Was he ready? His jaw was squeezed tightly in an effort to keep his mouth from hanging open at the sight of this delightfully disheveled groundskeeper.
“Uh…” he managed. “Thank you.”
He followed her back through into the main part of the castle and up a set of stairs to the master bedroom, unable to keep his eyes from wandering over her curves.
“Here we are,” she said and led him into a brightly lit room with a four-poster bed in its center and floor-to ceiling bookcases lining one wall. Aldon was curious as to which titles lined the shelves, as reading was one of his greatest passions. Still, his interest in Piper outranked his preoccupation with books at the moment.
“Does the room seem fitting?” Piper asked.
“Absolutely,” he answered quickly. “Charming, in fact.”
She nodded. “There’s an adjoining bath with all the toiletries you might need. Let me just get some fresh sheets on your bed.”
Piper threw open the closet doors and pulled out a set of creamy white linens.
“You don’t have to do that,” Aldon said. Surely it wasn’t this woman’s job to make his bed.
Although, he had to admit, he’d never really had to make his bed himself before. His staff had always done it for him.
“It’s no hassle,” she replied and shot him a warm smile. “I want you to be comfortable. You seem a bit stressed. Hopefully while you’re here, you can just relax and feel pampered.”
Suddenly, Aldon was overcome by Piper’s kindness. A warm glow lit him up from the inside as he considered her empathy. Not only was this woman drop-dead gorgeous, but she was good-hearted.
An image of the always-flawless Carrie slid into his mind’s eye. She never looked messy or disheveled, but then she never had any reason to. She’d grown up with staff catering to her every whim. It wouldn’t ever cross her mind to make her own bed, much less make one up for anyone else.
Piper, with her cute, mud-streaked cheeks and authentic smile, seemed to genuinely enjoy helping others. She was so unlike his ex-fiancée, and, at the moment, this made her extremely attractive, even with her dirty face.
“There you go,” she said and smoothed down the bedclothes with one hand. “I just need to get the comforter.”
“Uh, Piper,” he said.
“Yes?”
“You have something on your cheeks.”
Her hand flew to her face, and she started to laugh, a bright sound that lit Aldon up from the inside.
“Occupational hazard,” she said and used a handkerchief to dust off the remaining dry mud. “Better?” she asked him.
“Yes,” he said, but thought to himself that Piper looked amazing no matter what. A little mud couldn’t hide the kind of beauty she possessed. For a split second, he wondered what it would be like to be with her—wrapped up in the fresh sheets she’d just stretched over the bed.
Stop.
He was here for solitude, not for a romp with a ravishing redhead.
“I’ll grab the comforter,” she said, her sweet voice dripping like honey over the bitterness of his current circumstances.
He forced a smile and swallowed, because he had the distinct feeling that this attraction he felt toward Piper was going to be an ongoing problem.
A very interesting problem.
* * *
As Piper stared up at the heavy down comforter that was tucked onto a high shelf in the linen closet, she paused to take a deep breath. Her fingers were trembling, and she felt altogether uncomfortable in her own skin.
All because Prince Charming had decided to pay a visit.
Which—she told herself—he had every right to do whenever he wanted. The castle belonged to him, after all. It was just that she’d been living here at Thistledown Castle virtually alone for nearly five years.
She’d gotten so used to her peaceful, simple life maintaining the castle grounds, enjoying its high walls and gorgeous gardens, not giving too much thought to its owner. She’d always assumed the prince would show up for a visit someday, but thought it would be a meticulously planned one, arranged weeks in advance with an army of staff arriving in advance of him to make sure everything was arranged the way he wanted it. She certainly hadn’t expected him to walk into the kitchen all by himself. She could have used some time to prepare both the castle and herself.
Self-consciously, she smoothed her incorrigible red hair into place then stood on tiptoe to reach for the comforter. She noticed Prince Aldon peeking into the hallway at her from the bedroom and shot him a flustered smile.
