A Royal Mess and Her Knight To Remember (23 page)

Just his touch made her want to lean into him and bite his chin. “I'm not a liar.”

He gave her a half-closed, incredibly sexy look. “Uh-huh.”

“I'm not,” she said, much weaker now. Damn him. He did that to her, and he knew it. He liked it!

His body brushed hers, and if she'd thought she
couldn't breathe inside during the wedding, she was in big trouble now.

“You're turned on,” he insisted, running a finger down her jaw and her throat, then down farther to play with the locket resting between her breasts, which tingled from the backs of his fingers.

Traitors. She tightened her arms over her chest.

He didn't look bothered. “And you're pissed. Incredibly sexy combination, Princess.”

“You're sick.”

“Yes,” he agreed, then looked right into her eyes again. “I'm sick that this is it.”

Panic welled, but she beat it back. He couldn't know. He wasn't a mind reader and she sure hadn't given him any indication of her feelings. Mostly because she herself didn't understand them. “Wh—what are you talking about?”

“You'll miss me,” he said, holding her gaze with his. “Why don't you just tell me you'll miss me?”

The big, bossy jerk. “Why should I?”

“Because I'm going to miss you. Every ornery, stubborn inch.”

“L
ET'S TRY THIS
,”
Kyle suggested, and went to pull something out of his tux pocket.

“Wait!” Annie covered his hand with hers, looking frantically over her shoulder, but they were still alone. Or as alone as they could be at a huge wedding reception surrounded by hundreds. “Oh my God.
What are you doing?
”

“I'm trying to tell you. I'm—”

“You can't pull a gun here! It's a wedding reception.”

He let out a sound of disbelief. “What makes you think I have a gun in my pocket?”

She was nose to nose with him. She had her hand on his at his hip. Her chest was mashed into his chest, and suddenly Annie realized that this might be the last time they touched. “You're a cop.”

“Was.”

“You…what?”

He looked off into the distance, at the mountain
peaks, at the sky, an inexplicable yearning on his face. “I wanted a leave of absence but I couldn't get one.”

“You wanted a leave? But…why?”

“I told you that day we were held up by Jimmy. I need a break. A change of scenery.”

“You're burned out?” she asked, softening, feeling her heart break a little for the man who'd given so much and needed something back in return.

He shrugged. “I suppose burned out is a good an explanation as any other.”

“So you…”

“Quit.”

Her heart started a heavy pounding. She didn't know why. “Which doesn't explain the gun in your pocket.”

He turned his head from the view and pierced her with those amazing eyes. “I told you it wasn't a gun. But somehow, I think you'd be less terrified of a gun than what I do have.”

“Then maybe you should keep it to yourself.” Her pulse was definitely off the scale. And she didn't want to see what was burning a hole in his pocket. Not one little bit.

“You are going to be kind, aren't you?” he whispered.

“Kyle.” She backed up a step. “You're scaring me.”

“Yeah. Good. I'm scaring myself.” He drew a deep breath. “Here goes. Annie…do you think you could rescue me one more time?”

“I haven't rescued you,
you've
rescued me. Several times now.”

“No,” he said quietly, stepping back to her side, solemn and breathtaking. “You've got it backward. From the moment you came into my life, wearing that horrendous dress—”

She put one hand over her chest and the pink satin she'd nearly forgotten she was wearing. “You told me it wasn't that bad.”

“I lied. It's bad.”

“Well, thanks a lot.”

“I have something much more important to talk to you about than the dress, Annie.”

“Oh.” Her hand was still on his, and she prevented him from pulling it free of the pocket because…well, she wasn't sure exactly. All she knew was that she could scarcely draw in a breath and she was fairly certain it was all his fault, but then
he shifted and tried to free his hand. “Kyle…what are you doing?”

“He's trying to propose, dearness.” Amelia appeared at their side. “Only you won't be quiet long enough for the poor man to get his words out. Isn't that right, Mr. Kyle Moore?”

“Uh…” He stared down at the slightly plump, undoubtedly regal Amelia Grundy. “Do I know you?”

