by Violet Paige
She held her hand forward. “Ask me.”
I shoved my hands in my pockets. No one spoke to me this way. “Molly Washington.” I gritted my teeth. “Would you like to go to Sangreaux to tour the olive groves with me?”
She smiled sweetly. “Yes, I’d love to.” She threw her hands around my neck and I felt the tenseness loosen in my chest. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
I stared at her. “Same result.”
She laughed. “Not the point. At all.”
“We now have thirty minutes.” I untangled her from my neck. “There will be a bag packed for you. Would you like to speak to Ayla about personal items? She will be assigned to you.”
“Assigned to me? What are you talking about?”
I folded the lodestar and stacked it on top of my desk. “You need a royal manager to assist you on the trip. I trust her. Kenley would be better, but she’s with Dominic today. She knows how to deal with him.”
“I don’t need a manager. And I’m capable of packing my own bag.”
I faced her. “Have you ever attended an official royal event of any kind? A tea? A dinner? A ball?”
She shook her head, her eyes falling to the floor.
I lifted her chin. “That is why you have a royal manager. Ayla will prepare everything. She will get you through it.”
“This seems intense.”
“It’s life as a royal.” There was no other way to explain it.
I saw her fidget with the T-shirt. “I need to call my roommate. Brooklyn is probably freaking out. And my laptop. Shit, I forgot about it. All my notes.” She covered her eyes with her palms. “Everything is at the library.”
I pointed to a bag next to the elevator. “That laptop?”
Molly ran to the entrance and bent. I smiled at the view.
She unzipped the top and pulled out the contents. “My phone!” She pressed the buttons and began chatting. I walked to the bedroom. There were a few things I wanted to include in my bag, and it was none of my royal manager’s damned business what I needed for a night with Molly.
Twenty-Two
Molly
Brooklyn had been sleeping, but she was glad I called. “I heard about the royal guard at the library, so I sorta figured it was him.”
“Yes. It was. And I just got my phone. I would have called sooner.” Neglecting Brooklyn was turning into a bad habit.
“It’s fine. Really. I get it. You’re with the king.”
“I’m not going to be home again tonight.” Damon walked to the bedroom and closed the door. I had a second of privacy to talk to my best friend.
“Why not?”
“I’m attending a royal trip.” It sounded like the best way to put it. I certainly wasn’t going to run through the irrigation issues. Brooklyn wasn’t interested in politics.
“Holy shit, Mol. That’s crazy.” She suddenly seemed more awake.
“It kinda is, isn’t it?”
“And what about your dissertation?”
I looked at the ceiling. I hadn’t noticed it was carved with ornate designs. “It’s ok if I leave it for another day, right? I’m being spontaneous. You have to do it. I would if I could.” I wondered if she was still melancholy over the guy from gala night.
“Oh, I agree. This is totally spontaneous.”
The bedroom door opened. Damon stood, holding a small overnight bag.
“Hey, I have to go, Brooklyn. But I have my phone now.”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
“I’ll call you later and we can talk. You can tell me about him.” I should have listened sooner.
“Thanks, Mol. Have fun. Send me snaps.”
“I will. Bye.”
I hung up.
“Twenty-five minutes,” Damon stated.
“Right. I just need a pair of yoga pants and hair in a bun. I can do that in five.”
He eyed me. “This is an official visit from the palace. It’s going to require more than active wear. Ayla is on her way up with a few options.”
“My royal manager?” It still sounded bizarre.
“That’s the one.”
I nodded. “All right.” I started to walk past him. Traveling in yoga pants made sense to me. I had worn them on the flight from Charlotte to Freychon last summer.
Damon’s hand landed on my wrist. “Molly.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t think for a second that you aren’t stunning in glasses and yoga pants.” He winked and let me continue to the bedroom.
I blushed. I don’t know how he did that.
A few minutes later there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I called.
A short woman with her hair pulled into a tight chignon entered. Her blond hair was much lighter than mine. I guessed she was maybe thirty-five. “I’m Ayla. His Majesty sent me to present a wardrobe.” She bowed and I felt completely out of place.
I shook my head, trying to convey that protocol was unnecessary with me. I didn’t have an ounce of royal blood.
“I’m Molly. Thanks for your help. I know this was last minute.”
She walked toward me with a garment bag in her arms. She draped it across the bed and unzipped the center.
“We have to work quickly. You only have a few minutes before you need to meet the car downstairs. The king is never late.”
“I’m starting to figure that out.” I looked at the outfits she had selected. I wondered how Damon had described me. How did she know my size?
“This one?” She held up a blush dress that was sleeveless and fell to my knees.
“Yes.” I took the hanger. I didn’t need to go through every dress in the collection. “I’ll change and be right out.” I wasn’t picky about clothes.
“I have pearls,” she called after me. “A gift from the prime minister.”
“Thank you.” I let the silk trickle over my head and wash down my limbs. I looked in the mirror. I had never worn anything like this dress. It wasn’t flashy or revealing. But it wasn’t so modest that I felt matronly. It was fitted with graceful lines.
