His Majesty's Secret Passion

by Christina Hollis

  Sara couldn’t know anything about his life in Kharova. She was filling his last few precious hours of freedom with amazing thoughts and desires. He couldn’t break this spell by telling her he was heading for his coronation. If he did, she’d be transformed in an instant. She would stop fluttering like a trapped bird, push her shoulders back and her breasts forward, and change from a linnet into a bird of paradise at the drop of a regal title.

  It took him so long to decide what to say; his words were hardly more than a gruff whisper. “We’ve had some good times together, Sara...”

  She went pale. “So...it’s that sort of bad news. You’re dying?” she whispered.

  His face twisted with the irony of it. “No. At least, not if I can help it. But you saying that puts things into perspective for me, Sara. You know as much about Leo Gregoryan as you need to. “

  The atmosphere between them lightened. His mention of time slipping away galvanized Sara. Whatever lay ahead for Leo, she wanted him to enjoy his last few days of freedom. Her business skills might help him make all the changes he wanted back at his home. Without treating his staff the way ACS treated me, she thought.

  The way Leo took the helm of his yacht for their return journey to the island convinced her he wasn’t a man to be confined by a desk job. He needed to challenge himself all the time, and those around him. Any woman who tangled with Leo Gregoryan needed to be his equal. Making a success of his new position in life mattered to him. If she could do anything to lift some of the burden from his shoulders, then she would.

  With his hard work, dedication, and loyalty, Leo could rule the world if he wanted...

  Chapter Eight

  Leo rinsed his razor, lined it up alongside the sink and stared at his reflection in the mirror. He’d got more enjoyment out of these last few days than on any other holiday. He looked forward to spending time in Sara’s company, like a child waiting for his birthday. It was a strange feeling. He often used women for relaxation, but being with Sara wasn’t relaxing. It was like cosying up to a tiger, but less dangerous and more satisfying. Why was she so different? There was a spark, an emotional response to her he’d never felt before. Sara made him feel alive. She was intelligent, too dedicated to her work for her own good—and far more beautiful than she realised.

  Lots of women had those qualities, so why did his heart always beat faster at the thought of seeing her? It must be something to do with the way she wouldn’t give in. Not to him, but to herself. He had a shrewd idea she was attracted to him as much as he was to her, but she wouldn’t let herself enjoy what he was offering. Maybe that was part of her attraction. He could simply enjoy her company without having to put on a show. There was no need for the continuous flirting his usual arm candy expected. Sara was a breath of fresh air, even if it sometimes felt he was walking headfirst into a gale. And he loved every moment of it.

  He strolled out of the bathroom and found Krisia rummaging through his wardrobe. His PA was a different form of wildlife, more a cross between a boa constrictor and a broody hen. Disapproval radiated off her today, spiced with the air of martyrdom. I’ve learned all that from the set of her shoulders, Leo thought with a grimace. “Krisia—what are you doing?”

  “Choosing clothes for your day out with that woman. You might not be taking your responsibilities seriously, Your Majesty—Leo—but I do. You represent Kharova. You should maintain our country’s image and reputation.”

  “Oh, for goodness’ sake. I’m on holiday, not chairing a meeting at the UN. And call Sara by her name, please. She’s done nothing to upset you. Treat her with some respect.”

  Krisia sniffed, and turned back to the wardrobe. Pulling open a drawer, she took out some socks. Leo swore under his breath and strode toward her. Snatching the socks from her hands, he pointed at the door. “I’m quite capable of dressing myself, thank you. Go and set up the link to Athan, please.”

  Leo wasn’t easily depressed, but the daily calls with his brother didn’t often bring good news these days. Athan, his head of security, was more than capable of dealing with any problems back at home, but it was all ultimately Leo’s responsibility.

  He had just thrown his robe into the bathroom when the door opened and Krisia appeared again.

  “Don’t you ever knock?” he bellowed, turning his back on her and pulling on his underpants.