“No, but you will. You're the man who's going to make my Annie happy forever after or I'll beat you senseless with my umbrella.” She hoisted it out of her satchel and waved it for effect.

Kyle lifted his eyebrows, then looked to Annie, who felt sorry for him even if he was a big stupid lug. “This is Amelia Grundy,” she said. “My ex-nanny and current…”

“Keeper,” Amelia provided helpfully.

“Hey! You mean pain in my—”

“Annie!”

Annie smiled and hugged Amelia tight. “I love you, Amelia. And I'm happier than I can say to see you, but I need a moment of privacy here.”

“With this man?” Amelia eyeballed Kyle, who, though fearless in the face of the most ruthless of criminals, looked a little wary. A little unnerved.

A little…hers.

“Yes, with this man.” Annie smiled at him even as she spoke to Amelia. “Amelia, it's quite possible I'm about to make a fool of myself.”

“No, actually, the big guy here is going to do that.” Amelia smiled up at a very confused Kyle with fondness and patted his back. “Make her answer your question, good man.”

“Yes. The question.” Kyle opened his mouth, then with an oath shut it again. “I've lost my place.”

“You wanted to know if she'd rescue you one more time.” Amelia smiled. “She hasn't yet answered you.”

“That's because the question didn't make any sense,” Annie pointed out. Oh, yes, definitely her heart was going to burst right out of her chest, because suddenly she knew. She couldn't just walk away. Couldn't just go back to her life without doing the one thing she'd never really done before.

Risk her heart. Oh, sure, she'd
told
herself she'd risked plenty of times, and that no man had ever really been interested.

A big fat lie.

She'd never risked at all. She'd always simply
sabotaged any kindling relationship before she could get hurt.

No longer. She
was
going to leave, she
was
going back to her life, but she wasn't running away, and she wasn't going to always wonder. She was going to tell Kyle the truth.

That she'd fallen in love with him.

That he was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

That she hoped he came and visited her sometime, not only so she could feel whole again, but so that she could have another heart-stopping, screaming orgasm like only he'd given her.

Well, she thought with a guilty glance at Amelia, maybe she'd keep that last part to herself.

Amelia lifted a brow.

Definitely, she'd keep that last part to herself. “Kyle.” Oh, man, she was starting to sweat. Who would have thought opening her heart would be harder than putting on pink satin? “I—”

“No, I've got to go first,” he said. “I—”

“Wait. Why do you get to go first?”

“Because I started first,” he said, not so reasonably. “Annie, don't take this wrong, but I'm trying to do something here.”

“Well, so am I.”

“Children,” Amelia broke in, stepping between the two of them as they came together nose to nose. “Let's not squabble. I'm sure we can settle this reasonably. After all, you're both after the same thing.”

Annie's breath clogged in her throat. “Amelia, I know you're always right—”

“Oh, dearness, I do like a sentence that starts that way,” Amelia said with a smile.

“But—”

“Now Annie, you know how I feel. Butts are better—”

“—covered than discussed,” Annie said with her in unison. She had to laugh. “Yes, I know. But—”

“Stop.” Kyle lifted a hand to his head as if afraid it was going to fall off. “Please, just stop.” He took Annie's shoulders and lifted her clear off the ground so that they were indeed nose to nose. “Answer this. Do you care about me?”

His eyes were dark, deep and full of many, many things, but it was the uncertainty that reached her. So much so that she reached out and cupped his face. “After last night, I should be insulted you have to ask.”

“I don't mean physically, damn it. I know you
care about me that way.” Before she could take offense at his confidence, he was solemn again. “I mean do you care about me…emotionally.”

She didn't hesitate. “I care very much.”
I love you, you ignorant fool.
“In fact, that's sort of tied into what I wanted to say to you.”

“Shh, he's not done,” Amelia admonished, still standing right beside them, unabashedly eavesdropping. “Let the poor man finish.”

“Thank you,” Kyle said, not taking his eyes or hands off Annie.

“No problem. She's terribly impertinent, always has been.”

“I can see how that must have been a huge problem,” Kyle said.

“Must
have
been?” Amelia laughed. “Oh, my dear. She still is.”