I turned to observe the back. There were tiny buttons that stopped shy of my backside.
Ayla knocked. “Molly, we need to go. Does it fit?”
I opened the door. “I think so.”
“Oh, it’s perfect.” She grinned. “Here are your pearls. Turn around for me.”
I squatted enough for her to get the strand around my neck and fasten it. “The prime minister left these for His Majesty. They are a specialty from the Bostique Islands, and this seems like the perfect occasion for them. Let me see.”
I turned to face her.
“Stunning. Just like a princess.” She smiled.
I clutched at the necklace. I was afraid of the word. Suddenly afraid of the woman I saw in the mirror. Because I was thinking the same thing. I looked like a princess. And that terrified me.
The sun blazed overhead as we walked through the grove. Damon listened as the farmers explained the growing process of the olive trees. I walked next to him, but was careful to hang back a few inches. I realized I was his date, but it felt more natural to let him lead.
I wasn’t in a position to offer him advice or even interject questions to the farmers. I started to realize there were times when I wasn’t going to be an equal. And if I dated the king, that was going to be showcased in public.
I observed the interaction with new interest. He leaned in, listening intently to the thick Spanish accent. Damon easily moved back and forth between the languages.
Ayla was also in our caravan. But she was in a group that waited for us by the cars. Once we stepped into the grove, I was on my own. I had to hope I didn’t screw up some kind of royal rule. I also had to try not to melt in the hot sun and ruin my beautiful dress. It was hard to walk in heels and navigate the rocky terrain.
Damon offered his hand when we reached a root patch. I thought I heard a camera snap when I took his palm.
“Thank you,�
� I whispered.
He grinned, but began asking more questions about the water levels in the area. The farmers argued over how much rainfall they had in the past two weeks. I maneuvered over the next set of rocks successfully.
I think I was too confident. Feeling graceful and lithe like I was Isabel. I didn’t keep my eyes down when I should have watched every step. My toe hit a root and I tumbled forward.
I shrieked just as Damon wrapped a hand around my waist, snatching me toward him before I could hit the ground.
There was no mistaking the sound of cameras now. My eyes widened.
“Are you ok?” he asked.
I nodded. “I’m sorry.”
He set me upright, allowing me a second to find my balance. “I’m so sorry.” The press corps was going crazy.
“As long as you’re all right, Molly.”
“I am.”
He threaded his fingers through mine. “Maybe I should keep a tighter hold. Just in case.” He squeezed my hand and I pressed my lips together to keep from grinning.
“Thank you.”
We walked for another hour. I stayed by Damon’s side, taking in every part of the discussion. I had no idea there was so much detail in growing olives. I had clearly taken them for granted.
We rejoined the caravan.
Ayla greeted me at the giant SUV that we traveled in from the airport. “You may enter the car,” she whispered. “His Majesty will take a few photos and wave at the crowd. Alone,” she added.
“Ok.” I climbed into the vehicle. I was grateful to have her there. The idea that I needed a royal manager was seeming less and less ridiculous. There was so much I didn’t know.
I watched through the window as Damon signed autographs and posed for pictures with the farmers. There were groups of children in the crowd. It seemed as if everyone from the local villages had gathered for the event.
Ayla sat in the front seat. She turned around, handing me a cold bottle of water.
“Thank you.” I was thirsty. I didn’t know how royals managed to always appear cool and dry in the heat.
“How did it go? Did anything happen I should know about?”
I shrugged. Maybe I should let Damon mention my high heel mishap. I didn’t want to upset her. After all, she was the one who chose my accessories.
“I didn’t expect it to be so warm.” I fanned myself.
“Don’t worry. You have several dress options for dinner. You have plenty of time to shower and prepare for the next event.”
“Oh good.” I took a long sip. “What next event?” I thought this was the only scheduled appearance we had. Damon was intent to gather as much information on the groves as possible to present to the cabinet.
She smiled. “I can’t go into details.”
“Why not?” She was supposed to be my manager. If there were details, I needed to know. I needed mental preparation if it involved socializing with the village’s elite.
“I’ll let His Majesty explain.” She froze when the car door opened and Damon slipped in.
“Your Highness.” She nodded and turned to look through the windshield.
He kicked the dust from his shoes. “I think that went well. What about you?”
“Did you get the information you needed?” I asked.
“And then some.” He pulled my hand into his lap. “Thank you. I have what I need to convince the cabinet.”
I grinned. “I’m glad. They all seemed happy you made the trip.”
The SUV lurched forward, the tires crunching over dirt and gravel.
“What’s next?” I asked.
He looked at me sideways. I caught a glimmer of playfulness.
“You’ll see.”
Twenty-Three
Damon
Decorum. Rules.
I hated the bullshit that came along with being the head of the royal family. Ayla pointed Molly to a room across the hall from mine.
We couldn’t stay in the same suite when we traveled. The country would lose its fucking mind if the citizens thought their unmarried king slept in the same bed as a woman.
