"Do not say that!"
"I was kidding! It's stuffy here." She glanced around at the paintings on the elegant walls. "Almost like a really fancy prison."
Though Dominic hadn't appeared to have been listening, he turned and said, "Protocols and security are necessary."
"For protection and respect," Ginny quickly told her mom, wanting Dom to see her mom hadn't meant any harm. She simply wasn't up to speed on the lives of royalty. "If somebody's going to rule a country in a part of the world that isn't always stable, they need to command respect."
Dominic gave her a look of approval that helped alleviate the sense that she'd somehow caused his bad mood.
But her mom waved a hand. "Give me the good old-fashioned life of a commoner any day of the week."
Ginny smiled nervously, as Dom shook his head. He'd been so cute when he'd come to her suite, asking for help with his cuff links. Now a world of distance seemed to be lodged between them. She wouldn't tell him, but it had been nice to have a chance to touch him. And there was nothing more intimate than fixing a guy's cuff links or his bow tie-as a wife would.
She told herself not to go overboard with those thoughts and knew she wouldn't. She didn't want to get hurt by spinning fantasies. Still, though she might be a fake fiancée about to be a fake wife/princess, she and Dom were in this together. She didn't like the fact that he was unhappy. Especially if it might be because of something she'd done.
Security guards opened the gold doors to the king's quarters and Dom invited Ginny and her mom to enter before him. The foyer ceilings had to be three stories high. Everything from lamps to picture frames was trimmed in gold.
Her mother immediately recognized a Monet. She gasped. "Oh, this is delightful! One of my favorites."
"I'd be happy to give it to you as my wedding gift to you."
All heads turned as the king entered the foyer.
He kissed Ginny's hand, then Rose's.
Rose frowned. "First, I do not have the kind of security I'd need to put that in my home. Second, I'm not the bride. I don't get gifts."
"It's our custom to give parents of people who marry into our family a gift...something like a welcome to the family."
Her mom's eyebrows rose as she glanced over at Ginny, who shrugged slightly.
She leaned toward the king and whispered, "We're really not going to be in your family long."
He bowed. "A custom is a custom."
Rose nodded. "Point taken. Do I have to get you a gift?"
King Ronaldo unexpectedly smiled. "Do you wish to welcome me to your family?"
Rose laughed noisily. "Well, honey, I guess I do. Except you have to come to my house to get the gift."
The king directed everyone to the door again. "Maybe I will. But right now we're going to the formal reception room to meet the ambassador."
The king took Rose's arm as Dominic tucked Ginny's hand in the crook of his elbow.
She'd never seen her mom flirt. Not even after her dad had died. Not with anyone. Ever. The sight of her mom and the grouchy king-well, flirting-made her want to say, "Aw," and shiver with revulsion simultaneously.
King Ronaldo peeked over his shoulder at Ginny. "By the way, Ginny, I approve of the dress."
"This old thing?"
He smiled patiently. "I know you're coming to understand our customs and our etiquette, so you can't tease me anymore by pretending you don't understand. Were I you, I would have said thank you."
Dominic gave her a look and, suddenly, desperately wanting to please him, she took a quick breath and said, "Thank you."
"I'm hoping your entire wardrobe and wedding apparel will follow a similar pattern."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I appreciate that you're allowing me so much say in the wedding plans."
"Thank your future husband," the king said as the reached the door of the reception room. "He pleaded your case. Something about pink roses and your friends as bridesmaids lending authenticity to the whole thing."
Two guards opened the doors. The king walked into the room and led her mother to a discreet bar.
Ginny turned to Dom. "So, you pleaded my case?"
He glanced back at his father. "Saving an argument."
She reached up and tightened his bow tie. "Well, I appreciate it."
He caught her hand. "That's fine. My tie is fine."
She nodded quickly, annoyed with herself for the intimate gesture and for upsetting him again. "I guess I'm just getting a little too comfortable with you."
He caught her gaze. "You shouldn't."
Ginny stared into his dark, dark eyes, suddenly realizing he wasn't angry with her. But if he wasn't angry with her, that left only himself. Was he angry with himself? For asking her for help with cuff links? Or because asking for help with his cuff links proved they were getting close? Becoming friends?
She saw that as a good thing. Within the cocoon of their conspiracy, for the first time in her life, she was taking the initial steps of trusting a man. She didn't have to worry about consequences. There were none. She knew they were getting divorced. There was no way he could hurt her. And the little bit of intimacy with the cuff links had been warm and wonderful.
But obviously, he didn't feel the same way.
The ambassador arrived and Ginny played her role exactly as Dom wanted her to play it. They had a toast with the ambassador and his wife, Amelia, who then toasted the newly engaged couple and wished them happiness.
The ambassador then handed them a small box. Dominic opened it, smiled and handed it to her.
She glanced inside and her gaze jerked to the ambassador. "Emerald earrings."
Amelia said, "Our country's gift to you on your engagement."
She said, "Thanks," but her stomach tightened. She hadn't considered that kings and ambassadors and entire countries would give her gifts. But really? What wedding didn't attract gifts?
At the end of the evening, when the ambassador and his wife retreated to their suite, she and Dom also took their leave. Rose had decided to stay and have one more drink with the king, and Ginny's head spun.
When they got into the elevator and the door closed, affording them their first privacy of the evening, she turned to Dominic. "I don't know if I should apologize for my mom flirting with your dad or groan over the fact that we're going to get expensive wedding gifts that we have no right to."
"We're getting married. We have every right to get gifts and well-wishers have every right to send us gifts." He frowned slightly. "Haven't you seen the stack of presents that have already arrived?"
Her mouth fell open. "We've already gotten gifts?"
"Many. The protocol is that they stay with Sally until she has an appropriate thank-you card printed up on the royal family's stationery."
"We don't write our own thank-you cards?"
He smiled briefly.
Ginny held back a groan. No wonder he didn't want to be friendly with her. She was more than a commoner. She was a bumpkin.
She swallowed. "What are we going to do with the presents?"
"What do you mean, what are we going to do with the presents? The same thing other newlyweds do."
The elevator door opened and he walked outside. She stood frozen, feeling odd-feeling horrible, actually. While she was learning to trust him, he was walking away from her. She might be a bumpkin, but he was the one who had his protocols out of order if he wanted to keep gifts they didn't deserve. Technically, they were at the center of perpetuating a fraud. They would benefit from a lie.
She scrambled after him. "So we're going to keep these things?"
He stopped, spun to face her. "What would you suggest? That we tell our guests no gifts? That we all but let them know we plan on divorcing. Get your head in the game, Ginny!"
His tone was like a slap in the face. She took a step back, then another. "I'm sorry."
He cursed. "Why are you saying you're sorry! I'm the one who just yelled at you! Do you have to be so nice? So honest?"
"You'd rather I be dishonest?"
"I'd rather that your sanctimonious attitude not make me feel like I'm doing something wrong all the time."
He turned to the white double doors, marched over, opened them and walked directly to the bar.
She scampered after him. "Wait! What?"
"You're so nice. You spar with my dad, then say something so respectful, he knows you're coming around. You didn't want a new wardrobe until we insisted. You're nice with Sally. You're happy your mom is here and it's clear she loves you." He stopped, sucking in a breath.
"You're mad at me because the situation is working out?"