I liked waking up at the beach. The sound of the waves was soothing and restorative at the same time. The only thing was I woke up starving. I slept through the entire night. My stomach growled. I wondered if that’s what it was like to always have a bear inside you.

Cor laughed. He was sitting at the desk in the alcove in the master suite. “Someone wants breakfast.” He had a cup of coffee and his sleeves were rolled to his elbows. I wondered how long he had been awake. He looked serious behind his laptop.

I stretched my arms upward. “I could eat everything in the house.”

“Want me to order that for you?”

I kicked off the sheet. “No. I can make my own breakfast.” I winked as I padded off to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and started the shower.

My body felt sore in places it never had before. I smiled at my reflection. I truly belonged to him. My hands lingered over my belly. In every single way.

I stepped inside and washed my hair and took time to shave my legs.

This bathroom was incredible. I loved the rain shower and the pebbles. I felt like I was walking through a wading pool on the shore. I hadn’t had much time to explore the house, but it was even better than the pictures I had scanned online.

Apparently, a local multi-millionaire hotel investor had over-invested in properties and had let this home fall into the bank’s hands. It had every imaginable feature. And the view was spectacular.

I walked out of the bathroom. “Do you want to go for a walk on the beach after breakfast?” I asked Cor.

“Sure. I have a response from the ambassador.” He rubbed his jaw.

“Uh-oh. What’s wrong.” I walked over to read the email.

He waved me off. “You aren’t my manager, Elena. I’ve got this.”

I put my hands on my hips. “No one is your manager right now. Let me help.”

He sighed. “All right. But I don’t want this to consume our morning. I’m only dealing with him because we’re in the U.S. and he’s still in Galona. He refuses to return to his post in D.C.”

He pulled me into his lap so I could read the message from his vantage point.

“Well. He is making things difficult, isn’t he?” It was funny how quickly I had forgotten the problems we had with the ambassador.

“Do you like what I have so far?” He pointed to the response below.

I nodded. “But I’d move this around and change this sentence entirely.”

“And what would you have it say?”

I scrunched my nose. “Something like this.” I typed out a new paragraph to tag on the beginning.

Cor read it and huffed. “Why are you so fucking good at this stuff?”

I laughed. “You realize I have a secondary degree after college in royal history, protocol, etiquette, international affairs, war and defense?”

“Oh, just those things?”

I kissed him lightly. “Just those things. Along with ten different languages.”

He growled. “I liked that language you spoke last night.”

He gripped my ass and I shivered. God, I had liked it too. What had gotten into me? It was amazing. I’d never felt so connected to anyone. Cor and I were on a completely different level.

“Me too,” I whispered. “I’m glad I waited to speak it with you.” I rubbed the scruff on his face. He hadn’t shaved yet this morning.

He kissed my palm. “You are my everything, princess. Thank you for saving that gift for me.”

I pressed my forehead to his. Was this real? I was in love. I was happy. I was having the most amazing sex of my life. There had to be a catch. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“I’ll send your changes and meet you in the sunroom for breakfast. I’m hoping we can avoid a trip to D.C. while we’re here. I want to focus on Adaline.”

I hopped off his lap. “All right. Did the kitchen staff return?” I asked.

He laughed. “No. No one has been back at the house. I think we’re going to have to have one of our aides explain how they should run a royal house. I must have scared them.” He chuckled again.

“I could do that, you know.”

“No.”

I sighed. “Ok. I’ll make the coffee while you work on diplomacy. Give my regards to the ambassador,” I teased.

I waltzed down the hall, noticing for the first time how unique the artwork was on the walls. There were placards by each piece explaining the works were by local artists. I froze when I saw the name of the gallery. They had all been purchased from Sophia’s collection.

It made sense. She had been an art collector in Freychon. Her love of the arts was how she and Corbin met. I wanted to pull the paintings down, but I couldn’t. Not now. This wasn’t my home.

By the time I reached the kitchen I was desperate for coffee. There was an entire coffee bar, but I couldn’t figure out how to get the water to pour into the pot. There were too many buttons. I didn’t need a coffee computer. Just a coffee pot.

I picked up the carafe and carried it to the sink faucet. I was tired of trying to work the machine.

That’s when I saw the empty wine bottle on the counter.

I closed my eyes.

I had found the dropped shoe.

* * *

The coffee percolated and made a sudden whoosh when the last drops filled the pot. I filled a cup and walked to the sunroom. I didn’t have the energy to make an omelet. It seemed like the sun was covered with clouds even though the ocean sparkled in front of me.

I held the cup between my hands when Cor walked in.

“That’s done. Where’s breakfast?” He looked at the empty table.

My eyes floated upward.

“Everything all right?”

I pressed my lips together. “I don’t know if it is or not.”

He sat in a wicker chair. “Did the staff return?”

“No. They haven’t.” The house was quiet.

“Well, what is it?”

There was no use in pretending. We were supposed to be built on truth and light. I couldn’t hide. He could see I was being swallowed with doubt.

“I found an empty bottle of wine on the kitchen counter. No one has been here all night or morning.”

He stared at me. “And you want me to explain it?”

I nodded. “I do.”

He relaxed in his seat. “Dr. Garcia said this would happen.”

“What would happen?” I was hurt and irritated. I didn’t want riddles.

“I found the bottle of wine too. Although, the bottle was full. The staff had opened it last night with our meal. It was paired with dinner. And it was a good wine. The kind we serve at the palace. French, of course, from the Alsace region.” He looked past me toward the waves crashing on the beach. “It was after you had fallen asleep. There were two glasses on the table and the wine, uncorked. I could smell it before I even picked it up.”

I held my breath. I wanted to protest. I wanted to yell no as loudly as I could. I wanted to shatter the glass in the sunroom with my outrage, but I stayed silent while Cor spoke.

“God, it smelled good. It smelled so good I could taste it. I picked up the bottle and the glasses.” He looked at me. “And I took it over to the kitchen sink. There was a second. Longer than a second when I thought about pouring one glass. Just one. I wanted to celebrate. I wanted to celebrate how much I love you. How much I loved what we had just shared in that bed. How incredibly different my life is now. I wanted to drink and drink and drink.” He stopped speaking. “Drink in happiness. In joy. Drink even though the last thing I’m ever supposed to do is drink.”

My eyes watered. I didn’t know if I could listen to this. I had to get out of here, but as I tried to stand, Cor’s hand was on my wrist. He held me firmly in place.

“But I didn’t. I poured it out, baby. I didn’t do it.”

I let out a sob. “You didn’t?”

“No.”

I covered my mouth. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I asked.”

“Well, I’m an alcoholic. It would be strange if you didn’t ask.”

My relief was clouded by guilt. Had I hurt him? Did he think I doubted his strength?

“I wanted the wine, Elena, but I didn’t drink it, because I want this life more.” He leaned toward me. “I want this life more.”

I smiled. “I’m glad. I’m so glad you fought it.” I let the tears fall and then I fell into his arms.