What the hell is wrong with me? We’re going out for condoms?

At least I stopped him before it was too late. The last thing I need is some royal pregnancy scandal. I almost have to force myself not to roll my eyes at the thought.

And getting out of the house will be a good thing. I’m not sure I can handle being cooped up here alone with Leo for too much longer, anyway. I’m pretty sure he’s using his worry about the media as an excuse for something else. He might be saying he’s concerned so he’ll have a reason to leave me again. Or maybe he’s only pretending to be worried so we’ll stay holed up in my house and have sex for another twenty-four hours straight.

I’m losing my mind.

I don’t even remember the last time I needed to make an emergency condom run. I almost feel like I’m in high school again, so damned overcome with hormones.

I have no idea what’s come over me—I should hate him for leaving, for walking out on me. But something inside me is almost thrilled that he came back. Part of me still wants to gut him open like a fish—it might even be the same part of me that wants to let him take me over my kitchen counter without a condom. But this other part of me… I can’t explain it. I don’t know what it is, and I’m not sure I want to know.

The only thing I’m certain of is that I’ve never felt quite this way before. I don’t remember ever feeling this fluttery feeling in my stomach—at least not to the degree it’s there now. I can’t recall my heart ever hammering this hard in the presence of any man. And I definitely don’t remember feeling like some piece of me is missing when he’s not here—like the way I did when he left. And I’m sure I’ve never experienced the near-euphoria I felt when he came back to me.

No, I definitely cannot admit any of this. Even to myself.

He’s leering at me again, but it’s more than him only wanting sex. At least, I hope it is. Part of me knows there’s a pretty good chance he could be using me, but I’ll be damned if I can figure out why. If it was only about sex, he’d already be gone. He could have easily found another willing woman eager to be with him, probably one with more experience than me and better in bed. He wouldn’t have come back to me if there wasn’t something more than just sex here for him, too.

Or would he?

I don’t really want to think about it. If I ponder on this situation too long, I’m going to change my mind about everything. I grab my bag and keys and start for the door.

“Elle, I…” He pauses, almost wincing. “This is a really bad idea.”

“You know, you can stay here. I won’t die out there. It’s not like I’m walking out into the jungle alone. I don’t need you to protect me.”

“Ah, but it is very much like a jungle. I wish you would understand—”

“Leo, I have lived in this house for a long time.” I motion toward the door. “I’ve lived in Santa Monica pretty much my whole life. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve walked out this very door, all by myself. I know it’s hard to believe—”

“It isn’t that I don’t believe you’re capable of walking out the door, Elle. It’s more about what lies beyond the door that I’m concerned about.”

“There’s no one out there. We already looked—”

“Just because you can’t see them, doesn’t mean they aren’t there. And when they do find us—and believe me, they will—they’re going to want to know everything about you.” His lips flatten into a line. “Everything, Elle.”

My heart skips a few beats at the way he says the word everything. Leo doesn’t know everything. He has no idea what’s happened. Why I really need to avoid the media.

But surely the paparazzi have better things to do than to bother some random, unknown woman. Or maybe they don’t. And maybe the threat of the media is a perfect reason to push Leo out of my life now—before he or the rest of the world find out what I’m really hiding. What my family is hiding. But for some weird reason, I don’t care. I don’t want him to leave again—not without me, anyway.

“Surely there’s a delivery service we might utilize, isn’t there?” He grins, taking a step toward me. “I’ll happily pay them to bring whatever supplies we might need—and I’ll be glad to offer them a premium to do so with some urgency.”

He closes the remaining distance between us in only a few steps, pulling me into his arms again. He slides his hand under my sweatshirt and up my spine. “It would be better to stay here. And I can think of a few things we can do that would be mutually pleasurable while we wait. Things that don’t require condoms. I’m certain you might think of a few, too.”

I take a step back, pulling his arm away from my body. “No. Sorry. I can’t think of anything. What I can think of is not being able to stop myself once we get started. I have a feeling you can understand my reasoning here, considering what just happened.”

