Renee’s new strappy sandals sank into the plush thick blue carpet as she stepped inside the jet. Her bohemian skirt swirled around her ankles and her ivory peasant top was layered in lace. Decadent. The small windows along the side were the only things in common with the flight she'd taken commercially to Paris. There were no rows of seats. Instead it seemed like a living room in the sky.

Kristin followed in her sneakers and jeans, her face pale. She must be nervous, poor thing. She had to decide if she wanted to marry the prince. Renee understood this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for her, and she'd encourage her to seize the moment. She offered a huge grin.

Kristin sighed. "This jet is nicer than our apartment."

"Shh." Renee dropped her hobo purse next to a seat by a window. A life like this would be a world away from everything she wanted, but it was great for Kristin, who had no ties. Renee settled into her chair and read the buttons. "If you marry the prince, he'll expect you to go in things like this all the time."

Kristin looked down at her shoes. "I'm not..."

"I saw you kissing him," Renee interrupted and hit a button in her seat that made it lean back. "You have chemistry."

Kristin folded her hands together and closed her eyes. "I never knew a kiss could be so potent."

Now that was a reason to get married! Her best friend's prince walked onto the jet, handsome and powerful. Renee hit a button on the white leather seat and it whirred, then reclined flat like a bed. "Now that's intriguing. Here he comes," she whispered. "I'll go to sleep in this pod. Good night, Kristin."

Without another word, Renee pressed a button and fully encapsulated herself in her seat pod, which blocked her face from view. She heard her friend's feet as she stood near her, but the carpets silenced anything more. Above her she heard Antonio ask, "Your friend is going to sleep so soon?"

"I guess." Kristin's voice was muffled.

Renee closed her eyes and let herself imagine Marco’s strong muscles holding her, then chuckled in her dark pod. The truth was he'd probably nod at her and run off with a socialite or three at a time. Renee wasn't a fool. As a teacher, she commanded respect for that very reason.

She yawned and went to sleep. In a few hours, she'd get her first look at a lived-in castle. She'd not miss a moment. For tonight, she'd let herself wonder what Marco Aussa actually looked like. Perhaps he was sexier than his picture. Perhaps…

Renee woke to the smell of coffee. She hit the button for her pod to open and glanced out the window. The trees in the far distance suggested a gorgeous and lush countryside, away from the airport. She stood and her pulse zipped to find out what Avce was like.

First, though, she picked up her coffee and sipped. Kristin was in the pod across from where she slept and she was sleeping alone. Renee didn't see Antonio at all. So Renee poured her friend her orange juice and slipped into the seat beside her.

A few minutes later, Kristin stirred and lowered her pod. Renee handed her a coffee and an orange juice and inched closer. "Good morning. You look pale."

Kristin stared at her with her big blue eyes and lowered her gaze. "Last night I'd have slept with Prince Antonio."

Now this was progress. Kristin wasn't an angel! She believed that a girl should test drive the car before she bought it. Renee looked Kristin up and down. "So why didn't you?"

Her friend's face turned bright red. "He put me to bed. Alone."

Interesting. Renee sipped her coffee. And if Antonio was a gentleman, that boded well. Her friend seemed jittery, so Renee kept her voice low and calm. "Did he say no, thank you?"

Kristin shook her head. "No. Renee, I'm in uncharted waters and he's way out of my league."

Now that was stupid. Kristin deserved to be happy. She was a good person. Renee put her coffee down and reached for Kristin's hand. "So that's what the problem is."

Kristin blinked. "What problem?"

The plane door opened. Renee only had seconds to help, so she whispered, "He's not out of your league, Kristin. He's asked you to marry him. You offered to sleep with him. I'd guess he wanted to wait, because you're worth it."

Renee hoped her words had meaning. Kristin's face lowered in concern. Most people would jump at a chance to live a fairy tale.

Kristin said, "What in the world do I have to offer someone like him? I'm not exactly cut out to be a princess."

"Perhaps that's what he wants." Renee released her hand and picked up her coffee mug. Today was the stuff of fantasies. Kristin would marry a prince and perhaps, if Renee played her cards right, she'd have a chance at a summer fling. She swallowed her coffee and said, "If he wanted to marry some stuffy princess type he had the chance. Instead he asked you."

Kristin drank her orange juice in one gulp and spoke quickly, "Look, I like kissing him, but the idea that he's a prince is seriously sending me crazy mixed-up thoughts. I wish he was normal."

Renee peered into her mostly empty coffee mug. "No, you don't. If you wanted normal, you'd have chosen Greg."

Kristin’s eyes narrowed in realization. "You mentioned him last night, too."

