldn’t turn into a serial killer and murder every single woman on that show for wanting him.

  “No, it’s good. It
helps me to remember not to get too serious.”

  “Don’t close yourself off to any possibilities. I don’t want you to miss out on something great.”

  But how could I miss out on something that only existed in my mind?

  “How are things going on the Salvatore front?” I asked Lemon as we walked down the hall toward the stairs.

  “They’re not,” she sighed, sounding disappointed. “He’s full of himself. The kind of guy who thinks the sun comes up just to hear him crow.”

  “So, he’s already hooking up with someone else?” I clarified.

  “Well, of course. I am attracted to him. How could he not be a man whore? Besides, he didn’t want to look at pictures of my dogs. Said he didn’t like dogs. You know that I don’t trust a man who doesn’t like dogs. He doesn’t understand true loyalty and would probably hide behind you in a bar fight.”

  “Yeah, personally, when I’m picking my friends, I like the ones who don’t make me cry myself to sleep.”

  I gave her a pointed look, but I didn’t press the issue because one, it was over, and two, she’d make the same stupid mistake with some other guy in the near future and there was no point in lecturing her. “Did you tell him what a douchebag he is?”

  “Of course not. My momma raised me right. I would never say it to his face—I just tell you behind his back. It’s called manners.”

  We reached the top of the stairs. Below us there was a sea of people in the front hall, laughing and greeting one another. Servants ran back and forth, carrying luggage and coats. I saw Nico just as he saw me, and he waved me down.

  I was glad I’d dressed up as everyone in the hall had on a suit or dress. “I want you to meet one of my best friends,” he told me, taking me by the hand and weaving his way through the crowd.

  He stopped in front of a tall young man with blond hair and blue eyes. I recognized him, but couldn’t quite place him.

  “Katerina MacTaggart, may I introduce you to His Royal Highness, Prince Alexander of England? Alex, this is Kat.”

  That was how I knew him. My eyes went wide.

  “Pleasure to meet you,” the prince said as he took my hand and shook it.

  “You too, um, Alexander.”

  “Alex, please. Only my grandmother calls me Alexander.”

  That would be his grandmother, the actual queen of England.

  I was gobsmacked. I had no idea what to say.

  “This is my wife, Caitlin. Caitlin, this is Nico’s friend, Kat.”

  And there stood one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen. Her makeup was perfect, and her long brown hair looked like she’d just had it blown out. “Nice to meet you,” she said, smiling at me.

  “I watched your wedding,” I said, my mouth slightly agape. “My best friend made me get up at an hour that I wasn’t aware existed in the a.m.”

  “You mean the one where I was upstaged by my sister’s bum?” Caitlin winked at me.

  I only nodded. Probably had a stupid look on my face.

  “How do you know Nico?” she asked.

  “That’s kind of a long story, but we just met. What about you?”

  “Oh, Alex and Nico were at Oxford at the same time and had a lot in common, so they quickly became best mates. That was when Alex and I started dating, so we’ve all known each other for a long time.”

  They had a real-life Cinderella story. Caitlin was a commoner. Alex was a prince. The most famous and eligible prince in the entire world. And they’d somehow managed to fall in love and get married and have a baby.

  Said baby arrived right then, presumably with his nanny. The woman handed Prince James to Caitlin. “There’s Mummy’s little boy,” she cooed at him, hugging him tight. Their baby was adorable. Big cheeks, bright blue eyes, wispy hair, and a smile that would charm anyone.

  “I need to inspect my godson,” Nico said, reaching out for the baby. Caitlin handed him over, and Nico held James close, kissing the top of his little downy head.

  The sight of handsome, sexy Nico cuddling, loving, and smiling at a baby was too much.

  “Oh frak, I think my ovaries just exploded,” I accidentally said out loud.

  Caitlin laughed. “You and every other woman in here,” she joked.

  Both men were playing with the baby, talking to him and holding his hands.

  “Might I ask what happened to your arm?”

  I’d totally forgotten about my bandage. I didn’t feel like I needed to wear it any longer, but Dr. Franco had insisted I keep it on for two full weeks to reduce possible swelling. “Nico’s been beating me,” I said, forgetting who I was talking to.

  She stared at me for a moment before she smiled. “Oh, you’re joking.”

  I had just made a totally stupid and inappropriate joke to the future queen of England.

  Caitlin looked at me, considering. “I think I’m going to like you very much. Nico has always had exceptional taste, and if he likes you, I know we all will. I’m going to make certain we’re seated together tonight at dinner.”

