Exhilaration filled Maxwell Gerard Beaumont’s body as he watched the final goal soar across the field and land in his opponents’ rugby net. The crowd roared around him, clapping, cheering, and shouting accolades of his championship winning hit. 

Though all eyes were on him, Max scanned the crowd, hoping to find one particular set looking at him with admiration. A few moments later, his heart filled with joy as he saw Lady Liliana Lockhart— or better known to close friends and family—Lily, standing towards the far end of the field in a pretty plum sweater and black slacks. 

She looked as enchanting as ever, with her long, brown hair slightly blowing in the wind. She was smiling in the most enticing way, and all Max wanted to do was run to her, stare into her golden eyes, and kiss her pretty pink lips. 

Before he could leave the field and make his way to her though, the rest of his team came running up to Max, picking him up, and placing him on their shoulders. They were dancing around the field, screaming they were the champions as the crowd continued to shout praises for their winning team.

The cheerleading squad surrounded the rugby team, pouring out compliments and stating how great Max did. Despite all the flattery, he remained unaffected by the praise. He had tired from the constant attention he had received all his life being the Crown Prince of Triola. 

A year prior, he would have reveled in the attention he received, but after finding out his ex-girlfriend was only with him to be in the spotlight, he had stopped dating. That was until three months ago, when Lily ended up being his lab partner in biology class. The rare beauty turned his world upside down, and he found out he could have a meaningful relationship despite being the heir to a king.

He patted the guys’ shoulders, saying, “I need to go take care of something.”

Richard, his cousin and fellow teammate, chuckled. “I bet you do. Is that something wearing a purple sweater, by chance?”

Max ignored the remark, not wanting to make his relationship with Lily—which he cherished—the target of any joke. Instead, he hopped down and pushed through the crowd, wanting to find her and share his victory with the person he cared most about. 

Lily had watched as her boyfriend, Max Beaumont, was carried around the rugby field of Grantmire Boarding School—the small, elite preparatory school for the children of royalty, dignitaries, and celebrities. Both of them attended the school and grew up together in the royal court of Triola, but only in the past couple of months had they formed a real connection.

Her parents were ecstatic when they found out the news from a teacher at the school. They had been keeping close tabs on her progress since they had sent Lily to Grantmire as an attempt for her to catch the eye of Max. Her motivations for attending the school had laid elsewhere; the education was top-notch, and Lily wanted to get as far away from the royal court of Triola as she could. She hated the stuffy rules, the gossiping, and the judgment. Little did she know, she only traded one stifling life for another. The people at Grantmire were exactly like the people she grew up with in Triola. At least at Grantmire, she could focus on her studies—that was, until Max was assigned as her lab partner.

He was an unexpected distraction—at least on her part—as she had no intentions to follow her parents’ orders when it came to the crown prince. Those chocolate eyes though, sucked her in against her will. She found herself drawn into their warmth without even knowing what was happening.

What started out as a forced partnership by their teacher, turned into true friendship, and a month ago, something more. The relationship was new, but Lily was hopeful for their future.

“There you are,” Max said with a smile, coming to a halt next to her. “I’m glad you waited for me. You were the first person I wanted to see when that goal went in.”

The kind regard behind his comment made Lily’s face turn pink with pleasure. As he moved towards her, his dark eyes peered deep into her own, and she felt her stomach somersault with anticipation.

Max had a way of making everything around her melt away until it was just the two of them. He reached out and pulled her towards him, then let his lips descend to hers. The kiss was tender, yet passionate, filled with the joy of the moment.

He pulled back and gave her a lopsided grin. “That was worth every beating I took out there on the field,” Max admitted, “just to get one more kiss from you.”

Lily let out a small laugh before saying, “I’m glad I could keep you motivated.”

He picked her up and twirled her around, both of them laughing this time, completely caught up in the perfection of being together. 

Never had Lily felt so adored, like she was the only girl in the world for Max. She would have never believed the crown prince of her home country would fall for her.

The rest of the team was yelling as they made their way off the field. Richard came up and patted Max on the back. “You better head with me to the locker room, Champ. Coach will want to talk to all of us before we head out to celebrate.”

Max nodded. “All right.” Turning his attention back to Lily, he said, “I’ll text you once we’re done so you can come with me.”

“Okay. A few of my friends are waving for me to join them. I’ll catch up with you soon.”

After Max headed off with Richard, Lily made her way over to where Lady Isabella Rindell and Lady Margo Benett, Lily’s best friends, were waiting. Isabella was Spanish nobility, while Margo was from Triola like herself. 

“You and Max are just the cutest thing ever,” Isabella said with a giggle. “You’re perfect for each other.”

“I keep thinking it’s a dream. I never thought I would find my perfect match this young,” Lily admitted, “especially since I wasn’t even looking.”

“How romantic,” Margo sighed. “What I wouldn’t give to find a guy just like Max.”

“You will one day, Margo,” Lily assured her friend. “It just happens when you least expect it.”

“What do you guys have planned tonight after the big celebration?” Isabella asked with a knowing smile. “Is tonight going to be the night?”

Lily shook her head. “You know I’m waiting until I get married, Isabella. Just because I’m with Max now, it doesn’t change that.”

“I always forget how old-fashioned you are,” Isabella stated. “You know Max has certain expectations. After all, his last girlfriend was Georgina, and we all know how she loved to brag about her and Max’s exploits. You don’t want him to break up with you because of it, or date someone else on the side.”

It was true. Though Isabella was blunt about the situation, Lily was worried about her choice to stay abstinent. She hadn’t broached the subject with Max, but the more alone time they spent together, the different scenarios of his reaction rushed through her head. Not wanting to dwell on it or the uncomfortable feelings it stirred in her, Lily decided to go find Max instead.

“I think the guys will be done changing out and talking to the coach soon. I’m going to go find him. I’ll catch up with you guys later,” Lily said, taking off without waiting for a response.

Even though she had escaped her friend’s presence and despite her best efforts to push them aside, Isabella’s words continued to haunt her. Her classmates talked about guys only wanting one thing. This made her feel like she couldn’t give Max the one thing he would want. Would Max refrain from pressuring her for it? What would he think if she told him she wanted to wait to be intimate with him? Would he toss her aside? Would he look to someone else? She hoped he would support her decision, but she wondered how practical that was of her.

As Lily approached the doors leading to the boys’ locker room, she heard Max’s familiar voice speaking to someone. “You can’t be here like this. What if Lily sees you?”

“Who cares if she sees me?” she heard Lady Georgina Winston, Max’s ex-girlfriend, state with irritation. “I hope she does.”

Lily stopped moving and ducked behind a bush. Part of her wanted to interrupt them, the other part wondered if this would answer all the troubling questions rolling around in her head. Was there something still going on between Georgina and Max? Had he been keeping it from Lily?

“I told you to keep your distance. Why can’t you do what I tell you?” Max asked with frustration, as he pushed his hand through his dark hair.

“Because, you know I’m exactly what you want,” Georgina stated, pressing her body up against his, “and need. Lily can’t—or should I say won’t. You need someone real,” she said, taking his hand and placing it on her chest, “who can be real with you.”

Before Lily could decide whether she wanted to interrupt, Georgina leaned up and kissed Max on the mouth. Bile rose in Lily’s throat as she watched the other girl’s lips linger on her boyfriend’s mouth without him pulling away.

Not being able to stomach another moment, Lily turned and ran from the awful situation behind her. She had her answer, Max wanted something Lily couldn’t give him. Though their relationship had barely begun, what they had was over. Lily knew she would never be the same again.