Yours Royally: A Cinderella Love Story (Billionaires and Brides Book 3)

by Krista Lakes

  “What time is it?” Sabrina asked, as she sat up in bed and stretched her arms above her head.

  When she did, the blanket fell off of her front and exposed her naked chest. She squealed in embarrassment and did her best to cover herself with her hands.

  “Sorry, I forgot I was naked under here,” she said, scrambling to pull the blanket back up.

  Marco sat on the edge of the bed and gently touched the top of her arm. “Please don't ever apologize for that.”

  Sabrina laughed. “How long have you been awake?”

  “Just a few minutes,” Marco said, still tenderly touching her shoulder. “Just long enough to order room service. It's only nine in the morning but I wanted to wake you so that we can get going. I've made a change of plans.”

  “A change of plans?” she asked, her eyebrows rising. “What do you mean?”

  “I know that we had originally planned on being in New York for another week, but I got to thinking this morning,” he said, taking a dramatic pause. “I want to take you some place special, some place romantic.”

  Her heart swelled as he listened to him speak. Nobody had ever wanted to take her any place special before.

  “I like the sound of that,” she said, reaching forward the squeeze his hand. “Where are you thinking?”

  Marco's smile widened from ear to ear. He looked like a kid who was about to open up the biggest Christmas present under the tree. “How would you feel about spending the rest of this vacation in Hawaii?”

  Sabrina's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. There was no way that she had heard him correctly.

  “Hawaii?” she asked, as a burst of excitement filled her. “I thought you wanted to check out California and maybe New Orleans.”

  “I did,” he said, leaning in a little bit closer. “But let me ask you something, Sabrina. Have you ever been to Hawaii?”

  “No, of course not,” she said, shaking her head. “I've hardly been outside of Tennessee.”

  “That's why I want to take you there,” he replied. “A city will be full of people that want to take our pictures and force us to blend in. Let's take a flight to Hawaii today and make this the best trip of our lives.”

  Her heart was beating wildly now. She felt like jumping up and down, and she probably would have if she wasn't still naked underneath the covers.

  “That sounds incredible,” she said, as she brought her face closer to his.

  Their lips collided and that exact moment was when she felt it. It was as though the entire world shrunk down and the only two people that existed in it were she and Marco. This man, the one who was the last person she should have ended up with, was also the same one who had her heart. She couldn't put the feeling into words or even an organized thought, but in that moment she realized that this was a man she could truly love. Of course, only if she allowed herself to do so.

  Marco broke the kiss, but kept his eyes locked with hers. “So that's a yes?”

  “Of course that's a yes,” she said. “I'll call Valetta and get the trip scheduled. You said you wanted to leave today, right? I'll run down to the front desk in a bit to tell them that we'll be checking out early.”

  Her words stumbled out of her mouth quickly. She was so excited that she could hardly breathe. She had known that this job would entail some traveling and sight-seeing, but never could she have imagined that it would take her to a place as magnificent as Hawaii. But in addition to being excited about the hot sun and the warm water of Hawaii, she was also looking forward to spending the time there with Marco.

  This is going to be so romantic. Hawaii, really? Could this job get any better? she thought. I can't wait to tell my parents about this. They probably won't even believe me when I tell them where I'm headed.

  “Well, what do you think?” Sabrina asked Marco, as the cab driver dropped them off at the end of a paved driveway.

  They gazed up the hill to where a beautiful little cabin stood, its backdrop the lush jungle. Huge windows overlooked the both the greenery and the ocean on the other side.

  “I think this is absolutely perfect,” he said, throwing his duffel bag over his shoulder and then grabbing Sabrina's hand.

  “Valetta suggested a hotel, but I thought this would be better,” Sabrina explained. “Here, we don't have to worry about anyone else.”

  “I think that this will be so much better than a boring hotel,” he said, squeezing her hand. “Besides, this place is only a few minutes from the beach. What more could we ask for?”

