“I’ve already chosen.” I whispered the words quietly, aware that there were people outside waiting for me. “I chose the night I saw you at Sam’s, I just didn’t realize it. You’re the first man I’ve wanted that way.”
“Then when it happens, you will have nothing to worry about.” His lips touched mine softly, and I melted into his arms before burrowing my face in his chest.
“I’m so sorry that I’ve exposed you to this type of thing. If you had been with any other woman, no one would have taken your pictures.” Guilt filled my heart and I could feel the panic spiking again.
“I told you, I don’t care. I would have rather that moment stayed between us, but I plan on making a lot of memories that no one else will have their hands—or eyes—on.”
“That would be nice.” My mouth twitched slightly into a small smile.
“Let’s go in and do something silly or boring.” He let go of my face and coaxed me out. “A board game or maybe a television marathon. How do you feel about infomercials?”
“Infomercials? Where they try to sell you things.” I shook my head.
“Those are the ones. Great for putting a person to sleep.”
“Your Highness, are you well?” Mark stepped forward, his eyes running over my body in a quick check. “Should I call for a doctor or one of the nurses?”
“I’m just feeling under the weather. I’ll be fine.” I nodded my head and didn’t bother to force a smile. It would be wasted on him anyways. He had known me for so long that he could tell when I was being sincere.
“If you have need of me, please let me know.” He nodded his head in a quick bow before walking ahead of us to open the door of the house.
“Thank you.” I nodded my head to him while David and I walked past.
“Where’s the kitchen? Why don’t I make us a snack?” David leaned down to whisper in my ear.
“The cook should still be up, you could ask her.” I stepped out of my shoes and bent over to pick them up. “I’d love a hot cup of tea.”
“Okay, I’ll go see what I can do.” David led me over to the armchair closest to the fireplace. “Have a seat and I’ll be back.”
I curled up in the chair and propped my chin in one hand. It felt odd to be taken care of, but I was so tired and worn out from the panic attack I didn’t have the energy to argue. I could feel that anxiety dancing just on the edge of my consciousness, waiting for me to fall into its dark pit of fear. Instead I watched the flames of the small fire dance across the logs and let my mind blank. Any time my brain started to even touch upon the idea of pictures . . . No, I couldn’t go there. I just focused on the flames.
“Well, I found a cook and a maid.” David walked back into the room with a cup of hot tea on a saucer. “And Jeanine, the maid, said she would bring us some board games.”
“Thank you.” I took the cup from him.
“Oh, I didn’t make it. The cook wouldn’t let me even open a cabinet.” He cleared a spot on the table in the center of the sitting area when Jeanine brought out several boxes and a pack of cards. “What will it be? Monopoly?”
“No!” I laughed at his surprised face. “Alex has ruined Monopoly for me. Take my advice and never play with him.”
“Good to know.” He looked at the other boxes. “It looks like the rest all require more players, so how about a card game?”
“That sounds good.” I set my cup down. “How about Go Fish?”
“Go Fish?” David blinked in surprise. “If that’s what you really want to play—”
I burst out laughing. “I’m joking. I can’t believe you fell for that.”
“That’s it. Your choice has been revoked.” He shuffled the cards before starting to deal them out. “Crazy Eights. Do you know how to play?”
“I do.” I slid out of my chair so that I was sitting on the floor next to the table. “Are you any good?”
“It’s a game of luck. I’m as good as anyone else.” He shrugged out of his jacket and undid his tie before joining me on the floor.
“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.” I raised an eyebrow in challenge. If there was anything I had picked up from my brothers, it was their competitiveness. My nerves were still shot, but just being next to David seemed to help. He had a way of making everything important seem unimportant. He put things into perspective, and right now, Crazy Eights was much more important than anything lying photographers could make up.
Though there was one thing that bothered me and I couldn’t shake it. Where had the photos come from and just how bad were they? And why? Why had someone taken pictures of such an intimate moment? It had to be for the money they got when they sold the photographs to the magazines.
After I beat David three times in a row, he conceded defeat and packed up the cards. Sitting on the couch, he patted the spot next to him and I took the seat. With a comfortable ease, he tucked me against him.
