CHAPTER 10
Faith
An hour later I’ve been properly examined, although it wasn’t necessary even though I do appreciate the thought.
And my car has been picked up from the dog park and brought to the palace.
It’s almost like I’m moving in, but I try my best to keep a level head. It’s not easy.
One of the butlers enters the room I’m in and stands in front of me. “Prince Alistair would like to invite you for tea in the garden.”
“Certainly,” I say.
This is surreal! Tea with the Prince in the palace garden? Are you kidding me.
The butler leads me outside and sure enough the Prince is there waiting. He’s standing, facing my direction. He’s got a serious look on his face, but it’s not bad. It’s more like there are things he needs to tell me. He looks busy. And he looks incredibly hot at the same time.
He’s dressed casually, but elegantly.
He has on trousers that fit his thick thighs and strong legs perfectly and leather lace-up boots. They’re custom made by his tailor, no doubt.
I try not to look directly at it but it looks like…is that…an erection he’s sporting?
He seems to notice and moves his hands in front of his waist to cover it up. It’s not pointing straight out or straight up, but it definitely appeared to be “on the move.” It was hardening as I approached.
And his shirt is crisp and white, just as to be expected from royalty. It’s cut perfectly at the shoulders and fits just as brilliantly as the rest of his wardrobe.
It’s not tight, but it’s definitely form fitting. Something I’m very thankful for as it allows me to make out those muscles of his. I can see that big, broad chest of his through the fabric before his top tapers down to his waist creating the perfect male V-shape.
This can’t be happening.
And things get even stranger as I arrive at his little garden table.
He nods to the butler who turns and walks away, then Prince Alistair pulls out my chair himself.
“Thank you for joining me.”
“It’s my pleasure,” I say.
“And sorry to keep you waiting. I had some things to attend to after what happened this morning and I also wanted to make sure the doctors had plenty of time to examine you properly.”
“Thank you,” I say. “It really wasn’t necessary, but I certainly appreciate it.”
“You’re very welcome. And before we go any further I’d just like to let you know your dogs are out back at the kennels.”
“Oh.”
“They’re not caged. They’re playing in one of the areas where the dogs play. We’ve brought in a trainer today to keep an eye on the animals.”
“I’m fine, really. If you’re busy I’m happy to just get to work. I’m already late as it is.”
“Please,” he says. His hand reaches out towards my forearm, but stops just short. He was about to touch me, but stopped for some reason. Just his hand moving towards me sent chills of anticipation shooting up my arm, across my shoulders, and down my back. I couldn’t even imagine if he had made contact.
It’s hard to believe he was actually carrying me to his car…or at least the car we came back to the palace in. The prince carried me to his horse and then took me to his castle, and I barely got to enjoy any of it because silly me was passed out. Story of my life.
“We’ll need to go over your options moving forward.”
“My options?”
“Yes. There will be no time to work with the dogs today. We’ll need to put a plan in place for your life.”
“My life? I’m doing okay, thank you.”
“My apologies,” he says. “Can I offer you some tea?”
“Certainly. Thank you.”
He turns to pour the tea and it gives me the perfect chance to check out his back. He must spend half of his day at the gym using that pull down bar seeing how wide his upper back is.
And his butt. Oh my. The trousers follow the lines of his body as he bends and I can see his firm tushy. I can easily imagine grabbing it and pulling it closer toward me as he thrusts inside me.
For a chilly morning I sure am getting hot out here.
But everything’s perfect as expected. It may be a chilly morning, but he’s got those heat lamps running all around us and there are blankets on a little cabinet next to the table.
He turns and hands me a cup of tea and presents a plate of breakfast biscuits as well.
Morning tea at the palace? I could definitely get used to this.
“Shall I begin?” he says.
“Yes,” I say.
“I hate to be so abrupt and jump right into this, but your life has changed forever.”
“Forever?” I sure like the sound of that word coming out of his mouth and directed towards me.
“Forever. The minute you step outside that front gate the paparazzi will hound you endlessly. It will be like nothing you’ve ever experienced. They will go to all lengths and measure to dig up anything they can on you. They’ll go so far as to figure out how you scored on your grammar school spelling tests.”
I giggle, almost causing me to cough as I was just swallowing a bite of the biscuit. I’m trying my best to eat like a proper lady, but am failing miserably.
“Well, fortunately I think I got most of them right. I do have a thing about the English language and I love reading so I guess we’re in luck there.”
A moment passes and then suddenly he smirks. Oh my god is it hot! It’s the closest he’s come to a smile and I absolutely adore it, and it’s making my panties even damper.
“That’s good to hear. I do like a girl who knows her way around our language, and one who isn’t afraid to crack open a book. It almost seems like a lost art these days.”
“Reading?”
“Reading and language in general. With all the text speak it’s like so much of the language has been turned into some sort of jumbled shorthand consisting of misspellings and phonetic sounds. I understand it’s function and have nothing against it, but…well, I guess I’m a bit more of a traditionalist…from a different generation.”
“But you’re still very fit and handsome.” I stop myself. Did I just say that out loud just now? “And it’s not like you’re old, just a bit older. But age is a state of mind right?”
“That’s what I hear, but I’m not so sure I buy into it,” he says. He doesn’t exactly smirk this time, but he does do some sort of facial expression with his mouth that seems more human. It changes the businesslike atmosphere of our meeting into something a bit more personal. I guess that’s what tea time is all about…at least in this case. It’s a chance to speak a bit more openly. I am having tea with the prince after all. I should be on my best behavior, but he’s just so calm and easy to talk to that I feel like I’m in the backyard with an old friend.
Except for the fact that he’s extremely good looking and the guy I’ve had a crush on forever. That part is making me beyond nervous, but somehow his easygoing ways override my fears. I never expected he’d be like the press portrays him, but I also didn’t necessarily expect he’d be this easy to talk to.
But the thing I really want to talk to him about will have to wait. First I need to hear him out, but at some point I want to tell him I know what he’s going through because I’m going through it too.