Chapter 28

Savvy and I get dressed in a hurry. Such a hurry, in fact, that for a few minutes at least, I’m almost too busy putting on makeup and buckling myself into my heels to think about what I’ve learned.

But that just means I’m still spinning around myself when we head back into the main part of the suite to join Garrett and Kian. Still trying to figure out why everything suddenly feels so off, when I’ve known all along just how badly Garrett wants the throne. I just never thought that determination would reveal a whole different side to him than what I’ve already seen. And I certainly didn’t think that side would be something I’m not sure I can live with.

Part of me wants to cancel—the last thing I feel like doing right now is going on a super-romantic double date with the cutest couple in existence. But canceling would be rude, and it would leave me alone with a questioning Garrett and that’s never a good thing. Especially right now, when I don’t know what I think, let alone what I want to say to him.

Which is why I paste on a smile I’m far from feeling and follow Savvy into the living room. Kian whistles long and low when he sees us, tossing me a lascivious wink even as he wraps his fiancée up in a long, sexy embrace. Garrett pulls me in for the same and I let him, doing my best to ease the stiffness out of my body.

I must not do a very good job of relaxing, though, because suddenly Garrett is brushing my deliberately styled hair out of my eyes and tilting my chin up so that our gazes meet. “You okay?” he asks, stroking his thumb tenderly across my cheek.

“Of course,” I answer. “Just tired. It’s been a long day.”

He looks immediately regretful. “I’m sorry, I didn’t even think. Do you want me to send Kian and Savvy on their way? It’s not too late to stay in.”

There’s a part of me that wants to grab onto the offer with both hands. I am exhausted—completely drained by the roller coaster of the last week and these new, unbidden thoughts that I can’t seem to stop. But staying in won’t help any of that. It’ll just mean that I’m alone with Garrett as these thoughts unspool in my mind, and then what will I do? I’m lousy at hiding my thoughts from anyone, let alone someone I care about—especially when that someone pays as close attention to everything about me as Garrett does.

Something about that thought niggles at me, but Garrett is still holding me, still watching me with a concerned look on his face. The last thing I want to do is make a big fuss in front of Kian and Savvy right now, especially since Savvy already looks like she regrets having told me anything. Or force Garrett into a discussion that I’m nowhere near ready to have.

So instead of grabbing onto the lifeline he’s just thrown me, I shoot him a sassy smile and pat his cheek. “Are you kidding me? How am I supposed to get all the dirt on you if I dodge my first chance to interrogate your family?”

“There’s not much dirt,” he says with a return grin. “Kian will be the first to tell you I’m a pretty boring guy. But feel free to dig for whatever skeletons you can find.”

“That’s right,” Kian tells me as we head toward the door. “I know where all the bodies are buried and I am open for business.”

Garrett shoots him a mild look. “Remember, that works both ways.”

Kian shrugs. “Savvy already knows about my wicked, misspent youth.”

“And loves him in spite of it,” she chimes in.

“Well, to be fair, what’s not to love?” Kian spreads his arms in a yeah, I know I’m hot gesture that should be obnoxious but is somehow just charming.

No wonder he’s gotten away with so much in his life. It’s impossible to do anything but laugh along with him when he’s so tongue-in-cheek self-aggrandizing.

He’s still hamming it up when a six-man security detail meets us in the hallway—double the princes, double the risk, I guess—and escorts us downstairs to the lobby and out the front door. A long, black limo is waiting for us at the curb and I slide in, doing my best not to make a spectacle of myself in my skintight dress. But, for the record, this whole limo thing is a lot more challenging than it looks.

“So, where are we going?” Savvy asks Kian as we pull into traffic.

“Don’t look at me,” he answers. “Garrett planned it.”

“I thought going out was Kian’s idea?” I ask in an accusatory tone that’s harsher than I intend. It gets Garrett’s attention, though, has him looking at me with questioning eyes. I hate that I sound like that, hate even more that I can’t help wondering if he was lying to me earlier. Can’t help wondering if this whole thing is just a way to get us in front of the paps again.

Which would be fine, since that’s what I agreed to. But I really, really don’t like being lied to.

“It was. But when you were getting dressed I made a few calls. Since our plans changed, I tried to come up with something I thought you would like.”

The confusion in his eyes—combined with his explanation—has me feeling like a harridan. But even that’s not enough to make me relax as we glide through the darkened streets.

I’ve been to Paris a number of times and I know the city pretty well. But I’m so lost in my head that I don’t realize where we’re going until we pull up in front of the glass pyramid.

“I thought it closed at six today.”

“It does,” Garrett acknowledges. “But I asked for a private showing.”

“You asked for a private showing of the Louvre and they just agreed?” I ask.

He grins. “I’m pretty sure they know where to find me if something goes missing. Besides, you said the Louvre is your favorite museum. I thought you might like to see the art when there’s nothing around to distract from it.”

The ice that’s been skating through my veins for the last hour melts just a little. Damn it. Just, damn it. How am I supposed to get my head on straight when Garrett keeps doing stuff that shows how well he knows me? Stuff that tells me he spends as much time thinking about me as I do about him?

We climb out of the limo, which is even more treacherous in a tight dress than climbing in, and walk past the tourists loitering in the square. Garrett and Kian are recognized—of course they are—and all around us phones are being whipped out, pics being snapped. The security guards surround us so no one can ask for a selfie, but it’s hard not to feel like a spectacle as we make our way toward the door. It’s easier to ignore than it was a week ago, but I still hate it. I have no idea how Garrett, Kian, and Savvy handle it with such equanimity.