“Ah, but we did stop, did we not?” He grins. “And I can assure you, I’m quite adept—”

“Leo, no. I know that isn’t your favorite word to hear—”

“Indeed, it is not—”

“But I am not changing my mind about it.” I point at the door. “You think whatever is on the other side of that door is bad? Imagine what would happen if…” I mock a gasp. “…I was to announce that Prince Leopold is the father of my child? What would the vultures do with that kind of information?”

He levels his gaze at me, his smile falling. “Say no more. But I will not allow you to go out there alone.”

“Fine. Then you’re welcome to come with me. There’s a convenience store about a mile down the street.” I point in the direction of the mini-mart.

He lifts a brow. “A mile?” He hitches a thumb in the other direction. “What about that way—?”

I tilt my head. “That way, there’s a mall and the beach. I’m sure we could find some sort of birth control there, too…maybe. But we’d also find a ton of people. Tourists. Many of whom will no doubt recognize you.”

“Ah. Yes. That could be a problem.”

“The convenience store is farther away, but it keeps us in the residential area of town, at least, and away from the tourist part. And it’ll be a lot less likely that anyone will recognize you. And even if they do… I mean, what would Prince Leopold be doing walking down the street in Santa Monica? I didn’t recognize you at first when you showed up in Rio de Campo. If it’s out of context, you’re less likely to be recognized, right? And the mall here—where celebrities go to be photographed shopping—is definitely not out of context for you.”

“You make a very good point, Doctor.” He smiles and extends a hand to me. “Shall we, then?”

I nod and take his hand, trying once again to ignore the thrill of electricity that bolts up my arm when he touches me.

We finally leave the house, walking for several minutes before Leo breaks the silence between us. “What are you thinking, Elle?”

I glance over at him. “Probably the same thing you’re thinking.”

He squeezes my hand. “I doubt that. The things I’m thinking are not very noble.”

I press my lips together to hide my grin, trying not to react to the comment.

A few children on bicycles pass us on the street. One of the boys does something of a double take, looking back at Leo. He shakes his head with what almost looks like disbelief before he turns back around and pedals down the street with the other children.

I look over at him again. “I told you people wouldn’t believe it was you.”

He smiles down at me. “Those were children. It might be a very different story with adults.”

I give him a small shrug, and we continue toward the store.

There are several bicycles parked outside the mini-mart. The door opens and the same children who passed us several minutes ago walk out with ice cream in their hands.

The same boy narrows his gaze at Leo but doesn’t say anything. He leans over and whispers something to one of the other boys, who then also turns his attention to the man holding my hand.

I tug at Leo’s arm and almost pull him into the store with me. After we’re inside, I spot the section where our needed supplies are stocked. I drop Leo’s hand and walk over to them.

Leo lingers behind, stopped at the large display of magazines at the front of the store.

I grab a box of condoms and walk back over to him. “It’s probably a little early for there to be any stories about you being here, isn’t it?”

He smiles but doesn’t look over at me. He has a tabloid in his hand, and he leafs through it slowly, almost as though he’s actually interested in whatever is written in there.

I grab it from him. “Here, I’ll buy it for you if you care about it so much.” I shake my head and lower my voice. “For someone who talks about the media the way you do, you sure seem to be almost as fascinated with them as they are with you.”

He drops his volume to match mine. “We do share some mutual interests, yes.” He smiles. “I was merely checking to see if my arrival in Rio de Campo had been reported yet. I’m trying to protect you, you see.”

I only barely stop myself from rolling my eyes. “Yes, I see how you wanting to check what’s been written about you is all about me. It’s so obvious.” There’s no way he can mistake the sarcasm in my voice.

He grins, pulling the magazine out of my hand and placing it back on the rack. “I can admit that I appreciate the press, at least from time to time.”

There’s no way I can stop myself from rolling my eyes this time, and I decide to change the subject. “I should probably get some food while we’re here.” I turn to walk over to the grocery aisle. “I’m not much of a cook, but I can put together a few things. I seem to remember you liking peanut butter well enough—”

He interrupts by grasping my forearm. “Elle, did I not mention I had your pantry and refrigerator stocked while I was waiting for you to return home? We’ll not be wanting for anything for days.” He glances down at the condoms in my hand. “Except for those.” He lifts a brow suggestively. “Perhaps you should purchase an additional box? Or three?”