“Hey!
She
is still standing right here and has ears,” Annie said indignantly, waggling her toes, which were still a good six inches off the ground.

“Get used to it,” Amelia advised Kyle as if Annie hadn't spoken. “And, oh, she's getting her temper up now, isn't she? She might as well be a redhead, really, for all her ability to control it.”

“Amelia!” Annie glared down at her friend, at the woman who'd been a mother to her since her
own had perished. “I love you, but I'm afraid you're fired.”

“This is the sixty-seventh time you've said that in our time together,” Amelia said, unconcerned, studying her fingernails. “And for the sixty-seventh time, your father pays me, not you.”

Annie tipped her head back and sighed loudly.

Kyle's eyes sparkled. “So, impertinent princess, can I finish now?”

“Oh, please. By all means, finish. Heaven forbid I try to have a say in my own life.”

His hands tightened on her. His voice came sure and strong. It was only the flicker in his eyes that gave away his nerves, and caused hers. “Andrea Katrine Fran Brunner, will you m—”

“Excuse me,” Amelia interrupted. “You have to say
Your Serene Highness
when addressing Annie formally.”

Kyle nodded. “Sorry. You're right.” He turned back to Annie. “Your Serene Highness, Andrea Katrine Fran Brunner, will you m—”

“No. I'm sorry.” Amelia shook her head and tapped a finger to her lower lip. “You forgot the ‘of Grunberg' part.”

“Okay.” Before Kyle turned back to Annie, he paused. “Is that all?” His voice was a little tense now.

“Yes. Please proceed.”

“Amelia.” Annie spoke in an oddly calm voice given that she could hardly get a word out past the lump in her throat, not to mention the hope bouncing like popcorn off the walls in her stomach. “I mean this in the nicest way. But shut up.”

“Shutting up,” Amelia said obediently.

As if she'd ever been obedient!

“Kyle,” Annie said, still watching Amelia. “Put me down.”

He actually did, but he didn't take his hands off her. “I have to tell you, Annie. I'm getting a little frustrated here.”

“Join the club. Now.” She drew a deep breath and looked into his beautiful eyes, because God help her, she had an inkling that this could be better than even her wildest dreams. “Go ahead. I promise to kill the next person who interrupts you.”

“Not if I beat you to it.” He ran his hands down her arms to their fingers, which he entangled. “Okay, here it is, Annie. I love you. I don't know how it happened. I sure never meant for it to, but from the moment we took on Jimmy together, things haven't been the same for me.” He blew out
a breath. “And now that I've said it out loud, I feel a little weak, so could you say you feel the same way before I pass out?”

He loved her. “I'm sorry,” she finally managed, her voice thick. “I didn't hear anything past the
I love you
part. Do you think you could repeat it?”

He actually tried. His brow was furrowed with stress, his body tight with strain, but he tried. If she hadn't already loved him, she would have fallen in love right then and there. “I said, I never meant for this to happen,” he repeated. “But—”

“I meant the ‘I love you' part.” She slipped her fingers into his hair because she had to touch him. She probably had to touch him for the rest of her life.

“I love you,” he said hoarsely, dropping his forehead to hers. “I want to go with you to Grunberg. I want to be with you in
your
setting for a change, away from all this…this…”

“Pink satin?”

“Yes. God, yes.”

“But Grunberg isn't America.”

“You have cops there?”

“Well, yes.”

“Then I can make a living. But first I want to just be, Annie. For a little while I just want to be.
With you. I want to marry you. Do you think that's something I can talk you into?” He pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it, revealing a beautiful solitaire diamond.

“Like I said.” She managed a smile in with her tears. “All I heard was ‘I love you.”'

“Is that a yes?”

“I love you back, Kyle.”

“Is that a yes?” he pressed.

“So you really thought
I
rescued
you?
”

“Annie.”

“Yes.” She threw herself at him and kissed his face everywhere she could reach. “Yes, yes, yes.”

Next to them, Amelia buttoned closed her satchel and nodded in triumph. “A job well done,” she decided, even if she said so herself.