I took in the sight one more time before sneaking out of the room. He’d been snoring but was now sleeping softer and hopefully wouldn’t wake.

I’d never make my escape if he did.

Hurrying to my room for my bags, I kept looking back, like a scene from a horror movie, running through a mansion in the dark.

I was halfway done rummaging the bag when the door groaned open. I held my breath, hoping the dark would conceal me.

“Fin, are you seriously sneaking out in the middle of the night on Christmas? This might be your most cowardly moment. Instead of facing my family, and yours, and the consequences of your actions, you’re sneaking away?” Aiden sounded too annoyed to be as sleepy as he should have been.

As if by fate, my hand contacted the item I was trying to find. I pulled the package from the large bag, grinning in the oversized tee shirt of his I’d stolen to make my escape.

“And you’re escaping half naked, are you?” he asked as he came closer, seeing the parcel in my hands and the shitty grin on my face. “What is that?”

“None of your business.” I slid past him, hurrying out of the room for the massive staircase. He was hot on my trail, of course catching me before I could put it under the tree in the informal living room where the family went to relax.

“What is it?” He spun me, snatching the two-foot-long tube from my hands. It was firm and wrapped, reminding me of something architects carried. “To Aiden, I hope this patches some of the holes.” He furrowed his brow. “You knew you’d break my heart before you bought my Christmas gift?”

“No. You suck.” I folded my arms. “Put it under the tree. You’re not unwrapping it.”

“Why not? Are you angry because I assumed you were sneaking out and leaving me on Christmas morning? Let’s be honest, most of the time my thinking the worst of you isn’t even close to how bad it’s going to be.” He wiggled and shook the gift. “I’m so confused.”

“Good.” I wasn’t giving him anything, especially not after that comment.

“Fin.” He placed the package down and walked to me, sexy eyes making attempts at my resolve. “Just one hint. If I guess, I get to open it.”

“No.” I turned before he reached me, breaking into a sprint. His long legs and the stairs defeated me, making me scream louder than I should have. I wiggled free as he tried to cover my mouth with his hand, breaking into another sprint. On the flat hallway, I was fast enough to get away. I skidded into my bedroom and hurried to the bed, diving in as he closed the door and attacked. We wrestled and giggled until I was on my back with my arms over my head, pinned with him hovering over me, threatening tickles.

“I can’t believe you thought I was being shady.” I gasped for air.

“I wouldn’t have blamed you. I don’t want to face my mother, Alex, or Father. He doesn’t need this stress. I don’t think I’ll even tell him.” He lowered and kissed me, writhing until he was between my legs.

I snatched his lip between my teeth, pausing the kiss. “Speaking of that, we need to talk before everyone else gets up.”

“No, all we do is talk.”

“I’m serious. You said you wanted to negotiate. Let’s.”

“Can we have sex again first?” His obvious excitement brushed up against me, making it apparent what his playful intentions were.

“No.” I laughed. “If you have that”—I pointed at his groin—“then I have the upper hand.”

“And you’re shocked when I think you’re being shady?” He kissed me once more before rolling next to me. “What do you need?”

“You to listen to me. Impartially.” I leaned on my arm and stared at him. “When it’s you and me and there’s nothing else, I’m all in. I want nothing but you. But then your whole world comes along and gets in the way.”

“My whole world.”

“Yeah. No. I mean not the whole world. I like your siblings a lot. And I think I would have gotten along well with your dad. And it’s pretty here. But the rest is intense.”

“It’s too much?” He sounded upset by the statement, though he was aware of it.

“Way too much. Guards and chaperones and a whole life planned out before I even know what I want to be. And my every move monitored and mocked and shadowed. And girls are mean to me because you chose me. And you’re only early twenties but your whole life is planned out.”

“This sounds an awful lot like another one of your breakup speeches.”

“It’s not.” I leaned forward, my own heart racing and hands sweaty. “The cold reality is we aren’t going to see each other. At all. So this is more of a time-out. A pause. You’re king. You can’t come to Scotland now without some insane friggin’ entourage and a whole political thing. You can’t go anywhere and do anything without people noticing you. And weirdly enough, I’m wanting to fade into the background for a little while.”

“No.” He shook his head, shutting me down.

“Aiden, you always tell me to be reasonable. It’s your turn.”

He cringed, trying to come up with an argument, but I was right and we both knew it.

“You need to let me figure this all out on my own. On my terms. Let me grow up a bit before I make such an overwhelming decision like marrying a king.”

“If I wasn't king?”

“We wouldn't even be having this conversation. Because you wouldn't have asked me to marry you yet. We’d be rocking the couple’s college thing, and our big drama would be what kind of takeaway to order for dinner. We would be at a normal stage of love and maturity.”

“I don't have to be king.” He was sad again and I hated that.

“I think you do. But if you have doubts, then take some time and decide if that’s what you want. If it isn’t, you have siblings and cousins and options. But don't make this choice irrationally. And don't make it for some girl from Spokane. Because that’s crazy.” I leaned in and kissed his still lips. “What’s the worst that can happen from this?”

“You won’t marry me.” His answer was too quick.

“What’s the worst thing that will happen if you leave the throne?”

“Abdicate?” He pulled back. “Andorra is fragile. The worst would be financial crisis, instability of the monarchy, panic—”

“Right, so that sounds a lot worse than I expected it to be.” I laughed. “I don't want that. Or to be the cause of that.”

“Then don't do this.”

“I have to. What if I agree to marry you, and I end up miserable and always wondering what if? Are you people even allowed to get a divorce?”

“You people?” He lifted a dark eyebrow, accenting his annoyed stare.

“You know what I mean. Are you?”

“Not easily. Not like you people,” he shot back, obviously not joking.

“Let me finish college. Let me figure out me. And you figure out you. And then we’ll revisit this.” It sounded easy but it wouldn't be.

“So this is a breakup?” His tone suggested he’d lost all interest in the conversation.

“No. It’s the request for a long courtship, my king. It’s a long time to decide if this is the best course of action.”

“No,” he refused.

“Yes.” I leaned in and kissed his lips softly again. “Please.”

“Let me think on it.” It wasn't a win but it also wasn't a loss. I smiled and let him think he had options and the ability to think on it. He didn't.