  “Don’t get so upset. I’ve seen you naked before,” said Krisia. He could hear her grinning, and knew she would be admiring his body. It was what other women did, which was why he didn’t like his PA doing it.

  “Yes, but we were children then! You were spying on me and my brothers in the river,” Leo snapped, doing up his trousers.

  “I wasn’t spying. My mother told me to make sure you didn’t get into trouble.”

  Leo huffed in exasperation. “And you’ve been doing that ever since.” He pushed her back through the doorway so he could follow her into his drawing room. “Both the spying, and the babysitting.”

  Leo went to the desk where a monitor was already showing Athan’s proud face. He didn’t approve of his brother’s chaotic personal life, but the man was a machine when it came to his work as head of Kharovan security. Leo respected that. He loved his brother, but with a tinge of envy for some parts of his lifestyle. Putting that aside, he got down to business. “How are things today?”

  “Quiet, Your Majesty,” his brother replied, grinning.

  “Call me that again, and I’ll give you such a hiding when I get back,” Leo said in a way that made Athan laugh out loud.

  “Seriously, it’s been quiet. Mihail’s been giving the newspapers plenty of copy and there have been a few skirmishes among his followers, but nothing to worry about. Do you want me to crack down on him?”

  Leo frowned. He wasn’t a stranger to tough decisions, but that didn’t make them any easier. King of Kharova wasn’t simply a ceremonial role. His people took their monarchy seriously. “If he can get away with letting off hot air, might it encourage him to try harder?”

  Athan shrugged. “If it was up to me, I’d have a word with him behind the scenes and tell him to cool it. Nothing official. I’ll remind him we’ve got nothing against free speech, but he’s got to keep his supporters under closer control.”

  “All right. Thank you, Krisia,” Leo said as she brought him a cup of coffee and a pastry.

  “I don’t see why you should put up with Mihail at all,” Krisia grumbled. “You’re the king, not him. Opposing you means opposing our country. That makes him a traitor.”

  “No,” Leo and his brother said at the same time.

  “Mihail is as patriotic as you are,” Leo continued. “He sees my plans for our country’s future as a threat to Kharova’s traditions and way of life. Mihail’s clan has always favoured more…explicit ways of putting across their point of view. Our family prefers diplomacy. I’m not going to start my reign with a civil war!”

  “You could always marry into his clan,” Athan said. “That should keep him quiet.”

  “I don’t think I’ll be doing that. If nothing else, it would upset a whole new section of the community. You know the king is supposed to choose a bride from within his own circle.” Leo noticed Krisia gazing at him as he said that. When he caught her eye, she blushed.

  “Have you decided who you’ll marry?” Athan continued, unaware of the bombshell he’d dropped.

  “Don’t be in such a rush. I’m not even crowned yet! Anyway, no suitable candidate has presented herself.” Leo heard a snort, and saw his PA scowl. He waved her away. “Thanks, Krisia, that’ll be all. I’ll ring if I need anything.” He watched until she had left, closing the door behind her. Even her back radiates annoyance, he thought.

  Athan cleared his throat. “What about marrying Krisia?”

  “Do me a favour. We’d drive each other insane before our first anniversary. Besides, I’ve never felt that way about her. She’s a great PA and puts Kharova before everything, but that’s not what I’m looking for in
a wife.”

  “So?”

  “It’s got to be someone I want to share the rest of my life with—someone who’d be a good mother to my children and a good queen too. With all that entails.”

  “Fine. I can think of any number of women in our clan who are perfect for that role. They’d jump at the chance.”

  Leo sighed. “We’ve been through this often enough. You know I can’t have children with one of our own. We’ve got some very bad genes in our DNA.”

  “Who said you had to have children with her?”

  “What?”

  “You said it yourself. Your wife has to be a good mother to your children. Who says they have to be her children?”

  Leo was lost for words.