  Marco's private plane had landed them on the big island of Hawaii a half an hour prior and they had taken a private car to their place. Sabrina was tired from the long journey, but had a renewed energy now that the reality of the situation had finally settled in.

  I can't believe I'm actually in Hawaii right now, she thought.

  The closest she had ever come had been while looking at travel magazines during a dentist's visit. She'd always get lost in the articles, imagining what it would actually feel like to be there. She had always thought of it as a place reserved for rich people, but those ideas faded quickly as she walked up the driveway toward the cabin.

  The house was stunning. Huge floor to ceiling windows seemed to line every wall, giving amazing views of both the jungle and and the ocean. Several of them were open, allowing in the scent and sound of the water. Sabrina set her bags down and walked around back. She could hear the ocean and wanted to see just how close they were.

  “Whoa,” she whispered, stepping out onto a wooden deck through an open door.

  The large opening in the trees behind the cabin revealed a panoramic view of the ocean. The water was deep blue in color, contrasting against the white sand. It was breathtaking and Sabrina found herself staring at it. She wasn't sure exactly why, but a tear came to her eye and slid down her cheek. Standing there, looking at the ocean that she thought she'd never see, was a very emotional experience for her. It represented a lot. She'd come so far in life and seeing the ocean was proof to her that dreams sometimes actually do some true.

  The moment was bittersweet, though. She thought of her parents, who were back home working hard to just pay the bills. She felt a bit of guilt, wondering why she got to be so lucky and they never had the chance.

  Maybe someday when I'm making steady money and have a good career, I can take them out here to see this, she thought. I can already imagine my mother's smile. Even Dad might smile if I told him I was flying them to Hawaii.

  A clattering sound came from the cabin and Sabrina spun around. She ran inside, where she saw Marco standing in the kitchen looking down at a broken plate.

  “I'm terribly sorry,” he said. “I was going to make us a quick dinner so that we could take a walk before it gets dark. Clearly, though, I've no business attempting to cook.”

  Sabrina put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Marco looked so disappointed, but she found it to be cute. “It's just a plate, Marco. It happens. I'll clean it up.”

  She found a broom in the closet by the front door and went to sweep up the remnants of the porcelain plate. Marco stood outside of the kitchen, as though he were afraid he'd break something else if he got too close. Once the floor was swept, Sabrina looked across the room to Marco. “What were you going to cook, if you don't mind me asking?”

  Marco shrugged. “While you were outside, I looked through the cabinets. I saw a pack of dry noodles and I was going to add some eggs and vegetables to them.”

  The cabin came fully stocked, which was another reason Sabrina had chosen to go with it over the hotel. A full fridge and pantry meant that they wouldn't have to run to the grocery store, which in turn meant that it would be less likely someone would find out that Marco was in Hawaii.

  “That's sweet of you,” she said, her heartwarming from the kind gesture. “But I'm happy to cook some food. There are lots of things to eat here.”

  “I'm sure you're exhausted from the flight, though,” Marco said, hesitantly stepping back int
o the kitchen and next to Sabrina. “We can go get food somewhere. I'm certain there are restaurants nearby.”

  “It's completely up to you,” she said. “But I'm happy to finish the meal you had started. Then we can take that walk you were talking about.”

  Marco nodded in agreement. “As long as you don't mind.”

  Sabrina put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. “Marco, you're paying me to help you out. I certainly don't mind making us food.”

  He smiled warmly. “Fair enough. Let's cook a meal tonight and we'll go out for a nice dinner tomorrow night. How does that sound?”

  “Sounds like a marvelous plan,” she said, spinning around to start the food.

  It didn't take long to cook. She quickly boiled some noodles and then added fresh veggies to it, topped with some tomato sauce. It wasn't too fancy, but she didn't want to waste too much time. It was already dusk and if they wanted to take a walk then they needed to hurry.