“I loved hearing your laugh.”
“I loved seeing you lose.” I giggled when he mock-groaned.
“I just wanted you to be happy.” He smiled at me.
“Riiiight.” I shook my head, but scooted close against him. “Whatever you have to tell yourself.”
“That’s how it’s going to be, huh?” In a swift movement he had lain back on the sofa and shifted me so that I lay on his chest.
My ear rested just above his heart and I closed my eyes to listen. There was something soothing in the rhythm combined with his steady breaths. The fire crackled and popped as it slowly faded from existence and I found it hard to keep my eyes open.
“Will you stay?” I tucked one of my hands under my cheek. I felt safe in his arms, and even if those photos made an appearance in the morning, it wouldn’t feel so bad with him here to keep me calm.
“Yes.” His answer was quick. “Go to sleep.”
“Are you comfortable?” The words came out in a mumble.
“I’m fine.” His arm tightened around my waist.
“Thank you.”
For holding me. For keeping me calm. For staying.
“You’re welcome.” He dipped down to kiss my head.
“W
HY DIDN
’
T YOU
tell me?” Selene stood on the stairs, her voice angry. The younger nurse stood beside her with big eyes.
“What?” I rubbed my eyes, confused. Was I at the palace?
“The pictures. You could have let me know. I have people sending me e-mails left and right.” She was using a cane, but the expression on her face was fierce.
“I didn’t want to upset you.” Fat lot of good that had done for me. I was tucked next to David on the couch, his arm still over my waist. I sat up and let his arm fall to the side. “Who let you have a computer?”
“I got out of bed and took it. I’m not asking for permission anymore.”
“Why are you up? I can deal with this.” But the truth was that I could taste vomit in the back of my mouth. The pictures were out and people were seeing me with David in a very private moment.
“Because I know.” She shook her head sadly. “I know what you’re feeling right now.” Taking the steps slowly, she made her way down to me.
The nurse was helping her, but I hopped up to assist her myself. “You’re going to kill yourself.”
“Sitting in that bed, stressing over not knowing what is going on, will kill me faster.” Selene grabbed my arm and looked into my eyes. “It’s going to be okay.”
“I don’t know what to do.” Tears prickled at the backs of my eyes. “What do I say?”
“Nothing right this minute.” She cupped my cheek and I was reminded of when I was a child. “We think about it and handle it with a clear head.”
I led her to a seat across from where David was sitting on the couch. “Sit here and I’ll get you some tea.”
“I’ll get it, ma’am.” The young nurse disappeared.
“She’s probably going to slip drugs into it.” Selene frowned. “Good morning, David.”
“Good morning, Selene.” David smiled at her, his hair sticking out in different directions. “I’m sorry you woke up to this.”
“This is my job. To make sure Cathy doesn’t panic or make the wrong move.” She shook her head. “Where is Tabitha?”
“Are you not taking your medicine?” I glared at her. “Why do you think they are drugging you?”
“Because they’re tired of me complaining.” She waved her hand. “They probably aren’t, but I bet they wish they could. Now, where is Tabitha?”
“I don’t know. She disappeared last night.” I shrugged. At the time it had been a relief. Of course she did drink an entire bottle of wine in the car, so it was likely that she was still snoring in her bed. “Maybe in her room.”
“We need to talk about the photos.” Selene said the words quietly. “Have you seen them?”
I shook my head, my stomach rolling. I remembered the kiss, the intense need, the way he had cupped my ass. I didn’t want to see that splattered in a tabloid.
“They aren’t that bad.” Selene leaned back in her chair. “They’re actually sweet. David, can you pull them up on your phone?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He fiddled in his pocket until the phone was free, and he pressed buttons until he had pulled up the file. He looked at the pictures for a minute, but I refused to look down. Instead I watched his face as he decided what he thought. “They aren’t bad. Just personal.”
“No, and what I’m most worried about is where the photos came from.” Selene said the words calmly, but it sent my heart racing.
“What do you mean?”
“Those are cell phone pictures. Who else was staying on the floor with you?” She frowned. “I don’t remember much from the hospital, but I know that you would have been in a penthouse. Were there other rooms on the floor?”