  “No one expects our king to be in love with the woman he marries,” his brother went on. “It’ll be a marriage of political expediency. That’s how these things work, and always have done. Marry her, but make your children with someone who’s more acceptable to you. That’s what I’m going to do, when the time comes. It’s what mistresses are for.”

  Leo could hardly believe what he was hearing. He hadn’t realized how cynical and unfeeling Athan could be. Their parents’ bad marriage must have taken a toll on him, even though Leo had tried to protect him from the worst moments.

  “If you think like that, why don’t you marry into Mihail’s clan?” he asked, when he’d got over his initial shock.

  Athan shrugged. “I’m not king. There’s no political benefit in it for either side.”

  “You mean you’ve never thought about marrying for love?”

  His brother grunted. “No. Why fool yourself? Marrying for love didn’t work for our mother and father, did it? Nor for anyone else we know. Accept it for what it is, Leo. A legal agreement. Nothing more. Don’t tell me you, of all people, believe in love?”

  Leo’s mind raced. He avoided thinking about marriage as much as possible. If it crossed his mind, it was in the way Athan described—a political necessity for the sake of Kharova. Now it was dawning on him real life wasn’t as easy, or clinical as that. He wanted more than a marriage of mere convenience. He wanted a real wife and a real family, not political pawns. Finding an acceptable woman would be hard enough. Creating a family of his own would be even harder.

  “Even if I found a woman from our clan I could…accept, I wouldn’t have children with her.”

  Athan rolled his eyes in exasperation. “That’s what I’m suggesting, you idiot.”

  “And I won’t be bed-hopping either, Athan. My scruples won’t allow it, for one thing, and it would store up more trouble for the future. Mihail would never put up with it, and neither would most of our people. Kharova would be blown apart.”

  Athan nodded. “You’re probably right. So marry someone from Mihail’s side, then.”

  “No.”

  “Then you’ve painted yourself into a corner. Won’t marry inside our clan, won’t marry outside it. Won’t have children with one of our women, won’t have children with one of theirs. I can’t find any escape clauses there, Leo.” Athan was distracted for a second as a man appeared and whispered to him. Athan groaned. “Sorry, Leo. I’ve got to go. I forgot I was supposed to be meeting some foreign chair warmer ten minutes ago.”

  Leo sighed, trying not to smile. “I thought that was my job?”

  “This isn’t politics. It’s someone from a logistics company, to talk about lines of supply. I was supposed to be getting him together with our guys, but I kind of ran out of time. Not enough hours in the day!”

  This time Leo did grin. “You need a PA. You can have Krisia if you like.”

  Athan jumped. “Hell, no! Lord save me from bossy women. Anyway, she’s too loyal to you.”

  “No, she’s loyal to Kharova. If I could convince her she’d serve our country better by serving you, she’d be more than happy to oblige.”

  “Don’t you dare!” Athan said, but his brother cut the connection with a flourish.

  Leo brooded over the blank screen before picking up his phone. “Krisia? Come in here, please. I need your opinion on something.”

  She was at his side so fast Leo suspected she’d been hovering outside. “Take a seat. I want to ask you about something Sara suggested.” He sighed when he saw her scowl.

  “I hope you’re not asking for my approval, Your—I mean, Leo.”

  “No, I’m not. But Sara thinks you’re in love with me.”

  Krisia lost her breath as though she’d been punched in the stomach.

  “If it’s true, she doesn’t want to do anything to hurt or upset you.”

  The change in Krisia’s expression made him want to laugh. She was weighing her automatic dislike of Sara against news that the woman had a considerate side. “That’s…very…thoughtful of her,” she said, with every word sounding painful. “But why would she care about me?”

  “She’s been deceived in the past. She can’t stand by and watch it happening to anyone else.”

  “You’re saying she wants my approval, so she can have an affair with you?” It wasn’t quite a snarl, but it came pretty close.

  “Neither of us needs your approval about anything,” Leo replied. “But we both have standards. It never occurred to me you might be in love with me. Sara made me realise I could have missed the signs. So I ask again: Are you in love with me?”