“I’ll have her ready by five,” Ayla assured me, guiding her out of my reach.
I shoved my hands in my pockets. It was absurd. Molly should be with me in my suite. At my side. In my bed.
“She doesn’t know about the surprise,” she whispered.
“Thank you.” I walked into my rooms, closing the door with an irritated thud. I walked to the bar and poured a drink.
There wasn’t anything that could quench my thirst for her. The bottle wasn’t deep enough.
I sat on the couch and grabbed the remote. I rarely watched TV unless it was football, but I turned on the flat screen.
“Fuck.”
The headline flashed across the screen.
American caught by His Royal Highness
There was a succession of photos that blurred in random order of Molly losing her balance and me stopping her fall.
This trip was supposed to be about support for irrigation funding, not about Molly. I stormed to the hallway.
“Yes, Your Majesty?” The security officer nodded.
“I need Sutcliffe and Kenley on the phone immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
I slammed the door and paced in front of the TV. There was very little coverage about the event today, and an abundance of speculation about Molly. Who was she? Where did we meet? Why was she on a domestic trip with the king?
I groaned. I knew she would be photographed, but I underestimated the press’s interest in her. The fact that I scooped her up in a heroic gesture only fanned the flames.
Security knocked before entering with two phones.
“Kenley is on this one and Sutfcliffe on the other.”
“Thank you.”
Kenley was the go-to on royal damage control. I told Sutcliffe to hold the line a minute.
“Kenley, have you seen the headlines?”
“Yes. They are taking over social media. I’m afraid the entire country knows about Molly Washington’s trip into your arms, Your Majesty.”
Damn it. I closed my eyes. “Is there any way to extract more coverage on the olive groves? That’s the point of my being here. That needs to be the headline.”
“I can release a memo from the palace regarding the trip today. I’ll update all of our sites.”
“But that’s it?”
“Sir, I think you need to be prepared for the frenzy over Molly. You have never taken a companion on a trip. It was bound to cause questions. Her citizenship creates even more interest. Americans in Galona. You might as well have caught a unicorn.”
“I know. Sutcliffe mentioned it more than once.” He was still waiting for me on the other phone. “Do what you can, Kenley. Spin this away from Molly. The cabinet meeting is tomorrow. I need the votes.”
“Yes, sir. I will do everything I can.”
“Do more, Kenley.”
I hung up with her and pulled the Sutcliffe phone to my ear.
“Sutcliffe, I assume you know why I called.”
“Miss Washington, sir?”
He fucking knew why. He wanted me to admit I had been wrong to bring her. That wasn’t going to happen.
“Yes.” I clenched my jaw. “I thought it might take the press longer to show their interest in her, but it was escalated by one picture.”
“I saw it, sir.”
“Everyone has seen it,” I snarled. “Ayla is working with her now, but I need protocols in place when we return tomorrow.”
“I don’t understand, Your Highness, what type of protocols?”
“I can’t let her return to her apartment in the city without security. She won’t be able to go to the library. Her world has just been interrupted. I expect a solution when we return.”
“She’s an American citizen, sir. Maybe she should contact her embassy.”
“This happened on a Galona domestic trip. She’s my responsibility. We are going to provide her ro
yal security. Leave the embassy out of it.”
“Are you suggesting she move into the palace, sir?”
I rubbed the back of my head. “I’m suggesting you find a way to keep her safe. One that will satisfy my requirements and keep the country from imploding with gossip.”
This was a fucking train wreck.
“Your Highness, this is unprecedented. No companion has ever lived at the palace. It’s not possible.”
I exhaled. “Make it possible. Find some historic anecdote. Find a loophole. You and I will meet when I return in the morning.”
“I know my royal history, sir. To even broach this topic without scandal is impossible.”
“Sutcliffe, I’m not asking. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I tossed both phones on the couch and slumped in the chair with my bourbon.
One trip. One tiny misstep and I had done what I avoided my entire life. I had fallen for a woman so hard that I was willing to break every fucking royal rule to have her.
Twenty-Four
Molly
I knew something was wrong the instant I saw him. He was hiding a scowl when he should have been smiling.
Ayla had chosen every inch of my outfit. I knew I looked more supermodel tonight and less princess.
For the first time since I met Damon, it seemed as if he looked right through me. He didn’t seem to notice the subtle dip of the V between my breasts, or the slit that rose to my thigh.
He met me at the car parked at the rear entrance of the hotel.
“What’s wrong?” I searched the dark swirls in his eyes for answers.
“Nothing, love.”
I slid into the seat, careful to keep my knees and ankles together as I spun my glittery heels onto the floorboard. Ayla had been specific about every movement of the night.
The chauffer held the door as Damon climbed in, his heavy frame engulfing the air in the backseat. I could feel the heat of his irritation. Only, I had no idea what caused it.
“What’s the surprise?” I asked.
He gazed out of the window. “Dinner.” His voice was flat.