  “Would you like to hold him?” Nico offered to me.

  I held my arms out, and James came willingly. He was babbling and smacking his arm up and down. I loved the smell of babies, their soft hair, their delicate skin. I nuzzled my nose against his cheek, and he smiled at me, grabbing a fistful of my hair.

  “He does love hair,” Caitlin said apologetically, untangling his hand. I didn’t mind, but she took him back.

  “Can you imagine having your own children?” Nico asked in an amused way, like the concept of having kids was so far out of the realm of possibility for him. We stood and watched as Alex and Caitlin played with their son. My heart twinged when Alex leaned over to kiss his wife on the forehead, looking at her with so much love that it felt like a tangible thing.

  “I used to think no. I didn’t want to bring up kids in a world like this.”

  “You mean, the best it’s ever been in human history?”

  I nudged him with my elbow. “You know what I mean. But then a friend of mine from college got pregnant, and her baby was due while her husband was stationed in Afghanistan. So I volunteered to be her birthing partner. Which was totally gross, by the way, but when that baby came out and they let me hold her, I decided then and there that I wanted a dozen. Kristi’s lucky I didn’t kidnap Madison and take her home with me. Because the thought did cross my mind.”

  Nico had an unreadable expression on his face. “You never cease to surprise me.” What had I said now to make him react like that?

  “I can show you to your rooms,” a servant announced to the royal couple.

  “Alex, did you still want to see my plans for the new business center?” Nico asked him.

  “Absolutely. Will you be all right?” Alex asked Caitlin.

  “We can manage. Go.”

  The two men walked off, leaving me alone with the princess. “You know they’re probably going to go play Xbox or something, right?”

  “Of course.” She gave me a brilliant smile. “But they don’t get to see each other nearly as much as they’d like to, so allowances must be made.”

  I saw Lemon walking by, and I grabbed her arm, pulling her close. “Lemon, come meet Caitlin.”

  I’d never seen Lemon speechless before, but it had finally happened. She sort of worshipped Caitlin. After Marilyn Monroe, the princess was her favorite.

  “Hello, nice to meet you,” Caitlin said, as she balanced James on her hip.

  Lemon still just stood there.

  “Alex always tells everyone to imagine him naked, and it usually breaks the ice,” Caitlin said.

  “I think imagining your husband naked would only make things worse,” Lemon said, and the princess laughed.

  Then Caitlin’s expression changed, her eyes narrowing and her mouth set. “I didn’t know she would be here.”

  I followed her line of vision and saw Lady Claire Sutherland, again teetering on six-inch heels. The Titanic hit the iceberg and started to sink in my
stomach.

  “Hey,” Lemon said, “you think if we catch her we can make her give up her pot of gold?”

  “I was thinking we’d end up with a chocolate factory tour.”

  Realizing that we had been full-on snarking in front of the princess made us both fall silent. “It does make one curious,” Caitlin said.

  “About what?”

  “About whether Dr. Evil’s realized that Mini Me escaped.”

  Then we all laughed, great big whooping sounds that drew the attention of everyone around us.

  “I shouldn’t have said that in front of anyone else,” Caitlin apologized once we’d quieted down.

  “I’d like to beat her stupid face in with a shovel, so I think I’m exactly the right person to say it in front of,” I told her. “What did she do to you?”

  “That plastic, title-digging slag spent all of our university years chasing after both Nico and Alex, and trying to break Alex and me up. But I have to smile and put up with her because his family is friends with her family. Alex knows to steer clear of that one.”

  “I don’t think Nico got the memo,” I told her. “She took a crack at me in Paris. I’m not over it.”

  “Don’t worry about her,” Lemon said. “We’ve got her number now. She won’t try anything else.”

  “I really should go and get James settled,” Caitlin said. “I will see you again this evening, right?”

  We agreed to meet up at dinner and for the party afterward. We had to be united in the face of that kind of evil.

  “There you go. Living proof,” Lemon said once the princess had left.

  “Living proof of what?”

  “That a prince and a regular person can get married and live happily ever after.”

  I didn’t bother to dignify that statement with a retort.

  At dinner, Caitlin had been true to her word and had me seated next to her. Unfortunately for us, Lady Claire was directly across from me, on Nico’s right. I hated the idea that I would have to sit across from her all night. I wondered who she’d bribed or threatened to end up there.

  Nico helped me with my chair and leaned down to kiss me on the cheek. “You are the most beautiful woman in the room.”