“You are insufferable.” I shake my head, lowering my voice again. “You realize, of course, if we actually do go through another box or three, I won’t be walking very well by the time they’re gone.”

A slow grin spreads across his face. “Then you would have no choice but to remain in bed. I would remain with you, of course—”

“Insufferable.”

His smile grows impossibly wide. “I do try.”

“Fine.” I twist my arm from his grasp and walk back over to the condom aisle again, grabbing another two boxes. Just for safety, of course. There’s no way in hell I’m actually going to let him use all of them.

Probably.

I glance back over to where I left him, and he’s returned his gaze to the magazines again. He pulls a different tabloid off the rack and starts leafing through it, though more quickly this time.

Rolling my eyes, I walk over to the cashier and pay for my items. It takes a few minutes—just like it always seems to when I’m purchasing items like these—and I only barely notice the jingling of the door.

I try to ignore the judgment in the cashier’s eyes as he hands me the bag—it’s not like it’s any of his damn business what I’m buying. I’m a grown woman after all. A responsible woman, who won’t be contracting any diseases or acquiring any pregnancies while I have Leo in my life.

I smile to myself. While I have the pleasure of having Leo in my life. For as long as it lasts. I can do this—I can have a little fling with a prince. It’s not like I have anything else going on right now. And whatever this is doesn’t have to mean anything—I can enjoy him while I have him.

And I will enjoy him. Very, very much.

I smile again at the thought, but my stomach quickly hardens as I turn to Leo. Four teenage girls, probably no older than fourteen or fifteen, surround him. And I’m not sure what’s worse—that they’re giggling and cooing over him or that he seems to be enjoying their antics a bit too much.

It’s difficult to ignore the burning in my chest, and I’m not sure exactly what it is I feel until I walk over to the group.

One of the girls sneers at me. “Wait your turn, lady.”

My pulse speeds, my entire body tensing. I open my mouth to tell the girls to back off, but before I can say a word, one of them shoves a phone in my hand. “Will you take our picture?”

I have to blink a few times. And I’m not sure what comes over me, but I hold the phone up and snap a photo of the young girls with a grinning Leo.

After throwing the phone back at the girl, I edge myself around the group to get to the exit. I push the glass door so hard it sticks open.

I don’t even look behind me—I march across the street and head back toward my house, walking as quickly as I can without breaking into a full sprint.

I should have known he would do something like that if he was recognized. He’s a celebrity, after all. And he clearly enjoys his role. There doesn’t seem to be much room for me in that particular choice of lifestyle. And I’m not sure why I ever thought there could be.

I’m an idiot. I never should have allowed myself to think for even a moment that I had a chance to mean anything to him.

I’m passing the park that’s only a few minutes away from my house when I feel a hand on my shoulder. “You’re jealous.” There’s a hint of amusement in Leo’s voice.

I stop, spinning to face him. “I am not jealous.”

He grins, nodding. “You are.” He reaches out to me, tracing a finger across my cheek. “Your face is a most intoxicating shade of pink.” He pauses, trailing his finger down my jaw, then my neck. “I rather like the color of jealousy on you.”

Growling, I spin on my heel and start walking down the street.

Leo catches me by the top of my arm, spinning me around to face him again. “They’re just girls, Elle. They mean nothing.” He shrugs. “You on the other hand…”

He laces his arms around my waist and dips his head to whisper in my ear. “You mean something.”

I take a step back, pulling away just enough to look up into his eyes. “You can’t tell me that you have to stay in my house to hide from the media and then go and have photos taken with teenage girls.”

“I told you I would be recognized, Elle. I always am. And I have a reputation to uphold. I realize it may not be the best reputation—”

“Do you have any idea how much I want to slap you again?”

He grins. “I seem to remember what happened the last time you slapped me, so I can’t say I would object. Much.”

“I hate you. I hate you so much.”

He shakes his head before he slides his hands to my ass, pulling me so tightly against him I can feel his erection. “I don’t believe that for a single moment.”

Electricity bolts through me again, centering itself at my core. I tilt my head to look up into his eyes. “You should.”

“I should do many things.” He glances over at the park. “For instance, I should wait to have you again until we’re safely inside your home. But I don’t believe I can wait that long. I don’t believe either of us can.”

* * *