“Let me help you with that,” he said. He pulled the comforter down and carried it back into the bedroom. Piper followed him.
“Thanks.” She could feel the heat of a blush on her cheeks, no doubt the result of her surprisingly strong attraction to Prince Aldon. She’d seen him and the other members of the royal family—his parents and brothers—in the news and the papers dozens of times and had found him easy on the eyes, but in person… mercy.
He was beyond gorgeous.
His blue-green eyes bore into hers from over the bed. As the comforter settled, a breeze wafted his musky scent across the room, making Piper swoon.
Not only did the angels sing when he looked at her, but he smelled like heaven too. Piper would have to get her wits about her. She tried to think of something to say to break the silence.
“It’s a nice time for a getaway. Blue skies and sunny out here in the country.” Again, she grinned nervously at the prince, admonishing herself for being unable to come up with anything more clever to talk of than the weather.
He let out a heavy sigh and rounded the corner of the bed back toward her. Goose bumps rose on her skin as he neared. Why was she so affected by his presence? “I need a bit of a respite from life in the capital right about now,” he said.
Respite? He was the Prince of Sovalon. She couldn’t imagine his life was all that difficult. And yet, he did have deep circles beneath his eyes.
“Hopefully, you can get the rest you need here at Thistledown,” she said, wondering what possibly could be stressing him out.
“Let’s hope so.”
As she fluffed the pillows, she remembered seeing the news story of Prince Aldon’s wedding being postponed.
Oh!
Perhaps that was the reason for the dark shadows on his face. Could there be trouble in paradise? Could the handsome prince be on the verge of becoming available again?
Once again, she silently scolded herself for going there. Even if Prince Aldon was single, what would he want with the likes of her, his employee?
“I was sorry to hear of your wedding being delayed,” she dared. “That must be difficult for you.”
“Oh, that.” The prince cleared his throat, and his stare drifted to the window she’d opened a few minutes before. Piper’s heart squeezed at the forlorn look on his face. Finally, he met her eyes again. “Thank you,” he said. “I appreciate your concern, but it’s fine. It will be fine.” He paused for a moment, seeming to hold his breath, then continued. “It’s probably for the best anyway. And certainly not your problem. It’s completely fine.”
“I see,” she said. Obviously it wasn’t fine. “Have you chosen a new date yet?” She knew she was overstepping, but curiosity had overcome her.
At her question, the prince’s eyes narrowed. “Definitely not,” he said sharply. He took two steps toward her then two steps back, as if emotion had spurred him to movement. He pointed one finger toward the window and raised his eyebrows. “It’s not just a delay. The wedding is off entirely.”
Piper bit her lip. Clearly she’d touched a sore spot.
“But,” he said, seeming to calm down, “the press don’t know exact details, and we’re claiming cold feet, so it’s all hush-hush.”
“Ah.” Curiosity was eating her up. What were the details? Knowing she shouldn’t press him, Piper nodded slowly as not to agitate him further. “Well, mum’s the word,” she said and pretended to zip her lips with her thumb and foref
inger. “I’m sorry for your troubles, Prince Aldon.”
“Please, just call me Aldon,” he said.
His tone was so strained, she almost felt guilty for asking questions that forced him to talk about the source of his anguish. She definitely would press him no further on the topic. Not that he’d want to talk with her anyway. Why would he want to talk with the caretaker or any of his staff, for that matter?
“Okay, Aldon,” she said and smiled. “Well, you’ve come to the right place for some escape. Are you planning on staying long?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” he said. “I’ve brought some work to do while I’m here. I’d like to get back into economics, which is what I studied at university. I plan to spend some time reacquainting myself with that while I’m here.”
“Well, the castle is a lovely place to reconnect with what matters.”