  While she had been hard at work in the kitchen, Marco had slipped away around the corner, where the only bedroom was located. He showed up a few minutes before the food was finished and he had a giant smile.

  “Look what I found in the back of the closet,” he said, holding up a wicker picnic basket. “How would you feel about an evening picnic on the beach?”

  “Now tell me, Marco, how could I possibly say 'no' to something like that?” she said, with a giggle. “I'll pack up the food and a bottle of wine. We can head out in less than five minutes.”

  She pulled the noodles off of the stove and decided to change into something more comfortable while the food cooled. She made her way to the bedroom and heaved her suitcase up onto the bed. After digging through her clothes, she finally found something that she considered suitable for a dinner on the beach. It was a silky black dress with red flower petals on it. Her mother had found it at a second-hand store, but even though it hadn't cost very much, it still looked expensive. It was probably the nicest dress Sabrina owned and she decided that their first night in Hawaii would be the perfect opportunity to wear it.

  So she stripped off her clothes and then stepped into the dress. She brought her hands down her sides, feeling the smooth material. Then she walked over to the mirror that hung above the wooden dresser. As she brushed her hair, she thought about her deepening feelings toward Marco.

  Where is this really headed? She asked herself. And when do I just come clean to him about my feelings?

  Her mind and heart felt separated. A battle waged between them. Her heart knew exactly what it wanted. It wished to open up and fall in love with Marco, carelessly throwing all she had at him. But her mind quarreled, unable to fully accept a relationship with him as a real possibility. Doubt crept just below the surface and she continued to question just how it could work out.

  The door to the bedroom slowly creaked open and Sabrina glanced over to see Marco in the doorway. He was holding the picnic basket in one hand and an unopened bottle of red wine in the other. He leaned against the door jam and tilted his head, causing his hair to fall across his face.

  “You've been in here a while,” he said. “I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

  “Everything is fine,” she said, with a nod. “I guess I was caught up in my own mind for a minute. Are you ready to go? I still need to pack up the food.”

  “One step ahead of you,” he said, holding the basket up in the air. “I'm ready when you are.”

  Sabrina glanced out of the bedroom window, noticing that the sky had begun to turn a shade of orange.

  “If we hurry, we can catch the sunset,” she said, as she slipped on a pair of sandals and followed Marco out the door.

  The two of them walked quickly down the hill behind the cabin, making their way through the lush foliage that separated them from the beach. Sabrina hurried ahead, running straight to the edge of the water and pausing at the wet sand before dipping her toes. She held the hem of her dress up as a single wave washed over her feet.

  The sun was sinking quickly, but the air was still so warm. Sabrina brought her gaze to the horizon and gasped when she saw the view. The sky had become an explosion of color, a combination of blue, purple and orange. Rays of light shot through the few clouds that hovered above the ocean, making the scene look more like a painting than reality.

  “It's amazing,” she whispered. “Oh my gosh, so beautiful.”

  Marco stepped side her and placed his hand onto her lower back. She looked over at him, admiring the way the colors of the sunset reflected on his dark eyes and gave his face an orange glow. By the time she looked at the horizon again, the sun had sunk a little further and the colors in the sky changed to a deeper purple.

  “I have to say that I'm very glad I decided to bring us here,” Marco said as they walked back to dry land. He pulled a blanket out of the picnic basket and spread it out on the sand. “New York was great, but I prefer a view like this any day.”

  Sabrina nodded in agreement. Marco had been right when he said that a city was just a city. There were buildings, cars and people. But the paradise they stood in now was so much more intriguing. She took a seat on the blanket and Marco sat across from her. A light breeze blew off of the ocean and caused Marco's hair to fall across his face. He looked up and smiled at her. Her heart swelled when she realized that the view of him trumped the view of the sunset.

  He reached into the picnic basket and pulled out the bottle of red wine. Sabrina watched as he opened it and poured two glasses. As soon as the wine was poured, Marco crawled across the blanket and sat next to her. Together, they sipped their wine while watching the last few minutes of the sunset.

