There is something truly magical about Montovia. So much so that it’s hard to imagine myself living here—visiting, perhaps. But making a life here? I’m not so sure.

I wish there was some way I could make Leo understand that I don’t need to live like a princess. It’s definitely fun, but so is a roller coaster—once in a while. It’s not something I want to do day in and day out. I do want to be able to learn how to enjoy things for the sake of pleasure alone like Leo keeps insisting I do, but I still can’t see how I’m supposed to be able to live this way all the time. Not when I have so many things I want to do. Not when there are so many people who need help.

Leo is being so generous, it’s hard to even try to bring any of this up with him. And I don’t really expect him to understand. This is his life, and I’m honestly grateful that he’s sharing it with me—I just don’t think I can be the princess he seems to want me to be.

Once my story comes out, it’s only going to be a matter of time. He may say he supports me—that he’s going to be with me every step of the way—but I have a feeling this story is going to trump any other tabloid scandal he’s been involved in over the years.

His parents seemed to understand that, too. Leo has been their problem child—and they’ve been very patient with him. But even with the scandal we caused when he visited my home several months ago, the king and queen still seem to feel my presence in his life has tamed him somewhat.

And that’s the last thing I ever wanted to do.

There’s just this little niggling feeling I can’t let go of—that everything is going just a little too well. Everything this morning went perfectly with his parents—too perfectly. And today—spending the day with Leo, having him show me all the things he loves… It was sublime. There hasn’t been a single thing that’s gone wrong.

Part of me wants to believe my life might actually be able to be like this. But another, much louder part knows that this is like walking into an emergency department at the hospital and commenting about how quiet it is. All hell is sure to break loose only a few seconds later after something like that happens.

Today has been the pause between disasters. I’m not sure how I know, but I am positive that I do.

“What is it?” Leo smiles at me and breaks me out of my dreadful daydream.

I look into his eyes, trying to telegraph to him what I’m feeling without saying it out loud. Something about saying those words will jinx the beauty of today, and I don’t want to ruin it for either of us.

And he’s beautiful right now, too—the light from the setting sun makes the flecks of gold in his eyes shine in a way that makes me want to lean across the table and kiss him. To take him in my arms and make myself forget I ever had any doubts. To somehow realize that what we’ve found in each other will be enough to get us through what I know is going to be a very difficult time ahead.

But I don’t. I force a smile instead and try to hide everything I’m thinking. “Nothing. It’s just really beautiful here. Thank you for today. I’m really grateful we were able to spend the entire day together.”

His smile widens and he takes my hand in his. He’s still wearing gloves—I tried to tell him earlier that it was ridiculous, but he insisted. Something about the media making up stories about his bandaged hands. I don’t understand how wearing gloves when it’s nearly summer is any less tantalizing for the media—not that we’ve seen any reporters or anything. The laws against paparazzi in this country are almost a relief, but I suppose there are still reporters lurking about. I just can’t imagine why they would care about his hands.

“Elle…” His voice trails off for a moment, and something shines in his eyes. He lifts my fingers to his lips and places a gentle kiss on the back of my hand. “I must tell you how much I’ve enjoyed spending this day with you.”

“I did, too. The photographs I’ve seen of Montovia really don’t do it justice.” I smile. “It really is a magical place.”

“I’m so happy you think so.” He gazes into my eyes for a moment. “Tomorrow, I will need to return to working on the files for my father. And believe me, I am truly thankful he’s canceled our family dinners the next few nights. I otherwise wouldn’t be here with you now.” He sighs. “But tonight, I don’t want to discuss such things. Tonight—”

“Leo.” I can’t help but interrupt. “If you need to go to work in the morning, we should probably get back so you can get some sleep. I mean, neither of us has had much sleep in the past few days and you—”

“I don’t require sleep, Elle. As a matter of fact…” He lifts my hand and places another kiss on it. “I don’t much care if I ever sleep again.”

I force a weak smile. “This has been amazing, Leo. All of it—not just today. Spending the past few days with you has been more than I ever could have dreamed—”

“You’re having second thoughts.”

I frown. “No.”

He nods. “This is about the interview, isn’t it?” He rubs at his jaw for a moment. “Elle, I still think it is a terrible idea. It’s not too late to change your mind. In fact, if it were up to me—”

“But it isn’t up to you, Leo. And I want to tell my story. I know it’s hard for you to understand, but I’ve held onto the shame that came with it for way too long. Even if the consequences are as dire as I think they might be—”

“Elle, before you commit to doing this interview, I believe we should have Matthias look into exactly what those repercussions will be for you. If you should lose your ability to practice medicine, for example—”

I interrupt him again. “I might.” My heart bangs in my chest even acknowledging that possibility. “It’s certainly possible that the licensing board will find that I behaved unethically, even if they don’t penalize me for what happened in medical school. And that would have the same outcome.”

He rubs his jaw again for a moment. “And what would you do if that came to pass?”

I shrug. “I don’t know, Leo. I haven’t really thought about it.”

Leo glances around the patio of the restaurant where we’re sitting, obviously looking for those who might betray him—for some reporter lurking in the shadows, just waiting to break a big story like this one. He finally looks back at me. “Elle, you should think about it. I imagine that it took you a considerable amount of effort to pass your exams after medical school—the tests you had to take to become a fully recognized doctor.”