“I don’t think so.” I shook my head.
“No, that’s not right. There was a door on the opposite side of the hallway from yours.” David narrowed his eyes.
“I thought that was a janitorial closet.”
“It would have been large enough for someone to hide in.” He looked around the room angrily as if he could spot the perpetrator walking through my living room.
“Who would have done that? The staff? How long did they hide in that closet? Just for the chance of a photo?” My mouth worked for a minute as I watched Selene’s serious face. “Who has time for that?”
“Someone that could make large sums from selling the pictures.”
“A hotel employee?” I shook my head. “Can we call the hotel and figure out who it was?”
“I’ll have someone look into it.” Selene took a sip of her tea.
“Not Tabitha.” David’s voice brooked no argument.
“Okay.” Selene watched him carefully. She wasn’t used to taking orders from people other than the royal family. “Why?”
“She tried to insist Cathy go to the auction last night after she dropped the bomb about the pictures in the car.” His voice was a growl. “Cathy had a panic attack.”
“Are you okay, dear?” Selene looked at me with worried eyes.
“I’m better this morning.” I took a deep breath as if to prove it. “David kept me calm.” I smiled over at him. “But I think I ruined this dress.” My smile turned into a frown as I looked at the material hanging around my legs. There was mascara on the pale pink skirt.
“You still look amazing.” He reached out and tucked some of my hair behind my ear.
“I hate that I wasted the dress.” I sighed. “I had been saving it for a special night.”
“Playing Crazy Eights wasn’t a special night to you?” He mock-frowned. “I’m heartbroken.”
“Oh hush.” I pushed at his shoulder. “Chadwick will be glad you loved your new tux so much that you slept in it.”
“Remind me to thank him for insisting on the extra tight pants. They were so comfortable last night.” The snark was palpable.
Selene was watching us with a small smile. “Not to interrupt your adorable banter, but what do you want me to do with Tabitha?” From the sound of her voice, she had a few ideas of her own.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. The truth was that despite the laughs we had shared, I’d be just fine if I never saw her again. But that seemed unfair. She had done her job for the last two weeks, even if she was a bit confused about what that entailed.
“I’m going to say something that Cathy will probably disagree with, but I think it should be said.” David turned to look at me. “I don’t trust her. I’ve been thinking about this all night and I don’t see why it couldn’t have been her that leaked the photos. Somehow the media has been following you relentlessly since she started working for you. She could be leaking information.”
“I don’t want to jump to conclusions.” I shook my head. “The media could have simply found us at the movie theater, and let’s not forget that with Alex and Sam being out of the country, they needed somewhere to focus their attention.”
“I happen to agree with David.” Selene cleared her throat. “It would be almost impossible to prove, but I can’t overlook the fact that she has ignored your basic needs. She should have approached you with the information about the pictures in a much better way.”
“She’s only been working for me for a couple of weeks. She couldn’t know how it would affect me.” I frowned. I was defending her, but I remembered some of the evil, hate-filled looks Tabitha had shot my way. Especially when I insisted on going home the night before.
“Anyone would have been upset about the pictures. And she shouldn’t have insisted that you go to the auction when you were obviously distraught.” David wrapped his fingers around mine. “Give her a different job, demote her without calling it that. Put some distance between you both. Don’t let her put you in a bad position.”
“I’ll tell her that I’ve decided to let Selene pick up some of the work,” I said. “To keep you from tormenting the nurses.” I shot my old friend a look.
“Honesty is the best policy.” Selene shot me a devilish smile. “She’s still going to suspect that she’s in trouble.”
“Good.” David was obviously not on Team Tabitha.
I slapped his leg. “If she is leaking stuff, we don’t want to alienate her.”
“Friends close, enemies closer.” David nodded his head.
“Exactly.” Selene sipped more of her tea. “I’ll take care of Tabitha.”
“What about me?” She walked out into the living room, still wearing her dress from the night before and carrying her shoes.
“Where have you been?” Selene set her cup down on her saucer. “You should be up dealing with today’s turn of events.”