Just then a strong breeze whooshed into the room, knocking over a vase on the bedside table. Both Aldon and Piper raced to close the window, their hands falling over one another onto the pane at the same time. Electric sparks seemed to dance over Piper’s skin at his touch. Reflexively, she snatched her hand back, as Aldon pushed the window shut then glanced back up at her. His cheeks were as red as hers felt just from having brushed fingers with him.
Piper bit her lip, then hurriedly picked up the vase that had fallen to the floor, grateful it hadn’t broken.
“As I was saying, the castle is lovely. That is until a strong wind blows you away.”
He grinned at her joke.
“But seriously, it’s been a pleasure living here,” she said.
Something in his countenance shifted at her words, becoming a bit more knowing and perhaps a bit naughty.
“I can see how it would be a pleasure.” He lingered noticeably on the word pleasure, letting his gaze travel over her then rest on her eyes. The hunger in his stare was more than just a little flirty, and she had to admit, it was making her respond.
Suddenly, a piercing shriek broke the tension of the moment.
“Is that a child?” Aldon asked.
Without answering him, Piper hurried from the room.
2
Aldon followed Piper down the winding staircase and through the foyer door to the servants’ quarters, feeling both baffled and annoyed about the loud screaming that had broken the spell of their heated moment. He trailed Piper as she scurried through the kitchen and pushed through the double glass doors that led to a courtyard out back, the wailing getting louder as they got outside.
With wide eyes, Aldon took in the source of the noise. A girl that looked to be about five years old was curled into a ball on the patio, her yellow pigtails swaying as she rocked with sobs.
“Oh, sweetie, what happened?”
He watched curiously as Piper got to her knees to inspect the child, then grimaced as he noticed the slow stream of blood that stained the little girl’s shin.
“I fell,” she cried. “It’s a big boo-boo, Momma.”
Momma?
“Oh, Willa, it’s not so bad.” Piper scooped the girl into her arms while Aldon attempted to bounce back from this latest shock.
Was this Piper’s child? Or had he misunderstood? He cleared his throat and tried to joke.
“Well, well, is this an employee of mine as well?”
Piper laughed, but the girl’s face seemed to be stuck in a traumatized frown.
“Aldon, this is my daughter, Willa,” Piper said and hugged Willa to her. “She lives here with me at the castle.”
Sweat beaded upon Aldon’s brow as he tried to structure this new information into the reality of the gorgeous caretaker. A daughter? This gorgeous woman had a daughter?
Piper carried Willa into the kitchen, placed her tiny form on the counter near the sink and began dabbing at her knee with a wet washcloth as Aldon looked on. Willa met her mother’s wound care with ear-splitting screams.
This was one of the many reasons Aldon had never wanted children.
They were noisy and unpredictable and quite a disruption.
Most importantly, though, he’d always doubted his ability to be a good father. His own father had always been detached, focused on his own goals, unwilling to see value in his sons’ hopes and dreams. He’d always made Aldon feel inadequate. Aldon would never want to inflict that kind of pain on his own children, but he didn’t really know any other way to parent.
The realization that Piper had a child changed everything. She may be beautiful and as sweet as a chocolate truffle, but he couldn’t risk getting close to her or even entertaining thoughts of a country fling with her—not if there was a child involved.
Although, moments ago, upstairs, he had been doing just that. When their hands had touched, something strange had come over him. An attraction like he’d never experienced before in his life. He’d found himself not only wanting to take Piper to him and kiss her right then and there, but he had the feeling he could also sit and talk with her for hours. He wanted to know her better.
But not now. Not with a kid in the mix. Too much complication for his liking when he’d come out to the country to get away from romantic complications.
“Okay, Willa, I think you’ll live,” Piper said and set Willa to her feet on the kitchen floor.
“But, Momma, it still hurts,” the little girl whined. Aldon sighed.
Whining was another aspect of children he didn’t much appreciate.
“Would you like me to cut it off?” Piper joked, and Willa gasped. “You have another leg. You probably don’t need two.”
