An American Cinderella:A Royal Love Story(20)

"Tell me about it," I replied, putting another document on the scanner. I  had a file up on my computer that I tried to save to my research folder  for Anastasia while the computer processed the image. I was  multi-tasking hard core.

"Aria, I am really sorry about last night," he said. I loved the way his  accent wrapped around my name like a caress. "I wish I could have  stayed."

"I get it," I said, trying to be nonchalant. I wanted to be cool and not  needy. I wanted him to think I was a strong, independent woman even if  inside I wanted him with me all the time. "Work and duty. I understand."

He sighed. "Can I see you again? Soon?"

My heart sped up at the thought of seeing him and then I looked around  my office. The boxes Jaqui had told me about had arrived. Only, where I  thought it might be one or two boxes more, it was a whole room full of  boxes. I had paperwork spilling out into the hallway.

"I would like that. It's just... I'm really behind on my work. I'm not  going to be able to leave tonight. Or tomorrow. Actually, I'm thinking  about changing my address to my work and just sleeping under my desk."

He chuckled. "That's a shame. I rather liked your apartment. Particularly that couch."

I thought of his kisses and bare chest. The way he had felt underneath me on that couch. I heated right between my legs.

"But I want to see you," I told him. I could almost taste his kisses if I thought about it.

"I want to see you too," he said. He paused for a moment. "Let me see what I can come up with."

"Okay," I replied. I hoped that maybe we could get dinner in a couple of  days. Maybe end up back at my place. Or his place. I wasn't picky. We  didn't even really need a place. I just wanted to see him. I found that I  missed him.

We said goodbye, both of us reluctant to hang up the phone. He was the  one good part of my day. I sighed and looked at my flowers. They  certainly brought warmth and color to my drab little office. Just like  Henry did to my world.

I kept powering through the documents. It was mindless work, simply  putting paper in the scanners until it ran out and then refilling it. I  had to keep track of which document I was on to save it to the correct  file, but other than that, a trained monkey could do this job.

It was a good thing too because I had a lot of work to do for Anastasia.  This was the work that enjoyed and it made me miss my old job. I missed  digging around and looking things up. I missed being a part of the  process. I had loved my job as a senator's aide because I felt like I  was making a difference. Granted, it was small and not very much, but I  knew that if I kept at it, I would learn the ropes. Once I had that, I  could really start to change things.

It was how I was going to make the world a better place.

I avoided actually reading the documents that I scanned. If I didn't  read them, then I didn't know what was on them. If I didn't know what  was on them, I couldn't tell my stepmother about them. I would have no  guilt in telling her that none of my documents today pertained to her  interests.         

     



 

It was a round-about lie, but since it was lying for a good reason, I  didn't feel too guilty about it. I knew that since she had come to me I  had at least a week before she would pester me again. She couldn't be  seen coming to my work place very often. I was free of her clutches for  another week.

Not that it was going to do me much good. I still needed a plan on how I  was not going to give her anything and still keep my father's  reputation intact. Just thinking about it felt impossible, so I decided  to focus on my research and scanning the documents as quickly as  possible. One task at a time.

I worked for what felt like the entire day, but found that it was barely  lunch time. It wasn't even noon, yet I was exhausted. Looking around  the small room, I had barely made a dent. I felt like putting my head in  my hands and crying. And then taking a nap.

"Knock knock," came a familiar voice at my door.

I looked up to see Henry standing in my doorway carrying a large brown paper bag. He was truly my white knight today.

"You're here!" I cried, standing up quickly from my table and running over to greet him. This time, I knew how to greet him.

I kissed him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my body up  against his. He wrapped one arm around my waist, pulling me into his  embrace while still holding the bag of food with his other hand.

"If I had known that would be your reaction, I would have come with food  a long time ago," he teased once I pulled back slightly. He kept his  arm around me, though, not wanting to let me go.

"I thought you said you couldn't come," I said, grinning from ear to ear. "I'm so glad you did."

He kissed my cheek. "I couldn't stay away."

The way he looked at me with those blue eyes made heat flutter from the  tips of my fingers to the tips of my toes. It was like being covered  with sunshine and wrapped in rainbows when he looked at me.

"Come sit down and we'll eat. I can grab another chair from next door," I  told him, turning and motioning to my table. I took a step and moved a  box to clear a path. "It's kind of messy in here, but..."

"I can't stay." Henry's smile faded. "I snuck out of a meeting and when Liam finds out, he's going to murder me."

"You're not staying?" I repeated, not wanting to understand.

He shook his head and set the food down on the table. He put both hands  on my shoulders, his eyes going to mine. "But I wanted to see you. I  needed to see you, especially because of the way I had to leave last  night."

I tried to keep my face from falling, but it was like Christmas was canceled. I didn't care about the food. I cared about Henry.

"When can I see you again?" I asked. My voice came out softer and full  of the sadness I was trying to keep contained. "Because I want more than  just a delivery service."

The corner of his mouth twitched up slightly. "Soon. I'm hoping that  when I get back to my brother, some of my work will be sorted and I will  get some free time again."

I nodded, unsure of when I would have free time again.

"How long until you have to leave?" I asked.

He looked down at his watch. "I was supposed to leave three minutes ago."

"Damn."

He made no move to go, so I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him  again. The familiar heat began to grow, aching in my middle for so much  more than just a kiss. I knew that it couldn't happen, yet I let myself  pretend for just a moment.

He pulled back, panting slightly. "You're going to make me so late."

But he put his hand in my hair and kissed me again, telling me that he  wanted me just as much as I wanted him. I loved the way his tongue moved  with mine, the way his lips caressed mine. He knew how to kiss better  than anyone I'd ever met.

His phone started to go off. The ring was loud and noisy, set to sound like an alarm clock going off.

"Wow," I said, pulling back. "That is a loud ring tone."

Henry sighed. "My brother's idea. Since I yelled at him for sending  Andre to do his dirty work, he said I needed to listen to my phone more.  This was our compromise."

I winced as the sound continued. He pulled it out and rolled his eyes.

"Yes, king brother?"

I could hear his brother on the other end, but I couldn't make out any of the words.

"I have no idea what you mean," Henry said into the phone. "I don't know  why you can't find me. Go to the conference room and I'll be there in  just a minute." He hung up the phone.

"You have to go, don't you?" I asked, hating the unsatisfied ache in my middle.         

     



 

He nodded. "I do." But he didn't move.

Instead, he kissed me one more time until the annoying ring started up  again. He hit silence with a grimace. "That's going to get me in trouble  later," he said. He pointed to the bag of food. "I got you macaroni and  cheese since you said you liked noodles. There's more downstairs with  Gus for the rest of the office."

"Wait. You're on first name basis with Gus now?" I asked, surprised that  my surrogate father would approve of any male in a five foot radius of  me.

"He likes me now that I brought him food." Henry shrugged like it was  nothing. "That and I promised to treat you like a princess. And that he  could kill me if I didn't."

I giggled. "I'm glad that you two have come to an understanding."

"Yeah. That I'm a dead man if I make you sad," he agreed. He smiled at me, his blue eyes bright. "Which isn't going to happen."

I smiled. "Except you have to leave now. Which will make me sad."

"Then I am utterly screwed because my brother really will murder me if I don't come back," he said with a laugh. "I have to go."

"I know." I kissed him, softer and sweeter this time. "Thank you for lunch."

"Always," he replied. He snuck one last kiss before ducking away and escaping out of my office.