  Krisia shifted inside her immaculate black suit. “I want what’s best for our country. That means serving you.”

  “Hmm. As you didn’t answer my actual question, I’ll take that as a no. In which case, I’ve got a proposition for you.”

  Krisia looked still more uneasy. Leo laughed. “Relax, it’s nothing terrible. Though it will mean even more work in the short term. I need you to become Athan’s PA.”

  She tensed. “You can’t mean that! My duty is here, with you!”

  “No, you keep saying your duty is to help your country. You’re an exceptional PA. Athan needs your skills more than I do. This morning he forgot about a meeting he’d organised. Luckily it wasn’t anything serious, but next time it might be an ambassador who’s left kicking his heels in an empty room. That can’t be allowed to happen. Athan could use you, Krisia, although he won’t admit it. You’ll still be in charge of the arrangements for my coronation, but from now on you’ll be working for Athan.”

  “You’re trying to get rid of me, so you can spend more time with that woman!” She pouted.

  Leo stood up, planting his hands on the desk with a bang. Krisia went pale and stepped back.

  “I’ve told you before, her name is Sara. You’ll call her that, or ‘Miss Astley,’ in my presence. You keep reminding me I’m king, and should behave like one. Well, a ruler expects total, unthinking obedience from his subjects, so maybe I’m not a natural king. I expect all my subjects to think for themselves, but if Kharovans want me on their throne, they must do as I say. And I say you’ll serve our country better by working for Athan than by staying with me. Are you going to argue with your king?”

  Leo was cold determination. The transformation into a total monarch made Krisia gulp. “No, Your Majesty,” she whispered, backing away.

  This time, Leo ignored the way she added his title. Sometimes, like it or not, he had to accept it. Picking up his jacket and phone, he followed her out of the door. “Don’t worry. You’ll love working for Athan,” he assured her as he headed for the lift. He waited until its doors closed behind him before letting a satisfied smile spread across his face.

  Chapter Nine

  For the next few days Leo and Sara idled about, sailing Neroli around the coast and lazing in the sun. They talked about Leo’s home, and the problems of his people. She loved the way his eyes lit up whenever he spoke about the improvements he would make to his business. He was determined to stop everyone living in the past, although he knew some would never accept change however hard he tried to persuade them. Sara used her professional tact to suggest ways to chauffeur-drive them into the present, rather than ca
tapulting them straight into Leo’s exciting vision of the future.

  In turn, she got a whole new perspective on her own life. Using her skills to help Leo gave her a great sense of satisfaction. In a funny way, devising ideas with him was really relaxing. It took a while for her to realise she’d managed a complete about-face. She dreaded the idea of going back to work at ACS. The prospect hung over her like a threat.

  Leo took her to Athens to lift her mood, but it didn’t work. The thought of leaving the peace of Paradise was only part of the problem. Her biggest challenge would be saying good-bye to him. “I’m going to miss all this so much,” she confided as they walked through the ancient city. She waited for him to ask if she would miss him too. His silence spoke volumes, and it wasn’t what she wanted to hear. “Sometimes, I wish I’d never given in and come to Greece.”

  “Misery!” Leo teased. “I’m sure a stroll down Voukourestiou Street will revive you.”

  He was wrong. Nothing could fill the aching emptiness she felt whenever she thought about abandoning Leo to face his future alone, but she did her best to pretend. The displays of handmade jewelry set on glass in bone-white surroundings were a big distraction. Their cool elegance took her breath away. It was difficult to get it back again, when the next shop displayed a solitary designer dress draped with the perfect accessories of a toning silk scarf and understated purse.

  “Does anything catch your eye?” Leo asked.

  “All of it.” Sara swung another look along the street of a thousand fantasies.

  “But you haven’t bothered to go inside any of the shops yet!”

  “I don’t want to disturb the staff if I don’t intend to buy.”