Decorum. Rules.

I hated the bullshit that came along with being the head of the royal family. Ayla pointed Molly to a room across the hall from mine.

We couldn’t stay in the same suite when we traveled. The country would lose its fucking minds if the citizens thought their king slept in the same bed as a woman.

“I’ll have her ready by five,” Ayla assured me, guiding her out of my reach.

I shoved my hands in my pockets. It was absurd. Molly should be with me in my suite. At my side. In my bed.

“She doesn’t know about the surprise,” she whispered.

“Thank you.” I walked into my rooms, closing the door with an irritated thud. I walked to the bar and poured a drink.

There wasn’t anything that could quench my thirst for her. The bottle wasn’t deep enough.

I sat on the couch and grabbed the remote. I rarely watched TV unless it was football, but I turned on the flat screen.

“Fuck.”

The headline flashed across the screen.

American caught by His Royal Highness

There was a succession of photos that blurred in random order of Molly losing her balance and me stopping her fall.

The trip was supposed to be about the support I needed for the irrigation funding, not about Molly. I stormed to the hallway.

“Yes, your majesty?” The security officer nodded.

“I need Sutcliffe and Kenley on the phone immediately.”

“Yes, sir.”

I slammed the door and paced in front of the TV. There was very little coverage about the event today, and an abundance of speculation about Molly. Who was she? Where did we meet? Why was she on a domestic trip with the king?

I groaned. I knew she would be photographed, but I underestimated the press’s interest in her. The fact that I scooped her up in a heroic gesture only fanned the flames.

Security knocked before entering with two phones.

“Kenley is on this one and Sutfcliffe on the other.”

“Thank you.”

Kenley was the go-to on royal damage control. I told Sutcliffe to hold the line a minute.

“Kenley, have you seen the headlines?”

“Yes. They are taking over social media. I’m afraid the entire country knows about Molly Washington’s trip into your arms, your majesty.”

Damn it. I closed my eyes. “Is there any way to extract more coverage on the olive groves? That’s the point of the trip. That needs to be the headline.”

“I can release a memo from the palace regarding the trip today. I’ll update all of our sites.”

“But that’s it?”

“Sir, I think you need to be prepared for the frenzy over Molly. You have never taken a companion on a trip. It was bound to cause questions. Her citizenship creates even more interest.”

“I know. Sutcliffe mentioned it more than once.” He was still waiting for me on the other phone. “Do what you can, Kenley to spin this away from Molly. The cabinet meeting is tomorrow. I need the votes.”

“Yes, sir.”

I hung up with her and pulled the Sutcliffe phone to my ear.

“Sutcliffe, I assume you know why I called.”

“Miss Washington, sir?”

He fucking knew why. He wanted me to admit I had been wrong to bring her. That wasn’t going to happen.

“Yes.” I clenched my jaw. “I thought it might take the press longer to show their interest in her, but it escalated with one picture.”

“I saw it, sir.”

“Everyone has seen it,” I snarled. “Ayla is working with her now, but I need protocols in place when we return tomorrow.”

“Your highness, what type of protocols?”

“I can’t let her return to her apartment without security. She won’t be able to go to the library. Her world has just been interrupted. I expect a solution when we return.”

“Are you suggesting she move into the palace, sir?”

I rubbed the back of my head. “I’m suggesting you find a way to keep her safe. One that will satisfy my requirements and keep the country from imploding with gossip.”

This was a fucking train wreck.

“Your highness, this is unprecedented. No companion has ever lived at the palace. It’s not possible.”

I exhaled. “Make it possible. Find an historic anecdote. Find a loophole. You and I will meet when I return in the morning.”

“Yes, sir.”

I tossed both phones on the couch and slumped in the chair with my bourbon.

I realized with one trip. One tiny mis-step and I had done what I had avoided my entire life. I had fallen for a woman so hard, I was willing to break every fucking royal rule to have her.