A curator meets us at the door. He greets us in flawless English, then takes the four of us on a private tour that pretty much blows my mind. I’ve been here over a dozen times through the years and thought I knew the museum pretty well. But he shows me a number of beautiful, fascinating pieces I’ve never noticed before.

We spend nearly four hours trailing him around and listening to him talk about the various artworks. It’s the best, most amazing tour I’ve ever been on, and there’s a part of me that wants to beg to stay. It seems ungrateful, though, so I settle for casting a couple of wistful glances over my shoulder as we make our way back to the car.

“I’ll bring you back,” Garrett tells me softly as he pulls me into his side. “And next time, we can stay all night.”

My pulse jumps a little at his implication that there will be a next time, but I refuse to get ahead of myself. A few hours ago, I was freaking out about just the idea of staying around. One trip to a museum and the nebulous promise of a second doesn’t change that.

“Can we get dinner next?” Savvy asks as we settle into the car. “I’m starving.”

I realize with a shock that it’s close to midnight. No wonder my stomach’s been growling for the last two hours. Our picnic was over ten hours ago.

“Sorry about that,” Garrett tells her with a grin. “But I’ve got reservations in ten minutes that I hope will make up for the wait.”

Reservations at midnight seems a little odd, even in Paris. But since this is my first real night out with the royals, I decide to keep my mouth shut. After all, what do I know about partying with the very rich?

It seems even more odd when we pull up in front of the Eiffel Tower a few minutes later. After our experience at the Louvre, I know better than to comment about the fact that the tower closes at midnight. Instead, I let Garrett lead me to the elevator.

We wait as the last tourists of the evening disembark, then take it to the top of the tower. Two members of the security detail came ahead, so when the elevator opens onto the deck, we’re allowed to step right out.

Savvy gasps when she sees the table for four set up on the observation deck, under the stars. I know there’s a restaurant in the tower—I’ve even had Champagne in it a couple of times—but I’ve never seen a table set up out here before.

Tonight’s a far cry from our first, awkward date in that village restaurant with the truly bizarre food combinations. With the golden lights of Paris twinkling beneath us, I can’t help but feel a little like I’ve stepped into a fairy tale. But the good part of the fairy tale—with the happily-ever-after instead of the evil witch.

“Not too shabby,” Kian says as we take our seats at the table. “Looks like you do know how to wine and dine a lady when you put your mind to it.”

Garrett gives him a mild look as the hovering waiter pops open a bottle of Cristal. “I don’t believe I’ve ever been the one who had trouble with the wining-and-dining portion of the evening.”

Kian laughs. “Not my fault that some of us can close the deal without it.”

“Is that how you think of our first time?” Savvy asks in mock offense. “As closing the deal?”

“Of course not, darling.” He brings her hand to his lips. “I think of it as the second luckiest night of my life.”

“Only the second?”

“Soon to be third. Right after our wedding night and the night you agreed to marry me.”

Savvy coos at him a little, while Garrett makes a ridiculous face at me. I can’t help laughing because Kian’s right—he really is ridiculously charming when he puts his mind to it.

The rest of the night passes in a blur of food, wine, and conversation so funny that my sides hurt from how hard I’m laughing. It’s not how I envisioned tonight, certainly not how I expected it to go after my talk with Savvy earlier. But I can feel myself relaxing a little more with each intimate smile Garrett shoots me and each brush of his hand against mine. The worry is still there at the back of my mind, but I drown it out with Kian and Garrett’s funny stories and glass after glass of the best Champagne I’ve ever tasted.

By the time we make it back to the hotel at close to three in the morning, I’m drunk on Garrett and Paris and Champagne. It’s a fun feeling, light and carefree, and while normally I don’t let myself get like this when I’m out with a man, I trust Garrett to take care of me. Even through the doubts I have about him—about us—I know he’d never let anything happen to me.

Which is why I let him guide me through the hotel to our suite. Why I let him lead me into the bedroom and settle me on the bed. Why I let him kneel by my feet and unbuckle my heels before slowly, carefully sliding my dress off.

I’m not wearing anything but panties under the dress, and Garrett groans a little when he sees me. I reach for him, try to pull him up and over me, but he evades my grasping hands. Instead, he settles me back against the cool sheets with a kiss to my forehead.

“Drink some water,” he murmurs, pressing a cold water bottle into my hand before pulling the covers to my chin. As he does, his fingers brush against my nipples and the undersides of my breasts.

I arch into his touch. “I don’t want water. I want you.”

He shoots me an amused look. “Drink the water. Get some sleep. If you don’t feel like you’re dying in the morning, I will be more than happy to oblige.”

“I want to make love!” I tell him, but even I can hear how slurred the words are.

“As do I.” He grins at me from across the room, where he’s taking off his own clothes. “Tomorrow. After we’ve talked.”

“I don’t want to talk.”

“Yeah, I’m figuring that out about you. But you were upset about something earlier and I want to hear about it, when you’re lucid.”

I start to protest, to tell him it’s no big deal. But I know that’s a lie, even if I’m so drunk I barely remember what it is that upset me earlier. I start to tell Garrett that, but before I can get the words out, he’s sliding into bed beside me.

Wrapping his arms around me.

Pulling me against his long, lean, warm body.

Pressing kisses to my mouth, my cheeks, the top of my head.

And just that easily, I forget everything and slide straight into sleep.