  A realization occurred to Sabrina. She found herself happier in this moment than she could ever remember being in her entire life. There was a deep peace inside of her. Maybe it was the warmth of the air, or the fresh breeze. Or maybe it was that she was there with Marco.

  I'm living a life right now that I only ever dreamed of, she thought.

  Marco scooted a bit closer to her and wrapped his arm around her back. Sabrina closed her eyes and leaned toward him, placing her head against his shoulder.

  There is literally no other place on Earth where I'd rather be right now, she thought. This is perfect. This is what life should feel like.

  “This is perfect,” Sabrina whispered.

  “And we have a whole two weeks more,” Marco whispered before kissing the top of her head.

  Sabrina grinned and relaxed against him. She couldn't imagine a better two weeks.

  Chapter 13

  Sabrina

  “Picnic again?” Marco offered, holding up the basket.

  Sabrina laughed. “We've had a picnic every night for the past eight days,” she informed him. “And I still say yes every time. So, yes. I'd love a picnic on the beach.”

  Marco grinned at her and his dark eyes sparkled as he helped her gather a simple meal with a bottle of wine to enjoy on the beach. It had become something of a tradition for the two of them now, and the fact that there were only a few days left before Marco needed to return home to be with his father broke Sabrina's heart.

  She never wanted this to end. She wanted their happy days to continue on forever, even though she knew they couldn't. There were signs of change coming. The pantry was running low on supplies and they only had two more bottles of wine left. Restocking was as simple as making a phone call, but it still meant that time was passing.

  Hand in hand, the two of them walked along the sandy path to the beach to watch the sunset over the ocean. These days were paradise. They made love on the beach, played in the water, and then would go back up to the house to make love again.

  Which reminded Sabrina that food wasn't the only thing that needed to be restocked if they were going to stay in their perfect paradise.

  Marco stood and stared at the horizon as Sabrina finished unpacking the last few things for their meal.

  “What are you looking at, Marco?” she asked, follo
wing his gaze out across the ocean. The sky was just starting to change from blue to pinks, but he wasn't looking at the color.

  “Just thinking of home,” he replied. He shook himself and sat down on the blanket next to her. “I want to show it to you someday.”

  Everything she wanted to tell Marco came bubbling to the surface. Her heart had been aching for the opportunity to tell him how she felt and this quiet moment on the beach seemed like as good of a time as any.

  “Marco, can I ask you something?” Sabrina said, as she opened her eyes to see that the sky had grown a darker shade of purple in just a few seconds.

  He was silent for a moment, as he took a sip from his wine. Then he set the glass down next to him and kissed the top of her head. When he pulled away he said, “You can ask me anything.”

  Sabrina's chest tingled with anxiety. She was about to put herself on the line and risk embarrassment.

  “I'm not really the best at this sort of thing,” she said, nervously fidgeting with her hands.

  Her confidence waned and she suddenly wished she hadn't brought it up. It had sounded like a good idea until she actually started telling him.

  “Actually, never mind,” she said, shaking her head.

  She leaned forward and let out a discouraged sigh. Marco brought his hand up her back, gently massaging her shoulders.

  “Sabrina, please,” he said. “Tell me what's on your mind. I promise that I would never judge you. You can tell me anything. Really.”

  She turned to face him and his expression was one of legitimate concern. He stared straight at her and smiled warmly.

  “Really?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he said, still massaging her shoulders. “Really.”

  Sabrina drew in a breath and exhaled slowly. “Marco, I've had more fun on this trip than any other time in my entire life. At first, I thought it was simply because I was getting to see new places and eat at nice restaurants. But I've realized that those things weren't the real reason I've been enjoying myself so much. It's because of you that I've had so much fun. Even when things were crazy, like running from the paparazzi, I was still having a good time because it was with you.”