I nod. “The licensing exams. Yes, they were a pain in the ass.”

“And what would you do if you lost the ability to practice medicine?”

“I…I don’t know.” I haven’t really thought about that—I haven’t wanted to let myself think about it. Practicing medicine is all I know—it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.

He frowns. “You should think about it. Elle…” He lets out a small sigh. “My family is definitely not worthy of having you give up something in which you are so fantastically talented. You have told me many times in the short span of time we’ve known each other that you are unworthy of my gifts or even of my love. But I must tell you, Elle, that my family is much more unworthy of you.”

I shake my head. “That isn’t true, Leo. I can’t imagine a family more worthy. And I’m just one person. It isn’t as though if I’m unable to practice medicine, the whole world is without doctors, you know. There are plenty more like me.”

He gives my hand a small squeeze. “Elle, there is no one like you.”

I smile and try not to roll my eyes. Accepting his compliments is so much more difficult than accepting Stephan’s insults. But I don’t really want to think about the question—the truth is, I have no idea what I would do if I was unable to practice medicine. I’m not sure what else there is for me.

He smiles and stands, extending his hand for me to take again. “Shall we return to the palace? Perhaps tomorrow, we can venture into the city again in the afternoon. Or perhaps you would rather have a proper tour of the palace?”

I return his smile. “Let’s see what the day brings. You never know—you might be so tired from staring at numbers all day that you’ll fall asleep before Matthias brings your dinner.”

His gaze narrows playfully. “I fully expect to be exhausted tomorrow, much as I expect to be after tonight.” He lifts a brow and tries to hide his grin. “And trust me, Elle, that exhaustion will have nothing to do with numbers. Unless we are counting once more then number of ways I will have you before morning.”

I laugh to cover the shiver of electricity that burns through me at his words.

How the hell am I ever supposed to go back to living a normal life? For as much as I’m thinking about pushing this life away and somehow figuring out how to go back to reality, I’m just not sure I can. I tell myself I want to, but I’m not sure if that’s true, either. What I really want—regardless of where we are—is to spend my days with Leo. And my nights. Definitely my nights.

I take his hand and we begin the walk back to where the car is waiting.

Leo points out a few more sights along the way, much as he has done all afternoon. It’s a little beside the point now, though, since the sun has nearly disappeared beneath the horizon and it’s difficult to see any of the things he’s telling me about.

We finally reach the car and he opens the door for me, sliding in next to me after I enter. I half expect him to try to seduce me in the car, but he’s a perfect gentleman. He only holds my hand and continues to try to point out landmarks to me on the way back to the palace.

We finally arrive and exit the car. The walk back to the rear entry of the palace is slow—Leo is walking much more slowly than usual, almost as though he feels the same sense of dread I felt earlier.

He finally turns to me before we get to the doors. “Elle, you know we are not bound here, right?”

“Bound?” I’m sure if there were more light, he would see how confused I look. “What are you talking about?”

He lets out a long breath. I can barely see him in the dim lighting from the walkway. “I only mean that if you are regretting your conversation with my parents this morning, we can still leave Montovia. I’ve been thinking about what you said—about living the way others live. Though I’m still not sure I could, I would be willing to try. For you.”

I smile. “I appreciate that, Leo. I do. But I haven’t changed my mind. And I think you’re worrying about things a lot more than you need to. It’s all going to work out the way it’s supposed to. I’m going to tell this story—I’m going to get it off my chest once and for all. And who knows? Maybe it will save some other women from going through what I went through. Maybe it will help other women who’ve been through the same thing to let go of their own shame. Because that’s something I still need a lot of help with, Leo. Letting go of my shame.”

He nods. “Of course. I didn’t mean that you shouldn’t do what it is you feel is right, Elle. Only that you shouldn’t be doing it to protect my family. You should be doing it for yourself, if you’re doing it for anyone at all.”

“But Leo, I am doing it for myself. Don’t you see that?”

He slides his arms around my waist. “I don’t believe I’ve said that I love you in quite some time, Elle.”

I grin. “I know. It’s been an eternity, Leo. Probably at least an hour.” I fake a gasp. “Maybe even two.”

He presses his lips against mine for a moment and I know by the way my body reacts—by the way my heart pounds and the heat coils inside me—where we’re headed next.

The kiss is short—too short—and he pulls away, probably not wanting to make a scene again. We do tend to get a little out of control in public for some reason. But he takes my hand in his and leads me to the door.

We’re barely through the entryway when I see the familiar shape of Stephan standing in front of us.

He looks first at Leo, giving a small—probably phony—bow of his head. “Your Highness.” He lifts his head and turns to me, sneering. “Miss Parker.”

I roll my eyes, but don’t respond otherwise. If I’ve learned nothing else in the past few days, it’s that it isn’t worth it to engage with Stephan at all.

His gaze turns to Leo again. “You’ll notice that I’m still here, Your Highness.”

Leo clenches my hand tightly, but also doesn’t otherwise respond to the man.

“And I warned you, Your Highness. I warned you. And now that I am officially on probation and under the watchful eye of a much less senior valet, I intend to keep my promise to you both.”

Leo almost growls but doesn’t say anything.

I look up at Leo. “Let’s just go to bed.”

Stephan lets out a short laugh. “Yes, do go to bed, Your Highness. And enjoy your tawdry affair while you can.” He grins. “This night will be the last you spend with her.”