Greg was the epitome of everything on her list, except he didn't want her. With him at her side, she'd join her parents’ social club and fit in with the rest of suburbia. Time was passing her now and she needed to settle down. Renee's cheeks turned red. "I did."

"Did you like Greg, Renee?"

With a loud sigh, she nodded. One day she'd find one like him, but that matched her entirely. Renee moved her seat back so she could get up. "But he never noticed me and in the end I want someone who loves me because I'm awesome."

Kristin stood first and Renee followed while Kristin said, "Who knows? Maybe there's a hot guy in Avce that you're supposed to meet. Remember?"

Oh yes, her celebrity crush. Footsteps near the door echoed in the plane, so Renee laughed. "Shh, your boyfriend will hear you."

Antonio joined them in a navy blue suit tailored for him and a crisp white shirt. He winked. "Boyfriend, huh?"

Renee went to the bathroom to change. She'd have to look nice if she intended to impress. She heard as she closed the door her best friend say, "Renee gets ahead of herself sometimes."

Renee went through her carry-on when she heard Antonio tell Kristin, "Paparazzi will be outside, ready to snap your picture. I thought I should warn you—I’ll meet you near the door."

Okay, so her nicest shirt in this bag was her turquoise knit top she’d pair with slim-fit white capris. She’d worn this for parent-teacher night last year, a blend of dressy but casual. Finally, she slipped on her leather flats and dug out her Audrey Hepburn inspired sunglasses and told herself to channel her inner diva.

Leaving the bathroom, she gave Kristin a nod of approval—she was adorable in a flower-print Calvin Klein summer dress.

Renee followed the prince and Kristin out of the plane. The moment they stopped on the red carpet, she sauntered past them and headed toward the limo.

People cheered and lights flashed in her face, but none of that was for her. As she neared the rear passenger door someone behind a camera asked, "Who are you?"

Renee laughed, gave the reporter a wink and ducked inside the limo. Mysterious might be better than the truth. Nobody. A few seconds later, she heard the crowd coo because Antonio held Kristin tight as he assisted her inside the car.

Renee sat across from them and saw the sparks between her friend and her prince. One day she'd like to be looked at with such passion. She turned her attention outside, sincerely thrilled for her friend.

Antonio said, "You'll notice the vibrant green hills. Our beautiful country has had every ancient empire try to depose our royal family for almost two thousand years, but we're the oldest original family monarchy. Many of my ancestors have all managed to return from abroad, just as my parents did. My grandparents were deposed with communism. My ancestors left Rome to settle here, guided by the Virgin Mary—or so the legend goes."

The history appealed to her—she knew that this small but viable country had played a crucial part in every world war. She'd have to take tons of pictures for when she taught World War II and how Americans interacted here. Renee tuned out her friend, who talked in a low voice with Antonio, to jot down notes and ideas.

The limo reached the top of a hill and suddenly in the distance a huge white palace with a blue roof appeared, along with four towers. Renee put her notes down, a different thrill teasing her senses. In a few minutes, she'd see her crush. Her stomach flittered with apprehension.

Silly. Renee reached for her phone, and snapped pictures of the countryside to show her coworkers and students. How else would they believe that she was here? Boring Ms. Brown, staying in a palace.

Renee felt her cheeks heat as she overheard the sensual timbre of their conversation, though no words. Once the limo parked and a footman opened the door, Renee hopped out first.

She followed the path up to the opened doors of the palace and hurried in, searching for a place to stand aside so that Kristin could have the spotlight. She stepped into a grand room with frescoed ceilings and ivory walls and instantly felt goose bumps on her arms.

Renee looked around and saw Prince Marco, who leaned against a post. His warm brown eyes combined with his sexy dimpled grin was even hotter than she imagined. "Please tell me you're not my brother's bride."

She shook her head, her heart beating wildly. "Nope, I'm her roommate, Renee Brown."

He came closer and pressed his hand on her arm. With an intake of breath, her crush flamed. His nearness made her warm, but then he passed her and went into the small lobby area in front of the ballroom. Marco said to Antonio and Kristin, "I apologize for interrupting, but my brother needs to come with me, now."

Marco turned toward her and she felt he undressed her with his gaze, though he said nothing.

Antonio waved someone else in. "Walter here will show you to your rooms."

Renee walked past them and joined the older gentleman to follow and give the others space. She glanced one more time at Marco whose dark eyes met hers.

She hoped everything was okay with his father, just as she hoped they’d meet again. He was sexier than his photos, but there was something else about him that she couldn't explain. His look dared her to lose her inhibitions and forget everything but the possibility of being in Marco's strong arms.