Zoned and half asleep, Ludwig wandered into the downstairs kitchen as the sun began to stretch its rays over the navy-blue of the night.

He frowned as he watched from the window, wondering what the hell the man out there could find so interesting, staring from across the street like that.

Sometimes they got tourists in the area, fascinated by the architecture of the buildings, but this man had yet to pull out a camera or a map, and he was making Ludwig curious as to why he would be out there.

“Something wrong, sir?”

Ludwig jumped, startled, and turned to see Charles Jacques, his butler entering the kitchen. When he looked out again, the man had disappeared. Giving him a small shake of his head, he said, “No, I believe I am just seeing things outside.”

“If I may say, sir, a beautiful woman can make you see all sorts of things.”

Ludwig laughed. “I’d better get a bit more sleep.”

Charles inclined his head. “Sir.”

Charles was correct. Angelica was making him see all sorts of things; things he hadn’t truly thought he would ever see in his life, not to mention how he felt. She made him, well, happy.

And he was afraid that at any moment, it was going to be gone, poof, like a child popping a bubble.

They spent the day devoting as much time as they could to worshipping one another’s bodies.

She could walk across the room and he would want to make love to her. Each and every time he went to her, she would blink in surprise that he could want her again. But he did want her and he took her. After stiffening, followed by a moment of weak incoherent protest, she melted easily into his arms each time.

In the past, he’d never restrained himself when it came to seeking physical pleasures. But the women he’d been with had been experienced and understood what he wanted.

Meine Kätzchen is still so innocent.

He’d seen the way she reacted that first time, so willing and eager, but so hesitant. That awkwardness decreased with each moment they spent together.

Now that she trusted him, he didn’t want to risk sending her off just because he had the urge to bend her over the dining room table, spank her, and then take her wildly from behind in a pleasure-pain frenzy.

Or because he wanted her to tie him up, blindfolded, and take her pleasure from his flesh as she saw fit. No, not yet. Be gentle.

Not that gentle was bad. He just knew the other, rougher play could hold amazing climatic rewards.

But for tonight, he had something else in mind. He knew their time together was drawing to an end. He didn’t want that. Passionately, with every bone in his body. That thought alone astounded him. How can I be so drawn to a woman like this?

A slow smile crossed his lips, thinking about how she might react to his next request as he finished his shower.

But first, dinner.

“How is your fish?”

Angelica looked up at Ludwig, feeling her chest cave at the thought that she would be leaving him after tonight. She didn’t want to leave this happiness. “It’s not flopping on my plate.”

He grinned, spearing a corner of his filet before popping it in his mouth. “That’s always a positive, unless you like sushi.”

Angelica wrinkled her nose. “I do not like anything raw. Please tell me you don’t.”

“I like it all; raw, cooked, it doesn’t matter to me.”

Angelica sat back in her chair, her fingers on her wine glass. “But what if it kills you?”

He gave her a little shrug. “Then I shall die happy.”

Laughter erupted from her. “I can think of better ways to die, truly. Like eating chocolate. Do you know you can die from eating chocolate?”

Ludwig took a swallow of his wine, his brows knitting together. “You’re making that up.”

Angelica shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. This was what she was going to miss. This easy conversation with someone who didn’t look at her like she had two heads just because of her title. “I’m not. I read it on the internet. You can die from consuming too much chocolate.”

She watched as he wiped his mouth, settling back in his chair with his wine glass nearly empty. “I can think of better ways to die.”

Angelica was almost scared to ask but she did so anyway. “What would be your preference then?”

He cleared his throat, that sensual grin on his lips that had her blood heating in her veins. “In the arms of a beautiful woman.”

She burst into laughter, unable to help it. “How often has that line worked?”

His expression was one of innocence. “What line? It’s the truth, I swear it.”

Angelica shook her head, her heart light and her happiness nearly bubbling over. She didn’t want to think about tomorrow, about leaving him.

She wanted this night to go on forever.

“Well, I have only used it on one person,” he continued, his voice dropping a notch.

“And?” she asked, arching a brow. “Did it work?”

His grin was nearly feral as he looked at her, his gaze intense. “I don’t know, did it?”

Angelica paused for only a second before she doubled over in laughter, laughing until she had tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Y-you are too much,” she giggled, eyeing his wonderful smile. How was she going to walk away in the morning? How was she going to move through her life without having him to help her?

It was too much to think that they could remain together after she walked out. He would likely be upset after she left without a goodbye.

But she was tired of sad. She wanted laughter, love, friendship.

Most of all, she wanted Ludwig for just a little while longer.

But for now, she would drink and dine and laugh like tomorrow wasn’t a possibility.

Ludwig watched Angelica in silence. They had spent the evening chatting about non-important things until she got quiet. It made him curious to discover everything about her and at the same time perfectly content to know nothing.

Somehow, he knew full well this wasn’t the real Angelica Rafela di Castella y Aragon. The real woman beneath that glorious golden skin was a much more complex and intense creature.

She had a quick wit, an open laugh, and a smile that curled easily on her beautiful lips. Her bold chocolate eyes shone in constant mischief, even when she did nothing.

And she was beautiful—not enhanced beautiful, but natural woman beautiful. Looking at her in one of his white button-up shirts and nothing else, he much preferred the natural. Her dark nipples shadowed the white of his shirt and her leg propped on the chair, letting him sneak a peek at her nether dark hair and pink of her lips.

His cock surged and hardened. He would never dress for work in the morning again, dispassionately going through the motions. A white dress shirt would always stir erotic memories.

Yet, she seemed completely unaware of the effect she was having on him, as she placed a berry in her mouth and licked absently at her fingers.

He poured them more wine and handed her glass to her. “Are you ready for bed?”

“Mierda.” When Abelardo finally parked in front of his house, police inspector Alixandre Balaguer, a sturdy man in his fifties, was waiting for him, leaning on his old, battered Peugeot 106.

“Good evening, Señor Gutiérrez.” His time in the Guardia Civil had taught Inspector Balaguer to never ignore his instincts. And his instincts screamed of trouble where he might otherwise find only irritation when Abelardo Gutiérrez was involved.

“To what do I owe the displeasure this time?” On bad days, Abelardo considered Inspector Balaguer his personal hellhound—doggedly, obsessively pursuing him for a crime he didn’t commit—yet. On better ones, he thought of Inspector Balaguer as stubborn and wrongheaded, a cop who refused to consider that the lack of evidence might equal innocence. “Not that your attention has ever been warranted previously.”

“That is yet to be determined. It may be, señor, that you deserve far more attention and scrutiny than I have had the time to give you.”

Inspector Balaguer hadn’t been able to put a case together that convinced the Aragonese prosecutor to file—standing up a bride in the altar was not a crime, after all. Even if the bride in question was the beloved ex-Crown Princess of Aragon.

But that hadn’t stopped the man from trying, from edging over the line of harassment until his superiors had warned him off. At least officially. “Actually, you’ve been ordered to quit harassing me. Do I need to call your superior again?”

“I have just one question for you and then I’ll be on my way. No need to get hysterical, Mr. Innocent. Where were you this evening between seven and nine p.m.?”

“I was at Caballero’s Steakhouse eating dinner.”

“Alone?”

“Yes. Why?”

“There was some mischief tonight at the palace. When I think of the royals and troublemakers, you always come to mind. So, I thought I’d stop by.”

“Good night, inspector.” Abelardo closed the door and blew out a breath, rubbing his hands over his face. He’d known this was coming, he’d known this other shoe would drop.

He needed a plan to get and seduce Angelica.

And soon.