The spell is broken the moment the gate closes behind us. Vincent’s voice cuts through the warm spring air, an unwelcome intrusion on what was possibly the best dream I’ve ever had (which is odd because there was no sex involved). “There you are, Your Highness. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

“You found me,” I call back.

“His Serene Highness is on his way home. His flight left an hour ago.” He’s bearing down quickly on us, and I fear soon the fresh scent of spring buds will be overcome by pungent cheese.

“What time will he arrive home?”

“Five-thirty,” he says as he reaches us.

Yup. There it is. Blue cheese. “Thank you.”

“Sir, I think we should really have a plan for how to…” he glances at Tessa, “…manage the current situation.”

I give him an easy smile. “No need. I’ve got it covered.”

“Your Highness—”

“It’s fine, really. I can handle it.” I shoot him a warning look, and he takes the hint. “Now, how are we set for this luncheon today?”

“Everything’s ready. The guests will start arriving in thirty-five minutes. Princess Arabella has asked to take the lead on the speeches, and since this is her charity, I thought we’d let her.”

“That’s fine. If she finds it too much, I can take over.”

“The head of the program has asked if Dexter will attend, considering the topic.”

“Oh, yes, he’ll love it.”

I turn to Tessa. “He does better at these types of things than I do. He gets any number of offers from women who want to take him home.” She laughs and the sound delights my ears yet again. “You’ll come today, yes?”

“I’d love to. I have a family obligation, so I’ll have to duck out by three o’clock, though.”

This news disappoints me slightly, and I’m surprised to find that I don’t want her to go, even for a few hours. “I’ll arrange for a car to take you.”

“I’ll see to that, sir,” Vincent says. “I’d better make sure Dexter has had a bath.” He hurries off, taking the walkie-talkie off his hip and calling back to the palace to give instructions.

We wait for him to be a good distance from us before either of us speaks. I sigh, then say exactly what I know she wants to hear. Funny thing is, I mean it. “It seems a shame that we have to go back to the way things were.”

Tessa looks up at me, her eyes full of emotion. “It does.”

“And yet we must.”

“Agreed.” We walk for another moment, then Tessa approaches the subject I knew was coming. “Your father doesn’t want me here, does he?”

“What makes you ask that?” I’m deliberately being coy while my mind races to come up with a suitable explanation. I can’t very well say, ‘My father’s a total dickhead. He’ll be absolutely awful to you, and since I like you very much, I can’t bear the thought of it.’ But I should probably warn her. It’s what any man who fancies a young woman would do. Wait—do I fancy her? I stop and turn to her. “He’s not the easiest man to deal with, and I’m afraid he wasn’t particularly thrilled when he learned of my plans as far as you’re concerned.”

“Don’t worry about me.” She shrugs as though she doesn’t care, but at the same time, her face pales slightly. “It’s not like I’m his biggest fan, either.”

I stare at her for a moment. The armor is back on, for which I am glad. She’ll need it. “Best case scenario is that he’ll be so busy with the upcoming anniversary celebrations that he won’t have time to take much notice of you.”

“Ah. I see.” She starts back toward the palace, more slowly now than before.

My stomach twists when I think about what I’ve just told her, and what we said and did a few minutes earlier. If there’s one thing I’ve managed to avoid all my life, it’s complicating things in any way, but Tessa Sharpe seems to be the exception. She could very well use everything I’ve just said against me and make it all public knowledge, which is why I really must double my efforts to win her over.

“Tessa, will you be back in time for the sunset?”

“I don’t think so. Why?”

“There’s a lovely spot on the roof of the palace that overlooks the North Sea. I thought maybe we could share a bottle of wine and watch the sunset.”

“I’d love that. Maybe another time?” Her face says that this is all too good to be true, which of course, it is.

I suddenly feel like a total shit for doing this, but desperate times call for desperate measures, don’t they? To be honest, when I think of sitting up there with her, sipping wine, I actually want to do it. It sounds rather wonderful.

Well, isn’t that a shock to the system?

Just as we near the palace steps, she reaches out her hand and touches my arm, then stops. “Arthur, I promise that what happened this morning will remain our secret. I have no reason to tell anyone any of that.”

“Thank you.” I search her face for the truth and see her sincerity. “I appreciate that.”

“And as to your father, anything you may or may not have implied right now won’t make good news anyway. My observations of him will be made directly and not from hearsay. I don’t run a gossip rag.”

I nod, and find myself absolutely riveted by her brilliant emerald eyes.

“I’m more interested in doing the right thing than the smart thing. Maybe that makes me a fool, but I’d rather be thought a fool than be someone with low morals.”

“I could never see you as either.” I smile down at her beautiful face, then reach up and tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. And far too soon, we find ourselves back in the palace, surrounded by people I’d rather weren’t there.

* * *

The entire luncheon, I find myself either keeping note of the time, or searching for Tessa among the patrons, making sure she seems happy. I had her seated at a table with some very nice animal activists, not the militant ones, but the ‘give peace a chance’ ones. She seems to be getting on just fine, and the fact that I care even in the slightest about her comfort and happiness should be setting off alarm bells in my head.

The fact is that I cannot, no matter what, stop thinking about her. Her smile, her voice, the warmth and taste of her kiss. I can still smell her skin even though I’ve showered and am in a freshly pressed suit, and I know it’s my mind conjuring her scent. She looks up at me and we lock eyes, smiling like fools at each other. Dexter is sitting on the floor with his head on her lap. Smart pig. He knows a quality girl when he finds one.

Oh, fuck. This is bad, isn’t it? I’m supposed to be impressing her, but instead, I think I’m might be falling for the one person on this planet who would like nothing more than to see my life destroyed. Very smooth, Arthur. Highly intelligent move on your part.

I check my watch. She’s going to leave in a few minutes, and I’m about to do something very stupid for the second time today. I take my phone out of my pocket and hold it under the table.

Me: Any chance you want a plus one for this mysterious family obligation?

I watch as she slides her phone off the table and discreetly reads my message. A slow smile spreads across her face and she starts typing.

Her: Dexter?

I chuckle to myself, hoping no one notices.

Me: No, the other surprisingly sweet pig in the family.

Her: LOL. You would hate it. It’s a horridly loud birthday party for my very wild but adorable twin nephews, who are turning six.

Me: Will there be strippers?

I hear her laugh from here, and I feel like a comedy giant who could sell out Valcourt Hall (which is absolutely insane because this is only some text flirting with someone whom I’m only text flirting with so I can get into her pants. And her good graces).

Her: Not if you don’t count their three-year-old brother who hates to wear clothes.

Me: He definitely does not count.

Her: All I can promise is that there will be cheap store-bought cake with sickeningly sweet icing and beer.

Me: You had me at sickeningly sweet icing.

Her: Meet me at the front doors in fifteen?

Me: I’ll be there.

She glances up at me with a little grin, and I find myself slightly excited. This is truly odd, because I’ve never been even remotely happy about attending a child’s birthday party, even as a child. Even when it was my own.

But it’s only because I really am under the gun to win her over before my father’s shadow comes creeping over the castle. Not at all because of that delicious kissing business from earlier.