Aldon laughed quietly. That was a clever response on Piper’s part.
“No!” Willa said.
“Are you sure?”
“Momma!”
Aldon couldn’t help but grin at the little girl’s shocked expression. Kids may be annoying, but they could also be cute.
“Okay. How about a Band-Aid then?”
Willa seemed to take a second to think about her mother’s offer then calmly nodded. “I think a Band-Aid is a good idea.”
Piper dug the promised Band-Aid from a drawer and carefully applied it to Piper’s wound. Her tenderness with her daughter wasn’t lost on Aldon, and he found himself unable to tear his eyes away. He watched her lean close to her daughter and whisper something in the little girl’s ear. Willa gasped again and placed a hand over her mouth. With big eyes, she looked at Aldon and then, when her mother had helped her down from the counter, she approached him with a curtsy.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Prince,” she said. Her expression was so earnest, Aldon found himself to be surprisingly amused.
Willa wiped her tears with the palm of her hand then held it out for a shake.
“Oh,” Aldon said, not wanting to grasp the child’s tear-soaked fingers but unsure of what else to do. The kid was trying to be gracious. Matching her courtesy was the least he could do. With two fingers, he uncomfortably accepted her hand and shook it.
Gross.
“Well,” he said. “I should go unpack my bags and get my head in the books.”
Piper regarded him with a confused look, tilting her head to the side and jutting her hip out in a way that accentuated her curves. Damn, she was stunning.
He reminded himself that his short-lived fantasy of shacking up with the caretaker was now over. Besides, he was here to heal from a broken heart, not get involved in more romantic drama.
Willa released a sound that was a cross between a hiccup and a sob then used the back of her hand to wipe her runny nose.
His cue to leave.
“It was nice to have met both of you, and Willa, I do hope your knee feels better soon.”
He turned on one heel and walked out of the servants’ quarters before he could change his mind.
* * *
Piper watched Aldon walk swiftly out of the kitchen and scratched her head. That was a quick exit. For a minute there, upstairs, she’d gotten the feeling that he might be interested in her. He’d certainly had that look i
n his eyes.
Until Willa had screamed from downstairs.
She hoped he wasn’t offended by the fact that her daughter lived here with her. The steward who had hired her had known about Willa and had given his permission for her to stay in the house, but maybe the rules were different when the prince was here. After all, the house technically belonged to him, and she got the sense that he wasn’t a big fan of children.
“Momma?” Willa piped up, grabbing Piper out of her thoughts.
“Yes, Willa?”
“Was that man a real prince?” she asked. “Because he didn’t look like a prince. He didn’t even have a crown on his head.”
Piper grinned at her daughter’s simple logic.
“He is absolutely a real prince, Willa,” she said. “He’s one of three princes of Sovalon. Modern princes like him don’t wear crowns except on special occasions. That’s only in fairy tales.”
Piper watched as her daughter seemed to consider her explanation. “Well, he sure is a handsome prince,” Willa said.
“Willa!” When had her daughter started noticing whether or not people were attractive? Piper shook her head and chuckled.
“Well, he is, isn’t he?”
“Yes, I suppose he is quite handsome,” Piper admitted to her daughter. In fact, Piper would have to keep herself in check, to make sure she didn’t get carried away with her attraction to Aldon. It wouldn’t be easy. There was something about him that made her want to get closer, to find out what made him tick.
But then, any involvement with him would likely be a disaster on many levels. In Piper’s experience with men, they tended to do nothing but disappoint you, and the last thing she needed was to have a falling out with her employer. Aldon may have been easy on the eyes, but there was too much at stake for her to get emotionally involved. She had to keep her distance and also keep Willa under control.
“Listen, Willa,” she said and took her daughter’s tiny hand into her own. “Prince Aldon is the owner of this place, so I want you to be on your best behavior while he’s here.”
The Billionaire Prince’s Single Mother: Sovalon Royals Book Three Page 2